editorial board – The Columbia Chronicle

Darkroom fundraiser looks to keep the light on at Museum of Contemporary Photography

February 28, 2019

The Museum of Contemporary Photography will host its annual Darkroom fundraiser Feb. 28 in an effort to bridge its funding gap. The event will honor an acclaimed Moroccan-born photographer and feature an artist auction plus cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Retired ...

EDITORIAL: Communities, Congress must work together during shutdown

January 15, 2019

The longest federal government shutdown in history began Dec. 22 after congressional failure to pass a budget for the fiscal year. The shutdown is largely blamed on either Trump demanding funding for a S...

Early education is a worthwhile investment

May 9, 2016

A recent study from the Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis highlights how students’ socioeconomic status and race relate to their educational development, according to an April 29 New York Times article.The study indicates that students low on the socioeconomic spectrum perform as much as three grade levels behind where they should be. It also revealed race-related disparities in grade levels even among stude...

Illegal gun trading is not a right

May 9, 2016

Legislation that was due to be introduced in the Illinois House the week of May 2 could significantly decrease illegal gun sales and trade in Illinois, according to an April 28 Chicago Tribune article.The legislation is backed by Democrats in the Illinois House and Gabby Giffords, a former Arizona Congresswoman who survived a 2011 assassination attempt and is now a major advocate for restrictions on gun trade and sales. It is...

What is a student center without students?

April 11, 2016

While the state continues to function without a budget, Illinois colleges must choose whether or not to fund students’ Monetary Award Program grants for a second academic year. These state-funded grants for low-income students can make or break their ability to attend college at all.Some schools, such as the Illinois Institute of Technology, are seeking repayment of funds advanced in Fall 2015, while wealthier schools, su...

Chronicle named No. 1 college paper in Illinois

February 29, 2016

The Columbia Chronicle staff of 34 students took home first place for General Excellence along with 22 other awards from the Illinois College Press Association convention Feb. 20.The Chronicle collected ...

Sex ed should be inclusive, accurate

February 29, 2016

Young people today can access pornography more easily than accurate and informative sex education, and Congress’ continued monetary support of abstinence-only sex ed programs does little to remedy the situation.President Barack Obama’s 2017 budget proposes zero funding for a program run by the Department of Health and Human Services that previously awarded $10 million in grants a year to abstinence-only sex education p...

Emanuel’s desperation could benefit Chicago

February 29, 2016

In his latest attempt to save his reputation and approval ratings, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced he wants to spend more on projects in struggling Chicago neighborhoods using money from downtown developers, according to a Feb. 17 Chicago Sun-Times article.Emanuel wants to close a loophole, called the “Zoning Bonus Ordinance,” which allows downtown developers to build more square footage if they include features such as p...

Second City film school to emphasize humor in filmmaking

February 22, 2016

The Second City will be adding the Harold Ramis Film School—the world’s first comedy-focused filmmaking program, which opens in September 2016—to its newly constructed training center. The film schoo...

New CPD training might be too little too late

February 8, 2016

Throughout the last few months, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Police Department have faced great scrutiny, including an investigation of CPD by the U.S. Justice Department for the shootings of civilians by police officers and the system that allows these tragedies to be repeated.Emanuel announced Jan. 28 that 12,000 Chicago police officers and 911 dispatchers will undergo eight hours of training on responding appropria...

Government must be held responsible for Flint crisis and its solutions

February 1, 2016

All around the country, we are watching the greatest environmental crisis in decades unfold. We are waiting for the governments—local, state and national—to expedite the remedies.In April 2014, city officials in Flint, Michigan, officially changed the city’s water source from the much-admired Detroit water system to the highly polluted Flint River to cut costs. This caused immediate problems including harmful water qualit...

Mental health reform bill creates accountability

By Editorial Board

December 14, 2015

fter mass shootings, political commentators are quick to point fingers at the possible causes of violence. Some blame graphic video games and lax gun laws. Others say America’s mental health system is responsible for letting those who need help most slip through the cracks. However, a new bipartisan bill seeks to reform the mental health system to prevent those with mental illness from turning violent or suicidal. The Helpin...