The Scene Issue 2 Spring 2018

SCENE THE

Spring Issue 2

March 2, 2018

www.thescenefp.com

St. Louis Community College at Forest Park

Forest Park adjuncts vote on first contract

By Joshua Phelps The Scene staff Adjunct faculty members at St. Louis Community College voted on their first union contract last week, but as of press time, no one would confirm the results.

The Scene could not get information from representatives of the Service Employees International Union, which represents more than 800 adjuncts; the union bargaining committee; or the college bargaining committee.

SEIU emailed ballots to adjuncts Williams on Feb. 20 and asked them to vote between Feb. 21 and 23 to accept a contract that would be retroactive to Jan. 1 and run through June 30, 2020.

The union and college bargaining Tolson committees had been in negotiations since May of 2016.

The previous October, adjuncts voted 188-15 to unionize.

The union emailed adjuncts on Feb. 15 to announce the contract agreement, characterizing it as a big victory.

“The current administration fought us at every turn,” it stated. “They did not wish to make any concessions to adjuncts or recognize our union in any meaningful way, but after extensive negotiation, organizing, media interviews, board meetings, federal mediation and tremendous, courageous support from students, now is the time for us to vote on our agreement.”

According to the email, the contract would provide a 3 percent wage increase; access to a 403(b) tax-sheltered annuity and other benefits; improvements in the course-assignment process and handling of personnel files and student complaints; and establishment of a part-time faculty-administration committee to review ongoing matters.

The Scene reached out to union bargaining committee member and Forest Park adjunct art professor Brett Williams; SEIU Organizing Coordinator Stacey Manuel; and STLCC Executive Director of Marketing Kedra Tolson.

Williams and Manuel did not return phone calls. Tolson declined comment.

Veteran journalist See page 3

Guns for everyone See page 7

Feeling powerless See page 8

Lady Archers head for nationals Women’s team is 24-3, ranked No. 4

By Timothy Bold The Scene staff The STLCC Lady Archers go fully loaded into the Region 16 basketball tournament March 2 against Cottey College in Jefferson City, Mo. They have won 11 straight games, have a 24-3 record and are ranked fourth in NJCAA Division II. Last season, an injury plagued team placed fifth in the national championships in Harrison, Ark. They’re aiming for more success this season with a more robust roster, clinching the No. 1 seed in the Region 16 tournament with a 72-61 victory Feb. 17 over Cottey College of Nevada, Mo. After injuries left the roster with only seven players, it’s now at full strength, and sophomore point guard Ellisha Davis (Belleville East) loves the change.

“This season we’ve been playing the whole game strong,” she said. “Everyone brings something to the table. That’s what I like about our depth.”

The Lady Archers, 26-9 last season, have seven returning sophomores and six freshmen, including forward Chrishana Wilson (Gateway), who was named to the NJCAA All-America first team, averaging 17.1 points, 14.7 rebounds and 3.7 steals per game.

She also broke the school’s rebounds record with 25 against Arkansas State Mid-South.

Headline See page 8

Photo by Antonio Lloyd

STLCC women’s assistant coach Coleman Bender, at bottom, supervises a defensive drill involving Machela Cook (1), Andranae Wash (22) and Raygan Walters (50) in the Forest Park gym.

“This is a pretty special team,” said assistant coach Coleman Bender, who is in his first season. “They’ve still got to work hard and play for each other.”

The season started with a flurry as the

team won its first 13 games, rising to as high as No. 3 in the country. Among the highlights was a braggin’ rights victory in

See Basketball page 3

Faculty layoffs cause low morale

By Joshua Phelps The Scene staff Michelle Parrinello-Cason is losing her job with St. Louis Community College because of budget cuts.

The assistant professor of English at Forest Park found out Dec. 13 that she’s one of nearly 20 faculty members being laid off at the end of the semester. Her department was hit particularly hard.

Parrinello-Cason, 32, likened the atmosphere at the college to a funeral.

“Everybody is quiet and sad,” she said. “It’s like the life has been sucked out of the place.”

Other faculty members have reported similar feelings.

“If you didn’t get terminated this semester, maybe they’ll apply the same thing next year,” said Donald Cusumano, a psychology professor at Forest Park. “Morale is very low.”

Cusumano, 78, has been teaching since 1968. He decided to take a voluntary-separation incentive package, also known as a buyout.

“If I retire, hopefully someone will be recalled,” Cusumano said. “… I don’t want to

See Layoffs page 2

Photo by Destini Clark

General transfer student Daje Shelton, 21, works with English professor Michelle Parrinello-Cason, who is losing her job at the end of the semester.

Layoffs

g? n i r r e f s n a r T n i Intereitsy otfeMdissouri–St. Louis

Transfer

Univers

Open office hours for STLCC Forest Park students: Mondays and Tuesdays Walk-ins only 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Advising Center – SC-200

CHOOSE Serious education. Serious value.SM

Stacey Pugh Transfer Specialist askstacey@umsl.edu 314-516-5161 “I can help with all of your questions about transferring, scholarships and what it’s like to be a Triton!”

from page 1

leave. I love teaching. I may be able to teach “We’re watching our colleagues being upset, some more as an adjunct later on.” crying,” she said. “It makes coming to work Last fall, the STLCC Board of Trustees very difficult when you know that a colleague approved plans to lay off up to 70 full-time in your own department is not going to be here faculty members. The college also offered in the fall. That affects everybody.” buyouts.

Parrinello-Cason has been working for the Administrators said budget cuts were nec- college since 2012, but she is too young for essary to deal with a $5 million reduction a buyout. Her last day will be May 14. She’s in state funds, a 35 not sure what she will percent enrollment do next.

“It makes coming drop between 2011 “This is my dream and 2015 and changes job,” Parrinelloto work very difficult in federal-accounting Cason said. “I intenstandards. tionally came to the when you know that a Since December, Forest Park campus. the college has sent I like working with colleague in your own 58 faculty members at-risk student popu“notices of a reducdepartment is not going lations. tion in force,” accord“I’ve specifically ing to Kedra Tolson, built my expertise to be here in the fall.

STLCC executive around developmendirector of marketing – Associate professor Emily Neal tal education. To lose and communications. the opportunity to do

By Feb. 20, more than the work that I love is 100 faculty and staff members had submitted heartbreaking.” election forms for one of two buyout packages.

Since Parrinello-Cason’s focus is on devel“We estimate that less than 20 full-time opmental education, she’s worried about getcontinuing or probationary faculty will invol- ting another job. untarily separate from the college in May “I’m limited to community colleges, as far 2018 due to the reduction in force,” according as where my expertise is,” she said. a February email update from Chancellor Jeff Cusumano’s last day will be July 31. He Pittman. plans to volunteer at Missouri Botanical Full-time STLCC faculty are unionized with Garden because of his interest in flowers and the National Education Association. Adjuncts to spend more time with his grandchildren and are unionized with the Service Employees great-grandchild.

International Union.

One of the reasons why Cusumano enjoys The college’s NEA vice president is Emily working at STLCC is the diversity of students Neal, an associate professor of political sci- he teaches. ence on the Meramec campus. She agreed “That’s more than just race,” he said. “That’s with Parrinello-Cason and Cusumano that the age, sex and all kinds of variables that I find budget cuts have been painful. interesting in class.”

Webster Preview Day: Saturday, March 24 Discover why Webster University is known as the global university with campuses on 4 continents and fantastic study abroad opportunities.

While you’re on campus you can also learn about Webster’s exciting academic programs; generous transfer scholarships; how to apply for free; and request free estimated evaluations of your transfer credit!

REMINDER Phi Theta Kappa Distinguished Achievement Scholarship Application Deadline: April 1 For more information: WEBSTER.EDU/TRANSFER Office of Admission 314-246-7800 or 1-800-753-6765 admit@webster.edu

R EC-3260 CC AD_Forest Park_180302.indd 1

Page 2 The Scene www.thescenefp.com

St. Louis, MO 1/29/18 11:25 AM

March 2, 2018

Repps Hudson

Features

Forest Park adjunct went to Vietnam as a soldier, returned a journalist

By Jason Ethridge The Scene staff

F

ew people at Forest Park know that journalism instructor Repps Hudson is a Pulitzer Prize winner.

He was a young reporter working for the Kansas City Star in 1981, when tragedy struck at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. A pair of suspended walkways fell during an event, killing 114 people and injuring more than 200 others.

In the aftermath, the Star discovered that a lack of proper safety inspections led to the collapse. The newspaper won the Pulitzer for local news coverage and commentary.

“I didn’t win the Pulitzer Prize, but I was with a group of reporters who did,” Hudson said last month.

Hudson also worked with people who won Pulitzers of their own. One was Nick Ut, an Associated Press photographer during the Vietnam War. He shot the iconic photo of the badly burned “Napalm Girl” running naked down the road after an attack.

Hudson was involved in the conflict in the late 1960s, first as a solider and later as a reporter for The Associated Press.

“I have been in the right place at the right time sometimes,” he said.

Hudson worked 16 years at the Star and an additional 22 years at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He has been a parttime instructor at Washington University for nearly 30 years and at University of Missouri-St. Louis for seven years.

Hudson joined the Forest Park staff as an adjunct in 2010. Today, he teaches Journalism 1 and Media Literacy.

“He was good,” said former student DeJuan Baskin, who took Journalism I and now serves as secretary in the communications department. “He was very hands on. He made sure that you knew what you were doing.”

Baskin recalls that Hudson was always bringing newspapers into class, trying to familiarize students with different types of professional writing.

Baskin called Hudson the “Greek god of language.”

“You can just picture him just coasting through Greek royalty,” Baskin said. “He has that attitude of, ‘I know what I’m doing. You have to get there.’”

Rancher’s son

Hudson grew up in rural Missouri, near Kansas City, in a ranching family. Even at a young age, his plans involved more than working on a farm.

“I dreamed of being a writer in a big city like New York,” he said. “I wanted to go see the world. I wanted to see what was out there.”

After graduating from Carrolton High School, Hudson made his way to the University of Missouri at Columbia, where he studied agriculture.

“I thought maybe I’d please my father a bit,” he said. But Hudson never forgot what he really wanted to do.

In 1965, he quit college, a decision that would change the course of his life.

Simply reading newspaper and magazine stories about the horrific war in Vietnam wasn’t enough for him.

“I decided I wanted to go,” he said. “I wanted to be in the Army.”

After first basic training and officer candidate school, Hudson spent a year in Vietnam. He became lieutenant of Delta Company’s 3rd Brigade 1st Infantry

Repps Hudson’s temporary press card issued in 1982, when he worked in Israel.

Photo by Timothy Bold

General transfer student Dora Butler, 19, left, listens as instructor Repps Hudson makes a point in his writing and reporting class at Forest Park.

Repps Hudson’s ID with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 1985.

Provided photo

Repps Hudson served in the Army and later worked as a reporter in Vietnam in the late ’60s. His wartime experience with The Associated Press helped him get a job with the Kansas City Star when he returned to the United States.

Division, heading his platoon.

In April of 1968, the men were patrolling the thick jungle when gunfire erupted from the trees. One of the rounds struck Hudson, but the bullet passed cleanly through his upper chest, causing

only a minor wound and requiring only a few minutes of a medic’s time.

Hudson considers himself lucky.

“I wasn’t hit badly,” he said. “Another inch back in or so and I probably would have been killed.”

For his service, Hudson received a Combat Infantry Badge, a Purple Heart, three Bronze Stars, one for valor; and an Army Commendation Medal, also for valor.

“I think they gave the medals away rather promiscuously,” he said, humbly.

“As a way to boost morale, sometimes we got medals.”

Another significant experience in Vietnam was meeting Le thi Nhung, a Vietnamese woman Hudson wanted to marry. That’s why he returned after his discharge.

Finding Le thi Nhung was easy. Taking the next step was more difficult.

“I had no money,” he said. “I had to write my folks, and they basically said, ‘That’s your problem.’”

War reporter

With hardly a penny to his name and a talent for writing, Hudson found himself at The Associated Press office in Saigon, doing office work for famous newsman George McArthur of the Los Angeles Times.

Within months, Hudson was writing

See Hudson page 6

Provided photo

Repps Hudson, third from right, poses with his family in 2014. They are, from left, granddaughter Katie Martel, daughter Nicola Hudson, son Daniel Hudson, wife Stacey Hudson, daughter Eliana Hudson and son-in-law Arie Martel.

March 2, 2018 The Scene www.thescenefp.com

Page 3

AD L Fo

Photo by Antonio

Lloyd

,

uffman, 19 ent Emanuel H ud st e nc ie sc ter mputer lab.

Above, compu Forest Park co e th in l ai em checks ith her laptop

ies w Tahir, 30, stud Below, Farial in F Tower. window bench

on a campus

Photo by

Page 4 The Scene www.thescenefp.com

loyd

Antonio L

Above , nursi n Jaspe r Willia g students N ms, 35 e , prepa rma re for Below , Miss ou (D-St. Louis) ri state Rep . Bruc signs Kristin e ap T propo homas to b etition for F sed bu e dget c sent to Was uts to higher h ed

March 2, 2018

Day in the Life of orest Park Photo b

y Desti

ni Clark

h, 34, swort he d u l B re in t t Josh tuden ood pressu s g n i , nurs in’s bl Above a mannequ s check on lab. ti l u ariah sim a ber M ’s m e m n y facult hildre atons her latest c ighlander c i n u omm he H rom Left, c son reads f amper” in t d C r Richa ot a Happy “N book . e Loung ichards

rystal R

yC Photo b

Photo b

y Anton

io Lloyd

a Jaku pov an IV p ic, 28, and rocedu re.

Franks Financ ial hingto Aid Manag e n prot esting r ducati on.

Photo by Antonio

Lloyd

Layout by Jayy Dixon

March 2, 2018 The Scene www.thescenefp.com

Page 5

News Basketball

from page 1

the Lady Archers Classic at Forest Park against Southwestern Illinois.

A game Dec. 16 was the blowout of the season, when STLCC beat Harper College of Palatine, Ill., by 77 points — ­ 104-27. “The game had to be played, and we didn’t feel good about beating them so bad,” Wilson said. “We just worked on our fundamentals and getting everyone a chance to play.”

In January, a trip to Florida started a threegame losing streak with defeats against Daytona State College 79-63 and Eastern Florida State Bender College 75-68. Freshman forward Caprice Harrison remembers the trip well. “In Florida, both teams played much more aggressive, and we hadn’t seen that all season,” Harrison said.

After losing to undefeated Moberly Junior College 94-79 at home Jan. 9, the team went on a 10-game winning streak.

Against Moberly, “we started too slow against stiff competition,” said sophomore Andranae Wash (Cardinal Ritter).

The team’s offense has changed from last season to an up-tempo style, averaging 82.1 points a game. “We try to score in transition, wearing our opponents down,” Bender said.

Wilson added: “Our forwards can shoot long range, so we have another threat in our offense.”

The leading scorers are sophomores Wash and Wilson, 15 points a game; Davis, 12.3; and Kelsi York, 9.7. Leading the freshmen are forward Harrison, 8.7, and Simone Rodney, 8.6.

Coaches added something new to the

team’s regimen: In sessions separate from practice, the guards work on their outside shooting by coming to the gym at 7 a.m. and taking 450 shots per week. The forwards work on their footwork and balance in the post. “We’re always on them about using your feet, creating space and offensive posture,” Bender said.

With the team’s depth, a man-to-man defense stresses pressuring the ball and is causing 16.3 turnovers, 12.6 steals 27.2 defensive rebounds per game. “We’re a much better team man-to-man because of our conditioning,” Wash said. “Playing zone, you stand around too much.”

Bender, a retired Army staff sergeant, is a new addition to coach Shelly Ethridge’s staff. He previously coached at Fayetteville Christian School and AAU in North Carolina. Ethridge is completing her sixth season with the Lady Archers.

In their final home game of the season Feb. 20 the Lady Archers went out in style with a 76-60 victory over Kaskaskia College of Centralia, Ill. They played from behind for most of the first half until Wilson converted a turnover into an end-toend buzzer-beater layup. She led the team with 20 points and 15 rebounds.

The team ended the regular season with a dominating 100-63 victory over MCCPenn Valley in Kansas City, Mo. Five players scored in double figures, led by Wilson’s 25 points and 19 rebounds.

Of the postseason Bender says, “It’s about surviving and advancing and nothing else.”

Sophomore point guard Erica Waelterman (Webster Groves) added, “Staying humble throughout this season has helped us get this far. I feel the team has a lot of confidence going into postseason play.”

Hudson

photo captions and interviewing people University in 1989. One of his students returning from the war-torn countryside. was Sandra Osburn, who now serves as Some of his stories found their way into communications chair at Forest Park. She publications around the world. hired him as an adjunct in 2010.

In 1969, Hudson married Le thi Nhung “He’s not just bringing book material and returned to the United States with a (into class),” Osburn said. “He’s bringing letter of recommendation from McArthur his life experience. … The thing I like in his pocket. That was a big help when about him is, he’s straight forward with he applied at the Kansas City Star. his approach, but he’s always willing to “At the age of work with a stu23, having spent dent.” three years in the Hudson consid“I wasn’t hit badly.

Army and having ers now the haphad not a single time in his Another inch back in or so piest course in journallife. He has been ism, they hired and I probably would have married to his secme,” he said. ond wife, Stacey, Hudson starta commercial been killed.” ed working at the interior designer, Post-Dispatch in for more than 25 – Repps Hudson 1985. Over the years. years, he served as They have three an editorial writer, children, includpolitical editor, business reporter and ing Nicola, 42, from Hudson’s first mareven an agriculture reporter. riage; Eliana, 22, and Daniel, 20, adopted One of Hudson’s favorite duties was from China and Vietnam; and two grandwriting a column called “On the Job.” daughters.

The idea was simple: Get out and talk to Hudson likes to cook, often while lispeople whose work helped keep St. Louis tening to his large collection of classical running. music, rock ’n’ roll and jazz records. He’s “I didn’t want to talk to the CEO,” he a self-described “news junkie” and avid said. “I wanted to talk to the guy that the reader, providing book reviews for the CEO was bossing around. I wanted to Post-Dispatch and The Jewish Light. talk to ordinary people.”

“I really, really like teaching (at Despite working full time, Hudson Forest Park),” he said. “The reason is managed to earn a bachelor’s degree in very simple: I believe very strongly history from University of Missouri- in the concept of community colleges.

Kansas City and a master’s in inter- Helping people get into a four-year national relations from John’s Hopkins school, getting started with their vocaUniversity. tion, finding their place in life. This is He started teaching at Washington what education should be.”

Scene THE

WHERE

FRESH & FAST MEET

Managing editor: Timothy Bold

Business/web manager: Victor Paletta Reporters/photographers: Joshua Phelps, Jason Ethridge, Antonio Lloyd, Crystal Richards, Destini Clark Illustration/design: Arrak Hutcherson, Jayy Dixon, Andreal Luedde

®

WE DELIVER! VISIT JIMMYJOHNS.COM TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU

from page 3

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

Page 6 The Scene www.thescenefp.com

those of St. Louis Community 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.

March 2, 2018

Beyond Ridiculous

Chaos University

March 2, 2018 The Scene www.thescenefp.com

By Andreal Luedde

By Arrak Hutcherson

Page 7

Campus chatter Paul Daniel, information technology professor “I would read a good book and go to bed early.”

Emily Berariu, 21, dental hygiene “I would build a fire and try to survive.”

Nick Weiskoph, 19, general transfer “I’d put something up on my Snapchat first, then go hiking until the power came back on. People would be going crazy. It would be a good idea to go far away.”

What would you do without

electricity?

Hamdi Ali, 18, general transfer “My life would be difficult without it.

I would build a fire for food and light candles.”

Kelsey Winston, 22, general transfer “My choices would be staying at home with my cat or going to school and hanging out at the library.”

by Timothy Bold Miles Nettles, 24, counselor “It happened to me in my childhood.

It makes you work harder having your power turned off. We hung out outside all day long, and when food went bad, we figured out ways to preserve certain items.”

Brittany Curtis, academic coach “It’s an opportunity to establish more connections with people. It forces us to become more united with each other.”

Isiah Hardin, 20, civil engineering “Everything runs on electricity, so you really can’t do anything. You’d be in the dark at night.”

Bill Walterscheid, building and ordinance professor “I’d have sex all day. What else are you going to do?”

Charles James, 19, general transfer “We had no electricity a couple times growing up. You have staples such as candles, peanut butter and jelly with lunchables. We played outside all day long until nighttime and went to sleep.”

Deborah Henry, history professor “Life would slow down without technology. We’d foster community more and actually speak to one another.”

Page 8 The Scene www.thescenefp.com

Taylor Trowbridge, 24, childcare and education “I’d sit around talking to my family with lit candles.”

Layout By Andreal Luedde

March 2, 2018