27Oct2011

Page 1

October 27, 2011

Volume 47 Issue 5

PAGE 6-7 Looking into the historic St. Louis mansion.

Meramec student volunteers in Africa.

Students and faculty lend a hand around Kirkwood.

PAGES 8-9

PAGE 10

WWW.MERAMECMONTAGE.COM

Disruptive behavior continues; student suspended

Campus documents 130 complaints regarding student behavior this semester KURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR STLCC-Meramec Campus Police responded to a call near Communications South after a student was struck by another student on campus between 10:30 a.m. and 11:50 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12. The suspect was suspended, according to Campus President George Wasson.

Banta said the students congregate under the shelter of the communications south building to smoke.

“If we have to suspend somebody to serve the greater good at Meramec, that’s what we have to do,” Wasson said. “Anyone should be able to traverse the campus without intimidation – without fear of being accosted by anyone, any place.”

All campuses were designated as tobaccofree, effective January 2011. A fine of $15 for violation of the tobacco ban has been proposed and submitted to the Meramec campus councils for approval. The Board of Trustees could approve the fine as soon as January 2012, according to Wasson’s recent memorandum.

Banta said complaints are most frequent between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Banta said the fine could remedy some of the congregating and in effect the disruptive behavior.

Student Melina Lindscog said one of her professors was asked to escort another faculty member through the area outside communications south.

At press time, a police report was not immediately available and the case is still under investigation, Police Chief Paul Banta said. The victim positively identified the suspect with a photo, Banta said, and the suspect was detained and released by Kirkwood Police. “We’re not going to stand for that kind of behavior,” Banta said. According to Banta, 130 complaints have been documented regarding disruptive behavior this semester. He said the complaints include violations of the campus tobacco ban. “We haven’t had that problem where we have repeat complaints,” Banta said. “And I’ve been here for four years.”

“I think smoking is secondary to disruptive behavior,” Banta said.

On Oct. 21, a memorandum from Wasson, Vice President of Student Affairs Lin Crawford and Banta was sent to Meramec faculty and staff addressing disruptive behavior: “The Meramec campus leadership is aware of recent problems involving smoking violations, disruptive and disrespectful behavior, the use of offensive and profane language and possible sexual harassment by students congregating between communications south and the business administration building and between communications south and communications north.”

Student ambassadors host tourney Dodgeball tournament raises money for breast cancer research

Furthermore, the memorandum disclosed that uniformed police personnel and plain-clothed personnel will be designated to the areas during the targeted days and times, and “disciplinary action will be taken by the vice president of student affairs.”

“It’s a sad state of affairs that people don’t do the right thing,” Banta said. “It’s the kind of thing you might see in a sophomore setting.”

“I try to avoid that area,” Lindscog said. “It’s annoying because you’re a college student, and you’re paying to go to school here.” Students, faculty and staff are urged to notify campus police of any disturbances throughout the campus. “We’re all here together. We’re all here for the same purpose. We’re all here for the same end,” Wasson said. “Most students want to protect our campus [and] we need help.”

Hands on Kirkwood KURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR Hundreds of people, including Meramec students and faculty, took to the streets of Kirkwood Saturday, Oct. 22 for the fifth annual Hands on Kirkwood day of service. More than 550 people from local churches, hockey teams and students from Meramec’s Service Learning Department participated in projects ranging from Service Learning has participated in Make a Difference Day, a national day of community service held in October, for more than 10 years. Yellow t-shirts sporting the words “A missionALL community project. Making a difference,” could be seen behind steering wheels, on the sidewalks and outside Kirkwood’s churches and businesses throughout the morning and early afternoon. “It was always the goal to make it a citywide day,” Hands on Kirkwood co-chair Jason Norton said.

PHOTO BY: Mike Ziegler A member of the International Club team attempts to dodge the ball during the fall 2011 Dodgeball tournament in the Meramec Gym on Oct. 20. Money raised from team dues and consession sales went toward supporting breast cancer research.

Story on page 12

This year was Service Learning’s first time working with Kirkwood’s day of service. Service Learning Office Manager Debbie Corson said Service Learning joined Hands on Kirkwood to broaden the “scope of projects” and allow students to get involved by giving back to the community.

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