THE
alestle
Demands and lack of trust expressed at town hall
New American, Japanese and Korean restaurants coming to town
Baseball and softball teams looking forward to upcoming season
PAGE 2
PAGE 4
PAGE 8
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
the student voice since 1960
Thursday, February 24, 2022 Vol. 75 No. 21
The start of a new chapter at SIUE Pembrook leaves lasting impact on COVID-19 response and diversity
Chancellor Minor to prioritize listening, retention, defining region
Because we’ve had these racist incidents before and I want to know how we’re working to make this space fter serving the university more safe, more loving, more caring, as chancellor for five and a and more kind for students of color.’ half years and through the peak I just appreciated that because I think of COVID-19, Randy Pembrook there are a lot of administrators who is set to retire on Feb. 28. will ask those questions but not mean Pembrook said what he found it, and I think when he asked the quesmost interesting about serving the tion about how we support students, university through the pandemic is how we love them, he means it.” that typically universities have develPembrook also helped to create oped traditions and protocols, but the position of Vice Chancellor for as a university, they had to reinvent Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, which themselves on a consistent basis. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs “It felt like we were creating new Jeffery Waple said he thought was a ways of doing defining moment university almost for him, particuevery semester,” larly having done Pembrook said. so through a pan“And so in the demic. Jessica Harspring of 2020, ris, who filled this in one week, we position, said Pembecame a 100 brook has inspired percent online her leadership university. We’d through his apnever done that proachability, charbefore. If someacter and integrity. one had asked, ‘Is Student Govit possible?’, we ernment President probably would Hailee O’Dell said have said, ‘No, she’s appreciated it’s not possible,’ receptiveness | Alestle file photo his and yet we did it in two weeks.” and support during Dean of the School of Medicine their monthly meetings as well. Jerry Kruse said he believes Pem“I always feel like, when I leave brook had the perfect balance of see- a meeting with Dr. Pembrook, someing the big picture and having the thing happened and he understood me right amount of detailed knowledge and he took the time to listen to me, to lead his team forward, particularly which as students, that’s not very comin the case of COVID-19. mon,” O’Dell said. “He worked very collaboratively Pembrook said he enjoyed many with the entire system, with Presi- things during his time at SIUE, but dent Mahony, [SIUC] Chancellor watching students graduate was the Lane, with me [and] with all of the most impactful for him. various institutions to do a very good “I think the most special experirisk/benefit analysis based on the in- ences for me were commencement, complete information that we had, just to see everybody graduate,” Pemand the uncertainty that we were brook said. “Students are always so dealing with in order to set the risk happy when they get to that point and benefit needle in a very good place to talk to parents on that day … it just to maximize safety, but allow some of was very special for me.” the usual function to occur.” He said he hopes students will Another area Pembrook worked come back to campus often and stay to make strides in was in issues of di- involved in the area as he believes the versity, equity and inclusion, which university offers many opportunities Assistant Professor of Education- for people even beyond a college deal Leadership J.T. Snipes — having gree, and that he wants to thank the worked with him through the An- students, faculty and staff at SIUE for ti-Racism Task Force — said he thinks their support. Pembrook has been particularly “As I kind of get close to that committed to. March 1 retirement, just so many “We’ve had several racist inci- kinds of people have stopped by to dents happen on campus,” Snipes say hello,” Pembrook said. “So, I just said. “After one of those events, one want to express my gratitude to all of the things that Chancellor Pem- the individuals at SIUE [and those] brook asked a roomful of adminis- part of the SIU system who have trators, genuinely and honestly … made this just an incredible experience [was], ‘How are we getting better? for me.”
in higher education is to make s u re s t u d e n t s w h o e n ro l l i n t h e u n i v e r s i t y m a ke i t t h ro u g h to commencement. ncoming chancellor James “If there’s one thing that causes me Minor wants to focus on to lose sleep at night, it is the idea that listening to the campus commua student who showed up a year or two nity and ensuring that more stuago, did everything that they were supdents reach graduation. posed to do in high school to be admitMinor, who will become SIUE’s chancellor on March 1, said he is inted to college, arrive to the orientation tentionally taking his time in develprogram, their families working hard to oping the priorities for his time as support them in college, and for whatchancellor, so that he can consult the ever reason, a year or two later, that stucampus community. dent is no longer enrolled,” Minor said. “I really would like the benefit of “That bothers me personally, it bothers hearing the voices of the SIUE comme professionally.” munity to ensure that I fully underMinor said this focus on degree stand where we completion started have been, how when he was studypeople articulate ing for his masters. challenges and opHe and his class were portunities, and looking at a national how we collectivedata set on quality of ly come to see the life and life satisfacfuture of the intion variables. They stitution,” Minor found that regardless said. “I very much of demographics, the would like the inmain indicator of a stitutional priorigood life was a colties to be co-conlege education, but structed with the there were disparities university commuin who had access to nity. And for me, one. that begins with a | Photo courtesy of University “If there was lot of listening.” Marketing & Communications something that I Minor said one could do to increase of the first stops on his listening tour the likelihood that deserving individuals will be the East St. Louis campus, due had an opportunity to earn a college deto concerns that have been expressed gree, I was convinced at that moment in by its staff about feeling disconnected time, that it could literally change their from the Edwardsville campus. lives, change the quality of their lives,” “I heard the very same concerns Minor said. during my visit,” Minor said. “And so Minor is also taking the community it is very important to me to work as surrounding campus into consideration hard as we possibly can to change the for SIUE’s future. He said the Metro narrative that describes the relationEast has a rich history and he would like ship between the East St. Louis and for the university to be more prominent Edwardsville campus.” in the area. Other potential stops on Minor’s “But my ambition quite honestly is list are student organization meetings, for SIUE to define the region,” Minor general education courses and intro said. “So when people reference the Metcourses, particularly in sociology since ro East, what comes to mind is SIUE, that is one of his areas of study. which is a beacon of opportunity, culture, Jessica Harris, chair of the Chanintellectualism, problem solving and cellor Search Committee, said what community engagement.” made Minor stand out was his lisHarris said she is looking fortening skills and experience in highward to seeing where the universier education as well as his vision for ty will go under Minor’s leadership SIUE’s future. and believes SIUE will become “a “I think he’s very attuned to who first-class institution.” we are, but certainly where we could “Any time you get new leadership go and who we could be,” Harris said. coming into an institution, the sky’s the “He is an accomplished scholar of higher education, a thought leader in limit. There’s so many opportunities, so the field, and certainly had a range of many possibilities,” Harris said. “And professional expertise that made him so I’m just excited about Dr. Minor and well suited and uniquely suited to be what his leadership will bring, and the SIUE’s next chancellor.” type of institution that we’ll be able to Besides listening, Minor’s goal build together.”
DAMIAN MORRIS managing editor
A
follow the alestle
@alestlelive
@TheAlestle
ALEX AULTMAN editor-in-chief
I
@Online Editor Alestle
@thealestle
See you on the Internet!
alestlelive.com
PAGE 2
BY THE NUMBERS / COVID-19 AT SIUE, SPRING 2022 New confirmed positive cases (from tests conducted by SIUE and self-reporting):
Tests conducted by SIUE:
Feb. 15 - Feb. 21: 12 students, 11 faculty/staff
Feb. 15 - Feb. 22: 1,232
Feb. 8 - Feb. 14: 18 students, 9 faculty/staff
Feb. 8 - Feb. 14: 1,355
14-Day New Positive Cases: 30 students, 20 faculty/staff
14-Day New Tests Conducted: 2,587
All prior weeks positive tests: (Jan. 4 - Feb. 22): 1,021 students, 242 faculty/staff
All prior weeks tests conducted: Jan. 4 - Feb. 22: 24,991
16 students 12 faculty/staff
Positive cases identified by SIUE testing: Feb. 15 - Feb. 22: 25 Feb. 8 - Feb. 14: 29
14-day new positive cases: 54
All prior weeks positive cases: Jan. 4 - Feb. 22: 1,777
MADISON COUNTY DAY BY DAY:
200
Positivity Rate (last 14 days): 1.93%
150 100
Percentage of isolation/quarantine space available on campus (as of February 22): 100%
50 0
Total active positive cases:
Source: Health, Reporting, and Testing page on SIUE’s COVID-19 website, as of February 22. FEB 8
FEB 9
FEB 10
FEB 11
FEB 12
FEB 13
FEB 14
FEB 15
Faculty hold protest in support of Black students, demand transparency ALEX AULTMAN editor-in-chief
Editor’s note: The Alestle is using the charged student’s name because it has become public knowledge through law enforcement and other news publications, but we understand the complex feelings this situation has caused in our community. After a student was charged with falsely reporting racist incidents, faculty concerned with the well-being of their Black students organized a protest to show solidarity and demand more transparency from the administration. Joshua Kryah, associate professor of English, said he and other faculty members are upset with how the situation has been handled by administrators. “The way that the administration here in particular, and the chancellor in particular, the way that they’ve given us that information is itself incredibly biased and problematic,” Kryah said. “We have heard directly from students, and from some faculty, that the chancellor’s email about the investigation has led to other racist hate emails, threats, hostility to Black students and faculty.” On Feb. 4, the administration announced that SIUE police had concluded their investigation into alleged threatening text messages and racist notes posted on a student’s dorm door. Kaliyeha Clark-Mabins was charged with filing a false police report, resulting in three felony charges of disorderly conduct. While the student’s name was not included in the email sent to the student listserv, it was posted on the SIUE Police Department’s Facebook page and was released in court documents from the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office. English professor Valerie Vogrin said it was inappropriate for the university to post the name of the student on social media. “Boldfacing those names and the charges seems to be like that’s not something we’ve seen any other time about any other sort of incidents on campus,” Vogrin said. “I don’t think it’s up to the administration to out certain students. I mean, how many students on campus every month are charged with something and we never see that?” Timothy Lewis, assistant profes-
Faculty members protest in front of the MUC in support of Black students and to demand more transparency from SIUE administration about racism on campus. l Clair Sollenberger / The Alestle
sor of political science, said these incidents form a pattern and harm Black students and faculty. “Almost semesterly, there’s at least sone or two racial bias incidents being reported,” Lewis said. “There are systems here that have departments where there are no Black faculty, where Black students don’t feel welcome. So again, it’s a culture that really caused us to do something different. This [protest] may only be a small piece of that something different, but we’ve got to do something.” Lewis said he did a case study of SIUE that has been accepted for the Journal of Negro Education, which found the university is not creating a welcoming environment for Black employees. “More than 60 percent of Black faculty and staff don’t feel like they belong. That is a human component missing from administration when it comes to people of color here,” Lewis said. “And that human component has led to this culture in this system that really doesn’t embody the espoused values of diversity and inclusion.” Prior to the university’s announcement, a town hall meeting was scheduled to discuss frustration about the situation voiced by the campus community via social media and through a protest organized by the Black Student Union. This meeting was later postponed, which the administration said was done in anticipation of a winter storm. The following day, the administration announced the charges. Vogrin said the postponement of the town hall meeting, along with the lack of
a rescheduled date after the charges were announced, tells the campus that the situation is over when it shouldn’t be. “That’s just sending a message, loud and clear that this is a done deal, no need to talk about this further,” Vogrin said. “I expected that on Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday someone would come out and say something else. Like, ‘What are we going to do to try to talk about what did happen?’ and there’s been no mention of that.” Isais Wellington-Smith, assistant professor of sociology, said the administration needs to be more transparent and explain these incidents better. “You can’t just say that there’s a racial incident going on, and then not explain it, and then say, ‘Well, we’ll explain it. Oh, that got canceled, but this happened.’ I don’t trust that,” Wellington-Smith said. Adriana Martinez, associate professor of geography, said the administration needs to be accountable and reschedule the town hall meeting about the incidents. “They said that they would reschedule it early this week, that they would put out a new date, and they never did,” Martinez said. “So they really need to provide a space where we can ask them questions and they have failed to do that and we’ve given them more than enough time. Not only were they not transparent to begin with, but they’re failing to answer us and give us a space where we can voice our opinions and our concerns.” Days after the protest, the town hall was rescheduled to noon on Wednesday, Feb. 23 in the MUC.
Thursday, 02.24.22
NEWS IN BRIEF Town hall shows lack of trust in admin, demands
Discussions and student testimonies during the most recent town hall began the journey of becoming an anti-racist institution, according to administrators. This journey was kicked off by the Black Unity Council, a new group representing multiple Black student organizations concerned about racism at SIUE. They handed out QR codes that link to a document of information they compiled, as well as a list of demands for the administration. Some of the demands are disclosures of more information related to bias incidents on campus, changing policies to include more safety measures during investigations and yearly anti-racism training. The Black Unity Council said the administration has to respond to their demands by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 4. Chancellor Randy Pembrook promised the group that the administration would get back to them by the deadline and thanked them for the document. Attendees were then asked to answer questions and share their experiences. Black students, faculty, staff and administrators shared experiences of feeling like they don’t belong on SIUE’s campus and multiple students said they feared for their safety. Many attendees expressed a lack of trust in administration and the bias response process. Provost Denise Cobb said she hears the lack of trust and acknowledges that SIUE is falling short. “I think for me, procedural justice means our processes at the end, if they work in the right way, then you would trust the outcome, even if you didn’t like it,” Cobb said. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple revealed that there are changes to the code of conduct being worked on by interim Dean of Students Terrence McTier and other staff in the Student Affairs department. Administrators agreed that the university needs to be better with its communication during investigations and are currently trying to work on the best way to get information out to campus. Upcoming chancellor James Minor closed the town hall by saying these discussions would continue during his time as chancellor and making these changes will be a community effort.
02.14.22
Officer took a report regarding a verbal argument between suitemates. Housing is making room assignment changes. Officer took a report regarding a subject stating that her iPhone said a device was tracking her. Investigation continues.
02.15.22
Officer found a bullet outside of the Student Fitness Center.
alestlelive.com
Thursday, 02.24.22
PAGE 3
Entrepreneurs’ Club hosts Shark Tank-style competition NICOLE BOYD online editor
While the twelfth TheOther40 competition takes place this year, this is the first time it’s been hosted by the Entrepreneurs’ Club, which is offering $10,000 in prize money to the top three winners. Cesar Murillo, president of the Entrepreneurs’ Club and freshman economics major from Chicago, said there’s a $10,000 prize to be distributed between the top three winners, with the first prize being $5,000 and second and third being $2,500. “It’s a bit of money, and there’s no strings attached to it, so if you do end up winning, you don’t have to put it towards the business. It’s just your money,” Murillo said. Yohan Choi, a professor in the management and marketing department and the faculty su-
pervisor of the Entrepreneurs’ Club, said the sponsor of the CEO Program decided not to continue their financial support for the university program. According to Choi, this is when the Entrepreneurs’ Club decided to step in. Choi said the Small Business Development Center helped them choose five judges for the competition. “Students would have a great business idea and then the best way, most effective way, of learning entrepreneurship is actually by doing it, so by writing a business plan they will think about the feasibility and viability of their business idea,” Choi said. Choi said great entrepreneurs often start with a small project and later develop larger projects because of the experience they gain through working on smaller projects. He said for students, this is a great
opportunity to learn entrepreneurship, and this will help them move on to bigger projects after graduation. “Also for the Entrepreneurs’ Club students, by running this competition, actually they are helping other students learn. Inviting judges and observing how other students [observe] how unpopular their ideas are evaluated during the competition will help the club students understand the entrepreneurs’ process,” Choi said. Choi said in the first round of the competition, students will be required to submit a one-page executive summary about their entrepreneurial data, in which they will discuss what they’re offering, how they’re operating, and why their solution is better than others that exist. “They will also talk about whether if the idea is financially feasible, so they don’t want
to come up with the idea that requires, for instance, several millions of dollars of investment and check, or that require several years of research and development,” Choi said. In the second phase of the competition, Choi said applicants will be required to write a business plan and will be provided with three different workshops: a business plan workshop, financial workshop and an elevator pitch workshop. Then, on April 21, they will deliver an elevator pitch to the judges similarly to Shark Tank. Murillo said they’ll be judging pitches and business plans, but how applicants present themselves is going to determine who wins. Murillo said the club is in its first year, but they will be able to use experience from the competition’s previous years. “It’s obviously hard to start a new club. Everything isn’t per-
Black student organizations to check out on campus NICOLE BOYD online editor
From social events to academic support, Black student organizations offer a variety of opportunities to foster community on campus. For Black students in social work, there is the Association of Black Student Social workers, which is focused on bringing together social work majors, as well as non social work majors, to exchange ideas, engage in training and promote cultural awareness and social justice both on and off campus. The club is open to all majors and any interested students. Makayla Goins, a first-year social work major from Oak Park, Illinois, said even though there is a student social work organization already established, their focus is not on issues in the field that affect people of color. “There [aren’t] a lot of social work majors in general, and there’s even less Black social work majors in general, so it can be very intimidating to walk into the classroom and you see nobody who looks like you, but you’re also addressing issues that directly affect you,” Goins said. Those interested can visit their page on GetInvolved. There are also Black Greek life organizations on campus. One of them is Sigma Gamma Rho. Dana Merritt, president of Sigma Gamma Rho and senior psychology major from O’Fallon, Illinois, said Sigma Gamma Rho creates a sense of sisterhood in a primarily white institution. “You get to meet other girls that are like you, have similar beliefs and stuff like that, so it just creates family away from home, home away from home, that you don’t always experience if you don’t really get involved on campus,” Merritt said. Zeta Phi Beta is a Black sorority that hosts educational events such as study tables, service events in the Edwardsville and St. Louis communities and social events. Shavontae Lindsay, a first-year graduate student majoring in social work from Springfield, Illinois, said they give students something to do to stay focused on the real reason they’re here, which is
to get a degree. “We have events that benefit Black students by keeping them focused on the scholarship, wind down a little bit, give you something to do because nobody wants to sit in their room all day and study. Our events play a major role, like how we try to interact with not even just the Black community, interacting with students,” Lindsay said. There’s also Omega Psi Phi, a Black fraternity whose motto is: “Friendship is essential to the soul.” Drew Ballenger, a senior philosophy major from Florissant, Missouri, said through their cardinal principles of manhood, scholarship, perseverance and uplift, they are building a strong Black community in a strong Black educational environment, which are ways to help improve Black retention on campus. “We really believe in uplifting our community and community service as well. We’re big on that, we’re big on scholarship. [The] GPA requirement’s a 2.75. And we help connect like-minded
Black men together,” Balleger said. Black Girls Rock strives to promote Black women’s excellence but welcomes all races and genders. They host annual events such as a Back-to-School Jamboree, Queensgiving, and a fashion show in the spring. This year’s fashion show, “A Tribute to Black Elegance,” will take place at 6 p.m. on Feb. 25 in the Meridian Ballroom. They also do community service and fundraising events. Dan’Ryen Doyle, a junior criminal justice major from Chicago and member of the executive board, said organizations like Black Girls Rock give Black students a safe place. “Organizations like this help Black people on campus by giving them a safe haven, space on campus to feel safe. Or if they need advice, academic advice or anything, it helps,” Doyle said. Students can join via GetInvolved, message the group on Instagram @siuebgr or come to their general body meeting every other Wednesday at 6-8 p.m.
Black student organizations host a number of events at SIUE. Sigma Gamma Rho recently sponsored the Waves, Braids n Curls Hair Show, which focused on celebrating the beauty and diversity of Black hair. l Francesca Boston / The Alestle
fect yet obviously, but will it ever be? But it’s really cool for a new club to have such a big event and attract attention,” Murillo said. Murillo also said there’s a $10,000 prize to be distributed between the top three winners, with the first prize being $5,000 and second and third being $2,500. “It’s a bit of money, and there’s no strings attached to it, so if you do end up winning, you don’t have to put it towards the business. It’s just your money,” Murillo said. Jimmy Tran, from Hanoi, Vietnam, and secretary of the club, said anybody from SIUE can enter the competition. “They get experience … so that it can improve their own business plan and ideas, and the prize money, too,” Tran said. For more information, contact Cesar Murillo at cemuril@siue.edu.
Masking to continue through spring break, testing encouraged ALEX AULTMAN editor-in-chief
Though the state mask mandate will end Feb. 28, campus will continue to require masks and revisit the mandate after spring break. Chancellor Randy Pembrook said administration plans to “keep the status quo on masks” until spring break. Then, the mandate will be reevaluated after James Minor takes over the chancellor position. COVID-19 Response Coordinator Michael Schultz said the administration will be looking at surrounding case numbers, what other universities are doing and what guidance comes from the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the SIU System. Schultz said the end of the state mask mandate comes at a bad time since it is shortly before spring break. “What we have found in our history is that the number of positives we get after we bust our bubble and go out and travel ... tend to be a little bit higher, as we come back into our bubble,” Schultz said. “So, the timing is not the best for that and so that’s one of the things that we’re considering.” While the administration has no current plans for mandatory reentry testing after spring break, Schultz encourages everyone to take a COVID-19 test upon their return. “I would strongly recommend for people to do that, especially the first two weeks back — vaccinated or not vaccinated,” Schultz said. “I think it’s a great practice to make our community safe that we go ahead and strongly encourage everybody to do that at least.” For more information about SIUE’s response to COVID-19 and positivity rates check the COVID-19 information webpage.
NEXT WEEK: “LIFE SUCKS” AT DUNHAM HALL
PAGE 4
lifestyles alestlelive.com
contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com 650-3527 Thursday, 02.24.22
New restaurants opening in Edwardsville: New American, sushi and Korean fried chicken EMILY STERZINGER lifestyles editor Three new restaurants are coming to Edwardsville in 2022 and early 2023: Blue Violet, a New American restaurant, Drunken Fish, a sushi restaurant, and Kimchi Guys, a Korean fried chicken restaurant. Blue Violet is owned by the Michael Del Pietro Restaurant group, which also owns Sugo’s Spaghetteria. Restaurateur Michael Del Pietro is the owner and namesake of the group, and said the restaurant will be New American with influences from other types of cuisine. “We’ll be having some influence, whether it’s from South America, or Asia or just right here in America which is such a melting pot of its own,” Del Pietro said. Drunken Fish and Kimchi Guys are both operated under the So Hospitality group. Munsok So, President and CEO of So Hospitality group, has been working in the restaurant industry for almost 20 years. “[Drunken Fish] specializes in sushi; Japanese and sushi is what we’ve been doing for a long time,” So said. “Kimchi Guys is a Korean fried chicken restaurant, we have Korean fried chicken, we have Bibimbap, Korean barbeque, we have some Korean-Mexican fusion food as well, but mainly we’re known for fried chicken.” All three restaurants are currently considering having student-oriented discounts and offers. “Edwardsville which is such a tight community and SIUE being a foothold in Edwardsville, we definitely are doing
something of that sort,” Del Pietro said. “We do a lot of things at Sugo’s with SIUE, I think we did some sponsorship of some different teams, so we will definitely do some form of discount or donation, whatever the case may be.” So isn’t yet sure about offering a student discount, but mentioned that current restaurants under the So Hospitality group offer specials catered to Washington University and Saint Louis University students. “We’re probably going to have some sort of college program when we open up at SIUE,” So said. Both restaurants will be located at the Parkway. Drunken Fish and Kimchi Guys will be located at a 2 acre outlot across from the Trace on the Parkway Apartments, and will open in the first quarter of 2023. Blue Violet will be located at 6108 Shoger Drive, Suite B, and will open this March. Michael Garrett, Project Executive at Plocher Construction, said that the Parkway being located near SIUE is a big selling point. “Across the board, that is definitely one of the aspects that brought us a handful of tenants here at the Parkway,” Garrett said. So said that one of his main reasons for choosing the location at the Parkway was its proximity to SIUE. “We’ve done very well in St. Louis being near Wash U and Saint Louis University and Lindenwood, so we do very well with the student population with our food and our cuisine,” So said. “Hopefully we’ll bring a fun atmosphere and ambi-
Blue Violet will be open this March at 6108 Shoger Drive, Suite B. | Emily Sterzinger / The Alestle ance as well as great tasting food for the community there.” Del Pietro said Blue Violet is looking to be a step above Sugo’s Spaghetteria.
“Giving someone another option as far as having different cuisine there in Edwardsville is something that is important to us,” Del Pietro said.
Drunken Fish and Kimchi Guys will be located across from the Trace on the Parkway apartment complex. This image shows what the building will look like. | Image courtesy of Munsok So
alestlelive.com
Thursday, 02.24.22
PAGE 5
Hair show showcases Black hair and student business owners FRANCESCA BOSTON reporter Waves, Braids n Curls Hair Show celebrated the beauty and diversity in Black hair, as well as highlighting students who are hairstylists, barbers and business owners. Sophomore sociology major, Jurnee Brewer from Edwardsville, is the Black Heritage Month student chair. Brewer said she was trying to figure out an event that celebrated Black hair throughout the decades. She said she got the idea for the event after her advisor, Kiah Meyer, the graduate assistant for Campus Activity Board, mentioned that CAB used to do something similar with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. during Black Heritage Month. “I believe hair in general, in the Black community, is such an important aspect for us and such an important part of the culture. Growing up I’ve always heard about hair shows they did in the ‘90s. And I just want to appreciate hair over the decades because it’s such a big part of our culture, so I thought, ‘Why not bring it back?’” Brewer said. Brewer reached out to several student barbers and hairstylists, to help showcase their talent. Brewer said to her the main part of the event was giving these students a spotlight, as over 50 students and alumni attended the event. “We could have reached out to outside sources, but I wanted to give them the chance to get their name out,” Brewer said. “SIUE is their home. I wanted to give them the opportunity to have that time to get their name out and celebrate Black hair overall.” Senior business major Kam William, from Collinsville, Illinois, was one of the two barbers at the event. He said it is important that the SIUE community
acknowledge their Black students and everything they are doing. “This event shows that students are doing things and are active. It shows the talents that are sometimes hidden, so it’s definitely important,” William said. The show also provided students with small businesses a chance to shine. Junior business major Mariah Favell, from St. Louis, owns two businesses, Glam Guru and Kween Jules. She said she came not only to support her fellow students of color but to showcase herself as a business owner. “I like to show people that there are Black women businesses. I think it’s extremely important to note that I am a student as well as a business owner, and there should be a spotlight on us, not only in February but every month of the year,” Favell said. Senior liberal studies major, Markiysha Cunningham, came to the event with her daughter. She said she was glad for the chance to show her daughter the diversity and beauty of Black hair. “I want to give her a chance to celebrate the beauty of both natural hair and all the different styles that can be done with Black hair,” Cunningham said. The event also handed out Black Heritage Month T-shirts that were designed by Brewer, as well as Black hair care products and SIUE items. Brewer said she hopes to make Waves, Braids n Curls an annual event, to help build traditions at SIUE. “The more things we can keep as a tradition, the better, because they’re important. They make students feel special and heard and most of all how many events have a bonnet or a durag for them? Definitely, that’s my goal to keep it going,” Brewer said.
Allisa Berryhill, SIUE alumni, takes a picture of her model, Bettye Davis’s makeup and hair. | Francesca Boston / The Alestle
Mariah Favell sat at her booth with her handmade skincare products. | Francesca Boston / The Alestle
Horror, heists and a dystopian future come to Lovejoy Library escape rooms DAMIAN MORRIS opinion editor Three escape rooms are making their way to Lovejoy Library in the form of a haunted basement, museum heist and “Fahrenheit 451.” This annual event is hosted by the Honors Student Association and will be on April 9 and 23 from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sophomore biology major Shay Adio from Summerfield, North Carolina, cochair of the escape room committee, said it will be split up into three themes with each on a different floor of the library. The basement will be themed as a haunted basement, the second floor will feature the Louis Sullivan collection in the form of a museum heist and the third floor is inspired by the book “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury. Rebecca Loftus is a sophomore pharmacy major from Granite City, Illinois, and co-chairs the escape rooms with Adio, said the Sullivan collection consists of the architecture pieces spread throughout the library. This was something Adio said the library requested they showcase, which
is what sparked the idea for a museum heist theme. Although she’s not sure if it was intended by the floor planner for the basement, Adio said she noticed some inspiration from the movie franchise “Saw” from what she’s seen so far. “Fahrenheit 451,” a book taking on the theme of censorship in a dystopian future where books are illegal and burned when found, is a theme inspired by the abundance of books to which they had access in the library, according to Loftus. For those wanting to get involved, Loftus said they will not be accepting walk-ins on the day of the event, but that sign-up sheets for both participants and volunteers will be sent out in the near future after they finish working through trial runs. However, she said the sign-up sheets tend to fill up quickly, so it is best to sign up early. Senior chemistry major Leslie Kupferle from St. Louis and HSA President said students who want to get involved directly with the process can do so through the escape room committee. Kupferle, who was in a similar posi-
tion as Loftus and Adio during last year’s escape room, said the task of putting together the escape rooms is very daunting at the start. “The prompt is just like, ‘Oh, make an escape room out of the second or third floor of the library,’ but I think once you can get something like started and get the ball rolling, then you can have [more ideas], especially if you can get other people together,” Kupferle said. “It’s definitely difficult, takes some creativity, but in the end, usually I’m pretty cordial.” Loftus, who labeled herself the “logistics person” for the escape room, said since she had volunteered at the last two escape rooms, it was a natural transition into taking a co-chair position this year. However, Adio, who Loftus nicknamed the “puzzle master,” stepped into the co-chair position after the person who was originally in the position had to step down due to personal circumstances. Adio said it was daunting at first since she was originally supposed to be a committee member. “I was a little bit involved last year, but I tried to step it up this year by making
a floor plan,” Adio said. “So, when I got asked to be a co-chair, I was kind of nervous at first, but … it’s going pretty well, right now.” Loftus said the entire planning process takes about a year to set up and typically splits the bulk of the work between the fall and spring semesters. “The way it really works, is the fall semester is brainstorming/puzzle planning,” Loftus said. “[The] spring semester is submitting budgets, meeting with student government, getting your props, I’m doing your trial runs [now] and then it’s here.” When choosing themes and designing the rooms, Adio said they gave the floor planners a lot of autonomy in making those decisions. “Each person had their own idea and it was like, ‘Okay, great, then make your floor on your idea,’” Adio said. “We just let everyone have the freedom instead of saying ‘This is our theme, this is what you have to do,’ we let them decide that on their own.” For more information on the escape rooms, visit the HSA website.
NEXT WEEK: POST-RACIST SOCIETY IS A MYTH
opinion
Share your thoughts: opinion@alestlelive.com 650-3527
alestlelive.com
PAGE 6
Thursday, 02.24.22
Cougar
Controversies ALEX AULTMAN Editor-in-Chief
Would you rather take an 8 a.m. or a night class?
GABRIEL BRADY Managing Editor
EMILY STERZINGER Lifestyles Editor
BRANDON WELLS Sports Editor
JULIANNA BIRKEY ELIZABETH DONALD JANA HAMADE Copy Editors FRANCESCA BOSTON SANGIMA RAI Reporter KIRSTEN O’LOUGHLIN Graphics Manager
JIHUN HAN CLAIR SOLLENBERGER Photographers CAMILO ZULUAGA-CAICEDO Advertising Manager UDIT NALUKALA Circulation Manager GWENDALYN ECKERTY AMINA SEHIC Office Clerks
TAMMY MERRETT ANGIE TROUT Program Director Office Manager
HAVE A COMMENT? Let us know! opinion@alestlelive.com Campus Box 1167 Edwardsville, IL. 62026-1167 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY:
The editors, staff and publishers of The Alestle believe in the free exchange of ideas, concerns and opinions and will publish as many letters as possible. Letters may be submitted at The Alestle office: Morris University Center, Room 0311 e-mail: opinion@alestlelive.com All hard copy letters should be typed and double-spaced. Letters should be no longer than 500 words. Include phone number, signature, class rank and major. We reserve the right to edit letter for grammar and content. Care will be taken to ensure that the letter’s message is not lost or altered. Letters to the editor will not be printed anonymously except under extreme circumstances. We reserve the right to reject letters.
The name Alestle is an acronym derived from the names of the three campus locations of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville: Alton, East St. Louis and Edwardsville. The Alestle is published on Thursdays in print and on Tuesdays online during the fall and spring semesters. A print edition is available every other Wednesday during summer semesters. For more information, call 618-650-3528. For advertising, email advertising@alestlelive.com.
Night
33.3%
66.6%
Questions go up at 10 a.m. every Monday on Twitter: @TheAlestle
view
DAMIAN MORRIS Opinion Editor
NICOLE BOYD Online Editor
8 a.m.
Accessibility is just as important during winter THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board
It’s something that’s been iterated time and time again — people with disabilities at SIUE tend to not get the support they need. With winter weather having just passed us, and no doubt more on the way, it is important to remember there are members of the SIUE community who need extra aid in traversing campus. But there’s visual evidence that these members of our community aren’t being given that support. An important note to make is that when referring to people with disabilities, we do not just mean people who use wheelchairs. We also are referring to people who use cane or walkers, or even people with invisible disabilities. When SIUE salts the side-
walks and plows snow from campus, it’s a common occurrence to see the stairs cleared of snow and ice, but not the ramps, which obviously is an issue for students and faculty who need that option. There is an important distinction to be made here. That being, certain community members physically cannot use stairs, but everyone can use a ramp. In other cases, only one entrance to a building is cleared of snow, which is obviously an issue if a member of the community has difficulties with walking long distances and the only entrance is opposite to where they need to be within the building. For another example, clearing a parking lot by piling a great wall of snow along the walkways is extremely difficult for people with mobility issues, especially when the few accessible pathways
are not cleared. In the Dunham/ Engineering lot, a giant wall of snow separated the two lots and remained for days after the rest of the snow melted, and one had the choice of walking all the way around the lot or attempting to climb Mount Snow and risking a fall. While discussing the mountains of snow created on campus, it’s important to note their relationships to the cars parked around them. Sometimes, when the parking lots are plowed, cars that are currently parked in those lots are completely blocked in by the created mountains. Shoveling the snow to get your car out is no easy task for anyone, and for some people with disabilities, the difficulty only increases. There are federal and state organizations with legal guidelines for what is designated as legally necessary for accommoda-
tions in situations like this. SIUE is following those guidelines, but it is incredibly important for institutions and universities to go above and beyond in situations like this. We understand how many sidewalks and roads there are on campus, and how long it would take to completely clear all of the ice and snow off of the campus. We appreciate the work that is done. However, there are specific areas of campus walkways and sidewalks that have to be given priority when clearing snow. If it is an issue of too much work and not enough employees or resources, then there is another solution: only clear the accessible entranceways. Any member of the community can use a ramp, so if you can only clear one entrance, why shouldn’t it be the most accessible one?
Glorifying mental illness is as bad as stigmatizing it EM STERZINGER lifestyles editor
Though mental illness stigmatization is a bad thing, its opposite — glorification — is just as dangerous. In fact, glorifying mental illness isn’t just harmful; it can be fatal. As a mentally ill person, I recognize the casual nature with which I used to talk about suicide can be damaging. At the time, I saw it as just casual venting; but looking back, saying things like “I want to die” or “I’m gonna kill myself,” even jokingly, was making me internalize these ideas and struggle worse with my depression. I wasn’t alone in this either, as this is an unhealthy coping mechanism used by many mentally ill people, especially young adults trying to find a way to cope. Often, mentally ill youth struggle to find an identity be-
yond their mental illness, leading them to fear that they may be “boring” without severe mental illness symptoms. This harmful mindset can lead those suffering from mental illness to not seek treatment in fear of losing that identity. Additionally, the trope of suicide as either tragically beautiful or an act of revenge can be a very harmful message to depressed youth. Phrases like “suicidal people are just angels wanting to go home,” posted online glamourize the idea of suicide, and can be internalized by vulnerable people. Related to these depictions of suicide, copycat suicides are a frightening but real phenomenon and can come from real life exposure or through media consumption. Take for example the show “13 Reasons Why,” which has been critiqued by mental health experts for portraying suicide as
a revenge fantasy. After the first season aired, adolescent suicide went up 28.9 percent in the next month. Though correlation isn’t necessarily causation, and there may be other factors, the number of suicides was still higher than any single month in the prior five year period. Using poor mental health as a relatable way of socializing, though which may be intended to find like-minded people, can be detrimental. Not only can it lead to people accepting things that they need to seek help for as everyday problems, but it also leads to things like brand Twitter accounts co-opting that sense of relatability. An example of such is back in 2019, when the Twitter account for the drink Sunny D tweeted “I can’t do this anymore.” Several people on Twitter pointed out the morbidity of a brand pretending to have depression, but it’s the
natural conclusion of the trend of glamourized, relatable depictions of mental illness. This isn’t to say mental illness shouldn’t be normalized. Mentally ill people shouldn’t be treated badly for existing, but they should also consider seeking treatment when possible and if necessary instead of dwelling on their symptoms to a dangerous degree. Even if someone can’t find treatment, whether due to costs or social stigma, there are several mental health resources online that can help them deal with symptoms in a healthier way. At the end of the day, mentally ill people still deserve basic respect and dignity, and that’s not going to change. But enabling harmful symptoms by glorifying them can hurt a mentally ill person just as badly as treating them as a pariah. In this case, it’s important to find a healthy balance.
Thursday, 01.27.21
alestlelive.com
PAGE 7
ALESTLE CLASSIFIEDS GIVE YOU MORE Place your classified ad at a convenient time for you using our easy and secure online interface:
alestlelive.com/classifieds DEADLINES By noon Monday for Thursday issue or any time for Online. HAVING TROUBLE? Call (618) 650-3528 or email classifieds@alestlelive.com ALESTLE OFFICE HOURS MUC 0311 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday
ve a a h U O Y Do
?
Submit your ideas & news tips:
alestlelive.com
follow the alestle See you on the Internet!
@alestlelive
@TheAlestle
@Online Editor Alestle
@thealestle
contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 Page 8
sports
NEXT WEEK: TRACK AND FIELD STANDS OUT THIS SEASON
alestlelive.com
Thursday, 02.24.22
SIUE STANDINGS Women’s Basketball OVERALL OVC
SIUE Murray State UT Martin Belmont Tennessee Tech Southeast Missouri Austin Peay Eastern Illinois Morehead State Tennessee State
10-17 20-7 11-16 18-7 17-9 6-21 18-8 14-13 1-25 11-16
Men’s Basketball OVERALL OVC
SIUE Belmont Austin Peay Southeast Missouri Tennessee Tech UT Martin Morehead State Tennessee State Eastern Illinois Murray State
| Kirsten O’Loughlin / The Alestle
FRANCESCA BOSTON reporter P.J. Finigan, the interim head coach for softball, said he is excited to see the progress the team has made so far in practices and only expects more improvement. “I’m just excited to see the growth. [I’m] excited to see how we come together as a team and see how much we improve just from being outside and being together as an entire,” Finigan said. This is the first ‘normal’ season for softball in two years. Bailley Concatto, a fifth-year infielder from Cumming, Georgia, said while the team has been working hard and hit the ground running back in January, she is excited to get back on the road again and bond with her teammates. “It’s less about the softball aspects of the softball team[that] stays the same, but it’s more about the things that we get to do,” Concatto said. “I think we’re all just excited to get on the bus together and travel and bond on the road for a little bit and get down to some warm weather.” Sydney Baalman, a sophomore pitcher from Hardin, Illi-
nois, said the pitching team and staff have been able to improve this year, which is partly due to Assistant Coach Danielle Liberatore, who has been at SIUE for several years now. “We have continuous improvement. Our pitching staff as a whole this year is pretty good. We didn’t really have that last year, so that’s good,” Baalman said. Finigan said the sophomore group on the team has really improved, and have created a foundation outside of the team’s seniors. “That sophomore group has really made a huge jump, and you will be able to see their impact on our team in the future,” Finigan said. Finigan said because of the fairly young team and new coaching staff, he is excited to see what the future holds, especially considering a chaotic start due to several injuries and limited outdoor practices this season. “I’m definitely excited because that provides opportunities for those young players to grow and certainly the more playing time and experience they get now, the better off they’re going to be in the future,” Finigan said.
FRANCESCA BOSTON reporter A veteran baseball team may be the key to success this season, as the team has built good chemistry throughout the years and are able to benefit from their past mistakes, according to Head Coach Sean Lyons. Lyons said he is excited to be entering his sixth season of coaching with an older group of players, including athletes he has coached their entire career. “I think there’s a lot of excitement within this group. We’re a little more veteran, a little older than we had been in the years past. This group’s pretty focused on you know, trying to make a splash the season,” Lyons said. “Our biggest strength going into the end of the season is that we have a lineup with seven starters back from last year. That’s a lot of experience at-bat.” Collin Baumgartner, a redshirt senior pitcher from Brighton, Illinois, was unable to play last season due to an injury, and said coming back to his senior year after a year off is really exciting. He said he is learning to appreciate the little things he can do now that he is back, while not taking anything for granted.
“Definitely some nerves, but I’m just gonna take this season and really enjoy it,” Baumgartner said. He said he believes the team could do really well this season due to the player’s chemistry, and the consistency they have been working on in their practices as well as throughout their years together. “We’re obviously really good players that trust one another. We have really good team chemistry. Consistency, that’s what’s really going to get us to the top this year,” Baumgartner said. Lyons said that consistency is not just what the players bring to the field but what they bring in the classroom and their everyday lives. He said that they are working on the fundamentals, building on little details that are vital during a game. “The consistency piece is bringing a good attitude and energy to practice every day, knowing that things are not normal. We don’t have the normal space of a baseball field, yet we can still focus on the details and the little fundamentals, knowing that if we do that, we are going to get better and grow as a team,” Lyons said.
10-19 24-5 10-16 12-16 9-19 8-20 20-9 12-16 5-24 26-2
Volleyball
OVERALL OVC
Morehead State Murray State Belmont Austin Peay SIUE UT Martin Eastern Illinois Tennessee Tech Southeast Missouri Tennessee State
20-11 18-12 9-20 21-12 6-23 15-17 11-18 16-14 25-8 10-17
All stats are from the OVC
UPCOMING Baseball vs. Mercer 6 p.m., Feb. 25 Women’s Tennis at SIUE vs. Bradley 2 p.m., Feb. 25 Softball vs. Evansville 10 a.m. and vs. Southern Mississippi 4:30 p.m., Feb. 25 Men’s Basketball vs. Morehead State 3:30 p.m., Feb. 26 Women’s Basketball vs. Morehead State 1 p.m., Feb. 26