North by Northwestern

Members from NU You and NUDivest were among those who sat with ASG’s senate meeting Wednesday to discuss their upcoming projects and resolutions.

Dr. Angela Pfammatter and Dr. Jenny Warnick from the Feinberg School of Medicine announced to ASG about their project NU You, a four-year long study on how college life impacts cardiovascular health and whether or not technology can prevent long-term health risks. 

Northwestern University was chosen by the American Hearts Association as one of four universities to be a strategically focused research prevention networks. The project is headed by Dr. Bonnie Springs, Director of Northwestern University’s Center for Behavior and Health.

The clinical science part of the project will focus on the cardiovascular health of 500 of the incoming freshmen in the fall of 2015. The project will focus on four of the known factors that affect cardiovascular health: smoking, consumption of fruits and vegetables, physical activity and weight. The project will also see if technology such as mobile apps can create a helpful intervention in long-term health.

Because the project is in its development stage, NU You asked ASG for advice on how to make the project successful or if there were any concerns. Members of ASG suggested that NU You also focus on how the transition from living in on-campus housing to off-campus housing impacts cardiovascular health and how recreational facilities in certain housing may affect health. 

Some concerns included the question of how NU You should sensitively address eating disorders and how to make sure to balance the number of athletes and non-athletes in the study.

NUDivest spoke to ASG about their upcoming resolution concerning Northwestern University’s lack of transparency in investments. They believe this is an issue because Northwestern may be investing in companies that have a history of human rights violation. Member of NUDivest junior Noah Whinston explained that major companies such as Boeing, Caterpillar and Hewlett-Packard have had a history of contributing to human rights violation, specifically in Palestine. According to Whinston, it is likely Northwestern University is investing in these companies.

After the brief presentation, ASG discussed with NUDivest about the particulars of the resolution. Some members of ASG were concerned about NUDivest’s support with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, while others were concerned whether or not NUDivest will promote a certain solution to the Israeli-Palestine conflict. A NUDivest member, junior Cynthia Rodriguez, assured ASG that NUDivest was more concerned with human rights than a solution to the Israeli-Palestine conflict.

Still others were concerned as to why NUDivest was only concerned with the human rights in Palestine and why NUDivest mentioned the Israeli government violations of human rights and international laws in their resolution. According to Whinston, NUDivest chose Palestine as a response to Palestine’s call for help and was one of the many places they decided to help.

NU You and NUDivest’s resolutions will be further discussed and formally proposed to ASG.

In addition, ASG discussed further about the Real Food Challenge Campus Commitment. Members of Real Food at Northwestern University, juniors Miranda Cawley and Alexi Stocker, updated ASG on their progress, such as talking with NU Dining.

ASG also passed a score of funding for Wild Ideas, including an event themed “Nation of Islam” hosted by McSA, an experiential scavenger hunt called the “The Hunt” submitted by the Wild Ideas Committee, WAVE Productions’s project called “Anti-Play” and a speaker event hosted by MEChA that will feature Dr. Hatem Bazian.

In addition, ASG amended Article 1 of the Constitution of the Undergraduate Student Body of Northwestern University to make it more concise. Though there was some discussion as to whether or not to put this article as the first article, the amendment passed without objection.

The last thing ASG did before the two-hour meeting ended was pass a resolution on active consent. The resolution is similar to the state of California’s law requiring active spoken consent before sexual activity in college. 

The resolution could be used to lobby the Illinois General Assembly to create an active consent law for college students within its jurisdiction.