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The Daily Northwestern Wednesday, September 25, 2024

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ETHS adjusts to phone ban Some students get creative for more phone time By ANAVI PRAKASH

daily senior staffer @anavi_52

Daily file photo by Joss Broward

Northwestern saw increases in the student enrollment of historically underrepresented groups in the Class of 2028.

Class of ’28 more racially diverse Black and Hispanic enrollment up after affirmative action ban By JANELLE MELLA

the daily northwestern @janelle_mella

Northwestern’s preliminary admission data released Tuesday revealed an overall

increase in historically underrepresented groups within the class of 2028. This was the first admission cycle that came after the Supreme Court overturned affirmative action last year, barring universities from

considering race as a factor in the admissions process. According to the report, the latest NU class saw an increase in the percentage of Black or African American students, reaching 15.4% from 14.2% since last year. The percentage

of Hispanic or Latino students also rose from 17.2% to 17.5% from last year. The enrollment of international students increased from 10.5% to approximately

» See AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, page 10

One month into the implementation of Evanston Township High School’s new “BellTo-Bell, No Cell” phone policy, senior and student representative Rachel Durango-Cohen said she and her peers have gradually become more accepting of giving up their phones for the whole school day after being initially uneasy about it. Known as “Bell-to-Bell, No Cell,” the policy was implemented in June, at the start of the summer school. Students must place their phones in a phone storage unit at the beginning of their 85-minute class periods and are not allowed to touch them until the bell signals the end of the period. However, students are allowed to use their phones during the 10-minute passing periods and lunchtime. “There’s two sides of it,” Durango-Cohen said. “Some people are cramming in all of their phone time during those passing periods, and then others are like, ‘Oh, I haven’t had my

phone for 85 minutes. What’s 10 more?’” For Durango-Cohen, the policy was a positive addition to the school community because it eliminates the use of phones for entertainment purposes in the middle of class, she said. She added that she had to adjust by using her schoolissued agenda instead of her phone calendar. While planning with an agenda has been sufficient, Durango-Cohen said her phone was ideal because it would give her reminder notifications throughout the day. Evanston Township High School District 202 announced the policy in April, stating it would mitigate classroom distractions, cyberbullying, privacy and safety concerns and social isolation as well as improve teacher-student relationships. The need for the policy first began after the COVID-19 pandemic, when teachers noticed an increase in phone distractions in the classroom, according to District 202 Superintendent Marcus Campbell. ETHS biology teacher Jason Foster said he appreciates the new policy. “Once cellphones are put away, it’s like a reset to how

» See BELL TO BELL, page 10

Taco Bell will ring once more

NU dining staff rally for higher pay

Cantina to open in 45 days, manager says

By JERRY WU

By NAOMI TAXAY

the daily northwestern @naomitaxay

Since arriving at Northwestern last year, Weinberg sophomore Eshaan Chandani has tallied his “days since last Taco Bell” on a whiteboard above his desk. Recently, though, he added a new countdown to the board: “days until Evanston’s Taco Bell Cantina.” Though an exact date hasn’t been set, property manager

Gordon Magill expects the franchise, located at 1737 Sherman Ave., to open in 40-45 days. Magill also managed the downtown Evanston Taco Bell that was once next door but closed in 2018. The city has lacked fast food, usually a staple for college towns, since Taco Bell left, said Andy Vick, the executive director of Downtown Evanston. The old Burger King, which used to set up shop on Orrington Ave., closed its doors in 2020 and was one of the last all night eateries in Downtown. “I’ve heard from a number

» See TACO BELL, page 10

Recycle Me

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e c i v r Se s n o i t Sta

Workers concerned about job security amid Allen Center closure daily senior staffer @jerrwu

Crowds of NU’s dining workers rallied at The Arch Tuesday to demand new contract benefits as the union begins negotiations with Compass Group, the University’s food service provider. Huddled under umbrellas, dining workers joined by members from the Students Organizing for Labor Rights held signs reading “Students Support Workers” and “Justice for workers at the Allen Center.” Together, they rattled off a list of demands for the upcoming contract, such as a wage increase, retirement funds and pensions. Negotiations between

Compass Group and UNITE HERE Local 1, the union representing NU’s subcontracted service workers, have been ongoing since the workers’ previous threeyear contract expired at the end of August. The former agreement, reached after nearly two years of negotiations, included an almost $6 increase in the minimum hourly wage to $19.88 and a permanent extension of health insurance benefits for all workers. Those changes will continue taking effect until a new contract is achieved. Ald. Clare Kelly (1st) also arrived at the event later in the afternoon expressing her solidarity with NU dining workers. “I’ve lived in Evanston for over 26 years, I own a house

in Evanston, I raise my kids in Evanston,” said Veronica Reyes, a cashier at Foster-Walker Complex. “And if Northwestern decides to hire a new company for food service, there is no guarantee that we can keep our job.” Top of concern in the negotiations is providing job security for the 103 workers currently employed at the Kellogg School of Management’s James Allen Center, which hosts the Executive MBA and Executive Education programs. While the center is slated to shut down for reconstruction Nov. 28, Compass has only proposed extending employees’ recall rights — without guaranteeing continued employment to all of the workers — according

to a representative from UNITE HERE Local 1. Compass spokesperson Sophia Bamiatzis told The Daily that the company so far has “placed 51 Allen Center employees in other positions” at NU and are “committed to offering any future available positions to our 26 potentially displaced associates in accordance with the current CBA.” Elizabeth Arreguin, who’s worked as a housekeeper at the center for nearly 24 years, said she had first begun hearing plans about the center reconstruction since the pandemic. The announcement this year “devastated” her. She’s the only one working in her family right now, since her husband

» See MARCH, page 10

Register to Vote Check your Registration Request Absentee Ballot Questions Wed. Sept. 25 to Wed. Oct. 2 • 10am–4pm Alternating Weekdays:

Norris Lobby (South) • Sargent Lobby (North) W-9/25, F-9/27, Tu-10/1

Th-9/26, M-9/30, W-10/2

ELECTIONS 2024 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5