Latest news with #IllinoisWesleyan
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
IWU hosts NCAA Div. III Softball Championship games this week
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) — The NCAA is in central Illinois and it's a good thing. Illinois Wesleyan is hosting the NCAA Division III Softball Championship this week. Eight teams, from coast to coast, are in Bloomington to compete for the national title at Inspiration Field. The double-elimination tournament runs from May 29-June 4. 'It's an opportunity to host teams from all over the country and to showcase Bloomington-Normal and see what we are all about. And, of course, Illinois Wesleyan,' said IWU athletics director Mike Wagner. The eight teams playing in the 2025 Div. III Softball World Series are Virginia Wesleyan from Virginia Beach, Randolph-Macon College of Ashland, Virginia, Linfield University of Oregon, Saint Mary's in Minnesota, Rowan University of Glassboro, NJ, Texas Lutheran, Trine from Angola, Indiana and Redlands College of California. IWU made the NCAA field and won two games in the regional but fell short of getting home to play for the national title. Nonetheless, the Titans hope to provide a championship experience for everyone as the tournament host. 'We'll try to make this experience the best we possibly can for the student-athletes and the teams that are in town here for this week,' Wagner said. IWU will host the NCAA Div. III volleyball national tournament in November. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
How the Trump administration is affecting Chicago and Illinois
Over the first nine weeks of President Trump's latest term, Chicago and Illinois institutions have emerged as prime targets for the administration's scrutiny. Why it matters: The rapid succession of threats, arrests, lawsuits and closures have been so numerous that it can be hard to keep track. Some of the actions have already impacted peoples' lives and jobs while other measures are on hold as they work their way through the courts. What's happening: We've organized a list of state and local targets to try to monitor the ongoing local effects of new federal measures. If we've missed some, please email to tell us. Local institutions under investigation University of Chicago and Illinois Wesleyan for alleged "race exclusionary practices." Northwestern University for alleged antisemitism. WBEZ and 12 other public media stations for underwriting practices. Shut down/canceled Department of Education local field offices of Civil Rights and Financial Aid that helped students navigate student loans and contest education discrimination. Social Security offices are on the chopping block, including one in Rockford, according to a DOGE list. U of Illinois Soybean Lab that trained African farmers on soybean technology and created opportunities for U.S. farmers. Chicago Immigration Court Helpdesk that helped migrants navigate the court system. Faith-based tree planting projects that maintained urban forestry throughout the Midwest. Temporary Protected Status for thousands of new arrivals starting as early as April. A USDA program to purchase $26.3 million in Illinois farm produce for local schools and childcare centers. Sued Illinois, Cook County and Chicago for their sanctuary policies. Downsized Housing and Urban Development's Chicago office lost 12 employees who work on records requests and act as intermediaries between HUD and others. EPA Region 5, which covers Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin and 37 tribes, could lose up to 30 positions in the environmental justice division, AFGE Local 704 president Nicole Cantello says. The Department of Veterans Affairs, one of the largest federal agencies in Chicago, is expected to cut 80,000 positions nationwide. Threatened Lurie Children's Hospital cut back some gender-affirming care because of federal funding threats. Illinois clean energy jobs after a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a plan that moves fossil fuel plants ahead of renewables in the line to get hooked up to the power grid. Federal buildings, including the Kluczynski and Metcalfe Federal Building, were on a list of properties potentially for sale that the General Services Administration later removed from its website. But that doesn't mean they aren't on the chopping block. Public art managed by the feds is at risk as the administration reportedly cut staff who oversee the Fine Arts and Art in Architecture programs. Ukrainian refugees' legal status as the Trump administration winds down parole programs put in place under President Biden that welcomed 40,000 local Ukrainian refugees. Translation of government documents after a March 1 executive order rescinding requirements for federal agencies to offer language assistance to non-English speakers. Federal educational funding for any schools with DEI policies. Scientific research funding to local hospitals and universities from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. USAID contracts. They are now bracing for potential new Mexico and Canada tariffs next month that could raise the cost of fertilizer and reduce sales to a big export market. Future of a Chicago Securities and Exchange office as the General Services Administration continues to reduce federal government office space.
Axios
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Northwestern among 60 colleges under federal antisemitism probe
The Department of Education announced Monday it's investigating 60 colleges and universities, including Northwestern and Illinois Wesleyan, over allegations of antisemitic harassment and discrimination. Why it matters: Northwestern is already the target of a Department of Justice task force assigned to look into allegations of antisemitism stemming from campus protests over the Israel-Gaza war and the new investigation could put the school at greater risk of funding cuts. What they're saying: "We are fully cooperating with federal investigators as we have with the House Committee on Education and the Workforce over the past year," a statement from Northwestern said. "There is no place for antisemitism or any form of identity-based discrimination or hate at Northwestern University." "We are confident in the actions we have taken to address antisemitism on our campus, including updating our Student Code of Conduct, our disciplinary procedures and making investments in public safety." "We have provided all the information that was requested in an Office of Civil Rights (OCR) investigation that began in March 2024. The University is committed to fulfilling its obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and we continue to cooperate in this matter," Illinois Wesleyan spokesperson Julia Perez told Axios in a statement. "We are committed to a campus environment that protects the safety and dignity of all students, faculty and staff, and that is free from harassment or discrimination of any kind, including discrimination against people of Jewish origin." Catch up quick: The DOE sent letters to five dozen schools saying they must fulfill their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students. The move comes after the administration revoked some $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia last week, citing "continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students." Some campuses on the list — including Columbia University — were epicenters of the pro-Palestinian protests that led to hundreds of arrests starting last spring. President Trump threatened earlier this month to halt funding for schools that allow "illegal protests" — saying "agitators will be imprisoned." By the numbers: The institutions vary widely in enrollment size and location, though nearly half are concentrated in the Northeast. Northwestern and Illinois Wesleyan are the only Illinois schools on the list. Nine Big Ten schools are being threatened, including Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Of the eight Ivy League schools, six are being investigated. Zoom in: Northwestern president Michael Schill told a congressional panel last year the private school would not divest from Israel, one of the demands of campus protesters calling for a ceasefire. Zoom out: Trump has pushed an aggressive crackdown on suspected antisemitism on university campuses — though some of the administration's recent actions and threats have been questioned as legally dubious. Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that nine (not five) Big Ten schools are under investigation by the Department of Education.
