The Alestle Vol. 77, No. 23

My name is Moayad Abuzaneh. I also go by Mo, and I am a biology pre-med sophomore.

I am an honors student, I work in the honors office and I’m involved in multiple organizations and clubs on campus. I’m running for 2024-2025 Student Body President, which I am very excited for! I am passionate about Student Government because of the opportunities it gives directly to students. Student Government allows students to advocate for positive change and for student action to be taken. Student Government truly exists to serve us!

This is our campus and I want your help to make it better for us.

I am committed to my initiatives, which are creating an inclusive campus environment, improving communication within on-campus student resources, expanding program opportunities for medical students, enhancing ACCESS utilization and working to get more student discounts in local businesses.

Your concerns are my concerns. It’s my goal to be a friend, not just president.

I am trying to capture the most important aspects of student experience in my platform: academic support, integrated mental health and vibrant involvement.

Innovating academic support means designing and promoting tools that help students go from good to great. Integrating mental health means considering the effects of loneliness and the academic side of stress so that students never start on a downward spiral that ends in crisis. Fostering vibrant student involvement means coordinating our most talented student organizations into campus-wide events that have potential to become lasting traditions.

I hope to get at least three big initiatives done in each category that noticeably improve the flourishing of our students.

I have two school years of experience in Student Government, mostly to do with student organizations. Since they are the lifeblood of student experience, I saw an opportunity to give back to the school.

Creating a feeling of solidarity while maintaining individuality and building connections throughout the student body are my highest priorities.

Utilizing my position as vice president, it is my goal to unite the SIUE student body by advocating for student concerns I see every day and emphasizing inclusivity on campus.

My three main platforms are prioritizing student involvement, optimizing academic success and maintaining the progress that SIUE has made to provide students with mental health resources and support, as well as push it further to grow to become the best that we can be.

It is my aim to make sure every student finds their home on campus, whether that’s through a close-knit study group, their coworkers, or the community of a student organization.

I want to create a sense of belonging in spaces that makes students feel included and welcome.

I am running for Student Trustee because I want to continue my leadership experience during my last year of college.

I have been in Student Government for three years, serving as a senator for the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior, election commissioner and currently as the internal affairs officer.

My extensive experience in Student Government makes me an ideal candidate for the office of student trustee, as I have gained both professional and leadership experience through this organization.

I hope to continue to be a part of the organization through this role to emphasize my passion and dedication, not only for Student Government, but for SIUE as a whole.

Ultimately, if elected as your student trustee, I aspire to unify the administration and students to ensure that student voices reach both the Student Senate and the Board of Trustees.

I am deeply committed to representing the diverse voices and needs of our student body. With a dedication to fostering positive change, I aim to be a proactive advocate for students at the highest levels of university governance.

My platform prioritizes transparency, accountability and accessibility. I believe in open communication between students, administration and the Board of Trustees to foster trust and collaboration. I will work tirelessly to ensure that student perspectives are integrated into decision-making processes, advocating for policies that enhance the academic, social and overall well-being of our campus community.

Furthermore, I am committed to closing the gap between faculty, students and staff. I recognize the importance of creating a transparent, working relationship with the Faculty and Staff Senates.

Together, let’s build a brighter future for our university community.

MO ABUZANEH BARRETT LARKIN LUCIA KNAPP KAIA FORD JARED JESS - PRESIDENT - - PRESIDENT - - VICE PRESIDENT - - STUDENT TRUSTEE - - STUDENT TRUSTEE -

CANDIDATES FOR THE 2024-2025 STUDENT SENATE

Senate candidates debate:

11:30 a.m.

Friday March 22

Goshen Lounge, MUC

Elections open: 9 a.m.

Monday March 25

online via email

Elections close: 11:59 p.m.

Wednesday March 27

I am committed to fostering a collaborative spirit and harnessing our collective expertise to make our school a nurturing environment for all. With a strategic mindset and a dedication to facing challenges head on, I believe we can work together to create positive change.

I would like to be a voice for the College of Arts and Sciences at the Student Government table. I know that, by being a voice, I can table matters, observations and make recommendations for the improvement of the faculty and student body as a whole.

I want to join the Student Government to make it a vibrant workplace and to collaborate with other organizations on campus. I want to make SIUE a comforting and supportive place for incoming and current students.

As a biology major, I aspire to become your next senator for science and math, using my experience to enhance the math and science programs at SIUE. I’m committed to engaging with peers, listening to their input, and shaping an optimal university experience for all.

I want to help in creating a more inclusive, supportive and encouraging space for international students, focus on enriching their experiences and establish constant means of communication between them and Student Government.

SENATOR

SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE

Thank you for considering me as a candidate. Though dental school is busy, I want to be involved as many things possible to learn about my school and be a leader at SIUE and the School of Dental Medicine.

SCHOOL

If re-elected, I’m committed to representing SIUE student nurses, advocating for their physical, mental and spiritual well-being. I plan to increase nursing student retention. Together, let’s continue building a supportive community where every student thrives.

I am a currently a business administration major on the management and data analytics tracks. With this, I plan to become a project manager or event planner. I am currently a freshman senator on Student Government, and would love to continue being a senator.

I am excited to leverage my previous leadership experience to bring about meaningful improvements. I am eager to serve as your advocate and ally in the Student Government. Let us create a community where every international student thrives.

SENATOR

SCHOOL OF EHHB

Being involved on campus is essential, I strongly believe Student Government this is a good way to see the campus looking inside out. Making your best efforts to make it your own and making it the best for the current and up-and-coming students.

With the voices of the SIUE student body I am committed to student advocacy, transparency and unity. I aim to foster positive change within our diverse community effectively and work towards a vibrant campus.

I look forward to meeting and working with students again this year on issues that need to be addressed. I have greatly enjoyed the opportunity this year to work with senators and students to help shape Student Government into a better representation of our student body.

I am committed to fostering cross-cultural understanding, advocating for equitable policies, and amplifying the voices of our diverse and growing international student body. I have experienced firsthand the challenges international students face and aim to help find solutions to them.

Nicholas

SENATOR

SCHOOL OF EHHB

I am committed to nurturing a campus environment where every voice is valued and supported. By prioritizing mental health and fostering a vibrant, inclusive atmosphere, we can create meaningful experiences and lasting connections.

SENATOR

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

I’m here to be the change within the community. I’m here to be the voice of the people in student body.

Imareon Taylor

Tonanzi Montoya SENATOR CAS ARTS & COMMUNICATION

SENATOR CAS PEOPLE & CULTURE

David Ferrier Brenden Auerbach SENATOR CAS SCIENCE & MATH SENATOR CAS SCIENCE & MATH

Iyanuoluwa Fatunmbi

GRADUATE SENATOR

Zee Salas Abdulsalam Odofin-Kamorudeen SENATOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS SENATOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Mainprice Akuoko Essuman

Sydney Euchner

SENATOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS SENATOR SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Jenna Nestor SENATOR SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Brian Obi

Nick Yuhas

Devin Willis

Young

Ray Ehrenhaft

SENATOR

OF NURSING

Peyton Lovel

SENATOR

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

I look forward to working with all of the engineering students to further improve their time at the campus, and the impact we can have on the engineering department.

Zach Entwistle

SENATOR AT LARGE

Committed to representing the diverse voices of the SIUE student body, I offer a dedication to positive change. As your advocate, I pledge to prioritize transparency, equity and student involvement. Together, let’s shape a stronger and better SIUE community.

SENATOR AT LARGE

My goal is to strengthen student relations, improve the quality of the SIUE campus and provide students a reliable source of integrity and an attentive leader. I believe adding new perspectives and backgrounds can only strengthen government as a whole.

SENATOR

STUDENT DIVERSITY COUNCIL

I will use my knowledge gained during my time as the School of Business senator and my leadership positions to promote the interests of all majors. My goals are to ensure every student succeeds and is represented by promoting inclusion, academic support, and job readiness.

Aiden Kocher

SENATOR

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

As I am seeking re-election as engineering senator, I’m committed to building on our progress — enhancing academic resources, mental health support and now aiming to unlock new student spaces. Together, we can create a more inclusive and vibrant engineering community.

Ben Cole

SENATOR AT LARGE

As the current freshmen senator, I am running for the senator at large position so I can maintain my duties to serve the students of SIUE. I will continue to promote policies that improve mental health on campus and aids all students in pursuing their life goals.

Jasiah Andrews

SENATOR

STUDENT DIVERSITY COUNCIL

I’m here to serve the campus, but specifically the people who feel unheard and unseen. Let’s get the job done and actually make some change!

SENATOR

STUDENT DIVERSITY COUNCIL

My vision is to bring forth an inclusive and judgement-free zone for traditional/ non-traditional students. Through implementing my experiences in leadership and community outreach, I will immerse myself into ensuring fruition and equity for every student!

Rebecca Loftus

SENATOR

SCHOOL OF PHARMACY

I have been fortunate enough to have served as the pharmacy senator for the 2023-24 school year. I hope to continue my initiatives that I am currently working on, including pharmacy student involvement, if I am elected for another term.

Carson Baer

SENATOR AT LARGE

I am excited to announce my candidacy for the position of senator at large in the upcoming student government elections. My name is Carson Baer, and I am a very passionate and dedicated individual ready to represent the student body to the best of my ability.

Natasha Kabir

SENATOR

STUDENT DIVERSITY COUNCIL

Accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion make a place where we feel a sense of belonging, regardless of age, disability and gender. The more we include, the more this campus will be accessible, bringing the flavor of community soup with flavorful varieties.

Charlyse Roy

SENATOR

SCHOOL OF PHARMACY

I am looking forward to better integrate SIUE with the School of Pharmacy students to hopefully make a more connected and involved student body for our school.

Heaven Watkins

SENATOR AT LARGE

I plan to help students recognize what Student Government’s purpose is. I plan to help students grow while they are here earning an education. I will make a change that will grow SIUE.

Alexis Allen SENATOR

STUDENT DIVERSITY COUNCIL

I want to be able to build a community within our school so that students feel comfortable and supported. I feel that college becomes ten times harder when you are also searching for a sense of belonging. I want to change that!

I believe I can reflect the views of the student body. As a current undergraduate who has connections across the university, I believe I can represent the student body because I am a part of the student body.

My commitment, shaped by my experience as a disabled student, is to prioritize safety. Elevator repairs, increased braille installation and fundraising for evacuation chairs are only a few initiatives of mine.

Landon Winkelman

Winter Racine

Roman Becker

Megan You

Ashton Carter

SENATOR NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS

SENATOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Student Government candidates debate qualifications, experience ahead of next week’s election

DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief

Four candidates for the 2024-25 Student Government Executive Board gathered in the Goshen Lounge before a couple dozen onlookers to debate and prove themselves to be the best candidate for their position.

This year, there are two presidential candidates: current Organization and Relations Officer Barrett Larkin and current Senator for the College of Arts and Sciences Moayad Abuzaneh.

Larkin is a junior business major with a focus in economics, and Abuzaneh is a sophomore biology major and pre-medical student.

There are also two candidates for the position of student trustee: current Vice President Jared Jess and current Internal Affairs Officer Kaia Ford.

Jess is a mechatronics graduate student with a focus in robotics engineering, and Ford is a graduate student in industrial and organizational psychology. Ford was absent from the debate on account of being ill.

This year, there is only one candidate for vice president: current Senator at Large Lucia Knapp, a sophomore political science major.

What are the most pressing issues at SIUE?

Larkin’s campaign rests on three pillars: academics, mental health and campus community. Larkin said he views these three subjects as a hierarchy. Once students feel they have their classes and grades under control, it will be easier to tend to their mental health.

“An issue facing a lot of students is mental health,” Larkin said. “Statistics show that at least 2/3 of students can be diagnosed with at least one mental health condition. That’s epidemic levels. Counseling Services does a great job with those extreme cases, [but] I want to address the earlier cases.”

Larkin also said he plans to invigorate campus using Greek traditions and help foster friendships between “the kind of people you invite to your wedding.”

Abuzaneh said much of his campaign focuses on international students, opening up opportunities and offering accommodations to them.

“A lot of international students don’t have all their needs [met] that will help them in their academics and career at SIUE,” Abuzaneh said. “We don’t have that many roles that will help international students to give them accommodations in their classes to make it easier for them. We need to focus on giving international students more accommodations and more opportunities … to bring more international students than we have.”

Abuzaneh also said he plans to work with certain facilities on campus, such as Lovejoy Library and Dining Services, which he said are not open at opportune times for students.

Jess said he plans to foster more communication and bridge the gap between the student body and the faculty and staff if elected as student trustee.

“The faculty, staff and student relationships, especially when it comes to their governing bodies, have no communication,” Jess said. “I thoroughly believe that it will be very important to bring those governing bodies together to give Student Government and students as a whole more intel about what the staff and faculty are worried about.”

Jess also commented on the university’s budget situation and expressed his desire for SIUE to hire more general as-

sistants, or GAs.

“The thing we can do is try and fix what’s already been broken. We all know the school is in a budget crisis,” Jess said. “We don’t have as much money as we once had. What can we do to mitigate the things that went away because of this?”

Knapp also focused on academics, mental health and campus community, as she and Larkin are campaigning together.

“There are some students who lack that place of belonging. They don’t have that support system that a lot of students need to help boost their academic success, as well as their own mental health,” Knapp said. “Students are lacking their own family on campus — that found family. They feel lost a lot of times. At Student Government, we are fortunate enough to have the resources and support of faculty and peers to help us reach our goals, and I really want to make sure to extend that to students.”

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

Larkin leaned on his years of experience in Student Government and emphasized his time on the Executive Board, of which the president is a member. Larkin also said 15 student organizations had come to fruition during his time as organization relations officer, the liaison between organizations and the Senate.

“[Moayad] has been a great senator, but he hasn’t quite been on [the Executive Board] yet,” Larkin said. “I saw in his platform that he wants to help medical students — and I think that’s great — but I think that he might be pulled away from that as president.”

Abuzaneh addressed his medical program and other initiatives he is working on currently, as well as emphasizing his approachability to the student body.

“For my medical program that I’m working on, I feel that being president will give me more connections to get what I want out of my program,” Abuzaneh said. “As a senator [and] a student, I spend most of my time on campus. I try to make as many friends as I can, because my needs are their needs.”

In the response segment, Larkin jokingly referred to himself as unapproachable and encouraged Abuzaneh to consider representing the entire student body instead of just a few constituencies. Abuzaneh chose not to give a rebuttal.

How can Student Government help support the university’s goals?

Abuzaneh said Student Government needs to be closer to the student body in order to understand their needs and wants.

“We’ll be friends with them before we’re their presidents, vice presidents [and] senators. We’ll be with them, not next to them. We’ll be helping them,” Abuzaneh said. “Students in high school, who are thinking about going here, they’ll know that their voice is heard [and] their needs are completed.”

Larkin said Student Government can help the university accomplish the 283 goal specifically by hosting multi-organizational events planned during student visits.

“As a subset of the third pillar of my platform, the vibrant community life, there is a bullet point underneath that I call ‘festivals,’” Larkin said. “The idea behind that is that you have multiple organizations, you put them together, it’s so lively, and guess what? That’s a day that the high school seniors are taking their visit. Now they want to stay, now they want to get involved.”

How will you represent students’ needs to the Board of Trustees?

Jess leaned on his experience as the current vice president in representing each constituency in Student Government.

“I directly help the senators for each of these constituencies. Those are relationships that will last through this next election year,” Jess said. “Not only that, but they’re working relationships. I’ve helped a lot of senators complete initiatives … and brainstormed with them to help get initiatives off the pavement.”

Jess said he plans to conduct extensive research before each Board of Trustees meeting in order to know which questions to ask.

“What I plan to do is run through everything with a fine-toothed comb in the packets they provide so I can ask those questions that are pertinent to the subject matter,” Jess said. “Furthermore, I’m going to keep notes when I go to all these meetings. I will be as transparent as possible with these things that I find, not only to the Student Government. We have platforms that we can reach all the students, and I plan to exercise those so every student is informed.”

Knapp said she plans to reach out to Student Government alumni to analyze their accomplishments for the students and build off of their progress.

“It is my plan to reach out to past presidents, vice presidents, senators [and] trustees and utilize those resources. I would love to pick their brains and figure out what they have done for this campus,” Knapp said. “At Student Government, we have become a little bit complacent. We’ve become comfortable that we’re doing enough, but there’s always room for

Building service workers reach tentative agreement with university

BRUCE DARNELL managing editor

SIUE’s building service workers, represented by AFSCME Local 2232, reached a tentative agreement with the university on Monday after well over 600 days of negotiations.

This comes nearly a month after the clerical workers, represented by AFSCME Local 2887, came to an agreement with the university in February.

The details of the new contract have not been released as of publication.

The building service workers have faced issues with understaffing and being underpaid in their period without a contract.

A tentative agreement does not mean a new contract has been signed. Once the union has voted on signing, then the new contract will be put into effect.

progress and growth.”

Larkin and Jess added on to this reply, giving the senators credit for their work in the post-COVID years as organizations got back up and running.

The candidates close the debate

Each candidate was given the opportunity to give a closing statement. Abuzaneh said he hopes to be a friend before being a president regardless of the constituency a student may belong to.

“My concerns are going to be your concerns, and your concerns are going to be my concerns. I will try my best to do what all students want,” Abuzaneh said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re pre-medical or a nurse. You’re a student, and we’re all here in the same place.”

Larkin closed by emphasizing his experience and track record of progress as organization relations officer.

“When it comes to things that are really important, you don’t want the upand-coming. You don’t want the firstyear for your surgeon,” Larkin said. “You want the guy who’s at the top of his game, who has 15 student organizations under his belt and who is here, ready to be your student body president.”

For his closing remarks, Jess reiterated his qualifications for the position of student trustee and predicted that his work will change the way the position is perceived.

“I thoroughly believe I am the most qualified for the student trustee position right now,” Jess said. “The experience that I have will not only help Student Government as a whole, but I think my initiatives that I plan to bring are going to very much change the way our student trustee is looked at on Student Government.”

Knapp focused her final remarks on growth for the student body as a whole.

“As a sophomore here at the university, I’m not only working to make the student experience better for myself, but also for the community as it grows,” Knapp said. “I really want to work to make Student Government and the student body the best that it can be.”

The debate for Senate candidates will take place at 11:30 a.m. Friday, March 22, in the Goshen Lounge in the MUC and is open to the public. Elections will open online at 9 a.m. Monday, March 25, and will close at 11:59 a.m. Wednesday, March 27.

Student Government discusses new clubs during their first meeting of the spring semester on Jan. 8. | Bruce Darnell / The Alestle

Advising should teach us how to properly plan our own future using Degree Works

THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board

Degree Works is perfect if you’d like to make yourself a list of your accomplishments, but it isn’t very helpful if you’d like to continue to achieve goals.

CougarNet has a wide variety of support services for every SIUE student — one of which is the “Degree Works” link that shows up on your homepage once logged in. Degree Works is a site used for tracking how much progress you’ve made toward your chosen degree. Academic advisers, as well as the registrar’s office, use this site. While Degree Works helps advisers explain what classes we will need as students,

it is helpful to see the information on your own screen and at your convenience.

If you have not been introduced to Degree Works yet, the information provided by the site is not only a percentage of how far along you are towards your degree, but it also assists you in tracking exactly what classes you need to fulfill two different requirements (graduation and registration) that are toggleable.

The information displayed on Degree Works is important information — that is undeniable.

The website’s user interface is where things get complicated. While you have limited options and simple yet effective graphics, the site itself is not intuitive.

For example, some students have undeclared majors, yet the progress wheel still states that they are making progress towards their intended major. What degree are students working towards? At a quick glance, the site is overwhelming and does nothing but confuse students.

On the plus side, Degree Works does offer in-depth information. Besides listing what courses you still need to take, it tells students what requirements you have already completed via what courses you’ve taken. If you have declared your major, it is very good to show you what you still have left to complete and your percentage. If you’re looking for all of the information

on your past academic endeavors, Degree Works is the place to look.

Planning your life is scary, and Degree Works should be the site that supports you and makes things easier for you. That being said, the site is already linked to CougarNet. Degree Works is a powerful site that allows students to take control of their degree, so students should be properly taught how to use the site. Better instruction during the first mandatory advising appointment would allow students to have more information on what they need to talk about with their adviser beforehand, saving both student and adviser valuable time.

The Quad needs more recreational options

BRUCE DARNELL managing editor

The concept of a quad is an important part of the college experience. SIUE’s Quad lacks opportunities for people to hang out with friends and enjoy time in the heart of the university.

Quads tend to be some of the most populated places at a university. This rings true for SIUE, as our Quad connects to most of the department buildings and the MUC. While it maintains a lot of foot traffic, the Quad doesn’t usually have a large number of people sitting down and enjoying the environment. There are always some, but the seating arrangement doesn’t allow many people to lounge about at one time.

The only options the Quad offers are chairs and a large stump. There are also concrete benches that encircle trees — a lot of which are saplings due to the university cutting down many of the trees last year.

On nice, sunny days, quite a few people sit in the Quad. In

fact, most of the chairs will be filled during the peak hours of the day.

People regularly show a desire to sit down in the Quad and spend time with their friends or do their homework. However, there are not nearly enough seats to meet this demand.

There are about 14 chairs in the Quad. This amount can’t adequately accommodate the number of people that actually want to sit down in the Quad.

But the big problem is not in the number of seats — rather, it’s the type of seating.

Single-use seating, which the Quad primarily has in its low-tothe-ground lounge chairs, can, as the name suggests, only sit one person at a time. If a group of friends want to sit together, the number of seats available for other students is cut drastically.

The problem with the Quad’s tree benches is that they are circular. The seating forces you to look away from people beside you as it bends around the inner tree. This makes it more difficult to seat a large group of people since they won’t be look-

ing at each other.

The solution to this is to use picnic tables — or any other multi-use seating — and to better implement benches into the Quad. The new tables would allow for multiple people to sit at one place and give them a more stable surface to do their work. Adding this on to the current single-use chairs should spread out the number of people sitting down and allow for most people to get a seat.

A better implementation of benches would allow for everyone to see each other, such as a square of benches. There are plenty of benches open for people to sit on, but the way they are made encourages temporary seating or seating just a few people at a time.

While this may solve problems with seating, what else is there to do in the Quad?

As a student, you can rent out recreation equipment from the Student Fitness Center. The equipment ranges from kayaks to cornhole sets, and a lot of it is free to rent and return. A few

possible options for Quad use could be frisbees, kickball sets and footballs.

The problem with this is that the Student Fitness Center is not very close to the Quad. It’s about a 20-minute walk both ways, which can be discouraging for anyone just wanting to play a quick game of spikeball with their buddies in the Quad.

If the MUC were to start renting out similar equipment to students, this problem would be fixed. Instead of a 20-minute walk to and from the Quad to get a game to play, this solution would cut the trip down to maybe two minutes.

Spring has sprung very early this year. The warm weather started before February ended, and, with each passing day, people are going to want to spend more time outside.

It would be better for every person on campus if there were easily accessible recreation equipment to melt off the winter freeze, and it would be great if they had access to ample seating to chill out with their friends afterward.

Women’s Studies Program: How it began, what it currently is and educators’ hopes for the future

CAMELA SHARP reporter

The educators of the Women’s Studies Program have great ambitions and goals for the future of this program as its meaning and impact will continue to grow and develop.

The Director of the Women’s Studies Program, Carolina Rocha, shows appreciation for where their journey began and said she welcomes the growth of the Women’s Studies Program.

“When I started reading about who my predecessors were … It was female faculty in the ‘90s who were a minority, and they used to have potluck dinners to celebrate each other’s accomplishments,” Rocha said.

The Women’s Studies Program is not a major like many may believe, nor is it an official department. However, Rocha is hopeful that in the future, the focus can become a major. If the focus can become a minor though, they’ll need more funding and faculty to teach more classes.

“I see the potential for this because the classes are already there,” Rocha said. “The Women’s Studies Program only has one class. The other classes are electives and are classes that are cross-listed with other departments.”

Rocha said they wanted to keep up the tradition of celebrating

each other’s accomplishments.

“I interact with faculty from different departments,” Rocha said. “That has truly been an enrichment process for me. That’s what I value and that’s what I would like to give back to the students.”

Rocha said that most of the cross-listed classes are in English, sociology and philosophy, but there are classes in political science and general and applied communications.

Women’s Studies really covers gender studies as a whole, according to Rocha. It has become the study of gender presentation, sexuality and more.

“I think when Women’s Studies was formed in the 1990s, it was women’s studies,” Rocha said. “But for instance, right now we talk and we know more about gender issues. So, perhaps having a minor like we have right now where we can also have gender classes … It’s not just women’s studies, but sexuality and different kinds of gender roles.”

It is important to Rocha to serve and accommodate all students and faculty.

“We have the classes, but we are here to serve,” Rocha said. “So if [there are] suggestions for improvements, I am very open to listen and to try to accommodate those suggestions … It is important because it allows me to help the next generation of women who are going to come into the workforce.”

Professor of English Language and Literature Anushiya Ramaswamy is one of the professors teaching for this program. She expressed her desires for the future of the Women’s Studies program.

“I would like it to be ‘gender studies’ rather than women’s studies,” Ramaswamy said. “I would like it to be more mainstream … I would like to see a lot more resources or a lot more conversation about gender studies being kind of prioritized.”

If the focus does become a major, Ramaswamy said that she would like to see a name change.

“I find the term ‘women studies’ itself kind of politically problematic because there is a lot of work right now done in gender that would question the binary,” Ramaswamy said. “So, the minute you say ‘women studies,’ it’s kind of very old-fashioned. I think I would like to have something that is much more inclusive as a title, if we are looking at a department — a gender studies department, maybe.”

Ramaswamy said that she teaches her classes in a way that covers all the topics related to gender, not just focusing on the “women’s” side of the minor.

“In my classes, I kind of design around talking about intersectionality — not only speaking about gender, but with it comes race and with it comes class,” Ramaswamy said.

Alison Reiheld, a professor of philosophy, explained that she could not do her current line of work without the knowledge from studying gender.

“I do work in medical ethics, and a lot of the things that I work on, gender touches on, and some of those I work on because I’m interested in gender,” Reiheld said. “I actually didn’t think when I started doing medical ethics 25 years ago that I was going to be doing as much feminist theory in my medical ethics work as I did.”

“I get more into medical ethics,” Reiheld said. “I kept finding that the tools that I had from my own women’s studies and feminist philosophy coursework in graduate school kept being relevant … I realized that I couldn’t do medical ethics responsibly without gender studies tools.”

Reiheld said that women’s studies make a big difference in her career and that it helps her in many different ways, including bettering her ability to be there for her students.

“What women’s studies means to me is that it gives me tools to do the other parts of my job that aren’t even technically about women’s studies at all,” Reiheld said. “It also allows me to support students better because students have different needs, and sometimes their needs are shaped by gender and the way society responds to their gender.”

‘Love Lies Bleeding’ is an atmospheric, queer crime thriller

BRANDI SPANN opinion editor

Directed by Rose Glass, and starring Kristen Stewart (Lou) and Katy O’Brian (Jackie), A24’s newest film “Love Lies Bleeding” is a neo-noir film — a genre that focuses on light, shadow, revenge and the morally gray. The film follows a couple in New Mexico nurturing a blossoming relationship who find themselves caught up in bloody chaos of crime and cover-ups.

Louise works at the gym unclogging toilets and dealing steroids. Jackie passes through town preparing for a bodybuilding competition in Vegas. A familial crossover and violent mishap propels Lou and Jackie into a tense back-and-forth with Lou’s dad’s criminal gun-dealing business.

Cultural essayist Charlie Squire referred to “Love Lies Bleeding” as this year’s “definitive treatise on The Body.” An exercise in eroticism, the film weaves in and out of realms of violence and desire and attempts to showcase what happens when the two merge.

The result is a visually and auditorily rich conglomeration of guns, egg yolk, rugs, bugs and vomit. Glass expertly plays with atmospheric lighting — neon red, glowing soda machines, open signs, flickering hand lighter flames — setting the tone for this passionate, accusatory, hot,

sweat-filled small town upheaval. A child’s lost tooth becomes a broken jaw. A lighter under Jackie’s toes becomes a car engulfed in flames. The madness is methodic, producing a satisfactory romance thriller that captivates and entertains.

The tonality of Lou’s character uplifts Kristin Stewart’s strengths. Lou is clumsy and devoted, putting Stewart in a queer role that truly magnifies her direction as an actor.

According to Stewart, Glass’ inspiration for the film was, in part, drawn from the idea of the queer monstrosity — something lurking in the closet that scares us. “It’s a scary place to live in the ‘80s in America,” Glass said. “How can I be strong as a woman who’s gay?”

This is why O’Brian’s character is a clear stand-out. She brought Jackie to life by enchantingly acting — in a film about bodies — with her whole body. From her hair to her toes, Jackie breathes muscle and sex. This physicality commands the screen, and it’s impossible to tear your eyes away from her charm. But it is Jackie’s attempts at grasping for a foundation for herself, some sort of companionship and identity, that solidify her as the most memorable character in the film.

Jackie doesn’t like weaponry, preferring to revel in her hard-earned, natural bodybuilder power. In a clear indication of the film’s feminist stance on bodily autonomy, Jackie says, “Anyone can feel strong hiding behind a piece of metal. I prefer to know my own strength.”

It’s unclear, then, why Jackie is driven

to test out Lou’s steroids in the beginning of the film. Perhaps the steroids are a tool to emphasize the theme of addiction — the temporary relief of a cigarette, a radio voice informs Lou, is a trap — or maybe they are meant to signify Jackie’s desire to trust Lou.

Whatever the reason, the steroids embolden Jackie’s impulsive choices. She fuses her body and mind and produces an outstandingly bloody and unsettling performance, emblematic of the frenzied, soulful fluidity of womanhood.

In an interview with SELF magazine, O’Brian said, “I think it’s so important for people to see queer characters with these rich, complex interior lives doing more than just being gay on screen.”

This film is one of many queer films this year, and it’s incredible to witness a shift in sapphic films that is moving away from catastrophizing queer love. The conflict in Glass’ script has nothing to do with their sexuality and everything to do with who they are and what they value as people.

This is, however, an area where the film temporarily loses its footing, because Jackie’s character traits don’t really change. Her actions and their

resulting consequences don’t produce an evolution in her mindset. She does come to the conclusion that falling in love is painful, but this is an inadequate character arc, given the daring approach that Glass took up with the rest of the film.

The outlandish ending of the film deviates from the hyperrealism of the story and introduces a metaphorical, surreal sequence that disappointingly distracts from the ongoings of the story. Although it does linger in the mind as the credits roll, it does not go on long enough to become the part of the story that the audience will remember.

While the plot is simple, that is not a flaw. The cinematography is tight, focused and deliberately off-putting. The soundtrack is enticing and, as a cohesive project, Glass presents her audience with a cerebral take on human physicality — its elusiveness, expansiveness and limitations.

“Love Lies Bleeding” is in theaters now. Bring your own bleach and body bags.

From underground translator to being world-renowned, professor brings love of languages to classroom

CIARA FOLKERTS reporter

Olga Bezhanova, a Spanish professor at SIUE, evolved from being an illegal multilingual translator in Ukraine to earning recognition as a distinguished researcher and educator.

Bezhanova was born and raised in Ukraine during the Soviet Union’s regime, and during that time, it was heavily frowned upon to learn different languages.

“Every effort was made to prevent people from learning other languages so that we wouldn’t communicate with anybody from behind the ‘iron curtain’ [political boundary dividing Europe] and find out what was actually happening in the world,” Bezhanova said.

Bezhanova’s father was a professional linguist and translator who taught her and her sister how to speak Russian and English at a young age.

“He believed, always, that the USSR would collapse and we would come in contact with other countries,”said Bezhanova. “He made it his life’s work to teach me and my sister to speak other languages.”

Although Bezhanova’s father was denounced by the KGB, the Soviet Union’s main security agency, for teaching English to Bezhanova and her sister, he insisted that they continue to read, write and speak in English.

Her father’s ultimate goal was to empower his children through acquiring different languages so that they could make a potential career out of it.

Bezhanova was only 14 years old when she translated her first book in 1990 from English into Russian about martial arts, with limited resources available in translating.

“There was, of course, no dictionary because it was not legal to [practice martial arts], so I had to invent pretty much the whole vocabulary of martial arts,” Bezhanova said.

During her teenage years, Bezhanova said she would often get paid in U.S. currency to translate work, which was punishable with jail time under the ruling of the USSR.

According to Bezhanova, college students in Ukraine weren’t allowed

to work at the time.

“I worked as a translator pretty intensely while I was a student, but it was illegal,” Bezhanova said. “And I was always in danger of being discovered, that I was committing this huge crime of working as a translator.”

“When the USSR finally fell apart in 1991, that was a moment when we could start thinking about learning about different cultures,” Bezhanova said. “Eventually, I developed a great interest in the Hispanic culture, but there was no place at that time in Ukraine to learn Spanish or anything that had to do with Hispanic culture.”

Bezhanova described her journey in learning Spanish and Hispanic culture as a “quest” that she was eager to take on.

In 1998, Bezhanova and her family left Ukraine and moved to Canada, where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Hispanic Studies from McGill University.

She later moved to the United States to pursue her doctorate at Yale Univer-

sity through the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

In August 2009, Bezhanova joined SIUE as an associate Spanish professor and currently holds the position as the chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature.

“When I came to SIUE, I thought I’d only be staying at SIUE for about a year,” Bezhanova said. “But then, when I started teaching, within the first two weeks I knew that I would stay because I absolutely loved the students.”

Bezhanova said throughout her time at SIUE, she found joy in being able to engage with students and connect with them as individuals.

“When I realized that I really feel [connected] with the students at SIUE, I completely lost any desire to leave and look for anything else. And I have been here ever since,” said Bezhanova.

Bezhanova stopped translating when she first came to SIUE, but started freelancing again to understand how the world of translation has transformed. She

said that she wants to teach students relevant and up-to-date information to bring to the classroom.

Andrea Bowlin, a junior Spanish major said, “I think that Olga is a phenomenal teacher … I really wish I could’ve experienced her earlier in my college career for my major because of how much I’ve learned.”

Bezhanova is not only an educator, but also a highly recognized research scholar around the world.

Bezhanova’s book publications have received recognition from different countries, such as Ukraine and Canada. According to International Relations Lecture Series, Bezhanova’s scholarly articles have also appeared in journals in several countries, such as Spain, the United Kingdom, Costa Rica and Germany.

Currently, Bezhanova is working on finalizing one of the first textbooks of Contemporary Spanish Literature for Ukranians, which is expected to be published in April 2024.

Going awardee discusses students solving cold cases at annual lecture

CAMELA SHARP reporter

In honor of recieving the Going award, Criminal Justice Professor Trish Oberweis spoke at the William and Margaret Going Endowment’s Annual Going Award Lecture.

Oberweis explained the true definition of a cold case as something that can’t really be defined, as each individual case is different from the next.

“I say the phrase cold case and you know what that is? It isn’t anything,” Oberweis said. “There is no definition of a cold case that is in any way related to law enforcement for their work. The idea of a case going cold just means that all the leads that anyone can figure out to try have been tried.”

Oberweis discussed the commonly overlooked difference between crime television shows and the real life cases they depict. She said that in television shows, results on DNA testing come back within

days. In reality, the results often take years.

“On TV, pristine, biological evidence is available in every crime,” Oberweis said. “In real life, there’s sometimes no biological evidence at all. And when there is DNA evidence, a lot of the times it’s a mixture of more than one person, which becomes exponentially more difficult to make it useful in identifying ‘who done it?’”

Oberweis spoke very highly of her students, as they were also in attendance during this speech. She described the hard work they’ve been doing as a part of their program where students help solve cold cases. According to Oberweis, as a unit, they’ve solved over 100 cases.

“I’m so proud of my students,” Oberweis said. “They have just completely come through and risen to the occasion. Forensic investigative genetic genealogy … has been a huge career pivot for me. My partners at the Illinois State Police … have made such a difference for SIUE student experiences, for my own future and, most importantly, for those cases that have been sitting on the shelves that we can now

hope will start moving forward again.”

Annabelle Kowalski, a psychology major, attended the presentation and said she was happy to learn so many new things as she had anticipated.

“I really do like cold cases, and I’m studying criminal justice next year,” Kowalski said. “I was thinking that it would be a great opportunity for me to learn something new. I loved when [Oberweis] introduced the new thing about FIGG [Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy]. I think it’s very interesting to hear from this that there’s something new to help with research.”

Oberweis had two friends attending her presentation. Amanda Depew, SIUE’s 2021 veteran student of the year, and Kevin Wathen, the director of Military and Veteran Services, both expressed their support for Oberweis.

“I came to support my good friend Trish, and I’m super intrigued by genetic use,” Depew said. “Anything for crime matters, especially for the sexual assault kit backlog that we have in Illinois. I definite-

ly wanted to come in and support her and hear about what she had to say.”

“Dr. Oberweis has always been very gracious to attend our [Veteran and Military Services] events, and she’s a big supporter of the veterans and the veterans groups, so I’m here to support,” Wathen said. “I would say it was the real-world examples connecting that to the genealogy of the project that she’s working on.”

Oberweis is hopeful for the future of forensics and wants the takeaway of her speech to be for people to start getting involved by using their DNA.

“I hope that people have understood that this is not a scary change,” Oberweis said. “It’s a time for optimism. The potential for this tool is clear, and I hope that people will be willing to upload their Ancestry profiles or 23andMe profiles into GEDMatch in hopes to identify a Jane Doe and give her a name. I hope to build our family trees and catch killers and rapists and make the community safer.”

Olga Bezhanova at her desk surrounded by photos, drawings and the Ukrainian fag.

| Pedro Henrique G-M / The Alestle

Women’s tennis serves against Tennessee Tigers, sets records

AUDREY O’RENIC sports editor

SIUE women’s tennis collected a 7-0 victory against Tennessee State University in their first Ohio Valley Conference match of the season on Sunday at the Edwardsville YMCA Meyer Center.

The Cougars were determined to continue their winning streak following Wednesday’s 6-1 win over William Wood University.

Graduate student Jill Lambrechts and senior Jordan Schifano finished first in No. 1 doubles, 6-1. Sophomore Margaux Guibal Britt and sophomore Cydney Rogers dominated No. 3 doubles with a win of 6-0.

Freshman Stefaniya Anikina and sophomore Amelia Gorman finished 6-1 in No. 2 doubles, ultimately securing the doubles point for the team.

Anikina began the lead for the Cougars following her 6-0, 6-0 dominance in No. 5 singles. Schifano followed close behind, winning 6-0, 6-1.

Guibal Britt secured a victory in No. 2 singles with a score of 6-2, 6-2. As senior Fabiola

Perez began her match in No. 6 singles, Lambrechts was still in her first set, tied 6-6. Gorman was in her third set, the tiebreaker of the two previous sets: 6-1 and 4-6.

Lambrechts won the first set 7-6 after a hit from Tennessee State went out of bounds. Gorman then finished her third set with a score of 6-0. Lambrechts kept the momentum through her second set, earning a 6-3 victory.

Perez then secured the seventh and final point for the Cougars after her 6-4, 6-1 win in No. 6 singles.

SIUE moved to 1-0 in the OVC, and Tennessee State sits at 1-1.

Newcomer Anikina completely swept Tennessee State with a 6-0 record in both doubles and singles. This is her seventh consecutive win, the most for the team.

Lambrechts is now tied with Mia Frogner (2013-17) for the most career singles wins in SIUE Division 1 Era history with 76. She surpassed Frogner in most career doubles wins with 66. Schifano also advanced to third in most career singles wins.

Head Coach Adam Albertsen acquired his 200th career victory in collegiate tennis

SIUE puts trust in Ava Stoller to lead women’s basketball

SAM MUREN reporter

Facing adversity this past season, the women’s basketball team is currently navigating the rebuilding stage. One positive take away from the season was the play of freshman point guard Ava Stoller.

Stoller was the fourth-leading scorer and had the second-most assists for the Cougars this season. She started in 26 games and averaged 29.2 minutes played per game. Stoller also

led the team with an average of five rebounds per game.

Stoller was not only impressive statistically, but her play style was also noteworthy. When she was on the court, there were moments when she would take over the game. Her style of play is not only fun for fans to watch, but it is also easy for coaches to trust her.

“It was a trust in her game and trust in her as a person. She’s very confident and a great human to be around,” Head Coach Sam Smith said.

Stoller was one of the season’s biggest highlights. Having this kind of breakout season is what gives fans and the team hope for the future.

Stoller grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she played soccer since she was three years old.

Basketball didn’t find its way into her life until Stoller was a freshman in high school. Once she started, she never looked back and only focused on her future.

Stoller was offered two Divi-

sion 2 scholarships for basketball during her junior year of high school. Her parents encouraged her to commit, but Stoller felt she could do better.

“I entered my senior year with nothing,” Stoller said.

With both scholarships off the table, Stoller was completely banking on herself.

“It was really having motivation in myself to know where I could be,” Stoller said. “I knew not only could I play at the Division 1 level, but that I could make a substantial impact.”

Multiple Division 1 schools reached out during Stoller’s senior year. Stoller’s commitment to herself and the game of basketball paid off.

“[The calls] showed how hard I worked,” Stoller said.

The offers started coming in around November, and Stoller committed in February. According to Stoller, that is a short window to figure out where to go to college. Stoller chose to be mindful of what kind of team to join since she had to make such a big choice in a limited timeframe.

“The biggest [factor] for me was the coaching staff and the team. I felt like being away from home is not easy, and I needed to have a home away from home. I really found that with Coach Sam,” Stoller said. “Another thing is that I wanted to go somewhere where I felt I could make an immediate impact.”

Stoller has made an immediate impact here at SIUE. Her statistics alone show how

valuable she is to the team, but it is her drive that impresses her Smith.

“She’s a player that really plays hard every single moment,” Smith said. “She has a winning mentality. She is definitely someone who wants to win and wants to be a part of success.”

Even off the court, Stoller gives everything she has. Her effort not only forces her to be better but also her teammates around her to push to match her effort.

“She wants to get her teammates and others to compete and want to win too,” Smith said. “I would say she is someone who raises the bar when it comes to practice. When it comes to skill workouts, she is someone who is always in the workout and skill and wants to win.”

Stoller’s drive and willingness to win make for a beneficial asset for any basketball team, but the SIUE coaching staff enjoys having her around for her character too.

“It was fun to coach her. She is really fun to be around everyday,” Assistant Coach Eric Gruber said.

“She’s a joy to be around and a really great and fun person to coach because of her personality and the way she plays,” Smith said.

Already, Ava Stoller is making her mark on women’s basketball, but her journey is just beginning and far from over. The potential for her future success is limitless.

Freshman Stefaniya Anikina prepares a hit during a match vs.

The Cougars swept the Tigers, 7-0. | Maximilian Lenhart / The Alestle

SIUE freshman guard Ava Stoller drives around the Little Rock defense on Feb. 1.

| Maximilian Lenhart / The Alestle

— his 68th victory as SIUE’s head coach. The Cougars will play

Southeast Missouri State University this weekend at 2:00 p.m., March 23, at SEMO.