The Scene Issue 3 Summer 2017

SCENE THE

Summer Issue 3

July 28, 2017

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St. Louis Community College at Forest Park

Changes in store on campus

Dennis Kozlowski is gone

By Brian Ruth The Scene staff

By Brian Ruth The Scene staff

Students, faculty and staff returning to Forest Park in the fall will notice changes, from the return of the graphics program to a reorganization of academic deans.

Those changes, as well as campus beautification efforts, are designed to create a better student experience at the college.

Deans reorganized

Forest Park departments have been reorganized under three deans: Debra Harper-LeBlanc over Arts and Communications and Human Services; Julie Frickas over Science and Science Technology and Business and Management; and William Hubble over Health Sciences.

This is designed to put the same type of classes under one dean on each of the four St. Louis Community College campuses.

“In our former structure, you could go to any different campus, and you may see certain aspects of the same department split between two academic deans,” Provost Larry Johnson said. “I think it made things confusing for students and our faculty.”

The reorganization was recommended by the Academic Affairs Restructure Focus Group, the same body that recommended the replacement of campus presidents with provosts more than a year ago.

“It does not have any budgetary impli-

Photo by Kalia White

Helen Miles, far right, talks to Keisha Robinson at an ice cream social for retirees and transferring deans on July 26 in the Forest Park cafeteria. cations,” Johnson said. “The main reason is to streamline our academic functions.”

Graphics returning

Forest Park had a full graphic-design program until 2010, when the district decided to split it with Meramec. The former offered beginner classes and the latter offered advanced classes, so students had to travel to both campuses to complete their degrees.

“This fall, we got the whole program back,” adjunct instructor James Bruenger said. “It’s going to be a challenge to start off, so we are starting it off slow with advanced classes in the fall and more of the full-program classes in the spring.”

New graphics classes scheduled to start this fall are Graphic Design III and IV

and a computer-aided illustration class.

History of Graphic Communications now will be a requirement for the associate’s of fine arts degree; it used to be an elective. Web-design classes also have been added to the graphic design option of the associate’s of applied science degree in fine arts.

TVs installed

Johnson worked with the facilities and IT departments last spring to install new flat-screen TV sets in the Student Center and gymnasium lobby.

The TVs will stay tuned to news, including local stations and national networks, at all times.

“The purpose is to engage students in what is taking place throughout the nation,” Johnson said.

Campus spruced up

The facilities department has been cleaning outside and adding landscaping, removing wall graffiti in restrooms and replacing carpet on the library’s main floor.

“Suggestions came to us about the grounds and restrooms,” Johnson said.

“Students will notice we are being very conscientious about making sure we have a campus that is aesthetically pleasing.”

In addition, contractors have been hired to paint the sloped rooftops of the library and theater buildings.

“This all involves fostering student success by providing a better experience because if students like where they go to school, that increases the likelihood they will return,” Johnson said.

Cyber beefed up

Photo by Brian Ruth

Nathan Meyer, tile setter for Brydie Construction, works in the men’s bathroom, off the downstairs theater lobby.

The Center “4” Cybersecurity has created an online platform in which students enrolled in the program can practice their classroom skills.

Department chair Brenda Kahan said

See Changes page 2

Forest Park Facilities Manager Dennis Kozlowski apparently has lost his job.

People he supervised in housekeeping and maintenance said he was “walked out” earlier this month.

That is the term coined by St. Louis Community College employees to describe the phenomenon of people reporting for work, getting told they are being fired or laid off, being asked to collect their belongings and being escorted off campus.

Forest Park police chief Richard Banahan was let go this way in March after more than 25 years of service.

Kozlowski could not be reached for comment this week.

Gina Tarte, an STLCC marketing and communications employee, referred questions to Rebecca Garrison, associate for board relations and custodian of records, because Kedra Tolson, executive director of marketing and communications, was on vacation.

Garrison sent the following email to The Scene on July 24: “In response to your request for information regarding an employee being escorted from campus, the information being requested is deemed to be a closed record pursuant to Section 610.021 (3) of the Missouri Sunshine Law. Therefore, your request for information is denied.”

After The Scene asked Tarte whether the vacant position of facilities manager was being filled or eliminated, Garrison emailed, “The college has yet to make any determination.”

The Scene profiled Kozlowski in its June 30 issue, highlighting his landscaping efforts at the college.

He had become something of a tree expert since taking the supervisory job 16 years ago. He did extensive research before deciding what to plant and where to plant it.

“Maybe I do have a bit of a green thumb, I don’t know,” he said. “I just like the beautification aspect of landscaping. But then again, I can’t get the tomatoes to grow in my back yard.”

Opinions Guest View

Weathered but beautiful

By Tobias Knoll For The Scene staff

How about a little Art Appreciation 101?

Most people have walked by the wooden-looking statue outside A Tower and the library, possibly not taking much notice of this withered yet human-appearing form, missing arms and legs like many famous old sculptures.

I like the appearance of the body moving or being twisted, and the creases and cracks both horizontally and vertically produce a nice effect. This is art that has been carefully crafted; sculpture molded to produce emotion in the viewer, as well as leading him to do his own reading of the art and interpret the artist’s purpose. This is what good art—and even bad art—sets out to do.

This beautiful sculpture is “Weathered Venus,” a large-scale bronze work pro-

duced by artist Jim Dine in 1990. Accord- Milo” produced by Alexandros of Antioch ing to the St. Louis Regional Arts Com- between 130 and 100 BCE. “Weathered Venus” is not a simple imitamission website, it is “a contemporary celebration of the traditional craft and tion or copy but a salute to an ancient work of art celebrating the wonders of the huform in sculpture.”

The work has a similar look and alludes man anatomy. Dine’s piece itself is a new to the famous model of female perfection, unique work of art, borrowing ideas and “Venus de Milo,” an ancient Greek mar- inspired by classics that have come before ble statue that also has both arms miss- it; but the attention to detail and careful shaping demonstrate ing. Dine’s tribute to the an artist using historclassic Greek artwork So given the ic influence to create presents a new, unfinsomething new, beauished rough look—like unfinished look of tiful and quite poweran early draft or a work ful. in progress.

“Weathered Venus,” His salute to the clasThe Arts Commissical form is like the sion website also dedon’t worry about blues. That’s a musical scribes Dine’s use of “abstraction to remove great creation at times style that may include a lot of borrowing and the popular connotation influences, but unique and clichés from wellgoing unfinished. bits of greatness often known, historic pieces” spring—even in this and brings “attention to Keep on mode of tribute or imthe beauty of the origiworking and striving, itation. Inspiration in nal ‘Venus de Milo’ by art may come in many presenting it anew to the shaping yourself and forms, and isn’t an world…to be an importimitation something ant cultural legacy.” your creations of a new or different Isn’t “Weathered Vecreation when one is nus” a great metaphor enjoying the learning inspired and moved by for the struggling colone’s own interpretalege student? We are and experience in tion of details? all lifetime learners, So given the unfinworks in progress; ofthe process. ished look of “Weathten imitating and beered Venus,” don’t ing influenced by our mentors and teachers to become success- worry about great creation at times going ful and reach our goals in education and unfinished. Keep on working and striving, life, working toward our masterpieces. shaping yourself and your creations—enThe rough, unfinished-appearing exte- joying the learning and experience in the rior of “Weathered Venus” looks like an process. Each day and each step along the artist model or early draft, working toward path of life can be a new beginning.

As an artist of life and aspiring writer the amazing final product and salute to the classical female form, the “Venus de myself, there’s great value in revision,

Changes

from page 1

THE

Managing editor: Brian Ruth Layout editor: Darryl Reece Business/web manager: Victor Paletta Circulation manager: Kalia White

Mass comm reaching out

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starting over and paying careful attention to detail. We are all lifetime learners in this journey of life, making our extra finishing touches to beauty and creation each step of the way.

Scene

the Information Systems/Information Technology Club is planning fall events, such as PC hygiene days, a speaker series, technology exploration meetings and field trips to area IT facilities.

Two new classes will be offered, in addition to those required for compliance with industry standards and employer needs: Ethical Hacking and Systems Security Engineering.

The mass communications department is increasing its outreach to local high schools to educate students on the wide diversity of career options in the field.

“I talked to the provost a little bit about that, and he seems really excited about having faculty out there meeting potential students,” said Kara Boyd, acting chair.

The department also is developing a crossover track involving public relations, advertising and graphic design for mass communications or fine arts students.

“I want the students to get a good taste of the field that is out there, but also it’s important that we have a strong reputation, so that when these students move on to a four-year university, I want those colleges to say, ‘This is a Forest Park student. We know they were in good hands,’” Boyd said.

One way students can expose themselves to crossover study before the official track is offered is to enroll in two hybrid courses: Introduction to Advertising and Public Relations.

Both will be late-start classes, and they will be offered back to back on the same days.

“For students who take them together, it will be an easier flow for them,” Boyd said.

Photo by Kalia White

“Weathered Venus,” a bronze work by artist Jim Dine in 1990, is pictured outside C Tower.

Reporters/photographers: Timothy Bold, Daphne Drohobyczer, Kalia White, Brian Ruth 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 necessari-

Page 2 The Scene www.thescenefp.com

ly 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.

July 28, 2017

Campus Chatter Should Missouri raise its minimum wage?

By Timothy Bold

Socorro Becerra, 23, nursing “The pro is growing the economy with higher wages, and the con is driving the cost of living way too expensive.”

Negash Efrem, math professor “The bad news is, wages don’t match with the cost of living.

If salaries stay stagnant, employers can exploit people for cheap labor.”

Christy Hart, 63, bookstore manager “Absolutely! I think minimum wage should be $15 an hour.

Many jobs paying $7.70 are part-time with no benefits.

People can’t succeed on that scale.”

Alonzo Smith, 30, truck driving “Yeah, man, most definitely.

They need to raise it to at least $9 an hour. I don’t know how people can pay their bills on that income.”

Zach Frazier, 27, respiratory therapy “To a certain extent, higher wages will bring the cost up on goods and services.”

Melani Cotton, 28, nursing “I think they should raise the wage because you can’t afford to live on $7.70 an hour.”

Wareen Ford, 54, housekeeping employee “People will need the money if they take away benefits (food stamps and Medicaid). People I know lost social services when the minimum wage increased in the city.”

Monte Hughes, 24, graphic design “It’s hard enough to get any job right now. So we need to gradually raise the minimum wage to sustain the economy.

Companies are moving to automation (and that’s) affecting the labor force.”

Jasmine Armstrong, 23, campus activities “It’s very unfortunate, expecting people to live off low wages. Really!”

Jihan Thomas, 35, respiratory therapy “Lower wages bring more violence and crime. In the county, not much violent crime happens because of good income.”

Lee Qusim, 21, business/finance “I just moved here from Ohio, and their wages are much higher and living costs are less expensive than in Missouri.”

July 28, 2017 The Scene www.thescenefp.com

Noah Englander, 23, pre-calculus “Raising the minimum wage will make sure the right people get their share of equal pay, those who really need it.”

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Enrollment Express Photo by Kalia White

Forest Park hosted an Enrollment Express event on July 19 in the Student Center, allowing new and returning students to register for fall classes and learn about programs and services. Employees who helped answer questions included: Top right, Latosha Taylor, Rudolph Ray and Glenda Doss behind the table; bottom right, Mary Cobb and Shawn Harrell behind the information desk and Telitha Rogers-Anderson, right; bottom left, Glenda Doss behind the table; and left, Edmond Brown serving popcorn.

Photo by Kalia White

Photo by Kalia White

Photo by Kalia White

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July 28, 2017