No. 1 (Sept. 17, 2020)

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THE UNIVERSITY NEWS

VOL. XCVV No. 1 / September 17th, 2020

The New Normal

COVER DESIGN BY REBECCA LIVIGNI

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NEWS

SAM: EVERYONE’S FRIEND (Riley Tovornik/The University News)

By MARTIN SHARPE Contributor exual assault. Those who have survived it know just how devastating such an experience can be, yet it occurs daily on college campuses across the country. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, one in five women are sexually assaulted while in college, and according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 5.4 percent of men are also victims of sexual assault during this time. We students are no strangers to these facts—there are

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few things more chilling than receiving SLU’s mandatory e-mail reports of assault cases.

While most universities actively work to curtail this prominent issue, resources are often limited, and given the dynamic nature of sexual assault it is impossible to find a “one size fits all” solution. However, some students are working to reverse this narrative by creating the student-run sexual assault hotline, SAM. “SAM is a peer-to-peer hotline run by students that are completely anonymous who are training this semester for operation next semester,” said Alapi Shah, a leader in SAM’s Finance team. “Basically what we are trying to do is make a comfortable space for students, regardless of their ethnic background or their sexual orientation, to

come and report something like a sexual assault or anything that is a breach of Title IX.” Elle Aronson, the organization’s leader, has been working for several years to build SAM and define its role on SLU’s campus. “Sexual violence has been a very consistent part of my life over a decade now and there was never anything I could really do about it,” Aronson said. “Advocating for the prevention of sexual violence, hopefully everywhere, is what I’m basing my career off of and this is just a starting point for that.”

SAM is composed of three tiers with an advisory board. The tiers consist of hotline operators, finance and recruitment. In a nutshell, recruitment works to find new volunteers and increase the outreach of the organization, while finance focuses on maintaining the fiscal stability of SAM. Hotline operators are anonymous students that voluntarily commit their time to speaking with sexual assault survivors regardless of the recency of their assault. Lastly, the advisory board is a collection of SLU faculty mentors that use their past work experience and education to offer guidance and advise current SAM members. These teams are led by handpicked CORE board members— seasoned volunteers that work directly with Aronson.

Unlike most resources for SLU student survivors, SAM is not associated with the university, yet primarily serves its student body. As SAM’s founder and leader, Aronson assumes liability for the organization entirely. “SLU is not liable for anything that happens, I am liable for anything that happens so that’s why everyone signs a contract, a confidentiality sheet, and a conduct waiver,” she said. When asked if she worries about being responsible for such a powerful operation, Aronson explained, “I am not ever worried because I know I am providing the best training possible and I vet each potential operator”...“all finalized with roll playing prior to ever taking a call.”

Given the serious nature of their work, hotline operators must go through a rigorous application process to ensure well-fitting individuals are selected. Hotline operators are required to participate in at least 50 hours of training from experts in the fields of sexual assault, peer-to-peer

counseling, suicide prevention and crisis intervention. Since SAM places an emphasis on its mission to provide peer-to-peer support, maintaining the confidentiality of operators is cornerstone to SAM’s successful operation and is something all hotline operators are contractually bound to.

One of these hotline operators, who must remain anonymous, explains that peer-to-peer conversation serves as an advantage when speaking with survivors. “I think the act of talking to someone that’s on the same page as you, you know I’m an undergrad you’re an undergrad, instead of this is a therapy session, is something more comforting,” they said. “With SAM, you don’t have to see me and you’re not going to get that hesitation to talk because you won’t be afraid of what we might say.”

For SAM to obtain university approval, Aronson had to accomplish a number of things to ensure that the organization was properly equipped to assist sexual assault survivors. “We had to create the handbook, the foundational documents, and the very very specific rules that we’re going to have within the organization,” Aronson said.

“Then we had to get approval from the SLU lawyers which is called the OGC (Office of the General Counsel) to operate on campus. We had to give them everything.”

Despite beginning at SLU, SAM is determined to expand its reach and provide support to those who may lack valuable resources. Róisín Mulkerrins, a leader in SAM’s Recruiting team, is actively participating in this endeavour. “Networking to other campuses is a big thing. Harris Stowe is one that we hope to reach out to soon because they’re right across the street,” she said. “We want to hit a point where this resource is available to people on all campuses.”

All in all, SAM has set out to provide a sense of comfort and reassurance to survivors of sexual assault and has proven itself an invaluable asset to our campus. “There’s a huge spectrum of what entails sexual assault. It’s not just what we see in the movies,” Mulkerrins said. “That’s what SAM is going for. Anyone who has any questions or confusion or just feelings, call SAM and there’s a person who is trained and wants to talk to you about anything you might need.”

News

03 (Andrea Porter/The University News)

LATEST PANDEMIC PERIL:

PERIOD PRODUCT ACCESS

By PENELOPE GARDNER Contributor eriods have never been enjoyable, but they have become even less so during the COVID-19 pandemic. While many Americans have been focused on finding toilet paper and hand sanitizer, many impoverished women have also struggled to access necessary menstrual products over the last six months.

According to Plan International, a humanitarian organization centered on equality for girls, 73 percent of people who menstruate are experiencing restricted access to the products they need to manage their period because of COVID-19. This is due, in part, to stores being out of stock, and also due to the economic downturn leaving many consumers without jobs and funds for menstrual products.

The St. Louis Alliance for Period Supplies (STLAPS), a program created through the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, partnered with the St. Louis County Library to form a drive-thru dispensing emergency period supplies for families and individuals in need, according to the STLAPS website, on April 3.

However, this service was discontinued as of Aug. 21.

STLAPS has continued to work to fulfill its mission of providing period supplies to those in need even when the COVID-19 pandemic has left many young girls who formerly depended on their school as a source of menstrual products without such access.

“Most schools have now been closed since mid-March, and so you’re talking about seven months, so seven or eight cycles where girls haven’t been able to access those types of resources,” Anne Sebert Kuhlmann, Ph.D., said.

Kuhlmann, while working as an Associate Professor in Behavioral

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Science and Health Education at SLU, has extensively researched menstrual hygiene management and reproductive health in the St. Louis area.

Two years ago, Kuhlmann’s research inspired a group of students to start Project Period at SLU, with the goal of increasing accessibility to products and destigmatizing menstruation across campus. This year, SLU juniors Kruti Kadiwala and Naomi Mayer have taken over Project Period. They lamented how period accessibility has decreased further because of the pandemic.

“A lot of people were buying in bulk when the pandemic started, and it’s limiting to the people who can’t buy in bulk and can’t get to the store,” Kadiwala explained.

“They have to buy the products that are too expensive or not even the ones they want to use.”

“It’s plain unfair, and with that, the price is already so high for a product or any feminine care item,” Mayer expanded. “We should have easier ways to access these products.”

These disparities are the reason why Kadiwala and Mayer joined Project Period back in their freshman year. Such accessibility concerns are also what drive Kuhlmann in her mission to educate about and advocate for menstrual equity.

“There were many families in St. Louis and across the U.S. that were already living very much on the brink and your basic needs, goods like period products, were a stretch and a stressor, and if you think about how the pandemic has increased that number of families living in that situation and yet we are not doing things to meet those needs,” Kuhlmann said.

Kuhlmann also suggests a way for those concerned to take action, saying “Donations, awareness-raising, and advocacy would be the three-pronged approach that I think students could take.”

HOMELESSNESS ON THE RISE IN COVID ERA

By KLAUDIA WACHNIK Staff Writer ong after a vaccine is rolled out and case numbers decline, the effects of the virus will linger in the lives of the homeless and economically disadvantaged.

Individuals and families who are homeless, as well as those currently living in poverty, will feel the current recession for years to come, in the St. Louis community and beyond.

COVID-19, in the economic sense, will undoubtedly have the same effect for those living in poverty as it did during the 20082009 recessions.

“One thing that is absolutely certain is that there will be a profound increase in homelessness over time because of COVID-19” said Tim Huffman, Ph.D., associate professor in the department of communication and faculty mentor for Labre, an organization that conducts outreach to the unhoused of St Louis. “Part of the reason that happens is because if you’re on the boundary of poverty and you have a series of bad months, there are probably things you can do to stabilize for the time being … [but it] only works for so long.”

For those who are currently experiencing homelessness and for those who will potentially experience it, efforts are being made to assist them even amidst a pandemic like COVID-19.

“We’re all about building relationships and building connec-

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tions. We don’t want to be just the people that stop by every week and drop off food. We want to be the people that build relationships with people we meet and build lasting friendships,” said Sophie Mueller, senior within the Labre organization.

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, there are less individuals doing outreach overall, and the shelters have fewer people helping out. However, many outreach programs and heroes in their own right have risen to the challenge of supporting and coming up with plans to continue to provide to homeless individuals. “For the last six [or] seven months, every nonprofit [organization] has been busting their butt to try to change the way that it responded to issues because of the pandemic,” said Huffman.

Many shelters have reconfigured to allow for social distancing, and outreach organizations have changed their practices so that they limit spread of the virus. St. Louis County built an entire quarantine and isolation shelter system for people who lack permanent housing through collaboration at a regional level.

All across the city, housing organizations have been trying to figure out ways to allow for more individuals to utilize their resources quickly, especially for the approaching winter season.

“There are people trying to figure out how we can create increased shelter capacity to expand our shelter operations and get people to survive the winter and the pandemic at the same time,” said Huffman.

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NEWS THE QUARANTINE REPORT

By ABIGAIL HOFFMAN Contributor

(Grace Dunlavy/The University News)

NEW SLU COVID DASHBOARD GOES LIVE

By BROOKE KENWORTHY Contributor ith the threat of COVID-19 looming over college campuses, many schools are taking extraordinary measures to keep students safe and the virus in check.

SLU has seen success in the first five weeks on campus, with the infection rate holding steady at 0.5 percent. This is highly encouraging compared to the infection rates of other colleges, both private and public, who, due to going overcapacity in designated quarantine housing, are having to quarantine large groups of students in hotels.

One facet of SLU’s plan is to provide the students, parents, faculty and staff with updated testing statistics on it’s new interactive dashboard. This site, which is updated every Monday and Thursday, displays the number of tests administered since Aug. 10 (when move-in began), in the last 10 days, and how many of these tests came back positive.

The dashboard goes further in detail, breaking down the tests administered into the categories of “diagnostic” and “surveillance.”

All the information is presented as a table and bar graph, making it easy to understand and quick to navigate.

According to the site, the number of students in isolation and quarantine is currently very low, and only five cases have been

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reported amongst the faculty and staff. Past the informational graphics, SLU has provided links to their policies on masks, the return of faculty/staff and the plan to increase asymptomatic testing.

There is also an attached article highlighting the work happening on SLU’s medical campus and how they are contributing to the hunt for a vaccine.

In addition to the dashboard, SLU has begun cracking down on students who have not been using the Campus Clear app, where students input any symptoms and receive immediate feedback on whether or not it is safe for them to go out on campus. While it was highly encouraged when classes began, the student body has become lax, and daily activity has gone down significantly.

After a seemingly unsuccessful social media campaign, which promised the possibility of winning a Starbucks gift card for using the app regularly, the administration has set literal boundaries in campus facilities. As of Friday, Sept. 11, both the Simon Rec Center and Pius Memorial Library have begun requiring students to show their open Campus Clear app with the “Good to Go!” message displayed in order to enter.

The response from students has been somewhat dismal, as this provides an obstacle for them to pass during their busy days—however, adherence to this system could very well be the difference between SLU’s doors remaining open for the semester or not.

s COVID-19 casts its shadow over the school year, it is important to administer tests to prevent an outbreak of the virus on campus.

Because of this, many in the SLU community are wondering about the experiences of isolation and sickness of the students tested positive. Where are they living?

What do they eat? What are the symptoms? What is isolation like?

With a small percentage of students at the University testing positive and going into isolation, it is hard to find the answers to these questions from someone who has actually been through it. As of Sept. 14, there have been a total of 22 SLU students put in isolation at the Grand Forest Apartments.

The University News was fortunate enough to be able to talk with one of these students who was recently removed from isolation and is now back in action and attending classes as normal on campus.

The University News interviewed an anonymous student who received notice of a positive COVID-19 test result two weeks into the new semester. His friends received the same outcome.

“I believe I contracted COVID from going out with some friends without using a mask” he admitted.

After he suspected he had the virus due to his symptoms, the anonymous student was moved to Hotel Ignacio where he stayed for one night. The next morning he was tested, and moved to Grand Forest Apartments after testing positive that afternoon.

“They keep you in Hotel Ignacio if you are negative or are awaiting a test. Isolation was in Grand Forest apartments. I was moved from Hotel Ignacio to Grand Forest apartments when they found out I was positive, and DPS escorted me safely,” he stated.

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This student represents just how important it is to watch for symptoms and contact someone immediately.

“I self-diagnosed myself. My symptoms were a mild cough, loss of taste and smell, stomach problems, body aches, shivers, and tiredness. It wasn’t the worst I ever felt, but was definitely a terrible experience” he wrote.

His symptoms started to gradually go away, and lingering on for a while was his loss of taste, smell and tiredness. As with any sickness, every case will have its own unique experiences, and luckily he didn’t experience the virus at its worst.

While isolation may sound unpleasant to many people, like many things, it is not all bad, the anonymous student explained.

During his isolation, he became very productive and efficiently stayed on top of all of his school work, in addition to making study buddies by meeting people in his Zoom classes.

“I watched YouTube and went out on my balcony to talk to one of my friends that was my downstairs neighbor. He was also positive,” explained the student after being asked how he spent his free time other than schoolwork.

Some of his least favorite parts of isolation were constant feelings of loneliness, not being able to leave his room (although walks were a must every now and then), and the food that was provided.

“On some days the food was alright but was very bad most of the time. They gave me chicken, asparagus, and potatoes. I had to order food on most days,” he shared.

When asked to share one thing he wanted everyone to know, he replied, “COVID-19 is not a hoax!

Take it seriously, wear your mask, and be safe. The symptoms are not a joke!” Wearing a mask and social distancing are a critical part of life right now, and just as the recovered patient said, everyone should be participating.

News (Rebecca LiVigni / The University News)

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TITLE IX POLICY CHANGES TO TAKE EFFECT

By CONOR DORN Associate News Editor n early May, the U.S Department of Education (DOE) released its Final Title IX Rule, a set of documents outlining regulations concerning campus sexual harassment and sexual assault. The Rule is a finalization of regulations that were drafted in 2018 by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and the DOE, and officially went into effect on Aug. 14, 2020.

The regulations were issued by the DOE’s Office of Civil Rights, which undertook a year and a half notice-and-comment process, and are now federally enforceable laws. By contrast, regulations issued under the Obama administration in 2011 and 2014, known as the Dear Colleague Letter, were classified as guidance and did not carry the force and effect of law behind them. DeVos had previously invalidated the Dear Colleague Letter in 2017, calling for an

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overhaul to campus sexual assault policy.

Once the new law was released in May, the SLU administration convened a fifteen person Title IX Policy Review Committee.

This group worked through the updated regulations and integrated them into our Interim Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy, which is currently pending approval from President Pestello’s cabinet and is expected to become official policy this semester.

DeVos has been a strong proponent of the updated regulations, arguing that they protect the due process of both the accuser and the accused, and that the Final Rule is “clear, predictable and effective at ensuring schools have the tools they need to address incidents of sexual harassment in their programs and activities.” By contrast, updated rules has drawn fierce criticism from activists and sexual assault survivors for failing to protect the rights of sexual assault survivors. According to the organization Know Your IX, Devos’ new rule “drastically decreases schools’ obligations to prevent, respond to and remedy sexual harassment and assault.

Reviewing the updated rules, especially in comparison to

the Obama administration’s Dear Colleague guidance, there is a definitive trend of increased protections for those accused of sexual assault.

For instance, where the Obama administration’s guidelines set the standard of evidence at “a preponderance of the evidence” in determining guilt, the new regulations allow Title IX investigations to opt for a “clear and convincing standard” instead. The “clear and convincing” standard is a more rigorous standard to meet than the “preponderance of evidence” standard, meaning that in many cases, victims will be required to provide more evidence than might otherwise have been expected. That said, SLU’s Title IX policy will continue to use the preponderance of the evidence standard.

Another heavily criticized rule change allows cross examination of parties and witnesses to the incident by student advisors and lawyers. Sexual assault advocates say that live cross-examination will likely lead to re-traumatization of victims and act as a deterrent for reporting sexual misconduct.

The definiton of sexual harassment has also been narrowed in comparison to previous guidance. It is now defined as “any unwelcome conduct that a reasonable person would find so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it denies a person equal educational access.” However, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking remain outside of the “severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive” requirement.

Critics of the updated Title IX rules have also taken issue with DeVos’ collaboration with several controversial men’s rights groups in the drafting of the new regulations. In an article published in The Nation back in August, Helene Barthelemy, a researcher for the Southern Poverty Law Center, detailed that in 2017, after DeVos had scrapped the Dear Colleague regulations and called for a complete overhaul of Title IX regulations, she held a summit at the Department of Education Building, where a number of groups crusading against a “crisis of false rape allegations” against male college students were present to offer advice and feedback.

These groups included the

05 National Coalition for Men Carolinas (NFMC), a men’s rights group that argues that men have “become second-class citizens” and are dedicated to “ensuring fair and equitable treatment for all mankind” and Families Advocating for Campus Equality (FACE), an organization founded by three mothers who say their sons were falsely accused of sexual assault. Also present was Stop Abusive and Violent Environments (SAVE), a group with similarly paranoid views of a percieved crisis of false sexual assault allegations.

Not only were these groups present at the summit, it was later revealed by a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that these men’s rights groups were deeply involved in the process of writing these new Title IX regulations beginning in May of 2017, several months before the Dear Colleague letter was officially scrapped.

Nearly 3,000 pages of emails were shared with The Nation through the FOIA request, revealing that the Department of Education partnered with these men’s rights groups at numerous junctures in the drafting of the new regulations, including instances where members of the DOE’s Office of Civil Rights participated in conference calls with staffers of the groups. These groups also offered legal advice to the Department of Education.

In short, the very same groups that spend their time pushing discredited campus rape statistics and demeaning the credibility of survivors of sexual assault, actively participated in writing the campus sexual assault regulations that now carry the weight of law at SLU and on college campuses across the country.

Scan the QR code to read the rest of the article.

Arts and life

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A pandemic perspective on art Where to experience art safely in St. Louis

By GRACE RAKESTRAW Staff Writer he COVID-19 pandemic has demanded changes from the world, welcome and unwelcome. The art world of St. Louis has adjusted accordingly. St. Louis has several vibrant museums along with outdoor art and sculpture parks. SLU students who are looking to find a safe and enjoyable semester, look to St. Louis art.

When thinking of art in the traditional sense, an art museum with pictures hanging on well-lit walls comes to mind. Saint Louis Art Museum, or SLAM, is located in Forest Park and has become one of St. Louis’ mustsee wonders. One of the current exhibitions at SLAM is Currents 118: Elias Sime. The Currents series features new and old art from emerging, mid-career artists.

Elias Sime is an artist who designs modular creations from discarded materials he finds in his hometown of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Hannah Klemm, the associate curator of modern and contemporary art who curated this exhibit, described the artist by saying, “Sime is really interesting because he has been put in this category of e-waste. He is actually more interested in rehabilitating.

We have all this stuff in the world and we can actually turn it into something else. Art is something that moves beyond the utilitarian and gives these objects a different life.” After spending months locked in quarantine, this emphasis on the different lives of objects is critical.

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(Photo Courtesy of Aaron McLaughlin / The University News) Despite the fact that St. Louis is not Sime’s hometown, he made sure to connect with the area. In December of 2019, he made a trip to the city. Klemm noted, “Sime added these circular structures after visiting the Cahokia Mounds and the Arch. He was so struck by the archaeological statements.”

The circular structures Klemm references are huge bowls covered in braided wires and nails.

There are many ways to describe the experience of walking through Sime’s art, but nothing will compare to seeing and experiencing it for yourself. Klemm commented on how important it is to Sime that this art be experienced first-hand. “He does not always talk about the process,” she said. “He likes these things to be ambiguous.” Luckily, SLU students can do exactly that.

SLAM is open to the mask-wearing public.

Matthew Hathaway, the museum’s communications director and former SLU UNews editor, said, “We are limiting 50% of what our occupancy is. As a practical matter, we have never come close to hitting that threshold since reopening.” SLU students can visit SLAM with peace of mind.

The Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis, or CAM, is another art museum open to the public. CAM’s Fall/Winter exhibit features two exhibitions in the main galleries: the Great Rivers Biennial and an exhibition by the artist Ebony G Patterson. Chief curator Wassan Al-Khudhairi said this about the process behind the Great Rivers Bien-

nial, “The Great Rivers Biennial is an exhibition we do every other year. Artists who live in St. Louis can apply and three final winners are chosen.”

Many wonder how the artists have reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic in their work. Al-Khudhairi revealed that the original exhibition was supposed to open in May so the artists created it without the implications of a pandemic.

She added, “But what I will say is I think the pandemic has maybe shifted the context of the artist’s work, maybe most of all, Rachel Youn.”

Youn’s exhibition is called Gather and was created to feel like a dance party, elements that seem worlds away during the pandemic. Despite the fact that we cannot physically join in dance, Al-Khudhairi says, “the idea of this dance party is more palpable than before.”

Dance and parties are fairly important factors in the college experience and are missed by many students. CAM can be a new mode for fun amidst the pandemic. As Al-Khudhairi says, “The context can change the meaning.

The meaning has shifted.”

In contrast to the traditional art museums, St. Louis offers many outdoor art experiences. The Citygarden in downtown St. Louis is a sculpture garden between eighth and tenth streets. Nodding to the pandemic, many of the statues now wear St. Louis flag face masks. The Pulitzer Arts Foundation also has an outdoor garden near SLU’s campus called Park-Like. A representative described Park-Like as “a beautiful green space for the public to enjoy, but it is just as much about creating an environment for the plants, insects, and other creatures there to thrive. It is delightful to see it take on a new life in this way.” For any students with access to transportation, Laumeier Sculpture Park can be a holistic experience in the greater St. Louis area. Laumier combines both sculptures and walking trails for any students willing to step off campus and into the art world.

It is important to highlight the therapeutic nature of art and how necessary this can be during quarantine and general life changes occurring this year. Al-Khudhairi eloquently described this relationship: “I think contemporary art has a way of allowing us to work through some of our feelings and emotions about what is happening in the world. We can walk into a space with contemporary art and let it be a place to contemplate the things that might be on our mind through the lens of another person.” All of the art locations discussed can be experienced safely by students.

Additionally, it is important to note that each curator mentioned how most St. Louis museums are free and working to accommodate the public. St. Louis has a rich, connected art world that students should not hesitate to explore.

Arts and life

(Celia Searles/The University News) The announcement of stay-athome orders came with a spike of dating app usage. With nothing to do, singles flocked to apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge to pass time and potentially meet someone special.

Tinder is not where freshmen Ashley and Steven’s* story starts, though. They met on Discord (an app that is self described as a “place to talk and hang out”) in an unofficial Saint Louis University server

for incoming freshmen in May. Like other groups made for SLU freshmen, members were encouraged to introduce themselves to their peers to make friends before arriving on campus. When Ashley saw Stevens “About Me” post, she was immediately drawn in.

“I noticed that we have a lot of things in common”...“like everything in common. I was like, maybe I could be really good friends with him,” Ashley says about the first time reading his post. “I jokingly said to myself, imagine dating him.”

Two days later, Steven slid in Ashley’s DMs. “We just had very similar vibes and interests”...“and I decided to take a shot,” Steven recalls, displaying his courage to message her first. The two most important interests the couples share is fitness and their love for watching anime.

Like many other couples that met online during stay-at-home orders, Ashley and Steven spent time with each other virtually. They interacted on multiple social media apps, but kept most conversations on Discord.

Ashley and Steven both admit that

they knew they liked each other after their first call on Discord, and soon enough, calling each other became routine. When the couple played Minecraft together, being on a voice call was a must. Steven recalls that not speaking to Ashley while mining felt odd. The couple shared duties in their Minecraft world — the only universe they could physically be together. Ashley tended to their animals and crops while Steven built their village.

The couple had the opportunity to bond over one of the things they love most at a virtual anime expo that COVID-19 had forced online. The expo started at 10 a.m., but Steven confesses that he overslept the beginning of it by waking up at 3 p.m. that day. The couple both had odd sleep schedules brought on by their sudden loss of responsibilities due to stay-at-home orders, though. Steven could stay up until 4 a.m., and Ashley even later.

When it was time for Steven to admit that he liked Ashley, he did it in the most Gen Z way: sending her a Tik Tok to confess his interest in her.

The two were ecstatic for the start

07 of the 2020-2021 school year on campus. Steven says that his excitement to meet Ashley was stronger than the excitement he feels when he sees his favorite cousins during the holidays.

They finally met a few days after the Freshman Move-In days and took a romantic walk down West Pine. Neither of them was nervous. They felt so comfortable with each other after spending the whole summer together. Steven and Ashley made it official Aug. 18. Now, they spend nearly everyday together and share some of the same friends. They are currently working to finish the anime series “Slam Dunk.”

Steven and Ashley are fortunate to have met their online love in the midst of the pandemic, but Ashley fears being sent home because of a campus outbreak. If SLU students are sent home, the couple will once again be two hours apart from each other in their homes in California. Whatever happens, the two will always be thankful for Discord, anime and Minecraft. *Names changed for anonymity.

The New Freshman Experience First year students are grappling with the highs and lows of a unique fall welcome.

By JACK JOHNSON Staff Writer Being a first-year college student usually comes with a certain amount of stress and excitement.

During the year of a global pandemic, students are still stressed and excited, just for different reasons.

The fall 2020 semester has changed how the entire campus operates, from the functions of on-campus dining to whether or not friends can visit in a residence hall. Kelsey Schmeling, Valentina Rivero, Clarke Norman and Brianna Brennan, all first-year students in the Doisy College of Health Sciences, are well aware of those changes and how it’s affected their college experience.

Fall Welcome, the orientation program designed to help students move in and acclimate to

campus in the fall semester, saw many changes this year to adhere to physical distancing and other campus-wide policies.

In a regular year, checking out social media posts and promotional material is how students can mentally prepare for Fall Welcome. This year, though, it almost hindered students’ abilities to get ready for school.

“For our expectations coming into it, we could see the videos and people talking about before, but we never experienced what it should have been,” says Brennan.

“Yeah that didn’t help, watching all those videos,” agreed Rivero. “A low for me was the fact that it wasn’t the full experience,” she later said.

Many of the changes for this semester had to do with large gatherings. There was no PaintSLU on Olive-Compton Parking Garage and no Party on Grand this year.

“There was a lot of downtime,” says Schmeling.

Additionally, all first year students

were put into small groups so they could still gather and have discussions with their Oriflamme leader.

“I didn’t get to meet anyone else except the people that were in my group, and they were all on my floor. I kind of wanted to branch out more,” says Rivero.

While the necessary changes to Fall Welcome this year may have seemed less-than-ideal compared to past years, they were aimed at helping the SLU community stay as safe as possible. It may have been different, but first-year students were still able to experience the highs and lows of a college transition.

“Getting to meet people was a high. I was really homesick my first week, so that would be a low I guess,” says Schmeling.

Considering that SLU is only about five weeks into the academic year, there’s plenty more time for the semester to progress and develop.

Though every day, first-year students compare life on campus to

their own expectations of college.

Rivero says that she imagined, “being involved, having a ton of friends, and going to games and stuff, like supporting the school and becoming friends with teachers, it would be a lot of fun.”

“It’s been a nice experience,” says Norman, “Different from what I expected.”

Much of the social interaction that the four students have is from the people that they were able to meet during Fall Welcome: the people living on their floor in Reinert Hall.

“We’re all super close with our floor,” states Schmeling.

“Jori [Brewer, their RA] is really helping us,” says Rivero.

While many things are different this semester, such as what they did during Fall Welcome, students are still able to find community and do things that regular college students would do: “Ya we go to Target a lot with our whole floor,” laughed Brennan.

Graphic Courtesy of Celia Searles

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Arts and life

Northwest Coffee thrives amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

By CELIA SEARLES Arts & Life Editor

Northwest Coffee owner Jason Wilson sheds light on his experience as a Black entrepreneur, coffee expert and what it’s like to run a business that’s thriving in 2020.

Photos courtsey of Jason Wilson Northwest Coffee owner Jason Wilson rolled the dice by staying open during COVID-19 and won big time. When many St. Louis businesses were cutting staff and hours, closing their dining rooms and suffering from a loss of revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Northwest Coffee Roasting Company tripled their revenue. In April alone, the local watering hole saw an increase in twenty percent of patronage which is practically unheard of for a local business in the height of a pandemic.

What can Wilson and Northwest’s success be attributed to? High-quality coffee, excellent customer service and a welcome and diverse, COVID19-friendly environment. The business is nestled into the back of a large lot on Laclede and Boyle, a mere ten minute walk from SLU’s campus.

Owner Jason Wilson, who bought Northwest Coffee in 2012, takes great pride in him and his staff’s ability to cater to the demand of the St. Louis community during such an uncertain time. “It’s been great honestly,” Wilson says.

On any given morning, the spacious lot is filled with patrons safely distanced. Some are studying, others are conversing with friends and some are just getting a cup of joe and pass-

ing through. The increased popularity of Northwest Coffee has brought a vibrant community space to light, but what Northwest and Wilson stand for, has been a part of the St. Louis fabric for much longer than many realize.

Wilson acquired Northwest Coffee in late 2012 along with the now-closed Chronicle Coffee on the northside of St. Louis. Wilson’s goal was to invest in multiple areas of the St. Louis community, namely where food deserts and disinvestment were the norm. Bringing quality coffee and community to these spaces was a gratifying endeavor for Wilson. “It was great while it lasted,” Wilson says.

After Mike Brown’s death in 2014, Wilson struggled to gain a solid customer base for Chronicle Coffee and had to close it down. Wilson notes that nobody wanted to travel to that part of town out of fear.

Many community members had a new, harmful perspective on the northside of St. Louis. After Chronicle Coffee closed, Wilson put all his efforts towards Northwest Coffee, and grew it to the business it is today.

The response to George Floyd’s death was almost the exact opposite as Mike Brown’s. Wilson notes that people began flocking to Northwest, tipping extravagantly and support-

ing him as a Black business owner.

This response was confusing for Wilson. While more support and patronage was clearly a positive, Wilson initially felt conflicted. Having gone through extreme disinvestment with Chronicle Coffee, watching the community take a totally different approach was a bit jarring.

He thought, “don’t support me because I’m Black.” He wanted to be known for his good coffee and community space, not just reduced to the color of his skin.

As time wore on and he had more conversations with family and friends, Wilson pivoted his perspective and accepted the tips and patronage. Still, he struggled as he felt bad on both sides of the coin: being discriminated against because he was Black and being praised because he is Black. Wilson grapples with the questions, “Why go through this all the time? So many Black men have to die … why did George Floyd spark?”

Wilson notes that there are other challenges linked to the color of his skin outside of the community response to the wrongful deaths of Black men. When Wilson purchased Northwest Coffee in 2012, he sat on a board at the Contemporary Art Museum, and many of his distinguished

peers explicitly stopped supporting the business because they didn’t trust that Wilson would do a good job.

The experiences Wilson has faced as a Black business owner inspired him to team up with friend and local filmmaker, David Kirkman. Together, they collaborated on the recently-released “Entrepreneur” video highlighting Black business owners in St. Louis. The film came together in under a week, and pop singer Pharrell reached out and promoted it on his personal social media accounts, further highlighting Black businesses in the community.

Since then, Wilson and Kirkman have traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma to make a similar video on what once was Black Wall Street, bringing to light the entrepreneurial spirit that remains in Black communities across the country.

Patrons of Northwest Coffee are choosing to get out of their comfort zone and step into a diverse space when they sit down at a picnic table on Wilson’s lot. People from all over the community enjoy what Northwest has to offer: community, safety and diversity.

Arts and life

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A mental health pandemic

By SARA QALBANI Staff Writer 2020 has thrown an infinite amount of curveballs, especially towards students. One of the biggest of these was the toll on health, including more than just physical. The stress and anxiety surrounding the changes caused b y the pandemic have ultimately led to a challenging new mental state for many individuals. According to a tracking poll done by the non-profit organization, Kaiser Family Foundation, an estimated 53% of adults reported that their mental health has been negatively impacted due to the coronavirus. Whether it was the impact of the lockdown, a job loss or academic struggles, this pandemic has led to an unprecedented mental state for many.

College students are among the group that have been and continue to be affected. Another survey conducted by Healthy Minds Network asked nearly 18,000 students on 14 different campuses about changes in their mental health from Fall 2019 to Spring 2020. Results showed that the prevalence of depression increased in Spring 2020 during the pandemic. The new term “pandemic depression’ was created to label the emotions that people felt during this time.

According to Christina Rariden, an associate professor at the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing, “Often times after widespread traumatic events occur, such as natural disasters, depression and anxiety rates increase, and this pandemic is no different...this pandemic has affected us in so

many ways and people are experiencing a mental toll. People are worried about their health, family, livelihood, with widespread changes to daily living from every angle.” Given this information, it can be assumed that there has been a negative impact on mental health during 2020.

Whether it’s on campus, off campus or in the comfort of your own personal space, there is always someone there to help you. On SLU’s campus, the University Counseling Center has transitioned all counseling to a virtual platform. Although online counseling is not the same, it is a step in the right direction to get the help needed. According to Prof.

Rariden,”being able to meet with a counselor virtually can help reduce that initial fear some people have about going to that first appointment.”

Generally, there is a lot of anxiety surrounding an in-person appointment. As Prof. Rariden stated, it can help ease tensions if the appointment is virtual and you are in your own comfortable space.

An anonymous student who has attended virtual counseling at SLU said,“While it does feel strange, [virtual counseling] did allow me to feel a little less anxiety about sharing vulnerable things because I sort of looked off camera and it helped...despite the differences, I have really benefited from virtual counseling.” The center also provides ten free sessions and the appointment is completely confidential. The University Counseling Center website also lists mental health resources for students of color.

For students who don’t feel comfortable seeking help on campus, there are a variety of safe off-campus and self-care options available. In St. Louis,

many mental health organizations have taken a step towards accessibility due to COVID-19. Depending on what you are seeking, there is a shelter for nearly everything. For more information, St. Louis Community College has compiled a variety of sources for those in need.

For a more self-care approach, there are many apps that can help with a variety of situations. For depression, try Talkspace online therapy, Happify, and Moodtools. For anxiety, Mindshift, Selfhelp for anxiety management, and CBT Thought Record Diary. For eating disorders, Recovery Record and Rise up and Recover. For PTSD, PTSD Coach and Breathe2Relax. For general mediation and calmness, Headspace & Calm. This information can be overwhelming but it is important to remember that there are options. Above everything else, your mental health needs to be prioritized. Even the smallest step to getting help is a step in the right direction.

(Kaitlyn Quezada/The University News)

September events

18 19 Live Music: River Despair Masks & Music on Main @

Historic Saint Charles @ 9 Mile Garden

12-4pm 6:30-9:30

Saint Louis

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Central West End Streatery 12-8pm

Bingo & Beers 9 Mile Garden 6-10pm

TGENA Socially-Distant Neighborhood Concert @ 3500 Hartford 6-8pm

Free Social Cinema Movie Night @ BPV 4pm-11pm RSVP

27 28 29 30 Grace Pop Up @ 2nd Shift Brewery 12-6pm (ticketed)

Free Yoga @ Carondelet Park 6-7pm

Comedy night @ 9 Mile garden 8-10pm

When September Ends; Drag Show @ HandleBar 9:30pm-12:30am

Butler’s Pantry Pop-Up Fourth Friday Art Walk Picnic @ Tower Grove Park @ Downtown 4:30-6:30 Ste. Genevieve (pre-order online) 6-9pm

gateway to the star @ Gateway Arch National Park 6:30pm (online) Rockwell Beer Co Foeder Fest 11am

Whether you are looking to get out and about or explore Saint Louis virtually, these events are either outdoor or have implemented social distancing rules. Being safe and having fun can go hand in hand!

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University News 3/19/20 Crossword

PuzzleJunction.com

Solutions in the October 22nd issue

University News 3/19/20 Word Search

Across 1 Computer picture 5 Pricing word 9 Role in Haydn’s The Creation 12 Soprano Gluck 13 Acquired relative 15 Off-ramp 16 Henhouse 17 Bandage 18 Tableland 19 Chart 21 Type of monster 23 At the apex 25 Military address 26 Chess piece 29 Razor-billed bird 30 Pilot’s in-flight announcement, briefly 33 Beach 34 Film company 36 Canyon feature 37 Roof overhang 38 Tennis venue 39 Nullify 40 ___ out a living 41 Oomph 42 Eskimo boat 43 Bag thickness 44 Bauxite, e.g.

45 Haifa locale 47 Drink in a mug 48 British submachine gun 49 Gaucherie 53 Jellied garnish 57 Mark’s successor 58 Minimum 60 Woodwind

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ANTIETAM APPOMATTOX ATLANTA BALLS BLUFF BULL RUN CARTHAGE DOVER FORT HENRY Sudoku FORT SUMTER

HANOVER HARPERS FERRY JACKSON LEXINGTON LIBERTY LONE JACK MANASSAS MEMPHIS NEW ORLEANS

OLD CHURCH RICHMOND SABINE PASS SELMA SHILOH SUFFOLK TUPELO VICKSBURG YORKTOWN

University News 3/19/20 35 Fruitcake item 38 Panacea 39 Kill Bill actress Thurman To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box 41 Trevino’s game must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

42 Coffee holders 46 In a chair 47 Energy source 48 Shade of gray 49 Nuisance 50 Reign 51 Jejune 52 Cordelia’s father 54 Sport with mallets 55 Wild goat 56 Traffic marker 59 ___-Foy, Que. 61 Geologic time

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8 4 5 9 6 9 8 6 1 4 3 3 7 9 2 8 1 8 1 2 7 5 5 Copyright ©2020 PuzzleJunction.com

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photography

Solidarity on the steps Photos and Story By RILEY TOVORNIK Photo Editor

Jesuits, Dominicans, Students and Residents of Saint Louis alike gathered on the steps of Xavier Church this Tuesday for a peaceful demonstration in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

These demonstrations have been ongoing for the past few weeks, showing no sign of slowing down until change is made. “There’s so many things that need to change and we have to do things in solidarity with our Black brothers and sisters,” said Patrick Baikauskas, one of the Dominicans present, “We just have to be out here until things sink in. It’s just not right.”

Despite only over a dozen protestors turning out, plenty of cars drove by honking in soli-

darity. As said by Baikauskas’ fellow Dominican, Dominick Jean, “They’re in solidarity with us, even if they can’t be standing here. In some ways we’re surrounded by an even bigger crowd that isn’t physically here.”

One of the things they heavily emphasized was that you don’t get to pick and choose what you preach, “you have to preach the whole thing, all of the good news, which means you have to stand out here and make some people in the pews a little uncomfortable.”

The protests are held on the steps of Xavier Church every Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and are open to all students and members of the community.

“There’s such a despair about change because we’ve seen movements like this before, people get excited and ramped up for change and then they give up.

They forget. They move on. There’s no time table on when this ends because there’s no time table on when change will happen. Until change happens we should be here. Maybe we won’t always be here physically, but we should always be keeping this in our minds until change happens and hearts are converted.”

-Brother Dominick Jean

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How covid is affecting clubs and organizations Photos and Story By ANDREA PORTER, RILEY TOVORNIK, and JOSHUA KANG

Many clubs and organizations have to reevaluate plans due to COVID-19 n 1995 a group of Saint Louis University students formed a kayak club known as SLU Kayak Club. This is a non-competitive club dedicated to promoting whitewater recreation. They have been active within the Missouri whitewater community and have paddled in Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina.

A month before the school year started, President Zachary Messaglia and Vice President Nicole Schneider, along with other board members, met virtually to finalize their plan of action for the upcoming semester. The executive board implemented a return to play plan that limits attendance at practice and restricts the type of instructing. Messaglia states, “The E-Board has done a great job in creating a return to play plan. Once we had a plan in place we were confident in our ability to keep students safe to the best of our ability. We recognize the risk of transmission can never be fully eliminated, no matter how many measures are taken.”

Before this year, the kayak club was very interactive between the instructor and the students. Members were also able to travel to competitions. Due to the CDC guidelines and SLU COVID-19 precautions, this semester looks different. Practices in Simon Recreation Center are limited to ten people, you must wear a mask outside of the pool area, maintain social distance and receive the “Good to go” from Campus Clear before practice. Some competitions have been cancelled due to COVID-19. Schneider states, “Normally we host trips to the Saint Francis River in Southern Missouri, however, those are being postponed.” Messaglia adds, “The Missouri Whitewater Championships have been cancelled in the spring. We also cancelled all trips to the river in the spring as well as practices.”

Both Messaglia and Schneider are looking forward to watching students in the club master skills and techniques as well as welcoming new members.

Kayak Club is keeping up-to-date with all the new information and is trying to do what they can to best protect students when they come to practice.

Interested in joining SLU Kayak Club? All are welcome at practices and no experience is needed to join!

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s the 2020-2021 school year was fastly approaching, many clubs and organizations here at Saint Louis University had to reevaluate their plans due to the CDC guidelines around COVID-19. SLU’s Fraternity and Sorority life has been a part of campus life since the early 1900s.

In the past, fraternities and sororities would hold formal recruitment to meet potential new members. This year it looked different.

Formal recruitment as well as many other events are now held virtually.

Layden Butler, Chapter President of Phi Mu Zeta Zeta, tells us, “We have all grown to find as much fun and laughs as we can through our new virtual events—whether that’s laughing with each other when someone’s pet jumps on their lap in the middle of a zoom, virtual dance parties where no one is on beat because the lag of the music, or just the constant thread of tik toks being sent in our GroupMe. I don’t think any of us would have expected that a semester on Zoom could still bring so much joy and still foster the growth of our sisterhood.” Even though events have been moved virtually, Phi Mu members are still able to enjoy each other’s company without having to be face-to-face.

The Phi Mu executive board had a great attitude going into the semester. They have been organized from the get-go and planned formal recruitment and bid day, ready to go to welcome their new members. Butler said that around this time of year they would have been planning chapters, socials, formals, sisterhoods and many other events. Since these events have been canceled the executive board has replaced those events with some virtual events such as virtual game night, “Fright Night,” where members can watch movies together on zoom and socially distant-outdoor study sessions.

Butler stated, “our E-board learned from our experiences last semester— we had finished out the spring semester on zoom and were able to learn what worked and what didn’t. I think that allowed us to come into this semester as prepared as possible. Our goal was to enter this fall with the best attitude possible to remind our members and ourselves that we may all be socially distant but can continue to grow together.”

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo Courtesy of Alpha Eta Rho Pi Chapter lpha Eta Rho (AHP) is SLU’s Aviation Fraternity. Pilots, Engineers and Avgeeks alike flock to this fraternity not just for networking, but because of a strong sense of shared passion. Due to COVID-19, gatherings have been difficult, but not impossible.

AHP has gone solely virtual for now, but according to chapter president Abbigail Bredfield, they will still hold presentations and continue working on professional development.

Unfortunately, one of the major losses is what Bredfield considers the most important: the community. “For returning members it is easy for us to hang out outside of AHP, but we have lost getting to better know the now-sophomores and the current freshman class,” says Bredfield, “We are a very closeknit community.” One of the other major losses is their volunteer work. AHP is close knit with Wings of Hope, an aviation philanthropy organization centered around medical transport and global outreach. Initiation, another major event within AHP, is being completely reworked to follow CDC guidelines.

Bredfield says she looks forward to getting to know the incoming group of initiates more, and hopes to continue growth as a chapter.

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lub Volleyball is more than a sport, it’s a brotherhood. So when COVID-19 struck this past spring, the men’s Club Volleyball team was thrown for a loop. “The whole season ground to a halt and we had to abandon for the year,” said men’s club president Jacob Morton, who’s been with the team for over three years now. According to Morton, some of the biggest adjustments don’t just deal with play, but also the social aspects of the club. One of the biggest issues to arise is scrimmaging, because of ten person limits the team has been having difficulty with scrimmages. The drills they want to run aren’t possible with current restrictions, but one of Morton’s priorities is “to provide opportunities while keeping risk for people low.”

There were also hopes to reach out to other volleyball clubs, but now, since dinners and in person meetups aren’t possible, they’ve started working on alternative and safer options. One idea was playing games via Zoom with people from both clubs. Unfortunately, some traditions, like their annual dinner, had to be shelved; however, they still hope to be able to find a way to get together outside of practice. For right now, all they can do is hope that things will return to normal and they’ll be able to compete in tournaments again next semester.

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photography

Covid by the numbers, How Slu holds up to other schools

By RILEY TOVORNIK Photo Editor

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STUDENT ATHLETES ARE NO LONGER QUIET How college athletes are leading a movement

By JOHN LEWIS Contributor n the past, college athletes have been kept quiet.

Today, they are no longer under the radar. Steps are being taken. Voices are being heard.

They’ve gone to the internet and they’ve marched in the streets. Student athletes across the country have created a movement of change in their collegiate communities.

Now more than ever, college athletes are outspoken. In the past we have heard student athletes speak up about exploitation and inequality in the college sports industry, but other than that, the athletes have been relatively muted and under the radar. Their biggest voice would be in the post-game interview, yet then we would not hear from them until the next big game rolled around. We have seen this develop and change into something much larger.

While most of the fall seasons have been pushed back, student athletes are pushing the bigger issues to the front. They understand their power and influence on people of all ages, and by doing so, they are using their outreach to share strong messages within their communities. In a stand against social injustice, many student athletes have turned towards social media. On Twitter and Facebook they have created video campaigns, speeches, daily and weekly updates—anything of the sort to raise awareness of the prevalent social issues we see going on today.

These players are not on their own with this. Coaches have been stepping up and supporting them, whether it be on social media or in person. Head coaches, prominent figures of power, have joined their students in advocacy for what is best for their communities. Players, coaches and staff alike are coming

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Student-athletes have often been expected to remain quiet about issues of social justice in the past, but recently they are not allowing themselves to be silenced.

More and more athletes are speaking up without fear of consequences. (Rebecca LiVigni / The University News)

together as one in support of each other and the communities around them.

On Aug. 31, Alabama head coach Nick Saban led a large group of his players on a march to protest social injustice and incidents of police brutality against black men and women. Other athletes from the university joined as well in the march of protest. These people understand their influence on a national scale and are using their power to advocate for justice.

All of this outspokenness has led to concerns about whether or not there would be repercussions against the players or coaches by the schools themselves. It has been refreshing to see many schools across the nation elevating their players on their social media platforms, but it will be interesting to see whether or not this changes when sports seasons pick back up in the spring.

When the time comes, we will truly be able to see what sort of rules will be laid out for the athletes. When they are televised and given a national platform, will there be any major repercussions for their statements? We have seen the MLB literally put BLM onto the mound at every stadium. We have seen the NBA and the WNBA implement messages into their pregame warmups and even the names on their jerseys. I am patiently waiting to see how the NCAA will handle this situation.

We have seen the NCAA be one with the players and stand up against social justice, but will it go any further than a video on Twitter?

Will the players have the ability to stand up against injustice and kneel without being fined? Right now, I am optimistic that the NCAA will be supportive and work with the athletes, as they have been doing very well this year. The student athletes want to be heard, will the NCAA be willing to listen?

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NAIA STILL PROCEEDING WITH FALL SEASON

The run-down on NAIA’s fall season

By LILLY MEHDIRAD Contributor mong the COVID-19 pandemic, universities and college athletes in all NCAA divisions were faced with devastating news with the announcement that the organization decided to forego all fall sports seasons for 2020. However, one organization — the NAIA — decided to continue on with their college sports for the fall season this year.

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, or the NAIA, is composed of 250 schools, which means it is a much smaller organization than the NCAA. Consequently, universities that choose to participate in NAIA sports pay much less in fees than those who choose to participate in the NCAA. The impact of the NAIA’s decision to proceed forward with their season is less of a financial burden than that of the NCAA’s, especially with the imposed implications that the season has established as a result of the pandemic.

With the decision to move forward came implications that interrupted typical league protocol— delayed practices and national championships, limited contests and reformed standards.

Practice protocols have also been affected by COVID. Dominic Smith, a sophomore on the Missouri Baptist soccer team, described the new normal as “always having to wear a mask as soon as you get to training, [and having] to be screened. [They also] have to answer questions, which [they] have to do for [their] campus. Then [they] get [their] temperature taken, and [they’re] not allowed to train unless [they’ve] been cleared through that.”

Freshman Jack Carney talked about the time commitment that

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COVID protocols require before every practice. He guessed that each person spends about 15 to 20 minutes to be scanned before they enter the building and, “if you add that up [they’ve] lost over an hour to an hour and a half taken out of time training.”

Another sophomore, Seosamh Sheerin continued, “Whenever we’re not on the field we have to social distance no matter what we do. In the gym [they] have to wear masks.”

However, on the field, the spread of COVID-19 is much more likely to happen. Smith began, When [we’re] actually playing the game there’s nothing you can actually do about it because if it’s a corner [kick], you’re [standing] there chest-to-chest with the opposition. Nothing you can really do about it.” With these given circumstances, universities in the league have been given the option to obtain their own protocols per CDC guidelines.

Sheerin said, “Since we’re the only ones going ahead with it, it’s been difficult. The way the rules are set is [that] if someone takes a test within our team, [and] that test comes back positive, our whole team has to quarantine for around 2 weeks.” He continued, “There’s about 35 people on our first team, which means that if any one of us [were to] get it, we’re all out for a long time and that’s so difficult because we’re going to miss games and we’re going to miss points every single time that happens.” Positive COVID testing could affect already limited gameplay, as the NAIA cut down all men and women’s soccer seasons from 18 games to 14 for the fall. In addition to this, cross country, football, and volleyball teams in the NAIA division faced shortened seasons. For the Missouri Baptist University soccer team, COVID affected their season already. “We’ve already had people that did have it,” Sheerin started. Carney continued, “We were getting fit and then we had to stop for two weeks just for precaution as someone on the team had COVID.” This lack of training was apparent in the team’s first game back after

their short time away. “We weren’t fit at all,” said Carney, “we were doing just two weeks of staying in the house doing no running or soccer.

So yeah, COVID did affect that.”

Along with limited gameplay, the NAIA made an executive decision to delay national championships to the spring season.

When making the decision to postpone fall national championships, the NAIA released a statement. “Given the fast-paced and constantly-changing nature of the current environment, the COP recognized that the likelihood of safely completing the fall sports season has decreased significantly,” said Dr. Arvid Johnson, COP Chair and University of St. Francis President.

“This decision allows conferences to consider the regional impact of COVID-19 when determining the appropriate time for regular season competition.” However, even though national championships have been postponed to spring, this fall season, even with COVID, will affect nationals.

Sheerin continued, “It’s also affecting whether or not we’ll be able to go to nationals because you have to play a certain [number] of games. Also, if we have to quarantine, then we can potentially

miss a game and it’s [not guaranteed] that [the missed] game will be rescheduled, even if it’s cancelled.”

Although the COVID has affected sports heavily, especially for the NAIA, there are students who are grateful for the opportunity to play.

Smith concluded, “We’re happy to be able to play and we’re happy we can train all the time. [Yet,] it really is just up in the air how this season’s going to go and no one knows what’s going to happen. So, we just gotta take it game by game and carry on.”

Sophomore, Seosamh Sheerin goes in for a header for Missouri Baptist soccer while playing William Woods. The NAIA has decided to continue with fall sports unlike many of the NCAA sports. ( Photo Courtesy of Missouri Baptist Athletics)

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MAYA TAYLOR BRINGS THE EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE TO SLU How her club tackles the hard social justice conversations

By ERIN MCCLELLAND Sports Editor or most stud e n t- a t h l e t e s , just juggling academics and athletics can be a major challenge. or volleyball senior, Maya Taylor, however, in addition to these challenges, she also decided to start her own club called the Equal Justice League (EJL) to give SLU students the opportunity to open the discussion about social justice initiatives.

The idea for the EJL came almost a year ago over winter break when Taylor was with her family in Oregon, long before the recent events that have led to the onset of riots and protests our country has been witness to. Taylor was having a conversation with her mom on Christmas Eve, discussing her plans for the future when she realized that other than playing professional volleyball, she had no idea. After a bit of soul-searching, Taylor discovered that her passion rests in social justice issues and how she can bring awareness to others.

Taylor comes from a very open-minded family and her father is a cross-cultural psychologist that teaches at University of Missouri St. Louis (UMSL). She feels connected to the topic because she has seen both sides of it, having a Black father and white mother.

During the conversation at Christmas, Taylor’s mom encouraged her to email members of the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit organization based in Montgomery, AL, to get ideas about what she could do moving forward. Despite feeling discouraged by her assumption that “they were too busy,” she decided to do it anyway on a whim and ended getting a response from Bryan Stevenson’s associate. Receiving this response, Taylor said, really caused her to “fangirl out.”

Bryan Stevenson is best known for being the founder of the Equal

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Justice Initiative (EJI) and being a public interest lawyer focused on human rights. He also is the author of the bestselling book, Just Mercy, about the people he represents and what the Equal Justice Initiative stands for. The movie adaptation of Just Mercy, starring Michael B. Jordan, was released in 2019.

In the email she received from the EJI, Taylor was encouraged to attend law school because there are so many opportunities in social justice work that could come from having a background in law. Taylor returned the email asking if the associate could say “hi” to Bryan Stevenson on Taylor’s behalf. When she agreed, Taylor said, “you would have thought One Direction had given me a personal call I was so excited.”

It meant a lot to Taylor that someone from the EJI took the time “to be genuine to some random college kid.” The interaction with a group she idolized pushed her to want to do something at SLU immediately. St. Louis is city that experiences many of the issues that Taylor wished to address; she felt like she could do a lot of good in the area if she started a local branch of the EJI with the help of some other students.

Taylor believes that that most important thing to do is to spread awareness out about racial and social injustices and to get the conversation started. She took the action to create the EJL at SLU by creating an Instagram account and acquiring members through word of mouth. It was a slow process and at the start of the 2020 spring semester, she had only two members. Now, there are over 15 active members that participate in Zoom meetings once a week.

Though SLU’s EJL is not an officially chartered club within the university and though, as Taylor describes, “it’s not the club with cool stuff, because I have no money,” it is a “tight knit community that wants to make a difference.” She is hoping to plan more events to get more students involved and to bring awareness to SLU’s community. The meetings cover a large variety of

Senior Maya Taylor has found her passion in fighting for social justice. Her new club is a way for SLU students to gather to discuss the hard issues that our society faces today. (Andrea Porter / The University News) topics that are brought to the group by members known as “representatives.” These members are essentially the researchers that look for articles, news feeds, and other media to bring back to the group so they are able to stay up to date with current events.

Taylor is very flexible with how the members of her club choose to participate. If you are not someone who wants to go out and find the material for the meetings, there will be other ways for you to participate. “Raising our own awareness and increasing our own education through each other is something we are working towards,” she said. At some points, the members of the club are acting as their own teachers.

At each meeting, the group discusses topics that are often uncomfortable to talk about, but Taylor said, “that’s why we have a small knit community.” Despite the fact that she is called the president, she said, “no one is in charge of us and we all have an obligation.” If someone in the group wants to have a deeper role in the group, permission is granted. They currently have two vice presidents, two secretaries, six

to seven researchers, and two people on the marketing team. This keeps everyone’s workload light because some of the material can be very emotionally draining.

One of EJL’s vice presidents, Oteria Lawrence said, “We all come from different backgrounds and yet we’re still able to come together in this group [to] fight and raise awareness for pressing issues in society today, all the while having those hard conversations we all should be having right now more than ever.” Conversation at each meeting gets very deep very quickly. “It’s never going to be light, and it shouldn’t be, because it’s people’s lives,” said Taylor.

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sports

FEMALE ATHLETES HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE The WNBA fight for social justice in America

By SYDNEY ALTEMOSE Associate Sports Editor ince the inception of sports in America, athletes have used their platform to speak up for others. Jim Thorpe used his platform to highlight the plight of Native Americans.

Jackie Robinson’s role in the MLB paved the way for racial justice in major league sports. Babe Didrikson created the LPGA, which served as one of the first professional theatres for women’s sports. In modern times, the National Women’s Soccer Team casts brutal condemnation on the lack of equity in pay for athletes. There is a long-standing history of those who use their professional platform to better life in America for the generations that will come after them. Today, the WNBA and its athletes have created a standard of fighting for justice and the America they want to see.

In 2016, Maya Moore of the Minnesota Lynx forfeited her season in order to help overturn the wrongful conviction of Johnathan Irons. Shortly after, the league experienced a rapid succession of incidents that put the women in a position where they felt they could no

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(Grace Dunlavy / The University News)

In professional athletics, often the men are the ones that get all the recognition for bringing attention to social issues, but female athletes have been doing just as much, if not more, for years. They are not willing to remain silent when social justice issues are called into question.

longer be silent. While media coverage would lead one to believe that the main source of support for the Black Lives Matter movement would be the NBA, an analysis of the WNBA and its modifications shows that these women have used their league to fight for victims of police brutality long before it became the popular option.

As is common with the rules and standards of many professional athletics leagues, the WNBA has regulations about warm-up shirts, self-presentation and interview protocol. That same year, players donned warm-ups reading “#BlackLivesMatter” and “#Dallas5.” They were met with harsh league punishments and condemnation from the administration. The players refused to let monetary sanction inhibit their advocacy. When Tina Charles of the New York Liberty accepted her Player of the Month Award, she wore the league issued warm-up inside out.

In addition, after the game between the Liberty and the Indiana Fever, the players refused to answer questions, conducting a media blackout. Ten tension-filled days later, the administration rescinded the fines.

The WNBA and its members are no

strangers to bringing awareness to situations that may be unpopular. In fact, by 2017 the league had created Unity Day, where the teams could bring awareness to social issues of their choosing. For instance, the teams have collectively rallied for LGBTQIA+ rights. This year, specifically, special light and preference has been shown on female victims of police brutality.

The Wubble, as the WNBA has taken to calling their designated play “bubble,” has seen plenty of protests in the 2020 season. Games have been postponed, panels have been held, and overall, the members of the WNBA are pushing their fans to do what they can to change America. They have encouraged those who are eligible to vote and have spoken in favor of completing the census. For many of the players, issues of race are personal.

On and off the court, they cannot stop being Black. They cannot deny who and what they are which, they say, is what fuels their fight against matters of racial violence.

The NBA and NFL have been placed at the center of the conversation surrounding athletes and their platforms

for social reform, even as women have been fighting it for longer. With significantly less media coverage and fewer fans, the battle fought by female athletes goes relatively unnoticed. The changes they have made for their league date far past what is now seen as conventional athletic advocacy. For the athletes of the WNBA, the lack of attention can be disheartening. However, rather than dwell on the lack of attention, the players have decided to capitalize on what difference they can make.

For female athletes who are paid appallingly less than their male counterparts and for a fraction of the views, there is nothing left to lose in standing up for those in need. They have used their energy to create a safe and inclusive league for themselves and their fans. Using the platform they have fashioned for themselves, they continue to encourage social justice… even if that means remaining unpopular.

SLU& Billikens& Online& Winter Session. slu.edu/winter

Opinion

20

Political Campaigns in the Age of COVID-19

Even in a Pandemic, The Race to November Continues...

By CHLOE OLLIFF Staff Writer t seems like every advertisement, b i l l b o a r d and commercial describes life in the age of COVID-19 in the same way.

Big bold font will gloss over a McDonald’s ad: “We’re all in this together,” and you’ll wonder how that has anything to do with your Big Mac. While these tropes can feel tiresome and overused, it’s hard to deny that life looks different this year. The same can be said for political campaigns. When news broke of the impending pandemic, campaign managers from both sides of the aisle had to do a lot of reassessing. Speaking in front of crowds, shaking hands, and kissing babies looks questionable in the midst of a viral outbreak. Although Trump and Biden have both traveled around the country since the coronavirus came to the US, their campaigns have dialed back inperson events and placed a greater emphasis on virtual fundraisers and digital advertising.

To the politically aware, this sudden focus on digital material may seem unorthodox.

It’s vastly different from what have traditionally been complex inperson campaigns. Unfortunately for campaign junkies, the intimacy of meeting presidential candidates is lost in the digital world. In many

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ways, however, the past decade has prepared America for a mostlyvirtual presidential campaign.

Presidential candidates have started using social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram more frequently. Social media is also incredibly fast. If you want the entire country to know something as soon as possible, social media is the way to go. President Trump uses Twitter prolifically, spreading news faster than wildfire. News spews so fast from the President’s account that censoring and fact-checking posts has proven to be difficult for Twitter’s moderators throughout his presidential campaign. Twitter isn’t the only social media site where Trump has stirred up controversy.

On Thursday, September 3, President Trump suggested that North Carolina voters vote twice to make sure that their votes are counted. Voting multiple times is illegal, and Facebook has said that they will remove any videos of President Trump’s speech posted without sufficient context. Facebook also announced that they will not allow any new political ads during the week leading up to election night, in hopes of minimizing the proliferation of fake news and false election results. In 2019, Twitter took an extra step and banned all political ads on the platform.

Political advertisements are vital to presidential campaigns.

They reach a large number of people, and candidates can edit the content of their ads to cater to

their intended audience. Trump’s and Biden’s campaigns are both advertising in streaming services, more so than in past elections.

COVID-19 has played into this decision. Over the past six months Americans have spent a huge amount of time on social media and streaming services. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Disney+ have saved many quarantined college students from going crazy in their childhood bedrooms. The Trump campaign reserved ads on Hulu during the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, and the Biden campaign released a new ad on Hulu during the last week of August. With all this media consumption and focus on digital ads, have in-person conventions become a thing of the past?

Some people say that the Democratic and Republican National Conventions were a bust. The allure of conventions is largely due to their huge audiences. It’s almost like the Oscars — everyone wants to see who attended and who wore what dress. There was no audience at this year’s conventions, and future conventions might be altered as well, whether that’s due to the coronavirus or America’s partisan disinterest. Presidential candidates spend inordinate amounts of money on their respective conventions, and it seems like that money would be better spent elsewhere. For better or worse, society has changed. We no longer get home from work in the late afternoon and sit in front of

“Speaking in front of crowds, shaking hands, and kissing babies looks questionable in the midst of a viral outbreak.”

the television for the rest of the day.

Americans now have a much shorter attention span, and many of us are not willing to watch a four-hour event. My generation, Generation Z, would rather read live election news on Twitter than pick up a remote and find the right channel.

Generation Z is global, wellrounded and interested in activism.

We’re passionate about politics – just a different kind of politics.

Because most of us are too young to work in government — some are too young to vote — we place greater emphasis on advocacy. We want to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard. Zofie Christian, a junior in high school taking a class at SLU for dual credit, recently started calling potential voters for the Democratic Party. When asked why she decided to volunteer, she said, “I feel really strongly about this campaign. I really am not a fan of Trump… So I decided to take action.” Christian is only sixteen years old, but she is still actively involved in politics.

Even during COVID-19, political campaigns and their volunteers are persistent in their passion for activism. America’s familiarity with social media and our passion for advocating change has prepared us for a mostly digital presidential race. Political campaigns aren’t what they used to be, but they’re still persuasive and influential. We’ll see where they take us in November.

Opinion

21

Are You Still Committed?

By ANH NGUYEN Staff Writer e are a month into the fall semester. We have been nasal swabbed, zoomed out in class (yes, I did it again), vigorously questioned and have experienced the emotional roller coaster of returning to college in the middle of a global pandemic.

Being back on campus and social distancing at the same time is not an easy task, especially for freshmen who come in with high hopes and expectations for the next chapter of their lives.

However, it is time that we collectively remind ourselves of the ugly truth of COVID-19, and of the commitment we signed at the start of the school year.

The commitment outlines basic public health safety measures, and restrictions that follow the University, local, state and federal guidelines. Some of the directives include:

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• • • • • •

Following the direction of medical professionals and health officials Completing a daily symptom tracker Frequent hand-washing Wearing a mask in public at all times Maintaining social distance Avoiding all social gatherings

Everyone, students and staff alike, was required to take the pledge to show their support and take responsibility for keeping the campus open this semester. The repercussions of not taking the pledge include outright dismissal from campus.

“I will practice social distancing of at least six feet between myself and anyone else when I am on and off campus to keep myself and others safe and healthy. This includes not participating in private, off-campus events or gatherings where social distancing is not practiced.”

In addition to creating safety protocols for in-person learning, administrators are putting in a lot of faith in students to minimize the spread of the coronavirus on campus. In

response to UNC-Chapel Hill’s suspension of in-person instruction, interim Provost Lewis and interim Vice President Lohe issued a joint statement reiterating the responsibility of all students to follow public health guidelines.

It is clear in their delivery that they lack confidence in their abilities to prevent the student behavior that spreads the virus.

And I cannot blame them. I have seen Snapchat footage and posts on social media of my college-aged peers enjoying their off-campus group gatherings. It’s clear that, no matter how strong their delivery on expectations for all students is, the administration simply can’t monitor and enforce student behaviors off of the school’s premises. The only thing administrators can count on is trusting students to follow the mandatory pledge they distributed at the start of the year.

In addition to doing our individual part, we pledged to comply with the interim face mask policy. In section six of the policy, we are encouraged to anonymously report any noncompliance to the SLU hotline.

Theoretically, this move makes sense as students are the ones that interact with each other the most, even with distance. It is through students that administrators can gain an insight on any potential virus hotspot on campus. Additionally, providing an anonymous way for students to report is certainly a good thing for their privacy.

However, it is unreasonable for the university to expect us to become coronavirus whistleblowers. In reality, the practice of anonymous reporting might not even be as effective as it seems. We have seen the dynamics unfold as people who anonymously snitched on about noncompliant business practices received threats and harassments in the state of Washington. Locally, we have also seen a disregard for privacy when St. Louis Mayor Krewson released the list of addresses and names of protesters who called for police reform in June. While I don’t mean to insinuate that SLU will leak students’ information, in a world where government officials and higherups fail to handle conflicts, how can we trust that our institution is any better?

At the end of the day, we are an urban school. Even if we all do our part to keep the number from rising, we are not immune to

St. Louis City, and St. Louis is not immune to our presence. As I came back and dissected the directives written in the document, I feel like the commitment is undermining the impact of our school to the community beyond campus. The virus doesn’t stop at the gate of the campus. It is unrealistic to assume that compliance from the students will absolutely prevent the spread of the virus.

The commitment pushes me into a false reassurance — as long as I wear my mask, wash my hands and remain six feet away from others, I will not have the virus. Each of us signed a social contract with SLU upon returning to school. However, it is nowhere written in the contract that outlines the risk of our presence to the campus and the community beyond. In interim Provost Lewis and interim Vice President Lohe’s letter to urge for more signatures on the pledge, they also painted an alternative reality where “you [students] bring the virus back to our campus, and it spreads.”

It almost sounds like students are the sole vectors of the virus as the university has done the best they can.

Although noncompliance to safety guidelines can explain the potential spread, I think it is naive of the university to not take risky behaviors into account when they came up with the reopening plan. Are they more concerned about our safety or our safety while on campus? And what if the SLU became a potential hotspot, would it reflect back to our collective failure as students to follow the rules? We signed a contract with SLU, where is the contract of SLU to St. Louis residents? Do the locals feel safe as universities in the area, including SLU, reopen and bring people back to campus?

At the end of the day, we are trusting SLU with our health and safety, and the administration is trusting us with theirs. So fellow friends, the future is now in our hands (and remember to wash them too).to keep happening. Questions must keep being asked so that there is hope for a better tomorrow.

Hopefully, that tomorrow will come sooner rather than later.

Opinion

22

How should the university respond to #scholarstrike?

By STEVEN LUM Contributor t’s been a summer of widespread social unrest, soul searching and reckoning with our country’s ugly past and its legacy. None of us are responsible for the past. Will this country ever be perfect? Probably not. But can we always strive to do better? Absolutely. The most recent campus event to start a conversation on society’s shortcomings was #ScholarStrike, where anyone involved with SLU, from students to administrators, would be able to participate in the teach-in. #ScholarStrike is an extension of the recent events that have galvanized people to take to the streets in protest of systemic racism and inequality. #ScholarStrike took place from Sept. 8 to Sept. 9. This wasn’t a SLUexclusive event, however. Organizers on Twitter aimed for as many institutions of higher learning in America to participate. The event even found footing in Canada! This twoday educational event was intended to raise awareness, talk about the uncomfortable truths and to prompt action against injustices in society, and more specifically, injustices that disproportionately affect the communities of black and indigenous people of color (BIPOC).

The hashtag #ScholarStrike was first started by Anthea Butler, who serves as the associate professor of Religious Studies and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and Kevin Gannon, a professor of history at Grand View University. In a recent CNN Opinion article, they say they were inspired to start the movement

by WNBA and NBA players when they boycotted their respective games to protest in favor of the Black Lives Matter movement.

This teach-in movement took place

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at universities across the nation. At SLU, many of our instructors gave us permission to leave class and instead attend one of the teach-in sessions.

News of the event spread slowly among students, but that may boil down to us simply being out of the social loop with our professors. Most of us aren’t on academia Twitter like we’re on KPOP Twitter. The majority of the student body first heard of the movement when we first got an email from the President’s Office on Sept. 2 with the subject line “#ScholarStrike.”

This initial email, along with a followup email from SGA, was to get the word out to the SLU community that this event was taking place.

It wouldn’t have been able to get

faculty will support #ScholarStrike by using class time to discuss racial inequities and related issues.” This email was also put on the university’s website as a message the same day the email was sent. As with any business or institution, the politics behind the email must be considered when responding to events like these.

Donations to the university is a major factor that must be considered as well.

Some alum may not like any stance from the university in favor of one over the other. Some would rather prefer if the university didn’t take a stance at all and stay in the middle, which the university is doing in a sense. They are balancing the demands of current students with the donations from

“Most of us don’t experience the same things experienced by members of the BIPOC community, but we can call out behaviors or phrases we see that make it harder for them to feel welcome and safe.”

as much attention and attendance if it weren’t for that initial email regarding it. However, it’s important to note the stark differences between the two communications. The tones of the SGA email and the President’s Office email were vastly different from each other. The SGA email was much more forceful in what we can do as students to promote a more equitable society and university. On the other hand, the email from the President’s Office tiptoed around the issue by simply stating “On these days, some

former students. Another major factor to consider is that people on social media will blow the university’s words out of proportion, twist their words and cause a firestorm, as the debate has somehow turned political. Taking a look at any social media account that supports social justice movements, all of their respective comment sections, more often than not, have trolls.

Many times the people running the accounts have threats in their private messages ranging from physical harm to death.

At best, it’s a way to save face, especially when taking into consideration the Instagram account created over the summer, @blackatslu. Many of the incidents submitted to the account involve other students, but many also involve university staff members. Social media accounts and hashtags like this have sprung up at nearly every institution to highlight the experiences of nonwhite members of each respective campus community. If you were to scroll through these accounts and hashtags, bias incidents involving slurs, stereotypes and unequal treatment occur on every college campus. We cannot just pretend that these events don’t happen at SLU, as much as we wish for that to be the case. A university’s response to such happenings can’t be lukewarm.

Most of us don’t experience the same things experienced by members of the BIPOC community, but we can call out behaviors or phrases we see that make it harder for them to feel welcome and safe. Even then, calling people out is not enough. It’s the first step and the bare minimum. We can do our best to help others that face the strongest headwinds just by paying attention to the things around us, especially locally, outside of the “SLU bubble.”

The #ScholarStrike should be a stepping stone to a more aware student body that will eventually go on to be the next legislators, community leaders and activists. We can all do better so that a more equal and just society can come out of this year’s many lessons, not only on paper but in practice as well. Six years ago, the words “Black Lives Matter” rose to prominence in the country and many of the words heard then are still being shouted today. The conversations need to keep happening. Questions must keep being asked so that there is hope for a better tomorrow. Hopefully, that tomorrow will come sooner rather than later.

Opinion

By PENELOPE GARDNER Contributor

or all my life, I have been a firm believer in the “snitches get stitches” idiom, but during a pandemic, this rule no longer applies. As long as college campuses are the COVID-19 hotspots of the country, it is our duty as students and as citizens to call out every party-goer and mask remover and demand that they observe the required restrictions.

A New York Times survey found that since the pandemic began there have been 88,000 cases of COVID-19 on college campuses, including 60 deaths.

These numbers spiked at the beginning of this fall semester when people began gathering without following all CDC guidelines, particularly those on wearing masks and limiting gathering sizes. By now, six months into the pandemic, we should all know what we need to be doing to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe, but certain

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Save a life: be a snitch partygoers seem to be ignoring or rejecting these measures for the sake of a good time. Well, we’ll see how good a time we’ll all have in mass quarantine, which is what will surely happen if we allow case numbers to continue increasing. We can stop the spread of COVID-19 here at SLU by rejecting the idea that “snitches get stitches” and holding each other accountable for keeping us on campus.

No one likes to be a snitch, but this is not a case of petty tattletaling or useless finger-pointing; stopping your friends from going to a party could potentially save them and those close to them —including you — from contracting the coronavirus.

People who attend large gatherings in flagrant defiance of SLU’s gathering restrictions seem to think they are immune to coronavirus and consequences. It is up to us to make it clear that that is not the case.

Notre Dame was forced to move all classes online for two weeks after an increase in off-campus gatherings spread the disease to more than 600 members of the community. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill moved to online classes as well after more than 500 students were sentenced to quarantine or isolation for potential exposure.

Though SLU has made it through the first month of the semester without any major outbreaks, we

“Be the whistleblower if it means that we can be at school in person longer.”

need to continue to be vigilant so as not to join the ranks of colleges that have failed.

Be the whistleblower if it means that we can be at school in person longer. I for one do not want to be sent home in the middle of my freshman year, especially after a similarly dismal ending to my senior year of high school.

Don’t you want to know how cool it would be if we were able to last the whole year in person?

Wouldn’t you like to brag to all your high school friends about how your college didn’t have to shut down? This is all possible if we just follow the rules and do what we can to ensure that those around us do as well.

So do me, yourself and our school a favor and report anyone you see not following campus safety regulations. Right now, instead of getting stitches, snitches save lives. Call 1-877525-5669 if you see anyone not in compliance with SLU’s policies.

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