The Uptown ExchangeNOVEMBER EDITION Serving the Truman College and Uptown Community ONE COPY FREE PER PERSON

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Remembering Francis Odura

see SlaIN STuDENT hONORED

uptownhistory In

Graffiti

see TIMElY WaRNINg

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undisclosed Campus Dangers

This Month’s gaming Picks

see NEW IN NOVEMBER

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see >> NatioNal ElEctioN page 6

the President and Your education

n October 24, 2008, an audience of more than 150 students and pro-fessors from across Chicago filled

Kennedy King College’s theater as students, educators and business leaders from across the country came together for a discussion regarding the Presidential election and its po-tential effects on higher education in the U.S. Regardless of the election’s outcome, edu-cation will be at the forefront of issues, with our new President expected to make good on campaign promises. Discussion topics were geared toward each presidential candidate’s position on higher education. Questions regarding topics like the quality of math and science education in the U.S, academic training for a global marketplace, increases in funding and college affordability, articulation from two year to four year institutions and internet education were addressed by the panel of experts. The unprecedented live multicast involved schools in Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Philadel-phia, and New York City who participated via a live video feed. Filmed live and hosted by broadcast celebrity Bill Kurtis, the ad-dressed issues posed by students & profes-

uPtown thanksgiving

by Aaron DormioStaff Writer

by Nandika DoobayA&E Editor

sors from each location. With education being a major topic of discussion in both presidential campaigns, the town hall forum created an opportunity for voices to be heard.

Math and Science Education Reform The first question came from Borough Manhattan Community College. Accord-ing to the school advertisement, it is one of the nation’s leaders in community college-based math and science research. Students there are familiar with the lack of math and science competency across the nation, and asked what can be done to increase the appeal of math and science to students. According to information presented at the event, Senator Obama, if elect-ed president, plans on doubling ba-sic math & science efforts in ten years. Panel expert David Longanecker, Ed.D, president of the Western Interstate Com-mission for Higher Education, suggests schools expose students to more math and science, thus subjecting them to a more rig-orous curriculum. It was explained that this will require more qualified teachers, possibly even the retraining of current professors and

his Thanksgiving, Inspira-tion Café seeks volunteers to help them serve breakfast and

dinner. Just around the corner from Truman at 4554 N. Broadway, the Café serves up hot food twice a day to Uptown residents in need. It is not simply a spot to have a com-fortable meal, but also a place where some-one facing economic hardships or a rough patch in their lives can get back on their feet. In addition to needing Thanksgiving serv-ers, Volunteer Coordinator Karianna Barr says the organization could also use help serv-ing meals daily. Barr goes on to say that she would love Truman students to get involved in Inspiration Corporation’s upcoming Holiday Party, to be held Dec. 11 at Truman College. The intent of Inspiration Cafe is to help those affected by homelessness and pov-erty find dignity and reenter the workforce. According to Inspiration’s website, in or-der to seek help from the organization, in- see >> hotEl page 6

hotel residents misjudged

by Heather HendersonOpinion Editor

ead a few comments on www.Up-townUpdate.com concerning the Wil-son Men’s Hotel, and you might be

convinced that the cubicle hotel at 1124 W. Wilson Ave. should be torn down. Some Up-town residents claim that child sex offenders live in the hotel, criminal activity is common-place, building code violations abound and the owner, Jay Bomberg, turns a blind eye as he pockets his tenant’s rent money. But some Uptown resident’s complaints have proven to be premature, unwarranted and inaccurate. Uptown resident’s calls to 311 prompted a Jan. 23 building inspection of the hotel. Ac-

cording to Department of Buildings reports, inspectors found 44 violations including loose hand rails, peeling paint, two broken window panes, cockroaches in the boiler room, miss-ing fire doors and plumbing problems. While these violations require attention, Bomberg says that he had already identified and fixed many of them before the inspector came. Bomberg also says that he has installed a cool-ing room, new showers, a free clinic and pro-vides social and medical services to his tenants. He also plans to add a community kitchen. “It’s in my best interests to improve the building. I purchased it (in Septem-ber 2007) knowing it had issues. I hope what I’m doing will lead to further sta-bilization of the block,” says Bomberg. At a May 29 hearing, Bomberg was given 60 days to address the viola-tions. At the following hearing on

see MalDEN MuRalS

Instead of a Second helping, give Some help to Those in Need

T uptown Residents lodge Complaints against the Wilson Men’s hotel

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dividuals must be homeless, sober for 30 days, have no history of violence, and be willing to work towards self-sufficiency. Founded by former Chicago police officer Lisa Nigro in 1989, Inspiration Café grew from what was once one woman distributing coffee and sandwiches out of her nephew’s small Radio Flyer wagon into an organization that helps up to 2,500 men and women a year. As the reach of her supportive services grew, the wagon was replaced with a van, then a large bus—a kitchen on wheels. After gaining the attention of an Uptown building owner, Nigro was offered a six month lease for a spot on Wilson Ave. for the price of one dollar. Now operating under a roof, Inspiration Cafe offers a variety of services. Offices line the hallway leading towards the cafe. In these offices, volunteers hold mock employment interviews for job seekers and tutor those trying to get their GED. The kitchen itself is a classroom, where individuals can get culinary training. Upon completion of the cooking courses, employ-ment in the food industry can be obtained. In the cafe, instead of the regular soup kitchen atmosphere, patrons can sit down and order from a menu and are served with kindness and re-spect as if they were in a regular restaurant.

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-OPINION-

Colleges across the Nation Join CCC in live Discussion about Candidates

Inspiration Cafe volunteers serve hot meals so no one is left in the cold.Photo by annie Rudolph

PagE 2 uPTOWN EXChaNgE - NEWS NOVEMBER 2008

uPTOWN EXChaNgE STaFF

EDITORIal DEPaRTMENT

Editor-In-Chief:James Villalpando

News Editor:lauren Vandermar

arts & Entertainment Editor:Nandika Doobay

Opinion Editor:heather henderson

Proofreader:alexandra Semer

Editorial assistant:Richard Nketsiah

Staff Writers:Maasai amewa

anthony BaiocchiRubina Jabbar

Iqbal MuhammadChirag Patel

Teresa Romero

PRODuCTION & DESIgN

Chief Photographer:annie Rudolph

Photographers:Maasai amewa

Chirag Patel

Production:Phillip Romanello

BuSINESS DEPaRTMENT

Sales and advertising:Caritta Johnson

aundrea holland

Public Relations:Maya Monroe

Faculty advisor:Ben Ortiz

Professional Affi liations:College Media advisers

Illinois Community CollegeJournalism association

Student Press law Center

new student government oFFicers selected

by Rubina JabbarStaff Writer

t long last, new Student Govern-ment Association (SGA) offi cers will take offi ce, with 10 percent of eleg-

ible students casting ballots in an election held September 28 through October 13. Of the 5000 student Truman population, 535 voted, just meeting the required number of votes to put the new student body in of-fi ce, during the two-week election period. Director of Student Activities Jose Gerena said they did it by giving away items like T-shirts, novelties and popcorn to students who came in and voted. Faculty members gave students extra credit for voting. Some candi-dates gave out food. “It was a combination of things everybody shared,” Gerena said. They also kept the polling place moving around the campus to facilitate students. First it was set up in the front lobby and then moved to the student lounge. Later it was moved to the Tech Center. “And that actually took us over the top.” Gerena said. Though the 535 fi gure may not look grand, it is still an improvement. Many stu-dents do not know what the SGA is or care much about it. Maria Beltran, a student, said she did not vote because she did not

know the candidates. “I did not vote be-cause I don’t know the people,” she said. The fi rst two days of the election were the busiest days when, at times, 15 to 20 people were seen lined up to vote. Voting tapered off toward Oct 13. LaTarsha Jackson won the election for SGA president against Selena Henry. Jackson got 321 votes, Henry got 126. Jackson had also won the last SGA elec-tion, held March 31 through April 3. She ran uncontested. However, the elec-tion was declared undecided because of poor voter turnout with 424 students vot-ing. This number did not achieve the re-quired 10 percent to declare a valid election. Other newly-elected SGA members are: Alexey Vassilev for Vice President; Maisha Es-tes for Treasurer; Shawn Mayberry for Secre-tary; and Shanell Hodges for Public Relations. Each of these candidates ran unopposed. The new student government promises to develop a strong line of communication with students, improve students’ participation in college activities and ensure these activities are of their interests. The newly-elected offi cers can now complete tasks such as ratifying clubs and deciding expenditures for student events. Jackson believes Truman needs to have a better line of communication with students. “We all need to work together so that we all can receive our maximum learning experience at Truman.” As president she promises to make sure students are informed of activities and events taking place in school beforehand, and to plan activities that are helpful and serve

students’ interest. “I would take surveys with the students to see what their desires are” and implement them in existing activities, she said. Vice President Vassilev says SGA will in-form students about the benefi ts of joining a club. He says the chances of being ac-cepted in a four-year college of a student’s choice are considerably higher if the stu-dent engages in a club or honor society. “Just going to class and doing homework might not be enough, although that is a fi rst priority,” says Vassilev. He adds that SGA will see to it that information, in respect to club activities, is made accessible to students. Hodges, SGA public relations offi cer, wants more “student involvement” in school activi-ties. She thinks SGA should work like a mid-dleman between students and college admin-istration. Hodges says she will not only ask students to join Truman clubs, but also help student clubs “raise their number counts.” Mayberry plans, as Secretary, to make sure SGA informs students “effectively” of the things happening in college “in con-junction with students’ busy lifestyle.” Treasurer Estes promises SGA will make sure students participate in ac-tivities like elections and fundraisers. Gerena, who had expected 600 votes, hopes to reach that mark in next spring’s elections. “We are hoping to get more and more faculty members involved not only as-sisting us with election but also by encour-aging students to run for offi ce,” he said. The new Student Government offi cers are expected to take up offi ce November 6th.

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the increases to a minimum,” said Wood. The district estimates that it costs an av-erage of $219 per credit hour to educate a student. Students that reside in Chicago are charged $ 72 per credit hour, less than one-third of this amount. The remainder is paid for by a combination of state and federal funding, grants and other sources. The state also previously distributed funds to cover small capital repairs to fa-cilities. “This grant, as well as an Advanced Technol-ogy Grant, which is used for technology purchases, the Student Success Grant which is used to support tutoring and other sup-port activities for disadvantaged students, and the P-16 Initiative for students that are du-ally enrolled in high school and college have been eliminated by either the legislature or the governor through his use of the line item veto over the last several years.” said Wood. Truman College held informational meet-ings in the Student Lounge to discuss the coming changes, as well as to generate alter-native ideas and receive student input. The meetings were relatively well attended with 60-70 professors and staff in attendance with passionate response from both sides.

The dialogue between the administration and Truman staff was thoughtful and concerned regarding the system’s fi nancial situation. A similar meeting was held on Thursday, October 16th at Truman College to discuss in further detail the costs and effects of the budget on the school system. The faculty did not seem to be in favor of a tuition hike and helped explore different funding options. One idea generated by the staff was to hold

a grant writing semi-nar so that employees of the college could apply for more grant money. Many in the audience said they would be interested in taking a course over the summer to im-prove their grant writ-ing skills. Other ideas included using less lighting in classrooms, renting facilities to corporations and

tutoring services for the neighborhood. The CCC has also begun renting its facili-ties to bring in new non-traditional revenue. They remain receptive to other ideas (says who???) regarding venues to balance the budget without taking money out of stu-dents’ pockets. The CCC has formed a tu-ition and fees committee comprised of dis-trict offi ce employees. The committee will compile recommendations with the help of student representatives and present the ideas to the Board of Trustees this November.

he cost to students attending the City Colleges will increase next semester, due in part to decreased college funding in

the Illinois 2009 budget. Funding on the state level dropped by 8.7 million dollars, among other factors, leaving the CCC searching for alternative means by which to pay its bills.While the CCC has begun creating new reve-nue streams, they have not yet closed the gap. According to Ken Gotsch, Vice Chancellor of Finance, “an increase of just $10 a credit hour solves the budget.” In a meeting held Oct. 16, school offi cials said they favor adding more non-tuition related fees Next semester, schools may also raise tuition in classes that cost more money to operate. Aside from a tu-ition hike, ideas on the table include raising fees for registration, insuffi cient funds fees, park-ing fees once the new structure is complete. The CCC operating budget has risen 22.1 million dollars from fi scal year 2008 to 2009. The rise comes from various factors includ-ing scheduled pay raises, higher utility costs, contractual services and other expenses. “Income is increasing at about two per-cent a year where expenses are increasing at four percent,” said Phoebe Wood, District Director of Budget and Planning. “While we know that we will need some increase in tuition and or fees, our goal is to keep

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Budget cuts raise college costCCC Searches for Funding Optionsby James VillalpandoEditor-in-Chief

Just Over Ten Percent of

Students Participate in the Election

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per credit hour to edu-

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residents pay less than a

third of that cost.

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NOVEMBER 2008 uPTOWN EXChaNgE - NEWS PagE 3

timelY warnings

by Heather Henderson Staff Writer

crimes considered to be a threat to other students and employees that have been re-ported to the campus security offi ce or the local police department.” Schools are required to notify students and employ-ees about criminal homicide, sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, mo-tor vehicle theft, arson and hate crimes. While “timely” isn’t specifi ed, the purpose of the system is to notify students and em-ployees of a serious or continuous threat so they can protect themselves. The U.S. Department of Education recommends that schools issue the warning “as soon as the pertinent information is available.” In an interview, Walker said, “I’m not familiar with that law. The head of security would know about that.” When Walker was told by the Uptown Exchange that Hunter stated that time-ly warnings are not required, Walker re-plies, “I need to look into the Clery Act.” Walker writes in a follow-up email, “We are in the process of developing a comprehensive emergency responsiveness plan that includes notifi cation, communication both internal and external, drills, evacuation procedures, bomb threats, etc. Right now, we do not have the procedures in place, but are working with all constituencies involved. You can expect to see written material very soon including a manual

slain student honoredby Iqbal Nawaz Staff Writer

and postings throughout the college.” However, the Clery Act requires schools to disclose both emergency re-sponse and timely warning policies as two separate systems. An emergency response includes evacuation or lock down of a school in the event of a disaster or emergency. A timely warn-ing, on the other hand, simply notifi es students of criminal activity that could be a danger to them. While Truman al-ready discloses an emergency response procedure and crime statistics for 2005 through 2007 on its website, they do not disclose a timely warning procedure. Truman is one of two City Col-leges of Chicago (CCC) that does not disclose such a policy. Kennedy-King, Olive-Harvey, Wright, Daley and even the CCC district offi ce all post crime alert notices or bulletins. Wright’s website contains this state-ment: “periodically, crime/security alert notices are prepared by the security de-partment to notify students, employees and visitors of crimes that have or may occur on campus or in the commu-nity, and to provide information regard-ing prevention of crime. These notices are posted in the Campus Center, on the bulle-tin boards and outside the Security Offi ce. Copies of crime/security alert notices are available from the Security Departments.” Stanley Thomas, head of CCC security, said, “Each school has something (timely warning report policy).” When Thomas was told by the Uptown Exchange that Truman has no such policy, he replies,

“We’re now working on a district wide policy that will include timely warnings.” Elsa Tullos, CCC director of market-ing and public relations, said that she plans to discuss the issue with CCC Chancellor Wayne Watson before issuing a statement. Information on the Clery Act can be found at www.securityoncampus.org.

hi Theta Kappa (PTK) planted a tree in honor of the late Francis Odura, a Truman student and soccer player on

Thurs. Oct 16 in the school’s garden. Odura was shot and killed on May 21 of this year on N. Broadway as he walked to the CTA stop at Broadway and Wilson after at-tending classes at the college. The shooting is suspected to have been gang-related, with Odura reported as an innocent casualty. He was 22 years old. His classmates and teammates still mourn the loss. “He was a great player and we sud-denly lost him in violence,” says John Nugi, coach of Truman’s soccer team. “He was our best friend. When I heard he

had lost his life, I was shocked and feeling bad,” says his friend Siaka, who is also on the team. Gershon, another teammate agrees, “He was a great guy. He is gone, and missed by us. We remember him as a great player.” The event was attended by Prof. Michael M. Closkey, Dist. 20 police offi cers, and Truman students. A police offi cer in attendance expressed her views on violence in and around Chicago’s schools: “We as police offi cers can’t stop violence alone.” Offi cer Brown went on to stress the importance of “aware-ness and personal safety.” Nikki Meacy, Vice President of PTK, agreed, saying to the crowd, “We are shocked by what happened. To stop violence in Chicago public schools, colleges, and in uni-versities, we need to help Chicago cops.”

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“He was a great guy. He

is gone, and missed by

us. We remember him

as a great player.”-Gershon,

Truman Student

ccording to police reports, no arrests have been made in conjunction with ten reported crimes that have allegedly

occurred within 500 feet of Truman since the Fall 2008 semester began. But students were not notifi ed of these potentially serious or continuous threats when they were reported. The crimes reported include robbery, motor vehicle theft and aggravated assault. Ira Hunt-er, head of Truman security, said, “We don’t [notify students], and we’re not required to.” Lynn Walker, Truman’s interim president, also said that Truman does not and would not, notify students of similar crimes when they were reported. However she also said, “I like the idea [of notifying students]. Stu-dents have a right to know and to feel safe.” While both Hunter and Walker say that Tru-man does not notify students of crimes when they are reported, Truman is actually required to do so by law. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) requires schools to disclose campus security policies and crime statistics and issue timely warning reports. According to the Clery Act, these timely warnings alert the “campus community on

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Ceremony Plants Tree in Remembrance of Francis Odura

Does Truman Make the grade When it Comes to Keeping You Safe?

Photography by Chirag Patel

“Big improvement is needed to keep us safe, especially in this rough

Uptown neighborhood.”

Hugo CookTruman Student

“We need new elevators - period. Or else, at least, they

need to be remodeled.”Audrie JohnsonTruman student

PagE 4 uPTOWN EXChaNgE - OPINION NOVEMBER 2008

truman securitY lacks PreParationWith gun Violence a growing Problem, Truman Security Raises Concernsby Iqbal Nawaz Staff Writer

As a result of the Feb. 14 shootings at Northern Illinois University this year and the April 16 shooting at Virginia

Tech in 2007, all college students should be concerned about gun violence. Some col-leges could be doing more to prevent this problem, and Truman is no exception. Truman has no metal detectors at the entranc-es. The security guards have no weapons. Ac-cording to Ira Hunter, head of security, there are cameras installed throughout the school, but there is no central monitoring room to watch live feedback. Some Truman stu-dents, like Hugo Cook, have concerns as well. Cook says, “No offense to the security guards, but they really need to get in tip-top shape to chase down or pursue someone in case of an emergency. Plus, since being here, I have only seen one emergency exit, and no one checks us to see if we’re wear-ing IDs. That means anyone can walk in. Big improvement is needed to keep us safe, espe-cially in this rough Uptown neighborhood.” Hunter says, “We’re not set up to check everyone’s ID, but we’re checking if we feel it’s necessary. We can’t prevent anyone from entering the campus due to certain activities on campus for the public, such as voter registration. Any person can en-ter the campus for information. Any bar-riers would cause violations of civil rights.” Stopping people from coming in may be a violation of civil rights, but there should be a check-in system for all visitors to stop the entry of trespassers. There should be

someone to keep an eye on people wan-dering around the campus who are visit-ing. And there should be someone pa-trolling outside of the building, as well. Yanitza Salgado, says, “Although I’m not sure how the security system works, I do know that I only see one security guard on campus. I think we would feel safer seeing more present.” According to Truman’s website, there are 39 people working in the security department. All security offi cers are either off-duty or retired

police. According to Lynn Walker, Truman’s interim President, unidentifi ed se-curity guards are walking around, as well. But, this might not be enough. Tru-man should hire more se-curity, and they should be stationed on every fl oor. Hunter says that no metal detectors can be installed. He says that it would create more

trouble for students, as well as for others who visit the college. While students and visitors may be inconvenienced, stopping someone with a gun is worth the few extra minutes it would take to get into the school. Hunter adds, “We need to be more equipped, and we are planning for that. A new building is on the way, and we will be more vigilant in the new building. The district is looking to implement a new emergency pro-cedure with all the construction going on.” Truman’s security system needs to be re-viewed. It requires improvements to prevent emergencies. Truman needs metal detec-tors to stop any violence that could occur if someone were to bring a gun onto the premises. There should be a central moni-toring room to watch the activities more vigilantly and effi ciently. Furthermore, there should be more awareness among students.

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nly one elevator operates for Truman’s entire student population of 5,080. Another is continuously out of order.

This can cause a long wait for an elevator, which, in turn, can cause students to run late for class. One elevator isn’t meeting the needs of students, and something needs to change. There are three elevators at Truman. A freight elevator is located at the east end of the building, and two passenger elevators are located at the west end of the building. How-ever, access to the freight elevator is restricted to employees and disabled persons. Every-one else has access to the passenger elevators, which stand side by side between stairways

No. 5 and No. 6. However, one is chronically out of order, Truman needs to rectify this. Student Audurie Johnson says, “We need new elevators – period. Or else, at least, they need to be remodeled.” While young men and women can take the stairs, they are not the only stu-dents at Truman. There are also se-nior citizens and students with physi-cal disabilities who need an elevator. Amanda Quisenberry, a Truman student with a physical disability, writes in a letter to the editor, “There is only one set of pub-

lic elevators that is often used by students or staff fully capable of taking the stairs. I sometimes have to let elevators pass because they are full of able-bodied co-eds, even though there is a sign giving me priority.” With obesity a growing problem and little time available for workouts, more students and employees should take the stairs. A

chain of stairways pro-vides access to each fl oor of the building from a dozen spots lo-cated a few yards apart. However, taking the stairs is more diffi cult if students have to go to the third level for a class that starts ten min-utes after their class in

the lower level has just ended. On such oc-casions, some students rush to the elevator. But with only one elevator operating, some

students don’t have time to wait. This leaves them with no other option but to take the stairs with their loads of books. If there were updated elevators, or if all of the elevators were operating, this wouldn’t be a problem. There should be another elevator avail-able for the Truman community. The el-evator that is out of order needs to be fi xed. Also, students should have access to elevators on the east and west sides. A pas-senger elevator should be converted into a freight elevator to make this possible.

This area wouldn’t be empty if you joined the paper. Come to room 1561 in the caf-eteria or email us at UptownExchange@gmail.com to join our publication.

FaultY elevators create ProBlemsBroken Elevators Cause a long Wait for Truman Students

by Rubina Jabbar Staff Writer

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“Immediately, yes. I feel pretty safe. The security could be better at school, even high schools have a police offi cer on campus but we do not.”

- Michael Ciuperciuc

“Yes, inside Truman, we are safe. In the neighborhood, not really. It needs improvement. I locked my bike outside (the front entrance) and someone stole my seat!”

- Jazmine Nahuis

“On a scale of 1-10, about a 6, in terms of safety. The area is kind of messed up. There is no parking lot, and when I have to park far away, it’s kind of scary...It’s pretty much safe inside the building though. Security does a good job.”

- Muhammed Nahuis

DO YOU FEEL SAFE AT TRUMAN?This is what some students had to say:

uPTOWN EXChaNgE - aRTS & ENTERTaINMENTNOVEMBER 2008 PagE 5

MALDEN MURALS

couraj murals document war rich vs. Poorby Nandika DoobayStaff Writer

sign warns “Starbux coming to a hood near you!” Another message says “dollar bills bulldozed anotha families roof ” in moody blue spray

paint. At fi rst glance, the paintings in the alley behind 4441 N. Malden St. seem like ordinary graffi ti, but upon closer in-spection, the art spread across fi ve garages in the alley behind 4441 block of N. Malden St. is something more meaningful. It is not only a breathtaking splash of color in an otherwise dreary spot, but is also a detailed display of social protest. Made by members of the Uptown organization Commu-nity of Uptown Residents for

A Affordability and Justice (COURAJ), the fi ve murals in the alley speak for Uptown’s often silent voices, express generally unpopular views and docu-ment parts of the neighborhood’s history that some wish to forget. Panel one, a cascade of faces in varying shades, tells the story of the different ethic groups who settled in the area. Fire spills out of the windows of an apartment building on the second panel, describing a time when landlords burned their properties for profi t,

displacing residents and adding to Uptown’s growing home-less population. The scene on panel three is quite a contrast. A set of tents against a sunny, peaceful backdrop represent the lot at 4425 N. Malden where families who were worried about the availability of low-income housing pitched them in protest. The fourth panel details how COURAJ members feel about the commercialization of Uptown. The marquees of Uptown’s two major music venues, the Riviera and the Aragon, loom darkly behind sketches of cranes and newly constructed buildings. Green dollar signs are scattered throughout the panel, conveying the struggle of a neighbor-hood dealing with its Jazz-era beginnings, years of poverty and crime and its present day metamorphosis into Chicago’s next hip neighborhood. Unlike other Uptown organizations such as the Uptown Chicago Commission and the Wilson Area Merchants As-sociation, who aim to increase the commercialization and gentrifi cation of the Uptown, COURAJ is focused on the plight of the people who are being displaced from these “im-provements” to their neighborhood. According to COURAJ member Ron Durham, gentrifi cation and new development are not welcome by all of Uptown’s residents. “Low-income people are having a diffi cult time staying in the neighborhood due to rising rents and property taxes,” says Durham. The words “Diversity is our strength” decorate the fi fth and fi nal panel. COURAJ understands that the gentrifi cation of Uptown is inevitable, but they hope that their murals and lower-income residents will fi nd a place to remain while banks, Starbucks and condos move in.

PagE 6 uPTOWN EXChaNgE NOVEMBER 2008>> NatioNal ElEctioN(continued from page 1)

>> hotEl(continued from page 1)

Aug. 14, Bomberg showed that he had made im-provements, and the next hearing will be Dec. 11. “We’re doing things right. Other-wise, we wouldn’t have gotten more time. The judge has been very pleased with our progress,” says Bomberg. However, some Uptown resident’s 311 calls weren’t out of concern for the plight of hotel tenants, as they should have been. One Up-town resident writes in a comment on www.uptownupdate.com, “I don’t want it repaired. I want it torn down. It’s a trash dump that adds no social value to the community except housing drug users, pedophiles and prostitutes.” While drug us-ers and pedophiles were former tenants, they haven’t been al-lowed to live at the hotel since Bomberg bought it. Bomberg says that he screens potential tenants for child sex offenses, misdemeanors and felonies. Since he has owned the hotel, Bomberg has evicted 50 tenants. Some were evicted for fail-ing to pay rent, some for being pedophiles, and some for breaking the no tolerance policy. Drugs and alcohol are not permitted. However, according to the sex offender reg-istry, one pedophile still resides at the hotel. Bomberg says that the tenant has since died and was only allowed to remain because police felt that he wasn’t a threat due to his old age and frailty. Uptown resident’s complaints have also prompted an unnecessary inves-tigation by the Chi-cago Corporation Counsel’s Drug and Gang House Special Unit. Some residents allege that crimes are perpetually committed by hotel tenants, which endangers the community. Un-der the ordinance, the city can hold property owners accountable for some of their tenant’s

criminal activities. According to Bomberg, two of the seven arrests that were the basis for the investigation were of a woman, who was not one of his tenants, and the fi ve others were of tenants who were evicted before Bomb-erg was notifi ed of the investigation. Each of those seven counts were dismissed in court. However, while the investigation was un-necessary, criminal activity should be moni-tored at the hotel, but not for the reason that Uptown residents have alleged. Rather, it should be monitored for the safety of the ho-tel residents. According to police reports, the

hotel had two alleged burglaries, an alleged robbery, an aggra-vated assault and an unlawful entry in the span of one week during the month of September. But, ac-cording to Bomberg, the alleged criminal activity is sometimes falsifi ed or due to the close quarters that ac-commodate 257 men. “I’m dealing with a dormitory for adults. A lot of horseplay goes on in a dorm and doesn’t get re-ported. The horse-play here does get reported. These are

inter-resident prob-lems. Someone leaves a door open and a stereo or television gets stolen. Or resi-dents make up reports when they’re pissed off at their neighbor,” says Bomberg. Bomberg says that he has off-duty police

patrol the hallways in the hotel. He also works closely with social service agencies and po-lice to improve life for his tenants and Uptown residents. Despite Bomb-erg’s progress and attempts to improve the hotel, some Uptown residents

still complain. With a gentrifying neighbor-hood comes the inevitable: heartless residents who would rather displace the less fortunate.

teachers, translating to more money spent. Could this dilemma stem from an earlier glitch in the system? Students in Phoenix seemed to think so. One student proposed that the “No Child Left Behind” law has caused teachers to focus more on prepar-ing students to pass standardized tests, al-lowing unqualifi ed students to advance. Panel expert Arturo Gonzalez, PhD, a se-nior consultant for Ernst and Young, sug-gests schools recruit better qualifi ed and more competent teachers. Panel expert Ru-fus Gasper, Chancellor of Maricopa County Community College District, Arizona, dis-agreed, claiming the system is full of quali-fi ed teachers looking to make a difference. Panel expert Sara Hebel, Senior Editor of Government and Politics at The Chronicle of Higher Education, proposed that states offer better college loan forgiveness programs to entice people to teach. She reasoned that if more people decide to teach math and scienc-es, then more qualifi ed teachers will appear.

Thinking Internationally Students in Philadelphia are concerned with issues such as international appeal into the U.S. college system and articulation into four year schools. “Community colleges are the back-bone of our higher educational system, and a pathway to education excellence”, said Philadel-phia Community College student Judith Gay. “Do the candidates understand the impor-tance of community college [to higher educa-tion]?” asked another student. Many of the panel thought no, saying the community col-lege is often looked at as a little brother to the more respected and traditional institutions.

Changing Education Aid The discussion moved to the topic of college affordability. Many students are turning to com-munity colleges. Due to the signifi cant drop in tuition and fees compared to Universities and private colleges, nearly 60% of new students are instead attending their local community colleges, reported Chancellor Rufus Gasper. Still, students are desperate even with com-paratively lower tuition at community col-leges. Many do not qualify for Pell grants, due to age and dependency. Others simply make too much money and are forced to resort to loans, expressed a concerned SLCC student. Students in Salt Lake City asked the panel to discuss these issues. They won-dered how the system can provide more scholarships for part-time students. They want the federal government to alter the Pell grant system to accommodate those who aren’t considered independent, or those who surpass the income cap. According to each campaign, both Obama and McCain plan to increase the Pell grant amount. Obama’s campaign also claims he will create a $4000 tuition credit to new students who do volunteer work. Foreign language, a huge issue concern-ing many urban communities, was a topic that created much debate. “If we want to globalize and consider ourselves competi-tive in the global market, then we must pre-pare our students at an earlier age. Our na-tion has quickly become the most diverse nation in the world, yet we don’t even man-date that a foreign language be part of our college curriculum,” stated Sylvia Wetzel.

My selection for president is Barack Obama. There is one main reason for my deci-

sion. It is refl ected in Obama’s quote. He says, “Eight is enough.” I am tired of the economic downfall this country is go-ing through and President Bush’s obses-sion with Iraq. I personally have felt the effects of the economy with the loss of my employment and the struggles of paying rent, getting gas and losing friends to war. I have listened to both candidates’ speech-es, and Obama’s is more relatable to the struggle of Americans. McCain’s just refl ects arrogance and repetitiveness. So you need to ask yourself, was eight enough for you?

Sincerely,Jose Caraballo

Dear Editor,

Barack Obama accepted the Democratic parties’ nomina-tion for the presidency with

promises of change. In order to help America compete in a global economy, Obama plans on providing children with a world-class education. To help America stay healthy, Obama plans on making accessible health care affordable for all Americans. And to help keep America running, Obama plans to lead the nation away from our oil addiction. After hearing his positions, you would have to agree that a little change is exactly what we need. Elections take place only once every four years, so don’t miss your opportunity to support change.

Sincerely,Ramon Leon

Dear Editor,

Technology’s RoleThe last topic of the forum concerned tech-nology, specifi cally internet education. SLCC students are very familiar with this concept, claiming one of the nation’s largest broadband community college campuses in the nation. Online courses provide a freedom that more traditional class schedules deem impossible. According to his campaign, McCain wants to propose a broadband bill, aka People Con-nect Bill, making broadband connections more accessible to lower income families. According to Obama’s campaign, he wants to expand existing broadband connections for students, providing larger more centralized connections throughout cities near colleges.

“Community colleges are in the fore-front of providing an adequate online education”, said a student from SLCC. Another recent development was mentioned: the hybrid course. “Hybrid courses are an al-ternative for students that like the freedom of online and the personable/sociable opportuni-ties of a traditional atmosphere,” said Gasper. The Oct. 24 program was broadcast on WYCC as part of Kennedy King’s continuing series of town hall events. Events are intended to be relevant and timely, and seek to engage students and the public. Several events of this kind are held each semester at the college.

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NOVEMBER 2008 uPTOWN EXChaNgE - aRTS & ENTERTaINMENT PagE 7

new in novemBerDIKa SNEaKS a PEEK: WhaTS NEW IN gaMINgby Nandika DoobayA&E Editor Gears of War 2

(XBOX360)Release Date: Nov. 7Made exclusively for the XBOX 360, GoW2 picks up six months after the completion of the fi rst game. The daunting adventure continues for Marcus Fenix and the Delta Squad in all of its HD splendor. Gears of War is one of XBOX’s most successful third-person shooters, selling over 4.7 million units worldwide.

Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (Wii)Release Date: Nov. 11Game Cube classic Tales of Symphonia makes its way to the Wii. The spin-off fi nds itself two years af-ter the original story completes, with two new doe-eyed characters on a journey through a new world.

Animal Crossing: City Folk (Wii)Release Date: Nov. 16Has the real world gotten too heavy for you? Escape to a town full of friendly neighbors and fun things to do! The adorable world of Animal Crossing is a real-time virtual life, where NPC’s (non-player characters) wake up in the morning, work in the day and go to sleep at night. Fans of the DS and Game Cube versions will love the new Wii features, including Wii Speak, which allows you to talk smack while you have a fi shing contest with friends or communicate while you visit other virtual towns.

Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe (XBOX360/PlayStation 3)Release Date: Nov. 16Worlds collide when Mortal Kombat’s dead-ly assassins rage war against an entire universe of DC heroes and villains. Sub-Zero faces off against Batman while Catwoman sharpens her talons on fan-dancer Kitana. Which side will you choose?

Shaun White Snowboarding (PSP/XBOX360/Wii)Release Date: Nov. 168-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White, a.k.a The Flying Tomato, invites you into his chaotic world of ex-treme snowboarding. Using the same innovative game en-gine as Assassin’s Creed, players will have limitless free-dom in a very reactive environment, allowing them to skate on whatever they want. The Wii version utilizes the Wii Balance Board, making game play even more realistic.

Wrath of the Lich King (PC)Release Date: Nov. 13WotLK, the second expansion for Blizzard’s wildly popular World of Warcraft MMORPG, arrives with all new adven-tures and the game’s fi rst hero class, Death Knights. World of Warcraft currently has 10 million subscribers and growing!

Resistance 2 (PlayStation 3)Release Date: Nov. 4The sequel to Resistance 2:Fall Of Man continues the bat-tle with the yellow-eyed Chimera, as they have now focused their attack on America. Nathan Hale, infected by a Chi-meran virus, will be joined by Sentinels on the battlefi eld.

a neo-Futurist christmas carol

Very Neo-Futurist Christmas Carol” opens Nov. 22, lending its unique interpretation to the classic Dick-ens tale. The Neo-Futurists, a collective of writ-

ers, producers and performers will infuse the production with their signature mix of politics, humor, and fourth-wall busting personal accounts that relate to the Christmas tale. The story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s one-night journey through key events in his life has been so often repeated that it is diffi cult to imagine anyone who celebrates Christ-mas not being familiar with it. Here, the Neo-Futurists rein-terpret and deconstruct, giving the Grim Reaper a featuring role as host of the play, and promise to take the audience through a “labyrinth of sensations and a series of vignettes.” The collective’s website lists “Christmas Carol” as an “alter-native holiday event,” and makes an effort to give the audience more mileage for their admission price. The audience is en-couraged to arrive early for a pre-performance Christmas game show, vegetarian hors d’oeuvres, and “politically savvy carolers.” The Neo-Futurists are best known for hosting the longest-running show in Chicago, the twenty-years-running “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind.” In that interactive performance, the audience is promised “30 plays in 60 min-utes.” Inexpensive and popular, these short “plays” are par-tially improvised, often humorous, and sometimes touch-ing and personal. A perpetually changing roster of material and cast members ensure no performance is ever the same. Tickets for “A Very Neo-Futurist Christmas Carol” are cur-rently on sale and are $15, $10 for seniors and students. For more information, visit www.neofuturists.org or call (773) 275-5255.

Aby Lauren VandermarNews Editor nce in a great while there comes a production that has

the ability to make audiences uncomfortable enough to illicit a response that is a simultaneous amalgama-

tion of emotion. Before last Friday, I didn’t think it was pos-sible to laugh, cry and be angry at the same time. Mick Napi-er’s two decade old production of his musical, Co-ed Prison Sluts, managed to make me squirm in my seat with delight-ful awkwardness and cringe inducing glee. The musical has an aura of irreverence surrounding it, and Napier wouldn’t have it any other way. The show thrives from it and seems to gain steam through the audience’s boisterous contempt of all things blue. There is no line that goes uncrossed and no limit that is not pushed. What better way to push an envelope than to have the setting of your play in a prison (that is inexpli-cably co-ed) fi lled with comically vile humans? The answer is there is no better way, especially in regards to a musical. The fact that it is a musical is the underlying satireization, poking at the pretentious and often overwhelming melodra-ma that contaminates Broadway stage. Napier’s set consists of two sheetrock walls, a door, and a table with two chairs, all white. Its minimalism is partly due to the constraints of a small stage but it is purposefully bland to highlight the char-acters and songs. The story revolves around a new inmate, Alice played for the fi rst time by Angela Dawes, and how she assimilates to the eccentricities of a co-ed prison. Alice is a submissive who likes being spanked and humiliated. She is attracted to Henry, played by Thomas Whittington, a canni-balistic murderer who is a prison recluse. Together they form a symbiosis of sexual pleasure where Henry infl icts some kind of physical pain on Alice, most notably with a strate-gically placed carrot stick, who in turn squeals with delight. Alice, on more than one occasion, instructs Henry “Ouch,

Henry that hurts! Do it again!” They are two peas in pod. The rest of the cast can hold their own, especially Ellen Stoneking who is a founding member of the Annoyance the-ater and the creator of Dame Toulouse. She is a convicted killer who sincerely believes she is the world’s greatest ac-tress. She recites her lines in Victorian English all the while in full Kabuki make-up. She is in love with Hamster Man, (Dunbar Dicks) who gets his name exactly why you would think. There is Slick and Dr. Bello who both posses unique personality traits, to say the least. “Slick” is played with a witty sense of perverted charm by Mark Sutton (who also co-wrote the script with Napier.) There is nothing on the planet Slick would not fornicate with and Sutton makes sure the audience knows that. Scott Goldstein’s prison psychologist, Dr. Bello, has few…um…quirky aspects to him as well, namely an ob-session with women’s clothing. And fi nally there is Skeeter, portrayed by James Asmus with more than a hint of sinister innocence. He is the juvenile jester of the prison’s proverbial royal court. The warden, the King, has a knack for walking in on the inmates doing what many would consider “naughty.” The songs have an undeniable catchiness in the vain of Big Band Broadway show tunes but contain references to ana-tomical parts and functions that would be a nice fi t in How-ard Stern: The Musical, but not necessarily in La Boheme. Napier says he continually updates the script but the original idea started when he wondered who would emerge the vic-tor in a death match between a clown and a drag queen. Of course only the privileged few that have seen this circus of expletive laden improv and satire would know what I am talk-ing about. But that is exactly what I suggest you do. Loosen things up and take advantage (as I did) of the fully stocked bar before the show. It makes for a great Friday night if you feel like laughing, which from what I’m told is infectious.

Co-ed Prison Sluts, Friday’s 10pm at the Annoyance 4830 N. Broadway

co-ed Prison sluts

Oby Anthony BaiocchiStaff Writer

Photos Courtesy of Blizzard E

ntertainment

THINGS TO DO IN

NOVEMBERconcerts/live music

Chiodos, Silverstein @ The Riv 11/13

(pictured above) with Escape the Fate,

Alesana, and A Skylit Drive

The Hold Steady with special guests

Drive By Truckers @ The Riv 11/14

Jason Mraz with Lisa Hannigan

@ The Aragon 11/22 SOLD OUT

The Black Crowes with Vetiver

@ The Riv 12/5

Alan Gresik’s Swing Shift Orchestra

@ The Green Mill, Thursdays 9 p.m

Quartet Jazz Jam Session @ The Green

Mill, Fridays 1 a.m

Sabertooth @ The Green Mill

Saturdays 12 a.m

live theater & comedY

Neo-Election Night Show @ The Neo

Futurarium, Nov. 4, 8 p.m

A Very Neo-Futurist Christmas Carol @

The Neo Futurarium, Nov. 22 – Dec. 23, 8

p.m

Co-ed Prison Sluts @ The Annoyance

Theater, Fridays 10 p.m

Tommy’s Place @ The Annoyance The-

ater, Fridays 8 p.m til Nov. 21

Laughing In The Face Of Death @ The

Annoyance Theater, Saturdays 8 p.m, Nov.

1 – 29

The Thugs @ Profi les Theater, Thursdays,

Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 30 – Dec. 14

1959 Pink Thunderbird @ National

Pastime Theater, Sundays 3 p.m, Thursday,

Fridays and Saturdays 8 p.m,

Nov. 6 – Dec. 7

Memphis Soul (The Story of Stack

Records) @ The Black Ensemble Theater,

Saturdays 8 p.m, Sundays 3 p.m

truman events

”Who’s Afraid of Affi rmative

Action?” @ Truman’s Novar Hall,

Nov. 8, 2 – 4 p.m

Cambodian Buddhist Associa-

tion Drum Pan Festival Celebra-

tion @ Student Cafeteria, Nov. 9, 8

a.m – 2 p.m

Mayor Daley’s Offi ce Presents

Winter Preparedness Seminar

Nov. 14th

a free seminar will be held in Tru-

man’s cafeteria from 2 – 8 P.M. to

assist residents in reducing heat-

ing bills this winter. Participants

will learn more about winterizing

a home, and will have the oppor-

tunity to apply for fi nancial assis-

tance and grants to help offset util-

ity costs. Those in attendance will

also receive a free winterization kit

for their residence.