The Montage

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MONTAGE

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Serving the St. Louis Community College - Meramec community since 1964 • ACP Award Recipient VOLUME 57, ISSUE 7

APRIL 7, 2022

WWW.MERAMECMONTAGE.COM

A Blank Picture: Switching from Blackboard to Canvas

STLCC ending its use of Blackboard beginning with the Summer 2022 semester

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GENEVA LEE NEWS EDITOR

very STLCC-Meramec student lives on Blackboard. Homework, grades, and syllabi all are found on the site, and it is the online presence of the college. But the school is switching its online self this year, swapping Blackboard for another learning management system (LMS), Instructure-Canvas, usually referred to as just “Canvas,” with rollout finishing in Summer 2022. Every student is going to see this change, so what does this mean? The transition will begin April 30, 2022, when students will be automatically enrolled in the Online Learning at STLCC course. This class will teach students how to use Canvas, according to Luck, and it will allow students to become familiar with the program before the school fully transitions to Canvas this summer.

The switch to Canvas was spurred by a 2019/2020 review, in which the college concluded that Canvas was a better program for the school, according to Renita Luck. “Instructure-Canvas offered features that were either rated as higher or that were not currently available in Blackboard, and (sic) Canvas exceeded the features of other LMS options,” according to Luck. The college concluded that Canvas will be easier to use, have a better integration of teaching and learning tools, and is more reliable. Luck also explained that the Canvas interface is more intuitive than Blackboard. “[Canvas] will feel more familiar and be more intuitive to our students and faculty,” she said, noting that Canvas “feels more like a web-browser,” and it is more navigable and efficient than Blackboard. The review found that there are fewer clicks required to perform tasks, and it more easily integrates with third party tools:

important features, as remote learning has become a larger part of the college experience. Luck noted that students and faculty have often struggled with Blackboard, wasting time, creating frustration, and detracting from learning. “We feel the move to Canvas will alleviate some of these technology struggles and provide a more friendly learning experience for our students,” Luck said. This assessment concurs with reviews of the two sites. SoftwareAdvice rated Canvas’s ease of use 4.5 stars out of five, compared to 3.5 out of five for Blackboard. The user reviews consistently touted Canvas’s usability and reflected that Blackboard was difficult for many students, as well as mentioned that Blackboard had too many clicks– mirroring Luck’s assessment. The product review site TrustRadius went as far as to say, “Blackboard is often criticized for its UI. It’s notorious for being hard to use.”

The popularity of Canvas is recognized by both of the two companies: “There’s no doubt Blackboard has lost market share over the last 10 years,” said Phil Miller, the chief learning and innovation officer at Blackboard. Jared Stein, the Vice President of higher education strategy at Instructure, stated, Canvas was founded because existing LMSs were “too painful to use or not modern in (their) capabilities or unreliable,” and that “Canvas emphasize(s) simplicity, ease of use and engaging modern tools.” These are the same reported attributes that STLCC cited as its cause for switching platforms. No review matters more than the people the product affects, so once Summer 2022 comes around, students can check their grades with greater ease, or give Canvas a less than favorable grade. But in the eyes of the college, this Canvas looks like a promising painting.

In this issue...

“LARSON REMAINS IN HIS SEAT” pg. 2

“MERAMEC’S CHANGING CURRENTS” pg. 4

“NAH, NAH, NAH, NO TO THE BATMAN” pg. 5

“FROM THE LOU AND PROUD” pg. 7


2 NEWS

April 7, 2022

Larson Remains in His Seat on the STLCC Board of Trustees Trustee Runs Unopposed in April 5 Election BRUNO GRUBESIC STAFF

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s STLCC’s Director of Trustees Craig Larson ran unopposed in his reelection on April 5, it’s important for the community to know the man and his job. Larson has been working with the STLCC Board of Trustees since his retirement from K-12 education in 2010. He was born and raised in Kansas City, holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in teaching from University of Kansas and has had experience in teaching and education. He made the big move to St. Louis after landing a job in the Parkway School District from an interview on his university’s campus. Larson has held several different positions in education, including teaching in both middle and high school, being a high school principal, assistant superintendent of some schools, and the superintendent of the Rockwood School District for seven years before journeying over to STLCC. In his time outside of STLCC, he’s found hobbies in golfing and gardening with his wife when the weather is nice out. “I’m a lifelong learner,” he said. He’s taken time to learn golfing, and said, “I’ve enjoyed taking lessons and trying to […] play well enough to not totally disappoint myself.” In his time working as an administrator

in public school districts, he hasn’t had much time to himself, but lately he’s been able to explore some hobbies. He also manages a rose garden with his wife, which they started around the time he retired from teaching in public K-12 school districts. “It’s not something you have to work constantly at, but you do have to be methodical about it,” he says. Larson and his wife also love to travel and are heading to Romania this May. While Larson is hesitant to say “stressful” is the right term for his job, he says there are times when it does apply. Trying to manage the college requires making big decisions in some scenarios. “The real stress is when you have to make tough decisions […] the community college unfortunately has lost a lot of enrollment.” Larson also is a supporter of the dual enrolment process in the college, where high school students can take classes at the college to get credits out of the way before they even graduate, which he describes as a “life changer” and a great way for the college to achieve its goals. He describes STLCC’s market as the “nontraditional student,” such as students continuing education after dropping out of college, or older students who never went and want to try now. PHOTO COURTESY OF STLCC

A T

M E R A M E C

The Music Program at Meramec offers courses and ensembles for all students. Classes are available for general education credit and the Associate in Arts degree with a concentration in Music to prepare for transfer into a Bachelor of Music program. ** SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE **

COURSES

MUS 101,102,201,202 MUS 103 MUS 113 MUS 114 MUS 115,116 MUS 121,122,221,222 MUS 128 MUS 130 MUS 138,139,216 MUS 141,142,241,242 MUS 150 MUS 152 MUS 154 MUS 211,212

Music Theory I,II,III,IV Basic Music History of Jazz Music Appreciation Class Voice I,II Class Piano I,II,III,IV History of Rock Music Beginning Guitar Jazz Improvisation I,II,III Applied Music (Lessons) I,II,III,IV Fundamentals of Music Technology Audio Engineering Music Recording with ProTools I Music History I,II

Join the Team Meetings every Tuesday at 4 PM via Zoom or in Student Center, Room 220A

Interested in performing in an ensemble? All Meramec students may participate. No audition is required! MUS131, 132 and 134 are CORE42 performance courses!

ENSEMBLES

Music 131 – Concert Choir Music 132 – Orchestra Music 134 – Symphonic Band Music 138 – Jazz Improvisation All ensembles hold a seat/part assignment hearing during the first rehearsal. Members of the Concert Choir may audition for the Chamber Singers.

For more information, contact Music at Meramec Dr. Jerry Myers, Program Coordinator, gmyers34@stlcc.edu, (314) 984-7638

Contact Shannon Philpott-Sanders at ssanders147@stlcc.edu for more information.


NEWS 3

April 7, 2022

STAFF

JACOB POLITTE

GENEVA LEE BRUNO GRUBESIC

MANAGING EDITOR

New Name with New Initiatives

Student Advocacy and Resource Center Continues Helping Students

NEWS EDITOR STAFF

DEVYNN LEJEUNE STAFF DAKOTA PULCHER STAFF ADELAINE TUDOR STAFF MAX WILSON STAFF

Shannon Philpott-Sanders Faculty Adviser

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t. Louis Community College students have access to a variety of support services, all at no cost to them. If a student needs help applying for state benefits, crisis management or even clothes, the Student Advocacy and Resource Center is available. However, knowing that services exist and how to access them can be challenging, according to Shannon Nicholson, Coordinator of the Student Advocacy and Resource Center. The Student Advocacy and Resource Center (SARC) was previously known as the Student Assistance Program. Nicholson said that the services of SAP have not disappeared, but instead they have expanded into the SARC. There are “a variety of services centered around supporting students’ academic and personal success,” Nicholson said. Among them, Campus and Community Referrals, Missouri Benefit Application Assistance, Crisis Response, and Archers’ Markets. SARC does not require students to submit documentation for most of their services. When first accessing services, a student will be asked to complete a brief questionnaire, Nicholson said. The purpose of this questionnaire is to “identify any additional resources that might be available to support a student,” Nicholson said. She went on to say that the SARC’s goal is to support students both on and off campus. If a student wants assistance with completing Emergency Fund Applications or Missouri Benefit Applications, Nicholson said that further documentation might be needed. However, “these are all things that are discussed with students [..] and aren’t required at their first meetings with us,” Nicholson said. Nicholson said that SARC may “coordinate support resources with our partners in Access [the disability services office], Counseling, Financial Aid, Advising, [and] TRIO” on behalf of a student. Nicholson clarified that specific details are never disclosed. “We may ask if our campus partners are aware of the student or able to assist,” she said. SARC complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, also known as FERPA. “This means that we do not disclose any student information to individuals outside the institution without explicit written consent from our students,” Nicholson said. In addition, SARC coordinators are confidential resources for Title IX concerns. “This means that if a student wants to discuss instances of discrimination, harrassment, sexual harrassment, or sexual violence, they can do so with those staff--without a mandated report being made to the college Title IX Coordinator,” Nicholson said. While the pandemic may have changed the way SARC provides student support, Nicholson emphasized that services have not stopped.

“One of the major challenges was connecting with students in a safe, socially distanced way,” Nicholson said. SARC overcame this hurdle by holding appointments over the phone or on Microsoft Teams. (Nicholson said that SARC “intends on keeping those options available moving forward.”) While Nicholson said that it was difficult “not to see folks that we’d normally see coming into the Market for a snack or meal,” SARC employees “did a lot of texting, email outreach and phone calls to demonstrate that we are still here to serve students.” However, Nicholson recognizes that “Zoom fatigue” is very real and is excited to see more people for face to face services and events. Individuals that want to help support SARC have multiple ways to help. Nicholson said that donations of non-perishable food items can be dropped off during normal business hours. “Most commonly our needs are for grab and go meals like Hormel lunches, Ramen, [and] Mac & Cheese cups,” Nicholson said. She added that SARC also has an Amazon Wishlist, where items will be directly shipped to SARC offices. To get

the link for the Amazon wishlist, email Shannon Nicholson at SNicholson29@ stlcc.edu. In addition, Nicholson said that donations of personal care items, like shampoo, body wash and period products, are always accepted. Financial donations are also accepted. “Donations can be made by visiting http://commerce.cashnet. com/fnd and selecting the “Annual Appeal Fund” option at the top of the screen. In the comment section of the donation page, type “Meramec SARC Emergency Fund.” Nicholson said that Emergency Fund donations “help us provide emergency financial support to students that have experienced an unplanned crisis that threatens their enrollment in school.” One of the easiest ways to help is simply by connecting students in need with the SARC programs. “We know that folks have had a very challenging two years and we are excited to help,” Nicholson said. “The more we know about the needs of our students, the more we can do to support [them].” For further information, Nicholson encourages students and faculty to access www.stlcc.edu/SARC.


4 ART & LIFE

April 7, 2022

Meramec’s Changing ‘Currents’ Meramec’s literary magazine has a new advisor and a new direction

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Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

rofessor Maxine Beach is out, and Professor David Taylor is in. Following Beach’s move to the Florissant Valley campus this semester, Taylor has taken the mantle as the faculty advisor of the longstanding Meramec literary magazine. He has been a part of the English Department faculty at Meramec since 2004, and is excited for what the future holds for the longstanding literary magazine. The first issue of Currents was published as early as 1967; the latest issue was published last spring. Taylor says that the typical process of producing and creating each issue of the magazine begins with asking people to submit pieces toward the end of a semester. Once they get the submissions, the editorial board makes the decisions on which pieces they want to publish, and which ones they do not. The editorial board is composed entirely of student editors. Currents is student-led, and currently has four students on its staff. Taylor’s role as a faculty adviser is mostly as a facilitator. “My role as faculty adviser is just to make sure that we’re meeting those target deadlines that we’re needing to,” Taylor says. “If there’s some questions about copyright or ethics or something like that, I can help out with that. But it really is a student-run magazine.” The editorial board is different in every issue, or every couple of issues,

Taylor says. They decide if they want to publish it as is or, as Taylor says “they’ll reach out to the author and see if they want to adjust a couple of things in their work to make it stronger.”

faculty adviser using InDesign creating the magazine, but Professor Beach started working with the graphics and design department. Once we figure out that issue, then we get it over to those

Taylor then says once those pieces are locked in, the “order of everything” in the book starts to come together. “In the past, it was kind of just the

students, and then they actually create the issue, and put in the graphics and designs, and then they send it to the printer.”

God Of Carnage Review

BRUNO GRUBESIC STAFF WRITER This past month, Meramec’s theater department put on a production of Yasmina Reza’s “God of Carnage.” The script follows two families thrown into a conflict after Michael and Veronica’s son gets into a fight with Allen and Annette’s son, resulting in Michael and Veronica’s son tooth being knocked out of his mouth. As the two couples decide how to manage the situation and teach their children right from wrong, every sense of polarity becomes twisted, and black and white become gray. Allen is revealed to be a heavily uninvolved parent, showing himself to be the pinnacle of toxic masculinity. It’s clear throughout the play that he barely even agreed to go to the meeting, until his wife forced him to. He is a lawyer who spends the entire time talking to his coworkers on his cell phone and managing a case, as he is supposed to be figuring out how to explain his son’s transgressions to him, or at the very least have a basic grasp of what happened between the two. Instead, the pressure to raise their kid falls on his wife, Annette. While Annette certainly does a

much better job of being civilized, at the end of the day it’s clear she doesn’t care much either. She simply views the other family as below them. Michael and Veronica try their hardest to raise their kids correctly. Veronica does a much better job than Michael, who at the beginning of the play admits to letting his daughter’s

hamster die on the street because he simply didn’t want to deal with it anymore and threw it out. Veronica takes the time to take her kids to museums and have them experience the world, even to Michael’s disfavor as it means he needs to pretend to care as well. STLCC students Jake Santhuff,

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MERAMEC THEATRE DEPARTMENT

That printer, which Taylor says is off campus, prints out a test copy. “We’ll look over it, and say ‘Yes, it’s good’ or ‘Here’s what needs to be changed’ [before publication].” Taylor says that the stories that will be published in this next issue of Currents mostly surround the themes of “rebellion, interruption, intermission and relationships.” These themes for each issue largely are decided at the discretion of the editorial board, but those decisions largely take shape based on the kind of submissions that are received. “Usually what happens is that you find a theme emerging from the submissions,” Taylor says. “So it kind of develops naturally that way. Now that we are working with the graphic design students and Professor Swoboda, they actually wanted some themes that we could give them that they could then kind of work with and come up with some designs and illustrations that relate to those themes. So it kind of worked hand-in-hand; that’s not always necessarily the case but I think going forward it will be because it helps those graphic design students with the process.” Taylor also says that one day he hopes to have the library of Currents issues archived in some sort of digital form. “I want to make sure that history isn’t lost,” Taylor says. “Currents has been around almost as long as the college has been around.” The next issue of Currents will be available near the end of the Spring semester.

Daphne Kelley, Tyler Gotsis, and Veronica McKelvie do an incredible job getting into character and performing the play as Allen, Annette, Michael, and Veronica respectively. Every student looked comfortable on the stage and with their respective stage spouses. The set and lighting stay stagnant throughout the show. It’s an interesting way of showing the static of the chaos that ensues on the stage, from the staged fight between Veronica and Allen, through all the caffeine, sugar, and alcohol the parents consume throughout their time arguing with each other about how to keep their kids from thinking violence is a solution to their issues. Overall, the cast does a great job blending the lines between humor and utter despair. The script talks a lot about gender roles and abuse, handling very heavy material. The cast at no point looked too uncomfortable with their lines nor mannerisms, which lets the audience stay at ease throughout the show without having to worry about how the cast will handle their difficult deliveries. Overall, this production succeeded in entertaining everyone who came to watch it, while shedding light on different kinds of dysfunctional family dynamics.


April 7, 2022

ART & LIFE 5

Nah, Nah, Nah, No to the Batman “The Batman” fails to save the audience from boredom

A

GEneva Lee NEWS EDITOR

movie is not a comic book. It is a mistake to believe perfect imitation for a strong adaptation. The Batman (2022) is an exercise in such, a threehour one at that. It was almost hard to see The Batman because the lighting was so low, with only jaundiced halogens barely bludgeoning, not slicing, through the dark. The rain soaked the film roll. The lionization of the grime and grit of Gotham was too much, and though comic book fans have criticized Christopher Nolan’s Batman films for being too clean, light, and smooth it’s worth saying that director Matt Reeves and cinematographer Greig Fraser’s decisions seem sophomorically reactionary and uninspired. The constant rain and night were paired with a narrative that was equally plodding, with viewers only strung along with only the promise of a plot payoff, and the characters saying that the corruption and conspiracy is greater than anyone could imagine. After all the overly-complex pageantry of red herrings, false trails, and dramatic scenes, the big reveal is standard and underwhelming. And viewers are not just dragged for ninety minutes— the film is three hours long. An hour or even an hour and a half could be cut, and the movie would still be bad, but still, it would be an improvement. The weak plot was exacerbated with flat characters, preventing investment in or care regarding the characters’ lives or actions. These roles were written poorly, but the actors did not make successful attempts to elevate their roles either. Pattinson has a pension for going

all-in on “emo” roles, as he did in the “Twilight” films, but he has shown that he has evolved considerably as an actor with a number of strong performances. It’s sad to say that he regresses in this return to one-dimensional angst.

especially poorly written: He left little riddles that Batman solved instantly or that required some circumlocutory thinking that was completely unrealistic. Though Batman and his world itself require a large suspension

The villains were indistinguishable, though Zoe Kravitz did well with what she was given, even if it was not much. The key villain, The Riddler, was

of disbelief, the behaviors of humans and thinking patterns in such worlds have to be relatable and realistic, and these cheap puzzles were just too little

or too much to pique interest. Paul Dano, who played The Riddler, also fell into the trap of making his character wacky—the Joker from The Dark Knight (2008) is clearly mentally ill, but he keeps a more serious profile. Dano hoots, loudly moans and cries, and will giggle while getting close to the camera in an acting style that makes him appear to be an amatuer Youtuber that Reeves found, which is kinda the point of the role, but it’s too amateurish. A stereotype of an incel, or a pseudo-intellectual incel that actual incels inspire to be, makes for such a drab foil for the Batman. One moment that stood out was the weak social critique in which the new mayor quips at Bruce for not using his wealth to help others systemically (a valid critique that deserves more consideration, except this would unravel the entire existence of the Batman, and then we wouldn’t have a movie). This new mayor is seen as a symbol of change and anticorruption, yet her story is not explored at all, and though it might be in the next movie, she is present enough that it is odd she is so in the background, especially with so much talk about politics. The critique of politics in The Batman is one of just an overall disgust with the swamp without critical thoughtfulness or engagement on how to clean it. Pattinson’s Batman just observes and complains and moves from crisis to crisis, as opposed to Bale’s, who throws his weight behind Havery Dent to find white knights for the city among The Dark Knight’s political considerations. We get it: Gotham is very goth. But without cadence and variance, the film is a three hour monotonous bore. It is filled with boring characters, weak promises, bland commentary, and poor acting that the audience can barely see. The Dark Knight (2008) needs to come take care of this Batman (2022).


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STLCC Counselors are here to help! Students come to counseling for: • Anxiety and/or stress • Depression or thoughts of suicide • Difficulty concentrating or lack of motivation • Relationship issues • Loneliness or isolation • Managing anger • Weight or body image concerns • Personal counseling • Crisis counseling • Adjusting to college • Accessing campus resources • Concerns about alcohol or drug use

If you are not sure whether counseling can help, please email us at counseling@stlcc.edu or call or text us at 314-539-5151 to talk about it.


April 7, 2022

OPINIONS 7

From the Lou and Proud

314 Day Evokes Appreciation For What St. Louis Has to Offer GENEVA LEE NEWS EDITOR

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n March 14, St. Louis celebrated its annual “314 Day,” derived from the (314) area code. This day is the chance for St. Louisans to reflect and take joy in our city and communities here, and for many, think about how we want Saint Louis to grow and how we can uplift our home. I love Saint Louis, and in my opinion, it is the best city in the world.

The Food: St. Louis’s food scene is richly diverse, with innumerable amazing restaurants in pockets and enclaves across town, some with big names, others that are holes in the wall. For a lead belt town in the Midwest, it is truly extraordinary how cosmopolitan our dining is. Meskerem Ethiopian offers Tikil Gomen, wholesome and filling potato, ginger, and curry on injera, a thin sourdough bread made of wheat and teff. One of the best meals I have ever had was at iNDO, a Southeast Asian restaurant, where fermented black bean, kombu butter, and persimmon arise from dishes and spread across the tongue. STL Soup Dumplings on Olive was one of the hardest things to give up when I became a vegetarian this year, and we have Israeli food at Olio, topnotch American at Vicia, Nicaraguan at Fritanga (which has one of the city’s best steaks), Sameem’s Afghan cuisine,

24-hour doughnuts at Old Town, Red’s BBQ. And after dinner, St. Louisans can get Olive Oil Lemon Verbena ice cream and other uniquely creative flavors at Clementine’s, watch employees pour ice cream ingredients liquid nitrogen into a bowl and then blow torch it all for what is not-gimmick but genuinely amazing ice cream, or just taste the best at Sweetie Pie’s. I could have written an essay about each of these spots, and there are so many more omitted. Ted Drewes: This is its own category. The s’mores concrete with cookie dough and dipping chocolate poured on top… it makes life good even on the worst days, and it makes good days into the best days. Free Museums: I did not realize until a few years ago that almost all museums require people to pay for tickets. This makes no sense. The St. Louis Art Museum, Contemporary Art Museum, Sheldon Galleries, Museum of Contemporary Religious Art, Science Center, Missouri History Museum, the Chess Museum, Zoo, Citygarden, Laumeier, the Kemper: all of these are completely, 100% free. Any person can afford to go. Educational destinations that do charge are almost exclusively less than $10, and they often have frequent free days: The Griot is $7.50; the Botanical Gardens is $6 for St. Louis County and City folks, and it is free two mornings a week; the Jewel Box is just $1. And most of these places, if emailed with an explanation that their price is a financial burden, are often willing to provide lower-cost or free tickets. No matter someone’s financial circumstances, St. Louis makes sure that each person can fully experience our world-class cultural institutions equitably.

Forest Park: Forty percent larger than Central Park, full of museums, woods, and the Grand Basin, this park has it all. Local News: Some of the St. Louis papers are rags, but we have the St. Louis American, Riverfront Times, Missouri Independent, and of course, yours truly, The Montage. And those are also free. Festivals: St. Louis has the Festival of Nations, FrizzFest, Taste of Soulard, Taste of St. Louis, Dogwood Festival, Taste of Black St. Louis, Clayton Art Fair, the Webster Art Fair, Missouri Botanical Gardens Japanese Festival, Werqfest,

City Museum: The City Museum is not free, but it is unlike any other museum out there, and it is awesome.

Black Pridefest, Cherokee Cinco de Mayo, and countless little block parties, pop up affairs, and special events that organizations put on. There is always something going on in St. Louis, and it’s usually free too. The People: The sense of community we got here, the wonderful characters, advocates, and general friendliness of people in Saint Louis is what makes Saint Louis home. I swear, every time I meet someone new, I can’t help but like them. There’s no shortage of role models, friends, ride-or-dies, and lifelong friends here in Saint Louis. If there was nothing else here, they’d still make it the best city in the world.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CITYMUSEUM.ORG

Letter to the editor Have you noticed how gas prices have skyrocketed? According to CNN Business, the national average gas price has flown to $4 per gallon as of this March. Gas was already getting more expensive but now it has increased more. Why is this happening? The major reason for the hefty price is the response of the U.S to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is why. Money talks. The United States and other NATO countries composed of the likes of France, Germany, Britain, historically neutral countries like Switzerland, and other countries from the European Union are by employing economic sanctions on Russia For example, the Biden Administration along with Germany imposed sanctions on the business

behind Russia’s 800 mile long natural gas pipeline named the Norm Stream 2. Additionally, the U.S has cut off Russia’s top two banks, Sberbank and VTB Bank, and several other large companies from the western market and the U.S and the rest of NATO has thrown Russia out of the SWIFT financial messaging system. This exclusion will make Russia unable to make international transactions in trade. The biggest economic sanction that affects us the most is that President Biden put a halt to the importation of Russian oil, coal, and natural gas in the U.S. Due to a highly globalized world, whatever happens in another country has a ripple effect on the whole globe. According to the U.S Energy

Information Administration, Russia is the European Union’s main market for its oil and natural gas exports. In 2020, Russia was the third-largest producer of oil after the United States and Saudi Arabia. Cutting off Russia leaves an empty gap that creates a higher demand for these needed exports in Europe and the U.S. Furthermore, the U.S was already fighting off inflation with gas prices rising before the Ukrainian Invasion. That’s why gas prices reached a national average of $3.44 per gallon in February of 2022 according to AAA. The economic sanctions of Russian oil affects Americans the most because a major difference between the three biggest oil exporters of the U.S, Russia, and Saudi Arabia is that the U.S uses

far more oil. According to the 2021 BP Statistical Review of World Energy, the U.S uses 17.2 million barrels of oil per day compared to 3.2 million barrels of oil per day in Russia and 3.5 million barrels of oil per day in Saudi Arabia. The unique high demand for oil in the U.S is highly vulnerable to predicaments like the Ukrainian Invasion compared to any other country. When oil becomes more scarce the need unfortunately doesn’t. The price for oil will surge. It’s like rare baseball cards or antiques. The rarer it is, the more expensive it gets. That is why we are seeing absurd gas prices. Is this the sacrifice Americans are willing to take to help Ukraine fight for their independence? Joshua Stender, Student


8 SPORTS

April 7, 2022

Archer’s Baseball keeps on rolling

A look ahead at the playing schedule for the month of April

Away

At Home

Thu. 7 vs Mineral Area College * 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM Mon. 11 vs Southwestern Illinois College 3:00 PM Fri. 15 vs Jefferson College * 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM Sat. 23 vs St. Charles Community College * 12:00 PM & 2:30 PM Sat. 30 vs East Central College ^ 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM

Sat. 9 vs Mineral Area College * 12:00 PM & 2:00 PM Sat. 16 vs Jefferson College * 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM Thu. 21 vs St. Charles Community College * 12:00 PM & 2:30 PM Sat. 28 vs Metroplitan Community College 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM

PHOTO BY DAKOTA PULCHER

SEASON STATS

* denotes Conference game ^ denotes Division game

YOU CAN DO IT HERE

At Webster University, transfer students are a vital part of our campus and student life. About 50% of Webster University’s undergraduate students join our community with transfer credit from accredited institutions and military training. We offer guaranteed admission for students with an associate degree from a community college. Our transfer scholarships make earning a degree from a private university affordable. We understand the needs of transfer students and are here to support your success. For more information visit: webster.edu/transfer Webster University has been offering online degrees since 1999.

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Recognized for excellence in the development and support of dynamic and innovative transfer pathways for community college transfer students by Phi Theta Kappa for the 5th consecutive year.

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