The Alestle Vol.71 No. 32

BE EN GARDE WITH SIUE’S FENCING CLUB

SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH SEMO AFTER 14-1 LOSS

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alton — east st. louis — edwardsville

thursday 04.11.19

vol. LXXI no. XXXII

Police, Title IX are options in process for investigating sexual assault MADISON LAMMERT reporter

Many students know they can go to campus police to launch a sexual assault investigation, but do not realize that Title IX officers also performs campus investigations. During Sexual Assault Awareness Month, there has been a lot of talk about reporting options.

According to SIUE’s Fall 2018 annual security report, three instances of rape were reported to SIUE police in 2017, two in 2016 and four in 2015.

These assaults were all in on-campus student housing facilities and do not account for incidents that may have been reported only to Title IX or that happened off campus. The police and the Office of Equal Opportunity, Access and Title IX Coordination are two options for survivors looking to bring sanctions against their perpetrators.

According to Police Chief Kevin Schmoll, survivors can launch criminal investigations through the SIUE police, through Title IX or take advantage of both options.

“It is really up to the victim-survivor what route he or she wants to take because the person doesn’t have to go to the police,” Schmoll said. “They may say ‘I don’t want any criminal investigation or prosecution done; I just want to go the Title IX route,’ and that would be their choice. They may say ‘I want to go the criminal route and not Title IX’ or ‘I want to do both.’”

While campus police can do a criminal investigation, the victim ultimately gets to decide what steps to take. SIUE police can provide victims with resources for healing after an assault without investigating it.

“We’re here to help — just [because] you come to us, we’re

| JoAnn Weaver / The Alestle

[not] automatically going to do a big investigation,” Schmoll said.

“We are going to get you the help that you want. We can coordinate that for the students that are coming in that are seeking guidance for sexual assaults.”

Even though the police must report activity in the police blotter, Schmoll said they would never name a sexual assault victim. The name of the perpetrator would not be made public unless charges were brought against them.

Where the assault occurred and whether the perpetrator is related to the university may be deciding factors in what investigation method a student-survivor

Director of Athletics Brad Hewitt retires after 30 years HANNAH MILLER sports editor

Athletics announced Director of Athletics Brad Hewitt will be retiring this year, effective June 30.

Hewitt was first hired in 1989 and has served as director since 2002.

Previously, he spent 13 years in various administrative roles, including Interim Vice Chancellor for Development and Public Affairs and Interim Director of Alumni Services, after coming to the university as Assistant Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Hewitt said he was grateful to everyone who had helped him during his time at SIUE. “I just want to thank the institution, thank the people and thank definitely all of the colleagues, friends, advisers and bosses that I’ve had. Each one of them has

ally assaulted off campus. That wouldn’t be our investigation.

That would be Edwardsville’s, if that happened in the City of Edwardsville’s venue, but we would get that information. Edwardsville Police Department would share their reports with us,” Schmoll said. “If the student lived on campus, or, even if they live off campus, I could persona that individual for coming on campus. We can protect that student on our property.”

While the SIUE police handle criminal investigations, director of Equal Opportunity, Access and Title IX Coordination Jamie Ball said her office relates to breaches

see TITLE IX on page 3

Graham, Rogers elected SG president, trustee

been impactful to my personal and professional career and presented me with great opportunities. So thanks to everybody,” Hewitt said.

Hewitt oversaw Athletics’ transition from Division II to Division I competition in 2012. He was also part of the decision to eliminate men’s tennis and women’s golf during the state budget crisis in 2016.

Chancellor Randy Pembrook said the university will immediately begin a nationwide search for Hewitt’s replacement, according to SIUE Athletics.

Athletic Communications Director Eric Hess did not have information of whether an interim director would be named between Hewitt’s final day and the appointment of his official replacement.

The Alestle will provide more information as it becomes available.

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chooses, if they choose to investigate.

SIUE police would be in charge of the investigation if an assault were to happen on campus. If it happened off-campus, it would be under the control of the police in that respective area.

However, Schmoll said this does not mean that the SIUE police cannot take action to make the survivor feel safe. No matter where the assault occurred, SIUE police have the authority to make the perpetrator a “persona non grata,” meaning if they step foot on campus property, they can be arrested for trespassing.

“Say a student was sexu-

of campus conduct codes. Title IX can only sanction perpetrators who are students or other members of the campus community.

Sanctions may include actions such as suspensions or expulsions.

“That’s sometimes the big distinguishing factor of whether or not you report to the police versus to the Title IX office, because it relates to the accountability question: if the person who did the harm is not a student or a member of the SIUE community, then we don’t really have jurisdiction over them for an administrative process, but they would still be accountable under the criminal laws of our state,” Ball said.

Holding perpetrators accountable is only part of the police and Title IX’s work. According to Schmoll, when a student reports a sexual assault, they are given a packet explaining all their options for reporting and resources.

Ball said her office helps coordinate efforts to help survivors in their day-to-day lives, regardless of whether they can conduct an investigation.

“For example, [if] a student has been harmed by somebody in their hometown up in the Chicago area and the [perpetrator] doesn’t go here, they’re not affiliated with SIUE, [and if] our student comes back to campus and they are struggling with the impacts of what has happened to them, they can absolutely still come to Title IX … and I would absolutely be in a position to organize some support and some help for that student, regardless of if the student sees a need to intervene in the accountability piece,” Ball said.

According to Ball, the police will typically become aware of someone who is pursuing an investigation with Title IX, but just because the police are informed does not mean they will pursue a

JAKOB RUFFNER multimedia editor

As campaigning comes to a close, Student Government has come out of its 2019 election with multiple write-ins and unfilled spots.

The results are in, and the votes are tallied for unofficial results, revealing the new representatives for SIUE Student Government. Sophomore Jacob Graham has replaced Mackenzie Rogers as student body president and junior Matt Butler has been elected vice president, following senior Sadie Spears.

In 2019, Elizabeth Loftus will serve as Senator for The School of Education, Health and Human Behavior, Mackenzie Rogers as Student Trustee, Christopher Malone Jr. as Senator of College of Arts and Sciences Arts and Communication, James Beverly III as Senator of CAS Scienc-

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es and Math; other positions are being picked between multiple candidates and write-ins.

According to Kimmel Office Support Specialist Robin Ermer, out of the total 1,126 students that cast votes in the election, many chose write-ins for positions. The School of Business and School of Dental Medicine senatorial spots lacked candidates for the election, leaving two candidates — Tyler Stewart and Jacob Perez — as the written-in candidates for the school.

The senator of the School of Dental Medicine will be split between two votes for two write-in candidates. Three-fourths of 133 votes for the School of Business highlighted its two write-in candidates.

For the School of Dental Medicine, if one of two write-ins do not accept their election, Student Government will publicly open an application for students

The Alestle

to fill the seat, with a vetting process for candidates.

Student Government is taking open applications to the student body requesting representatives for the CAS - People and Culture senatorial spot, as no candidates were given for election, and no write-ins received.

All applications have a deadline of Friday, April 14, 2019.

Standing members like Rogers and Butler received overwhelming support from those who voted. While their positions have been shuffled around, the incumbents will most likely be aided by write-in candidates for two key positions.

Student Government’s unofficial results can be found at: https://www.siue.edu/kimmel/sg/.

JAKOB RUFFNER 650-3527 @jruffner_alestle jruffner@alestlelive.com

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the

alestle MIRANDA LINTZENICH editor-in-chief

BRIDGET CHRISTNER managing editor

TREVOR OLIVER lifestyles editor

HANNAH MILLER sports editor

KAIT BAKER opinion editor

JAKOB RUFFNER multimedia editor

JORDYN NIMMER online editor

ALEAH GLODICH MADISON LAMMERT DARIAN STEVENSON reporters

SPENCER PECK photographer BROOKE RYATT JENNIFER GOECKNER copy editors ERICA GREEN podcast producer JOANN WEAVER graphics manager JONAS MALAVE CAMPOS advertising manager NATHANIEL JOHNSON HARRISON GORDEN DYLAN GUSEWELLE ad representatives CLAIRE FUESTING CRISHAWNA NASH office secretaries ANGIE TROUT office manager TAMMY MERRETT program director Have a comment?

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thursday, 04.11.19

Graduate assistant creates healing space for students ALEAH GLODICH reporter

In the wake of the terrorist attack that took place in Christchurch, New Zealand, a student decided to create a place for people to heal.

Graduate assistant and sociology major Husna Ibrahim of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was inspired to create the space after seeing how organizations on University of Minnesota’s campus had taken the same initiative.

“Back in Minnesota, in my undergrad, I noticed that there were so many spaces that student government took the initiative in, and the different student groups and even faculty and staff were able to create spaces to help process the feelings and emotions that a lot of people were experiencing on campus and in the community,” Ibrahim said. “I thought that would be a great initiative to take here at SIUE as well.”

The space was located at the Center for Diversity and Inclusion in Morris University Center on April 1 and 3 and allowed individuals to come talk to others about how they felt and connect with others who shared similar feelings.

According to Ibrahim, there was not a large turnout for the

event, but the people that showed up seemed to get the help they needed. The space was temporary, but Ibrahim hopes to work with organizations to create more spaces in the future.

According to Ibrahim, after the New Zealand event, she contacted the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, Counseling Services and even the chancellor in

“I was excited that we were going to have that talk and discussion because it is something that, like, the face of right-wing extremism is becoming more prevalent, so being able to discuss it and the impact of it is very important,” Senior anthropology major Randy Stark, of Warden, Illinois, said.

Stark is the secretary of MSA and supported Ibrahim in her creation of this community “There’s no time to outreach project. process a lot of emotion The healing space was supportand work through trauma, ed by organizations such as Prevention and a lot of the coping Education and Adskills that people develop vocacy Center, StuGovernment tend to be unhealthy and dent and Diversity and Inclusion Matters. unsustainable in many Senior ecoways. nomics and finance major and Student HUSNA IBRAHIM Graduate assistant and sociology major, of Government School of Business Senator Minneapolis, Minnesota John Ngo, of St. Louis, was part of order to create the healing space. the group in Student GovernIbrahim is the president of ment that supported the event. the Muslim Student Association, “I feel it is a great organizaanother organization that played tion, for sure, that helps people a supportive role in the process deal with the trauma that can be of getting the healing space ap- induced by such a horrific event. proved.

It was supported by SG because

we think the organization is welcoming to students that can be experiencing these types of events,” Ngo said.

Although this is Ibrahim’s first initiative on campus, she said she would love to have more healing spaces in response to different events that occur in the world or even make it a permanent space for students and staff to process their emotions.

“I feel like there’s a lot of emphasis on being productive and being successful, especially as a student, as a leader and even as a professional on campus, like faculty and staff. There’s no time to process a lot of emotion and work through trauma, and a lot of the coping skills that people develop tend to be unhealthy and unsustainable in many ways,” Ibrahim said.

According to Ngo, he would love to see Student Government work with other organizations and groups like this.

“It’s beneficial for students because now there’s a group out there to help cope with trauma that is created from events like this one,” Ngo said.

ALEAH GLODICH 650-3527 @aleah_alestle aglodich@alestlelive.com

Stringing up hope: The clothesline project, silent protest combine for campus advocacy MADISON LAMMERT reporter

As part of the national ‘It’s On Us’ week of action, the Prevention Education and Advocacy Center combined the clothesline project and silent protest to campus to encourage the community to visually demonstrate support for sexual assault victims and their stories of survival.

According to PEACe graduate assistant Kiah Earl, the ‘It’s On Us’ week of action aims to eliminate sexual assault on college campuses, in conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Sophomore psychology and sociology major Mahdi Gourdine, of O’Fallon, Illinois, said events that promote visibility and support of sexual assault survivors are valuable on college campuses.

“I think it’s important because there’s a serious lack of visibility for survivors of sexual assault and abuse,” Gourdine said. “There’s a lot of stigma still associated with surviving those sorts of things, and there’s also a general lack of people who are willing to listen or believe people who have gone through these situations.”

PEACe Coordinator Samantha Dickens said the clothesline project occurs on campuses across the nation. The event was first brought to SIUE about 10 years ago by a former counselor who encouraged sexual assault survivors to make and display T-shirts as part of their healing process.

Call for Help plans silent protests at other campuses and community venues along with SIUE, but this is the first year the PEACe combined the silent protest with the clothesline project in an effort to better engage students.

“What we realized was we

could combine clothesline and silent protest and create something that’s more relevant and more engaging for our students,” Dickens said. “[The] silent protest didn’t always draw a crowd the way that we would have liked it to, in part, because a protest relies on numbers, and our students’ class schedules don’t allow for large groups of them to convene like that.”

Contrary to the name’s suggestion, students were permitted to talk at the event and were encouraged to express support through making T-shirts and signs with materials donated from the Macoupin Art Collective. They also had the opportunity to sign the It’s On Us’ pledge.

Call for Help Coordinator of Community and Volunteer Services Danya Edwards said the event shows a different way to support survivors.

“We offer different events to show how you can support a survivor, so this one is just speaking to the non-invasive way to support a survivor, like leaving a message on a T-shirt so that somebody in passing could see that,” Edwards said. “Maybe they are having a rough day, so that’s a reminder that they’re not alone in this.”

Macoupin Art Collective development coordinator Marcella Cloud said art is one of the many ways in which survivors may find their voices.

“Art is so important, and it’s so important to find a voice in whatever way you can and in whatever way is comfortable, and I think that having the clothesline project and just having it on display gives a voice to the people behind you and before you and it helps you to see very physically that you are not by yourself,”

Cloud said.

An anonymous sexual assault survivor said they found value in expressing their story without having to verbalize it.

“You always [get] the questions like, ‘Well, why did that happen?’ and sometimes it’s the judgment of ‘What were you wearing?’ and the awful questions like that … so getting to do art with it, I don’t have to answer any questions. I get to put this down and put it up and then call it a day,” the survivor said.

For those struggling with the aftermath of a sexual assault, Call for Help East St. Louis can be reached at 618-397-0968. For the 24-hour crisis hotline, contact 618-397-0975.

MADISON LAMMERT 650-3527 @madison_alestle mlammert@alestlelive.com

Participants and students paint T-shirts with powerful messages about sexual assault and harassment as part of their silent protest — one of the events in April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign.

| Jakob Ruffner / The Alestle

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Sexual assault resources available TITLE IX | COVER

criminal investigation with Title IX, but just because police are informed does not mean they will pursue a criminal investigation. It is largely up to the survivor.

“It’s been my experience that, most of the time, the police would have some notification of it, but in the criminal prosecution, especially as it relates to crimes of sexual violence, they often really rely, before any success in bringing the case forward in an investigation and prosecution, on the victim-survivor’s [participation],” Ball said.

Call for Help medical advo-

cate Jackie Smith told participants in last week’s Rape Aggression Defense class that even if a survivor does not wish to report, they should still seek medical attention, as they may have a STI or other unknown medical issues. Smith said the hospital is mandated to call the police, but it is only for record keeping.

“You could have cuts and bruises that you don’t know about — when you’re fighting someone, you don’t know that he didn’t cut you — or you may have an STI, anything! It’s important to get checked out,” Smith said.

Schmoll suggests students download the Rave Guardian app,

which allows students to contact the police even if they cannot talk.

Schmoll said this could help in some instances of sexual assault.

“Just by contacting us faster, it can help,” Schmoll said. “You would have that app on your phone and all you have to do is open it up and hit a button, even if you can’t talk.”

Students may contact the EOA at 618-650-2333 and campus police at their non-emergency phone at 618-650‑3324.

MADISON LAMMERT 650-3527 @madison_alestle mlammert@alestlelive.com

news in brief

Head Start investigation concludes

DARIAN STEVENSON reporter

After children were forced to strip naked and stand in a closet as punishment, SIUE held investigative interviews with the children from the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center Head Start Program classroom.

Upon the conclusion of the interviews, the police will review them and possibly administer charges to the two teachers involved.

The interviews were con-

ducted at the Child Advocacy Center and were overseen by a child forensic interviewer April 3, 4 and 5.

According to SIUE Police Chief Kevin Schmoll the interviews will be reviewed to determine if other children within the classroom were affected.

“We’ll have to review the interviews [with the children] with detectives and the Child Advocacy Center, and that will take some time, possibly a few weeks,” Schmoll said. “We’ll consult with the St. Clair County State’s Attor-

ney for possible charges.”

SIUE Marketing will announce a press release with more information once police have more on the incident.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee Head Start employees declined to comment at this time.

The Alestle will update this story as more information becomes available.

DARIAN STEVENSON 650-3527 @dsteven_alestle dstevenson@alestlelive.com

Students fall short in IEEE conference DARIAN STEVENSON reporter

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Green Technologies Conference was created to address the challenges of providing sustainable and environmentally responsible energy.

The 11th Annual IEEE Green Technology Conference encouraged industrial collaborators to address these challenges.

In the Saint Louis Section Black Box competition, three SIUE students placed first and third. In IEEE Green Technologies, SIUE did not place in the top three. Placements have yet to be announced.

Senior mechatronics and robotics engineering major Shawn Gilles, of Troy, Illinois, said he and his teammate engineering

major Jelani Hurtault, of Charleston, Illinois, worked together in the ethics competition.

Groups of two are able to utilize computers to read over case reports involving hypothetical situations regarding a company and engineering. The teams have to use the IEEE code of ethics to determine what the best solution is.

“I really enjoy getting to meet other people who have the same background with electrical engineering and traveling places is also enjoyable,” Gilles said.

According to IEEE, their conference’s theme this year was Geaux Green.

The goal was to increase efficiency and improve the quality of life by creating systems that reduce costs and improve services through connectivity and auto-

mation.

Teams are required to incorporate techniques such as sensing analytics and leveraging the complementary technologies of the internet of things, wireless and virtualization to find reliable solutions.

Gillies said he enjoys competing in IEEE competitions to challenge himself.

“Being able to tackle something that may be a little bit scary at first, I think it is enjoyable at the end because you really have to work hard and sort things out and figure out ‘how can I put together an effective presentation in this example, and how can I best succeed?’” Gilles said.

DARIAN STEVENSON 650-3527 @dsteven_alestle dstevenson@alestlelive.com

04.03.19

04.05.19

An officer took a report of a person standing around the service desk at Lovejoy Library.

The person was waiting on an employee to help them use a computer.

An officer assisted the Edwardsville Police Department with a loud noise complaint at an outside venue.

An officer reported damage to a locker in the police men’s locker room. The investigation continues.

An officer took a report in Lovejoy Library of unwanted contact via letter. The officer informed the writer to have no further contact.

An officer took a report of someone bumping into a desk several times in Peck Hall. The officer informed the reporter to speak with the professor regarding desk placement.

An officer took an informational report of an unwanted family member on campus in the Morris University Center. The officer informed the reporter to contact the police department if there was ever a safety concern.

An officer responded to a natural gas odor outside of 429 Cougar Village. The Edwardsville Fire Department responded and stated that there was a minor gas leak outside of the building and a work order for university housing maintenance was issued.

04.04.19 An officer to an active fire alarm in 530 Cougar Village.

The officer advised the alarm was activated due to a candle being lit. No fire, smoke or damage was reported.

An officer responded to a suspicious vehicle being reported in Lot F. The vehicle was an ROTC vehicle.

An officer responded to a welfare check on a resident at the request of parents unable to make contact. The officer was able to make contact, and the student asked to call the parents.

An officer responded to an active fire alarm in 525 Cougar Village. The officer advised the alarm was activated due to cooking. No fire, smoke or damage was reported.

An officer responded to a report of lost SIUE keys.

An officer responded to a suspicious odor of cannabis in Woodland Hall. The officer advised they were unable to locate the source.

A warning was issued for speeding on New Poag Road near Bohm School Road.

An officer spoke with an individual reporting a job scam that was received on a SIUE email account. The investigation continues.

A state citation was issued to Laura Strand for an uninsured motor vehicle. A verbal warning was also issued for expired registration.

A state citation was issued to Chiyem Slaughter for driving on a suspended driver’s license on North University Drive near P2 Road. A verbal warning was also issued for speeding.

A state citation was issued to Taliah Woodson for an uninsured motor vehicle. A verbal warning was also issued for speeding.

04.06.19 An officer responded to an active fire alarm in 425 Cougar Village. The officer advised the alarm was activated due to a humidifier. No smoke, fire, or damage was reported.

An officer responded to a call that a kayak was on the lake at the recreation area. Paul Cope III was arrested on an outstanding failure to appear warrant from Macoupin County for DUI. A city citation was also issued for possession of drug paraphernalia.

04.07.19 An officer responded to a loud noise complaint in 502 Cougar Village. The officer advised they were unable to locate the noise.

A traffic accident was reported in Parking Lot 11. There was minor damage and neither party wished to file a police report.

04.09.19 An officer responded to a call for a smell of gas in Bluff Hall. The fire department was called and the smell was determined to have come from the refineries.

An officer responded to a report of a suspicious activity in Parking Lot F. A subject was advised not to urinate outside.

An officer responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the SIUE Flying Fields. The subject was homeless and was advised there was no parking overnight on the campus.

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thursday, 04.11.19

Alumni lift up university name years after graduation, give back to community ALEAH GLODICH reporter

Upon the recent death of Gail Buenger, a member of SIUE’s first graduating class, the university reflected on the power of alumni.

One student that has been inspired by Buenger’s story and his work for SIUE is sophomore biology medical sciences major Megan Hobbie, of Chatham, Illinois.

“It’s awesome to see people give back to a place that means a lot to them. When you’re touched by something you want to see it grow, and I love how he had a passion for SIUE and gave back,” Hobbie said.

According to Alumni Association president Alan Kehrer, alumni carry on SIUE’s name in their communities after they

graduate. Alumni, while building up their own names and profes-

“Having a diverse contingent of alumni wanting to come back and serve in that capacity and offer their advice and their input “Volunteering is part and expertise in whatof being a good steward ever areas they are really strong in, that’s and a good member of very important,” Kehthe community, and it’s a rer said.

Two organizations for alumni to great way that they stay connected after [alumni] can accomplish graduation are the Alumni Association that and give back to and the SIUE Foundation, of which SIUE. Buenger was a part of both.

ALAN KEHRER According to Alumni Association President Kehrer, the Foundation Board helps sions, are building up SIUE’s im- sustain the university while the age as well.

Alumni Association helps the

university engage and connects alumni.

“Volunteering is part of being a good steward and a good member of the community and it’s a great way that they [alumni] can accomplish that and give back to SIUE, so I think that’s very important,” Kehrer said.

Chancellor Randy Pembrook currently serves on the SIUE Foundation Board of Directors.

According to Pembrook, the Foundation board helps the school raise and manage money. Additionally, board members serve as ambassadors for the university by networking and raising awareness about SIUE in conjunction with setting goals for the university’s future.

“Helping us figure out how to raise more money, helping us manage the money we have and

helping us set more goals and develop processes to do that is pretty much the basic background of the board,” Pembrook said.

Gail Buenger’s service to SIUE in his years as an alumnus not only shows current alumni how they can give back to the university but also sets a precedent for future alumni.

“I think as future alumni we need to think of ways we can help out the university, whether it be financially or by acts of service. It takes more than just the employees and the government’s money to keep a campus thriving and growing,” Hobbie said.

ALEAH GLODICH 650-3527 @aleah_alestle aglodich@alestlelive.com

Michael Che set to entertain students with laughter and good times DARIAN STEVENSON reporter

As a Saturday Night Live co-anchor, Michael Che will share his jokes as Springfest’s headliner.

“I think that [Michael Che] fits the demographic of SIUE very well, and the jokes he tells have a young vibe,” junior applied communication studies major and Springfest Programming Chair Madeline Zuber, of Newton, Illinois, said.

According to Campus Activities Board Graduate Assistant and college student personnel administration graduate student Abigail Gnewikow, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, the budget to book a comedian ranges from $30,000-$50,000 a year.

“We kind of go through the process of offering and looking at what the comedian’s price is,” Gnewikow said. “[We go

through] to book comedians is year to year. It’s an agency that works with the team of the comedian, and this year it was the Creative Artist Agency.”

Springfest’s budget ranges from $18,000-$25,000.

“Springfest is, I think, on the lower end [of the budget] for traditions within CAB,” Gnewikow said.

Zuber said, to choose a comedian in CAB’s budget, the agency will send acts within their price range.

“We would go through [agencies] who basically send out the people that are available in our budget on the date we give them the week of Springfest and who will also be on tour in our area [at that time],” Zuber said.

Eight to 10 comedians were reviewed by the Springfest Committee. A poll was sent to students to see who was most appealing to

the student body before Michael Che was chosen.

“We had another comedian picked, but then that person upped their prices and didn’t fit in our budget, so we chose Michael Che, who was in our top two choices.”

Springfest is a week of activities students can participate in held every year. Rather than host one big event, CAB works to give students multiple experiences.

“We want to make sure that the week of Springfest has an equal amount of fun activities going on. We don’t want to blow all of our money on one event,” Zuber said. “So, we just make sure that we have a great kickoff event on Monday, and throughout the week we have small things that don’t cost as much, and then at night we have bigger events, like the comedian.”

Zuber said she is eager to

have Che visit SIUE. “Being able to bring someone that I think is very popular to campus and give [students] that experience is exciting for me,” Zuber said.

Students had different reactions to Che’s upcoming appearance on campus.

“I saw Mike Epps last year during Springfest and I loved his set, so I’m excited that Michael Che will be coming this year,” senior sociology and employee relations student Mauria Shelton, of Chicago, said. “I think it’s cool that SIUE tries to give us these kinds of experiences and at decent prices.”

“I actually have never seen Michael Che’s stand-up. I know he is on Saturday Night Live, and I’d be willing to see what he can do on stage,” senior exercise science major Monet Evans, of Chicago, said.

Che has been named one of Rolling Stone’s 50 Funniest People, Buzzfeed’s 50 Hottest Men in Comedy and Variety’s Top 10 Comics To Watch.

According to Zuber, Che will bring the product Yondr to provide a different experience for the audience. Yondr uses a patented system to create phone-free spaces for artists, educators, organizations and individuals.

Tickets are now on sale for $5 for students, $10 for faculty and staff and $20 for anyone else who wishes to see Che perform. They can be purchased at the Morris University Center Welcome Desk.

Che will perform at 7 p.m.

Thursday, April 25, in the MUC Meridian Ballroom.

DARIAN STEVENSON 650-3527 @dsteven_alestle dstevenson@alestlelive.com

NEXT WEEK SEE SIUE’S PROFESSOR SPEAK ON FICTION thursday, 04.11.19

lifestyles alestlelive.com

contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com 650-3527

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Fencing Club refuses to let their garde down, make a point DARIAN STEVENSON reporter

For those on the fence to try something new, Fencing Club can show students how to be “en garde” to duel and have fun.

The Fencing Club allows students to practice fencing and dueling and eventually compete in tournaments hosted by area universities.

Faculty Advisor of the Fencing Club and Associate Professor of Computer Management and Information Systems Tim Jacks said the club participates in tournaments but does not compete at the school level.

“Tournaments are frequently hosted by other schools, and our club has fought against teams from SLU, WashU and UMSL,” Jacks said. “We don’t typically compete against other schools, per se, or have done any team events, although it’s a possibility.”

Members of the fencing club can be ranked after competing.

Members can be ranked starting at rank D, and as they win, they raise through the ranks.

Clinical Adult Psychology graduate student, Gabriel Alfaro, of Manteno, Illinois, said being ranked means fencers can duel others around their skill level.

“When a fencer gets ranked, they’re basically put in a pool with other fencers of that skill level. It also means that they did well enough in a tournament to either win it outright or get within the top three of their seed,” Alfaro said. “Everyone who gets ranked first starts at rank D, but if you keep winning you’ll climb up the ranks through C, B and A.” According to Alfaro, if a fencer is ranked, they are placed within a specific group of fencers rather than the catch-all unranked category during national competitions.

The ranking system acts as a way to lump fencers together, similar to a weight class.

Alfaro said he enjoys fencing because it involves strategy.

“I like the fact that [fencing] is like playing chess, where you have to think about what you are doing and what your opponent is doing, but it’s also pretty good physical exercise,” Alfaro said.

Junior computer science major Andrew Cline, of Gillespie, Illinois, joined the club in February. He said the club had just what he was looking for.

“I was mainly interested in anything that included martial arts with weapons, so I kind of looked around at the different

Junior computer science major Andrew Cline, of Gillespie, Illinois, spars with graduate student in clinical adult psychology and club president, Gabriel Alfaro, of Manteno, Illinois, during the fencing club’s most recent meeting. | Spencer Peck / The Alestle

clubs [SIUE had to offer], and this one matched what I was looking for,” Cline said. “So, I started going to practices, and the more I went, the more fun it became.”

Cline said his goal is to put his skills to the test within the club.

“I would definitely like to beat the best person in the club at the moment, and I would like to compete to see where I’m at and how well I would do,” Cline said.

Alfaro said real-life fencing is different from fencing depicted on television. “[The comparisons] vary.

In general, I’d say it’s less dramatic, and many fencers on TV have been trained to do a lot of things, for better or worse, sway the referee’s attention and favor one way or the other,” Alfaro said. “At local bouts, you’ll see less shouting or posing after points are scored. Fencers at higher tiers do this so it looks like they’ve gotten the point.”

The New Adviser of the Year award was given to Tim Jacks for advising the SIUE Fencing Club. He has been working with the club for over a year and helped with the transition of officers.

According to Alfaro, the members are required to wear protective gear while dueling.

“We have to wear a fourpiece uniform and we have an under-arm protector for our dominant arm — right or left — then we have a jacket on top of

“We have gotten a lot more focused on training for competitions lately,” Jacks said. “SIUE and Club Sports have been very generous in giving us to pay for equipment, so we actually have a full electronic scor“I would definitely ing system now. So we hook people up to the scoring syslike to beat the best tem — ­ doing live bouts and keeping score and getting person in the club at the full competition envithe moment, and I ronment,” Jacks said.

Alfaro said members of would like to compete the club can use the skills to see where I’m at and they learn to just have fun.

“We are classified as a how well I would do. competitive club, but we are also recreational, so if someAndrew Cline one joins and they don’t Junior computer science major, of want to compete, that’s toGillespie, Illinois tally fine,” Alfaro said.

The sport offers all that,” Alfaro said. “The last two three weapon options including pieces are a helmet and a glove the foil, epee and sabre. on our dominant hand.”

The foil is the lightest and The club has also been the most flexible of the weapons. granted a budget to help them It has a rectangular cross-section cover their costs. Jacks said due with a foiled tip. to the $2,000 to $3,000 budget “The foil is what people usuprovided by Club Sports, the ally start with and the target area club has been able to utilize an is just the torso,” Jacks said. electronic scoring system.

The sabre has a stiffer, heaviAccording to The Temple er and shorter blade that has a News, the system connects to the V-shaped cross-section and a armor and sends light from an curved bell guard protecting the electronic scoring machine when hand at the base of the weapon. a blade touches the body. It will The point of an epee is to indicate — based on colors — be the heaviest and stiffest weapwhich part of the body is hit. on of the three types of weap-

ons. The blade has a triangular cross-section and spring button at the tip to cover the blade’s point.

“The epee’s target area is the entire body and that’s my favorite form and it’s probably what we compete in the most,” Jacks said. “The third form is sabre fencing, where the target area is the upper body and includes slashing moves and it’s fun and extremely fast-paced, but it requires the most armor.”

Jacks said any student interested can join and learn about fencing.

“We are a warm and friendly group of people. We welcome newcomers, and we like teaching and sharing knowledge with new people,” Jacks said.

To join the Fencing Club, members must pay annual membership dues of $25.

Practices are held every Wednesday and Sunday evening from 4 - 6 p.m. in the Group Activities Room and the Instructional Gym of the Student Fitness Center.

For more information, students can contact Alfaro at galfaro@siue.edu or Jacks at tjacks@ siue.edu.

DARIAN STEVENSON 650-3527 @darian_alestle dstevenson@alestlelive.com

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What I wish you knew ALEAH GLODICH reporter

Each major comes with their own trials and tribulations. Not all majors are made equal, either.

Sure, some may require more math, while others may require more writi n g , but all university s t u dents f a c e their o w n diffic u l ties in their o w n Photo Courtesy of s p ecific Allyson Bulinski regards.

Junior nursing major Allyson Bulinski of Springfield, Illinois, is passionate in her idea that all majors are equally challenging, and she wants other students to share this belief as well.

Many students think certain majors, such as STEM, are hard-

thursday, 04.11.19

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All majors bring different struggles er than others. Generally, most a certified nursing assistant in a people see majors such as bio- nursing home. This encouraged medical sciences and engineering her to switch majors to nursing as being the most challenging. with a minor in psychology.

However, Bulinski feels that stuAlthough Bulinski’s studies dents should have a more accept- have been more science-based, ing perspective when it comes to she has had a well-rounded exjudging other majors. perience in school. Bulinski has Bulinski first became pas- taken classes ranging from math sionate about this topic when she to science to art. Bulinski said was majoring in psychology. the art classes she has taken have According to Bulinski, peo- been challenging as well, which ple would underestimate her studies and what her major “I have friends in actually provides in the workevery single major and force.

There are a lot of rewe all struggle, so I search-based projects in psychology as well as some math don’t think there’s one courses, including a statistics particular major that’s course which Bulinski said was harder than the biology harder than others. and chemistry courses she has had to take.

ALLYSON BULINSKI “I’ve experienced a little Junior nursing major of bit of both [psychology and Springfield, Illinois nursing], and I can say that they’re both difficult and I’ve had to study a lot, so it doesn’t contradicted what she thought really matter what I’m in; you coming into college. still have to study for that subAfter taking some art classes, ject,” Bulinski said. though, Bulinski said she put the Bulinski found her passion same amount of work into those for nursing when she was still a classes as her other classes. This psychology major and worked as illustrated Bulinski’s point that

every major has its easy and hard times.

“I have friends in every single major and we all struggle, so I don’t think there’s one particular major that’s harder than others. I think they’re all hard in a way,” Bulinski said.

Regardless of having friends in any major, all friends are facing the same challenges. While one might be in an engineering major, that student may not study as another major in the College of Arts and Sciences.

According to Bulinski, she feels that majors cannot be judged based on the jobs people will get once they graduate or even the amount of hours students put into their studies, because some students that are in a “hard” major may study less than students in an “easy” major, which means that judging majors and their difficulties depends on the people that are in the majors themselves. The classloads differ from person to person and how each individual deals with the stresses and studying load of each major is completely different.

“Honestly, it’s not the major — it’s the person,” Bulinski said.

Bulinski wants everyone to understand that certain majors shouldn’t be considered harder or seen as above others — she feels that all majors are challenging and should all be treated with the same respect because whether a major is viewed as hard or easy, the amount of work students have to put into their studies is what they should be judged on.

Photo Courtesy of Pixabay

ALEAH GLODICH 650-3527 @aleah_alestle aglodich@alestlelive.com

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Review: Yoshi’s Crafted World is charming TREVOR OLIVER lifestyles editor

For people seeking a video game that won’t fight back much but instead offers an adorable experience that will make them feel great inside, look no further than “Yoshi’s Crafted World.”

The sequel to 2015’s “Yoshi’s Woolly World,” “Crafted World” is much of the same gameplay but more traditional than Yoshi’s last outing. Rather than a focus on yarn like the previous, this game is focused on arts and crafts. Trains are made of spare paper parts and arts and craft pieces and the levels themselves are made out of cardboard.

With this focus on handcrafted levels, the game is oozing with charm. So much love and care is put into every level that it is astonishing.

The main gameplay is simple: players control Yoshi and bounce around levels, using their tongue to eat enemies — generally Shy Guys, a Yoshi mainstay who are far too adorable — and collect eggs, coins and flowers to reach the end of the level. These collectables can actually take a while to find in later levels, which is nice for players who want to go out of their way. In fact, to progress in this game, players must find flowers to unlock later levels.

The gameplay is never too difficult, and that is OK. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to recent releases, such as “Sekiro:

Shadows Die Twice,” that, while I love, are unbelievably hard.

Instead, Yoshi is focused on giving players a place to relax and not worry about a game kicking them.

For players who are seeking a challenge, this game encourages them to look elsewhere. Many craving a challenge will be very disappointed, it can be considered a shame because the original “Yoshi’s Island” in 1995 could be tough as nails. A return to form of this scale would be great, but that isn’t what’s offered in this game.

This doesn’t make the game bad, and it excels at being an enjoyable walk through the park.

The most enjoyable part of gameplay is when the game forces players to think outside the box to solve issues.

Once again these puzzles are never too difficult. But when the game has players run around to find parts of a train, and then throw them like Yoshi’s eggs, it feels super fun and engaging.

The actual platforming and running around levels feels amazing, too. Yoshi controls like a dream without and slippery movements or weird jumping.

Yoshi controls like a cute little dinosaur should.

Despite all the fun, feel-good things, there’s an absolute standout level — a level where Yoshi is being chased by adorable little men with axes. Nintendo is known to get dark sometimes, but this level is laugh-out-loud fun

and dark. The axe-wielding little craft men actually look cute, but it is terrifying. It’s entirely unexpected and the antithesis of what to expect in this game. Finding signs that say “TURN BACK” is hilarious and surprising.

The dark level is illuminated by axe swings and lights appearing in the background and blues and dark greys pop in contrast to a bright green Yoshi in the forefront. This level is absolutely

worth looking up to see the design, at least.

The music is wholesome and enjoyable. Unlike 2014’s “Yoshi’s New Island,” the music isn’t based around horrendous-sounding baby instruments. Instead, the soundtrack pops and complements each level, benefiting the overall feel. The sound effects are creative and cute, and hearing Yoshi’s voice when he bounces and air flutters is heartwarming.

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Photo Courtesy of Nintendo

Don’t play this one on mute.

“Yoshi’s Crafted World” is, at its core, a video game to make players feel good about themselves. For players who love something relaxing and sweet, it’s well worth playing. After being teased for years, the game is finally available and is some of the most fun to have on the Switch.

“Yoshi’s Crafted World” is available now for the Nintendo Switch for $60.

READ ABOUT THE ISSUESS WITH UNIVERSITY HOUSING NEXT WEEK page 8

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JORDYN NIMMER online editor

Write a letter to the editor.

| JoAnn Weaver/The Alestle

Time to face imperfections and go makeup-free in public KAIT BAKER opinion editor

When people look in mirrors, it is so easy for them to see their insecurities and flaws, such as imperfect skin. Blemishes can lead women to cover up with makeup in order to mask skin imperfections and give them security.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, up to 85 percent of people ages 18 to 24 suffer from minor acne.

Therefore, most college students are dealing with the same struggle of pesky pimples that won’t seem to go away or keep popping up.

The truth is, for some people, it never goes away without harsh prescriptions like Accutane.

According to Mayo Clinic, acne can happen due to a variety of reasons. These reasons include some things we cannot help very

much such as hormones, excess oil production and clogged pores. Other factors to college students such as stress and certain dietary factors can trigger acne or make it worse.

With all this, a lot of college-

from others — real or imagined.

Some women even feel as if they cannot leave the house without it.

However, the effects of wearing makeup on a daily basis can cause damage to the skin.

According to Bustle, it can clog pores or irritate “No one is going to skin, possibly leading judge a person based to an even worse skin situation. In the worston the status of their case scenario, makeup can lead to infections and skin and whether it is even internal damage. completely clear or All this isn’t to say that makeup is never not. acceptable — sometimes it is fun to do and wear KAIT BAKER — but rather that it can opinion editor be harmful to constantly wear, and isn’t even needed. The majority of aged women feel the need to college students have their skin cover up with makeup in order struggles, and everyone is usually to avoid the threat of judgment too wrapped up in their own

lives to notice whether someone has some acne or not.

That being said, no one should be afraid to show their natural skin to the entire world.

No one is going to judge a person based on the status of their skin and whether it is completely clear or not. Plus, it can be an incredibly freeing and confidence-boosting experience to go out with absolutely no makeup on.

Try to go out without makeup on just once and see what happens — because it probably won’t be bad at all.

Skin needs a vacation from makeup every once and a while, and it will probably be happy to get a break.

KAIT BAKER 650-3527 @kait_alestle kbaker@alestlelive.com

alestle view It’s not just “On Us” to stop sexual assault on campus THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board

One in three women and one in six men in the U.S. have experienced some form of contact sexual violence within their lifetimes.

This jarring statistic that comes from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, along with many others, is recognized throughout the duration of April in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Last week, SIUE saw the return of the ‘It’s On Us’ week of action hosted by the Prevention Education and Advocacy Center.

Throughout the week, students could attend events such as yoga for survivors and allies, a self-defense course and a silent protest.

Keynote speaker Bonny Shade then took to the stage in the Meridian Ballroom in her program “Just Another Assault.”

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Shade, who is a survivor of sexual assault, addressed audiences as she shared her experience with acquaintance-based assault and offered intervention techniques to reduce rape culture and assaults on campus.

Other scheduled campus events included the showing of “The Hunting Ground,” a film that documents the horrific incidents of sexual assault that occur on college campuses in the U.S. Teal ribbons were displayed throughout the Stratton Quadrangle, and a candlelight vigil is set to take place at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 19 on the Quad.

As The Alestle recently reported, despite these initiatives, students are still unaware of who to contact and how to report such instances on campus.

Online training modules such as Not Anymore offer tools that students need in these instances; many students do not

take the training seriously. The information gets lost as students continue to click “next” on the bottom of each webpage in an effort to remove the hold from their academic accounts.

When these incidents do occur on campus, the university is not transparent. This was the case last fall when graduate Bailey Reed filed a federal lawsuit against the university after she was sexually assaulted in October 2017. Reed claims the university failed to fully investigate her case.

Allegedly, Reed was told by an SIUE employee not to file a complaint with the police or the university, and the initial investigation ruled against her, claiming she had flirted with the student prior to the assault.

She later won an appeal with the Title IX panel, but in May 2018, Chancellor Randy Pembrook overturned Reed’s appeal and cleared the charges against

the accused student.

All these resources and events are great, but when the time comes to actually report, previous incidents suggest the university may not have students’ best interests in mind.

Is it really “on us,” or is that something that’s said only when April rolls around?

The university not only needs to be more forthcoming, but it needs to reassure students that they mean more to the institution than their tuition dollars.

The only way to fully ensure students are getting the best education throughout their time on campus is to make sure they have a safe and supportive environment.

To anyone who may be a victim, utilize the Title IX Office and Coordinator Jamie Ball.

There are people on -campus who can help and give support and resources.

While cheating was once a means of survival for students who could not meet benchmark standards, it has evolved into a lifestyle even high achievers subscribe to.

Academic misconduct has rapidly increased within the U.S.. Previous research by Stanford shows only 20 percent of college students claimed to have cheated in the 1940s. According to Kessler International, 86 percent of college students claimed to have cheated in 2017.

As the pressure to be academically successful has increased, the dependency upon cheating has as well. The focus of our education system has shifted away from learning. Rather than absorbing new information, students feel pressured to maintain high GPAs. The same study by Kessler revealed 54 percent of college students believed cheating was necessary to remain academically competitive. The pressure to be successful has resulted in a culture of academic dishonesty.

Once intrinsically motivated to be high achievers in school, modern students have become extrinsically motivated — they are in constant competition with their peers.

The high-pressure system is exacerbated by an increase in educational requirements for jobs. According to a study conducted by Career Builder, 37 percent of employers are hiring employees with college degrees for positions which previously only required high school diplomas. As the educational standards transform, students must modify their education to keep up.

Many students at SIUE have succumbed to the pressures of a highly-competitive academic atmosphere.

The academic culture is rapidly evolving and becoming increasingly problematic. The culture thrives upon students who trade old tests, new tests and other exclusive information.

While many students prosper, others are left outside of the loop and are ultimately left behind.

The effects of academic dishonesty extend beyond the cheater.

Whether students actively choose to abstain from cheating in their classes or simply don’t have the right connections, students who don’t encounter disparities in achievement.

Since many professors choose to implement grade curves, students who cheat offset it. Students who remain firm in their academic integrity suffer as a result. As instances of academic dishonesty increase, the confidence of the cheaters also increases.

However, professors have not implemented strict policies against cheating.

Beyond receiving a negative score on an exam, students may be blacklisted from entire academic departments at the discretion of their professors. Blacklisted students are unable to obtain their intended degrees. Without certain degrees and course requirements, many pre-professional students will no longer be able to advance on their career paths.

While cheating has become increasingly normalized at SIUE and other colleges, it is imperative for students to choose academic integrity over academic dishonesty.

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Expectations of children, success should not define someone’s value I know there are benefits to having children, one being that they are adorable. Picking out names, dressing them up and watching them grow and learn is amazing.

My two-year-old nephew gets excited to see me when he comes home — it’s rewarding having family that loves unconditionally.

Although I pride myself on being responsible, I struggle to get car seats into my car, forget to make food for myself and struggle with time management. I would likely make the lousiest parent on Earth.

I don’t have the “I want to be a mom” vibe that almost everyone around me seems to have. I chose to go to college and start my career before I even think about being in a long-term relationship or anything like that.

The problem isn’t that I don’t want kids or a family but the reactions I get when I tell others this: “Oh, you’ll change your mind,” “Oh, kids are the best things you’ll ever have. Nothing will be better,” “Once you get married, you’ll understand,” or “How can you not have baby fever?”

All of these statements have one goal in mind - to dismiss the individual. If I am saying I don’t want kids because of health or financess, I’m always wrong, dis-

missed or judged.

Nothing I say would change my relatives’ minds on the topic because they’ve been imagining their future grandkids or extended family members running around since I was born. I just want to tell them kids shouldn’t define my life or my worth going forward.

The same could be said for a career or school. If someone wants to go a different route, like trade or military, why should anyone put them down? We all have different walks of life and that should be more accepted.

If someone says something about how and where they want

their life to go, we should be more supportive and considerate.

Parents, please just support children in their ambitions.

It feels like people shove their ideas down others’ throats because they wish their lives had gone differently.

As for kids, my mind might change. That’s life. Things happen and we just kind of have to roll with the punches. Whatever choices we make, paths we go down and things we plan out, it’s all for a reason and good things will come from them.

Next time someone says they don’t want kids or don’t want to

do the traditional things that are expected of them, support them.

The values we place on living the American Dream can be loaded with pressure, expectations and sometimes shame if the goals aren’t met. It’s ridiculous sometimes.

It’s OK to not want to go down the same path as everyone else. It’s OK to take a gap year, go straight to work or stay home with kids.

People make choices for the best lives that will fit what they want. Life is too short to get caught up in the dramatics of it all.

ing in an exciting new place.

The modern value of excessive school work for meager benefit isn’t an international ideology, let alone one that our education system should continue to perpetuate. Stressed students can’t realize their full potential over the course of four-plus years of headache-inducing work.

A rule-of-thumb at SIUE cited by academic advisers is to dedicate at least two hours outside of class per credit hour every week.

For full-time students, that means at least 24 hours of study time every week. This is not exactly reasonable for most, especially for those who are employed.

European schools generally weigh depth against the U.S. focus

on academic variety. For example, in Britain, students are evaluated mostly on their final exam scores, without a large number of filler assignments — essentially the polar opposite of most U.S. schools.

Many equally-developed countries have also kept their higher education free or moderately priced for citizens.

In the U.S., students not only often have larger loads of homework but also have to worry about tens of thousands of dollars of student loan debt, for which they cannot even file for bankruptcy.

Students need to remember despite numerous weekly deadlines, their artificial stress is not necessary to be successful in college or elsewhere.

The old adage ‘Cs get degrees’ has stuck around for a reason.

Getting 100s or even 90s in every class isn’t worth the years of life sacrificed to destructive amounts of homework.

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, employers hiring college graduates frequently seek students that have internships and employment during school on their resumes. GPA is listed at number seven on that list — even lower than extracurricular activities.

If higher-education students pay huge amounts to participate in this work culture, their hard work should not be met with large amounts of loan debt or stress-related illnesses.

Decent grades are better than straight As if students are able to more fully experience college and the new places they have been exposed to.

Students often forget missing a homework deadline is usually OK — everything will be fine.

The fact that students have gotten this far — high GPAs or not — should mean something in and of itself. Students should be encouraged by their academic institutions to study, though in a healthy manner that prioritizes mental health.

No one should feel pressured by a system that often pushes students to the breaking point; school work should never come in conflict with anyone’s well-being.

As an independent musician, I understand it can be incredibly difficult to make your music heard. SIUE students are fortunate to have such a wonderful school with a stellar music program.

SIUE has an extensive schedule of events showcasing the vast amount of talent within the music department; however, students that pursue music as something

other than a major unfortunately do not have the same opportunities on campus to showcase their musical talents.

Most universities provide platforms for these students through multiple events on campus. Lindenwood University brings local bands to amp up events on campus.

Some schools go so far as to assist local artists in opening for notable touring acts. A recent example would be the St. Louis local band After Wednesday open-

ing for Nick Jonas on his college tour.

It can be argued that we sometimes have a band play in the Goshen Lounge for occasional passersby, or that CAB has recently started to include a “Cougars Got Talent” event during Springfest. But these events are few and far between.

Jacob Armbrecht, a junior computer science major and frontman of the local rock band The Telephone Junkies, of Springfield, Illinois, feels that

student music isn’t really supported by SIUE. “The important thing is to let every type of genre have an opportunity. I really enjoy playing and listening to indie rock, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only thing we should try to get booked,” Armbrecht said. “There are extremely talented students who are invested in making rap, rock, jazz and country, but in my time at SIUE, I’ve never felt like student music was really supported by the institution or the stu-

dent body to an extent.”

Perhaps CAB should invest some time and resources into creating a spring concert series or, at the very least, begin revamping the selection of artists performing in the Goshen Lounge to be more inclusive of other genres.

CAB could turn these performances into more of a series of events, with food, and activities, rather than just passive performances. It is important that SIUE supports everyone equally.

On March 28, speaking as President of the SIUE Faculty Association, I told the new SIU Board of Trustees that two years is too long for SIUE faculty to wait for a new contract. We have been negotiating longer than the Mueller investigation.

This new board could signal a new day for the SIU System and fair treatment of SIUE — if they

so choose.

Last year, the former Board of Trustees commissioned an expensive allocation study which, it was hoped, would provide clarity about SIUE’s financial future. Instead, the study was stalled by the previous board and now is being used as an excuse for continued inequitable system allocation.

Further, a report that should have reassured SIUE administration that fair funding is coming is instead being “spun” to support the administration’s claim it has no idea when, or if, the “risk” of investing in faculty can be taken.

Investment in people is not a risk. It is a requirement for any institution that hopes to grow

and be successful.

Is a prudent investment in faculty too expensive at this time?

No. SIUE holds a cash reserve of $27 million, partially amassed during the budget impasse. Each 1- percent raise for faculty would cost approximately $255,000. A fair contract for faculty is easily

affordable.

The faculty are the backbone of SIUE. The administration must act to continue to attract and retain high-quality faculty.

Our students deserve a high-quality faculty, and our faculty deserve a fair contract.

The time is now.

Kim Archer, President of SIUE Faculty Association

MIRANDA LINTZENICH editor-in-chief

As a young woman, there have been many situations where I felt my worth lessened or increased based on what others have said to me. Even though it is not their life, it can be easy to take comments about what I should be doing to heart.

Whether it is having children, continuing education or traveling around the world, society tends to have a checklist when it comes to the success ladder of life.

But what happens if those checklist items don’t align with someone else’s wants or needs?

Individuals are frowned upon and bombarded with questions just because they want to be themselves.

For myself, I know right now I do not want children. I have babysat since I was in middle school, and as cute as kids are, taking care of them gets taxing after a while. I love kids, but the idea of going home to them every night is a scary thought.

Studies are actually showing that Americans, in general, have been focusing more on themselves and having fewer children.

The Center for Disease Control put out a report in 2018 citing reasons for the decline in births in the U.S.

| Hector Casanova/ The Kansas City Star/TNS

School work is not always worth the stress it creates in the lives of students JAKOB RUFFNER multimedia editor

Sometimes, a missed assignment is worth a nick to grades; letting go of projects that are more painful than they are worth is better for the boost to quality of life.

Students are conditioned to believe stress is a necessity and a staple for academic success. Assignments intrude into students’ lives beyond a healthy point, eating up any semblance of free time.

Edwardsville, with bike trails and its proximity to St. Louis, is a beautiful place to explore and experience.

The problem is most weekends are consumed by homework and assignments for students liv-

Student musicians need to be given more support to show their talent SPENCER PECK photographer

Letter to the editor: Faculty needs a new, fair contract

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contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 04.11.19

Softball goes 1-1 in doubleheader vs. SEMO HANNAH MILLER sports editor

Softball put up a fight in its second game against first-in-conference Southeast Missouri State University to win 4-3 after dropping the first game of the series 14-1.

Interim Head Coach Jessica Jones said the team changed their outlook to be able to push the results of the second game in their favor.

“They finally put themselves in an opportunity to win a ball game, and they competed. Turning everything we talked about into fruition really made a difference [in the second game],” Jones said.

SIUE gained three runs on SEMO throughout the first five innings in the second game. Junior third baseman Abby Marlow walked with the bases loaded to earn the team’s first run, and senior outfielder Alyssa Heren crossed home to add the Cougars’ second and third runs.

“I think [the second game] opened people’s eyes to new positions and new places in the order. I haven’t hit first all year, but I hit first today and did pretty well,” Heren said.

The Redhawks managed three runs in the top of the sixth inning to tie up the game, but junior outfielder Reagan Curtis scored on a wild pitch to earn the Cougars a fourth run in the bottom of the sixth.

SIUE’s defense held strong in the seventh inning against SEMO, who, despite two more hits, was unable to take the win.

Sophomore pitcher Corrina Rivas, who is now 5-7, said her performance was all about making sure her team succeeded.

“I was wanting to get my team a win. I was wanting to

Sophomore pitcher Corrina Rivas throws at the April 6 game against Southeast Missouri State University.

Her two strikeouts during the game added to her overall record of 45. | Jakob Ruffner / The Alestle

get my team in a good place. It was about me being selfless, and I wanted to do it for my team,” Rivas said.

The win was sweeter for the Cougars after the 14-1 loss taken by the Cougars earlier in the day. The team struggled slightly through the first six innings, but

their pace dropped in the top of the seventh when SEMO earned nine runs in one inning.

The score was 5-1 in favor of the Redhawks when SEMO’s junior infielder Ashley Ellis hit a home run with two bases loaded.

Sophomore pitcher Bianca Vozenilek walked another Redhawk

with the bases loaded to gain another run. Rivas switched in to pitch but did not turn the tides in the Cougars’ favor.

Redhawks sophomore infielder Kaylee Anderson singled and an error allowed three of her teammates to earn runs. Finally, SEMO senior outfielder Mykaela

Arellanes hit a second home run, and she and another teammate scored.

SEMO’s senior pitcher Haley Thogmartin, who is now 12-3, said between games she felt good about the win due to the rivalry between the two schools. “[I’m feeling] pretty good because this is a rivalry school, so it’s huge, and they beat us in [the 2018 OVC Tournament], so we just wanted to jump on them fast. It was a big thing for us,” Thogmartin said.

Jones commented on the team’s struggle during the first game.

“It was just that competing process — executing pitches, competing, giving ourselves that opportunity. We didn’t do that offensively, and we didn’t do that defensively,” Jones said. “We talked about it again, and we had some hard conversations, and I asked them to be who they are and show passion. And they did.

They competed, they were a team and finally, we turned our corner.

That second game — that was SIUE softball.”

The Cougars took home six hits in the first game and seven in the second game, while SEMO earned 12 and 11, respectively.

Softball’s went on the road to Eastern Illinois University, where they played a doubleheader against Panthers for 10-3, 13-0 wins. After the doubleheader, SEMO dropped from first to third place in the OVC while SIUE is now eighth. SIUE is now 4-4 in conference and 12-16 overall.

The team plays again at Eastern Kentucky University for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.

Friday, April 12, in Richmond, Kentucky. They then move on to Morehead State for another starting at 11 a.m. Sunday, April 14, in Morehead, Kentucky.

Scamihorn, O’Connor break track and field school records MADISON LAMMERT reporter

Seniors Ben Scamihorn and Matt O’Connor returned from the Sunshine State with two new accomplishments under their belts: both broke school records at the Pepsi Florida Relays.

Scamihorn broke the school’s 31-year-old 3000m steeplechase record with a time of 9:06.70, surpassing Jon Burnett’s 1988 time of 9:07.04.

O’Connor broke his own 800m record at the Pepsi Florida Relays, lowering the university record to 1:50.54. He previously held the university record from the 2016 Ohio Valley Conference Championships with a time of 1:51.19.

Assistant Coach Kayla Brown said these records being broken so early in the outdoor season made O’Connor’s and Scamihorn’s feats even more special.

“These are actually the first school records this track season between indoor and outdoor that

we have broken,” Brown said.

“It’s not an everyday thing for sure, but records are meant to be broken, so it’s exciting that we were able to see that happen so early in the outdoor season.”

Both athletes experienced setbacks during their college track careers.

O’Connor experienced a tendon strain in 2017. He was out last outdoor season with a stress fracture and underwent ankle surgery over the summer.

“That was probably the biggest challenge I had to deal with because I was pretty immobilized during most of the summer,” O’Connor said. “It definitely was not easy coming back. There were times when I thought my ankle or foot was never going to feel the same as it did before, but I just had to trust that it would be okay and keep progressing and eventually things got better.”

According to O’Connor, breaking his own school record made the recovery worth it.

“It made all of the injuries and all the hard work I had to

go through in the fall and winter worth it,” O’Connor said.

The Florida Relays marked Scamihorn’s first time doing the steeplechase in two years due to a knee injury which resulted in surgery.

Because of this, Scamihorn said he was not necessarily expecting to beat the record during the relays.

“I knew I was in really good shape and had the potential to, but also I was hurt all of last year, so this was my first time steeplechasing in two years,” Scamihorn said. “So, I was a little nervous just because it had been so long.

I knew I had the fitness. I just wasn’t sure if it was going to happen my first race or not.”

Both athletes had to adjust their workouts during recovery.

For O’Connor, consistency was a must in getting back on track.

“When you’re injured, there’s a lot of cross-training,” O’Connor said. “For us, that means biking, elliptical or swimming, usually. So, for me, it was a lot of time in the pool and a lot of

hard core workouts just to maintain as much fitness as possible in outdoor. When you’re injured, obviously you can’t run, so you just have to make do with what you can.”

Once Scamihorn came back from his injury, he began achieving high performances, which gave him encouragement.

“Coming back has been a process, but I’m really glad that I was able to come back stronger than before,” Scamihorn said.

“In cross-country I had PRs, and I had them in indoor track as well, so in a way, the hard work that I’ve been putting in has got me not only to the level I was at before but even better than that, [which] is really awesome and encouraging.”

While both athletes said they will not run competitively after graduation, both of their futures have been shaped by their track and field days.

In the fall, Scamihorn will start a job as a biology teacher at an Arizona high school and will serve as that school’s head

cross-country and assistant track coach.

Brown believes Scamihorn’s experiences at SIUE will be valuable in his coaching.

“He’s kinda seen it all — he knows what it takes to be successful and knows that it’s not always going to be an easy path. There are going to be bumps in the road and he’s a natural-born teacher and leader, so that’s really going to come out in his next task as a teacher and a coach,” Brown said.

O’Connor will embark to Belmont University for graduate school. He said his injuries helped him decide to pursue a career in physical therapy.

“Being injured definitely made me appreciate how difficult it can be to be injured,” O’Connor said. “Both physically and mentally it’s not easy, and you can’t always do it by myself, so I think [my injuries] are some of the things that pushed me into that field.”

For more information on the athletes’ careers, visit their biographies on the athletics website.

thursday, 04.11.19

page 11

alestlelive.com

Golf places fifth at Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate ALEAH GLODICH reporter

Three Cougar golfers placed in the top 25 at Arkansas State’s Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate tournament.

After three rounds, the Cougars placed fifth out of 11 teams with an overall score of 886 at RidgePointe Country Club in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Head Coach Derrick Brown said he felt good about the tournament and hopes the golfers are able to continue to play well in their upcoming tournaments.

“I thought we played well.

We got off to a little bit of a rough start the first nine holes of the tournament but the last 45 holes we played really well, so overall I was happy with the topfive finish and the momentum we’ve had the last three events,” Brown said.

Brown said in preparation for the upcoming Missouri Tiger Invitational as well as the Ohio Valley Conference Championship, the team needs to work on starting off strong.

Senior Conor Dore tied for 13th with a score of 218, 2 over par, and junior Albert Nilsson tied for 22nd with a score of 223.

Freshman Brooks Jungbluth was tied for 38th at the end of the ASU tournament with a score of 229.

“As a team, it was a tough course. I thought our scores were respectable, but we still would have liked to shoot a little bit

better — some of us left some strokes out there. I thought we played smart golf for most of it, keeping our scores at a reasonable number,” Jungbluth said.

According to Jungbluth, the greens at the tournament were not ideal course conditions. For the first 36 holes it was windy, which caused unwanted results out of certain swings for a few of the golfers.

Although every golfer at the tournament is faced with the same course conditions, Jungbluth said the conditions can mentally affect some more than others.

“It’s a mental test not letting yourself get frustrated. It’s frustrating, but you can’t let yourself get frustrated out there,” Jungbluth said. Senior Kyle Slattery tied for 16th place with a score of 220.

“One thing we all need to work on is putting. I think that’s a big thing looking to the next tournaments that we need to practice,” Slattery said.

Both Jungbluth and Brown were looking forward to the tournament at Mizzou, which gave the team a chance to play against high-ranked teams and get some practice in before the OVC Championship.

Jungbluth said if a golfer can get into higher rankings at the Mizzou tournament, it will help him jump up in the overall rankings.

The team was able to see Eastern Kentucky University and Jacksonville State University at

Senior Conor Dore took home the Cougars’ best score of 218, tying him for 13th place at the Arkansas State University Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate. | Photo Courtesy of SIUE Athletics

the ASU tournament, which are two teams the Cougars will be competing against at the OVC Championship.

“That really gave us a good indicator of where we need to be at to compete with [EKU and Jacksonville State] because right now we are the top three teams in the conference, so it was good to get an early look at them,” Jungbluth said. “I know we didn’t beat them, but we were right there, and we knew we didn’t play as well as we could have, so if we put it all together at OVC

then it’ll be a good tournament.”

The team was able to move up one place, from sixth to fifth, by the second day of the tournament.

The team was preceded by Arkansas State at 857, University of Louisiana at Monroe at 873, Eastern Kentucky at 879 and Jacksonville State at 880.

The course was a par 72 and SIUE finished at 22 over par.

The team wrapped their regular season at the Missouri Tiger Invitational with a ninth-place tie on April 9.

Senior Will Starkey led the way for the Cougars with a tie for fifth place overall.

Looking toward the OVC Championship, golf is now second in the OVC for average score per round at 290.2, just one point above Jacksonville State.

Senior Kyle Slattery currently holds the top individual spot in the OVC with an average score per round of 71.1.

The OVC Championship will start 8 a.m. Sunday, April 21 and wrap on Tuesday, April 23 in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

Weekend in review BASEBALL 10-1 Loss, 11-9 Loss, 11-9 Loss vs. Morehead State 10-3 Loss vs. Mizzou

SOFTBALL 14-1 Loss, 4-3 Win vs. SEMO 10-3 Win, 13-0 Win vs. EIU

TENNIS

7-0 Win vs. Tennessee State 5-2 Loss vs. Belmont

GOLF 9th out of 15 teams at Missouri Tiger Invitational

| Hannah Miller / The Alestle

page 12

alestlelive.com

thursday 04.11.19

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