page 4
thursday, 10.19.17
the
Q&A WITH ALUMNA AUTHOR
alestle
VOLLEYBALL MOVES TO 6-2 IN OVC PLAY
page 7
alton — east st. louis — edwardsville
vol. LXXX no. XV
Pembrook freezes own salary until faculty raise deal reached LUKE MOLEN reporter
Chancellor Randy Pembrook hosted a Q&A Monday where he announced he would be freezing his personal salary until faculty, staff and administration come to an agreement on overall salary raises at the university. Pembrook also talked about the SIUE Police Department’s efforts in discovering who placed the racist note on a door in Cougar Village last month, as well as projections for the Fall 2018 freshman class size. Recently, many faculty and staff members have been concerned with salary issues, specifically the prolonged wait for raises. Prior to the Q&A, Associate Professor Edwards Ackad commented on this matter. “I hope [Pembrook] will address the issue of faculty morale because we are some of the lowest paid faculty in Illinois,” Ackad said. “People are leaving or looking for ways to leave.” Pembrook said he is doing what he can to help address these issues and make changes. “I didn’t feel like I could ask others [to halt administration salaries while faculty salaries are adjusted], but I personally did that. I understand the frustration, the need and idea that administration salaries would change and faculty’s wouldn’t,” Pembrook said. According to Pembrook, some faculty members have already received salary increases. As of Friday, non-representative individuals started to receive their raises. The university still needs to address the salaries for closed union and open contract employees. Since the passing of the bud-
get in July, SIUE has been trying to determine which route to take with salaries. “Because it had been for some three or four years since a meaningful salary change, I thought it made sense to try to move forward and make salary adjustments as quickly as possible,” Pembrook said. “That process actually resulted in some changes last Friday. We continue to work forward where we do not have an agreement yet.” In addition to these salary changes, Pembrook addressed the recent racial matters that have occurred on campus. “It’s important for us to be able to move really quickly in terms of supporting our students,” Pembrook said. “We are in the process of creating a rapid response team. We are going to have students, faculty and staff on that.” While three incidents did occur, the painting of the confederate flag on the Rock, the hanging of white supremacy posters and the placement of the racist note in Cougar Village, SIUE Police Department is only launching a formal investigation for the note. According to Pembrook, the other two happenings are protected under the First Amendment and were executed on free speech zones. According to police Chief Kevin Schmoll, 150 hours have been allotted to this case, 28 students have been interviewed and handwriting analysis has occurred. A suspect has not been determined yet. SIUE is offering a full semester of tuition and fees to any student who comes forward with information about the identity of the culprit.
Chancellor Randy Pembrook addresses the handling of recent racist actions on campus at a Q&A in the Mississippi Room of the Morris University Center on Monday. | Kait Baker / The Alestle
In addition to the formal process, this response team will provide students with any support they may require during and after an incident occurs. Pembrook also added the university plans to unveil a diversity strategic plan. He anticipates this proposal becoming public in a month, and it will cover issues with expectations, support, recruiting and retention. Pembrook also used the Q&A to talk about a potential massive growth in next year’s fall freshman class sizes. “With the budget and [Monetary Award Program] funding, we are projecting new students for fall of 2018 to be up to 40 percent,” Pembrook said. “I asked enrollment management about
that, and they said the dialogue has changed.” With this projection, SIUE can anticipate a jump in the freshmen class which could range anywhere from 600 to 800 students, as the current freshmen class is roughly 1,800. According to SIUE’s website, in the fall of 2014 the freshmen class included 2,126 students. At the meeting, some faculty members were surprised by this projection and showed concerns about the staffing and current building space. However, despite the challenges, Pembrook thinks SIUE can undertake this growth. “It would be a great [to have this increase] and a challenge for us,” Pembrook said. After the meeting, Pem-
brook answered any additional questions people had one-onone. Many of the faculty members were pleased with his clarity. Venessa Brown, associate chancellor for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, commented on the meeting once it had concluded. “I thought it was wonderful,” Brown said. “I appreciate the transparency of the chancellor and the questions that were asked. I think we are moving in the right direction, and I am grateful that SIUE is really committed to being a true inclusive community.”
LUKE MOLEN
650-3527 @lmolen_alestle lmolen@alestlelive.com
Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority to come to SIUE LUKE MOLEN reporter
On Friday, SIUE’s Panhellenic Council announced its decision to incorporate the sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma into SIUE’s Greek Life. SIUE can anticipate Kappa Kappa Gamma’s presence during the upcoming semester and recruitment in fall 2018. Tyler Manning, assistant director for fraternity and sorority life, released the decision on the SIUE Fraternity and Sorority Life Facebook page. The procedure for adding the new sorority started last September. According to Kelly Jo Karnes, the MUC, Student Success Center and Kimmel Student Involvement Center director, the process usually takes anywhere from 18 to 24 months and undergoes three different voting sessions. “With every extension process, the campus has to determine whether it can support anoth-
er chapter,” Karnes said. “From there, we put our information out to all the other sororities. We have four [Panhellenic Council sororities] here, so we put it out to the other 22 sororities.” According to Manning, eight sororities applied for the membership. Some applicants cannot be disclosed to the public due to National PHC rules, but finalists included Alpha Chi Omega, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Phi Mu. “A lot of people were impressed with Kappa Kappa Gamma’s national support that the organization will be providing,” Manning said. “It will provide two consultants from the national organization on campus for two consecutive years, working with the organization. In addition, it has a strong alumni base in the St. Louis area.” Manning added that having an alumni presence is important to the development of an organization. He also said that the
organization will be bringing different and new ideas to campus, highlighting its “Reading is Fundamental” philanthropy, which focuses on providing a culture of literacy for children. “Philanthropies are really important to our fraternity and sorority communities,” Manning said. “Knowing that it has a great partnership with ‘Reading is Fundamental’ was really important to the students and our staff. Kappa Kappa Gamma is going to be a strong PHC partner. I think they are going to breathe fresh air into the community.” SIUE currently fosters four PHC sororities: Alpha Phi, Alpha Sigma Tau, Alpha Xi Delta and Delta Phi Epsilon. Senior anthropology major and Alpha Sigma Tau member Kylie Heruth, of Market Heights, Illinois, said she hopes this new addition will draw forth more women and level out the existing sororities’ member count.
“Hopefully this new group was down this year, and feels this coming will make chapter sizes new sorority will increase future go down a little bit,” Heruth said, recruitment numbers. “but while also increasing num“It’s going to impact our bers because of the interest. Only community by bringing new 10 percent of people who identify blood of leaders and people who as female are affiliated, and Kappa want to be involved,” Heruth [Kappa Gamma] really wants to said. “It will also make us grow, work to find those other people in which is great even though we the 90 percent.” are already outgrowing the spacHeruth said Kappa Kappa es that we use, but it’s awesome Gamma will be targeting students to give people this type of expeof all grade levels because it en- rience.” courages people from freshmen to If any students are interested senior status to join the organiza- in becoming involved in Greek tion. Life, Manning said he encourag“Because Kappa is a large and es them to contact him via email strong organization, we are really at tymanni@siue.edu. Students hoping that it brings our other can also find information in the four chapters up,” Heruth said. Kimmel Involvement Center lo“We are already four very strong cated in the Morris University chapters, but by bringing a fifth Center. chapter in, we want it to elevate and push us to raise more money for our philanthropies and be LUKE MOLEN 650-3527 more involved on campus.” According to Heruth, the so@lmolen_alestle rority freshmen recruitment count lmolen@alestlelive.com
The Alestle will not have a print issue Thursday, Oct. 26. Go to alestlelive.com for the latest news. @thealestle
@thealestle
The Alestle
alestlelive.com
page 2
thursday, 10.19.17
alestlelive.com
CHLOE RICE editor-in-chief
SIUE invites Lawrence Ross to speak in response to racial issues on campus LUKE MOLEN reporter
KENDRA MARTIN managing editor MIRANDA LINTZENICH lifestyles editor
MADISON O’BRIEN sports editor BRIDGET CHRISTNER opinion editor
RYAN BIERI online editor KALLI MORRIS social media editor
TAYLOR FLEIG KEEGAN GAUWITZ CORINTHIA JORDAN LUKE MOLEN ZEKE TORRES reporters
KAIT BAKER JUSTIN BRISTOL CHRISTAL SAMPSON photographers
MATILYNN BARRON BREANNA BOOKER TRENT STUART copy editors JOANN WEAVER graphics manager NICHOLAS AGADI advertising manager KATERINE PATE AMRI WILDER DELENA STOKES office secretaries ANGIE TROUT office manager TAMMY MERRETT program director
Have a comment? Let us know! opinion@alestlelive.com The Alestle Campus Box 1167 Edwardsville, Ill. 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 2022 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.
The name Alestle is an acronym derived from the names of the three campus locations of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville: Alton, East St. Louis and Edwardsville. The Alestle is published on Thursdays in print and on Tuesdays online during the fall and spring semesters. A print edition is available every other Wednesdays during summer semesters. For more information, call 618-650-3528. For advertising, email advertising@alestlelive.com.
On Oct. 11, author, public speaker and University of California, Berkeley graduate Lawrence Ross delivered his “Blackballed” lecture at the Know Better/Do Better event in hopes to educate and spread awareness about modern day racism on university campuses. The event attracted 485 people to the Meridian Ballroom. “You cannot be surprised that when students are coming onto a college campus that they don’t know anything about racism,” Ross said. “Typically, most Americans don’t know anything about racism. A lot of times it occurs because we are not being taught [about] it correctly in the K-12 grade system.” Ross referred to a passage from a Texas history book that said African-Americans were never slaves, but rather a means for agricultural growth. He added that people do not talk about race and racism in a “true and blunt” way. Many people hide the real issues with euphemisms and claim they are “colorblind.” “You can’t actually say that you are colorblind,” Ross said. “When people say that they are colorblind, they are really being fallacious. There is a history and culture about who and what we are.” Ross spoke about one of the foundations of the United States — white supremacy. He suggested it is a pseudoscience created by Europeans to “strip” non-Europeans of their humanity. He added that through white supremacy, racism can exist through the idea of using power to keep protected classes at a disadvantage. He said racism perpetuates through people not wanting to talk about the issue.
Author of “Blackballed: The Black and White Politics of Race on America’s Campuses,” Lawrence Ross gives a presentation on his point of view on racism in college Oct. 11, in the Meridian Ballroom. | Christal Sampson / The Alestle
“You have to recognize and be very cognitive of the fact that one of this country’s foundations that we fight against on regular basis is white supremacy,” Ross said. “To not acknowledge that is not to understand what it is to be an American and not to understand what American history is.” Ross highlighted an array of college racism issues ranging from the specific problems SIUE has endured, to students wearing blackface, as well as abusing its network to discriminate and more. “Campus racism has been at epidemic proportions for decades, and it’s time for predominantly white colleges and universities to start looking for effective solutions before a tragic event erupts. Every college and
university in the United States is a ticking time bomb due to the unaddressed racism on their campuses,” Ross said. Ross said that people need to “stand up” against racism if society wants to overcome the issue. “You must be anti-racist. It is not hard to understand when something is [racist], when something is not and when you see someone doing a racist thing, but denying it is easy,” Ross said. “You must attack [racism] as much as you can.” While many attendees were students, some faculty also listened to the speech. Assistant Director of Residence Life Arielle Weaver said racism is an issue that can be conquered, but not simply overnight. “I really hope students will
The importance of self-wellness:
take away that it takes more than being a nice person to fix these issues and address racism,” Weaver said. “They need to stand up and make comments when they see these things happening.” Some students, like senior mechanical engineering major Scott Coulson, agree the issue can be addressed, but said it will likely be a long-term project. “There is a racial problem, and it needs to be dealt with. It’s an over time thing, though. We can’t do it all at once, but the more we know, the more we can follow,” Coulson said.
LUKE MOLEN
650-3527 @lmolen_alestle lmolen@alestlelive.com
Training your body to function better and stress less KEEGAN GAUWITZ reporter
The “October blues” are upon us and as students deal with a cumbersome level of school-related priorities and outside obligations, mental and physical health habits may start to get less attention. Counseling and health services staff counselor Timothy Kelly said there are many factors that contribute to stress and anxiety among college students, and every student finds different ways to cope with stressors. Kelly said Counseling Services offer a variety of counseling sessions and programs devoted to help students deal with any stress, anxious and depressed symptoms. They are also available for students who need somebody to bounce thoughts around with. One program Counseling Services offers, Therapist Assisted Online, went live last week. Kelly said he is excited about the program and that Counseling Services is growing its presence on campus. “[TAO] offers different selfhealth scenarios for students. Each module is about an hour and will
focus on different things such as anxiety, relationships and so on. It’s a program that’s easily accessible for students, especially those who might not want to come in and talk to counselors or don’t have the time to do so,” Kelly said. A link to TAO can be found on Counseling Services home page, and Kelly said a campus-wide email will be sent to students this week with more information. Kelly said the keys to dealing with stress are being able to identify feeling “off ” and figuring out what works for us, individually, to relieve that stress. “It can be as simple as taking a walk, hanging out with friends or really anything that is a distraction from your stress. Whatever activities allow you to release endorphins. Then, remind yourself to take ten minutes a day to distract yourself from whatever is causing you stress,” Kelly said. One of the most common stress-relievers among college students is exercise. Campus Recreation Fitness Coordinator Amanda Couch said exercise plays a crucial role in regard to stress levels and sleep habits along with physical fitness.
“There are different things going on in our body when we exercise that produce different responses in our body from endorphins to blood flow, which can help with memory and study habits.” Although developing a consistent fitness routine can be intimidating, Couch said finding something that works best for you and your body has great longterm benefits. “I think sometimes the word exercise is challenging for people just because of negative connotations that go along with the word. The key isn’t necessarily exercise, but getting in the habit of moving — whether that’s going out for a walk, getting on the elliptical or playing a sport. Anything you’re doing to move can be helpful,” Couch said. Couch also said the convenience of classes offered at the recreation center takes away the additional stress of planning out an exercise routine. Students can simply show up and follow the class agenda. These classes include mindful exercises that mix mental and physical practices such as yoga, spinning, Zumba and more.
Senior exercise science major Alex Peterson, of Dakota, Illinois has been practicing and teaching yoga for around two years. He said the exercise provides several mental and physical benefits. “I’ve always liked how different it is from other methods of exercise. Everyone’s so involved with strength and resistance, and they don’t take the time to let their bodies stretch and relax,” Peterson said. That relaxation, according to Peterson, can lead to help the body and mind de-stress through better posture and more flexibility. “It lowers your cortisol, which can get so high with school, work and everything else. When your body is so stressed, it makes you tense. I like to focus on opening up the chest. This day in age, with technology and studying, posture is so important, and many people don’t realize that,” Peterson said.
KEEGAN GAUWITZ
650-3527 @kgauwitz_alestle kgauwitz@alestlelive.com
alestlelive.com
thursday, 10.19.17
page 3
SMU fraternity is suspended for hazing CLAIRE Z. CARDONA The Dallas Morning News
10.17.17
10.14.17
A subject reported that she and her roommate were arguing, and her roommate threatened her. Both subjects agreed to separate for the night. University Housing was aware and were dealing with the situation.
An officer responded to a traffic accident involving a vehicle and a deer on North University Drive near East University Drive.
10.16.17 An officer issued a state citation to Kamila N. Valentine for operating a motor vehicle with a suspended registration on Cougar Lake Drive near North University Drive. The vehicle was towed by Brown’s Towing. An officer responded to a reported fight in progress, but was unable to locate any type of disturbance upon their arrival. An officer issued a written warning for disobeying a stop sign on Circle Drive at Whiteside Road. A subject reported that she believes she lost her parking hangtag on Thursday while in Lot 5. A subject reported someone struck her vehicle while it was parked and unattended in Lot 9. An officer responded to a reported scofflaw violation. The owner of the vehicle arrived on the scene and signed the acceptance of responsibility form. The vehicle was not towed. An officer responded to a possible domestic dispute in Lot 4A. The officer spoke with the male and female involved, who advised they were just talking, and there was no altercation. An officer responded to a verbal dispute between two suitemates. The subjects were advised to separate for a while to calm down.
10.15.17 An officer responded to a fire alarm at 507 Cougar Village. The alarm was activated due to cooking. There was no fire, smoke or damage. An officer responded to a report of a disturbance at the Motorcycle Safety Course involving one of the students who became irate and began yelling at instructors. The student was advised to not return to the course. An officer issued a written warning for speeding 39 mph zone in a 25 mph zone on North University Drive near Circle Drive. An officer issued a written warning for speeding 38 mph zone on 25 mph zone on South University Drive near P2 Road.
An officer stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on Cougar Lake Drive and issued the driver a written warning for driving without lights when required. The passenger, Tara L. Israel (30 years old, 6028 Old Alton-Edwardsville Road, Edwardsville) was arrested for unlawful possession of hypodermic syringe and transported to the SIUE Police Department where she was booked and processed. On Sunday, Oct. 15 at 12:20 a.m., Israel was transported to the Madison County Jail, as she was unable to post the $150 cash bond. An officer responded to a report of a possibly intoxicated subject in the Korte Stadium parking lot. The officers contacted the subject and recovered a possible controlled substance from the subject’s vehicle. A subject reported that somebody had stolen the parking hangtag from his vehicle between Sunday, Oct. 1 and Thursday, Oct. 12. An officer issued a written warning for disobeying a stop sign at Circle Drive and Whiteside Road. An officer issued a state citation for speeding 42 mph in a 25 mph zone on North University Drive near Lot 10.
10.13.17 An officer responded to a report of a loud party. The officer spoke with the resident who advised he did not have a party permit. Thus, everyone was instructed to leave the apartment, which they did without incident. An officer responded to a possible vehicle fire on Lot 6. The officer determined that the vehicle had simply overheated and there was no fire.
10.12.17 A subject reported loud noise and a possible disturbance at the volleyball court near Prairie Hall. The officer determined there was no disturbance and told the subjects on volleyball court to keep the noise level down. An officer investigated a reported possible threatening message posted to the SIUE Twitter page. The officer contacted the student who posted the message. The student stated he was just frustrated with Parking Services and had no intention of harming anyone.
A Southern Methodist University fraternity accused of forcing new members to wear clothing covered in vomit has been suspended by the school for hazing. The Beta Lambda chapter of Kappa Alpha Order also paddled its members, the university said in a letter to parents Wednesday that announced the group’s suspension. The Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards conducted an investigation after it received reports of hazing during the spring 2017 semester, the letter said. The university found evidence that the fraternity forced new members to drink alcohol and participate in calisthenics
and required servitude of them, deprived them of sleep and made them eat foods such as jalapeños, habaneros, red onions and milk until they vomited, according to the letter. “Kappa Alpha Order has suspended our chapter at Southern Methodist University, in cooperation with SMU administration, due to violations of our risk management policies,” Jesse S. Lyons of the fraternity’s national organization said in a written statement. “We have an agreement with SMU to return to campus in 2021.” The chapter’s website states its mission is to “create a lifetime experience which centers on reverence to God, duty, honor, character and gentlemanly conduct as inspired by Robert E. Lee, our spiritual founder.” The chapter can no longer host events at its house in the 3000 block of SMU Boulevard,
and all belongings must be removed by 3 p.m. Saturday, SMU said in the letter. Sophomores living in the house will be reassigned space in the residence halls. The chapter will be allowed to recruit upperclass students beginning in the fall 2021 semester, and first-year students in the spring 2022 semester, the university stated. The chapter has been in trouble with the university before. In 2009, it was suspended from the campus after repeatedly violating rules against serving alcohol to minors and hosting unregistered parties. It began to reorganize in fall 2010. In March 2016, the national organization of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity closed the SMU chapter citing “health and safety issues.”
FIND PICTURES OF “GEM OF THE OCEAN’S” FIRST NIGHT AT ALESTLELIVE.COM page 4
LIFESTYLES alestlelive.com
contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 10.19.17
Q&A: ALUMNA AND AUTHOR ERICA GRAHAM KEEGAN GAUWITZ alestle reporter SIUE alumna Erica Graham graduated in 2001 with a master’s degree in speech language pathology. With daughters at home and a passion for writing, Graham soon realized she wanted to write children’s books to help kids with speech problems practice at home. Graham started an award-winning series, called “Talking Tales,” available at TalkingTalesbooks.com, which masks working on articulation and speech patterns behind reading books for fun. Graham has completed four books and plans to continue through the Phonetic alphabet.
Q: How did your interest in speech communication develop? A: “My brother had difficulty hearing for the first two years of his life and received speech therapy. Then, going into college, I had an aunt who was talking about the major and it sounded interesting. It reminded me that the option was out there. I took some intro classes and loved it.”
| Photo via Erica Graham
Q: What is your intent with each book in the series?
Q: How did you begin writing the series?
A: “I read some research that shows that kids who read develop speech skills better. Kids don’t enjoy flashcards and exercises like that as much as interactive practices, so I wanted to create a way where parents and kids could work on those skills together.”
A: “[The stories] started out as bedtime stories for my kids. Then, I started tying in the knowledge I had gained as a speech therapist.”
Q: What advice would you give to students pursuing a career as an author? A: “I would tell them it’s not easy by any means. The easiest part is probably writing the book — which isn’t easy. It all depends on the route you take and how you want to be published. If you want to be self-published, do it right. Get an editor, go through the whole process. Don’t take shortcuts, because then the final product won’t be the same. If it’s something you enjoy and something you’d like to do, one of the hardest things for me was getting over that initial fear of ‘what if people don’t like it?’ You never know who you could touch with your work if you don’t try.”
Q: What has the journey been like going from writing as a hobby to becoming an award-winning author? A: “It has been a huge learning curve, and it’s taken a lot more time than I expected. You have to learn all the ins-and-outs about formatting, marketing and editing. I reached out to an editor to help me with that process, because I wanted to do it the right way.”
Q: What have been your proudest moments as a writer? A: “The proudest moment for me is when I go into my daughters’ rooms at night and ask what book they want to read, and they pick out one of mine.”
thursday, 10.19.17
page 5
alestlelive.com
HIP-HOP’S RELATIONSHIP WITH CULTURE VULTURES
KENDRA MARTIN managing editor Hip-hop does not have a friendly relationship with people who use the hip-hop culture to benefit themselves and then separate from it once they achieve a certain level of success. These people have been nicknamed “culture vultures.” When hip-hop first started in the 1970s, there was no telling how big it would become. This form of music started in the projects of the Bronx and has become a worldwide phenomenon; it is arguably the most influential style of music today. Given the popularity of hip-hop, it’s not surprising how many races and cultures are interested in the music. However, since hiphop has such a rich history of being such an important part of black culture, it’s unsurprising people are defensive. When Eminem first came onto the scene, he took the world by storm, but he had a lot to prove because being a white rapper was neither popular nor accepted. This was a culture that was ours, and we wanted to keep it as such. But, Eminem proved himself to critics and fans alike. He created multiple classic albums and is now considered one of, if not the greatest, rapper of all time. The reason I bring Eminem up is because he is not someone hip-hop would consider a “culture vulture.” Since the beginning of his career, Eminem has been very vocal of his influences and how much hip-hop music means to him. It was genuine and no matter how big he has become, Eminem is still a student of the game. Hip-hop doesn’t consider him a “white”
Miley Cyrus | Photo via Wikimedia
rapper who is dope, just a dope rapper. Someone who comes to mind as a “culture vulture” is Miley Cyrus. People like her are why we have a problem when people take this style of music for granted. In 2013, when Hannah Montana finally ended, Miley Cyrus was desperately trying to shed her cookie-cutter image, so she ran to hip-hop and sucked it dry. She was photographed with rappers everywhere, twerking all over her music videos and at award shows. It was annoying, but I didn’t really pay it any mind because I wasn’t a fan of her. However, flashforward to today, and Miley Cyrus has denounced hip-hop, which is downright disrespectful. She felt that she was being sexualized and was sick of hearing rap songs that were about sex all the time. This is what separates Miley Cyrus and Eminem. Her statement that rap is only about sex is so surface level, because there are so many amazing artists — such as J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar — that make meaningful records that are not always about sex. Now, her image has completely changed, or in other words, she went back to being a white girl again.
A real vulture | Photo via Pixabay
I don’t like that. She took what she could get from hip-hop, and once she was bored with it, she threw it away. It’s crazy, but it’s not surprising, because she is not the first to do this and will not be the last. I wish people would stop using the genre to benefit themselves. I’m starting to see that a lot, and it’s making me uncomfortable. Since hip-hop is extremely popular, it’s necessary to be protective of it. We have to stop letting people who have little knowledge of the music come in, make money off of it and then throw it away once they get bored with it. If we don’t do that, this music — this entire culture that we created — won’t really even be ours anymore and will possibly become unrecognizable.
KENDRA MARTIN 650-3527 @kmartin_alestle kmartin@alestlelive.com
Graham’s Series: ‘Talking Tales’ THE PUPPY’S BUBBLE
The “Puppy’s Bubble” book works on early developing sounds including “p,” “b,” “m,” “n,” “d” and “h.”
SAM’S STICKY SUCKER
The “Sam’s Sticky Sucker” book works on early developing sounds, including “s.”
| Photos courtesy of Talking Tales
CRICKET’S GUITAR
The “Cricket’s Guitar” book works on sounds with “t” and supplement for “r” blends.
THE BRIGHT RED TRICYCLE The “Bright Red Tricycle” book works on “r” sounds and “r” blends.
opinion
TAKE OUR POLL ABOUT NOT ANYMORE AT ALESTLELIVE.COM page 6
share your thoughts: opinion@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 10.19.17
alestlelive.com
Your opinions deserve more than 140 characters. Write a letter to the editor. opinion@alestlelive.com
alestle view
Mandatory sexual assault training loses meaning Deadline forces rush to complete Not Anymore As part of its commitment to maintain a safe and welcoming environment, SIUE introduced a new mandatory sexual assault training program earlier this semester — which was a significant step up from the Haven training before. The online program, titled Not Anymore, is designed to educate students about sensitive topics such as sexual assault and relationship violence. It does so through the use of interviews, firsthand accounts, witness stories and scenarios related to the topics at hand. Like in previous years, this training is required by all students at the university and was supposed to be completed before Oct. 1. Completion of Not Anymore is a requirement to register for classes in future semesters. While the date of completion was set for the start of the month, many students are still struggling to complete the program weeks after the deadline, resulting in holds on their accounts. We at The Alestle believe Not
Anymore is an important resource for students, but, its motivation for completion makes it more of a chore for students rather than a learning experience. According to Student Success, the creator of Not Anymore, each institution is given the ability to customize a program in a way that best fits its needs. This includes the ability to pick and choose content, modules and test questions. It enabled SIUE to include its own policies and processes about sexual assault and harassment along with the general training. With that being said, while the program provides an in-depth and informative view of the topic, many students struggle with the length of the training. The training provides indepth information for students to learn about the realities of sexual assault. Statistics like 1-in-6 women will face sexual assault in their lifetime are good for students to know, and the definition of sexual assault should be made clear. However, too much of a good
thing can sometimes be a bad thing. Between school, jobs, extracurriculars and anything else under the sun, students are finding it difficult to schedule time to complete the training. What the university claims to only be about an hour can really be closer to two, or even more, depending on how students approach it. In situations like this, it’s really easy for students to rush through required programs such as Not Anymore in effort to finish. By doing so, the information doesn’t stick. Instead, it goes away, replaced by the demands of everyday life. In order for students and the university to get the most out of this program, something needs to change. To begin, SIUE needs to customize a program that is both interactive and time efficient. The quizzes and tests are put into place in order to ensure students were paying attention during the videos, but afterward, all the information is forgotten.
Instead of trying to cover content in several different modules, the questions should only ask the basics, and they should be repetitive. For example, the program makes sure to provide SIUE’s definition of things such as stalking, sexual assault and, however, no questions are ever asked about the policies. Instead of having students memorize facts and statistics, we should have them know and understand what clearly identifies as one of these terms at this university. People should be able to know their rights and when they should and when they should not contact outside sources. We understand that awareness and knowledge about these types of topics are extremely important, but when students aren’t paying attention to what they are “learning,” there won’t be any actual positive results to the training. Not Anymore is a great program in theory. Those who actually take the time to listen, evaluate and remember the information
given in the training can really benefit from all it has to offer. However, for those who breeze through it just so that they can register for classes, it’s a meaningless obstacle and not taken seriously or given the student’s full attention. Although the university has good intentions with the Not Anymore program, it is difficult to get a serious message, such as sexual assault, across when the ability to register for classes is on the line. When the university gives the program a deadline and a restriction, students don’t take it seriously enough. They are not really absorbing the material provided, and many people procrastinate to eventually rush to complete it before the deadline. While we praise SIUE for trying it’s hardest to live up to its promise of a safe and inclusive environment, it still hasn’t quite hit the mark with this mandatory training.
Sexual predators are more than just a Hollywood problem RYAN BIERI online editor
The recent allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein have brought celebrities out in force to talk about sexual harassment within the film industry. However, it’s important to remember these events are not limited to the world of powerful men in California. We all need to be on guard for people, typically, but not exclusively, men, using their power and connections to prey on others sexually. It may seem silly to consider this on a campus, but there’s a rea-
son that the screens in the Morris University Center have warnings against sexual harassment. Yes, they are posters required by state law to be shown on campus, but that law exists for a reason. The truth is that predators will use whatever power they have to get what they want. It doesn’t matter if you’re a 5-foot4-inch tall woman like Rose McGowan, who alleges Weinstein raped her, a 6-foot-4-inch tower of muscle like Terry Crews, who said he was groped by aw powerful man in Hollywood, or a college student like Tyann Sorrell, a teaching assistant at University of California Berkeley who alleged
that the School of Law dean acted inappropriately toward her. If you still think that these are cases of a few bad apples, I sincerely implore you to take a look at the hashtag “#MeToo” on social media. The BBC reported that as many as 200,000 brave people are using it to speak out about how they have experienced sexual harassment. While these current events are a good reminder that anyone can fall prey to these monsters, it’s also important to remember that we all need to pay more attention and speak out if we see anything amiss. Predators will always try to
find a way to try to get away with whatever they feel they can, as long as they don’t think they will suffer for it. This is a systemic problem, and there’s only one solution: make predators know they are not welcome in our media, our businesses, as our leaders or as our friends. If we all stand up and loudly say we will not sit back because “it’s not that bad” or “it’s none of my business,” then what they can get away with is much, much smaller. When would-be assailants believe they will be instantly ostracized and ruined once it’s ap-
parent what they’ve done, then hopefully we will never have a massive outpouring of stories like this again. If you see something, you have a moral obligation to say something. When someone comes forward with a story of how they were harassed or assaulted, it’s not the time to ask for proof, it’s a time to listen, be as supportive as you can, believe them and, most importantly, to stand behind them. RYAN BIERI 650-3527 @rbieri_alestle rbieri@alestlelive.com
contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 page 7
sports alestlelive.com
SEE THE MEN’S SOCCER RECAP AT ALESTLELIVE.COM thursday, 10.19.17
Volleyball defeats Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State
Sophomore middle blocker Kiana Fields spikes the volleyball back over the net against Montana State University on Aug. 17. I Justin Bristol / The Alestle
Cougars improve to 16-4 overall, 6-2 in OVC KEEGAN GAUWITZ reporter
SIUE volleyball went undefeated last week, earning two Ohio Valley Conference wins over Eastern Kentucky University and Morehead State University to extend their winning streak to six. The Cougars first faced off against EKU Friday night, defeating the Colonels 3-2 in a match where the Cougars had to battle from behind in every set. Head Coach Kendall Paulus said she was impressed with how tough the Cougars played throughout the back-and-forth match. “We’re so competitive. I think we were really excited to compete against a really strong team, and our girls didn’t want to disappoint,” Paulus said. Despite being out-hit .183 to .107, the Cougars’ offense rallied around senior middle blocker Taylor Joens and senior outside hitter Ashley Witt, who tallied 13 and 11 kills, respectively. Defensively, SIUE totaled 71 digs and eight blocks. Senior defensive specialist Katie Shashack and redshirt sophomore setter Samantha Knight led the way for the Cougars with 15 digs each. Senior outside hitter Jackie Scott and sophomore setter Mallory Nicholson followed with 12 digs each. Associate Head Coach Luke Young credited SIUE’s confidence and leadership as the key for the team’s composure late in the match. “We’re confident in who we are. This team is pretty senior in age, but overall, the group itself is very mature. Having gone through this season up to this point, we didn’t question who we were just because it was a tough match,” Young said. Saturday night’s performance
was dominated by the Cougars, who swept Morehead State three sets to none. SIUE out-hit the Beakers .351 to .157, with Joens and redshirt freshman middle blocker Annie Ellis leading the Cougars’ attack with 13 and eight kills. “I was extremely impressed with our bench … Ellis had a great weekend. We’ve seen that in practice. She got her chance this weekend and played fantastic,” Young said. He was especially impressed with Ellis’s consistency and the work ethic she has shown in practice. “She’s one of those players who, if you give her feedback, she’s going to try to her hardest to improve in the way she’s being asked — even if that’s an uncomfortable change in her training setting. From practice to game day, she stays consistent,” Young said. Ellis posted a .533 hitting percentage, and Joens hit an astounding .722 percent to contribute to the Cougars’ season high hitting percentage of .351. “We had our best hitting percentage of the year Saturday. [Ellis] and [Joens] were great. All across the board, we were efficient, and that was our focus following Friday night [against EKU] … I was really impressed how we were able to flip on the switch Saturday,” Paulus said. Paulus gave credit to Knight for her energy Saturday, pushing her teammates vocally and keeping communication smooth on and off the court for the Cougars. “She always competes and just has fun. She’s always creating chances for teammates and getting excited for them. I really think if we didn’t have that, the match could have gone differently,” Paulus said. Knight said she thinks the
vocal support she lends her teammates helps fire them up, especially during long weekend trips with back-to-back game days. “I think having some people step up vocally can ultimately change the game for our team. Going into Saturday, the team was exhausted, and we were digging deep to gain energy. I felt like I needed to get the team pumped up to start off the first set. It means a lot that [Paulus] noticed that, and I hope I continue to be impactful on and off the court,” Knight said. The Cougars will enjoy a fivegame stretch at home starting Friday, Oct. 20 against Jacksonville State University.
Senior outside hitter Jackie Scott spikes the ball back over the net against South East Missouri State on Oct. 7. I Justin Bristol / The Alestle
Senior defensive specialist Katie Shashack returns a volley for the Cougars against Montana State University on Aug. 17. I Allison Gregory / The Alestle
thursday, 10.19.17
ALESTLE
CLASSIFIEDS GIVE YOU MORE Place your classified ad at a time convenient for you using our easy and secure online interface at: alestlelive.com/classifieds Deadlines: By noon Monday for Thursday issue or Online all the time. Having trouble? Call (618) 650-3528 or email classifieds@alestlelive.com
Alestle Office Hours: MUC 2022 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
alestlelive.com
page 8