columbia chronicle editorial board – The Columbia Chronicle

Snowden’s amnesty will allow America to move on

October 10, 2016

Edward Snowden is a divisive figure in recent American history. He leaked confidential documents that showed the National Security Agency was secretly monitoring millions of Americans through their phones and computers. Some say this makes him a hero; the U.S. government said he should be tried for treason.Snowden was officially charged with giving classified information to unauthorized parties, disclosing communications in...

Englewood’s Whole Foods is needed solution to food desert

October 10, 2016

It was years in the making: the only grocery store in Far South Englewood, an area stricken with poverty and gang violence and placing high on “Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in Chicago” lists, like one published Feb. 10 by RoadSnacks that puts it as number two, behind West Englewood. Members of the community and Chicago expressed doubts that this new Whole Foods location could work, but now that it’s open, it looks as if o...

Yahoo let users down, must pay the price

October 3, 2016

Yahoo, the technology company known for its once-popular search engine and email server, fell victim to the largest data breach in internet history in late 2014 when 500 million user accounts were compromised. The company only announced the breach Sept. 22.Users and information activists alike are calling the company irresponsible for not disclosing its knowledge of the event to customers as soon as it was discovered, which The Was...

Emanuel’s sincere anti-violence plan needs more outreach

October 3, 2016

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is under fire for announcing a plan to hire almost 1,000 new police officers within the next two years as a way to curb the growing violence problem that threatens the entire city. In addition to the new officers, Emanuel’s plan, announced in a Sept. 22 speech, also includes de-escalation training for current and newly-hired officers to decrease police brutality and increase productivity, partnerships ...

Chicago should take the wheel on driverless cars

September 26, 2016

In a trope as old as time, technology is progressing faster than people are ready for it. Driverless cars are now a real possibility, being tested in markets as close as Pittsburgh by Uber as a possible replacement for its current driver-based service. Chicago aldermen Edward Burke (14) and Anthony Beale (9), whom The Chicago Sun-Times proclaim to be some of the “most powerful” in the city according to its Sept. 14 a...

Youth should be taught rights, police should be taught respect

September 12, 2016

The state of Illinois requires all high school students to attend driver’s education courses, and in August, the state passed a law requiring the lessons to include information on how to behave when pulled over by police. A curriculum is in the works, which all driving and public schools must implement in the 2017–2018 academic year.The lead organizer of Chicago’s Black Lives Matter chapter, Kofi Ademola, told DNA...

Slave descendant admission plan not enough reparation

September 12, 2016

Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C. and ranking 21 in the 2016 list of best national universities published by U.S. News and World Report, announced an unprecedented and bold plan Sept. 1 to offer the descendants of slaves owned by the Maryland Jesuits and sold to fund the college’s operations preferential admission to the university. This puts them at the same level as legacy applicants, who also get prefe...

Hope Solo’s soccer suspension is fair and justified

September 6, 2016

American soccer player Hope Solo was suspended, and the U.S. Women’s National Team terminated her current contract on Aug. 24 after she called her Swedish Olympic opponents “cowards.” After this most recent development in a string of controversies involving the athlete, Solo stepped down from her professional league, the Seattle Reign, on Aug. 30.It’s easy to call the verdict unfair and sexist. Instead of being pun...

‘Bubble zone’ ordinance serves valid need

September 6, 2016

Chicago’s controversial “bubble zone” ordinance is under attack by the Pro-Life Action League and the Live Pro Life Group, as reported Aug. 23 by The Chicago Tribune. The groups often protest in front of abortion clinics and sued the city to invalidate the law they say is unconstitutional. The law allows patients visiting medical facilities an 8-foot “bubble” of space between them and protesters once they are 50 ...

State of Chicago Public Schools

June 13, 2016

Parents, educators and city politicians gathered at the National Teachers Academy, 55 W. Cermak Road, on June 11 to brainstorm a solution to the Chicago Public School system’s lack of funding. Commun...

Faculty Senate welcomes new members, approves end-of-year motions

May 9, 2016

In its last meeting of the semester on May 6, the Faculty Senate introduced its latest motions and approvals before introducing new members and open seats. Before adjourning its 2015–2016 members t...

2015–2016 Year in review

By Campus Editor

May 9, 2016

Implementing Strategic Plan objectives, rallying against police brutality in Chicago and adding 18 murals to the Wabash Arts Corridor were just a few of the changes and challenges of the 2015–2016 academic year. The year opened with Vice President of Student Success Mark Kelly’s annual “Hell Yeah” liturgy at Convocation during the new student welcoming in August.The annual celebration welcomed 2,700 new students to t...