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The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

Eunice Alpasan

A student sits and stares at his phone on the quiet floor of the UGL on Tuesday. During finals season, some students go to great lengths to procrastinate necessary work.

Procrastination peaks during finals season

By Eunice Alpasan, Senior Reporter • December 12, 2019
Students study in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Building in Champaign, IL. October 4, 2016.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Building awarded sustainability certification

By Eunice Alpasan, Senior Reporter • November 19, 2019
An interdisciplinary faculty forum was hosted by the Department of African American Studies, or AFRO, on Oct. 30 in the Levis Faculty Center. The department celebrated its 50th anniversary by hosting a series of events in October.

Department of African American Studies celebrates 50 years

By Eunice Alpasan, Senior Reporter • November 11, 2019
The soft interview room, which features comfortable chairs, wall decorations and soft lighting, is meant to make victims of traumatic crimes feel more comfortable sharing crime details with police detectives during investigations.

UI police introduce ‘soft’ interview room for victims of sensitive crimes

By Eunice Alpasan, Senior Reporter • November 5, 2019
WPGU goes back on air after flooding damage

WPGU goes back on air after flooding damage

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • October 29, 2019
A cyclist passes by a group of people on West Gregory drive on Sunday. The University of Illinois was recently promoted to silver-level Bicycle-Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists.

University promoted to a silver bike-friendly university

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • October 28, 2019
Students gather during a discussion session with Professor Rodriguez. Rodriguez is planning a third service trip to Puerto Rico, this time emphasizing community engagement.

Class prepares for disaster relief trip to Puerto Rico

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • October 24, 2019
Sustainability teams create new Climate Action Plan

Sustainability teams create new Climate Action Plan

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Reporter • October 22, 2019
A gofundme fraud email sent by a scam account.

Fraudulent GoFundMe email reaches Urbana residents

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • October 15, 2019
Students for Justice in Palestine President Ahlam Khatib, left, introduces presenter and religion professor in LAS Bruce Rosenstock during SJP’s “Palestine 101” meeting on Oct. 10. Rosenstock pulled up the “Palestine & Great Return March Palestinian Resistance to 70 Years of Israeli Terror” presentation that prompted an apology from Chancellor Robert Jones after concerns of anti-Semitic content during a Sept. 25 Housing staff meeting.

University investigates concerns of anti-Semitism in residence hall presentation

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • October 14, 2019
A group of students wait for the doors of a Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District bus to open at Ikenberry Commons on Sept. 14. CUMTD was recently ranked No. 3 on CityLab’s overall rank for best places in the U.S. to live car-free due to exceptional customer service.

CUMTD seeks to improve road safety and customer experience

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • October 10, 2019
Nancy Torres, a junior in Business, explores to capabilities of the VR headset as she plays one of the interactive games on the computer in the Virtual Reality Lab at the Armory on Thursday. The workshops provide an opportunity for students, faculty and community members to learn about VR and use the technology.

VR technology initiatives seek further support to provide more experiences in academia

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • October 7, 2019
Students involved in the Engineering Pathways Program gather on the patio of Engineering Hall on Aug. 10, 2018. This year 150 students were offered admission to the program.

Engineering Pathway program expands access for underrepresented students

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • October 3, 2019
Drag queen Sasha Velour comes back to her roots with visionary performance

Drag queen Sasha Velour comes back to her roots with visionary performance

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • September 17, 2019
Lauren Bryant, senior in LAS, talks about her disability at the Ikenberry Library and how the University can improve on its accommodations. The University Library announced their plans to renovate the Main Library, which is estimated to cost about $54 million.

University’s historic libraries renovate to ensure accessibility

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • September 16, 2019
The University’s first Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sean Garrick sits in his office. On Sept. 1, a noose was found in an elevator at Allen Residence Hall, and Garrick said he aims to prevent incidents like this from occurring.

UI chief diversity officer reacts to noose incident, reflects on diversity

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • September 9, 2019
Male students enter and exit the Evans side of Busey-Evans Halld on Friday. This is the first semester where Evans Residence Hall will be all-male.

Evans Hall goes all-male due to ISR construction

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • September 3, 2019
Dr. Sean Garrick is the University’s first chief diversity officer, serving as the first Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. The position was established after an external review of University diversity was completed in 2017.

University welcomes first chief diversity officer

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • August 26, 2019
A student dishes out the seafood boil at LAR’s seafood night on Oct. 26. University food service and building service employees voted to ratify new contracts with the University, therefore avoiding a strike authorized to begin on Thursday.

University food service, building service workers ratify new contracts, avoid a strike 

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • August 20, 2019
White supremacist propaganda like the above examples have been posted on Midwest college campuses. The coded, indirect nature of these messages are used to appeal to a larger audience for white supremacist groups to recruit new members, said Education Director at Anti-Defamation League Midwest Dr. Lara Trubowitz.

White supremacist propaganda surges at University during 2018-2019 school year

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • August 8, 2019
The State Farm Center, located at 1800 S. First St. in Champaign, will be home to performance of Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band on August 20.

Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band to perform at State Farm Center in August

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • July 27, 2019
KAM's is located on East Daniel Street in Champaign. The owners of the bar have submitted building permits to the corner of First and Green streets.

KAM’s files building permit to move to corner of First, Green

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • July 13, 2019
University food service, building service workers to hold strike authorization vote

University food service, building service workers to hold strike authorization vote

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • June 28, 2019
University police, administrators to consult on addressing forthcoming marijuana legalization in Illinois

University police, administrators to consult on addressing forthcoming marijuana legalization in Illinois

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • June 19, 2019
Illini 4000 riders in New York City on May 18, the first day of their 78-day cross country bike trip.

Illini 4000 riders make stop in Champaign on their cross-country bike ride for cancer

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • June 16, 2019
Protesters of Chief Illiniwek gather outside the west entrance of State Farm Center before the basketball game against Purdue on Feb. 22.

Commission report calls for formal retirement of Chief Illiniwek, suggests remembrance in moving forward

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • June 7, 2019
The Thomas Siebel Center for Computer Science is a teaching and research facility that houses the Department of Computer Science at the University. Located in Urbana, it features new-age technology and computer laboratories that allow it to be the first "computing habitat" of its kind.

Alumnus Tom Siebel offers to pay employee tuition for online master’s degrees through University

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • June 5, 2019
Books intended for SAT preparation sit on a shelf at Barnes & Noble on Wednesday. The College Board recently announced the Environmental Context Dashboard, a tool intended to measure social and economic adversity in college applicants' backgrounds.

University to use The College Board’s ‘adversity score’ for student admissions, retention

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • May 25, 2019
The City of Champaign and Habitat for Humanity worked together last week on this house in Champaign. The group collaborated as an effort to contribute to National Public Service Recognition Week.

Habitat for Humanity, city employees give back to community

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • May 15, 2019
Therapy dogs sit down during an event held at the Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education on Wednesday. Therapy dogs are used to dissolve stressful situations, including finals week on campus.

Pet therapy provides stress relief during finals week

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • May 7, 2019
Members of UI’s Student National Medical Association’s initiative, Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students, pose with guest doctors and medical students in front of Foellinger Auditorium. A new study finds pre-medical students place importance on demographic representation in the American medical profession.

Study reveals importance of demographic representation in medical profession

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • April 29, 2019
University system plans to add more tenure faculty positions over next five years

University system plans to add more tenure faculty positions over next five years

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • April 25, 2019
Attendees of the microaggressions presentation discuss scenarios about interactions between student peers and between faculty and students at the Coordinated Science Laboratory on Monday.

Professor hosts presentation on sexual harassment 

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • April 24, 2019
Anne Hathaway as Kym in “Rachel Getting Married.” The film tells the story of a young woman, recently released from rehab, who attends her sister's wedding. Roger Ebert Fellow Eunice describes the film as being documentary-like, with its raw emotions and the story's heavy subject matter demonstrating Chaz Ebert's message of empathy, especially in regards to familial relationships.

Empathy and family: A message spread by Chaz Ebert, exemplified in ‘Rachel Getting Married’

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • April 13, 2019
Members of Engineering Outreach Society test projects created by younger students during Engineering Open House on March 8. The University received a grant from the National Science Foundation to encourage more underrepresented students in middle and high school to pursue STEM fields.

University researchers receive $1.2 million grant

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • April 8, 2019
Kendall Furbee speaks at the Engineers for Social Justice Scholars Pecha Kucha event. Research done by Sarah Clifton, assistant professor in LAS, points to general increases in the number of women in STEM in recent years but the proportion of women compared to men was found to be lower.

Model predicts gender parity in workplace

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • April 1, 2019
The Women’s Resources Center is located at 616 E. Green St. in Champaign. The UI Senate has passed a resolution increasing funds going toward the WRC to provide more resources for students.

Senate approves minority funding

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff writer • March 25, 2019
Amanda Cavanagh, a postdoctoral student who helped develop a new method of plant growth in the southernmost greenhouse in the Plant Sciences Laboratory on Friday. The new method currently produces 40 percent more plant growth.

Study aims to feed world by 2050

By Eunice Alpasan, Staff Writer • March 14, 2019
Illinois State Sen. Scott Bennett (far right) introduces the legislative panel during a town hall meeting “C-U Talks Marijuana Legalization” on Feb. 18. The panel is comprised of (left to right) Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz, Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Heuerman, State Rep. Carol Ammons and Illinois State Sen. Heather Steans. The panel took questions and addressed concerns from the audience at the prospect of recreational marijuana legalization in Illinois.

Leaders explore effects of legalizing marijuana

By Eunice Alpasan, Contributing Writer • February 25, 2019
“Hard Paint” follows the life of Pedro, a young gay man who secretly performs under the screen name NeonBoy. Set in Brazil, the film offers a unique cultural perspective for viewers.

Movies provide cultural insight

By Eunice Alpasan, 2018-2019 Roger Ebert Fellow • October 25, 2018
ILLordle: Play now