SCENE THE
THE
Fall Issue 1
OCTOBER 1, 2021
THESCENEFP.COM
www.thescenefp.com
Welcome Week See pages 2, 4-5
Opinions on vaccine See page 3
St. Louis Community College at Forest Park
Cafeteria gone for good
By Teddy Geigle The Scene staff Forest Park is permanently closing its cafeteria for the first time since it opened in the 1960s. St. Louis Community College decided this summer to close cafeterias on all of its campuses, following more than a year of temporarily suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Forest Park President Julie Fickas noted that the college doesn’t have students living in dorms like four-year universities. That results in low traffic at times, particularly in the past year. It’s been challenging for STLCC to find private vendors to operate its cafeterias, according to Fickas. “We’re moving to a different model for food,” she said. The former cafeteria space still has tables
and chairs for studying, socializing or eating packed lunches. But the campus bookstore has moved into the area that used to house the kitchen, drink machines and buffets for hot breakfasts, pizza, entrees and sandwiches. Administrators say the bookstore will begin selling more food items, in addition to the ramen noodles, tuna packets, candy, Lunchables and cold sandwiches that it cur- Fickas rently offers. Future choices could include pizza, burgers, soup and other hot items, according to Rodney Jones, STLCC auxiliary manager. “This definitely won’t be super soon,” he said. “Closer to later this year, we will be expanding the selection available to students.”
Kaldi’s coffee coming
Photo by Leilani England
STLCC sweatshirts hang near a beverage case in the new bookstore.
Kaldi’s coffee machines are coming to the bookstore and the Center for Nursing and Health Sciences in October, Fickas announced in a recent employee newsletter. The machines will offer preset coffee drinks with beans ground on site and fresh milk instead of powdered creamer, according to Jones. “It is actually really high-quality coffee,” he said. Vending machines on campus will continue to sell soda, chips, candy bars and other snacks, but many have been half empty since the college gradually reopened after a COVID-19 shutdown in the spring and summer of 2020. Before the shutdown, the cafeteria had been operated by a series of private vendors. Its permanent closing is a disappointment
Campus more ‘normal,’ except for masks By De’Ja Thompson The Scene staff Many Forest Park students are back on campus for the first time in a year and a half. That makes receptionist Carrie Ford very happy. “It’s fantastic,” she said. “It’s such a joy to see all the students coming back, and we’ll do all we can to make them feel welcome.” St. Louis Community College campuses closed in the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, moving classes online. A limited number of students and employees returned in the fall, while others continued online. Since that time, the number of in-person classes has gradually increased. Most students have returned to campus this semester. But the college is requiring masks indoors and taking other safety precautions. “The majority of the students follow the
Photo by Leilani England
Elements of the former cafeteria, including the tray counter, remain amid items for sale in the new Forest Park bookstore. for Lahaji Thomas, a staff member in the TRiO program. “I don’t like it,” he said. “… I have to go outside now to get something. I would get breakfast and lunch there most days.”
space) was the bookstore. I thought all of “We’re moving to a this was the cafeteria.” different model The former cafeteria space wasn’t renovatfor food.” ed before the book– Forest Park President Julie Fickas store moved in this semester. Customers can still see the grill, oven, buffets with sneeze guards and water Some are unaware lines for coffee machines. General studies student Logan Hentschel Counters and shelves are lined with merisn’t really bothered by the fact that there’s chandise, everything from notebooks and no cafeteria on campus. nursing supplies to insulated mugs, stuffed Hentschel is attending Forest Park for animals, STLCC hoodies and other cloththe first time this semester, like many other ing. students who don’t realize anything has Some students, faculty and staff complain changed. that food prices are too high in the book“I usually just bring a lunch,” Hentschel said. “I didn’t know (the new bookstore See Cafeteria page 2
rules and even ask for masks,” said Ford, 73, who works at the Student Center information desk.
Glad to be back
Many students, faculty and staff seem to enjoy being on back on campus, according to an informal poll taken by The Scene recently. Jennifer Dinh, 16, didn’t like online learning as a student at Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience, a high school in St. Louis. This is her first semester at Forest Park. She’s part of the Early College Academy program, which allows students to earn high school diplomas and associate’s degrees at the same time. “I prefer in-person school learning because it is hard for me to look at a com-
See Masks page 7
Photo by Andrew Quinn
The Forest Park library is busy again with the return of most students to campus after the COVID-19 shutdown and gradual reopening.