The Alestle Vol. 77, No. 15

THE

alestle

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

THE student voice since 1960

Thursday, January 11, 2024 Vol. 77 No. 15

WELCOME BACK COUGARS!

insidE: SG approves two students for Election Commission PAGE 2

Fate of pre-pandemic campus restaurants uncertain PAGE 4

See what’s up next for the Cougars in 2024 PAGE 8

PAGE 2

THE SENATE SCOOP

Thursday, 1.11.24

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M o n d ay, Ja n u a r y 8 - G os h e n L o u n g e

Student Government unanimously appoints two new students to the Election Commission DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief The Student Senate rang in the new year by approving the appointments of two students to the Election Commission.

The two students are Brodie McIntyre, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, and Sylvie Kessler, a senior majoring in integrative studies for theater technology and art. Both were recommended to the Senate by Election Commissioner Luke Head as neutral third parties on the Election Commission.

“The more [Head] told me about it, the more I was interested. I’m supposed to act as a neutral third party for the election, and I’m here to do that,” McIntyre said.

Both McIntyre and Kessler were approved by the Senate in unanimous votes.

McIntyre and Kessler are Head’s two student appointments as election commissioner, a post he took late last semester after his recommendation

by Vice President Jared Jess

and subsequent approval by the Senate.

The Student Senate also voted to approve a $600 funds request from the Alpha Chi chapter of Pi Tau Sigma, an honor society for mechanical engineering students. The request was for transportation and lodging for the Pi Tau Sigma National Convention in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Feb. 16 and 17.

In addition, the Student Senate voted to table discussion of Pudding Club Revamped, as the organization had not appeared before the Student Organization Advisory Board. Finally, the Student Senate voted to approve a name change request from the College Diabetes Network to The Diabetes Link at SIUE. There were six senators absent from this meeting, all of whom were excused. These senators included Moayad Abuzaneh, Alexis Allen, Jurnee Brewer, Rahmat Salau, Arielle Johnson, and Kayefi Kuboye. Freshman Senator Ben Cole was named senator of the month.

01.07.24 An officer responded to a report of an offensive message being written on a pumpkin at a Cougar Village apartment.

01.07.24 Feminine hygiene products in a MUC men’s restroom were destroyed.

This is the first incident of the year. The last incident occurred in late-November.

01.07.24 An officer responded to a report of a car being egged in lot P-5. The officer said the car was not damaged.

Brodie McIntyre (left) and Sylvie Kessler answer questions from senators about why they should be appointed to the Election Commission. | Bruce Darnell / The Alestle

Climate agency says 2023 was hottest year on record ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN The Dallas Morning News (TNS)

This past year was the hottest on record, according to analysis from a European climate agency.

2023’s global average temperature of 14.98 degrees Celsius (58.96 degrees Fahrenheit) beat the previous record-holder, 2016, by 0.17 degrees Celsius, the agency Copernicus announced Tuesday.

Last year’s temperatures were also 1.48 degrees Celsius (2.66 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than pre-industrial times. That figure is narrowly below the 1.5 C threshold agreed upon during 2015 Paris climate talks to avoid the most severe effects of global warming.

“2023 was an exceptional year with climate records tumbling like dominoes,” said Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, in a statement.

Groups including NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Berkeley Earth are expected to release their 2023 temperature calculations this week.

Temperatures started becoming particularly notable halfway through 2023. From June through the end of the year, according to Copernicus, each month was warmer than the corresponding month in any previous year.

2023’s temperatures may relate to two factors, according to Arne Winguth, chair of the

ECUADOR An Ecuadorean TV station was raided by a masked and armed group on Jan. 9.

Ecuador entered a state of emergency on the same day due to gang attacks.

YEMEN The Yemeni Houthi group Ansarullah targeted a ship in the Red Sea on Jan. 9. The attacks have been stated to be in response to the War in Palestine.

The Trammell Crow Lake at Trinity Park in Dallas, Texas, experienced a drought this summer, causing a portion of the lake to dry up. | Irwin Thompson / The Dallas Morning News University of Texas at Arlington’s department of earth and environmental sciences. One is natural variations in climate — 2023, for example, featured an El Niño, a climate phenomenon that develops every few years and warms ocean temperatures above average. The second is human-caused climate change.

It’s difficult for scientists to say whether a single year’s temperatures are a result of human-caused climate change. Instead, they examine patterns of change in the globe’s temperatures over time. Many viewed the summer’s record-breaking global temperatures not as an anomaly, but as a step toward an even hotter future.

January 2024 may be so warm that average global temperatures over a 12-month period may surpass the Paris climate accords’ 1.5-degree limit for the first time, Copernicus predicts.

The planet would need to warm over this threshold for two to three decades to technically surpass the limit set by the accords.

The consequences of surpassing these limits over time, Winguth said, stretch into countless aspects of everyday life. Heat waves may become more frequent and intense, crop yields may decrease and wildfire risk could increase.

“I think one needs to find actions to reduce the source of these long-term trends,” he said,

“and this needs to be done on a global initiative.”

Curbing greenhouse gas emissions, which are mainly released by burning fossil fuels, can help fight rising temperatures.

In 2021, President Joe Biden announced a goal to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas pollution by 50 percent to 52 percent from 2005 levels by 2030.

Experts estimate that the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which includes tax credits as motivation to invest in clean energy and buy electric vehicles and solar panels, could help decrease emissions by 40 percent by 2030 if fully implemented.

TAIWAN Taiwan’s presidential election is going to be held on Jan. 13. China has been accused of economic coercion, threatening new trade measures against the country.

SOUTH KOREA The South Korean parliament has banned the consumption and sale of dog meat. The practice has been criticized as societal views on domestic dogs has changed.

FRANCE French President Emmanuel Macron has selected 34-year-old Gabriel Attal to replace Elisabeth Borne as prime minister.

Information courtesy of Reuters / AP

Thursday, 1.11.24

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KNOW YOUR vote: Brenden Auerbach

Lucia Knapp

Sophomore Brenden Auerbach is majoring in biological sciences with a pre-med focus, as well as serving as one of the three senators-at-large in Student Government.

“It was something throughout middle school and high school that I’d always wanted to join,” Auerbach said. “I’m hoping to go to SIU Med [School of Medicine], and … I thought that this was a perfect way to get involved, learn more about the university and connect with my peers.”

Auerbach said his position is more freeing for him than representing a specific college within SIUE. [My position] is not focused on any specific college — it’s essentially representing the school as a whole. I just wanted to figure out what people here on campus want,” Auerbach said. “I’ve had a lot of questions like, ‘What do we do about the giant steak?’ Currently, there’s not much it looks like we can do about that.”

Auerbach said his hobbies include fishing, reading, hiking and biking.

One of three senators who represent all SIUE students, sophomore political science major Lucia Knapp said her main focus is to bring the different student organizations of SIUE together.

“I felt like I had qualifications that could help the larger student body versus focusing just on College of Arts and Sciences, which is where my major falls,” Knapp said.

Knapp said her big plan during her tenure as senator-at-large is to organize a large-scale meeting for a wide variety of student organizations for networking purposes.

“I planned to get all of the student orgs to have one big meeting so they could all network,” Knapp said.

“So this semester, I’m reaching out to each of the student orgs individually and trying to get them to communicate with me more and communicate with each other.”

Knapp said some of her hobbies include playing guitar, reading and hammocking.

Senator-at-Large

PAGE 3

Get to know your elected student officials

by Dylan Hembrough

Senator-at-Large

The first meeting of Student Government was held on Jan. 8. They appointed two new students to the Election Commission and discussed clubs and organizations. | Bruce Darnell / The Alestle

NEXT WEEK: NEW CLUB ON THE BLOCK SUPPORTS THOSE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES PAGE 4

lifestyles alestlelive.com

contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com (618) 650-3528

Thursday, 01.11.24

The future of SIUE’s old restaurants remains hazy after COVID-19

fortunately, included shutting down some of our venues.”

Huntley said another one of the reasons Kaldi’s hasn’t reopened is due to structural Campus restaurants like Kaldi’s Coffee damage, such as problems with the room’s have remained closed due to worker shortages, drainage system. Dining Services Director which were worsened by COVID-19. HowDennis Wobbe said the location has to be ever, the pandemic restrictions have lifted, yet completely redone. these locations remain closed — so what’s next “We’re looking at plans of reopening it for the restaurants on campus? eventually,” Wobbe said. “We’re coming back Lovejoy Library recently reopened its and we’re ready to open them all up as soon Starbucks location near the entrance closas we can.” est to the Stratton Quadrangle. Kris Hoxsey, Wobbe said there were more issues with a civil service worker at SIUE, said he had reopening Kaldi’s, like fixing the cabinets and to peel off social distancing stickers when attempting to get another contract with the he arrived at the beginning of the fall semester. business. He said these plans are still up in “We just opened up this year after the air.

COVID-19,” Hoxsey said.

Albert Smith, a soph“I’m surprised this place omore studying pre-law, was able to pay rent all these “Having other plac- said having Kaldi’s reopen years — we’re not making be beneficial since he es to sit and eat would much money.” works in the Office of AcaSIUE planned on open- rather than just this demic Advising — which is ing the Starbucks before one big area [the just around the corner from the pandemic, but decided Kaldi’s.

Den] that to continue with its open- Cougar “I feel like coffee is a ing in Sept 2020. It closed huge thing amongst college can get really full is soon after and remained students, and the fact that we empty until the start of the important too.” have only one [not counting Fall 2023 semester.

Lovejoy’s] on campus is kind Emma Barham Hoxsey said the Starof disappointing,” Smith Sophmore bucks could benefit students, said. “For me personally, it’d social work major but the regulars he gets are be great to just order and be primarily staff members, not in and out.” students. Unlike the Morris Many people study in University Center Starbucks, the library locathe Student Success Center and Smith thinks tion doesn’t have much “fun stuff.” that it would be good for those studying to be “We get a really limited variety,” Hoxsey able to have a place where they can get food said. “The general manager is already talking and drinks quickly. about [getting more options]. We’re apparentWhile Brianne Phillips is no longer a stuly going to be getting an oven soon, so we’ll be dent at SIUE — she graduated with an English able to make sandwiches.” degree in 2014 — she still enjoys studying in Starbucks Administrator Mark Phillips the Student Success Center and would like to said the library Starbucks was meant to just see Kaldi’s return. be a quick stop location since it is close to an “I really miss having Kaldi’s available existing location, but they are experimenting because it was a superior product to Starwith new options for customers. bucks,” Phillips said. “It would also cut down “We thought it would be a convenience the lines at Starbucks and spread out the thing,” Phillips said. “We thought a lot of peocustomers better.” ple would be going in so they wouldn’t have Both Wobbe and Huntley say Dining Serto wait in line [at the main Starbucks] for a cup vices would like to reopen all former locations of black coffee … But they’ve added more reor at least repurpose their spaces. This includes freshments recently, like mango and pumpkin locations like Eddie’s Kitchen and Fixin’s in the spice flavors during the fall.”

MUC and the Skywalk Cafe between Founders Hoxsey said the Starbucks was originally and Alumni Hall. going to be a Dunkin’ Donuts location, but Colin Hoef, a sophomore mass commuthe deal never went through. nications major, said he has had a positive exAccording to a Jan. 21, 2020, Alestle arperience with dining as is, but would be interticle, the decision to pull out of the deal was ested in having more options, specifically the made by former SIUE Chancellor Jeffrey WaSkywalk Cafe. ple, who said there was a problem with money.

“The only [closed restaurant] I know is According to Waple, the Dunkin’ Donuts the Skywalk Cafe. I walk past that so many plan was going to cost around $1 million, times and I think it would be awesome if it while simply adding another Starbucks locawas open because the view there is amazing,” tion — which they were already in contract Hoef said. with due to the MUC location — would cost As its name implies, the Skywalk Cafe is about $200,000. located in the Alumni-Founders skywalk. TaThe issue of financing shows up again bles are attached to the cafe’s windows, which when discussing other locations that were servprovides a good view. ing the campus pre-COVID-19.

“I’m genuinely curious to see what it One example is Kaldi’s Coffee in the Stuwould be like to get food, sit down and look dent Success Center, which shut down during out at a really pretty sight,” Hoef said.

COVID-19 and has remained closed due to a Emma Barham, a sophomore social work variety of issues. Understaffing is a major issue major, said she wishes SIUE would reopen the in Dining Services. restaurants to help with variety and space.

Lori Huntley, an administrative aide “I think other places to eat outside of the in Dining Services, said due to chronic unMUC are important because the campus is so derstaffing, similar restaurants are having sprawled out,” Barham said. “Having other trouble reopening. places to sit and eat rather than just this one “When I started in this department, big area [the Cougar Den] that can get really we had quite a few other options available,” full is important too.”

Huntley said. “But because we’ve had staffing While many wish to see the locations issues, we’ve had to make some changes with reopen, only time will tell if students, staff, what we’re available to offer, and that has, unfaculty and alumni will be able to enjoy the

BRUCE DARNELL managing editor

I watched more than 150 movies in 2023, Here are my top five OLIVIA WHITLOCK copy editor This year, I watched a lot of mediocre movies, but these were the films that stood out the most.

I wouldn’t proclaim myself some sort of film critic, because I am quite surface level with my thoughts and opinions on movies, but I sure do love watching them — good and bad!

Please check out websites such as “Does the Dog Die?” to check for potential triggers and sensitive topics before viewing any movie on this list.

“American Beauty’ (1999) director Sam Mendes This movie didn’t age well.

I appreciate when a movie really keeps you on your toes with suspense.

This did that and then some.

This is a film you watch with your friends and turn to one another eyes wide and mouth agape.

If you enjoyed “American Beauty,” check out “Fear” (1996).

‘Barbie’ (2023) director Greta Gerwig Come on, I had to.

Until a few years ago, I had what I would now describe as a negative view on girlhood and being a girl. I had this almost shameful, embarrassed feeling.

It may sound odd, but this movie reinforced various ideas for me and gave me a new, positive perspective on girlhood. Thanks Greta!

If you enjoyed “Barbie,” check out “Miss Congeniality” (2000).

‘Revolver’ (2005) director Guy Richie Jason Statham in a wig dramatically falls down stairs in slow motion.

This movie is jam-packed with psychological and philo-

sophical moments but is a bit of a confusing mess. The storyline is complex and non-linear making it one big mind game.

Don’t get me wrong — this isn’t Guy Richie’s best work, but it’s definitely an interesting watch with an even more interesting cast.

If you enjoyed “Revolver,” check out “Snatch” (2000).

‘John Tucker Must Die’ (2006) director Betty Thomas You know a movie is going to be good when an All-American Rejects song starts playing.

Before watching, I assumed “John Tucker Must Die” would have a Jennifer’s Body (2009) vibe, but not at all — and that’s okay because it was such a fun movie filled with lots of shenanigans!

The cast, the soundtrack, the humor — it’s a 2000s rom-com classic for a reason.

If you enjoyed “John Tucker Must Die,” check out “Sydney White” (2007).

‘Looks That Kill’ (2020) director Kellen Moore The title is literal.

This is a sort of offbeat indie movie but everything feels really natural and not forced. Think of “The Fault in Our Stars” (2014) but not as corny. Okay, well, this movie may be corny to some, but it’s good corny.

If you enjoyed “Looks That Kill,” check out “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” (2015).

Additional favorites of 2023: “The Nice Guys” (2016), “The Intern” (2015), “Hanna” (2011), “Sitting in Bars with Cake” (2023), “Red” (2010), “Diary of a Teenage Girl” (2015).

Thursday, 01.11.24

PAGE 5

: CHLOE WOLFE lifestyles editor A lot happened in 2023, including some good music. Here are some of our favorites.

‘Fast Car,’ Luke Combs A new take on a magnificent song, this cover of Tracy Chapman’s original introduced the classic to a new audience.

Although it’s definitely not as good as the original, Combs’ twangy voice does a beautiful rendition.

‘DOGTOOTH,’ Tyler, The Creator In 2023 Tyler, The Creator released the extended version from his 2021 album “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST.” This song details how after his rise to fame everyone calls him their “dog” even though they do not even know his grandma or daughter’s names.

‘Back On 74,’ Jungle Another song that is made better by the music video, “Back On 74” is a psychedelic song that’s just for vibes. With beautiful harmonies and unique-sounding voices, this song genuinely could not be better.

‘True Blue,’ boygenius The boys of boygenius also had a big year. After releasing their first self-titled EP in 2018, the group disbanded to focus on individual work.

They came together again to drop an enchanting album entitled “The Record.” True Blue is arguably the best song on the album. Written by Lucy Dacus, this song describes a love so deep, that they know each other completely.

Truly a beautiful song.

‘Smoke’ (feat. Lucky Daye) Victoria Monét I can not express how much Monét deserves the amount of nominations she got from the Grammy’s. This R&B song is one of my favorites on her 2023 album “JAGUAR II” even though the entire album is so good. You can not help but bob your head along with the addicting beat and Monét’s angelic voice.

“Ghost in the Machine’ (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) SZA One of the oddest collab of the year, but SZA and Bridgers sound insanely good together. A song about a partner being an escape from the music industry — this song is gorgeous. The production and the voices on it are beautiful when combined.

‘Francesca,’ Hozier Last year was a big year for Hozier fans — an EP, an album and a tour. “Unknown Unearth” was a beautiful album based on Dante’s “The Divine Comedy.” Francesca is based on the fourth circle, Lust, where we meet Francesca who tells her story to Dante. Hozier details her story in a manner uniquely his own. With a catchy chorus and gorgeous melodies, this song is one of a kind. ‘all-american bitch,’ Olivia Rodrigo No one can deny her talent and ability to connect with her audience. This song sticks out to me, though because it’s literally what being a woman feels like.

She starts out calm, which is what women are told to be, before getting angry as the music picks up.

Music we loved in 2023 ‘FTCU,’ Nicki Minaj The beat and flow on this song are insane. The combination of that and her writing make this song catchy and memorable. What really sells this song is the second verse though, with the viral line “High heels on my tippies.”

‘My Love Mine All Mine,’ Mitski I loved every song on the album and it was difficult to choose just one song but this song just hits different. It’s truly inspiring how she can write a song that sounds so lovely yet tear you apart because it’s so sad.

‘Rush,’ Troye Sivan My favorite thing about this song honestly is the music video. A great song with an even better video, this song feels like what it’s talking about — a drug. It truly is addicting.

‘Agora Hills,’ Doja Cat Although Doja is incredibly controversial, this song sounds like her old releases and that’s the appeal. The production and beat switches throughout the track make this song a hit.

‘Paris, Texas’ (feat. SYML) Lana Del Rey A lullaby-esque song, Del Rey’s “Paris, Texas” is about her feeling comfortable in a relationship even though she is constantly traveling, according to a Rolling Stone interview. The lyrics are nothing special in this song, but the genius arises from the vibes — her soft voice and the instrumental track come together to feel like a waltz making this song a standout on the album.

‘Bewitched,’ Laufey Another truly beautiful song, Laufey’s jazzy sound is perfect for when you are lamenting about being perpetually single because this song is the embodiment of true love. This album as a whole is just so nostalgic and gorgeous.

‘Northern Attitude’ (with Hozier) Noah Kahan Kahan released an extended version of “Stick Season” in 2023 along with singles of those songs with features from huge artists such as Kacey Musgraves and Post Malone. He also released this single with Hozier after many allusions to the collab. Their voices blend together in a way that few can, singing about the hopes and fears of a relationship.

‘Hasta Cuando,’ Kali Uchis Uchis’ style is just unmatched. “Hasta Cuando” is similar to “Dead to Me” where an ex just will not stop bothering her, but Uchis could care less. The only reason I liked this song more than “Wish You Roses” is the fact that Uchis includes Spanish in this song. There is just something about the way she sings in Spanish.

‘Tummy Hurts,’ Reneé Rapp A new artist who is insanely talented, Rapp deserves more recognition. This song details a man hurting Rapp before falling in love and having kids with another woman. Rapp’s “tummy” may hurt, but she knows that the man will know her pain once another man hurts his daughter.

Find this playlist and more on the Alestle Spotify.

MAN ON THE STREET: What’s your favorite study spot?

The third floor of Peck Hall.

It was a nice break in between classes last semester.

Justin Weihe Sophomore

mechanical engineer major

Probably the library or somewhere in one of the science buildings.

Tessa Franklin Freshman

nursing major

Science East, after 10 p.m.

Giselle Krikorian Junior

biology and history double major

Bluff Hall One East because I can write out all my thoughts on the white board.

Adriana Pavon Freshman,

business cybersecurity major

NEXT WEEK: THE ALESTLE’S OPINION ON SIUE’S BREAK SCHEDULE

OPINION

Share your thoughts: opinion@alestlelive.com (618) 650-3527

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Thursday, 1.11.24

DYLAN HEMBROUGH Editor-in-Chief

BRUCE DARNELL Managing Editor

CHLOE WOLFE Lifestyles Editor

AUDREY O’RENIC Sports Editor MICHAL KATE CASTLEMAN Online Editor

BRANDI SPANN Opinion Editor

HANNAH LEDFORD Podcast Producer

T WELTZIN Multimedia Editor Grace Gentemann Sam Muren

Rameshwar Gundem

Reporters

Circulation Manager

Matthew Wolden

Meghan Fosnock Damon Fowler

Olivia Whitlock Copy Editors

Maximilian Lenhart Pedro Henrique G-M Photographers

Front Desk Clerks Shoba Swar Advertising Manager Tammy Merrett

Program Director Angie Trout Office Manager

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Edwardsville, Illinois 62026-1167

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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.

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Habitual overspending on low-quality products negatively impacts consumers THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board

Spending has never been easier — anything you could ever dream of is just a click away, which is leading to a large influx in the average person’s spending habits.

It is important we focus on trying to be more conscious of what we buy and, in turn, realizing that what you buy has an impact.

Companies related to fast fashion, for example, have caused a substantial increase in spending habits, allowing users to spend less and buy more.

An article by Dipanjan Chatterjee, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester, reports that growth in June 2023 was 5 percent per year, as opposed to 9 percent in June 2022.

“Consumer expenditure is slowing down not because peo-

ple are buying less but because they are paying less for what they buy,” Chatterjee wrote.

This is not without its drawbacks, as we see a reduction in quality and durability of products. Consumers put their credentials at risk with many of these cheap sites, being easy targets for hackers.

Social media impacts consumerism in a multitude of ways.

By using influencers as a spokesperson for their brand, companies are able to push products to a variety of audiences.

The role of influencers is vital to brands, who can market their products not just in advertisements, but in their everyday lives, peaking the interest of consumers. This reinforces the idea that who we are is tied to what we have. In fact, an article by Steve Olenski from Forbes aligns with this very notion.

“With 80 percent of con-

sumers making buying decisions based on a friend’s social media post, the era of virtual word-ofmouth recommendations is in full effect,” Olenski wrote.

Consumers have realized how vital their role is to businesses. In turn, brands’ roles have shifted to be more attuned to the needs of consumers, with captivating marketing keeping up to date on the latest trends.

Some apps are continually curating each person’s profile to have a better understanding of what they interact with, making it easier to market to people.

Most commonly we see this with apps like TikTok, one for the first to expand on the idea of having people push brands and advertisements.

The more you are on these apps — swiping, following, interacting — the more they can craft a profile more catered to you.

This allows TikTok to more con-

cretely discern what ads you may interact with most.

Some of these platforms with a creator base have bought into the idea of subscriptions, having users pay more for insider posts and interactions with creators.

Subscription services in general have had a large impact on the average consumer, leaving some people paying hundreds of dollars for subscriptions they did not realize they still had.

“Close to a third of consumers underestimate how much they spend on subscriptions by $100 to $199 each month,” Sarah O’Brien wrote in a 2022 CNBC article.

The thing is that many times, these services consumers may be subscribed to are not even being used, wasting money for no apparent reason.

It seems that finding value in possessions never truly satisfies consumer hunger.

they will eventually brighten our parking lot.

When students go to park in Prairie Hall’s parking lot, they must first turn up the hill and drive by Woodland Hall’s parking lot.

For students who do not know, this parking lot is new to campus and has only been in use this academic year. The lot is a typical parking lot — just like you would find anywhere else.

Both Prairie and Woodland students have either driven or walked by the lot hundreds of times at this point already.

So, what is wrong with

Woodland’s parking lot — nothing. Honestly, it is a super nice parking lot. It is large, with wide spaces and seems to be one of the better lots on campus. This is expected since it is brand new.

It took me maybe 10 times driving past Woodland’s parking lot to realize how bright their lot is and how dark Prairie’s lot is.

It is just pitch black up here.

There are light posts of course, but I think they would barely light up a broom closet.

SIUE proudly claims to be the safest college in the region.

This may be similar to every other college, but for me, I feel their

statement has strong legitimacy to it.

Every time I’m on campus, I have to drive past the brightly lit Woodland parking lot to park where the sun never shines — at the latest, past 5 p.m. in the winter.

Of course, their lot is newer, and this is a feeling of jealousy over something trivial.

I am not one to typically be uncomfortable, but the lot is eerie at night. With the woods surrounding the lot and just the glimmer of light we get, I could see how some might feel unsafe in the lot after sunset.

Prairie parking lot provides some under-illuminated safety concerns for campus residents and visitors SAM MUREN reporter

Students and staff can argue day and night over things that could be approved or changed, and there is merit to some complaints about what is considered safe.

Living in Prairie Hall has shed light on one of these safety concerns that students may have. The parking lot is very dark and could use some new, brighter lights.

I know that SIUE prioritizes safety and prides themselves on it, so I hope for my envy and others’ ease of mind,

Thursday, 01.11.24

alestlelive.com

PAGE 7

sports

contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com (618) 650-3528

NEXT WEEK: BASKETBALL PLAYS MOREHEAD STATE IN DOUBLEHEADER

alestlelive.com

PAGE 8

Thursday, 01.11.24

Cougars spring into the 2024 season TENNIS

Coaching Staff

Head Coach Adam Albersten Volunteer Head Coach Bob Meyers

Players

Stefaniya Anikina Amelia Gorman Margaux Guibal Britt Paula Guillen Cerver Chloe Koons

Jill Lambrechts Fabiola Perez Cydney Rogers Jordan Schifano

BASEBALL

Coaching Staff

Head Coach Sean Lyons Assistant Coaches Adam Vasil, Justin Paulsen, Tanner Holen

Players

Chase Bloomer Ryan Niedzwiedz Kyle Ratliff Drew Mize Tyler DeLong Zack Floyd Ethan Willoughby Lucas Spence Gage Franck Alex Rodriguez Jacob Kampf John Stallcup Teague Conrad Garrett Helsel Gunner Millsap Joshua Heyder Liam Mckillop

Gabriel Nutter Dimitri Ivetic Mack Mitchell Spencer Stearns Nicholas Ibrahim Matthew Klein Dawson Taylor Kyle Athmer Matthew Gist Ian Benner Joseph Martin Sean Kang Mateo Casillas Zeus Ponder Andrew Ressler Daniel Gierer Duncan McLaughlin

Jan. 11 Women’s Basketball

Men’s Basketball

vs Southern Indiana

vs Southern Indiana

Edwardsville

Edwardsville

5:00 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

SOFTBALL

Coaching Staff

Head Coach Ben Sorden Assistant Coaches Courtney Gentile, Caitlin Wnek

Players

Amber Morgan Maleah Blomenkamp Jenna Little Jenna Herron Kelsey Ray Kaylynn Salyars Paige Rocha Lauryn Yslava Rylie Pindel Sydney Baalman

Abby Harvell Harley Limberger Piper Montgomery Madison Kearns Reese Ray Danielle Shuey Emma Henderson Grace Lueke Anna Henderson

TRACK AND FIELD Coaching Staff

Head Coach Marcus Evans Assistant Coaches Adam Vasil, Justin Paulsen, Tanner Holen

Players

Kaylee Allen Maryiah Menicucci Jazmyn Zurita Courtney Anthonies Stephanie Montenegro Caden Belcher Aseanti Boone Kaitlyn Morningstar Tyler Bell Claire Bushur Chessy Nikonowicz Connor Bouman Kailah Carter Folasade Oladipupo Chase Burston Sheena Cumberbatch Vashanti Reynolds Joel Degracia Megan Derrick Natalia Rodriguez Jackson Edwards Riley Doyle Allison Sanders Jonah Grawer Bella Dugger Zaria Searcy Tyler Guthrie Alexis Edgar Cassidy Short Luke Hatten Alexis Fischer Alise Simon Spencer Hielkema Jada Fryer Alondria Smith Taylor Lehman Caroline Gwaltney Harper Smith Simon McLaine Gabrielle Horton Paris Somerville Grant Milbrath Alexis Hutchins Jamie Tabron Blake Panagos Mia Jackson Ella Thier Roland Prenzler Priscilla Jones Peyton Tieffel Konrad Sacha Alexis Kampwerth Kaitlyn Walker Drew Tucker Ana Keller Makayla White Zach Walters Dakota Krone Nyah Williams D’Andre Watson Mia Loafman Olivia Wolf Cameron Woodard Jamirah Meeks Gabby Yaccino