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vol. 74 no. 6
The Student Voice Since 1960
Board to offer additional tuition assistance JENNIFER GOECKNER managing editor
Freshmen from lower-income families will be able to attend SIUE for free beginning next fall, after a vote from the SIU Board of Trustees last week. Thursday’s Board meeting brought the announcement of a new system-wide initiative, called the SIU System Commitment, which will cover the tuition and mandatory fees for new four-year undergraduate students who have an annual family income of less than $63,575 with less than $50,000 in assets, beginning Fall 2021. To qualify for this program, a student must also be an Illinois resident who attended an Illinois high school, apply for admission by the March 1 priority deadline and enroll in a baccalaureate degree program.
SIU System President Dan Mahony said the program will cover the costs of these students’ tuition and fees after all other aid has been applied. “Costs for [these students’] educations will be covered by a combination of Pell Grants, state scholarships such as MAP and institutional aid,” Mahony said. “Essentially, this is the lasthour approach, so once they get aid from all of those other places, the institution will cover whatever is remaining on their tuition and mandatory fees.” The Board also approved SIUE’s plan to extend its alternate tuition program for active military members to include Department of Defense civilian employees. Both undergraduate and graduate students who are eligible for DoD Tuition Assistance can qualify for this program. SIUE’s alternate tui-
BOT Vice Chair Ed Hightower, Chair Phil Gilbert, Executive Secretary Misty Whittington and General Counsel Luke Crater (left to right) attend the Feb. 13 Board of Trustees meeting on the SIUE campus. Just last week, the Board of Trustees announced a tuition and fees waiver for new incoming freshmen for the fall 2021 semester at both SIUE and SIU, given they meet the family income qualifications. I Dominick Oranika / The Alestle
tion program sets the tuition rate at $250 per credit hour, the maximum benefit provided to these students by the DoD’s Tuition Assistance program. Chancellor Randy Pembrook told the Board the extension of this program was planned due to the large number of civilian employees working out of Scott Air Force Base, located less than 30 miles from SIUE’s campus. “There are approximately 5,000 civilian employees at Scott Air Force Base,” Pembrook said. “We think that we could attract 50 to 100 in our first year, and this would make us more competitive in that market.” Additionally, the Board voted to approve the SIU System’s operating budget for Fiscal Year 2021, which sees a $25.1 million decrease see BOT on page 3
Nursing enrollment increases along Planning continues for mandatory COVID-19 testing with overall student body diversity GABRIEL BRADY reporter
With SIUE planning on utilizing the University of Illinois’ SHIELD test system for COVID-19, many questions and discussions are being held regarding these tests. According to Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple, the cost of each individual COVID-19 test is difficult to calculate because of how many other variables are involved with getting a new testing system. These variables will be addressed by a committee that’s being created, which will be led by retired Director of University Housing Mike Schultz. “We have questions about the cost, because we’d have to pay for their staffing, and for test tubes and transportation of the tests and results. We’re trying to figure out the cost of a test, and that’s all part of the details Mr. Schultz is working on,” Waple
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said. “At U of I, or Illinois State or Carbondale, they have mandatory health insurance for students, but we don’t. We don’t want to create a barrier, but if it’s free, then we have to figure out how to pay for all that. Let’s say we have 8,000 people on the ground to get tested, and tests cost $20. We don’t want cost to be a deterrent for health and safety, but that adds up.” Freshman accounting major Rachel Rathgeb, of Alton, Illinois, said the cost of these tests concerned her as well. “I think [mandatory tests] would be a good idea, but if we have to pay to get tested, some people may get upset,” Rathgeb said. “I’d be especially annoyed if I had to keep getting tested, but I only go to campus once a week.” Although the committee is still being put together, Schultz said they still have some tentative deadlines. see TESTING on page 2
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VERNON SMITH JR. reporter
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic posing concerns regarding college enrollment across the country, SIUE is seeing growth in diversity. The School of Nursing is also seeing enrollment increases for the second year in a row. SON’s total enrollment for this semester was 1,877. This reflects a 17 percent increase in master’s and doctoral students and a 2 percent increase in undergraduate students. Chancellor Randy Pembrook said he expected to see enrollment continue to climb within SON. “The faculty are outstanding in terms of preparing students and making sure that their skill sets are great. I’m not surprised we are growing in the School of Nursing. I think one of the things we have been trying to do is to build bridges, for example, to the community colleges, for the people
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that want to continue on the associate level. They can do that by getting a bachelor’s through our School of Nursing,” Pembrook said. Pembrook said he hopes prospective students will recognize the value of SON. “People always respond to quality, it will continue to spread the word for our school of nursing,” Pembrook said. Laura Bernaix, dean of SON and professor, said she is proud and gives credit to the faculty. “It makes me very proud, because our school is well known and highly respected … we are doing a fabulous job educating our students, and our faculty are doing a fantastic job. They work very hard to provide a solid education that prepares our graduates for the workforce,” Bernaix said. Pembrook understands that learning virtually is not an easy thing to do, and he commends the students on going through see NURSING on page 3
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Number of COVID-19 disciplinary hearings remains low within University Housing NICOLE BOYD copy editor
University Housing has adopted several policies to limit the spread of COVID-19 within residence halls. While the number of disciplinary hearings due to violations is low, residents may be subjected to a variety of other sanctions depending on the circumstances. Disciplinary hearings take place when a student is found in violation of University Housing policy. Students may opt for an administrative review, which is a oneon-one hearing with a hearing officer, or to select a hearing panel review comprised of a student, faculty member and a staff member. The severity of the sanctions depends on the circumstances, according to Rex Jackson, associate director of resident life. Jackson said disciplinary measures are intended to educate, not to punish, but a student may be asked to leave University Housing if those measures are not effective. “It can range from just a simple conversation where we talk about the policy, what expectations are, see if there’s any gray area … to just kind of a warning, like, ‘Hey, don’t let this happen again.’ Depending on the circumstances, it could be probation at the housing level. We do, in some policy violations, policies surrounding COVID being one of them, have the option of doing university-level probation,” Jackson said. Director of University Housing Mallory Sidarous said some actions will not offer multiple opportunities for education, as with sanctions for tampering with fire equipment, because they pose a risk to the greater community. “If someone left their space while they were supposed to be in isolation or quarantine, they would be expected to leave campus, and they would have to find an off-campus location to complete their isolation or quarantine,” Sidarous said. Jackson said the number of COVID-19 violation hearings has stayed relatively low, in part due to the no guest policy. “At this point, it’s less than 10 [hearings] that I would say could remotely be connected to any of our COVID policies,” Jackson said. Resident assistants may also report noncompliant behavior, Jackson said, and were trained to approach situations related to COVID-19. “It’s just engaging in a conversation
The university holds its first pop-up COVID-19 screenings at Evergreen Hall on Sept. 22. Logs are taken at the table and two workers administer a nasal swab test behind privacy screens. | Dominick Oranika / The Alestle
when they see behavior or actions that may not necessarily align with our policies, and then they submit an incident report and then that is reviewed by a professional staff member to determine … is this something we need to explore through the conduct process? Is it just something that we file as information only, and see, does it pop up again?” Jackson said. Jackson said large gatherings within residence halls may be curbed by RAs and other students reporting them. “Could students have more people in that space than we have set up for our policies? Absolutely, that can happen. When we come across it, we will address it,” Jackson said. “Now, the disadvantage for residents in the halls is it is far easier to come across those things, because if you have spent any time in a residence hallstyle apartment or room, noise does not get contained very well.” More serious concerns or repeat offenses may be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. “Housing is doing pretty much anything that’s going on in their own spaces. So if residents aren’t complying with the
BY THE NUMBERS COVID-19 at SIUE
New confirmed positive cases (from tests
conducted by SIUE and self-reporting):
Sept. 11 - 17: 13 students, 0 faculty/staff Sept. 4 - 10: 11 students, 2 faculty/staff Aug. 28 - Sept. 3: 7 students, 4 faculty/staff 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 Total positive cases: 43 students, 15 faculty/staff
Tests conducted by SIUE
face coverings expectation [in residential areas], or if they’re not abiding by their guest policy, then they’re going to handle that,” Dean of Students Kara Shustrin said. “It may come to us if they’ve been through the housing process and they’re still kind of not getting that message.” The student code of conduct may still apply to students off campus if there is a potential for further issues at SIUE, known as a nexus to campus. Shustrin said the university has been working with the Edwardsville police and fire departments to stay informed of off-campus behavior. “If the Edwardsville police or fire department are responding to, let’s say, a big party off campus, we’re going to need to know about that, because that’s just not safe. And those folks, if there are issues with COVID exposure and then they’re going to be on campus, those are things that could negatively impact the campus community,” Shustrin said. “We’ve gotten several reports that we’re following up on right now and talking to students.” To learn more about University Housing’s COVID-19 policies, visit their website.
Percentage of isolation/quarantine space available on campus (as of Sept. 17): 92 percent Sourced from SIUE’s COVID-19 website, as of Sept. 17
Number of people on campus:
Before COVID-19: 16,000 - 17,000
After COVID-19: about 7,500
COVID-19’s Impact on Campus
Sept. 11 - 17: 115 Sept. 4 - 10: 54 Aug. 28 - Sept. 3: 63 Aug. 21 - 27: 30 Total tests conducted: 262
*1,959 people living in University Housing -This is 64 percent of Housing’s capacity -55 percent of residents have private bedrooms
Sept. 11 - 17: 2 Sept. 4 - 10: 4 Aug. 28 - Sept.3: 5 Aug. 21 - 27: 1 Total: 12 Sourced from SIUE’s COVID-19 website, as of Sept. 17
*Health Service currently has the capacity for 250 COVID-19 tests per week -Only about 40 percent of their available appointments are being utilized
Positive cases identified by SIUE testing:
*58 percent of students still have some kind of on-ground experience (either a class, lab, etc.) -12 percent of courses are traditional face-to-face courses
Sourced from COVID-19 Town Hall held Sept. 11
| Summer Bradley / The Alestle
News in brief
COVID-19 screenings to be held in Housing
Health Service has been offering COVID-19 screening tests to the SIUE community, but many appointment slots have gone unused. To increase testing, mobile screening sites will be in residential communities in the next few weeks. An email sent to university residents said these screening tests should only be taken by those who are asymptomatic and who do not have a known exposure to COVID-19. Residents are instructed to bring their SIUE IDs and health insurance cards; students without health insurance can still be screened, with the cost of the test covered by the university. SIUE is also offering incentives for students to get tested: after completing the screening, students will be able to choose between Starbucks coupons or free SIUE T-shirts. The following are the dates and locations of the mobile screening sites. All screenings take place from 1:30 - 3 p.m. • Sept. 29: Prairie Hall Lobby • Sept. 30: Bluff Hall Lobby • Oct. 6: Woodland Hall Lobby • Oct. 7: Cougar Village Commons For more information about testing, visit SIUE’s COVID-19 website. TESTING I COVER
“We don’t even have a committee put together officially yet. Right now, it’s really just me. I’m in the process of getting representatives around campus. I’m talking to faculty members, but Student Government will be represented on the committee, too,” Schultz said. “Our goal is to have a pilot system in early November, and we’ll run that pilot before students leave for fall break, and then have the full program ready to go when students come back in January.” Waple said the pilot program in November would most likely consist of students and faculty volunteering to get tested by SHIELD. However, Waple also said the test wouldn’t be available for everyone. “It would start out as voluntary because we can’t go to the mandatory system yet ... We would be testing our system, but also testing them for the virus,” Waple said. “The U of I SHIELD test is only for asymptomatic people, so if you have symptoms, you would need to go to Health [Service] and get a test there. Also, SHIELD tests are not supported by the [Ohio Valley Conference], so the athletes have to go get tested through another process. And that’s because there’s still some certifications that SHIELD tests don’t have through the FDA that they should have eventually.” Waple said how often someone would need to be tested has yet to be decided, as he said this is something that changed over time at U of I. “At U of I, they [initially] came out and said they were going to test everyone, and they’ve backed off on that. First, they were going to test [everyone at U of I] twice a week, then it was once a week, then it wasn’t exactly everyone. I think they’ve got probably 48,000 students, and plenty of faculty as well, and they were looking to do maybe 50 to 60,000 tests a week, but I think that’s lower now,” Waple said. “That’s something Mike and his group will look at.” Some members of the SIUE community have been waiting for mandatory testing, like English Professor Charles Berger, who said these tests will be useful if SIUE can set them up quickly enough. “I’m glad to hear that the administration [will try to move] toward mandatory testing by the beginning of spring term. I do hope that the pilot program … comes early enough in the month to be useful,” Berger said. “If it arrives too late in November, it will come up against Thanksgiving Break when students are gone anyway.” For more information, visit the SHIELD website.
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SIU’s budget: Fiscal Year 2020 versus Fiscal Year 2021 $873,309,286 $848,188,245
$889,917,843 $894,903,584
FY 2020
(100 millions)
7
FY 2021
6 5 4 3
$295,223,188
$288,515,250
$303,757,045
$339,012,800 $293,917,489
$327,134,700
$354,764,200 $341,824,800
2 1 0
Revenue
Expenses
SIU System
Budget Deficit: $46,715,339
Revenue
Expenses
SIUE
Budget Deficit: $5,402,239
Revenue
Budget Deficit: $14,690,100 | Summer Bradley / The Alestle
Retrieved from siusystem.edu
BOT I COVER
in funds when compared to FY 2020. The total operating budget for the SIU System for FY 2021 falls at a little over $848 million, a 2.88 percent drop from last year. According to the Board’s agenda for Thursday’s meeting, this decrease is due primarily to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the universities’ operations. With estimated expenses falling just under $895 million, this puts the system at a deficit of nearly $47 million. During the meeting, Trustee Ed Curtis expressed concerns about the system dipping into its reserves and said he thought
this needed to be a part of the budget discussions. “I understand we’re in a pandemic and it’s a challenging year, but I don’t think we’re painting an accurate picture of how fast we’re running through our reserves,” Curtis said. Later in the meeting, Mahony said while uncertainties always play a factor in the budget, the pandemic has amplified these concerns. However, he said the universities have been budgeting conservatively and taking measures to avoid increasing the deficit. “I will say, whenever we’re doing a higher education budget, there’s always a certain
amount of uncertainty because so much of it is related to enrollment and different revenue sources that are not always predictable, but the uncertainty this year is just magnified a lot more,” Mahony said. “We try to budget as conservatively as possible, put in a contingency in each of the budgets … doing all of the things that you need to to make sure we’re not doing anything that adds to our deficit or making things worse.” SIUE’s total revenue for FY 2021 is estimated to be $288.5 million, down 2.3 percent from last year. With costs estimated at $293.9 million, this puts the campus at a deficit of $5.4 million. Despite the deficit, SIUE has reduced costs, cutting almost
Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center holds workshop series based on bestselling anti-racism book GABRIEL BRADY reporter
A new series of workshops based on the teachings of author Ibram X. Kendi has been introduced to the SIUE community, entitled “So You Want To Be An Anti-Racist?” Associate Dean of Students for Diversity and Inclusion Courtney Boddie said the group’s work, as well as the workshop series, is based largely on Kendi’s notion of anti-racism, as described in his book “How To Be an Antiracist.” Boddie said this notion says to truly combat racism, you must not ignore racism, but push back against acts of injustice. Boddie also said this group’s mission is thoroughly rooted in its name. “When we think about the pieces separately, there’s truth-telling, so there’s historians, who tell us whose land this is, and what our history comes from. Then, there’s the racial healing section. We can’t experience that without those who have privilege understanding they have privilege, and what it means to learn these things. Then, the transformation part is about putting all of that into tangible action,” Boddie said. “And if you look at the workshop, its title is self-explanatory as well. We’re not trying to educate people on how to stop being racist, but about how to stop tolerating racism, and how to stop allowing
SIUC
Expenses
others to be racist [and therefore] how to be anti-racist.” Boddie is on the core team of this group, and he said this all came about at SIUE because of a national push for more activism. “[The core team] went to Philadelphia to go to a preliminary conference, to preview these new groups. Our core team was selected to be in the second round of members nationally. Initially, they chose 10 colleges nationally, then they expanded to 25 and we were a part of that group,” Boddie said. The first workshop was led by Director of the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion Lindy Wagner and Assistant Director of the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion Tarsha Moore. Toward the beginning of the first workshop, Wagner said the focus of the first meeting would be on individual experiences instead of system-wide issues. “During our discussions, ‘I’ statements should be used. It is important that we not ignore these experiences, and remember to use empathy as well,” Wagner said. “We have to expand past being not racist, and be anti-racist.” After this, Moore said another big focus of the workshops would be the difference between equity and equality. According to Moore, equality is a standard procedure for everyone, but equity is focused on giving personalized help and attention to those who
need it. Moore said the understanding of race in society would be looked at as well. “We need equity in the sense of allowing everybody the necessary resources to be successful,” Moore said. “Race is a construct that everyone experiences differently. We need to acknowledge that racism exists in order to dive deeper, and we need to know that it still exists in this structure.” In the long-term, Boddie said he would like to see a focus on anti-racism as a community effort, not as a message enforced by groups and workshops. “We’re really trying to build a campus community of people committed to anti-racism, [so we can become] truly anti-racist and truly intersectional. For example, you have Black as a racial group, and within that you’ll have cisgender folks, trans folks, rich folks, poor folks, gay folks, straight folks, etc. That is the story of the U.S. which isn’t told. The story we don’t know is about enslaved people and people we killed,” Boddie said. “We are learning more about social structure and letting people see things for what they are, and learn an unrevised version of history.” The workshop was attended by a mix of students and faculty, and the meeting hit a maximum of 83 members. For more information, check the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center’s website.
$10 million, or 3.2 percent, from last year’s budget. According to Budget Director Bill Winter, most of the decrease in costs can be attributed to the timing of facilities projects. “Last year, we completed the Founders Hall renovation, and we are intentionally delaying the start of the next building renovation project [Alumni Hall] to accumulate sufficient levels of cash reserves in order to do the project,” Winter said. For more information, visit the SIU System’s website, or view the meeting on the Board of Trustees’ Youtube page. The next Board of Trustees meeting will be held Dec. 3.
NURSING I COVER
with it. “I think that’s a challenge for everyone, when you get into a different format. Nurses have an additional challenge … I applaud their courage,” Pembrook said. Bernaix said she acknowleges these are tough times and wants to let students know that she understands. “We are very committed and devoted to our students. I recognize, and so do all the faculty and staff, that they have a lot going on. We are providing all the resources we can for our students,” Bernaix said. Alishiana Ivy, a senior nursing major from St. Louis, said she was proud of herself for getting into the program, especially considering how selective it is. “I am extremely honored in being accepted into SIUE’s School of Nursing in Spring 2021. This program is very competitive because of its prestigious classes and quality teachers,” Ivy said. Jaala Taylor, a senior nursing major from St. Louis, said SON resources have helped her to be successful, despite the challenging nature of the program. “Being a nursing student is very demanding and stressful at times, but as I continue to push through each semester with the help of teachers, SI’s [Supplemental Instruction], mentors and peers, I know it will be worth it once I cross that stage,” Taylor said. While the School of Nursing’s enrollment has continued to
increase, total enrollment for the university has fallen slightly compared to last year. SIUE’s total enrollment for Fall 2020 is 12,860 — 1.5 percent down from Fall 2019. However, the SIUE student body is now more diverse than ever, with 29 percent of students reporting an ethnicity or race other than white. This includes the highest number of Latinx students, at 637, and students who identify as Asian, Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, at 370, in the university’s history. Pembrook said increased diversity leads to other positive changes at the university. “We feel that a variety of perspectives, a variety of experiences from our students, from our faculty, from our staff a better learning environment where people can understand things in different ways. I feel like it’s really fortunate we continue to try and create a greater diversity,” Pembrook said. Pembrook also said recruiting more diverse students is a priority for the university, and administration plans to continue developing new resources to attract a diverse student body to campus. “Increase financial support, scholarships … I also think we have some innovation like our Historical Black Colleges and University program, where we talk to HBCU partners, and particularly where we have graduate programs. We try to create a natural process of enrolling moving from the HBCU to SIUE,” Pembrook said. For more information on the SON, visit their website.
NEXT WEEK: WHAT’S NEXT FOR HISPANIC/LATINX HERITAGE MONTH page 4
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VR brings fun and learning to Southern Illinois
JOHN MCGOWAN reporter
The benefits of virtual reality hardware have been talked about for years, but here in Southern Illinois, the platform is seeing use for both recreational and educational purposes. One business near Edwardsville is showing its customers new ways to have fun with VR. Omnidome VR is a business offering virtual reality escape rooms and other VR experiences in Maryville, Illinois. Omnidome VR CEO Jason Wonders said he was turned onto the idea of VR in part due to his children. “My son – who is now 18 years old – was always big into computer gaming and virtual reality, and virtual reality was obviously going to be the future. Between virtual reality and the holographic [3D projected images] work they’re doing right now, that’s going to be the big thing over the next five to 10 years,” Wonders said. A session at Omnidome brings four players into virtual worlds where they must solve puzzles to be successful. Along with the escape rooms, they also offer more conventional games, like VR archery. Wonders said it’s important that places like Omnidome exist because it’s not an experience that is available to everyone in their homes. “It gives people the opportu-
nity to experience something that they wouldn’t be able to on their own. There are very few people that can afford a $2,000 computer and an $1,800 virtual reality headset. Not to mention, most homes don’t have the space available for people to play,” Wonders said. Omnidome VR co-owner Chris Vanscoyk said he was hesitant about VR until he tried it for the first time. “When I got my first personal headset, I thought it was going to be a gimmick. I thought it was going to be a waste of money, but I bit the bullet and I got it, and it was one of the best gaming experiences I’ve ever had,” Vanscoyk said. “I think it’s only going to get better in the future.” A more practical use for VR technology is coming from the Department of Applied Health at SIUE. Associate Applied Health Professor Lindsay Ross-Stewart specializes in sports psychology, and she’s using VR to help players get their practice in when they can’t be there. “I work on research looking at how imagery-assisted virtual reality can help athletes increase their efficacy and their performance,” Ross-Stewart said. “We put cameras on their head and we film them, so they get [filmed] in the first person. Then we edit the film together so they can watch it in virtual reality goggles … and then we incorporate guided im-
agery.” By viewing a practice in VR, players can get the mental benefit of practice without doing the physical work. Ross-Stewart said this helps players avoid injuries. “They get those mental reps without putting their body through physical damage so that it still increases their skill, and then along with that, the imagery script increases their efficacy and focuses on their mental side,” Ross-Stewart said. Beyond sports training, VR has applicable uses in many fields. SIUE has used it to bring education majors and psychology majors into virtual classroom or therapy office simulations. In addition to these applications, Ross-Stewart said, VR can be useful for those in the medical field. “VR is opening up a lot of avenues that don’t necessarily exist sometimes. Even if you think about things like surgery, a surgeon can’t just go practice a surgery over and over and over again. There aren’t unlimited cadavers. There aren’t unlimited people to do that with, but with VR, they can be in the operating room doing that surgery in exact real time. That’s incredibly valuable,” Ross-Stewart said. Visit Omnidome VR’s website to learn more about their business, and visit the Department of Applied Health website to learn more about the program.
Top: Sophomore geography major George Hayes of Belleville, Illinois tries out the virtual reality archery game at Omnidome Virtual reality in Maryville, Illinois. Bottom: CEO of Omnidome Virtual Reality Jason Wonders explains how to use the equipment and successfully complete the escape room. | Mackenzie Smith / The Alestle
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One and Done Play Festival goes virtual: Writers and actors learn to adjust to new techniques LILY SCHNEIDERS reporter
The Student Experimental Theater Organization’s One and Done Play Festival is an annual event that SIUE’s actors and aspiring playwrights look forward to. It is usually performed in person, but due to COVID-19, SETO had to find other options that would keep the audience engaged. This year, there will be no live audience; instead, the actors will meet at an outdoor location on Oct. 10 and only have a few hours to memorize their scripts before performing. The performances will be recorded and edited into an hour and a half long video of all the pieces for anyone who is interested in watching. Theater in a virtual format poses its own challenges. The actors performing in the outdoor show need to wear masks and social distance, meaning the playwrights will need to take that into account in their scripts and it will impact the blocking of the directors. Meagan Woodruff, a writer for One and Done, said there are many reasons why this is a challenge. “A lot of people really rely on facial expressions to be able to read body language, so covering half the face makes that a lot more challenging than normal for the actors,” Woodruff said. “Social distancing is a big challenge for directors because paying attention to spatial rela-
tionships and their effect on the overall message is something the directors have to be mindful of while bringing these pieces to life. Doing plays over Zoom is a totally different beast and I have no idea what to expect from that.” Normally, One and Done would begin after the last show in X-Fest, an annual event hosted by the Theater and Dance Department. They have auditions as soon as the last show ends and the writers stay in Dunham Hall for the night, only giving them 12 hours to write their scripts before rehearsals begin. After a few hours of rehearsal, the 10 minute plays are performed in the Metcalf Theater. Putting all the writers, actors and directors together in one place isn’t possible during the pandemic, so the playwrights will be writing their scripts at their houses and have 48 hours to craft their story instead of 12. Actors who don’t feel comfortable with coming to campus or students who may be scattered across the country, but would still like to participate, can request to be in an online “Zoom play.” The actors will be performing on their separate screens wherever they may be located. Ethan Sproat, another playwright participating in the festival, said he is optimistic about the shows despite these new challenges. “As a writer I love to accept new and unique challenges. One and Done has always been bi-
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Alumnus, Oliver Bacus of St. Louis performs at One and Done’s 2019 dress rehearsal. | Photo courtesy of Ethan Sproat
zarre in the fact that we produce a 10 minute show in less than 24 hours, but now that we also have new regulations that we’re required to meet, it will be way more challenging but hopefully more rewarding,” Sproat said. In addition to the logistics of the festival, its performances and the writing process, SETO is still trying to give people the opportunity to participate in theater despite the virtual format. SETO’s spring one-act play festival, Uncapped, was cancelled last semester due to the statewide stay-at-home orders. Their production of Trail to Oregon that
would have taken place right after spring break was cancelled as well. The organization reached out to actors who didn’t get to perform, as well as writers who weren’t able to see their pieces brought to life, to see if they wanted to be involved with One and Done. “We reached out to the student writers back in March when it got cancelled and they will be coming back to write,” Jenna Heng, the vice president of SETO said. Everyone is welcome to participate in the One and Done festival. Script submissions have
already closed, but they are still accepting actors. Everyone who auditions will recieve a role, even if they aren’t a theater major or minor. “Students are always encouraged to be involved, even if they are not theatre major,” Woodruff said. “If anyone would like to get involved in the One and Done production, they can reach out to any of our SETO officers, and there is always a way to find info on our Facebook page.” For more information about One and Done as well as SETO’s future productions, visit their Facebook page.
REVIEW: While the McDonald’s Travis Scott Meal generated a lot of hype, it was too reminiscent of previous collabs JORDYN NIMMER digital creative director
The Travis Scott Meal packs a big punch in terms of product advertisement, but lacks originality in terms of flavor. The first in a line of products from a partnership between McDonald’s and rapper Travis Scott is the Travis Scott Meal, which includes a Quarter Pounder with cheese, bacon and lettuce, a medium fry served with barbecue sauce for dipping and a Sprite. Priced at $6, the meal is an affordable option reminiscent of the $5.79 classic Quarter Pounder meal. However, the meal isn’t only reminiscent of the classic — it’s a carbon copy with only a few strips of bacon and barbecue dipping sauce for the fries. Although the flavor palette is a small improvement to the classic, it’s boring: no special sauce and no profound changes. The only unique features of the meal are the bacon and barbecue dipping sauce for the french fries — modifications which could already be made by customer request. Overall, the meal was a disappointment. In all fairness, the meal wasn’t branded as a fresh take on the Quarter Pounder meal, but as Scott’s favorite instead. Fans of Scott will enjoy how the meal gives an inside look into his life, as it is his go-to meal at McDonald’s. Although not revolutionary, the meal does have the personal touch fans might be looking for. The collaboration is thought to be
McDonald’s attempt at reaching younger audiences. Long-time supporters of McDonald’s and individual franchises have criticized the collaboration as a detriment to both the brand and functionality of the fast food chain’s operation. Some restaurants have even been experiencing burger shortages due to the meal’s popularity. Despite reaching popularity among young consumers, the meal hasn’t avoided controversy. Specialized menu items slow down kitchen efficiency. On top of affecting functionality, some critics have claimed the rapper’s reputation reflects poorly on the fast food chain. For the first collaboration campaign released by McDonald’s since the 1992 Michael Jordan collaboration, I expected more. Many have considered the collaboration with Scott as a downgrade from theirs with Jordan in terms of public opinion on the celebrities. The McJordan Special was only offered in the Chicagoland area and featured a Quarter Pounder meal with barbecue sauce and a circular bacon strip. Nostalgic fans of Jordan might recall the various advertisements and excitement surrounding the burger’s release. In fact, a short 10 years after the meal was announced, a jug of McJordan barbecue sauce was purchased by an anonymous Chicago resident for $9,995. Considering how well the Jordan collaboration went, the expectations were high for the Scott collaboration. However, the meals are nearly identical, except
The Travis Scott Meal costs $6 and consists of a Quarter Pounder with cheese, bacon, lettuce. fries with barbecue sauce and a Sprite. | Jordyn Nimmer / The Alestle
Jordan’s had barbecue sauce on the actual burger. While the meal itself is a bit of a letdown, the collaboration is redeemed by the retro apparel line, Cactus Jack x McDonald’s. The apparel line was released on Scott’s website and benefits both Scott and the fast food franchise. Included in the line are clothes, hats, a lunch box and
a $90 chicken nugget body pillow. Scott plans to work with McDonald’s on adding a charitable component to the campaign. Although a charitable foundation has not yet been selected, these plans are still in the works. Even if the meal itself is ordinary, the impacts could still be extraordinary once a charity has been named.
opinion
NEXT WEEK – STOP CALLING IT ‘WOMEN’S HEALTH’ page 6
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Have a comment? Let us know! opinion@alestlelive.com Campus Box 1167 Edwardsville, IL. 62026-1167 Letters to the Editor Policy: The editors, staff and publishers of The Alestle believe in the free exchange of ideas, concerns and opinions and will publish as many letters as possible. Letters may be submitted at The Alestle office: Morris University Center, Room 0311 e-mail at opinion@alestlelive.com All hard copy letters should be typed and double-spaced. Letters should be no longer than 500 words. Include phone number, signature, class rank and major. We reserve the right to edit letters for grammar and content. Care will be taken to ensure that the letter’s message is not lost or altered. Letters to the editor will not be printed anonymously except under extreme circumstances. We reserve the right to reject letters.
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alestle VIEW
Generation Z is not immune to the spread of misinformation THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board
In response to a viral video on TikTok suggesting Generation Z should get a tattoo to unify them and spark rebellion, many individuals rushed out to get the tattoo — but clearly didn’t take the time to research the symbol or its Nazi history. Originally created as a representation of wolf traps in Germany, the Wolfsangel symbol was eventually appropriated by Nazi Germany and used by various infantry divisions. Although public exhibition is now banned in Germany, neo-Nazi groups and white supremacist Aryan Nations have long continued the use of this symbol according to the An-
ti-Defamation League. Although the intentions of this trend were not to pay homage to the symbol’s original purpose, the aftermath is a mix of regretful teens and angry posts begging unsuspecting Generation Z members not to get the tattoo without doing research first. While the original video has since been taken down, some people are claiming that it is OK to get the tattoo because it is not identical to that of the original white supremacy symbol. This does not, however, change the perspective of a bystander if they were to see the tattoo from a distance, as it still resembles the symbol. The trend certainly paints
the generation in a bad light, as they not only look ignorant, but also gullible. Generation Z has grown up in an age of constant technological advancements. As a result, they’re widely regarded as the most technologically dependent generation, and now, the most historically incompetent. The irony of this trend is the complete misalignment between intention and reality. The video claimed the tattoo would unify their generation and represent equality, but the symbol itself has always represented supremacy and inequality. The Wolfsangel symbol can be described as the letter “z” turned sideways with a line through it. The Generation Z
symbol is similar – the letter “z” with an equal sign through it. While many well-read Generation Z members and members of other generations have been trying to redesign the tattoo and make videos about the symbol’s meaning, the damage has already been done. Several TikTokers have now posted videos of tattoo cover ups and public apologies. For a generation that grew up with technology, we expect better. All of this could have been easily avoided with a simple Google search. A tattoo is a body alteration that should be well-considered and researched. Stop focusing on trends and come back to reality. If your intentions are positive, make sure your actions reflect them.
Edwardsville High School: It’s time to (finally) step up, from an ashamed alumna MADISON LAMMERT editor-in-chief
Trophies and plaques line the cafeteria walls. Brand new, shiny cars dot the parking lots, putting old, hand-me-down cars from parents to shame. Flags are proudly strewn about representing all the countries of origin of foreign exchange students who called Edwardsville home for a year. This is Edwardsville High School, known for all its great accomplishments. That’s all the news picked up, until November of last year, and the scratch in the school’s formerly spotless image speaks volumes about how the school has operated the past couple years. For once, some eyebrows were raised within the public sphere when a video of kids fighting surfaced, tracing back to racist social media posts. As an alumna, I knew shit was serious when pre-
cious after-school activities were canceled. Physical fighting was not very common at EHS, but honestly, it didn’t surprise me. I don’t condone violence, but after what I’ve heard surrounding what led to the incident and what I witnessed as a student at EHS years before, I don’t blame those targeted for throwing punches. It was the only way for them to be heard. In response, EHS took to Facebook to post what was read in place of the morning announcements the following day. The message was long and covered a lot of bases. However, there was one critical piece missing: an apology from administration, teachers and staff for how they themselves perpetuated harmful messages and for allowing students to get away with racist behaviors. The school should have learned to be transparent then.
What happened to the truck with the “racist epithet painted on the side” and its driver? Did he face any repercussions? I understand there are many privacy laws regarding releasing information on students, but at the very least, the school should have made it clear whether or not they took disciplinary action. As of now, the public is left to assume the student got away with it. This is just one piece of the puzzle. The announcement said “The N-word has no home at EHS!” Well, was that told to the white English teacher who, when reading “Huckleberry Finn,” told a class of majority white students that we could say the ‘N-word’ when reading if we were comfortable doing so a few short years earlier? What is being done? Yes, task forces and “listening circles,” are great and show effort, but clearly they haven’t solved major problems. Otherwise, we
would be publicly hearing about what happened to the Instagram troll account with the infamous E-paw logo as its profile picture that made fun of George Floyd’s death (it has since been deleted). The problem is clearly not fixed, and action needs to be taken publicly so others see they cannot get away with these abhorrent behaviors. I encourage EHS leadership as they’re dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic to not forget racism is a pandemic, too, that also comes with dire repercussions. Steve Stuart was not my principal throughout the four years I spent at EHS, and I hope he does not fall into the same traps as leadership before him. Instead of worrying about keeping up with appearances, take action. Inaction paints the school in a much worse light than being transparent does.
contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 09.24.20
sports
THE PANDEMIC HASN’T STOPPED SIUE ATHLETICS. IT DOESN’T STOP US EITHER. WWW.ALESTLELIVE.COM
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From player to coach: Wells uses experience on court to teach new lessons VERNON SMITH JR. reporter
Early in his basketball career, Charles “Bubba” Wells stood out, as he broke many records at Austin Peay University. After playing in the NBA, Wells has been spending time coaching at the university level. Wells is entering his sixth year as assistant coach for SIUE, where he has been inspiring and motivating players. “I’m really good at relating to the kids … I coach to try and teach them what it takes to be successful. That’s the reason I’ve been coaching for this long. It’s not for me, it’s for the kids. I didn’t have a coach who I could come and talk to and talk about anything, so they can come talk to me about anything,” Wells said. Former SIUE men’s basketball player D’Quan Applewhite said throughout his time being coached by Wells, the two built a solid relationship. “Being coached by Coach Wells was fun,” Applewhite said. “He would randomly tell us stories of some of his adventures in college as well as just in life and it helped establish a great relationship with him. Having the credentials and resumé he has made us want to ask him questions all the time.” Applewhite said Wells’ humility makes him respect Wells even more. “As great as his career was, he doesn’t brag too much on it. He reminisces his playing days mostly when we ask about it, but downplays it a lot. He’s always been honest and straightforward from the start and that is a reason we flock to him for advice or just about anything,” Applewhite said. Applewhite said Wells not only was a great coach, but a great father figure as well. “His credentials and what he can bring to the coaching table is great, but from a player standpoint, myself and the guys during my tenure as a player enjoyed the type of father-figure presence he gave off,” Applewhite said. Wells was selected in the second round as the 34th pick in the 1997 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks. He attributes much of his success to his experiences growing up in Russellville, Kentucky. “My cousins played it and my uncles played it. They used to beat me up a little bit and that got me more competitive of
the game,” Wells said. Wells said playing internationally, for the NBA and for the Harlem Globetrotters, gave him the opportunity to learn about many different cultures. “I don’t judge anyone, I learned a lot from all the different cultures I was around and watched how they grow up differently. I come from an area where only seven African Americans graduated with me in high school. I learned how to adapt from my surroundings, that’s something I learned growing up, and I learned how to adapt on the court. That’s something I try to teach my kids, where they can be accepted and know how to adapt,” Wells said. Applewhite said Wells passed these lessons onto him and his teammates. “I’ve learned a lot of skills on the court from him but the real value I got from him had to be life skills. I learned and had it reiterated to me how important keeping good friendships were and valuing time and opportunities given in basketball,” Applewhite said. Over the course of playing in the NBA, Wells said one of the most memorable moments of his career was realizing Charles Barkley knew his name as a rookie. “When you’re coming in as a rookie,
you don’t think big name guys really know who you are, and I was in a game in Houston where Charles Barkley was playing with Houston at the time … so Charles was on the free-throw lane boxing me out, and I told him, ‘Aye yo Chuck, I’m finna get this rebound,’ and he was like, ‘There is nobody like me that can get this rebound,’” Wells said. Men’s Basketball Head Coach Brian Barone said one of Wells’ skills is maintaining relationships with people throughout his career. “I think Coach Wells does a good job with keeping relationships alive over his career and with multiple people from different areas. He does a good job with keeping in touch with multiple people,” Barone said. While at Austin Peay, Wells was the first to score 2,000 points and still holds the record with James “Fly” Williams for scoring 40 points four times at the school and holds the single game scoring at the gym with a total of 43 points. “Honestly I [was] just blessed to be able to go to college and play … I didn’t play summer basketball, I didn’t go to camps, I had to work. I came from a farm, so I had to work. I don’t harp on what I
Top: As a former NBA player, Wells’ experience is often used to help propel the Cougars forward. I Photo courtesy of Wells. Bottom: Wells came to Edwardsville after coaching for his alma mater, Austin Peay, for 10 seasons. I Photo courtesy of SIUE Athletics.
did, I don’t do rankings. I just know that my team and I still talk, we are like brothers,” Wells said. To learn more about Wells, visit the men’s basketball website.
SPORTS in brief NCAA basketball seasons delayed
The NCAA announced that men’s and women’s college basketball seasons will be starting Nov. 25, with limitations on how many games they can play. The start date was originally going to be Nov. 10, but it was decided that moving it back would allow for a more controlled and safe environment. Preseason practices will be allowed to start on Oct. 14, and a maximum of 30 practices will be allowed in the 42 days between then and the start of the season. In an announcement video, NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt said this new date is the best solution that considers the health of student-athletes. “The new season start date near
the Thanksgiving holiday provides the optimal opportunity to successfully launch the basketball season,” Gavitt said. “It is a grand compromise of sorts and a unified approach that focuses on the health and safety of student-athletes competing towards the 2021 Division I basketball championships.” The fall championships were moved to spring. As a result of the push back, the maximum number of games has been reduced by four, resulting in an allowance of up to 27 regular-season games for teams to play. Until the season starts, the NCAA is not allowing any exhibition or closed scrimmage games. Those interested in learning more can visit the NCAA’s website.
Athletics sees new Associate Athletic Director Jameson Adams has been promoted to the role of Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations and Fan Engagement. Since he joined SIUE in August 2019, Adams has had the responsibilities of overseeing events and facilities at Athletics, along with taking on marketing duties shortly after starting. In his new role, Adams will also be overseeing efforts to promote Athletics and connect with SIUE Cougar fans on campus and within the community. Adams said his mission was to get students excited for Athletics. “I am humbled and honored for the new opportunity and responsibilities,” Adams said. “I want to engage
our current fans and connect with new fans. This starts on campus. I want our campus community, especially the student body, to be excited to come out to home contests and cheer on the Cougars.” In the announcement, Director of Athletics Tim Hall said Adams was up to the task. “Jameson embraced the challenges and extra responsibilities that we thrust upon him from the very beginning,” Hall said. “I look forward to seeing how he continues to enhance our entire department.” Students interested in learning more about the promotion can visit SIUE Athletics’ website.
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