The Alestle Vol. LXXII No. II

T H E

ALESTLE

thursday, 08.29.19

vol. LXXII no. II

Freshman sociology major Emily Sterzinger, of Bloomington, Illinois, strikes a dramatic pose during Tuesday night’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show” event.

Sterzinger played Columbia, one of Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s eclectic servants in his castle.

AA group meets on campus | page 2

Former SIUE athlete now police officer | page 7

| Madison Lammert / The Alestle

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Student government looking to fill open senate positions JORDYN NIMMER online editor

Since interest in Student Government positions varies each academic year, some positions go unfilled after traditional elections have concluded.

Of the 22 senator positions, two are reserved for graduate students and two are reserved for freshmen. Freshmen are elected in the fall semester of the next academic year.

Annual elections for SG are held each spring semester. Interested students may apply to be elected by the student body or appointed to one of the senator positions available.

Currently, the vacant positions include one senator for the School of Business, one for the School of Nursing, one for the College of Arts and Sciences Arts and Communication and two freshman senators.

The senator position for the College of Arts and Sciences must be filled by a student with at least one of the following majors: mass communications, applied communication studies, English language and literature, foreign language and literature, music, theater and dance or art and design.

Another possible reason behind a lack of in student involvement may be external commitments.

Matt Butler, vice president of Student Government and a senior biological sciences major from Alton, Illinois, attributes the change in involvement levels to conflicting class schedules amongst interested students.

“Interest in the positions changes every year,” Butler said.

“We do the best we can to advertise and encourage students at SIUE to get involved with Student Government. The reason for three vacancies [not including the freshmen senators] is due to scheduling changes that will not allow those senators to be present at the Student Senate Meetings.”

While there have been no immediate changes to the constitution, the organization has prepared a response in the event of a senator position remaining unfilled, according to Butler.

“The positions most generally don’t sit unfilled,” Butler said. “If that were to happen, the responsibility would be distributed evenly among the existing senators.”

Overall, the senators are responsible for many tasks within the legislative branch of Student Government.

“In a sense, the job is to serve as a liaison between the students of SIUE and the administration of SIUE, as well as promote the betterment of each individual school. This is why the senators are divided among schools — it allows for more direct and individualized support.

“In addition, we vote on the ethical allotment of student fee dollars for the use of student organizations based on the Student Government Funding Manual and policy changes presented by the university administration,” Butler said.

The senators are held to a set of standards and must fulfill certain requirements as a part of their positions.

“It also requires that they attend the scheduled senate meetings, serve on both a university committee and a Student Government committee, serve at least

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple speaking to Student Government at the semester’s first SG meeting on Aug. 26. | Photo by Howard Ash, courtesy of SIUE Marketing and Communications

three office hours in the Student Government office and attend three events — one Student Government, one university and one cultural,” Butler said.

According to research conducted through the National Center for Education Statistics, student engagement in extracurricular activities may be a predictor of future academic and professional success.

Students involved in extracurricular activities reported increased class attendance, were three times as likely to obtain a 3.0 GPA or higher upon graduation, were more likely to pursue higher education and performed higher on composite testing.

The students also reported having an increased sense of attachment to their school and a

decreased likelihood of class failure or dropping out.

Student Government Secretary Magalene Price, a senior ecology, evolution and environment major from Alton, Illinois, has achieved some of the benefits previously mentioned.

“I like my school a lot more because of my involvement in Student Government,” Price said. “I think it’s benefited my academic performance because of the space for higher learning.”

Marketing and Communications Officer Ashley Cameron, a graduate applied communication student from Wood River, Illinois, also looks fondly upon her experiences in Student Government.

“During my undergraduate career, I found my recipe for suc-

cess was a good balance of academic affairs and student affairs,” Cameron said. “I want to carry that into my graduate school experience.”

Cameron went on to describe how she feels empowered by her position in Student Government to advocate for students.

“I have loved SIUE in every step of my experience because of the resources we have here,” Cameron said. “I consider student affairs to be a big part of my experience. I have a place to do something for the everyday student. I believe in the cause of advocating for students.”

Students interested in the available positions can apply through Get Involved by following the instructions here: www. siue.edu/kimmel/sg/.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting held every week on campus RYAN BIERI managing editor

The Center for Spirituality and Sustainability is home to many religious groups, but on Mondays at noon it hosts a different kind group: an Alcoholics Anonymous chapter called The Spiritual Experience.

Every week for the last 13 months, people recovering from alcoholism have met at the center to talk about their progress through AA’s 12-step program, and to discuss how different aspects of life can interact with their attempts to stay sober.

Jessie is a 46-year-old man who regularly attends The Spiritual Experience’s meetings. Jessie has been sober for nearly 14 years, and although this group has only been meeting since last July, Jessie said his very first AA meeting was inside the Fuller Dome.

According to Jessie, meetings last between 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the number of people who show up on any given week.

Jessie also said while a lot of AA programs in this area focus on Christianity, this group aims to be open to all faiths, and that he himself leans more toward eastern philosophy.

“[The Fuller Dome] is a very come to the meetings, but Jessie spiritual place,” Jessie said. “The said the group doesn’t often get meeting itself is called The Spiri- many traditional college students tual Experience, and we focus on or staff from the university, aside that aspect of things, hoping to from those attending as a part of make this spiritual program may- their coursework. be a little more accessible to peoDespite this, he said the ple of various religions or agnostics or atheists.”

The Spiritual Experience’s meetings are open to the public, and according to Jessie, the only requirement to join AA is to have a desire to stop drinking.

Jessie said he got his second bachelor’s and his masters’ degrees from SIUE, and he lived on campus as a child. He estimated he has spent nearly 40 years of his life on SIUE’s campus, JESSIE and said many meeting A member of The Spiritual Experience attendees have some sort of affiliation with the university.

“Four out of five of our home group members are ei- group would like to reach out to ther currently attending or grad- more students. uated [from SIUE],” Jessie said.

“I was in my early 30s [when “None of us are in the typical stu- I started AA], but if I could’ve got dent undergraduate body age.” this thing when I was in my 20s, Students, faculty, staff, ad- I could’ve spared myself a lot of ministrators and members of the physical damage, mental hardship community are all welcome to and spiritual bankruptcy,” Jessie

said.

The group is not affiliated with any of the religious or student groups on campus, and The Spiritual Experience is completely non-denominational, and the way some of its members talk about spirituality wouldn’t be found in most religious texts.

Bruce, a man who has been in the program for more than two decades and sponsoring others for over a decade, spoke briefly about the spirituality of all kinds of music, from gospel music to the Grateful Dead.

The group also doesn’t use spirituality as the only way to get and stay sober.

The members in attendance talked about using the resources provided through a shared community like AA and personal determination to keep their sobriety.

Toward the end of the meeting, Bruce spoke about the importance of someone in the program actually wanting to make a change to quit drinking above all.

“Without desire, you’re f— ed,” Bruce said.

“I was in my early 30’s [when I started AA], but if I could’ve got this thing when I was in my 20s, I could’ve spared myself a lot of physical damage, mental hardship and spiritual bankruptcy.

Another attendee, Greg, said that he started heading toward his last relapse when he stopped regularly going to meetings, and because of that he now makes sure to visit at least one a week.

While it is certainly possible to go through the entire program alone, most of the members in attendance talked favorably about having a sponsor — someone further along in the recovery process who guides others through the steps.

Greg said that when he got back into the program, he wasn’t looking for a sponsor.

“I was dead set on not getting a sponsor this time through,” Greg said.

However, he said he had changed his mind while going through the program, and was actually looking to begin acting as a sponsor in the near future.

Anyone looking to learn more about Alcoholics Anonymous can visit AA.org, or attend one of the meetings held at noon on Mondays in the Fuller Dome.

Editor’s note: Because of the personal nature of dealing with addiction, The Alestle has decided to only use first names in this story to protect our sources’ privacy.

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e-ID password changes not always required 08.20.19

JORDYN NIMMER online editor

An officer responded to a report of a juvenile subject on the Alton campus without adult supervision. The officer made contact with the juvenile and located the mother of the child.

While the university attempts to enforce mandatory password changes for students to access online resources, some students have reported not having to change their passwords on a regular basis.

The university utilizes a system-wide login procedure for students. For Blackboard, CougarNet and email, students must use an e-ID — the SIUE equivalent of a username — and password to gain access.

Students are assigned and required by the university to utilize an e-ID for online student authentication while enrolled.

According to information on the ITS website, students must change their password every 60 days — approximately twice each semester.

Prior to the end of each 60 day period, students are supposed to receive email reminders to change their passwords.

Once the 60 day period concludes, students are unable to login to their online resources.

While many students report receiving these email reminders, some students have reported no longer receiving reminder emails or being required to change their passwords at all.

Junior exercise science major Alexis Edwards, of Girard, Illi-

08.21.19 An officer assisted Counseling Services regarding a mother of a student requesting a welfare check on her daughter. The officer reported contact was made with the student and she did not need police assistance.

An officer responded to an active fire alarm in Prairie Hall.

The officer advised the alarm was activated due to cooking.

Edwardsville Fire Department was dispatched. The building was evacuated, but there was no fire, some smoke, no damage.

Edwardsville Fire Department cleared the smoke and advised residents could reenter the building.

08.22.19 An officer responded to a report of a suspicious odor of cannabis. The officer advised there was a smell, and that two residents gave consent to search with negative results.

An officer responded to Bluff Hall regarding a possible intoxicated subject. A city ordinance was issued to an individual at the scene.

08.23.19 Officers responded to a fire alarm at the Alton School of Dental Medicine. The alarm was activated by dust from contractors and there was no fire, smoke or damage.

08.24.19 An officer took a report regarding a missing subject that was last seen in Edwardsville.

While gathering information, the officer was informed the subject had been safely located.

08.25.19 Joseph Ryan II was arrested on a Macoupin County warrant for failure to appear – driving while license suspended. Ryan was transported to the SIUE Police Department, where he was fingerprinted, photographed, processed and released after posting bond. A warning was issued for improper display of registration.

08.27.19 An officer took a report regarding a student being scammed through an email regarding a job opportunity. The crime happened off campus and the officer advised the student to file a report with the city of Edwardsville.

nois, reports being one of these students exempt from ITS password change enforcement.

“I once went a whole month after the typical two-month period and was still able to access everything,” Edwards said.

Although Edwards said she feels lucky compared to other students, she has some concerns

I worry about students who might experience issues with the system. Students need to get into their emails in order to even see an email informing them to change their password to begin with.

ALEXIS EDWARDS

Junior exercise science major

about the issue.

“I change my password even though I don’t have to,” Edwards said. “I’m scared I won’t be able to get in one day, which would be inconvenient.”

Edwards is also concerned about students who have difficulties with the system being able to change their password at all.

“Students need to get into

SG funds SETO’s fall production, 4 organization allocation requests RYAN BIERI managing editor

The Student Senate approved funding allocations for four organizations and reviewed a petition for a new organization, the American Medical Student Association, during the first Student Government meeting of the semester on Monday.

SG also approved a program request from the Student Experimental Theater Organization, granting them $1,790 in funds to put on their entirely student-run production of “Closer” by Patrick Marber.

The INNOVATE Club of SIUE, Mantra, Survivor SIUE and Students of Women’s Choice were the four organizations granted their new organization allocation requests.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple spoke to SG at the meeting about changes being made to the university’s involuntary health leave of absence policy.

According to documents provided to SG, the policy is applicable if a student “poses a direct threat to the mental, emotional, or physical well-being of self or others.”

Waple said this policy is only meant to be used after all other action has been taken by the university.

Students removed from campus under this policy will be barred from campus and may be required to have a police escort

their emails in order to even see an email informing them to change their password to begin with,” Edwards said.

Some students are unaware that passwords do not expire for all students, including junior psychology major Mackenzie Smith, of Coal City, Illinois.

“I didn’t know other students didn’t have to change their passwords,” Smith said.

“I feel that it’s inconvenient because I have to constantly remember a new password when others don’t.”

Despite experiencing some struggles with the system, Smith appreciates how ITS communicates with students.

“I appreciate the email reminders to change my password,” Smith said. “Even over the summer, I forgot to change it. The reminders help tremendously.”

If students forget to change their passwords, they will be blocked from entering all online systems with their expired pass-

on campus if they wish to speak with university administrators or health care professionals in the process of re-enrollment.

Samantha Dickens, coordinator of the Prevention Education and Advocacy Center, came to the meeting to ask for their support with their It’s On Us campaign this year.

Dickens asked members of SG to sign the It’s On Us pledge, and for their assistance with visibility at PEACe’s table at the activity fair on Sept. 3.

Staff Senate President Ian Toberman spoke to the Student Senate and offered a standing invitation for SG President Jacob Graham to visit Staff Senate meetings.

Toberman also spoke about both SG and the Staff Senate’s role in governing at the university, and answered questions about the kinds of resolutions the Staff Senate passes.

Additionally, SG approved requests of $600 to both the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and the Industry Pharmacists Organization to assist with travel costs for events in September.

For more information on SG affairs, and for a list of their meetings this semester, visit https:// www.siue.edu/kimmel/sg/.

Editor’s note: Online Editor Jordyn Nimmer was the student representative for the American Medical Student Association at this meeting.

words until a new one is created.

According to Director of Network and Systems Infrastructure Daniel Chace, the inconsistencies in the password reset system were caused by ITS working on flaws in the system.

“ITS suspended e-ID expiration for some accounts as we worked through some technical issues over the last few weeks,” Chace said. “Expirations will return to normal soon, and ITS will communicate any changes if needed.”

As ITS works on technical issues, Chace encourages students to continue to change their passwords regardless of whether they expire.

“We are not aware of any security concerns,” Chace said. “All users continue to receive expiration notices and can update their e-ID password at any time.”

Although not all students are forced to change their passwords, Chace said students should still regularly change their passwords.

Students can update their e-ID passwords at any time at http://www.siue.edu/eid.

If students have any issues with their e-ID or other ITS related issues, they can email help@siue.edu, call ITS at 6505500 or visit one of the ITS Help Desks inside the Morris University Center or in Lovejoy Library room 0035 during their regular business hours.

news in brief Online degree ranked 6th in the nation

SIUE ratifies deal with faculty association

SIUE’s online master’s program in healthcare informatics has been ranked sixth nationally by Affordablecolleges.com.

The program is fully online and requires 57 credit hours to complete.

SIUE was the highest ranked college in Illinois and the only college in the Metro East on the list of 29 programs.

“SIUE developed this program in a corporate partnership with BJC HealthCare in 2010 to ensure their workforce would be well-trained to meet demands related to implementing electronic health records and securing patient data across the system,” Mary Ettling, interim director of the Office of Educational Outreach, said in a press release.

Affordablecolleges.com says they take graduation rate, retention rate, financial aid offerings and other factors into consideration when ranking the schools.

“The combination of our faculty and the SIUE administration, along with information technology personnel and community healthcare partners, has led to the successful implementation of our fully online master of science in healthcare informatics program,” Program Director Frank Lyerla said in the press release.

SIUE has reached a collective bargaining agreement with the Faculty Association of SIUE. The union contract, which has been fully ratified and approved, affects pay rates between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2022.

According to Kim Archer, president of the faculty association, the union has been negotiating with the university since March 2017.

The contract applies to tenured and tenure-track faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences, Library and Information Services and the Schools of Nursing, Business, Engineering, and Education, Health and Human Behavior.

“SIUE’s national reputation rests upon the excellent level of instruction provided by our faculty, as well as the research and artistic activity they contribute to their disciplines. The environment created at SIUE has prepared so many students for career success and will continue to do so,” Chancellor Randy Pembrook said in a press release.

Archer said in a call Wednesday that she believes retroactive payments for the portion of the contract that has already passed are scheduled to begin this Friday.

NEXT WEEK ONLINE: READ ABOUT THE 48 HOUR FILM PROJECT page 4

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contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 08.29.19

Root Beer Riot celebrates 10th annual event JENNIFER GOECKNER lifestyles editor Hosted annually to welcome SIUE students back to campus, the Root Beer Riot celebrated its 10th year this weekend with music, prizes and cornhole and pong tournaments.

The event is hosted each year by A Cross Between Campus Ministry. According to SIUE alumna and event coordinator Nicole Gill, of Wood River, Illinois, the purpose of the event is to allow students to have fun in a safe, alcohol-free environment.

“The whole idea [is] just really trying to provide an alternative to a typical college party,” Gill said. “You don’t have to go to this frat party and get drunk to have a fun time. There are other things that are really fun and to kind of start your college experience off right.”

Before coming to SIUE’s campus, the event was previously held at off-campus sites and had a different name, according to Gill.

“It used to be the Root Beer Kegger, but we couldn’t do ‘kegger’ on campus, even though it was root beer, so that’s why we changed the name,” Gill said.

The event takes aspects of a typical college party, such as beer pong and kegs, and turns them into nonalcoholic fun. However, Gill said organizers of the event have some concerns about these elements sending the wrong message.

“We used to do a lot more stuff that was taking the party stuff and just making it without alcohol, but we don’t want to too closely associate with that, either,” Gill said. “Like some people are getting the wrong idea about, like, ‘Oh, we’re practicing beer pong.’ People just like to play, and

that’s why we started the tournament.”

In recent years, organizers have added more elements that are not related to alcohol to provide students who come to the event with more options, according to Gill.

“Then we were like, ‘We’d like something else that’s not alcohol-related,’ Gill said. “And that’s why we did the cornhole, and I think that the inflatables might’ve been when we started trying to get funds from SIUE. We thought, ‘Oh, that would be a really cool aspect to add another fun thing for people to do while they’re there.’”

Junior psychology and criminal justice major Sidney Jones, of Johnston City, Illinois, said she came to the event because of the atmosphere and the different elements it has to offer.

“I just really like the environment of the Root Beer Riot,” Jones said. “There’s games, there’s prizes, there’s food — what’s not to love?”

Junior robotics engineering major Jacqueline Corral, of Calumet City, Illinois, agreed with Jones and said the food especially keeps her coming back.

“This is my third time here, and it’s just really fun,” Corral said. “The root beer floats are delicious, and we’re broke college students — we all want free food. It’s the reason I go to any event on campus, really.”

According to Gill, the event has received steady attendance since relocating to SIUE ten years ago. She credits this, in part, to the event being held on the Stratton Quadrangle, a central location on campus.

“Having it here is really easy. People just, if they’re on campus, then they’re coming here [to the Quad], and more often than not they choose to stay and have a

Freshman Kiana (rest of attribution) plays in the pong tournament at the Root Beer Riot.

I Madison Lammert / The Alestle

nice time, so that’s kind of cool,” Gill said.

“Just to have it in such a central location, I think, makes the attendance stay pretty solid.”

In addition to providing students with a fun alternative option to the typical college party, Gill said the event also allows members of A Cross Between to meet individuals potentially interested in joining the group.

“For us, too, we’re going to get to meet some of these students and potentially, one, love up on them like Christ wants us to and, two, get to know them and see if they have any interest in a relationship with God or learning what that looks like,” Gill said. “And so, to me, that’s why I think it’s most important — it’s a way for us to meet the students that are here today.”

Although Gill said this is at the back of the volunteers’ minds as they host the event, she said it is not the primary focus of the event.

“We don’t do a lot of preaching of the Gospel or anything. Obviously, that’s not the main focus of the event, as far as a student that comes to the event is not going to be like, ‘Oh, this is a Bible thing,’” Gill said. “But it’s something that, as we get to know people, if we meet anybody and make any friends, we’re definitely going to want to bring that up in our personal relationship with them. And if they’re not interested, that’s okay, too. We still made a friend.”

To learn more about upcoming events at SIUE, view the Campus Calendar of Events at www.siue.edu/events/.

Songs to survive the semester “Golden Dandelions” by Barns Courtney

MADISON LAMMERT editor-in-chief If there is one thing that I’ve learned in the two years of college I now have under my belt, it’s that a lot can change within a year. What seems like the perfect definition of “you” can seem completely unfitting within 16 weeks — and that’s OK. Here are some songs that help when faced with this uncertainty and the overall discomfort that comes with the college experience.

“Don’t Let it Get You Down” by Johnnyswim

Whether it’s the typical stress of school or a major life change, this song is guaranteed to help crush any seemingly undefeatable obstacle. The best line comes about midway through the song: “This could be the part of you that you ain’t ever seen before / This could be the part, the part of you, you wanna be.” Personally, this line has helped me through many growing pains. The optimistic vibes this song exudes are not annoying, but rather comforting. It acknowledges that yes, things gets hard, but the person waiting at the end is worth it.

This song fits any and every situation, and that’s not an exaggeration. Want a song with an upbeat tempo to get you moving?: “Golden Dandelions.” Craving the nostalgia of a first love? That heart-skippy, drive down a dark road smiling to yourself feeling?: “Golden Dandelions.” Imagery that’s somewhat psychedelic?: “Golden Dandelions.” Many argue that the seemingly happy song is actually about death; the protagonist is literally seeing their life flash before their eyes before going to the grave, but let’s just enjoy the wonderful imagery without thinking too much about the meaning.

“Suit and Jacket” by Judah & the Lion

The banjo-esque sound that opens “Suit & Jacket” signals feels will be coming, but don’t worry, it’s upbeat enough to ensure there will be no crying in the club.

In short, the song is about growing older and those terrifying moments of wondering, “What the hell am I doing?” We all get them — don’t worry, and Judah is here to provide some comfort. College is that weird place where one has to “adult” but is tasked with figuring out their future goals on top of it all. The song asserts that it’s OK to hold on to those last little glimmers of youth and to pray the world will stop spinning for just one moment.

“Chasin’ Honey” by Wild Party

Like “Suit And Jacket,” this song is

about holding on to youth and refusing to take life too seriously. Instead of going the route of thinking about a 401k like Judah’s friends are doing, Wild Party puts it more simply: don’t choose the path that leads to the most money, and take time to grow close relationships. Personally, the song sounds like a big f-you to all those rushing us to grow up, and I’m on board.

“Cringe” by Matt Maeson

Upon closer examination, I’ve realized this song is probably about addiction — oof. However, I kind of view it as losing a sense of self, and I deeply identify with this. When going through a hard time, we can look unrecognizable to those we are closest to, including ourselves. This sensation is bound to happen at some point, and the stress of college is the perfect poison.

While Maeson does not provide a solution for this sinking feeling, sometimes it’s just nice to know somebody out there gets it.

“Shake It Out” by Florence + The Machine

This is where my love of indie folk invades the playlist, switching up the vibe.

Even though Florence is noticeably different from the rest of this list, this song fought hard to be here. Perhaps her biggest hit after “Dog Days Are Over,” Florence carries her message of hope into this song. She’s not afraid to get personal, as she’s not afraid to dive deep into her regrets and strive to see the light at the end of the tunnel, even if she nearly kills herself in the process. Inevitably, there are going

to be hard times this year. Florence tells us we have to find our inner strength and keep chugging along.

“Light On” by Maggie Rogers

Of course, Miss Maggie is making an appearance here to bring us out of the dark days with her beauty and grace. For those who have never given her a listen before, she has the most mystical voice destined to send you into a trance. To me, this song is one of unconditional support and is my goto when I need to keep grounded in such a busy world. Maggie shows that even in the midst of success, we all get wrapped up in the feels, and can be especially relatable to those with depression and anxiety. She gets it, and she extends a hand to help us back up again.

Even when things seem to be all figured out, one little wrinkle in the plans can feel like a catastrophic blow to college students. Sometimes, things seem to be happening way too fast. The end of a semester, the end of the year will approach sooner than expected with so much to get done before then. Remember, these worries are all normal, and this playlist is there to guide us.

MADISON LAMMERT 650-3527 @madison_alestle mlammert@alestlelive.com

thursday, 08.29.19

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WHERE TO BE at the ‘e’: September TUESDAY, SEPT. 3 Astronomical Viewing (Star Party)

8 p.m., William C. Shaw Skylab

MONDAY, SEPT. 9

Xfest - YoungLiars present “Whammy!”

TUESDAY, SEPT. 10

7:30 p.m., Metcalf Theater

X-fest - Lucky Plush Productions present “Rink Life” 7:30 p.m., Dunham Hall Theater

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11 Xfest - Ernie De Silva presents “Heavy Like the Weight of a Flame”

THURSDAY, SEPT. 12

7:30 p.m., Metcalf Theater

Xfest - Wonderheads present “The Wilds” 7:30 p.m., Metcalf Theater

FRIDAY, SEPT. 13

Xfest - Manual Cinema presents “No Blue Memories” 7:30 p.m., Dunham Hall Theater

HOMECOMING WEEK: Sept. 23-28 MONDAY, SEPT. 23

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 25

Homecoming Kick Off 10:30 a.m., Stratton Quadrangle Rock and Roll Bingo 7 p.m., Meridian Ballroom

18th Annual Homecoming Chili Cook-Off

11 a.m., Stratton Quadrangle Homecoming Bonfire 6 p.m., SIUE RecPlex

THURSDAY, SEPT. 26 Cosmic Bowling

FRIDAY, SEPT. 27

9 p.m., Cougar Lanes

Homecoming Movie - Toy Story 4

6 p.m., Science East Auditorium

SATURDAY, SEPT. 28 Cougars Unleashed Homecoming Run 9 a.m., Birger Hall Cougar Fan Zone Tailgate 4 p.m., Korte Stadium Homecoming Men’s Soccer Game 7 p.m., Korte Stadium

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opinion

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alestle MADISON LAMMERT editor-in-chief

RYAN BIERI managing editor

JENNIFER GOECKNER lifestyles editor

LAUREN BRIGGS sports editor

JORDYN NIMMER online editor

SPENCER PECK photographer ERICA GREEN podcast producer SUMMER BRADLEY graphics manager JONAS MALAVE CAMPOS advertising manager NATHANIEL JOHNSON ad representative CRISHAWNA NASH office secretary ANGIE TROUT office manager TAMMY MERRETT program director Have a comment?

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Amazon fires spark online misinformation THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board

In the last few weeks, dozens of celebrities have been posting images on social media of what appears to be the Amazon rainforest on fire.

Several news sources and government agencies have posted conflicting information in response to these celebrity posts and each other. It’s important for readers to follow truths, not viral posts.

According to CBS News, Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro, refused to address the fires, going so far as to say the global concern is “sensationalist.”

However, on Saturday, Aug. 24, The Telegraph reported Bolsonaro sent the Brazilian military to handle the fires.

Bolsonaro reportedly started to take action against the fires due to political tensions from around the world, including direct pressures from French President Emmanuel Macron on social media.

This garnered a lot of attention from the public and led to thousands of retweets and likes on social media.

Until tensions rose political-

ly, Bolsonaro stood by the assertion that the fires could have been caused by either rogue nonprofit groups or farmers, and there was no need to act.

While comparing data early on, NASA agreed action may not be necessary, saying their numbers showed the fire activity was slightly below average compared to previous years.

It has been a few days since NASA released their initial statement, and it served to calm a number of people, but it did not deter celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio from speaking out.

Many celebrities, including DiCaprio, have posted images of the rainforest on fire. The New York Post reported many of these photos are outdated or were not even images of the Amazon.

Readers have to be cautious when reading about tragic and alarming incidents such as the fires. New information is being released daily, and promoting and sharing false narratives can serve to harm what readers are trying to protect.

As more information is released and more research is done, it’s OK for readers to change and

adapt their stances. Even sources like NASA have released updated information confirming that the fire activity in the Amazon is at the highest it has been since 2010.

NASA’s latest report also explains droughts may contribute to the fires, however, the locations show more signs of the fires being used for land clearing, a cause attributed to Brazil’s cattle farmers.

Bolsonaro has said Brazil does not have the resources to handle the fires, according to Forbes. Even if the resources were available, Bolsonaro has made his stance clear — the global outcry is not necessary.

As a reader, it may be confusing to read that the fires can’t be handled but also that they don’t need to be addressed. Fires occur in the Amazon every year, but this is different in that the fires are larger than average and drawing quite a bit of attention.

The world normally turns a blind eye to this sort of thing.

Now, the fires are visible from space and are alarming not only to surrounding countries but also the world.

Several sources have claimed that the causes of the fires were completely natural.

But one must consider these sources’ natural biases depending on who they work for or represent. If a particular group of people or company were guilty, representatives would actively work to keep that under wraps.

Even NASA updates their information as more comes out.

If a source of information can evolve and adapt to ongoing events, so can readers.

There is nothing wrong with changing your opinions as more is revealed. In fact, it is part of being a well-rounded consumer of the media.

Public outcry should be approached with caution, as the information which causes the outcry may simply be wrong.

Despite the spread of misinformation, causes can still benefit from public awareness — even if the original sources regarding the issues are flawed.

Readers just need to approach viral news with a lighter hand and perhaps research a bit more before sharing a call-toarms.

alestle asks

What do students think about the Starbucks renovations?

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“Last year, I thought it was just dark. The lighting was much darker, and it was less spacious.

It was all crowded in a corner, so definitely I feel like now it’s bigger, and it’s more spacious.”

“I think that it looks nice inside.

It’s a lot easier without the line coming out the door, so it makes it more accessible inside.

And it looks a lot bigger, so I think that’s what I like about it.”

“I just think that change is always kind of a good thing, especially starting back at school. Especially for maybe upperclassmen, it might be like, ‘OK, it’s the same thing.’ It’s nice just having something new and something kind of exciting.”

“It looks like there’s a lot more area to just sit and talk to your friends or anyone you’re wanting to meet up with, so it’s nice.”

INGRID SUAZO sophomore nursing major

DESTINY BAKER sophomore nutrition major

ELIZABETH LOFTUS junior speech-language pathology

JORDAN RICHEY senior biological sciences major

sports

STAY TUNED FOR WOMEN’S SOCCER COVERAGE IN THE SEPT. 5 ISSUE thursday, 09.05.19

alestlelive.com

contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 page 7

Former SIUE athlete returns to campus as police officer MADISON LAMMERT editor-in-chief

Samantha Jones spent much of her time as an SIUE student on the soccer field and, for one season, on the softball field.

Roughly four years after graduating, Jones returned to campus: this time as a police officer.

Jones played a critical role on the women’s soccer team for all four years she played as a midfielder, and later joined the softball team as a base runner her senior year.

Jones said she was never fully sure what she wanted to do after graduation, but figured she’d be helping athletes with her degree in exercise science.

“I had no idea exactly what I wanted to do,” Jones said. “I knew that getting a college education was priority. I just didn’t know quite where to go after that.”

While Jones’ new career path may have been a shock to her, her SIUE soccer head coach Derek Burton said the position aligns perfectly with her character traits. “[As] the one who recruited Sam to SIUE, it’s totally not a surprise to me,” Burton said. “It definitely suits her character; the way that she goes about her life and the way she carries herself, it’s not a surprise. I’m just an extremely proud former coach.”

Burton said he believed Jones’ leadership made her an obvious fit for the job, as she had been a team captain for multiple years. He also said her willingness to work hard makes for a good officer. Jones was named an All-American her senior year, meaning she was in the top 33 Division I soccer players in the entire country academically.

“She’s extremely hardworking, and you have to do the everyday grind of being an officer,” Burton said. “You have to respect the process that it takes, and I think there’s certainly some similarities of being an athlete and being an officer in that there are certain things that are just non-negotiable, that have to be done if you want to be successful. She was that way as an athlete, as a student as well, and I think she’ll be that way as a police officer as she continues forward.”

Jones said she anticipated taking

a gap year to figure out a plan, but that changed once her former assistant soccer coach, Holly Cox, called her and said she was accepting a head coach position at the University of Indianapolis and she needed a graduate assistant. While in Indianapolis, Jones studied sports marketing, which lead her to doing marketing for a casino.

After being promoted to an advertising specialist position at the casino, Jones recognized it wasn’t the most fulfilling choice for her. She said she always knew she wanted to help people and didn’t feel she was doing that at the casino. Then, a friend recommended she try her hand at law enforcement.

“Being 26 at the time, I was like ‘it’s either take the leap of faith and see if a law enforcement career will personally be beneficial and fulfilling, or stay with where I’m at and not have that feeling,’ so I decided to apply to SIUE,” Jones said. “I’ve been a part of this university and I personally really, really love the university. I think it’s impacted me in a lot of ways, so I took my friend’s advice and I ran with it.”

According to SIUE Police Chief Kevin Schmoll and Burton, there are many qualities in athletes that make for good police officers. Jones is not the only former athlete to be a part of SIUE Police. Schmoll, who played basketball and football in high school, said the skills learned playing on a sports team are applicable to working on a police force.

“Anytime you’re involved in team sports, you learn how to work together as a team and also as an individual,” Schmoll said. “That will help her in her law enforcement career because we work together as a department, as a team. They’re in a squad together, right now a night squad, so there’s a sargent and three or four other officers on the squad with her. They work together to get through the night shift … so teamwork is a big, big part of what we do.”

During his six years as police chief, Schmoll said he has hired many graduates of the university, as he believes this helps to build a positive relationship between police and the campus community. Jones said she believes having gone to school at SIUE helps her to connect with the students she serves.

SPORTS IN brief:

| Photos courtesy of SIUE Athletics

“I think I can relate to a lot of these students; I’ve been here, I’ve gone through these classes. I know what the university has to offer, [and] it’s played a huge work in my life [though] networking here, meeting professors here, having coaches here and advisers,” Jones said. “It’s helped shape who I am, and I think if I’m able to somehow become part of that SIUE culture to where these students can come to me and I can help shape them and help positively impact them, that’s huge.”

While Jones sees many obvious differences between sports and her new work environment, she said one thing makes them similar: both have a sense of camaraderie.

“The one thing I love about this career and why I think I’ll really enjoy it, is it is similar [to sports] in a way,” Jones said. “There’s camaraderie here: you have people that care about you and your decision making who want to see you do well, who want to see you continue learning, continue training and continue trying to help people the best way possible. I think these officers are great, our administration is great, and I’m excited to be part of another team.”

For more information on Jones’ athletic achievements, visit both her soccer and softball biographies by searching her name on SIUE’s Athletics website.

An MLS team will soon hit St. Louis, bringing with it a new stadium and the first female majority-owned team in the league.

A conference held by the ownership group and select St. Louis city officials shed some light on upcoming details for the team.

The club will officially come to St. Louis in March 2022 with a soccer stadium located in the downtown area of St. Louis.

According to MLS’s official site, the proposed stadium is expected to house 22,500 people. A possible expansion would allow the stadium to seat up to an additional 3,000 fans, totaling 25,500 seats.

The renderings of the design show every seat will be within 120 feet of the field.

The plans also include a canopy, which would shelter the crowd from the sun and weather.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber recently explained design plans have not been

finalized and will have to be discussed further with St. Louis officials.

The ownership group, consisting of Carolyn Kindle Betz, Jim Kavanaugh and the Taylor family, originally put in a bid for a team in October 2018. Garber expressed some hopes for the direction the ownership team will take.

“We’re hoping and expecting that Jim Kavanaugh and the Taylors will sit down with the city and state leaders to get that finalized so that when they come to meet with the league it’s signed, sealed and delivered,” Garber said in a release published

by MLS. MLS currently has 24 active teams playing and, with the St. Louis expansion and others to come, is expected to eventually increase to 30 over the next few years.

The St. Louis team will be the 28th to enter the league.

St. Louis Major League Soccer team and stadium officially announced

| Rendering by HOK and Snow Kreilich Architects

page 8

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Top: As part of the pre-show activities, students competing in the costume contest lined up. The contestant who received the greatest amount of applause was named the winner.

Bottom left: The cast pretends to swim in Dr. FrankN-Furter’s pool as they mouth the words to the “Don’t Dream It, Be It.” Bottom right: Freshman theater and dance and music major Emma Davis, of Kansas City, Missouri (right), laughs with sophomore theater and dance performance major Sadie Harvey, of Knoxville, Tennessee (left), before the show began. | Madison Lammert / The Alestle