The Alestle Vol. 74 No. 23 by The Alestle

NUTRITIONISTS DISCUSS HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOOD page 5

thursday, 03.18.21

T H E

ALESTLE

WOMEN’S SOCCER WINS SHUTOUT GAME IN RAINY WEATHER page 7

vol. 74 no. 23

The Student Voice Since 1960

New Ph.D. program coming fall semester for pharmacy students KRISTINA JOHNSON reporter

“Having planned it all out and having gotten so far along the process not once, but twice, I figure next summer surely,” Vongsathorn said. Kevin Cannon, chair of the Department of Criminal Justice Studies, heads trips alternating between Ireland and Amsterdam. Cannon said he believes the cancellation was necessary. “A lot of countries are still having quarantine once you arrive, so the idea that we’re going to go on a two-week trip, and then we arrive and have to quarantine for two weeks, there’s no point to the

SIUE’s School of Pharmacy and SIUC’s School of Medicine will collaborate to create a doctoral program within pharmacology and neuroscience for the coming Fall 2021 semester. Within the co-op program, the two schools will each participate in teaching the required courses. Students enrolled in the program will have to attend in-person courses in Edwardsville and take the courses offered through SIUC online. The two fields of chemistry are cross-sectional and work together to assure any new drug will be up to par. The field of medicinal chemistry involves the creation of new pharmaceutical drugs that will later be tested by computational chemistry professionals, according to ACS Chemistry for Life. Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences Joseph Schober said the introduction of this program between the schools will further solidify the connection between them. “The School of Medicine and the Department of Pharmacology did not have a medicinal chemistry specialization,” Schober said. “Then this idea emerged of, ‘How [can] we be more involved with [SIUC]?’ If they can bring in Ph.D. students, they would come to us and specialize in med chem.” Schober, who is currently the program director of the master’s program for pharmaceutical

see TRAVEL on page 2

see PHARMACY on page 2

Freshman psychology major R’Eyanna Moore, of Belleville, Illinois, paints a person in shades of grey at the Campus Activities Board’s first in-person event of the semester. I Khoi Pham / The Alestle

Pandemic cancels study abroad program again NICOLE BOYD copy editor

Although many students hoped otherwise, the study abroad program has been canceled once again due to COVID-19. Ryan Donald, study abroad specialist, said the decision was based on the projected future of the pandemic. “These variant virus strains really created a big impact on travel around the world. We saw an increase of travel restrictions, and so that was something we [had] to weigh because currently, many of these destinations, as a traveler

from the U.S., you would not be able to go if you wanted to leave today,” Donald said. Donald said the decision was made early to give students time to adjust their plans. He also said the office is willing to work with students weighing virtual options to get the credit they need. “We didn’t want to make this decision in May and it [be] a scramble [for students] to try to figure out their lives, and especially students that need a course to either graduate or keep on track. This gives them time to examine other options,” Donald said. Kathleen Vongsathorn, assistant professor of history, was

planning to head a trip to London oriented toward STEM and prehealth students in Summer 2020. She rescheduled the trip for Summer 2021, but the trip was canceled again. “The effects of the cancellation were a lot more drastic last year because it was so unexpected. Everybody had already made all their payments and they had set aside classes … this year, right from the get-go, we were very clear that there was definitely a possibility that it would be canceled,” Vongsathorn said. Vongsathorn said she is absolutely planning to head the trip next year.

Bill to allow students with special needs to stay in school past age 21 EMILY STERZINGER online editor

The Illinois House Human Services Committee voted recently on a bill that would allow students with special needs who turn 22 during the school year to stay in school programs until the term ends. The bill, introduced by Rep. Frances Hurley (D-Chicago) would prevent students with special needs from being removed during the school year, a scenario that can put pressure on the student and their family in the process of transitioning to adult special needs services. Hurley said to Tim Kirsininkas of Capitol News Illinois,

“I don’t think they should be punished for their birthdate.” ACCESS Director Dominic Dorsey said post-secondary support for adults with various disabilities is often overlooked. “I feel like a lot of times we leave these students twisting in the wind, regardless of what their ability level is, simply because we’re not providing enough information to help them through these next steps,” Dorsey said. The bill passed the committee by vote on March 2, with only one vote in opposition from Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon). Professor of Political Science Andrew Theising said it was easy to see how the bill gained bipartisan support.

@thealestle

“Really, the bill strikes me as sort of being a common sense bill,” Theising said. “It’s really what I’d almost call a friendly amendment of the law. In fact, I would say that this bill helps clarify it, so that the spirit of the law gets enacted rather than the letter of the law.” Some viewed the bill as requiring more state funding to work as intended. Associate Professor of Special Education Phillip Weishaar said there is a need for funding from the state either towards school-based or adult special needs programs in order for the bill to run smoothly. “One solution would be for the state of Illinois to go ahead and pass the law, and then pro-

@thealestle

vide reimbursement to school districts for those students that they will be educating until the end of the school year after their 22nd birthday,” Weishaar said. “The other option is for them to put the money into the adult services, because not only are there people that are leaving the public school system, there are lots of people as adults with disabilities out there who are waiting in lines to get services.” Hurley said she originally became aware of the issue by talking with her neighbor, Katie Kettering, whose son was removed from his school’s special needs program the day he turned 22. The bill aims to help families like Kettering’s with transition of services.

The Alestle

Theising said the interaction which sparked the bill follows a worrying precedent of how humanitarian bills are handled. “I’m not trying to disparage her, but [Hurley] came up with this improvement in state law because it affected her neighbor. And I’m always bothered, at a level, by political leaders of both parties that have to experience something, or see it first hand, in order to say ‘Oh, we need to change that,’” Theising said. “I think it’s a really high bar to say that we can’t pass something through the legislature unless a legislator experiences the problem.” The bill in its entirety can be found on the Illinois General Assembly website.

alestlelive.com

page 2

thursday, 03.18.21

SIUE’s new cyberinfrastructure grant from the NSF to improve campus internet efficiency BRANDON WELLS reporter

SIUE recently received a $395,580 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that will help improve the cyberinfrastructure of the campus. The grant aims to help increase the efficiency of sharing resources between students and professors and to improve research capabilities and class interaction. Daniel Chace, deputy chief information officer of the ITS Department and director of the Network and System Infrastructure group, is the primary recipient of this grant. Chace said his primary goal is to help improve the efficiency of the SIUE community. To do this, he has used the grant to help add more computational resources in the form of servers. “We hope to provide a high-performance computing platform for the SIUE community,” Chace said. He said he hopes the grant will considerably improve computational power on PHARMACY I COVER

sciences, will partake in teaching the courses for the Ph.D. program as well. He said the process of drug discovery, experimenting and re-testing is all part of the bigger picture. “It’s really about discovery of new drugs [and] new treatments for diseases,” Schober said. “We focus our areas here [at SIUE] on Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, cancer and pain.” Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences Maria Kontoyianni said the addition of the program will allow undergraduate and graduate students who started research to continue developing their research throughout the doctoral program. “When a student gets a masters, his or her research is much more limited because it is only within a year,” Kontoyianni said. “When a student pursues his or her Ph.D., it means a three or four year research, so it’s more extensive.” Olivia Slater, research assistant from Illinois, is the first student to be admitted into the medicinal chemistry co-op program. Slater said she came to SIUE for their pharmacy program, but now she is headed in a similar but separate direction. “I started in Dr. Kontoyianni’s [research] lab as an URCA student,” Slater said. “It ended up becoming sort of a passion of mine. I decided then to go for a masters, which was never really in my plans either. Now we’ve had this opportunity for this co-op [program] and I was able to continue in her lab.” Slater said her decision of what to study was ultimately a decision of what would make her most happy. “As an undergrad, I was really unsure of what I wanted to do,” Slater said. “Anything out there that I would only have a bachelor’s degree for, I wouldn’t have a passion for and I wouldn’t be happy long term.” Students looking to enter into the program can expect courses with a focus on drug discovery, organic chemistry, advanced biochemistry and more. Kontoyianni said students coming into the program will have the option to choose between the pharmacology or chemistry track. “Medicinal chemistry is people doing chemistry in the lab where they prepare chemical compounds [and] synthesize them for Alzheimer’s disease or for diabetes. Computational chemistry is in my lab,” Kontoyianni said. Kontoyianni said the addition of this program allows the SIUE pharmaceutical science programs to be more visible on a national level. For more information about the program, visit SIUE’s pharmacology and neuroscience website.

campus. “It will benefit students if they’re involved with faculty that are teaching courses or are working on research projects that involve research computing,” Chace said. According to Chace, some of the servers have already arrived and will be fully operational this spring. The previous NSF grant in 2015 helped to provide a better network connection, but Chace said this one is primarily based around computing power. “This [recent grant] will provide computers, specifically servers with high performance CPUs and GPUs specifically for computation work,” Chace said. Both students and faculty alike face problems that a lack of connectivity, computational resources and software limitations can create. Junior ecology and biology major Spencer Orvis from St. Louis, said he has experienced problems in the past due to limited computational power. “I know one student that I’m working

with is having trouble with the data and the software, and it’s been really difficult to get the professor interacting on it effectively,” Orvis said. Orvis is involved with his own research related to ecology and biology and has trouble working with the software and computing power he has. He said he believes this grant will help him immensely. “Sometimes you’re stuck working on this one thing because you need all the resources you have and you don’t necessarily have enough. Having additional computing power would be beneficial as well,” Orvis said. Orvis said he believes this grant will help wmany others as well. “I know it would be very helpful,” Orvis said. “I can think of so many things that I’m involved in and that other faculty are involved in.” The goal of this grant and a goal of Edward Ackad, an associate professor of physics, is to help remedy these types of problems. Ackad said this grant will directly

benefit his research teaching strategies because the updated cyberinfrastructure will help facilitate better virtual communication with students. “What this does for teaching is it lets me teach a course like this where everyone has access to the same thing and I can view exactly what they’re seeing,” Ackad said. Ackad said he has experienced software problems that have negatively affected his classes with incompatibilities or broken computers, but believes this grant addresses and solves them. “This is a version of teaching with computational tools that is very convenient and bridges all of the hard gaps that students tend to have,” Ackad said. Ackad said the grant is useful to his research and a step in the right direction for all of campus. “We’ve been excited about this project for a while,” Ackad said. “I think this is sort of the future.” To learn more about where this grant money is going, visit the NSF’s website.

CSPA virtual open house to answer students’ questions PAULA BROOKS reporter

The College Student Personnel Administration (CSPA) is holding their first virtual open house over Zoom for prospective students Noon on Friday, March 19. CSPA is holding the virtual open house to help answer prospective students’ questions and help them understand the program better. The program, directed by Candace Hall and J. T. Snipes, will include students already involved in the program, so prospective students can get student perspectives along with the faculty. “I think it’s a great opportunity for prospective students to ask questions of the program directors and faculty, but also current students,” Hall said. The CSPA would usually have in-person events with students, but they decided to make these events virtual due to the pandemic. They also made the event an hour long instead of the usual day-long events due to attendees getting Zoom fatigue. “We decided to keep it one hour be-

cause we know that people are tired of being on Zoom and just thinking about Zoom fatigue, we didn’t want to try and recreate the in-person program the exact same way it was,” Hall said. The program includes an overview of the studies that CSPA provides. Some of these things are social justice and diversity courses. It will also provide a way for students to learn about Student Affairs. “We are a program focused on research and social justice … we have diversity courses,” Perry said. Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Miriam Roccia said the program provides these courses and a very unique experience to both graduate and prospective students. “Something I would add is the unique nature of a program like this,” Roccia said. Lindsy Perry, a second year graduate student in the program, said she has been able to make friends out of it and get involved with graduate assistantship programs. “When I first came into this program

I didn’t know anybody … The Student Affairs Graduate Program has brought me some of my best friends,” Perry said. Perry also said that the target audience for this open house would include students that are interested in the program and learning more about the people that are involved in the program along with the opportunities they can get out of it, such as the graduate assistantships. The open house isn’t just for SIUE students, but anyone interested in the CSPA program or topics to be discussed. Perry said going to this open house can help prospective students decide if the program is right for them. “Student affairs programs across the nation are very competitive. It’s always about finding the right fit for you … the virtual open house will help students understand our program,” Perry said. Registration is required to attend; visit the SIUE CSPA website or Facebook page to sign up. They will send out a video to the people that are registered regarding the event.

presence of these societies is online. So for instance, related to Phi Kappa Phi, if you go to phikappaphi.org you’ll see multiple pages of information that really kind of offer proof of its lineage,” Wieser said. Wieser said it’s the same for other honors societies as well and that the research method goes in reverse. “[If] through a little bit of research you’re not finding much background on said organization, perhaps that’s not one that would compare to another and be a positive boost on a resume or a positive for professional development,” Wieser said. Lots of honors societies are like Phi Kappa Phi while others are major specific like the English honors society like Sigma Tau Delta. Manager of Chapter Operations and Development of The National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Holly Barclay said to see if a certain honors society is legitimate, students should check out the Association of College Honors Societies and other organizations. “That is a certifying body, that certificates honors organizations as legitimate,” Barclay said. “I’d also recommend taking a look at Better Business Bureau because you can see customer complaints and comments

over 20 years sometimes.” To be approved by the Association of College Honors Societies, an organization has to apply and meet the association’s standards to be approved. Barclay said getting in touch with the society can show their legitimacy. “Just get in touch with the organization in general, like reaching out to an operations manager or to their help team, and see what kind of information they send your way and make sure they’re responding to you,” Barclay said. The money from the membership fees is supposed to go toward scholarships and funds for the society to have events. Barclay said The National Society of Collegiate Scholars uses the fees for the scholarships. Wieser said that Phi Kappa Phi’s fees also go towards scholarships and events like mentorship opportunities. “The money that our chapter brings in goes towards our scholarships and fellowship opportunities and bringing in perhaps someone that can offer a mentorship experience,” Wieser said. To see which honors societies are approved by the Kimmel Student Novelment Center, check out the 2019-2020 Recognized Student Organizations list.

Experts clarify how to discern scam from legitimate honors societies

THOMAS DRAKE reporter

There are many offers made to students from honors societies, but it can be hard to tell which societies are legitimate and which ones are not. Associate Director of the Kimmel Student Involvement Center Sarah Laux said if a student is pondering joining an honors society they should check if the society has a chapter on campus. “One of the things that I recommend students do if they aren’t sure is to check that they have a chapter on campus. That they are a registered, recognized student organization through the Kimmel Student Involvement Center,” Laux said. Laux said that should be the very first thing that students should check because how the Kimmel Student Involvement Center takes the time through their student organization advisory board of approving the student organizations. President of Chapter 203 of Phi Kappa Phi Megan Wieser said she has heard from students that had questions on Phi Kappa Phi’s legitimacy in the past and recommends that they do their research. “Look online and consider what the

thursday, 03.18.21

alestlelive.com

BY THE NUMBERS

COVID-19 at SIUE

New confirmed positive cases (from tests conducted by SIUE and self-reporting):

March 5 - 11: 5 students, 0 faculty/staff Feb. 26 - March 4: 2 students, 0 faculty/staff 14-day new positive tests: 7 students, 0 faculty/ staff All prior weeks positive tests (Aug. 1 - March 3): 331 students, 87 faculty/staff Total positive cases: 345 students, 93 faculty/staff

Tests conducted by SIUE

March 5 - 11: 438 Feb. 26 - March 4: 714 14-day new tests conducted: 1152 All prior weeks tests conducted (Aug. 21 - March 3): 9608 Total tests conducted: 10,283

Positive cases identified by SIUE testing:

March 5 - 11: 0 Feb. 26 - March 4: 0 14-day new positive cases: 0 All prior weeks positive cases (Aug. 21 - March 3): 374 Total: 377

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

page 3

Madison County confirmed cases by day 03.12.21 March 6

Source: Madison County Health Department COVID-19 Dashboard, as of March 7

Percentage of isolation/quarantine space available on campus (as of March 15): 100 percent Source: Health, Reporting, and Testing page on SIUE’s COVID-19 website, as of March 15

COVID-19’S impact on Madison County

All of Illinois’ regions remain under Tier 4 mitigations, which went into effect Feb. 4. These mitigations include the following: - All gatherings of 50 people or fewer are allowed with this limit subject to change based on latest data & guidance - Travel should follow IDPH and CDC approved guidance - All health care providers are open - P-12 schools, higher education, all summer programs and child care open with IDPH approved safety guidance Source: dph.illinois.gov. - All outdoor recreation allowed | Summer Bradley / The Alestle

Local organizations provide ways to dispose of medications, batteries DANA MCLENNAN copy editor

Curbside recycling bins have increased the amount of people recycling instead of adding to landfills. However, laws regarding what is allowed to be placed in trash or recycle bins often leave consumers wondering how to dispose of certain items. In the past, it was customary to dispose of medication by throwing it in the trash or flushing it down the drain but this proved to be hazardous. Illinois passed the Safe Pharmaceutical Disposal Act in 2010, barring health care institutions from dumping medications into water supplies. This also allowed for police departments to collect medications for disposal. Most police stations and pharmacies are safe drop-off sites. They accept prescribed medications, over-the-counter drugs and pet medications in pill or capsule form. Inhalers and liquids are rarely accepted. Syringes are not accepted. Local disposal locations include the SIUE campus police station and the Glen Carbon, Illinois, Walgreens. According to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, needles and other medical sharps should never be thrown loosely into the trash. They also cannot be recycled. If they must be disposed of, put them inside of heavy plastic containers marked, “Do Not Recycle.”. Seal and place in trash or you can participate in any number of safe needle disposal programs listed on their website. Republic Services, which partners with Madison County for waste removal, offers a disposal service and multi-size disposal options for sharps for a fee through their website. Personal use disposal kits can also be purchased at pharmacies with instructions for proper disposal. Prescription eyeglasses have long been collected by organizations like the Lion’s Club and some vision centers, but sunglasses and contacts are also recyclable according to Julie Preston, national training manager for Vision Service Plan on-site clinics. “Bausch + Lomb has a recycle program for contact lenses. It’s mainly the tabs, not so much the lenses themselves, the lenses over time will break down be-

cause of the materials that they’re made of,” Preston said. “The packets that they come in, like the flat packs, foil tops and the plastic stuff [are] all recyclable.” Preston said it is free to get kits from the contact lens vendors for people to drop off used lenses and package waste at more optical retailers or optometrist offices. Preston also said eyewear donated to optical centers, the Lion’s Club and programs like Eyes of Hope, is repurposed for use and given, along with new eyewear to those in need. “Most underdeveloped countries are going to be closer to the equator, and are getting most of their damage to their eyes,” Preston said. “In underdeveloped countries, we’re seeing more dense cataracts and things like that in an earlier age. So absolutely recycle sunglasses, prescription or nonprescription.” TerraCycle partnered with Bausch + Lomb for their contact program, but also offer a multitude of services tailored to individuals, businesses and schools for recycling hard-to-recycle materials into new products, according to their site. TerraCycle accepts markers, razors, oral care items, food pouches, alkaline batteries, some aerosols, vapes, cannabis packaging and cigarette butts, loose tobacco and any associated packaging minus the paper box. Deren Reinke, manager of 3D Vapor in Edwardsville, said they accept entire vaping devices for recycling — especially the batteries — and send them off for recycling, but most of the devices are now meant for long term use. “You don’t have to actually replace the device most of the time. They make [the devices] to replace the batteries inside … there is a little less waste,” Reinke said. “We encourage people to [recycle batteries] and they get a discount on their new batteries.” Lead batteries are accepted by automotive stores and most offer a discount when customers trade their old battery in. Automotive fluids are hazardous waste and should not be thrown in the trash. They are generally accepted at parts stores and at some Jiffy Lube locations. Tires are not allowed in landfills. According to the EPA, tire retailers must accept used tires when new tires are purchased. CJD E-Cycling in Edwardsville will be

hosting an event on April 10 that will be accepting most electronics and metals. Acceptable items range from car batteries, alkaline and lithium batteries and old motors to toasters, televisions and holiday lights. For a full list of accepted items, see their website. Not sure what to do with old grocery bags, sandwich bags or plastic wrap that isn’t accepted in traditional curbside? PlasticFilmRecycling.org lists various plastic film packaging that can be dropped off at participating locations such as Schnucks, Ruler Foods, Kohl’s, Walmart and Target. Cell phones, tablets and MP3 players can be turned into cash at ecoATM kiosks located inside of St. Clair Square and local Walmart locations. According to their site, they are using a cash incentive to keep e-waste out of landfills. Customers can also earn cash for referring friends to use the service. Every second Saturday of the month, except in January, Power Recycling holds a recycling drop-off in downtown Collinsville, Illinois. Sam Baumann, social media manager for the company, said they are mobile and can set up anywhere. “We will schedule days or individual weekly pickup for anyone who might have anything they need [picked up], old office equipment, TVs … they just set it out on the driveway and we come pick it up [for free],” Baumann said. “The only thing we charge for are the old-style tube TVs.” Baumann said they do not accept alkaline batteries, but do accept lead-acid, car batteries and rechargeable batteries. They also accept items people might not think about such as barbeque grills, Crock-pots and sporting equipment. There are also no minimum requirements for scheduled pickups. “We have the website and Facebook page all up to date with events. We monitor our Facebook pretty frequently, so [someone] can message us on Facebook if they want to set something up,” Baumann said. Anyone wishing to utilize recycling drop-off locations should confirm with participating vendors what their COVID-19 restrictions are. To find full lists of acceptable recyclable waste per county and city, go to the local organizations’ respective websites.

Officer responded to a report from a subject advising there was a possible unruly patient. Officer made contact with the subject and advised he calmed down and left the campus. Officer assisted Edwardsville PD with traffic control on a traffic accident.

03.13.21 Officer took a report of a student wanting to document a few encounters she had with another student.

03.14.21 Person was arrested for DUI. Subject was transported to the SIUE Police Department where she was fingerprinted, photographed, processed and released after posting $100 bond and her IL DL. State citation also issued for Failure to Dim Headlamps. TRAVEL I COVER

the trip,” Cannon said. Dorothy Volansky, a senior public health major from Fenton, Missouri, planned to go on Vongsathorn’s trip in 2020 and in 2021. She said she delayed her graduation by a semester in the hopes that she would get to go in 2021. “I feel like one of my dreams was to always study abroad in college, and I just feel like I worked so much toward that goal that knowing that as a senior I’m going to be graduating in December, not being able to pursue that dream of mine as an undergraduate student, it just really is saddening and depressing,” Volansky said. Volansky said those disappointed in the cancellation should stay hopeful and not give up on their dreams. “If it’s not meant to be now, it doesn’t mean it’s not meant to be later on,” Volansky said. “Actually, I was given the opportunity possibly to … do a volunteer experience in Sub-Saharan Africa hopefully, and I would get to use a public health degree in many ways over there doing research and doing data analysis … in relation to malnutrition for children and pregnant women.” Joe Perez, a junior criminal justice major from Charleston, Illinois, planned to go on Cannon’s trip last summer and this summer. Perez said he will graduate in the fall, so he will not have another chance to study abroad. “It sucks. It was something I was really looking forward to. I understand why they did it; I was a bio major before, so I understand everything that’s going on and why we have to do what we do. But it was something I know that not only me, but a handful of other students were really looking forward to,” Perez said. Kiley Hunt, a senior criminal justice major from Camp Point, Illinois, attended one of Cannon’s Ireland trips and planned to go to Amsterdam. “I’m very disappointed. I was pretty hopeful with vaccines coming out and some restrictions loosening up that hopefully by that time we would be able to enjoy the trip,” Hunt said. Donald said he is optimistic that more students will be encouraged to study abroad in the future. “I think there is, at least in the short term, a pent-up demand [from] those that have wanted to go and couldn’t. So I think once it’s safe to do so, you’re going to see some of that pent-up demand,” Donald said. “I think also this pandemic has shown the need for people who can engage and understand things on a global level.”

NEXT WEEK: METRO EAST EGG HUNTS page 4

lifestyles alestlelive.com

contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 03.18.21

It’s all about balance: Students study how water movement shapes landscape of local creek DANA MCLENNAN copy editor

The words “fluvial” and “geomorphology” are not “everyday words” for most college students. But, these words are a crucial part of Alexander Kalna’s vocabulary. Fluvial geomorphology examines the ways moving water interacts with the physical objects in it, therefore reshaping the landscape as it transports sediment. “Fluvial processes sculpt the landscape, eroding landforms, transporting sediment and depositing it to create new landforms,” The National Park Service’s website said. “Human civilization and ecosystems alike are dependent on fluvial systems.” Kalna, an environmental sciences graduate student from House Springs, Missouri, and his wife, social science graduate student Cristal Campocasso, of Venezuela, are focusing on a research project at Silver Creek Watershed. The watershed lies just 30 minutes from campus and is mostly located in Madison County but also runs though Macoupin and Montgomery counties. Kalna received a research grant in Spring 2020 and used it to fund his research equipment used study how logjams affect the shape of the creek. He said a logjam occurs when two or more large pieces of wood get stuck together in a creek. Kalna said he was drawn to his thesis project at the Silver Creek Watershed in response to an assessment’s findings. “The Heartland Conservancy put together a watershed assessment … they met with a bunch of local government and Illinois EPA, landowners and town municipality people,” Kalna said. “Basically … the creek was or is on the Illinois EPA impoundment list for sediments and excess nutrients, so they put together a report on how they want to fix it.” Kalna said he disagreed with their suggestion to fix it by removing logjams — while they might cause some erosion, they are natural occurrences. Logjams can cause flooding by causing the water to move from side to side instead of down the creek’s middle. “Just here in Illinois, since there is so much agriculture, people don’t like [the flooding] because they start losing their fields to the other side of the creek,” Kalna said. Kalna said he is trying to prove that the logjams are beneficial. “Logjams are important because by causing streams to meander and wander side to side, by that erosion, they create a lot

Jesus Sanchez, Cristal Campocasso, and Logan Pelo perform a survey of a reference transect at the Libra Road site. This work is part of Alexander Kalna’s graduate project at Silver Creek Watershed, which runs through Madison County and other nearby counties. | Photo courtesy of Alexander Kalna

more habitat for biodiversity,” consistently and what the effects on both sides of the logjams to determine the creek’s health. Kalna said. “It just increases the are on the channel beds. “Knowing how the sediment During their work as research health of the creek overall.” Kalna said the soil’s differ- distribution changes, because of assistants for Kalna, Pelo and Sanences, whether it be sand, clay or the presence of the logjam, helps chez began an independent water rocky, are all habitats and that the to predict flooding events. If you quality project for GEOPATHS, wood itself is a food source and have a logjam that’s really close to a program that hopes to create an overpass, that changes the way awareness of the geosciences field. shelter. “We will be looking for how “That’s not really natural or the water flows,” Pelo said. “That much dissolved solids, healthy,” Kalna said. “It’s dissolved oxygen and basically just one type of habitat in the stream.” “The ultimate goal of science electrical conductivity are present in the waSlow-moving water like this is understanding where ter and at the pH levcreates a sludge-like creek els and temperature of bottom, and when a tree [the] balance [between the water,” Sanchez falls in, it creates blockages said. “Especially bethat force the water to move agricultural and biodiversity cause there is a lot of quickly through small secimpacts] is. There has to be agricultural run-off, we tions, changing the landwill be relating precipscape. This fast-moving balance, and I think this itation levels to those water allows sediment to travel down the creek, creresearch helps us understand variables.” While mapping ating new habitats in these closer to what that balance out locations and takslower-moving waters. ing notes for Kalna’s Senior environmental looks like in the future. project, they collectscience major Jesus Saned water for 20 weeks chez, of Colllinsville, IlliLOGAN PELO to test for agricultural nois, said a logjam changsenior geography major contaminants that can es the stream’s shape by affect the creek and its pushing the water flow to the opposite side of the logjam, can have effects on the longevity wildlife. Kalna’s mentor is Adriana breaking down the banks and al- of the overpass.” The research team agrees Martinez, an associate professor lowing sediment to travel. “What happens when trees there has to be a balance between in the Departments of Geography fall in, it creates a dam, a build- these naturally occurring biodi- and Environmental Sciences. She up of where things can get caught verse habitats and flooding im- studies human influence on river systems and helped bring Kalna up on and it disrupts the way sed- pacts. “The ultimate goal of science together with the two geoscholars iment settles,” Sanchez said. “We are now processing the sediments like this is understanding where through GEOPATHS. that balance is,” Pelo said. “There Kalna’s research is now in the in the lab.” Senior geography major Lo- has to be a balance, and I think lab phase while Pelo and Sanchez gan Pelo, of Staunton, Illinois, this research helps us understand have completed their water data said the research would help them closer to what that balance looks tables for their GEOPATHS research project, which will be preunderstand the way sediment like in the future.” Kalna said they spent about sented in April. changes by studying different Sanchez said working on grain sizes. They are also investi- 100 hours from July to October gating if that distribution changes collecting samples of sediments projects studying sediment and

water quality will help him focus on environmental management. He said he is able to spend time outdoors, which he enjoys. “I’ve always liked science, and I wanted to do something with research,” Sanchez said. “[There] is a balance between doing lab work and fieldwork. You are not constantly inside.” While Kalna, Pelo and Sanchez all said they want to work at places such as the National Park Service or the U.S. Geological Survey, Campocasso’s career path is different. She said she wants to focus on cognitive behavioral therapy among adolescent minority groups, possibly in a university or hospital setting. Kalna, Campocasso, Pelo and Sanchez said they think other students would benefit from knowing what beautiful nature lies near the campus. They recommend students inquire into the GEOPATHS or STEM programs because students aren’t aware that so many fields intertwine with science. Undergraduate students who have at least two years left of school can apply to work with the GEOPATHS project regardless of their career path. For more information on GEOPATHS or other STEM projects, contact the Director of the Center for STEM Research, Education and Outreach, Sharon Locke at slocke@siue.edu. Those interested in volunteering in conservation projects can check out The Watershed Nature Center or Heartlands Conservancy.

thursday, 3.18.21

alestlelive.com

Cafe of Champions Challenge to provide large grand prize of rent and utility-free space NICOLE BOYD copy editor

The East St. Louis Cafe of Champions Challenge is giving local restaurants and catering companies the chance to compete for financial prizes, as well as the grand prize of a rent-free, utility-free space in the East St. Louis Higher Education Center. The SIUE East St. Louis Center is teaming up with the Small Business Development Center for the challenge. Tiffany Caguitla, associate director for the East St. Louis Center, said while the ESLC normally chooses the cafe vendor through a contractor process, this year, they wanted to create opportunities for small businesses impacted by COVID-19. “We partnered with the Small Business Development Center because a lot of times, cooks are great at being cooks, and they have great recipes and the food tastes great, but we wanted to partner those businesses with a mentor, so that way they can successfully create a business plan and become more competitive,” Caguitla said. Alexandria Vlahos, program coordinator for the SIUE Learning Resource Center on the East St. Louis Higher Education campus, said the most exciting part for her is how the prizes could save businesses. “Right now, with [COVID-19] hitting the restaurant business extra hard, to have those big expenses taken care of can make or break a new business or one just starting out,” Vlahos said. Jo Ann DiMaggio May, director of the Illinois Small Business Development Cen ter for the Metro East at SIU, said the contest is intended to benefit the East St. Louis community as well. “ I think it’s going to bring a lot

of exposure and excitement and economic impact. That revenue that the business brings in hopefully stays in the community and they spend their money at other local businesses, and their patrons will come and support them and vice versa. It’ll be a community effort and really help grow the area,” DiMaggio May said. Caguitla, who initiated the idea, said she partnered with the Small Business Development Center due to their previous experience in pitch contests, like the Cafe of Champions Challenge. “We wanted to find a vendor for that space, but not just any vendor, a vendor that is up-and-coming and preferably somebody who is affiliated with the area that we support on the campus: East St. Louis, Cahokia, Madison, St. Clair County,” Caguitla said. “So I already got the idea started, started generating some steps we would need to start a pitch contest, started Google searching pitch contests and then I found the Small Business Development Center hosted a pitch contest in October.” DiMaggio May said because the Small Business Development Center is going on its eighth year of hosting pitch contests, they have a lot of resources and contacts to make sure businesses succeed. “Helping in the effort to have mentors, and have a good business plan and making sure that they have these external partners that they can lean on really is important,” DiMaggio May said. “I’d probably say out of the winners that we’ve had over 80 percent, probably close to 85 percent or more, [that] have stayed in operation.” Vlahos said the contest will be structured as a tiered system. “The first part is that [businesses] are supposed to apply. And then, provided that all of the application materials are successful and they meet all of those criteria, they move on to the next session. So they will be reviewed by … judges and reviewers. The reviewers will go through and look at their business plan, and so by the time they make it to the judging part, that will be more of the tasting and the presentation,” Vlahos said. DiMaggio May said the judging portion will be conducted by five recognized

page 5

Experts say a healthy relationship with food is the heart of wellness KRISTINA JOHNSON reporter

figures in the East St. Louis community, and a taste testing will occur. “We’re probably looking at presentation, taste, just the overall look and comfort level and … the appeal of that plate and the mainstream opportunity with what they’re presenting,” DiMaggio May said. DiMaggio May said the first, second and third place winners will receive $2,000, $1,500 and $1,000 respectively. The first-place winner will also be able to use the space rent-free and utility-free for a year. “[The prizes were] just based on the support that we were able to garner, as far as financial support from some partners and then the East St. Louis foundation as well. So we just were able to get $4,500 to put in the pot, plus the rent-free [space] for a year,” DiMaggio May said. Vlahos said she is excited to see what will happen. “This is the first time we’re offering this, and I’ve really been encouraged by the number of applicants we already have and it doesn’t even close until April 3,” Vlahos said. “We’ve also been getting a lot of questions sent about the process, about the application, about just everything. I really think that it’s drumming up interest.” Businesses can fill out the online application to enter the contest before the deadline of April 3. The grand prize winner will be announced June 10.

With the increasing amount of at-home fitness videos circulating on social media, many students are getting caught up in the latest and greatest fitness products and workouts. Haile Thomas, speaker and health activist, is helping bring nutrition back into the conversation. Thomas recently spoke to SIUE about how to focus on nutritional health and making wholesome meals. Her goal comes from personal experience: after her father was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, Thomas said her family went through a life-changing transformation with food. “Everything changed, not only my perspective on food but also on my perspective on wellness as a whole and how important it was to prioritize it,” Thomas said. “My mom sat in the car [after my father’s doctors appointment] reading this unbelievable long list of side effects. We couldn’t fathom, as a family, having my dad take or go down this route of taking traditional medicine.” Thomas said after her family looked at treatment options, they decided to go against traditional healing methods of medication, instead changing what they eat completely. “[My mom] was noticing there were potential alternatives to going down the traditional medication route. One of those alternatives was healing through food,” Thomas said. “We started to really become empowered by the knowledge we acquired together.” Within a year of changing their eating habits, Thomas said her dad completely reversed his diabetes diagnosis. Today, 12 years later, Thomas said she continues her journey with food and nutritional wellness through teaching communities how see NUTRITION on page 8

REVIEW: Taco Bell potatoes are back, along with my (cheesy) happiness DALTON BROWN copy editor

At long last, I have been reunited with Taco Bell potatoes. After months of potato-less monstrosity for vegetarian and vegan fans, Taco Bell has finally done what is right — and plans to do more in the future. Taco Bell CEO Mark King announced the potatoes’ return in January in a since-deleted video wherein a Zoom filter turns his face into a potato. He said not only were potatoes coming back in March, Taco Bell would be partnering with Beyond Meat for plant-based meat alternatives in the undetermined future. As someone who addressed both of these things in a prior opinion piece, I finally felt heard. It was a chilly, cloudy Thursday afternoon as I drove to the local Edwardsville Taco Bell. This day — March 11 — had been marked on my digital calendars for months as “TACO BELL POTATOES RETURN!!” As I drove, I

pondered: Will the potatoes taste the same? Do they cost more? Would that honestly stop me? After placing my order and waiting my turn, I was handed the iconic brown paper bag I used to know and love. As the drive-thru worker handed it to me, they said, “These potatoes are fresh, so be careful, they might be hot.” I took this not as a warning, but an invitation. I knew the drive-thru worker was serious when my windows began to fog. Typically, I drown my Taco Bell items in Diablo sauce, but I kept my saucy tendencies to a minimum for the sake of this review to more accurately capture the taste of the potatoes. With that in mind, I began with the item I missed most: the Spicy Potato Soft Taco (which, to my relief, is still just $1). In my experience, the key to a good Spicy Potato Soft Taco is the chipotle sauce distribution; you don’t want a thick glob all in one bite, but it also shouldn’t be spread too thin. Upon inspection,

the sauce appeared consistent, as did the potatoes, but the taco was just a little lettuce-heavy for my taste (I like just enough lettuce to trick me into thinking it’s healthy, but no more). I found this to be an easy fix as I removed some lettuce and prepared for the moment of truth. My immediate reaction upon first bite was that the potatoes tasted exactly as I remembered: warm, soft, seasoned and delicious. I think I even said, “It’s like they never left,” out loud, because that’s genuinely how it felt. While the Spicy Potato Soft Taco is simple and wonderful, the Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes really allow the taste of the potatoes to take center stage. For those unfamiliar, Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes are a bowl of Taco Bell’s seasoned potatoes topped with nacho cheese sauce and sour cream. Much like the spicy potato soft taco, the key to good taste with this item is in the ingredient proportions; there’s a reason they aren’t the “sour-creamy fiesta potatoes.”

With cheese and sour cream, the Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes are the perfect snack. | Dalton Brown / The Alestle

Much to my delight, these Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes lived up to their name, with just the right ratio of cheese sauce to sour cream. Drizzled atop a warm potato bed, the flavor combination brought a wave of nostalgia to my taste buds. However, the potatoes themselves were the true star of the show, holding as firm as my faith in their return and not becoming soggy under the toppings. With both items down, I felt as if the final puzzle piece in my

heart had finally found its place. The only way it could have been better is if it included a Loaded Potato Griller, which Taco Bell corporate sadly didn’t bring back with its spud-centered siblings. Given the hype I built in my mind around the news, I had some hesitation about trying Taco Bell’s potato items again for the first time in months. Fortunately, this visit eased my concerns and set a potato-filled precedent for my future.

opinion

NEXT WEEK: THE TROUBLED HISTORY OF FRATERNITIES page 6

T H E

alestlelive.com

alestle

share your thoughts: opinion@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 03.18.21

Write a letter to the editor:

opinion@ alestlelive.com

ALEX AULTMAN editor-in-chief

Your opinions deserve more than 280 characters.

DAMIAN MORRIS managing editor

MADISON LAMMERT lifestyles editor JENNIFER GOECKNER sports editor

GABRIEL BRADY opinion editor

EMILY STERZINGER online editor

KHOI PHAM photographer NICOLE BOYD DALTON BROWN ELIZABETH DONALD DANA MCLENNAN copy editors PAULA BROOKS THOMAS DRAKE KRISTINA JOHSNON JOHN MCGOWAN BRANDON WELLS reporters SUMMER BRADLEY graphics manager CAMILO ZULUAGA-CAICEDO advertising manager JIHUN HAN GRACE JOSEPH advertising representative TYMEI DAPPERT JORDAN RICHEY office clerks BROOKE KRANKEL circulation manager ANGIE TROUT office manager TAMMY MERRETT program director

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 at 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 letters 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.

T H E

alestle VIEW

Once again, we are asking for better accessibility THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board

Technically, SIUE is compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. Each building has an accessible entrance and an accessible bathroom, there are accessible parking spots and sidewalks meet the width requirements. However, it’s no secret that students with disabilities have long struggled with the lack of accessibility on campus. In some buildings, the accessible entrances are difficult to find; in others, accessible bathrooms aren’t easy to find and some of the regular bathrooms do not have an accessible stall. Furthermore, SIUE seems to take pride in the fact that they provide multiple accessible routes between most buildings, which is not required by the ADA. SIUE may be following the

letter of the law, but not the spirit. Recently, storage pods occupied accessible parking spots behind Rendleman Hall for far too long. At the beginning of the semester, students had to stand in line for re-entry COVID-19 testing without a place to sit down. The time to recognize how people with disabilities are affected by the thoughtlessness of others is long past due. Able-bodied people tend to take their privilege for granted. But, able-bodied readers, can you imagine only being able to enter a building at one specific entrance? What if that entrance had only one route? Imagine that once you’re inside, you can’t find the only bathroom “accessible” to you. Not to mention the hilly nature of SIUE’s campus, which leaves even some able-bodied

people short-winded. Now what if it’s raining, or you have to carry something for class, or one of your few accessible parking spots has been overtaken by some storage pods? The possible complications are endless. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to campus accessibility, but clearly, the bare minimum is not enough. “Reasonable accommodations,” as required by the ADA, is a term that leaves a lot of room for interpretation, and a lot of room for error. SIUE needs some self-reflection. We’re asking the administration to listen to students with disabilities without jumping to the defense. The frustrations of students with disabilities have historically been ignored, and even shut down, under the university’s explanation that the campus is

ADA compliant. However, it’s not too late to take them seriously and make a change. Of course, the campus’s infrastructure would be practically impossible to make completely accessible due to the layout and location of the campus. But as of now, the administration appears to be ignorant at best in regard to the issues that students with disabilities face. Taking initiative to hear from students with disabilities about any suggestions they might have that would make their college experience just a little bit easier would be a start. SIUE has been taking steps in the right direction when it comes to conversations about equity and inclusion. Now, let’s include people with disabilities in those conversations, and let’s turn those conversations into action.w

to usually being shorter or offering a lighter workload. For the spring and fall semesters, there’s often added pressure to take on at least 12 or 15 credit hours of classes. With summer classes, the amount of credit hours is completely up to you with very little pressure. I know a lot of students are wanting to enjoy a long summer break to relieve some of this stress, especially due to the spring break cancellation. I certainly want to. But enjoying the break doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t save some time for extra classes. With travel restrictions and the COVID-19 pandemic still a large problem, students should try to give themselves a reason to stay around campus or not travel an excessive amount in order to keep themselves safe. In this case, being safe can also save you a lot of time and money. Students like myself usually want to have the college experience, but also want to save as

much money and time as possible. Summer classes can help with both, giving you the opportunity to take classes you need to graduate without paying large tuition fees. Most students want to have fun over the summer, but summer classes also give this option. You have the option to take a smaller load of intense classes for three weeks instead of more drawn out classes. This allows you to have plenty of time to have fun in the summer while getting extra or required credits. These classes can also help those who are behind catch up on credits. If you’re only a few credits away from being considered the next grade, a class over the summer could help you get there and get one step closer to graduation. Too many students and friends of mine pass this opportunity up and it could help them graduate just a little bit sooner than expected. A friend of mine is in her sec-

ond year of university, but already has enough credits to be considered a senior due to summer classes and dual-credit courses from high school. While her major still requires more classes, she’ll end up saving time because of those extra classes she took. For some, they want to graduate with their friends and this might not sound appealing, but summer classes offer more than early graduation. The choice to take classes over summer vacation can also present you with the opportunity to consider a double major. While double majors can usually be a challenge, taking some of the more difficult classes over break can make it more realistic. The start of registration for the Summer 2021 semester is March 29. Schedule appointments with your adviser and talk to them about the possibilities of summer classes. They’re there to help you, so use that resource.

Taking a summer class can accelerate your learning BRANDON WELLS reporter

There’s no doubt that the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters have been challenging for students, but don’t let that discourage you from taking summer classes. Taking summer classes may seem like a chore, but they can be beneficial to students who want to graduate early or those who want to get a difficult class out of the way during the summer with a smaller class load. For many, myself included, these past couple semesters have been difficult. From online classes to difficult professors, or both, students have been challenged more than usual by the circumstances that have been presented to them by the COVID-19 pandemic. As students, we should still be motivated to learn and get past this. Summer classes can present ample opportunities to learn due

sports

contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 03.18.21

READ ONLINE: VOLLEYBALL SHUTS OUT UT MARTIN IN TWO MATCHES page 7

alestlelive.com

SIUE Standings MEN’S SOCCER

OVERALL MAC

SIUE Western Michigan Western Virginia Akron Bowling Green Northern Illinois

4-1 3-1 2-1 2-1-1 3-3 2-3-1

1-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-1

WOMEN’S SOCCER

OVERALL OVC

Women’s soccer remains undefeated after beating UT Martin Redshirt sophomore forward MacKenzie Litzsinger and senior midfielder Andrea Frerker face off with players from UT Martin, attempting to maintain Cougar control of the ball. | Khoi Pham / The Alestle PAULA BROOKS reporter

Women’s soccer faced UT Martin in their second home game of the season. The Cougars walked away victorious and extended their winning streak to four games, despite rainy weather that created a slick playing field. While there were no major injuries during the game, one UT Martin player had to get walked off the field after falling. The first half was slow with a few saves and shots that missed, leaving the score at 0-0 going into halftime.

UT Martin had one shot make it into the net during the first half, but it was called offsides, so it did not count. Head Coach Derek Burton said his message at halftime was to approach the second half like they were playing a whole new, but shorter, game. “We framed it as it’s a forty-five-minute game now,” Burton said. “It’s 0-0, [so] let’s win the forty-five minutes.” Burton also said UT Martin played with a lot of intensity in the first half, so SIUE needed to match that. “It took us a little while to

match the intensity that UT Martin had, but we grew into the game and thankfully it was still 0-0 at the time,” Burton said. The Cougars came back strong and picked up two goals in the second half, bringing the score to 2-0 by the end of the game. One goal was scored by MacKenzie Litzsinger, a redshirt sophomore forward, and the other was collected by Angel Ikeda, a senior midfielder, with Litzsinger providing the assist. Litzsinger said scoring is important but so are assists. Although it might feel good to actually get the goal, sometimes it can

feel just as good to help a fellow player get one. “I would not be able to score any of the goals without my whole entire team,” Litzsinger said. “Every time I score a goal, I get more excited for the person I get it from then scoring myself.” To Taylor Spiller, a sophomore goalkeeper, the team’s defenses were strong, also contributing to the win. “It was a huge defensive effort, but our backline has been huge as well,” Spiller said. The team will compete next in a home game against Morehead State at 5:30 p.m. March 19.

Championships this year quieter, more restricted than years past PAULA BROOKS reporter

Athletes and coaches feel noticeable differences between this year’s championships and those of years prior. From the lack of fans to the constantly changing rules, they have had to adapt to it all. One of the major differences setting this year apart is crowd size. Conferences are slowly allowing fans to attend competitions and championship games, but have yet to open them up completely. Due to this, championships have had little or no crowd at all. The CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, New Jersey, where the Mid-American Conference held their wrestling champion-

ships, was empty when SIUE competed there. “They didn’t have any fans in New Jersey,” Wrestling Head Coach Jeremy Spates said. Redshirt sophomore wrestler Aaron Schulist said the absence of fans has a distinct effect on the environment. “It was pretty cool to hear your teammates and coaches cheering you on, but with no fans, it’s a little bit different and not as loud,” Schulist said. However, Schulist said his drive to perform well wasn’t affected by the challenge of changes to his surroundings. “For me, it doesn’t really affect my motivation as much. I just notice it’s a really different environmental change,” Schulist said. “Something you get so used

week in review MEN’S SOCCER

Men’s soccer fell to Bowling Green in a 1-0 loss in overtime, ending their winning streak. The team was then defeated by Akron 2-0, dropping their record to 4-2.

VOLLEYBALL

The Cougars defeated UT Martin in three straight sets in back-to-back matches. Senior defensive specialist Jordyn Klein collected 56 digs between the two matches.

to when you’re competing is having some fans or family there. When there’s nobody there, it kind of throws you off.” Many student-athletes have instead been turning to FaceTime to celebrate with their family members after their games or meets, which is not the same as having their loved ones there to witness it firsthand or congratulate the players in person. SIUE’s cross country team had to cut back on the number of people that could travel to their championships. During an average year, they would bring nine athletes, but this year they could only bring seven. They also had smaller crowds watching; while there used to be at least 1,000 audience members, this year there were only 100-200 people in at-

tendance. In another change from past years, student-athletes also must test negative for COVID-19 before traveling to competitions. Positive cases could cause a team to go into quarantine, which could then lead to game cancellations or lost practice time leading up to important competitions and championships. Cross Country Head Coach Marcus Evans said after so many season cancellations over the past year, student-athletes were just happy to get back to the games they love. “Getting into a competition was really exciting for them,” Evans said. For championship results and upcoming event details, visit the Cougars Athletics website.

TENNIS

Tennis shutout McKendree in a 7-0 win. SIUE took victories in all three doubles matches. The Cougars also went six for six in singles matches.

GOLF

The golf team defeated Bradley in their second matchup of the season. The Cougars finished just three strokes ahead of the Braves, with a final score of 286-289.

Murray State SEMO SIUE Tennessee Tech UT Martin Belmont Eastern Kentucky Jacksonville State Austin Peay Eastern Illinois Morehead State

5-0 4-0 4-0 3-1 2-3 2-3 1-3 1-3 1-4 1-4 1-4

SOFTBALL

OVERALL OVC

Eastern Illinois SEMO Austin Peay Eastern Kentucky Murray State UT Martin Tennessee Tech Jacksonville State Belmont SIUE Tennessee State Morehead State

12-5 7-10 9-4 12-6 7-14 13-5 8-10 4-11 6-8 2-9 5-9 3-10

5-1 5-1 4-2 4-2 4-2 3-3 3-3 3-3 2-4 2-4 1-5 0-6

BASEBALL

OVERALL OVC

Tennessee Tech SEMO Murray State Morehead State UT Martin Eastern Illinois SIUE Eastern Kentucky Belmont Austin Peay Jacksonville State

6-5 8-7 8-8 7-8 6-7 9-7 6-7 6-9 4-8 3-11 7-8

2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2 0-0

WOMEN’S TENNIS

OVERALL OVC

Austin Peay SIUE SEMO Jacksonville State Belmont Murray State Eastern Illinois Tennessee State UT Martin

4-1 7-3 7-4 5-5 3-4 2-6 1-7 0-0 0-8

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

VOLLEYBALL

OVERALL OVC

Jacksonville State Morehead State SEMO Austin Peay SIUE Murray State Tennessee Tech UT Martin Eastern Illinois Eastern Kentucky Tennessee State Belmont

12-0 12-0 10-2 8-4 8-4 5-7 5-7 5-7 2-10 2-10 2-10 1-11

SOFTBALL

Softball took two wins and one loss against Tennessee State. The Cougars began the series with an 8-3 win before dropping game two and clenching the series in game three.

BASEBALL

The Cougars defeated SEMO in the first game in their series before falling in games two and three. The team then faced Western Illinois, taking a close 6-5 loss.

page 8

alestlelive.com NUTRITION I page 5

to prepare nutritious meals. Cindi Inman, SIUE instructor and undergraduate program director of nutrition, said people have known for a while how overall physical wellness is heavily tied with what people eat. She said eating for the purpose of a balanced lifestyle goes beyond battling diseases. “As dietician[s], we try to tweak a person’s diet individually to make it healthier and less calories, so they can lose some weight,” Inman said. “[This is done] without doing any drastic diet. It’s just a matter of really individualizing it.” Inman said someone who focuses on their diet heavily is more likely to turn to fad diets, which she said aren’t a long-term solution to a good relationship with food. “The mentality is, they think [they] could do this diet or whatever plan for a long time,” Inman said. “But when you look at a lot of these [diets], they are so restrictive and very few people can continue in such a restrictive way.” Senior nutrition major Annie Gantt, of Springfield, Illinois, said it still surprises her how diets don’t work for everyone. In fact, she said most fad diets don’t live up to their promises. “There isn’t one diet or one way that you can eat that is superior to another way,” Gantt said. “Nutrition is always

thursday, 03.18.21

changing. New information is always coming out and it can seem very stressful or overwhelming, but all you can do is do your best at making healthy choices.” Instead, Inman said to leave the restrictive diets in the past and move into a lifestyle that will allow a person to lose, gain or maintain weight. She said intentionally restricting oneself from a specific food or food group can lead to binging that food at a later time. “People might [say] ‘I’m never going to have a brownie again,’” Inman said. “You have your last brownie and that’s all you think about now. Then two weeks later, you have the opportunity to have a brownie and you eat the whole pan.” Gantt said the importance of the public understanding nutrition beyond the textbook definition can benefit everyone. “People don’t always see the connection with nutrition and preventative health and that’s what a lot of nutrition is about,” Gantt said. “[The goal is] trying to communicate to the public how your diet and your daily lifestyle is more of a preventative measure. [Also] to prevent you from getting illnesses and diseases.” With the social media boom of the last few years, Inman said the correlation between how we view food can be connected to our engagement with these apps. She said how we view food has changed into how others view food and the endless

amount of content put onto social media doesn’t help. “These girls are almost brainwashed with the idea of, ‘This is the magic pill to make me lose weight,’” Inman said. “Our society has a bit of an issue with food. It’s about truly enjoying [food] and when you’re eating, you eat.” In the last few years, Inman said people’s relationship with food has become more complicated. At the end of the day, she said we have to realize food is our source of nutrition and we have to consume it. “A car needs gas to move. We’ve got to have food to move,” Inman said. “All of a sudden, it’s turned into, ‘If I eat this I’m a bad person’ or, ‘If I eat this I’m a good person.’ It’s all about judgement and shaming. It’s kind of gotten out of control.” As people’s knowledge of nutrition evolves, Inman said she hopes people will learn to have a better relationship with their food and start seeing it as a source of energy and not the enemy. “Sometimes when people [eat without restricting], people will lose weight,” Inman said. “They are paying attention to their body and they aren’t overeating. They’re enjoying the food and not kicking themselves for having a brownie, ice cream or whatever. It’s about building a better relationship with food.”

ALESTLE We’re always interested in hearing about news in our community. If you have a story idea that you think deserves a bigger audience, send us your ideas in just a couple of steps: 1. Go to alestlelive.com 2. Click on the submit your news! box on the right side of the page

story idea?

news tip?

CLASSIFIEDS GIVE YOU MORE

Place your classified ad at a convenient time for you using our easy and secure online interface at: 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