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Wednesday, April 22, 2026

DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM 3 CAMPUS / Cafe MCC

6-7 AUDIO, VIDEO & PHOTO

Multicultural Student Affairs offers students cafe space to study, connect

MULTIMEDIA SPOTLIGHT

12 SPORTS / Lacrosse

’Cats clinch Big Ten regular season title with 9-7 win

High 55 Low 49

Coverage swap frustrates staff Workers confront increased copays By LUCAS KUBOVCHIK

illustrations editor

As a staffer in Northwestern’s office for Sponsored Research, Anna Roth’s regular preventative health screening had previously been covered annually under NU’s Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plan with a copay of about $45. The University shifted to UnitedHealthcare as its third-party health insurance administrator for faculty and staff on Jan. 1. Under the new plan, the treatment cost Roth $192. The change was one of many alterations to staff benefits Roth experienced following NU’s temporary pause of salary raises and freeze in hiring after the Trump Administration froze $790 million in federal funding last April. Roth said her local management communicated the switch to UnitedHealthcare as a financial decision following the funding freeze. On Nov. 28, the University struck a deal with the federal

government to restore funding. “It’s frustrating in that we’re being asked to view some of these ‘wins,’ like tuition and raises, as something to be grateful for, when in reality, I’m financially struggling,” Roth said. The shift to UnitedHealthcare was part of a larger effort by the University to manage healthcare costs for faculty and staff, said Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer Lorraine Goffe during a December Faculty Senate meeting. “The University has been grappling with financial challenges for some time,” Goffe said at the December meeting. “Managing that significant healthcare expense has been something we have focused on for a long time.” The decision was made by NU Welfare Plan Administrators, appointed to “act solely in the best interest of plan participants and beneficiaries,” a University spokesperson wrote in a statement to The Daily. No changes were made to preventative care under UnitedHealthcare for 2026, the

» See HEALTHCARE, page 10

Illustration by Siri Reddy

Lincolnwood parents concerned Community uncertain whether school will shutter amid cuts By JACK BAKER

senior staffer

Lincolnwood Elementary School parent Ande Breunig said her community is “tired of being angry.” In January, the Evanston/

Skokie School District 65 Board of Education unanimously voted to close nearby Kingsley Elementary School and revisit Lincolnwood’s future in the fall. The school will remain open for the 202627 academic year, but the board’s October decision will

hinge on the district’s financial sustainability and K-5 building utilization rate. This resolution followed months of heated debate over potential school closures as part of Phase 3 of the district’s Structural Deficit Reduction Plan. In total, the SDRP aims

to cut between $16 to $18 million from the district’s budget by fi scal year 2030, according to Superintendent Angel Turner. Lincolnwood PTA President Katie Karlin said

» See LINCOLNWOOD, page 11

SASA colors Lakefill with Holi bash Residents split on More than 200 throw the rainbow at Festival of Colors celebration

streamline housing permitPritzker aims to ting; and pour $250 million in build more units, state funding into affordable, housing development. lower housing costs middle “This is an ambitious slate

By LYDIA PARK

the daily northwestern

Coloring the Lakefill with vibrant hues, Northwestern’s South Asian Student Alliance held its annual Holi celebration Saturday. More than 200 participants took part in throwing gulal, colored powder, at one another, Weinberg sophomore and SASA co-president Jainik Shroff said. Attendees drank the Indian mango-flavored drink Frooti, chased each other with water guns and enjoyed South Asian music. “It’s been a lot of work, but it’s also so rewarding to see it pay off right now with everyone on the Lakefill,” Shroff said. “Honestly, I’m just so grateful to have the opportunity. While celebrated around the world, Holi festivals are

Recycle Me

state zoning plan By TIA BETHKE

assisstant city editor

Carter Nishi/The Daily Northwestern

SASA held a Holi celebration on the Lakefill on Saturday.

predominantly held in India, Nepal and other South Asian countries over the course of two days. Also known as the Festival of Colors, the Hindu holiday

unites friends and strangers alike to celebrate love, renewal and the beginning of spring. Weinberg first-year Ayesha Jacob, who is an international

student from India, said she was excited to celebrate her favorite holiday at NU. “Look at the color,” she

» See HOLI, page 11

In January, Evanston adopted its first comprehensive plan in more than 25 years. Now the city is turning to a divisive zoning overhaul. Before it manages to complete these rezoning measures, the city may find the state has already settled its most contested housing debates. Gov. JB Pritzker’s Building Up Illinois Developments plan would override local zoning laws across the state to legalize duplexes, fourplexes and accessory dwelling units on virtually any residential lot;

of reforms designed to eliminate unnecessary barriers and lower costs for housing construction, produce a wider range of family-friendly housing types and streamline construction processes,” Pritzker said in his February State of the State address. The city’s comprehensive plan and the state’s BUILD plan share many of the same goals. The comprehensive plan calls for the development of multi-unit housing in certain mixed-use and downtown districts, allowing for new buildings without special permits or discretionary review. The city’s 1993 zoning

» See BUILD INITIATIVE, page 10