Monthly Archives: October 2020

Indymedia at 20

Posted on 10/27/2020 by Danielle Chynoweth

  It was twenty years ago, September 24, 2000, when a dozen people crammed into my apartment on Carle Park. We began dreaming about the Independent Media Center that now graces the heart of Urbana, nurturing new friendships, growing new … Continue reading →

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The University and its Workers during the Pandemic

Posted on 10/27/2020 by Kathryn Oberdeck

The coronavirus pandemic has affected universities all over the country and the world. Different institutions have chosen different approaches, from keeping all courses online and discouraging students from returning (Smith College, Harvard University, etc.) to a full opening of residential … Continue reading →

Posted in COVID pandemic, health, Labor, Labor/Economics, University of Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Comments Off on The University and its Workers during the Pandemic

COVID-19: Local Responses and Lessons for the Future

Posted on 10/27/2020 by Michael Weissman

The Public i asked Professor Weissman, in light of his involvement with helping doctors with statistics, for his thoughts on the local response to COVID-19 and any lessons learned from it for the future. First, I think it’s more important … Continue reading →

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Governor Pritzker has the Power to Halt All Utility Shutoffs by Signing an Executive Order

Posted on 10/27/2020 by Allan Axelrod

Robin Brown’s utilities in Champaign were shut off by Ameren Illinois on September 18, 2020, in the midst of our historical COVID-19 pandemic. When asked about how utility shutoffs affected her, Brown said “I’ve had to give away and separate … Continue reading →

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The Proposed Constitutional Amendment on the Ballot for a “Fair Tax”

Posted on 10/27/2020 by Michael Brun

Right now, the Illinois State Constitution forbids progressive taxation on income. In other words, it forbids doing what the IRS does on your federal income tax—taxing you at a rate that depends on your income. On your federal income tax, … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Economy, Elections, IL, Illinois taxes | Comments Off on The Proposed Constitutional Amendment on the Ballot for a “Fair Tax”

What Educational Values and Beliefs Underpin a Decision to have Armed School Resource Officers?

Posted on 10/27/2020 by Ameena Payne

This article was previously published in Smile Politely,  On December 17, 2019, the Urbana Board of Education (BOE) signed an intergovernmental agreement to approve funding of two full-time armed police officers (called School Resource Officers, or SROs)—one at the middle … Continue reading →

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Black Lives Matter in the Middle East

Posted on 10/26/2020 by Janice Jayes

George Floyd’s murder horrified people of the Middle East just as it did many in the US and, just as in America, the outrage that followed exposed cultural fault lines, forced uncomfortable introspection, and was sometimes exploited for political purposes. … Continue reading →

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The Decline of African Languages at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Posted on 10/26/2020 by Fatou Jobe

The University of Illinois used to be one of the best universities for learning African languages. Emeritus professor of Linguistics Eyamba Bokamba would always say, “here in Illinois we offer African languages from A to Z, Arabic to Zulu.” Unfortunately, … Continue reading →

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