SCENE THE
Spring Issue 3
April 8, 2022
THESCENEFP.COM
What to do with Russia See page 3
A dark day on campus See page 4
St. Louis Community College at Forest Park
Vax to School incentives cost $1.1 million
By Theodore Geigle The Scene staff St. Louis Community College spent $1,146,800 in COVID-19 funding to reward students and employees for getting vaccinated. “I think the college overall thinks it was a good opportunity and that it was a smart move,” said STLCC Communications Manager Nez Savala, who also serves on the COVID-19 committee. Some 3,263 students on four campuses took advantage of the Vax to School incentive program during fall and spring semesters. Each received $100 (before deductions) by showing proof of vaccination. Some 1,641 employees took advantage of the program. Each received $500.
See Vaccine page 2
Student assaulted on bus Victim says he’s seen suspect on campus By Cristian Romero The Scene staff A Forest Park student is recovering from injuries he sustained in an assault on his way home from class. Adam Clark, 41, reported that a man hit him on the head with a handgun while both were riding a MetroBus. Clark got eight staples for the wound at the hospital. “I don’t think people should be worried about riding the bus,” he said. “But I also think that the bus driver could have handled it differently.” The assault occurred about noon on Monday, Feb. 28. Clark filed a report with the St. Louis police department, and investigators notified Forest Park police. “It didn’t happen on our property, but there was an assault at the bus stop that the city is working on,” said Lt. David Barryman, campus commander. Clark recognized the suspect as someone who had asked him for money in the past
A photo taken at Barnes-Jewish Hospital with Adam Clark’s cellphone shows his head wound before it was closed with eight staples. outside D Tower. In that case, Clark gave the man $2 before a Forest Park police officer chased him away. Here is what happened on Feb. 28, according to Clark: • Clark left his American History 102 class and walked to a gas station on Hampton Avenue to buy a cigar, then he boarded a MetroBus on Oakland Avenue, half a mile west of campus. • The suspect asked Clark for $5, and he told him he didn’t have any money. The man ordered him to go to the back of the bus, and Clark refused. • The suspect allegedly said, “I don’t like white people,” showed him his gun and stood up. Clark also stood up, and the man started “swinging” at him. • Clark grabbed the suspect by his hair and held him down until the bus stopped at Oakland and Highlander Drive. The driver opened the door, ran out and called police.
Photo by Cristian Romero
Adam Clark poses outside a G Tower classroom.
• Clark let go of the suspect, and the man hit him on the head with the gun before
See Assault page 2
End of employee parking gets mixed reviews
Spring has sprung
Photo by Gracie Ebenhoh
White flowers bloom on a Bradford pear tree in the courtyard north of E and F towers on the Forest Park campus. Spring officially arrived March 20.
By Nicole DeLapp The Scene staff After decades of having a designated parking lot for employees, Forest Park is going a new direction. Anyone who comes to campus can now park in any space with a few exceptions. “We understand the needs of our students,” said Ramon Cusi, facilities department manager. “We want to make campus student friendly.” Faculty and staff have mixed feelings about the change. Eve Fonseca, an English professor who used to park in the employee lot, doesn’t mind parking farther away now. “I like to walk,” she said. Waureen Cherry, a student worker in the Campus Life office, agrees that students should come first. “More students will feel at home if they’re not stressed out about finding a parking place,” she said. Mario Carlos, an adjunct who teaches painting and printmaking classes, agrees that students are important. But Carlos also believes that designated employee parking is good idea. He regular-
ly carries a large amount of art supplies to his classroom. “What about being faculty friendly?” he asked. The employee parking lot used to be east of the Hospitality Studies Center. Concrete blocks kept drivers from entering anywhere except through the east gate, where a sign read “Staff Only.” Faculty, staff and other employees got parking permits and hung them from rearview mirrors. Occasionally, campus police checked them at the entrance. That was back in the day when Forest Park had more students and it was harder for employees to find parking places. “We haven’t had to enforce (permit regulations) because we haven’t had the problems that we used to have,” said officer Daniel Taylor. “But we do patrol the parking lots to keep them safe.” According to Cusi, officials took down the “Staff Only” sign at the entrance of the employee parking lot three years ago, but concrete barriers remained in place, so many people didn’t realize the situation had changed.
See Parking page 2