2018 Year in Review: Our top campus news stories

2018 Year in Review

2018 was an eventful year on campus. While students mobilized to tackle sexual assault and improve mental health resources on campus, administrators responded to a surprise budget deficit and new regulations from the Trump administration on Title IX and the use of race in admissions. Check out our top stories from the campus desk:

1. Evanston campus put on lockdown during gun hoax

On March 14, the Evanston campus was put on lockdown after a man called the Evanston Police Department and said he shot his girlfriend in Engelhart Hall, a graduate student housing dorm. The call was determined to be “swatting,” an attempt by a prank caller to mobilize a large number of police officers, but the incident brought out concerns about the University’s emergency preparedness. Read more:

• Reports of man with gun on campus determined to be hoax, “swatting incident”
• Students raise concerns about emergency notification system after gun scare
• Gun scare shines light on culture of productivity
• NU to upgrade emergency evacuation plan, establish committee to address campus safety
• Eight months after gun hoax, University releases video on emergency protocol

2. University administrators cut spending due to budget deficit

In January, Provost Jonathan Holloway announced to Faculty Senate that the University would end the fiscal year in a $50 million to $100 million budget deficit. (The fiscal year goes from September to August). Soon after, administrators announced they would stall building and technology projects. Holloway initially described it as an “annoyance,” but the shortfall soon became more of a problem. In interviews with The Daily, Holloway said estimates of the deficit kept getting worse as the summer approached. The chief financial officer, Nim Chinniah, resigned in April. And in July, the University fired about 80 people and left about 80 more positions vacant. Administrators have since scaled back operations, including custodial services and the ice rink. Schools and departments were told to make cuts of their own, which led to cuts to student group funding and even more layoffs. Northwestern hasn’t announced final 2018 numbers, but administrators are optimistic about 2019 and beyond. Read more:

• Northwestern to defer projects, filling faculty positions to make up for projected deficit
• Northwestern reducing administrative staff to combat budget deficit
• ASG announces emergency fund to student groups struggling with budget cuts
• President Schapiro says the budget deficit was ‘substantially worse’ than he expected
• Administration sees better budget outlook than previously expected

3. The push for department status

In January, students in the Latina and Latino Studies Program and Asian American Studies Program launched a campaign to gain recognition as departments. The Latinx Asian American Collective pushed for department status for more funding, tenure-line faculty and its symbolic power. While the group hasn’t achieved that goal, the two programs are poised to receive tenured faculty soon. Read more:

• In fight for department status, LLSP, AASP students stress importance of ethnic studies
• Petition for Latinx, Asian American Studies departments exceeds goal after social media pushes
• Dining transition, tuition increase, Latinx Asian American Collective discussed at community dialogue

4. Alec Klein leaves Northwestern after accusations of “predatory” behavior

In February, former students and employees accused Alec Klein of “controlling, discriminatory, emotionally and verbally abusive behavior” while working at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. Klein denied the allegations, but took a leave of absence. A month after the initial allegations, the group of women, who called themselves “Medill Me Too,” said 19 more women reached out about similar experiences with Klein. The University said in July it “cannot confirm the details that have been made public” about Klein. He resigned from Northwestern in August. Read more:

• Former Medill students, employees accuse Prof. Alec Klein of ‘predatory’ behavior
• Following harassment allegations, 2 former MJP employees receive cease-and-desist letter from Klein
• In letter to Klein accusers, Medill professors show support, say they’re listening
• 19 more women accuse Medill Prof. Alec Klein of inappropriate behavior
• University spokesman releases statement, issues apology regarding Medill Prof. Alec Klein

5. Title IX and sexual assault take center stage

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos unveiled in November a highly-anticipated proposal of Title IX regulations that would boost the rights of those accused of sexaul misconduct on college campuses. The proposal was met with immediate backlash from those who fear the rules would make campuses less safe, but students and administrators have been grappling with sexual assault and misconduct the whole year. Read more:

• Title IX rules could reduce Northwestern’s liability to investigate sexual assault claims, boost due process procedures
• Student leaders focus on protecting students as SAE returns to campus
• Catholic Students Association, Sheil Catholic Center grapple with national sex abuse scandal
• Office of Equity sees uptick in sexual misconduct reports following Ford testimony
• As sexual violence takes center stage, new University initiatives will test administrators’ grasp of student concerns

6. Race in admissions comes under scrutiny
Race-conscious admissions was under heavy scrutiny. In July, the federal government rolled back Obama-era guidelines that encouraged the use of race in college admissions. Amid a U.S. Justice Department investigation, rejected applicants brought Harvard to trial after accusing the school of bias against Asian-American applicants. Administrators said the outcome won’t substantially change Northwestern’s admission practices, but even President Morton Schapiro couldn’t help from speculating. Read more:

• Northwestern says it won’t make changes to admissions after Trump administration rescinds Obama-era guidance
• As Harvard’s admissions trial begins, University officials say lawsuit won’t affect Northwestern
• Harvard admissions trial shines spotlight on race-conscious admissions, value of diversity in higher education
• Northwestern stays in background as its peers are scrutinized on admission practices

7. Students take on mental health

Amid a number of student deaths by suicide, students began to take on efforts to improve their mental health. They also urged administrators to do more, including the age-old call to allocate more money to Counseling and Psychological Services. Read more:

• Students demand mental health reform, criticize administration’s prior efforts
• Northwestern reaches out to parents as a part of mental health initiative
• Student initiative seeks to improve mental health at NU
• Juniors to bring chapter of national mental health organization to NU
• CAPS to hire two staff members to assist with rapid response screening

8. Northwestern commemorates Bursar’s Office Takeover

Northwestern celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Bursar’s Office Takeover, when black students in 1968 peacefully occupied the office to protest the black student experience at Northwestern. But as the University celebrated the legacy of the protest, students today say some of the demands have not yet been met. Read more:

• In Focus: Fifty years after Bursar’s Office Takeover, Northwestern reconciles continued parallels in black student concerns
• Students demand University action on black student experience, departmentalization, dining transition
• Panelists discuss Bursar’s Office Takeover, culture for black students at NU
• Black alumni, University officials gather for symbolic groundbreaking ceremony at Black House

9. International students face a stricter future under Trump
The Trump administration has imposed stricter regulations on visas, including those issued to international students and scholars. Among the changes are rules that make it easier to ban visa-holders who overstay their visa from reentering the country. Read more:

• With international students facing more restrictions, Northwestern seeks to increase support
• NU’s international students to face stricter visa rules under Trump’s new policies
• Northwestern signals opposition to stricter visa rules on unlawful presence

10. Compass brings new dining to Northwestern

With Sodexo and Aramark out and Compass in, the Evanston campus saw Frontera Fresco and The Kiln replaced by new restaurants like MOD Pizza and The Budlong Hot Chicken. Dining halls went nut free, but students still raised concerns about accommodations for food allergies. Meanwhile, dining hall workers were concerned about the uncertainty surrounding the transition. Read more:

• Compass, service workers’ union reach agreement on dining transition
• New food service provider says it won’t use federal E-Verify program
• Compass Group to bring new direction to Norris dining on July 1
• Compass goes nut-free in effort to accommodate students with allergies
• Despite better student engagement, Compass struggles to accommodate diet restrictions