SCENE THE
THE
Fall Issue 1
Sept. 20, 2019
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Earliest memories See page 3
Spider-man’s quandry See page 7
St. Louis Community College at Forest Park
Robison pleads guilty of stealing $7.5 million Former STLCC employee faced 15 charges
Photo by Mark Ngunjiri
One of several TV sets on campus, this one in the Student Center lobby, highlights news and events, including the new Missouri civics exam requirement.
State now requires passage of civics test Blackboard provides questions, study tips
many Missouri high schools. Only students seeking associate’s degrees are required to take the civics test, not those enrolled in certificate programs. STLCC students will use the college’s By Ethan Tutor Blackboard website to take the test. This can be The Scene staff done at any time during their college attendance. The process begins with students signForest Park students who enrolled for the first time this fall, as well as future students ing up for a free, non-credit “class” called seeking associate’s degrees, will have to Mandatory Continuing Education 100. This gives them access to the actual civics test, pass a civics test in order to graduate. That’s because the Missouri General as well as study materials that can help them Assembly passed Senate Bill 807 and Gov. prepare. “It would be wise for all students to enroll Michael L. Parson signed it into law last year. in MCE 100 as soon as they can,” said “Any student enterJames Munden, dean ing a public institution of the math and STEM “Knowledge about our of higher education Business Division at for the first time after Forest Park. July 2019 who is pur- government enables Students may take suing an associate’s the civics test as many or bachelor’s degree students to be informed times as they want from such institution citizens, so they can better until they pass. shall successfully pass Forest Park politian examination on the fulfill their civic duty.” cal science profesprovisions and prinsor Ssebunya Kasule ciples of American – Political science professor strongly supports the civics with a score Ssebunya Kasule new legal requirement of seventy percent or passed by the legislagreater as a condition of graduation from such institution,” the ture. “The civics test is a good addition to the law states. college curriculum,” he said. “It ensures that Tests must contain 50 to 100 queseach student has some basic knowledge of tions, including some that cover the U.S. our system before graduating. Knowledge Constitution, Declaration of Independence, about our government enables students to Bill of Rights and other U.S. laws and history. be informed citizens, so they can better fulMissouri State University created a civics fill their civic duty.” test and sent it to all colleges and universiForest Park computer applications major ties in the state to be adapted to their needs, according to Robert Lee, a history professor Samuel Santanear, 18, also supports the requirement. He hasn’t taken a government at Meramec. He and other humanities professors with class since his junior year of high school St. Louis Community College reviewed the and has never taken a civics test, but he’s not worried about passing. test for use on their campuses. “Yes, (the test’s) existence is justified,” “We reworded a few things,” Lee said, Santanear said. “Our country is very patrinoting the STLCC version closely resemotic. … It makes sense.” bles the civics test that is administered at
Robison is out on an unsecured $25,000 bond approved by Magistrate Judge Patricia L. Cohen. Robison allegedly created a fake company and paid that company for job-training services that the state had contracted with By Zoey Tincknell STLCC to provide. The services were never The Scene staff provided. “It was out of our control,” Tolson said. A former St. Louis Community College “We couldn’t prevent it. ... We are thankful employee has pleaded guilty to 15 federal he pled guilty. The only thing we can do charges related to the theft of $7.5 is look inward to make sure it million from the college and state doesn’t happen again.” of Missouri. The federal charges against As part of a plea agreement Robison include wire fraud, mail in U.S. District Court, Eastern fraud and money laundering. District of Missouri, Donald Sentencing is expected to take Robison, 57, of Ballwin, admitted place Nov. 12. to stealing the money over 20 STLCC Chancellor Jeff Pittman years. couldn’t be reached for comment. “From August 1998 to He released a statement to faculty November 2018, Robison stole Robison members and staff on Aug. 14, the millions of dollars allocated for day charges were filed. New and Retained Job Training “In late April, the College disPrograms established by the covered it had been a victim of Missouri Department of Economic Robison’s fraudulent and criminal Department,” according to an Aug. scheme,” it stated. “We immedi14 news release from Assistant ately began an internal investiU.S. Attorney Lindsay McCluregation and worked in full coopHartman. eration with the U.S. Attorney’s Robison formerly served as Office and FBI. We are grateful manager of corporate services for for a quick investigation and resoTolson the college’s Workforce Solutions lution in securing this guilty plea.” Group. He was fired in April, after STLCC Matt Fry, Robison’s attorney, didn’t return froze bank accounts, according to Kedra calls for comment. Tolson, executive director of marketing and See Robison page 2 communications.
Photo by Mark Ngunjiri
Windows of opportunity
The grand opening of Forest Park’s new Center for Nursing and Health Sciences was celebrated on Aug. 16 with a ribbon-cutting. See pages 4 and 5 for photos of the open house.
News
Robinson The Scene conducted a random survey on campus this month and found that many students didn’t even know about the multimillion-dollar crime. The college filed a civil complaint in St. Louis County Circuit Court on April 30, alleging that Robison had stolen more than $5.4 million in state funds. Further investigation apparently determined the amount was much higher. The civil lawsuit is still ongoing, Tolson said this month. “We will seek full restoration for our losses.” When asked whether the state might stop contracting with STLCC for job-training services because of the fraudulent activity, Kedra said, “We are still continuing to partner with all entities we were previously contracted with. “Our mission is to continue a solid education and a place for training in the workforce for our students,” she added. According to the U.S. attorney’s news release, Robison set up multiple invest-
from page 1
“We are thankful he pled guilty. The only thing we can do is look inward to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
— Kedra Tolson, college
spokeswoman ments and bank accounts and spread out the money to hide his illegal tracks. The retrieved stolen money will go back to the state of Missouri and college’s Workforce Solutions Group to continue job training for students, according to Tolson. In the civil case, STLCC alleges that Robison committed a breach of fiduciary duty of loyalty, tortious interference with business relations and tortious interference with contract.
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Sept. 20, 2019
Campus chatter Roderick Hogan, 41, nursing “I was 4 years old, and it snowed 20 inches, and the city was shut down. My brother and I jumped off the back porch of our two-story apartment into the snow.”
Josh Warren, 26, culinary arts “I remember always being the tallest kid in elementary school. Nobody ever picked on me.”
Miriah Wilson, 21, general transfer “I got lost at the City Museum, and I felt hopeless. I was with my mom, dad and brother. I do not remember how old I was.”
Marquess Pearson, 18, theater “In first grade, I pooped my pants. I ate and pooped my pants again. I sat in my own poop for the whole day. I was the only one who knew. Nobody smelled me until the end of the day. Then I was put on the spot for pooping my pants. I was called ‘Doo-doo boy’ for the rest of the year.”
Isablla Stone, 21, behaviorial health support “My first cuss word over bacon. At the time, I slept with my parents. I slid off the bed and said, ‘Mommy, I want bacon like at Grandma’s house.’ They didn’t hear me, so I screamed, ‘Bacon, bacon, (F-word).’ My parents tried to hide their laughter.”
Dicha Barnes, 18, nursing “I was in second grade, and I attended Herzog elementary. I would walk to school every day and during the winter, I wore wedgie boots covered in fur. When I reached the front door of the school, I would fall.”
What is your earliest
Rosetta Bell, 20, psychology “I was very little, and my grandma would take me on car rides to make me fall asleep.”
Sept. 20, 2019
Michael Tevlin, 32, social services “I was 6 years old, playing street hockey or kickball in my neighborhood. I would play with my older brother and the kids in the neighborhood: Joe, Kim, John and Cassie.”w
memory?
Branden Woodruff, 18, criminal law “I took my mom’s cowboy boots to wear while I played around with my Yugi cards.”
Michelle Maxey, 68, communications “Being afraid of a doll that my mom put in my crib. The doll had a huge face. It was a stuffed doll, and it had a plastic face.”
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Kathryn Konzen, 26, patient care technician “My brother was just born. I remember visiting him with my dad. We were trying to come up with a name for him.”
Willie Hutchins, cafeteria cashier “My first Christmas, I can remember I was 3 years old, and I got a helicopter. I would wind the propellers, and it would fly.”
Layout by Lulu Ali
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Students, faculty and staff can get treated at the dental clinic.
STLCC Chancellor Jeff Pittman, center, cuts a ribbon wi Fallorin, Linda Martinez, Kevin Martin, Julie Fickas, Mary and Marissa Mafuli.
Heal Sta Ultrasound technician major Jade McNeil, 21, studies in the hallway before going to class.
PHOTOS BY MAR
St. Louis Commun held an official gra on Aug. 16 at its ne Nursing and Health the Forest Park Officials cut ribb for photos and ga the four-level buil has brightly colore modern medical e This lab room is used by students in the clinical laboratory technology program.
Layout by Katelyn C Page 4
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Sept. 20, 2019
The waiting room outside the dental clinic is particularly colorful.
ith nursing students and college officials, from left, Lee Ann y Nelson, Andrew Langrehr, Sandra Rotty, Michael Kennedy
lthy art
A mannequin lies on a gurney in a simulation room off the clinical lab.
RK NGUNJIRI
nity College and opening ew Center for h Sciences on k campus. bons, posed ave tours of lding, which ed decor and equipment.
Clancy Sept. 20, 2019
Lockers line a hallway leading to the radiology lab.
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Opinion By Cameron Kuntz
Scene THE
Business/web manager: Victor Paletta Circulation: Zacchaeus Windham Reporters/photographers: Zoey Tincknell, Ethan Tutor, Angelica Woody, Mark Ngunjiri, Tyrell Smith, Craig Mershon, Kevin Santander, Ariah Davis, Rekwane Wagner Layout: Katelyn Clancy, Lulu Ali Cartoonists: Cameron Kuntz, Mackenzie Gregory, Larry Cox Faculty advisers: Teri Maddox, Fred Ortlip
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The Scene is a publication written and designed by students at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park, 5600 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110. The office is in F Tower, Room 408. The telephone number is (314) 644-9140. The e-mail address is the_scene_fp@yahoo.com. All text, photos, graphics and other content are property of The Scene and may not be used without permission. Views expressed are not necessarily those of St. Louis Community
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College, its Board of Trustees or administration. The Scene welcomes opinion pieces and letters to the editor. They should be signed and include the writer’s student or staff number. They can be mailed to the above addresses or delivered by hand. We reserve the right to edit for length and taste. The Scene will run classified ads for students free of charge. They should be submitted in the manner described above.
Sept. 20, 2019
Opinion
Is Spider-Man caught in a tangled web? Culture Geek
By Ethan Tutor The Scene staff The big movie news that’s been setting the internet on fire is the surprise announcement that Spider-Man will no longer be part of Marvel Cinematic Universe, or “MCU” for short. What does this mean? Tom Holland, who’s portrayed the beloved character in “Captain America: Civil War,” the last two “Avengers” movies and two of his own, will not be sharing the same “universe” with characters such as Iron Man, Captain America, Doctor Strange and the Avengers anymore. For many fans and moviegoers, this news is very disappointing. The last two Spider-Man movies, before Marvel rebooted him for a third time, were less than well received. Andrew Garfield played Spidey in “The Amazing Spider-Man” and the cleverly named sequel, “The Amazing SpiderMan 2.”
Sept. 20, 2019
The last five pre-MCU disputed, but I believe all of it Spider-Man films faded into falls on Disney’s shoulders. obscurity and now are genWhen news that negotiations erally accepted as the more had broken down hit the pressforgettable ones, similar to es, many people were confident the way many people don’t that a deal would eventually be remember that Val Kilmer struck and felt that worrying played Batman back in the was pointless. But these hopes day. took a blow once Sony cleared So when Spidey became the air with a formal series of part of the bigger universe, tweets. fans rejoiced, and after five The tweets stated that Sony movies, many felt he had officials were “disappointed, found a permanent home but respected Disney’s deciwith Disney, which owns sion,” verbally dumping the Marvel. blame on Disney. Hence the shock when Kevin Feige, president Deadline reported that of Marvel Studios, recently Disney and Sony couldn’t This selfie from “Spider-Man: Homecoming” shows the addressed the controversy in reach an agreement before latest version of the character setting his sights on the an Entertainment Weekly intertheir existing contract Avengers Tower in New York City. view, saying that Spider-Man expired last month. in the MCU was “never meant Under the previous deal, Sony pro- Sony is for sale is another question. to last” and that Sony and Disney “told the duced the films and received 95 percent Contract negotiations became their own story we wanted to tell and will always be of profits. Disney had complete control dramatic story in August, when Disney thankful for that.” over the creative process, receiving 5 sought to alter the contract, asking for an It would be great to pull back the veil percent of profits and all merchandising even 50/50 split, which Sony rejected. and see the inside business that’s behind revenue. Disney was most likely pushed to make all this, but as of right now, all we have is The roots of this arrangement go back to an ultimatum when Spidey’s newest movie, disappointment. the 1990s, when Marvel was facing bank- last summer’s “Spider-Man: Far From Spider-Man is many people’s favorruptcy and started selling its characters to Home,” made a billion dollars at the box ite superhero and having him abruptly other companies. Sony bought the film office. It was the first Spider-Man movie leave the MCU, especially after “Far rights to Spider-Man for a mere $7 million, to do this. From Home” ended on a cliffhanger, and Disney took over Fox Studios, includI see Disney as foolish, not for suggesting really stings. ing rights to X-Men. The future of Spider-Man is uncertain, but the contract change, but for ending negoThe ultimate power move that Disney tiations when its proposal was rejected. what we do know is that he is one of many could make right now would be simply to Simply put, some money is still better than characters that can stand the test of time, buy Sony. The company has the money no money. and he will continue to do so, no matter who (a net worth of $130 billion), but whether The blame for this disaster has been hotly creates his next story.
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Page 7
A Day in the Life of Forest Park Photo by Lulu Ali
Art majors Kelly Robinson, left, and Grace Biesterfeld create works in Advanced Painting class.
Photo by Tyrell Smith
Microbiology student Kevin Walden, 47, uses a dry-erase board to make notes, focusing on types of bacteria and where they grow in test tubes, depending on oxygen requirements.
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Photo by Fred Ortlip
A praying mantis on a window in G Tower appears to be hovering over the theater building on campus.
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Photo by Mark Ngunjiri
Jalien Douglas, a constuction worker at the new Center for Nursing and Health Sciences, flips through a GQ magaxine in the Forest Park library during a break.
Sept. 20, 2019