Some notes at the time that I’m writing this: I handed in my last exam yesterday. I finished my last research paper two days ago. Graduation is three days away. I shudder a bit as I count on my fingers the days from today until graduation. I am done with college — all that’s left is to walk across the stage. 

I’ve been tasked with giving college advice to incoming students: to impart some words of wisdom to the next generation of Illini. To you, incoming students reading this edition who may — or may not — be eagerly waiting to set foot in this academic outpost of central Illinois, here are some tips.

By the time you’re reading this, I’ll be really, truly done. I’ll be moved out and the college apartment where I held my birthday party and cooked poorly constructed dinners on a worn-out stove will be packed away in little cardboard boxes. I’ll be what they consider a “real adult.” Champaign-Urbana will be in the past. 

But it won’t, really.

For any graduate, if they use their time at the University correctly, the place where they spent their collegiate years becomes a part of them. What they did and learned here should be important to them — Champaign-Urbana is not some sort of springboard to get to a point where they can eventually do the stuff that matters. I hesitate to get sentimental, but the same idea applies to the personal connections made while here, even if those connections don’t last all the way to graduation.

I think there’s a distinctly American conception of college as a buffer period between youth and fully fledged adulthood. In that buffer period, nothing seems to be really real. It’s not real because you did it for an assignment, or it’s not real because you’re only living there for a limited, graduation-bound period of time. However, while this certainly is a transition period and you shouldn’t take yourself too seriously, what you do here has all the significance that you ascribe to it, so why not treat it with importance?

I was tempted to turn this piece into a rabid defense of the liberal arts model of college, loudly proclaiming education for education’s sake, but even in its most vocational iterations, college is not just a four-year job training program. You’re not sequestered from the outside world or stuck in some sort of semi-adult purgatory waiting to be deemed worthy of the privilege of being a full realized, real person — although it may feel like it. You’re in it, the part of the world around you. The things you do in college will matter: to the other people at this school, to the world around you and, most importantly, to yourself.

Not to write the cliché “you-can-do-anything” type of advice column that’s all too popular for this kind of edition, but you kind of can do anything here. Resources are plentiful. Think of what you want to do, and odds are, you can do it. 

Think of the person you want to be by the time you’re out of here and spend your days acting as that kind of person. No one else is going to give you permission to do what you want to do, so bestow it upon yourself.

This sounds like the most obvious advice ever, but I can assure you that once you’re in school, there will come a time that the days start to pile up on top of each other and just getting through the day becomes your main task. On those days, it will take a concerted amount of effort to act as the person you want to be, to not just do the work you have to do, but to do the work you want to do. This can take whatever form you want it to —whether that’s conducting your own independent research project, putting together your own website, starting a YouTube channel or getting involved with local politics.

I’m nearing the end of my editor-allotted space, so I feel like I owe you some practical advice after all this rambling. Quickly, here’s some rapid-fire pragmatic advice about college and college life here at the University:

Do not take 20 credit hours in a semester. I speak from experience.

The ARC and CRCE are free. No one cares if you don’t know exactly how to use the weights. This will be the last time in your life you have a free gym, so you should use it.

Joe’s Brewery is underrated. They have the best outdoor seating and it’s never crowded because everyone thinks they’re too good for it. Fishbowl Friday is undefeated.

Learn how to use the bus. 

Google Calendar is a lifesaver.

If you’re still using Snapchat as your primary mode of communication, why? Grow up. 

You can get an insanely cheap cup of coffee in the Illini Union snack shop. Go in the Main Quad side doors on the left and the shop is right there. It’s not good, but it’s cheap. 

Invest in a good set of Tupperware. 

Greek life is fun, but it’s not for everybody. If that’s your thing, great. If not, don’t sweat it. 

Illini Pantry has the best customer service. 

If you’re going to get in a fight with your roommate, be prepared to spend a lot of money on eating out. 

The University’s Center for Advanced Study has a recurring “Food for Thought” series where scholars give presentations on their research and attendees get free food. The food is way better than you’d expect, and you get to hear about the cool things professors are working on.

That person you met at KAMS is not your soulmate, but it could be fun to figure out exactly why they aren’t.

Veoride bikes are actually one of the best ways to get around campus. 

They say you can’t take food from the dining halls, but no one will check your backpack. 

Keep an eye out for live music on and around campus. I saw the best show of my life at the Channing Murray Foundation, a beautiful old Unitarian church just about The Red Herring in Urbana, just because I saw a poster.

Venture off campus. There are plenty of great restaurants and bars in downtown Champaign and Urbana. If you don’t have a car, there are bus routes with great frequency that take you to each downtown.

Finally, how you spend your days is how you spend your life. The same is true for college, so spend it deliberately.

mtroher2@dailyillini.com

The post Column | College advice from a graduated senior appeared first on The Daily Illini.

It’s the time of year. Make your reservations, clean your apartments and get ready for a weekend like no other. It’s Moms Weekend.

As Illinois’ beloved mothers make their annual pilgrimages to campus for the weekend, make sure to plan your schedule to make the most of the weekend.

Here are some events you won’t want to miss.

Illini Union

The Union is hosting a few Mom-themed events this weekend!

At 8 a.m. on Saturday, the Moms Association will hold their annual meeting and awards ceremony at the Union.

At 10 a.m. on Saturday, the Illini Union Board’s Moms Weekend Craft and Vendor fair will be held. Running for most of the day, the event will have dozens of booths with craft vendors.

At 10 a.m. on Sunday, the Moms Association will be hosting their annual Moms Weekend brunch at the Illini Union Ballroom. Tickets are $35 and seating is limited.

Around town

Start your Moms Weekend off right by attending the Moms Weekend Kickoff Event at Jupiter’s at the Crossing, a combination pizzeria/bar in southwest Champaign. The event begins Friday at 6 p.m., and tickets are $35. Admission price will cover dinner at the pizza buffet and one drink at the bar.

The cash bar will be open, so rock on over to keep the night going. The night will be accompanied by live music from The Other Guys, one of the University’s premier a capella groups.

The University’s Horticulture Club will host their first-ever Spring Plant Fair all-day Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. Held in the Plant Science Laboratory, the event will feature a wide array of plants cultivated by club members alongside a plant sale. Here, you’ll certainly feel spring is in full swing.

Saturday night at 7 p.m., the Illini Muslim Moms will host their Illini Iftar Dinner at the new Dubai Grill. Alongside dinner, the event will also feature Ramadan goody bags. Make sure to RSVP, as there is limited capacity.

Make sure to stop by Mia Za’s Sunday afternoon for the Illini Mom’s Weekend Fundraiser. Present the fundraiser’ flier found on the Moms Association Website with your order, and a percentage of sales will go to support the Illini Moms Association. Mia Za’s serves a variety of Italian dishes created to your liking.

At 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery is hosting spring-themed Cheese Church services with author and cheese preacher Erika Kubick. She’s celebrating her book “Cheese Sex Death: A Bible for the Cheese Obsessed!”

The annual Boneyard Arts Festival is a four-day event spanning the entire weekend showcasing art all over Champaign County. This collaborative event takes place in nearly 80 venues and features the work of sculptors, weavers, painters, photographers and other artists.

Venues on campus include the University YMCA, Krannert Art Museum and Spurlock Museum. You can find the full list online.

Sports & activities

Whether your parents are the sporty kind, or you just want a day out at about, there are plenty of sporting events to add to your Moms Weekend roster. All softball, baseball and tennis matches are free.

On Friday, Illinois softball will take on Ohio State at 5 p.m., and Illinois baseball will play rivals Indiana at 6 p.m. If you’re not a fan of bat-and-ball sports, Illinois men’s tennis is taking on Wisconsin at 6 p.m. as well.

On Saturday, Illini softball will continue their series against Ohio State at 1 p.m., and the baseball team will suit up for a rematch against Indiana at 3 p.m.

On Sunday, the softball and baseball teams will close out their series at noon and 1 p.m., respectively. Illini tennis will play Nebraska at noon as well.

If you’re looking to take part in an activity rather than just watch, the ARC will host several group fitness classes specifically for the Moms Weekend festivities. Registration is $10 for non-ARC members.

Two group cycling classes on Saturday will be held from 10-10:45 a.m. and from 1-1:45 a.m. Two more cycling classes will be offered Sunday from 9:15-10 a.m., and from 10:15-11 a.m. A special Zumba class is slated for Sunday from 1-2 p.m.

Saturday morning, the Society of Women Engineers and the Illini Mom’s Association are co-sponsoring the 5K Run/Walk. The race begins at 9 a.m. and will take participants around the Main Quad and into campus. Registration is $13 and all proceeds will go towards the Mom’s Association Scholarship fund.

For the academic moms

For those looking to make their Moms Weekend a little more intellectually stimulating, there are plenty of options to be found. Friday afternoon at 4 p.m., Françoise Baylis will be giving a Distinguished Public Lecture in Genomics at the I Hotel.

Baylis, a respected bioethicist known for her work on issues of women’s health, will give a lecture entitled “Designer Babies: What are they & do we want them?”. The lecture will be free and open to the public.

On Saturday, the Engineering Undeclared Program will be hosting a Mom’s Weekend Trivia at the Campus Instructional Facility at 1 p.m. This student/parent trivia event will include light refreshments and test your knowledge along the way.

Sunday morning, the Office of Minority Students Affairs will host their Moms Day Scholastic Awards Ceremony. Celebrating the scholastic achievements of their students, the OMSA will confer several awards and feature several student and campus leader speakers. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in the Illini Union.

Live music

It’s a good weekend for choir lovers! The Women’s Glee Club and Black Chorus are both having Moms Weekend concerts.

Conducted by Andrea Solya, the Women’s Glee Club will be performing “Suffrage Cantata” by renowned composer Andrea Ramsey, along with three other pieces. The concert is at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Conducted by Ollie Watts Davis, the Black Chorus will be performing their concert titled “MOM, Our Woman King.” The concert is at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Both concerts will be in Foellinger Great Hall inside the Krannert Center for Performing Arts.

Illinois Rip Chords, an all-treble a cappella group, is having their spring concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday in Foellinger Auditorium. A cappella group Xtension Chords and Rip Chord alumni will make special appearances.

The University’s Harp Studio is also holding a Moms Weekend performance. Featuring students of Professor Ann Yeung, the recital will be a showcase of multi-stylistic harp music. The recital takes place at 11 a.m. on Saturday in the Music Building auditorium.

Alongside student music groups, many off-campus artists will perform in Urbana-Champaign this weekend.

Rose Bowl Tavern is hosting jazz and country musicians all weekend.

On Friday, Eric Lund’s Jazz Friends will play a night of jazz at 5 p.m. This group is a long-term popular staple within the local jazz community. At 8 p.m., Tom Grassman Band will play a setlist of popular rock song covers.

On Saturday, the tavern will host blues musician Andy Duncanson with the Black Eyed Lillies at 3 p.m. and country rock band New Twang City at 8 p.m.

On Sunday at 4:30 p.m., the tavern will see a trio of jazz musicians perform: Tito Carrillo, Jeff Helgesen and Saori Kataoka. At 6:30 p.m., there will be a country-themed open mic night called Nick’s Country Jam.

Alto Vineyards is also hosting musicians all weekend. Saturday at 3 p.m., the Fairchilds will perform. On Sunday at 2 p.m., Gloria Roubal will perform.

Canopy Club is hosting a “Now! That’s What I Call the 90’s” party starting at 9 p.m. on Saturday night. A Nirvana Tribute band will be there, supported by groovy grunge band Dead Original. Later, there will be a ’90s throwback party with DJ NotoriousFavi.

Neil St. Blues is also hosting a decade-themed party. DJ Silkee will host a ’90s-and-2000s-themed night of fun music.

Live theater

There are few musicals in town!

Catch Lyric Theatre’s production of “City of Angels,” a smart and stylish film noir musical, at the Virginia Theatre. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday to Saturday. There is a matinee show at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Student-run organization Illini Student Musicals is doing “Grease” performances this weekend. The shows, taking place in Lincoln Hall Theater, are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Parkland College is putting on a production of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” There are three shows this weekend: Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. All shows take place in Harold and Jean Miner Theatre.

sbond21@dailyillini.com
mtroher2@dailyillini.com

The post Make the most of Moms Weekend with these events appeared first on The Daily Illini.

The eastern gray squirrel. Sciurus carolinensis. Ten or 11 inches long on a good day, with a fluffy tail nearly as long as their body. They’re scruffy, they’re described to be kind of dopey-looking and they’re everywhere on campus.

They’re a staple of the University. Freshmen and seniors alike line up to gawk every time a squirrel lifts a half-eaten slice of pizza out of a trash can. This campus is known for our squirrels. Heck, one even has its own Wikipedia page.

It’s common for a campus tour guide to inform prospective students about a campus squirrel-watching club when the inevitable critter scurries in front of a hurried tour group. Sometimes, the guide tells the tale of a subsequently formed squirrel-watchers-watching club in which members gaze at the supposed squirrel watchers in a humorous, self-referential, collegiate in the traditional sense type of way.

But how did they get here? Why are there so many? If someone drives 15 minutes off campus to Mahomet or Tolono they’ll still see squirrels, but not nearly as many as those that crowd Campustown. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Shouldn’t those skittish little creatures congregate in less-populated areas?

Turns out, the story of the University’s squirrel population is a story of environmental degradation and human influence that began over a hundred years ago.

Prior to mass settlement and agricultural development, Illinois was covered by a rich mix of prairie and forest – habitats where squirrels can thrive. But by the time the University was founded in 1867, forests and prairies alike were being razed down to accommodate both the fast-growing state and the agriculture needed to sustain the nation. In 1978, the Illinois Natural History Survey published a report titled “Distribution and Abundance of the Grey Squirrel in Illinois,” detailing this decline.

“The (Illinois) gray squirrel apparently began declining in abundance almost as soon as the first white settlers began to clear the wilderness forests,” the report reads. “In Illinois extensive clearing of the virgin forests led to the virtual disappearance of gray squirrels in many of the central and northern counties.”

Enter Andrew Sloan Draper, fourth president of the University of Illinois. A gruff, stately man beset with white mustache and, by the end of his tenure, one leg, Draper served as a New York state representative and as a judge before heading the young University for a decade from 1894 to 1904.

Draper saw the University and its surrounding community devoid of wildlife and came up with a plan to spruce up the area: Capture roughly 100 squirrels from out of town and introduce them to the campus, where they could be fruitful and multiply.

On July 5, 1901, Draper sent a letter to the University Board of Trustees officially recommending the introduction of the squirrels.

“For some years I have had in mind the domestication of squirrels upon the grounds of the University and have made some investigations which lead me to believe that the suggestion is entirely practicable,” Draper wrote. “If successful, the influence upon University life, and upon the feelings of students, would be considerable, and students would carry that influence to all parts of the State.”

The Board of Trustees approved the recommendation the following day, and for that decision we can thank the board for the abundance of squirrels that call our campus their home. According to Draper’s own estimations, the initiative cost roughly $250, equivalent to nearly $7,700 today.

Thanks to Draper’s decision, the spirits of Illini over a hundred years later are certainly lifted by those scruffy little rodents running around. Students have taken affinity to specific squirrels and even mourned the loss of a special spotted piebald squire affectionately named Pinto Bean. Two different Instagram accounts are dedicated to documenting the affairs of the campus squirrels (@uiuc_squirrels and @squirrels_of_uiuc).

mtroher2@dailyillini.com

The post What’s with the squirrels on campus? appeared first on The Daily Illini.

Lace up your boots. Put on your jacket. Draw out your map and set your sights — it’s hunting season.

Apartment hunting season, that is.

Whether you’re a freshman searching for your first apartment or a junior looking for a great senior pad for next year, apartment hunting can be a daunting task. It’s where you’ll live, after all, and since you’ll be deciding on where you’ll call home for at least the next year, it’s a decision that warrants a little bit of forethought. I spent more time deciding on what bedspread to get than I did on choosing a major.

To help ease the tension, here are some tips on apartment hunting, from choosing the right apartment to making it your own.

It’s not as hard as it looks

This one is for all the first-time apartment hunters out there. It can seem scary, even downright impossible, to get an apartment for the first time. Let us ease your worries — it’s not that hard.

Campus realtors know they’re doing business with college students, the majority of whom are first-time renters. While this could lead being taken advantage of by realtors (more on this later), it also means the process of applying for and securing an apartment is a lot more controlled than in the open market.

Most landlords will require an application. This is just a short document with a few identification questions, such as your social security number, parent’s contact information and previous residences you have occupied. This application also serves as an authorization for landlords to run a credit check before they offer you an apartment.

While the application can be brutal in non-college-town markets, I have never heard of a student’s application getting denied for an apartment for reasons other than they submitted one too late.

Location is key

The biggest realty cliche in the books, but it’s a cliche for a reason. The area your apartment is in makes just as big of a difference, if not more, than the apartment itself.

The price of parking in this town is insane, so consider how long it will take you to walk to where you need to go if that’s your preferred mode of transportation. Make note of the buildings you spend the most time in, whether that be classes or work, and figure out what the ideal walking time is. There are enough apartments around here that you’ll be sure to find a place at any conceivable distance.

Living close to Green Street (or on it) can be a huge plus if you find yourself going out a lot, or if you want to live close to a large variety of restaurants. Living just off of Springfield or University avenues will come in handy if you’re spending a lot of time on the North Quad or in the Beckman Institute, and the apartments on Lincoln Avenue are a great location if you frequent the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

Know your rights

Although landlords who know they’re working in a college community can tailor their services to first-time renters, they can just as easily exploit this naïveté. The University’s Student Legal Services has an abundance of resources for educating first-time renters on their rights as tenants.

One of the easiest ways to protect yourself as a tenant is to document anything and everything. If you’re leaving your apartment for a long period of time such as for fall or spring break, take pictures of your walls and floors and any important items. That way, in the case that something bad happens to your apartment, the landlord or realty company will have a harder time claiming it’s your fault.

Be diligent in checking what exactly goes into your bills and be on the lookout for any bogus charges added to your tenant portal. I’m not saying it happens often, but if it does, know that you have rights and there are people in the community willing to help you out.

Ditch the “luxury” for something smaller 

Green Street these days is looking more like Chicago with its high-rise apartments. Many of Campustown’s larger residential complexes advertise themselves as “luxury apartments,” but be aware that the word “luxury” is usually nothing more than advertising.

Often, these buildings are managed by national corporations that specialize in developing real estate in college towns. This means there is a broader disconnect between the students living in the building and the building’s management. If a problem comes up — and they often do — students in these large buildings will often have a hard time solving it, for fixing it requires navigating a large web of residential administration.

In another sense, the “luxury” indicated in the description fails to materialize in the apartment itself. Cookie-cutter boxes in the sky can be soul crushing compared to the cozier atmosphere found in some of Campustown’s smaller apartment complexes.

Consider choosing an apartment in a smaller building. They’re often cheaper, cozier and have more tolerable management. Who uses that free pool table in the lobby anyway?

mtroher2@dailyillini.com

The post Set your sights on the best apartment possible appeared first on The Daily Illini.

National attention is growing toward Florida in the wake of the state’s Board of Education’s decision to reject a pilot high school Advanced Placement African American Studies class. The rejection of the course, combined with a larger national conversation regarding the teaching of history and social justice, has resulted in backlash toward Florida’s decision from educators, students and politicians.

Earlier in the month, the Florida Board of Education, backed by the support of Gov. Ron DeSantis, announced that it will reject the AP course on the pretense that the course pushes a “political agenda.”

DeSantis has criticized the course’s curriculum that, in part, focuses on intersectionality and Black queer studies, stating in a press conference that “we don’t believe they (students) should have an agenda imposed on them. When you try to use Black history to shoehorn in queer theory, you are clearly trying to use that for political purposes.” 

According to the course’s current overview developed by the College Board, only one course topic out of 102 focuses on “Black queer studies.”

Other objections for the course cited by the Florida BOE were centered around the course’s final unit, titled “Movements and Debates.” The unit, which focuses on contemporary issues regarding race in American society, includes the potential reading of texts from authors and scholars such as Angela Davis, Michelle Alexander, Ta-Nehisi Coates and Kimberlé Crenshaw.

The move from the Florida BOE comes months after the Florida State Legislature passed the Individual Freedom Act — also known as the “Stop W.O.K.E. Act” — which prohibits the teaching of certain concepts regarding race. According to a pamphlet distributed on DeSantis’ website, the act “codifies the Florida Department of Education’s prohibition on teaching critical race theory in K-12 schools” and “prohibits school districts, colleges and universities from hiring woke CRT consultants.”

On Jan. 25, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker sent a letter to the College Board, criticizing what he called “political grandstanding” by DeSantis.  

“One Governor should not have the power to dictate the facts of U.S. history,” Pritzker wrote. “In Illinois, we reject any curriculum modifications designed to appease extremists like the Florida Governor and his allies.”

The AP African American Studies course is currently in development with the College Board. The course is being piloted in 60 high schools across the nation for the 2022-23 school year with plans to expand to hundreds of schools by the following academic year. The first AP African Studies exams are planned to be administered in spring 2025.

The banning of the AP African American Studies course, alongside broader legislation such as the Stop W.O.K.E. Act, has fueled a broader conversation about the politicization of education and the role of social justice in the classroom.

College Board is an educational nonprofit that develops and administers Advanced Placement courses designed to give high school students college-level class experience. A high enough score on a standardized test at the culmination of an Advanced Placement can be used to earn college credit. Current AP courses cover a wide breadth of subjects, from art history to biology to United States government.

Recent debate about social justice education has focused around critical race theory, or CRT. Initially conceived as an academic framework that examines how institutions shape and are shaped by conceptions of race, CRT has become a central phrase in the broader cultural debate over social issues, symbolizing different things for different ideologies. Some conservatives have characterized CRT as “false” and “anti-American” and have used it to symbolize a leftward shift in education.

Emily Knox, associate professor in Information Sciences, researches intellectual freedom and censorship. Knox explained how CRT has been used by the public to characterize new ways of thinking about American history. 

“What people are talking about now with (CRT) is really not (what it was conceived as). It’s actually a way of talking about how we talk about our history — especially the painful parts of our history,” Knox said. “(CRT) is really much more about a less triumphalist idea of the American project, and it’s basically just a label that’s been put on new ways of thinking about our history and society.”

Knox also emphasized that part of the problem is the assumption that the study of history is supposed to be apolitical. Knox said all history is inherently political and so is the teaching of that history.

“All curriculum is political, and so is AP African American Studies,” Knox said. “It’s saying that it’s important for people who are considered to be educated to know about African American history, and we’re going to teach all different aspects of African American history. There’s an idea that we can somehow teach African American history without it being divisive, and I don’t know if that is possible. How do you teach about owning other people without it being something that is a painful reckoning with the past?”

Chrissy Kim, sophomore in LAS, is a member of the Society of Minority Students in History and plans to pursue a career as a high school history teacher. Kim said there is room for improvement in the way U.S. history is taught. 

“Even though it’s history, it doesn’t mean it’s confined to the past,” Kim said. “It’s shaping how we view the world and its systems. Especially with (the history of) marginalized groups, those are histories and realities that they still grapple with, so ignoring it and avoiding it doesn’t make it any less real or true.”

Asif Wilson, assistant professor in Education, researches justice-centered pedagogies and teaches a class called EDUC 202: Social Justice, School, and Society. A portion of Wilson’s research focuses on the historical forces of social movements and how they can be taught in the classroom. Wilson noted that the section of the course that the Florida BOE singled out focused on social movements, which he said were the most likely to inspire concrete change.

“It wasn’t that they don’t want Black history taught, they don’t want a particular type of Black history taught because it’s dangerous,” Wilson said. “For me, social movements are dangerous to the status quo because they actually run the potential of transforming space, transforming minds, and that is not necessarily a reproduction of the status quo.”

cecilia@dailyillini.com

mtroher2@dailyillini.com

The post UI reacts to rejection of African American studies class appeared first on The Daily Illini.

Many college students have a strange relationship with productivity. A common phrase perpetuated by mental health circles is that ‘your productivity does not define you,’ and yet those who utter that phrase the most will often turn around and measure their days by how many items they checked off their to-do list. There is truth in that phrase, of course, but it’s not that simple.

Many people place value in their work, and thus their academic success. Divorcing oneself from their work ethic is tough work, especially in a culture that prioritizes output and often doesn’t recognize the work of self-care and maintenance.

It can be tough to want to succeed in your studies while also wanting to cultivate a life that doesn’t revolve around measures of productivity. With a new semester about to begin, now’s the time when plenty of students implement new habits and work styles. Here’s some advice on how to work toward this balance:

Achieving academic success

Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all advice for devising a study system that works for you. What works for one student may not work for another — not to mention the inherent differences between studying for an engineering exam and writing a history paper. While there is more to college than getting good grades, the truth of the matter is that for most of us, academics is why we’re here.

The biggest thing is organization. At the end of syllabus week, block out an hour or so to do a deep read of all your syllabi, and make note of each important date, whether that be a quiz, an exam, a project due date or the assigned reading for a class. Compiling this information in one place will eliminate the confusion of having to sift through multiple syllabi as the semester really kicks into gear and due dates start piling up.

Once you know what you have to do and when you have to do it, the hard part is actually getting it done, and with plenty of distraction a tab away or sitting heavy in your pocket, it’s easy to not get a lot of studying done when you’re studying. To circumvent this, put breaks into your schedule.

When it comes to actually doing the work, pacing yourself is important. The Pomodoro Technique recommends 25 minutes of distraction-free work followed by a five-minute break, repeated four times. Another common division is the 52/17 rule, where 52 minutes of deep work are followed by a 17-minute break. The exact time division isn’t important, but pacing yourself and allowing yourself breaks will make getting stuff done all the easier.

Know what you want to do

Having a good semester is more than just being a good student. There’s more to college than just classes, and while aiming to achieve academically is a large part of college success, it’s just one piece of the bigger picture.

Guide yourself by figuring out what exactly you want to get out of the semester. Do you want to get better grades? Do research? Get out of the house more often? Meet new people? Make use of campus resources while you can.

Know your own goals, and devise ways to work toward achieving them. This is basic advice that sits at the back of everyone’s head, but becoming cognizant of it can help with actualizing the abstract. Write it down so you don’t forget.

Start with the big picture: ‘I want to get all A’s in my classes,’ ‘I want to work out more,’ ‘I want to focus on my social life.’ From there, break each piece into small, measurable goals that you can track: ‘I will study for at least three hours a day,’ ‘I will go to the gym three times a week,’ ‘I will join one new RSO.’

There’s no better time to reflect on what it is you want out of the semester than the days leading up to it. Deliberately thinking about what it is you want to do instead of just going through the motions hinting at some vague notion of “doing better” will help you get a clearer picture.

A bad day is just one bad day

It happens to all of us. We have plans for the day: a monster study session, time with friends, a home-cooked meal. But, without even noticing it, nighttime comes with virtually nothing accomplished. That’s OK.

Even the biggest workaholics will have their off days. When you define yourself by your productivity, it’s easy to let a bad day get you down and impact not only your work but your self-esteem as well.

Let yourself have bad days. Remind yourself that just because one day fell through the cracks, it doesn’t mean that the next day has to follow suit.

Find a way to create a “reset” button for yourself if you can tell the day is getting away from you and you want to shift gears. Sometimes, a cold shower or a walk around the block can be a great way to break up the day and get back on track if you’ve found the first part of your day to be less than ideal.

Think of rest as productivity, if you must

It’s easy to dichotomize your time in terms of what’s productive and what’s not; to measure each hour of nonwork in terms of its opportunity cost. Why would I go to bed an hour earlier if I could use that hour to get ahead in my class, learn a new skill or pick up a side hustle? Why would I cook at home when eating out saves me 45 minutes that I could spend at the library?

If you find yourself falling into these thought patterns, try to recategorize rest as a form of self-maintenance. After all, we’re here to be, and carving out time and space to just exist with no expectations of creating or doing anything will not only help you relax but keep you feeling better in the long run.

You’re not a machine. Rest doesn’t need to be seen as a time to recharge for it to be valuable; it has value in its own right. But, if you structure your life around a notion of productivity, seeing it as a way to build a stronger schedule can be helpful.

A semester is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t wear yourself out at the starting line.

mroher2@dailyillini.com

The post New semester, new habits, new work style appeared first on The Daily Illini.

Michigan and Ohio State. Duke and North Carolina. Manchester City and Manchester United. The Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. Biggie and Tupac. The greatest rivals to ever do it.

But here in our little pocket of Central Illinois, a major question remains unanswered: Illinois and … who?

There is no clear consensus on who Illinois’ biggest rival is. Answers vary from person to person and sport to sport. 

With basketball season in full swing and the Illini finishing out the tail end of their nonconference schedule, many Illini fans turned their rivaling eyes toward the University of Missouri (Mizzou, for short) when answering the question of Illinois’ biggest rival.

Kilton Rauman, senior in AHS, said he thinks that when it comes to basketball, Mizzou is our biggest rival.

“The Big Ten teams, you’re going to play them every year, you’re required to,” Rauman said. “But Mizzou and Illinois can’t stand each other enough that they’ve played 42 years straight just to — it’s in the name — have bragging rights over each other.”

Despite being in two different conferences, Illinois and Mizzou have played each other in basketball annually since 1983 in a contest known as “Braggin’ Rights.” The game is played in St. Louis, an equal distance between the two schools’ campuses in Champaign, Ill., and Columbia, Mo. 

The rivalry stemming from the Braggin’ Rights game has only grown in recent years due to large numbers of Illinois and Mizzou graduates living in the St. Louis and Chicago metropolitan areas.

Nick Orr, senior in Business, lives roughly an hour outside of Saint Louis. According to Orr, his geographical proximity to Mizzou’s recruiting ground has only strengthened his investment in the rivalry.

“I hate Mizzou,” Orr said. “There’s not enough words in the dictionary to express how much that logo makes me feel.”

Illinois has won the Braggin’ Rights game 33 times throughout the basketball rivalry, compared to Mizzou’s 20. This year’s game was not in the Illini’s favor, with Mizzou winning the right to brag — 93-71.

While the two schools also periodically play each other in football and plan to restart a formal Braggin’ Rights football series in 2026, identifying Illinois’ biggest football rival proved a bit harder. 

Cooper Block, senior in ACES, rattled off a few different names when asked about Illinois’ biggest football rivals, including Indiana and Wisconsin. According to Block, it’s hard to name one biggest rival due to how different teams’ skill levels fluctuate from year to year. However, with Illini football improving through the Bielema era, Block pointed toward Iowa as a potential future rival.

“With football, it changes so much,” Block said. “With us becoming more competitive, I think that Iowa will come up to being a big rivalry. It (wasn’t) that long ago that we’d battle Iowa a lot too and be rivals with them, so I think we’ll get back to that too as we continue to get better.”

Rauman agreed that Iowa is our biggest competitor when it comes to football. While he also mentioned a few other teams in the Big Ten, Raumen noted that a lot of other teams in the conference have bigger rivals they care more about than Illinois.

“I think it’s gotta be Iowa,” Rauman said. “Nobody here likes Michigan, but I don’t think anyone considers Michigan to be someone we get along with less than Iowa, and obviously to Michigan we’re going to be third for them behind Michigan State and Ohio State. Indiana was more of a big deal during the Bobby Knight days for basketball, but their football program has never been too good, and they’re always going to care about Purdue more.”

mtroher2@dailyillini.com

The post Illini fans discuss major rivalries appeared first on The Daily Illini.

Making a home: Black Greek life on campus

By Dara Stack

Staff Writer

Until 1945, Black students were not permitted to live on campus. However, by creating their own housing through Greek life, they could. The Gamma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha — the first Greek-letter organization for African American women — was officially chartered at the University of Illinois on Feb. 12, 1914, marking the beginning of Black Greek life on campus.

FEBRUARY

Students say social media causes negative body image, eating disorders

By Cecilia Milmoe

Features Editor

As social media usage continues to increase, more people find themselves regularly scrolling through apps like TikTok and Instagram. However, many students have found that these apps can have negative impacts on their body image and self-esteem. Students explained the impact these sites have had on them, and professionals discussed how to combat the negative impact of social media on body image.

MARCH 

Ramadan comes to campus

By Fizza Hassan 

Staff Writer

Muslim students welcomed Ramadan, the ninth month of the Lunar Islamic calendar and the most sacred time in Islamic culture. For 30 days, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, participate in prayer and reflect with their community. Muslim students discussed how they planned to manage their semester workload with Ramadan while also maintaining a healthy work/study balance.

APRIL 

Yung Gravy whips up the sauce at Spring Jam

By Matt Troher and Nicole Littlefield

Assistant Features Editor and Assistant Copy Chief

The University’s annual Spring Jam concert series continued this year with a visit from Yung Gravy. The Minnesotan rapper with a flair for showmanship and an affinity for older women graced campus with his presence, performing some of his most beloved songs such as “1 Thot 2 Thot Red Thot Blue Thot,” and “oops!” Despite a last-minute venue switch to the State Farm Center due to inclement weather, hundreds of students attended the free concert and took a proverbial ride on the gravy train.

MAY: 

Illinois scientists contribute to groundbreaking black hole image

By Rebecca Oriza

Staff Writer

For the first time, scientists were able to capture the image of Sagittarius A* — the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy. Among the hundreds of dedicated scientists involved in this monumental event were professors and graduate students from the University of Illinois. Team members from the University helped to devise interpretations of the imaging, among other things.

JUNE: 

Campus History: University observes Juneteenth for first time

By Cecilia Milmoe and Matt Troher

Features Editor and Assistant Features Editor

In 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, designating Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Although this was the first year the University observed Juneteenth — a holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans — the holiday has been observed by members of the Champaign-Urbana community for decades prior. The holiday serves as a time to reflect on Black history, and the role Black organizers have had in shaping both the University and the wider C-U community.

JULY: 

College advice your mom won’t give you

By Gwyn Skiles

Staff Writer

Many students will leave for college with imparted wisdom from their parents. However, there are many situations that parents can’t prepare their kids for. From advice on how to discover yourself to how to be courteous to your neighbors in the dorms, there are plenty of things you can only learn from other students.

AUGUST: 

Phi Mu’s ‘fearless’ fighter remembered at ‘Swifties’ night

By Faith Allendorf and Sarah Bond

Managing Editor for Reporting and Staff Writer

Junior and Phi Mu sister Ava Shaw was one of the main organizers behind the first Swifties Night at Joe’s Brewery in March. Unfortunately, after a battle with a heart condition, Shaw didn’t make it to see her and her friends’ creation for the second time. Memories of Shaw filled the August Swifties Night as friends dedicated the event to the late fearless fighter.

SEPTEMBER: 

Grainger research aims for the skies

By Conor Blount

Staff Writer

Known for its top-ranked engineering programs, the University is recognized as one of the premier research institutions in the nation. The University alums who helped create YouTube and PayPal have become household names among students. However, not many know about the Grainger researchers leading space missions on campus. These lesser-known innovations touch people’s lives and may lead to the next big thing. 

OCTOBER: 

In loving memory of Pinto Bean

By Lillie Salas

Staff Writer

A legacy recognized during Illini football’s Homecoming Game belongs to Pinto Bean, a beloved squirrel who frequented the University campus. Known among students as an unofficial mascot, Pinto Bean used to brighten onlookers’ days. The passing of the popular star devastated many, and the impact of Pinto Bean remains to those remembering.

NOVEMBER: 

Abortion remains important to student voters

By Yuzhu Liu

Assistant Features Editor

For many people, abortion access was one of the biggest issues at stake in this year’s midterm elections. Despite Illinois’ current abortion legislation, many were worried that losing it could be only one election away. Students and locals said the overturning of Roe v. Wade largely impacted the way they voted.

DECEMBER: 

Early graduates share college experience advice

By Lena Brockway

Contributing Writer

With the fall semester coming to an end, some seniors are expecting to finish their four-year undergraduate education on an earlier schedule. Early graduates reflected on their college experience and offered advice to current students. With an untraditional graduation, these wintertime graduates are looking forward to the post-graduation world. 

features@dailyillini.com

The post 12 months of features appeared first on The Daily Illini.

The sound of bells rings out from Mitchell Tower at the University of Chicago. There is no discernible melody, but the bells chime without stopping, one after another, without repeating a single note or pattern twice in a row. They are demonstrating an art form roughly 400 years old — the art of change ringing.

One ringer at the tower is Sean Lu, sophomore in DGS, who has been honored with this year’s Jeff Smith Memorial Young Ringer Award from the North American Guild of Change Ringers.

Change ringing is an art where towers’ bells are rung in different sequences instead of according to traditional musical notation. As the name “change ringing” implies, those sequences change after each bell is rung, with the next sequence predetermined by switching the order of two bells rung in the previous sequence. What results is not a melody but rather an auditory exploration of mathematical sequences.

Lu discovered change ringing in early 2021 after stumbling upon a YouTube video. He was immediately drawn to the art as it lay at the intersection of math and music. As a self-proclaimed “math nerd,” Lu also played the upright bass in high school and saw change ringing as the perfect combination of his two interests.

“It’s more like solving a puzzle and getting satisfaction from that rather than any particular musical result,” Lu said.

For some ringers, the ultimate goal is to ring every permutation possible on a tower’s set of bells, playing every possible ordinal combination without repetition. This feat is called a peal and is most commonly attempted on seven bells. This requires at least 5040 permutations and usually takes a group of ringers three hours to complete.

A slightly less intense feat is called a quarter peal and requires 1260 permutations, a quarter of a full peal’s amount. Still impressive in its own right, a quarter peal takes roughly 45 minutes to complete. Lu has completed four quarter peals in his time as a ringer thus far.

Lu rings at Chicago’s Mitchell Tower while at home in Naperville. While at the University, he practices by using handbells, which he keeps wrapped in white gym socks for protection. Lu, his brother and usually a few friends set up in front of the Union on Sundays to practice on Lu’s set of handbells.

Tom Farthing, a Chicago-area change ringer and press secretary for the NAGCR, nominated Lu for the award after ringing with him for the past year and a half.

“He is a sponge,” Farthing said. “(Change ringing) takes a lot of learning to do, and whenever we present him with a new concept, he just gets it right away and incorporates that. It’s a lot of fun for the people who are teaching him.”

Jeff Smith, the namesake of the award, was a mathematics professor at Kalamazoo College who taught hundreds of students the art of change ringing. Farthing, who instituted the award to honor college-aged ringers and promote the growth of change ringing in North America, was taught by Smith himself.

Change ringing originated in England and still has ties to the anglophone world as it is still practiced in many areas of the former British empire. Although it remains far more popular in England, a dedicated and close community has formed in North America. Since the demographic skews toward older generations, Lu has come to appreciate the variety of people he’s met through ringing.

“It’s a mix between older and younger people, and I think that’s a good thing because the older people can bring interesting conversation,” Lu said. “When I go to school, I feel like I’m surrounded by only one age group, but with change ringing, I get to meet a bunch of older people, not just as teachers or mentors, but just as peers.”

Those involved with change ringing say that a special type of bond forms between those who ring together. Ringing is unique in that individuals work solitarily on their own assigned bell to achieve a collective goal. Quilla Roth, a ringer from Washington D.C. and education officer for the NAGCR, said that there is a unique social aspect to change ringing.

“While you’re ringing, you’re not talking or touching anyone the way you would when you dance, and yet there’s a kind of intimacy,” Roth said. “It’s similar to the kind of intimacy I observe in string quartets where the players are very attuned to each other. We spend a lot of time not talking to each other — ringing — but then we go off and have social time with a meal or ‘going to the pub,’ as they say in England.”

Despite the tight-knit community that can come from ringing, some ringers have discussed the difficulty in getting younger people into change ringing. Eileen Butler, a Philadelphia area ringer and president of the NAGCR, emphasized the need to reach youths to proliferate ringing in North America.

“We really need to get more youths into change ringing,” Butler said. “It’s very hard to get young people to commit to that kind of time commitment because learning how to (ring) can be the most time-consuming part.”

Still, Butler attests that learning about the world of change ringing can open doors and form communities around the world.

“Anywhere you go where there are bells, you’ll walk in, and they’ll ask, ‘Are you a ringer?’” Butler said. “If you say yes, they’ll say, ‘Well, you’re welcome here!’”

mtroher2@dailyillini.com

The post UI Student wins national change ringing award appeared first on The Daily Illini.

State-wide offices including Illinois Governor, Illinois’ junior Senate seat, as well as all seventeen house districts are up for election tonight. The Daily Illini will provide live updates as results come in.

Governor

7:00: The AP has called that incumbent Governor JB Pritzker has won reelection. The Democrat governor successfully defeated Republican challenger Darren Bailey.

U.S. Senate Race

7:00: The AP has called the U.S. Senate Race for incumbent Democrat Tammy Duckworth. This will be Duckworth’s second in the Senate.

Seventeenth Congressional District

Thursday Afternoon: The AP has called that Democrat Eric Sorensen has won the election in the state’s seventeenth district. Sorensen has 52% of the vote with 99% of the district reporting. This will be Sorensen’s first term as the district’s representative. Prior to running for office, Sorensen worked as a meteorologist.

Sixteenth Congressional District

11:05: The AP has called that Republican Darin LaHood has won the election in the state’s sixteenth district. LaHood has 66% of the vote with 79% of the district reporting at the time of the calling. LaHood has served four terms as the representative for the state’s eighteenth district, which has been dissolved following the 2022 redistricting process. This will be LaHood’s fifth term in congress.

Fifteenth Congressional District

11:03: The AP has called that Republican Mary Miller has won reelection in the state’s fifteenth congressional district. Miller has 70% of the vote with 60% of the district reporting at the time of the calling. This will be Miller’s second term as the district’s representative.

Fourteenth Congressional District

Wednesday Morning: The AP has called that Democrat Lauren Underwood has won reelection in the state’s fourteenth district. Underwood has 54% of the vote with 96% of the district reporting at the time of the call. This will be Underwood’s third term as the district’s representative.

Thirteenth Congressional District

Wednesday Morning: The AP has called that Democrat Nikki Budzinski has won election in the state’s thirteenth district. Budzinski has 55% of the vote with 86% of the district reporting at the time of the call. This will be Budzinski’s first term representing the district, as the district was newly reconfigured following the 2022 redistricting process. The thirteenth district encompasses most of the Champaign-Urbana area.

Twelfth Congressional District

11:01: The AP has called that Republican Mike Bost has won reelection in the state’s twelfth congressional district. Bost has 75% of the vote with 65% of the district reporting at the time of the call. This will be Bost’s fifth term as the district’s representative.

Eleventh Congressional District

Wednesday Morning: The AP has called that Democrat Bill Foster has won reelection in the state’s eleventh congressional district. Foster has 56% of the vote with 95% of the district reporting. This will be foster’s seventh term as the district’s representative.

Tenth Congressional District

10:58: The AP has called that Democrat Brad Schneider has won reelection in the state’s tenth congressional district. Schneider has 63% of the vote with 92% of the district reporting at the time of the calling. This will be Schneider’s fifth term as the district’s representative.

Ninth Congressional District

10:56: The AP has called that Democrat Janice Schakowsky has won reelection in the state’s ninth congressional district. Schakowsky has 72% of the vote with 85% of the district reporting at the time of the calling. This will be Schakowsky’s twelfth term as the district’s representative. She currently serves as the House Democratic Senior Chief Deputy Whip.

Eighth Congressional District

10:55: The AP has called that Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi has won reelection in the state’s eighth congressional district. Krishnamoorthi has 56% of the vote with 84% of the district reporting at the time of the calling. This will be Krishnamoorthi’s fourth term as the district’s representative.

Seventh Congressional District

7:00: Incumbent Democrat Danny Davis has won reelection in Illinois’ seventh congressional district. Davis was running unopposed and has been reelected for a thirteenth term.

Sixth Congressional District

11:07: The AP has called that Democrat Sean Casten has won reelection in the state’s sixth district. Casten has 46% of the votes with 96% of the district reporting at the time of the calling. This will be Casten’s third term as the district’s representative.

Fifth Congressional District

10:52: The AP has called that Democrat Mike Quigley has won reelection in the state’s fifth congressional district. Quigley has 68% of the vote with 96% of the district reporting at the time of the calling. This will be Quigley’s eighth full term as the district’s representative after being first elected in a 2009 special election.

Fourth Congressional District

10:48: The AP has called that Democrat Jesús “Chuy” García has won reelection in the state’s fourth congressional district. García has 67% of the vote with 63% of the district reporting at the time of the calling. This will be García’s third term as the district’s representative. Major outlets are reporting that García will announce a campaign for mayor of Chicago in the coming days.

Third Congressional District

10:46: The AP has called that Democrat Delia Ramirez has won the election in the state’s third congressional district. Ramirez has 66% of the vote with 69% of the district reporting at the time of the calling. This will be Ramirez’s first term in congress, as the third district has been newly reconfigured during this year’s redistricting cycle.

Second Congressional District

Wednesday Morning: The AP has called that Democrat Robin Kelly has won reelection in the state’s second congressional district. Kelly has 68% of the vote with 90% of the district reporting at the time of the calling. This will be Kelly’s sixth term as the district’s representative.

First Congressional District

10:42: The AP has called that Democrat Jonathan Jackson won the election in the state’s first congressional district. Jackson has 79% of the vote with 42% of the district reporting. This will be Jackson’s first term in congress, replacing retiring representative Bobby Rush.

mtroher2@dailyillini.com

sbond21@dailyillini.com

The post Eye on Illinois: Illinois state-wide election results appeared first on The Daily Illini.

As results for county-wide elections come in, The Daily Illini will be giving live updates for county offices. Continue to check back frequently. 

Results are being taken from The Associated Press 2022 Race Calls, as well as the Champaign County Clerk’s records.

Wednesday, 12:42 a.m.: The Champaign County Clerk’s office has published most of Champaign County’s unofficial results from early voting, Election Day voting and some mail-in voting. The office noted that some mailed ballots still need to be processed, this can take up to 14 days.

Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.: Polls close statewide. If you are in line to vote at the time of closing, you are allowed to stay in line to cast your vote.

U.S. House District 13

Wednesday, 12:09 a.m.: The Associated Press called University alumn and Democrat Nikki Budzinski as the winner of the House District 13 race. Budzinski has 27,287 votes, and Republican Regan Deering has 11,437 votes.

In terms of percentages, Budzinski has 70.3% of the votes, and Deering has 29.5% of the votes.

Champaign County Clerk race

Wednesday, 12:42 a.m.: Aaron Ammons received 52.76% of votes and Terrence Stuber received 47.24%.

Champaign County Executive race

Wednesday, 12:42 a.m.: Steve Summers has 54.17% of votes and Ted Myhre has 45.83%. 

County Sheriff race

Wednesday, 12:26 p.m.: In an email, Brown said that he “congratulated Dustin last night on his victory,” and that “it is highly unlikely the outstanding mail-in ballots will change the results.”

Wednesday, 12:42 a.m.: Dustin Heuerman has 53.64% of votes and John P. Brown has 46.36%. 

County Treasurer race

Cassandra “CJ” Johnson was uncontested in her run. 

mtroher2@dailyillini.com

sbond21@dailyillini.com

The post Live Updates: Champaign County election results appeared first on The Daily Illini.

With election day around the corner and early voting in full swing, The Daily Illini has compiled a list of candidates running for major offices. In addition to the gubernatorial and congressional elections, a number of important county-wide elections are happening down ballot.

Governor

The biggest political race of the midterms is the Illinois gubernatorial election. Incumbent Democrat Gov. JB Pritzker is running for a second term against Republican challenger Darren Bailey. Hailing from Louisville, Ill., Bailey has served as a State Senator for the state’s 55th district since 2021 after serving a single term in the Illinois House of Representatives for the state’s 109th district. 

Bailey has run his campaign appealing to downstate voters, often portraying Chicago voters as out of touch with the rest of the state. He has centered his campaign around reopening the economy, upholding second amendment rights, shaping policies to support farmers and finding solutions to education funding gaps. Bailey first made headlines in April 2020 when he sued Pritzker over his stay-at-home mandate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conversely, Pritzker has focused his reelection campaign on upholding a reproductive rights, investing in clean energy and improving Illinois’ infrastructure. Pritzker became governor in 2018, when he beat then-incumbent Republican Bruce Rauner with 54.5% of the vote, the largest margin of victory in an Illinois gubernatorial election since 1994. Most major political polls have Pritzker leading Bailey by a sizable margin, although that margin has been shrinking as we get closer and closer to election day.

U.S. Senate

Illinois’ junior Senate seat is up for election this year. Incumbent Democrat Tammy Duckworth is running against Republican challenger Kathy Salvi.

Duckworth is running for a second term in the Senate, having been first elected in 2016. The incumbent has had a long list of political experience, serving two terms in the House of Representatives, three years as the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and two years as the assistant secretary of Veterans Affairs for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs. As a senator, Duckworth has been credited with saving the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

The Center for Effective Lawmaking has ranked Duckworth as one of the five most effective Democratic senators during her freshman term. In 2018, Duckworth became the first U.S. senator to give birth while in office and was instrumental in changing senate procedures to allow senators to bring their children onto the senate floor.

Salvi’s platform consists of promoting independent energy production, limiting governmental oversight, securing the southern border, supporting the police and giving parents more control over education policies. Salvi, who worked as a former public defender, has had no previous elected political experience. She won the Republican primary with 30.2% of the vote, just over five percentage points ahead of her nearest challenger. 

Illinois’ 13th Congressional District

Illinois’ 13th congressional district, which encompasses Champaign-Urbana as well as parts of East St. Louis and Springfield, features a contested election between Democrat Nikki Budzinski and Republican Regan Deering. Since this is the first election after the redistricting process, the new district has no incumbent.

Budzinski’s platform has centered around labor rights, drawing on her experience as a labor union leader. Budzinski has formerly served as the chief of staff for the Office of Management and Budget in President Biden’s administration. Although she hasn’t held an elected office, Budzinksi led Pritzker’s exploratory committee prior to his 2018 run for governor.

Regan Deering, the former chair of the Decatur Public Schools Foundation, won the Republican primary with 34.6% of the vote — winning by only 700 votes. Her campaign has centered around Second Amendment rights, increasing border security, promoting public safety and strengthening education. 

This is the first election with the newly drawn 13th district, which has been redrawn to heavily favor the Democrats. Prior to the redistricting process, the district was represented by Republican Rodney Davis since 2013. The district has not been represented by a Democrat since 1895.

Illinois State Legislature

Illinois’ 52nd State Senate district covers C-U, as well as Rantoul, Georgetown and Danville. The district was left largely unchanged during the redistricting process, with some less-populous rural areas either joining or leaving the district.

Democrat Scott Bennett is the current state senator for the 52nd district and is running unopposed in the election. Bennett was first appointed to the state senate in 2014 to fill a vacancy and has been reelected ever since.

Bennett currently serves on the Illinois Senate Agriculture Committee, Judiciary Committee, Labor Committee and Redistricting Committee. He received his law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law.

Illinois’ 103rd State House district covers the entirety of C-U and was left unchanged during the redistricting process.

Democrat Carol Ammons is the incumbent state representative for the district and is running unopposed in the general election. Ammons was first elected in 2014 with 61.4% of the vote and is currently serving her fourth term. 

Prior to her tenure in the Illinois House of Representatives, Ammons served on the Champaign County Board and the Urbana City Council. She currently serves as the co-chair of the Illinois House’s progressive caucus and is an active member of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. Ammons was one of only eight candidates to be endorsed by Bernie Sanders during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Champaign County offices

There are a number of local Champaign County offices up for election this cycle.

Champaign County Executive, an office responsible for overseeing the duties and businesses of running the county’s administration (similarly to a mayor’s duties within a city) is up for election. Democrat Steve Summers is running against Republican Ted Myhre.

Summers has served on the Champaign County Board for five years, where he currently serves as the vice chair and has previously served 16 years on the Urbana Board of Education from 1995–2011. 

Myhre has held a variety of different positions throughout his life. He served in the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division, taught high school chemistry and works as a volunteer EMT. Living in the Chicago suburbs for a period of time, Myhre worked with the People’s Resource Center, a nonprofit organization serving underprivileged communities in DuPage County. While with the People’s Resource Center, Myhre organized a curriculum to teach inmates in local jails computer skills.

Another important office up for election is the Champaign County Clerk. The county clerk is responsible for running elections within the county, as well as maintaining governmental records. The incumbent county clerk is Democrat Aaron Ammons, who has held the position since 2018. He will be running against Republican challenger Terrence Stuber.

As county clerk, Ammons has expanded voting opportunities at the University of Illinois, increasing the amount of voting locations from a singular location at the Illini Union to multiple across campus. Prior to being elected as the county clerk, Ammons served as an alderman on the Urbana City Council and co-founded the advocacy group Champaign Urbana Citizens for Peace and Justice.

Stuber currently serves on the Tolono Village Board, having assumed the position in 2015. Stuber made local headlines in August when responding “I don’t know if he truly was the winner or not” when asked if Donald Trump won the 2020 election. Later, Stuber said President Biden won the election, but said he remained skeptical about the 2020 election process. 

Prior to Ammons’ election in 2018, the office had been held by Republicans for decades.

Also on the ballot this November is the Champaign County sheriff. The incumbent sheriff, Democrat Dustin Heuerman, is running against Republican challenger John Brown.

Heuerman was elected as sheriff in 2018, where he became the county’s first Democrat sheriff since the 1930s. As county sheriff, Heuerman helped close the dilapidated jail in downtown Urbana, as well as publishing the first sheriff’s office annual report in over 16 years. Heuerman is also one of five openly LGBTQ+ sheriffs in the U.S.

Brown currently serves as the mayor of Savoy and has had over 32 years of law enforcement training and experience. Brown served with the University of Illinois Police Department for 30 years from 1990 until 2020, where he retired to become the deputy chief of police for the Tolono Police Department. Brown is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. 

mtroher2@dailyillini.com

fedczuk2@dailyillini.com

The post A look at who’s on the ballot in C-U appeared first on The Daily Illini.

Gene Honda is a busy guy. One of his main responsibilities, serving as the public address announcer for the Chicago White Sox, just culminated with a stretch of five home games in five days to end the season. After the baseball season finishes, Honda announces for the Chicago Blackhawks, where he’ll be calling the team’s home opener on Oct. 21.
Amid his busy schedule, Honda has penciled in a quick break to stop back at his alma mater, where he will receive the University of Illinois Alumni Association’s Lou Liay Spirit Award.
The University Alumni Association established the award in 1997 to honor alumni who have “demonstrated extraordinary spirit and pride in support of the University.” Named after a former executive director of the University’s Alumni Association, the award has gone to 24 different Illini since its inception. Honda will be the award’s 25th recipient.
Honda found out he was awarded in July, and said he was completely caught off guard by the honor.
“My jaw dropped a lot,” Honda said. “I would hope that there are more people more deserving than I am to receive any kind of award. It was a very, very surprising honor. You never expect it, but I was thrilled.”
Honda said the award has an extra element of sentimentality for him, as he is an acquaintance of the award’s namesake.
“This is extra special because I know Lou Liay,” Honda said. “I know what he’s meant to both the University and the Alumni Association. Receiving an honor is always very special, but receiving one with Lou Liay’s name on it is even more special.”
Honda’s Homecoming Week will be far from restful. In addition to being honored with the award, Honda will serve as the Grand Marshall of this year’s Homecoming Parade on Friday. He will also be hard at work announcing the Homecoming game against Minnesota.
Honda has continued to announce home football games at his alma mater, saying he’s grateful to the White Sox and the Blackhawks organizations for allowing him to work University games into his schedule.
“For college football, there’s only seven or so home games, versus an 81-game home season for baseball — it’s a little different that way,” Honda said. “The Blackhawks have always been very gracious about that; they’ve known about my fondness for Homecoming Weekend.”
Honda graduated from the University in 1978 having studied general engineering and real estate finance. He quickly learned he didn’t have as much of an aptitude for math as he thought, although a career in public address announcing didn’t come to him until after graduation.
Honda joined WPGU, Illini Media’s radio station, in 1975, looking to expand his public speaking skills. Before graduating, he served as WPGU’s sports director, assistant news director and production director. In 2008, Honda was inducted into Illini Media’s Hall of Fame in 2008.
Honda began periodically announcing for the Chicago White Sox in 1985 and became their full-time announcer six years later in 1991. He joined the announcing staff for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2001 and has developed an impressive résumé since then — announcing for the DePaul Blue Demons, the Big Ten tournament, the NCAA final four and Illini football.
Due to Honda’s impressive work ethic and the strength of Illinois’ sports teams, he is the only person who has announced the World Series, the Stanley Cup, the final four, the MLB All-Star Game and the NCAA hockey championship’s Frozen Four.
Brett Ballantini is the editor-in-chief of the South Side Sox — an online sports publication centered on the White Sox. Ballantini has been a lifelong White Sox fan and has a long history of attending White Sox home games, including the 2005 playoffs.
Ballantini cites Honda’s voice as a fundamental aspect of attending a White Sox game.
“Hearing Gene call a game is like seeing the green grass in the outfield; it’s like the scoreboard,” Ballantini said. “It’s the type of stuff you take for granted with the White Sox. Hearing Gene has been an important part of being a fan, with the White Sox you’re used to hearing him and his (voice) is a call of familiarity for fans.”

mtroher2@dailyillini.com

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The University made headlines in 2021 for accepting its largest freshman class in University history, with 8,303 new students headed way. University enrollment broke 50,000 for the first time in fall 2019 and has stayed above ever since.

The University also made headlines this time last year, when stresses from the COVID-19 pandemic led to University Housing converting lounges into temporary dorms. The record number of incoming freshmen also coincided with a large number of students opting to return to campus housing following a year of remote instruction.

The number of students on campus, both new and returning, has been increasing year after year, raising concerns about whether or not University Housing has enough living space for every accepted student.

Every first-year undergraduate student, including first-year transfer students coming to the University with less than 30 credit hours, must live in University Housing to fulfill their residency requirement. In addition to University Housing, students can live in one of the University’s 13 Private Certified Housing options to fulfill the requirement.

According to Mari Anne Brocker Curry, director of housing information & marketing for University Housing, University Housing has a maximum capacity of roughly 9,400 spaces, plus an additional 2,900 spaces in Private Certified Housing. These roughly 12,300 spaces provide ample space for incoming freshmen, plus returning students who don’t wish to begin off-campus living yet.

Curry said that University Housing is currently well equipped to handle increasing numbers of students.

“(We have) no plans to expand/increase capacity in the immediate future,” Curry said. “We value the diversity and support provided through communities that have a mixture of new and continuing students. In general, our capacity is configured to have enough space for both new and returning students.”

The exact number of students in each incoming freshman class varies from year to year. This year’s incoming class saw a slight decrease from the record high in 2021, with 7,957 freshmen coming to campus for the Fall 2022 semester. Despite some single year-to-year decreases in admitted students, the freshman class has been increasing on the whole throughout recent history.

In 2014, 6,937 freshmen made up the incoming class — over a thousand students less than this year’s class. 20 years earlier, in 1994, only 5,690 students made their way to campus. At current rates, it would take until 2076 for the incoming freshman class to be too large to fit into University Housing.

Dan Mann, associate provost for Enrollment Management, noted that there is no hard-set upper limit for the number of students admitted into a given class. Instead, enrollment targets are set after thorough discussions with administrators across campus.

“Representatives from Undergraduate Admissions and the colleges meet each year to discuss enrollment targets for the next freshmen class,” Mann said. “Enrollment targets are normally determined based on current enrollment levels, available resources, market demand and plans for future program changes. After these conversations, recommended enrollment targets are prepared and sent to the provost to review and approve.”

One challenge any college admissions team faces is the yield rate. The yield rate is the number of students who accept their admission over the number of students offered admission. While an admissions team can control the number of students they accept, they cannot control how many of those students accept their offer of admission and end up enrolling.

While the University does not make their yield rate public, other colleges and universities have run into housing problems when their yield rate was higher than expected. A situation like this at Purdue made headlines in 2018 for dismal pictures of makeshift dorms. Taken to its extreme, a higher than expected yield rate can result in colleges rescinding offers of admission, such as UC Irvine did in 2017.

Some students suggest that University Housing is far from having a shortage of living spaces. Mike Liu, a graduate student studying aerospace engineering, said that even though he was late to apply to University Housing, he was able to secure a spot with no problem.

“I signed the housing contract pretty late and still got a single room, and they put me in another room on the same floor for summer housing because I arrived on campus too early,” Liu said. “So (it was) pretty smooth to me at least.”

Liu, who is also a first-year international student, said housing options were limited at his previous universities and he was surprised that there were still campus housing options available when he signed the contract in early July.

Having space to accommodate not just freshmen, but also returning students in University Housing remains a top priority for Curry and University Housing. According to Curry, utilizing University Housing for more than a year often correlates with academic success.

“Students who live in certified housing for two or more years are more likely to graduate and graduate in four years than a student who moves out after only one year,” Curry said.

mtroher2@dailyillini.com

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On the evening of Sept. 12, a mass of fuzzy blue plush sharks in varying sizes laid strewn across the concrete bench that lines the north edge of the Main Quad. The angular mass of stuffed sharks juxtaposed against the smooth grass background.

These stuffed sharks, an IKEA product known as blåhaj, plural blåhajar, were waiting to be distributed to students. A gaggle of roughly 30 students stood around the heap of sharks, craving to take one home with them.

Yuyang Zhao, senior in Engineering, was running the distribution, eager to give a new home to these fish out of water. Zhao had been distributing the sharks for over a week and said they plan to continue until their stock of blåhajar is fully distributed.

The word blåhaj (pronounced blow-hai) derives from “blue shark” in Swedish. IKEA began distributing an earlier iteration of the stuffed animal in 2010 named “Klappar Haj,” which roughly translates to “pettable shark.” The stuffed animal was renamed to blåhaj in 2013 and has grown in popularity ever since.

A few weeks before the distribution, Zhao bought a blåhaj from IKEA and had it in tow when they attended their CS 421: Programming Languages and Compilers class. Another student in Zhao’s class posted on the r/UIUC subreddit that they saw someone attending class with a “dolphin.” Zhao posted a picture of their new shark the following day, receiving substantial attention.

Users lamented in Zhao’s post that they weren’t able to acquire a blåhaj — the nearest IKEA to the University is 126 miles away in a Chicago suburb, with another nearly an equal distance away in Indianapolis.

Zhao offered to buy a blåhaj for each commenter, which in turn drove more users to comment and request blåhajar. Zhao began organizing requests through their blåhaj-themed Discord server and then traveled to the Chicago IKEA to grab as many blåhajar as possible.

“(Interest in the blåhajar) has been exponential,” Zhao said.

According to Zhao, they spent over $3,000 on around 140 blåhajar and had been distributing them at the Illini Union throughout the week. Due to the large number of blåhajar, Zhao moved Monday’s distribution outdoors.

Victor Jiao, senior in Engineering, came to the distribution on the Main Quad after seeing Zhao’s posts on the r/UIUC subreddit. According to Jiao, Zhao’s posts and blåhaj distribution made the blue shark a viral topic on campus.

“I’ve seen (blåhajar) around for a while online, but it’s been popping up a lot more recently, especially in (University) circles, mostly because of this,” Jiao said.

Looking at a blåhaj is a stimulating experience, and holding one is even more so. There is something aesthetically pleasing about the shark’s form. It’s fuzzy yet sleek, oblong yet lopsided. One becomes overwhelmed with the urge to chuckle and squeeze it.

As students picked up their blåhajar from Zhao’s distribution, many tightly embraced their new stuffed animals as they walked away. New owners offered passersby a chance to pet the blåhajar.

In recent years, the blåhaj has amassed a dedicated internet following. Videos with the tag #blåhaj have garnered over 3 million views on TikTok, and a subreddit dedicated to the stuffed animal has over 45,000 subscribers. A brief search of the word blåhaj on Twitter returns image after image of users sharing their plush sharks, with many of these images being unsafe to view in a college library.

Some students like Charles Xu, senior in Engineering, were drawn to the shark because of its internet popularity.

“It’s a funny meme shark,” Xu said. “I just saw it, and I wanted one. It’s also apparently a bigger thing for the LGBT community, which I think is really cool.”

The shark’s blue fuzz, white face and pink mouth mimic the colors of the transgender pride flag. Therefore, the online transgender community has adopted the blåhaj as a symbol of trans pride. When searching “blåhaj” on google, the fourth most popular term is “blåhaj trans.”

Zhao explained what makes a blåhaj so appealing.

“It’s a cute shark, obviously,” Zhao said. “More than that, it’s a meme and just happens to have the same color scheme as the trans flag. The trans community is also interested in it.”

mtroher2@dailyillini.com

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An uproar could be heard across the Main Quad as a large group of students gathered in front of the Illini Union at noon to hear the infamous Sister Cindy speak to students once again.

Cynthia Smock, known for her antics under the name Sister Cindy, is an Evangelical campus preacher from Indiana who travels from university to university. Her ongoing “HO NO MO” tour is dedicated to her late husband, Brother Jed, who passed away in early June. The University was her second stop on this year’s tour.

This is not Sister Cindy’s first time at the University. Exactly one year ago, on Sept. 8, 2021, Sister Cindy was on campus preaching about sexuality, women’s rights and decisions.

Sister Cindy focused much of her speech on trying to sway young women away from what she sees as an immoral lifestyle.

“There are a lot of beautiful women on campus,” Sister Cindy said. “But, many of them are hoes.”

Everything Sister Cindy said was met with applause and cheers from the crowd as they expressed their joking support for her. Much to the crowd’s delight, Sister Cindy passed out several “HO NO MO” pins. Sister Cindy, however, was selective with who she awarded them to.

“I do have some ‘HO NO MO’ pins,” Sister Cindy said. “I don’t have a lot of them, because they’re for the virgins.”

With her strong opinions, she entertained the large group of students around her, talking about ongoing topics and issues in the world and inserting her religious opinions. Many students, however, were simply there to have a laugh, such as Eliana Jaramillo, freshman in LAS.

“I think it’s just funny,” Jaramillo said. “I don’t take it seriously, obviously everything she’s spewing is just hate and none of it is any good. Just seeing it on TikTok, at this point, people just take her as a joke.”

While students agreed that she was spreading hate with her speech, many also find her speeches to be entertaining.

“Everyone here is smiling, having fun,” said Nathan Smolinski, sophomore in Division of General Studies. “I guess the fact that she can bring smiles to everyone is good.”

Several students joined the crowd as it caught their attention while walking across the quad.

“I was walking between classes and I saw this crowd and thought, ‘I’ve gotta check this out,’” said Hamza Omali, freshman in Engineering. “I figured it was Sister Cindy, I’ve seen her on TikTok and I needed to see this in real life.”

Whenever Sister Cindy tours campuses across the country, countless clips of her speeches pop up on social media like TikTok.

While Sister Cindy does appear to be quite passionate about what she preaches, some students believe that she tours around the country for attention.

“I think maybe she likes attention, because she’s definitely brining a lot of it,” said Victor Cantet, junior in Engineering.

When the news began to spread amongst the crowd that Queen Elizabeth had passed away, Sister Cindy took time to honor her in prayer, recognizing her “power as a figurehead” and “influence.”

Sister Cindy has allegedly announced that this will be her final tour of college campuses.

While much of what Sister Cindy said caused the audience to chant in mock support, a comment she said about consent roused a much more supportive response, with students shouting in agreement, many in surprise that they agreed with the preacher.

“Just because she’s dressed like a hoe, doesn’t mean she wants to do you,” Sister Cindy said.

features@dailyillini.com

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The beginning of the semester brought the promise of classes without masks, continuing the return to normalcy that had been building over the past year. 

The first week of classes saw a drastic increase in COVID-19 cases, prompting the University to send a Massmail on Friday evening, “strongly encouraging” students to wear face coverings during classes for the next few weeks. 

Two weeks into the semester, both the COVID-19 positivity rate and the number of positive tests have outpaced figures from the past two years. 

The average daily positivity rate this semester is 17.8%, with an average of 179 positive tests per day. These figures stand in stark contrast to the first two weeks of the Fall 2021 semester, which had an average daily positivity rate of 0.76% and an average of 34 positive tests per day. In 2020, when students were required to test under the threat of discipline, these figures were .87% and 106, respectively. 

The University’s response to this semester’s sharp increase in COVID-19 cases has elicited mixed reactions from the student body, with some students urging the University to do more and others hoping for a continued return to normal.

Madeline Udelhofen, senior in LAS, said she has been taking numerous precautions to avoid the spread of COVID-19, even prior to this semester’s spike, as her family has a history of autoimmune disorders.

Although she is only taking online classes this semester, Udelhofen said the University’s Massmail is “laughable.”

“I feel like it’s laughable, not in the way that I’m anti-mask, but because I think that this is something the University should have been taking into consideration before school even started,” Udelhofen said. “I was glad that they’re mentioning it at least, but at the same time, the request isn’t really going to change very much. I’m very disappointed that they haven’t chosen to do more.”

Udelhofen said she’s trying to stay involved during her senior year, but COVID-19 exposures abound have made campus life difficult.

“I feel like I hardly go to this University anymore because everything I do is just on my computer now,” Udelhofen said. “But at the same time, with the rate of spread, it seems like (COVID-19) is everywhere around us. I’ve gone to a couple of club meetings and I’ve already been exposed to COVID-19 multiple times.”

Garrett Forrest, junior in LAS, serves as the president of Illinois Student Government. The day following the University’s Massmail on Aug. 29, Forrest and Vindhya Kalipi, junior in LAS and ISG vice president, posted a statement to the student government’s social media channels, urging students to wear masks in classrooms and limit unmasked social gatherings.

The statement also called for the University to increase its testing capacities. As of Friday, the University is only operating one testing location, compared to 16 locations in 2020 and four locations in 2021.

The only testing site, located in the Illini Union, is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is closed on weekends. The Illini Union, along with various other locations on campus, is offering free take-home tests. However, the Illini Union ran out of take-home tests on Friday. 

“We’ve got to have more testing, and I think everybody should get tested,” Forrest said. “At this point, you don’t know when you’ve been exposed, you don’t know if you’re an asymptomatic positive and possibly spreading it to other people.”

On Aug. 11, the University sent a Massmail outlining its COVID-19 testing policies, predicting a rush at the beginning of the semester and asking vaccinated students to avoid the on-campus testing site. 

“Seeing the numbers skyrocket as much as they have, it became clear that we are no longer talking about a theoretical problem, and we’re talking about a real problem on our campus,” Forrest said. “We need to press the University to take some actions.”

Niko Johnson-Fuller, junior in LAS, criticized the University’s response, highlighting the stark contrast between the University’s COVID-19 policies during this year and the return to campus of years past.

“The University’s response has shown a lack of care toward the health of the student body and the community at large,” Johnson-Fuller said. “We’ve seen in past semesters that the University has implemented a fair amount of measures when people are coming back to school … such as online classes for the first week and having testing requirements when you get back to campus. There was no reason we couldn’t do that again.”

Johnson-Fuller, who also serves as a co-chair of the University’s chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America, also noted that a collective response is needed to combat the ongoing increase in COVID-19 cases.

“While we want to encourage individuals to take these actions, that is never going to be enough to stop the problem,” Johnson-Fuller said. “We should be seeing this as a collective problem. If more and more people come together to stand up for what they believe in and to stand up for public safety and health, then that’s the best way to make sure that you are protecting others around you.”

Despite the criticism from some segments of the student body, not every student has been critical of the University’s response. Jacob Tentis, senior in Engineering, said he has no strong opinions on the University’s Massmail that encourages masking in classrooms and said he thinks a potential mask mandate reinstatement would constitute overreach.

“I think that a mask mandate is kind of security theater and doesn’t actually have a very significant effect — if any — on the rate of COVID-19 in a community,” Tentis said. “Especially since the mandate would only apply to classrooms and not in the surrounding community.”

While Tentis said he thinks reinstating a mask mandate would be too drastic, he criticized the reductions of the University’s testing system. He noted that, while he’s skeptical about the effectiveness of masks in regard to stopping the spread of COVID-19, expanded testing options could be successful.

“Reducing (testing sites) to just the Union with just very limited weekday hours is a mistake on the University’s part,” Tentis said. “I think one of the things that universities can do to really help rein in the COVID-19 numbers is to expand testing access. When I went, there was a very long line, and it took a while to do. With classes during the day, it can be very difficult to get out and get a COVID test.”

 mtroher2@dailyillini.com

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It’s one of the first things a student gets when they enroll at Illinois. It’s how they access their email, student accounts and university computers. It’s their best friend and worst enemy. A rock to hold onto in the night. Friends and lovers may come and go, seasons and feelings fade as they may, but the NetID is constant.

But how is it created? Who, or what, determines the combination of letters and numbers that unlocks the secrets of the University, or at least your email?

According to Rob Watson, assistant director of Communications and Marketing at the University, a “complex NetID picker algorithm” generates the best possible NetID to assign each student. 

Each NetID is unique, must start with a letter instead of a number, and must be between three to eight characters due to different operating systems’ limitations. Student NetIDs always end with a number, while faculty Net IDs may or may not, depending on what the algorithm chooses for them.

The current algorithm is set to choose between nine different formats for a NetID’s base name. A number is tacked on at the end in numerical order. These formats include:

• First name + last name (never truncated)
• First initial + last name
• Last name
• First initial + middle initial + last name
• First initial + middle initial + last initial
• First initial + last initial
• First name + middle initial + last initial
• First name + last initial
• First name

The NetID center also keeps a list of “reserved words” that prevent the algorithm from creating a NetID containing an inappropriate word. (Sorry, Frank Artman and Bill Itch).

According to Watson, there are currently conversations to tweak the algorithm to create NetIDs up to 20 characters in length.

“We hope to improve the logic and process of NetID creation in the years to come,” Watson said in an email.

With over 8,000 new students in each entering class, only a finite number of NetIDs remain under the current naming conventions, although it will be a long time before each possible iteration is used.

mtroher2@dailyillini.com

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For many students, community college serves as a stepping stone between high school and the University. For engineering students, the Engineering Pathways program provides a unique community college experience.

Since 2010, the Engineering Pathways program, run through the Grainger College of Engineering, has offered students guaranteed admission into Engineering from participating community colleges. Students spend two years at their community college before transferring into Engineering for their junior year.

Participating students are held to high academic standards and must maintain a GPA over 3.5 to stay in the program. Students must also earn a B or higher in all required courses and stick to regimented plans of study that are according to their community college.

While the application process used to only be open to high school seniors, Keri Niehans, the director of the program, said changes were made to make the program more accessible.

“We really tried to look at what was necessary as a barrier to entry and what was preventing accessibility,” Niehans said.

Now, students already in community college can apply.

Lucas Pruett, senior in Engineering, said the primary reason he became interested in the program was the lower cost.

“I’ll almost have no loans when I graduate, which is a huge advantage,” Pruett said.

Niehans said the purpose of the program is to provide an alternative way for engineering students to attend the University.

“It’s to provide access and affordability to degrees,” Niehans said. “Students arrive at their destinations in various ways, and I think those students contribute a lot to the University. So this is set up to provide a different route for students who want it or need it.”

Niehans said that at any given time, the program has around 200 students enrolled in community colleges on their path to the University.

Kevin Danner, senior in Engineering, said the best part of the program is the social aspect.

“I’d say the number one thing from the program was probably the camaraderie with the other students,” Danner said. “The other kids from there were my roommates last year, and they’re some of my best friends now.”

Pruett shared a similar sentiment, saying many of his friends are engineering students within the program.

Danner said that while it varies between individuals, he found his years in community college to be stressful, and said he had to overstudy. Despite this, he said he feels the program has prepared him well.

“It does prepare you really well, if you make it through it,” Danner said.

Niehans said that while students in the program take a different route than  others, this doesn’t take away from their accomplishments.

“These are fantastic students and they’re doing amazing things, just taking a slightly different route of getting here,” Niehans said.

features@dailyillini.com

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With 69 days left until the general election, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s campaign bus stopped in Champaign for a rally at the Illini Union on Thursday. Students, faculty and community members crowded into the Illini Union Ballroom to hear a lineup of political speakers encourage listeners in the lead-up to November’s election.

Hosted by the Illini Democrats, the event featured Gov. Pritzker alongside a lineup of fellow Democratic candidates, which served as a who’s-who for Champaign County Democrats. 

Accompanying Pritzker at the event was Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton, State Sen. Scott Bennet, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons and Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives Nikki Budzinski.

Ben Rinker, senior in LAS and president of the Illini Democrats, helped organize Thursday’s event. Rinker said he has been satisfied with Pritzker’s term as Governor and is hopeful for  reelection.

“I would rank (Pritzker) as one of the most effective governors in the country, between balancing our budget, protecting access to abortion and doing a decent job handling the COVID-19 crisis,” Rinker said. “I would say I’m pretty confident for his reelection.”

Pritzker will face challenger Darren Bailey, a Republican serving in the state legislature, come November. Bailey, who has frequently been described as “far-right,” won the Republican gubernatorial primary in June with 57.7% of the vote. 

In 2019, Bailey and seven other Republican lawmakers introduced a resolution calling for the City of Chicago to become its own state, claiming that Chicago is disconnected from the interests of residents downstate. When asked, Pritzker responded to claims that say he only appeals to Chicagoland voters.

“It’s absolute hogwash (to claim) we’re only appealing to Chicago voters; you were in this room today, you saw the voters filling this room who were excited about the leadership that we’re providing for the state,” Pritzker said. “Bailey is the one that wants to divide the state. He’s the one who introduced a bill to literally hive off Chicago, throw it out of Illinois and make it a separate state. I believe that we are one Illinois, I have done throughout my four years in office more for Central and Southern Illinois than any governor in memory.”

Prior to Pritzker’s speech, various Democratic candidates traded off spots at the podium — introducing each other and rallying voters with brief speeches. 

First was Aaron Ammons, the incumbent Champaign County clerk who is tasked with executing and recording all elections in Champaign County. Ammons’ speech focused on his track record of fighting against voter suppression in Champaign County and rallying against his opponent, Terrence Stuber.

Two University alums, Sen. Scott Bennett and candidate for Illinois’ 13th congressional district Nikki Budzinski, followed. Each gave speeches that touched on major pillars of their campaigns, including protecting abortion rights and securing funding for Central Illinois.

Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton served as the event’s penultimate speaker. An Illinois alum, Stratton focused on the importance of resilience in the face of injustice and adversity. Evoking the words of poet Audre Lourde, Stratton emphasized the importance of protecting individuals’ rights.

“Silence will not protect you, so we are not going to be quiet,” Stratton said. “We’re going to get up every day, keep moving forward and make sure we do everything to protect our rights.”

Following Stratton, Pritzker took the podium and gave a campaign speech touching on the highlights of his first term in office alongside advocating for his fellow Democrats. After the event, the governor briefly met and posed for photos with supporters.

Emily Earl, senior in ACES and former president of the Illini Democrats, attended the event to show her support for Pritzker’s reelection campaign and other Democrats down ballot. Earl cited the speakers’ constant support for women’s reproductive rights as a highlight of the afternoon.

“I think talking about women’s rights is something that we really need to focus on campus so we can get the right people elected in November,” Earl said. “To anyone out there; get out and vote in November.”

Others, such as Joshua Reyes, sophomore in Division of General Studies, thought the event aired on the dry side. Reyes, who labeled himself as a moderate Republican, said he agrees with some Democratic views but found the event to be dull and said the politicians’ speeches sounded the same. 

Nonetheless, Reyes was attracted to the event’s free concessions — pizza — as well as the opportunity to see a major politician.

“I guess it’s just cool seeing the governor of your state, even if you don’t agree with them,” Reyes said. 

 mtroher2@dailyillini.com

sbond21@dailyillini.com

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