DisOrientation Book 2018 by UChicago United

acknowledgements The creators of the 2018 Dis-Orientation book would like to thank the organizations mentioned throughout the book not only for their written pieces, but also for the work they do to bring about justice and liberation within and outside of these university walls. We also recognize and thank the student activists that came before us. You strengthened our political consciousness and gave us the tools to change this institution. We return the favor by keeping the tradition alive.

introduction Our mission for this year’s Dis-Orientation book takes after those who inspired us with the 2016 Issue of the book found here. In the words of Kiran and Baci: “When you first arrive at UChicago, you’re bombarded with information about the place that is going to be your home, from many different sources. But the first image you get is actually highly curated and manicured. As you look more closely, you’ll discover just how intentional the University is about the image it projects to you, to your parents, to the public. And you’ll begin to find differences between your experience and that image. That process can be upsetting, disappointing, demoralizing...But you have to embrace it. Getting disoriented is a crucial step in finding your true community on campus, and in learning what it really means to be a student here. DisOrientation isn’t in opposition to the University’s introduction to campus. We only intend to supplement what you see, broaden your perspective, and contextualize the university’s policies and actions. DisOrientation is hundreds of students coming together to actively welcome you. Instead of waiting for you to find us, we are reaching out to you with open arms, with this book, with these events, so you know we’re here. We hope you’re perturbed by the big questions raised in this book, which demand big answers; we also hope you’re comforted by the knowledge that there are people here to support you. We hope to provide you with a sense of place and time, a continuity with the efforts and experiences of past students. This book is filled with instances of students seeing something that needed changing, and doing something about it. We hope you are inspired and equipped to take up the mantle on issues you believe are worth fighting for. 2

TABLE TABLE OF OF CONTENTS CONTENTS 1

The Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Priorities: Free Speech and the Kalven Report

. . . 4

global context: the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s investments and the need for global justice on campus

. . . 6

university of chicago police: militarization and discrimination on the south side

. . . 9

gentrification: the university agenda and the obama foundation

. . . 11

university labor; organize and unionize

. . . 13

race and diversity: people of color in white spaces

. . . 17

fraternities and title ix: sexual assault and support on campus

. . . 21

ability, physical health & mental health: the effects of stress and university bureaucracies

. . . 25

first generation and low-income students (FLGI): navigating privileged spaces

. . . 30

lgbtq+ students: queerness around campus

. . . 33

creative expression: art as activism on campus

. . . 35

city-wide organizing: activism outside of the uchicago bubble

. . . 38

University’s priorities 1 the free speech and the kalven report In 1967, in response to widespread protests against the Vietnam War, a faculty committee chaired by law professor Harry Kalven produced what would come to be known as the Kalven Report. In less than two pages, the report outlines the University’s “role in political and social action,” sketching in broad strokes the University’s place in society. The report argues that the University, as an institution that exists to promote free inquiry, cannot, in general, take a stance on political issues without jeopardizing that core value. It concluded with the statement that there is a “heavy presumption against the university taking collective action or expressing opinions on the political and social issues of the day, or modifying its corporate activities to foster social or political values, however compelling and appealing they may be.” In general, the report does not appear to guide University decision-making. Instead, it is used to retroactively justify whatever decisions the administration has already made, with no opportunity for student or faculty oversight of the University’s financial dealings. When the University wishes to engage in political activity, it chooses to ignore the report. The Kalven Report has certainly not hindered the University in its aggressive efforts to shape the character of surrounding neighborhoods and make decisions with profound social and political implications. When the University appointed a new Vice President for Civic Engagement in 2008 with the explicit goal of lobbying on behalf of Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympic Games, the report’s claim that “[the University] is not a lobby” never entered the discussion. By contrast, when the administration does not wish for professors and students to influence how the University operates, it invokes the report to end the debate. PROTESTS AGAINST THE VIET-

NAM

WAR:

SOURCE,

THE

MAROON

More recently, the Chicago Free Speech Principles, based on a report by Law School professor Geoffrey Stone in 2014, gained international importance, allowing UChicago to cement its position as a bastion of campus free speech— to much praise from UChicago’s wealthy donors (such as Kenneth Griffin) and several right-leaning websites and publications. It has been adopted by over 30 college campuses, and is slowly turning into a precedent for legislation: the Ontario government recently declared that public universities without similar free speech policies would risk losing funding. The Goldwater Institute, a conservative think tank, drafted model legislation based on the 2015 report. Adopted by the states of Wisconsin and North Carolina, the legislation threatens exactly those who it claims to protect— the students— with suspension and even expulsion for “[interfering] with the free expression of others.” UChicago’s protection of free speech, then, extends to ideas deemed “offensive, unwise, immoral, or wrong-headed,” while disciplinary action and restrictions apply to those who attempt to limit such ideas. To most students at the University, the admin’s commitment to rigorous

debate and free inquiry seems little more than a marketing ploy and a bid for more conservative donors— a mixed bag of often incoherent decisions and statements. In a controversial letter to the Class of 2020, Dean Ellison claimed UChicago does not support trigger warnings and safe spaces, despite the fact that several campus organizations and faculty members actively employ both in their programming and teaching. In 2018, Booth Professor Luigi Zingales invited Steve Bannon— a man known for his role in the Trump admin and heading alt-right paper Breitbart— to speak at an event. At a town hall, Zingales later remarked that he would not be opposed to inviting “early Hitler” to a public event. The University administration did not so much as bat an eyelid, while both professors and students rallied to protest his invitation. As Professor Cathy Cohen remarked, “It is unclear what he brings to any conversation.… The question has to be: At what point does free speech turn into hate speech?” UChicago’s purported devotion to free speech, then, seems to give platforms those who need it least: the rich, white and the politically powerful. Amidst all the controversy, University President Zimmer has made public appearance after appearance extolling the neverending virtues of free expression. In the meantime, he has refused to engage faculty on issues of free speech, despite repeated calls to do so. The admin also conducted a closed-door conference on free speech, barring the press and students from participating or observing. The Graduate Students Union (GSU) has been attempting to engage in union contract negotiations with the University ever since students overwhelmingly voted to unionize. GSU held a rally outside a Zimmer-Boyer free speech conference and were denied entry into the event, while the University remains silent on demands to bargain with GSU. As one GSU organizer puts it, “We’ve got all these people, an overwhelming majority of graduate students…but they refuse to bargain with us. That’s a lack of free speech.” Though the Chicago Principles maintain that protests are a legitimate form of free expression, the administration also reserves the right to decide exactly what kind of protests are disruptive and warrant punishment. In 2016, the administration threatened student body president Tyler Kissinger with expulsion on the eve of his graduation— he was charged with dishonestly entering Levi Hall, the administration building, subsequently allowing other protestors to enter for a sit-in. The protest took place after the admin had refused several calls for a meeting with students. Student and non-student protesters at an Institute of Politics (IOP) event featuring former Cook County State Attorney Anita Alvarez were unequivocally condemned by the IOP’s David Axelrod. As politicians who disregard and even support violence against Black and Brown bodies continue to populate the stages of UChicago, students and faculty members continue to face punishment for registering their dissent and anger. Under the façade of free speech and the Kalven Report, UChicago fails to acknowledge hateful and violent ideas as such. As the admin falls back on the Chicago Free Speech Principles to amass prestige and power and justify its every move, as state governments and universities begin to follow suit and impose harsher punishments on student protestors, as the voices of UChicago’s surrounding communities fall to the wayside, the question remains—

WHO

REALLY NEEDS THEIR SPEECH PROTECTED?

FREE 5

global context the university’s investments and the need for global justice on campus

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ The University’s injustices go beyond the city of Chicago and even this entire nation. The sentiment of the Kalven Report, as discussed in Section One, may seem innocuous and even agreeable, but University administrators have historically used them to justify inaction in the face of horrendous human rights abuses. The U of C was one of the few universities to refuse to divest its endowment funds from companies doing business with apartheid South Africa, continuing to provide tacit financial backing to the apartheid regime well into the 1980s while our peer institutions such as Columbia and Harvard disinvested. More recently, the Kalven report has been cited to justify a refusal to divest from companies doing business in Darfur where the Sudanese government committed genocide against Darfurians, from the world’s largest fossil fuel companies, and from companies that profit from the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. One could quite reasonably view this inaction as taking a political position, but this problematic feature of the report does not seem to trouble administrators. The report itself acknowledges that the policy of institutional noninvolvement is not absolute, recognizing that in “exceptional instances” the University’s investments “may appear so incompatible with paramount social values as to require careful assessment of the consequences.” The committee’s notes suggest that this was intended to allow the issue to be resolved on a case-by-case basis. To the best of my knowledge, there have never been any cases in which the administration has publicly invoked this clause. Professor John Hope Franklin, a member of the 1967 committee, called the situation in Darfur “so tragic that it qualifies as the exceptional instance where … divestment is consistent with the core values of our report,” but this was not enough to convince the administration to divest. Given that apartheid and genocide have not been recognized as “incompatible with paramount social values,” it is still an open question what, exactly, qualifies as an “exceptional instance.” Listed next are organizations on campus that advocate for global justice when this university refuses to:

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ students for justice in palestine Students for Justice in Palestine is the only anti-Zionist organization on campus, committed to empowering the Palestinian people in their fight against Israeli apartheid. As radical activists, we work to establish a firm proPalestinian, anti-apartheid culture at UChicago. In 2016, we successfully passed a Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS) resolution through College Council, demanding that the University divest its assets in companies that benefit 6

UCHICAGOSJP@ GMAIL.COM FB.COM/SJPUCHICAGO/ TWITTER.COM/ SJPUCHICAGO

directly from the occupation of Palestine; since then, we’ve continued to protest propagandistic events on campus that glorify settler-colonialism, and educate our community about the need for Palestinian (and intersectional) liberation. While our University’s administration purports to stand for free speech and debate, it has often failed to protect these rights for its Palestinian students and faculty, as well as for those who stand in solidarity with them. Efforts to silence Palestine activism on college campuses increase constantly — which is why it is crucial for our voices to be heard. We hold several events over the year, including lectures, protests, art installations, and an annual culture night, all in order to engage the community in the movement for Justice in Palestine.

IfNotNow is a movement of young Jews working to transform the American Jewish community’s support for the Occupation into a call for freedom and dignity FB.COM/IFNOTfor all. During the violence of Operation Protective Edge NOWUCHICAGO/ in 2014, young Jews angered by the overwhelmingly hawkish response of American Jewish institutions came together under the banner of IfNotNow through Jewish ritual. Moved to act by moral anguish, they organized Mourner’s Kaddish actions in nearly a dozen cities across the country for the loss of Israeli and Palestinian life.

ifnotnow

The demand for American Jewish institutions to end their support for the Occupation has only grown more urgent. IfNotNow is bringing this crisis into full public view for our community. Nationally, we’ve organized actions confronting Israeli violence in Gaza, AIPAC’s support of white supremacists, Trump’s embassy move to Jerusalem, and more. Currently, we’re running campaigns demanding that Jewish institutions, like summer camps and Birthright, end their silence on the Occupation. We are building a Jewish community that recognizes we cannot be free absent the freedom of Palestinians. No longer will our community be used by American politicians and the American public to justify the violation of Palestinian rights. On campus, we look forward to continue building a vibrant and joyous Jewish community working to end American Jewish support for the Occupation. If you’re looking to meet other progressive Jews and take bold action against the Occupation, join us for bi-weekly Shabbat, stop by a meeting, or reach out on Facebook. Jews of all backgrounds and experiences are welcome! We know that there are as many ways of being Jewish as there are Jews. 7

Sadhana (meaning “faith in sadhana action”) is committed to building a platform for Hindus who TWITTER.COM/ are committed to the values SADHANAHINDUS we believe to be at the heart of Hinduism: ekatva (oneness FB.COM/GROUPS/ of all), ahimsa (peace and 1936745039912972 nonviolence), and seva (selfless service). Beginning in 2011, Sadhana has mobilized Hindus in New York City and beyond to stand up for social justice causes including environmental justice, racial and economic justice, gender equity, immigrant rights, anti-casteism, and against Hindu nationalism. We bring a Hindu voice to the interfaith justice movement. Beyond our grassroots work, we have chapters in Chicago and the Bay Area, and members around the country and abroad. We engage and mobilize progressive Hindus nationally and internationally using social media. Sadhana’s work is both constructive and critical. On one hand, we are engaged in creative and constructive work, working to build a movement of Progressive Hinduism. We work to reimagine and reinterpret traditional symbols, beliefs, stories, and rituals through a progressive, egalitarian, and justice-oriented lens.. At the same time, we work to hold our communities and leaders accountable to our faith’s highest teachings. We don’t agree that the caste system or Hindu nationalism define what it means to be Hindu. we are attempting to dismantle systems of oppression that exist within Hindu and South Asian communities, from caste to patriarchy. Sadhana’s Chicago chapter began meeting in October 2017. Our chapter is comprised of UChicago students as well as working professionals, community members, and students from other Chicago universities. We meet monthly to discuss issues of faith and justice, share stories, read poems, plan actions and events, engage in seva, and simply get to know each other. We practice “faith in action” by building a Hindu community that prioritizes social justice. We are a diverse and welcoming group of people, and would love for you to be a part of our movement!

3 the university of

chicago police (UCPD) militarization and discrimination on the south side background/history It is our belief that the University of Chicago Police (UCPD) exists to protect University assets, prestige, and property, rather than protecting people. UCPD has a long history of deploying excessive force to terrorize both students and community members. In 2010, the UCPD assaulted and arrested a Black student in the main library for â&#x20AC;&#x153;being too loud.â&#x20AC;? Then, in 2013, the UCPD brutalized a student and three community activists campaigning for a trauma center on the South Side. On March 31 2018, just six months ago, a UCPD officer exited his vehicle and pulled out his gun on a young, Black, autistic man who had been accused of stealing a few cookies. In April 2018, UCPD shot a student of color who was experiencing a mental health crisis. Outside of these publicized incidents, we know that the UCPD regularly stops, frisks, and questions Black and Brown students and residents who are routinely targeted and racially profiled.

IMAGE CREDIT: SIDE WEEKLY

MILO

BOSH,

SOUTH

Since 2012, the University has stonewalled and blocked the efforts of community activists and students to pressure the UCPD to take action. As members of the University of Chicago community, we refuse to be complicit in these actions, while we acknowledge our participation in these actions as students at the University of Chicago. There was a campaign in which alumni and students withheld donations from the University until we got a commitment from the administration on our list of demands, found here.

Even though UCPD is the second largest private police force in the world and one of the first universities to have a militarized police force, it has little accountability to the public because they are not subjected to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) which calls for the disclosure of unreleased information at the request of the public. In the Illinois House, legislation (HB3932) would have required private university police forces to uphold the same transparency expectations that public police forces do under FOIA. However, the University lobbied against the bill and it died in the state senate. Today, UChicago patrols 15,000 students and 50,000 Chicago residences on the South Side with no accountability. 9

#carenotcops #CareNotCops was created on April 5th, 2018, the night when the University of Chicago Police shot a student during a mental health crisis. A group of concerned students gathered to organize a rally demanding the reduction of funding and capacity of the UCPD, including the disarmament of the UCPD and a reduction of their jurisdiction (which spans beyond the campus limits). Moving Forward: #CNC is committed to building alternatives to police and educating the UChicago community on the impact of the University in the Hyde Park, Woodlawn, Washington Park, Kenwood, and other surrounding neighborhoods. We endorse the demands of city-wide campaigns that organize through an abolitionist lens, such as #NoCopAcademy. We advocate for better mental health resources, particularly for students of color that are also accessible to the community. Indeed, we advocate for the redirecting of funds from policing to genuine service to the community through mental health services. We ultimately seek to create a environment for and by those who are most marginalized, which requires a community-focused organizing strategy, and which aims for structural change beyond individualized issues of diversity and identity. CHECK

OUT

OUR

DEMANDS

HERE!

Students Working Against Prisons (SWAP) is a student group at UChicago which aims students working against to educate UChicago students about the prisons prison-industrial complex, offer solidarity and FB.COM/STUDENTSWORKsupport to prisoners, and end UChicago’s ties INGAGAINSTPRISONS to prisons. History: We began as a Fight for Just Food, SWAP.UOFC@GMAIL.COM which aimed to end UChicago Dining’s ties to food suppliers who were heavily invested in United States private prisons. The University ended its contract with Aramark after actions including hunger strikes and banner drops in the dining halls. We became SWAP in 2016 after UChicago’s contract with Aramark came to an end. Even though the University did not commit to self-operation as we demanded, we were glad to see the Aramark contract was not continued. Organizing: Our mission is in the spirit of Fight for Just Food, but has a wider scope. We partner with city-wide organizations to educate the UChicago and Chicago community about the effects of gentrification and policing in Hyde Park, solitary confinement, and alternatives to policing, among other topics. We participate in and have co-sponsored a Mother’s Day Drive and Vigil run by Moms Against Incarceration and Violence, and run letter-writing campaigns and provide the UChicago community with opportunities to have pen pals with incarcerated folks. Philosophy: We have a horizontal leadership structure, so all of our decisions are made by consensus and our meetings are run by folks in rotation. This reflects our interest in keeping our organizing democratic, and our interest in ultimately serving to make connections between students and the abolitionist organizing taking place in Chicago. In addition, we make sure to use our privilege as university students and to provide funds to fuel and support grassroots organizing. 10

4 GENTRIFICATION the university agenda & the Obama Foundation

UChicago for a Community Benefits Agreement Urban Renewal or Urban Removal? For communities surrounding the site of the future Obama Presidential Center and UofC developments, there is no difference. Join us in our fight for a Community Benefits Agreement!

In 2016, the Obama Foundation announced that the Obama Library would be coming to Jackson Park. New development will soon bring enormous changes to surrounding neighborhoods. But what’s to prevent real estate speculation from displacing long-time residents? How can residents ensure they have a seat at the table when decisions about their futures are being made? Community organizations across the South Side are demanding that the Obama Foundation, the University of Chicago, and the City of Chicago sign a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) for the Obama Library. What is a CBA?

wwiser@uchicago.edu facebook.com/uchicagoforaCBA @ObamaCBA

A Community Benefits Agreement is a legally binding contract negotiated between a developer and community members/organizations who will be impacted by a development. CBAs are the result of the whole community coming together to identify what kind of place they want to live in. Local residents are guaranteed a seat at the table, where they can have their voices heard in negotiating community benefits. CBAs have a long history of success in cities like L.A., New York, Chicago, and many more. Equitable Development Real estate speculation is already driving up housing prices in Woodlawn, threatening to displace people from the neighborhood (property values in the Woodlawn area increased by 23% in 2017 after the announcement of the OPC). We need economic development that builds communities where long-term residents can afford to live and work. That’s why a growing coalition of South Side organizations is calling for protections for affordable housing, living wage jobs, local hiring, and much more to be included in an Obama Library CBA. It’s Time to Get It In Writing We’ve seen the horrific results of past urban renewal policies backed by the city and the University of Chicago: people of color get pushed out of their homes to make way for expensive development projects. But this time can be different: with a legally-binding CBA, neighborhood residents can hold powerful institutions accountable and resist displacement. We can’t just take their word for it – it’s time to #GetItInWriting. About Us We are a group of students allied with several community organizations on the South Side to fight for a CBA. We plan events on and off campus, participate in coalition meetings, and try to work with media sources to spread the message. Join us for our weekly organizing meetings in the basement common room of Crerar Library. To learn more about the coalition visit http://www.obamacba.org/. 11

THE UNIVERSITYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S IMPACT While the Obama Foundation is the major agent of gentrification on the southside of Chicago, UChicago is an active participant in the process of pushing out long-time South Side residences. The new dorm, Woodlawn Residential Commons, is lauded as a great milestone for on-campus housing, but Woodlawn residents have voiced their concerns about how the dorm leaves out people from the neighborhood. Alongside development for the new dorm, UChicago is opening a hotel, their first entire building dedicated to for-profit operations, and the Rubenstein forum, an academic center, just blocks away from the Obama Library. UChicago builds these megastructures with no formal agreement to positively impact Woodlawn residents, leading to thousands of privileged non-community members moving into a neighborhood UChicago already over polices. Gentrification also impacts UChicago students. Rent in Hyde Park has reached new highs because of the new and future developments, pushing students to look for cheaper prices in Woodlawn and Washington Park, thus contributing to gentrification. The University is using this outpricing to further their mission of gentrification by subsidizing housing for University-affiliated faculty to live on the South Side, where mainly Black and Brown people live. http://www.stopchicago.org facebook.com/stopchicago @stopchicago

STOP is a community organization that builds the power of residents on the Southside of Chicago to impact the forces and decisions that affect our lives. We fight for human rights to racial and economic justice through organizing, popular education, and leadership development amongst people most directly affected by issues like gentrification, displacement, incarceration and criminalization of youth of color and health cuts. For the past 12 years, STOP has fought back against the war on the poor through tenant, youth & healthcare organizing, action research & education, alliance building, and collaborating with tenant associations, youth and community organizations, and labor unions from around the city and nation. Our accomplishments include stopping the displacement of over 600 low income and working class black residents, bringing immediate redress to human rights violations occurring in the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center, stopping the closure of four southside mental health clinics, winning a commitment to build the only medical trauma center on the south side of Chicago, and working in coalition to win $1M of investment into restorative justice alternatives to incarceration. We work with the Youth Justice Program, the Mental Health Movement, and the Chicago Tenants Council (includes the Grove Parc Tenants Association, the Kimbark Tenants Association, St. Edmunds Tenants Association, Island Terrace Tenants Association, and Drexel Preservation Tenants Association). 12

5 University labor organize +unionize HISTORY AND BACKGROUND In the history of what Nelson Algren called “the ceaseless battle between the rights of Owners and the rights of Man,” no city’s role can rival Chicago’s. Chicago is the city of the Haymarket martyrs, the Pullman strike, and the stockyards of The Jungle. The movement for the eighthour day started in Chicago, and more unions have been born in Chicago than in any other city. While deindustrialization and a series of anti-labor laws have caused the labor movement to enter a period of decline, Chicago is still a proud union town. Many of those workers are employed by UChicago. With around 19,000 employees, UChicago is the seventh-largest employer in the City of Chicago, and the largest on the South Side. The University is not just Gothic towers and ivy-covered walls, and it’s not just undergrads and faculty. UChicago is a collection of tens of thousands of people, including janitors, secretaries, undergrad workers, shuttle drivers, faculty, security guards, teaching assistants, engineers, lecturers, nurses, and a vast galaxy of other workers. These workers keep the University running, but University administration has historically not always been keen to offer them the same respect. Many campus workers have formed unions in order to win fair wages, benefits and working conditions. Undergraduates possess the power to help unionization efforts in ensuring that all campus workers are able to make a decent living. In many ways, the University is built around its undergraduates — nearly 20% of the University’s non-medical revenue comes from tuition. When undergraduates join their voices with campus workers, administrators are forced to take notice.

GRADUATE STUDENT UNION (GSU) GSU is a union of teaching and research assistants formed in 2007. It represents graduate students on the UChicago campus. In October 2017, GSU won a union-recognition election by a 2-to-1 margin, meaning the majority of graduate students on this campus would like to be represented by GSU and bargain a contract about working conditions with the administration. Yet, the University administration refuses to honor the results of that election and will not start bargaining for a fair contract. This is in stark contrast to other private universities that have chosen to respect the democratic voice of their graduate employees, such as Harvard, Brandeis and Tufts. Unions are a way for employees to have a fair say in their working conditions; grads at UChicago voted to unionize in order to have a say in the healthcare plan offered to graduate employees, to negotiate over stipends and wages that don’t keep up with rising costs of living in Hyde Park and Chicago, to put in place fair grievance procedures, and fix other issues on this campus that affect graduate students across divisions. This year, GSU is fighting to gain recognition from the University administration and negotiate with them for a fair contract. uchicagogsu.org gsu@risetup.net

facebook.com/uchicagogsu @uchicagogsu

STUDENT ORGANIZING UNITED WITH LABOR (SOUL) SOUL is the undergraduate student organization that has been at the forefront of the fight for labor justice on campus. We are the UChicago chapter of United Students Against Sweatshops, an allied organization of the AFL-CIO. Since its founding in 1999, we’ve led successful campaigns that won better working conditions for nurses, lecturers, dining hall workers. We also fight for workers in the University’s supply chain, demanding the University end their contracts with companies guilty of worker abuses, like Taco Bell, Coca-Cola and Nike. facebook.com/uchicagoSOUL @uchicagoSOUL

campus labor glossary AAUP The American Association of University Professors, UChicago’s chapter is an advocacy chapter, a group of professors organized around the goal of advocating for academic freedom and shared governance. The AAUP is also involved in GSU’s organizing efforts. AFT The American Federation of Teachers, The Chicago Teachers Union, representing teachers in Chicago Public Schools, is Local 1 of the AFT. GSU is affiliated with the AFT, along with the AAUP. BARGAINING UNIT The group of employees represented in collective bargaining by a union. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING The process by which union representatives and administration representatives negotiate a contract. The contract will last for a set number of years, and sets salaries, benefits and working conditions during that time. FACULTY FORWARD The union representing non-tenure-track faculty, as well as Harper-Schmidt fellows. Recently won their first contract with the University in March. Part of SEIU Local 73. NLRB The National Labor Relations Board, the federal agency responsible for enforcing labor laws. The NLRB is currently controlled by a Republican majority and is considered to be hostile to graduate worker organizing. NNU National Nurses United, the union representing nurses in the University hospital. SEIU The Service Employees International Union, represented on campus by Local 1 and Local 73. Local 1 represents janitors and security guards, while Local 73 represents building engineers and lecturers. SLEU The Student Library Employees Union, representing undergraduate and graduate workers in campus libraries. Won an election in June of 2017 but the University has not yet been willing to negotiate a contract, though the NLRB ruled their election valid in May. Part of Teamsters Local 743. TEAMSTERS Local 743 represents the University’s clerks, receptionists, secretaries, and food service workers. Most dining hall and library employees, as well as the desk clerks in every dorm, are Teamsters.

6 Race+Diversity

PEOPLE OF COLOR IN WHITE SPACES UChicago United is a coalition of multicultural student organi-

zations formed to make the UChicago campus more inclusive for students of marginalized backgrounds and identities. The University has stated its â&#x20AC;&#x153;profound commitment to the diversity of [its] community...creating an environment where [its students] can thriveâ&#x20AC;?, but it has consistently failed to meet the needs of its marginalized students. We are taking action to build accessible campus resources and measures of accountability to support the creation of an environment that minority students are able to lay claim to as their own.

We came together in Spring of 2017 in response to yet another racist incident on campus. Members from various cultural RSOs gathered to discuss the incident and decided to use the momentum to launch a campaign for real and substantial change to UChicago campus climate and method of operation. We drafted a list of demands for the University administration. The demands provide solutions for some of the social and academic barriers at UChicago. We have received push back from both students and administrators, but we have also gained more allies and supporters in the process. College activism is difficult because the student body changes so frequently, but we are committed to building a sustainable movement. We are determined to better this place for current students of color and all those to come. facebook.com/ucunited

@Uchiunited contact

links

uchicagounited@gmail.com

CRES Departmentalization Ethnic Studies was born from student organizing during the 1960s-80s that was part of a larger anti-war, anti-imperialist movement. There were desires to democratize the university and include Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian/Asian American, women, and queer folks in the mostly white, Western, male-centric academy. Student organizing at that time won Ethnic Studies departments or majors in countless universities, including Yale, Cornell, Northwestern, Stanford, Columbia. Meanwhile, it took until 1996 for the University of Chicago to establish the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture (CSRPC) through the organizing of faculty. However, while we appreciate what the CSRPC has been able to offer through programming and the Comparative Race & Ethnic Studies (CRES) major, the CSRPC is not an actual department. What this means is the CSRPC has no hiring power and faculty of its own, limited funding for students and faculty, and limited and inconsistent classes taught by mostly grad students. This has a significant impact on the CRES courses and research on campus (as well as the inadequate understanding of race by many students).

Demands

Demands FAQ

Petition Research Reports

m ‘1 fro ted zine p r t e exc ES dep CR

black studies In recent years, the University of Chicago has seen an increase in enrollment from Black students across the world. In particular, the population of first generation Black Americans has risen dramatically. With this rise, more and more students are interested in studying the Black diaspora. With a Black Studies major (BSM), students can learn about Black cultures that exist globally and how those cultures and people of the diaspora intertwine. Every single, habitable continent on Earth has Black societies, and thus histories of Black civilization and the creations of culture. UChicago only having a small offering of courses related to the non-American Black diaspora is contradictory to their dedication to “rigorous and critical inquiry” as the University neglects an entire field of study and an entire population of the globe. The University did have an African American and African Studies major but it was suddenly discontinued and forced under the Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies (CRES) major. The lack of a distinct BSM is also a glaring embarrassment for a university located on the South Side of Chicago, a place where Black culture has proliferated for over 100 years and infuses African American, Caribbean, and African cultures in food and festivals.

#WeDemand Est. of a BSM + tracks for the study of communities in the US, Latin America & the Caribbean, and Africa In conjunction with CRES dept., creation of 4 tenure-track faculty positions in BSM Est. of Carribbean Civ sequence Expansion of study abroad opportunities in Caribbean + Africa, aside from current Morocco offerings

Creation of at least 6 regularly offered courses on Africa + Caribbean 1. Decolonization, 2. Economies, 3. Pre-Colonial History, 4. Gender + Sexuality, 5. Religions, 6. Art Est. new, non-linguistic courses related to African languages, such as Igbo, Yoruba, Amharic, Tingyria, and Twi

Have Senegal study abroad program hosted on a yearly basis

L CE

RS NTE

URA CULT

[op-

#WeDemand

ed] c a [art se for c icle ] occ ult. cen upy t oms ers a and

University-funded Black, Latinx, Asian/Asian American Centers that actively center and support students of color to truly thrive at UChicago.

As students of color at a PWI, there are few spaces on campus that do not alienate or isolate us in some way. While spaces like CI+I and CSRPC provide vital resources for students of color, they are not enough. (CSRPC primarily focuses on academics, whereas CI+I serves all marginalized students — POC, LGBTQ+, FGLI, and undocumented students from multiple schools.) We assert that in trying to provide for all of us, it cannot fully provide for any one of us.

We acknowledge that identity is fluid and multiplicitous, and that the issues that we face are intersectional. However, we are not all the same and we do not face the same issues. Distinct, physical Cultural Centers would provide much needed additional institutional supports that are dedicated to supporting our specific communities and offer opportunities for us to connect with our differences. Challenges We Face Limited Physical Space and Resources — We have been told that “everybody wants more space” and that there is not enough to have three physical centers. UChicago has “found” the money and resources, however, to build a new campus south of the midway. Although we would not want the establishment of Cultural Centers to contribute further to UChicago’s gentrification of the South Side. Administrative Pushback — Vice Provost Melissa Gilliam who oversees diversity & inclusion initiatives, as well as those above her, does not view Cultural Centers as realistic or a high priority and would rather focus on faculty diversity and strengthening CI+I.

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO COALITION for immigrant rights (UCCIR)

face bo

ok.co

m/uc

cir

UCCIR is a group of UChicago students, faculty, and staff, as well as community members dedicated to political advocacy, education, and direct service with regards to the immigrant population. Our purpose is to work alongside Chicago-based advocacy groups such as the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Undocumented Illinois, and the Immigrant Youth Justice League. We will also work with Chicago Public Schools with large populations of undocumented students to educate them on the resources UChicago could offer them as admitted students. In addition, we also will work to engage the campus at large on contemporary issues facing immigrants.

reparations at uchicago (rauc)

facebook.com/therauc

Last year, a group of historians emerged from the UChicago’s U.S. History Workshop intent on exploring the early history of the University. What they found was a scandalous secret hidden in plain sight. While prior scholars of UChicago were aware of Stephen A. Douglas’s seminal role in the founding the UChicago, and Douglas biographers were equally aware of Douglas’s life as a slaveholder, neither body of scholarship had connected the dots to conclude that UChicago was founded on the backs of enslaved peoples. This was the birth of the RAUC Working Group.

The working group produced an essay published in peer-reviewed Black history site Black Perspectives, which is titled “A Case For Reparations at the University of Chicago”. Ultimately, this University was founded by a slaveholder with money he earned from slavery, and this calls for a moment of transformative justice that fully acknowledges this history. Currently, the RAUC is working with local community groups in a process of transformative justice. It is gathering reparations demands and consulting with community organizations about what truth and reconciliation with the UChicago would look like.

facebook.com/obs1.uchicago.edu @obs_uchicago

ORGANIZATION OF BLACK STUDENTS (OBS) The purpose of the Organization of Black Students at the University of Chicago shall be to provide an organizational framework to address issues of concern to the Black community. The goals of OBS shall be to ensure the continuity and growth of Black educational, cultural, social, and political institutions on campus as well as in the greater Chicago community. OBS shall serve as a support group to Black Students. Additionally, it will endeavor to build a better understanding of the Black experience that, through its members, programs, resources and functions, will permeate the University atmosphere. In this respect, OBS shall contribute to the pursuit of multicultural expression, understanding, and awareness. OBS is a multifaceted organization that brings together people of all races and ethnic backgrounds to celebrate Black history and the diverse contributions of Black students to the University of Chicago community. Those looking to join the executive board can run to be one of three First Year Representatives, and elections will be held Fourth Week of Autumn Quarter. president: cavell means, 3RD yr / bio / bronx, ny vice-president: briana neal, 3rd yr / econ / atlanta, ga

7 fraternities & title ix sexual assault and support on campus background/history Fraternities at UChicago: It is well understood that Greek Life at UChicago is not as prominent as it is at other universities. However, UChicago frats are not exempt from the heinous actions that frats nationwide are notorious for. CW: Hazing, Harassment, Alcohol Use, Racism, Drugging, Sexual Assault MAY 2012 JAN 2016

Alpha Delta Phi (Alpha Delt) and Delta Upsilon (DU) were reprimanded by college deans for being anti-Latinx, for having pledges wear sombreros while they mowed lawns (Alpha Delt) and holding a party called “Conquistadors and Aztec Hoes” (DU) Phi Delta Theta’s (Phi Delt) entire fraternity was suspended because of a lawsuit brought about by former brothers had allegations of hazing. Phi Delt pledges were forced to drink a dangerous amount of alcohol and were physically assaulted to the point where a pledge was hospitalized.

FEB 2016

Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) received notoriety on popular news outlets Buzzfeed and Time Magazine after their leaked emails revealed a culture of racism in the frat. Some content in the emails referred to Muslims as “terrorists”, multiple uses of the N-word, and plans to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day by eating fried chicken.

APR 2017

Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp), Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE), Alpha Delt, and DU were found violating their own party standards in a Phoenix Survivor’s Alliance (PSA) report. Such violations include lack of identifiable sober monitors and no water available at parties.

MAY 2017

Phi Delta Gamma (FIJI) hosted a racist, construction worker themed party on Cinco de Mayo. A day before Cinco de Mayo, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán (MEChA) released a statement reminding the campus community to refrain from racist stereotypes on the holiday. On the day of the party a frat brother asked on the Facebook page, “What’s the mustache policy for tonight? Asking for an amigo.”

JUNE 2018

DU allegedly drugged female students after rumors of druggings had been floating around campus. In one case, the drug Xanax was used.

Where is the accountability? Unlike most schools, the University of Chicago doesn’t recognize fraternities like they do sororities, thus there is no governing body for them (Panhellenic Council vs. Lack of Interfraternity Council). Because of this, the regulation and punishment of frats can be tricky, and must largely come from the national heads, or from within the frats themselves, or requires organizations like Phoenix Survivors Alliance or Panhellenic Council to take action. E.g. before the start of the 2018-2019 school year, all fraternities were sent letters asking that they not let first years into parties during O-Week. However, this letter did not include any form of check system, or any mention of disciplinary action against frats if they do not follow this recommendation. 21

Title ix: general info ---- What is Title IX? Title IX is a federal civil rights law in the United States of America that was passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. The law explicitly states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Essentially, Title IX prohibits sex and gender discrimination in all federally-funded educational institutions which includes all instances of sexual misconduct at educational institutions. ---- What does Title IX require? Title IX requires the University to take proactive steps to prevent violence and follow up on instances of violence with prompt, effective measures. The University must investigate all reported incidents, while seriously taking requests on the part of the person reporting to maintain anonymity. ---- Who is covered under Title IX? All students are protected under Title IX, regardless of sex, gender, orientation, or disability and includes LGBTQ people, pregnant and parenting students, and student athletes. Non-affiliated persons assaulted by an affiliated staff, faculty, or student (i.e. someone not apart of UChicago assaulted by a UChicago affiliated person) is protected. Also with survivors of sexual violence whose perpetrators do not attend their institution are also protected. For example, if a student from another school is visiting and assaults a UChicago student, the UChicago student is still protected.

Title ix @ uchicago ---- The Structure: All affairs dealing with equal and fair treatment for all students is housed under the Office of the Provost as their Equal Opportunity Programs. While matters relating specifically for sexual misconduct are under the Office for Sexual Misconduct Prevention and the Office University Disciplinary Affairs. The Office for Sexual Misconduct Prevention also known as the “Title IX Office” provides resources for people who have experienced sexual misconduct or any sort of gender-bias. Some resources that the Title IX office provides are different housing arrangements, no-contact orders. The Office of University Disciplinary Affairs also known as just “Disciplinary Affairs” handles investigations into instances of sexual assault and provides repercussions for perpetrators found liable under the preponderance of evidence. ---- The History: Historically, both the Title IX Office and Disciplinary Affairs have failed UChicago students. In 2012, The Maroon published a six-part investigative piece that exposed the University’s deeply flawed disciplinary process that deters survivors from reporting the assault to Disciplinary Affairs and leads to very few perpetrators being found responsible for their actions. The US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened 5 federal investigations into alleged Title IX violations at UChicago, including the initial investigation of 55 universities suspected of mishandling instances of sexual violence. The newest investigation was opened in June and remains open. The Office for Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Support has historically been more helpful and 22

sensitive than the Office for Disciplinary Affairs, and there are hopes that the reorganization and new hires to both Offices will improve their functioning and students’ experiences with them. The most recent improvements to both offices were mainly due to the actions of student activists who put pressure on the administration to change their ways.

Title ix vocab GENDER

BIAS/DISCRIMINATION:

Unfairly treating an individual or group of individuals differently than others on the basis of sex or gender SEXUAL

MISCONDUCT:

Conduct of a sexual nature or conduct based on sex or gender that is nonconsensual or has the effect of threatening, intimidating, or coercing a person. Includes sexual harassment, sexual violence, and relationship violence SEXUAL

VIOLENCE:

Sexual acts perpetrated against an individual’s will or when an individual is incapable of giving consent SEXUAL

ASSAULT:

Non-consensual sexual contact and non-consensual sexual intercourse NO-CONTACT

DIRECTIVES

(“ORDERS”):

NCDs can be issued based on request or need of, as determined by the University official issuing the directive, and do not require the filing of a formal complaint. NCDs are generally mutual in scope and do not determine fault, unless otherwise stated. They prohibit contact whether in-person, electronic, through a third party, of any and all possible forms of contact. However it doesn’t prevent individuals from being in the same place or seeing one another on- or off-campus (so you can be in the same classroom as your perpetrator) PREPONDERANCE

EVIDENCE:

A legal term that means that a party has shown that its version of facts is more likely than not the correct version.This standard is the easiest to meet (as opposed to “beyond a reasonable doubt”) and applies to all civil cases unless otherwise provided by law. However, Betsy Devos, the current Secretary of Education under the Trump administration is calling for universities to use a higher standard of evidence

Phoenix Survivors Alliance (PSA) advocates for survivors of sexual violence and misconduct at UChicago. We were formed in the summer of 2013 by students who noticed a lack of advocacy for student survivors on campus. We originally sought to provide support and resources for student survivors. Since our formation, we have expanded our mission to advocate for change on campus by holding the administration and our peers accountable for creating a safe environment for all.

phoenix survivors alliance CONTACTPHOENIXSA@ GMAIL.COM FB.COM/PHOENIXSURVIVORSALLIANCE/

OUR

MISSION

TO:

---- Offer an informal safe space for survivors of all identities and in all stages of recovery to voice their stories and receive peer support from fellow student survivors and knowledgeable, conscientious allies. ---- Act as a means of communication between UChicago administration/service providers and the student population. We attempt to bring the concerns and needs of students to appropriate providers and increase the accessibility of UChicago services for survivors. ---- Raise awareness about sexual violence in the UChicago community. We head workshops that address misconceptions and stigmas surrounding sexual assault, rape culture, maintaining relationships while recovering, and how to be an effective ally. PSA HAS A HISTORY OF ORGANIZED DIRECT ACTION TO POSITIVELY REFORM BOTH CAMPUS CULTURE AND UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONS/POLICIES AFFECTING SURVIVORS ON CAMPUS:

---- Our critiques throughout the 2015-2016 academic year of O-Week educational programming for preventing sexual violence forced administration to replace “Sex Signals”, an “interactive, humor-facilitated, inclusive” presentation, to feature much more appropriate, direct, and open content including video testimonials from students and a Q&A panel with administrators. ---- Upon the release of the Fraternities Committed to Safety (FCS) document in early 2017, members surveilled parties for months to hold fraternities accountable for the procedures they outlined, agreed to, and supposedly upheld. Our work revealed glaring violations committed by every fraternity on campus of the most basic safety measures, such as having sober safety monitors or having water in a secure, easily accessible space. ---- In the spring of 2017, our members wrote a comprehensive, thoroughly researched resource guide to help survivors navigate the process of recovering from sexual violence and seeking justice against their assailants. ---- Our ongoing campaign targeting the University’s response to the formal resolution process has resulted in an expansion of the Office for Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Support and the Office for Disciplinary Affairs, greater transparency on the side of administrators toward survivors undergoing the process, access to and ability to review the training that the Disciplinary Committee has to undergo, and more. PLAN

FOR

2018-2019:

---- Continue our campaign against the University for increased transparency, greater accountability, and more trauma-informed process and support system for survivors. ---- Solidify membership through outreach + attracting new/current students. ---- Use our recently expanded budget to provide additional resources for students, such as hosting self-defense classes and inviting experienced and informative speakers. 24

8 ability+physical mental health the effects of stress+bureaucratic universities

ability Dealing with chronic health issues is difficult in any setting, but particularly challenging in a college environment. At UChicago, one may find themselves particularly aware of their medical needs due to a lack of accessibility on campus. Students with disabilities will almost certainly encounter ableism in some form during their time in college, be it in the form of offhand comments or jokes, the inaccessible design of buildings, or the unwillingness of faculty to make reasonable accommodations. Ableism affects people with physical and mental disabilities and illnesses. Before discussing tips and advice for navigating campus, it’s important to understand the University’s history with disability. Ableism is the “practices In 2006, UChicago settled out of and dominant attitudes in society court after facing a lawsuit from the that devalue and limit the potenDepartment of Justice due to the tial of persons with disabilities.” fact that it failed to meet Americans with Disability Act (ADA) standards for accessibility; including a lack of accessible bathrooms, building entrances, as well as assistive listening devices in large lecture halls. Until 2017, Student Disability Services (SDS) had only three staff members for the entire 15,000+ student body. For a portion of the 2016-2017 year, the office had no director and only one full-time staff member There is currently no overall, university-wide mandate for testing accommodations. Students were granted accomodations for religious reasons beginning in late 2017, but as of now there are currently no guarantees for medical accommodations—issues must be brought up with individual departments and professors. One student sought accommodations to take a final exam in the math department early in order to have enough time to have a surgery over winter break and recover in time for winter quarter. The math department said they would not make accomodations for the exam, and the student’s only options were to leave early without taking the exam and take an inTo meet other like-minded students, as well as for sup- complete in the class in order to have port and advocacy, you can the surgery, take the exam and take a leave of absence in order to recovreach out the Organization er from the surgery, or decide not to of Students with Disabilities have the surgery. UChicago is not always an accessible environment, whether that’s due to physical barriers or institutional culture, such as the infamous letter sent out in 2016 decrying safe spaces and trigger warnings. Not every professor will be understanding and accommodating, but you’ll find that many are. And many students here will be willing to support you as go navigate college, chronic illness, and disability. 25

It will be important to advocate for yourself and your needs. You know your mind and body best, and you know what you need. Do not be ashamed to ask for what you need. You are not any less of a student for needing accommodations. You have worked hard to be here, you belong here, and you deserve to have your medical needs met. It can be overwhelming and a little scary sometimes, but you are not alone in dealing with this.

COUNTERING INACCESSIBILITY Transportation Dial-A-Ride must always be scheduled in advance and therefore allows for little spontaneity and change of plans, as often happens in life. Rather than transport vans, utilize public transportation as much as possible. The CTA buses (171 and 172) are wheelchair accessible and have accessible seating.The buses can get you through most of Hyde Park if you utilize stops in the right way. Download the Rider app for a map of bus stops and routes. At night, UChicaGO Shuttles are available. However, not all of them are easily accessible by wheelchair or for others with mobility limitations due to the stairs that must be used to get on and off the bus. Student Disabilities Services and Accommodations The sooner you meet with SDS to discuss potential accomodations, the better. While they have a bigger staff now, it still takes time for requests to be processed. If you’re having any trouble, it’s best to meet with them in-person. Housing Staff Your Resident Assistants (RAs) and Resident Heads (RHs) are great resources to help support you at UChicago. They can help answer questions about what sort of health services are available to you and how to go about getting in contact with them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help from them if you’re not sure what to do next. If they don’t have the answer, they can definitely help point you in the right direction. In addition, they plan activities and trips for the house. Being aware about what you might need in terms of accommodations and accessibility will be a huge help so that they’re able to take those needs into account when planning. Disclosing to Professors It is up to you when you disclose to professors about your health. You do not owe anyone information about your condition, but it can be very helpful to you for them to be aware of your needs. If you choose to disclose, it is best to do so as early as possible in the quarter, so that they have some knowledge should any issues arise. If a professor refuses to make reasonable accommodations, let SDS know. Even if SDS is unable to help, know that you are legally entitled to reasonable accommodations under Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Student Employment Whether it be on-campus employment during the school year or a summer internship that you scored, you have rights as an employee and are entitled to accommodations under the ADA. Under the ADA, you do not have to disclose your disability to your employer in the job application process or after you’ve been hired. However, if you want to receive accommodations, you will need to let your employer know 26

about your disability. Employers are not legally allowed to fire you for your disability but you may still feel apprehensive in disclosing your disability because of potential backlash from employers. If you feel that you are being discriminated against because of your disability, contact student employment for both on-campus employment issues and Metcalf internship cases. Student Support AXIS UChicago is an RSO on campus that does advocacy and awareness work for students with disabilities on campus and community service in the Chicagoland area.

pHYSICAL HEALTH The center of healthcare at UChicago is Student Health Services (SHS). No matter if you’re on USHIP or have your own private insurance, all students have access to SHS under the Student Life Fee. SHS offers many free services such as flu shots in Autumn Quarter, a variety of different vaccines, and STI testing, but it’s always good to check with your physician to ensure your treatment is covered. Despite some of the benefits, SHS is not all it’s hyped up to be. The office is notorious for long wait times (it can take 1-2 weeks before they can see you), misdiagnosis, and discrimination against marginalized backgrounds (women, LGBTQ students, students of color). The office is also no stranger to gaslighting the pain of students. If you feel that your physician is mistreating you, you can leave a bad review in the post-visit survey that’s sent to your email and/or ask for a referral to another physician or health institution that can provide you with better care. You can also go to one of the many free health clinics in the Chicagoland area.

mental HEALTH Student Counseling Services It doesn’t take long for UChicago students to feel the debilitating stress that this university imparts on all who attend. In 2017, UChicago students ordered 138% more caffeine beverages than other schools making us the most caffeinated college in the country, a testament to the norm of sleep deprivation that dominates campus. The University fosters a culture of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout with insufficient support to help students deal with massive workloads that are related to academics, extracurriculars, and student jobs. UChicago’s Student Counseling Services (SCS) offers student counseling and support groups, but with a sharp increase in the number of students with mental health problems in the last decade, U of C has made weak attempts at keeping up with the needs of students. It can take as long as three weeks before students can see a clinician. And when you do start seeing a clinician, SCS offers a maximum of only 10 free visits with an on-campus therapist before you are referred to an outside provider that can be a substantial fee. Luckily there are cheaper alternatives around the city of Chicago, such as “sliding scale” or pay-what-you-can options. Leaves of Absence Even though the University is slow to schedule SCS appointments, it wastes no time in placing students on “Involuntary Leaves of Absence”. In Involuntary Leaves of Absence (aka Forced Leave of Absence), the Dean of Students gets the final say on if a student is a required to leave because of their mental illness. In one case, a student was admitted to a psychiatric hospital without her knowledge and came back to campus with a contract that said she had two days to vacate the dorm. For students who choose to take 27

a voluntary leave of absence for mental health reasons, the University does not clearly communicate when students are supposed to leave campus and when they can return. Upon trying to return to campus, students have experienced a decrease in financial aid, an inability to register for classes, and no more guaranteed housing. In one case, a Student Efforts This past Spring Quarter, UCPD shot a student experiencing a mental health crisis after he was turned away from SCS. This led student protestors to call for more funding for mental health services on campus. Other students have taken it upon themselves to address UChicago’s lack of support of mental health resources. The Taiwanese American Student Association (TASA) and PanAsia Solidarity Coalition (PanAsia) had a conference about mental health in the Asian American community last year. Also, last year, Student Government (SG) deemed College Break Day as “Mental Health Day” and used that day to host a day long event filled with workshops and conferences about mental health. And the RSO Active Minds is a part of a national organization that focuses specifically on mental health. For three years, Active Minds and AXIS have hosted a “See Through Stigma” Week to combat the existing stigmas that harm people with disabilities and mental health issues. Though the efforts of students are well worthy of applause, it should not solely be on us to solve the problems that this UniThough the efforts of versity causes. UChicago shows no signs of making the campus environment more students are well worpositive. This past year, UChicago ended thy of applause, it should part-time status for seniors and added a not solely be on us to free five class option at the expense of everyone’s tuition being raised. This change solve the problems that will incentivize students, particularly those this University causes. of low- and middle-income backgrounds, to overload themselves with an immense course load. UChicago, as an institution, needs to dedicate more money, time, and resources to improving mental health care.

Student Ri Desta writing: “‘Accessible’ door—no door button” during Student for Disability Justice (SDJ) protest in 2015. Source: Maroon.

Peer Health Advocates (PHA) are a student group out of the Office of

Health Promotion & Wellness. There is a sexual health wing (InTouch), a body positive group (the Body Positive), and a new mental health wing. Recruitment is in the spring, but look out for presentations both in and out of housing! Out of Health Promotion & Wellness we also have the WellCzars. The WellCzars are a position in housing, so first years this is a great way to get involved with both health on campus and housing.

Project Reproductive Freedom (PRF) Founded in the fall of 2017 and officially recognized by the University of Chicago in the spring of 2018, Project Reproductive Freedom (PRF), is an RSO dedicated to advocating for reproductive freedom for all. As an organization PRF aims not only to spread awareness about reproductive justice issues but also to leverage the access and resources of UChicago to uplift and support local Chicagoland organizations doing important reproductive justice work. Project Reproductive Freedom is also partnered with Planned Parenthood of Illinois as a Generation Action Student Group. FACEBOOK.COM/ UCHICAGOPRF

9 FIRST GENERATION AND LOW INCOME STUDENTS (FGLI) NAVIGATING PRIVILEGED SPACES background/history Navigating life as a first-generation, low-income (FGLI) is an incredible challenge at elite institutions, which may make some feel overwhelmed by the cost of living as a college student in Chicago. It is normal to sometimes feel out of place when your classmates constantly go out to eat or your housemates go on expensive trips or you see every other person wearing a $1000 Canada Goose jacket. However, you should not feel pressured to spend money you do not have nor should you let financial burden bar you from any opportunity. Although the University of Chicago still does not provide enough aid to accommodate FGLI students, they have made steps to further improve their lives. ODYSSEY SCHOLARSHIP: If you identify as FGLI, chances are you were given the Odyssey Scholarship upon your acceptance to the University. This scholarship is awarded to students whose families make less than $90,000 annually. It is important to know the benefits of the Odyssey Scholarship in order to make the most of it. Besides money that will cover some of the expenses of tuition and room & board, the scholarship covers the cost of student healthcare (U-SHIP). In terms of study abroad, it will cover program fees and the cost of housing. In addition, there are study abroad scholarships specifically for Odyssey Scholars. Although the University believes in a need-based approach to financial aid, it may not always be enough for students. Therefore, you should never feel shy to appeal your financial aid package to the Office of Financial Aid. Oftentimes, students will go in person to appeal their package, and it will be reevaluated for a better financial aid package. HEALTH

INSURANCE

AID:

The Odyssey Scholarship works in a wondrous way for low-income students with no previous health insurance or those opting into the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health Insurance Plan (USHIP). This scholarship provides health insurance through USHIP, which provides low medical costs for students to access appointments and prescription medications.

More information on USHIP coverage can be found here. Coverage includes a maximization of $1,500 in out of pocket expenses, which means that any further medical expenses incurred after $1,500 will be fully covered by the insurance plan. Now to most, this $1,500 is too much to pay from out of their own pocket, but there is no need to fret. The University of Chicago Medicine provides a comprehensive financial application that allows people to apply for aid, even those without USHIP. You may qualify for a reduction in your bill, up to a 100% discount. When you qualify for a 100% discount, this signifies that you will no longer need to pay for any medical necessities determined by the hospital (the hospital will not cover cosmetic surgery or botox, just things needed to keep someone healthy) for up to one full year from the date that you were given the discount. Student Health Services will be able to give you referrals to the hospital if you would like to be seen for issues that would be best handled by a professional. This may entail visiting a gynecologist, dermatologist, gastroenterologist, physical therapy, etc. The University of Chicago Medicine will also provide various forms of a discount for medical bills, including a 75% discount. You may only apply for their financial assistance application once you have incurred a bill from the hospital or Student Health Services. You may view this billing statement on https://mychart.uchospitals.edu/mychart/. To learn more about other ways that you may qualify, please feel free to use the resources at the bottom of this page. On another note, Student Health Services provides free STI testing, birth control (covered under USHIP), and condoms. Student Counseling Services appointments are covered by USHIP, so you do not need to pay for them. On the other hand, Student Counseling Services provides short-term assistance, so if you are seeking a more long-term therapist, student counseling services may refer you to a community therapist. Under USHIP, there is a $10 co-pay for each appointment with a community therapist outside of the University that you will have to pay. Overall, there are many benefits to signing up for USHIP. THE

CENTER

FOR

COLLEGE

STUDENT

SUCCESS

The Center for College Student Success (CCSS), launched in 2015, is an office under the University that specifically caters to the needs of first-generation, low-income, immigrant, undocumented/DACAmented students. Located in the W406 in Harper, the office has advisors that are trained to be more understanding of the backgrounds of the students they serve. Many advisors give advice in areas other than academic. CCSS offers free printing services, a lending library which includes books for core classes, laptop lending services. Several workshops that focus on financial support, managing life as FGLI, mental health, budgeting, and more are offered to students throughout the entire school year. Study breaks are commonly held to allow students to de-stress and mingle with students from similar backgrounds. Just this past year, CCSS has started the FLI Network. This network encompasses administration, faculty, alumni, undergrad, and grad students from UChicago who identify as either first-gen, low-income, or immigrant. This is meant for students to network and find others on campus who have gone through similar experiences. As another means of connecting students, Maroon Mentor was started by the CCSS so that first years can be mentored by other students, who are also FGLI. The 31

CCSS also provides emergency funds for students who need grants for emergency circumstances. NON-DINING HALL MEALS: Although you may have unlimited access to dining your first year, this does not mean that dining halls are open all the time. On Saturdays, dining halls close at 2:30 pm, which may leave you worried that you might starve the rest of the night or face the cost of eating out the entire year. Luckily, after years of a student-led campaign to have dining halls open saturday evenings, the University has decided to have Saturday Night Swipes. The 2017-2018 year was the first time the University allowed students to swipe their IDs in Hutchinson Commons from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm for free dinner from their food court options. These Saturday night dinners come at no additional cost. After another student led fight for food, students staying on campus during spring break are able to get three free meals per day as part of the Student Services Administration (SSA). Many students stay on campus during spring break because they may have gotten an externship or they may not be able to access food. Although dining halls are closed during break, SSA caters breakfast, lunch, and dinner for students staying on campus so they do not have to bear this cost. This program was initiated during the 2017-2018 school year. A new Facebook page was created last year called UChicago Free Food Watch, through which students are alerted when and where there is leftover food from events around campus. FGLI RSOS: The Socioeconomic Diversity Alliance (SDA) and Questbridge Student Network (QSN) are two RSOs on campus that are focused on serving students that are first-gen and low-income. Both organizations work closely with CCSS to improve student life and also hold social events for students to connect. The QSN is specifically meant for students who received the Questbridge Scholarship, while SDA works with all FGLI students and has helped CCSS create a guidebook for maneuvering Hyde Park and parts of the city. For buying things within the UChicago community, the Facebook pages Free & For Sale and Textbook Exchange are great places to get used books and general items for cheap. Lastly Marketplace is a site that has a variety of used items that UChicago students sell at a discounted price.

10 lgbtq+

students

queerness around campus Navigating Campus as a Queer/Trans Student Institutions like UChicago are rooted in a continuum of structures that seek to keep queer students on the margins. You will soon face the pressure to dilute your identity to “fit” a classroom, to secure an internship, to get into an exclusive space that calls itself “success”. There will be pressure to call your identity by the name of another, to wash away your radical potential and be digestible to society. You will feel pressure to be one of the good ones, never to shake anything but only to find a way to “fit”.

5710

WOODLAWN

AVE

In the past, the University has failed to accommodate students with a lack of access to gender-neutral bathrooms in the dorms because if just one person in the house voted against gender neutral bathrooms, then there would be none in the whole house. Luckily with the new policy for dorm bathrooms every single house (minus Shorey) is set to have women’s, men’s, and gender neutral bathrooms. Here’s a list of gender neutral bathrooms around campus. Though UChicago has made some significant strides for inclusion their current name change policy does not use the preferred names of students on important documents such as their transcript or diploma without a legal name change that requires more time and money.

Some existing resources on campus include the LGBTQ Student Life office housed in the Center of Identity and Inclusion and operates many queer events on campus. They also published a UChicago Queer Compass which provides a summary of queer resources on campus and around the city. Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality offers more academic support of LGBTQ students with grants for research and internships, reading clubs, socials, and classes.

a message to queer/trans students of color Queer and trans people of color on campus have worked to build spaces where people can exist with all their plurality, to exist as best they can outside of the pressure to assimilate into the white-heteropatriarchal mainstream. You’ll see how we work too: leading RSO’s, campaigns to improve campus, and connecting this University to the city of Chicago. Even taking time to support one another, listen and spend time with each other, our community on campus is growing. Last year we had our first Garty of Color (GoC). In response to numerous people in our community expressing feelings of exclusion and lack of safety at the Garty, UC United held the first party that centered on the QTPoC community. It was a party with music from communities of color and a space that lacked the predatory energy of most parties on campus where people asked what their potential partner wanted to do. Our community members threw 5733 S. UNIVERSITY AVE events like a QT(/)PoC arts festival that brought Chicago artists to campus, celebrated our community, and transformed Hutchinson Commons from a space where the former straight white presidents stare down at you to one where queer and trans(/)PoC performed without regards to the white gaze. This year the planning has already begun to do even more for our community on campus and in the city. We’d love for you to get involved and there’s many ways to do so. UC United throws the Garty of Color and is always looking for fresh faces to join our working groups. MEChA de UChicago has founded a committee tasked specifically with Queer & Mujer Centered programing (with many exciting events in the works). The Organization of Black Students has increasingly made efforts to host dinners and other events centering queer identity.

11creative expression

art as activism on campus

Different forms of creative expression pulse through Chicago and are cultivated in different spots around campus. Though places like the Museum of Contemporary Arts vand the Art Institute of Chicago are labeled as hallmarks for art in Chicago, the real essence of the city’s art scene can be found in places other than downtown. All of these institutions along with smaller galleries and art events around the city serve not only as displays for creations by marginalized groups, but also nourish community and provide radical spaces to work toward liberation for all.

Women & Children’s First independent bookstore; host readings by authors with a feminist/queer lens

National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture celebration of Puerto Rican art & history

National Museum of Mexican Art showcase art & culture of Mexican and Mexican-American art

UChicago’s campus is a place where the arts is an outlet through which systems of oppression are critiqued and the narratives of marginalized people are uplifted. UChicago students utilize the power of creative expression to survive in and fight against this institution and systems of oppression. The following organizations are just some of the more established places on campus. Watch out as more independent art collectives and groups pop-up throughout the year like last year’s group, Art Is Movement (AIM), and the Trans Writers of Color Book Club hosted by the CSGS.

Free Street Theater free/pay-what-youcan organization that holds shows related to contemporary social themes and issues

Young Chicago Authors free poetry workshops, open mics, and the largest youth poetry slam; launched careers of Jamila Woods and Chance the Rapper Gallery Guichard modern art by African Americans Hyde Park Art Center community center with arts programming & exhibitions

Stony Island Arts Bank gallery, media archive, & library; centers on rich history and work of African Americans

Blacklight Magazine is a literary and arts magazine out of the UChicago’s Organiza-

tion of Black Students. We aim to provide a platform for marginalized voices on UChicago’s campus and spotlight minority art both at UChicago and in the Chicago area. We are also committed to curating a radical, feminist, anti-imperial and queer space that allows artists to find community and cultivate a horizontal network of peers. In a world in which the canon is defined by Western, white, male perspectives, we believe making a concerted effort to highlight work from traditionally oppressed and discounted avenues is essential to growth— both individual and societal. We publish a themed issue every quarter. Submissions are open to the UChicago community every quarter, and contributors are invited to read and celebrate their work at a quarterly launch party. Submissions can include poetry, fiction, essays, memoir, investigative journalism, visual art, or anything in between that explores our themes honestly and creatively. In the past, we’ve also hosted writing workshops, gallery nights, open mics, and parties. At Blacklight, we’re committed to pursuing art seriously as a means of introspection, growth, healing, radical imagination, and solidarity across communities. You can get involved with the Blacklight board or contribute your work to one of our quarterly issues.

facebook.com/blacklightmag

issuu.com/blacklightmagazine

Groove Theory is a hip hop dance crew

dedicated to learning and performing the dance element of hip hop culture. We study the foundational movements of various hip hop styles such as breaking, popping, locking, waacking, house, and Chicago footwork (though we always welcome other street styles). Our main goals are not only to learn the movements and groove but also to spread awareness and share hip hop dance, its history, and its culture in its true form. With the mass commercialization of hip hop culture and mislabeling of various art forms as hip hop, the marginalized communities that gave birth to hip hop culture often do not receive the credit they deserve. By educating members of the UChicago community, we hope to promote awareness and appreciation for hip hop culture on campus in order for credit to be given where it is due. Our practices are open to the public and we welcome all interested individuals to come and learn the history and movement of hip hop culture. No prior experience required!

MURAL is a bilingual magazine at UChicago that seeks to embrace and celebrate Latin

American and Latinx perspectives through written and visual arts in our magazine. While our contributors have mostly submitted work in English and Spanish in the past, we are excited to start accepting Portuguese submissions this year for our quarterly issues after successfully publishing an English and Portuguese edition last Spring Quarter. Towards this end, we publish many different types of works, from poems, short stories, and articles to photography and collages, that explore the meaning and relevance of Latin America from various perspectives. Each quarter we select a theme to guide our contributors. While contributors do not need to follow the theme, it often serves to inspire new pieces or remind them of past ones. Throughout the year, we host and collaborate with organizations on campus to bring diverse cultural events and programming, including open mics and art fairs. Last year we were even able to co-host a discussion and Q&A with the creators of Brujos and Brown Girls! Additionally, we host a release party for our new issues where students and community members can pick up a free copy, enjoy some delicious food (like pupusas and empanadas!), and meet other readers. Otherwise, you can read a copy at any of the campus cafes! Mural is always looking for writers, artists, translators, and designers to contribute or to join our staff! facebook.com/muralmagazine issuu.com/muralmagazine muralzine@gmail.com, mural-magazine@lists.uchicago.edu

Iris Founded in spring of

2016, Iris has a vision of radically inclusive theater with a specific focus on uplifting the narratives of people of color in the theater space. This involves presenting works by and for people of color and bringing in artists of color from the greater Chicago area to present their stories. Do you have a story you feel needs to be told? Come to us! From last spring, when Iris put on Ntozake Shange’s “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow Is Enuf”

facebook.com/irisatuchicago

12 city-wide organizing activism outside the uchicago bubble introduction City-wide organizing in Chicago has existed in a multitude of forms, under many names, and in many guises. While different organizations might abide by different theories of change, most organizing attempts to dismantle oppressive systems of power and highlight the voices of communities - especially those that are low-income and people of color. Racial, economic, and gender justice lenses are absolutely critical to creating the intersectional movement we need, and addressing how to create solidarity as fellow community organizers. We see power manifested through organizing in so many ways in Chicago: whether it be the hotel workers striking (at the time of publication ongoing) or the establishment of a trauma center on the South Side thanks to the tireless efforts of the Trauma Center Campaign, we have seen how we can place pressure on those systems and people in power to win what is necessary for our neighbors, friends, communities and ourselves. As students at the University of Chicago, organizing on campus seems to be one of the most accessible ways to enact change in our own community. But as residents in Hyde Park and as citizens of Chicago, we face the responsibility of understanding our collective impact in the spaces around us (see: 3. UCPD), and understanding how we can uplift voices that need to be heard. Here are only a few (!!!) of the organizations that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked with over the past few years.

Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights ICIRR is dedicated to promoting the rights of immigrants and refugees to full and equal participation in the civic, cultural, social, and political life of our diverse society. In partnership with our member organizations, the Coalition educates and organizes immigrant and refugee communities to assert their rights; promotes citizenship and civic participation; monitors, analyzes, and advocates on immigrant-related issues; and, informs the general public about the contributions of immigrants and refugees. 38

Uchicago student action (the people’s lobby) UChicago Student Action (UCSA) is a student FB.COM/UCHICAGOpower organization dedicated to fighting for racial, STUDENTACTION/ economic, gender, disability and environmental justice on our campus and in our communities. TWITTER.COM/ Our aim is to build the national student power UCHISTUDENTSACT infrastructure we need to mobilize a mass movement to transform our universities, economy, and society. We envision a world in which all people live free from structural oppression, where our institutions work for everybody, not just corporations and the 1%, and believe that students can be leaders in creating that world. UCSA campaigns include the Environmental Justice Task Force (EJTF), which organizes for citywide action on climate justice, and Fair Budget UChicago (FBU), which is dedicated to living wages for workers and the full funding disability and counseling services. UCSA members are also involved in on-campus unionization work and the citywide campaign for Free Higher Education. But what we have in common is a determination to fight for a more democratic UChicago—one that puts people over profit. Our most recent campaign work was a joint action with #CareNotCops and UC United this past spring, which challenged the UCPD’s racist policing and UChicago’s underfunding of mental healthcare. But we have a history of widely-publicized actions (including a 2016 sit-in that was reported on by the New York Times), and count the release of public data about the UCPD and meetings with administrators amongst our victories. We’ve also dedicated ourselves to work in support of progressive candidates around the city, like Daniel Biss, Kim Foxx, and Marie Newman. If you’re looking to get involved with UCSA or learn more about our campaigns, then follow us on Facebook, shoot us a message, or stop by a meeting!

south side weekly The South Side Weekly is a nonprofit newsprint magazine and radio show dedicated to supporting cultural and civic engagement on the South Side, and to providing educational opportunities for developing journalists, writers, and artists. We publish in-depth coverage of the arts and issues of public interest alongside oral histories, poetry, fiction, interviews, and artwork from local photographers and illustrators. The Weekly is produced by an all-volunteer editorial staff and seeks contributions from across the city. Learn more here.

SOURCE:

BEST

SIDE

2014

SOUTH ISSUE

uchicago socialists (ISO) As the longest-active socialist group on campus, the UChicago Socialists, a branch of the International Socialist Organization, is committed to building grassroots movements in the present while fighting for a revolutionary socialist transformation of society – a world based on human need and not profit, free of oppression, exploitation, colonialism, and war. At a University intent on breeding the next generation of billionaire bosses and career politicians, we have carved out an independent space to educate ourselves in Marxist theory and the long histories of movements against oppression and exploitation, on Chicago’s South Side and across the globe. We are committed to the principles of solidarity, democracy, socialism-frombelow, and the selfemancipation of the FB.COM/UCHICAGOSOCIALISTS/ international working-class. The struggles for Black liberation, women’s liberation, and LGBTQ liberation – UCHICAGOISO@ as well as the movements of all oppressed peoples for GMAIL.COM dignity, justice, and self-determination – are at the very heart of any socialism worthy of its name. We participate in and support every struggle for social justice on and around campus, from campaigns against police brutality and far-right speakers to movements for Palestinian liberation and immigrant rights. Challenging the University’s systemic violence requires not only forging solidarity between students, staff, faculty, and community members, but also a vision for a University that is run collectively by all of us, rather than by a few administrators and their well-heeled Board of Trustees. To cohere these many struggles, we will need an independent, anti-capitalist alternative to the two corporate parties that share power in this country. Organizing as a socialist at the University of Chicago means standing with all those who are oppressed, exploited, marginalized, silenced, and discriminated against, both within our communities and beyond. Another world is urgently necessary and another world is possible.

black lives matter chicago The Black Lives Matter Global Network is a chapter-based, member-led organization whose mission is to build local power and to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. We affirm the lives of Black queer and trans folks, disabled folks, undocumented folks, folks with records, women, and all Black lives along the gender spectrum. Our network centers those who have been marginalized within Black liberation movements. 40

We are working for a world where Black lives are no longer systematically targeted for demise. The call for Black lives to matter is a rallying cry for ALL Black lives striving for liberation. Black Lives Matter is an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise. It is an affirmation of Black folks’ humanity, our contributions to this society, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression. As a network, we have always recognized the need to center the leadership of women and queer and trans people. To maximize our movement muscle, and to be intentional about not replicating harmful practices that excluded so many in past movements for liberation, we made a commitment to placing those at the margins closer to the center. Learn more here (https://blacklivesmatter.com/ chapter/blm-chicago/).

BLM

CHICAGO PROTEST SOURCE: DNAINFO

black and pink chicago Black and Pink: Chicago is an open family of LGBTQ prisoners and “free world” allies who support each other. We believe in being an open and inclusive family of LGBTQ and/or HIV+ people and those whose struggles are aligned. We aim to break down barriers, not to build them up. We welcome people at the margins of society: queer/trans, of color, poor, criminalized, disabled. We uphold the right to self-identification, and we don’t think there is one “model” of who a Black & Pink member should be. We believe in the power of people placed behind walls. We believe a just world requires abolition of the prison-industrial complex and creation of community alternatives to addressing harm. We believe in the importance of healing and holding our complicated selves. We believe in adaptability for the sustainability of the organization. We believe in transparency and remaining as simple of an organization as possible. We believe in solidarity with movements for liberation to recognize and resist oppression in all its forms. We understand that our work is interconnected with that of other groups and organizers that are abolitionist, queer, trans, feminist, anti-capitalist, anti-white supremacist, pro-disability justice, anti-colonialist. We are just one family in a broader movement for collective liberation. Prisons are part of the system that oppresses and divides us. By building a movement and taking action against this system of violence, we will create the world we dream of. Learn more here (https://www.facebook.com/chicagoblackandpink/). 41

b i W E t . V B l E y R / S D I i ON s O _ b o o k 1 8