Champaign citizens complained at city council meetings on Oct. 20 and Nov. 10 that the use of force policy is too dangerous. The policy says if a person attempts to resist or flee from arrest, verbal persuasion, non-deadly force and deadly force can be used against them.

“Through a FOIA request of the State Attorney’s office, CU Citizens for Peace and Justice got a list of all the criminal juvenile cases filed in Champaign County from January 2008 through October of 2009.” said Durl Kruse, a member of CU Citizens for Peace and Justice.

Champaign Urbana Citizens for Peace and Justice developed a formal statement for the meeting, which included concerns and proposals regarding use of force in Champaign. The statement focused on the lack of detailed “levels of use of force” language, confusing language, new controversial technologies added without public input or council consent, lack of multi-layer investigation and review and lack of public input as a whole.

City council member and deputy mayor, Michael LaDue, called for the study session that took place on Nov. 10, to give citizens an opportunity to sort out confusion concerning use of force and 15-year-old Carrington’s death.

“I thought the community needed it. I thought the council needed clarification,” said LaDue. He hoped citizens would realize the new five page policy was not replacing the older and longer policy from 2005.

Council member, Karen Foster, agreed that, “citizens thought that they included new policies without our knowledge. Actually, the policies were in there before, but in a different form.”

The Champaign police department created this Oct. 1 version with tighter language to be considered for the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program as well as the Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies in order to gain state and national accreditation. LaDue said the Oct. 1 policy “is the abridged process.” The newer and shorter policy will admit the Champaign Police Department to these programs to improve its standards based on these groups’ guidelines.

By calling the meeting on Nov. 10, LaDue believed, “It would be a useful opportunity for the police to speak for themselves.” Since the issue has become so controversial, he added, “More communication about this would be a hell of a lot better than less.”

The community members who spoke at the meeting reiterated the idea that the people who make and enforce the laws for the rest of the community must represent the people themselves. More than one speaker voiced concern for racial unbalance between police and citizens and many were worried about their children, since Carrington, who was so young, was shot.

The 2006-2008 census documents 15.3 percent of Champaign citizens as black. Compared to the 2007/2008 CPD Annual Report, which says 84 percent of custodial arrests were African-American, racial unbalance seems to exist in Champaign, at least statistically.

When focusing on juvenile cases, which many parents and relatives voiced was a concern at the city council meetings, it becomes clear that racial unbalance concerning legal action can begin at a young age. About 20 percent of Champaign County is comprised of juveniles under the age of 18. Blacks under 18 account for 11.5 percent of this population and whites for 78 percent of juveniles.

The majority of juveniles in Champaign County are white; however, of the 525 total juvenile cases, only 106 were white; 384 were black.

This information seems off balance to Kruse. “Could law enforcement intentionally be charging black juveniles more aggressively than white juveniles?” Kruse said. According to this demographic data, which represents juvenile cases from Jan. 2008 through Oct. 2009, and was provided by the State Attorney Julia Rietz’s office, it is “28.4 times more likely for a black youth than a white youth to face a criminal charge.”

A stream of Champaign citizens complained about the use of force policy at the meeting, saying parts of it are inappropriate and dangerous. Many of those who spoke included fears that more shootings and other unnecessary acts of violence may occur if this policy is to remain.

Even if citizens don’t like certain policies, it is necessary for all people to know

the laws of the community. “A use of force policy is important for the police

officers and also for the public to know as a police officer approaches us,” Champaign resident, Karen Medina said at the Nov. 10 study session.

Not everyone was upset with the use of force policy.

“Some citizens are trying to do or say anything to discredit our police department. I feel that we have an excellent department and the officers do their best,” said Foster.

Champaign citizens are mainly anxious that the new use of force policy will cause more people to end up hurt or worse, as in the Carrington case. Not only are citizens concerned about getting injured, but black citizens especially point out a problem. Based on the demographic data from the state attorney there is a racial problem within the Champaign police force and if people do not address what is going on in their own community there is no hope for the future.

Champaign’s assistant to the chief of police, Rene Dunn, said the police department has proposed revisions to the use of force policy in response to the community’s outrage. She said they will be, “Adding language that better explains when it is legally reasonable for an officer to use deadly force.”

The police hope these revisions will clarify meanings in the policy. Dunn also said possible revisions will be, “Emphasizing language about the restrictions in the use of deadly force when a suspect is resisting or escaping.” The police are not interested in scaring the public or making them uncomfortable and they are taking steps to adjust the policy accordingly, she assured.

For some, the promise for clarification is not enough. “Clearly the CPD’s clarification of its use of force policy came from community pressure, not any beneficence of the police.” said Brian Dolinar a member of CU Citizens for Peace and Justice.

Ultimately LaDue believed his efforts were successful. “The two deputy chiefs who have been responsible for guiding us though this, they both shook my hand and thanked me.” He rendered the meeting victorious because it clarified a confusing and significant issue that has an impact on the entire community.

The study session was a first step for smoothing relations between city council, the police and the public. Foster hopes, “for every citizen to walk in Champaign and not be fearful, whatever the race.”

Revenue 2008/2009: $42,664,809

Revenue 2009/2010: $43,086,929

Salaries 2008/2009: $18,000,000

Salaries 2009/2010: $21,000,000

Since last year the total revenues in the city of Urbana have increased by 1.3 percent with salaries increasing 16.6 percent. The traditionally rising cost of living contributes to these ascending rates; however the salary rate has gone up more than revenues. Perhaps this is due to the recession in the economy. Urbana has predicted a brighter future in the next fiscal year as the economic standpoint of the United States will hopefully begin to recover.

2.

The biggest source of income is fees and other at 28 percent, followed by property tax at 25 percent, sales tax at 21 percent, state and federal at 16 percent, and utility tax at 10 percent. The biggest expenditures are in Personnel Services which uses 51 percent of the budget followed by Operations & Contractual at 25.56 percent, Capital Outlay at 19.83 percent, and Materials & Supplies at 3.61 percent.

3.

• How has the economic recession affected Urbana?
• How will it continue to affect Urbana?
• Over half of the city’s budget is for salaries. Is this typical? Compared to other years? Other cities?
• How has increased sales tax affected the community? What do citizens think about it?
• What will happen if operating revenues and expenditures do not break even in 2009/2010?
• How sure of a thing is the money from the stimulus package?
• Will the highway project need more money than supplied by the stimulus grant?
• How are citizens expected to react to this highway project?

Expenditures

2009/2010: $88,607,661

2008/2009: $92,087,284

Income

2009/2010: $43,086,929

2008/2009: $42,111,130

Wang, a non-degree student, was disappointed in the way the police and CRCE handled his situation. He said even though there were cameras stationed by the doors, which could have been reviewed to see if anyone walked out with his backpack and other various possessions, they were never checked. Wang immediately called the UIPD when he realized his possessions were gone. He complimented their response time, saying they were on the scene quickly. He followed their procedures and filed a report. However, in the end, none of his missing items were recovered and nobody was caught for committing the crime. The lockers at the time had keypads and in order to operate them a person had to choose a four digit combination. Wang suspected that either someone watched him type his numbers into the keypad or the keypad malfunctioned.

Lieutenant Frost said Wang did the right thing. The quicker authorities are notified, the better the chance of solving the crime. As soon as a crime occurs Lieutenant Frost advises to call 911. Before contacting a family member or friend, the police must be alerted. If the police are not contacted, there is no way to catch a thief or recover stolen items.

Hannah Prosnitz, sophomore in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, was victimized at her own apartment. Guests had been invited over for a party and Prosnitz said only those who had been invited were allowed in; however, a group of townies came back from a bar with them to the apartment on Fifth and Healy. Four iPods, two cameras, and a Coach wristlet were taken before the offenders left running. Prosnitz called 911, but felt the police handled their situation badly since the officers did not utilize a phone number they had from one of the men. She felt as if the authorities did not care about their predicament and did not do all they could to catch the offenders.

Lieutenant Frost said security is always a top priority for the UIPD because, “theft is a very substantial problem.” The police does everything they can to prevent it, but people need to take responsibility for protecting themselves and their possessions. High target areas such as public dorms, the Union, the library, CRCE and ARC are places where people should have an eye on their belongings at all times. Lieutenant Frost said it is imperative not to fall asleep or go to the bathroom knowing items are unguarded.

Public places such as CRCE are beginning to take extra security measures. They recently changed the locker locks from a battery operated keypad to one where everyone must supply their own combination lock. The battery operated locks were expensive, bad for the environment since they could not be recycled, and inefficient because they often broke said Chase Morgan, a customer service assistant at Campus Recreation. Patrons, like Wang, often returned to their lockers to find them unlocked because they did not work the keypad correctly or else the battery failed. The new method of locking a locker at CRCE is simpler and safer said Morgan. He said this way people are more responsible for their own possessions instead of the facility getting blamed for broken equipment. The locks were only changed about a week ago Morgan said, and since then nothing has been stolen. Now students like Wang, can put higher trust in public lockers and deal with police because of stolen items less frequently.

Lieutenant Frost said University of Illinois compares favorably to theft on other college campuses. He said we are, “probably safer than most, but not as safe as some.” Since the university encompasses two cities, Champaign and Urbana, there is twice as much of a chance of crime occurring.  Lieutenant Frost said, “This is a pretty safe campus; however, it is the real world.” He said he does not want students to be paranoid about safety, but crimes do occur. That is the reason why they are publicly posted. People must be aware of what is out there. The police are on duty 24/7, but they need the community’s cooperation. They need calls to respond to. Many students seem unhappy with the way their emergencies have been handled by authorities; however, Lieutenant Frost said they must understand that it is a mutual responsibility to keep campus safe.

When the police must deal with a horrifying incident that has occurred, Lt. Frost says it is easy for the police to be viewed as uncooperative with the public.

For example, if a reporter is trying to discover information about a certain crime they may be turned down when they ask the police for information. They may even be turned down after filing a request to see public documents.

Although it may seem unfair for the public to be kept in the dark on these issues of safety, Lt. Frost says reporters can put the cops at a disadvantage.

One reason officers are advised not to speak to the media is to refrain from sending diverse messages to the public. It is important for a public entity such as the police to present unified messages. Unity strengthens credibility and for the police Lt. Frost says credibility is key.

Another reason cops often refrain from talking to the media is to protect the confidentiality of evidence. When a reporter discovers classified police information, publicly printing or broadcasting that information could potentially ruin an investigation.

A news story should, “be fair and unbiased and balanced,” says Lt. Frost. When deciding which information should be publicly displayed, a reporter must accurately report from an outsider’s point of view.

A current example is the case of Ki-wane Carrington. The media created a view of the police figures that dealt with and killed this 15-year-old when they displayed a photograph of him at a younger age. Lt. Frost said this made the police look like the bad guys for shooting a young, unarmed boy.

He also said that, “this young man had a variety of behavioral issues.” The fact that Carrington had a reputation as a troublemaker was skipped over by the media. This could have been avoided by representing both points of view in this story.

The ways things are represented in the media are frequently one-sided, specifically when dealing with the police. Lt. Frost continually stressed that “It’s not always as it seems.”

Things get twisted around by the media said Lt. Frost. However, he made sure to represent another personal point of view. He said, “The media is a great asset in public safety.” Media allows people to be educated on community issues and become aware of potential dangers.

Above all Lt. Frost says, “Please keep in mind there are two sides to every story.”

Beem is in charge of curriculum, but always spends time at the front of the classroom. Being in charge of curriculum gives her the opportunity to make sure everything the new officers need to know is learned.

Since she attended PTI 30 years ago, she said the curriculum is “100 percent better than when I left.”

Beem said around 1995 the total required amount of training expanded from 240 to 480 hours. The training period doubled to 12 weeks and practical training was made an addition to learning in the classroom.

These newer physical lessons are always exciting so sometimes it is difficult to sit through four-hour blocks of classroom time said current recruit Patrick Smith. He said Beem makes dry subjects such as law fun and engaging. He described her as, “fun, outgoing and person to person.”

Police training specialist Mike Schlosser said, “The biggest thing she has done is oversee the curriculum.” He said Beem makes sure everything is covered and all teachers know what they are doing. He said she organizes PTI curriculum as a whole.

Director of PTI Krystal Fitzpatrick said she chose Cora to oversee the instructional staff and regulate their use of curriculum required by the state. Cora, “makes certain that changes in the curriculum are incorporated into the instructors’ presentations,” said Fitzpatrick. “She is excellent at knowing all the topics which must be taught, the student performance objectives and how one small change in one area can impact a number of other areas.”

In the classroom Beem is bold. She asks questions and expects answers. The semi-formal atmosphere of the institute, created by assigned seats and uniforms of black dress pants and gray polos with the PTI logo embroidered on it, can be intimidating, but Beem keeps up a continuous dialogue in the front of the room. A current recruit at PTI said Beem is an asset to the classroom because, “she cares about what she’s doing, she’s been through it and experienced it.” He said, “She has the ability to teach, not just tell.”

In the two weeks these new recruits have experienced training so far, this student has picked up Beem’s method exactly. She refers to it as, “Tell, Show, Do.” She believes it is vital for recruits to physically participate in what their job will entail. When she began her job she did not know how to turn the lights on in her police cruiser. Now there are classes in operating the cars and other types of equipment and weapons.

Beem decided to join the police force when her Uncle Mick said their hometown, Pana, would never hire a girl cop. Beem wanted to prove him wrong, and before long she went to PTI in 1980.

She worked for 24 years as a patrol officer in Pana, patrol officer and lieutenant in Taylorville, and Chief of Police in Wilmington and Sauk Village, in Illinois. In 2004 she retired and became a part of the PTI staff.

Growing up, Beem was the oldest of four siblings. She refers to herself as having a type A personality and being bossy. “So in essence I’ve always been a cop,” she said.

Although she says her parents are proud of her, they were reluctant to see their daughter enter such a dangerous career. She said, “My mother aged 10 years the day I put the uniform on.” And the job certainly can be dangerous. She has been shot at and has shot at others. Being an officer puts a person in life and death situations, she said.

Many parts of law enforcement are emotionally hard to deal with. For example, Beem said, “I saw a little two-year-old girl die. That was bad.”

But she has witnessed joyful events as well. “I saw a baby get born.” She held a woman’s hand as she gave birth when the ambulance was stuck in a snowstorm. “You’ll never forget that,” Beem said, her blue-gray eyes glazing over as she remembered.

Beem says her favorite part of a job in law enforcement is dealing with people. To really excel in law enforcement a person must have the “ability to communicate with people.” Beem said the key to the job is cooperation and, “people will do more when you work with them than when you boss them around.” She said, “You don’t win cooperation.” The most difficult part of the job, according to Beem, is dealing with people who are so highly emotional. She said, “It takes a lot of patience and perseverance and empathy.”

Beem is skilled in making jokes in class, but letting the recruits know that the topics are serious. Her small hands beckon to the class to participate, answer and be engaged. She is short, but fills the room with her bright character. She does not carry notes in her hand and her speech is smooth. She never stumbles and always knows exactly what she wants to say. She uses her body to tell stories. By walking around she refrains from being boring and the students constantly pay attention.

When discussing sudden or intense passion she speaks with sudden and intense passion. She is animated and when the situation calls for it she does impressions of Elvis and young children.

Fitzpatrick said, “Cora will always have her hand and heart in the classroom.”

Beem agrees. “PTI is my home. It’s where I started my law enforcement career.”

Since Beem’s days as a recruit, police training has been necessarily updated. Nowadays there are cameras and computers in squad cars. The accepted view of law enforcement has changed as well. Beem said, “Now it’s more of a social service. We do so much more than ‘hook ‘em and book ‘em.”

Knowing how to protect yourself is an important skill; however, people may find it difficult to assert self defense in the case of acquaintance sexual assault. In such cases the predator is someone the victim has chosen to be with. Victims find it difficult to accept their judgment had been wrong about the person they thought to have been trustworthy. This is the least reported crime because victims are worried they will be blamed for letting it happen to them. Victims feel guilty because they think they could have prevented it by drinking less, saying no, or fighting back.

“Sexual assaults take place on this campus everyday,” said Jennifer Scott, coordinator of sexual assault education at the Women’s Resources Center. However, Sergeant Joan Fiesta of the University of Illinois Police Department said she typically sees five cases per year. Victims are embarrassed of their situation and worried no one will believe them. Therefore though sexual assault frequently occurs, it is rarely reported.

In order to be aware of safety it is important for people to know the difference between myths and facts. Although sexual assault is commonly thought of occurring at night in a dark alley by a masked stranger, it is more likely to happen in the middle of the day by someone the victim knows. Scott said it is frustrating to witness mass community alerts if this crime happens in public, when it happens much more frequently in private. The crime alerts sent through email to University students remind them to be wary in public, but Scott says we need to be just as careful around people we know.

Sarah Shaw, sophomore in Media said that being in a society where people are so exposed to crime desensitizes serious situations like sexual assault. She said living on campus can be scary since it is not a safe environment, nevertheless she said that overall she feels safe here.

Another myth about this crime is that it is about sex. Sexual assault is not about sex. It is not about what a person is wearing, or how hot she is or how many drinks she has had. It is a crime of power and control. Nothing a woman or man does to present themselves affects the reason why they may have been assaulted. If you are comforting a person who has been assaulted, it is necessary to tell them it is not their fault. They did not ask for or deserve it.

From birth, females are taught to take responsibility for their safety. It is common knowledge amongst women that certain strategies should be taken to stay safe, for example, covering a drink in a bar to avoid being slipped date rape drugs and refraining from walking home alone at night. Scott said instead we should be teaching males from birth what to do to prevent sex without consent, instead of holding females responsible for being treated inappropriately. If people begin taking preventative measures for males as well as females at an earlier age, Scott is confident sexual assault numbers will decrease.

In a country where approximately one sexual assault occurs per minute, and a campus where one in six women experience completed or attempted sexual assault before graduation, it is important for both men and women to be aware of the issue.

The culture we live in views women in a sexual way. Scott acknowledged that women are expected to look and act sexy. She believes that the way women are viewed in society today is absolutely why, “we live in a culture that supports sexual violence.” Despite this public image of women, anyone anywhere can be a victim of sexual assault. It is more common than publicly realized and people should be aware that it most frequently occurs between acquaintances.

Community member Terry Townsend said the big issue is aggressive policing, specifically towards the black community. He offered the idea that there are two mindsets circulating. The first, of civilians, is that they believe they have rights and can legally resist justice. The second, of the police, is that they must stop anyone who is suspected of illegal activity. A result of these two mindsets is that police must be more conscious of their conduct when dealing with people who may not abide by their rules said Townsend. Not only is this a problem of communication between the people and the police, but Townsend also believes it is a result of unsatisfactory intercultural interaction in the community.

Community member Seon Williams said the white and black communities need to embrace each other. He offered the idea of diversity training for police officers so the racism the community addressed at the meeting would no longer be a concern in the future. He said, “We need to meet each other in the middle,” after which a chorus of voices in the audience agreed. He said, “We got to come together as a community.”

The aunt of the victim, Regine Rivers, agreed and said the biggest issue this incident causes the city to be aware of is community unity. If the community does not work together to bring justice to this issue there will be an uproar she says. Many people who spoke during the meeting beseeched the council for answers. They said officials must get a handle on the situation or the community will not be at peace.

A shocking bit of information Rivers revealed was that the press has not spelled her nephew’s name correctly. She said everyone has been missing the hyphen in Ki-wane Carrington’s name. Showing respect for this boy is an important part of the problem. If proper respect is not showed towards the black community in death, how can they expect to be treated respectfully in life? The community understands racism between the public and the police is a long standing issue. The people of Champaign are utilizing Carrington’s death to put a topic to rest which has been circulating since the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.

Hattie Paulk, a minister, parent and grandparent in Champaign was one among many who voiced the need for an independent evaluation of the incident. She said civil rights happened so her children would not have to go through discrimination such as in this case where police officers kill people because of their skin color. “Since 1960 something should have changed in Champaign and Urbana,” said Paulk.

Others at the meeting said police officers need to be trained in interacting with juveniles. The victim’s father, Albert Carrington, spoke on his son’s behalf, saying, “This should not happen.” Dennis Atkins said, “This is a very serious incident not to be overlooked.” Atkins lives at the residence where Carrington was allegedly caught breaking into. He said, “Ki-wane was welcome in our home, he was never a trespasser.”

This incident is not isolated. However, it resulted in the loss of a young boy’s life. Community members stood up together against city council proclaiming the need for a change. Some addressed the police dealing with racism and others with juveniles. Both matters are important and should be further addressed by the city before the community can come together as a whole. Until this issue is tended to fairly people will continue to stand up and speak their opinions of unrest.

Bhaia’s family includes her parents, two older brothers and a younger sister. Born in 1979, she led what she thought was a normal life until 2003, when Iraq was invaded and, “things turned upside down.” Iraq was up for grabs and in 2006, her 16-year-old brother, Mohammad, was kidnapped in the dangerous neighborhood the Bhaia family lived in. The perpetrator told the family to leave their home and everything in it behind in order for Mohammad to be safely returned. However, the promise was unfulfilled and they never found him.

Shortly after, Bhaia was working at a radio station when their transmitter was bombed. In hopes of fundraising for a new one, Bushara, Bhaia’s friend and colleague traveled to the United States. There Bushara met Lynn Holley, a journalism instructor at the University of Illinois. Holley offered her a scholarship at the university and Bushara passed it on to Bhaia.

The scholarship offer was a unique opportunity, nevertheless Bhaia debated accepting it. She liked her job in Iraq and was unsure about traveling abroad. In the end the main reason Bhaia left for America was to keep her parents safe. The only reason the family had been staying in the perilous capital of Iraq was for their daughter and her job. Once she left, they would be able to seek a safer residence.

Upon arrival in Chicago in 2007, Bhaia was disappointed in America. Thinking the United States would be glamorous, she was recalled the drive from the city to Champaign as being long and boring with terrible weather.

The differences between living in America versus Iraq were clear as Bhaia became accustomed to everyday life. Bhaia spoke confidently, her coffee colored eyes steady, her poise proud, as she said, “I can say whatever I want here.” In Iraq her father always told her to, “keep your mouth shut because eventually you will get killed because of your opinions.”

Another major difference between Bhaia’s hometown in Iraq and Champaign is the population of people with disabilities. She said she could not believe the amount of people on campus with disabilities as she glanced at her crutches resting against the table.

Because her scoliosis would lead to an earlier death, Bhaia approved American doctors to perform a surgery on her without her parents’ permission. The operation has a 20 percent chance of death or paralyzing her, but Bhaia was lucky. After her recovery she went down eight sizes and grew four inches.

The operation allows her to get around better. Not only can she move easily physically, but Bhaia enjoys the freedom of movement Americans experience. In two years she has already visited 20 states, including Texas, Arizona and Florida. In Iraq this would not happen. When traveling in America she enjoys the fact that, “nobody asks me about my ID, you can’t take two steps in Iraq without ID checks.”

Bhaia exuded confidence and admitted that many of her friends accuse her of being overconfident. Although sometimes she hates the way people look at her as a disabled person, not a person with a disability, she said, “I don’t care about what people think and say.” Ultimately Bhaia said, “Those crutches made me who I am today.”

Following four years of high school registration, with such a long list of required classes, picking courses at Illinois seems easy enough. However, along with the freedom comes a multitude of obstacles. Many courses carry prerequisites and authorizations. One of the most commonly repeated complaints by students is that major restrictions keep them from getting into the classes they want.

Before the wave of technology that has hit our world was started, students signed up for class in a way very different than the one that is now familiar. It was a manual system. Each student was required to be there in person with student identification.  Cary Drazner graduated from University of Illinois in 1980. The way classes were chosen was by reading through a course book to find which were needed. There were also counselors for students to utilize, like today, to advise them and point out the track they should be on. However, the most mentionable and exciting part about registration was the actual day students went to go sign up. Drazner said registration consisted of, “basically a zoo at the Armory.” He remembers tables set up all across the building. There was one table for each class. Drazner said when students went in to register, “You were running around. You had to go wait in line at each table.” He said it was important to first go to a class that he needed most, otherwise it could be filled up the next time he went by the table. Throughout the whole process Drazner remembers being very uncertain about whether he would get what he wanted or needed. He describes the entirety of registration as “overwhelming” and “totally out of control.” Drazner said it was a procedure that never failed to scare the freshman.

Nowadays picking and choosing classes is a different process completely. Everything is done online. Students are in charge of taking responsibility for what they need to sign up for. The computer is an essential tool. Although there is a tutorial on how to use the system, it can still be difficult without at least minor description in how to use it. The website containing this tutorial says, “This guide will help you through the process of figuring out the language of the system. It can also help to have a friend or roommate who is more familiar with the system to sit with you and help navigate the system.” If students choose to do so they can even hand out their network identification and password and have a friend reserve a class for them. The process is depersonalized by the internet.

In order to begin the process students must abide by the rules. Each student is assigned a time ticket. These are slots of time when an individual is given permission to begin registration. The earliest times are for those who belong to the Chancellor’s Honors program and those participating as James Scholars. The Chancellor’s Honors program consists of 125 students in each grade. It is made up of those who are interested in, “additional opportunities for academically gifted and adventurous students” (Campus Honors Program website). James Scholars are accepted based on academic achievement such as GPA, ACT or SAT scores. Students in these programs participate in extra classes, projects, and programs. Their dedication to academic excellence deems them worthy of getting first pick at classes.

Kathryn Sover, a James Scholar student, is pleased with her status in this honors program. She said, “It’s really nice because no classes are closed off to me. I can make my schedule however I want.” Ideally all students should be given the opportunity to craft the perfect schedule. Unfortunately not everyone can have these advantages. When asked about the requirements for being in the James Scholar program, Sover said she must have at least a 3.5 GPA as well as complete one class per semester for honors credit. She pointed out these are the rules for James Scholars in the College of Education. Every school’s requirements differ slightly.

Sover recognizes that it is more difficult for non-James Scholar students to register. She acknowledged that they would not be able to be as picky as she. For example Sover said, “I’m a sophomore and I’ve had two and a half semesters with no class on Fridays.” Being in an honors program can have its advantages. Along with registering early, Sover says, “It’s nice to have on your resume.” Even if employees are not familiar with the program, it gives off the impression of prestige and accomplishment.

The next group to register encompasses rehabilitation education students, varsity athletes, the marching band, and seniors. Special treatment at registration is issued to each of these individual students based on special needs, activities, or graduation status.

Following this group, graduate and professional students, juniors, sophomores, freshman, and part-time students each have their own date in this consecutive order. Students lower down on the list may come across difficulties getting classes they want or even classes that are required.

Jennifer Kotowski has been an advisor at the University of Illinois for two years. She said she was, “trained by fellow advisors” when learning to use the online registration system. For extra practice she said she “learned by spending time practicing and looking around on my own.” There is not much formal instruction for using this system even for those who advise students.

Kotowski is a fan of the University’s online system. She said, “I think the registration process is pretty good. It makes sense that certain classes are held for majors only and then released after students in the major have had a chance to register. While this can be frustrating for non-major students, it seems like a fair way to have things done.” On the topic of how easy it is to use the system, Kotowski said, “I think the process works and students understand how to navigate the system.”

Students are given profuse amounts of freedom when creating their course schedules. It is not necessary to have any advisors, counselors, or other professionals checking up to make sure everything is done correctly. Students bear a lot of responsibility as they are expected to choose and sign up for their classes on their own. Sometimes it can be exhausting trying to piece everything together alone. Kotowski suggests students should not hesitate in, “working with their academic advisors, talking to instructors, working with a specific department, talking to friends, talking to their RA, etc.” It seems that even if a student is unsure of what to do themselves, there are plenty of resources which can be accessed at any time, making a slightly intricate and overwhelming process easier to handle.

Beckwith Hall is a special housing program which provides assistants to aid those who physically need help doing things most people can do on their own. This dormitory is referred to by its inhabitants as “the best kept secret on campus.”

At a class last week a panel of disabled students nonchalantly explained their individual stories. Each panelist had her own experience to share as well and there was a variety of disabilities throughout the group.

Katy Hoyer, a sophomore in Beckwith, admitted to feeling at home in the community the dorm creates for them. In her high school she said there were services for her and other disabled students, but the programs University of Illinois provides give them so much more.

Living in Beckwith allows disabled students a chance to successfully live on their own. For many of them being independent has a number of obstacles because simple tasks such as going to the bathroom or reaching something on the top shelf are impossible without outside help. Some students had never been able to operate alone before going to college.

Because for many of these students a life of complete freedom would be complicated to maneuver, at University of Illinois, Beckwith gives other students a chance to be personal assistants for the residents who are physically challenged. This gives a range of students a work opportunity that can add up to so much more than just a job. It is a real bonding experience between the resident and the personal assistant when these relationships are created. Lines between professionalism and friendship are crossed all the time, said Katy. She admitted this to be a good and bad thing. Katy said life is always easier when she gets along with her personal assistants. However, getting comfortable can lead an assistant to ask for unprofessional favors for example, rearranging a schedule so a Beckwith resident might not have an opportunity to be taken to use the bathroom.

Stephanie Zaia, also a resident at Beckwith Hall, said there is a whole process for determining a person’s personal assistants. She said since the beginning of the school year she has had about ten helpers. Throughout the day a variety of people are scheduled to help out individuals or the residence hall as a whole.

When asked about life at Beckwith Hall, Zaia said, “I like it a lot.” She admitted that when originally applying for housing she was opposed to living with a bunch of “cripples.” She had previously resided in a regular dorm and was still unhappy with the fact she needed to depend on others. However, she soon found out this private housing option was in fact very close to a regular dorm, except for the helpers.

Hoyer and Zaia attested to a sort of wheelchair culture that exists on campus. The girls described it as a disability culture with subcultures. They brought up that everyone is social; it is just like any other group of friends. Zaia said she mostly knows everyone on campus with a wheelchair.

Together this group is playful and goes out just like any other group of friends. Within the group the girls admitted to poking fun at each others conditions. It was assured that this is all in good humor as each accepts their individual situations.

Hoyer is affected by cerebral palsy. She has been diagnosed since she was a baby and has grown up with her condition. Zaia was not diagnosed until age 17, although doctors had been attempting to name her problem since she was 13. Finding out she had Dystonia was a “relief” she said. Since the process of discovering what exactly it was that was affecting her body was so gradual, Zaia remembers thinking, “Thank God we finally figured it out.” Not long after the diagnosis was made, high school came to an end.

When making a decision on where to ship off to college, Zaia searched around the country. Upon discovering the Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) at the University of Illinois, she said, “There’s nothing else like it. They have a lot of services here that aren’t like anywhere else.” She complained about other campuses not having appropriate facilities and helpers being unable to answer even simple questions. She said the program at Illinois is much more “professional.”

The panelists attested to the attentive accommodation this campus possesses. Along with specialties like Beckwith Hall, buildings and sidewalks are wheelchair accessible, physical therapists are available when needed, and opportunities to succeed are plentiful.

DRES strives to assist students in having equal opportunities to succeed. The official website for DRES states that they attempt to “ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the curricular, co-curricular and vocational opportunities available at the University of Illinois.” All panelists acknowledged the programs here as being up to date compared to their hometowns and other places they have visited.

Zaia said she plans on studying nursing at University of Illinois. She believes this school provides, “accommodations that are really helpful.” She commented specifically on the ability to have other students help take notes. Extended time for taking tests is also necessary as well as provided. University of Illinois gives her, and all physically challenged students, the opportunity to confront and achieve their dreams.

When asked if she was happy here Zaia responded confidently, “Yeah!” University of Illinois will continue to create that opportunity of happiness and comfort for all disabled students.