SCENE THE
Spring Issue 5
APRIL 20, 2018
Good Samaritans
www.thescenefp.com
See page 3
Chaos University See page 7
Job skills served See page 8
St. Louis Community College at Forest Park
Provost leaves abruptly Many on campus caught off guard; Fickas is interim
Photo by Fred Ortlip
By Joshua Phelps, Timothy Bold and Jason Ethridge The Scene staff Larry Johnson is gone. Forest Park’s provost moved out of his office and left campus for good Friday, despite stating earlier this month that he would be staying until his contract ended June 30. “He did some good work,” said Franklyn Taylor, dean of student development and enrollment, on Wednesday. “I had no idea (he was leaving Friday), and I didn’t ask any questions.” It was announced Johnson April 3 that Johnson, 36, had accepted a position as president of Phoenix College in Arizona, effective July 1. Johnson could not be reached for comment this week. He joined Forest Park’s administration two years ago. Most faculty and staff Fickas didn’t know Johnson had left until Tuesday, when they received an email from Julie Fickas, dean of STEM and business, who identified herself as the new interim provost. “I am excited to take on the extra duties of the provost’s position while we await a search process for the new provost of our campus,” she wrote. “I appreciate all of the encouraging words and offers to help in any way expressed after Dr. Langrehr announced the leadership transition on Friday.” Fickas was referring to Andrew Langrehr, STLCC vice chancellor for academic affairs. By Wednesday, she had already moved into Johnson’s former office. Calls were not returned by Langrehr; Kedra Tolson, STLCC executive director of marketing and communications; or Brittney Aladegbami, Forest Park marketing and communications specialist. Nez Savala, STLCC communications
See Johnson page 7
Photo by Ahmad McCall
Left: The security booth can be seen in the background of this photo during a 9/11 memorial service in September 2017 in the Forest Park circle drive. Above: Pylons and yellow tape surround its empty spot this month.
Forest Park loses a landmark Decades-old security booth is removed By Jason Ethridge The Scene staff A piece of Forest Park history has disappeared from the spot it stood for nearly 40 years, leaving only a patch of gravel behind. The landmark was a security booth in the median of the circle drive in front of C Tower. On April 6, maintenance workers used a forklift to pick it up and carry it away to be demolished. The booth was removed because of its age, the expense of replacing it and the restructuring of the Forest Park campus due to construction of the new Center for Nursing and Health Sciences, according to campus police Lt. Terri Buford. “It just got old,” she said. “It’s been here for years, and when we looked at having it repaired, it just wasn’t some-
thing I had the budget for.” The security booth dated to the 1970s. It allowed Forest Park visitors and others to easily locate campus police if they needed directions or assistance. It also gave officers a place to sit and keep tabs
“We want students or anybody that comes on campus to know that there is an officer when they are needed.” - Lt. Terri Buford
on the parking lot. Inside, the booth contained not only basic items like a phone and computer, but also first-aid supplies and a battery pack for jump-starting cars. It even had its own heating and air-conditioning unit. The booth became known as the “guard shack.” Officer Bryan Giles,
who worked out of it for eight years, considered it an important part of campus security and wishes it could have been replaced. “Sometimes I enjoyed working there, and sometimes I didn’t,” he said, noting there are ups and downs of any job dealing with the public. “You never know what kind of mood a student will be in when they come up to you.” Buford also was sorry to see the booth go, but she understood the reason. The health building will serve as Forest Park’s new entrance, and visitors will be able to get help at that location. Buford is working on a plan to increase the visibility and effectiveness of campus police. She plans to have two officers on bike patrol by July. “We want to be visible,” she said. “We want students or anybody that comes on campus to know that there is an officer when they are needed.”
See Landmark page 3
Ex-adjunct still banned in new city post Meetings are held on Wildwood campus By Joshua Phelps The Scene staff Former math adjunct Steve Taylor is still banned from St. Louis Community College’s four campuses because of a run-in with STLCC officials at a board meeting last fall. That’s causing a problem for Wildwood City Council, which holds some of its meetings on STLCC’s Wildwood campus. Taylor was elected as alderman for the city’s 4th Ward earlier this month.
“They’re still not allowing me on campus, even though I am an elected official,” he said. Wildwood City Administrator Ryan Thomas called the ban “unfortunate.” Officials are looking for alternative sites. “The college indicated Taylor that while this legal issue is going on, we will not be able to host any of our city meetings at the community college,” Thomas said. Taylor formerly served on the Service Employees International Union committee
that negotiated a contract for adjunct faculty. He was tackled, handcuffed and arrested by Florissant Valley campus police at an STLCC board meeting on Oct. 19. The college maintained that Taylor disrupted the meeting, refused to leave when asked to do so and charged toward a table of officials. He argued that he was simply voicing his opinion. Taylor later filed a lawsuit against the college, claiming he suffered “severe injuries and damages” as a result of the arrest. On Feb. 14, a municipal judge found him not guilty of disturbing the peace. The prosecutor dropped charges of resisting arrest.
See Taylor page 2