MONDAY February 20, 2017
THE DAILY ILLINI The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
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Vol. 146 Issue 42
75 years of Illini history
The Illini Union celebrated its 75th birthday Friday, concluding a year-long celebration of the iconic building.
1909
1939
Students first discuss building a student union.
1917
The previously stalled movement restarts as alumni start a campaign to build an Illini Union.
1926
University of Illinois Foundation starts campaign to build union after plans are set aside to build Memorial Stadium.
With funds secured, construction begins for the $1.5 million Illini Union. University Hall is demolished to make way for the new building; the main entry way of University Hall was later preserved and repurposed as the Hallene Gateway in 1998.
1941
The Illini Union opens its doors Feb. 8, 32 years after the initial idea. The following year, Eleanor Roosevelt cut the first anniversary cake and dedicated the building.
1935
2017
Architects created a plan that would fill in the middle between the north and south buildings with a glass exterior, facing Altgeld Hall.
People get food in the cafeteria in 1963.
1963
2018
As the student population grew, so did the Union. A $6.9 million addition to the Union is completed by constructing the south building that faces the Main Quad.
Fundraising for the renovations could start as early as Jan. 2018, according to Laurence Uphoff, interim director of the Illini Union. The project may be funded by a mix of private donations and University contributions.
1994
The newly named University president, Arthur C. Willard, declares Cutting the cake on the 10th building a union one of his main anniversary of the Illini Un objectives
The main structure remained unchanged until the courtyard in the center of the building is enclosed and named the Courtyard Cafe.
BY AARON NAVARRO
“What affects some members of the community affects us all.” SUSAN KOSHY ENGLISH PROFESSOR
STAFF WRITER
Student government leaders are trying to give students a voice about the current state budget crisis. In light of recent efforts by student leaders from universities across the state, Evan Williamson, from the University Alumni Association, gave a brief speech at the Illinois Student Government meeting Wednesday on an initiative to bring buses of students to Springfield, Illi-
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“vitriol, fake news, and alternative facts that has imperiled core democratic institutions and values,” according to the statement. Koshy said that while the statement does support free speech, it realizes “the multiple and complex ways in which speech is restricted in the current political climate.” Recent political events have led to other college petitions as well,
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nois, to demand answers regarding the state budget crisis. “What we are trying to do is give students the opportunity to meet with legislators one-on-one,” Williamson said. “The political process is fundamentally driven by people.” Williamson went on to discuss how this budget crisis affects every single student at the University and that it will not be solved if students
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From the Czech Republic to Illinois
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THEDAILYILLINI Life
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Editorial: We’re on your side
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During the Illini Union’s 75th anniversary celebration on Friday, Earl Finder, 93, sat in the Pine Room before pictures of the building throughout the decades. To one side of him were pictures from the Union’s past and to the other were renditions of what architects hope to build one day. It was not the fi rst time Finder sat at the center of history. Finder grew up in Champaign. He remembers going to the arcade building that stood where the Illini Union now stands. He remembers the excitement when the Illini Union opened its doors. “I spent a lot of time here in the Union, of course,” Finder said.
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Protestewrs meet by the Illini Union to march on Jan. 30.
DAILYILLINI, DAILYILLINISPORTS
STAFF WRITER
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
BY GILLIAN DUNLOP
ASSISTANT DAYTIME NEWS EDITOR
to endorse open, respectful dialogue and uphold “the principles of scientific method and of fact and reason-based inquiry.” Susan Koshy, one of the organizers of the petition and an English professor from the UrbanaChampaign campus, said that faculty, postdoctoral scholars, researchers and graduate students can sign the petition. The statement says it comes at a critical time and responds to the current political culture of
BY ANGELICA LAVITO
Alumnus introduces bus initiative to push for state budget resolution
Petition calls for inclusion, respect With recent national attacks on factual information and research, over 260 professors, lecturers, Ph.D. candidates and department leaders are responding by signing a petition to uphold values of “Research, Diversity and Freedom.” The petition was released with a statement aiming to reaffi rm the University’s “commitment to the core values of access and inclusion.” Those signing come from all three University of Illinois campuses and from departments in humanities, arts, social sciences and STEM fields. The petition itself calls for signees to “reject every form of bigotry, discrimination, and hateful rhetoric and action,” as well as
Former director reflects on Union
The University conducted a study last year to evaluate the building and its uses.
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