Faculty Senate three resolutions calling for transparency amid ongoing investigations surrounding Northwestern’s cheer team in its Wednesday meeting. In a February investigation by The Daily, cheerleaders reported facing racist and sexist treatment during their time on the team. Last month, the University filed a motion to dismiss sexual harassment allegations leveled by former cheerleader Hayden.
Vice President and Chief Investment Officer Amy Falls spoke at Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting about her vision for the role of the Investment Office in the Northwestern community. Falls, who stepped into her role in early May, also committed to a comprehensive presentation of University investments at a Faculty Senate meeting this fall. “I do.
For much of the past year, Asian American and African American Studies Prof. Nitasha Tamar Sharma said she felt like she failed her son.
While her daughter has managed to independently finish fourth and most of fifth grade on Zoom, Sharma’s kindergartener son has struggled with isolation and remote learning. As a professor, director of African American Graduate Studies and caretaker for her mother during the pandemic, Sharma said trying to balance her many responsibilities with homeschooling has felt “impossible.”
“Imagine trying to get a kindergartner and a first grader to learn how to become computer literate,” Sharma said. “I don’t know how people expect that we continue to do this the problem is that we have continued to do our work and do it pretty well, (and) it’s just that our children and we have suffered.”
R&B singer duo Chloe x Halle will virtually perform at A&O Productions’ 2021 Ball on May 30, according to a Wednesday news release. Along with a recorded performance and question answer session, A&O will also host an in-person screening for up to 150 students at Deering Meadow and the virtual event will stream on Zoom.
University President Morton Schapiro discussed Mike Polisky’s promotion and resignation as athletic director and his hopes for future leadership in a Wednesday Faculty Assembly meeting.
Schapiro spoke in the second half of the meeting, after a panel discussion on Northwestern’s fall reopening plans. Faculty Senate President Therese McGuire moderated the conversation, asking Schapiro questions submitted ahead of time by faculty.
McGuire said many questions submitted pertained to Polisky, who was named a defendant in a federal lawsuit concerning sexual harassment in NU’s cheerleading program.
“The allegations from the current former cheerleaders of racism and sexism were very sad and painful,” McGuire said.