ISU VOLLEYBALL LOOKS ISU STUDENT FINDS AND LOSES LOVE ON MTV TO SMASH THIS SEASON FEATURES 7 SPORTS 8

MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016 videtteonline Vol. 129 / No. 01

ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY’S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1888 Relaxed pot laws change little on campus While marijuana criminal penalties have been removed in , ISU offenders still face consequences

TOM HEAGNEY of any amount and possession of more than 10 grams are cannabis related violations.” News Reporter | @TomHeagney arrestable offenses even under the new law. In addition, Student penalties levied by the Office of Student Conduct Woodruff said that students caught with less than 10 grams and Conflict Resolution for possession of any amount of Illinois State University students excited about the state’s will still have their marijuana confiscated and be referred cannabis are quite steep. According to the office’s Alcohol recent marijuana decriminalization bill should think twice to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution and Other Drug Sanctioning Grid, a first-time offender in about lighting one up on campus to celebrate. and to the State’s Attorney’s Office for related civil fines. possession of less than 15 grams of marijuana is subject to Senate Bill 2228, signed into law by Gov. Bruce Rauner “Officers will still arrest individuals if they appear to be a $150 fine and mandatory participation in a Marijuana 101 on July 29, removes criminal penalties for those found in driving while impaired by alcohol, cannabis or any other program. Possession or use of more than 15 grams subjects possession of 10 grams or less of marijuana and also does substance,” Woodruff said. “However, the Illinois State students to a $200 fine as well as a two-semester minimum away with the state’s “zero tolerance” policy regarding state Police Labs are still determining how best to process the disciplinary probation. DUI laws. Under prior legislation, offenders found in pos- test results for Distribution or sale of less than 15 grams session of up to 28 grams of the drug faced misdemeanor the appropri- of marijuana is subject to a two-semester conviction, probation and jail time. ate levels minimum disciplinary probation and $300 Previously, drivers found with any trace of marijuana in of THC fine, while distribution or sale of more than their system, regardless of whether they were intoxicated f o r 15 grams can result in a two-semester mini- at the time, faced DUI arrest and conviction. The new law mum probation, a $400 fine automatically requires that offenders have at least five nanograms of THC billed to the student’s account, completion in their system before being considered for such charges. of off-campus counseling and potential Despite the statewide change in law and a widely drug testing and other conditions upon anticipated shift in attempts to combat marijuana return to campus. usage, offenders on campus are subject to dif- “In regard to Student Conduct and Con- ferent circumstances. flict Resolution, this change in state law “As an institution which receives federal does not affect our educational response funding through student loans and grants, to students who violate the Code of Student we cannot permit cannabis use on campus Conduct,” Student Conduct and Conflict as long as it remains illegal on a federal Resolution Office Coordinator Michael level,” ISU Police Chief Aaron Woodruff Zajac said. “[The penalties listed in the said. sanctioning grid] are our typical, mini- While Woodruff said the majority of mum response to alcohol and other drug ISU Police Department’s cannabis cases violations of our code of Student Conduct.” are for possession of less than 10 grams, he invites students to remember that sale Connect Transit New student housing plan set for May 2017 receives new routes, schedules STEPHANIE RODRIGUEZ make our best case argu- News Reporter | @StephanieRoddd ment for our client’s end goal and hope that we KEVIN SCHWALLER New student housing across are persuasive enough News Reporter | @kevschwa the street from Hancock Stadium to get a majority to see is set to replace a former Super the benefit of our plans,” Students that use the Connect Pantry convenience store that has Arbuckle said. “In this Transit buses can expect some been vacant since the its closure case, support of the new changes this school year. three years ago. Commission was a little The Bloomington-Normal bus The closed convenience store more expected because system rolled out new fares and sits across the street from the Illi- the site has been vacant routes last Monday. The new nois State University water tower for a while and has some structure now gives riders the next to Hancock Stadium. other issues limiting its option to buy $3 one-day passes. Brown Enterprises, a Blooming- development with its Seven-day passes are available for ton company that builds student current zoning.” $10, and the 30-day fixed route and residential housing, hopes to By other issues, pass increased from $29 to $32. convert this abandoned store into Arbuckle is referring Single-ride fares are still available campus-assessable student living. to a covenant that the for $1. The Town of Normal Plan- Normal Planning Com- Connect Transit Business ning Commission unanimously mission said will not Development Manager Melissa approved the change of zoning for allow a convenient store Anna Gallagher | Vidette Photographer Construction for new student housing across Hancock Stadium will begin May 2017. Chrisman says the company has the site during its Aug. 4 meeting to be on the site. This, been helping customers transition earlier this month. along with the location, of the best student housing in the booming on many major col- into new routes and fares. Owner of Brown Enterprises helped make the case for new stu- “The administrative team has country.” lege campuses including ISU’s,” John Brown and architect Rus- dent housing easier for Brown This is not the first time that Arbuckle said. “In Normal, it is a been hard at work with hosting sell Arbuckle of EA Architecture & Enterprises. numerous educational sessions Brown and Arbuckle teamed up very competitive marketplace and Design, Inc. were present during Brown said the location of the on a student housing project. The to make these projects work finan- with the public and presentations the rezoning meeting. According new housing — the corner of Main with community partners. We pair have worked together before cially, the project has to be at or to the planning commission min- and Willow — will become a build- on two other campus apartment near the top of the market. It is have explained the process of what utes, the pair had gotten all of the ing that the community will be to expect with the new routes and projects. a high bar that is continually on required soil testing cleared with- proud of. As the number of incoming the rise.” have done personalized trip plan- out stipulation before going in “This is an A+ location for Illi- ning on the new routes,” Chrisman freshman and transfer students Arbuckle and Brown both said front of the planning commission. nois State University students,” increases every year, Arbuckle that the project is expected to said. “Over the next several weeks, After the approval of the proj- Brown said. “[It is] very close to we have events on the ISU campus feels that student housing in an start construction in May of next ect, Arbuckle said he felt a sense campus and an added bonus for important element in Normal and year, or possibly sooner, and will to continue to spread the word to of relief. student athletes as it is across incoming students.” towns like it. be ready for occupancy in August “It is always a bit of a nervous the street from the newly reno- “With student enrollment of 2018 with pre-rental beginning feeling when approaching a com- vated Hancock Stadium. My team see ROUTES page 5 appearing to be on the rise, before that. mission or council. Obviously, we looks forward to providing some the student housing market is PRESENTS THE Fall back ’BIRD into the THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016 videtteonline Vol. 129 / No. 02 swing Syllabus day or syllabus week?

MALLORY LOVINGS News Reporter | @mallorylovings of things The first week of classes is better known as “syl- labus week” at Illinois State University, but whether students and professors use this time to prepare is a different story. Syllabus week is notorious for being a week full of fun for students. Many attend their classes unpre- pared with the assumption that lecture and class work will be pushed off until the next week. “I believe that the paradigm that students are entering the class with is that today is syllabus day and then we are done,” ISU communication profes- sor Jodi Hallsten-Lyczak said. “Even if I told them we had homework, I think that half of them would be like, ‘Oh yeah, I didn’t get the book.’” Hallsten-Lyczak is a laid-back professor and understands students need to get back into the swing of things. However, she is a firm believer students do not need an entire week before jumping into course content. While she says syllabus week should be more like syllabus day, she does use the week to tweak her les- son plans and make sure everything is good to hit the ground running. “That’s what I think… it’s obviously not what I do, but it’s like, do what I say and not as I do,” Hallsten- Lyczak said. When it comes to students, most are not fans of the professors that dive right into lectures, even though upperclassmen might find their syllabi more vigorous than incoming freshmen. “I think we should do nothing the first week,” freshmen elementary education major Jessica Eberly said. “I feel like it’s just getting all of the classes started and getting everything together and making new friends. For me at least, since I’m a freshman.” For students in their major courses and taking higher-level classes, their view of syllabus week changes. Even though they would appreciate a week of adjusting from summer back to being a full-time student, they realize they are here to learn. “I feel like people are going to hate me,” sopho- more biology-chemistry major Hana Koppel said. see SYLLABUS page 6

Bloomington mayor announces bid for second term News PAGE 3

Former Redbird lands a date with Aly Raisman Junior mass media communications major Anthony Irsuto studies on the Quad between classes. Sports PAGE 8 Photograph by JENNA KADZIULIS | Vidette Photo Editor ISU STUDENT SPEAKS WOMEN’S SOCCER OUT ABOUT CANCER SCORES FIRST WIN FEATURES 7 SPORTS 8

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 videtteonline Vol. 129 / No. 03

ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY’S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1888 Corn Fest welcomes Redbirds to campus Uptown Normal hosted the annual Sweet Corn Blues Festival this weekend, serving over 20 tons of fresh corn

STEPHANIE RODRIGUEZ the I Am Normal booth. Though News Reporter | @StephanieRoddd college students got one free, the price of one ear of cooked corn for For over 40 years, the Sweet everyone else was only 50 cents. Corn Blues Festival has cel- While one cooked ear was only ebrated the crop that best two quarters, a bag of a dozen raw represents central Illinois while ears was available for $4. Tulley bringing community members said that they like to keep the and college students together. prices low to keep the corn acces- Uptown Manager Joseph Tulley sible and popular. said that planning for this event Though corn was the main usually goes smoothly because focus, there was also live blues most participants have been a music during the festival. The part of it for decades. music was sponsored by local “It’s a community-oriented radio station WGLT, which festival that has a couple of dif- chose the bands that performed ferent focuses,” Tulley said. “We throughout the two days. have flea market-style vender Tulley said his favorite aspects booths up and down the streets of of the festival are the two corn- Uptown Normal, we have a large eating contests, one for adults and section of local non-for-profits one for children. and we have a variety of street “I like the fun, down-home food. Most importantly we have aspect of the sweet corn eating a large corn cooking tent that is contest and I like that we have run by a variety of volunteers.” kids and adults,” Tulley said. “It’s Of course no celebration of corn Anna Gallagher | Vidette Photographer probably the most authentic cel- would be complete without the ISU students received free ears of corn with their student IDs. ebration of the corn.” corn — and a lot of it. Tulley said In an attempt to encourage fes- Tulley hopes that the festival … and this is a place where we can corn festival in town so we thought the festival goes through about 20 tival-goers to ride their bikes, the can help keep the relationship all enjoy the same space and have as freshman we should go out tons of sweet corn each year: about Friends of the Constitution Trail between citizens and students a good time,” Tulley said. and see it,” Wyrzykowski said. 12 on its first day and eight on the offered free valet-style bicycle strong by giving them common Illinois State University fresh- “We also heard one of the perks second. parking. Free parking for cars was ground. man Samantha Wyrzykowski of being a student is that you get “It happens every year the week- available on the College Avenue “[The festival] is very popu- heard about the festival through free corn so we thought it would be ­ end after ISU starts and part of the deck during both days. lar among our citizens so it’s an a friend and said that she likes nice to come to the festival.” point is that it’s a welcome back to opportunity for them and the stu- that these kind of events happen All students, not just those from ISU students,” Tulley said. “We dents to comingle in a friendly in Normal. ISU, were able to get a free but- Check out the related have it every year at that time spe- environment, sometimes that “My friend found out from her tered ear of corn if they presented photo gallery at cifically so we get students coming dynamic can be a little adversarial Spanish teacher that there was a their student identification card at in and they can explore the town.” videtteonline.com ISU enrollment numbers continue to grow

EMA SASIC for all public colleges and univer- News Editor | @ema_sasic sities in Illinois, that this is really good and remarkable news for Illi- As Illinois State University wraps up its nois State,” Chief of Staff Jay Groves first week of the 2016-2017 school year, said. more than 21,000 students are currently Groves said many of ISU’s notable enrolled based on first-day numbers, an features are why enrollment num- increase of about 300. bers continue to grow. According to WGLT, freshman num- “As President Dietz always says, bers are up as well. ISU has set a 27-year parents and students shop uni- record for freshmen at 3,651, compared to versities for the best value for the last year’s 3,612. investment and after making the “University administration, Enrollment comparisons they vote with their Management and the entire campus com- feet, and a lot of those feet are trav- munity can be proud of these incredible eling to Illinois State,” he said. numbers,” Director of Admissions Jeff “The word is out about our top Mavros said. “They are a testament to the 10 percent graduation and reten- strength of the Illinois State brand and tion rates in the country, about our the work of so many faculty and staff who low student debt, our low percent- make the University such a special place age of students who default on their for students.” loans. Those are the kind of things Despite problems with state funding, that students and their families are ISU has continued to grow in enrollment looking for when investing in a uni- compared to other public universities. versity and Illinois State fills the bill Southern Illinois University, Eastern and more on those accounts.” Illinois University and Western Illinois With numbers growing, Groves Infographic by Jeremy Burcenski | Vidette Art Director University have seen declines. said the school is within a “fairly “Those are preliminary and those num- comfortable margin” for the to providing an affordable, high-quality personal, student-centered attention that bers could change, but I think the big story resources, faculty and staff members education and world-class student ser- has been the hallmark of an Illinois State is that given the current economic and available at the university. vices, and we are careful not to exceed the education for decades. political climate in Illinois, particularly “The University manages enrollment limits of our resources,” Mavros said. Official enrollment numbers will be with the budget impasse last year and what strategically and considers the student Students will enjoy the same level of released on the 10th day of classes. a difficult recruiting environment it was experience at all times. We are committed