The Alestle Vol. 75 No. 1 by The Alestle

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Resources available to SIUE students you should know PAGE 2

Being green shouldn’t fall on consumers PAGE 6

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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

the student voice since 1960

Guide to Edwardsville activist organizations

Thursday, August 26, 2021 Vol. 75 No. 1

| Kirsten O’Loughlin / The Alestle ALEX AULTMAN editor-in-chief

SIUE’s Mensi Project will no longer have to rely on donations due to a bill signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker on August 5 requiring public colleges and universities to provide free period products in all campus restrooms. House Bill 641 is effective immediately and SIUE plans to fulfill it through the infrastructure created by the Mensi Project, which already has bags and baskets in women’s restrooms across campus. English and women’s studies instructor Christy Ferguson created the Mensi Project after hearing students concerned over period products only being available in first floor restrooms. She said the bill will only lead to a few changes to the project. “The Mensi Project will pretty much stay the same except we will actually receive products rather than having to ask for donations,” Ferguson said. “So that means that when I have student groups that can help, instead of them doing a donation drive, they’ll take what I have, and they’ll just go out and fill the bags. It also means that we are going to have bags in every single bathroom.” After discussion with the GayStraight Alliance and transgender students a nd faculty members, the Mensi Project will be placing bags of period products in the men’s restrooms, includ-

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ing signage Ferguson designed to be more dent Government and one of many who inclusive. have praised the bill. She said she is thrilled “[I wanted to make] sure people un- and it has taken care of one of the initiaderstand the reasoning for the project and tives she ran on. that this is a human bodily function,” Fer“I love this bill that passed because guson said. “It’s one of my initianot something that tives whenever I is just for women, was running for and that even not president was to all women men— we have the struate ... That mensi project has nothing to do that was here on with our bathroom campus that was choice.” completely doFerguson said nation based,” she understa nds O’Dell said. “So s ome concer n s I wanted to use about potena portion of my t ia l vandalism of budget to fund bags in the men’s that so that it restrooms and it wasn’t relying on will be handled if it other students’ happens. donations, but “I think that t h a t ’s t a k e n put t i ng sig nage care of because that is the same in there’s no need both bathrooms anymore.” is important. And Senior soI’m hoping that ciolog y major the way that it is Julia Goren of worded, that will H ig h R idge , kind of skew some Missouri, said of the fear of the CHRISTY FERGUSON she hopes this attacks on the proj- English and women’s studies instructor will lead to exect,” Ferguson said. pa nsion into “And if it happens, providing period we will face it, and we will handle it, and products to the local community. we will repost and if it becomes a prob“This also means that, like those dolem, then it will be something that will be nations that were going to the Mensi Projaddressed. It won’t be something that is ect, they don’t have to stop because they ignored. I promise that.” can expand and bring them elsewhere,” Junior psychology and elementary ed- Goren said. “But also, we can continue to ucation manager Hailee O’Dell of Glen support Support The Girls as well, because Carbon, Illinois, is the president of Stu- they take that stuff and go out into the

“The problem is that those who don’t menstruate don’t understand ... that everybody’s body is different, not everybody has the ability to get what they need when they need it. And if you think that a period emergency is not an emergency, then you’ve certainly never lived my life.

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community, like the metro St. Louis area.” HB 641 was signed on campus along with two other bills. HB 155 requires the state to apply for a waiver from the federal government to allow recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children to use their benefits to pay for period products and diapers. HB 310 requires all homeless shelters that provide temporary housing assistance to also provide free period products if they have the budget for it. Ferguson said the bills still use gendered language and don’t address access to hygiene stations and many shelters will not have the funding for period products. “I worked with the homeless population in St. Louis before and it’s not just about having the products on hand. It’s also about having somewhere where they can clean themselves up, about having a hygiene facility ready and available for them that is clean and prepared to do those kinds of things,” Ferguson said. “Also, these products are really expensive, and homeless shelters are often already strapped for funding.” Ferguson said a lack of understanding of menstruation is another issue. “The problem is that those who don’t menstruate don’t understand ... that everybody’s body is different, not everybody has the ability to get what they need when they need it,” Ferguson said. “And if you think that a period emergency is not an emergency, then you’ve certainly never lived my life.” Those interested in getting involved with the Mensi Project, including distributing period products to the men’s restrooms, can contact Ferguson at chrferg@siue.edu.

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BY THE NUMBERS

200 150 125

(from tests conducted by SIUE and self-reporting):

100

August 13 - 19: 10 students, 1 faculty/staff

75 50

August 6 - 12: 7 students, 2 faculty/staff

14-day new positive tests: 17 students, 3 faculty/staff Total positive cases: 17 students, 3 faculty/staff

Tests conducted by SIUE August 13 - 19: 760 August 6 - 12: 415

14-day new tests conducted: 1,175 Total tests conducted: 1,175

All totals are being reset for the Fall 2021 semester.

Positive cases identified by SIUE testing: August 13 - 19: 11 August 6 - 12: 6

14-day new positive cases: 17

25 AUGUST

Source: Madison County Health Department COVID-19 Dashboard under the Cases by Day tab as of August 22.

Percentage of isolation/quarantine space available on campus (as of Aug. 22): 79 percent Source: Health, Reporting, and Testing page on SIUE’s COVID-19 website, as of August 22.

COVID-19’S impact on Madison County All of Illinois’ regions remain under Phase 5, which went into effect June 11. All sectors of the economy reopen with new health and hygiene practices permanently in place: • •

Total: 17

All totals are being reset for the Fall 2021 semester.

In order to get the most out of the SIUE experience, it’s important to know some of the university’s administrators and student representatives. Here is a brief description of each position:

175

New confirmed positive cases

All totals are being reset for the Fall 2021 semester.

WHO TO KNOW

Madison County confirmed cases by day

225

COVID-19 at SIUE

Thursday, 08.26.21

•

Large gatherings of all sizes can resume. All sectors of the economy reopen with businesses, schools, and recreation resuming normal operations with new safety guidance and procedures. Conventions, festivals, and large events can take place. Source:

dph.illinois.gov

| Kirsten O’Loughlin / The Alestle

08.06.21 Officer responded to a report of a male subject yelling at patrons and throwing chairs. Officer advised there was damage inside the building and that the subject was not allowed on campus. Subject was arrested for Criminal Damage to State Supported Property and Criminal Trespass to State Supported land. Subject was transported to the Madison County Jail and placed on a felony hold.

08.13.21 Monroe County Sheriff’s Office advised they picked up a subject on an SIUE warrant. Subject was arrested on an SIUE Warrant for Failure to Appear – Aggravated DUI. Subject posted bond of $50,000 at the MCSO and was released with a court date.

08.14.21 Officer assisted Edwardsville PD with crowd control on a loud noise complaint. Vehicle search was conducted during traffic stop and drug paraphernalia was found and later destroyed at the SIUE Police Department. Warning also issued for Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

08.18.21 Officer advised there were several subjects around a vehicle that was parked in the parking lot. Officer advised on arrival, all the subjects left in a different vehicle. Nothing further at this time.

08.19.21 Officer took an informational report regarding a staff/student incident. Officer responded to a call regarding the smell of gas. Officer advised a student left the gas valve on in the science lab. Building Engineer advised the building was safe to remain in.

On-Campus resources SIUE students need to know about DAMIAN MORRIS managing editor

In addition to the ability to attend classes at SIUE, student tuition also goes toward various other resources available on campus. Here is a brief rundown of a few of the many serves available to SIUE students.

Counseling Services Counseling Services offers students short-term assistance for those with personal, developmental and academic concerns. They provide these services through a model of care that consist of bi-weekly or weekly, 50-minute sessions focused on a specific goal. However, if during their initial assessment they determine a student would be better served through long-term care in the community, they will support them in a successful referral to an off-campus provider. To make an appointment, call them at 618-650-2842 or go to their office at the Student Success Center in Room 0222.

Health Service Health Service offers a wide range of services to students. These include clinical care, prescription pickups, gynecological healthcare, lab work and viral testing. For students who wish to use these resources, international students must provide proof of insurance and all other students, while not required, are encouraged to have insurance to avoid additional costs. Insurance can be offered through the school if necessary as well. To make an appointment, call them at 618-650-2842 or go to their office at the Student Success Center in Room 0222.

Career Development Center The Career Development Center assists students in making the most of their education and preparing for a successful career after graduation. One of the services they offer are career counselors, who will meet with student one-on-one to help them in choosing a major, writing a resumé, finding an internship/co-op, searching for full-time positions, preparing for interviews, researching graduate schools or building

professional skills such as networking and social media. They also offer online career assessments such as TruTalent Personality, which helps students to better understand themselves and their natural talents and TruTalent Intelligences, which helps students recognize their multiple forms of intelligence. To make an appointment or learn more about their online assessments, call them at 618-650-3708 or visit their office at the Student Success Center in Room 0281.

Madison County Transit Madison County Transit is a regional bus service that helps to connect student with the surrounding area as well as transport them across campus. The MCT buses on campus consist of Bus 17, which transports students between Peck Hall, Cougar Village, Early Childhood Center, the apartments in Esic and the Edwardsville Station, Bus 16 that connects the Edwardsville Station with the Highway 159 shopping centers and Bus 16X that connects the Edwardsville Station with downtown St. Louis and the Metrolink train station. Bus 17 provide students free transport between Peck Hall and Cougar Village every 10 minutes, but all other services require students to purchase a bus pass from the Welcome Center at Morris University Center.

Writing Center SIUE’s Writing Center is designed to help students work on specific parts of a paper they are struggling with during their writing process. They offer sessions limited to 30 minutes in-person and online as well as asynchronous help via email. However, they will not assist a student in editing, proofreading or evaluating their paper against their course’s rubric and students can only participate in one session per day and two per week. To make an appointment, email them at wcenter@siue.edu or set up an appointment online at siue.mywconline.com/register.php.

All “WHO TO KNOW” photos courtesy of University Marketing and Communications.

Randy Pembrook Chancellor

Pembrook is SIUE’s ninth chancellor and is head of the university’s leadership chain. He has been serving the university si nce 2016. The Office of the Chancellor writes an annual report that covers each school, department and goal of the university such as community engagement and student enrollment and retention.

Denise Cobb

Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs A s provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, C obb serves as chief academic officer for the university a nd work s with her department to g u id e c u r riculum changes, policy development and review and other academic related matters. They accomplish this through collaboration with the academic deans, faculty, and staff as well as the Southern Illinois University President’s Office, Board of Trustees and the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Morris Taylor

Vice Chancellor for Administration The office of the vice chancellor for administration takes care of support functions t hat keep all three c a mpu ses running. These include Un iversit y Person nel Services, the Budget Director, the Controller, the Office of Information Technology, Safety and Security, Plant and Purchasing Administration and Facilities Development and Planning.

Jeffrey Waple

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs T he of f ice of the vice chancellor for st udent affairs serves as the primar y advocate for st udent s and their concerns. T he office is responsible for administering the Student Code of Conduct and assisting students in resolving conflicts with University offices. They also provide a wide range of student resources such as the Career Development Center.

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Thursday, 08.26.21

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SDM’S new Advanced Care Clinic offers new opportunities GABRIEL BRADY lifestyles editor

The SIUE School of Dental Medicine’s construction project finished up earlier this month, and the next day, the SDM began offering services in the building, which includes on-campus dental surgeries. Dean of the School of Dental Medicine Bruce Rotter said the building was opened officially a few weeks ago, and since the building is something the Alton campus has been waiting for for a long time, operations began in the building immediately after. “We dedicated the building on August 9, and we began patient care the very next day. It’s up and functional, and we still have a few things to do with it, finishing touches, if you will,” Rotter said. “But the clinic is functioning and it seems to be going well, and the patients that have been seen since then seem to be very happy with it. It fulfilled a need we have.” According to Assistant Director of the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program Katie Hanser, the transition into the clinic was very quick, but thanks to the building staff, it went very well. Hanser has been working in the clinic since its construction. “It’s definitely been a fast transition, but it’s been a smooth one because of the staff. The care has continued uninterrupted thanks to them,” Hanser said. “The staff really is the backbone of the building.” As for the building itself, Hanser said there are many new opportunities for the SDM now that the clinicis operational. “It’ll be a big help for us. We medicate

a lot of children, and in the past, if the child [was] under a certain age and [needed] a lot of work, they would need to be under general anesthesia,” Hanser said. “We need to have those operating rooms on campus.” According to Hanser, pediatric dentistry isn’t the only focus of operations in the new clinic. “We should be able to shorten the waiting lists for adults, too. The goal is to expand care here, and expand access to care in this area. If that’s people with dental anxiety, or the elderly or anyone, we can now help,” Hanser said. “With the opening of the clinic, we’ve also moved all of our grad programs to that building, like Advanced Education in General Dentistry, Implants and Endodontics.” These waiting lists were one of the main reasons the ACC was built, according to Rotter. He said before now, the SDM would have to sign up to use local hospitals’ waiting rooms, which had very long waits. “There was a real need for a very specific clinical space, particularly an operating room space. Dentistry tends to not be high on the operating room priority lists at hospitals,” Rotter said. “We did have some room set aside for us, but it just wasn’t enough.” Chair of the Department of Graduate Education Robert Blackwell said the accessibility of the new building is one of the best parts. Like Hanser, Blackwell has also been working in the new clinic. “We can provide these services safely in house now, and it’s a tremendous service for the local community,” Blackwell said. “Also, now, with this, we’re making sure

One of the new operatories that is part of the state-of-the-art medical technology the School of Dental Medicine now has access to because of the new clinic. | Brooke Krankel / The Alestle

it’s equipped with the latest in digital technology from intraoral scanners, 3D printers and a mill that creates final and temporary restorations that wouldn’ve only been done in our laboratory. Now we can do all of these in house.” Although the main purpose of the new building is to provide more operating rooms to the SDM’s staff and students, there is also an improved recreational area, according to Rotter. “[In the previous building, there was a] students’ lounge space, where they could be when they didn’t have classes, but it was really not the best, so as a part of this, we added a new student lounge, and a kiosk

area, so they have space for recreation,” Rotter said. Blackwell said the building serves two main areas, which he says are very important to the SDM: providing dental care and teaching students. “It’s a dual mission, to provide the most up-to-date and high quality care to patients, but we’re also an educational institution,” Blackwell said. “In this building, it’s for our graduate students to learn the most advanced techniques in dentistry available, and also to offer those techniques to people in the area.” For more information, see the SIUE press release.

ATTENTION STUDENTS •

•

GLIKS.COM

Specific types of student Directory Information are made available to the general public. Under Public Law 93-380 as amended, the University may make accessible to any person external to the University “Directory Information” in conformity with the law. Notice is therefore given that the information listed below will be available to any person inquiring about such data for any student enrolled at SIUE unless the student files a written objection prohibiting release of this information. Students who wish to file a written objection should complete the Directory Information Release form on the Registrar’s website under Forms – Student Forms: https://www.siue.edu/registrar/ pdf/DirectoryInfoRelease.pdf, and submit it to the Service Center, Rendleman Hall, Room 1309. In cases where students have filed timely written notice that they object to the release of directory information, that information will not be released to any person except those requiring access through the course of normal University business. SIUE publishes a web directory located at http://www.siue.edu/search/ index.shtml. The information in the directory is refreshed once in fall and once in spring. Students who wish to be excluded from the online directory and who do not have a previous written objection on file must submit one no later than Friday, August 27, 2021 for fall or Friday, January 14, 2022 for spring. To review the University’s statement on Right to Privacy and Nondisclosure, please visit: https://www.siue.edu/registrar/services/ student-records/privacy.shtml. The complete policy on release of student information and access to student records may be found at http://www.siue.edu/policies/3g2.shtml.

DIRECTORY INFORMATION INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:

@GLIKSOFFICIAL

FALL 2021 LAUNCH - STARRING SHACKETS Visit gliks.com to find your nearest location

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Student Name Student address and telephone number (local and permanent) Student e-mail address Major field of study Classification Dates of attendance Full or part-time status Attempted hours Degrees and awards earned The most recent educational agency or institution attended prior to enrollment at SIUE 11. Participation in officially recognized activity or sport 12. Weight and height of members of athletic teams 13. Date of birth Important Note: The Office of the Registrar would like to remind all students to take a moment to review their addresses and emergency contact information on CougarNet at www.siue.edu/COUGARNET. We strongly encourage you to maintain accurate contact information in order for you to receive important University correspondence.

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Thursday, 08.26.21

‘He’s a landmark, right here’: Alton concert series returns to honor the Alton Giant’s memory

| Gabriel Brady / The Alestle NICOLE BOYD copy editor After postponing last summer’s concert series due to COVID-19, the “Rockin’ With Robert” summer concert series resumed this year with performances from the Glendale Riders and Steve Davis as Elvis Presley. Robert Wadlow is known in the Alton area as the “Alton Giant.” Wadlow, the tallest man to ever exist, was 8 feet and 11 inches tall. He was featured in the “Guinness World Records” and on a segment of “Oprah.” Now, the city holds an annual outdoor summer concert series at his statue in his honor. Jeff Bensman of the Glendale Riders, who performed at the statue in July, said while the weather can affect what it’s like to perform in the concert series, he always has fun. “It’s fun to play someplace local like that and do something that helps to promote the community,” Bensman said. Bensman said there seems to be a lot of interest in the concerts, as there’s been a good turnout in the years he’s played at the statue. “I think that people are looking for something to do and since they can just go there and pull up a lawn chair and just kind of blend in with the scenery. They can do [it] easily without any trouble or expense, and they’ve

got refreshments and stuff there if they want to buy that but for the most part it’s just covered by donations by local businesses,” Bensman said. Jamie Ruyle, president of the Upper Alton Association, said while people are drawn to free things, the concert series also brings everyone together because it’s something fun to do in Upper Alton. “It’s something that they’ve done, I don’t even know how many years … People are like, ‘When’s it starting? When’s it happening?’ They look forward to it, and people are dancing, they’re clapping, and it’s just something fun. We have a lot of older people, but we have a lot of younger people, too. People bring their kids and they put a blanket out, and it just brings the community together,” Ruyle said. Ruyle said the concerts take place at the Robert Wadlow statue to pay tribute to him, since he was from the Upper Alton area. “Everybody has a story. Even tonight, they brought up Robert Wadlow, and, ‘Oh, my grandma met him,’ or, ‘My dad went to school with him,’ and everybody’s got a story. It’s that famous person from your hometown kind of thing, so everybody just looks up to him, no pun intended,” Ruyle said. In an email statement, the Alton Museum of History and Art said the concerts serve to honor Wadlow’s memory and his

involvement with his alma mater, Shurtleff College, which used to stand where SIUE’s School of Dental Medicine is now. “The life-sized statue is a mecca for Wadlow and history enthusiasts alike as it is centrally placed in Upper Alton (a diversely historical place). The concert is also a wonderful place to enjoy the incredible beauty of the campus itself,” the statement said. Karen Ullrich, from Alton, Illinois, attended the August concert, and said Wadlow is a landmark in the Alton community. “He’s a landmark, right here. I’ve got friends that come down from Northern Illinois that stop at the statue,” Ullrich said. John Cavanaugh, an SIUE alumnus officer from Wood River, Illinois, who also attended the August concert, said Wadlow was a giant, literally and figuratively. “He kind of put Alton on the map, because he was the tallest living person.” Cavanaugh said. Cavanaugh said he decided to attend the concert without knowing who was playing. “I’ve seen Steve Davis play as Elvis before, and I didn’t know he was performing tonight, so I was just like, ‘Let’s just show up and see what it is.’ It’s more fun not knowing,” Cavanaugh said. The Robert Wadlow statue is located in Upper Alton in front of the School of Dental Medicine.

Wadlow’s shoes were size 37AA and he had them custom made. For comparison, this is a picture of his statue’s foot next to a 8.5 size shoe. | Gabriel Brady / The Alestle

The statue of Robert Wadlow on the Alton campus stands at 8 feet, 11 inches tall, which was Wadlow’’s height at his death. He was taller than his father by age eight. | Gabriel Brady / The Alestle

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REVIEW: ‘Solar Power’ shows Lorde is growing up, and so is her music NICOLE BOYD copy editor

In the four long years since “Melodrama” was released, Lorde’s music has drastically changed. “Solar Power” is more peaceful and mature, and has therefore received considerable backlash from fans missing the turmoil that characterized her previous music. “Solar Power” begins with “The Path,” which contains slow, dreamy instrumentals that sound more organic than anything I’ve heard from Lorde before. She also sings in a higher register than usual, which gives the song a light, tranquil tune, although I miss her raspy vocals. The lyrics reflect past sadness (“We’re all broken and sad/Can’t find the dreams that we had”) as well as optimism (“Let’s hope the sun will show us the path”). Next is “Solar Power,” which was released as a single in June. “Solar Power” has upbeat guitar strumming and a beachy summer vibe. While it was mocked as commercial music, I don’t think it deserves the criticism it received. I certainly wouldn’t regard it as one of Lorde’s masterpieces in comparison to the powerful ballad “Liability” or the heartbreaking lyrics in “Hard Feelings/Loveless,” but it’s fun and catchy, and perfect for summer. Like many of Lorde’s older songs, “California” focuses on an ex-flame, but differently. While she misses the ex, she has clearly moved on, and the music keeps the beachy theme. She wishes the relationship goodbye and reiterates that she no longer wants it, proving that she’s grown up since she released “Melodrama.” In “Stoned at the Nail Salon,” Lorde’s familiar low register is back. She muses

about her life and choices, then chalks her questions up to being stoned at the nail salon. She’s said that she used the song as a dumping ground for her thoughts, which is evident, and starkly different from her typical narrative lyrics. “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen it All)” most clearly showcases how Lorde has matured and healed, as she compares how going out with her friends has changed. The upbeat guitar and repetitive vocals remind me of early 2000s music. The song is written to her teenage self, and like in other songs on “Solar Power,” she is more accepting of lost loves and bad choices, which is what makes her new music so much more tranquil. While I enjoyed the song, the spoken words made to sound like an airport announcement at the end threw me off. “Dominoes” is the only song to directly address an ex. It seems that this person has gotten their act together since being with Lorde, but between the carefree guitar plucking and her knowing it’s just a phase, this doesn’t seem to bother her at all. The last song on the album is “Oceanic Feeling,” which is a whopping six minutes and 39 seconds. Similarly to “Stoned at the Nail Salon,” Lorde said it is a rumination of where she’s at in her life. She references her famous black lipstick by saying she doesn’t need it anymore, and ends the album by saying she’ll know when it’s time to depart. In a “Hot Ones” episode, Lorde said the color of “Solar Power” was gold, while the color of “Melodrama” was a violet blue. Because of this, I expected happier music, but instead it’s more reflecting on

| Photo courtesy of Universal Music New Zealand the past. The theme seems to be healing rather than happiness. “Solar Power” has already received a lot of negative feedback from fans who expected something more like “Pure Heroine” or “Melodrama.” While I don’t think “Solar Power” packs the same punch as “Melodrama,” I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. “Melodrama” per-

fectly encapsulated what it’s like to muddle your way through early adulthood, and how lonely and scary it can be. “Solar Power” better describes settling down, and healing from and reflecting on that phase, although not feeling fully secure yet. We can’t expect Lorde to stay in that part of her life forever, and we shouldn’t expect her music to, either.

Get involved in your community with these local activist groups

BRANDON WELLS sports editor

The Edwardsville area has many different activist groups people can get involved in. Different types of organizations exist in the area, ranging from civil rights, environmental activism, housingrelated activism and more. One of these local activist groups is Empire 13, headed by J.D. Dixon, one of the group’s founders.

Founded recently, Empire 13 is an organization that originated when Dixon and some of his coworkers from Empire Comfort Systems stood up to racial discrimination within the company. “[We’re] a grassroots organization that champions the cause for racial socioeconomic and environmental justice reform,” Dixon said. Dixon said being a part of Empire 13 is something he values greatly, and he sees the younger

generations as the future of reform and equality. “[Being a part of Empire 13] means you care about the community. It means not only that you care about the future and the infrastructure of the Black community in America as a whole … [but] that you care for the future of the country and that you want equality and equity for all,” Dixon said. Empire 13’s next event is a community outreach at 6 p.m.

J.D. Dixon has scheduled many different protests in the area. However, there has been one underlying link between all of them — civil rights. | Richard Reilly

August 31, at the Sunshine Cultural Arts Center. To get involved in Empire 13, you can visit their Facebook or Instagram, as well as Dixon’s Facebook page. Another local civil rights organization is the Edwardsville branch of the NAACP. Walter Williams, president of the Edwardsville NAACP, said the branch in this area has been around for many years and was formed to fight racial inequality in the school system after schools were integrated. One of the more recent items the NAACP has gotten involved with is the moving of the Ninian Edwards statue, but the group collaborates with surrounding institutions as well. “We have a very active role with our cultural as well as public institutions, being SIUE [and] Madison County … If there is ever an issue, we are there to address that issue alongside the leadership at that organization,” Williams said. For Williams, being a part of the NAACP is to make sure that he can help educate those around him to understand both sides of issues. “This is a civil rights organization that’s been around for a long time. It has been a proponent of equality and diversity within our community … by working with this organization that has been around and been established, it gives you a bigger platform to express yourself and be involved and be engaged with those issues,” Williams said. This year, the NAACP is getting involved in wealth building to try and help their community.

To get involved in the NAACP, visit their Facebook page or their website. One of the more political activist groups is the League of Women Voters of the Edwardsville Area. Carol Gerdt, treasurer of the organization, said she has been a member of the organization since 1999, and has held different positions throughout her time. “The national league was started in 1920 when women got the right to vote [and] our local league was started in 1954 … We research different topics and provide informational presentations to the public,” Gerdt said. Gerdt said there have been various items the organization has focused on throughout the years such as housing integration in the ‘50s, and are currently working on a housing study and a criminal reform study. “We work on local positions, but we also have affiliation with the state League of Women Voters and the national League of Women Voters, and most of our dues actually go to them,” Gerdt said. “We are an organization that has a lot of positions on different issues, but we are nonpartisan and we never support any individual candidate for any office, so it’s just issues that we support, not individuals.” Gerdt said some of the big issues they focus on are voter registration and candidate forums. To get involved in the League of Women Voters of the Edwardsville Area, visit their Facebook page or website. For other organizations directly related to SIUE through campus organizations, visit the GetInvolved website.

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letter TO THE EDITOR

ALEX AULTMAN Editor-in-Chief

DAMIAN MORRIS Managing Editor

GABRIEL BRADY Lifestyles Editor

Regarding: Review “Solar Power” Editor’s note: The Alestle is standing by our use of Lorde’s “Solar Power” cover because it’s artistic nudity. It’s an image of Lorde just existing as a nude woman and not for the purpose of objectification. It’s actually more oppressive to say a woman expressing her body artistically is disrespectful to women. Is this what the Alestle deems as appropriate to email out to the SIUE community? This article could have easily been sent out without the entire photo.

ELIZABETH DONALD DANA MCLENNAN Copy Editors FRANCESCA BOSTON Reporter KIRSTEN O’LOUGHLIN Graphics Manager NICOLE BOYD Social Media Manager

CAMILO ZULUAGACAICEDO Advertising Manager JIHUN HAN Advertising Consultant MADISON BURKETT MADISEN NANNINI Office Clerk TAMMY MERRETT Program Director

BROOKE KRANKEL Photograhper ANGIE TROUT Office Manager

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This is disgusting and a disgrace, not to mention totally insulting to women.

SIUE’s name change process need to be fixed THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board

At a surface level, SIUE’s name change process seems like an easy, inclusive way for students — especially those who are transgender — to go by their chosen name. But when many services on campus use your legal name and even greet you out loud with it, it fails at its main purpose. Deadnaming is the act of referring to a trans person by their name given at birth after they have decided to go by a different name. Often, it can be done by accident, such as when legal forms still use someone’s birth name. Nonetheless, it is a harmful phenomenon that can out a trans student and lead to targeted harassment and discrimination. Because of more students being openly trans than ever, more schools and universities — such as SIUE — have been im-

plementing systems that allow trans individuals to go by the name they have chosen. Unfortunately, SIUE hasn’t accounted for flaws in how they implement this information. Though SIUE generally applies the names given to them on most identifying forms, many campus resources still don’t implement the name changes. Textbook services have access to student’s deadnames, and employees have accidentally deadnamed trans students while greeting them based on the names displayed to them. Lovejoy Library’s printing services display deadnames when you swipe your student ID to print. Emails from the Career Development Center often list students’ deadnames as well. We understand that this outing isn’t intentional, but it still leads to the same issues as intentional outing. While not all of these situations are inherently

going to lead to public outing, it’s still disrespectful and can be upsetting to trans students. These situations aren’t optional either, as picking up textbooks and using the printing services on campus are an inevitable part of student life at SIUE. This lack of implementation when it comes to name changes, sadly, makes deadnaming unavoidable for trans students. There aren’t any legitimate reasons for the general public to need to know a trans person’s deadname. When it’s spoken out loud by an employee or comes up on a screen regularly in student life, it defeats the purpose of having a name change option in the first place. There are simple solutions to fix the issue of students being deadnamed out loud. A general guideline would be for institutions that don’t use the names within the name change

form to cease greeting students by the listed names altogether. Similarly, staff could forgo the use of ma’am and sir in greetings, skipping the needless gendering overall. These kinds of changes could be easily implemented in employee training, as generally, greeting students by name in these situations isn’t necessary. Virtually no other students would notice the difference, but it would remove the pressure that trans students face in these situations. Otherwise, why not implement the name changes in every system at SIUE, instead of leaving random gaps where the legal names are used instead? When there are already identifiers used at SIUE such as the e-ID or 800 number, legal names being used in lieu of student’s preferred names as an identifier seems superfluous at best, and at worst, is a poorly planned gap in the system overall.

Eco-friendly living is not all in the hands of the consumers FRANCESCA BOSTON reporter

Living on campus can often make it seem like making eco-friendly choices is nearly impossible to do. Individuals can make simple swaps to be kinder to the planet but thankfully, the solution doesn’t rest solely on the consumer. Being kinder to our planet is acknowledging that as individuals, while we can and should make choices to make our everyday lives a bit more sustainable, it doesn’t take away from the fact that corporations are the ones responsible for the oil spills and huge emissions of greenhouse gases. Did you know that only 100 companies are responsible for 71 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, according to The Carbon Majors Database? Out of those 100 companies, the largest 25 players produce 50 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. By holding corporations accountable, you are also taking the pressure off individuals, which is the goal, as no one person can fix the problem.

Even though the solution shouldn’t rely on individualism, each person can make simple swaps to cut down on their waste. One of the simplest things anyone can do is to use a reusable water bottle. Find a cute and functional one. Not able to afford a brand-new one? Look around thrift stores, or even find them for free around campus. Clubs or other events often give them out as prizes. Then fill them up again and again around campus. Most buildings have bottle-fountains and you are often able to see how many plastic water bottles that machine has saved since it was installed. If you are a person who doesn’t really like the taste of plain water, grab some drink flavors or add some fresh fruit. Drink flavors may come in small plastic bottles, but when you do the math you are saving nearly 20 plastic water bottles from the landfill for each small plastic bottle. Another thing that is simple to do, but does require a bit of planning ahead, is bringing reusable silverware and not grabbing the plastic that often comes with cafeteria style food if you are get-

ting take-away. You can buy sets or make your own. Grab a fork, spoon, knife or even chopsticks and add them to your bag. If you have a small towel or washcloth you can wrap them in that with a hair tie to keep them together. This allows you to wipe them off when you are done and ready to go for next time. If you are eating in the dining hall, use the metal silverware and real plates when available. If you are unable to do any of the above ideas, that’s OK. We all have different abilities and capabilities. There are many other ways to be kinder to our planet this school year. One easy way is to turn off lights when you leave your room and unplug any cords you aren’t currently using. Something else that is very accessible is to throw your trash in the correct sorting bin. Most products will have a recycling symbol on them if they are able to be recycled. Another simple yet often forgotten choice is to just lower your consumption rate. Whether that is new clothes or decorations, take some time to think if you really

need another shirt or that new pillow. If you do need new clothes, check out thrift stores or online reseller options, such as ThredUp or Poshmark. So yes, use your reusable water bottle, turn off your lights, bring your own silverware, but don’t forget to call out corporations and businesses that make money off our suffering planet. Write to companies you want to see change, support sustainable businesses and call your representative to vote for legislature that will help our planet, not harm it.

contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 PAGE 6

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After years of debate new NCAA rule allows student-athletes to use their name, image and likeness BRANDON WELLS sports editor

A new NCAA rule for using name, image and likeness now allows for student-athletes to earn compensation from sponsorship deals. Athletics Director Tim Hall said this new policy has been working its way up the chain for a while, and that he’s glad it’s finally happening. “I think it’s the right thing to do for our student-athletes. I think anybody who does the work that we do — educating young people to be the future leaders of tomorrow — wants to be able to have our student-athletes … have the same opportunities that a general student would have,” Tim Hall said. Non-student-athletes tend to be able to use their name, image and likeness for whatever they like, and Tim Hall said he believes that it’s only fair for student-athletes to be able to do the same. “Let’s say there’s a student who is a musician and she’s a violin player, she’s a very accomplished violin player,” Tim Hall said. “A company that makes and produces violins says, ‘Hey, we want you to sponsor our product. We want to pay you to endorse our violins,’ [and] a general student has the ability to enter into an agreement to do that. As a student-athlete, you weren’t able to do that because you were an amateur athlete.” Katie Zingg, the associate athletic director for compliance, said she believes this opens up

many new opportunities for student-athletes. “They can promote businesses, promote their own business [and] get paid for things like autographs, appearances and things like that,” Zingg said. While most forms of promotion are allowed, Zingg said the policy on uniforms will not be altered and students will not be allowed to promote during a competition. “The student-athlete would not be able to enter into anything that contradicts with a current university contract. A student-athlete wouldn’t be able to enter into an agreement to wear Nike during a competition because that’s in direct conflict with our Adidas contract,” Zingg said. She said there is almost no limit to who a student-athlete can partner with, but the student must receive fair market value for the work done. “If a student was approached by Nike, Adidas, Pepsi or whoever … that’s fine,” Zingg said. “The only limitations within the state law are things like alcohol companies, tobacco companies, sports betting, gambing, cannabis, adult entertainment [and] those types of things.” Senior Women’s Basketball guard Mikala Hall said she already has a partnership with the Wilson basketball company, and hopes to stay with them for a while. “I’m still getting used to everything. I’m trying to set things up with other companies [and] rejecting, accepting and know-

(Left to right) Freshman defender Mary Wessel, junior midfielder Katie Mahoney and sophomore midfielder Emma Dutko prepare for the Spring 2021 soccer season at a practice in September. | Mackenzie Smith / The Alestle

ing what to spend my time with. Right now, I’m trying to figure out all the rules and everything and make sure everything is good with [Wilson],” Mikala Hall said. Mikala Hall said there are numerous other companies she is considering for partnerships that are involved with things she likes. “I kind of want to work with water companies [because] I drink a lot of water … and of

course Adidas since that’s who [SIUE is partnered with] and eventually Gatorade. I feel like this is kind of like a new beginning for everybody and so having the opportunity to be with anybody is exciting,” Mikala Hall said. Despite all of the benefits, Zingg said she believes there are still things student-athletes need to be careful of while getting in-

volved in promotional contracts. “There are certainly some concerns out there about individuals out there trying to take advantage of the college student-athlete population,” Zingg said. “They’re turning over their name, image and likeness to someone else to use to promote products and things — just the vulnerability that opens up [is a concern].”

Pirates, not so lowly then, beat the Cardinals in the days of Gibson, Brock, too Rick Hummel St. Louis Post-Dispatch (TNS)

Aug. 21—The Cardinals are in the midst of Pittsburgh Month with a three-game series here this weekend. This past week, they swept the Pirates three games in Pittsburgh and they have four games with the Bucs next weekend in Pittsburgh. The Cardinals are 6-0 against the Pirates in Pittsburgh. But, alas, they are only 3-4 against them in St. Louis and that could prove costly to playoff hopes. For the eighth consecutive season and 19th out of 22, the Cardinals surely will win the season series from the Pirates. They have to win only one of the remaining six games to do that. Before Friday night’s 4-0 shutout in which the Cardinals had 10 singles before a baffled Busch Stadium crowd, the Pirates, headed for their third consecutive last-place finish in

the National League Central Division, had dropped 13 of their previous 14 games. In the most recent losing streak of five, they had been outscored 23-5. In the eight-game losing streak prior to that, the Pirates were outpointed 48-18. But, in the spirit of Cardinals Hall of Fame weekend when the late Lou Brock and Bob Gibson, both of whom died late in the 2020 season, are being honored, the Pirates had their own Gibson on Friday. It wasn’t the 1.12 earned run average of Gibson’s 1968. Pirates righthander Mitch Keller has an ERA exactly half that, 0.56, against the Cardinals. Counting his five scoreless innings on Friday, Keller has allowed one run and six hits to the Cardinals in 16 career innings, six of which were no-hit innings in September of last year in Pittsburgh. What is different in the stretch of any comparison to Gibson is the fact that Keller,

4-10 this season, hasn’t seemed to pitch very well against anyone else. His career ERA against teams not named the Cardinals is 6.81 for two seasons. “I don’t know what he does when he doesn’t pitch against us,” said Cardinals manager Mike Shildt. Gibson threw the only no-hitter of his career against the Pirates 50 years and one week ago. He had a 27-16 career mark and 2.68 ERA against Pittsburgh. Brock hit .294 for his career against the Pirates and had his second most hits against them at 340, two behind his total against the Chicago Cubs. He stole 95 of his National League record total of 938 off Pittsburgh. But, despite the exploits of those two, the Pirates had more winning seasons (six) against the Cardinals than the Cardinals had (four) in the 11 full seasons the two Hall of Famers played together here from 1965-75.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez (18) leaves home plate after striking out during the third inning against the Chicago Cubs Sunday, June 13, 2021, at Wrigley Field in Chicago. | Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune/TNS

The difference between the Pirates now and then is that then the Pirates were a much better team. While the Cardinals won National League titles in 1964, 1967 and 1968, once the league went to two divisions, the Pirates dominated from 1970-75, capturing five National League Eastern Division titles out of six.

The late 20th century Pirates and those of the 21st century haven’t won a division title in 28 seasons, which is about to become 29. The Cardinals, meanwhile, set a more dubious mark. They became the first major league to be shut out this season when compiling 10 or more hits.

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