spring 2010 feb. issue uptown exchange

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

early page 6

Resident sponsors

Tanzanian soccer league

page 4

Teachers ordered To miss classFull-time math faculty pulled for mandatory seminarby Benjamin HeimerManaging Editor

On Wednesday, March 10, the full-time faculty of every City College of Chicago math department will

be required to attend a professional devel-opment workshop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Malcolm X College.

Despite an already truncated Monday/Wednesday spring semester session due to holidays, the Interim Chancellor, Deidra J. Lewis, has made this meeting mandatory. The district office has asked the math faculty to schedule “alternative educational activities” and substitute teachers of all classes affected by the mandated workshop.

“Such a requirement is within the scope of the chancellor’s authority,” Lewis said in a statement.

She also wrote that the workshop was “critical to learning about best practices as we seek innovative ways to improve success rates for our students, particularly those who come to us unprepared for college-level math.”

The March 10 date was chosen because

of the availability of the featured speaker, John Squire. One of the architects of the redesigned developmental and college-level math program at Cleveland State Community College in southeastern Tennessee, Squire is currently the math department chairperson at Chattanooga State Community College.

The redesign won the 2009 Bellwether Award for outstanding and innovative in-structional programs and services.

Uncomfortable with being forced to at-tend seminars during school hours, members of the Truman College faculty criticized the mandatory nature of the workshop. In a letter circulated among the Truman teachers, one

math department professor points out that this type of compulsory workshop could set a terrible precedent, and might lead to other departments being required to attend profes-sional development meetings during school hours.

President of the Cook County College Teachers Union Local 1600, Perry Buckley, advised that those instructors directed to go the March meeting to follow said directive and attend.

“. . .the Union’s advice on mandatory meetings. Comply. Do not have any of our members risk insubordination by not comply-ing with a directive.”

sTudenT club holds Food drive To beneFiT haiTiCollects food, toiletries for earthquake victims

by Sabrina PerkinsStaff Writer

The Students of Caribbean Ancestry Club (SoCa) is holding a food and toiletry drive to benefit

the victims of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti in January.

They are scheduled to conduct the drive every Thursday in February from noon to five p.m. outside the cafeteria. They have also set up boxes around the school where students are encouraged to donate food and toiletry items. A complete list of items that can be used is posted on the Truman College web-site.

One problem that SoCA had come across was that many aid organizations were not ac-cepting food and toiletry items, only cash do-nations.

Warehouse space in Hyde Park has been donated to the SoCA club and the Haitian American Community Association. Items will be sorted and stored there, and then shipped

in large quantities to Haiti. “This is a wonder-ful idea. People in Haiti need food more than money,” said Clayton Coombs, president of the SoCA club.

The Student Nurses Association and Veteran’s club also have boxes set up around the school, collecting supplies for Haiti.

In addition to the food drive, the Commission on Human Relations will be holding a workshop at Truman College on February 6 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. There will be lawyers that will work with immigrants from Haiti who are facing deportation, in or-der to offer them temporary protective status as mandated by President Barack Obama. ■

The Truman Faculty Council met on February 16 to discuss methods of addressing the issues brought about by this event. A mo-tion was passed to craft a statement focused on the faculty’s displeasure at the mandatory nature of the workshop and fear of setting a precedent for future requirements being held during class time. Plans are to direct the message to Truman College President Lynn Walker.

The Council will have a business meeting on Tuesday, February 23, in the small confer-ence room of the 2230 office. The mandatory March 10 meeting will be on the agenda. ■

FebRuaRy 2010 eDITION Serving the Truman College and Uptown Community ONe COPy FRee PeR PeRSON

The Uptown Exchange

Photograph by alberto Martinez

Mandatory workshop discussed at the February 16th Faculty Council meeting.

UPTOWN EXCHANGE - FEbrUAry / 2010 section - news

Editor-In-Chief: David Palm

Managing Editor: Benjamin Heimer

News Editor: William Oliver Hunt

Opinion Editor: Melissa Brand

Arts & Entertainment Editor:

Andrew Murray

Copy Editor: Avelyn Isada

Editorial Assistant: Oluwafikayo Adeosun

Production & Design Manager:

Phillip Romanello

Chief Photographer & Graphics Editor: Alberto Martinez

Artist/Cartoonist: Nefertiti Abdulmalik

Production & Design Assistant:

Karl Dingle

Business Manager: Chirag Patel

Faculty Adviser: Benjamin Ortiz

Professional Affiliations: College Media Advisers

Illinois Community College Journalism Association

Student Press Law Center

UPtOWN ExCHANGE

StAFF

From beyond the Flames: Long lost letters to our Former Presidentby Samantha GordonStaff Writer

Clifton Truman Daniel, Public Rela-tions Director of Truman College and descendant of former President

Harry S. Truman, has continued his effort in the preservation of his grandfather’s legacy.

Daniel publicly released letters from the ongoing correspondence his grandparents shared between 1910 and 1959. While the re-lease of a few letters from a former first lady may not seem all that unordinary, these pages are, in fact, miraculous. ‘Why?’ one may ask; because they are not supposed to exist.

Bess Truman burned what was thought to be all of her letters that is penned to former President Truman in 1955. In an interview with Washington Unplugged this past October, Daniel said that his grandfather “…came home and found my grandmother in front of the fire throwing in stacks of her letters to him and he stopped her and said, ‘Bess, what are you doing? Think of history.’ And she said, ‘Oh, I have.’”

Bess Truman’s reason for burning her let-ters are not completely known. Daniel, how-ever, said, “We know she burned them out of

a wish to protect her privacy and, by exten-sion, the privacy of her family and friends.”

The letters released were a mere 8 of the 180 total found between pages used as book-marks and stuffed in the backs of drawers. The letters were found during an inventory of the Truman home in the early 1980s. The Truman Library has a known 1,316 letters from Former President Truman to his wife Bess. It is assumed that she originally had an equal number of her own responses.

Daniel believes the release of these letters display a side of his grandmother besides her shy and private demeanor, one perceived as standoffish. “These letters show her to be a caring wife, mother, daughter, and friend,” Daniel said. “(Bess Truman was) a future first lady who had a sense

of humor, a keen knowledge of politics, and the normalcy to do all her own ironing.”

Daniel has enjoyed the insight these letters have offered about his grandparents’ lives. “(Harry and Bess Truman were) a pair of straightforward, middle class Americans with the same lives, the same hopes, and fears as the rest of us,” Daniel said. “Which is one of the things that I think made my grandfather one of our best presidents.” ■

Uptown residents receive Free tax PreparationStaff Writerby Andrew Dahl

The Center for Economic Progress (CEP), a not-for-profit organization, is once again offering to do your taxes.

Founded and operating in Illinois since 1990 with the stated goal of “an America of shared prosperity, where all working families can ac-cess the financial opportunities they need to succeed,” the sites are run by CEP managers, assistants and a staff of trained volunteers.

In order to qualify, you must count as a low-income taxpayer, which includes indi-viduals earning less than $25,000 and families earning less than $50,000 dollars in the last year.

There are two sites currently set up in Uptown. Each Tuesday and Wednesday, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., there will be services available through April 15th at the North Side Credit Union on 1011 W. Lawrence. Representa-tives from the North Side Credit Union will be providing financial counseling. The CEP is also offering tax preparation at Truman College in the Technical Building from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., all the way through Tax Day, April 15th. There will also be representatives from the Fifth Third bank present for financial advise, as well as assis-tants available to help college students fill out the student aid form, the Free Financial Ap-plication for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

On a typical weeknight at the Truman site, an average of 60 forms are prepared and filed, with weekend counts sometimes reach-ing 120. In two weeks of being open, 452 returns have been processed, with estimated total refunds exceeding $1,000,000 dollars. The process can take upwards of three hours. As a result, once the expected daily quota has entered the doors and signed in, those who show up afterwards are warned that there is no guarantee they will be filed that day.

The Center for Economic Progress also offers workshops teaching self-employed and small business taxpayers how to file their own taxes. The next workshop in the Uptown area will be on Saturday, February 27th, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Student Cafeteria. Space is limited and reservations are advised. There are no workshops currently planned or sched-uled for individual or family taxpayers.

For information on the documents need-ed in order to have taxes prepared, other sites, upcoming workshops, volunteering or gen-eral information, the Center for Economic Progress can be accessed at their website: www.economicprogress.org and through their main phone number: (312) 252-0280. ■

UPtown welcomes the oromo commUnity association oF chicagoCenter Provides Programs and Enriches Culture

by Johanna GranoblesStaff Writer

The Oromo Community Association of Chicago (OCAC), a community organization which serves the needs

of Oromo and other immigrants or refugees in Chicago, was inaugurated on June 6, 2009.

The OCAC, located on 4554 N Broadway St., originally started in the late 1990s to serve members with Oromo interests. Today, it is one of the oldest Oromo community service organizations.

Program Director and Office Manager, Dr. Mohammed Bedaso, explained that about 95 percent of Oromos live in Uptown, mak-ing it an ideal location for the center. “Most of us arrive without a car and Uptown has so-cial and public services,” Bedaso said. He also mentioned that Truman College and area high schools, as well as the accessibility of public transportation, may factor into the Oromo’s

presence in Uptown.OCAC provides a variety of programs, in-

cluding English tutoring, employment coun-seling and Oromo culture education. The center also provides free Internet access.

The center offers volunteer opportunities, especially for tutoring children. “We encour-age kids to study so we help them with school and support them with education,” said Bedaso. The center is always seeking volun-teers, especially for English, mathematics or science.

Bedaso clarified that Oromo is the sec-ond largest tribe in Africa. The Oromo peo-ple are from Oromia which is made from a state in the East African country of Ethiopia. Oromo people also reside in Somalia, Kenya and Rwanda. 30 years of political oppression has caused thousands of immigrating Oromo people to come to the United States.

To sign up fill out an online form at www.oromocommunityinchicago.org ■

“We know she burned them out of a wish to protect her privacy and, by extension,

the privacy of her family and friends.”

Clifton Truman Daniel,Public Relations Director,

Truman College

UPTOWN EXCHANGE - FEBRUARY / 2010 - PAGE 3NEWS - SEctioN

AAWCC Offers $500 sChOlArship tO femAle studentsby Marsha LeonardStaff Writer

It is not too late for any female Truman student to apply for the annual AAWCC scholarship to be awarded this April.Sponsored by the Truman chapter of

the American Association of Women in Community Colleges, this annual scholarship is a $500 recognition award given to female Truman students who have demonstrated determination in overcoming difficulties and achieving their educational goals.

Kathy Judd, ESL teacher, said, AAWCC is a national organization whose mission statement is guided by a “firm commitment to equality, equity, and excellence in education and employment for women in community, junior, and technical colleges.”

Membership is open to any woman stu-dent attending Truman College and includes

Truman administrative, professional, and clerical staff, as well as faculty. This inclusive approach allows crossover input, and puts Judd in contact with people from a variety of departments.

Judd also said the organization is volun-teer effort, not unlike a student club. They raise money throughout the year with a variety of fundraising events like the Pink Elephant Sale, held in February, which featured home-made baked goods and rummage items. The more money the group raises, the more schol-arships are made available. Last year, six wom-en received stipends.

Details on qualifications and applications are available on the Truman home page under student activities (www.trumancollege.edu/aawcc.) Hard copies are also available from Naeema Mahmood in Room 2230 or on the door of Joanne Kalnitz’s office, Room 2744.

The deadline is Friday, February 26, 2010. ■

trumAn’s hOt rOd And tuners Club benefits lOCAl hOmeless serviCeby Alyssa VenableStaff Writer

Truman’s Hot Rods and Tuners Club is holding their annual food drive to ben-efit a community center that provides

shelter and social services to the homeless. Residents for Effective Shelter Transitions (REST) has been helping save lives since the infamous Chicago Blizzard of 1979, when a homeless man froze to death on the streets of Uptown during the record snowfall of that weekend.

Joe Navarro, president of the auto club, and his fellow automotive enthusiasts get to-gether every Wednesday to talk about cars, at-tend car shows, and even work on their own cars in Truman’s tech building. However, they also find time outside of the garage to volun-teer and serve food for REST shelters. “Our sponsor is well-connected to them,” Navarro explains when asked how they found the com-munity center. Their club sponsor, Harold Santamaria, is an automotive training special-ist that volunteers for the community center.

REST celebrated its 30th anniversary last year. The shelter has provided a safe haven for

publiC reAding At-trACts prOfessiOnAl, AmAteur Writersby Oliver HuntNews Editor

An Asian boy, about eight, weaves through a group of older boys who, apparently, are trying out different

systems of steps. They’re all there to audition for the privilege of performing at Uptown’s forthcoming Harvest Dance.

The above two sentences are 36 words. With 477 more, it could kick off a response to a challenge. The challenge has been set forth by Bill Britt, a former Truman student and employee. Some who’ve answered it, a mixed bag of professional and fledging writers- ev-eryone from journalists, teachers, high school students, janitors, policemen and ex-convicts- will read the fruit of their efforts March 13 in Truman’s Novar Hall.

The challenge: write exactly 513 words, no more, no less. Furthermore, include seven specific words, or put five of those seven in the first paragraph. The seven words are drawn from a hat, and for this round the words are Boy, Dance, Privilege, Harvest, Group, Step and System. However, writers can

tens of thousands of people and has placed thousands in permanent housing situations.

The Hot Rod and Tuners Club is attempt-ing to surpass the amount they had previously raised from their food drives. “We raised eas-ily over 400,500 cans last year,” Navarro says. “We’re shooting for 600,000 this year.”

Every 10 cans of food that are donat-ed buys a ticket to the Chicago Auto Show that will be held at McCormick Place from February 12th through the 21st. The tickets are worth $11 each and the Hot Rods will give each donor a maximum of four.

On exhibit at the Chicago Auto Show this year are luxury vehicles such as the Rolls-Royce Phantom and the convertible Lamborghini Spyder, as well as alternative fuel vehicles, hybrids, and concept car mod-els, including the return of the elusive electric car.

The Hot Rods and Tuners Club is not just for automotive technology students. It is for anyone at the school that shares their passion. Even if you know nothing about en-gine grease, you can keep your hands clean and drop off a donation in Room 104 of the Tech Department, also known as the Tool Crib. ■

also choose from the previous two groups of words, which include: blue, bread, fourteen, joystick, pine-nuts, squirrel, and Zamboni (The original group of words), or diverse, ex-cited, impeccable, lexicon, licentious, model, and umbrage (The second group of words). The work in question can be a short story, essay, poem, or whatever the writer chooses so long as those guidelines are followed.

If the guidelines themselves seem arbi-trary, they are. According to event founder Bill Britt, the word count itself has no sig-nificance. “It just occurred to me that was a good number,” Britt says. “One page, easy to write.”

Britt, who’d graduated from Truman in 2001 with an Associates in Fine Art and has worked both in the Cosgrove Library and as a student recruiter, arrived at the idea for the challenge while throwing art receptions. “Art shows are pretty boring, to tell you the truth,” says Britt. “I just wanted to add a little spice.”

The readings happen every six months. Previously held in the Sulzer Library, on Lincoln, the March reading will be its first time at Truman. ■

Photograph by Juan V. Nuño

The Pink Elephant bake sale, one of the events put on to finance the scholarship awarded by AAWCC.

Photograph courtesy of James Kitia

Tanzanian soccer leagues benefit from James Kitia’s organization.

Photograph by Fatima Mohammed Nathan Jones finishes a rendition of “The Black National Anthem.”

“You got a small group of people saying ‘close the campus’, but that isn’t the

nature of the building.”

Ira Hunter,Security Director

PAGE 4 - UPTOWN EXCHANGE - FEbrUAry / 2010 section - news

Tanzanian UpTown ResidenT sponsoRs MkoMbonzi socceR LeagUeby Robert McLeodStaff Writer

Uptown resident James Kitia is part of the Tanzania Community Organization and a Tanzania

Representative of the United African Organization.

Three years ago, Kitia set out to allow young Tanzanian soccer players the same benefits young American players may take for granted, such as a team soccer ball, be-ing part of a well-organized league complete with coaches and referees, and having a jersey for each athlete. From this drive to see the young athletes of his country have these op-portunities, he created the Mkombonzi Sports Organization.

While in Chicago, he committed to send 25 soccer balls to Tanzania every year and

send money to help pay for jerseys and ath-letic staff.

The organization is currently comprised of 16 individual soccer teams that hold tour-naments each year. There are first, second and third place prizes for each of the top three teams that compete. The third place team wins two extra soccer balls and $50 for their team, the second place prize is three extra soccer balls and $80 and the first place prize is five extra soccer balls and $100 for that team.

Kitia continues to look for soccer balls to send to Tanzania and is looking for volunteers to help build a website for the organization.

This year, the season has been put on hold because of the World Cup and Tanzanian elections. In the meantime, the Mkombonzi Sports Organization is hosting workshops and conferences. ■

sTUdenT RaLLy kicks off bLack HisToRy MonTHby Sabrina PerkinsStaff Writer

Truman College kicked off Black History Month events on Monday, February 1 with an opening ceremo-

ny in the front lobby. The ceremony opened with “The Black National Anthem” sung by student Nathan Jones and was followed by an opening speech from Interim President Lynn Walker. “Truman is a place for everybody,” re-marked President Walker, “where stereotypes are broken down and transcended.”

The opening ceremony also included guest speaker Mr. Arnold Romeo, the Director of African Affairs for the Commission on Human Relations, and keynote speaker Prexy Nesbitt, a social activist and educator.

The ceremony was the start of a month full of events in celebration of black history.

Every Wednesday in February, the cafe-

teria will be offering soul food in addition to the regular menu. Every Thursday in February, students are encouraged to wear their best African attire or to wear red, green, and black clothing. On Tuesday, February 16, Truman College students and residents of Uptown are encouraged to wear red in order to draw atten-tion to the United States 2010 Census. Movies such as “The Hurricane,” “Rosewood,” and “Four Little Girls” will be showing in the student lounge. There will also be a series of lectures presented by Dr. Anghesom Atsbaha regarding Africa. Finally, there is The Elements of Hip-Hop Expo that will high-light four elements of hip-hop such as graffiti, breakdancing, deejaying, and emceeing.

“The program has been put together to include events that are for everyone” said Deon Lopez from Student Activities.

A complete list of Black History Month events can be found at http://www.ccc.edu/Files/BHMTR2010.pdf. ■

TRUMan UpgRades secURiTy 2010Security director plans more improvementsby David PalmEditor-In-Chief

New uniforms, security website im-provements and replacement of re-tired staff are the main security up-

grades at Truman College this semester.“One of the main problems with security

in the past was lack of visibility,” said Truman student Stephen Wilson. “They blended in perfectly with all the other green-wearing staffers.” Ira Hunter, security director of the college, said that the problem was noted and that new black uniforms were purchased so that security would stand out in the hallways instead of just being seen in the booths.

Hunter plans to set up a more prop-er website for security. He claims that the current website is not very easy to find and needs up-dating. He wants to add information about how to stay safe in and around campus.

Some new staff has been hired recently, Hunter said. He pointed out that the security team is not expanding but merely replacing retired personnel. He still needs to replace three more guards.

Truman security staff consists of either active or retired law enforcement officers in the state of Illinois. They all received some in-house training regarding policies and dif-

ferent scenarios, as well as customer service, according to Hunter.

Several students have responded posi-tively to the new staff. “It’s nice to see some people without gray hair around here,” Wilson said. While Andrew Jackson, another student, mentioned younger guards make him feel safer.

Interim President Lynn Walker is pleased with the recent upgrades, but mentioned that there is always room for improvement. Hunter plans on gathering ideas for improve-ments by creating focus groups, as well as bringing security issues up at the next faculty council meeting. He emphasizes that security can be improved, but the ideas have to be re-

alistic. “You got a small group of people saying ‘close the campus’, but that isn’t the nature of the building.” Hunter said. It is “almost im-possible” to have ID checks at the six differ-ent doors into the col-lege, especially with a lot of the people with-out IDs are going to

the community events taking place.There are no district-wide policies set

by the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) dis-trict office, according to Elsa Tullos, CCC spokesperson. We invest in “maintaining and increasing the number of security cameras district-wide,” as well as maintaining the CCC Emergency Alert System, she said.

Truman security budget for fiscal year 2010 is approximately $1.2 million. ■

UPTOWN EXCHANGE - FEbrUArTy / 2010 - PAGE 5Feature - section

No first Dib(s) hereSub-par food kills moodby Avelyn IsadaCopy Editor

Romantic fittingly describes the atmo-sphere at Dib. Jazzy music whispers from the background and candles can

be found scattered and alight on the tables and window sills inside this cozy restaurant. The dim lighting, the tables that either sit two or four, as well as the booths on the far wall, invite intimate conversations to be made.

Indeed, Dib is a great place for a date night, provided that you and your significant other do not care much for eating.

The cuisine at Dib is billed as Thai and Pan-Asian. Their menu boasts of selections ranging from curries and noodles to teriyakis and the like. Sushi is given a particular em-phasis.

Emphasis, unfortunately, does not always translate to quality. Their sushi turned out to be a forewarning of the string of disappoint-ments to come.

Sushi at Dib comes straight from the su-shi bar and is served along with their appetiz-ers. The two I had a chance to sample were not only lacking in presentation, but also in flavor and excitement.

The Spicy Salmon Maki was passable at best. Despite adding little to the food’s tex-ture, the shredded salmon worked well in fla-vor with the crunch of the cucumbers. The

chili oil drizzled on the side allows the diner to adjust the spiciness according to taste.

The New York Maki, on the other hand, only tasted of the cream cheese that was stuffed to the brim, masking the flavors of the eel and avocado. It is also drenched in a sweet sauce that buried, rather than accented, the individual components of the maki.

Directly under the appetizers section, the Chicken Yakitori was a tempting visual feast… if only for presentation’s sake. The grilled chicken, along with an alternating ar-ray of colorful vegetables, were threaded on a skewer and rested atop its sauce and a side salad. Regrettably, the chicken turned out to be dry and the sauce, which contained the en-tire flavor of the dish, did not percolate into the meat at all.

Their entrees didn’t fare much differ-ently.

The Beef Teriyaki was, like the Chicken Yakitori, dry and sorely lacking in flavor. The thin slices of beef depended on its too-sweet sauce for any semblance of taste. It came with a bowl of rice, a side salad, and miso soup.

The Panang Beef Curry, served with rice, had an interesting composition of flavor. The creaminess of the coconut milk is what first hits the senses before the palate is reminded of the curry and the kick of the spices sets in. However, a heaping plateful of the meat swimming in the sauce will become tedious and will later overwhelm, lest other flavors are

mixed in.The Hawaiian Fried Rice, though, was

the bright, tropical spot of the evening. It was a rainbow of goodwill served with pine-apples, mangoes, tomatoes, peas and onions, all topped off with cashews. The vibrant col-ors and varying textures are a feast for the senses.

Food aside, service at Dib requires pa-tience. During my visit, patrons were rushed in between courses in order to bring out other orders, as well as to speed up their dining process and clear more room for new customers.

The restaurant certainly is not huge and was more than managed by the two servers circulating the tables. Water was refilled periodically, sure enough, but getting the check was surprisingly near impossible. After almost a half an hour of waiting, I was finally handed the check by an-other server – leaving mine shocked to find my friend and I packing our doggy bags and leaving.

In all, the price range alone, from $7-$15 for most individual dishes, is

hardly worth the subpar food and service de-spite the charming decor.

If you do decide to go, bring a date, eat beforehand, and prepare to stare each other in the eyes – it is one sure way to bide the time. ■

Mon-Thu: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri-Sat: 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sun: 12 p.m.-10 p.m.1025 W. Lawrence Ave, Chicago, Il 60640 (At N Kenmore Ave)

Beware, sushi at Dib is not the city’s best. Featured here (clockwise from top-left): Salmon Maki and New York Maki; The Panang Beef Curry is just one of four curry options at Dib. This dish, along with the Red, Green, and Mussamun curries, comes with a choice of meat from either chicken, beef or tofu; Thai Iced Coffee; An order of Chicken Yakitori at Dib consists of two skewers-worth atop a side salad and sauce; Dib’s take on Teriyaki: slices of beef filet and too-sweet sauce; One of the restaurant’s signature dishes, the Hawaiian Fried Rice is a vegan-friendly dish.

Photographs by Avelyn Isada and Reshaine Ferrera

UPTOWN EXCHANGE - fEbrUAry / 2010 section - news

Truman’s aspiraTion Goal for a 10 in 2010by Juan V. Nuño

by Andrew Murray

Staff Writer

A&E Editor

On March 22 to 24, Truman College will be reviewed by representa-tives from the Higher Learning

Commission (HLC) who will decide whether Truman College has fulfilled its mission and goals in order to extend Truman’s accredita-tion for another 10 years.

Truman College’s accreditation repre-sents an important evaluation for the insti-tution. It is like a “license to operate,” said Helen Valdez, the Mathematics Chairperson at Truman College. “The accreditation is a very serious review for the school,” she said and affirmed that Truman College has been preparing for this event for the last three years by submitting different documents like a self-study to the HLC.

According to the U.S. Department

of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs, “the goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality.”

As stated in its website, Truman’s mis-sion is “to de-liver high-qual-ity, innovative, affordable and accessible edu-cational oppor-tunities and ser-vices that pre-pare students for a rapidly changing and diverse global economy.”

Based on walk-through evaluations and inspections of documents, the HLC of the North Central Association of Colleges and

Schools will determine if the work that has been done at the institution fulfills Truman’s mission and purpose, Lynn Walker, Interim President of Truman College said.

According to William J. Settles, Professor and Coordinator for Truman’s self-study, Truman College’s re-accreditation is “crucial and will have an impor-tant impact on students.”

W a l k e r stressed that the

re-accreditation of Truman College “will de-termine if the school will still be able to pro-vide financial aid, grants and resources for students.” It will also give students the ben-efits of transferring college credits received at

Truman and to get a cheaper way to continue to attend college, Walker said.

Although part of the visit from the HLC will consist of meetings with students in or-der to hear their experience at Truman, the involvement of students with this accredita-tion has been small, Settles said.

Students like Anahi Cervantes have not heard anything about this event, “I don’t know what Truman’s accreditation is for,” Cervantes said. For this reason, among other things, the school will start meeting with stu-dents to introduce what is going to happen, how the school is addressing the accreditation and the importance of this event for Truman, Walker said.

The accreditation team is expected to consist of six people who are experts and con-sulting evaluators. Administrators are hoping for high scores in this review of the college in order to continue to offer high-quality ser-vices to students at Truman College. ■

Truman College’s re-accredi-tation is “crucial and will have an

important impact on students.”

William J. Settles, Professor and Coordinator of Truman’s

self-study

-OPINION- -ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT-

leTTer To The ediTor

I have attached an open letter I sent to the CTA:

To whom it may concern at the CTA:

I am a full time student at Truman College. I am also a disabled veteran.

I have a military service pass that I was given by CTA. The military service pass al-lows me to ride on CTA vehicles as much as I need to. It is not transferable, so I am the only one that can use it. I greatly appreciate this program, just like several thousand other disabled veterans do as well.

I feel that there should be some way for a full-time student that has a military service pass to opt-out of participating in the U-PASS program at their school, and not have to pay

the fees associated with that program.I feel that while I am in school my mili-

tary service pass is useless because I am still required to pay for the U-PASS whether I use it or not, essentially making my service to our country not be recognized correctly by the Military Service Pass program (the way it was intended to).

I would appreciate being put in contact with someone who could help fix this so that other students that are also disabled veterans do not have to pay for something that they should not have to.

Dear Editor,

Thank you for your time,

Neal

Veteran of the Iraq War

WhaT To WaTch for…Flogging Molly Kick Off St. Patrick’s Day Early

While most people will be celebrat-ing St. Patrick’s Day on its tradi-tional date of March 17th, some

Chicago residents will have cause to observe the festivities a few days earlier.

Uptown’s very own Aragon Ballroom will host Celtic punk outfit Flogging Molly as they wrap up the final few stops of their 6th annu-al “Green 17 Tour” on Saturday, March 13th.

The tour, which began in Dallas on February 9th and ends appropriately on March 17th in Phoenix, has become a yearly tradition in which the band stretches out the St. Patrick’s Day celebration for weeks and ends with one final blowout on the official holiday.

Started in Los Angeles in 1997, the band rose from obscurity through years of hard work and persistent touring, combining the styles of traditional Irish folk and punk rock. Dublin-born frontman Dave King formed the band with his now wife and fellow band-mate Bridget Regan at Hollywood pub Molly Malone’s, from which the band derived its name. With influences from similar bands be-fore them such as The Pogues and The Clash, Flogging Molly’s sound ranges from rowdy to somber, often as a result of lyrics touching on subjects such as Ireland and its history, poli-tics, drinking, love and death.

Known in the punk community as a live band first and foremost, their shows have become legendary for their high energy and emotion which has further attracted fans through the years.

The Chicago performance will be fresh on the heels of a new live release by the band entitled “Live At The Greek Theatre” which hits store shelves March 2nd.

Kansas City quartet The Architects, as well as folk/punk singer-songwriter Frank Turner, share opening duties. ■

Flogging Mollyw/ The Architects and Frank Turner Saturday, March 13, 2010 7:00 p.m. (Doors @ 6:00)Aragon Ballroom – 1106 W. Lawrence, Chicago, ILPhone: 773.561.9500Advance Ticket Price: $29.25 – All AgesPhotograph by Lindsay Hutchens

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UPTOWN EXCHANGE - FEbrUAry / 2010 - PAGE 7A & E - sEction

FURBALL by Nefertiti Abdulmalik

ACROSS

DOWN1. nihonjinn2. supporter of one’s work7. fastest absorbing sugar8. 75% earth & 85% human body9. waiting to die10. the economists over use14. wings on your body15. who got Al Capone18. fuel for the body

3. food & drinks4. Run DMC (walk this way)5. “something wicked this way comes”6. Beatles’ submarine11. queen of egypt and Uptown Exchange

12. dark liquid13. what Aunt Annie’s is famous for14. recycling16. kings, queens & bishops collide

17. broke & quick19. portable machine20. hardest level 99

CrossWordCreated by Karl Dingle

February calendarMonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

• Bible Club Meeting, 3pm – 5pm, Rm. 1917 @ Truman College

• Phi Theta Kappa Orientation, 1pm – 3pm, Rm. 3440 @ Tru-man College

• Stankstar w/ guests, 9pm @ The Kinetic Playground

• The Gimmick, 7:30 pm @ Pegasus Players

• The Dirty Diamonds w/ Guests, 9pm @ The Kinetic Playground

• Alan Gresik Swing Shift Orchestra, 9pm @ Green Mill Jazz Club

• The Gimmick, 8 pm @ Pegasus Players

• Vibesquad w/ guests, 9pm @ The Kinetic Playground

• Explosion Nortena, 7pm @ The Aragon Ballroom


• Big Gigantic w/ guests, 9pm @The Kinetic Playground


Mid –Term

• Chesterbrown, 9pm @The Kinetic Playground

• ESL Registration, 12:30pm – 4:30pm, Caf-eteria@ Truman College



• Moe., 8pm @ The Riviera


• Jack Straw w/ Special Guest, 9pm @ The Kinetic Playground

• Moe., 8pm @ The Riviera


• This Must Be The Band, 9pm @ The Kinetic Playground


• JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound, 9pm @ The Tonic Room



• 513 Words: A Public Reading, 6pm – 9pm, Novar Hall @ Truman College


• Flogging Molly, 6pm @ The Aragon Ballroom


• Ray Davies, 8pm @ The Riviera

• Kicksville, 9pm @ The Kinetic Play-ground

Sunday


• Uptown Poetry Slam, 7pm @ Green Mill Jazz Club






• Transfer Expo, 12pm – 3pm, Front Lobby@ Truman College





• Alice In Chains, 8pm @ The Aragon Ballroom

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Aragon Ballroom: 1106 W Lawrence•Big Chicks: 5024 N Sheridan•Black Ensemble Theater: 4520 N •BeaconFat Cat: 4840 N Broadway•

National Pastime: 4139 N Broadway•Pegasus Players: Profiles Theatre: 4147 N •BroadwayRiviera Theatre: 4746 N Racine•The Annoyance Theatre: 4830 N Broadway•

VenueLocationsThe Green Mill: 4802 N Broadway•The Kinetic Playground: 1113 W •LawrenceThe Spot: 4437 N Broadway•

March calendar

spring 2010 feb. issue uptown exchange

Documents

truman college faculty

collegelevel math program

food drive

math department chairperson

math department professor

malcolm x college

truman teachers

truman college website