The Alestle Vol. 74 No. 3

T H E

ALESTLE

thursday, 09.03.20

The Student Voice Since 1960

vol. 74 no. 3

Rev. Darryl Gray, one of the founders of protest group Expect Us, encourages young Jeremiah to lead a chant during an open floor segment of Saturday’s protest in St. Louis. | see more on page 4.

WOOF THERE IT IS:

New police dog sniffs out crime, gives emotional support | page 3

BEGINNING A NEW CHAPTER: “Life is Strange” creators release new game | page 5

A FLASH FROM THE PAST:

How many of these SIUE soccer stars do you remember? | page 7 | Dominick Oranika / The Alestle

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thursday, 09.03. 20

Experts fear recent changes to Title IX could lead to harmful effects on survivors, less reporting NICOLE BOYD copy editor

Changes to Title IX that went into effect Aug. 14 are generating mixed reactions. Those who favor the changes say they will protect the rights of the accused, while those who oppose the changes fear fewer incidents will be reported.

Due to recent terminology changes, the scope of behaviors Title IX once covered is now limited.

According to Director for Opportunity, ACCESS and Title IX Coordination Jamie Ball, Title IX now applies to incidents of harassment deemed both severe and pervasive.

School personnel must rely on common sense to determine if an incident is severe, and incidents are considered pervasive if they occur numerous times.

“The standard that we had formerly used to define harassment was a situation which involved a behavior that was either severe or pervasive, and now the standard is severe and pervasive,” Ball said.

“That’s a significant difference because the former definition contemplates situations where maybe one incident could form the basis of a complaint if it were severe.”

Ball said that, formerly, Title IX policy was based on guidance given by state law. State law will now differ from the federal standard, and litigation is still pending to clarify those differences.

“Ultimately, the court has taken the initial position that in order to pull something in or address something as a Title IX incident, it’s OK to have this different standard, but it doesn’t preclude

the university from also having a standard that is more protective or different if that is required by state law. It just requires two different processes,” Ball said.

Prevention Education and Advocacy Center Coordinator Samantha Dickens said although schools only used to require a preponderance of evidence, they now have the option to either require a preponderance of evidence or clear and convincing evidence, which is a higher burden of proof. Criminal courts typically use the standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt,” and use “clear and convincing” in some aspects.

“There’s a requirement now for in-person investigations with cross-examination allowed, and the burden of evidence is higher. So it used to be a preponderance, and I think now it’s clear and convincing, which is what they use in criminal courts,” Dickens said. “Schools have not usually used that. Because they’re schools, they don’t have access to those resources. Not all colleges have police departments like we do, some of them have public safety. So there’s a lot of concern on students that this is really going to cause an issue.”

However, Ball said the policy is not retroactive, meaning incidents that occurred before Aug. 14 can still be prosecuted under Title IX, even if they do not meet the new criteria. If an incident occurred after Aug. 14, victims may still pursue a case through the criminal court system. This requires them to meet with law enforcement and the state’s attorney, and the state’s attorney must agree to take the case.

“If it meets the definition of Title IX sexual harassment, then we would be using the Title IX policy and procedure for the options available for that case. If an incident occurred before Aug. 14, then we have the discretion to use our former policy,” Ball said.

Aeriel White, a medical and legal advocate for Call For Help, said survivors may prefer not to go through the criminal court system for a number of reasons, such as the length of the process.

“It’s not unheard of for these things to take years on end, and it can be a very frustrating and sometimes retraumatizing process, speaking strictly for sexual assault survivors, because Title IX covers more than that,” White said.

White said as an advocate, she is concerned that survivors will be less likely to see justice served.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of faith in these new Title IX guidelines from an advocate perspective. I think it’s going to drastically reduce the number of people who come forward, and so it’s probably going to increase the number of people who are going to suffer in silence, and who may be forced out of school because of these new regulations,” White said.

“But that’s not to say that there isn’t hope. These new regulations are the floor, it’s the bare minimum that schools have to meet. It is by no means the ceiling. Schools have the option of writing their policy with the students in mind. They have the ability to write their policies and hit the ceiling.”

Dickens said the changes have nationally received negative feed-

What you need to know: Illinois mail-in voting This year, mail-in voters may cast their ballot prior to election day.

Here are the basics for those looking to take advantage of this option:

Request a vote-by-mail ballot through the mail or in person.

Applications opened on June 16, and early voting requests by mail must be received by Oct. 29.

Early voting requests can be made in person until Nov. 2.

To take advantage of mail-in voting, one must still be a registered voter.

To register to vote, voters can mail an application to their election office or visit ova.elections.il.gov.

Those registering must provide two forms of identification with at least one showing their current address.

Voters who have received a ballot but instead choose to vote in person must return their ballot to their election judges.

Mail-in voting applications can be downloaded at elections.il.gov.

Visit apps.co.madison.il.us to obtain a mail-in voting application for Madison County.

Info obtained from elections.il.gov.

| Summer Bradley / The Alestle

back from student survivors because they restrict universities from taking action against incidents that occur off campus. Incidents that do not occur on campus or at a campus event are no longer under the university’s jurisdiction, even when students, faculty and staff are involved.

“They no longer have to address gender-based violence like sexual assault, dating domestic violence, that don’t happen on campus or don’t happen as part of a campus event. Most campus assaults happen off campus property, off campus time,” Dickens said. “And so that really limits a survivor’s ability to access the Title IX investigative process. Now, schools can go beyond that if they want to, they simply won’t be required to.”

Dickens said although SIUE has not officially announced how they will handle Title IX changes, the university will still offer the same resources to survivors of sexual harassment and assault.

“For our students, Counseling Services is always available to them, and ACCESS is always available to them,” Dickens said. “ACCESS, you can receive accommodations for many different reasons, so if a student went and they were diagnosed with some trauma disorder, they could receive accommodations through ACCESS, regardless of an investigation ... We still have Call For Help Sexual Assault Victims Care Unit, and we contract with them. Their employees provide our confidential adviser, they provide sexual assault counseling on-site here, they provide group [counseling] here, but then they’re

also in the community.”

Ball said these changes came as conversations around Title IX have become more political.

“One of the things we saw upon the change in executive leadership in our country was that there was kind of a fairly systemic dismantling of some of the things that the Obama administration had sought to do in various areas of government, and this is one,” Ball said. “So I think that is part of what is happening, but I think there is a legitimate conversation, separate and apart from politics, about balancing victims’ rights with respondents’ rights, and that conversation is what gave rise to these new federal regulations.”

Some behaviors, while no longer prohibited by Title IX, can still be addressed by the university’s Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedures, Ball said.

“Let’s say someone is being subjected to a rude comment repeatedly. That wouldn’t rise to the standard established by Title IX, but that’s something that we wouldn’t want to go unaddressed,” Ball said. “That is the scenario that I imagine we would see most often. Or the converse is one incident that is severe, but it’s not pervasive.

It happens one time. We might be looking to use our campus policy, not the Title IX policy, to address a situation like that.”

Those wishing to access resources available to survivors may contact ACCESS, Counseling Services or Call For Help. View the Department of Education’s press release to find more information about changes to Title IX.

News in brief

SIUE hires in-house for new vice chancellor for administration SIUE has announced its selection for the position of vice chancellor for administration following a national search.

Morris Taylor will step into the role at the beginning of October.

Taylor has been a faculty member at SIUE since 1997, serving as an associate professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy Analysis. He has chaired this department since 2014.

Prior to his time at SIUE, Taylor worked in Social Security Administration in St. Louis and also served in the Eastern Missouri chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Additionally, he worked as a police officer for St. Louis City and St. Louis County during the 1970s.

As vice chancellor for administration, Taylor will be responsible for

SIUE’s support functions and oversee departments such as Administrative Services, Facilities Management, Financial Affairs and Human Resources.

In SIUE’s press release about his selection, Taylor said he hopes to uphold the standards of the office.

“My vision for this office will focus on ensuring the effective, efficient, equitable and safe operations of the entire university for those functions for which I am responsible,” Taylor said. “This includes ensuring equity with respect to diversity and inclusion.”

The search for a new vice chancellor for administration began after Rich Walker announced his upcoming retirement after serving in the position since 2016. The SIU Board will vote on Taylor’s selection at its Sept. 17 meeting.

Biweekly voter education panel to feature local election candidates

The Voter Education Empowerment Forum is a biweekly event which began Tuesday, Sept. 1.

The forums are online and take place every other Tuesday at 6 p.m. via Zoom.

Each session features new information.

The goal of the forums is to help voters make informed decisions in the upcoming Madison County election Nov 3. There will be education about

local offices and the opportunity to meet local candidates up for election.

The events will also provide information about voting by mail, help people register to vote, find their polling locations and educate citizens about the 2020 census.

The links to the events can be found on the FOURward Movement Voter Education Forum Facebook page.

thursday, 09.03. 20

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State announces further mitigations in Metro East area Positivity rate has not declined after two weeks of previous restrictions REBECCA ANZEL Capitol News Illinois State officials Tuesday announced additional efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the Metro East area along the Missouri border as the first wave of restrictions yielded no effect on the region’s virus positivity rate.

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported a 7-day rolling test positivity average of 9.6 percent in Region 4, which includes the Metro East area, as of Saturday. Officials previously said mitigation strategies would be implemented in regions experiencing a positivity rate of at least 8 percent for three consecutive days.

Residents in the Metro East area, as of Wednesday, will be unable to consume food or alcohol inside a restaurant or bar. All such establishments must close at 11 p.m. daily and reopen after 6 a.m., and residents are prohibited from congregating indoors for any reason.

Social gatherings will be limited to the lesser of 25 guests or one quarter of a room’s capacity. Party buses will be banned from operating and visitation to long-term care facilities will continue to be forbidden.

The initial restrictions took effect two weeks ago, but the virus positivity has only increased since they were implemented. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has called it a “mistake” that he did not implement the stricter bar and restaurant restrictions earlier.

According to a news release, public health officials will monitor the region’s positivity rate. If that rate drops to 6.5 percent or lower over the next two weeks, residents can observe the state’s Phase 4 guidance. If the positivity rate increases or remains stagnant over the same time period, officials will consider “more stringent mitigations.”

“IDPH has been working closely with local health departments in the Metro East to provide education to the public and offer information to businesses and organizations on safer ways to reopen,” according to the announcement. “The significance of face coverings, social distancing, and hand washing have been continuously emphasized by the administration throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The new mitigations are on par with those imposed for Region 7 last week, which includes Will and Kankakee Counties.

BY THE NUMBERS COVID-19 at SIUE Confirmed positive cases (from tests conducted by SIUE and self-reporting):

Aug. 21-27: 4 students, 3 faculty/staff Aug. 14-20: 4 students, 3 faculty/staff Aug. 7-13: 2 students, 2 faculty/staff Aug. 1-6: 2 students, 1 faculty/staff

Tests conducted by SIUE (as of Aug. 24): 30

Positive Cases from SIUE Testing: 1 (positivity rate: 3.33 percent)

Percentage of Isolation / Quarantine Space Available (as of Aug. 27): 100%

Source: Health, Reporting, and Testing page on SIUE’s coronavirus website

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SIUE becomes first university with electronics detection dog JOHN MCGOWAN reporter

Along with that, Marshall’s emotional support skills will be used in domestic dispute cases for purposes of de-escalation and SIUE Police will combat sex trafficking comforting any children on the scene. Johnand child pornography with the help of a new son said Marshall will also be at the departelectronic storage detection dog, the first of ment to comfort anyone anxious about reporting a crime. his kind at any university in the country.

“We plan on offering him up to our Marshall will be useful in many cases, but the department’s primary goals with assault victims that want to report, or any him are to help stop sex trafficking and child student that comes in that’s got any kind pornography. According to The Innocent of apprehension or anxiety about reporting something, we’re Justice Foundation, going to use him the U.S. is the world’s “The United States is the if they want him largest consumer of in the interview,” child pornography. Lt. largest consumer of child Johnson said.

Lisa Johnson said the The departconsumption of child pornography. We are the ment is also willing porn in the U.S. is the reason why these other to lend Marshall reason sex trafficking out to Counseling is as big of a problem countries are trafficking Services to provide as it is. children. We are buying it. emotional sup“We are the reaport. Chancellor son why these other LISA JOHNSON Randy Pembrook countries are trafficklieutenant, SIUE PD said Marshall’s diing children,” Johnson verse skill set will said. “We are buying work out for both the department and Counit.”

Marshall’s handler, Det. Dave Baybordi, seling Services.

“It’s kind of like a two for one win-win said busting just one person with child porn could have a large effect on its distribution that students will be able to perceive this animal and interact with this animal in a way as a whole.

“Let’s say law enforcement seizes a com- that’s helpful to them, and the police will be puter. That one computer is also linked to able to use it for the things that the police 50 other cases around the world,” Baybordi do,” Pembrook said.

The idea to get a dog like Marshall came said.

According to a recent press release, Mar- when the department started looking into shall does his job by sniffing out triphenyl- the resources offered by the Internet Crimes phosphine, a chemical found in many elec- Against Children Task Force, a national law tronics. This will allow him to seek out hard enforcement network.

For the past one and a half years, the drives, USBs and anything else hidden in the department has been looking for donors to home of someone busted for possession.

With Marshall, the SIUE Police Depart- help make getting a dog possible. They found ment will be helping law enforcement across them in a $1,500 donation from Sam’s Club the entirety of southern Illinois in their ef- in Glen Carbon, a donation of veterinary services from Troy Veterinary Clinic and Hosforts.

Marshall, an 18-month-old black English Labrador Retriever, is the newest member of the SIUE Police Department. Marshall joined the force just ahead of the start of the fall semester. | Mackenzie Smith / The Alestle pital and a $20,000 grant from Operation Underground Railroad.

Baybordi said having Marshall in the office is a joy.

“I honestly think – I mean, I know just from interacting with other people here – they love having him here,” Baybordi said.

Students who want to report something to the SIUE Police Department can contact them at 650-3324.

JOHN MCGOWAN 650-3527 @John_Alestle jmcgowan@alestlelive.com

School of Pharmacy teams up with SLU’s School of Medicine to provide free health care to Chinese-speaking patients NICOLE BOYD copy editor After shutting down last spring due to COVID-19, the School of Pharmacy is once again teaming up with Saint Louis University’s School of Medicine to provide free healthcare to Chinese-speaking patients.

The clinic, which is near the St. Louis Modern Chinese School, benefits both family members from China who come to the U.S. to visit and medical students who gain familiarity with the Chinese community and language.

Jingyang Fan, assistant dean for academic affairs with the School of Pharmacy, said the clinic mostly runs like a typical doctor’s office, except that it is a pop-up clinic with no permanent location.

“It can either be that [the patients] have some kind of complaint that they want to get addressed, maybe an infection or some kind of symptoms, pain or whatever, or they just need to get their chronic medications refilled and obviously they can’t get it from China, because we don’t take prescriptions here from Chinese doctors,” Fan said. “So they come to these clinics, so what they do is they will first see a team of medical students and pharmacy students.”

Fan said the clinic benefits Chinese-speaking patients by providing free healthcare, even if the patient does not have permanent residency in the U.S. “It could be the patient lives in the U.S. but doesn’t have insurance, or they are here to visit and they don’t have insurance, so the clinic does not charge the patient anything to see the doctor. So it’s free healthcare from that perspective,” Fan said.

Fan said there is typically at least one Chinese-speaking medical student per team to translate.

“I myself speak Chinese, so that’s helpful for me [as] the pharmacist that oversees the whole thing, but for the medical students they usually have at least one Chinese-speaking medical student in a team so then they can do the translation and do things like that,” Fan said. “And the attending physician typically speaks Chinese as well.”

While the clinic is advertised to the Chinese community, patients do not have to be a member of the Chinese community to be seen by a physician, Fan said.

“There’s not a criteria that you have to be Chinese or you have to have no insurance. It’s more just a community service, kind of like a health fair,” Fan said. “But because it’s advertised in the Chinese community, through a Chinese newspaper, Chinese grocery stores and then through the Chinese school email list, most people that come are Chinese-speaking patients.”

The clinic had to shut down during the spring semester due to COVID-19, but reopens this fall with safety precautions in place.

“We had to take a hiatus for a few months, and then after that we made sure that we have all the personal protective equipment in place, have the screening process in place and then patients have to sign up by the Google Form to register so we have an idea of how many patients we’ll be seeing that day,” Fan said.

Christian Watts, a pharmacy and health informatics graduate student from St. Louis, collaborates with SLU’s medical students and physicians when working in the clinic.

“We take down [the patient’s] medication list, any allergies that they have, and then after

that we look to see if we can find any cheaper prices for their medication,” Watts said. “So they bring in their medication list and sometimes they bring in receipts so that we can see how much they’ve been paying, and then we compare them to the different medication pricing list we have on file, see which pharmacy has the cheapest price for them, and so we were able to actually help several patients find cheaper medication prices. And then we send them to the physician, and the physician expects us to come in and basically give her a synopsis of the patient.”

Watts said working in the clinic gives pharmacy students the opportunity to work with healthcare professionals outside the classroom.

“We gain experience just from being able to work with other healthcare professionals.

We also get experience with counseling a little bit, so we’re actually able to, after listening to the patient give us their spiel on what brings them in, if we see anything wrong, we are able to provide counseling points,” Watts said.

Tatsiana Maksimenka, a doctoral pharmacy student from Minsk, Belarus, said she was able to better understand what physicians expect from pharmacists by working in the clinic. She interviews patients and presents their information to the physician.

“You see how tight and how close the healthcare professionals work together, and you see what the physician expects from you, being as a pharmacist. And it gives very good perspective in the future, how you have to work or with what you have to deal,” Maksimenka said.

For more information about the clinic or to get involved, contact Zirui Li at zirui.li@ health.slu.edu.

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No Justice, No Peace

thursday, 09.03.20

Dominick Oranika / The Alestle

STL Black Lives Matter protests rekindled in wake of Jacob Blake shooting

Protesters paint “We see you!” on Clark Ave. and Eighth St. then cover it in red handprints, mimicking the protest at the state capitol.

Dominick Oranika / The Alestle

Local protest group Expect Us organized two protests last weekend in solidarity with Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The word was spread in the form of Facebook events.

On Aug. 28, the protest started at the Police Headquarters in St. Louis. One of the intentions of the protest was to stall attempts to repeal the residency requirement for police officers in St. Louis. Criticism was also raised against the proposal to allow minors to obtain firearms without their parents’ consent.

After State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge recounted their recent legislative victories, the group marched to Busch Stadium. During the Cardinals game, protesters stood at the gates chanting, “No justice, no baseball.” Protesters felt that the Cardinals weren’t supporting the community that has supported them because the team opted to con-

Unapologetically Black, Queer Activist Tracye Redd leads a call and response poem. “I said I love being Black! I love the color of my skin. It’s the skin that I’m in.”

Dominick Oranika / The Alestle

tinue playing amidst others boycotting due to the Jacob Blake shooting.

The next day, the demonstration started at Keiner Plaza and moved to Busch Stadium once again. Speakers expressed concern over the potential merger between St. Louis City and County police forces. They are worried that St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar “or someone Belmar-like” will be appointed chief. Belmar faced accusations last year of refusing to promote an employee because he was gay, according to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch report, as well as numerous accusations of excessive force towards protestors.

The group also went to Jefferson City three weeks ago to protest Gov. Mike Parsons’ tough-on-crime legislation.

Expect Us’s next event is a rally against violence and hatred taking place on Sept. 5.

Rep. Rasheen Aldridge Jr. leads protesters down the streets of St. Louis. “When Black lives are under attack what do we do? Stand up, fight back!”

Dominick Oranika / The Alestle

A protester who was expressing their opinions towards the police during the march told The Alestle “Police are enemies of the people and we will always combat them.”

Mackenzie Smith / The Alestle

NEXT WEEK: CONTINUING CAMPUS TRADITIONS DURING COVID-19

lifestyles

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

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thursday, 09.03.20

Tributes keep pouring in for ‘Black Panther’ star Chadwick Boseman MURI ASSUNÇÃO New York Daily News

The unexpected death of actor Chadwick Boseman is sending shockwaves through social media platforms as fans and stars pay tribute to the “Black Panther” star.

The 43-year-old actor died Friday after a four-year battle with colon cancer. According to an official statement shared on Twitter, Boseman was first diagnosed in 2016, and still went on to work on a number of films “during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy.”

Among his Hollywood peers, a number of fellow stars, studio executives or simply admirers of his work flooded social media channels with messages of tribute to the NAACP Image Award-winning actor.

“What a gentle gifted SOUL,” Oprah Winfrey tweeted.

“Showing us all that Greatness in between surgeries and chemo.

The courage, the strength, the Power it takes to do that. This is what Dignity looks like.”

“This young man’s dedication was awe-inspiring, his smile contagious, his talent unreal. So I pay tribute to a beautiful spirit, a consummate artist, a soulful brother ... ‘thou aren’t not dead but flown afar ... .’ All you

possessed, Chadwick, you freely gave. Rest now, sweet prince,” Angela Bassett wrote on Instagram.

Actor Mark Ruffalo linked Boseman’s death to the unprecedented year of losses. “All I have to say is the tragedies amassing this year have only been made more profound by the loss of #ChadwickBoseman. What a man, and what an immense talent. Brother, you were one of the all time greats and your greatness was only beginning. Lord love ya. Rest in power, King,” he tweeted.

Chris Evans, who plays Captain America, said he was “absolutely devastated” at the death of his friend and “Avengers” costar.

“This is beyond heartbreaking,” Evans wrote. “Chadwick was special. A true original. He was a deeply committed and constantly curious artist. He had so much amazing work still left to create. I’m endlessly grateful for our friendship. Rest in power, King.”

Halle Berry celebrated the life of “an incredible man with immeasurable talent, who leaned into life regardless of his personal battles. You never truly know what the people around you might be going through — treat them with kindness and cherish

every minute you have together.

RIP #ChadwickBoseman,” she tweeted.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said in a statement that “Chadwick’s passing is absolutely devastating. He was our T’Challa, our Black Panther, and our dear friend. Each time he stepped on set, he radiated charisma and joy, and each time he appeared on screen, he created something truly indelible. He embodied a lot of amazing people in his work, and nobody was better at bringing great men to life. He was as smart and kind and powerful and strong as any person he portrayed. Now he takes his place alongside them as an icon for the ages. The Marvel Studios family deeply mourns his loss, and we are grieving tonight with his family,” he said.

Bob Iger, the chairman of Marvel’s parent company, Walt Disney Co., echoed those thoughts.

“We are all heartbroken by the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman — an extraordinary talent, and one of the most gentle and giving souls I have ever met,” Iger said. “He brought enormous strength, dignity and depth to his groundbreaking role of Black Panther; shattering myths and stereotypes, becoming a long-awaited hero to

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Top: Chadwick Boseman during arrivals at the 91st Academy Awards on February 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood. Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times/TNS Bottom: The cast of “Black Panther” during the 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019. Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times/TNS

millions around the world, and inspiring us all to dream bigger and demand more than the status quo. We mourn all that he was, as well as everything he was destined to become. For his friends

and millions of fans, his absence from the screen is only eclipsed by his absence from our lives. All of us at Disney send our prayers and heartfelt condolences to his family.”

R E V I E W : ‘ Te l l M e W h y : C h a p t e r O n e ’ w e a v e s a n e n j o y a b l e t a l e around grief, siblinghood and the flaws in human memory ALEX AULTMAN lifestyles editor

“Tell Me Why” is an interesting game that centers around twins as they return to their childhood home after ten years apart. As they’re trying to sell the house, they make a discovery that calls into question the circumstances surrounding their mother’s death.

The game is produced by DONTNOD Entertainment and will be released over the course of three chapters in the coming weeks. DONTNOD created my favorite game series, “Life is Strange”, so once I saw this game had the similar formula of a mystery and the main characters having supernatural powers, I knew I had to play it.

The other main selling point for me is that one of the twins, Tyler, is a transgender man, making this the first game by a major studio where a trans person is a playable character.

Most people in the LGBTQ+ community’s concern with representation is that we want representation where the plot doesn’t center around the character overcoming bigotry. “Tell Me Why’”seems to be walking a fine line between being accurate to trans people’s experiences while not making the story about discrimination. Since Tyler is returning to his hometown after 10 years and has since transitioned, he deals with some ignorant comments from a couple of people who knew him as a child, but that’s about as far as it goes, at least in Chapter One. I think the comments are realistic enough

to the trans experience, but I would be uncomfortable if he encountered microaggressions in each chapter.

The game is set in rural Alaska in the fictional town of Delos Crossing. Alaska is home to many indigenous people and the game has characters from the Tlingit tribe.

Two of the side characters are Tlingit and their culture and art help shape the setting as well. The town has many murals and sculptures that were commissioned by actual Tlingit artists to be used in the game.

“Tell Me Why”’s website also has a blog post going into more detail about their use of Tlingit art and culture in the game.

In the post they say they worked with the Huna Heritage Foundation to help with pronunciation of their language as well as inform them of cultural customs. So far, it seems the use of Tlingit culture is cultural appreciation.

Like in previous DONTNOD games, the twins have their own unique supernatural powers. They can talk to each other telepathically as well as play their childhood memories in front of them. The key is that each twin remembers events slightly differently and there are points where you have to choose which twin’s memory to go off of in their investigation about their mother.

There are also multiple endings you can get depending on your choices. I’m not sure how many endings there are since only one chapter out of three has been released, but it seems that there are at least two. You can either strengthen the twins’ bond or drive them further apart, depending on whose memories you choose to fol-

7/10 rating on IGN 4/5 rating on GamesRadar

8/10 rating Alex Aultman

79% rating on Metacritic positive rating on Steam | Summer Bradley / The Alestle

low and some dialogue options.

Mechanics-wise, playing memories feels kind of clunky. You have to stand in a certain spot and “focus” on the memory.

The visual cue on the borders of the screen that there’s a playable memory nearby isn’t quite enough to guide the player, and I found myself having to wander around the area to find the right spot.

Like in the “Life is Strange” series, there are multiple objects you can interact with in the environment and learn about the characters through. There are also collectibles hidden throughout the game in the form of wood-carvings created by the twins’ mother. I, of course, try to touch everything and exhaust every dialogue option, but the collectibles are pretty well-hidden.

All in all, I think the first chapter did everything it should have. It established the environment and the relationship between the characters while still being interesting enough not to feel like it was entirely exposition. I like that areas are much more open to explore than in previous games from this studio. I think the character animations were still a bit stiff, especially in comparison to the texture improvements. I played the PC version, but I heard the animations looked more fluid on the Xbox One X. There was also a twist at the end of the chapter that has me excited for the next installment and completely recontextualized some of the interactions between the twins.

“Tell Me Why” is available on Xbox, the Windows Store and Steam.

opinion

NEXT WEEK – WE NEED REGULARLY SCHEDULED COVID-19 TESTING page 6

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share your thoughts: opinion@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 09.03.20

alestle MADISON LAMMERT editor-in-chief

JENNIFER GOECKNER managing editor

ALEX AULTMAN lifestyles editor

MACKENZIE SMITH multimedia editor

JORDYN NIMMER digital creative director

DOMINICK ORANIKA photographer NICOLE BOYD DALTON BROWN copy editors GABRIEL BRADY JOHN MCGOWAN LILY SCHNIEDERS VERNON SMITH JR. reporters SUMMER BRADLEY graphics manager CAMILO ZULUAGA-CAICEDO advertising manager TYMEI DAPPERT JORDAN RICHEY office clerks ANGIE TROUT office manager TAMMY MERRETT program director

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alestle VIEW

Dear college students, stop prioritizing your social life over other students’ health THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board Despite colleges and universities across the country reopening with revised learning models and various forms of online instruction, COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire. Here’s our message to college students: If you really care about your friends, stop exposing them to the effects of your poor choices.

Since the start of the pandemic, colleges have become hotspots for the spread of COVID-19. Illinois State has reported 279 positive cases, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has reported 448 positive cases, as of Aug. 25.

SIUE has decided to offer COVID-19 testing to students, either covered by a student’s personal insurance or by the university if the student does not have insur-

ance coverage. Since its implementation, SIUE testing and self-reporting have identified 12 students and nine faculty/staff members with COVID-19. 30 tests have been performed by Health Services since the university’s reopening as of Aug. 24.

Although the percentage of positive cases that are being reported is low among SIUE students compared to other institutions in Illinois, we shouldn’t be taking advantage of this fact or the regulations in place.

While many students have decided to stay home and not live on campus during this unpredictable time, campus is still booming with freshmen and the upperclassmen who must attend in-person classes or labs.

Students can be seen playing sand volleyball and inviting their friends over despite guest policies.

Perhaps not an issue for the students who wear masks and social distance, many others are throwing caution to the wind in the name of reuniting with their friends or meeting new people.

We at The Alestle know that, for many students, spending time with friends during this time can have tremendous benefits on mental and emotional health after months of isolation. However, the safety of everyone involved shouldn’t be neglected in these interactions.

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, stay at your dorm or apartment. There are countless immunocompromised students on our campus that, if exposed to COVID-19, could face life-threatening consequences.

Even if your friends are not highrisk, they could have forced exposure to students who are high-risk

via in-person classes or on-campus resources such as dining options.

Learn to adapt to these changing times. Wear a mask correctly when seeing your friends, meet in a public and socially distanced location and respect campus rules and regulations. We know you miss your friends, but we promise you’ll miss them more if they contract COVID-19 and aren’t lucky enough to recover.

Be respectful of everyone’s situations. If you do not believe in the virus, respect others and their decision to use the proper precautions. We are responsible for the people around us during this time, as our actions can impact the health of others.

If you are concerned about your exposure to COVID-19, please visit Health Service’s website to sign up for a screening if no symptoms are present.

It’s time to sound the sirens regarding Missouri’s tough-on-crime legislation MADISON LAMMERT editor-in-chief Last week, Expect Us protesters donned T-shirts with ‘bloody’ handprints and dipped their hands in red paint to symbolize the impact tough-on-crime legislation would have on communities of color. When looking back on decades of similar rhetoric in the United States, and its corresponding laws and policies, it does not take a rocket scientist to see these demonstrators have a point.

And the reality of the situation should scare the shit out of you.

This summer alone, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson did his fair share of fueling the fire of systemic racism in this country, and every coded piece of language, proposal and approval has served as kindling.

Back in early July, Parson signed SB 600 into law. This controversial crime bill, fathered by Missouri State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer (R-Parkville), increases mandatory minimums for a variety of sentences, eliminates possibilities of parole for anybody found guilty of — or who has pleaded guilty to — second degree murder, dangerous felony with a deadly weapon or who has committed a “dangerous” felony if they have previously been found guilty of a Class A or B felony. In addition, the bill makes it so one can be convicted of an offense based on intent to commit said

act. In essence, merely conspiring to commit a felony is considered a Class C felony.

If you can’t already see them, the very essence of the bill raises two red flags. On most simple terms, we all can cite instances of what we perceive as miscarriages of justice. We’ve all heard stories of individuals being coerced into confessing crimes they did not commit.

We also know the U.S. legal system isn’t exactly the poster child for blind justice. Not only is color seen, it is a guiding factor in how a defendant is perceived by the judge, jury and media.

Just last month, Parson called an emergency special session to discuss an “unprecedented wave of violent crime” in St. Louis and Kansas City. Although various aspects of the tough-on-crime package are steadily making their way through the House, it still isn’t fast enough for Parson.

“With each passing day, violent crime continues to escalate across Missouri, making it even more imperative that we act quickly,” he said in a statement. “We need to stay focused on what this is all about — fighting violent crime and making our communities safer.”

But, at the cost of how many St. Louisans being locked up and separated from their families for offenses they may not have even committed — without possibility of parole — will we be “making our communities safer?” SB 600 itself

would increase the prison population by 2,500 and cost taxpayers an added $16 million a year, according to the ACLU of Missouri. Now, imagine the further harm toughon-crime legislation will do.

The very language being used on the House and Senate floor is reminiscent of past failings that have had far-reaching consequences. Let’s start with Richard Nixon.

Nixon’s own adviser, John Ehrlichman, laid it out plain and simple in a 1994 interview with Harper’s Magazine: “The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the anti-war left and Black people … We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or Black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and Blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”

Up next is Ronald Reagan, the man coined with inciting the ‘modern’ war on drugs. From 1970 to 1985, the U.S.’s prison population increased by a little over 67 percent, according to statistics presented in the “13th.” In just five years, when George Bush entered the scene, we saw a 64 percent increase

in the U.S. prison population. The campaign’s use of Willie Horton, the heavily publicized criminal, was to showcase Bush’s tough-as-nails attitude toward crime.

In more recent history, Bill and Hillary Clinton have both — at least partially — acknowledged their role in further escalating America’s mass incarceration problem. The documentary “13th” details California’s Three Strikes Law, and includes Bill’s explanation: “When you commit a third violent crime, you will be put away and put away for good.” Sound familiar?

That’s because SB 600 appears to borrow this idea. Mandatory minimums were imposed that diminished the weight of circumstances of each case — another mistake we see resurfacing in Missouri’s government. Finally, the documentary outlines how the 1994 Crime Bill (peep Biden) led to the militarization of local police departments and increased funding to prisons instead of rehabilitation programs.

By the end of the 20th century, the U.S. prison population had grown to 2,015,300, and to yield what?

Crime and mayhem is not solved by locking people up. As history shows, further tough-oncrime legislation will continue to disproportionately impact Black families and will not make any substantial difference in keeping the streets of St. Louis safe. Let’s stop further legislation before more irreversible damage is done.

sports

contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 09.03.20

NEXT WEEK: LOCAL SPORTS EXPERTS DISCUSS ONGOING IMPLICATIONS OF COVID-19 ON COLLEGE ATHLETICS page 7

alestlelive.com

Making big moves: Where these former SIUE men’s soccer players are now MADISON LAMMERT editor-in-chief

The pandemic has cost us SIUE’s annual homecoming soccer game, but we can take comfort in knowing many SIUE former athletes have had their fair share of success since moving on from SIUE. How many of these former SIUE athletes do you remember?

Mike Banner, forward & midfielder

A few months after the end of SIUE men’s soccer season in November 2006, Banner was selected as the no. 34 overall pick by the Chicago Fire in the 2007 Major League Soccer SuperDraft. Banner had 18 goals and 15 assists throughout his SIUE career. According to his Athletics bio, Banner achieved a plethora of other accomplishments while at SIUE, including honors from the All-Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Zach Bauer, defender

As a native of St. Louis, Bauer likes to keep things local. He was the third to officially sign with the new North American Soccer League as a member of AC St. Louis in 2010. Before landing at SIUE for the 2006 season, Bauer made a name for himself at Boston University.

John Berner, goalkeeper

Berner is yet another soccer star that calls St. Louis home. After playing three years at SIUE, Berner was picked up by the Colorado Rapids in the second round of the 2014 MLS SuperDraft. According to a post issued by MLS, Berner spent some time with Phoenix Rising FC of the United Soccer League before returning to Colorado in 2017. While at SIUE, he was named MVC Goalkeeper of the Year for his last two seasons. Early this year, St. Louis FC announced they planned on signing Berner for the 2020 USL Championship season. More of Berner’s collegiate stats can be found on his SIUE Athletics bio.

Justin Bilyeu, defender

Like Bauer, Bilyeu was also a graduate of Christian Brothers College High School in STL who continued his soccer career at SIUE. Bilyeu was picked no. 18 overall by the New York Redbulls in the MLS SuperDraft in 2016. He was last with the Swope Park Rangers, where he announced his retirement from professional soccer due concussion concerns.

He played from 2012 - 2015 at SIUE, and during that time he racked up multiple honorable mentions and other accomplishments, which can be viewed on the SIUE Athletics website.

Jorge Gonzalez, midfielder Gonzalez became the eighth SIUE player to be drafted in the MLS SuperDraft when the Los Angeles FC picked him in the third round this January. He is

sports in brief SIUE Faculty Athletics Representative Bill Retzlaff issued a matching fundraising challenge for the $28 for 28 campaign.

The $28 for 28 challenge is a huge campaign for the SIUE Athletic Department.

The $28 donation represents 28 consecutive semesters SIUE

Top: Volesky breaks away from Bradley University during his senior year of SIUE. That night, he scored one goal and assisted on another. Bottom left: Jones has played both in — and outside — the U.S. “To be able to play in Europe is a great thing I never expected,” Jones told The Alestle after he was asked to play with FC Hjorring. Bottom middle: Banner kisses the Men’s Soccer Great Lakes Conference Tournament Trophy won back in 2006 as a junior. Bottom right: Banner holds off Phil Glaser during a game against Bellmarine University held at Korte Stadium on Oct. 30, 2005. At the time, Banner was a junior. / Alestle File Photos

currently with the Portland Timbers FC.

Mike Jones, defender

Jones continued excelling in soccer after he graduated from SIUE. In 2011, Jones was selected by Sporting Kansas City in the second round of the MLS supplemental draft. As The Alestle reported back in 2013, Jones went on to play with the New York Red Bulls. When in London for the 2011 Emirates Cup, he caught the attention of a representative from FC Hjorring, a Danish first-division soccer team. After he was given an offer by FC Hjorring, he signed with the team in July 2012 and began playing in Europe.

Austin Ledbetter, defender

Ledbetter jump-started his post-college athletic career in 2017 when he was drafted by FC Dallas. He later went on to play for St. FC and is currently with Phoenix Rising. Like others on this list, Ledbetter attended CBC before joining the Cougars.

Matt Polster, defender & midfielder After playing for the Cougars from 2011 to 2014, Polster was the first defender taken in the overall draft pick by the Chicago Fire during the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. Approximately a year later, The Alestle reported he was drafted to play for the U.S. National Soccer team.

After this, he headed to Scotland to play

for the Scottish club Rangers. While at SIUE, he started all 79 games he played, according to Polster’s SIUE Athletics bio.

Christian Volesky, forward Since leaving SIUE, Volesky has played all across the nation. He now plays for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, but before landing in the mountains, he played for the Rochester Rhinos, St. Louis FC, Oklahoma City Energy FC and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.

Did we miss your favorite SIUE men’s soccer player? Contact Madison Lammert, editor-in-chief, at mlammert@alestlelive.com to let us know!

New scholarship campaign aims to raise money for athletes

student-athletes have earned a combined grade point average of better than 3.0.

Retzlaff, who is also the associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, has put time and effort into supporting student-athletes, even before he was appointed Faculty Athletics Representative in 2013. He

is asking anyone to join him to support the academic accomplishments of the Cougar student-athletes.

SIUE recently announced the $28 for 28 campaign, which kicked off Aug. 3 and goes though Sept. 4. Prior to this event, the SIUE coaches and administrators have already

raised more than $700 in donations.

“I am exceptionally proud of the academic accomplishments of the SIUE student-athletes,” Retzlaff said in a press release.

“Therefore, I am contributing $28 to the Cougar Athletics Excellence Fund for every one of the 16 teams. I’d like to chal-

lenge other fans, supporters, faculty, staff and students to match my contribution for the support of academic excellence of the student-athletes on their favorite Cougar team.”

For more information, visit SIUE Athletics’s Website.

page 8

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thursday, 09.03.20

HOROSCOPES By: Nancy Black

Tribune Content Agency

Thursday, Sept. 03, 2020

Aries: March 21 - April 19 Today is a 9 — Listen to a wise elder. Solve a puzzle.

Reaffirm a personal commitment. You’re getting stronger with each step forward.

Follow your heart where it leads.

Cancer: June 22 - July 22 Today is a 7 — Call for and offer professional support when needed. Track budgets to monitor progress.

Give up unnecessary practices or expenses. Adjust and adapt.

Libra: Sept. 23 - Oct. 23 Today is a 7 — Share support. Words can get twisted in unexpected ways. An answer may seem elusive.

Treat your partner with patience and kindness. Allow extra consideration.

Capricorn: Dec. 22 - Jan.19 Today is a 7 — Your home and family require more attention. Spice things up with new recipes or projects.

Monitor and conserve supplies. Gather and preserve windfall fruit.

Taurus: April 20 - May 20 Today is a 6 — Settle into your private sanctuary. Review plans and revise strategies to adapt to changing conditions.

Consider different options.

New possibilities stretch old boundaries.

Leo: July 23 - Aug. 22 Today is an 8 — Roads that previously seemed blocked could open. Communication, organization, planning and preparation allow your exploration to advance.

Connect in new ways to strengthen networks.

Scorpio: Oct. 24 - Nov. 21 Today is a 7 — Go for excellence. Your performance has been gaining attention.

Talk about the results you’d love to see. Patiently, persistently practice. Slow and steady wins.

Aquarius: Jan. 20 - Feb. 18 Today is an 8 — Enjoy a new creative project or assignment. Articulate the message. Set rules and guidelines. Avoid another’s argument. Record feelings and observations in your journal.

Gemini: May 21 - June 21 Today is a 7 — Work out new ways to connect with friends. Not everyone has the same risk tolerance.

Community roots run deep.

Feed and nurture them with love.

Virgo: Aug. 23 - Sept. 22 Today is an 8 — Consider another’s point of view. Focus on maintaining functional systems, and keep the machinery flowing smoothly.

Find a financial solution.

Collaborate for shared gain.

Sagittarius: Nov. 22 - Dec. 21 Today is an 8 — You can get the results you’re after.

Listen to elders and your inner wisdom. Follow your emotions as well as intellect. Lead with heart.

Pisces: Feb. 19 - March 20 Today is an 8 — Have faith in your abilities to produce results. Monitor and adapt with changes. Answer without offering unrequested information. Discover a solution to an old problem.

(Astrologer Nancy Black continues her mother Linda Black’s legacy horoscopes column. She welcomes comments and questions on Twitter, @LindaCBlack.

For more astrological interpretations like today’s Gemini horoscope, visit Linda Black Astrology by clicking daily horoscopes, or go to www.nancyblack.com.)