Good morning. It’s fourth week.

Two U of C Goldwater Scholars: Third-years Adel Rahman and Naomi Sweeting in the College were awarded the scholarships, becoming two of 211 selected this year. The prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship—which covers the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to $7,500 per year for one or two years—is annually awarded to academically exceptional students in the natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, and engineering.

Fifteen faculty members and seven alumni were elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the most highly regarded learned societies in the world. According to the University’s News Office, UChicago has the “most newly elected faculty members among universities and colleges.”

UCPD shooting updates: Charles Thomas, the student who was shot by University police two weeks ago, appeared in court yesterday after being released from Northwestern Hospital on Wednesday.

• A superseding indictment—which replaces the previous indictment—was filed Thursday, suggesting that new evidence may have allowed for new charges. Thomas was facing three felony charges and two misdemeanor charges relating to property damage and alleged assault of a peace officer.

• At Riverside, California, UC Riverside student Shigufa Saleheen organized an event Monday titled “Overcoming: A Discussion on Mental Health and Social Justice” in support of his friend Thomas. The event focused in part on removing charges against Thomas for property damage.

• Back on campus, Student Government (SG) has debated how to respond to Thomas’s shooting. SG president Calvin Cottrell presented a resolution at College Council (CC) Tuesday calling for UCPD to release its use of force protocols and share any final reports on the shooting with the public in a timely manner. After some CC representatives vowed to oppose the resolution, as it did not sufficiently include “the voices and thoughts of community members,” Cottrell and his slate decided to delay the vote till after the April 23 meeting of the SG Assembly.

• Nicholas Twardak, the officer who shot Thomas, had no documented complaints on his record according to the University.

Robert H. Malott, a trustee emeritus who served as vice chairman of the Board of Trustees from 1988 to 1993, passed away at the age of 91 on April 4. Malott, a World War II veteran who was known for his philanthropic work as a board member of a variety of cultural and academic institutions, served as former chairman and chief executive officer of FMC Corporation. He will be honored at a board meeting in May.

Fragile democracies: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright spoke at I-House during an IOP-sponsored event on Thursday. Before the Q&A portion, a range of topics were addressed to the crowd—from her new book, which focuses on fascism, to the “fragility” of democracy.

Nineteen University of Puerto Rico affiliates are on campus this quarter, as part of a series of relief programs created by the University in light of Hurricane Maria. Including a mix of undergraduates, graduate students, visiting scholars, and artists, the group will study at the University for around three months before returning home.

• Associate professor Agnes Lugo-Ortiz: “We are not a philanthropic beneficiary…. This is a solidarity that not only helps Puerto Rico, but also helps us in Chicago to define what kind of institution we want to be. And what kind of projects and what kind of initiatives define our ethical and intellectual commitments.”

An anti-abortion group protested in front of Regenstein Library on Monday, distributing flyers and placing posters showing graphic images of purportedly aborted fetuses. Upon learning about the protest, the Young Democratic Socialists of America, the International Socialist Organization, and the Project for Reproductive Freedom organized a counterprotest.  

The University of Chicago Political Union (UCPU) and UChicago Common Cause debated Illinois’s ban on rent control—which was instituted in 1997. Arguments on both sides addressed the welfare of low-income tenants and residents of color.

• UCPU member Marc Loeb: “[T]his is kind of an ‘assholeish’ argument. Just because it is legal to do something does not mean it is right or beneficial.”

• Common Cause member AK Alilonu: “…econ textbooks might not say the nicest things about rent control. One of those things is that it imposes a price ceiling, which create shortages. That would be a problem if rent control had price ceilings, but it doesn’t.”

Opioid Crisis: Medical professional and law enforcement representatives discussed America’s opioid crisis at the Quadrangle Club on Tuesday night. They focused on West Virginia, which they argued is heavily impacted by the crisis.Topics ranged from big data usage to medicine-assisted treatment methods.  

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