See how the L&C Wellness Fair went. Pg. 4A. Still feeling spooky? See the L&C Halloween photos on Pg. 10A.
November 2019 Vol. 50/Issue 03
Discovering Discover Day
Games were set up for students to discover. Photo by Trevor Ayres.
Dillon Neibel, Bridge editor-in-chief, Louise Jett, L&C Media specialist, having fun at the Bridge booth. running the Discover Days shuttle. Photo by Trevor Ayres.
Photo by Trevor Ayres.
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iscover Day is an event during which Lewis and Clark Community College is open to the public for people to socialize and gather information about different programs, clubs, and organizations at Lewis and Clark of which they might be interested in being a part. Many different booths were set up outside on campus to give out information and reach out to students to help them become a part of something more.
By Devin Myers dcmyers@lc.edu
can go if needed. The organization also held an ice-cream social at Shivers in Godfrey on October 16.
89.9 WLCA College Radio’s Best was there promoting the station and talking to people about the college’s radio program. The station covers news, sports, and music, and often does onair giveaways. The radio program is very hands on and allows students to make a lot of connections. “It’s a great program and A non-profit organiza- really gets you pretion supporting mental pared to be in radio” health awareness said Nathan Pearcy. and education for students called Active The Justice Busters Minds was there to is Lewis and Clark’s raise awareness and criminal justice club, erase the stigma about and the club was there certain mental health to tell people about the issues and promote new organization and suicide prevention. the Criminal Justice Active Minds is at program. “From the college campuses all very first day I knew over the country, work- that’s what I wanted to ing towards finding a do,” said Ryley Storey. place where students The club is for anyone
interested in law or politics wanting to discuss new ways and ideas to help make the program even better, not just for criminal justice majors. The Justice Buster’s first meeting took place on October 24 at 1:30pm in 225 Hasekall Hall.
The Student Activities club was there, and they wanted people to know that anyone can join. “I always love to have new people and ideas,” said Jenna Shelton who, is the Student Activities president. They hold two meetings a month and have food for members that attend.
Discover Day was an opportunity for people to have a better understanding of what Lewis and Clark Community College is all about and provide information to help inspire people to explore education options that are available to them through the college.
BOT Votes to not negotiate president’s contract By Dillon Neibel dneibel@lc.edu
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here was standing room only at the Board of Trustees Meeting on Oct. 8, 2019, as this was the night that the BOT decided whether or not to renew Lewis and Clark Community College President Dale Chapman’s contract. Many of those attending wore stickers in support of Chapman, approximately two dozen members of the Local 218 Union attended, along with many current and former students, L&C staff, L&C faculty, business owners, the mayor of Alton and other concerned members of the community packed the room. When the board opened up the floor for public speaking 26 people stood at the podium to have their voice heard, all but one of those voices supported Chapman. The first to speak was retired Madison County Judge Duane Bailey, who first held up the phone book sized copy of the agenda above his head, asking the board to stop wasting
tax dollars. He then went on to say that he doesn’t think the new board members know Roberts Rules of Order and claimed that they are violating the Open Meetings Act. Another speaker was L&C employee Dianne McDonough, who gave a statistical comparison of other community college presidents, pertaining to the new board members claim that Chapman was overpaid, and other arguments. “I found some figures that actually speak the truth. If you take the current community college presidents within our ICCB cohort, figure in a two percent raise each year, and figure that to the length of time that Dale has been president. Dales salary is right in the middle. The study was done in 2016, at that time eight presidents together had a total of 34 years. Dale Chapman alone had 25 years as president, no one was even close to Dale. Their years as president were five years, two
years, six years, three years, one year, three years and two at seven years. Again, Dale Chapman 25 years,” McDonough said. McDonough also stated that Chapman has never negotiated his contract. Instead, he has always just signed what the board presented him, she said. She also asked if they had tried to negotiate with Chapman, and said she thought Chapman would be willing to make some compromises to stay. These points and pleas were a common theme of many who decided to speak. McDonough and other speakers also pointed out that Board Chairman David Heyen, pleaded guilty to income tax fraud. A case in which the prosecuting attorney was the daughter of former Chairman Bob Watson, whom Heyen unseated. Current President of the Student Government Association and Advertising Manager of The Bridge Ashtyn Britt, was also one of
the 25 people to speak on behalf of Chapman. “This school has offered many resources and opportunities unlike any other community college I have ever heard of, such as the visit of Ivanka Trump, Fareed Zakaria of CNN and recently the state supreme court... You tend to see the school as a business rather than a place of education. If you must see the school as a business, then I encourage you to remember that we as students are not your customers, we are the product that you are trying to sell to the rest of the world who partner with the school to give us access to jobs and internships,” Britt said.
Students, faculty and community members stand in support of Dr. Chapman, during the BOT’s vote on whether or not to negotiate. Photo by Trevor Ayres.
Britt also gave a statistical analysis demonstrating that due to Chapmans guidance, the college provides services to the community at a lower tax rate and a lower operating budget.
Madison County, John Keller president of the Riverbend Growth Association, local Ford dealer Sam Roberts, Business manager for the Labors International Union North America Local 218 of Alton, Bob McDonald, State Representative Monica Bristow who also spoke on behalf of Sen. Rachelle Crowe and Student Trustee April Tulgetske all spoke on behalf of Chapman. McDonald also expressed concern that the board was considering not to renew the Project Labor Agreement.
Bob Wills chairman of the board for the 100 black men of Alton,
In the end, the board voted not to renew or renegotiate the contract
of Chapman with a 4-3 vote. With the four votes coming from the newest members David Heyen, Julie Johnson, Kevin Rust and Charles Hanfelder. One board member who voted in favor of Chapman, Dwight Werts made a closing comment.
“This board has always been a nonpartisan board. We left our politics at the door, and we didn’t care, nor did we ask what somebody else’s politics are. And, my only problem is that this new administration has brought politics into this board, and you can thank the Madison County Republican Party who supported them,” Werts said.