Students denied accommodations call out university for accessibility failures
For Lear Rose, navigating accommodations at Saint Louis University has been strenuous. Diagnosed with severe dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia, Rose relies on assistive technologies like a screen reader and voice typing to access reading materials and complete assignments. However, when Rose recently sought accommodations for a business law class, they said the professor made ableist comments inside and outside of class. Instead of receiving support, Rose was simply removed from the class.
Rose’s experience reflects a larger issue at the university. Students with disabilities say they face persistent barriers to obtaining accommodations that they are legally entitled to under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
From faculty misunderstandings, pushback and lack of training to a strained accessibility office struggling to meet demand, students are finding that the path to equitable education is far more complicated than it should be. Rose makes it a habit to initiate clear communication about their accommodations, and has only had a few minor problems with professors. Once they enrolled
Lauren Hutchens, Editor-In-Chief
in an introduction to business law class this year, the professor’s reaction was much more abrasive than expected, according to Rose.
“He essentially tried to convince me to not use my academic accommodations, calling them unreasonable,” Rose said, referencing a Zoom call where they communicated their accommodations with the professor. “He also stated that I was an inconvenience in the classroom environment and that I somehow threaten the value of his teaching.”
To accommodate the challenges Rose faces as a disabled student, they require a screen reader, triple testing time, an in-class notetaker, computer use in class and access to PowerPoint slides. The PowerPoint slides and in-class notetaker are accommodations that the professor specifically has to arrange.
“He called it ridiculous and said that he would see how the first exam went, but he will not give me the full amount of time if I do not need it, which, of course, I did,” Rose said. Rose was denied all accommodations in that class except for an in-class notetaker, for which they said they felt the professor did not take sufficient action to ensure
them one.
Jack Carningan had a similar experience. A junior majoring in computer science, Carningan started noticing difficulties with his attention span in an operating systems class in 2022. After seeing various ads and videos about ADHD and ADD, Carningan was assessed and subsequently diagnosed.
“With a lot of my classes, I felt like I was being lazy or I wasn’t smart enough to understand the material. It’s like, no, I have a genetic condition where I’m predisposed to have low dopamine, which is an essential neurotransmitter for self-regulating your executive functions like focus, sleep, eating and mood,” Carningan said.
After receiving his diagnoses, he met with the director of Center for Accessibility Disability Resources (CADR) this year and received accommodations including early class registration, flexible deadlines, use of the testing center and an additional 50% of testing time.
“Once I started communicating that with my
Top political science researchers at SLU discuss implications of the 2024 election
Faculty and researchers from Saint Louis University’s political science department discussed the results and impact of the 2024 U.S. elections at a panel event on Nov. 14. They talked about how the economy affected voter turnout, President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks and his domestic and foreign policy goals. With lingering questions and anxiety about the next four years, the political science experts set out to explain the implications of the election. Nearly 40 students and faculty attended the panel in McGannon Hall, which aimed to give the campus community tools and information to make sense of the election.
Election experts are still considering what motivated voters in this election. Steven Rogers, an associate professor of political science, said the economy was the primary driving force for voter turnout.
“We are seeing a shift in the way that people perceive the economy, at least in the research,” said Rogers, who also researches elections and public opinion. “Previous research showed that individuals used to consider the overall macroeconomic picture when voting, but now, individuals seem to be voting based upon their individual socio-economic standing.”
Rogers also speculated about why Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris had difficulties securing the same historic turnout her predecessor President Joe Biden had in 2020. He explained the unpopularity of Biden’s administration and the challenges Harris faced assuming her party’s nomination less than four months away from the election.
“The unpopularity of Biden’s administration stood in the way of any democratic candidate against Trump,” Rogers said. “[Harris] could’ve possibly given more attention to the fact that the cost of living has been growing differently in urban areas than in rural ones, but the situation within the nation and her party made her loss more likely.”
Rogers cited research from Vanderbilt University professor John Sides that predicted a three-point popular vote victory for Trump given Biden’s approval rating, which was at 41% leading up to the election. With less than two months until Trump takes office, his presumed cabinet appointments have been
Opinion
Reegan Johnson, CopyEditor
Shelby Slomski, Contributor
Waking up after election day, I stared at The Associated Press election results map and felt like the world was ending. I looked at the red on my screen, seeming to jump out and grab me by the neck, and immediately awoke my girlfriend to confirm that Donald Trump was elected as our 47th president.
You will never understand the fear, the anxiety that has gripped me since that moment. I am female-bodied, visibly queer and I use they/them pronouns. I deleted my pronouns from my social media on Wednesday morning because I am scared. I am scared of becoming a target. “Visible” queerness is a debated subject. It is hard to define and ultimately too difficult to accurately determine someone’s sexuality based on the clothes they wear or the way they present themselves. But all my life, no one has ever had a hard time guessing I’m a lesbian or nonbinary.
You will never understand what people of color, LGBTQ+ people and women go through during a Trump presidency. In 2020, the FBI reported that hate crimes rose almost 20% during his last term. After Trump became president in 2016, he immediately removed any mentions of the LGBTQ+ community from the White House documentation and website. In 2017, he issued an executive order to ban Muslim individuals from entering our country. He also banned transgender individuals from serving for our country. Thousands of women in those ranks get raped by their peers, and so many have died due to abortion bans without exception and the fear put into our medical professionals — you will never understand.
On the state level, the amount of anti-trans legislation will only keep rising, alienating and beating down those communities even further and causing elevated suicide rates by transgender youth. I fear the freedom some governing bodies will withhold while rolling out more of this oppressive and limiting legislation. The problem is, people with hate feel empowered by this. They feel nothing is stopping them from hurting us or killing us. This is not real to you, but it is real for so many others. The U.S. showed that this is not a dealbreaker this election: fear, hate, racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, rape charges, felony convictions — none of it mattered in the end. Professionals and legal experts explicitly stating that this man is not right for the job can not change the minds of those who do not care about facts. These people are flooding social media commenting “Your body, my choice,” being degrading to women and celebrating the probable coming of forced mass deportations. Additionally, Black St. Louisans and other Black citizens across the U.S., have been targeted with racist messages asking them to report for cotton
Zane Davidson, Contributor
The United States of America, once propelled by a utopian vision and a spirit of optimism, now seems indelibly convinced that the only positive outcome they can look for in their vote is avoidance of potential disaster. This fatalistic impression of American politics has never been more widespread than in the discourse surrounding the 2024 presidential election, in which the prevailing sentiment seemed to be that most people, on both sides of the political spectrum, were simply voting for the “lesser evil.”
The most common thread when discussing the election with my friends and family is that while they don’t agree with some, if not most, of their chosen candidates’ politics, there was no better alternative. This feeling is echoed across the nation. People tell me that our system is broken, that the Electoral College, the two-party system and various other aspects of our election apparatus conspire to limit us to the same tired dichotomy every four years.
I disagree. I think that the truth is something much harder to face than the already daunting prospect of election reform. I would argue that the system is working exactly as intended.
In 2005, Russian-born anthropologist Alexei Yurchak coined the term “hypernormalisation” in his book “Everything Was Forever, Until It Was No More: The Last Soviet Generation” to describe the defeatism endemic of life in the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 80s. His thesis was that the USSR was in a state of paradox: everyone knew that the system was failing, but its decades-long propaganda campaign was so complete and successful that no one could conceive of a possible alternative until it was far too late to prevent its collapse.
Despite living in an entirely different political and economic backdrop, we too exist in a period of hypernormalisation. The parallels are too glaring to be ignored: blue-collar workers adrift after their employers moved overseas, young people working multiple jobs still unable to rent an apartment and families displaced and destitute in the wake of massive Gulf hurricanes. These people are the modern equivalents to wheat farmers in Crimea, waiting in lines for bread rations, or Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan fighting a doomed war.
A majority of Americans say that they are dissatisfied with their leaders and that they “run for office to serve their own personal interests,” while less than 10% believe that our government is responsive to the needs of ordinary citizens. Yet, they continue to vote for the same two parties and believe that it will be different each time. It will not be.
The reason for this stagnation, and a primary symptom of the effect described by Yurchak, is what I would describe as a state of “post-politics.” This should not be mistaken for a collapse of the political system, quite the contrary. It redefines what it means to conduct
Official nominations for the 67th annual Grammy Awards are here and with the ceremony on the horizon, the award show pits both new and experienced artists head to head for the prestigious honor. This year’s nominations mark special occasions in many categories, with new additions of Best African Music Performance and Best Pop Dance Recording, among others. Newcomers like Chappell Roan, Benson Boone and Doechii add a competitive edge to the popular award show. Here are some key contenders with good standing to win in the most popular categories.
Record of the Year: Not to be confused with Album of the Year, Record of the Year is awarded to entire teams behind songs as a whole, including the artists, producers, mixers and recording engineers. While
Cipfl, Assistant News
Accommodations
Continued from A1 instructors, that was kind of where things started to fall apart because the primary accommodation for flexible deadlines is very vague. The instructors have to use it at their own discretion,” Carningan said. Students complain to accessibility office, but find little relief
Rose said that the professor claimed he had never had another disabled student in his class, despite working at the university for several years. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in four adults in the U.S. have some type of disability.
At SLU, 705 out of 13,546 students are registered with disabilities, which means that for every 19 students, one is disabled at the university.
“The confidence that he had denying the academic accommodations very much made me feel that this is something that he has done before, and perhaps is repeatedly doing to disabled students, and not every disabled student is going to report it,” Rose said.
The student turned to CADR concerning the professor’s response after several hostile incidents in the classroom.
“In front of the class, he talked to me with slowed down speech, like I couldn’t speak English, in a very aggressive tone,” Rose said. “I expressed my concern [with CADR] for me remaining in that class, and I was moved three weeks into the semester.”
Rose reported these incidents to CADR in the second week of the semester, to SLU’s Dean of Students Office five weeks in and Title IX office in late September. At the time of the interview with the University News, the school had yet to take action against the professor, according to Rose.
“There was concern [from CADR] that I would take legal action against the professor because he did break the law, and there was some discussion of the general counsel of the university just talking to him,” Rose said.
Rose was ultimately removed from the class without their knowledge 30 minutes before the first major exam. Rose had been consistently studying for the exam out of concern of being “academically sabotaged”; Rose was given one week to make up the coursework for the new section, which had an entirely different syllabus.
The move to a new course section was something CADR had mentioned to Rose in conversation but was never established as an action plan. This change interfered with Rose’s other obligations, causing them to drop extracurriculars.
“I had no knowledge that that was what [CADR] had decided to do and I still do not know the reasoning of them deciding to do it at that time,” Rose said.
The University News reached out to the professor twice for a comment and received no response.
Carningan echoed these frustrations with a graduate student teacher, whose name they chose to withhold, who taught Theology 1600, God Talk. The graduate student reacted negatively to his accommodations in an in-person meeting outside of class.
“He kind of laughed, he chuckled. He was like, ‘Well, you know, we all have ADHD.’ And I was like, ‘Huh? What do you mean?’ He’s like, ‘Well, you know, everyone has it.’ And I’m like, ‘No, not everyone has ADHD. That’s not how it works.’ And then he just shook his head,” Carningan said.
Carningan said this interaction “irked” him. With a recent diagnosis, he felt his persona shift from being a “normal” student to explaining that he is at an academic disadvantage, which was difficult.
“Now I’m having this person in front of me, telling me that even though I’m exhibiting those symptoms in class, they’re telling me to stop,” Carningan said. “Then not only do they not accept what I’m saying, but they completely dismiss it as if it’s not even real.” Life with invisible disabilities
Carningan is one of the many living with invisible disabilities, which are “physical, mental or neurological conditions that (are) not visible from the outside, yet can limit or challenge a person’s movements, senses, or activities,” according to the Invisible Disability Association.
“It is a mental issue that needs to be addressed and treated seriously, and no one treats it seriously. When I tell people that, they almost get annoyed, especially the faculty,” Carningan said. “It’s like I can tell when someone is annoyed by my behavior. I can manage it, but when it is coming from someone that’s like an authority figure, like an instructor or a faculty member, it kind of makes you feel small and defeated as if you have no hope.”
Election panel
Continued from A1 the subject of major public attention and outcry. Nori Katagiri, a professor in the political science department and researcher of international relations, overviewed Trump’s cabinet picks and how they will affect his foreign policy.
“Be ready to be surprised. The next four years will be unlike any other you’ve seen before,” Katagiri said. “It’s always a great time to study politics. But it’ll be even more critical than before to study American politics, political theory and international relations.”
Katagiri also explained how Trump’s preference for personal loyalty over political experience displayed by his cabinet picks so far will play out when he takes office.
While Trump’s appointees still need to be confirmed by Congress, media reports indicate he may use recess appoints to circumvent the confirmation process.
“We are likely to see the same kinds of tension that occurred in his 2016 administration, between senior executive officials and the newly appointed, often inexperienced Trump loyalists,” Katagiri said. “Expect short terms and a lot of both voluntary and involuntary departures from these key offices.”
Robin Saywitz, an assistant professor of political science who also researches public administration and local government, spoke about how Trump’s policy goals would change the federal government’s bureaucratic structure.
“Trump’s administration is likely to be focused on turning some of the non-appointed roles in bureaucracy, such as division directors, to appointed positions,” Saywitz said.
Federal bureaucrats currently have checks in place against the goals of a new president. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency can investigate and independently enact policies deemed relevant to their expertise. If Trump replaces non-appointed positions
To offset this, Carningan took the issue up to CADR and the Dean of Students a second time in an effort to request more accommodating spaces for students with disabilities and to create more quiet rooms. He said that the current options, such as the testing center and quiet floors in the library, are too complicated to utilize.
With limited resources, CADR struggles to meet needs
After recent budget cuts, most departments took a hit, including SLU’s CADR office. Kendra Johnston, the director of CADR, said the office is currently operating with two staff members, including herself, and six graduate students. CADR was permitted to find another staff member to fill a recently vacated spot.
Ideally, Johnston said they would need four professional staff in addition to the student workers. The current team of professionals works with the 705 students registered with disabilities at SLU. This does not include students who use the testing center or their services for other reasons.
“We are able to meet all of the needs of the students, but if we want to do extra as far as advocacy is concerned, and, you know, training for faculty, things like that, of course, more resources would be welcomed,” Johnston said.
In the case that a professor denies an accommodation, CADR will talk with the impacted student and organize a meeting with the professor and the student. In most cases, they leave the meeting with a solution, Johnston said.
“Usually what I find out in that meeting is that the professor misunderstood the accommodation,” Johnston said. “There are sometimes instances where students are reluctant to have those conversations with faculty, for whatever reason, and that does become a bit challenging.”
Ultimately, CADR’s goal is to ensure that accommodations are met, or an alternative is provided, such as that if a student can not complete a public speaking course, an alternative would be working oneon-one with a professor, Johnston said.
In cases of discrimination, CADR will work with the Dean of Students office or file a bias report. In more extreme cases, the general legal counsel at SLU becomes involved.
Currently, CADR hosts an optional online training for faculty and professors once a year with the Reinert Center on ADA compliance and universal design for classrooms. This year, 80 professors out of 2,022 attended this training, according to Johnston.
“We have had a lot of professors attend that training and many of them have found it to be pretty useful,” Johnston said. “I think it would also be a great idea to be able to provide further training and some training that are specific about different diagnoses.”
Johnston said the reason these trainings are not required is to boost professor involvement.
“We want people to be really invested in these trainings. We want them to be engaged, ask questions and to really have an interest in learning about this,” Johnston said.
Students like Carningan want the training to be required for all teaching staff.
“Every year we get an email saying, ‘You need to take sexual assault and harassment training,’ which I’m like, ‘Awesome, yes,’ everyone needs to know how to handle these types of situations. They should do the same thing with the instructors,” Carningan said.
Budget restraints have caused offices like CADR and the Dean of Students to think creatively about how to support students with fewer resources. Donney Moroney, SLU’s assistant vice president and dean of students said. Moroney also said that each year they look for new ways to improve resources for students, but there is only so much they can do. Ultimately, they aim to support the most students they can with fewer resources.
“We will never be able to change every single building within a five-year period to be accessible. There are some buildings that are grandfathered in, that the best we can do is try to make sure that we have advocated to say this needs to be addressed,” Moroney said. “I think that the question is a lot about, ‘What are the bigger priorities at the university?’”
For associate professor of chemistry Paul Bracher, ensuring students with disabilities are given their legally mandated accommodations should be a top priority for university administrators.
“I’m in a wheelchair. I benefit from accommodations,” Bracher said. “I view this like a wheelchair or a pair of eyeglasses; you’re not going to rip a pair of eyeglasses off of someone sitting in the class, but it’s an accommodation that society has accepted. Having an elevator for people like me is the exact same thing as giving someone in a class who has been diagnosed with a learning disability or something
else an extra time and a half on something. It is a wheelchair; it is a pair of eyeglasses.”
One of Bracher’s main concerns as a professor is how the recent budget cuts have affected CADR. Johnston declined to provide information about CADR’s current budget.
“They’ve reduced their hours. They no longer maintain the North Campus Testing Center during summer. They removed an hour from the morning so that they now no longer open at eight, they opened at nine,” Bracher said.
These limitations have made it difficult for professors to accommodate students who need longer test-taking times. According to Bracher, professors try to schedule tests to end at the same time for exam security.
Johnston said that the reduction in testing center hours was based on data to determine when the center is used most often.
Another issue, Bracher said, is that the testing center under CADR only has five private testing rooms.
“I know for a fact that in final exam periods, they basically commandeer an office suite in [the Busch Student Center] and use the offices there as private rooms because they don’t have enough space,” Bracher said.
The current private rooms also lack soundproofing, Bracher said. This can pose additional issues when sound from voice-to-text applications is carried out to the rest of the testing center.
This issue of insufficient accommodations was brought up in a faculty meeting in April and was moved to the faculty senate. Since then, it has been a topic in every faculty meeting, Bracher said.
“The fact that they’re commandeering other people’s offices during finals week … Is that a sustainable solution? Is this an ideal solution? These are all things that need to be asked and there needs to be a report on it,” Bracher said. “We really value CADR, because if CADR couldn’t do this stuff, then it would fall on the instructors, and we’re not trained.”
Students want better solutions and support
For students like Rose and Carningan, getting accommodations makes all the difference for their academic success.
“I’ve experienced professors saying extremely ableist things when I self-disclose,” Rose said. “My freshman year, I had a professor tell me that I shouldn’t be in college because of my disability. I’ve had professors tell me that they expected me to fail their class, or conversely, when I didn’t fail their class, tell me that they were surprised that I passed with such a good grade.”
In Rose’s experience, most professors follow suit with accommodations after “prodding from CADR.”
“The power dynamics of that situation of a law professor telling the disabled student that their accommodations are not legally protected, which is false, could lead other students who perhaps are not as versed in the ADA to accept their accommodations not being fulfilled,” Rose said.
Rose said that in their ongoing investigation in SLU with the professor, it would be helpful to have had a third-party student advocate there. That way, it is not simply a he-said they-said situation, protecting students from bias and negative interactions with professors after self-disclosing.
Carningan shared this sentiment but added that classroom spaces should be more inclusive and informative. When he was in conversation with the Dean of Students, he initially understood them as a liaison but found that their capabilities were limited in how they could help him.
Another solution Carningan offered was to have a big poster in every classroom that says,
“Are you a student having difficulties in your class? Is it because of the assignments? Is it because of the general structure of the course? Is it because of your instructor? Call this number or email this, these are the resources available for you.”
The University News talked with more students with serious allegations against professors, but those students decided to withdraw their stories out of fear of being academically sabotaged or sued.
“Education should be equitable, and if there are students who are facing some type of barrier that’s in their way to get to their end goal, which might be to be a doctor or a social worker or whatever, I want to be able to help them to achieve that goal, and my part that I play in that is to ensure that that barrier is essentially removed,” Johnston said.
If you are a student who thinks they may need accommodations or has had issues with accommodations, email accessibility_disability@slu. edu for additional support.
Advancinginspaceexploration,experimenting withautonomyandshapingthenext generationofaerospaceengineers Mariya Yasinovska, OpinionEditor
A student-created satellite designed to advance spacecraft autonomy is set to launch in 2025. This is just the most recent satellite project that Saint Louis University’s Space Systems Research Laboratory (SSRL) has built.
The DARLA (Demonstration of Artificial Reasoning, Learning and Analysis) mission was originally set to launch in December, a deadline that had the students of Saint Louis University’s Space Systems Research Laboratory (SSRL) racing against the clock. With environmental testing scheduled for October, many of DARLA’s critical systems needed to be fully operational. Long nights and early mornings had become the norm for the SSRL team as they prepared for the final stages.
Just as the December deadline loomed, the mission’s launch date was pushed to May 2025. The news was both a relief and a shock for the research lab members. While it granted the team more time to refine their satellite, it also shifted the finish line after countless hours of work. Now, with a few extra months, the team, which is comprised almost entirely of undergraduate students, is determined to perfect DARLA and ensure the satellite is ready for orbit.
Nathan Brubaker, the chief engineer of DARLA, recalls the intensity of balancing lab work with classes, sharing how hard the team worked to keep the project on track before the launch date was pushed back.
“There was a period of several weeks where several of us on the DARLA team were working in the lab past midnight every day, often until two or three in the morning. Keeping up with classes during that time was incredibly difficult, not even considering also getting sleep,” Brubaker said.
DARLA represents the culmination of nearly a decade of iterative design. Dr. Michael Swartwout, the faculty advisor for the mission, explains that the project’s focus is on advancing spacecraft autonomy, which would allow the satellite to make decisions on its own, such as when to take images or send data back to Earth.
“Autonomy carries immense potential for efficiency, but it also brings significant risk. One wrong decision from the spacecraft, and you could jeopardize the whole mission,” Swartwout said.
DARLA, he added, is just one of many “baby steps” toward more autonomous space missions, developed with his long-time collaborator and the team’s software engineer, Keith Bennett.
This isn’t the first time Swartwout has overseen a student-run satellite mission at SLU; DARLA is one of five successful missions the university has built since 2013, each under NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative. Through this program, NASA provides free launches to university programs, although building the spacecraft itself requires external funding and grants.
“NASA doesn’t fund flight missions like ours,” Swartwout said. “We’ve had to piece together our budget from competitions and smaller grants.”
The DARLA mission is a learning experience, not just for the students, but for the future of space exploration. The satellite aims to demonstrate how autonomous technology can function in space, so the project represents a stepping stone in making space missions more efficient.
Junior Melanie Reym is the project manager of DARLA and structures lead. She oversees the project and manages other SSRL leads, along with Brubaker. For Reym, one of the hardest parts has been adjusting to setbacks without losing momentum.
“Accounting for slips in our timeline and mitigating them can be challenging at times. Especially during final integration, one error or delay on a part can set us back days which leads to some of us working very long hours and making abrupt schedule changes,” Reym said. The success of the entire club relies on students showing up and putting in the work.
Owen Binkley, the mission operations manager of DARLA and ground subsection lead, spoke positively about the team’s efforts.
“We’ve been very lucky in that we have a lot of people who are actually dedicated and are showing up constantly and doing the work that needs to be done,” Binkley said.
with politically influenceable appointees, they may lose some liberty to administer the law, she added.
Among the most controversial individuals selected for Trump’s cabinet are billionaire business tycoon Elon Musk and venture capitalist Vivek Ramawsamy, who have been appointed as co-heads of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Saywitz said the complex nature of the bureaucratic process and the inexperience of Trump’s appointees could be major roadblocks in executing his policy goals.
“We already have a government efficiency agency, the GAO, U.S. Government Accountability Office. It currently acts at the request of Congress, whereas Trump’s new DOGE would likely act upon his request,” Saywitz said. “It’s unclear how this agency will operate
in relation to our current bureaucratic structure that often isn’t timely.”
Trump also proposed to close the Department of Education, favoring state-led education initiatives and parent-driven school choice. His plans have drawn controversy, but Saywitz said they would likely not pan out exactly how conservatives envision.
“His changes to the Department of Education are also likely to not be as impactful as he has expressed, and would likely result in the transfer of specific initiatives to other departments. The Department of Treasury could take over the federal student loan programs for example,” Saywitz said. Beyond domestic issues,
wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Katagiri said there is a bigger international threat that Trump has taken aim at––China. While China has been a major economic rival to the U.S. for nearly two decades, the second Trump administration could take the competition to new heights. Trump has proposed sweeping tariffs on all Chinese goods imported to the U.S., a policy that threatens domestic consumers and Chinese manufacturers alike. At the end of the hour-and-a-half-long event, students and faculty in attendance were invited to ask questions, several of which were about the challenges the Harris campaign faced and what the Democratic Party should do in 2026 and beyond.
DARLA
Continued from A2
Dedication is only part of the challenge. The steep learning curve in such a technical and competitive environment can be daunting for the students.
“It’s very easy to be discouraged when you’re around people who have so much knowledge in their specialized skill set. It took me a while to get over that hump,” sophomore lab manager Casey Roberts said.
Roberts is only in her second year with SSRL and is already in charge of managing the lab and its members and making sure everyone has what they need.
“I had to change my mindset from being discouraged to being inspired,” Roberts said.
The mission experience opens up a variety of opportunities for students’ futures.
“Mission design is something I really enjoy,” Brinkley said. “I don’t want to work on weapons, like a lot of people who do aerospace stuff. I want to work on missions to other planets, more exploration-type things, trying to advance the knowledge of the human race.”
Senior Shelby Slomski, the communications lead and ground co-lead of SSRL, echoes that sentiment, mentioning that space has been a goal for many years.
“I want to work on spacecraft and space systems. I’ve narrowed it down to wanting to work on satellites, doing all the work in this club, being involved and learning as much as I have has shown me that is really a possibility,” Slomski said.
However, managing a project of this scale is not easy. Between tight deadlines, limited resources and the inevitable technical challenges, the DARLA team is constantly navigating obstacles, according to their faculty advisor.
“It’s too easy for students to design something that turns out to be too difficult to build,” Swartwout said, reflecting on the challenges of space hardware. “The real world is messy, and space is even messier. Every component has to withstand the harsh conditions of space: extreme temperatures, radiation, vacuum, all of which are actively trying to break your spacecraft.”
The team has run into a variety of technical issues preparing DARLA for launch.
“The spacecraft radio is a finicky beast,” Slomski said. Slomski has focused largely on the spacecraft and ground radios.
There have been multiple issues with the radios’ communications throughout the last couple of months.
“It’s a very complicated process. It doesn’t seem that complicated until you’re the one staring at the coding files,” Slomski said.
These technical hurdles are not just obstacles but learning opportunities that push students to adapt and grow.
“We have had so many preventable and nonpreventable setbacks,” Roberts said, shaking her head. “You know, it’s experimental learning, not every experiment can be successful.”
Despite these challenges, the DARLA mission is well on its way to success. The team is preparing for environmental testing in December, a crucial milestone before the May launch date.
“The real challenge isn’t just getting the design
right,” Swartwout said. “It’s making sure the hardware works in the real world. Space doesn’t forgive mistakes.”
Overcoming these challenges is what positions DARLA as more than just a student project. DARLA is part of a broader effort by universities to contribute to the future of space exploration. By participating in NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative, SLU students are helping to push the boundaries of what is possible for space missions.
Graduate student workers overwhelmingly vote to unionize at Saint Louis University
Carlee Smith, Staff Writer
For the first time, Saint Louis University’s graduate student workers will be represented by a union. They voted 352-39 to unionize, hoping to secure better pay and working conditions.
After polls closed Nov. 14 at 7 p.m., around 25 graduate student workers gathered at SLU’s Busch Student Center to watch the ballot counting.
When a majority was reached at 8:10 p.m., they burst into celebration, clapping and congratulating each other on their win.
“This feels like the greatest achievement of our lives,” said Zach Davis, a doctoral candidate in American studies. “For the first time in this university’s history, grad workers will have a seat at the table in all decisions that affect them. There will no longer be any conversations about us in which we are not an active participant and so long as this union is around, that is not going to change.”
On Oct. 21, the students filed for a union petition with the National Labor Relations Board, which oversaw the union vote at two campus locations on Nov. 13 and 14.
Graduate Workers of Saint Louis University UnionUAW (United Auto Workers) will now represent the more than 500 graduate workers at the university, including teaching and research assistants.
“I want to thank all the active organizers who put blood, sweat and tears into this,” Davis said. “To anybody else who thinks that it might be too hard for them to start a union, a bunch of scrappy grad students were able to do it in two years so you can too.”
Ben Conover, a graduate worker in the philosophy department, said he was relieved the union passed after watching his colleagues work hard over the past two years.
“Grad workers here have been working with tough compensation conditions and tough insurance conditions,” Conover said. “I’m really excited people came together to say they want something better and
it’s good to see that we got so many people on board … We’re happy to see the success.”
For years, graduate student workers at SLU have raised concerns about their healthcare coverage, insurance benefits, raises and not earning a livable wage. Many also said communication from university administrators about stipends has not been transparent.
Amanda Vannierop, a graduate student worker in the English department, is hopeful the union will support graduate student workers and help them get fair compensation.
“I chose to vote because it’s important to have a collective union, especially for protection of healthcare rights and stipends,” Vannierop said. “We are responsible for teaching one of the most important core classes, and I think that in response we should have our healthcare needs met and a livable stipend.”
Now that the union has passed, the UAW will serve as the bargaining representative. They are entitled to be recognized by the university, and “failure to bargain with the union at this point is an unfair labor practice,” according to the NLRB.
In a statement, university spokesperson Clayton Berry said SLU values the contributions of graduate students and has encouraged them to explore their right to unionize.
“Once the election results are certified, the University will engage in good-faith negotiations with the UAW to reach a mutually agreeable contract,” Berry said.
Graduate Workers of Saint Louis University UnionUAW will join over 36,000 academic workers across the nation represented by the UAW.
“We are proud to welcome you into our growing UAW family. And we look forward to standing up, together, to win your first contract,” said Brandon Campbell, Director of UAW Region 4, which includes St. Louis, in a statement.
At UnMasc, St. Louis men redefine masculinity with stories of vulnerability
Gursimar Kaur, Contributor
Eight men took the stage at the third annual UnMasc event on Oct. 5, prepared to get personal and share their experiences with masculinity.
The group of men wore masks, made to represent the layers they peeled back to uncover their stories. They then talked about grief, love, shame and selfacceptance to an audience of about 120 people.
“This event allows people, specifically those born male, to have a space to be vulnerable on stage and tell stories that change the narrative of what masculinity is and what it can be,” said Jermar Perry, executive director of the Village PATH and co-producer of the event.
Hosted by the Village PATH and Undo Bias at Saint Louis University’s Il Monastero Banquet Hall, UnMasc coincided with Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.
Alex Rafi, a filmmaker from Miami and an assistant professor of media production at SLU, reflected on his childhood and how he learned to care for his family after his father left.
Rafi was especially close to his grandmother, and said taking care of her taught him about service and love. After she passed, Rafi said he embraced his emotions, and now he weaves lessons from his grandmother into some of his film projects.
“You don’t have to be perfect to keep going,” Rafi told attendees, adding that men don’t need permission to cry or be loved.
William Harrison, an artist from Belleville, Illinois, shared his story of “queering masculinity.” Growing up, Harrison said he felt like masculinity was forced on him and often driven by violence.
In college, Harrison took a queer theory class and
realized he did not have to perform masculinity at all. “I can just be me,” Harrison said. Michael Parisi, a single father, spoke about raising two daughters alone after his wife left. Parisi described the pain of seeing his children hurt, especially when they asked why their mom wasn not around for birthdays.
Committed to making their future better, he tells his daughters, “Your mom loves you, and you love her.”
For Zulary Rueda, a 30-year-old who attended the event for the first time, Parisi’s story resonated with her experiences as a recently divorced woman.
“I think it’s the first time I’ve seen men be vulnerable. It gave me hope,” Rueda said.
Like other storytellers, screenwriter Kaleb Moses talked about how his father shaped his life. Growing up, he struggled with trying to please his dad and felt like he never measured up, even when he brought home good grades.
Moses’ story also explored his journey with his sexuality, explaining how he tried to hide that he was gay and tried to “pray the gay away.”
When he came out, his father reassured him that he still loves him. “Father, I know you love me,” Moses said.
UnMasc was sponsored by the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, the Bullet and Injury Related Clinic, Freedom Community Center, SLU’s Department of Women’s and Gender Studies and Safe Connections.
After sharing their stories, the storytellers received a standing ovation and flowers, followed by a Q&A session.
(Photo courtesy of Nathan Brubaker)
(The University News / Jude Thomas)
(Photo courtesy of Justin Solomon)
Getting to know the new Billikens: This season’s additions to the men’s and women’s basketball rosters
With the return of NCAA basketball season, Saint Louis University basketball fans are seeing new faces enter the arena and make their debut as Billikens. Throughout the off-season between this year and last year, both the men’s and women’s teams saw the departures as well as the arrivals of players, meaning that this year’s roster looks very different from last year’s. The following is a quick rundown of the six new players for the women’s team, followed by the 13 additions to the men’s team.
Women:
Mya Glanton (00, F)- Glanton is a graduate student out of East St. Louis, Illinois, majoring in cybersecurity. She previously played at Indiana State University, where she made an appearance in every game during the 2023-24 season and was the leading scorer and rebounder for the Sycamores.
Hannah Wallace (1, G)- Wallace is a freshman from St. Louis, Missouri, majoring in computer science. During her high school career, she led her team to a Class 4 District 5 runner-up finish in the 2022-23 season after claiming the championship title during the 2021-22 season.
Shun’teria Anumele (2, G)- Anumele is a freshman out of Houston, Texas, majoring in nursing. In her final high school season, she was named Most Valuable Player for District 20-6A, averaging 25 points, six assists, and three steals each game.
Marilena Triantafylli (15, C)- Triantafylli is a sophomore from Athens, Greece, majoring in
Emma Browka, Senior Writer
neuroscience. She was a pre-selection for the Greece Women’s National Team at the U14, U16, and U18 levels and soon after, played her first collegiate season at Syracuse University, appearing in six games.
Mia Bergstrom (33, G)- Bergstrom is a freshman out of Mount Prospect, Illinois, who scored over 1000 points throughout her high school career. In the first games of the regular season in her first year at SLU, she has seen the court in all three games and has thus far recorded six points for the Billikens.
Rita Nazário (44, G)- Nazário is a freshman from Figueira da Foz, Portugal, majoring in mechanical engineering. In her career before becoming a Billiken, she led her club team to finishing second in the 202223 U18 National Championships after winning the U16 National Championship in the 2021-22 season.
Men:
Isaiah Swope (1, G)- Swope is a senior out of Newburgh, Indiana, majoring in African American Studies. He played two seasons at Southern Indiana and two seasons at Indiana State University, where he led his team to the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title and the championship game in the National Invitation Tournament.
Amari McCottry (4, G)- McCottry is a freshman from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who led his high school team to their 29-1 record and Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division Three state title during the 2023-24 season. Throughout this season, he averaged 22.1
A culture of success; SLU Men’s Rugby
Nora Kotnik, SportsEditor
SLU Men’s Rugby is one of the oldest, and most successful, club sports at Saint Louis University.
Established in 1957, the SLU Men’s Rugby team’s mission has been to uphold the Jesuit tradition of the University, while growing top-level athletes and leaders. This past fall, the SLU men’s rugby squad was ranked #12 nationally and undefeated in the DII Gateway Conference. The men won their conference’s title for the second year in a row, and plan to compete for a national title in the coming weeks.
The men’s success can be attributed to many things: hard work, talent, and arguably the most important, sound culture.
Senior center, Anthony Cova, fondly describes his experience on SLU’s rugby team. “I [feel] really included and at home…I [feel] that I [am] valued…,” Cova said. The brotherhood of the crew positively influences the team culture on and off the field. Cova further describes the culture of the men’s rugby team by explaining that they are fueled by competition and growth.
“Everyone challenges each other to be the best on and off the field, always learning knowledge about the game and some friendly banter here and there,” Cova said.
Cova also explained that he believes each athlete is individually valued and rugby provides an opportunity for comradery despite possible individual differences.
“We want everyone to know they hold a place in the club because anyone can bring value, with or without rugby experience,” Cova said.
Now, the rugby team looks forward to the possibility of competing for the national championship title in December.
“We have our eyes on the prize but have a tough team to face…I’m really confident in our ability to pull through, and make a statement,” Cova said.
The Billikens compete in the Sweet 16 contest on Nov. 22 at Emerson Central Fields in Forest Park against The University of Northern Iowa. If they come out victorious, they advance to the Elite 8 competition, set to take place on Nov. 24.
Looking forward to the spring semester, SLU men’s rugby plans to kick off their sevens season, hoping for the opportunity to compete for another national championship. SLU Rugby is also looking to add a women’s program, if you are interested in getting involved, contact cova.cova@slu.edu and morgan.berryhill@slu.edu.
points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.
Jaden Schertz (5, G)- Schertz is a sophomore out of Harrogate, Tennessee, majoring in finance. After being named an All-State player in high school, he spent the past two seasons at Indiana State University, appearing in six games in the 2023-24 season.
Kalu Anya (6, F)- Anya is a junior from Worcester, Massachusetts, majoring in economics. He played his first two seasons at Brown University, where he averaged 7.4 rebounds and 9.6 points per game in the 2023-24 season and was named the Ivy League’s Player of the Week in February 2024.
Kobe Johnson (8, G)- Johnson is a senior out of Canton, Ohio, who played the previous three seasons at West Virginia University. He made an appearance in 92 games throughout his time at West Virginia and recorded 34 starts, averaging 3.2 points per game.
Isaac Holmes (12, G)- Holmes is a sophomore from Apex, North Carolina, majoring in marketing. Holmes made his first appearance as a Billiken this season in their win against Avila University, where he recorded two points off two free throws, as well as one rebound and one block.
Josiah Dotzler (13, G)- Dotzler is a sophomore out of Omaha, Nebraska, where he appeared in 19 games while playing for Creighton University and helped his team advance to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. In his senior year of high school, he earned the title of Nebraska’s Gatorade Player of the Year and led his team to a 29-0 record as well as to a state championship title.
Kilian Brockhoff (14, F)- Brockhoff is a sophomore from Cuxhaven, Germany, majoring in international business. He played for Germany’s U19 national team, placing second at the 2022 and 2023 European
Championships, before playing his first collegiate season at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Robbie Avila (21, C)- Avila is a junior out of Oak Forest, Illinois, majoring in communication. He played his first two collegiate seasons at Indiana State University, where he averaged 17.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, and hit 61 3-pointers throughout the 2023-24 season. Nick Patton (22, G)- Patton is a freshman from Westerville, Ohio, majoring in exercise science and athletic training. He was a top 150 prospect while in the recruiting process out of Illinois after leading his team to a 27-7 record during his senior year and received an offer to play at Northern Illinois University before committing to SLU. Aj Casey (23, F)- Casey is a junior out of Chicago, Illinois, who played his first two collegiate seasons for the University of Miami, appearing in 53 total games during his time as a Hurricane. He also made appearances in three games during the NCAA Tournament, helping his team to the Final Four in the 2022-23 season. Dylan Warlick (33, F)- Warlick is a freshman from Edmond, Oklahoma, majoring in entrepreneurship. He earned the title of Oklahoma 6A-1 District Player of the Year during his senior season after averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds per game and ended his high school career with four state semifinal appearances and
Slow start, big potential: Billikens poised for another promising season
Rebecca Tillett has started her third season with the Saint Louis Billikens women’s basketball team 2-2, but fear not, this championship head coach is no stranger to slow starts.
Tillett and the Bills are coming off winning the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, defeating Minnesota 69-50 in First Community Arena in Edwardsville, Illinois. The 2023-24 season started 3-1.
In the 2022-23 season, Tillett cemented herself in NCAA basketball history as the second-ever coach to earn a bid to the Women’s March Madness in consecutive years with separate schools. The only coach before her was Lisa Bluder, who did so with Drake and then Iowa in 2000 and 2001. That season started 1-3.
Bills fans do not need to worry about the team’s slow start, instead, they should be excited about what these past four games, as well as the team’s two preseason games, have showcased.
Reigning WNIT MVP Peyton Kennedy has returned to SLU for her fifth and final season. Kennedy had a breakout season last year, averaging 16.9 points per game and starting every game. She improved to 19.8 points per game this season, good enough for third place on the Atlantic 10’s scoring leaderboard.
Senior guard Kennedy Calhoun has also returned in style, improving from 5.7 points per game to 10.8
Anumele. The 5’8” guard is averaging 12.3 points per game and has started all four games thus far this season. Anumele is second on the team in scoring and is also contributing 3.8 rebounds each game. Tierra Simon and Brooklyn Gray round out the starting lineup. The duo combine for 16.3 points, 3 assists and 12.5 rebounds per game. Simon is ninth in the A10 for rebounds per game at 8.0, and sixth in blocks per game at 1.0. The team is averaging 73 points per game, a slight improvement over last season’s 72.1. Following a 78-71 win against Illinois State University in their home opener, Tillett spoke about the versatility and lethality of the Billikens offense.
“That’s what we want to be, right? We want to be a team that’s hard to guard. Have five women on the floor at all times that are hard to guard,” Tillet said.
(The University News Emma Duman) Freshman Mia Bergstrom shoots a three against Illinois St.
(The University News / Emma Duman)
(Dermont Hughes) Shun’teria
SLU secures victory over LMU in a Jesuit showdown, Schertz gives update on Avila injury
In a classic Jesuit school battle, Loyola Marymount University (LMU) faced off against Saint Louis University with the Billikens emerging victorious with a score of 77-71. The homecoming of the assistant coach of LMU, Lorenzo Romar, a former head coach of the Billikens from 1999 to 2002, added to the excitement of the game.
Three players stood out in this matchup: shooting guards for the Billikens, the six-year senior Gibson Jimerson, former Indiana State Sycamore Isaiah Swope and Will Johnston, who plays for LMU.
After the game, the head coach of the Billikens, Josh Schertz, praised Johnston. “Johnston was the best player on the floor from both teams… He was really tough to guard,” Schertz said. Johnston shot 9 for 18, totaling 27 points. Jimerson and Swope, scored 23 points, with Jimerson making 6 three-pointers out of 10 attempts. Despite a shoulder injury, guard Kobe Johnson
Jonah Tolbert, Senior Writer
surprised Billiken fans with a start. “Kobe, when he getsgoing, is one of our best guards,” Schertz said, highlighting his defensive skills. Though Johnson did struggle on the offensive side of the ball shooting 0-2 in 18 minutes.
Forward Kalu Anya played a significant role with 5 assists and 9 points. “[Anya] played awesome. Good job in the post, unbelievable on the glass… the passing was terrific,” Schertz said.
Guard Kellen Thames also made a notable impact, scoring 12 points on a perfect 5-5 shooting. Schertz praised Thames for his effort and determination. “Kellen is going to be fantastic… He plays so hard… Whatever it takes to win, Kellen Thames will do it,” Schertz said.
Guards Larry Hughes II and Josiah Dotzler both played well off the bench, getting 16 minutes each. With Hughes getting 6 points and Dotzler 4 points.
Their playing time was increased with freshman Amari McCottry not playing well. McCottry went 0-2 from the field with 1 rebound, he played just 7 minutes, only playing in the first half.
“We don’t win without Josiah and Larry, with Amari was struggling,” Schertz said.
Looking ahead, the Billikens are not using anyone to replace Robbie Avila in the Center position, who suffered an ankle injury after the Santa Clara game and is expected to return on Nov. 22 if he hits certain benchmarks in his recovery.
“The north star game is the Wichita State game….. If [Avila] hits certain benchmarks, and if he practices by the 20th,” Schertz said.
If all goes well, Avila may make his return in the Billikens’ next game in Kansas City on Friday, just 18 days after his injury.
BillikensshutoutKansasJayhawkswith1-0first-roundwinoftheNCAAWomen’s
The No. 8-ranked Billikens defeated the Kansas University (KU) Jayhawks 1-0 to advance to the second round of the NCAA Women’s Soccer (WSOC) Championship on Nov. 15. Coming into the tournament, both teams displayed determination, passion, and fierceness on the field.
This was a redemption match for the Billikens, as they lost to the Jayhawks in the first round of the NCAA Championship six years ago in 2018. With the two schools being located in bordering states, SLU and KU fans packed the stands to a nearly full Hermann Stadium.
As soon as the Billikens set foot on the pitch, the stadium erupted in an energy that remained consistent the entire game. Despite the cold, students, parents, faculty, and even other sports teams were enthusiastic to support the Billikens in their first stop on the road to the NCAA Championship.
Leading up to the game, the Billikens had a dominant season, finishing first in the A10 Conference. The road for the Jayhawks, on the other hand, has not been so linear. The Jayhawks left many in the Big 12 shocked with their performance in the conference tournament. Initially ranked No. 6 in their conference,
the Jayhawks, from start to finish, upset themselves to the championship, where they beat No. 1 tournamentranked Texas Christian University.
The starting line-up for the Billikens consisted of #1
Emily Puricelli, #2 Lucie Schwartz, #5 Hope Kim, #10
Julia Simon, #14 Eva Schreiber, #16 Hannah Larson, #18 Katie Houck, #24 Emily Gaebe, #25 Lyndsey Heckel, #28 Sophia Stram, and #29 Elise Le.
The Billikens led the first 15 minutes of the game.
With a slow start from the Kansas defense, SLU took shot after shot but had some trouble finding the net.
This was until, in the 20th minute, Gaebe was able to score with an assist from Larson. This was Gaebe’s 16th of the season and 13th game-winning goal of her career, making her currently 2 short of the record of 15 held by Abbie Miller (2019-23). Despite their 10-shot attempts, the Jayhawks were not able to match SLU’s goal, leading to a 1-0 win for the Billikens.
Tune into ESPN+ on Friday, Nov. 22 at 7 PM CST to support SLU’s women’s soccer team as they head to Los Angeles to face off against the No. 1 University of Southern California Trojans in the Sweet 16.
In the spring of 2023, TruFusion Foundry opened its doors less than a mile from Saint Louis University’s main campus. TruFusion is a wellness destination with a mission to make St. Louis a happier and healthier city to live.
The studio has four dynamic rooms, each tailored to provide a range of fitness experiences. The Foundry location houses several knowledgeable instructors who guide workouts, providing modifications and challenges throughout. TruFusion classes combine yoga, pilates, cycling, HIIT, bootcamp, boxing and more to elicit a diverse workout journey.
The convenient location of TruFusion Foundry allows them to cater directly to SLU students. Many students take advantage of the proximity. In an interview with The University News, TruFusion Foundry explains their gratitude for SLU’s already established community and its place in it.
“We knew that the foundation that was already on SLU’s campus would be at the core of the community we wanted to create in the city of St. Louis.” Since their grand opening almost two years ago, TruFusion is appreciative that their proximity allowed for their seamless integration into the SLU network. “We are grateful to have become part of the SLU community!”
grateful to have become part of the SLU community!” TruFusion Foundry’s mission and impact extend beyond the studio. In addition to promoting health and wellness, one of their main priorities is to positively contribute to the greater St. Louis Community. As an organization, they believe the cultivation of community is essential in improving the city as a whole. “If as a city, we want to help attract people to move back to the City, we strongly believe that giving city residents a ‘happy place’ is a critical factor of making our city an even better place to live …” All in all, TruFusion provides a positive workout experience right in SLU’s backyard. Their versatile offerings and valuable instruction cultivate a larger sense of community.
TruFusion said in an interview with the UNews, “Whether it’s Pilates, Bootcamp, Circuit, HIIT, Yoga, Cycle, Boxing, or more, coming together as a group, with incredible instructors, an energetic Vibe, beat-pumping music and the most amazing uplifting community, it’s nearly impossible for our members to walk out of a class without a bigger smile on their face than they had before they came in!”
Grammys
Continued from A1 alone. Songs like “HOT TO GO!” and “Pink Pony Club” make the lineup of her live performances and draw massive crowds based on the sheer range of Roan’s voice alone, but add the masterminds behind the booth, and together they created a reckoning force. Song of the Year
When put up against popular hits like Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please,” Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” there is some stiff competition when it comes to Song of the Year. Made as the fifth and most recent diss track in Lamar’s standing feud with Canadian rapper Drake, it was met with critical acclaim from critics, who felt like it was Lamar’s victory lap. Igniting conversations about race and cultural appropriation, the song, as well as the rest of the disses like “Meet the Grahams” are all considered 2024 anthems, making it a solid contender for Song of The Year.
Best New Artist:
U Arts & Life
The Green Room
Continued from A1, The Green Room
The UNews’ first official production on Nov. 17, 2024 featured SLU student and graduate band Leaving Missouri. The band formed after lead singer Daniel Bernas, now a graduate but student at the time, posted fliers on campus requesting band mates. In time, the band was complete with Julia Thiesen, guitarist and first to reach out, Nicholas Newbauer on bass, Jackson Ryson on drums and Jaden Prom on guitar.
On Oct. 4, Leaving Missouri released their first project, a self-titled EP consisting of four songs: “Leaving Missouri,” “Quiet Room,” “Never Dies” and “Neck Pains.” Of the four, “Quiet Room” is their biggest hit so far with 5,744 listens.
The song starts off strong with a bass beat from Newbauer and Prom’s guitar, pumping up the energy of the song. The two lead into Bernas’ voice, singing, “Why are you, reluctant to, talk about the past?”
The song as a whole blends and moves in ways that purposefully contradict the song’s title. Its energetic
presence perfectly conveys the band and its members, The song as a whole blends and moves in ways that purposefully contradict the song’s title. Its energetic presence perfectly conveys the band and its members, making their music seem like a blast from the past with its rock and pop elements.
Their newest song, “I’ll Be Your Girl – Live at Off Broadway,” has incredible lyricism and sound. Starting off with a beautiful blend of guitar, Bernas and Prom’s performances are highlighted on this track. What makes Leaving Missouri is their willingness to alter the spotlight song to song. The rest of the band offer complementary support to Prom and Bernas, and this amplification of sound only becomes richer upon further listens.
The band is making strides in St. Louis and the broader music industry with a unique sound and fun band dynamic. Check out TGR online to see them live and get a glimpse of their energy.
“Double or Nothing” from Medhane
Sabrina Carpenter may be a shoo-in. She did not have the typical career trajectory to a Best New Artist nomination, as a former Disney actress and having already released five prior studio albums. Still, Carpenter has been a talent in the making since an early age, and is finally getting high recognition for her album “Short n’ Sweet.” With radio hits “Espresso,” “Please Please Please” and “Taste” along with the accompanying music videos and a captivating stage presence, Carpenter showed her well-rounded artistry in both musical and visual capabilities that pushed her far among the ranks of the category. Album of the Year: Charlie XCX’s “brat” was a landmark achievement in her nearly decade-long career, cultivating her own cultural phenomenon: “Brat Summer,” and solidifying her prominence in the pop and club music scene. The album’s viral success on TikTok showed her ability to connect with a new generation of listeners, with a bold and unapologetic style. But beyond the online hype, the albums showcased Charli XCX’s versatility as an artist, with a diverse range of sounds in songs like “360” and “I think about it all the time,” showing her more pulsing club ragers but also a more introspective approach within her lyricism. “Brat” stood out as a bold statement that pushed the boundaries of modern pop music and displayed her as a true visionary in the industry. Though these are mere predictions, all of these artists have a strong foundation in their music journeys. While the true winners are left in the hands of the Recording Academy voters and the results will be as surprising as they normally are, one thing remains true: the Grammy’s are a must-watch event for any music fan looking for the best new music. Every year, Saint Louis offers memorable winter
Festive fun in St. Louis: Christmas event guide
A collaborative album featuring the vocals of abstract hip-hop emcee Medhane and beats from the ridiculously underrated rapper and producer Kahlil Blu, every track on “Double or Nothing” is simply fire. Coming in at just 21 minutes, the record is short and sweet (not to be confused with any other short and sweet 2024 albums). “10 Bands” features one of the most infectious beats of the year, and after just a listen or two, will be sure to ring in the heads of any listener.
The beats swing all over the place, and Medhane nonchalantly floats over each one without ever having to alter himself too much to do so. Bass runs heavy on just about every track, making it a perfect album for the car or a particularly good soundsystem.
“Swingin’,” another standout from the record, sees a subdued beat and aggressive Medhane rapping that ominously flows over the hum of the bass. “Double or Nothing” is a short and effective rap album that does exactly what it wanted to do: float.
“NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340
DEAD” from GY!BE
Post-rock legends Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s (GY!BE) newest record is untitled as an act of protest against the genocide of Palestinians thats death toll has since reached over 43 thousand. The album politically protests, as GY!BE always does, without a lead singer. Despite this, their activism is felt nonetheless: the song “RAINDROPS CAST IN LEAD” refers to the volleys of bullets and bombs levied on Gaza daily.
It features a woman speaking in Spanish of bodies falling from the sky, dead innocent children, and is surrounded by 12 minutes of luscious composition with a string section that is particularly breathtaking.
“BROKEN SPIRES AT DEAD KAPITAL” is an ominous and brooding track that feels like the musical version of seeing a shadow appear behind the protagonist in a horror movie. “PALE SPECTATOR TAKES PHOTOGRAPHS” shows that GY!BE remains one of the most incredible drum composers in all of music. The album surprisingly finds its magnum opus as early as track two, with “BABYS IN A THUNDERCLOUD” blowing every other song out of the water. The 13 minute song sees multiple lives in its runtime but every second of it is utter beauty. The first few minutes of the track build into a flurry of instruments all coming at the listener brazenly, yet in a way that feels gentle and graceful. “NO TITLE..” proves that GY!BE hasn’t lost a single step and will continue to run post-rock until they decide not to.
“I Got Heaven” from Mannequin Pussy
“I Got Heaven” by Mannequin Pussy stands out as one of the year’s most explosive and raw albums, effortlessly blending gritty punk energy with infectious hooks. The
band channels an unapologetic intensity, balancing aggressive riffs with deeply introspective lyrics that tackle themes of love, anger and resilience. Songs like the title track feel like cathartic anthems, while others dive into moments of vulnerability, adding emotional layers that hit hard without ever losing their edge. It’s an album that demands to be played loud and often.
“Exhibition of Prowess” from Kublai Khan TX
The healing powers of hardcore are severely understated. Hardcore music has been shown to improve plant growth (Dyer), so get in touch with your natural self this winter with one of the best hardcore albums of the year, Kublai Khan TX’s “Exhibition of Prowess.”
Featuring punishing riffs, tight grooves and roaring vocals, the Texas four-piece pulls no punches on their 6th album. Tracks like “972” and “Darwinism” demonstrate developed and technical musicianship, while tracks like “Theory of Mind” and “Supreme Ruler” deliver the brutish yet groovy sound the band is known for. Tune in to “Exhibition of Prowess” for the air-punchingest, two-steppingest album to hit streaming this year.
“Fearless Movement” from Kamasi Washington
Every few years, saxophone colossus Kamasi Washington drives the genre of jazz to new heights, again establishing himself as one of the most important names in modern jazz. In “Fearless Movement,” Washington expands his artistic universe. Epic songs featuring legends like Thundercat, Terrace Martin and George Clinton are made up of expansive jams and interludes that provide the listener with a transcendent experience. “Dream State,” a standout track featuring Andre 3000 on flute, is an ethereal journey perfectly accompanied by incredibly expressive saxophone work from Washington. Do yourself a favor and throw on “Fearless Movement” during a study session or walk.
“Two Star & The Dream Police” from Mk.gee Mk.gee, known for his commonly shifting and experimental approach to the DIY scene, did a complete sound turnaround with his February release, “Two Star & The Dream Police,” where he carved out a new liminal space within his work. Combining synth anthems like “DNM” and distorted, airy productions on works like “New Low” and “Dream Police,” the entire album comes together to portray raging emotions and shape a coherent narrative. It’s controlled in nature but chaotic in construction, as he meticulously uses stimulating methods and atmospheric textures to form a
gritty, yet emotionally resonant record. The release of “Two Star” has landed him as a “guitar hero,” largely cutting through the continual noise of the music industry with one unapologetic sound.
“Escaper” from Sarah Kinsley
The stars aligned in the musical pathways of Sarah Kinsley from an early age, being trained in classical piano at age 4 and violin at age 9. She soon became an undeniable force, using those early lessons in making her debut album, “Escaper,” a powerful collection where she hits the ground running. Throughout the entirety of the album, Kinsley ruminates on unrequited love, falling down the rabbit hole of alternate timelines and proclamations of love to close friends in songs like “Realms” and “Starling.” It is a celestial body of work that has one theme at its forefront: escapism. Heavy and prominent, the idea of breaking free is layered over stripped-back odes and imagined ballads, making “Escaper” a top-tier album in the 2024 retrospect. Kaytranada delivers another stellar electronic record with “Timeless,” his first solo album since “Bubba” in 2019. In this record, he takes what worked with “Bubba” and what he learned on “Kaytramine” while working with Amine to deliver an amazing production of electronic music and catchy beats. Even in an album full of stellar music, there are still a few songs that transcend.
“Timeless” from Kaytranada
“Snap My Fingers” is a perfect blend of ethereal vocals, thanks to a feature from PinkPantheress, and soft rhythms. Another song that continues that trend is “Witchy,” a Childish Gambino collaboration with a large synth beat that joins the hip-hop singer’s popping vocals to deliver another great production. “Timeless” truly lives up to its name with countless classic songs that stay catchy even after the 100th listen.
“Method Actor” from Nilufer Yanya British singer Nilufer Yanya’s latest album “Method Actor” is an amazing mix of slow, painful tracks and fast yet relaxed songs that focus on the beauty of vulnerability. Yanya delivers a strong vocal performance that combines with her minimal instrumentation. The heavy use of the acoustic guitar provides a raw rhythm to the tracks and gives the record a very emotional feel.
“Mutation,” the first single to be released by Yanya, uses deeper tones and soft voices to provide an almost ethereal feel, crushing any listener who stays through it. The song’s message follows Yanya as she changes, maturing as her life becomes more beautiful and complicated. Another amazing track on this album is “Like I say (I runaway),” a much faster track with a really fun, banjo-like twang beat. Another raw track, this one has Yanya talking about what it feels like to lose control and oneself, producing another extremely relatable track on this album of gorgeous symphonies.
Andy Cullinance, Staff Writer
U Arts & Life
The Substance: Self-care, beauty standards and ectoplasm
On my Amazon wishlist, I have a retinol cream that I plan to buy when it goes on sale for Black Friday. Retinol is an anti-aging serum, and although you don’t have to start using it until your forties, I saw a TikTok that said you should start in your twenties. There’s no guarantee it’ll make any significant difference, but, on the chance it’ll reduce fine lines for a few extra years, I’m willing to pay for a bottle every three months, for the rest of my life. Plus, once it’s on sale, it’ll only be $70.
Watching “The Substance,” I saw that same impulse stripped down to its nastiest essence. Coralie Fargeat’s horror-satire hybrid is a garish, squelching descent into body horror and society’s fixation on beauty. Demi Moore plays Elizabeth Sparkle, a fitness icon and beauty influencer facing the brutal reality of aging in the public eye. As she hits her fifties, Sparkle’s career falters. Her sleazy boss, played with peak sliminess by Dennis Quaid, informs her that her time is up and they need someone fresher. Determined not to let her life’s work crumble, Elizabeth turns to a mysterious, ectoplasmesque serum called “The Substance,” rumored to restore youthful vitality — and then some.
Elizabeth’s “younger self,” Sue (Margaret Qualley), is born from Sparkle as a separate entity. This fresh, supple version quickly takes Elizabeth’s spot on camera, transforming her empire into something more like a TikTok-fueled social media showcase. Fargeat’s script digs in on the absurdity of self-sabotage: Elizabeth has multiple chances to quit, but instead escalates, chasing perfection to the detriment of her well-being while Sue seems only too eager to take her spot. Their interactions reveal a lot about internalized self-loathing, jealousy and the societal pressures that tell women their only value is their beauty. As the relationship between Elizabeth and
Chloë Johnson, Contributor
Sue deteriorates, so too does the line between them, eventually leading to some of the most grotesque and imaginative body horror David Cronenberg would be proud of.
Cinematographer Benjamin Kracun captures this degradation up close and personal, with the camera hovering over every spinal injection and bulbous pustule. In fact, the sound design itself deserves a mention here — it’s all cracking, dripping and squelching, a sound that practically echoes after the film ends.
There’s a heavy “Death Becomes Her” energy here, but “The Substance” has a darker edge, mixed with hints of Stanley Kubrick’s surrealism and Cronenberg’s horror. Unlike “Death Becomes Her,” which leans into a camp aesthetic, Fargeat injects an element of tragedy and horror that makes the whole spectacle feel tragic and even cathartic. While Qualley gives a note-perfect performance as the vapid yet driven Sue, it’s Moore who steals the show. Moore’s Elizabeth navigates grotesque physical transformation with a desperate yet darkly comedic touch. She swings from serious, guttural breakdowns to sharp, deadpan interactions with Sue, who she eventually treats like a rebellious child, showcasing both her sadness and her absurd resolve.
“The Substance” doesn’t offer a heartwarming lesson on loving your flaws or aging gracefully. It reflects the absurdity of an endless chase for external validation. I’ll probably still follow my skincare routine, avoid gray hairs and spend some time worrying about wrinkles. However, after watching “The Substance,” losing sleep over them just seems silly. So, if you too walk out of the film a little less willing to buy that trendy new fixall-serum, maybe “The Substance” has done just what it sought to do.
The best Christmas album you’ve never heard
Owen Herdrick, Arts & Life Editor
“We Live In Time”: Beautiful pain captured on film
Aditya Gunturu, Senior Writer
“We Live in Time” is a film destined to succeed, helmed by two pedigreed actors with unbeatable chemistry. Led by an award-winning director and theater-bred writer. Scored by the same composer for the crushing films “C’mon C’mon” and “Sing Sing.” It is a recipe headed for box-office success. With all these tools, director John Crowley decided to add another element: a non-linear timeline. Such a change proved to be the chaotic element that helped turn an already amazing film into a truly beautiful piece of art.
“We Live in Time” follows the story of Weetabix employee Tobias Durand (Andrew Garfield) who meets aspiring chef Almut Bruhl (Florence Pugh) when she runs him over with her car. Following their rather aggressive meet-cute, the couple begins to date, and the audience follows their journey as they deal with life and everything it throws at them like cancer, an international cooking competition and even childbirth.
The entire film is told out of order, with moments from their relationships past, present and future interspersed with one another. Audiences paying close attention will find themselves the most enriched, as there is a lack of expository dialogue in the film. This allows the script to stay faster-paced and keep the audience in the moment.
Because of this, the film prefers to use sequences with little to no dialogue to show important events. We witness Tobias and Almut go through their pregnancy with very little talking, just watching the couple as they are with each other, somewhat like watching your own friends fall in love.
A fair criticism of this film is that the shifts in time are not always perfect. Since there are fewer visual cues available in the characters, it requires a lot more focus to differentiate these moments in time. Thankfully, these slip-ups are infrequent, so they rarely take the viewer out of the movie, maintaining the suspended disbelief. Garfield and Pugh truly knock it out of the park in this film with their chemistry. From the first moment they’re together on-screen their relationship is crystal clear. This is somewhat essential in a film like this which jumps around a lot, so their connection needs to be clear or it would lead to a lot of expository scenes that only take the view out of the moment. Beyond the duo’s chemistry, both Garfield and Pugh use a lot of nonverbal cues to show their characters’ dimensions, especially in their disagreements.
A big point of contention in this film is that the duo have different thoughts on pursuing a dangerous
treatment plan for Almut’s cancer. Tobias, a very logical, practical, shy nerd wants her to take the treatment, even if there is a chance she won’t survive. Almut, on the other hand, the fiery, passionate, grab-life-by-the-horns chef wants nothing to do with this treatment and wants to take part in a famous cooking competition with nothing in her way.
We get a closer look at the duo’s characteristics and personal motivations when they are dealing with this main issue. They’re given key moments to shine in these strong, well-acted monologues that cover a range of positive and negative emotions. In the end, their attempts at resolution and open communication make the pair a more realistic couple, providing a refreshing take on the romantic film genre.
A crucial point of this movie is that it is “realistic.”
It is not like most other romance movies, where there is this instant connection or very little conflict. The conversations are full of passion, the fights are extremely raw and the non-verbal reactions are never dull. Pugh and Garfield truly feel like a real-life couple, going through these difficult moments together and showing how they can come out stronger. Love is complicated, changing over time, a message this film signifies beautifully.
Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé and Frank Sinatra are just a few of the voices Americans are accustomed to hearing annually come winter. However, hidden among countless generic renditions of the same several Christmas songs, is a truly special piece of art that fights to be the best piece of Christmas art (yes, all art) ever made: Sufjan Stevens’ simply titled “Songs for Christmas.”
Made initially as five EPs over the course of six years (he skipped 2005 while working on his magnum opus “Illinois”) “Songs for Christmas,” at first glance, can be described in just three words: wow, it’s long. Coming in at just over two hours, the record is tracklisted with the original five EPs in mind, being split into five “discs” on Spotify.
While every song on the album is incredibly special and artistically crafted, it is unlikely many readers will listen to the full album because of its length. The good news? All of “Songs for Christmas” holds up whether you prefer to sing along to old hymns/Christmas classics, study to beautiful instrumentals or hear completely original (and delightful) Christmas compositions.
Moreover, it should be stressed that while Stevens’ background is Christian and the album serves in many facets as a love letter to specifically Christian holiday culture, many of the songs do not. “Songs for Christmas” is a delightful addition to the winter rotation, regardless of religious upbringing or lack thereof.
Warnings and context aside, here is a review of the album, as well as a handful of songs that could serve as a starting point for first-time listeners.
Stevens, a multi-instrumentalist, leans mainly on the four main forms of guitar, banjo, piano and woodwinds for this record, giving it mainly a folksy, campfire vibe. One of the opening tracks is a cover of “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” and it washes over the listener’s ears with luscious banjo, guitar and layered vocals that feel somewhere between a cult initiation and a warm hug.
“It’s Christmas! Let’s Be Glad!” is one of Stevens’
TikTok
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to add a hilarious spin to a video. I came across this song on a well-lit St. Louis morning, it was the background of the hardest Los Angeles Clippers edit I’d ever seen. I was hooked. Utilizing a sample that sounds straight out of an old Western movie yet also like Thanos and Kratos being rhymed back to back. “Kentucky Love” remains in my rotation to this day.
“Everything She Wants”: Wham!
Pop culture has always been heavily influenced by nostalgia. Media that highlights the beauty of yesteryear has more often than not been very successful. Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” made a huge comeback when featured in Stranger Things season 4. Similarly, “Everything She Wants” made a huge comeback for me this year: I discovered it as the soundtrack to a guy crip walking to it on Instagram Reels. It’s an infectious 80s pop anthem about not being able to pay child support that also happens to be incredibly danceable, even if you don’t know how to crip walk.
“Ice Box”: Omarion
There’s nothing quite like an early 2000s slow jam. I discovered this song, about 18 years too late, from a clip of Omarion playing it live. From that moment, posted up on the couch, I was immediately seduced. The lovely corny lyrics, the pleading with his woman and the silky smooth verses — I never had a chance.
“Nu Wave”: Boldy James
Here’s a pillar of truth: watching anyone have fun listening to music is going to make it sound slightly better. Watching @ibreathemusicallday make little music videos to his favorite songs just makes it so much easier to add his recommendations to your rotation. I stumbled across his account and his love for “Nu Wave” and couldn’t help but be encapsulated by the triumphant beat and James’ monotone murmurings. It’s since become one of my favorite tracks from the Atlanta MC.
“Grown Man Sport” : Pete Rock and InI
Every once in a while, the gods of Instagram show you a true gem. I’ll never forget the video: a man
original creations and includes a chorus of singers who joyfully shout about the holiday season; the perfect kind of song to put on as you put up Christmas decorations. As the tree is brought out, the under two minute “Put the Lights On the Tree,” will serve as the perfect backdrop for the festive activity.
“Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” a hymnal staple, is beautifully adapted by Stevens, and the crisp minimalist instruments back Stevens’ enchanting voice wonderfully. “Come on! Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance!” is another of Stevens contemporary Christmas creations, bringing lyrics about K-Mart into Christmas music discourse.
Stevens’ “Jingle Bells” rendition sounds as though it should be played in a saloon in the wild west; two songs later, “Lo! How A Rose E’er Blooming” sounds like it should be played inside a massive empty chapel. The diversity of sound yet cohesiveness of aesthetic is truly something to behold. The record culminates in its last few songs, like the masterfully arranged original “Sister Winter” that builds on its gorgeous strings gradually to create an incredibly rewarding listening experience. It is followed quickly by another version of “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” this time a brief piano version. This gives the listener a moment to breathe before consuming what may be the best Christmas song ever, and the album’s definitive peak: “Star of Wonder.” Unlike “We Three Kings,” the song its title is based on, “Star of Wonder” is a seven minute wave of winter euphoria. For three minutes, it builds slowly and patiently up to a post-rock-esque climax that deserves to be heard even if you never listen to a single other song off the record. Immediately after is a simply gorgeous rendition of “Holy, Holy, Holy” that ends the album lyrically before the instrumental drone heavy collage “The Winter Solstice” sends “Songs for Christmas” off with a final artistic kiss goodbye.
rollerblading on the streets of a European city, rapping along to the most laid-back beat I think I’ve heard to date. The man weaves in and out of traffic, filming with his handheld camera, rapping along. The vibe brought by the song alone was immaculate, the rollerblading through Europe a mere cherry on top. Rock’s production provides a classy background to French rapper InI’s slinky musings, making this track an instant classic.
“i got it bad” : Addison Rae Hear me out. Addison Rae put out her debut EP “AR” in 2023, which normally would not even show up on my radar. That’s because, to me, social media influencer music has been some of the most generationally unoriginal and bland art that the world has ever seen. So, when I came across a sponsored post for the EP, I was as shocked as I was hooked. “i got it bad” is genuinely one of the best pop songs to come out in recent years. Rae’s sickly sweet lyrics and the track’s sleek production make for an instant classic.
“I Bet U Won’t” : Mouse and Level
This might just be the greatest song to ever hit the public ear. I found “I Bet U Won’t” around the same time everyone else did: when it went viral on TikTok in 2021. I jumped on this song like a moth to a flame. I listened to it nonstop. I even purchased it as a ringtone for my phone (“I Bet U Won’t” continues to be my alarm sound every morning, and my life has genuinely gotten better because of it). A quintessential club track reminiscent of early 2000s rap, this track sounds like you’re driving a lowrider around Miami while sipping Orange Crush.
“Missing”: Everything But The Girl
“Filmtok” is a rich and vibrant community. Movie edits consistently capture the tones and themes of some of the best — and maybe most unsung — movies. Of course, these works of art and music cut together and reimagined is a recipe for hours of scrolling. I found
“Missing” over an edit of the 2000 Brad Pitt movie
“Snatch,” and it perfectly summed up the film: alluring, dark and unapologetically British. Everything But The Girl has been around since the early 90s, but the English duo’s music hasn’t aged a bit. Featuring a silky smooth melody and a driving beat, “Missing” is that 90s deep cut that you’ve been looking for.
Demi
Sufjan Stevens promoting his Christmas music.
(Asthmatic Kitty)
Content under the opinion section is not a direct reflection of The University News, but expresses the opinion of the writer, not necessarily the organization as a whole
Politicians: Relatable or just plain ridiculous?
Trump supporters celebrate taking away the backbone of our country, our unity and spreading fear through marginalized communities.
Have you ever used the bathroom of the gender you were assigned at birth and then gotten followed around a gas station by a woman wearing an American flag across their back? Then, have her walk up to her husband and whisper while staring and pointing at you for simply existing? Then, when you went to your family
Even though I have my pronouns pasted everywhere — my Instagram, my Discord, my LinkedIn, my email signature — so many people I interact with daily still do not get the hint. You will never understand having to ask people to respect you, to do the things that are plastered in front of their faces. You will never understand having to cringe when someone uses “she” because of my biology, my voice, my face structure, because that fits better into their perception of the world than respecting
a world of delusions, insanity and irrational behavior” another person commented to me in 2022. Again, I did not even mention my gender identity, yet this person purposefully checked my profile to somehow use that as a trump card, as if my identity was so blasphemous and ridiculous I should not even get the time of day to defend myself and others I love. I hope now and in the future heterosexual and cisgender people can reflect and know how much you all will never understand. This election u
waiting outside in a panic, not knowing if the couple would decide to take action even though you kept your head down and were as quick as possible, get told that “it’s nothing”?
Have you ever come out to a close group of friends, only to have them turn around and tell other peers?
To out you to their parents? After, have another father walk up to yours and ask, “What’s it like to have a gay daughter?” as if your identity is some piece of hot gossip?
And months later, when you finally got the courage to tell your parents, they already knew. Have you had to see people you used to know devolve into Evangelical homophobes, sending you voice memos over Instagram of scripture to turn you to God? Have they proclaimed their ideal world of snuffing out people like me in the name of some higher power?
Have you ever, as a young girl playing soccer — wearing a uniform a little too tight for your liking, clearly showing your female chest — been questioned about your gender for having shorter hair? For being a bit taller than the other girls on the team, obviously revealing the great scam that I was a boy there to destroy the opposition? Has a family member you are not out to ever grilled you about an alleged transgender girl participating on another high school bowling team, even though they didn’t even compete against one another? Made you the spokesperson, when they do not even realize they are expressing hate about your own identity? Asked you to explain, with venom in their voices and furrows in their brows, “Why can that even be allowed?” What, for that person to exist?
I’ve identified as nonbinary since the summer of 2022, sort of. For a long time before that, I had used they/she pronouns to still allow some leeway for selfexploration, but that summer I realized I did not identify with being a woman and felt much more comfortable staying outside that binary. I did receive a lot of support from my close friends and some family members when I asked people to start referring to me strictly by they/ them pronouns. But, I still haven’t found the courage to be able to correct people on my pronouns when they misgender me.
my identity. Because at the end of the day, I know who cares and who doesn’t. Maybe it’s a blessing to know, maybe it’s a curse that it’s so easy to find out.
In 2022, Saint Louis University held its first on campus drag show. I felt very passionate and thrilled, as this type of outward support for the LGBTQ+ community, especially from a predominantly religious school, is somewhat rare, even this far in the 21st century. A lot of hate was spewed around that event because right-wing news sources publicized it outside the SLU community and blasted it as the worst thing to ever happen. When @slu_official posted about Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the day after the drag show, conservatives flocked to criticize SLU and show their disdain. Like many other students, I pulled up my bootstraps and argued back in the comments section about how queer people deserve to exist.
That day, I got told “Get some help for your mental disorder. You are not a they/them” along with “oh God we have a they/them in tha house… Are you so desperate for attention?”
I was not even speaking about my gender identity, but simply defending something that is not wrong — defending our right to express ourselves, love our community and enjoy the talent at an event for college students that obviously did not brainwash us all to be drag queens.
You will never understand being shamed for who you are and what you look like, for simply not falling into a box that the world has decided is the only place humans should fit. You will never understand that people will hurt you for existing this way, they will hate your resistance to their form of “normalcy,” which is just a construct made up by the narrow-minded human brain.
You will never understand having to be the butt of the joke, being called “those they/thems” as if we are a subhuman species that doesn’t even deserve a spot at the table. Cisgender people will happily throw something they could never hope to grasp under the bus because they will never get it, and think it is hilarious. “I see pronouns i know i’m about to step into
nfortunately confirmed a lot of what I have experienced, and what so many marginalized people have and will continue to go through. . As a white person, I would like to acknowledge my privilege there. I will never understand the sort of discrimination and hate people of color experience, worse than most of us can ever begin to fathom. To queer people of color, all I can say is I’m so sorry how horribly we have failed you. It all comes down to the inability to put ourselves in another person’s shoes. To understand what at the end of the day Trump and a lot of the right wing stand for: hatred and division.
We can even see it on the liberal side: the spike of hatred toward the Arab community for the results of the election, people again trooping to social media to proclaim they can now return to Starbucks and McDonald’s. Previously, due to both of the corporations’ support of Israel, a boycott of the products was ongoing. Even with my own hatred and pain with the Trump reelection, I could never imagine asking someone to vote for a candidate who is part of a government supporting the genocide in Gaza. Taking our anger out on another beaten-down community can not be the answer.
I hope in the coming days, weeks, months and years those of us under fire can band together. They may tell us it is not a big deal, that those things would never happen, but I know many of us fear and dread the worst. Even if it is all worst-case scenario options, the reality of our brothers’ and sisters’ rights being taken away even being on the table is horrifying. We watched millions of people turn their backs on basic human rights this election. The only people we can rely on are those we trust. I believe that we are all in this together, and together, we can bring hope back.
Community is most important in times of crisis, and to all my friends: we are people with power. We will overcome this, and come out on the other end. Existence is resistance, and even if I’m taking a break from shouting my identity and truth on the rooftop for a few days, I will not allow myself to become beaten down. We deserve to exist, we deserve to thrive.
Howmodernpoliticalcampaignspaintpoliticiansasmemes,notrepresentatives
Kaia Monaco, OpinionEditor
Politicians were once memorialized by their powerful quotes and speeches. Now, they are remembered for their misguided attempts to engage in internet culture and the memes these blunders inspire. By building their campaign on jokes, the politician has become the joke.
“You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” is Vice President Kamala Harris’ most recognizable line, more so than any discussing her campaign. Memes of Harris gain more traction than her policies or programs. Is this a politician we can take seriously?
Former president, now President-elect Donald Trump’s controversial policies are often a topic of conversation, yet, he too sees the most virality from his unserious moments. From cosplaying as a McDonald’s employee to dancing at his rally, Trump has consistently inspired hundreds of internet memes.
Many young voters have a hard time taking politics seriously, especially now. In part, because our political climate is a mess, but also because politicians have little to no decorum. Trump often makes dangerous false claims, while Harris campaigns through edits and absurd audios on her TikTok account.
Understanding your audience and expanding campaign channels are important; however, integrity is equally important. Efforts to appear relatable — like engaging in internet jokes and partnering with influencers — are nice, in theory, but they have started to go too far. We are forgetting what a politician is designed to be, at their core: a representative.
Politicians were always meant to represent ideals, so the public could vote for whoever best aligned with their personal values. Now, though, people tend to vote based on appearances — supporting the candidate because of the candidate themselves, not their policies. While this may sound harmless, a dangerous phenomenon has taken shape. People blindly trust whatever their favorite politician tells them, failing to reflect on these statements and their disastrous consequences.
Worse, people hold their favorite politicians in such high regard, that their support has become a facet of their identity. Now, when someone criticizes the politician, the supporter also feels criticized. All of this has worked together to create the deeply divided political environment we find ourselves in today.
Politics should be about policies, not politicians. Instead of turning to outside sources, like other people or political parties, for guidance on who to support, we should be listening to our personal values. This way, as was originally hoped, politicians can serve as true vessels for what the people want, rather than simply doing what they want.
The reason politicians are falling short with Gen Z is that our generation is automatically cynical of everything. Where some may blindly follow a politician, young people turn away, blindly assuming everything that politician says is nonsense.
As the generation that will have to deal with multiple existential crises, Gen Z wants to see something done about the state of our country. They take policy seriously and want to see their government make progress. Instead, they have watched greedy politicians turn a once-proud democracy into an embarrassment. Gen Z already struggles to take politicians seriously. Time and time again, they fail to follow through on their promises, leaving the people to fend for themselves. Politicians can appear as relatable as they want, but until they hold true to their policies, young people will continue to ridicule them.
Refusing to vote, refusing to care
AresponsetoTheUniversityNewsNov.1issue’s“Whyyoushouldn’tvote”article
I find it absurd that in elections as contentious and times as important as these, people can suggest you should not vote. I wholeheartedly agree that our system is broken. Many people feel ignored, shunned and kept out in the cold of our democracy, but to say the way to fix that is by exiting it entirely is asinine.
“The Electoral College was created to balance voting power in the states.”
My peer started off on poor footing by grossly misunderstanding the purpose and current functioning of the Electoral College. While it is true that, in a similar structure to Congress, it brings some equality to the states, to read this as its main function is incorrect. The main purpose of the Electoral College was to strike a balance between the will of the people and the desires of the elites, the very people who wrote the Constitution. The writers knew the people must decide who gets to be president, but feared direct choice would lead to volatile changes in leadership.
“This system, essentially, sets up a barrier between people’s power over the presidential election and the power of political parties to determine who becomes the leader of America.”
Similarly, my peer fails to fully understand how the Electoral College works. He claims that political parties ambiguously choose electors and that these electors get to decide for themselves who the president will be. Electors are indeed chosen through a very informal process and many are simple party members being honored with a ceremonial role, but to allege that this creates some sort of barrier between voters and the election, instead handing the power to choose to the parties, is simply false. Laws in 38 states require electors to vote for who the people voted for, and in the other 12 states, we have yet to see a massive scheme occur to change the outcome of an election. There is no barrier by the parties, there is no conspiracy. I want to note that I am not defending the Electoral College. I agree that it is a barrier for voters, however it is not between them and parties, but between our vote and having a direct say in who becomes president. The system is outdated; it is wrong and it should be
Zach Buchholz, Contributor
abolished. If we are to bring change to our system of government we must actually understand that system we wish to change.
I further disagree with my peer that our votes literally don’t matter. They do, just not enough. My peer goes on to say that because some candidates have won the popular vote but not the Electoral College, it has become too easy for political agendas to manipulate the system. I must reiterate that this is wrong. There is no scheme, there is no cabal. There is simply a bad and unrepresentative system in place.
I further disagree with my peer that our votes literally don’t matter. They do, just not enough. My peer goes on to say that because some candidates have won the popular vote but not the Electoral College, it has become too easy for political agendas to manipulate the system. I must reiterate that this is wrong. There is no scheme, there is no cabal. There is simply a bad and unrepresentative system in place.
“I think it would be awesome if no one voted in the presidential election.”
This is one of the worst claims my peer made in his article. In a country where, for too long, far too many people were denied their voice, in a country where many people were beaten, bruised and even killed for trying to exercise their right to vote, to say that we should make their sacrifices be for naught is repugnant. Even today too many people still cannot vote, both in the U.S. and in countries under repressive regimes, and to treat a voice they lack but yearn for as a joke cannot be justified.
You say the system is broken? I agree but you cannot put a fire out by putting your hands up and saying “I give up!” Change requires choice. That choice may not always be easy and the change certainly may come slowly, but simply refusing to make a choice is not a solution at all.
Finally, my peer ends with an important clarifying point: that one should still vote, but only in local and statewide elections. This is because these elections are where the most impact can be generated in our lives.
I couldn’t agree more. It was obviously the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives that took charge
and ended segregation, it was also them that initially enshrined abortion rights and it must have been them that legalized same-sex marriage in the U.S. Except it wasn’t. In our federal system changes, sometimes the most important changes, can come from the National Government. Both levels of government matter.
My point is not to say local and state elections do not matter, they do. Missouri just legalized abortion and raised the minimum wage, and our local representatives can have a large impact on our lives, but the federal
elections are also vitally important. I am not saying the system is perfect, nor that it is even good; in fact I’m saying the opposite. The solution lies not in becoming less involved but more, not in throwing your hands up in defeat but in putting one hand up and saying, “Yes, I believe it can get better,” not in casting aside the whole system but in casting your vote for all levels of government. That is how we create real and lasting change.
(The University News / Shelby Slomski)
An ode to editing, an apology to writers
Juliette Callahan, CopyEditor
I have been editing for almost three years and I still reference my Associated Press Stylebook, annually repurchased for $30, to validate most of my edits. I have Associated Press News bookmarked on my computer and click it every time I open an article from The
imagine the frustration and resentment writers must feel towards me.
Editing is the hardest job I have ever had, but I love it. There is hesitancy in every keystroke when I edit;
University News copy folder. I cannot imagine receiving 86 edits from a copy editor you barely know and have never talked to. Writers place blind trust in a copy editor’s edits; trusting that they know what they are editing, why they are editing and why they have the authority and responsibility to edit.
I love editing because I am the third reader of a writer’s work, the first being themselves and the second their section editor. I have the opportunity to consume their work with an audience’s eyes and ears in mind. I go line by line and make sure every sentence adheres to AP style guidelines. I delete the Oxford commas, spell out the number nine and search for thirty minutes in the AP stylebook to figure out if president or volleyball should be capitalized. Should a state follow this city? Should there be single or double quotation marks? Should the first word after the colon be capitalized, in this specific case?
I have spent almost an hour figuring out if a sentence could be rewritten in active voice or if a semicolon was needed to clarify a point. I go through the article and add a period between every mention of a.m. or p.m., delete unnecessary adjectives or adverbs and decide whether a writer chose the right word. The AP stylebook reminds me that smaller words are better than bigger words.
I spend around an hour on average editing each article gracing my screen. I make mistakes when editing, more often than I would like. I appreciate the economics of QWERTY and the delete key — the one I use the most.
When I’m done, a writer sees a lot of green: added commas, deleted words, reworded sentences, deleted sentences, added paragraphs and more. I have been, and still am, a writer too. I remember how overwhelming it feels to see something I spent hours writing seemingly dismantled, altered and obscured from what I initially submitted to the section editor. I know the disheartened feeling that quickly overtakes the eager, elated excitement of having your writing published in a newspaper, of considering yourself a journalist.
When I became an editor, I realized how difficult the position is because of the trust it requires. Why did this editor, someone I might not even recognize in our weekly Wednesday meetings, think that my sentence wasn’t good enough? In recent months, I have made the mistake of not explaining to writers why I am making the edits I make, and to those who have received green marks from me, I apologize. I neglected to honor transparency and forgot I hadn’t yet earned your trust. Does over 100 hours of editing make my changes credible and worthwhile? I cannot make a writer trust me. Do you believe me when I say you should delete this sentence and replace it with the one I wrote? I cannot — or perhaps, I can perfectly —
editing a writer’s work settles you into a position of authority, one that willingly offers you power over a writer’s voice. It is the most precarious balance between preserving a writer’s voice and aiming to improve their writing, a balance that often makes me uncomfortable and unsettled. The power dynamic is apparent when my phone buzzes with notifications of writers accepting my edits. It is a dynamic I am horribly conscious of and constantly reminding myself of.
More often than not, I don’t believe that my edits are always the “right” ones or that I know better than a writer. My job is to collaborate and participate, not dictate. To refine and empathize, not rewrite. My job is to trust and be trusted. Consider this my mantra, and still, I often forget to repeat it every time I rest my wrists on my computer’s trackpad.
I lack the courage writers have. They are the truly courageous ones, because putting their stories, their thoughts, their beliefs and their idiolect onto a page requires complete vulnerability. They take time out of their day to pour their attention, effort and interest into words, sentences and ultimately, an article that is bound to be scrutinized. The idea of hundreds of people reading my words terrifies me. Perhaps that is why I thrive in the background, in using the suggesting mode on Google Docs and nearly never using the editing mode.
I read writers’ finished stories and see the dance we did, the twirls, twists and steps of editing cemented online or in my hands when I hand out papers on West Pine. It is a silent relationship to those who have the opportunity to read the article, but to me, it is hours spent contemplating whether a comma should be after a phrase or if hyphens would work better, even though the AP stylebook advises that they are far from standardized and a matter of judgment. Every suggestion comes with weight.
I cannot call writers’ articles also mine; that would be sacrilege. I don’t have the creative or courageous ability to turn contemplation into words for the masses. I hope, however, that I help turn their article into something they are proud of and that the UNews is proud to publish.
I cannot imagine receiving edits from myself, but I hope writers know that my only intention when I edit is to see their writing as who they are and help turn it into the best version of themself. I cannot imagine not being a copy editor. I never thought that with this position I would come to love the AP stylebook — it is notoriously annoying and infuriating to navigate — or that I would love editing as much as I do.
How could I not love it when editing grants me the medium to see people and the world through their eyes in the most intimate, vulnerable dance I have ever done, all through the accepting or rejecting of suggestions made on Google Docs?
politics. Politicians at the highest level no longer resolve
hard choices with compromise and discourse. Instead, they spin simplistic, shallow narratives intended to achieve the same effect that the inundation of propaganda into every part of Soviet life produced: the distraction of the populace from the uncertainty and ambiguity of our times.
The question I pose is why? What shifted in the postwar world to decay the profound idealism shared by those tasked with rebuilding it? To understand the answer, a useful case study is the New York fiscal crisis of the 1970s. The city was facing massive debt due to declines in manufacturing and the unprecedented failure of the municipal bond market. It resorted to borrowing to foot its expenditures, as well as enforcing brutal cost-cutting measures that stripped jobs and services away from its population.
This was considered temporary, but by 1975 the country experienced a recession and the city defaulted on its loans. The result was not only an overturning of the old order of the city but a red-letter day for social democracy in America. The banks understood that they had unprecedented leverage in requesting financial and political changes; the city would collapse if those in charge did not secure their loans. This incident did not occur in isolation; once Wall Street understood what it could manipulate by conditionally withholding funding, it began to firmly entrench itself into halls of power everywhere.
I understand this moment as the day that negotiation and dealing disappeared from the modern political paradigm, and with them the possibility of real, radical change in society. Instead, a new force came to dominate the logic of neoliberal politics: the cold, calculating reality of the market.
This is the crucial concept to grasp if we want to understand the juxtaposition between the persisting
dissatisfaction with our leaders and the absence of real alternatives: change is suboptimal for profits. BlackRock, one of the world’s largest asset management firms, uses its Aladdin algorithm to manage $21.6 trillion worth of assets, or around 10% of the world’s financial assets. The catch, however, is that these systems only work if the financial ecosystem they operate in remains consistent with the historical data they were trained on. In other words, the money keeps flowing if everything stays the same.
The American political system has been reverseengineered by the interests of finance capital to maintain the status quo by any means possible. Any real opposition has failed not because of lack of support or overt resistance, but because the hypernormalisation effected by the massive investment into consolidating media and super PACs by financial interests means that no change can be imagined as possible. Occupy Wall Street was not shut down by federal police nor fell apart because of infighting, but simply had no suitable replacement for the way things were.
What our country needs is a collective realization that the fear mongering around the “death of democracy” that surfaces in the media every election cycle is a manufactured distraction, as is the policy covertly funded by corporate interests that intentionally divide us. Democracy in the U.S. is already dead. It is a subversion of
The
“What has been the most impactful thing you’ve been involved in during your time at SLU?”
Sitting in a spinning office chair in a room decked out in Billiken memorabilia, I found myself racking my brain, considering the many extracurriculars I’ve been involved in these past few years. My mind immediately went to clubs, organizations and on-campus jobs: I am a Saint Louis University Ambassador, an Oriflamme leader and a Micah.
Thinking a little harder, I considered the time I spent studying abroad in Madrid, the nights I spent volunteering in the St. Louis community and this past summer, which I spent living on campus while interning downtown. I saw a slideshow of the countless themed events that I dressed in character, drew on a mustache or painted my face for flash before my eyes. How could the interviewers expect me to narrow it down to just one?
This semester, I was lucky to find myself in a pragmatic position as I interviewed for the Spirit of the Billiken award, given to 18 SLU seniors who are said to embody what it means to be a Billiken. Saint Louis University’s enigmatic mascot, the Billiken, is a mythical figure that represents “things as they ought to be.”
To be a Billiken is to be a person for and with others, to commit yourself to caring for the whole person, to pursue truth for the greater glory of God and for the service of humanity. More importantly, to be a Billiken is to sit at the clocktower tables with friends, wave at acquaintances on West Pine and prioritize campus involvement and activities as if they are part of your degree. To be a Billiken is to fully immerse yourself in a university community that wants to fully embrace you, no matter how tiring and all-consuming that may be.
As I sat before the Young Alumni Board for this interview, early-onset nostalgia started to sink in. Being an over-involved student has become my identity. I rarely take the time out of my busy day to reflect on what all these activities mean to me, let alone pick a favorite. I am all of these things. It’s the combination of them that has shaped who I am. I am a Billiken.
Once you’re immersed in the student involvement scene, there’s no backing down. Another recipient of the Spirit of the Billiken Award is SLU’s Student Government Association President and Oriflamme Coordinator, Reueline Arulanandam. She dedicates anywhere from 18 to 20 hours a week to SLU-sanctioned
extracurricular activities. The senior reflected on these experiences fondly. “Each of my involvements have been so unique. They have given me friendships that have challenged me and been the source of my best memories at SLU. It’s a lot, but I really love everything I am involved in.” Arulanandum is filled with a sense of duty to this campus, a commitment to always going above and beyond. “SLU culture is defined by involvement,” Arulanandum said.
Being involved on campus has certainly been the pinnacle of my college career. The psyche behind this is apparent, as collegiate extracurriculars have been proven to minimize symptoms of depression and anxiety among students. Positive effects such as this are particularly present within activities centered around community and socialization, such as sports and campus clubs.
Thinking back to my freshman year, I remember how club meetings and involvement fairs felt like an instant fix to the loneliness of living eight hours away from home. Today, I feel it is safe to say that almost all of my college friendships were established within the framework of an extracurricular activity.
Two weeks after my Spirit of the Billiken finalist interview, I was overjoyed to receive an email congratulating me on winning the award, along with an invitation to a reception with my fellow recipients. When the day came, I walked into Bannister Alumni House, curious to see who else received this honor. I found myself in a room full largely of friends who I have met over four years through various campus commitments, all who are just as immersed in SLU — if not more — than me.
Full-time involvement can take a serious toll on students. Approximately 80% of 2024 college seniors have experienced burnout while in school, and I feel certain that almost every SLU Spirit of the Billiken award recipient falls into this demographic. Arulanandum seconds this notion, saying that “involvement burnout is absolutely a real thing, what starts as a good thing can quickly become exhausting.” I know in my four years that I have felt this all too well. Our campus rewards over-involvement: the gathering in this room is the proof.
University News / Mariya Yasinovska)
(Photo courtesy of Anna Godlewski)
HS
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The University News Staff
Lauren Hutchens
Ashlyn Jones eic@unewsonline.com
managingeditor@unewsonline.com
CopyEditors
Juliette Callahan
Reegan Johnson
Mary Pham
Joseph Glaser
Maria Joseph juliette.callahan@slu.edu
gm@unewsonline.com
ulaa.kuziez@slu.edu katerina.super@slu.edu
Nora Kotnik Ismael Domin
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Arts & Life Editors
Aidan DeSpain
Owen Herdrick reegan.johnson@slu.edu
Ulaa Kuziez Katerina Super aidan.despain@slu.edu owen.herdrick@slu.edu
Opinion Editors
Mariya Yasinovska
Kaia Monaco mariya.yasinovska@slu.edu
kaia.monaco@slu.edu
Photo Editors
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Nivindee Fernando emma.duman@slu.edu
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Schleuter Nejla Hodzic mary.schleuter@slu.edu
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Zekhra Gafurova Aisha Irfan zekhra.gafurova@slu.edu aisha.irfan@slu.edu