Oct. 2 - Oct. 8, 2013

I was young, my role “ When models and people I looked

“ Wanting to be with someone is far more powerful than needing to be with someone.

(up) to were coaches. I always knew that was something I wanted to do.

”

”

Patrick Stack

Michael Siener Head men’s soccer coach

Director of Counseling and Life Development

Page 9

Pages 4 & 5

The News Source For Webster University

the journal October 2 - October 8, 2013

Volume 67 Issue 6

Residents criticize city on lawsuit

By Gabe Burns Managing Editor

At the Oct. 1 Webster Groves City Council meeting, residents questioned the Council about how things had progressed to the point that Webster University and Eden heological Seminary would sue the city. “his makes absolutely no sense to me,” said Webster Groves resident Pam Bliss. “here was a sale of property and for some reason the City Council isn’t allowing the buyer to use it entirely consistent with how it’s been used for the past 40 plus years, which is to support higher education.” he university and Eden iled suit on Sept. 18. hey alleged the city has unlawfully denied the university’s requests to use property it purchased from Eden in 2010. he university intends to use the property for university activities and oice space and also to demolish one building to increase the green space at Lockwood Avenue. he two parties hope the jury will reverse the Council’s decision to block access to the properties. If not, then the university and Eden will seek $5 million in damages — the amount the university paid for the property.

God’s land

Residents at the meeting expressed concern that the City Council may be overlooking the historical use of the land. he university and Eden shared Luhr Library until 2003, when the university opened Emerson Library.

“It will actually result in fewer people using these facilities than in the past 40 years, when our students shared those facilities with Eden Seminary,” Associate Vice President of Foundation and Government Relations at Webster University Carolyn Corley said.

Webster Groves resident Dave Buck said that while he has problems with the university, this is an issue of fairness.

Given the university’s historical and current use of land on Eden’s campus, Buck said the denial was unfair.

“It’s interesting... we always seem to skip over this. he Webster University religious studies department crossed Lockwood years ago, maybe decades ago,” Buck said. “With four professors, six adjunct professors and student classes all based in Eden Seminary’s Schultz Hall and you don’t seem worried about those guys. I wonder why?”

See Lawsuit

websterjournal.com

MEGAN FAVIGNANO / he Journal Sister Mary Swain oten spends aternoons doing yard work at the Sisters of Loretto Motherhouse, a 780-acre piece of land in Kentucky. Recently, Swain and other sisters have been protesting a proposed natural gas pipeline that would cut through Kentucky, just north of their county. Swain, a Webster University alumna, said she irst became a nun for two reasons: God and independence. “here weren’t that many things women could do,” Swain said. “here may have been something about a certain independence, because these were women who were running the school, making their own decisions.” For more on what the sisters’ are doing to protest go to Page 3. Visit websterjournal.com later this week for an audio slideshow to see more of the sister’s land.

Page 2

First Church Congregation member switches view of BSA

By Sam Masterson Sports Editor

George Conlee was the irst member of First Congregational Church of Webster Groves

(FCCWG) to voice a problem with the church sponsoring Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Troop 301. He has a 58-year-old daughter and 55-year-old son, both in homosexual partnerships.

Conlee didn’t feel the BSA’s stance against homosexuals matched the church’s open and airming view. He sent an email to FCCWG’s Executive Ministry

MACKENZIE WILDER / he Journal Robert Moody, committee clerk, received approval to continue sponsorship of Boy Scouts of America Troop 301 with the First Congretional Church of Webster Groves on Sunday, Sept. 29.

in August 2012 ater the BSA National Council reairmed its exclusive status in July 2012.

FCCWG added an “open and airming resolution,” in 2008 that states, “We respond to God’s call by welcoming everyone regardless of ability, age, ethnicity, race, gender identity, sexual orientation or socio-economic background.”

Conlee was the chair of the committee to create the open and airming resolution. He said his children made him much more sensitive to the issue of excluding people because of their sexuality.

In the open and airming resolution process Conlee stressed the importance of being patient with the congregation rather than taking a inal vote right away. he same process was used for the resolution of Troop 301.

“We had to present drats (to the congregation) and receive feedback,” Conlee said. “It drug on and on but it gave everyone a chance to explain and hear every issue people might have.” he open and airming resolution passed with only three votes against and more than 70 votes in favor. Conlee said he was proud to have a near consensus. he Troop 301 resolution passed with zero votes against, 72 votes for and three votes to

abstain on Sept. 29. Conlee voted to continue the 105-year relationship between the church and Troop 301.

Conlee’s son was in a Webster Groves Cub Scout pack, but quit before he was old enough to be in the Boy Scouts. Conlee said he isn’t positive if his son stopped scouting because of his sexuality.

“I’m not much of a psychologist but I don’t think he was aware of (his sexuality) till high school,” Conlee said. “It may have been subconsciously afecting him.”

Conlee said he voted to pass the resolution and keep Troop 301 in the church’s programming because of the BSA’s National Council vote in May. Church members voted and passed a new policy to allow openly gay scouts to participate in the BSA, 1,400 members voted.

He believes that was a large step for the BSA. “his country is changing rapidly,” Conlee said. “I thought ‘Let’s see what might develop in the next few years.’”

Conlee’s grandson is in a Cub Scout pack in Minneapolis, Minn. Conlee said the scout master there knows about the homosexual relationship Conlee’s daughter is in, but chooses to ignore the National Council and includes Conlee’s daughter and grandson in the pack.

“

This country is changing rapidly. I thought let’s see what might develop in the next few years.

George Conlee

”

Member of First Congregational Church of Webster Groves

Conlee said the church took a large step forward with the BSA and thought the right thing to do was work together toward a solution rather than try to destroy the BSA. History continues he resolution will extend the relationship between FCCWG and Troop 301 to 2017. hat will be their 110th year of continuous charter, the longest in BSA history.

In 2018 FCCWG will go through the review process and vote to continue the resolution or not.

Jef McCoy is a congregation member and the charter organization representative for Troop 301. he resolution states that his position will be annually voted on and he will serve as “the primary liaison between the Charter Organization.” He said his job does not change from previous years.

A position was also created in the resolution for a representative who will “advise the troop as it plans its activities so that they are compatible with and

supportive of the goals of First Church.”

Resolution committee member Robert Moody said the new position was created to represent the church in meetings.

He said the plan is for the representative to be a congregation member that has background in the BSA. Denise Lee, Troop 301 committee chairperson, has been with the troop for ive years, and said she focused on troop activities throughout the year while the church made its decision.

In Troop 301’s irst meeting since the passing of the resolution, they invited Webelos and their parents from local Cub Scout packs. hey had a joint ceremony to recruit the Webelos to continue in the Boy Scouts as they enter high school.

“I was not worried,” Lee said. “We’ve had a long relationship here and I trusted that the best decision would come out of this.”

Troop 301 was one of a handful of units in the Greater See Boy Scouts Page 2

Looking back: he relationship between BSA Troop 301 and First Congregational Church of Webster Groves First Congregational Church of Webster Groves (FCCWG) founded

FCCWG becomes an “Open and Aitming chuch

Webster Groves mayor and church member, Edward Hart travels to Canada to receive Boy Scout Charter

FCCWG creates resolution committee to create a document deciding whether or not to adapt the relationship with Troop 301

Boy Scouts of America National Council reiterates stance against gay members

BSA National Council vote to change policy that may allow openly gay scouters (18 and under) to be members

First Church holds two open forums to discuss the relationship between Troop 201 and FCCWG

Vote of inal resolution passes with 72 Yes, 0 No and 3 Obstain Reporting by Sam Masterson, Graphic by Victoria Courtney

NEWS

Page 2 Oct. 2-8, 2013

NEWS BRIEFS Ghana campus receives HLC accreditation Webster’s Ghana campus is set to open ater receiving accreditation from the Higher Learning Commision on Sept.

27. According to Webster Today the campus in Accra, Ghana, will oicially open in spring 2014.

Classes will oicially begin on Jan. 14.

Provost and Chief Operation Oicer Julian Schuster said Webster’s presence in Ghana will impact the region.

“Enhanced educational opportunities through robust Webster University programs will further develop and build ca-

pacity in this important and fast growing part of the African continent,” Schuster said in a Webster Today press release. he new campus received accreditation from Ghana’s Ministry of Education earlier in 2013.

Degrees will be received from the location recognized by both Ghana and the United States. he Ghana campus is the newest international campus of six already established locations. he university has locations in the United Kingdom, hailand, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria and Ghana.

SGA comptroller Jacob Kelleher resigns Student Government Association (SGA) Comptroller Jacob Kelleher announced his resignation on Oct. 1. SGA President Michael Grosch said Kelleher’s departure will take efect immediately. Grosch said this is not the irst time SGA oficers have stepped down from their positions. he comptroller oversees club inances. At the beginning of each semester, the comptroller leads the budget committee. hey go over club budget requests for each semester, and determine how to distribute funds in accordance with guidelines and the SGA constitution.

Additionally, every month the comptroller reviews clubs’ budget reports to ensure that funds were spent properly.

Other SGA members discussed Kelleher’s decision to resign over the past couple weeks.

Kelleher said when he ran for SGA in the spring he didn’t intend to win. Kelleher received four votes. He accepted the position ater two other write-incandidates who received more votes declined.

“I was thinking…I got four votes. It’ll be hilarious if I took it,” Kelleher said.

Kelleher said he didn’t enjoy his work enough to devote the amount of time required for the

position. Despite his lack of enjoyment, he said he fully applied himself to his work. Kelleher admits he isn’t it for politics and said he doesn’t regret stepping down.

“With all the other things I’m trying to do, this is the best decision,” Kelleher said.

He learned that former comptroller Taylor Snead was interested in joining SGA again, and thought she would be the best candidate for the position.

Grosch appointed Snead as interim comptroller. Snead will hold this position until SGA votes for the next comptroller on Oct. 15.

Snead said she wasn’t interested in the position last year due to her many other commitments. She said her schedule is now more lexible, and that she will be able to handle the position “I know what I’m getting into this time,” Snead said. “I have a very speciic set of goals in mind that I want to accomplish this time when I assume the position, I think that will make a pretty big diference with where I’m going.”

Reporting by Latasha Dean

websterjournal.com

Boyscouts FROM PAGE 1

St. Louis Area Council of BSA in and jeopardy of its sponsor cutting of its charter, said Christine Dieckmann, director of marketing and communications for the St. Louis Council. here are over 1,200 units in the Greater St. Louis area. he organizations expressed their disinterest ater the July 2012 BSA National Council restatement of their stance against homosexual scouts.

Dieckmann said all of the units either found other sponsors, or the scouts were placed in nearby units. She said the St. Louis Council was happy to learn about FCCWG’s recharting of Troop 301 “While people have diferent opinions about one of the BSA’s policies, they all agree they are better of with boy scouts,” Dieckmann said.

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

Lawsuit FROM PAGE 1

Paying the price Bliss worries that in the end, Webster Groves residents will have to pay for what she believes to be the Council’s mistake in dealing with the university.

“As a Webster resident, why should we as taxpayers pay to defend a lawsuit that resulted from poor decision making,” Bliss said Buck warned the Council that residents don’t expect the city to win the suit. He suggested the Council remedy the situation by apologizing to the university, then allow the university to use Eden’s land. “he word on the street is that the city will lose big. I’m not making that up, and that residents will revolt if one penny is used to pay of legal damages,” Buck said. “You will have an uprising in this chamber if that happens.”

No one at the meeting spoke against the university and Eden iling the suit.

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

MACKENZIE WILDER / he Journal Church members count votes on Sunday, Sept. 29 to decide if Boy Scout Troop 301 will continue its charter with First Congregational Church of Webster Groves.

Moratorium passes unanimously

By Gabe Burns Managing Editor

he Webster Groves City Council unanimously passed the moratorium on all educational properties more than ive acres in size at the Oct. 1 meeting. his resolution will block any new conditional use permits (CUP) from being brought to the Council for approval.

While new CUPs cannot be submitted, already submitted CUPs are able to move forward with construction. For Webster University this means the parking garage extension, substation and interdisciplinary science building can all continue development. he moratorium is set to be in place until March 19, 2014 but can be shortened or extended at any time by the Council.

While the moratorium is

in place, the Council and planning and development to look into how the city handles zoning for educational institutions.

“We are looking at proposing to make some changes to zoning ordinance and in particular the major educational campus zoning,” said Webster Groves Director of Planning and Development Mara Perry.

“As well as just looking at educational campuses and educational uses in general.”

Perry said it is important to put into place a moratorium when large changes are being made and planning to avoid a rush of CUPs from institutions before the changes could be made.

Webster University attorney Gerard Carmody said the moratorium was unfair to the university as well as Eden heological Seminary. He said the council already has the tools it needs to control the

low of CUPs, bocking proposals is unnecessary.

“Changing the rules now and simply saying we aren’t going to apply them for a period of six months is simply unfair,” Carmody said.

Mayor Gerry Welch said the moratorium was a positive action for all parties involved.

She said reworking how zoning is handled for educational institutions the process would be much clearer and in improve relations between the city, the university and Eden.

“In the end this should be very positive,” Welch said. “It will provide something similar to what we have in our residential zoning district where people will know what they can and cannot do. It will make things much easier and with far less tension that we have had.”

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

YOU’RE IN

DANGER OF LIVING A LONG, HEALTHY LIFE.

BEST OVERALL LARGE FUND COMPANY The Lipper Award is based on a review of 36 companies’ 2012 risk-adjusted performance.

Today, people are living longer than ever.

Which means you’ll need to be prepared not just for retirement, but for the 30 years after. We’ll guide you through each one by putting together a comprehensive, personalized plan for you. It’s one more way we deliver Outcomes That Matter.

Retirement can last 30 years or more.

We can get you through each one.

Get started at TIAA.org/plan.

The Lipper award is given to the group with the lowest average decile ranking of three years’ Consistent Return for eligible funds over the three-year period ended 11/30/12. TIAA-CREF was ranked against 36 fund companies with at least five equity, five bond, or three mixed-asset portfolios.

Past performance does not guarantee future results. For current performance and rankings, please visit the Research and Performance section on www.tiaa-cref.org.

TIAA-CREF funds are subject to market and other risk factors.

Consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. Go to tiaa-cref.org for product and fund prospectuses that contain this and other information. Read carefully before investing.

Type of service available varies.

TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, and Teachers Personal Investors Services Inc. ©2013 Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association – College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF), 730 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10017. C11804A

NEWS

Page 3 Oct. 2-8 2013

websterjournal.com

MEGAN FAVIGNANO / he Journal Sister Mary Swain stands in a ield at the 780-acre Sisters of Loretto Motherhouse in Marian County in Kentucky. he Sisters of Loretto have lived on that land since 1824. he land includes ields, farmland, a lake and prairies.

Sisters of Loretto protest fracking, protect land Julie Gabbert Contributing Writer

NERINX, KY - he Sisters of Loretto Motherhouse sits atop long, rolling hills in rural Kentucky, where the sisters have lived since 1824. When the weather is nice, a Webster College Alumna Sister Mary Swain spends her aternoons doing yard work on the land. She drives a small golf cart-like vehicle around the 780acre campus, past century-old brick buildings, corn and soybean ields, wildlower prairies, lakes and both old growth and young forests.

One aternoon in May, Swain was working when a stranger approached her asking to survey the land for a proposed natural gas liquids pipeline. For Swain and the other sisters, the answer was no.

“We care very much,” said Sister Kathleen Vonderhaar, who has been with the Sisters of Loretto since 1951. “he land takes care of us, so we want to take care of the land. We want our land to live on for the future. We want it to be here for the people who come ater us.”

If built, the Bluegrass Pipeline, a joint project of Williams Company and Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, would transport natural gas liquids (NGLs) in a steel pipe from shale in Pennsylvania through Ohio and Kentucky to a petrochemical complex on the Gulf Coast in Louisiana.

Representatives from the energy companies said the pipeline is necessary for the United States to achieve energy independence. hose opposed to the pipeline, such as the Sisters of Loretto, said the dangers of the pipeline outweigh the beneits.

“People have to think of the land irst, but they also have to think of their health,” Vonderhaar said. “hey have to think of the risk that’s there. hey have to think of the future.” he Sisters of Loretto founded Webster University, then called Loretto College, in 1915 and Nerinx Hall High School in 1924 as institutions to educate women.

NGLs include propane, butane, ethane and natural gasoline. hough NGLs are diferent than natural gas, the two are harvested together by a process call hydraulic fracturing (fracking). During this process, highly pressurized water is injected into the land to break underground bedrock in order to retrieve the gas contained beneath it.

NGLs can be used as fuel to heat homes, but they can also be used to manufacture various plastic materials — from carpet to car parts to medical supplies.

Sisters of Loretto established Webster University Three women who taught children in Kentucky helped form the Sisters of Loretto order in 1812. The sisters established schools from Kentucky through Missouri. In 1915, that order founded Loretto College, later called Webster College and eventually Webster University. In 1967 the Sisters of Loretto transitioned power of the school to a lay board of trustees.

Tom Droege, a spokesperson for Williams Company, said NGLs will be processed on the Gulf Coast, where 70 percent will be used domestically to produce plastics. hirty percent will be exported because international demand for butane and propane is higher than domestic demand.

Since the Sisters of Loretto heard about the pipeline planning in Kentucky, they have spoken out against its construction. hey speak directly with their neighbors attend town meetings and hand out lyers and pamphlets with information about the dangers of the pipeline.

“I go grocery shopping, I touch base with people. I go get my hair done, I touch base with people,” said Barbara Hagan, who has worked at the Motherhouse since 1977. “Every time I reach out to one person, it sends a ripple efect. If you send it out to one, maybe they’ll send it out to one

“

ing repurposed pipes that are already built and functional “really reduces the footprint” of the project, he said. However, the sisters argue that using repurposed pipes presents the concern the pipes may have already worn out.

Droege said the Bluegrass Pipeline would create between 5,000 and 6,000 jobs —1,500 of which would be in Kentucky. hese jobs would employ construction workers, welders and skilled laborers hired locally. She said the pipeline would bring $136 million in tax revenue over 10 years, which could go towards local schools and towns. Williams and Boardwalk plan to spend between $30 and $50 million in one-time payments to landowners who allow the pipeline to cross their property. he pipeline would cross about 180 miles of Kentucky. “hey continue to own the land,” Droege said. “We just have

The land takes care of us, so we want to take care of the land. We want our land to live on for the future.

Sister Kathleen Vonderhaar

”

Sister of Loretto

more. Together we can be more aware of what’s happening.” he Sisters of Loretto are opposed to the Bluegrass Pipeline because of the potential for a spill, which could ruin the land and fresh water in the area. Much like St. Louis, the land in Kentucky is karst —meaning the topography resembles Swiss cheese, with holes that open into caves and often has fresh water traveling rapidly underground. he Bluegrass Pipeline would be buried at least three feet underground.

“If we have a spill around here, it isn’t like they can just scoop out the contaminated dirt and say they cleaned it up. Any spill around here is going to let water that’s contaminated move away from the spill place at a very rapid rate,” said Eleanor Craig, the archivist at the Motherhouse, who has been with the Sisters of Loretto since 1962. hough construction of the pipeline would mean some land will have to be dug up. Droege said 600 out of 1100 feet of pipeline is already laid out underground. Us-

the easement.” he land would stay in the possession of the landowner “with limited restrictions,” according to a fact sheet published by the Bluegrass Pipeline. hese restrictions include: • Excavation, tunneling and boring • Aboveground structures, Roads, streets and driveways • Disposal systems (septi tanks, hazardous waste) • Water impoundment • Blasting and • Landscaping. hese restrictions would require a representative from Williams or Boardwalk to be present during the construction planning on the land above the pipeline.

Trees and plants which would grow over ive feet are prohibited.

Hagan said the pipleline could be a temporary inancial solution, but would be bad for the land in the long run.

“When you have farmers— younger farmers, especially—that have bought land and gone into debt and might be in some inan-

MEGAN FAVIGNANO / he Journal Above: Up until the late 1970s, Swain said the sisters water supply came from a lake on their property. he old water tower still stands on the Sisters of Loretto land today. Below: Sister Eleanor Craig, sits in the Sisters of Loretto

museum at the sisters’ Motherhouse in Kentucky. Craig said when it comes to the proposed pipeline, she things everyone needs to be part of the conversation. “hat’s how a good decision for a community happens. Everyone around the tabel has to be a co-learner,” Craig said. cial diiculties…and then this company comes along and offers them a good sum of money,” Hagan said. “hose are concerns that those people have and I understand that…but once you give away those rights, that’s going to afect your farm for the rest of time. It’s no longer your land.”

Ater the Sisters of Loretto denied access to their land to be surveyed, plans for the pipeline changed. he pipeline, as it is proposed now, would pass through Nelson County, which lies to the west of Marion County. But the land solely owned by the sisters was never their only concern, Craig said. he sisters oppose the pipeline wherever it would go because of the dangers attached to the pipeline.

“We teach other people’s kids, we don’t teach our own kids,” Craig said. “Why would anybody think that we’re only worried about our own property?”

Droege said many steps are taken to prevent pipeline leaks and to address them immediately if leaks occur. he Bluegrass Pipeline would be monitored periodically for corrosion using a “smart pig,” an internal computerize inspection device. It would also be monitored using cathodic detection, where electricity is used on the outside of the pipeline to prevent corrosion. he Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA,) under the U.S. Department of Transportation, would regulate maintenance of the pipeline.

“We take many steps to prevent things like that (leaks) from happening,” Droege said. “Once it’s in service, we have a very rigorous monitoring system.”

Williams Company has a history of safety violations. For example, on Dec. 20, 2012, a NGL pipeline in Parachute, Colo., began leaking and was not discovered until January 2013, accord-

MEGAN FAVIGNANO / he Journal

ing to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment website. In 2010, a Transco pipeline owned by Williams Company leaked and was not reported for four days, according to the Kentuckians for the Commonwealth website. he pipeline is still in the planning phase, but Williams and Boardwalk hope to have the pipeline up and running by 2015.

In nearby towns surrounding the Motherhouse, yards of homes are peppered with signs in protest of the pipeline. Although the Bluegrass Pipeline is now proposed

to go through a diferent area of Kentucky, Craig said going forward with the pipeline represents a bigger issue.

“I believe in compromise,” Craig said. “It isn’t about winning.

It’s about who gets to be a part of the decision making and whose values and whose needs —whose vision of the future —is included while we all create a future together. hat’s what's important to me: that people have a voice and that voice really counts.”

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

Oct. 2-8, 2013

Lifestyle

Def: The feelings of loss, confustion, anxiety and loneliness after a move or major life change.

Page 4

Illustration/Graphic by Victoria Courtney

Homesickness can be felt from any distance Sierra Hancock Copy Editor

Assistant Director of Counseling and Life Development at Webster University Gladys Smith said students living close to home can still feel homesick.

She said distance can be a factor, but mainly it is certain aspects of simply being away from home that cause homesickness.

“It does not matter (how far you live) because you can still get homesick because of the routines at home, the smells at home or just being at home,” Smith said.

St. Louis resident and Webster University student Jake Kevrick misses his home in Eureka — 22 minutes from campus. Kevrick, sophomore English and music major, talks on the phone with his mother at least three times a week. He said

Tips for Overcoming Homesickness

living on campus is the longest he has been away from home.

He describes the experience as a whole new world.

“I can sit in the living room in my apartment on campus, and it’s not like sitting in my living room at home. It doesn’t have the same smell, it doesn’t have the same feeling,” Kevrick said. “It’s like I’m going place to place in this foreign world even though I’m only 22 minutes from my house. It’s completely diferent.”

Webster junior Marvin Keith, a creative writing major from Joelton, Tenn., studied abroad in London this past spring semester. He said he felt less homesick there than at the St. Louis campus. Keith said he was so busy exploring the country that he barely had time to think about home.

Keith said the fall semes-

ter of his sophomore year at Webster’s home campus was not smooth. He said it was the hardest emotionally because his homesickness made him contemplate leaving Webster.

“It’s really a vicious cycle because all you want to do when you’re homesick is go home,” Keith said. “You sleep and feel anti-social, but it’s alienating yourself from others.”

Keith said video calling his parents on Skype once a week has helped with his homesickness. However, Justin Barton, the retention initiatives program coordinator at Webster, said to avoid phone and Skype calls. He said hearing or seeing a loved one makes the separation worse. He recommends letters and text messages.

Smith said letters are a “cathartic way of getting your feelings out,” because they help

1. Decorate your room with mementos to create a “home away from home.”

express strong emotions, but phone calls once or twice a week to home are ine, as well. She recommends exercise and getting involved with organizations on campus or attending campus events to feel more at home. he counseling department has an adjustment group that meets every Tuesday evening to help students talk through their feelings with other students and try to ind comfort, Smith said.

She said most students will come into counseling to talk about a speciic problem then realize the true problem was homesickness.

Webster has been using a new retention sotware called MAP-Works for the past three years to help track student behavior at the university. Barton said all students get surveyed through the sotware about twice a year, and it instantly produces an individual report

2. Keep a journal about your experiences and how they made you feel.

Keep the romance alive with surprises such as arranging for a special dinner to be delivered to Make Skype “dates” with your signiicant other’s home. your signiicant other.

for each student. he reports provide the students’ risk indicators in order to notify staf of potential at-risk situations and to improve retention. Barton said Webster’s current retention rate is 82 percent, which is 12 percent higher than the national average. he MAP-Works survey includes questions like: if the student plans to come back to Webster next semester or next year, if the student will have enough money to pay for college and if the student’s ability or school work is faltering because of family or jobs. Barton said about 30 percent of students illed out the survey last year.

Students typically return home because something emotionally or physically negative has occurred there, Barton said.

He said the worst thing a parent can ofer to a student is the

3. Speak with someone who has experienced homesickeness.

ability to go home at any time.

He said when the students know they have the option to go home, it makes it harder for them to settle in at school.

Kevrick’s advice is to just push through the homesickness no matter how far the distance. He started feeling the most homesick at the end of his freshman year. He said he had to push himself to get past that feeling by not calling his mom and asking her to pick him up.

“It’s kind of nice not going home because you get to be with friends,” Kevrick said. “It’s not always a home cooked meal.

You have to ind something for yourself and then once you do it’s kind of a good feeling.”

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

4. Mingle and meet new people, and explore your new surroundings.

5

Mail each other old-fashioned love letters.

Couples grow clos Megan Washausen Lifestyle Editor

Patrick Stack, director of counseling and life development at Webster University, said many long distance relationships don’t last. He warns against the potential for one individual to become dependent on the other for happiness. “he reason I married the woman I married was because I didn’t need her and she doesn’t need me, but we want to be with one another,” Stack said. “Wanting to be with someone is far more powerful than needing to be with someone.“ Webster University students Jen Baker and Will Rieger are in long distance relationships. Neither are shy in admitting their lifestyle can be a challenging one but credit mutual efort and a worry-free approach to their success.

Jen Baker & Jef Pike Webster University senior Jen Baker spent more

time away from her iancé Jef Pike than with him. he two met in high school in 2003 through mutual friends and jazz band.

“I knew he had a crush on me and I was like, ‘oh that’s cute, you’re like a little brother, so adorable.’” Baker said.

Baker said Pike always hinted around about dating, but the two were nothing more than friends for the remainder of high school.

Pike attended Missouri University of Science and Technology ater graduating from high school. Pike would drive up to St. Louis ater his classes and track practice to pick up Baker. Ater hanging out, Pike would drive her back to St. Louis late in the evening, altogether a six-hour round trip.

“I just kept telling myself ‘we’re just friends, we’re just friends,’ and, eventually, it became ‘oh crap, this was not supposed to happen.’”

Baker said. “I was sitting in his room with him, and I was like ‘I really want to kiss you,

but I’m afraid,’ — just kind of blubbering all over the place.

He was getting sick of listening to me just go on and on and on. He just grabbed me by my arms and kissed me.”

Baker said it terriied her that if the relationship didn’t work, she and Jef would never be able to return to the friendship they built over so many years. he distance, though, did not. By that point, they were used to it.

Pike accepted a job in Cincinnati about six months ater graduating from Rolla.

Again, the couple would have to live apart because Baker was attending college at Webster.

At the time, Pike was also considering jobs in San Diego, West Palm Beach and Connecticut, potentially increasing the distance between the couple even more. “here was little choice in the matter of moving,” Pike said.

Pike and Baker agree there are challenges to long distance, such as being out

with other couples witho one’s signiicant other. Bak believes the time apart h actually made her a more i dependent person.

“I've learned to stand my own two feet, spend tim with friends besides him, a do the things that I want do, when I want to do the and realize that I don't ne him to be with me all t time to be a happy producti member of society,” Bak said.

Pike and Baker comm nicate daily and visit ea other when they can. Wh Baker lies or drives to Ci cinnati and the couple spen the evenings and weeken together.

“I look at it from t stand point of it’s almost li we’re getting ready for wh things are going to be lik Baker said.

Baker took a 10-week i ternship in London over t summer. While visiting Ba er, Pike proposed to her on beach in Barcelona. hey h been dating for almost sev

LIFESTYLE

Page 5 Oct. 2-8, 2013

Sense of community abroad Former Webster student transfers to a university closer to home aids student adjustment Megan Favignano

France,” Duf said. “Now I’m homesick for France.”

Duf said homesickness is oten the second stage of the four stages of culture shock.

“You start realizing that you’re in this foreign place and you start getting homesick because you’re away from your family and your friends and your own language,” Duf said.

She said everyone who goes through culture shock does so at diferent paces. here are four stages of culture shock: 1. he honeymoon phase: Everything is new and exciting.

2. Irritability phase: where homesickness comes in.

3. Adjustment and adaptability phase: enjoy aspects of new culture 4. Bicultural competence: can more easily transition between cultures he honeymoon phase lasted about a month for Duf. Her homesickness phase lasted two to three months. hen, she said she became depressed.

“I missed my friends and I missed my family and I missed America, cheeseburgers and stuf like that because that’s what I was used to,” Duf said.

Duf said her family oten hosted exchange students while she was growing up. She grew familiar with diferent cultures.

Because of that, she said she has always been interested in going abroad. Duf said she plans to study abroad in her time at Webster.

Western culture is everywhere now, Duf said. She believes students studying abroad may have diiculty getting away from American culture.

“We’re imposing on a lot of diferent cultures. It’s easier for students to miss America because they see it everywhere around them and then they aren’t there,” Duf said. “I think a lot of students struggle with homesickness because of that.”

Editor-in-Chief

Ellie Duf chose Webster University for its study abroad program. However, when she irst studied abroad in high school, Duf said she wanted to come back home ater a couple months.

“I called my mom and told her I wanted to come home,” Duf said. “I skyped with her at 2 a.m. French time … I was telling her she had to buy me a ticket to come home because I hated France and I hated my host family and I didn’t have any friends and I was so depressed.”

Her mom reminded her that she wanted to study abroad since she was eight years old.

She told Duf to give it one more month, then decide if she wanted to go home.

Duf, a sophomore and the head student worker in Webster’s Oice of Study Abroad, studied in France for 10 months her junior year of high school.

She lived with three diferent host families while there.

Duf said her homesickness was a little complicated. Her father passed away six weeks before she let for France.

Duf said about half of her homesickness came from the loss of her dad. he two had planned and talked about Duf studying there for years.

“It was tough when he died because it was like I was betraying him sort of,” Duf said. “I didn’t take opportunities that I should have because I was depressed and homesick.”

Duf didn’t join clubs and go out with friends when she irst arrived in France. She said her reclusiveness kept her from making initial connections with people, and therefore hurt her experience.

She started hanging out with French natives and walked around the town she stayed in to get over her homesickness, Duf said. She kept herself busy.

“I wasn’t thinking about all of these things I was missing in America. It was ine because I had all of these other things in

5. Attend campus events and get involved.

Avoiding Homesickness Hailey Kaufman, a junior from Nashville, Tenn., studied abroad at Webster’s hailand

campus last spring. She said she was so happy in hailand that she didn’t feel homesick. She said people, made all the diference in her experience abroad.

“I leaned so heavily on the people I was there with,” Kaufman said. “You get pretty close to people who you otherwise would never have known or gotten close to just by common experience.”

Before arriving in hailand, Kaufman said she was scared to study abroad. She decided to go because she knew it was an opportunity she wanted to take advantage of. She said being with other American students in a westernized town made the experience less terrifying.

“When I thought about studying abroad I always pictured myself getting lost somewhere and not being able to talk to anyone or read anything,” Kaufman said.

Kaufman said she did feel slightly homesick a couple times while abroad. he irst time she felt homesick was when she arrived in hailand.

“I had no idea what was in store,” Kaufman said. “I had a little panic freak-out. ‘ Oh God, it’s going to be so hard.’ I was already missing my family and my boyfriend.”

Halfway through her stay, Kaufman said she hit a point where she wasn’t loving her time there anymore. Her computer hard drive crashed and she had to navigate getting it ixed in a foreign country. She said in the end she constantly surprised herself with how much she was able to igure out.

“I think people were getting as much as they could get out if it (study abroad),” Kaufman said. “A lot of us weren’t ready to go home.”

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

6. If things get bad, talk to a counselor. Never turn to alcohol, drugs or sex to deal with your problems.

Source: Webster University Counseling and Life Development For more tips or to contact a counselor, visit www.webster.edu/counseling

Take turns visiting one another; equal efort is vital.

Illustration/Graphic by Victoria Courtney Macy Salama Multimedia Editor

Emmett Gladden transferred to Ohio State hoping to ind the right college for him ater his freshman year at Webster University. At Webster, he found it diicult to create a comfortable environment to live in. However, now that Gladden is at Ohio State he said he does not think it is a better it than Webster.

Gladden said he had doubts about Webster ater his irst few days on campus. He realized he was homesick when he called one of his high school classmates from Ohio.

“He just kept talking about how much he loves his college, and I wasn’t able to say I love my college … that’s when I knew,” Gladden said.

Webster Retention Initiatives Program Coordinator Justin Barton said the majority of students realize they are homesick ater three or four weeks.

“Webster University is not for everyone,” Barton said.

Gladden said no one at Webster dressed or acted like him so he struggled to make connections. He said his attitude toward Webster would have been diferent if there were a football team.

“I feel like there would be more people like me (if there were a football team),” Gladden said. “All my best friends played football.”

Gladden grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio where he had played football since 8th grade. Glad-

on me and to em, eed the ive ker

muach hen innds nds

the ike hat ke,”

inthe akna had ven

years. he wedding is scheduled for Sept. 20, 2014.

Baker plans to move to Cincinnati ater she graduates this May, but the two hope to come back to St. Louis eventually.

“Ultimately, this is where we want to be. his is home,” Baker said.

Set ground rules. Be knowledgable of one another’s expectations.

Will Rieger & Mary Otrembiak Webster sophomore Will Rieger said the hardest part about being in a long distance relationship is planning for the future. He and girlfriend Mary Otrembiak began dating the summer before the two let for Webster and Quincy University in Illinois, respectively, schools that are two hours apart.

Rieger is from Trenton, Ill., and Otrembiak is from German Town, Ill. hey met in their community theater.

Rieger said he did not intend to start a relationship before college. “he social circumstances worked out, and we de-

cided, ‘well, we’ll just let it go with the summer, and we can have our summer thing, and we don’t necessarily have to plan anything aterwards.’ But we just kind of stuck around.

We kept talking and decided that’s not an option,” Rieger said. he couple gets to visit one another about once a month. Neither has a car, though, so Rieger has to return home to get his before he can travel to Quincy. Otrembiak recently took the Greyhound to visit Rieger over the Labor Day weekend.

Otrembiak said the option of transferring schools has come up in conversation, but was quickly dismissed.

“We knew it would be a bad idea if one of us were to transfer to the other one’s school. Neither of us actually wanted to do that. We knew that that would just have the adverse efect; we’d be spending too much time together.

It just wouldn’t work, so we tossed it out,” Otrembiak said.

Otrembiak said she

thinks distance has strengthened the couple’s relationship.

She calls Skype “God’s git to college students.”

Rieger said making the efort to talk and see one another is necessary to make any relationship work, but couples can’t stress themselves out over it.

“You can’t be really worried about it. You go and make an efort, because you genuinely want to stay talking to that person,” Rieger sad. “hat’s going to work more than ‘oh, we have to talk this oten on the phone, and we have to get on Skype every aternoon. It just has to work out, It has to be perfect.’ If you genuinely want it to work out, you’ll be talking enough.”

Otrembiak said it can be hard to relay funny stories or campus events she attends to Rieger over text message. She wishes he was closer when she’s has a really bad day, but venting can be done over phone, text or Skype. hey said their relationship is grounded in trust, so

den committed more than 14 hours a week to the sport in high school.

“Sports are what keep me interested in things,” Gladden said. “I guess that’s why I felt homesick.”

Gladden is a journalism major focusing on sports writing. He said classes are less challenging at Ohio State. His assignments are broader to accommodate larger class sizes.

Gladden said he appreciated the individualized attention he got in his classes at Webster.

Webster University’s freshmen national retention rate is at 80 percent, compared to the average U.S. freshmen retention rate of 77 percent, according to U.S. News. Barton said the most common reason students stay is because of Webster’s faculty and class sizes.

Gladden considered transferring over winter break of his freshman year, but he decided to give Webster one last try. “he teachers and the people in my classes are what kept me there so long,” Gladden said.

A Webster Groves therapist, Dr. Gwin Stewart Ph.D, said homesickness happens to any one out of his or her “natural habitat.” Stewart said a person’s “natural habitat” could be anything from being around family to doing a certain activity.

“If you don’t have access to something that you are connected to, it can absolutely cause homesickness,” Stewart said. “(Being homesick is) painful for people that are experiencing it.”

Gladden said at Webster he

stayed in his room all day, and when he wasn’t in his room, he worked out in the gym.

“When I let the classroom that’s when (homesickness) hit me,” Gladden said. “I felt like I was in jail.”

Ater he Transfer Shortly ater transferring to Ohio State, Gladden said he realized that Webster itself was not the reason he felt the need to transfer.

“I didn’t think I would miss Webster but I do, a lot,” Gladden said. “I kind of wished I stayed, but it is what it is.”

Ohio State is two hours away from Gladden’s hometown, compared to the six-hour drive Gladden made from Webster. Gladden said it is easier to deal with homesickness when he is closer to his family.

At Ohio State, Gladden said he found more students that act and dress like him, but he still does not think of Ohio State as a better college than Webster.

“Going from Webster to a top ten party school in the nation is pretty overwhelming,” Gladden said. hough Gladden does not play college sports, he spends most of his time with the athletes on campus.

He said he misses Webster and is considering transferring back within the school year.

Editor’s Note Emmett Gladden was a student worker for he Journal last semester.

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

ser from a distance

out ker has in-

websterjournal.com

jealousy is rarely an issue.

Otrembiak thinks meeting each other’s friends and getting a general feel for the environments at Webster and Quincy has reassured both of them.

“If we feel anything is wrong, we instantly tell the other one. If there is, we talk about it and we can usually resolve it just through discussion,” Otrembiak said.

Rieger said as the couple spends another school year apart, he wonders if this semester will continue to work out as well as the last. hey were able to spend this past summer together. He said while goodbyes are diicult for the two, they’ve adjusted.

“We both recognize that it works,” Rieger said. “We’ve been doing it for long enough now, and we feel conident that it’s not going to be a problem. We’ll see each other the next time.”

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

Illustration/Graphic by Emily Ratkewicz

LIFESTYLE

Page 6 Oct. 2-8, 2013

[&] Ivory:

Jammin’ with Pavarotti

Bands should break away from labels

By Alex Wilking Contributing Writer

Junior Alex Wilking’s column appears monthly. It is one of four columns in a bloginspired series.

Music is run by record labels. hey control what is put out, what is marketed and sometimes what the music sounds like. With these chains around almost every musician right now, creativity is hindered.

Bands in this age are instructed to write what sells, as opposed to what is original. he big problem is every artist’s primary goal is to be signed. Many see these record labels as the light at the end of the tunnel for their careers.

Labels want musicians who are marketable. Artists need to have a certain image, a special demeanor. Sure, the band’s sound matters, but image is everything in today’s music world.

If someone doesn’t have enough tattoos, a label may make them get more. If they ind something musically they disagree with, they’ll make the band change it, and there’s nothing the band can do. hey signed a contract.

If a record label’s contract is signed, most artists think bigtime success will follow. Sometimes it does. Labels are great at distributing music to the masses and getting musicians’ names out there. Every artist needs help exposing their music to the public in the beginning. But once they acquire this exposure, the label only holds them back.

What bands should be shooting for is to produce their own music. his doesn’t mean

dropping a record label entirely, but only having the label distribute the CDs or take care of marketing. Ater the band builds a following, they should write, produce and think on their own. hat way creativity thrives, all the funds go to the band, and there’s no stress to meet an image. Bands like Radiohead are taking steps to break free from their label by letting fans price digital downloads for its album.

Meanwhile, bands like Nine Inch Nails have released albums in an attempt to take matters into their own hands.

However, there are many factors that could foil this plan for musicians. he biggest problem will always be money in the music industry. he idea of a band recording all on their own sounds great, but only if funding permits. As for recording, many bands will try and go to someone they trust to record the album instead. It can be very costly to buy all the equipment to record in a basement.

But the methods of escaping the ties of a record label are irrelevant. If anything is to be taken from this, it’s that labels have too much control over modern musicians. here are far too many gatekeepers in today’s music industry causing creativity to crumble, and it’s up to the artists to loosen the grips. hey need to break free and give themselves the chance to pave their own future without using the label as a crutch. And this is how I see the future of music being — purely original. It’s a big dream, but it’s something I hope every artist making a name for themselves portrays.

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

websterjournal.com

Adjunct professor John McClellan recalls performing with the ‘rock star’

By Alex Wilking Contributing Writer

Most people love to sit in the same room with a famous musician. For John McClellan, adjunct professor at Webster University, this wasn’t any ordinary meeting. It was a rehearsal for a sold-out show at the Savvis Center. And the famous musician was none other than Italian opertic tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

McClellan described Pavarotti as a “true rock star.”

Pavarotti attended all three rehearsals for the show with an entourage, and he rarely talked to anyone there. he two were positioned right across from each other and would make eye contact and nod ater each song.

But McClellan remembers one of those rehearsals speciically. “(Pavarotti) was eating this apple and singing, just pelting me with apple juice,” McClellan said. “And I’m thinking, ‘oh my guitar, French-Polish. It’s expensive. (And) I’m getting spat on with apple.’”

McClellan was a part of Pavarotti’s 1999 world tour as a guitarist, playing the St. Louis show in February. A St. Louis booking agent called McClellan, asking if he would be willing to assist with two pieces that required a classical guitarist. he pieces would be played solely with Pavarotti. hese days, McClellan has earned a top spot on the call lists of booking agents. He received his master of music from St. Louis Conservatory of Music and serves on the board of the St. Louis Symphony. He also directs the classical guitar program at Webster University.

McClellan says his main goal is to see his students become better than him. hough he has been teaching music for 25 years, he considers himself more of a coach than a teacher. He said he likes to work in the trenches with the students and not overwhelm them with learning. He considers one of his students, sophomore Devin Matthews, his star pupil.

JOURNAL ARCHIVES / he Journal John McClellan plays a classical guitar during his “Tribute to Chet Atkins” concert at the Sheldon Concert Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012 McClellan was promoting the release of his album “Slightly Above Below Average: A Tribute to Chet Atkins by His Friends.” McClellan is the director of the guitar department at Webster University.

“A lot of times, he’ll say ‘What do you want to learn?’

And I really appreciate that,” Matthews said. “He always puts in a good word for us and goes out of his way to give us opportunities to gain more experience.” hat opportunity came to Matthews in the form of a trip to Nice, France. She took lessons for a week in July 2013 with McClellan’s friend, Olivier Chassain, a teacher at the Conservatory of Paris.

McClellan considers himself a liaison for his students, ofering his connections in the music world. He feels he has established enough for himself that he wants to give all his resources to his students.

“I’m at a point in my life

where I’ve virtually done everything I’ve dreamed of doing,” McClellan said. “I still have a lot of things I’m working on in the future. But I tour enough, I play enough. I have enough of an international reputation that I don’t need that ego part of my music to be stoked anymore. It burns ine.”

McClellan has also made connections from being a touring musician in his dual-guitar project with his friend Kirk Hanser. He said they have been playing together for almost 17 years and have toured the U.S. he two haven’t toured recently because they both have families now, McClellan said. hey are planning a French tour in February 2014.

“It’s always just kind of

clicked,” Hanser said. “Our playing styles complimented each other, even though we’ve both had diferent training. It was just nice to be able to get together with another player of your level and really do some playing.

We’ve never played [in Europe] as a duo. his is the irst time we’ve gone together.”

While in France, McClellan and Hanser will teach classes at the Paris Conservatory, which McClellan considers “the most prestigious music school on Earth.” He is also looking to pass through the United Kingdom near the end of the tour.

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

THE JOURNAL HAS OPEN POSITIONS If you are looking for part time work this semester, check us out!

Sales/Customer Service Rapid Advancement Flexibility PT/FT Great Pay Scholarship Opportunities No Experience Necessary Conditions Apply All Ages 18+

STAFF WRITERS

WANTED EMAIL YOUR RESUME TO

Check us out! Apply @ vectormarketing.com or call our St. Louis office @ 314‐692‐0442

WEBSTERJOURNAL@GMAIL.COM

DON’T GET BIT

INVITE YOU AND A GUEST TO A SPECIAL ADVANCE SCREENING

Big banks use charm to get you in the door, then drain your savings with sharp fees and service charges. Credit unions offer 2 percent lower average car loan rates, fewer fees and a statewide network of ATMs. Nearly everyone who lives, works or plays in Missouri can join. Don’t get tricked by a big bank — treat

To enter for your chance to receive a pass for two to the advance screening, log onto Gofobo.com/RSVP and enter the code: JOURNHN6V NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. Winners will be selected at random on 10/5/13. Limit two admit one passes per person. While supplies last.

Employees of participating sponsors are not eligible. This screening is overbooked to ensure capacity and seating is available on a firstcome, first-served basis. This film is Rated PG-13.

IN THEATRES ON OCTOBER 11!

ST LOUIS JOURNAL

yourself to more savings and make the switch to a credit union.

BankOnMore.com

Page 7 Oct. 2-8, 2013

LIFESTYLE

websterjournal.com

DAVID BROOME/ he Journal Seniors Jorge El-Azar and Katie Coats cheer on teammates with the Gorlok during the annual Student vs. Alumni Flag Football Game at homecoming weekend Saturday, Sept. 28.

HOME

COMING

2013 Alumni, students attend carnival, lag football game

LILY VOSS / he Journal

LILY VOSS / he Journal Webster University hosted its annual Homecoming: Reunion and Parents Weekend Sept. 27 and 28.

Above: he Ferris wheel gave treetop views of Lot H and the surrounding Webster Groves neighborhood. Let: Junior Zach Zurluh-Cunningham participates in the annual Student vs. Alumni Flag Football Game against Alumni Brian Royer. Bottom: he carnival ofered traditional carnival food and food trucks for patrons.

DAVID BROOME/ he Journal

DAVID BROOME/ he Journal

Opinions

Oct 2-8, 2013

Letters & Commentaries he Journal welcomes letters to the editors and guest commentaries. Letters to the editor must be fewer than 200 words. Guest commentaries must be between 450 and 750 words, and guest writers must have their photograph taken to run with their commentaries. he Journal will edit all submitted pieces for grammar, style and clarity. If there are any substantial revisions, the writer will be notiied and allowed to edit his or her own writing.

Submit all letters to the editor and guest commentaries to websterjournal@gmail.com by 2 p.m. on Monday.

The Publication Board he Publication Board acts as the publisher of he Journal, a designated public forum for students, faculty, staf and administrators at Webster University. he Board is chaired by Julia Grify, and composed of two students, two members of the Faculty Assembly and the dean of students as an administrative representative. he Publication Board holds monthly meetings, open to the public. Please bring us your comments and concerns.

Next meeting: Nov. 1 at 9a.m.

Our Vision To consistently provide the Webster University and Webster Groves communities with the most current and contextual information using both print and multimedia, while serving as a learning platform for our staf and a forum for our readers.

Produced by The Journal Editorial Board and Business office, Summer 2013

the journal The News Source for Webster University Megan Favignano Editor-in-Chief Gabe Burns Managing Editor Editorial Oice (314) 246-7088 Kavahn Mansouri News Editor Sam Masterson Sports Editor Megan Washausen Lifestyle Editor Sheren Khalel Opinions Editor Brian Pratt Webmaster Mackenzie Wilder Photo Editor Macy Salama Multimedia Editor Section Editors (314) 246-7575

I do not like Obamacare, I do not like it anywhere Sheren Khalel is the opinions editor for he Journal.

he tea party has gone too far. U.S. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and his band of cronies are responsible for the irst government shutdown since 1996.

Last Friday, Sept. 20, he U.S. House passed a bill that would have funded the government, with the stipulation that he Afordable Care Act (ACA), otherwise known as Obamacare, be defunded. he bill was sent to the Senate on Monday, Sept. 23, and the Senate approved a motion to consider the House bill. he next day, Cruz decided to make a name for himself. He spoke on the Senate loor for more than 21 hours, covering a range of not-so-important topics — from the World Wrestling Federation to Ashton Kutcher.

At one point, Cruz read one of my favorite children’s books, “Green Eggs and Ham.” he faux-ilibuster wasn’t blocking a vote. It was an attempt to bully his fellow Republicans from passing any funding bill that didn’t also repeal Obamacare.

Cruz knew a Democratic Senate wouldn’t approve legislation that would repeal or amend Obamacare. So what did he do? He and his fellow Republicans took our government hostage. Enter government shutdown.

Now moderate Republicans are stuck following the lead of their far-right tea party counterparts, and have shamefully allowed this mockery of government to continue. Enough moderate House Republicans are willing to pass a clean-cut spending bill like the Senate’s.

Julie Turek Business Manager Abby Steingrubey Ad Manager Olivia Heibeck Marketing Manager Advertising & Business Journaladmgr@gmail.com (314) 246-7538

Larry Baden Editorial Adviser Robert LaRouche Photography Adviser

StafWriters Darra Cunningham Latasha Dean Mary Eveker Romare Haller Scott Lunte Holly Shanks Photographers Megan Favignano Sam Masterson Clair Staples David Broome Billy Sukoski Erika Ruth Holly Swan Gaby Demeke Natalie Martinez

Carolina Dueñas Lilly Voss

470 East Lockwood Avenue St. Louis, Missouri 63119 Sverdrup 247 www.websterjournal.com

he Journal is the oicial student publication of Webster University.

Unsigned editorials relect the opinion of the newspaper, not necessarily that of the university or the Publication Board. he opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily relect those of he Journal. All text, photos, graphics and other content are copyrighted by he Journal and may not be reproduced without permission. Any photograph that has been substantially altered or staged for use as a graphic will be labeled as a photo illustration. he Journal reserves the right to reject advertising, stories, columns or letters to the editor that it deems graphic, obscene or that discriminate on the basis of race, culture, gender or sexual orientation. Single copies of he Journal are free; for additional copies, contact the business oice, located in the Sverdrup building, room 247, on the Webster Groves campus.

But Speaker of the House John Boehner won’t allow the Senate bill to come to the House loor for a vote. It seems Boehner, who has said he is against the shutdown, wants to keep his place as Speaker. he tea party could jeopardize that position if he falls out of favor with them.

So, the House can’t pass a spending bill that doesn’t at least amend Obamacare, and the Senate won’t pass a spending bill that’s anything other than a spending bill.

Obamacare was already passed by the Senate, the House, signed into law by the president and determined to be constitutional by the Supreme Court. We have a system in place for repealing laws, and shutting down the federal government is not on the list.

If the tea party doesn’t like Obamacare, then great: repeal it or defund it. But do it with honor. Republicans should wait until they return to majority rule and pass real legislation. his new healthcare system isn’t engraved in our Constitution. I’m sure the Democrats would be much more amiable to amending things if Obamacare turns out to be a bust and people end up at the mercy of death panels and all our doctors move to Iran.

A majority of the public is against Obamacare, but Democrats are convinced that people will like it if they give it a chance. Meanwhile, Republicans are running around repeating themselves. We get it.

You do not like Obamacare, but at this point you have no choice but to try it. Respect democracy and turn our damn government back on.

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com Illustration by Victoria Courtney/Content by Sheren Khalel

Global hinking: he world looks to Iran’s new moderate Kavahn Mansouri is the news editor for he Journal.

Dan Bauman Senior Editor James Dundon Copy Editor Sierra Hancock Copy Editor Livie Hall Calendar Editor Victoria Courtney Graphic Editor Emily Ratkewicz Graphic Editor

Page 8

It has always been hard for me to look to my father’s home country, Iran, and think hopeful thoughts. Even when an apparently moderate president was elected to clean up the mess of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, I felt skeptical.

Skepticism is the name of the game when it comes to Iran.

It’s hard to be conident in a

leader when the leader is basically the puppet of the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Newly elected President Hassan Rouhani is considered a more moderate, better alternative to Ahmadinejad. He even took to the media to provide reassurance that Iran is “no threat to the world.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu certainly seems to think otherwise. Netanyahu recently called Rouhani a “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” at the U.N. General Assembly.

Now, obviously, Israel has more than a few reasons to be weary of any Iranian president, but as global citizens it’s important to understand why Rou-

hani could, in fact, be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

President Barack Obama spoke on the phone with Rouhani about Iran’s nuclear proliferation last week. his was the irst time a U.S. president has spoken with an Iranian president in 37 years. While some saw this as historic, many Iranians protested in the street, throwing eggs and shoes at Rouhani when he returned from his global tour.

It’s hard to say whether Rouhani is a good guy or not — he has the characteristics of a good guy; he speaks like a good guy; he even kind of looks likes a good guy. he truth is, only time will tell when it comes to Rouhani.

It’s important to remember that while he speaks for Iran, Khamenei makes the real decisions. At the end of the day, Rouhani is a igurehead. He may make a few decisions here and there, but even those decisions are made with a hand at his back, nudging him along.

Rouhani is the people’s choice, but their choices were limited to a list of candidates approved by the supreme leader.

For me, Rouhani is a sign of better things to come. I’m not hopeful quite yet, but I do think at some point Iran will get there.

A lot of people like to think the Iranian people aren’t moving for change — but they are. hings are happening in Iran, the people push for change everyday.

Look back at the Green Movement, when Iranians asked, “Where is my vote?” ater the 2009 elections. he movement came and went, but it really showed the potential of the Iranian people.

So is Rouhani a good guy?

Like I said, time will tell. I’m skeptical, to say the least. I question his outreach to the west, while at the same time feel happy that Iran is pushing to make itself ‘not a threat’ to the world.

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

Why technology is ruining the next generation’s creativity Macy Salama is the multimedia editor for he Journal.

he iery red and orange lava bubbles rose up. I jumped from stone to stone, knowing, that if I slipped, the lava would burn me. My life was on the line.

Actually, instead of lava, it was my living room loor, and the stones were pillows. When I was a kid, this was my imagination.

Now kids don’t have to imagine the lava, they can see it. hey touch a screen to jump from stone to stone. heir imaginations are restricted as they immerse themselves in technology. hey don’t need an imagination to play a game.

Imagination is the ability to form mental images using all ive senses. Everybody has this ability; but some have more highly developed imaginations than others. It makes anything we can think of possible, which gives us the ability to look at situations from diferent perspectives.

When I babysit, I ask the kids if they want to go outside.

I oten get a similar response of moaning and groaning, beg-

Illustration by Victoria Courtney ging me to let them stay inside to play their video games. his worries me.

When I was younger, my mind was my entertainment. I’d step outside, and I would suddenly be in a jungle. he mud was quicksand and it was better than any video game or TV series. hough I still watched movies, or played Nintendo 64, I never relied on technology as my main source of entertainment.

Webster University philosophy professor Michael Brady said he is not anti-technology, but he thinks technology can limit possibilities.

Brady has two children, Ab-

igail and Victoria, who are both in their early 20s. Brady said when his children were younger he noticed that their friends sat in front of the TV for hours and rarely played outside. He built his girls a tree house which became their main source of entertainment. He wanted his girls to have a place where only their imaginations could determine their possibilities. Brady described his girls as extremely strong, and said they aren’t afraid to take charge of a situation. He believes playing outside helped develop their sense of imagination. As a result, he inds them to be comfortable in dominant roles.

Why are activities that require imagination, like playing outside, not a main source of entertainment for kids anymore? Do they know how to use their imaginations? Maybe children stopped “seeing the lava.” I don’t blame them.

From the time kids today are born, everything they have is virtual, 3D and right in front of them. he games they play today are already designed for them. hey don’t need imagination. Before we know it, we’ll be giving books to kids, and they’ll be confused when they touch the page and nothing moves.

“Imagination has to do with possibilities,” Brady said.

Growing up, my imagination taught me how to be comfortable by myself. I was always entertained, which meant I didn’t need a phone to keep me from being bored. I had endless opportunities when it came to what I could do and think about.

What will happen without imagination? Will kids be okay by themselves? hese days, children are born into a time where they can pull out their phones to talk to someone every time they get lonely or need entertainment. hey don’t rely on their own minds. So what do we do about this? We change it.

We have the power to inluence younger generations. It is not realistic to get rid of technology. But let’s make sure kids know how to think without it.

Kids need to learn to be okay, by themselves without phones, computers or videogames. Let’s remind them to rely on themselves for happiness, rather than the game in front of them.

Let’s tell them stories, and have them draw the illustrations themselves. Let’s make sure kids know how to exercise the incredible git of imagination.

Let’s remind kids they have the ability to make the unreal, real — using only their minds.

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

Page 9

SPORTS

Oct. 2-8, 2013

websterjournal.com

Men’s soccer stable through coaches role reversal

By Scott Lunte Staf Writer

Head men’s soccer coach Michael Siener and associate coach Marty Todt have worked with the Webster University men’s soccer program for six years. Siener served as an assistant to Todt before Siener and Todt switched coaching roles last year, but they said it has been a smooth transition.

“When I was young, my role models and people I looked (up) to were coaches.

I always knew that was something I wanted to do,” Siener said.

Siener said Todt, who has coached men’s soccer at Webster for 25 years, was one of his role models. Siener was the associate head coach under Todt for three years, following a four-year career playing soccer, basketball and tennis for the Gorloks. Siener was also an assistant men’s basketball coach at Webster for 11 years. He will enter his ninth season as the men’s tennis head coach.

Siener started playing sports on a year round basis when he was seven years old. Playing high school sports, he said he knew staying in athletics was his career goal. Siener said the watching his players celebrate victory and scoring is why he became a coach.

Todt said he and Siener have always had a great working relationship. Siener said he started to see things diferently as an assistant coach under Todt. hrough coaching he learned aspects of the game he said he never saw as a soccer player.

“We as a staf always made our decisions together,” Siener said. “I’ve been recruiting in the other sports such as basketball and tennis. So that part of it, I’m already familiar with.”

Senior forward Patrick McCafrey recalled being worried about how diferent things could be when Siener took over. he only diference McCafrey noticed was the amount of players Siener recruited. McCafrey said the recruits motivate him to push himself harder. He believes many of them have been

had a calming “ He’s inluence on me this year at times when I want to lose my mind and make some crazy decision.

He can kind of bring me backand say ‘Hey what about this or this.’

”

Michael Siener Webster University men’s soccer head coach

battling for the same spots.

“I think (the transition has) been perfect. hey really counteract each other really well,” McCafrey said.

Todt believes Siener has the hard work ethic that a good coach needs. While an assistant under Todt, Siener asked him what it takes to become a good coach.

“He’s had a calming inluence on me this year at times when I want to lose my mind and make some crazy decisions,” Siener. “He can kind of bring me back and say ‘Hey what about this or this’.”

Todt’s Transition Todt said he enjoys the new challenge of being associate head coach. What excites him most is being able to focus more on the individual player, and not having to worry about daily head coaching duties like recruiting, game jerseys, scheduling and calling referees.

“I’m able to come out of this more relaxed, and I’m not as uptight. (Siener and I) kind of knew this was going to be this way,” Todt said.

Siener said Todt is one of the least selish people he’s ever met. He doesn’t want Todt to be any diferent than if Todt was still the head coach. Siener encourages Todt to intervene at practices if he recognizes something, or wants to run practice.

“I’m lucky. Because some other head coaches could have taken (the associate role) as a negative, and there could have

been issues there,” Siener said.

Seniors Marc Hager, and Mark McHugh agree with McCafrey that practices have stayed the same. Hager said Todt will still intervene in practices when he feels necessary.

“Last week, there was one time where Marty took over the older guys and we would normally do a keep-away drill like we were used to last year.

He then called a lot of us out,” Hager said.

Todt said a good soccer coach will always care about his players, stay tuned to his players by keeping up with what they’re doing socially and academically, and knows what it takes to be succesful. Coaches who allow their players to have closure ater their career are good coaches, said Todt.

“I would hate as a player to walk away from a program and say ‘Gosh I didn’t get what I wanted out of that.’” Todt said.

Todt says trust between a player and coach is important in order for players to have closure for the game. He said if players are having a bad practice, he expects them to give it their all, rather than throw in the towel. he coaches who don’t allow their players to throw in the towel are the good coaches in Todt’s eyes because the players can walk away with closure. “(Siener) knows his responsibilities, and working under Marty, he’s gained a lot of experience. He doesn’t seem like a rookie,” McCafrey said. he Gorlok soccer team currently stands 6-2-3 under Siener’s direction. Siener recruited 31 freshmen, and seven transfer students this season. Last season, only two freshman were on the roster. he amount of new recruits Siener brought in allowed the Gorloks to up a reserve team.

Siener said the reserve team is a good opportunity for players to get playing time and learn what it takes to play at the collegiate level.

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

HOLLY SWAN / he Journal Associate men’s soccer coach Marty Todt (let) and head men’s soccer coach Michael Siener (right) talk ater Webster University’s game versus Eureka College (Ill.) on Sept. 28. he Gorloks won 5-0 and earned its third shutout in a row.

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com

Sports

Oct. 2-8, 2013

Page 10

Gorloks soar in SLIAC

See how the Gorloks stand compared to their conference

Men’s soccer

.

.

HOLLY SWAN / he Journal Attempting to bicycle kick the ball of of a Webster University corner kick, freshman midielder Dino Music (right) kicks his teammate’s head on Sept. 28

Volleyball

Women’s soccer

.

.

.

.

Aubuchon surmounts last year’s knee blow out

By Sam Masterson Sports Editor

Senior Katie Aubuchon sees the scars from surgery on her right knee everyday. It reminds her of an injury that kept her of the soccer ield for more than a year. But a busted nose and broken tooth motivate her to return.

She points to the center of the main ield at Soccer Park, Webster University women’s soccer home ield, and recalls chasing ater a Carroll University (Wis.) attacker on Oct. 7.

“I cut with my right leg when I should have used my let leg. So I was planting and my knee went inside but the rest of my body went outside,” Aubuchon said. “I could hear everything ripping.” he initial report by Webster athletic trainers said she tore a ligament in her knee. Days later an MRI of her knee showed what trainer Lori Khazen called the “unhappy triad.” She tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), sprained her medial collateral ligament (MCL) and had a meniscus tear.

Khazen said the average recovery time is seven to nine months ater surgery for that type of injury. Aubuchon’s ninemonth mark was Sept. 18. Tendonitis, lower-back problems and screws in her knee pushed her goal to play back further.

On Oct. 5 Webster hosts Greenville College (Ill.) for their “Pack the House” game where they expect their largest crowd of the season, and Aubuchon expects to play. She reset her

goal to play at that game for a reason.

“I just hate them,” Aubuchon said.

In 2011, Webster hosted Greenville in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference semi-inal championship. A ball bounced at head height and Aubuchon redirected it with her head. he crown of a Greenville player’s head collided with Aubuchon’s face.

She lost half a tooth and broke her nose. hat player is still on Greenville’s roster.

Greenville Head Soccer Coach Jef Wardlaw said he knows the player was not head hunting, but just made a late tackle.

“I wouldn’t call it a dirty tackle,” Wardlaw said. “I would say it was mistimed and could be a reckless tackle.” he Greenville players celebrated a 1-0 victory.

Another battle began on Facebook when the player who caused Aubuchon’s injury posted a photo. Aubuchon said the photo was of uniformed Greenville players with a caption that taunted Aubuchon saying “No. 9 with her teeth knocked out.”

Two days later the Webster men’s soccer team played Greenville. Aubuchon and players from Greenville’s women’s soccer team were in attendance. he players taunted Aubuchon in the bleachers and a verbal ight almost turned physical.

Greenville’s athletic director had to reprimand his athletes.

Wardlaw said the players who were part of the harassment were disciplined for their

of-the-ield actions. “here is a diference between a healthy rivalry and a hated rivalry,” Wardlaw said.

Greenville didn’t allow for players to comment. he only retaliation Aubuchon said she wanted was to beat them on the scoreboard.

Her knee injury last season came three weeks before they played Greenville.

Fith percentile Monica Aubuchon, Katie Aubuchon’s mother, said everything that can go wrong has during Katie Aubuchon’s knee recovery.

Expecting to be told her knee was healthy enough to play, Aubuchon visited her knee doctor on Sept. 19. he bones in Aubuchon’s knees were rejecting the two screws that helped heal her ligaments. hey are forcing the screws to push outward and cause even more pain when she runs.

She will need another surgery to remove the screws. he doctor told Aubuchon this occurs in only ive percent of patients who have their ACL repaired surgically.

“I just feel like I’m in that percent that something always goes wrong,” Aubuchon said.

Aubuchon started to cry because a second surgery meant there was no chance of her playing her senior season. She said it took only a minute before she looked to her mom for support. hen she decided to postpone the surgery until Nov. 15.

“I don’t care if it happens

again,” Katie Aubuchon said.

“If I just sit on the sideline and don’t even try then that is failure to me.” his was not Aubuchon’s only set back through her recovery year. Her surgeon repaired her ACL using a portion of her patellar tendon, which attaches the knee bone to the top of the shin. She developed tendonitis and Aubuchon said she expects that to afect her for the next couple years.

Khazen said the way Aubuchon damaged the three ligaments in her knee from a noncontact situation was unusual.

Even before the knee injury she had dealt with back issues that prolonged her recovery.

Last season she began to sufer from sacroiliac joint pain in her lower back. In games her leg would go numb and she needed cortisone shots. Aubuchon blew out her knee days before she was scheduled to begin therapy for her back.

“She is a very internally motivated athlete,” Khazen said.

“She’s done what she’s been asked and it’s been frustrating for her on many levels.”

Aubuchon said she had more than enough support between Khazen, her mother and her teammates.

Aubuchon would text Khazen throughout the summer and say, “his is getting so hard, I don’t know what to do.”

Monica Aubuchon said, “here was a time at the beginning of the summer where she just felt like it wasn’t gonna happen. We all talked to her, and you know you’re so close now

HOLLY SWAN / he Journal Katie Aubuchon warms up before a Webster Univeristy game on Sept. 28.

there is no sense in quitting.”

In Aubuchon’s irst practice on Sept. 19 she participated in a shooting drill and scored on her irst attempt at a goal. She said she felt pride in her talents like she did before her knee injury.

“I overheard some players

talking and they said ‘I don’t think the freshmen realize how good Katie was,’” Aubuchon said. “It’s just nice to have that support so I know I was a good soccer player before this.”

Contact the writer: websterjournal@gmail.com