The WIZARD : Newsletter for Student Rights and Justice

The Wizard Volume 2, Issue 1 May 2013 1

WZRD Radio is Back and Better Than EverBy Ro B e RT A . h A N s e N

WZRD is back and stronger than ever before. On January 6, 2013, the Wizards returned to the airwaves of Chicago to provide the true alternative

voice Chicagoans are familiar with.We, the Wizards of NEIU, immediately sprung

into action to restore our freeform programming Chicago is familiar with. Thursday Night Live is back and with a new enthusiasm.

A renewed interest in WZRD by Northeastern Illinois University students is evident. Since the reactivation of the WZRD Student Radio Club, we have had one hundred new sign-ups and have been processing 30 new Applications. Our sched-ule is fi lling up fast. The airwaves are fi lled with the Wizardly skills rather than a robot dj. WZRD 88.3 FM is once again fi lled with a positive Wiz-ard personality that will continue for many years to come. n

WZRD Alumnus update:

My name is Terry OConnor, I was a wizard for most of my time at NEIU. Just thought Id give an update on my

activities since leaving the best damn freeform station on the planet!

After I graduated in 2010, I became an Americorps VISTA volunteer on the Lac du Flambeau Indian Reser-vation in Northern Wisconsin. That experience led to a full-time job with the Tribe as a Grants Writer. I was able to stay involved in community radio as a volunteer at WXPR-Rhine-lander, helping out as a regular substitute-DJ.

In 2012, I began looking for work in com-munity radio. I kept my eyes open, and found a

fantastic community radio station called WDRT in an exceptional little town called Viroqua, located in the Driftless Re-gion of Southwest Wisconsin. Im currently the Community Coordina-tor at WDRT, with my work revolv-ing around membership develop-ment, volunteer coordination and community outreach. The station is volunteer-oriented and listener-sup-

ported, and is managed by a non-hierarchical four-person staff collective. We have a commit-ment to open-source radio, with the idea that community radio stations nationwide should work cooperatively, openly sharing knowledge and resources.

T h e N e w s l e t t e r f o r S t u d e n t s R i g h t s a n d J u s t i c e

Terry OConnor2010, Anthropology

2007-2010Co-Program

Director 2009-2010

RECAP OF WZRD SINCE JUNE 29TH, 2012By p e T e R A l I e N G e R

After six long months of being wizards in exile, the student and alumni members of the WZRD Student Media Organization were

allowed back into the radio station facilities on January 5th of this year. Feverish activity was immediately commenced to get all the systems of the station up and runningfrom updating our automated playlist to taking inventory, setting up a recruitment and training regimen, checking paperwork, and just plain cleaning up. We estimate that in the fi rst month, in January of this year, wizard volunteers put in over 300 hours of work at the stationand that didnt include doing our shows, which was our motivation, and reward. We were back!

What we understand about our statusSince being back in the station, here on the Northeastern Illinois campus, with full and even expanded authorities over the running of the ra-dio station (more on that later), the student mem-bers of the WZRD Student Organization has been waiting for word from the Vice President of Stu-dent Affairs, Dr. Frank Ross concerning our sta-tus. It has been almost six months now, and we are still waiting.

Our understanding from last Fall was that there would be a process of investigation of the allega-tions made by Director of Student Activities Shar-ron Evans last June 29th when she announced her decision to shut down our club, declared WZRD inactive, banned us from the station facilities, and threatened our student members with charg-es of trespassing and declarations of a persona non grata status if we defi ed her decision.

Some of the allegations that were made in her now infamous June 29th Memo included: respon-sibility for removed Quarterly Issues fi les, nec-essary for the FCC License renewal process (this constitutes theft of State property, which was never reported to the authorities for investigation), mis-use of funds fundraised (also never reported to proper authorities), discovery of $200 with claims that it was evidence of the misuse (WZRD was never asked whose money it was, nor was it ever turned over to Lost and Found, or Public Safety for investigation of sources), racial, ethnic and gender discrimination (never reported to Title 9 offi cer on campus, as NEIU Policies require), complaints of verbal attacks which were never properly handled through the Student Code of Conduct processes, and repeated damage to equipment in the station, also never identifi ed or listed.

The investigation for all of these allega-tions was turned over to students in the Council of Clubs! It boggles our minds that allegations of conduct this serious would be investigated by students with NO powers or authority to call wit-nesses, carry out searches, or even properly call

Co N T I N u e D o N pAG e 4

Co N T I N u e D o N pAG e 4

2 The Wizard Volume 2, Issue 1 May 2013

WZRD Timeline While in exile: June 8, 2012 June 28, 2012 June 29, 2012. Black Friday. July 1, 2012. sunday. Day 2 July 19 July 17 July 24 August 21

WZRDs Promotions TeamBy h A M I s h B oyC e

Ive been part of WZRD since fall of 2011, but just before the lockout last Spring of 2012 I started to get more involved and work in the stations Promotions Department. This part of

the station duty is to get a good solid relationship with venues, artists and events to promote their shows and in turn promote the station. I have quite a few friends who do promotions for events, be it others or their own, and the idea of getting to know how to do that for a college radio station was very appealing to me so I jumped on it immediately. What I do is I reach out to the promotion team at these events or places and see if they are interested in using the station in whatever way they see fi t (announcing shows, conducting interviews, reaching to new audiences). In exchange we would normally ask for the opportunity for our listeners to call in and win a pair of passes to said gigs. At the moment we have rebuilt our relationships with the Beat Kitchen, the Subterranean, Logan Square Auditorium, and the Empty Bottle. WZRD also is developing a relationship with React Presents, who book and promote shows at the Congress Theatre, the House of Blues, the Mid and the Bottom Lounge. We have quite a few shows up for May at the moment so by all means feel free to check the list out at the station or just tune in for a chance to win. You can also check out free tickets that are available on our WZRD Bulletin Board, located in the basement of the Student Union Building right across the hall from the Independent newspaper offi ces. n

THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE, WZRDS SHOWCASE FOR LOCAL AND TOURING BANDS

Thursday Night Live, one of the United States longest running live band radio shows is back! TNL has been bringing local and underground bands to the airwaves of

Chicago every Thursday night at 10pm for close to thirty years. TNL has had the pleasure of giving the opportunity of air time to up and coming bands like the Smashing Pumpkins, as well as fostering the Chicago punk scene, earning WZRD a spotlight in the Chicago Punk Documentary: You Werent There. Among many others, Naked Ray Gun and Ministry both are notable bands that have had the chance to grace TNL during the 80s. WZRD continues to be the one of the only bastions of consistent live ra-dio entertainment in Chicago. In the month of May WZRD featured a wide variety of musical acts of different genres including White Mystery (Garage) and The Hannah Frank Band (Folk) both featured on the 9th, and Et Tu Brute (Punk) on the 16th. WZRD is excited to continue to offer this Chicago histori-cal staple for all the music lovers of Chicago. We hope to be bringing bands live in person to NEIU in a rescheduled 3 bands 3 genre event, which was cancelled recently due to a recent rainstorm.

J O N AT H A N E XT R ACT, STAT I O N M A N AG E R

If you are in a band or know someone who is in a band and would like to be on the show e-mail our TNL coordinator at [email protected]. Tune in this Thursday and hear the live sounds of this weeks band!

soMe oF The BANDs FeATuReD oN WZRDs ThuRsDAy NIGhT lIVe shoW sINCe JANuARy oF ThIs yeAR:

Devin NolanThe MizzerablesLa CosaMoonerThe Luck of Eden HallMichelle CrossThe Bumpus HoundsMark TaylorShelley Miller and the BCC

Time and the New RomansUniversal ProductMeat WaveFlux BikesWarrior TribesGuzzlemugWhite MysteryThe Hannah Frank Band

New Music at WZRDBy e l I sA B e TA N I T u

WZRD is excited to announce some of the new music that has been added to the library! We have a variety of genres that have been

added and the genre I fi nd to be very interesting is international. The music comes from multiple countries across the globe. Originally from Japan, but now performing in Chicago, the Gintenkai group released their second album which is fi lled with the heartbeat sounds of Taiko drums. Moving West on the map from Japan we reach Tibet where we have a Tibetan Bowls album by the artist Acama. If we go further west we reach Turkey and fi nd two albums, Ali Fuat Aydins release Cenk Guray bir (Traditional Turkish Music) and Erkin Korays Mechul. Erkin Koray was one of the fi rst people to play rock and roll music in Turkey. From Turkey we go south into Africa where we will hear raw and psychedelic Afro sounds from the 70s on the Analog Africa No.3-African Scream Contest album from Togo and Benin. Togos neighbor country, Ghana gives us the Ghana Soundz: Afrobeat and Fusion in the 70s album.

From Africa we move into Europe where are met

with a Traditional Italian Music album by Italia4. Next we go to Germany where Pantha du Prince and The Bell Laboratory enchant us with their new electronic album called Elements of Light. Pantha du Prince sets the bar for electronic music with a symphony for electronics, percussion and bell carillon, a three-tone instrument comprising 50 bronze bells throughout the album.

From Europe we cross the Atlantic Ocean and reach the Americas. A local punk band right here in the city of Chicago that recently performed on our Thursday Night Live Show is The Bumpus Hounds with their new self-titled album The Bumpus Hounds. On a different note, we have added two albums that you can only hear on the Wizard. They are Track Talk which is Train Re-cordings and Realistic Mechanical Sound Effects is the other album. Moving on to our neighbor to the south, Mexico, we fi nd Love, Peace, & Poetry: Mexican Psychedelic Music. And lastly in an even warmer climate than Mexico, we end up in Hawaii with Homegrown, featuring homegrown Hawai-ian music. Take some time and explore music from all around the globe. Aloha and mahalo! n

A Couple of Record Reviews by Ari Fishman, Co-Music DirectorJaco pastorius Jaco pastoriusWZRDs record collection has a number of great Jazz albums, and the self-titled album from bass guitar legend Jaco Pastorius is a wonderful addition that really stands out. It is an incredible display of harmony and technical prowess that will surely require a full listen from start to end. Jaco Pastorius is one of the fi nest bass albums ever recorded and a lot is attributed to Jacos unique fi nger pluck style playing. On top of being composed by Jaco Pastorius, the album also featured a stellar line-up of Jazz musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, David Sanborn, Lenny White, Don Alias, and Michael Brecker.

Ty segall MeltedNoisy psychedelic rock is what Ty Segall is known for, and Melted delivers just that. Ty Segall, a talented musician from California, was bouncing around in a number of bands before deciding to release a solo album. Melted is his fourth studio album and it is an interesting listen into the mind of an experimental composer. From crazy, distorted bass lines and periods of white noise and feedback, Ty Segall manages to captivate your ears on every track. Melted is a highly recommended listen.

WZRD Bulletin Board, located in hall opposite Independent Newspaper offi ce, in basement of Student Union BuildingCheck for Ticket Giveaways, and updated Thursday Night Live performances


How you do Harm When You Buy a Bottle of WaterBy R AC h e l Fo RG A s h

While people in developing countries like Bangladesh struggle daily to fi nd a clean water source, consumption of bottled water in

the United States was the most rapidly growing choice of beverage in 2004, according to the EPA. While people believe that bottled water is safer, more convenient, and tastes better, consumers fail to recognize the environmental degradation that goes hand-in-hand with its production.

According to the Pacifi c Institute, it takes 3 li-ters of water to produce one liter of bottled wa-ter. Additionally, the bottled water industry uses a massive 17 billion barrels of oil annually. Along with the environmental degradation that goes into the production of bottled water, once pur-chased, only 23% of the plastic bottles make it into the recycling bin; the rest end up in landfi lls (The Huffi ngton Post). When bottles are not recycled, they end up in the oceans, not only harming our environment, but the marine ecosystem as well.

Up to date, over 90 universities in the nation have banned sales of plastic water bottles on cam-pus, including Harvard, Brown, and soon to fol-low Vermont University (Savedge). Instead these campuses are installing hydration stations or distilled water bottle fi lling fountains, such as the ones recently brought to our campus by the Green Fee Committee. These new water fi lling stations are an attempt to discourage the use of plastic water bottles on campus. A great start to be sure; this is only one small step towards decreasing or eliminating the use of plastic bottles at NEIU. The dearth of recycling bins on campus does not as-sist in the matter. Although recycling bins can be found sporadically around the cafeteria, a place to properly dispose of plastic bottles and aluminum cans is nowhere to found in Lech Walesa, BBH, or in the Fine Arts building. Nonetheless, the ban-ning of plastic bottles on campus would dismiss the need for an increase in recycling bins.

It will take awareness, education, and an eco-logically conscious student body to bring about change. As I sit in class and look around, I see al-most half my classmates with bottles of soda and water, which will end up in garbage cans, and eventually in a landfi ll. When you look back at the history of the revolutionary 60s and 70s, it was on college campuses that change began to take place. It was student organizations and student protests that raised awareness of the problems of the time and brought about change.

The further we distance ourselves from cur-rent issues and pretend as if someone else will take care of it, the less likely any sort of change will occur. It is time that we take it upon ourselves to voice our opinions, raise awareness, and de-mand change. As the ecological philosopher Aldo Leopold argues in his essay The Land Ethic, as members of the biotic (living) community, it is our duty to preserve the land on which we live. The purchase and disposal of plastic bottles depletes our water, degrades our land, and harms the ma-rine ecosystem. Next time you go to the vending machine or cafeteria to buy an Ice Mountain or a Pepsi, consider the words of Mr. Leopold; A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integ-rity, stability, and beauty of a biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise. n

WZRD Timeline While in exile: June 8, 2012 June 28, 2012 June 29, 2012. Black Friday. July 1, 2012. sunday. Day 2 July 19 July 17 July 24 August 21

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Really: My Delivery of my HRD Project to WZRDBy Au D l e B DJ I R I

Hi my name is Audree Lebdjiri. Im an alumna of NEIU, a 2012 graduate of the Department of Educations Masters Degree program in Human Resource

Development. Thanks to WZRD I was able to fi nish my degree. In the fi nal year of my program I completed a

needs analysis of the Student-run WZRD Radio Station at Northeastern Illinois University that included a 20-page report. This project included methodology, recommendations and a learning plan that was developed by me over the Fall and Winter of 2011 to 2012. The second part of the project included a design manual that consisted of training materials for a complete WZRD new DJ training orientation. Such materials includ-ed, but were not limited to: a learning design plan, a facilitators guide, a Power Point slide presentation, a role-play skit, a 4-day training orientation checklist, quizzes and an online Sur-vey Monkey evaluation of training. Last but not least, it also included an entire re-writing and il-lustrating of the WZRD DJ Handbook.

It was a project that required me to utilize all of my skill-sets learned in my masters program and it was a great way for me to get a real-world expe-rience to put all of that theory into practice. I was also excited about the possibility that the Station would put these materials to use.

It was truly a labor of love on my part for a sta-tion that I had been listening to since the mid-1980s. Back then the punk movement was in its ascendancy, and WZRD and WNUR were the only places (other than clubs like C.O.D , Exit, and NEO) where you could hear great punk and new wave music. Thats when I became a fan of the WZRD, and Ive been listening ever since.

In the Spring of 2012, I made several at-tempts to deliver my finished project to WZRD personnel, but was not successful. I finally

contacted someone at NEIU and this contact assured me that she personally would deliver it to the Station.

Shortly thereafter, NEIU declared a lockout at the Station. One of my WZRD contacts fran-tically called me at my day job to tell me that the student DJs had been silenced and restricted from access to the Station. A few months later, I found out that the Station never received my project, and that it was one of the many docu-ments that were being examined by NEIU as part of its investigation process.

As a result of the lockout, the project I had slaved over for two semesters was now in limbo. I was unable to include my project as part of my work portfolio. I missed not one, but two dead-lines to take the American Society of Training and Developments Certified Learning Profes-sional Exam. The WZRD project would have been included in my application for the exam. The other projects I had completed for my academic program were unacceptable because they were not true deliverables. In addition, I could not include the work for WZRD I did on my resume because of the lockout and investi-gation, and thus, my efforts at making an effec-tive career transition were severely hampered.

Once I had heard that WZRD was back in op-eration, I was contacted by members at the Sta-tion about my project, and after a few phone calls and back-and-forth e-mails, I was able to retrieve my fi nished work from NEIU and hand it over to the WZRD.

It had been nearly a year after its completion when I fi nally handed over my Project to the Wiz-ards. It felt like it was a healing moment, as if ev-erything was now in its proper place.

Audree Lebdjiri, Wizard-In-Training, and newly appointed member of Community Rela-tions Department at WZRD n

Aud Lebdjiri handing over her Project to Station Manager Jonathan Extract and Co-Program Director Ellie Nitu


Being a part of WZRD opened my eyes to the vital role of community-oriented, volunteer-driven media, and I learned a great deal of skills while I was there. Aside from navigating the most impressive music library on the planet, I was also able to gain a lot of experience in volunteer co-ordination and organizational planning, which have been invaluable in my post-college pursuits. And, like all Program Directors the last few years, I gained some valuable conflict-management ex-perience dealing with the administration.

Im always looking to stay in-touch with wizards past and present, I can be reached at [email protected]

Note: Terry OConnor played an instrumen-tal part in the re-formation of the WZRD Radio Station this past year. During his tenure as Pro-gram Director at the station, he researched and authored a proposal for how WZRD could be structured. VP Matt Specht used his proposal as a model for what has come to be a newly constitut-ed, re-imagined and re-formed WZRD student-led Student Organization and media club. n

for any testimony!Nevertheless, the review processes, as flawed

as they were, were carried out, and recommenda-tions submitted to Vice President Frank Rosss of-fice. Or so we assume.

What we understand about our status has only been communicated in casual, more or less pri-vate conversations with Vice President of Student Involvement Matt Specht. No public pronounce-ment has been made by any body on the campus of NEIU, and students involved with WZRD are still running into persons who are confused about it. Of course, we are in the station, and managing it in the most professional and efficient manner it has been in a long time, and for that we are of course grateful and satisfied. But it is unsettling that no explanation, nor apology, has been forth-coming for the needless harms we suffered, and no official decision has been handed down, as we were informed would happen last summer, fall, and winter.

We understand: that no validity, nor evidence, was found for any of the allegations made by Me-dia Advisor Tasha Neumeister and Director of Student Activities Sharron Evans in their justifi-cations for the decision to declare WZRD inac-tive and shutting out the student members from their club facilities, the radio station. We under-stand: we have been restored to full rights as a stu-dent organization, and that no changes to our By-laws were required. We understand: that we have expanded roles for participation in that WZRD and NEIU alumni are allowed to participate in the broadcasting, training, and mentoring duties at the radio station. n

WZRDs Inspired BeginningsPart IIBy A . N u T T, A WZ R D s u p p o RT e R

Despite its small scale and scope, members of the NEIU radio club, who were operating WRNE, continued to have ambitions to run a bonafide station which could broadcast beyond

the university campus and out into the larger world. Their next step was a big oneapplying for a license with the FCC. In order to be granted an FCC license to erect an actual antenna and broadcast publiclynot just on campusthe members of WRNE would need to submit to an arduous application process.

In order to grant a license to broadcast, the FCC required that numerous technical specifications be met. However, beyond the strictly technical aspects to delivering a radio signal in compliance with FCC regulations, WRNE would also have to submit for approval to the FCC its intended mod-el for programming at their proposed station.

Many club meetings were held to discuss the type of radio programming that WRNE members wanted to project into the larger Chicago com-munity. Much discussion and soul-searching ensued, and eventually a consensus emerged. WRNE members wanted to serve the university community, as well as the surrounding Chicago neighborhoods, with information and entertain-ment which was not well represented elsewhere on Chicagos airwaves.

Most of the clubs members were fans of Scor-pios artful DJ work on WOPA, and some had also heard other freeform radio shows in different parts of the country. Many club members were active in grassroots organizations for social change which had fomented during the 1960s. A spirit of opti-mism was prevalent, and their overreaching goal became an intent to synthesize the trends and con-cepts they had been exposed to, in order to build a system of radio programming which would have the characteristics of a true art form.

* * *The clubs FCC application was finally submit-

ted in early 1974. At this point, WRNE ceased its carrier current station operations, and an anxious period of several months followed, waiting for a reply from the federal agency. When it finally arrived in the mail, with the FCC granting their approval for a new 10-watt FM station, there was tremendous jubilation. As soon as the club could finish the wiring for its new transmitter and an-tenna, it could begin broadcasting in the airwaves.

One agenda item remained before going on the air. The FCC had identified another licensed American radio station which was already using the call letters WRNE. Therefore, the newly li-censed station would need to choose a new set of call letters, a four letter call beginning with W, which hadnt already been claimed by an-other station.

A meeting was called to agree upon the call let-ters for the new station. As had become the clubs custom, the discussion was long and lively. Nu-merous four-letter calls were rolled around on the tongues of club members. Finally, someone proposed WZRD. A hush came over the meet-ing. WZRD just sounded right. Those letters in that particular order had a certain oomph; a cer-tain je ne sais quois. WZRD was born.

* * *WZRD carried on as a ten watt station for

twelve years. During that time its listeners could be counted in the thousands, throughout the neighborhoods immediately surrounding the

NEIU campus. In its early years, WZRD broad-cast programs prepared by Liberation News Ser-vice from Ithica, New York. Later the station would begin a relationship with Pacifica Radio, airing Pacifica programs at first on tape, and later via satellite connection. WZRD maintains a sub-scription to Pacifica programming to this day.

In the early 1980s, pressure mounted to pe-tition the FCC once more, this time to elevate WZRDs standing to a 100 watt station. Another application process was mounted, and this time the proceedings were more complicated. All the available FM frequencies had already been as-signed by the FCC in the Chicago area, so that stations which might boost their signal strength would almost certainly be encroaching on neigh-boring FM stations signals.

Since WZRD was in similar circumstances to many other relatively low power FM stations in Chicago at the time, a decision was made to co-operate with other stations. The Metropolitan Educational Radio Consortium was formed. The function of the MERC was to provide a space of negotiation between a total of 14 ten watt stations in Chicago, so that each of them could make ap-plication to grow to 100 watts without interfering with one anothers signals.

MERCs planning was successful, and in 1986 WZRD grew to 100 watts, increasing its range and influence in the community substantially.

* * *WZRD was a unique radio station from its in-

ception, and it has remained a unique and special node in Chicagos media landscape. The stations founders ideals of radio as an art form have been embraced repeatedly by generations radio club members, and won the hearts of hundreds of thousands of listeners throughout Chicago and its northern tier of suburbs.

WZRD has remained true to ideas and ideals put forward by the pioneers of freeform radio. The station has avoided block programmingthe norm for most stationswhich dictates that certain genres of music, and certain informational programs will be delivered in regularly scheduled time slots. Instead, to counterbalance that pre-dictability found in virtually every other media outlet, WZRD DJs are encouraged to use all their facilities of intellect and imagination to provide station listeners with exciting segways and scin-tillating juxtapositions between types of music and sources of information. In addition, WZRD DJs have carried on a tradition of anonymity as on-air DJs, a concept which has proven effec-tive at quelling the impulse of egotism, as well as building group unity towards a common mission of serving up excellent and inspiring programs.

In common practice, WZRD DJs (known as Wizards) are recruited from the student body at NEIU. The stations by-laws set out its direc-tive that student members operate the station. However, this has not precluded the participa-tion of non-student community members, who, respecting and upholding the stations rules and traditions, have made essential contributions to WZRD over the years. Indeed, it was WZRDs founders intention to create a true community radio station, which, although emanating from NEIU, functions as an important cultural touch-stone for its entire community of listeners.

* * *Although the Wizards won their battle to regain

broadcasting authority over the WZRD airwaves,

there are still ongoing issues that the student-DJs would like to see addressed by the Administration of Northeastern Illinois University. You can read about some of those issues in this paper, and in up-coming issues. Visit our website at www.wzrdchi-cago.org, and visit our bulletin board in the base-ment Student Lounge under Becks Bookstore and across the hall from the Independent newspaper. Or just stop by the station and say HI! n

Alumnus UpdateContinued from page 1

WZRD RecapContinued from page 1

sept. 3 september 4 september 5 september 9 september 20 sept. 21 sept. 24 sept. 26 sept. 28, 2012 oct. 2 oct. 24


sept. 3 september 4 september 5 september 9 september 20 sept. 21 sept. 24 sept. 26 sept. 28, 2012 oct. 2 oct. 24

CAN IMPUNITY ITSELF BE A VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS?o p I N I o N , By DA l e l e h M A N

Can students at Northeastern Illinois University be denied basic human rights with impunity? One might have assumed such question farfetched, that an institutional

commitment to human rights would be a bedrock at NEIU--but, as the past eleven months have revealed, it is not that at all.

I raise the question in relation to the former Director of the Student Activities Office and the impunity she has received following her circum-vention of university policy when she accused and then penalized a group of students indepen-dent of any due process (hearing, defined proce-dures, appeal) and rule of law (existing univer-sity policy).

On June 29, 2012 the Director accused all current membership of the student-run radio station, WZRD, of crimes such that it scandal-ized their good names and reputations, publicly humiliated them, caused emotional distress and scarred their university experience. The Director, who then proceeded to rob them of the benefit of their student activity fees by locking them out of the radio station and threatening them with ar-rest should they return, told them to come back in six months to find out where they stood.

The Student Governments Charter Rules and Regulations Committee was tasked to investigate the accusations, an action totally outside of its scope of responsibilities and in direct violation of university policy. There was, the accused stu-dents discovered, no right to appeal--and radio club members, those that remained, took up their own defense with the certainty that they were in-nocent of the accusations but with little expecta-tion that they would recover either the radio sta-tion or their reputations from under the weight of the totality of the accusations.

Due process is the conduct of legal proceed-ings according to established rules and principles for the protection and enforcement of private rights, including notices and the right to a fair hearing. ( Blacks Law Dictionary)

The concept is enshrined in both the 5th amendment to the U.S. Constitution and in the NEIU Governing Policies and the SGA Consti-tution; it is our founding citizens conditions for approval of the Constitution of the United States that basic Human Rights be recognized and re-spected by the government they were consenting to approve.

Due process is what is denied a human being when they are assassinated by a death squad for their union activity in Columbia or when the Pres-ident of the United States orders a drone strike on them because their behavior pattern seems to be that of a terrorist. And while the Director of the Student Activities Office limited herself to char-acter assassination it was no less a denial of due process. The right to a formal hearing, the right to appeal, and the rule of law (process) are em-bedded in the governing policies of the Univer-sity such that one might expect that the Univer-sity would be capable of recognizing the absence of due process and move to correct transgressions of such a right when it occurs. They have not.

* * *Conjointly, Impunity refers to the failure to

bring perpetrators of human rights violations to

justice and, as such, itself constitutes a denial of the victims right to justice and redress. Impu-nity is especially common in states [universities] that lack a tradition of the rule of law, suffer from corruption or that have entrenched systems of patronage, . (Wikipedia), while the United Na-tions amended Set of Principles for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights Through Action to Combat Impunity, submitted to the United Na-tions Commission on Human Rights on 8 Febru-ary 2005, defines impunity as:

the impossibility, de jure or de facto, of bring-ing the perpetrators of violations to account whether in criminal, civil, administrative or dis-ciplinary proceedings since they are not subject to any inquiry that might lead to their being ac-cused, arrested, tried and, if found guilty, sen-tenced to appropriate penalties, and to making reparations to their victims.

Eleven months later the accusations made by the Director of the Office of Student Activities, against all WZRD Current Student Member-ship, have withered without validation. Yet pub-licly they have not been retracted. Had the club collapsed, as it almost did, following what felt like an administrative mugging, the Director would have had her way, for she stated in her memoran-dum of June 29th, 2013 that she wanted to make some changes:

The challenge is finding a format that moves the station away for the issues that exist today and have existed over time.... The goal is to develop a more productive structure that further enhanc-es the quality of student life at NEIU, advances the University strategic goal of student success through increased student engagement, and elimi-nates instances of liability placed upon the Univer-sity President and the University as a whole.

* * *Through our own investigation we discovered

that the Director had acted without hard evi-dence and solely on the word of her subordinate whom it now appears was attempting to cover up her own record-keeping failures, such that they are likely to be the basis for an Federal Commu-nications Commission fine of the university. We also discovered that student activity funds bud-geted for the radio station were removed from the clubs account by the university for its own purposes prior to the club being deactivated--and after, when the budget was frozen, by someone in the Student Activities Office, aka the Office of Student Leadership Development. In addition, we discovered that the Director dealt with stu-dents in a manner absent of the most rudimentary understanding of the potential psychological and emotional harm her accusations would expose the accused students to, and demonstrated a defi-cit of ethical judgment and understanding of hu-man rights as to call into question the Directors capacity to work with students without causing harm.

On January 8, 2013, the Acting Vice President for Student Involvement,

Matt Specht, stated that In the course of the review of the WZRD Radio Station student organization conducted by the Charter Rules and Regulations Committee (CCR) [Student Sen-ate], no evidence was presented that supported the allegations that current WZRD club members

13 Students File Complaints Against Director For Student Rights And Responsibilities Sharron EvansAllege harms and violations of student rights

During the recent NEIU Board of Trustees Meeting on April 11, 2013, Peter Ali Enger turned in thirteen complaints to Vice President of Student Affairs

Dr. Frank Ross. The complaints were lodged against Director of SRR Sharron Evans and Media Coordinator Tasha Neumeister for actions they took in the deactivation of the WZRD Student Organization last year. The student complaints allege harms they suffered due to the allegations of mismanagement of critical documents,misuse of funds, money laundering, discrimination due to race/ethnicity in addition to gender and bias in the recruitment and training processes at WZRD.

Some of the claims of harms identified by the student complaints recently filed allege loss of sleep, depression, anxiety, emotional dis-tress, financial losses and academic losses due to the allegations and rumors that the stu-dents suffered last Fall semester at NEIU. As of this writing, there have been no formal investiga-tion, hearing, or findings of either validity to the claims, nor any announcement by University per-sonnel of a finding of no wrongdoings by mem-bers of WZRD. There has also not been any public statement regarding the status of either the radio station or the WZRD Student Organization, as a result of the Station and Student Organization review processes created last summer stated there would be. n

engaged in racial discrimination. This was clearly addressed in point #4 of the recommendations from the CRR: We found no proof of racial or ethnicity racism (one of the Directors accusa-tions), as if Student Government was a legitimate forum to investigate such matters; a realization that occurred to some of them as well.

The University has remained mute when que-ried about what happened on June 29, 2012. It repeatedly fails to respond to requests for an explanation. Yet the Director, now promoted to head the Office of Student Rights and Responsi-bilities, refuses to apologize or acknowledge that her decision-making process was in error. She is now shepherding changes to the Student Code of Conduct that propose to give her office some ex-panded powers to accuse and prosecute Student Organizations for wrongdoing and violations of the Student Code of Conduct.

Learn in the city, Lead in the world is the motto for NEIU.

If we unpack the meaning we find an opened ended path of values. One path forks toward Hu-man Rights while the other its opposite. Will there be an inquiry or will impunity be what is taught in the city and offered as the role model for the world? n


November, 2012 Dec. 1, 2012 Jan. 3, 2013. Jan. 5, 2013 Jan. 6, 2013 Jan. 8, 2013

WZRD Timeline While in Exile

Throughout the Lockout of WZRD in Fall of 2012, student-members of WZRD Student Organization and supporters met regularly for an average of 1-2 times per week, for strategy, mutual support, and commiserationand to share information we were gathering from

numerous sources in our struggle to regain our reputation, our status, and for Justice. Following is a Timeline of activities we were involved in, as a remind-er to ourselves and to anyone who might be interested. Success in Political Struggle demands unity, perseverance, and hard work.

June 8, 2012. Friday. Student Activi-ties staff take over WZRD Radio Station Facility over Student Organization mem-bers objections, put non-members of WZRD on air.

June 28, 2012. Thursday. WZRD mem-ber Peter Ali Enger escorted from WZRD premises by Public Safety, at behest of Sta-tion Manager acting on orders of Media Advisor Tasha Neumeister.

June 29, 2012. Black Friday. WZRD members called to meeting with then-Di-rector of Student Activities Sharron Evans. Members informed of WZRD being de-clared inactive, and members locked out of WZRD under threat of arrest and decla-ration of persona non grata status.

July 1, 2012. sunday. Day 2. First meeting of WZRD Collective, to be known as WFDC (WZRD Freeform Defense Col-lective)

July 17, 2012 The Independent publishes one-sided, defamatory article in paper

July 19, 2012. Vice President of Student Affairs Frank Ross and Matt Specht meet with WFDC for two hours

July 24, 2012. Wizards attend Council of Clubs meeting requesting a dialogue and answers.

August 21, 2012. SGA senate meeting--Wizards handed three page review pro-cesses from Vice President of SGA Ashor Jajou

sept. 3 WFDC publishes The Wizard Newsletter; distributed to students and faculty on NEIU campus

September 4, 2012. WZRD Student

Organization denied participation in Fall Into Fun Student organization Fair

WZRD members start ling FOIAs to gather information from NEIU

september 5, 2012. Wizard Collective members attend Fall Into Fun, pass out i-ers, get petition signatures.

sept. 9, 2012. Sunday. WZRD members begin Wizards In Exile broadcasts at WNUR Sunday nights 6-8 pm.

september 20, 2012. WZRD Collec-tive members attend NEIU Board of Trust-ees meeting, submit documents outlining our case for due process and investigation.

sept. 21, 2012. Article about WZRD published by Student Press Law Center.

WZRD members attend AAUP meeting. And meet John Wilson, discover Illinois

University Student Press Act, and get con-tact info for lawyer

sept. 24, 2012. Chicago Reader publish-es article, WZRD Lockout Grinds On.

sept. 26, 2012. WFDC meeting NEIU Library 4th Floor. Gerardo Morales re-moved as WZRD Manager, Jonathan Ex-tract elected Manager of WZRD Collective, vote of con dence for Kelly Donovan as Program Director.

sept. 28, 2012. Wizards submit six le folders of documents to Charter Rules and Regulations Committee Chair Armando Corrales.

oct. 2, 2012. Wizards interviewed on WXAV, Xavier College student-run radio station. New City publishes article on the WZRD lockout.

WZRD Advisors Mark McKernin and Tracy Luedke attend interview with CRR Committee

Alejandro Aguilar attends interview with CRR Committee] [These are only WZRD af liates who agree to participate in awed review processes

oct. 24, 2012. Wizard Committee and Faculty Advisor Tracy Luedke meet with

Wizards in Exile broadcasting at WNUR,

Northwestern Universitys student-run radio station


November, 2012 Dec. 1, 2012 Jan. 3, 2013. Jan. 5, 2013 Jan. 6, 2013 Jan. 8, 2013

CRR Committee and Matt Specht and Ve-ronica Rodriguez.

November, 2012:

WZRD Collective brings case to SGA Judiciary challenging SGA legitimacy and authority to declare WZRD Student Orga-nization inactive

Judiciary decision read in NEIU Cafeteria, and Veronica Rodriguez reads letter con-taining stipulations and requirements for WZRD being restored to active Student Organization status

independent reports that WZRD Back In Business and will return to station on Dec. 1st

Wizard Collective members begin meet-ing with Matt Specht to discuss conditions for return to radio station

Wizard Collective member Letter To The Editor published in Independent refusing requirements of University for return to WZRD radio station

WZRD Faculty Advisors meet with Matt

Specht, Vice President Frank Ross regard-ing status of WZRD Student Organization and radio station]

Appeal to sGA Judiciary Hearing regard-ing WZRD

Dec. 1, 2012. Wizards DO NOT return to station.

WZRD/WFDC meet with Matt Specht and Faculty Advisor Prof. Tracy Luedke in continuing negotiations. University backs down from requirements for restoration to active status of WZRD club publicized in letter and in The Independent. Vice President of Student Involvement is won over, agrees to advocate for retention of Freeform Format and involvement of key Alumni in participation of broadcast at sta-tion

WZRD Collective members hold series of negotiations with Matt Specht throughout month of December

Jan. 3, 2013. WZRD/WFDC meeting with Matt Specht/Veronica Rodriguez to discuss process for return to station. Get

keys. Add names to Permanent Access List, including selected Alumni.

Jan. 5, 2013. WIZARDS RETURN TO STATION TO BEGIN CLEANUP AND BROADCASTING FREEFORM RADIO!!

Jan. 6, 2013. Wizards and supporters celebrate. Lawyer agrees to become Gen-eral Counsel for WZRD Collective in ongo-ing relationship.

Jan. 8, 2013. Chicago Reader an-nounces WZRD student members are back on the air!

prescriptionfrom doctor wizard

Want to fill in the blanks that corporate news normalizes? Tired of the cognitive dissidence that the government promotes? Looking for an antidote to the malaise that leaves one feeling powerless? Try some of these sources for effect. Caution side effect maybe height-ened awareness and increased skepticism about authority.

www.commondreams.org www.counterpunch.org www.thiscantbehappening.net www.globalresearch.ca www.truth-out.org www.blackagendareport.com www.truthdig.org www.projectcensored.org

Wizards visiting in vinyl room at WHPK, University of Chicago

T H E W I Z A R D

Writers:Jonathan Extract, Elisabeta Nitu, Robert Hansen, Ari Fishman, Hamish Boyce, Dale Lehman, Rachel Forgash, Terry OConnor, Audree Lebdjiri, Peter Ali Enger

layout:Rachel K. Dooley

editors: Peter Ali Enger, Kelly Donovan


co n tact u s : i n fo @ w z r d c h i c ag o . o r g w z r d @ c h a n g e . o r g

Policy Governance G1.5 Fraud Prevention and Detection Responsible Officer: Vice President Finance and Administration Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) is committed to the highest standards of ethical behavior. Acts of fraudulent behavior are costly and erode the publics trust and confidence in the integrity of the University. The University shall have in place a process to monitor internal controls for safeguarding its assets from fraud and abuse, including criminal activity, and to properly steward the Universitys assets over which it is entrusted.

To provide the University and its employees guidance for monitoring and safeguarding Uni-versity assets and a process to prevent and detect fraud and abuse behavior.

WHO IS AFFECTED BY THIS POLICY? The University Community

FRAUD DEFINITIONA willful or deliberate act or omission with the intention of obtaining an unauthorized benefit, service, property, or something of value by deception, misrepresentation, or other unethical or unlawful means. Examples of fraudulent or dishonest conduct include, but are not limited to, forgery or unauthorized alteration of University documents, including checks, bank drafts or any other financial document; misappropriation or theft of funds, securities, supplies, or other assets; impropriety in handling or reporting of money or financial transactions; accepting or seeking anything of material value from contractors, vendors, or persons providing services/materials to the University; destruction, removal, or inappropriate use of University records, furniture, fixtures, and equipment; and/or any similar or related inappropriate conduct.

1. FRAUD PREVENTION All levels of University management are required to become familiar with the types of improprieties that might occur in his or her area and to be alert for any indication that such a defalcation, misappropriation, or other fiscal irregularity has occurred. All levels of management are required

to establish and follow controls as applicable for their division or unit. Vice Presidents are responsible for ensuring that systems of internal control are established and maintained in their areas that provide reasonable assurance that improprieties are prevented. University Internal Audit is available to assist management in recognizing improper conduct and reviewing and assessing internal controls.

The following internal controls procedures are required to reduce the risk of fraudulent activity occurring within the University:

1. Separation of duties 2. Physical safeguard over assets 3. Proper documentation 4. Proper authorization 5. Adequate supervision 6. Independent validation of transaction accu-

racy

2. FRAUD DETECTION It is the responsibility of each member of the University community to report to the proper authority any suspected incidents of fraud or fraudulent and/or criminal activity. The Universitys reporting authorities are University Counsel, University Internal Audit, University Ethics Officer, and University Police Department. In addition, the State of Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General also serves as a reporting authority.

Individuals are not to attempt to personally conduct investigations or interviews.

3. INVESTIGATION University Counsel, in conjunction with University Police and University Internal Audit, as necessary, will oversee all investigations into allegations of falsification, misappropriation, and other fiscal irregularities. To avoid damaging the reputations of innocent persons and to protect the University from potential civil liability, the results of any investigation will not be disclosed or

discussed with anyone other than those persons who have a legitimate need to know.

Allegations or matters of conduct deemed outside the scope of the policy, such as per-sonnel-related issues or scientific misconduct, may be referred by University Counsel to the respective area of management for review and appropriate action.

When an investigation reveals suspected crim-inal activity or an investigation is initiated due to an allegation of criminal activity, the University Police will take the lead. University Counsel will also inform and consult with the State Office of the Executive Inspector General or the State At-torney General, as needed.

University employees will support the Univer-sitys fiduciary responsibilities and will cooperate with University

Counsel, University Internal Audit, Univer-sity Ethics Officer, University Police, and oth-er law enforcement agencies in the detection, investigation, and reporting of fraudulent or criminal acts, including prosecution of offend-ers. During the course of the investigation Uni-versity Counsel may seek the assistance of the Illinois Attorney General or Office of the Exec-utive Inspector General.

4. ACTION Anyone found to have engaged in fraud or fraudulent conduct is subject to disciplinary action by the University up to and including dismissal or expulsion and civil or criminal prosecution. Employees who knowingly make false allegations are subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. The University will make every effort to recover losses that result from fraudulent or criminal acts.

Office of Finance and Administration (773) 442-5100 [email protected] University Counsel (773) 442-5219 [email protected]

Definition: Due processAn established course for judicial proceedings

or other governmental activities designed to

safeguard the legal rights of the individual.

AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY

The WIZARD : Newsletter for Student Rights and Justice

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