The Alestle Vol.73 No.24

NEW ‘ANIMAL CROSSING’ GAME BRINGS A SUNNY HORIZON page 6

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ALESTLE

OVC TRAVEL BAN YIELDS RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES page 7

vol. 73 no. 24

The Student Voice Since 1960

A campus once teeming with life now sits desolate as all in-person classes have been moved online and food options in the Morris University Center have been closed. | Dominick Oranika / The Alestle

SIUE’s Covid-19 messages spark confusion GABRIEL BRADY reporter

SIUE has chosen to move online for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester due to concerns regarding the coronavirus.

This information was conveyed through a series of emails sent out over the past few weeks; however, some faculty members and students at SIUE felt these messages were confusing.

One of these faculty members is associate professor and chair of the physics department Jack Glassman. Glassman said although a lot of SIUE’s information regarding the virus was released quickly in order to keep everyone notified, there were still a few issues with some of the messages.

One specific email Glassman talked about was sent on March 11 by Chancellor Randy Pembrook. The subject line of the

email said, “SIUE Spring Break Extended Thru March 22,” but, in the fifth paragraph of the same email, it said, “This is not an extension of spring break.”

“I understand what he was trying to say, and it’s an indication of how quickly this is all evolving,” Glassman said. “Usually that sort of internal contradiction in an email would have gotten caught because it would have been read, but getting it out right now is more important than getting it right.”

Senior exercise science major Jason Zhao, of Waterloo, Illinois, said he thought the least helpful emails sent out said nothing about actual plans to move forward, but only about how SIUE was working on a plan.

“I know it’s complex, but they were literally just giving us hints. I just wanted to know if it was an official cancel, if we were online, or when we would be on-

line or what. I just wanted them to tell me straight about what was happening,” Zhao said. “And if they don’t have solid decisions yet, then don’t send a message out.”

Similar to Zhao, junior psychology major Connor McDonald, of Edwardsville, felt the emails administration sent out could be confusing.

“Every email felt kind of like it was the bare minimum they could give us in one message.

I kept needing just a little more info about what was open, like the library, which they didn’t officially close until about a week ago,” McDonald said.

Zhao said he thought University Housing did their best with emails considering the short amount of time they had to work with. Zhao lived on campus until he was told to leave by University Housing.

“I agree with how they’ve

handled everything. Obviously, they can’t have people living there; they need to clean everything out,” Zhao said. “Most people probably don’t agree with me, but I think housing did the best they could.”

McDonald saw a different solution to these confusing emails: relying on his professors’ emails.

“Honestly, I know all my classes are going to be online, and I probably shouldn’t try to show up on campus. So, I just read what my professors email me now,” McDonald said.

Glassman has been sending many emails of his own, trying to transition his courses online.

Glassman said planning to move online would take time, and the main problem was that all the classes in his department that could be online already were.

area.

In response to the outbreak, university leadership announced on March 15 that all SIUE classes would transition to an online or alternative format for the remainder of the semester.

Since then, all on-ground operations have also been suspended, including a postponement of Spring Commencement, which was announced on March 19. The university also asked all residents to move out of University Housing by 5 p.m. March 21 following Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order, unless they received approval to remain on campus.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, several confirmed cases have been reported within the Metro East, including two in Madison County, seven in St. Clair County, three in Clinton County and one in Monroe County, announced Monday.

Across the state line, 37 cases have been reported in the city of St. Louis, according to the city’s website. St. Louis had its first coronavirus-related death on Sunday — a 31-year-old Red Cross employee. According to St. Louis County’s website, the county has had 97 confirmed cases and one death.

The Madison County Health

Department encourages those experiencing symptoms to contact their primary healthcare providers, who will determine whether they should be tested. The department also asks those experiencing a medical emergency who think they may have COVID-19 to notify 911 personnel or their primary healthcare provider so the medical staff can protect themselves.

With testing centers opening across the country, several have opened in southern Illinois. The testing facility currently closest to SIUE’s main campus is located in Swansea, Illinois, in St. Clair County, according to the Belleville News-Democrat.

see CONFUSION on page 3

News in brief Traditional Spring 2020 commencement canceled

Chancellor Randy Pembrook announced the latest development in COVID-19 updates: the Spring 2020 commencement ceremony will be postponed.

According to the email, the university is exploring alternative celebration options.

“We are in the process of reviewing alternative activities to recognize student achievement through virtual online celebrations, individual activities or the possibility of a special August commencement,” Pembrook said in the email.

Pembrook also said opinions from those who graduate in May will be sought. The Alestle will continue to update as more information arises.

Numbers show international scope of coronavirus pandemic JENNIFER GOECKNER managing editor

With information constantly evolving, it may be difficult to track the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the various actions being taken in response to it.

Here are the most recent numbers and responses from the local to international level, as of March 25.

SIUE:

SIUE currently has not reported any cases of students, faculty or staff having COVID-19.

However, there have been several cases reported in the surrounding

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Metro East:

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Illinois:

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois has had 1,535 confirmed cases of coronavirus, resulting in 16 deaths. As of March 24, 11,485 Illinois residents had been tested.

The first confirmed case in Illinois was announced January 24 in Chicago. The first cases outside Chicago and Cook County were reported March 11 in Kane and McHenry counties. Cases have now been reported in counties across the state, according to IDPH. On March 9, Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation see PANDEMIC on page 2

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COVID-19 Internationally:

PANDEMIC I COVER

How responses to the pandemic compare worldwide UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Population 327.167 million

- 63,744 cases & 897 deaths - The government enacted a 15-day period of social distancing and closures of businesses and schools, which is set to end March 30.

- Most preventative measures have been enacted by individual states.

- Scientists believe that measures should be harsher; however, the Trump administration believes these policies would hurt the economy too much.

UNITED KINGDOM

GERMANY

Population 66.488 million

million - 31,554 cases and 149 deaths - Germany barred groups of more than two people from gathering except for families.

- Restaurants are only open for delivery or takeout.

- Citizens are allowed to go out for groceries, work, outdoors exercising or to take care of relatives as long as they maintain social distancing.

- They closed all their schools and daycares and announced that any parents working system-critical jobs would still be able to access childcare.

Population 82.927

- 8,077 cases and 422 deaths - The UK has limited all cafes, bars and restaurants to takeout only.

- They have also closed all schools.

SPAIN

Population 46.723 million

- 47,610 cases and 3,434 deaths - Spain has set up emergency hospitals across the country and is increasing production of masks, ventilators and tests.

- Residents have been ordered to stay indoors except for essential trips.

CHINA

Population 1.393 billion

- 81,218 cases and 3,281 deaths - Wuhan, where the virus was first detected, will soon be lifting its two-month lockdown and gradually resuming public transportation to allow healthy people to go back to work.

- China is screening passengers from incoming flights for the virus; those who are healthy will be allowed to continue to the Beijing Airport.

- The Chinese Ministry of Education stated schools will not reopen until the pandemic is under control.

FRANCE

million - 25,233 cases and 1,331 deaths - France announced a “state of health emergency” on March 22, which included deploying police and military officials to enforce it.

- All schools and universities have been shut down.

- They began a lockdown like other European nations and deployed police and military to enforce it.

- France is also providing funding to businesses forced to close during the lockdown.

Population 66.987

ITALY

Population 60.431 million

- 69,176 cases and 6,820 deaths - Italy imposed a nationwide lockdown from March 9 to April 7 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, but they are currently looking at an extension.

- People are still allowed to leave their homes for groceries and medicine, but other outdoor activities have recently been banned.

- Italy closed all of its schools March 5. Education Minister Lucia Azzolina said they would reopen once there is “certainty of absolute safety.”

IRAN

Population 81.8 million

- 27,017 cases and 2,077 deaths - Iran’s infection rate is currently on the rise, which may be due to an increase in its testing capacity.

- The government has also been accused by Iranian doctors of providing inaccurate numbers to downplay the outbreak.

- Iran banned flights from China; however, a private airline owned by their military continued to fly to and from China between Feb. 4 and Feb. 22.

- The government has temporarily released 85,000 prisoners in an attempt to reduce the risk of the virus spreading through its jails.

Information retrieved from The New York Times and The World Bank, last updated March 25, 2020.

| Summer Bradley / The Alestle

in response to the coronavirus outbreak. This proclamation freed up state and federal resources to coordinate responses to the outbreak. On March 20, Pritzker issued a stay-at-home order, which directed all residents to only leave their homes for essential activities. The order went into effect the following day at 5 p.m. All non-essential businesses were also ordered to cease in-person operations. The order is currently in place until April 7.

United States:

The U.S. has had 54,453 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 737 deaths related to the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All 50 states have reported cases, in addition to the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Illinois currently has the sixth most cases nationwide, following New York, New Jersey, California, Washington, and Michigan, according to the CDC. Several states have enacted measures similar to Pritzker’s stay-athome order. Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin are among the latest states to join this list, according to the New York Times.

On March 13, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency to free up more funding to respond to the coronavirus outbreak. Three days later, Trump announced new guidelines to combat COVID-19, called “15 Days to Slow the Spread.”

These guidelines include encouraging U.S. citizens to work from home if possible, avoid social gatherings of 10 or more people and practice good hygiene.

The CDC has been coordinating efforts to assess the readiness of medical facilities across the U.S. as well as promoting research into the disease. While the CDC has developed a test to diagnose COVID-19, it is also developing a serology test, which would determine if someone was exposed to the virus even if they did not display symptoms.

World:

According to the World Health Organization, there have been 375,498 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, resulting in 16,362 deaths. The number of cases worldwide has been rapidly increasing since the virus was first discovered in December.

So far, 196 countries across the world have at least one confirmed case of the virus, according to WHO. The countries with the most reported cases are Italy and China, where the outbreak originated. The U.S. currently has the third most cases in the world.

WHO is the leading international organization responding to the COVID-19 outbreak.

According to the organization’s website, WHO has shipped personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves, to 68 countries. Additionally, WHO has developed informational guides for the public as well as instructional online courses for responders.

Check the CDC’s website for the most recent information and guidelines. The Alestle will continue to provide local updates about the coronavirus as more information arises.

thursday, 03.26. 20

WIRE: Trump suspends federal student loan payments for 60 days ERIC STIRGUS The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS)

President Donald Trump announced Friday he’s allowing borrowers with federally held student loans to suspend their payments for the next two months as the nation continues to grapple with the economic impact of the coronavirus.

“These are anxious times, particularly for students and families whose educations, careers, and lives have been disrupted,” U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said. “Right now, everyone should be focused on staying safe and healthy, not worrying about their student loan balance growing. I commend President Trump for his quick action on this issue, and I hope it provides meaningful help and peace of mind to those in need.”

The federal government estimates it holds about $1.6 trillion in student loan debt.

To request the forbearance, borrowers should contact their loan service providers online or by phone. DeVos has also authorized an automatic suspension of payments for any borrower more than 31 days delinquent as of March 13, 2020, or who becomes more than 31 days delinquent.

Trump recently announced he would order all interest waived on federal student loans.

The interest relief will reportedly impact 42 million Americans, according to Politico.

CONFUSION I COVER “Prior to this time, [the physics department] made a very conscious decision and said, ‘We don’t think, in our professional judgment, that we can offer the quality of instruction that we would like to offer in an online venue,’” Glassman said.

“This semester, we have no choice.

It’s an event that has happened external to the university. It’s driven this. It’s nobody’s fault, nobody chose to have a virus pandemic.”

Glassman said although emails from administration can be confusing, the most important thing now is for students and faculty to be understanding, as this is a stressful time for everyone involved.

“No matter how annoyed we all get, we will come out of this okay,” Glassman said. “Just, please, wash your hands, everyone.”

For those who have additional questions, many students have received replies when posting on SIUE’s social media pages, such as their Facebook.

GABRIEL BRADY 650-3527 @Gbrady_alestle gbrady@alestlelive.com

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New policies put in place for students remaining on campus DAMIAN MORRIS reporter

While most SIUE residents have moved out of their dorms, the ones who are staying have to adjust to a new way of on-campus living.

According to Director of University Housing Mallory Sidarous, there have been two added policies.

The first change is a new policy on residents having guests over.

“We are restricting guest privileges, which means that residents will not be permitted to have people in their apartment that don’t live in their apartment,” Sidarous said. “The exception to that will be that our family residents can go through a process for child care, because that is a little bit different if a parent needs to have a babysitter.”

The second change is in regard to the residents’ mail policies.

“We have reduced [the] times to be able to pick up mail and packages because the commons will essentially be closed,” Sidarous said.

Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Miriam Roccia said about 350 residents have been approved to stay on campus, and most of them have requested to stay there for the remainder of the semester.

She said of the residents who are allowed to stay, the current Evergreen Hall and Cougar Village residents get to stay where they are, and the former residents of Prairie, Bluff and Woodland halls have had to move to Cougar Village.

However, Roccia said the exception to this are the residents who aren’t staying for the rest of the semester.

“Rather than move them for one day, we allowed them to remain in the residence hall they were in, as long as we had that departure dictate in mind,” Roccia said. “Really, from our standpoint, we have consolidated probably 98 percent of students from their residence halls to Evergreen and Cougar Village at this point, with the majority going to Cougar Village.”

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple said Melissa McEldowney, the associate director of food services, and Dennis Wobbe, the director of dining services, came up with a plan allowing residents to choose to go online and buy a 14-day food supply.

“We kind of knew that this stay-at-home or shelter-in-place directive was going to come, and so we came up with a way for students who are living on campus to, if they wanted to, purchase a 14day supply of food,” Waple said.

He said this option is only available to residents staying on campus for the remainder of the semester.

This food package cost $125 for the regular package, and $100 for the vegetarian package. The residents are able to use their meal plan, Cougar Bucks, cash or credit to pay for this.

Roccia said there have been two emails sent out to residents informing them of this kit.

She said, as of Sunday, March 22, Dining Services had a little over 50 takers for this plan as

A lone student, one of about 350 continuing to live in University Housing, uses an open laundry room on campus. | Dominick Oranika / The Alestle

some residents had already been purchasing their own groceries.

“Not all of our students in Cougar Village utilize a meal plan necessarily, so for some of them, they’re very used to grocery shopping. So I would imagine they would not have that need because at this point they’ve received that message twice,” Roccia said.

Waple said they have a backup plan in place in case some residents need food for more than the 14 days: they’ve moved some extra non-perishable food to Eddie’s Kitchen just in case the residents needed more food.

“If we get past 14 days and people still need some things, we’ll provide them,” Waple said.

According to Waple, Cougar Cupboard is providing food to local students who had been using the pantry.

“The Cougar Cupboard, last week, created around 125 boxes for students who use our food pantry, who are also living in the area without the chance to live on campus,” Waple said.

ITS, ACCESS provide resources to help students who may struggle online JOHN MCGOWAN reporter

With formerly in-person courses being suddenly transitioned to online formats, students who once thrived at SIUE are now at risk of falling behind. Multiple entities on campus are working to make sure that doesn’t happen, namely ITS and ACCESS. Chicago recently closed most of their public libraries in an attempt to enforce social distancing.

With the closing of SIUE’s Lovejoy Library and the threat of losing other local libraries, many students without personal computers may be unable to do their work.

Information Technology Services is ensuring students who are without computer access can still complete their coursework. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple said the team is providing iPads to help accomplish this goal.

“They do have iPads for students to check out if they do not have their own laptop …

Even on a mobile device, it’s still hard to do work,” Waple said.

According to Associate Director for ITS Mathew Schmitz, there are a limited number of iPads and they are only available on a case-by-case basis.

In response to this lack of resources, Schmitz said ITS is also working on providing resources to faculty so

they can work together just as well as they could on campus.

“There’s a lot of resources they have that the kind of collaboration and communication they would do inside the office physically can also be done online using the tools we have,” Schmitz said.

The team has set up websites for educators, university staff and students that include resources and tips for making the transition to fully-online courses.

Another group of students experiencing unique challenges in the face of online schooling are students served by the Office for Accessible Campus Community and Equitable Student Support.

Director of ACCESS Dominic Dorsey said students will still be able to get everything they usually get from the office despite the transition.

“The good thing is all of the resources we have always provided … will still be able to be provided remotely … We’re still able to provide all of those same resources as well as remain in constant contact with both faculty and students who use those resources,” Dorsey said.

Some of the main resources ACCESS ensures are extensions on exams and assignments and alternative format materials for textbooks.

One group of ACCESS students who may face more challenges compared to others while

transitioning online are deaf and blind students. Dorsey said measures are being taken to ensure all materials in online classes are easily consumable for these students.

“The [Office of the Provost] has issued a notice to all of the faculty in conjunction with ACCESS … to make sure that when they are posting videos, they’re captioned, [and] to make sure that when they’re posting any kinds of documents, that they are PDFs,” Dorsey said.

There are many classes that won’t transition easily into an online form. Waple said students in majors like visual arts will get clarification soon on how their classes will be made to work through the end of the semester.

“Before April 10, 14, somewhere in that timeframe, there will be communication out to students who are in the visual arts or the labs to say how we’re going to make that happen before the end of the term,” Waple said.

Dorsey said for students to succeed online they first need to be aware of their own personal educational needs.

“You really have to get in a mindset of what do you need to be most successful in this environment and try to cultivate those other areas or those other accoutrements around you,” Dorsey said.

Students who need assistance can email ITS at help@siue.edu or ACCESS at myaccess@siue.edu.

During the week of March 16, 100 of the boxes were delivered to students, according to Waple.

Roccia said she appreciates the patience of the residents and families during this period.

“We are really appreciative of the patience that our University Housing [residents] and their families have exhibited during this time,” Roccia said. “This is really an unprecedented time in history and time here for us at SIUE. This isn’t our normal operation, and so I think it is as difficult for us as faculty and staff to lose that ongoing connection with students.”

Roccia said faculty and staff are doing everything in their power to make sure all the residents staying are taken care of.

“For the students who remain with us, we are committed to making sure that they are safe and that they are well, and we’re able to serve them to the greatest extent possible,” Roccia said.

For more information, visit the SIUE Housing and Dining Services pages on SIUE’s website.

03.13.20 At the Helen Davis Head Start Center in East St. Louis, Illinois, an officer took a report of a possible child abuse case. The investigation is pending.

At the East St. Louis Campus, SIUE Police responded to the DMV office in Building A after a worker asked a customer to leave and they refused. The officer escorted the individual to her vehicle without incident.

03.16.20 An officer took a report of a male subject entering a resident’s room in Bluff Hall without permission.

03.17.20 An officer responded to the Evergreen Hall parking lot after receiving a report of a man approaching a woman and asking questions. The caller said the man had left the area, and the officer was unable to locate him.

03.20.20 In Bluff Hall, SIUE Police took a report of a smoke detector being tampered with and covered. They are continuing to investigate the matter.

READ NEXT WEEK ABOUT MAINTAINING DAILY ROUTINES page 4

lifestyles

contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 03.26.20

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Staying connected with friends and family while

S O C I A L D I S TA N C I N G ISOBEL ABBOTT-DETHROW reporter JORDYN NIMMER lifestyles editor In light of the recent stay-at-home order placed on the citizens of Illinois, new challenges regarding social connection and interaction are affecting students and faculty of universities.

Both students and faculty must adjust their expectations for one another during this difficult time.

For many, the new online format for classrooms presents a wide-range of challenges that were largely unforeseen during the implementation of the stay-at-home order.

Having a functioning campus with an abundant social atmosphere is one of the most essential aspects of maintaining an active university culture.

Beyond the social climate of the university, there are many classes which require face-to-face interaction. In many cases, face-to-face interaction among students and faculty is the most efficient method of instruction.

Discussion-based classes rely on the voices of students and their teachers coming together for lively debate and conversation. Art studios help students hone their craft, with the guidance of professors and lab assistants.

Science labs provide visual learning for students, showing examples of how our universe works.

Being cooped up at home and sitting at a computer on Zoom or Blackboard with classmates does not offer the same feeling as an engaging and enriching classroom environment. However, this is the predicament students at SIUE and other universities across the country are facing.

However, dire circumstances call for dire measures to be taken. Without much of a choice, both students and faculty must adjust to the changes in classroom structure and operation. The transition to online school-

ing has been complicated for many professors, several unaware of how to use online platforms like Zoom for lectures.

With the social atmosphere being drastically changed by Illinois’ stay-athome order, students are forced to discover new ways to connect with one another socially.

Senior art education major Mallory Bugg, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, is finding a way to balance work while maintaining social distance from their friends.

“Meeting people in person now is something that I can’t really do anymore,” Bugg said.

“Even something as easy as getting a cup of coffee can’t be done. I still see my work friends at Target, which I sometimes feel bad about because of what we’re supposed to be doing. The hardest part is not seeing the people I would normally see in person.”

Junior environmental science major Maya Sante, of Edwardsville, has noticed a lack of interaction between friends during this difficult readjustment period.

“I’ve done a lot more FaceTiming than I have before and less people have reached out,” Sante said.

“I think we’re all trying to figure ourselves out.

I’m FaceTiming the same people cons i s t e n t l y, but I’ve also heard from people a lot less.”

S e nior psychology major Brian Lowe, of Edwardsville, a self-described extrovert, used to have a significant part of his student life revolve around seeing his friends constantly, but now he can’t.

“I made a habit of surrounding myself

with people, socializing, hanging out with friends all the time,” Lowe said. “I used to go to my friends’ apartment [in Cougar Village] at least every Tuesday and Thursday, sometimes on weekends, too. Now, it’s a lot of my girlfriend and I spending time together, trying to avoid going out. The decrease in face-to-face interaction is the biggest thing.”

With classes all online, it can be easy for students to fall behind in routine and take care of themselves, especially when everyone is ordered to stay indoors unless for necessary trips.

Bugg, Sante and Lowe all had tips for fellow students who may be struggling with social distancing and quarantine regulations, especially with the new use of Zoom and Blackboard to keep up to date on schoolwork.

“Try and stay motivated,” Bugg said.

“Reach o u t to

brought the positive aspects of social media to light.

“Now is the perfect time to flex its good side,” Lowe said. “Social media is a double-edged sword and a lot of people, for good reason, have targeted the negatives. In the midst of social distancing, we can express socializing while being distant and things being quite close.”

If you feel low during social distancing, go to SIUE’s Counseling Services’ homepage for resources.

your professors; they all respond very quickly.

They want to help us; they are just as confused as we are. Keep in communication and go outside. If you’re stuck at home, go outside for a little bit everyday. It will help.”

Sante said she has rearranged her whole apartment to pass time.

“I’m trying to do busy chore work,” Sante said. “I’m also watching new movies. I can’t stand to be bored. For online classes, definitely go to Zoom office hours and stay more on top of your emails. The professors are in the same boat as us. Don’t isolate yourself; your professors are more understanding than you think they are.”

Lowe said social distancing has

C U T E vs. RAGE: two vastly different video games for thursday, 03.26.20

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however you cope with frustrations of social distancing ‘Animal Crossing’ provides joyous, new horizons for game players

Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released March 20: just in time for the stay-at-home order. | Photo courtesy of Bago Games

JOHN MCGOWAN reporter Before Spring Break started, I was somewhat excited for “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” to release.

Now that the rest of the

school year has been moved entirely online, I don’t know what I would do without this game.

“Animal Crossing” is a video game series produced by Nintendo about moving to a new town and making it your home.

After the player arrives, they get to make friends with the vil-

lagers of the town, decorate their homes and yards, buy and design clothes, catch bugs and fish and more. “New Horizons” is the newest game, adding the twist of deserted island life and bringing the series to the Nintendo Switch.

Today when I was playing, I held a party with my villager

friends to celebrate the opening of a new shop on our island.

Under normal circumstances, I might have thought, “Why don’t I just go hang out with my actual friends instead of my virtual animal friends?” This shows the value this game has right now.

Don’t get me wrong — I’d probably adore this game whether or not the world was facing a pandemic the likes of which no one has seen for decades.

The steady progression the game offers as you work your way from a tent to a furnished home and invite more and more villagers to live on your island is so satisfying.

It manages to make something like catching bugs with a net something to be excited about, simply because the player can sell them to buy cool clothes.

However, the game is so much more appreciated now by the quarantine we’re all in. I personally haven’t seen any of my friends in days, and beyond that, this virus has made everyone nervous, unsure and scared.

A game like “Animal Crossing” serves as the perfect distraction from, and replacement for, real life right now.

The game moves in real time, as in, when the sun is out in real life, it’s daytime in the game,

and the same for nighttime. The game also moves through the seasons throughout the year.

These features serve to let players fully forget about the upsetting world they live in now and immerse themselves in their islands.

When I would be shopping in the daytime, I can shop in the game, and when I would be with my friends at night, I can sit around the campfire with my villagers in the game as well.

The game isn’t without faults though. It’s clearly made for one person. The limit is one island per console, so when my brother tried to start his own island, he was plopped right into mine.

It’s my island, so all major progression can only occur when I’m playing. If he wants to open a shop or invite someone to live there, he can’t.

The game’s multiplayer is also lacking. What should be two players both having fun instead becomes one player being forced to follow the other around with limited abilities and actions.

Don’t let that discourage you though. This game is perfect for any quarantined person who is looking to get back to their normal life of working, hanging out with friends and paying off their home loans.

‘Doom Eternal’ lets players express their rage in glorious carnage MORGAN JACKSON reporter After the success of “Doom” in 2016, id Software had a lot to live up to with “Doom Eternal.” Luckily, they came back in a raging glory with a sequel that expands on its predecessor in almost every way.

In “Doom Eternal,’’ the sequel to id Software’s 2016 game “Doom,” players get to rip and tear through hordes of demons as the almighty Doom Slayer, a perfect way to release any anger over the impact of a worldwide pandemic.

While I played on PC, the game is also available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Google Stadia.

“Doom Eternal” places the player in a version of Earth that has been overtaken by a demonic invasion, and the player is the last thing left to stop the impending doom as demons threaten to wipe out humanity and bring about judgment day.

Following the events of the 2016 game, which saw the player repel a demonic invasion of Mars, Earth is the new target of the forces of Hell in “Doom Eternal,” with the majority of Earth already taken over when the game starts.

As the Doom Slayer, you must take out the three Hell priests controlling the armies of Hell to free Earth.

Fans of the series, which began with 1993’s genre-defin-

ing “Doom,” will know the series usually features players tearing apart demons with a wide collection of weaponry. “Eternal” does not disappoint, skipping the pistol from the previous game, and instead sending the player in with the familiar combat shotgun in the first moments of game play.

The game maintains the fast-paced first-person shooter game play of previous games in the series, with some changes to the controls since 2016. These controls can take some time to adjust to, but I eventually found them easier to use, such as the chainsaw now only requiring one button to use rather than one to equip, then one to use.

Some of the most obvious changes for game play are the increased movement options. The 2016 game had a double jump that the player unlocked about halfway through the game, but this is now available from the start, along with a dash ability that propels the player forward.

These are accompanied by climbable walls and bars the player can swing from to fly through the air in levels that give players plenty of space to move around.

I found the spacious plazas of Earth’s fallen cities very enjoyable with the new movement features.

Despite these new movement options, the creators teach players that what can be given can be taken away, with purple goo that prevents jumping in certain areas leading to a vastly different style of combat. Level design features such as this keep

the game feeling fresh and varied throughout, and force players to find new solutions to problems.

Ammunition is much more rare than in the previous game, with players now forced to get up close and personal, using their chainsaws which make demons split open and spew a colorful explosion of ammo.

Some changes are less positive, but overall minor, such as

adding small cut scenes within levels to show players where they should go, but also breaking the sense of immersion that comes from being locked into the main character’s perspective.

The game does feature a multiplayer mode where one player plays as the Doom Slayer against two others playing as demons, and while this mode is fun, it was clearly made as an ex-

tra rather than the main feature.

I was at first concerned when the game was delayed from its original November 2019 release date, but those worries went away once I started playing.

While the game isn’t perfect, it’s the most fun I have had from a modern first-person shooter game in some time, and it will definitely continue to keep me busy while social distancing.

Doom Eternal features demons which can be fought by players in the video game. | Photo courtesy of Instacodez

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Teachers, leave them kids alone: A plea for pandemic patience THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board

The measures taken against the spread of COVID-19 have ensured Spring 2020 will be unlike any other semester — not just for SIUE, but for most schools in the U.S. While students normally have a general idea of what they’re getting into based on the course descriptions and syllabi, the massive shifts in our surroundings have left many of us scrambling to understand what is now expected of us. As students, we ask that instructors be as understanding and accommodating as possible while this continues.

Within the past few weeks, many students have been forced to leave their on-campus housing, dining options that accept their meal plans have closed, student workers have been unable to return to their jobs, extra-curricular activities have been canceled, many resources have been made unavailable and nearly all ongoing courses have been made online-only — and that’s just on

campus. It would be difficult to overstate the impact this has had on college life as we knew it.

We still need to do our best to keep up with the classes we have invested in, even if we wouldn’t have signed up for the same courses if we knew they would be online. However, some students will have an easier time doing this than others.

Instructors who have recently switched curriculums from faceto-face courses to online formats on short notice have a lot on their plates as well. Many of them have not been trained to teach online courses and are not familiar with the software they’re expected to use. It can become very difficult for them to tell the difference between students who are overwhelmed and those who are trying to blow off classes entirely.

However, they need to be mindful of the many difficulties students are facing right now, and how this may impact their performances.

Since this change impacts every student, we ask instructors to be understanding of every student, and to put less emphasis on meet-

ing deadlines and more on helping students get to a place where they have the resources to get assignments done in the first place.

According to an email sent on March 14 by administration, deadlines for on-campus courses were to be postponed following the move to online environments while the instructors adapted their materials.

“They will use March 16-22 to accomplish this goal. For these courses, assignments and due dates that were originally scheduled for next week will be rescheduled,” the email said.

Despite this, many instructors have maintained their original schedules of assignments, forcing students to meet established deadlines regardless. The conflicting messages from figures of authority are sure to have led to confusion among students, and it is unfair to make their grades suffer as a result of miscommunications among faculty.

For students who need special accommodations, the ACCESS office is now available online, and we encourage you to register if

you qualify. However, instructors always have a level of discretion over the grades students receive.

We want to remind them they aren’t teaching students under normal circumstances. Instead, they have students who are confused, isolated and doing their best to work within a framework they could not have anticipated.

Many of us are wondering how we will afford rent due to the forced closure of many jobs, whether basic utilities will be available to us, when we will get to see our friends and loved ones or whether we are going to get very sick in the near future — we have a lot more weighing on us now than we have under normal circumstances, so it’s only reasonable that the expectations normally put on us change as well.

Everyone in our community is under a lot of stress, but students do not have the same power to alleviate this stress for others that teachers have. By giving students some extra leeway right now, instructors can provide a certain degree of relief in a time when many are feeling overwhelmed.

Letter to the editor: Lambs to the slaughter – the dangers of poorly understood socialist idealism SOFIA TRAVISE sophomore computer science major

The idealistic goal of actualizing a more equitable society based upon the economic ideas of Karl Marx has always been considered to be a noble pursuit, and while I agree with Brooke Hill that there is a widespread misunderstanding of the theory of communism– perhaps the last vestiges of Red Scare propaganda, which can be detrimental to any healthy progressive political discussion– I very much disagree with [Hill’s] sentiment that “communism is a really cool idea and we should try to make it happen.”

The reality of what campus communists most often neglect to address is that the perilous path to a communist society is historically

well-trodden and paved with violent revolution. Of course, there are reformists like social Democrats who reject revolutionary socialism. However, oftentimes these ideas are antiquated in our modern society and incapable of toppling the hierarchical systems of power propped up by pro-capitalist governments. Only through direct action can any sort of meaningful implementation of socialism be brought into reality – as Mao Zedong once said, “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”

Additionally, the argument of “but that’s not real communism” is highly tiresome. According to many Marxist doctrines, the state is a necessary tool of the proletariat to achieve a communist society; however, it is often the state which is the largest antagonist to

the “real communism,” being that the state is intrinsically opposed to libertarian socialism. For example, in Chinese Marxist thought, the use of the “socialist market economy” was supposed to be a transitionary period for the country that would have encouraged economic growth, which was required before a more idealistic form of socialism could be achieved. However, this resulted in just another form of state capitalism and statist oppression. China wasn’t free in 1949, it wasn’t free in 1989, and it sure isn’t free now.

Our society and government, as a concept of human creation, is subject to the same level of inherent corruptibility that constitutes human nature. As a result, the goal of a utopia is always rewarding in thought, but the delicate balance that those utopias are built upon is

easy to be disfigured. I, like many others who have experienced living in a socialist state, have seen how the well-intentioned were led astray and the devastating results of those systems of government.

As a society, we should continue to strive towards those utopian goals, but we shouldn’t forget that the process to achieve them is messy, and we need to evaluate whether we are willing to commit to that level of sacrifice. Sure, perhaps we liberate ourselves from the chains of capitalist oppression, but are we just trading one set of chains for another? Like lambs to the slaughter, an ignorant society indoctrinated with poorly understood idealistic Marxist theories — being led down the path to communism will result in our own enslavement of a much worse kind.

contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 03.26.20

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Gym closings lead students to at-home workouts MATT BARTLES reporter

In the midst of constant email updates, it seemed the Student Fitness Center would remain an option for students who wanted to sweat through the pandemic storm. That is no longer the case.

This was a difficult decision that many gyms were forced to make, but Dave Hagedorn, the assistant director of the Fitness Center, made sure that he and his staff were prepared for such an event.

“Much of our staff have already been working non-traditional schedules in an effort to keep pace with the constantly evolving situation that we are in, so that we can provide the best care and support possible to our SIUE students and the patrons of the Student Fitness Center,” Hagedorn said.

The Student Fitness Center is a place where students and staff could come in and get their exercise, but it also served as a place of work for others. Reese Ramirez is a graduate assistant working as an athletic trainer, but with the Fitness Center shut down, she has had to adjust her therapy sessions for athletes.

“I was meeting with athletes before athletics had been canceled,” Ramirez said. “I got in contact with them and I made a rehab plan for them to do at home. Nothing too crazy, just more maintenance stuff to make them feel good.”

Life seemed to pause and change drastically when COVID-19 began transmitting in communities across the United States. At SIUE, students are unsure of their future academic plans, particularly senior athletes.

On March 12, the Ohio Valley Conference suspended all athletic activities, including competitions and formal practices, putting senior athletes’ careers on hold across the United States, including SIUE. By the time the OVC announced this suspension, SIUE track, wrestling, and baseball were deep into their respective seasons, and coaches and faculty became swamped with meetings about the ongoing pandemic.

Now senior athletes and coaches are uncertain if seniors will get another chance to play as Cougars.

SIUE senior track athlete thrower Catherine Jakich said there was no warning given

OVC travel ban impacts recruitment MATT BARTLES reporter

Students and faculty engage in a core-focused class at the Student Fitness Center, however, such classes have been brought to a halt with the campus closings. / Alestle File Photo

Ramirez has managed to use the lack of hours to focus on her schooling, saying that it gives her more time to do homework and study, while still checking in on her athletes.

With the Fitness Center and all other gyms also closed as well, many students feel they are left without any way to complete their workout routines. But there are creative ways to exercise without a gym or weight room.

Carie Terry is the owner of E’ville Fitness. She has helped people try to workout by them-

selves in their homes.

“There’s so many things you can do at home. If you do have access to light weights, or even a milk jug, just lifting that and doing front arm raises, side arm raises. Go to your wall and do wall squats. Jumping jacks, ab exercises, you have to get creative,” Terry said. “If you don’t feel creative, just get on social media.

Everything is posted on there.”

Any form of exercise, a few times a week, will help put your mind at ease, according to Terry.

Whether it be lifting any house-

hold object, or running around the neighborhood, there is always a way to get a workout.

Examples of workouts that can be done at home can be found at www.outsideonline.com. For more information about E’ville Fitness and their workouts, follow them at Eville Fitness on Instagram and Facebook, or go to www.evillefitness.com.

MATT BARTLES

650-3527 @Matt_Alestle mbartles@alestlelive.com

OVC suspension of athletics leaves senior athletes questioning if they will see another year of playing time ISOBEL ABBOTT-DETHROW reporter

page 7

alestlelive.com

before the OVC officially an- Goecks and utility player Justin nounced the suspension.

Perkins thought their college ca“They just kept releasing reers were over, along with their statements [athletic activities] fellow senior teammates. would be suspended until further “For the baseball players, it notice,” Jakich said. sucks because it’s pretty much Like many SIUE senior ath- the end of their career,” Perkins letes, Jakich doesn’t know how said. “It’s a hard time because we she is missed going out on “We’re just kind of in to finish threelimbo. We’re hoping for the her acfourths ademic our opportunity to compete again. of c a r e e r, season. in addiThis is not the way you want to W e ’ r e tion to having end your collegiate career. her caa hard reer as t i m e CATHERINE JAKICH an athp r o senior track thrower lete. cessing it.”

“We’re just kind of in limHowever, hopeful news has bo,” Jakich said. “We’re hoping emerged since the OVC’s initial for the opportunity to compete announcement. According to a again. This is not the way you report from NPR on March 20, want to end your collegiate ca- the NCAA is discussing giving reer.” senior Division I athletes another SIUE baseball was also hit year of eligibility. extremely hard by the news of “I’m excited and looking the OVC’s sudden suspension. forward to being able to play Baseball seniors infielder Aaron more,” Goecks said.

According to Perkins, the eligibility process is more complex.

“There’s a lot more that goes into it, such as scholarship money and roster spots; there’s a lot of details in the making yet.”

In the OVC’s suspension announcement, the conference called for the cancellation of all “formal” practices, leaving ambiguity between formal and informal sports practice. However, according to Goecks and Perkins, there are no practices happening in general.

“There is nothing going on right now,” Goecks said. “With the quarantine and social distancing, we are not practicing at all.

But, I know probably all of us are going to be given work whenever we can. Or, we’ll be hitting on our own at some point.”

The Alestle will continue to provide updates as more OVC and NCAA news arises.

ISOBEL ABBOTT-DETHROW

650-3527 @Isobel_Alestle iabbottdethrow@alestlelive. com

SIUE’s recruiting processes will be more challenging for the coaches now that the Ohio Valley Conference has enforced a travel ban due to the pandemic.

The OVC has canceled its season, with more conferences following suit.

“You have to trust the people that are in the trenches, those doctors and healthcare professionals. I think it’s the right thing to do and it’s the tough thing to do,” Athletic Director Tim Hall said.

While some sports were in season or beginning their seasons, like softball and volleyball, SIUE’s basketball program was in the middle of their offseason, which marks the peak of the recruitment season.

Basketball head coach Brian Barone’s normal recruiting style includes communicating through text messages and going to see players in state tournaments, practices and workouts, ultimately leading up to an on-campus tour of the facility.

“You either go see kids right now or you’ll have kids come to campus,” Barone said. “At the end of the year, their season is done, our season is done, let’s meet mid-April or the end of March, and we will do official visits.”

With the travel system suspended, every sport has had to adapt their recruitment processes. Barone was in the middle of a recruitment trip when he heard that the Ohio Valley Conference had suspended any and all athletic functions until further notice.

For the time being, these coaches will have to rely primarily on FaceTime and Skype calls to win over recruits, and that poses some problems, according to Barone. Without the benefit of seeing someone in person, the coaches can’t always be sure that they are the right fit for the program.

“You want to sit down with somebody, look them in the eye, interact with them and get a feel for who they are. That‘s why the official visits and home visits are so vital,” Barone said.

The look of a campus can make or break a recruit, according to Barone. For senior Abby Marlow, who plays third base on SIUE’s softball team, visiting campus and meeting future teammates was what won her over.

“For me it was once I got to see the campus, the facilities they had were outstanding. The culture and the atmosphere once I met the players really hooked me,” Marlow said.

The Alestle will continue to update as further OVC decisions arise.

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