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Good morning. It’s first week of spring quarter.

Admissions rate dropped to 5.9 percent for the Class of 2023, Dean of Admissions James Nondorf said at an admitted students reception in New York on Saturday.

• That’s down from last year’s 7.2 percent admit rate; the College admitted 8.7 percent the year before that.
• Nondorf hinted at the national college admissions scandal during his speech, saying, “Every day, I’m quite happy to not be in the media.”
• UChicago’s rising selectivity is consistent with a national trend: Colleges across the country this year reported record low admissions rates this year. Meanwhile, cutthroat competition for a spot at top schools has come under increased scrutiny in light of the corruption scandal that broke earlier this month.

The Logan Foundation is backing park advocacy organization Protect Our Parks (POP), which is attempting to block the construction of the Obama Center in Jackson Park through a lawsuit filed against the City.

• The philanthropic foundation, which largely funded the University’s Logan Center for the Arts, gave $100,000 to POP to help cover its mounting legal fees.
• The lawsuit, which argues that the Center’s location in Jackson Park would be privatizing public parkland, gained unexpected traction when a federal judge allowed it to proceed last month.

Chicago’s runoff elections are happening tomorrow. Catch up on citywide races and local races affecting campus.

The mayoral runoff is full of firsts: Toni Preckwinkle (A.B. ’69, A.M. ’77) and Lori Lightfoot (J.D. ’89) are both UChicago alumna and are both Black women. In February, the two beat out 12 other candidates in the largest mayoral race Chicago has seen in recent years. The 12 candidates included Bill Daley, the brother of former mayor Richard M. Daley and son of an earlier former mayor Richard J. Daley.

• In terms of policy, here’s what other Chicago publications have reported regarding the two’s views on the city’s pension crisis, education, policing, and other issues.
• Not clear about what the mayor’s full powers are responsibilities are? Check here to learn more.

The city treasurer’s runoff is between 47th Ward alderman Ameya Pawar (S.M. ’09, A.M. ’16) and State Representative for the 10th District Melissa Conyears-Ervin.

• Among the more radical changes the two have proposed, Pawar has proposed instituting a public bank for the city and Conyears-Ervin has proposed incorporating the Office of Financial Analysis into the treasurer’s office so it can serve as a watchdog over other local government agencies.
• Check here to learn about what the treasurer responsibilities are and how the candidates’ proposals match up.

Stakes are especially high in the 20th Ward runoff between Nicole Johnson and Jeanette Taylor, after incumbent Willie Cochran pled guilty to corruption charges and resigned. Given Cochran’s resignation, the runoff winner could potentially assume office sooner than May 20. Taylor and Johnson, both activists, differ on several issues affecting the ward.

• Check here to learn about the functions of aldermen.

Fifth Ward incumbent Alderman Leslie Hairston is heading into her first runoff election since she took office in 1999. Her challenger, Will Calloway, has accused Hairston of “failing leadership,” referencing poor attendance at City Council committee meetings and a voting record closely aligned with that of outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

• Hairston is unphased: “One candidate has experience and the other does not,” she said, referring to Calloway’s lack of experience serving in an elected office.
• The Community Benefits Agreements (CBA) for the forthcoming Obama Presidential Center in the ward has been hotly debated. Calloway has supported a CBA, while Hairston had supported an alternative plan that would not be legally binding. She’s recently changed her mind to support a CBA.

Viewpoints

Editor Cole Martin writes in:

Contributor Osama Alkhawaja argues that Islamophobic rhetoric is more common at the Law School than most acknowledge.

The union representing non-tenure-stream faculty condemns University administrators for barring non-tenure track professors from teaching awards.

Arts

Editor Perri Wilson writes in:

Based on Alison Bechdel’s autobiography, the University Theater production of Fun Home depicts family tension and Bechdel’s road to self-discovery through an emotionally raw performance.