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VOLUME 52, ISSUE 5 | THURSDAY Oct. 27, 2016 | www.meramecmontage.com
Spotlight:
News:
Meramec students benefit from attending Webster University
LIVING ON MARS Humans have been to the moon. Is Mars next?
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Can we actually colonize Mars?
Credit hours accepted by Webster University for students with an associate degree from STLCC
128
Credit hours required to graduate from Webster University
Story on page 3
Sports:
What would a martian Colony look like?
What Benefits does Mars have that Earth doesn’t?
‘One grand experiment’
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NASA has made noise recently about founding a Martian colony, along with Mars One and SpaceX. Rick Menendez, an adjunct physical science professor at STLCC–Meramec and serious amateur astronomer, said he definitely thought this was possible. Menendez said most of the challenges of having a Martian colony will be technological, but some of them will not be.
Art & Life:
Defense shines in a losing effort The Archers lose 3-0 against MCC-Blue River on Oct. 15. The team needs to work harder, said Amanda Hughes. Story on page 12
Missy Arneson Copy Editor “The real problem I see is, aside from technological, part of the issues will be social; getting people together on a two-year trip,” Menendez said. “To get there is about a one-year trip one way, and about a year to get back. So the two-year trip will be a problem.” Menendez said the colonists will have to be in very close quarters for those trips, which often results in interper-
Adjunct professor has made Jazz his passion “I’ve played more saxophone than literally how much TV people watch.” Christopher Braig Story on page 9
sonal conflict. “The closest analogy we have is people who work on submarines,” Menendez said. “We’ve got these big submarines that carry missiles. These guys are underwater in a very tight, controlled environment for about three months at a time, so we can actually glean a lot from those people.”
Continued on page 6
Opinion:
Andrew Ameer
A democracy starts with the primaries
A 28.5 percent voter turnout in the primaries is not the recipe for a strong democracy.
Page 5
2 | News
Oct. 27, 2016
Financing a full-state tuition Clinton and Trump supporters battle for a free state ride
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Daphne Drohobyczer News Editor
Marilyn Telowitz, a volunteer for the Hillary For America Campaign, took some time and compiled some precise information having to do with Clinton’s campaign promises to America’s millennials and the cost of the post-secondary education. “Costs should not and will not be a barrier to attending college when Hillary Rodham Clinton becomes president,” Telowitz said. She went on to say all community colleges will be available at no cost to the student. “All students should have the option to graduate from colleges and universities in their states without taking on any student debt,” Telowitz said. “By 2021, families with incomes up to $125,000 will pay no tuition at in-state four-year public colleges and universities. And from the beginning, every student from a family making $85,000 a year
or less will be able to go to an in-state four-year public college or university without paying tuition.” She said she believes that this should come as a relief to most, but everyone will still have to work hard. “Everyone will do his or her part. States will have to step up and invest in higher education, and colleges/ universities will be held accountable for the success of their students and for controlling costs.” Clinton is going to set up a $25 billion fund to support private nonprofit schools serving middle class and low-income families, including the poor, and support and guide them in attaining the ability to perform certain skills. The 25 percent of all college students who are also parents will get the support they are looking for and the resources that are necessary. Telowitz said paying back loans will be easier if Clin-
ton is elected. “To reduce the burden for future borrowers, Hillary will significantly cut interest rates so the government never profits from college student loans. Hillary’s plan will crack down on predatory schools, lenders, and bill collectors. A new payroll deduction portal for employers and employees will simplify the repayment process—and Hillary will explore more options to encourage employers to help pay down student debt.” Telowitz concluded with how Hillary is going to pay for all of this. “This plan will be fully paid for by limiting certain tax expenditures for high-income taxpayers.” Supporters of Clinton say she will help make college much more affordable for students. “I believe that Hillary will take a close look at the community college system. She will help the two year colleges take a good look or focus on the real needs of students,” said Gail Farwell, 28 Ward Democratic
Photo by: Daphne Drohobyczer Amber Benge and Gail Farwell pose with a mock stand up of Secretary Hillary Clinton at the Lindell campaign office. Committee member in Missouri. Amber Benge, a very avid volunteer working around the clock, said that she started out as a twoyear student at a community college in Mississippi. “I did because we moved a lot, so I got to do that online, and the cost was affordable, so for Hillary to say that public community colleges can be free, means a lot to me,” Benge said. “Due to my own personal struggles, education at a public institution, it is [great] knowing that fu-
ture students will not have the same struggle. Knowing what I went through, and knowing that future students won’t have to go through that and more Americans and students will further their education and build their skill set.” Benge said she finds worth in any kind of education, since education means developing skills like studying, paying attention notetaking, which can be useful in the workplace. “It doesn’t matter what jobs you have - those skills are valuable,” Benge said.
A Republican’s View Shamed Dogan, Republican of the 98th District Representative of Missouri (R), represents some of the greater St. Louis Area. He is also a 2000 graduate of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. At Yale, Dogan majored in philosophy and political science. He serves on the Committee of Elementary and Secondary Education in the Missouri House of Representatives. Q: Why or why not should a community college education tuition be or not be a responsibility of Missouri state legislature as opposed to the National Government? A: Generally speaking on state colleges and Universities, including community colleges, are generally funded by the state governments, not the national government. Q: How about the A+ programs? A: A+ Scholarships are incentives that help high performance students in Missouri, and keep them at Missouri state colleges. Q: Do you think that Hillary’s plans for education are realistic? A: I don’t think it is realistic to say everyone can have tuition-free college — it has to be paid by the tax payers one way or another. Q: What are your views on education? A: I do not know if there is an ideology, but I believe in a choice in education. I think it’s an important that parents and students choose what school is going to fit that student; there’s no size fits all.
3 | News
4 27, 2016 Oct.
‘Ease of transfer’ from STLCC to Webster Classes
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Caroline Frank Art & Life Editor
Webster University offers community college transfer guides, course equivalency databases, and generous transfer credit policies for students at its partner schools, one of them being St. Louis Community College. According to the Transfer Students tab on Webster’s admissions page, these online amenities provide an “ease of transfer” for its new students. Joan Finder is one of the transfer coordinators in the Office of Admission at Webster. According to Finder, almost half of Webster’s student body is composed of transfer students. Of those transfer students, the majority comes from STLCC, and more specifically Meramec. “Webster has made a special effort to make the transfer from Meramec to Webster as smooth as possible,” Finder said. “We make it easy for you to meet with an admission representative, who can provide estimated evaluations of transfer credit and remaining requirements, take a campus tour and meet with a professor in your field.” Webster is part of the Missouri Reverse Transfer Program, which
allows current or former college students who have not yet reached 64 credit hours to earn an associate degree at Webster while working toward a bachelor’s degree. “We encourage students to meet with us as early as possible in their college career so that we can help them choose the proper courses and map out a transfer timeline for them on an individual basis,” Finder said. Webster requires at least 128 hours for a bachelor’s degree. However, only 30 of those credit hours must be acquired from Webster. Meramec students without an associate degree can transfer up to 64 credit hours, and those with an associate degree can transfer up to 98 hours. “In theory, a student could transfer up to 98 hours and complete a bachelor’s degree in one year,” Finder said. “Since there are specific course requirements for each major as well as general education requirements, this may not be possible in all majors or for all students.” Finder said no two transfer experiences are the same. “The great thing about transfers is that every student is unique, and so their transfer experiences are individual as well,” Finder said.
dropped for nonattendance
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Buechter m Stephen Staff Writer
Credit hours accepted by Webster University for students with an associate degree from STLCC
128
Credit hours required to graduate from Webster University
Graphic by: ToQuyen Tonnu
STLCC announces potential sale of Cosand Center
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Katie Hayes Editor-in-Chief
Chancellor Pittman announced that STLCC is considering selling the Cosand Center at 300 South Broadway to STLCC employees via email on Oct. 7. The Cosand Center currently houses district-wide departments. “We always need to look for ways to be efficient,” Pittman said. “We want to make sure we are using our resources in the wisest way possible.” The email stated three approvals from the Board of Trustees for planning improvements of facilities across the District. According to the email, the Board of Trustees approved a comprehensive analysis of facility usage across the District, development of plans to determine the scope, timing and funding of the Meramec, Forest Park and Florissant Val-
ley campuses as well as exploring options to sell Cosand Center. Pittman said the potential sale of Cosand Center is occurring along a much larger study of STLCC’s resources. Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration Paul Zinck said he received inquiries from real estate brokers about buying Cosand Center. “The sale of Cosand Center was presented to the Board of Trustees as part of an overall facilities discussion at the Board of Trustees working session on Sept. 29.,” Zinck said. Pittman said the Board of Trustees considered selling Cosand Center a few years ago, but will now take a much more comprehensive look. However, Zinck said it is still too soon to say if STLCC will sell Cosand Center. “It’s really early to say how likely that [the sale of Cosand Center] would be,” Zinck said. “We have to get an appraisal of the val-
EDITORS Katie Hayes Marie-Josephine Schwarz Daphne Drohobyczer Andrew Ameer Caroline Frank DJ McGuire Ashley Biundo Missy Arneson Jordan Morris Ian Schrauth Shannon Philpott
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Opinions Editor Art & Life Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Graphics Editor Online Editor Faculty Adviser
ue of the building in the market.” Zinck said the district-wide departments that are currently housed in Cosand Center could move to existing cam-
“We want to make sure we are using our resources in the wisest way possible.” Chancellor Jeff Pittman
puses or facilities or leased space in the city or county. “[It] would save on operating costs for the building,” Zinck said. Pittman said the Board will have a decision of whether or not STLCC will list the building in three to six months.
STAFF Stephen Buechter Kiera Bolden Luis Angel Gonzalez Cornelious Jones Dalila Kahvedzic Lexie Keller Adam Moran Amanda Harris Erik Muschinske Noah Sliney ToQuyen Tonnu
Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Photographer Staff Photographer Staff Designer Staff Designer
www.meramecmontage.com
In a fairly new change of policy, students who have been dropped from courses for nonattendance can receive a 100% refund on any of the classes they have been dropped from due to nonattendance. They also will not receive a W on their transcript. “[This policy] was implemented for the fall semester of 2016,” said Dr. Michael Cundiff, Director of St. Louis Community College Enrollment Services. The Vice Chancellor of Finances and Administration, Paul Zinck, stated that this was a change from previous policy. “If a student had done everything they needed to do to attend a class, paid their bill, whatever, we would refund 80% of the cost,” Zinck said. Zinck stated that the change took place to decrease potential barriers toward enrollment at St. Louis Community College. Previously students would owe 20% of the cost for dropped classes as payment before they could attend any other classes, which could add up to a fairly large payment for a student was enrolled in many credit hours and had a lower income. “This was something that we felt was putting a barrier in front of students that really was not providing that significant of a benefit to the college,” Zinck said. Cundiff said that as long as the college is clear in explaining class dropping policies and procedures to students and students tell the college if they intend to miss a semester of school, there should be no major drawbacks. Zinck said that some money would likely be lost due to not collecting the 20% of costs for dropped classes that was previously required, but does not think that the amount of money potentially lost from that is significant enough to make the decision a poor one. These changes were intended to make paying for and attending college more accessible and less of a hassle. Part of the intention was also to remove a barrier that stopped some students from attending St. Louis Community College when they would otherwise be able to attend.
THE MONTAGE To place an advertisement, contact the advertising manager for rates, sample issues, etc., 314-984-7955. Editorial views expressed or content contained in this publication are not necessarily the views of St. Louis Community College, the board of trustees or the administration. The Montage is a student publication produced seven times per semester at St. Louis Community College - Meramec, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., Kirkwood, Mo., 63122. 314-984-7655. One copy of The Montage is free
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4 | Opinions
Oct. 27, 2016
Climate change is a problem... ...but it’s not as bad as the media portrays
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Adam Moran Staff writer
The internet has been exploding with articles concerning climate news. The message is clear across the board: “outlook not so good”. The big story consuming science websites is the rising CO2 levels in our atmosphere. According to Sciencealert.com, “Levels of atmospheric carbon have officially surpassed 400 parts per million (ppm), and there’s little hope of returning them to safe levels — the situation is now permanent.” This is a big deal because, as long as mankind has existed, we have never lived in a world where the CO2 levels in our atmosphere were this high above normal, which is considered to be around 350 ppm. Not like we haven’t heard anything like this before. Media is great at inflating this story into one of impending doom and imminent
societal dissolution. Hell, it’s been a major talking point in our national political discussions. It seems there is no way of getting away from this narrative. As annoying as it can be to be consistently talked down to by news anchors, politicians, activists, and professors, it seems to me that this negative message has had a positive impact on recent generations. Major entrepreneurs have taken great initiative to making our society more independent from primary forms of energy. I imagine, if any of that brilliance and environmental awareness is to trickle down to our generation, then our children, and our children’s children will live in a world much cleaner than ours. What makes me uneasy, however, is the political propaganda that has tainted this cause. From both sides of the aisle, you hear two very unreasonable narratives. One side claims that the rapid environmental changes our world is experiencing is a falsehood; nothing more than a myth, designed by their rival party to buy votes. The other is destroying the existing energy industry with impossible regulations without offering a suitable replacement,
Graphic by: Jordan Morris which, in turn, offers a very negative impact on the economy: job loss, higher energy costs, etc. As we have seen, or at least I have noticed, both of these radical points of view can be destructive. There is a gray middle. We, as a people, can make a
gradual transition into a low emission society, without tearing down our current way of life in the process. All it takes is the brilliance and awareness that I know we have and can achieve, along with the willingness to be patient and rational.
Meramec as a 4 year institution? STLCC Meramec could offer an undergrad degree; here’s how
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Daphne Drohobyczer Staff writer
I have a proposition to present to Saint Louis Community College — Meramec: to re-establish the college as both a two year and four year institution as a liberal arts university that retains the name Meramec called Meramec University. Let’s think about it: Meramec already employs many professors with master’s degrees and doctorate degrees from respected institutions. There is something very humble about having an excellent education, and translating it across the Meramec stage for ambition. There are eighteen year old freshmen, thirteen year old prodigies and students, like myself, in their thirties. Just a little about myself: I already have a bachelor’s degree from Washington University and a master’s degree in history from University of Missouri — Saint Louis. I’ve been attending Meramec since 2007, a little on and off, but not much off. From my experiencing attending Meramec, I would say that the college provides a beauti-
ful campus, excellent professors, and students who are focused on learning. Associate degrees could still be offered, but there could also be a four-year option available to all students, and even initiate some graduate programs. Meramec could even become a major university; eventually and idyllically covering everybody’s tuition and board if it raised enough money. I know it sounds like a stretch, but it is not impossible. There are many routes we can take to achieve this goal: accepting donations, bringing in more talent to teach, as well as talented students, model ourselves off of other successful state schools/ universities, such as University of Missouri, University of Missouri — Saint Louis, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Truman State University, and the list goes on. Of course, for Meramec to transition into a four year liberal arts university, several of the park-
and board: we need a beautiful set of dormitories; buy out a bunch of these excellent Victorian and Antebellum houses for students to live in. The truth is we are very capable of becoming a fully equipped university that is respected in the state of Missouri. The notion of a free education is already a clear and present option, what with scholarships and Secretary Hillary Clinton fighting for community college to be free of tuition costs. Keeping in mind
that Meramec would become a four year institution, we should be allowed to permit the first two years of education for free, and still offer a lot of help, if not fully financing, those who want to complete a full bachelor’s degree. Meramec University should be the pioneer university in expanding a transfer and associate degree institution into a school that offers degrees ranging from an associate degree to a doctorate degree, and also provide a school for those who just want to take random classes.
We are very capable of becoming a fully equipped university. ing lots would have to have buildings, and Meramec would have to buy up a lot of the homes and land surrounding it. There could be multi-level parking lots as well. Let’s not forget about room
Graphic by: Noah Sliney
5 | Opinions
4 27, 2016 Oct.
Not enough participation in primaries Only 15 percent of eligible voters chose the next Commander-In-Chief
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Andrew Ameer Opinions Editor
In the past few weeks, we have seen the two major presidential candidates debate right here in St. Louis when Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump went head to head on the debate stage at Washington University. The two candidates have the lowest approval ratings of any two major nominees in history, which is astounding, considering that during the primary process we had a variety of candidates who had huge levels of support. But we can’t be surprised by our current choices when people don’t turn out to vote in primaries, which, if individual voters want a specific candidate, are probably even more important than the election itself. In the 2016 primary, only 28.5 percent of eligible voters voted, according to the Pew Research Center. This number is even less impressive when we compare the two parties- less than 15 percent of each major party’s eligible
voting base actually voted in the primaries. The Republican Party had a “record” turnout, with 14.8 percent of its eligible base turning out to vote in the primary, which was higher than in 2012 and 2008 (11 percent and 9.8 percent). It was in fact the highest year yet for a GOP primary turnout. The Democratic Party fared less well, with 14.5 percent turnout in the primaries, a far cry from the record 19.5 percent turnout in 2008. It’s still the second best year on record for the Democrats, but that’s not good enough when a candidate is nominated who has the lowest approval rating in history for the party. What all this means, effectively, is that only about 15 percent of the people in this country choose the next president of the United States. Does this sound like the recipe for a strong democracy with happy people? I doubt it. People complain endlessly about the way things are, but one of the easiest ways we have to address some of these problems is to turn out and vote, especially in the primaries and other smaller elections, state and local included. Those 15 percent of people are likely to be extremely happy with whatever the result is in November — the rest of us, the other 85 percent, not so much.
Graphic by: Jordan Morris This highlights why it is so important to pay attention to the primary process. Usually only the real political buffs pay much attention to the primaries, but this needs to change. Primaries are the season when candidates like Gary Johnson and Bernie Sanders, the ones with widespread popular support but perhaps not the support of the major media corporations can gain great ground. If more people stood up and used their voice, which means actually volunteering, canvassing,
and voting in the primaries, there would be less dissatisfaction with the candidates we eventually end up with. We can’t leave any political office, much less the highest office in the land up to a handful of political junkies, which is essentially what happens when there is such a small turnout. Too many voters remain undecided until too late in the game, then they are not satisfied with their choice, resorting to choosing the least bad of two very bad options.
Edward Snowden: Hero or Villian? Snowden should not be punished for the information leak
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Marie Schwarz Managing Editor
Edward Snowden got in trouble back in 2013 for leaking classified material of the National Security Agency. Some see him as a traitor to his country while others celebrate him as a sort of hero. Without a doubt, Snowden definitely acted illicitly when he did what he did, but so too did the government in the first place with extreme Internet and phone surveillance behind closed doors. Instead of facing jail-time, Snowden should be pardoned by the president. He did something illegal, but he did it for a good cause. If it wasn’t for him, who else would have spoken up? Let’s not sugar coat it: what the NSA did was an invasion of privacy. Therefore, the government is
Graphic by: Jordan Morris the evil player here, not Snowden. It takes a brave person to step up and say something, or leak something. Snowden didn’t act out of pure malevolence, but because he believed it was the right thing to do. And wasn’t it? Wouldn’t you want to know that every step you take might be recorded by a government agency?
Because the government wouldn’t have told you if it weren’t for Snowden stepping up — they would have continued in silence. Pardoning Snowden should set an example for the government that it can’t just do whatever the heck it wants. There are rules. And though I understand that some delicate information is not meant to be blown out to the public, that
does not give the government permission to act illegally on a colossal scale. One concern might be that if the president pardons Snowden, there will be some kind of whistle-blow-mania result from this. No one could share touchy information with anyone anymore, because you don’t know if you can trust each other. However, looking at the case of Snowden, I don’t think he started working for the government just to look for evidence of illegal activity that we see here. It was an ethics call to say something once he realized what was going on. And I’m sure it was not an easy decision to make. George Orwell predicted a surveillance state in his book “1984,” and maybe because of Snowden, we are one less step away from that reality. In conclusion, Snowden should either be pardoned or stay in exile. Seeing him return to the US to face jail time would send out the wrong message and would not provide justice to someone who, in fact, did this country — and the world — a great favor.
To submit a letter to the editor, email meramecmontage@gmail.com. All letters should be 500 words or less, and may be edited for length and clarity. All letters must include identification as a student, faculty or staff member. Please include phone number and address for verification purposes. Phone number and address will not be published.
6 | Spotlight
Oct. 27, 2016
Colonizing space throu Continued from front Menendez said another good analogy of a Martian colony is the people who live in Antarctica, since they’re cut off from civilization. Old solutions to the problems of getting to Mars — such as taking all of the fuel, food, and water the colonists would need with them — have been replaced with newer and better answers, Menendez. “The idea they have now is something called in-situ research utilization,” Menendez said. “Mars has carbon dioxide in the air — you can cut carbon dioxide in half; use the oxygen to breath.” Water is incredibly important, Menendez said. The colonists will need lots of water for bathing, drinking, and growing crops. Another use for in-situ research utilization is for turning water into other usable resources. “So they found water below the surface, frozen permafrost, and they use that,” Menendez said. “You break the water in half, you get oxygen to breathe, and hydro-
gen can be used as rocket fuel if you ever wanna come back.” Menendez said a Martian colony will likely be mostly buried underground due to high levels of radiation. “The big problem is radiation there’s no radiation shields, so they have to be protected from the solar radiation,” Menendez said. “The way they’re talking about... is to land a colony first of three or four people, and then every two years send additional colonists, gradually spanning it out into a network, [starting in] one place and then gradually moving it into different places. So it’s gonna be interconnected nodules.” This radiation is because Mars doesn’t have the same magnetic shield that Earth has. Menendez said this is likely because of how the planets evolved. “We have a situation in the solar system, kind of like a Goldilocks situation,” Menendez said. “We have three somewhat similar plan-
ets; Venus, Earth, and Mars. Venus is too hot, it’s like Goldilocks’ porridge; Mars is too cold, and Earth is just right. When planets lose their magnetic fields, they lose their water. Mars spun fast enough, but it was too small; they think its magnetic field froze, and it lost its magnetic shield. Earth was just the right size.” These interconnected nodules will become specialized over time, according to Menendez. “And eventually, I assume, as time goes on that they’ll start to specialize each nodule,” Menendez said. Maybe one nodule for crop growing, another one for recreation, one for sleeping, one for eating. So it’ll start small and gradually span outward in a viral network. That’s probably the initial plan.” Mars has some great benefits that Earth doesn’t, according to Menendez, most notably the possibility of indigenous life. “Now, there’s probably not anything on the surface; there’s
too much radiation, but below the surface, there could be bacteria living,” Menendez said. “… if they find this, does it have the same structure? Does it use DNA? Or does it use a different way of metabolizing things? That would be a big first thing to look for.”
“To get there is about a one-year trip one way and about a year to get back.” Rick Menendez According to the Mars One website, Maggie Duckworth is an electrical engineer who lives here in Saint Louis — and will actually be going to Mars. Menendez compared going to Mars to the early colonizers of America.
Mental and physical long-term effects of living o m
Marie Schwarz Managing Editor
The planet Mars is obviously not the Earth. Atmosphere, gravitation and especially no air to breathe already indicate that without certain precautions, long term effects on the human body are not necessary to talk about because one will die by these extreme environmental conditions instantly, said Joseph Schneider, Physical Science Instructor at Meramec. “If you’re out there without
“Less stress means less bone density which means higher risk for osteoporosis.” Jeff Baumstark a space suit on, you’re not gonna last very long,” Schneider said. So to discuss possible long term effects, dress code is a space suit with oxygen tank. From a physiological point of view, decrease of bone density and decrease in muscle strength, as well as radiation are the most important factors to consider when
living in space, said Jeff Baumstark, Biology Professor at Meramec. The loss of bone density and muscle strength is due to the change of gravity, Baumstark said. Compared to Earth, Mars’ gravity is only about 38 to 40 percent, Schneider said. “You can lose about one percent [of bone density] on Mars per month, whereas [on Earth] you’re typically not starting to lose bone mass until you’re in your 40s or 50s,” Baumstark said. “Less stress on bones means less bone density which means higher risk for osteoporosis.” Besides decrease in bone density, there is also less resistance on muscles, which means exercising is even more important on Mars than on Earth, Baumstark said. “If people are sent to Mars, they have to exercise regularly,” Baumstark said. “Probably any normal exercises that you would do on Earth. … I don’t think it would have to be necessarily anything incredibly special or different from what you do on Earth to keep your muscles and bones and your heart healthy.” While gravitation plays a significant role for long term effects on the human body, the higher exposure to radiation has to be considered as well, Baumstark said. “If you don’t have the space
suit on, then you’re subjecting yourself to the dangerous amount of radiation from our sun,” Schneider said. “This is going to be the tremendous amount of radiation that literally will just start shutting your organs down almost right away because there’s no protection.” However, since a spacesuit is a must piece of clothing when living in space or on Mars, a problem caused by radiation will be cancer development, Baumstark said. “We know high levels of radiation are directly associated with formations of cancers,” Baumstark said. “So someone living on Mars for a long period of time – even if you’re protected as much as possible – is going to have high levels of exposure of radiation. [This will] speed up the process of cancers and [development of cancer] in certain organs is certainly possible.” Besides considering only the physiological problems that would most likely come when living on Mars, there is also a psychological component to consider, Baumstark said. Social interactions have been always important for humans, Baumstark said. “There’s research out there that shows a strong correlation between social interaction and overall
health,” said Baumstark. “Like seniors for instance, older individuals in our society. The more isolated they are, the higher the mortality
“You have to realize, you’re literally going to be a Martian. You’re going to be separated from the Earth.” Joseph Schneider they have. [And] the faster [they] have more health issues and other kind of problems. So social interaction has always been one of the key tenants of people being happy and feeling good.” The social interaction is not only meant in a physical way. A simple conversation via a call or even instant messaging would be affected as well, Schneider said. “Connections between Mars and the Earth - depending on the distance and so forth - could be three minutes up to 23 minutes … to get things back and forth,” Schneider said. “That’s not like having a conversation with someone. ... You have to realize, you’re literally going to be a Martian. You’re going to
Oct. 27, 2016
7 | Spotlight
ugh the red frontier “People say it’s kind of weird, but if you think about it, in the past, when people came to the Americas, they knew, most of those people, that they would never see their family again,” Menendez said. “They were going, and they weren’t coming back. Actually Maggie’s group is gonna have this, they’ll be in contact with radio and television; there’s a half hour delay each way, but they can still talk to their parents and get pictures from home.” Duckworth will be coming to speak at Meramec in November. Menendez said the colony will start off with two men and two women to help prevent conflict, but as more people join them on Mars, fighting will become more and more inevitable. “Could the colony eventually destroy itself because of infighting?” Menendez said. “Those are questions. There’s a lot of things to think about. But it is one grand experiment.”
on Mars be separated from the Earth.” Besides limited social interactions, the microbiome flora which is the natural bacterial flora that exist in our body is also likely affected when living isolated on Mars, Baumstark said. “If we’re isolated in a certain area for so many years and a very small space with only a certain amount and types of people, you’re microbiome flora will be most likely affected by it as well,” Baumstark said. “[Which is showing to have] effects on diseases and other types of things like obesity and neuronal function [and] mood, and all types of things.” Living on Mars to this point includes a lot of speculation, Schneider said. “We have to be independent of the Earth,” Schneider said. “You cannot expect to be getting shipments of food from the Earth. … There isn’t really anything that we know about at this point besides water on Mars.” More research has to be done before sending people with good conscience to Mars, Schneider said. “This seems quite an extreme case going to Mars, so we actually will see if people decide to go and if they are able to have a viable group of people to go,” Baumstark said. How it turns out will be very interesting.”
Timeline of expanding man’s place among the stars Moran m Adam Staff Writer Mars has been an important milestone for mankind since the early Space Age. Our history with the Red Planet, though brief, is filled with many endeavours. The list of missions is extensive, especially when the scale is extended past the United States. Many other national and privatized space programs around the world have made significant progress in expanding mankind’s place amongst the stars as well. For the sake of this article, the main focus will be on the significant, successful, and future missions to the Red Planet by all major contributors. On July 14, 1965, NASA’s Mariner 4 was the first human satellite to make a successful flyby. Mariner 6 and Mariner 7 followed in 1969 with the same mission as it’s predecessor, and on Nov. 14th, 1971, Mariner 9 entered Mars’s orbit and remained there for approximately 515 days before deactivating. NASA trend of success continued, for the most part, as their next set of missions focus was to orbit and land on Mars. These missions were given the designation “Viking”. Viking 1 launched August 20th, 1975, and Viking 2 was launched shortly after on September 9th. The next mission to Mars that had absolute success wasn’t until 1996, when NASA launched its Mars Global Surveyor. Later that year, on December 4th, NASA also launched its Mars Pathfinder spacecraft, carrying a small rover, designated Sojourner. With history catching up to the present, we see many spacecraft launched to Mars still operating today, and are projected to do so into the 2020’s. For example, NASA’s Odyssey Orbiter was launched April 7th, 2001, and the European Space Agency’s first successful Mars Orbiter, the Mars Express, on June 2, 2003, are both still operating today. NASA also launched two more spacecraft towards Mars in 2003, both of which were landers: the Spirit on June 10th and the Opportunity on July 8th. The rest of the 2000’s are filled with more orbiter and lander missions. A few notable ones would be NASA’s Phoenix lander, launched August 4th, 2007; NASA’s Curiosity rover, launched November 26th, 2011; NASA’s
MAVEN orbiter, launched November 18th, 2013; and the ESA’s ExoMars orbiter and Shciaparelli EDM rover, launched March 14th of this year, and still en route to Mars now. This all may seem trivial, perhaps even boring, to some; however, the progress that has been made, by all global contributors has paved the way for some very ambitious ideas. With Mars being the next logical stepping stone in our solar system, many organizations are pushing to colonize Mars in a matter of decades. NASA is one leading orga-
With Mars being the next logical stepping stone in our solar system, many organizations are pushing to colonize Mars in a matter of decades. nization preparing to put a man on Mars. According to NASA.gov, “NASA is developing the capabilities needed to send humans to an asteroid by 2025 and Mars in the 2030s”. But NASA isn’t the only one aiming to put a man on Mars. According to Space.com, “The incoming leader of the European Space Agency is keen on establishing an international base on the moon as a next-step outpost beyond the International Space Station.” So, if the ESA is planning on establishing extraplanetary colonies, perhaps establishing one on Mars is also in the talks. As ambitious as this may sound, this goal is not limited only to national agencies. Many private organizations are planning on establishing colonies on Mars as well. Mars One is a major private contributor to Mars colonization, and plans on landing its first settlers in 2027. Another major organization with goals to colonize Mars is SpaceX. Recently, Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of SpaceX, unveiled his plans to colonize Mars. According to Space. com, Musk, with his Interplanetary Transport System, “plans to get 1 million people to Mars.”, and “the ITS could be launching on its first Mars mission “within the 10year time frame.” So, with many plans of colonization in the works, it is likely we will see, at the very least, mankind to take the first steps on Mars within the next decade or two.
Humans of Meramec
8 | Art & Life
Oct. 27, 2016
“ “I kind of learned from watching my other friends who longboard, and just practicing. I saw a few videos on how to get started longboarding…mostly just watching other people do it…” Kim Nanna
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Photo by: Amanda Harris
Financial Aid Office hosts FAFSA workshop Students receive assistance completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
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Photo by: Andrew Ameer
Future Meramec student Jacob Brockelmeyer and his mother receive instruction on the FAFSA process from Arika Biney. The second workshop is set to be held on November 2 from 12 p.m. -1 p.m. in BA 105.
Montage Podcast MeramecMontage.com
Andrew Ameer Opinions Editor
On October 12, students and family members met with workers from the Financial Aid Office during a workshop for assistance with filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The event ran from 2-3 p.m. in Business Administration room 105. Arika Biney, with the Financial Aid office said this was the first of four workshops that the Financial Aid Office will conduct during this academic year. “We do our best to kind of walk people through it because we understand it can be kind of overwhelming,” Biney said. During the workshop, students were led to a table where there were about six computers set up, already on the FAFSA website (https://fafsa.ed.gov/). From there, a staff member guided the students and their parent or guardian through the process and answered any questions they had. Nineteen-year-old student Jacob Brockelmeyer said the workshop made filling out the FAFSA much easier.
“It was pretty easy; she was really helpful,” Brockelmeyer said. Brockelmeyer hopes to attend Meramec in the spring for General Transfer Studies, although Brockelmeyer said he is also interested in Business Administration. There will be a second workshop later on in the semester relating to the standards of academic progress as it relates to financial aid. “Not everybody understands what it means to get financial aid, the responsibilities that come along with it and the standards that we require to keep getting it,” Biney said. The second workshop will educate students on the standards of academic progress and refer them to resources if they are not meeting them. “If people are struggling in their class, they now have been exposed to all these different resources that we have provided for them,” Biney said. “So we’re not just saying ‘Here are our standards, go meet them’, but we’re saying, ‘here are our standards, if you’re not meeting them, here are some resources to help you meet them.’”
Episode - Yoga
Episode - Brown Bag Cafe
In this podcast STLCC instructors Katherine Hanewinkel and Darcie Star talk about yoga. Student Brent Jackson just started with yoga, and it really benefits him, he said.
There is no shame in just coming to get a lunch. The Brown Bag Cafe on the Go is an extension of the Brown Bag Cafe. It launched on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. The program is open every third Thursday of the month at parking lot E at the Meramec campus.
9 | Art & Life
Oct. 27, 2016
Meramec student Thomas McIlroy plans his music career
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Photo by: Caroline Frank
McIlroy practices with Hamm at a jam session for their next show on Friday, Oct. 28 at Fubar.
Caroline Frank Art & Life Editor
Thomas McIlroy is a full-time student at St. Louis Community College – Meramec and full-time musician in a local band. McIlroy said he has been involved in music ever since he “became a human with motor skills.” He said that as a kid, he would listen to The Beatles and gain inspiration from their music. “You could play five seconds of a Beatles song and I could tell you the song title, album name, and year it was written,” McIlroy said. “I kind of binge bands.” McIlroy said his biggest fear as a songwriter is accidental plagiarism. “I try not to emulate them,” McIlroy said. “I try to internalize the music I listen to and redirect that into writing my own [creative work].” McIlroy became a member of the band Sub_ Urban in 2014. After losing a few of its members, the band name changed to
“People Seen In Cars.” After this transition in 2015, McIlroy and his friend Derek Hamm were the only members left. “We kind of built our band from the bottom up,” Hamm said. McIlroy and Hamm have a variety of songs, ranging from old ones to new, that they practice every week. The band members collaborate when it comes to writing lyrics and singing vocals. However, they do instrumentals individually: Hamm plays guitar while McIlroy plays the drums. They described their genre as a mixture between indie, alternative and rock. After being asked what he likes about music, McIlroy responded, “The question is, ‘What do I not like about everything else?’ [Music is] really the only thing I enjoy.” Hamm said music provides a way for everyone to connect. “The emotion that the artists try to convey can be the same whether you’re listening to Beethoven or Slipknot,” Hamm said.
“That’s what I like about music.” McIlroy said he also loves the emotion that emerges in music. “I love the vibe and the feeling that comes through,” McIlroy said. McIlroy plans to focus on the band after earning an associate degree at
“I feel like there’s something grand in my future.” Thomas McIlroy
Meramec. “I don’t want to be a starving artist,” McIlroy said. McIlroy said he would love to be in the upper echelon of music. “I want to be in a successful band … I want to make a living off of performing music. Maybe it’s disillusionment, but I feel like there’s something grand in my future,” McIlroy said.
Meramec music professor releases debut album m
Daphne Drohobyczer News Editor
Music Professor Christopher Braig has played the saxophone for 38 years — professionally since he was 18. Braig first studied at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, but left for hire. He was offered a job with the 113th United States Army, on active duty and is a veteran. Braig was inspired to play the saxophone by Charlie Parker, a famous jazz saxaphone player. “I heard him on the AM radio when I was a child,” Braig said. Braig played the saxaphone several hours a day in Cincinnati. “After the army, I worked for Carnival Cruise Lines as a saxo-
“I’ve played more saxophone than literally how much TV people watch.” Christopher Braig phone player, and I lived in San Juan, Peurto Rico for a while,” Braig said. “In my twenties, I traveled extensively, and in my thirties as well. I was a side man; I worked on cruise ships and played at hotels.” Braig also played with the Disney All American College Band, Disney World in Orlando, 1992. Braig first came to Missouri to play in Branson, Missouri, with Shoji Tabuchi.
“I came here [to STLCC] last minute as a jazz player to teach jazz class, one jazz class audio program.” Braig said he was able to come up with a list of things the Meramec Music Department needs. “With the audio budget I purchased things that would make it more affordable for the students,” Braig said. “I am passionate about affordable education.” Braig has worked as an adjunct professor for 10 years. “I teach out of my head,” Braig said. “I apply myself 1 percent more at community college than I do there.” When Braig was 39 years old he completed his Bachelor of Arts in Education, and at 45 he completed a master’s degree in Jazz and saxophone performance at Webster University. Furthermore, he makes it known that he considers himself a life-long learner. Aside from teaching, Braig also dotes on his children. “I have two little girls, age 6 and 9, and I am a single father...I am well-known as the jazz dad.” Braig hopes that his legacy in the music program influences not only his students, but also his family. “I hope that any one of the students can teach my daughter,” Braig said. However, Braig does not believe that music runs in the family. “I think a leader’s job is to train their replacement,” Braig said. “I just released a book called ‘Jazz Brain Training.’ It’s based on how your mind and brain actually work, in a state called ‘flow.’ Braig just premiered his first
Photo by: Erik Muschinske Chris Braig has played the soprano saxophone since he was 18. CD of original music, which features Webster University faculty members. “The CD release party was presented to us by the St. Louis Artists’ Guild,” Braig said. Braig also teaches a class once a week at Normandy High School, with a Go Fund Me campaign. “They have nothing, no budget,” Braig said. Braig is an active perform-
er and has already played twice at Whittaker Jazz Festivals at the Botannical Garden Summer series, performed at Sheldon multiple times, and also played the Chesterfield Jazz Festival, and Melbay Jazz Festival in DeSoto, Missouri. “I’ve played more saxophone than literally how much TV people watch,” Braig said. “I’ve played for millions of people, literally millions.”
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Oct. 27, 2016
The battle for relaxation
11 | Sports
Yoga I focuses on stress relief for students
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Marie Schwarz Managing Editor
Anybody who can breathe can practice yoga, said Katherine Hanewinkel, who teaches several physical education classes including yoga at Meramec. “Everybody will benefit from yoga,” Hanewinkel said. “But if you’re all over the place in your head, and that little monkey that’s talking in your head is driving you crazy, yoga is about taming the monkey in your mind.” Yoga is a practice of meeting life on the terms that you find yourself in the moment, said Darcie Star, yoga instructor at STLCC. “Whatever happens on the mat, you take that off the mat,” Star said. “So if you’re meeting a challenge on the mat, you become aware of ‘how do I meet the challenge,’ … and that helps you to bring that into your life off the mat.” In different words, yoga is supposed to combine the body, mind and the spirit, said Hanewinkel. “[Yoga] is calming and relaxing and destressing, and it can be used for a lot of things besides strength and flexibility and agility,” Hanewinkel said. Star said yoga gives the chance to release stress, be in the
moment, and take things a little easier. However, Hanewinkel said, yoga is not for everybody. “Because many people find it boring and they don’t make the mind-body-spirit connection,” Hanewinkel said. “Everybody can do it and benefit from it, but if you’re doing it mindlessly, why bother.” Star said yoga can be integrated into everyday life if that doesn’t cause too much stress. “For instance, using the Ujjayi Breathing (breathing technique often used in yoga) while you’re driving,” Star said. “So just coming into a sort of meditative state – not meditative as in shutting out the outer world, especially when you’re driving – but meditative as in being present at the moment.” Brent Jackson, who is a general transfer student in nursing and a former U.S. Army veteran, started doing yoga five months ago by watching videos on Youtube. “[Doing yoga] got rid of my plantar fasciitis (inflammation of tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes) and now I’m sticking with [yoga] and I really, really like it,” Jackson said. Jackson, who just finished an 8 week yoga class with Hanewinkel, said he benefits from the class. “The class is giving me poses to memorize, and then after that I just do – everyday now almost –
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Photo by: Marie Schwarz Katherine Hanewinkel’s 8-week yoga class in their final session. The class started with relaxtion techniques that integrated laughing. whatever [pose]… I want,” Jackson said. “It’s amazing. I feel better; I feel like I have more energy.” Hanewinkel said the benefits are not just resulting from the poses, it’s also from the breathing exercises as well as learning how to meditate. “Once you know enough, you’d be able to practice on your own and have your own practice,” Hanewinkel said. “[However,] a lot of people won’t bother. They like the shared energy of a class. And that’s the best way to learn to have a professional teacher who knows what’s wrong with you as well as
how to keep you from being hurt.” Star said getting started is the hardest part. Hanewinkel said if students are scared to take a yoga class, that would probably be a good time to look up yoga videos on Youtube or rent yoga material at the library. “There are a number of students who are afraid to take [yoga],” Hanewinkel said. “And they will say stuff like ‘I’m not flexible enough to take a yoga class.’ Well, that’s like saying ‘I’m not dirty enough to take a bath.’ How flexible or how dirty do you have to be? You will benefit.”
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12 | Sports
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Oct. 27, 2016
Photos by: Ashley Biundo At left, Archer Midfielder Mabry Lewis dribbles the ball during a game Oct. 15 against Metropolitan Community College - Blue River. Forward Kate Wing, center, attempts to steal the ball during the game. At right, Goalie Amanda Hughes sets up a goal kick.
Defense made gold in a tough loss Archers lose, but remain hopeful for looming postseason
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DJ McGuire Sports Editor
Then with about 15 minutes to go number 22, Cali Fournier of Blue River, managed to get a breakaway and scored. 2-0 Blue River. It was easy to tell this goal was the backbreaker for the Archers, and they never regained momentum after that goal. Later Fournier scored again, as she managed to get a breakaway and had an easy shot to score again. 3-0 Blue River. Her breakaway seemed to happen flawlessly
“Our defense has carried us this year..” Head Coach Jason Howard with little effort from the defense. Sophomore defender Jessica Nast said stopping these breakaways takes effort. “You have to be tight on your marks, and be goal side of her,” Nast said.
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Spotlight
Athlete
The Archers Women’s Soccer team lost against Metropolitan Community College-Blue River this past Saturday, by a score of 3-0. With Saturday’s loss, the team now has a 5-5-3 record overall with a 2-3 record at home this season. This loss was a tough pill to swallow for the Archers as they played a good defensive game all-around. The main reason for the team’s loss in Saturday’s game was the offense, or lack thereof. The Archers started with the ball, but don’t do much with it — MCC had multiple great scoring chances early in the game. Due to their strength in defense the Archers managed to stop all these opportunities. Head Coach Jason Howard said defense is the team’s best trait. “Our defense has carried us this year, I definitely think that is our strength this year,” Howard said.
“It has kept us in a lot of games.” As the game progressed the defense stayed strong for both teams. Each team had several opportunities to score, but the defense and goalkeepers positioned themselves properly to make key stops. It wasn’t until the very end of the first half that someone broke the stalemate. MCC had several chances near the end and capitalized on some phenomenal passing to score with 32 seconds left in the half. The goal was scored by number nine; Sam Berg of Blue River. At the half the score was 1-0 Blue River. At the beginning of the second half the Archers seemed to be more energized and played with much more intensity. This led to more scoring chances, but some bad passing doomed these chances. MCC managed to prevent any goals by the Archers early in the second half and eventually settled in and kept possession of the ball for nearly the rest of the game.
The game continued and MCC dominated the rest of the way through. The final score was a shutout by MCC 3-0. It was very demoralizing loss, as the Archers played a great game defensively, except for the two easy breakaway goals. The offense simply did not create enough good chances to score. With the postseason coming up, Coach Howard said he hopes this game will be a stepping stone for the team. “You better bring it for the postseason, otherwise you will be one and done pretty quick,” Howard said. Sophomore goalkeeper Amanda Hughes said the team will definitely have to work hard. “We’ll just see how it goes; if we put in the effort, we should be fine,” said Hughes. The Archers’ final two games were on Tuesday, Oct. 18 and Thursday, Oct. 20. The postseason begins on Friday, Oct. 28.
It’s a good way to unwind at the end of the week. Jordan Kruessel, Ultimate Frisbee Club Member
Photo by: Erik Muschinske
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