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.
News
Concert highlights Welcome Week
By Shauna Stagner had a blast,” Copeland said, adding that if concert becomes an annual event, “We’ll The Scene staff Forest Park hosted a “Friday at the definitely make it a point to come back.” Dirty Muggs performed from 5 to 7 p.m. Fountain” concert on campus in 2019 with DJ Prospect played hip-hop music before hopes that it would become an annual event. and after the band. Then COVID-19 hit. Perhaps the biggest glitch of the eveA year and a half later, the St. Louis ning was a last-minute cancellation by Full band Dirty Muggs welcomed back students Moon Food Truck, which was supposed to for fall semester with serve food from 4 to 8 p.m. An employee R&B, blues, Motown came down with COVID-19, according to and other music Sept. officials. 3 on the quad. As a result, the college couldn’t provide “Things went well,” free food to the first 100 concertgoers as said Donivan Foster, planned. But that didn’t seem to dampen the manager of Campus fun for Dirty Muggs fans, such as Cassandra Life, which organized White, manager of Student Success. the concert and other “The event was spectacular,” she said. Welcome Week activTiffany Bush, Copeland’s administrative ities. assistant, also checked out the concert after “I could see the work. She thought it was good for students, joy on people’s faces. Foster employees, their families and the larger Students, staff and community. community liked it. Campus leadership Bush was particularly impressed by a came with their families and were very 10-year-old girl’s enthusiastic dancing. happy with the outcome.” “My most memorable moment was to More than 150 people sat in lawn chairs see the little girl dance,” Bush said. “She and on concrete benches, shaded by trees inspired me to get out there and dance, north of F Tower. A few got up and danced. too.” Everyone seemed to wear a smile. They Officials still hope the concert will were happy to be outdoors and not subject become an annual event, giving Forest Park to the indoor mask mandate. students and employees a chance to get The concert was a family affair for Boyd together for some fun and stress-free qualCopeland III, vice ity time outside of the president of multiculclassroom. “We attended and tural student services, Foster said Campus who is spending his had a blast.” Life wants students to first semester at Forest know that its staff cares – Boyd Copeland, Forest Park’s Park. He brought his for them, not only their new president of multicultural wife and son. academics, but also “We attended and student services their well-being.
Photo by George Estes
Lead singer Taynka MiMi performs with the band Dirty Muggs as part of Welcome Week on the Forest Park quad. Bush noted that a group of motorcyclists watching the Sept. 3 concert were asked to move their bikes after parking in an Oakland Avenue cut-out, next to the bus stop. “Maybe we should take them into consideration (next year) and have a dedicated spot so they won’t be rushed off,” she said. Foster’s co-workers, Dedra Duncan and Tanya Carr, helped organize Welcome Week activities, which also included a two-day
Cafeteria store. Others consider them fair under the circumstances. “They have to make a profit somehow,” said student Tyra Kelly.
Scene THE
Prices at QT level
Jones, the auxiliary manager, said the bookstore can’t afford to sell food items at grocery-store prices, but he hopes to keep them “under or around stores like QT” because of tight student budgets. The COVID pandemic hit in mid-March of 2020. Schools, offices, retail stores and other businesses closed all over the country. STLCC moved its classes online. A limited number of students and employ-
Web manager: Victor Paletta
Circulation: Zacchaeus Windham Reporters/photographers: Shauna Stagner, De’Ja Thompson, Teddy Geigle, Markell Tompkins, George Estes, Leilani England, Andrew Quinn, Hamida Mohamed, Gold Kpae, Ilham Matiker
expo in the quad. Students could gather information on classes, clubs, sports and other extracurricular activities and meet sponsors, instructors, coaches and tutors. They also could win prizes, such as flash drives, notebooks, wipes, T-shirts, bags and coffee cups. A company offered free photo sessions with boas, parasols, oversized sunglasses and other props.
from page 1 ees returned in the fall, while others continued with remote learning. Since that time, the number of in-person classes has gradually increased. With cafeteria operations temporarily suspended, people began to pack their own lunches or rely on the soda, chips and candy in vending machines for meals. Bookstore sales have dropped since preCOVID days, according to Jones. He plans to begin offering more high-protein and energy bars and gluten-free products, in addition to hot food. “Wildwood is our go-to example,” he said, referring to STLCC’s campus in Wildwood.
Layout: Sophia Garthe Cartoonist: Zane Scott Faculty advisers: Teri Maddox, Fred Ortlip
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.
The Scene archive photo
Forest Park held fall registration in the cafeteria in 1991, before college schedules became computerized.
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October 1, 2021
Campus chatter Lillian Befeler, 18, general transfer “I totally support the vaccine. I trust science. Everyone in my family trusts science. All my family members that I know are vaccinated, and I’m vaccinated. … I’m not immuno-compromised, but there are other people who are immune-compromised, and the vaccine is going to be less effective on them. It’s not about me; it’s about those people. I’m just doing my part for society.”
Rachel Stull, 28, director of Academic Advising and Student Success “I’m very thankful for it and glad that it’s available to all Americans and everyone else in the world.”
Megan Griffin, 21, general transfer “I’m vaccinated, so I’m definitely pro-vaccine. My dad is 71, and I didn’t want to get him sick, and I didn’t want to get anyone else sick, either. I work in the healthcare profession.”
Bailey Rothe, 18, sociology “I feel that it’s important to get, like all other vaccines. I worked in a nursing home when (the pandemic) first started, so I was one of the first people to get vaccinated. And I’ve noticed that people who don’t get vaccinated are affected by COVID a lot more than people who do.”
Marissa Neitzel, 20, dental assisting “I think it’s very good for people, so we can slowly get past the mask mandate and everything and hopefully get back to normal life, which is why they (developed) the vaccine in the first place. … Some people are opposed to it, and that’s understandable. They think they rushed it. But I think it’s a good thing.”
Lahaji Thomas, 32, TRiO adviser “It’s a great thing that it’s here and it’s been approved by the FDA. But I also feel that it’s everyone’s personal choice to get it or not.”
How do you feel about the
Jason Bollinger, adjunct philosophy professor “I’m in favor of being vaccinated. I think there’s no reason to have any hesitancy at this point. The FDA has given full approval. If you don’t trust Moderna, get the Pfizer vaccine. I think all teachers and all students and basically anyone who wants to be in public should be vaccinated.”
Sharon Marquardt, assistant athletic director “I’m going to reserve my opinion until there’s some more research done on it, to see how it affects us.”
October 1, 2021
VACCINE? By Markell Tompkins
Austin Rhodes, 18, culinary “It’s OK that people are cautious and a little scared of taking it, especially since it’s been really publicized. But I got my vaccine three or four months ago, and it’s something that everybody needs to get back to normal.”
Sasha Green, 16, Early College Academy “I’m vaccinated, so I personally think that it’s a better idea to get vaccinated. I know that some people are hesitant to take it, but I definitely think that it’s better to do it, just for the safety of others.”
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Regina Hughes, 20, general transfer “I feel OK about the vaccine. I’m not against it, but I’m not for it, either. I don’t have the vaccine, so I don’t feel a certain way about it.”
Loralei Turner, 18, photography “I think it’s a great tool for us to start getting America back to what it was pre-COVID.”
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Disability Access Manager Telitha Rogers-Anderson, right, speaks
Welc
Photo by George Estes
In this view from the fourth floor of F Tower, Dirty Muggs performs on the quad.
Michayla Mays, left, and Brielle Brooks of Creative Eye LLC operated a photo booth with props.
The Campus Life departmen September, including booths o by the Dirty Muggs band. It
Photo by George Estes
People sho
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October 1, 2021
Photo by George Estes
s with students.
come Week Lead singer Taynka MiMi performs with the Dirty Muggs band, a St. Louis favorite.
Photo by George Estes
nt hosted Welcome Week activities on the Forest Park quad in early operated by clubs and organizations, DJ music and live entertainment t was a way for students to get oriented, get involved and get down.
Photo by George Estes
oot video, clap and dance to the music during the concert.
October 1, 2021
The Scene
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Opinion Great Scott
By Zane Scott
If COVID hit in 1849 ...
“Howdy, stranger. What brings you to these parts?”
“I can’t believe my own brother doesn’t recognize me.”
@theSceneForestPark
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October 1, 2021
Opinion
What’s happening at the library? Guest column By Monica Holland Forest Park library manager Thank you, students, for putting up with recent construction at the Forest Park library! You’ve had to use new routes to get to the library and listen to a good amount of noise, but we are glad to see so many of you still showing up to use your library space. Signs have been posted to help you find the library via halls in the tunnel, but I am not sure everyone knows exactly Holland what is happening with the library this semester. Allow me to deconstruct the construction projects for you.
Modern entrance
Construction began Sept. 16 for the new front doors to the library lobby. By the time you read this, I hope that project is completed, and you are using these doors. The new doors are much like the entrance doors at the Student Center, with a main set of automatic sliding doors that open wide enough to allow more than one person to enter at a time. On either side is a manual door available for use. These will be handy if there is a power outage. What is missing, but will not be missed, are the metal guide rails leading to the old automatic library doors. It was so nice to see those go away, leaving behind a clean and modern passageway into and out of the lobby. We look forward to a warmer lobby and library this winter, with doors that will close fully after someone passes through them. Expect to see the tall tables and stools and the benches back in place, and the lobby once again available for your use!
Masks
New elevator
We are also getting a larger, ADAcompliant elevator for students, staff, and faculty using the library and Academic Success & Tutoring center. A hallway will run from the library lobby through part of the library workroom to the new elevator. This project started in August and was quite a noisemaker in the beginning! We were surprised at how loud the work was for a couple of those days, and yet a good number of you continued to use your library space. We made sure we had earplugs available to all interested in using them. The last update has a finish date of early 2022, possibly in January. Please note for ADA access to tutoring during this construction project, please reach out to Kim Crank (kcrank@stlcc.edu) or Monica Holland (mholland51@stlcc.edu). Tutoring will be provided on main floor of the library.
Water leaks
Consulting firms have been hired to determine the cause of water leaks from the soffit that runs along the ceiling on the upper level of the library and the water infiltration along the foundation of the library building that shows up in the Bone Room
Photo by Andrew Quinn
A construction worker can be seen through the window of the Forest Park library, where the entrance is being renovated with new doors. and various tutoring spaces. Once the consultants determine the causes, the college will know what repairs are needed and will work to make those repairs happen in a timely manner. Library staff are hyper-vigilant anytime it rains, and we appreciate our patrons alerting us when they see water where it shouldn’t be. Once these problems are fixed, we look forward to new carpet on the upper level of the library and in the tutoring spaces on the lower level.
Full services
Your library is offering full services during these projects, including: • Circulation help
• Research help + Ask-a-Librarian • Course reserves • Book scanners • Printers • Quiet study areas • Small group study areas with whiteboards Please let us know about services you would like your library to offer or other ways we can make the space even more useful for you. A suggestion box is located at the circulation desk, or send me an email at mholland51@stlcc.edu. Thank you for using your library space and services. We continue to be free, friendly and here for you!
Read us at home or on the run! date, I won’t feel entirely safe.”
Safety precautions
The STLCC website outlines COVID19 rules, procedures and recommendations put in place to protect students, faculty and staff. Beyond the mask mandate, the college is: • Encouraging vaccinations. • Recommending social distancing. • Asking people to wash their hands frequently. • Telling people to stay home if they’re sick. • Facilitating self-reporting of positive coronavirus tests. • Requiring housekeepers to clean classrooms regularly. “People are doing well with the mask rule,” Dinh said. “When I am in class, everyone has their masks on. Sometimes, I forget and come a little bit too close to people.” Overall, Dinh feels safe on campus. Her only objection is that some classrooms seem a little too crowded, given that the pandemic is still going on. Ilham Matiker, 16, another student in the Early College Academy, also has a positive outlook. “Some people have chosen not to wear masks,” she said. “But overall, everyone is doing a really excellent job of following the rules.”
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English professor Angela Warfield, 48, has found teaching and learning more difficult with masks, noting that they make it hard to understand what people are saying and interpret non-verbal communication. Also, Warfield hates not being able to drink her Starbucks coffee during class. But Warfield is supportive of COVID-19 safety precautions. In fact, she would like to see more. “I miss my students (when not on campus),” she said. “I miss my colleagues. I miss the energy that really can only be found in the classroom. “But I don’t feel entirely safe (on campus). Until the college has a vaccine man-
October 1, 2021
The colorful and comfortable Brody lounges have been well received in the library, as well as in various hallways throughout campus. The three Brodys on the main floor of the library are connected to power, so you can use the outlet near the seat to charge your devices. The five on the upper level are not connected to power at this time, but we hope they will be soon. Many of you ask us to point you to an available outlet in the library, and it is our sincere hope that outlets will be much more plentiful in the not-too-distant future. The library was awarded funds to install outlets in places that have been lacking them since the buildings were constructed in the 1960s. Let’s hope this project gets underway soon. Please stay tuned.
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puter screen all day,” she said. “… I get to focus better and get help with the questions I need.” In contrast, general studies student Rebecca Harris, 20, enjoyed online learning. It kept her from having to get dressed and come to campus every day. This semester, Harris is taking a mixture of online and in-person classes. She likes seeing other students and connecting with professors, and she feels safe. “Everyone is taking the initiative to wear masks and be respectful of other people’s space,” she said.
Mask challenge
Lounge seating
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News
Photo by Andrew Quinn
Adelaide Robinson-Nunnelly, vice president of Phi Theta Kappa who deals with scholarships and student services, talks with William Hubble.
Walk with an administrator
Photo by Andrew Quinn
Students and administrators walk past the Center for Nursing and Health Sciences building along Oakland Avenue.
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Phi Theta Kappa honor society members walked around campus on Sept. 21 and chatted with William Hubble, STLCC dean of health sciences; James Munden, Forest Park dean of STEM; and Debra Harper-LeBlanc, Forest Park dean of liberal arts. The event was called student activity called “Walk with an Administrator.”
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