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Grad students fight for union Some believe unionization will help raise standards, others think it will take away opportunities to be in program ANDREW DOUGHERTY Senior News Reporter | @addough
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he Illinois State University graduate students pushing for a union for about 500 teaching and research assistants have officially received enough signatures to formally request representation from the Service Employees International Union. Sociology graduate student and union organizer Erik Zdansky said the discussion about raising the standards for graduate assistants has been an ongoing topic for several years. “Particularly for teaching assistants, we’d like to see an increase in stipends, extending the kind of benefits for insurance and other various issues,” Zdansky said. “A major issue for me is the stipend level. The fact that I can be on food stamps while being a graduate student seems a bit at odds with the mission of ISU, especially with the amount of work we do for faculty such as grading and holding office hours.” Zdansky said he has been making $8,000 the last year, which is under
the poverty line for a single person, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. A household with one person should be making $12,140 to not be under the poverty line. Even though he is walking in commencement this May and will not receive any benefits of unionizing, he knows he can help other graduate students who will be coming to ISU and will not have to struggle as much. “The important thing is to keep the idea of unionizing going and to get all the facts out, such as who counts as a union member, the issue of why teaching assistants can unionize yet research assistants can’t, and why undergraduate teaching assistants have to pay money to do labor for the university which is just silly to me,” he said. If the graduate student union does come to fruition, Assistant Director of Media Relations Rachel Hatch said the university is open to working with it. “The university works with a lot collective bargaining groups and
Monica Mendoza | Vidette Photo Editor
Trevor Rickerd, a biology doctoral student, speaks to a group of graduate students, faculty and staff members Feb. 26 outside Schroeder Hall. Graduate students are currently in the process of evaluating what items they want written in their union contract. we understand the right of people to want to negotiate. On our part we are willing to work with any group but I’m not sure where they are in the process at this point,” Hatch said. Graduate student in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology J.D. Lewis said forming a union would give graduate students a stronger voice to bring attention to unfair labor practices. “There are some students who are struggling because they’re being asked to do things that are above and beyond what they’re supposed to be doing even though the rules state in
the student handbook that you should only work a certain amount of hours, work for one professor for one course or only doing research or teaching,” Lewis said. “A lot of the time there’s a significant amount of pressure and circumstances that would push students to do otherwise.” Lewis said grad students would like to have more of a say so that when they see unfair labor practices being done, they can have a method of action and some power to change it. Lewis continued to say that a union would give graduate students
a way to voice their grievances on issues which would affect them. “A few of the issues we’re concerned about are for the economic side of things,” Lewis said. “Right now, a large portion of graduate students are getting a low stipend and a lot of us are on food stamps. We have a hard time making ends-meet and paying bills.” Lewis added another major concern was the absence of dental coverage from the university’s healthcare plan. see UNION page 3
“Right now, a large portion of graduate students are getting a low stipend and a lot of us are on food stamps. We have a hard time making ends-meet and paying bills.” J.D. Lewis, Department of Sociology and Anthropology graduate student
ISU receives cell sorter through NSF grant Device will allow researchers, students to study thousands of particles in seconds
MIKE SMITH News Reporter | @Agora_180
The National Science Foundation awarded faculty at Illinois State University with a $316,778 grant to fund a new educational instrument on campus. The instrument is a flow cytometer cell sorter which can filter and collect rare cells, some of which can be further researched and used for new discoveries. Although t is no larger than a microwave, this innovation creates potential to study unique cell structures like never before. Professors Rachel Bowden, Nathan Mortimer, Ben Sadd and Laura Vogel led the team. “It was fantastic to hear news about our proposal for the instrument being funded,” Sadd said. “A lot of work goes to submitting grants, and at the national level most are unsuccessful, so we were extremely happy to have the instrument purchase funded, especially as it is going to benefit a number of people and research areas.”
Rachel Bowden
Nathan Mortimer
Ben Sadd
Laura Vogel
Vogel also said researchers were excited about the news. “Our researchers were thrilled to hear our grant application would be funded. The highly competitive Major Research Instrumentation grant program received hundreds of grant proposals from across the country and only funded the top 16 percent of the applications they received,” Vogel said. The grant was originally submitted in January 2016, but was sent back to the professors for revisions and resubmitted in
January 2017. “We finally heard that it was selected for funding in September, so the whole process is quite long,” Vogel explained. “The FACS Melody arrived on campus in January and is ready for use.” The tool can be applied to several schools of study, including gene expression, cellular physiology and cell morphology. The device can progressively push advances in these fields of study at a high speed. Vogel said ISU researchers will use the cell sorter to study aging and the immune system, reptile and insect immunity, pollen grains, neuroscience, blood cells in birds, Leishmania parasites and the growth of microbes. “This cell sorter is a powerful tool that allows researchers to study cells or particles in a liquid suspension. It’s commonly used to analyze things like blood samples, liquid bacterial cultures and other small particles,” Vogel explained. see GRANT page 3
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Consent is sexy
National day to focus on the importance of healthy relationships CINDY HERNANDEZ News Reporter | @Cindylu_7
conversation so that it doesn’t have to be highlighted anymore,” Link said. The event will have various activities for students. There will be giveaways, trivia and students will have the opportunity to take a pledge committing to consent and helping end sexual violence at the gazebo in the Quad. Students Ending Rape Culture, Students Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence, ISU Pride and Student Government Association are a few participating organizations. This year’s National Sexual Assault Awareness Month theme is Embrace Your Voice. Embrace Your Voice is about speaking up and sharing one’s beliefs and values about sexual violence. By standing up for survivors of sexual violence, a powerful message is sent that can encourage others to do the same. For more details on Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Consent Day, visit wellness. ilstu.edu or call (309) 438-9355.
Illinois State University’s Health Promotion and Wellness will host its third annual Consent Day event 11 a.m. Tuesday in Schroeder Plaza. Consent Day at ISU is set to bring awareness to sexual assault on college campuses. Health Promotion and Wellness wants to focus on starting conversations about consent. It is part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sexual Assault Awareness Month takes place every year to help raise awareness and support for victims of sexual assault and other genderbased violence. Consent Day is recognized nationally and it is set to help students and the community start a conversation about consent and why it is an important part of a healthy relationship. “The point of this event is to embrace your voice and consent is an important way to make it a part of everyday conversation,” Health ProMonica Mendoza | Vidette Photo Editor motion and Wellness Coordinator Erin Link Junior journalism major Ashley Antonini poses for said. “The more we talk about it, the easier it’ll Sexual Assault Awareness Month and feels that consent be for couples to know what makes a healthy is a priority and that change starts with a conversation. Cindy Hernandez is a news reporter for The relationship.” Vidette. She can be reached at vidette_cherrelationships and why consent is an important Health Promotion and Wellness wishes for na9@ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter at students and staff to learn the aspects of healthy part of it. @Cindylu_7. “We want to make consent a part of a normal
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UNION continued from page 1
Graduate assistant in the Department of Politics and Government Tyler Carter had a much different opinion on graduate students at ISU unionizing. “Some ISU grad students appear to want to form a union because an outside organization came around campus and convinced them that it’s a good idea and there was likely very minimal critical thinking that went into it,” Carter said. “It’s my understanding that the organizer is a former adjunct professor of some sort, but when he talked to me, he provided me with almost no information about himself or the organization. “I think that unionizing is one of the worst possible things that graduate students can do given our situation,” he said. “I am all for collective bargaining, but this is not even remotely a traditional position. Graduate school is not meant to be a career, and graduate assistantships are a way for students to work part time in exchange for a scholarship.” Carter’s other reasons for not being for the unionization are graduate assistantships are not full-time positions, but rather half-time or quarter-time positions, there are protections for students who work more than 20 hours and he does not pay for tuition. Carter continued to say that while a grad student union would improve his standard of living, it would also mean fewer students would have the opportunity to attend a graduate program at ISU. “Demanding more money and benefits will unquestionably reduce the amount of people who can participate in a graduate program,” Carter said. “They’ll likely respond to that claim by saying they only want to have a seat at the table, and that’s fine, but it’s untrue and will eliminate opportunities for prospective students.”
GRANT continued from page 1
“The cells pass through a series of laser beams at a very high speed, thousands of cells per second. We can label the cells with different colored f luorescent dyes and the instrument can tell which colors of dyes are present on each individual cell.” Instead of spending hours at a microscope counting the cells, the cell sorter can look at 10,000 cells in a sample within a few seconds. The instrument can also separate out cells of interest from other cells in the suspension, Vogel said. Students will have the opportunity to use the device in select classrooms and courses, such as biological sciences, health sciences or chemistry classes. “The cell sorter will be available to researchers on campus, including faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students. Individuals interested in using the instrument do need to complete some hands-on training and should contact me beforehand,” Vogel noted. “The FACS Melody cell sorter will enable new research in several departments across campus that is not currently possible at ISU. “Training is needed to ensure the instrument is used correctly,” Sadd said. “With training, however, the instrument can also be used by classes and research students. Biological Science and Medical Lab Science lab classes will use the instrument. In addition, undergraduate and graduate students will be able to use it for their future research needs.”
Women’s and Gender Studies to host BLM activist Janaya Khan Annual symposium to explore black, queer, feminist activism ANDREW DOUGHERTY Senior News Reporter | @addough
Celebrating the 23rd annual Women’s and Gender Studies Symposium, Janaya Khan, International Ambassador for the #BlackLivesMatter Network, will speak on “Demanding Social Transformation, Justice, and Equality for All” at 1 p.m. April 20 in the Prairie Room at the Bone Student Center at Illinois State University. The talk is part of the Illinois State University Speaker Series and is sponsored by the Women’s and Gender Studies Program and University Events. The event is free and open to the public. Khan, known as “Future” within the Black Lives Matter movement, is a black, queer, gendernonconforming activist, Afrofuturist and social justice educator. They currently serve as executive director of Gender Justice LA, a grassroots multi-racial coalition of transgender people and allies. Assistant Director of Media Relations Rachel Hatch said the Symposium allows for undergraduate and graduate students to present papers, presentations, performances which they have done throughout the year. “It gives them an opportunity to present their work in a professional symposium. Everything highlights the study of women, gender and their intersections, along with race, sexuality and ability and the concepts of colonization as well,” Hatch
said. “Intersectionality talks about how this is in between race and gender, we’re not talking about how this is an issue for just a woman or an issue for a transgender [person]. “It’s how that transgender person is perceived in society, what their class is in society, what their ability is in society, what their level of acceptance is. It’s not just looking race or gender but how a lot of these come together and express themselves through identity,” she added. Hatch said Khan was chosen due to their work in the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as their Courtesy of news.illinoisstate.edu activism for issues per- Ambassador for the #BlackLivesMatter Network Janaya Khan will be the taining to women, black special guest speaker at the Women’s and Gender Studies Symposium. women and queer women. all these things that are going on in society and “[Khan] combined all of these things but works the world. Also, it’s about how we’re confronttowards social justice, so [they are] educating ing them, how we’re exploring and talking about people about how all of these things impact people them.” in our society,” Hatch explained. “It’s a very timely For more information, visit IllinoisState.edu/ choice of a speaker to comment and talk about president/speaker-series/.
‘Hamilton’ communications director to encourage students to ‘rise up’ TIFFANY MORRISON News Reporter | @MorrisonTiffany
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tudents at Illinois State University will soon get the opportunity to get an inside look at what really goes on behind the scenes of the Tony-winning musical “Hamilton” national tour by meeting its communications director, John Gilmour. Gilmour will be speaking to students at 2 p.m. April 16 in Room 101 of Stevenson Hall. “I’m assuming he’ll discuss where he started, how he got to where he is now and basically all things crisis com — meaning how he deals with publicity in certain areas or unexpected circumstances in which could occur,” Jessica Konstantelos, School of Communication Promotions and Development Team intern, said. Prior to working for “Hamilton,” Gilmour worked for The Marketing Group (TMG)/Allied Live. During his time there he led the marketing and press efforts for national tours of the “Book of Mormon,” “Motown the Musical,” “Mamma Mia!,” “In the Heights” and more. “I went to the regional conference last spring and he was one of the speakers there whom
gave me his business card and when we were looking for speakers, I thought of him almost immediately because his discussion and presence really resonated with me and inspired me,” Konstantelos said. In college, Gilmour had no idea he would be where he is today. In fact, he did not even major in communications. Gilmour went to Michigan State University and had a double major in general business management and theatre with a
school for, as long as you have the passion and drive to do it.” Gilmour has been a member of The Broadw ay L e a g ue’s Educational and Community Engagement Committee and served on the planning committee for their annual education forum. “ P R majors I feel like always want to get into the enter-
dance tainspecialm e n t ization. field but “He started off don’t really in Elgin and someknow how how got his way to tackle into TMG, which an opporhe’ll tell us when tunity like he speaks, but that, especially his back story if it’s a famous is just crazy,” public figure, Konstanteso i t ’s Flynn Geraghty | Vidette Art Director los said. “It just great makes you we’ll be able realize that you can really do any- to give those students an idea of thing, no matter what you went to what to do if they ever do get an
World War I to be discussed at speaker series talk GARRETT KARSTEN News Reporter | @GKarstenISU
The presentation “Woodrow Wilson and the Impact of the United States on World War I” will begin at noon Wednesday at the Bone
Student Center. Distinguished speaker for this presentation is the Chair of the Department of History Ross A. Kennedy, Ph.D. Wilson’s American policies began in 1914 and they influenced balance of power among the Allied and Central Powers during the war, along with significant choices made in key national cities. The presentation discusses these decisions and how the United States related to them, eventually creating a unified international system.
opportunity in this area,” Konstantelos said. He is currently on board of Barrel of Monkeys, an arts education and theatre organization based in Chicago, and oversees both the strategies and implementations of all three productions of Hamilton in North America. This presentation is part of Com Week, an annual professional development event presented by the School of Communication at the university. School of Communication Promotions and Development Team plans for this week-long string of events all year. “The process was smooth sailing at first, but as it gets closer and closer we’ve really started to buckle down and kind of make sure everything is organized properly and ready to go,” Konstantelos said Go to CASIT.IllinoisState.edu/ sites/comweek/ for more information on other speakers during Com Week. Tiffany Morrison is a news reporter and photographer for The Vidette. She can be reached at tmorris@ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @MorrisonTiffany
Kennedy has authored and contributed as an editor to several books that cover related topics to the presentation and also is a history professor at ISU. The Wilson presentation is part of the International Seminar Series, providing the ISU campus with extensive learning opportunities from guest speakers about a range of international topics each week. Audience members are offered a chance to ask questions during a specific time at the events. The International Seminar Series runs through April 25 and is free to the public.
Viewpoint
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VIDETTE EDITORIAL
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MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2018
Take part in Blo-No’s clean up week
s college students in Bloomington-Normal, we should take pride in our community and make sure it reflects all the beautiful happenings taking place every day. Unfortunately, we do not always see that happen in our area. It’s no surprise that college students like to go out, drink and party during the weekend. Sometimes, however, these outings end with students littering various items such as cups and beer bottles and cans and causing a little destruction here and there. That causes obvious problems not just for the look of the community, but for the thousands of residents in the area. They do not want to see their home covered in trash or have holes through walls and other surfaces. To help repair the look of the community, the City of Bloomington Citizens’ Beautification Committee and Ecology Action Center (EAC) are dedicating April 14 through April 22 to clean up the Twin Cities. Community members will collect trash in public parks
with free supplies provided by Normal and Bloomington’s parks and recreation departments. The week ends with EAC’s Earth Day Clean Up. Throughout the day, people will help clean up Constitution Trail and Sugar Creek. This is a wonderful program that makes Bloomington-Normal further stand out from other areas. It shows residents really do care about the look of their community and they do not want trash and other items to cover up its beauty. With beautiful spots like Lake Bloomington and
hidden gems along Constitution Trail, the last thing anybody wants to see when they are spending a relaxing day out is trash all over the place. This week-long event not only helps for the instant clean look of the area, but it will make important contributions for the future. When people see organizations are dedicated to making sure the community is clean, it might encourage them to move into the area. If they don’t have to constantly run into or see beer bottles, cans and other items when they are out, it will make the area so much
more appealing to them. Businesses might even be more inclined to bring new jobs into the area and have their company name represented in Bloomington and Normal because they see how seriously the area takes upkeep. Whether college students are some of the ones contributing to the littering or not, this is an event Illinois State University and Illinois Wesleyan University students should participate in. They will be able to say they positively impacted their community by cleaning up junk that should not be out on the streets. If they are looking for ways to better help the planet, this is one way to do it. Many of the items out on the streets are ones that can be recycled. If items are not properly disposed of, they will just stay out there and continue to build up. Recycling is one of the easiest ways to help Mother Earth, and clean up week offers this benefit and many more. Whatever one’s plans are next week, set aside time to help clean up the community and have fun doing it.
Editorial Cartoon by Flynn Geraghty | Vidette Art Director
EDITORIAL POLICY Editorial written by EMA SASIC, a member of The Vidette’s Editorial Board. Editorial policy is determined by the student editor, and views expressed in editorials are those of the majority of The Vidette’s Editorial Board. Columns that carry bylines are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Vidette or the University.
Colleges should focus more on sexual health MY VIEW KAMARA TURNER | Columnist
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ollege has the reputation of being a place not just to receive an advanced education, but also a carnal education. According to a recent Sexual Satisfaction Survey conducted by Lifestyle Condoms, college students are hitting the sheets as much as they are hitting the books, and sexual education should be taught more in schools. Although your sex life is personal and private, every student should be familiar with the many myths that go around about sex. There are many sex education RSOs on campus that help educate students, however, this education should also be a part of
curriculum. College students seem to think they know everything there is to know about sexual health and that they are immune to the negative outcomes of sex. However, different myths continue to be spread throughout campuses and many students fail to do adequate research. Some common myths are: “it is impossible to get pregnant on your period,” “the morning-after pill aborts an existing pregnancy” and “if you have only slept with virgins, you cannot catch an STD.” While many students know these are myths, many do not. Some students our age are uninformed and may believe these statements. According to Dr. Jennifer Robinson, an OB/ GYN and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Medicine, everyone’s body is different, which means you cannot do what everyone else is doing because your body may react differently. If your period overlaps with the beginning of ovulation, you are probably
fertile, which means you are able to get pregnant; if you are already pregnant when you take Plan B, the pill will have no effect on the pregnancy and both oral and anal sex can put you at risk for sexually transmitted diseases — and these are just a few facts to contradict those myths. There is much more to learn, and being knowledgeable about what is going on in your and your partner’s sex lives is important to prevent new sexual myths from surfacing around. These myths are an example of why sex education should be taken more seriously in high schools and universities. It is a mistake to assume that college students know everything there is to know about sex. Even those who choose to be celibate can help educate their peers. The more students know about sex education, the safer students will be when it comes to preventing unexpected pregnancies and STDs. College has a reputation of being a place for experimentation, and ISU
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Response to ‘Who is whispering in your lawmaker’s ear?’ editorial Dear Kayla Jane Jeffers, In your “Who is whispering in your lawmaker’s ear?” editorial, you talk about the influence of the National Rifle Association, saying that they only represent 1.5 percent of the U.S. population. That’s true since the NRA only has about five million members. You then say that 80 percent of gun owners aren’t part of the NRA, implying that because they are not members, that they don’t support the NRA. That is not entirely true. While they may not be card-holding, paying members, the NRA may support their views, and rightly claim to represent them. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 53 percent of gun owners feel that the
NRA has the right amount of control, while only 29 percent feel they have too much. Of the gun owners who were not NRA members, 50 percent felt that the NRA has the right amount of influence, with only 34 percent saying that they have too much. Non-membership doesn’t equal lack of support. This principle works much in the same way as political parties do. According to Gallup, during the days surrounding the 2016 Presidential election, 30 – 31 percent of people polled considered themselves as Democrats. But, I’m sure you remember that the Democrats received 48 percent of the popular votes. Eugene Washington
offers a variety of resources to educate students. The most popular resource is The G Spot, hosted by ISU’s Health Promotion and Wellness department. It is a portable wellness gazebo that goes to different parts of campus throughout the week. Students involved give out condoms as well as informational pamphlets for free. Other resources are also available in the Health Promotion and Wellness office in McCormick 187 and the Student Services Building. It is important for colleges and universities to educate students about their sexual health. Student Health Services provides a variety of health resources for students from checkups to testing. KAMARA TURNER is a mass media major and a columnist for The Vidette. Any questions or comments regarding her column can be sent to katurne3@ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter @kvmara.
VIDETTE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Vidette welcomes letters to the editor, provided they are no longer than 250 words and are typed and double-spaced. Letters that exceed the 250-word limit can be published at the editor’s discretion,but shorter letters take precedence. Letters containing name calling and insults will not be published. Letters must be signed and contain the major or official title of the writer, the year in school if presently enrolled, address and a daytime telephone number for verification. Letters without phone numbers will not be considered for publication. Names may be withheld upon request, but only after approval by the editor. Letters are subject to editing for style and space at the editor’s discretion. Letters sent via e-mail to: vidette@ilstu.edu are accepted, provided they include a telephone number for verification.
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EDITORIAL BOARD EMA SASIC Editor-in-Chief | @ema_sasic KEVIN SCHWALLER News Editor | @kevschwa KAYLA JANE JEFFERS Columnist | @KJJeffers KAMARA TURNER Columnist | @kvmara
THE VIDETTE | NEWS | PAGE 5
MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2018
Student Annual showcases art, hard work
Professors to give talk on diverse history curriculum
ISU School of Art gives artists a chance to have pieces displayed at University Galleries
ANDREW DOUGHERTY Senior News Reporter | @addough
Professor Abdul Mohamud and professor Robin Whitburn of the Institute of Education at the University College London will speak on “Pugilists, Diggers and Choreographers: Activism and Educational Change in Urban Schools” at 4 p.m. Monday in the Prairie Room at the Bone Student Center. The talk is part of the Illinois State University Speaker Series and is sponsored by University Events and University High School. The event is free and open to the public. Whitburn and Mohamud founded Justice to History as an organization to assist teachers and students in exploring relevant and diverse histories. Mohamud currently leads history curriculum development in an East London School. Whitburn is a Quality Mark Assessor for the UK Historical Association and has 30 years of experience in urban high schools. They have been involved in advancing and promoting school curriculum on themes for urban schools, with a particular focus on stories of migration, empire and identity. Assistant Director of Media Relations Rachel Hatch said the event will discuss what the two professors do and is a fun way of looking at it. “They fight for and try to build curriculum or how schools talk about black history because a lot of the time, what they both found was that the curriculum schools teach about black history is either not right, isn’t complete or it’s only doing stereotypes,” Hatch said. “So, what they’re trying to do is build a more complete history so that there is a better understanding, which is what their group Justice to History does as well,” she said. “Their organization looks at the curriculum and seeing what students are learning from the very beginning. Generally, when we talk about black history in the U.S., we talk about slavery and civil rights. “Well guess what? There’s a lot more things going on and a lot more things people have done throughout history and have contributed to society as well,” she said. Hatch added that both professors are looking at and talking about a more in-depth way of addressing black history.
STEPHANIE RODRIGUEZ News Editor @StephanieRod_21
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he School of Art will host an award ceremony at 6 p.m. Wednesday at University Galleries for the opening reception of the 2018 Student Annual, which has showcased new artwork produced by ISU students since 1974. The exhibition gives students the opportunity to have their work displayed to the public and reviewed by professionals outside the university. Senior graphic design major Lee Walls had his piece on LGBT suicide awareness featured in last years Student Annual and said that having his work chosen was an honor. “To be selected for the student annual out of the many pieces entered is extremely validating as an
artist,” Walls said. “It feels like all of the hours we spend creating and perfecting our work was worth it, appreciated and finally gets to be shown publicly.” Walls said his poster was something he originally made for a class. “We were told to create something that supports a social justice cause,” Walls said. “Being a part of the LGBTQIA community I wanted to make something that calls attention to one of obstacles the community faces: mental health. Because I have once been there dealing with society’s heteronormative expectations of me.” The Student Annual features work in a variety of mediums and styles which are unique to every artist. This year’s awards are presented as scholarships ranging from $50 to the
Best in Show Award of $300. Among other awards will be presented by Randy Reid, Arts Technology, Normal Editions Workshop, Ceramics, Glass and Graphic Design. The School of Art sponsors the Best in Show Award and the ceremony will include several academic scholarships for School of Art students. Walls said the submission process for students is fairly simple. “Every spring there is a drop off date announced and the students have until 7 p.m. that day to submit their work and then it is juried by a guest artist the chooses all the pieces that will be in the show,” he explained. The show, Walls said, is a great opportunity for students to show all of the hard work they have been doing through the semesters. “A lot of people think
Submitted Photo
Senior graphic design major Lee Walls had his poster about LGBT suicide awareness featured at the 2017 Student Annual. being an art major is just people painting for fun all the time. This show elevates our work in a good light and I think it’s an invaluable
experience to students that might not have the experience of being a part of a gallery exhibition,” Walls said.
Chef, author Roy Choi to give keynote address at 2018 Science and Technology Week ALEX CAMPBELL News Reporter | @alex_campbell98
Chef and author Roy Choi has been selected as this year’s keynote speaker for Illinois State University’s 2018 Science and Technology Week. The title of the talk is “Riding Shotgun with an L.A. Chef: An Evening with Roy Choi.” Roy Choi’s keynote speech will be at 7 p.m. April 17 in the Prairie Room of the Bone Student Center. It is a part of Illinois State University’s Speaker Series. Therefore, the engagement is free and open to the public. “Born in Seoul, Korea, and raised in Los Angeles, California, Choi is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and later worked at the internationally acclaimed Le Bernardin. In 2010, Food and Wine named him Best New Chef,” Assistant Dean of
Photo Courtesy of News.illinoisstate.edu
Chef and author Roy Choi will be the keynote speaker at the 2018 Science and Technology Week on April 17 in the Prairie Room of the Bone Student Center. the College of Applied Science and Technology Kara Snyder said. “His cookbook/memoir, ‘L.A.
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Son: My Life, My City, My Food’, was a New York Times bestseller in 2013.”
He was included in the 2016 TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World list. Roy resides in Los Angeles, where he is the co-owner, co-founder and chef of Kogi BBQ, Chego!, A-Frame, Commissary, POT and LocoL. In 2017, LocoL received the first ever LA Times Restaurant of the Year Award. “Having a chef be the keynote for Science and Technology Week is a good fit because the food nutrition and dietetics major is in the Department of Family and Consuemer Sciences, which is one of the eight academic units in the College of Applied Science and Technology,” Snyder said. “CAST tries to feature different areas of interest during Science and Technology Week, and Choi was this year’s selected speaker.” For more information on the 2018 Science and Technology Week and the full schedule of events visit the CAST website.
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Features
PAGE 6 | THE VIDETTE
MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2018
BIRD’S EYE VIEW A CLOSER LOOK AT YOUR CAMPUS
iRedbirds
ISU stays on cutting edge of technology
STORY BY STUART STALTER SENIOR FEATURES REPORTER | PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALI RASPER VIDETTE SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fifth in a series of behind-the-scene efforts that make Illinois State University’s campus tick. As the world becomes increasingly digitized, universities must adapt to new technology or become obsolete. Realizing that fact, Illinois State University puts great effort into staying innovative and efficient.
Internet technology overview Approximately 130 full-time employees and 80 student workers combine skill sets to run central internet technology (IT) operations. Daily tasks include maintaining Wi-Fi and improving ReggieNet. Additionally, each college on campus has a technical staff that supports faculty and staff. These workers are called distributive IT. Overall, approximately 250 IT professionals work at ISU. When students need immediate help, the Help Desk is the lifeline. The top two complaints the desk receives are forgotten username and passwords. Issues largely stem from expired passwords, which frequently occurs due to missing emails about resets.
Campus Solutions Campus Solutions is crucial to ISU's operations. It has been the hub for course registration, grades, housing Ed and dining contracts Vice since 2015. "Previously, ISU had an old mainframe system, typical of 1960s and 1970s computing, which could process a lot of ISU Department of Technology has a Robotics Lab located in Turner Hall. The laboratory operates with the goal to provide students hands-on data but needed modernization," Ed Vize, experience to develop basic technical skills in automation, while better understanding management principles. Overall, the lab provides future service delivery and communications technology teachers with tools to perform their best in manufacturing. manager of administrative technologies, that is attached with cables and mounted said. Quad Wi-Fi project Robotics lab down in the ground next to the light pole.” The transition to having students, faculty Though registration can be improved, Vize Thanks to a $1.2 million donation from Five of these contraptions are located and staff learn the new system was not believes internet coverage is very strong Caterpillar, the robotics laboratory sits in down the center of the Quad. Additionally, easy. With everyone more acclimated, across campus. Turner Hall Room 160. ISU faculty memworkers had to bore wires under the Quad Charles Edamala, administrative technoloISU uses at least three internet suppliers, so bers designed and built the lab. Construcfor electricity and wiring. gies associate vice president and chief the campus can continue if an outage occurs. tion was completed in 2006. “Typically, access points go on a wall, but technology officer, now strives for fluidity. Cirben is perhaps the most notable supplier. The robotics lab features 10 automated the Quad is so big, that there is no number “Improvement is more about speed than Coverage became even stronger with a systems workstations. Each station includes of access points that gives the coverage bugs now,” Edamala said. campus-wide Wi-Fi project. The buildings an industrial robot, programmable logic needed,” Edamala explained. and residence hall portion finished almost controller, conveyors, a vision system and a Registration Though the project is complete, one year ago. computer. ISU is waiting for better weather One aspect of ISU technology that many With that phase completed, the Technology professor Kevin to make an official announcement. students feel needs more fluidity is course focus has shifted to Wi-Fi expansion Devine explains the purpose Completion took at least six months. of ISU’s modern marvel. registration. Though everyone knows regisin the Quad. Busy students and winter's persistration is an all-out blitz, people may not “In the last couple weeks, we The overall goals for the tence caused delays. realize how hard systems are hit. turned a couple Wi-Fi access points lab are to provide students During his 22 months at ISU, Edamala on the Quad, so the green space on hands-on experiences Future projects once saw nearly 4,500 classes the Quad has a strong Wi-Fi to develop basic techniThough the project’s success is a added or dropped within one signal all around,” Vize said. Lawson cal skills in automaton major victory, the battle for a better Kevin minute. Unfortunately, IT has no Cassels “This is a challenge because and to help them better Devine campus never ends. control over seat capacity. of the trees, but we had a understand management To stay connected with student needs, Still wishing to help, IT takes pretty unique solution.” principles, Devine said. Edamala talks to the Student Government student feedback and constantly The solution was for workers to go Additionally, the lab provides future Association every four weeks. Representaworks to improve ReggieNet as a into a light pole with a Wi-Fi access technology teachers with the tools needed to user program. point that is disguised by Quad scen- tives pass along ideas for technological better understand manufacturing. innovations and improvements. Despite his efforts, Edamala Charles ery. As a result, the setup is more Ultimately, the technology department One idea was the late-night printer that Edamala recognizes that, with 21,039 visually pleasing than exposed ports. hopes the robotics lab will help more resides in Watterson. However, since the undergraduate students, the luck Network engineer Lawson Cassels students will be attracted to the technology printer and Wi-Fi project, nothing exciting of the connection can be mitigated, but not describes the specific process of making the program. has moved beyond conversations. eliminated. dream a reality. For Edamala and Vize, helpfulness is the That said, Edamala believes gamers might “It is like [buying] online concert tickets, “We mounted four omnidirectional Wi-Fi name of the IT game. have something to smile about in the future. where all the unlucky people have the spin- antennas to the outside of an LED engine “We want to put the power of students be“I have determined there is a need for ners, but it will come back in five minthat provide light,” Cassels said. “This [the ing successful in their hands through provideSports on campus in a location students utes,” Edamala said. LED engine] is paired with an access point ing the right information,” Vize said. can meet in,” Edamala said.
ISU TECHNOLOGY BY THE NUMBERS
130
Approximate number of full-time employees and 80 student workers run central internet technology for Illinois State. Daily tasks include maintaining Wi-Fi and improving ReggieNet
2015
The year Campus Solutions got implemented for Illinois State. Campus Solutions serves as a hub for course registration, grades, housing and dining contracts.
$1.2
million was donated by Caterpillar for the robotics laboratory in Turner Hall. Construction for the lab was completed in 2006 .
10
Automated systems workstations are featured in the robotics lab. Each station includes an industrial robot, programmable logic controller, conveyors, a vision system and a computer.
THE VIDETTE | SPORTS | PAGE 7
MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2018
Cooke ends sophomore season as MIC Gymnast of the Year JON BARLAS Sports Reporter | @janveselybarlas
As the lights shine down on the competition, chalk fiercely glistens down her hands and legs. Like a soldier preparing for battle, she stares down her opponent; for it is not just another competitor, but, rather, the bars, beam and floor. While strength, flexibility and balance defines the life of gymnast, Illinois State sophomore gymnast Gabrielle Cooke not only strives to be one the best gymnasts in the Midwest — she has already achieved it. Named the Midwest Independent Conference Gymnast of the Year in March, Cooke’s skills proved to be the most impressive for the Redbirds and the MIC conference this year. A three-time 2018 MIC Performer of the Week during the season — which ended March 23 — Cooke established that her talent will not be denied as one of the best all-around gymnasts in the conference. Cooke scored over 39.000 in the all-around in three meets, as well as her number two overall ranking on the floor. Her season-high all-around score of 39.250 was tied for second in conference while her season-high mark of 9.900 on the floor was ranked first in the MIC. While these achievements come as an outcome of countless hours in the gym and dedication to the sport she loves, Cooke looks back on her roots and inspirations as a young gymnast learning the ropes. “I was about six when I started competing,” Cooke said. “Even when you’re young, gymnastics has a really demanding schedule because you train a lot, I just stuck with it ever since.” “When I was younger, I looked up to Olympic gymnasts like Alicia Sacramone, who was a 2008 Olympian. As I got older, I had a family friend who was a gymnast at NIU, so I kind of really looked up to her to do college gymnastics and that was what I aspired to do.” As one of the more prolific Olympic sports,
gymnastics requires mental toughness and physical endurance. Athletes train almost their entire lives to achieve greatness and with each surpassing level, more rigorous training schedules follow suit. “[Training] definitely increases as you get older, especially in high school when you’re trying to get recruited,” Cooke said. “In the summers, you usually spend five to six hours in the gym a day.” Coinciding schoolwork with practice her entire life, the sophomore journalism student emanates the student-athlete way of life. Along with training, Cooke pointed to coursework as her biggest challenge of being a collegiate gymnast. “Balancing school with gymnastics,” she said. “Balancing it in high school was a little different, but obviously in college it is more demanding physically and academically. Our coaches really care about our academics [so] finding balance between the two can be difficult.” Coming off her stellar sophomore season, Cooke asserts that her goals have always been about the team. “I want the team to make it to regionals, that’s my goal,” Cooke said. “Our team is pretty united. Some teams we go against don’t look as united and don’t like they’re having fun. We definitely go out there and have a lot of fun. We always got each other’s backs.” As Cooke and teammates strive to put ISU gymnastics on the map, she is grateful to be a part of and represent Illinois State wherever she competes. “It means a lot to me to represent ISU,” she said. “Being a collegiate athlete and a role model for younger girls who watch our meets is truly an honor.” The Redbirds will be back in action next January as Cooke and her teammates take the floor in 2019 in search for a NCAA regional title. Until Tiffany Morrison | Vidette Photographer that time, you can count on Cooke being in the gym working on her routine, quietly preparing TOP: Gabrielle Cooke competes in the bars event at Horton Fieldhouse on Jan. 21 versus Alaska. ABOVE: Cooke competing in the balance beam event on Jan. 21 versus Alaska at for her next chance at glory. Horton Fieldhouse. Illinois State won the meet, 188.825-186.150.
SUMMER SESSIONS start MAY 21 and JUNE View popular transfer courses and register at
4.
harpercollege.edu/summerISU
HOROSCOPE Today’s Birthday (04/09/18). Work together for an especially profitable year. Meditate on what you truly want. Reduce, revise and simplify. Lay professional plans for a coordinated summer push. Domestic comforts and joys nurture your family and sweetheart. Change directions with a team project for winter profits. Prioritize love. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 9 — An intensely creative moment flowers naturally between
friends. Passion blossoms through communication. Celebrate your accomplishments together, and plan new adventures. Share your discoveries. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 9 — A professional opportunity requires spontaneity. Can you manage it without overextending? It’s possible. Learn by doing; practice makes perfect. Refine and tweak as you go. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 7 — Investigate, and explore the possibilities. Study, research and travel for first-person experience. Make reservations and handle arrangements. Plot your
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route. Stick to reliable sources. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Make financial arrangements, transfers and decisions. Talk with your partner to get on the same page. Listen with your heart. Get everyone paid. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Conversation can spark into romance with your partner. Listen, and affirm that you heard. Your creative collaboration is getting even more interesting. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 9 — Dig into a big job. Your work and time are in demand. Guard health and fitness routines that build and maintain your en-
ergy. Practice moderation. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Relax, and enjoy yourself. Have fun with people you love. Talk over your latest ideas and find out the latest. Play together. Listen and learn. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 7 — Domestic renovation projects come into focus. Discuss with family what changes to prioritize. Research for best value and quality. Tally requests and desires. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 9 — Keep digging to discover an answer you’ve been seeking. Make connections, and ask your networks for ideas. Reach out to experts. Creative solutions appear.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — Pour on the steam for increased income. Repay debts and favors. Invest in home, family and real estate. Call in reinforcements if needed. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 9 — You’re attracting attention. Polish your presentation and appearance. Pamper yourself to feel your best. Prepare your words and actions. Step into the spotlight and shine. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — Contemplate your next move. Find a private spot for peaceful meditation. Listen to your heart and intuition. Review the
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ISU apartment for 2018-19 school year! 307 N Linden St Apartment is set up for four tenants per unit which has four bedrooms – two upstairs and two downstairs. 2.5 baths in each unit. Located within walking distance of campus. Each tenant has a reserved off street parking. New carpet, furnished and there is a porch and a deck on each unit. Each unit has a full kitchen and laundry. Maintenance calls are answered quickly - privately owned, not a large corporation. All electric heat and A/C. 12 month lease and $250 security deposit. $495/month. Utilities average $60.00 per person extra. Pets welcome! More info at: https://roblipicapartmentrentals.weebly. com/ Please call/text 217-519-4265 9 Flora Way 4 bdrm 2 bath. Walking distance to campus. Off street parking. Newly remodeled. Includes washer and dryer. 12 month lease. $250/month per person. Call Nick 309-287-2842.
Sports
PAGE 8 | THE VIDETTE
MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2018
Natalie Stuckslager | Vidette Photo Editor
TOP: The Illinois State baseball team celebrates on the field after a walk-off 4-3 victory over Dallas Baptist Sunday afternoon at Duffy Bass Field in Normal. RIGHT: ISU sophomore starting pitcher Matt Walker tossed six innings and allowed one unearned run on three hits and five strikeouts to help push the Redbirds over the Patriots Sunday.
Walk-off winners
Redbirds use hustle, perstistence to avoid sweep, beating Dallas Baptist for first time since April 6, 2014 JON BARLAS & NATE HEAD Sports Reporter & Sports Editor
I
llinois State continues to battle the chilling April weather and winter seems relentless in Normal. With an unlikely cold spell, the Redbirds have been doing everything in their power just to play some ball. Cancelling both games against Eastern Illinois and Illinois last week, ISU returned to Duffy Bass Field to square off against Missouri Valley Conference rival Dallas Baptist, losing Friday and Saturday but bouncing back to claim an exciting extra-inning win Sunday.
Game Three (Sunday): Illinois State 4, Dallas Baptist 3 With runners on first and third and one out in the homehalf of the 11th inning, Illinois State infielder Ryan Hutchinson beat out a double-play attempt by less than a half step to defeat Dallas Baptist, 4-3, Sunday afternoon. Hutchinson was 0-for-3 heading into the at-bat and said he simply wanted to try and avoid a costly strikeout in that decisive moment. “I just knew I wanted to put the ball in play and make something happen,” Hutchinson said. “That’s what I did and I ran for my life to beat that out.” The victory avoided a weekend sweep and served as the first time ISU has defeated the defending Missouri Valley Conference champions since April 6, 2014 — a span of 12 contests. ISU led 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth, but a pinch-hit single from Dallas Baptist’s Evan Sandmann off Jeff Lindgren plated two Patriots and tied the score with two outs. Redbirds’ coach Bo Durkac said that the game can often be frustrating but stressed the importance of remaining persistent. “This game will test your faith in existence, it will test your soul and drive you crazy sometimes,” Durkac said. “But you just need to show up and pound the zone if you are a pitcher, grinding good at-bats if you are a hitter and trust it if you have the right level of talent, things are eventually going to go your way and that is what we saw today.” ISU outfielder Jordan Libman spearheaded the Redbird rally in the 11th inning with a one-out walk off Dallas Baptist’s Parker Towns. Nick Zouras moved him to third base with a flawless execution of a hit-and-run ploy with a single to right field to set up Hutchinson’s heroics. Through the first 10 innings, the bottom-four hitters of the
ISU lineup — Joe Aeilts, Libman, Zouras and Hutchinson — were a combined 0-for-15 but shined when necessary to propel the late scoring efforts. Hutchinson said the hitters were focused on looking ahead rather than sulking in the drought of the previous innings. “As hitters, we just try to control what we can control and compartmentalize,” Hutchinson said. “If we are 0-for-5 with five strikeouts and we get a sixth plate appearance and we have to flush everything before that and just try to get the job done.” ISU’s Matt Walker started the game on the mound and tossed six impressive innings, allowing just one unearned run on three hits and five strikeouts. Relievers Trevor Cross, Braden Niksich, Jack Bellinger and Connor Peplow combined to allow two runs in five innings to keep the Redbird chances alive. “To give up three runs in 11 innings to that team today when we needed to do it to put us back in good standing was unbelievably huge for us.”
Game One (Friday): Dallas Baptist 9, Illinois State 4 ISU’s effort to conjure up some late-inning magic fell short as the Redbirds lost the series opener to the DBU Patriots 9-4. Sophomore John Rave went 2-for-4 with an RBI triple as ISU’s four other runs came from the likes of Collin Braithwaite, Aeilts, Zouras and Derek Parola. ISU starting pitcher Brent Headrick picked up his fourth loss of the season, pitching five innings with six strikeouts and allowing two earned runs. “We just have to come out and be better,” Headrick said, “These are days where we have to come together, especially when the weather is like this. We just go out there and be ready for the next inning.” The lefty Headrick began the game in a rut, allowing his first two batters on base. Finding some composure, Headrick went on to retire the next three Patriot batters to end the first inning. The ’Birds went down in order as Rave, Owen Miller and Libman led off with three groundouts in the bottom half of the first. As the cold set in, the ’Birds struck fire first in the bottom of the third inning on a two-out Rave single to right field. Aeilts scored from first on the throw to the plate as Illinois State took the early lead 1-0. With temperatures dropping into the high 20s, Durkac expressed the impact of playing in these frigid conditions.
“I saw slow bats on both teams,” Durkac said. “It’s hard to get a good, athletic swing when it’s 20 degrees out, but that’s what we have to deal with.” Leading 1-0 in the fourth, ISU threatened with runners at the corners while the Patriots put their faith in a pitching change. Failing to capitalize on that scoring chance, the ’Bird’s offensive effort was stopped by a Hutchinson strikeout to end the inning. Headrick continued to cruise, looking more comfortable with every pitch. Eventually finding some trouble in the fifth, Headrick allowed back-to-back base knocks to spark a threatening Patriot’s offense. An RBI single by Dallas Baptist leveled the score 1-1 as the Patriots added another on a wild pitch by Headrick, shifting the lead 2-1 DBU. Headrick was relieved in the top of the sixth by Cross as ISU continued its efforts to chip away at Baptist’s one-run lead. As the seventh inning ensued, so did the Patriot hitters. Looming once again with the bases loaded, DBU’s one-out try was put out by Cross. Cross struggled in the eighth, walking the lead-off hitter and giving up a no-out double. DBU continued to pour it on in, cashing in on a Luke Bandy no-out, two RBI single to extend Dallas Baptist’s lead 4-1. Cross was soon relieved by Rhett Rapshus as ISU experienced more of the same story. Walking one, allowing another RBI single, and a wild pitch, the Patriots pushed the envelope once more as they tacked on two more run in the eighth leading 6-1. And it did not stop there. DBU’s offense continued to assert their dominance as they scored three more runs on account of a two-RBI triple. With the runner advancing home on a throwing error, the Patriots seven-run inning topped the Redbirds 9-1 at the bottom half of the eighth. “That was the difference,” Durkac said. “We had guys on base, strikeout with guys on second and third with two outs. We had a chance to take the lead, but we didn’t do a very good job. [Their pitchers] kept us off balance. We didn’t have enough good at-bats to string together runs.” Showing a bit of life, Zouras came through with a leadoff double bottom of the eighth. Advancing to third base, Zouras scored on a Rave RBI triple as the Redbird’s offense started to show a glimmer of hope.
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