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Undergrad presents Deaf professor set to geography research at teach ASL course in national conference spring semester PAGE 2
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North Park falls more than 20 points behind SIUE men’s basketball PAGE 8
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
THE student voice since 1960
OVC CHAMPS! Thursday, November 16, 2023 Vol. 77 No. 11
Men’s soccer secures OVC championship, NCAA berth
AUDREY O’RENIC sports editor
SIUE men’s soccer earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament after claiming the Ohio Valley Conference Championship title in the tournament series last week. The Cougars defeated the Lindenwood University Lions 2-0 in the semifinal round of the tournament on Nov. 8 at Korte Stadium. The first half of the game remained scoreless, and no shots were made on goal until the 53-minute mark. Lindenwood attempted to score but was quickly shut out by graduate goalkeeper Sam Gomez. The first goal of the game came at the 70-minute mark. Senior midfielder Sam Layton sent a 20-yard pass to junior forward Ignacio Abeal Pou, who then made a run in on goal from the left side and struck the ball into the bottom right corner of the net. “It wasn’t only me; it was just the whole team,”
Abeal said. “I get the strength and everything from the team, from the other guys. [I am] not playing only for myself, but for the team.” The two teams battled 1-0 for nearly the rest of the second half before Abeal’s second goal of the night at the 87-minute mark. Senior midfielder Andres Delascio sent a short cross to Abeal, who took his shot off the right foot from just outside the penalty spot, bringing the final score to 2-0. G o m e z credited his team with securing his ninth career shutout. “I didn’t face a single shot on target,” Gomez said. “Every single guy in front of me is putting their body on the line and ma k i ng
me have the easiest day, which is unbelievable, especially in a knockout game.” The championship final came just three days after the semifinal, in which the Cougars secured the OVC Championship title with a 1-0 win over the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals at Korte Stadium. The single goal that led
the Cougars to victory came at the 26-minute mark by Abeal. Redshirt sophomore midfielder Jake Karolczak returned a pass back to junior forward and midfielder Stephan Moreira, who then delivered a short pass to Abeal. Abeal attacked the ball and sent it straight into the bottom right corner of the goal. The Cardinals put up a tough fight for the rest of the game, frequently forcing the Cougars to make pass-backs to Gomez, who would then keep the ball until opportunities were found and set the Cougars up for quick breakaways with the ball. Head Coach Cale Wassermann said the game took a lot of work from everyone. “[We had] a very tough opponent, [and we] had to defend for long spells,” Wassermann said. Graduate midfielder Alsadiq Hasan credited the strong team dynamic
Soccer team captain Alsadiq Hasan (dark armband) and goalie Sam Layton (dark sleeve) raise the OVC Tournament trophy in celebration after beating the University of the Incarnate Word 1-0. | Maximilian Lenhart / The Alestle
for pushing the Cougars through the competition. “So many times the game is so close and the opponent is having a good game,” Hasan said. “Our bond is what gives us the edge. We make mistakes, we stay positive, we push each other.” Although no more goals were scored by the Cougars, the defense put up a strong foundation in securing the final 1-0 victory. Wassermann said the win was very special for the team. see CHAMPIONS on page 8
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Geography student only undergraduate presenter at 12th biannual Race, Ethnicity, Place conference MADISON HUTCHINSON online editor
Senior geography and geographic information sciences major Wade Filges presented a portion of his senior assignment and Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities project at the Race, Ethnicity and Place conference in October. According to Professor of Geography Susan Hume, who served as Filges’s senior assignment faculty mentor and URCA supervisor, Filges was the only undergraduate student to present at the conference. “I was really proud of him for having the initiative and courage to do that,” Hume said. Filges said his research focused on the majority Hispanic community of
SIUE names new interim vice chancellor for university advancement Sara Colvin has been named the new interim vice chancellor for university advancement, Chancellor James T. Minor’s announced on Thursday. Colvin is an SIUE graduate, and she had been serving as the director of development for the School of Business. Colvin will now oversee the SIUE Foundation as interim vice chancellor as of Nov. 17. “In this interim capacity, my central objective is to ensure continuity and positive momentum for the SIUE Foundation. We will actively engage with students, faculty and staff to understand their needs and concerns,” Colvin said. The SIUE Foundation is responsible for fundraising and donations made to the university. It serves as the authority of the fiscal responsibilities. “My experience, skills and unwavering commitment align with the needs of SIUE,” Colvin said. “Through the successful execution of strategic fundraising initiatives, I have played a significant role in propelling the institution toward growth and success.” Colvin will be replacing former Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Seth Walker. According to Minor’s email to the SIUE community, Walker is leaving for Georgia. Minor appointed Walker for the position in June 2022. “As a third-generation female graduate from SIUE, I share your experiences and hold a deep passion and enthusiasm for the direction of our institution. I am not just an administrator; I am one of you, invested in the continued success and growth of SIUE,” Colvin said.
Fairmont City, Illinois. “I’d grown up around the area of Fairmont City,” Filges said. “My mom would always take me there for Mexican food and I became really interested in why there was such a strong Mexican community right here.” Hume said that after identifying her as his desired faculty mentor, they were then able to parlay the research into an URCA project, as well as going through the Institutional Review Board clearance process to get permission to do interviews in Fairmont City. “The research he was doing was really special because Fairmont City is the only majority Latinx community in the St. Louis metropolitan area, and the only majority Latinx community outside of the Chicago suburbs,” Hume said. “For too long, people have made misassumptions. No one has done academic research on this community before so his research is really the first that anyone has done, which is really cool.” According to Filges, after receiving approval from the IRB, he was able to start the process of looking for individuals within the Fairmont City community that he could conduct interviews with.
“I reached out to my friends who live in Fairmont City and asked if they knew anyone who would want to help me out with my project,” Filges said. “I interviewed some of the people my friends knew and it snowballed. I ran into one person and they were able to help put me onto others [and] eventually I had eight people willing to talk to me.” Filges said he mainly used the responses from his interviews to create his presentation. “There were a few articles online that I used as a baseline to establish basic facts about the city. I went more in-depth with people and got more information through my interviews,” Filges said. Filges said through his research he was able to learn more information about the town, specifically through the means of oral historical accounts. “I really uncovered the history of the town because I didn’t just interview immigrants,” Filges said. “I ended up interviewing people that had lived there their whole lives. They were really able to tell me a lot about when people first started coming to the town, where they came from and how it changed over time.”
Filges said he was thrilled to present in Washington, D.C., but also said it was stressful being the only undergraduate to present. “I was happy to spread the knowledge,” Filges said. “I got to go to D.C. and meet a lot of people that were doing research similar to mine. It was a little nerve-wracking to present in front of graduate students, doctors and professors. However, it was definitely worth it because I learned a lot.” Filges said he is not finished with his senior assignment and still has a great deal of work left to complete before he graduates. “I’m still going through my interviews,” Filges said. “It’s a lot of data — some of my interviews are over an hour long. I still have to write my final paper.” Filges said even with the great accomplishment of presenting at the conference under his belt, he still intends to continue learning, growing and working in the geography field. “I’d really like to keep studying and do a master’s degree,” Filges said. “I’m going to take a break after I graduate, get a job and not jump back into school until a later date.”
An Important Message About Gas Safety Natural gas delivered to the University from Ameren through a underground piping system. It is used to provide fuel for clean, efficient heat to all campus buildings and residence halls. It is also used for hot water and food preparation.
notify Facilities Management at 3711. If the gas
odor is strong and/or you hear a hissing or leaking sound, you should leave the building immediately.
If the odor is strong:
Do not use telephones, cell phones, computers, or elevators.
•
Do not smoke or use a lighter, match or open flame.
fires, explosions, leakage, damage to the facility
•
Do not operate vehicles near where the leaking gas could be.
incidents, the pipeline is maintained and
•
Do not re-enter the building to retrieve personal affects.
and loss of service. In order to prevent these inspected
according
to
state
and
federal
regulations. Facilities employees receive ongoing training to ensure the continued safe transport of
If you smell a strong gas smell in the air outside
In order to prevent damage to the pipeline due to
pitched whistle or hissing sound, blowing dust, dead vegetation in a normally green area, or
natural gas to the campus.
construction excavations, SIUE participates in the one-call system known as JULIE. Within 2 days of a call for a planned excavation, SIUE will mark the location of underground gas, as well as other utility lines.
Recognizing and Responding to Gas Leaks
or you see unusual occurrences such as a high-
ground fires, you may be observing signs of a leak in a natural gas line. Always use caution near an
outdoor gas leak and recognize the possible
called Mercaptan is added to give gas its
distinctive odor so you can smell a leak
immediately. The odorant makes natural gas smell like sulfur or rotten eggs.
11.13.23 The Quad Rock was “cheesed” by an unknown group. Dozens of single cheese slices and tubs of cheese dip were illegally placed on the Rock.
CONGO A man in the Congo self-immolated in protest against an ongoing genocide in the country. The video was virally spread on Twitter.
MEXICO Mexico’s first non-binary magistrate, Ociel Baena, was found dead in their home. They were reportedly stabbed to death.
ICELAND Iceland’s government has begun planning defenses for a possible volcanic eruption. The volcanic activity was reported to be near Reykjavik, the country’s capital. INDIA A rescue operation has been mounted to save 40 Indian workers from a collapsed tunnel in the Himalayan mountain range in northern India.
hazards, such as fire, ignition or explosion.
In these conditions: • Do not use any device or equipment that may generate a spark or flame.
Pure natural gas is colorless and odorless. Before
gas is delivered to the SIUE campus, an odorant
11.11.23 An officer responded to a report that a dog was being walked without a leash in Cougar Village. The officer said the pair were gone upon arrival.
If you smell a faint odor in any campus building,
•
Overview of Hazards of Pipeline and Prevention Measures Used The hazards associated with the pipeline include
11.09.23 An officer reported that a person’s car was broken into at Korte Stadium. Their wallet was stolen and fraudulent charges were made on their card.
• •
Do not start up or shut down motor
vehicles or electrical equipment.
ITALY A circus lion named Kimba escaped and went on a tour of the seaside town of Ladispoli. The authorities sedated the lion with a dart and captured him.
Do not use a telephone or cell phone in
or near the area.
Information courtesy of Reuters / AP
Thursday, 11.16.23
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KNOW YOUR vote:
PAGE 3
Get to know your elected student officials by Dylan Hembrough
Mackenzie Richards
Jared Jess
Lauren Harris
Olivia Davila
Senior psychology major Mackenzie Richards leads Student government’s executive board as the president with the intent to make the organization more transparent, approachable and accessible to the student body. “The biggest thing for me is I want to increase the collaboration [and] community between student organizations, because there are a lot of really fantastic organizations that we have,” Richards said. Richards said this is her third year in Student Government, and that she hopes to use her prior experience in her current position to benefit the student body. One project she is working on is a “syllabus bank.” “[I’m] putting together all the syllabi for different classes so that students can access it prior to signing up for a class,” Richards said. “They can kind of explore what those classes look like.” Richards said she likes to bake and read in her free time, and has recently become interested in ceramics. “One of my friends has a pottery wheel in their garage,” Richards said. “Whenever I’ve been talking to them, I say, “Hey, can I pop over and do some pottery with you?”
As the person tasked with running Student Senate meetings smoothly and coordinating a vastly expanded voting body, senior mechatronics and robotics engineering major Jared Jess certainly has a lot to keep track of. Jess said his primary goal this semester has been working to accommodate the newly-expanded senate and fill positions that, come April, will be elected by the student body. “This semester, I had 14 empty positions, so pretty much on the daily I was checking GetInvolved, uploading applications [and] holding interviews for the position,” Jess said. “I’ve done 30 interviews this semester, just for senators.” Jess also said his work involves equipping the senators with the tools they need to be successful leaders. “I am here to serve them. I give them advice whenever I can. I help throw ideas whenever I can,” Jess said. “Basically, I take my tool belt from my millennial experience and I try and offer up all those tools to everyone I can when I see fit.” Jess said that, in his free time, he is a “jack of a few trades” with a penchant for action sports.
Brushing shoulders with the Board of Trustees and speaking on behalf of the student body, Student Trustee Lauren Harris represents the students of SIUE in the highest reaches of the SIU system. “I tend to only be specifically the student trustee at those [meetings] five times a year, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not being active on campus,” Harris said. “I get invited to things to give the perspective of students within my position of student trustee.” Harris said combing through university budgets and analyzing policies was overwhelming at first. However, this new perspective, she said, was beneficial to her input to the Board. “They want my perspective as somebody who doesn’t understand it,” Harris said. “Why does this happen? What are students thinking about this potential thing that we might do? It gives extra credibility to the decisions.” Harris said she appreciates the feedback she gets from carrying out her duties as the face of the student body for the Board. “Whenever I do make comments, and I do bring up concerns, people are following up with me,” Harris said. “I think it’s really exciting.”
If you are a member of a student organization and received funding from Student Government this year, you have sophomore mathematics major Olivia Davila to thank for that. Davila said she applied because she likes working with student organizations and wanted to help people get the funding they need. “I meet with organizations about their requests, and I walk them through the process and explain everything that they need to do,” Davila said. “We take it to committee, and then I’ll help people decide whether to approve or deny, but I don’t actually get to vote on them. Once it’s approved at Finance, it’ll get approved at Senate.” Davila said these funding requests typically consist of travel requests, program requests and annual allocations. She also said Student Government made a flyer with information about the funding request timeline for ease of access for student organizations. “A lot of organizations don’t know what’s accessible to them,” Davila said. In her free time, Davila said she likes to bake and take care of around 20 houseplants, as well as watch movies with friends.
President
Vice President
Student Trustee
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March for Israel draws estimated 290,000 people to D.C. TODD J. GILLMAN The Dallas Morning News (TNS)
Hundreds of thousands of people filled the National Mall on Tuesday for the biggest pro-Israel rally in a generation, demanding release of hostages held in Gaza and denouncing the antisemitism unleashed by the Hamas attack 40 days earlier. “It’s been quite a few years since we felt like there was an existential crisis for Israel,” said Joel Schwitzer, Dallas-area director of the American Jewish Committee, one of hundreds of North Texans at the March for Israel. “This feels different than anything I can remember.” Security was tight, with streets around the mall closed and a heavy presence of police. Busloads from synagogues across the Northeast and Midwest converged on the capital. Texans by the hundreds flew to the capital. Organizers said 290,000 people were on hand to show solidarity with the Jewish state, the hostages, and each other — more even than a 1987 march to protest Soviet oppression of Jews. Jewish groups announced the rally last week to counteract the antisemitism and animosity towards Israel that have spiked since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7. “We’re Americans,” said Dena Ofengeim, 30, who left Dallas for Boston three years ago adding she attended to defy the uptick in “psychological warfare against Jews.” Her father fled the Soviet Union decades ago and lately, she said, “my dad’s been talking
about ‘never again.’ I thought he was exaggerating but he’s right. People don’t take these things seriously. First they dehumanize us. Then they come for us.” Relatives of some of the 240 hostages held in Gaza pleaded for their release. Signs in the crowd that read “Kidnapped” showed their photos. Groups prayed for the safety of Israeli forces between speakers. The five-hour rally was held with Congress in session, in part to keep up pressure on lawmakers to approve $14 billion President Joe Biden wants to send Israel in security aid. The request has been bogged down amid resistance to requests for $9 billion in humanitarian aid for Gaza and $61 billion for Ukraine. Israeli President Isaac Herzog, speaking by video feed from the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the holiest site in Judaism, denounced “the Hamas savagery.” Pleading for the hostages, he invoked Moses’ plea to the Pharaoh before the exodus from Egypt. “Once again in Jewish history we demand, let our people go,” Herzog said. “There is no greater and more just cause than this ... Today we come together as a family, one big mishpachah, to march for Israel.” A 1987 march for Soviet Jewry drew 250,000 people. During a Palestinian uprising in 2002, 100,000 Israel supporters gathered at the Capitol. “Many of your grandparents fought for our freedom,” Natan Sharansky, a former Soviet dissident who spent years trying to emigrate, told the crowd Tuesday. He described the anguish of
daily funerals in Israel. “Wherever you go you hear more and more stories about torture and murder. How do you keep going? You do it together,” he said. He lamented “another front in this war” — the outbreak of antisemitism at Harvard, Yale and other elite U.S. universities, where students have cheered “this modern pogrom ... They speak about justice and they are ready to welcome the killers of babies. We will fight against those who try to give legitimacy to Hamas.” Chants of “bring them home!” broke out repeatedly during the rally. Placards showed the same message. T-shirts read “End Jew Hate.” “I can’t sleep at night because I’m imagining what it’s like for these hostages. I have children the age of some of them,” said Rabbi Shira Wallach. “Oct. 7 was a pogrom,” a massacre of innocents. She and the other four clergy from Dallas’ Congregation Shearith Israel were at the rally. They came with 30 or so congregants, some holding signs that read “Dallas stands with Israel.” “Hamas is the common enemy” of Israel and of the 2 million Palestinians under their control in Gaza, the rabbi said. The current crisis has forged rare unity between secular and religious Jews, and between factions in the U.S. and Israel that support and oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies of expansion into the West Bank. The conflict began with a series of raids Oct. 7 that killed
1,200 people, organized by Hamas, which the United States and European Union view as terrorists. The Iran-backed group, whose goals include driving all Jews out of Israel, has controlled Gaza since 2006. Israel identified roughly 70 percent of the dead as unarmed civilians, including children and elderly. Some bodies were burned and mutilated. “It’s important to remember the sheer barbarism of the attacks of October 7,” said Schwitzer. “No country would allow that to happen unchecked.” Israel’s response has been fierce. After weeks of bombardment and a ground operation still underway, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry has put the death toll at more than 11,100 people. Most are women and children. That’s one in every 200 people in Gaza. As news outlets have documented, that was a big part of the Hamas strategy — to provoke a heavy-handed response that would turn world opinion against Israel. Hamas also wanted to halt a growing thaw in Arab-Israeli relations, which the group feared would ease pressure over the Palestinian cause. Iran was especially alarmed by an impending pact with Saudi Arabia, its top regional rival. Pro-Palestinian protesters have demanded a ceasefire. Israel rejects the idea, arguing that would let Hamas regroup. “Little babies were snatched and taken hostage,” said Robin Stein, chair of the Jewish Feder-
ation of Greater Houston. “We want everyone to remember there are 240 hostages. No other country would even consider a cessation of operations while you’re at war.” Israeli tanks reached the gates of Al Shifa Hospital, the largest in Gaza, on Monday. Israel says Hamas uses tunnels under the hospital as a headquarters. American officials support the assertion but also echo growing international concerns about the hundreds of patients and medical personnel who have not evacuated, despite Israel’s urging to do so. Gaza health officials say 32 patients have died since Saturday, including newborns whose incubators were unable to run for lack of power. A Nov. 4 pro-Palestinian march in Washington drew tens of thousands of protesters. A march in London last weekend drew 300,000 people, according to police. The Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations spearheaded the March for Israel. Much of Tuesday’s rally was aimed at combating the antisemitism that has boiled since the attack. “I can tell you without hesitation ... at the White House or in the Congress, at home or abroad, this government stands shoulder to shoulder against Jew-hatred,” historian Deborah Lipstadt, the Biden administration’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, told the crowd. “Nowhere. Not now, not ever.”
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SIUE basketball seas MEN’S 2023-2024 Roster Coaching Staff Head Coach Brian Barone Associate Head Coach Colin Schneider Assistant Coaches: Ryan Hellenthal, Angres Thorpe, Darreon Reddick
Players #0 Damarco Minor, Junior Guard #1 Dorion Staples, Senior Forward #2 Desmond Polk, Redshirt Junior Guard #3 Ray’Sean Taylor, Redshirt Junior Guard #6 Jordan Pickett, Freshman Guard
Redshirt junior guard Desmond Polk dunks the Wallace jumps after him.
#8 Quani Rudd, Junior Guard #11 Brian Taylor II, Soph. Guard #12 Ethan Yancy, Junior Guard #21 Terrance Thompson, Junior Forward #23 Adeola Seun, Junior Center #34 Arnas Sakenis, Soph. Center #40 Eddiean Tirado, Junior Guard #42 Shamar Wright, Redshirt Senior Guard #55 Lamar Wright, Redshirt Senior Forward
“Our goal is to always win the game first and win it the right way second. If we do that, I think we have the opportunity to have success whether it’s a one point lead or a 20-point lead in the second half,” Coach Brian Barone
| Maximilian Lenhart / The Alestle
Upcoming Home Games SIUE vs. Detroit Mercy 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 25 First Community Arena SIUE vs. Missouri Baptist 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 28 First Community Arena
Redshirt Senio Nov. 9 game game — brea in a career.
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, 11.16.23
son tips
Upcoming Home Games SIUE vs. Middle Tennessee 1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 26 First Community Arena SIUE vs. Northern Illinois 1 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 3 First Community Arena
“It’s really special to have a group of people that all want the same thing, have the same goal in mind and want to do it together,” Coach Sam Smith
woMEN’S 2023-2024 Roster
e ball as North Park player DJ | Chloe Wolfe / The Alestle
or Shamar Wright goes for a layup. During the against North Park, Wright played his 122nd aking the SIUE record for most games played | Chloe Wolfe / The Alestle
ff
Coaching Staff Head Coach Sam Smith Assistant Coaches: Ariel Massengale, Liz Doran and Eric Gruber
| Maximilian Lenhart The Alestle
Players #0 Olivia Clayton, Senior Forward #1 Ava Stoller, Freshman Guard #4 Macy Silvey, Soph. Guard #5 Lezhauria Williams, Junior guard #10 Emiyah Cobb, Freshman Guard #11 Ava Gugliuzza, Freshman Guard #12 Alexis Legan, Senior Guard #14 Molly Sheehan, Junior Guard #15 Halle Smith, Junior Forward #24 Sofie Lowis, Junior Guard #25 Brianna Wooldridge, Soph. Forward #33 KK Rodriguez, Grad Student Guard
THE ALESTLE WILL BE ON BREAK NEXT WEEK. WE WILL RETURN 11/27 ONLINE AND 11/29 IN PRINT.
lifestyles
contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com (618) 650-3528
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Hands-on American Sign Language class now offered MATTHEW WOLDEN copy editor The Department of Foreign Languages and Literature has added American Sign Language to its list of languages students can learn at SIUE. Olga Bezhanova, the department chair, said the ASL course will be offered as a foreign language course as it has its own culture. “It is a language like any other. It is a language with its own culture, with its own cultural expression, and it is a very good idea, we believe, to bring it under the umbrella of foreign languages,” Bezhanova said. Bezhanova said she believes that learning new languages can show people new parts of the world and expand the abilities of what a person can do, as languages are a large part of people’s cultures. “We are now teaching Ukrainian and the instructor is from Ukraine. We are now teach-
ing Yoruba and the instructor is from Nigeria. All of these people are bringing their own cultures,” Bezhanova said. “Language is not just a collection of words and grammar rules. It’s a world.” The new class will first be taught in the spring semester at SIUE and there is hope to still
and fingerspelling things to try to communicate,” Covell said. “A lot of times when you don’t know sign [language], you first start to finger spell very simple signs, [which are] things we’ll start with when I teach.” Covell said the class will be taught through trial-and-error.
they might spell it right and maybe if they get the J wrong, I can show them the right way to fix it,” Covell said. Covell talked campus demographics and what he hopes he may be able to change. “My understanding is there are no Deaf people here like
expand the program. Professor Jerry Covell is the instructor for the new ASL class being offered in the spring. Using an interpreter, he said the class would be a hands-on learning experience. “I would be signing, a lot of students will have to use gestures to communicate, using the ABCs
As Covell is Deaf himself, the class is intended to be a very hands-on learning experience. “In class, they are going to learn how to finger spell their names and then the next class, I’ll go through and be like, ‘What’s your name? Spell your name to me,’ and they might mess up,
me,” Covell said. “I think there is a need to provide more services and programs for people.” Covell said he hopes this class will expand and impact the future of the students here, as well encouraging campus in opening up communication with deaf or hard of hearing people.
:
BRANDI SPANN copy editor CHLOE WOLFE opinion editor
sugar cube in a teacup” and the cowardice that uncertainty brings out of her. She desires to live loudly, and the way to do this is to be present and surround oneself with love.
This edition of the Headphone Jack is themed after the changing of the seasons and inspired by the ways we soothe ourselves with music and comforting drinks. Each song on this list has been paired with a fall drink that matches the aura and emotion of the song’s lyrics and sound. So curl up with your favorite drink and listen to the peaceful ambiance we’ve curated just for you.
‘So Long, Marianne,’ Leonard Cohen Chamomile tea A crackly, stereo-sounding tune, Cohen sings of closure and forgiveness as he says goodbye. A recollection of regrets and new desires, this song is the perfect pensive and gloomy soundtrack to a cozy fall day.
‘Didn’t Cha Know,’ Erykah Badu Hot Toddy — alcoholic or not This psychedelic song is the perfect tune for a Sunday breathing in the crisp fall air. Listen with the windows open as you’re cleaning the whole house or when you’re outside watching the leaves fall. Badu questions her life choices before coming to the conclusion that some days are better and that “life is free,” and we can live it the way we want to. ‘Afraid of Heights,’ boygenius Lavender tea with sugar Lucy Dacus, a storyteller at her core, softly sings about the dissolution of “a
‘Lover, You Should’ve Come Over,’ Jeff Buckley Earl Grey tea This song is perfect for a rainy night and a cup of tea. Buckley laments about a lost lover as he begs and bargains for them to come back. ‘Unknown / Nth,’ Hozier Apple cider A reference to Dante’s Inferno, Hozier recalls a journey through love that might have been “better unknown.” With a little juxtaposition of scatting, Hozier discusses the lengths he went to maintain a relationship that eventually fell apart. ‘REMINGTON,’ The Lumineers Pistachio latte with whole milk Another distinctly fall artist, The Lumi-
“I want to impact not only this college campus but the future,” Covell said. “Maybe some people want to become a nurse and they want to learn to communicate with deaf clients.” Emily Mutschler, a junior speech pathology major, talked about what made her decide to take the new ASL course. “With my major it’s pretty relevant. Speech pathology uses some basic sign language sometimes,” Mutschler said. “We also use it sometimes if you’re trying to teach people to say a word. Sometimes it’s good to give a visual representation.” While Mutschler said she will make use of ASL in her major, she also talked about the way it interested her in general as well. “I think it would be really cool if I see someone at the grocery store who is having trouble and communicates that way — I would be able to communicate with them,” Mutschler said. “I also think that it’s an interesting language to learn just to communicate with your body.”
Cozy Beats and Fall Drinks neers paint a picture of the passage of time using our senses to guide us along with them. The feeling of the ocean, the “awful white” color of sea foam, the sound of fire bells and the smell of smoke all paint the picture of time passing faster than the artists expected. ‘Love in the Time of Socialism,’ Yellow House Hot chocolate Mellow and pensive, Emile van Dango sings a contemplative tune about a heartbroken wanderer and his sense of home. In reference to the illusionistic grandeur of love, philosophy and activism, the song mentions the famed Parisian cafe, Café de Flore, where they sell deliciously thick hot chocolate — perfect for the approaching winter months and snowy, ice-cold days. ‘Just the Two of Us,’ Grover Washington, Jr. featuring Bill Withers Black tea with milk and sugar This classic jazzy song also discusses the passage of time but with a lover. Set on a rainy evening, Washington thinks about how little time we have and how it should be spent with someone we love. ‘Give Me One Reason,’ Tracy Chapman Iced coffee Chapman’s twangy voice makes this plea for a lover to treat her better res-
onate with the listener. Chapman begs the lover to give her just “one reason” to stay because she still loves them but knows they aren’t good for her. ‘Pretty,’ The Cranberries Homemade Sprite cranberry with a little bit of orange juice In this dark, psychedelic song, lead singer Dolores O’Riordan woefully sings about a pretty lover attempting to change her, but she won’t allow herself to be swayed by appearances. ‘Blue Ridge Mountains,’ Fleet Foxes Black coffee with a dash of honey From their self-titled fall album, ‘Blue Ridge Mountains’ describes an escape from reality to a forest somewhere in Tennessee. It evokes the feeling of nostalgia not only for the artist, but for listeners who grew up exploring the woods. ‘Coming Back to Me,’ Leith Ross Hot Marsala Chai Ross recalls fly fishing with their grandfather in their youth and the loss of gentleness that they experienced as they transitioned into adulthood in college. They conclude that living is rare and lovely. There is always something mundane to be joyful about. Find this playlist and more on the Alestle Spotify.
THE ALESTLE WILL BE ON BREAK NEXT WEEK. WE WILL RETURN 11/27 ONLINE AND 11/29 IN PRINT. Thursday, 11.16.23
OPINION alestlelive.com
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Don’t make hating your job everyone’s problem THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board
Working with the public means you are working with the public, a generally frustrating group of people— but that does not excuse rude or hateful behavior. A lot of people dislike their jobs, and that is fair. Work is a survival tool, and often things done to survive are not fun. It doesn’t help that the United States has a limited social safety net and an aggressive work culture that protects the ones with power and money — not those doing the labor itself. The issue arises when employees are working with a group of people they specifical-
ly dislike. Most college students find that the majority of the faculty and staff are wonderful, but sadly the one or two negative interactions stick with us, often others coming about our demographic. This opinion is not saying that everyone who hates their job should find a new one, but rather encourage employees to take a new look at the people they are serving. For college staff who become frustrated with college students, take a minute to realize that many of the students are brand-new adults, whose frontal lobes haven’t fully developed yet and are trying to navigate finances and schedules — both of which had been decided for us until we left high school.
College students are imperfect people, but that doesn’t excuse poor behavior. Many of us on staff work public service jobs as well as our journalism jobs to help pay our way through college. We understand the difficulties of having a public-facing position, but being rude or dismissive of people trying to use your service is unacceptable, especially to their faces. Venting has been shown to be a healthy habit, decreasing blood pressure and lessening tension in the body, but venting should be done with a trusted friend or written down. Too often, we on staff have overheard employees venting about their work while out in public, or sitting at their
desk in an office, casting both a negative light on the employee and the person they are serving. Venting can quickly create a toxic office environment, impacting employees and customers. The upcoming season is especially stressful for public-facing employees whether that be in retail, food service or healthcare. Employees should not put up with abuse from customers — so consumers should treat service workers well — but consumers should also not fear an employee’s reaction for simply using a service. Employees don’t have to be overly friendly and kind, but being gracious and patient while serving people is crucial for interacting with the public.
Museum. I went there several years ago when I was a regular churchgoer, so I know firsthand how ludicrous the claims of a 6,000-year-old Earth are. What sticks out most to me on that experience was the creationist “scientist” who held up a fossilized dinosaur bone and said something along the lines of, “We have the same evidence — I’m just interpreting it differently.” In this instance, “interpreting it differently” means ignoring solid scientific dating processes like carbon-14 dating, which is accurate to around 50,000 years ago, and uranium-lead dating, which allows scientists to peer back millions of years into the Earth’s past. Evangelical Christianity is a roadblock not only to technological progress but social progress as well. In a previous opinion, I wrote that a commonly used verse to condemn homosexuality was originally a condemna-
tion of pedophilia. According to a recent Gallup poll, 71 percent of Americans support gay marriage, but only 41 percent of weekly churchgoers share the same opinion. And while those who object to gay marriage are in the minority, just nine people can change the country’s official stance on it. The Supreme Court did not declare gay marriage to be constitutional until 2015, and a right-leaning court could easily overturn this. In fourth grade, I was taught that, after the Great Flood, Noah became drunk and was seen naked in his tent by his son Ham. Instead of covering him up, Ham told his brothers, who then covered their inebriated father. Ham and his descendants — who were exiled to Africa — were cursed with “dark skin” and were condemned to be slaves to the descendants of Shem and Japheth. It wasn’t until years later that I learned this “dark skin” passage was not based in scrip-
ture. Not only this, but this passage is used to uphold the horrific racist hierarchy that permeates our culture, and it all starts with deceiving and manipulating children. While anecdotal, this story is not unique. The Bible is a series of books written by various authors over the course of several centuries and tweaked between translations — languages drift over time, just like beliefs. Non of this is to say that religion is “wrong” or “bad,” or that you cannot practice Christianity. I was raised Methodist and have since renounced Christianity, but I retain the label of “spiritual” and will defend it. However, I encourage every practicing Christian to think critically about their beliefs and how they may or may not conflict with God’s word. Jesus did not command you to hate your neighbor. He commanded you to love your neighbor — even if your neighbor has different beliefs from you.
And then Jesus said, ‘Hate thy neighbor.’ DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief
SIUE’s newest street preacher, Chris Svochak, brings a lot of controversy. Svochak has made multiple Facebook posts to evangelical-affiliated organizations with a video of his Nov. 7 visit to the Quad, where he and a student were involved in a minor physical altercation. A Wheaton College poll revealed that 30 to 35 percent of Americans identify with the evangelical movement. This means, generally, that around a third of Americans support ideas such as Biblical inerrancy, or the notion that the Bible is the ultimate authority on history and science, regardless of empirical evidence to the contrary. That’s a lot of people filing basic historical and scientific facts under “heresy.” A very visible representation of this kind of anti-intellectualism is located in Petersburg, Kentucky: the Creation
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THE ALESTLE WILL BE ON BREAK NEXT WEEK WE WILL RETURN 11/27 ONLINE AND 11/29 IN PRINT Thursday, 11.16.23
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Men’s soccer OVC champions to play in NCAA tournament CHAMPIONS | COVER
“We’ve had a very good year, but it was make it or break it tonight for the third trophy of the year to be possible,” Wassermann said. “Special win, special goal.” The OVC postseason tournament awards preceded the victory. After being the sole scorer for the Cougars in the championship series, Abeal earned the tournament’s Most Valuable Player honor. Several key players were also recognized as part of the OVC All-Tournament team: Abeal, Gomez, Layton and senior defender Aaron Crabtree. Multiple SIUE players have also previously earned 17 weekly awards from the OVC during the league’s regular season, with four players earning more than one. Following the SIUE men’s soccer regular season win, the league announced the All-OVC awards, in which SIUE took nine total picks. The award, voted on by the league’s head coaches and communications directors, recognizes the top players across the league. Moreira was named the OVC Forward of the Year with a total of five goals and seven assists. Senior defender Will Harris was selected as the Defender of the Year, playing the most minutes on the field
other than Gomez. Gomez won the Goalkeeper of the Year award after ranking in the top five nationally in both save percentage and goals against average. Gomez, Harris and Moreira were selected to the All-OVC First Team, and graduate forward Pavel Dashin, redshirt junior defender Wes Gibson, Hasan and Layton were picked for the All-OVC Second Team. Moreira and Dashin were also named to the All-Newcomer team. “This has been one of the best team cultures I’ve ever been a part of,” Wassermann said. “We have a lot of experiences, a lot of good relationships, a lot of guys that have been through ups and downs together, which leads to a strong will.” Wassermann became the fourth coach at SIUE to earn recognition as OVC Coach of the Year in the league. He said he gives the credit for his award to the players and assistant coaches. “[The team] believed in me and the coaching staff,” Wassermann said. “I give every ounce of credit [for] that award to the players and my assistant coaches [who] do a wonderful job. Jaxsen Wirth, Jordan Grant … They put all the time and emphasis in scouting our opponents. They’re doing so much behind the
SIUE forward Ignacio Abeal Pou escapes a defender’s slide tackle in a 1-0 win over Incarnate Word that secured the OVC Championship. | Maximilian Lenhart / The Alestle scenes. So, I’d like to propose that we change that to the ‘Staff of the Year Award.’” Although the OVC postseason is over, the Cougars still have much more to give on the field. “We are not done yet,” Hasan said. “This team is far from over; we’re still hungry. We get to enjoy today, but tomorrow, the work starts for the NCAA tournament.”
SIUE will make its fourteenth NCAA Tournament appearance, which is the third appearance since the most recent return to Division I play in 2008. Previous appearances came in 2014 and 2016. The Cougars currently own the longest winning streak in the country with nine straight games. SIUE will enter the
NCAA tournament unbeaten at 16-0-3, and will face the University of Memphis (105-2) for a first-round match up at 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 16 in Memphis, Tennessee. This will be the first time the Cougars meet the Tigers this season. The last time the Cougars and Tigers faced off was during last year’s regular season, resulting in a 1-1 tie.
Hockey defeated in overtime for its first home loss to Maryville
Men’s basketball earns 20-point advantage in home opener
SAM MUREN reporter
BRUCE DARNELL managing editor
The Cougars lost to Maryville 3-2 in overtime for the second straight game at East Alton Ice Arena on Sunday. SIUE had a 6-0 record at home going into the game against the Saints. The 3-2 loss was the Cougars’ first at home and their second straight outcome against Maryville. SIUE lost to the Saints on Nov. 9 by the same score. The game started strong for the Cougars, with a 2-1 lead coming out of the first. The captain, junior forward Simon Maxfield, put SIUE up early with a goal assisted by freshman defenseman Ethan Kuenhel. Kuenhel had a solid game on the defensive side of the ice to add to his assist. He broke up a 2-on-1 and kept other offensive opportunities from becoming high-danger chances. Maryville eventually broke through on a power-play to tie the game. The Cougars quickly responded with a goal from senior forward Jakob Schreiber to end the first with a 2-1 SIUE lead. In the second period, Maryville tied the game during a 4-on-4. Momentum had strongly swung in favor of the Saints after the tying goal. The Cougars got a couple of chances on the power play but could not convert on them to regain the lead. Instead, SIUE was getting heavily outshot and frequently pinned on their own side of the ice. The game was tied at the end of the second period, but the Cougars had been outshot 37-21. At this point in the game, senior goal-
tender Brendan Rasch had almost faced as many shots as he had seen in the previous game. Rasch continued his lights-out performance throughout the third period. Maryville had all the momentum throughout the third, but could not solve Brendan Rasch. The Cougars killed backto-back penalties to keep the game tied. By the end of the third period, Rasch had faced 58 shots. “Rasch played well and took a lot of shots. At the end of the day, [the team] has to be better in the D-zone, get the puck out quicker, make the initial pass and make sure we’re not giving them the opportunities to have 100 percent control of the puck,” Head Coach Tyler Elbrecht said. On the second shot in overtime, the Saints snuck the puck past Rasch to win the game 3-2. Rasch finished the game by stopping 57 of 60 Maryville shots and had a .950 save percentage to cap the night. “[I’m] just kind of frustrated, not with the team, just the situation. We were so close and were working our butt off,” Rasch said. Even though the loss was disappointing and the first one at home, the team had some positive takeaways. “All in all, I thought we played a really good game. We had a lot of freshmen playing. We had at least eight or nine [of them] play in these last two games,” senior forward Brendan Sommer said. SIUE will face Loyola University Chicago in a back-to-back series at East Alton Ice Arena, Nov. 17 and 18.
Men’s basketball won 92-67 in their home season opener against North Park University on Nov. 9 at the Vadabalene Center. The Cougars kept up a strong and steady lead against their opponent, and even set some university records. Head Coach Brian Barone said there were a lot of nerves going into the game. “Our team has been through a lot these last few days … so I was really excited to see how we responded to the challenge,” Barone said. “I really respect what [North Park] does, and the thing I like most about our guys is that they did as well.” Once the game began, the Cougars maintained a steady pace early on. The first few shots of the match came from senior forward Lamar Wright, who went on to score 14 points in the first half. The Cougars kept up with North Park, and by the end of the first half the score was a close 38-34. The Cougars just managed to climb up past North Park. Going into the second half, the Cougars gave it their all. Within two minutes of the new half beginning, SIUE grabbed a distant lead of 10 points over North Park. This lead gained momentum for the rest of the night as North Park couldn’t keep up on the court. Around 14 minutes in, the Cougars scored three times in a row, prompting North Park to call a timeout. Barone said the main problem
going into the second half was the team’s defense. “We had a couple subtle adjustments to what they were doing defensively, which I think translated very well in the second half,” Barone said. “[They needed] to understand the fact that this wasn’t going to be easy … The message at halftime was to just be about each other, and they really responded.” The highest-scoring player of the night was Lamar’s brother, Shamar Wright. Shamar scored a career-high 29 points, which he attributed primarily to teamwork. “I remember the first three I made. Lamar could’ve found a shot but he found me open, so he swung it to me and then that got me going,” Shamar said. “I think all of my shots were assisted on … My teammates saw that I was hot and they kept feeding me.” Barone said Shamar Wright’s performance was great and noted that he broke SIUE’s record for the amount of games played, which is currently 124 games. As the match drew to a close, the Cougars never let the distance close with North Park, and kept climbing to eventually end up at a lead of 25 points. The Cougars will travel begin their next three games in the Jaguar Classic starting Nov. 16, in Mobile, Alabama. They lost their last game against the Missouri Tigers 50-68.