THE
alestle
East St. Louis local Educators come appointed to racial together to celebrate justice, equity position ‘Banned Book Week’
Men’s soccer wins homecoming game, remains undefeated
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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Thursday, October 19, 2023 Vol. 77 No. 8
the student voice since 1960
Several changes coming to FAFSA prompt questions SAM MUREN reporter The Department of Education and Federal Student Aid has announced that the overhauled 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid will launch in December. Most college students know they must fill out the FAFSA each year. This year, with the implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act, it will look different. Significant changes and adjustments to the system that awards aid to students will be starting in the 2024-2025 award year. There are two main structural changes to the FAFSA. One is the application process and the other is the system that determines a student’s financial need. Students and families will no longer apply in the month of October. The application window is set to open on an undisclosed date in December.
In the past, dependent students would file their FAFSA with their guardian to complete in one application form. Now, each member of the family will be required to make an account and complete their portion of the application before sending it to the next member of their family to fill out. “You’re passing on the baton to the next person. The student will need to fully complete their section. Then, once they finish their section, it will go to the next person,” Director of Student Financial Aid Mesha Garner said. To fill out the application, students and parents are required to provide specific tax information. The self-report process remains available, however, by recognition of the FUTURE Act, students and parents can consent to allowing the Internal Revenue Service to share necessary tax information with the Department of Education and Federal Student Aid. Overall, the Department of Education and Federal Student Aid says this pro-
cess is simpler and easier for both students and parents to understand. Aside from how the FAFSA is set up, there are also changes made in the process of calculating financial need and ability to earn Pell Grants. The most notable change is how financial need is defined and determined. The former Expected Family Contribution will now be renamed and remodeled into the Student Aid Index. According to the Simplification Act, SAI is calculated based on federal tax information retrievable from the Internal Revenue Service. The SAI provides the ability for financial need scoring to drop into negative numbers. Students were not capable of receiving negative EFC scores but, with SAI, now they can. “With the negative SAI, there is a great potential that there may be more students that are eligible for a Pell Grant,” Garner said. Multiple revised and new factors will
help determine the SAI score. Family size, personnel and living situation have been restructured in multiple ways. A student who has other siblings in college will no longer affect the score for financial aid, which would have factored into the EFC score. The FAFSA will still ask about family, but only to determine the number of dependents parents have to support. In the case of divorced parents, the student is supposed to file with the parent who supports them the most. This has changed from the past of reporting the one lived with most. The FAFSA will continue to consider every contributor and dependent in the household including step-family members. For students who have special or unusual circumstances regarding their family situation, the FAFSA will now give them an outlet with appropriate information to be able to fill it out for themselves. see FAFSA on page 2
information courtesy of the Federal Student Aid website
MUC may not be final destination for Textbook Service TY HICKS reporter Textbook Service has been temporarily moved into the MUC, with faculty unsure of its future on campus. MUC and Student Success Center Director Kelly Jo Hendricks worked closely with Textbook Service to help find it a new location. “They have had to clear out all of 200 University Park. It’s going to be completely gutted and renovated for the new health sciences [building],” Hendricks said. According to Hendricks, many different ideas for the new location were thrown around. However, the biggest concern was finding an area that was able to withstand the weight of over 100,000 textbooks. “At the end of the day, we got to
the point where we ran out of time. So this is our temporary fix. I don’t know what the future holds in terms of where textbooks may or may not go,” Hendricks said. Hendricks said SIUE staff was able to box up, move, unbox and organize all of the moved textbooks in just a little less than two weeks. While this move is only reported to be a temporary fix, Hendricks said that some alternative textbook options may be on the current radar. “Our team has been on several committees that have been talking about OER,” Hendricks said. Hendricks said OER, or Open Educational Resources, is a tool that faculty can use to source free resources for classes. The biggest appeal of this pro-
gram is that students would have access to source materials almost anywhere with internet access. Associate Professor for Mass Communications Mark Poepsel is part of the effort to see if OER is right for faculty and the university at large. Poepsel said he has been communicating with other SIUE faculty members to garner interest in using OER for certain courses. While OER appears to be the most prominent alternative for some courses, some physical textbooks may never be replaced. “It will never happen. We don’t have a cover for everything,” Poepsel said. Even so, Poepsel said if faculty begin to lean more into using OER in place of textbooks, it could potentially lower the textbook fee that students are charged. Additionally, Poepsel said over a dozen
faculty members have applied for OER thus far. Some began experimenting with using OER in place of traditional textbooks as early as this semester. Freshman computer science major Alexander Totsch said he has had the opportunity to use OER in his ACS 103: Interpersonal Communication class this semester. “I’d say the experience has actually been closer to using a physical textbook than any other online sources I’ve used. With most online textbook sources, there is usually some sort of user interface that isn’t just a PDF viewer,” Totsch said. “For instance, a table of contents with hyperlinks to each unit, chapter or section, the ability to highlight or mark important see TEXTBOOKS on page 3
FAFSA is changing soon, here’s what is being done FAFSA | COVER Other changes include new questions asking about race, ethnicity, gender and other personal data. These questions may be optional, but that remains unclear. Applicants who have served in the military will be considered for veteran benefits without needing proof of active combat. In years previous, veterans who saw active combat were the only ones considered for a veteran benefit. All of these changes are meant to provide open availability to earn a federal Pell Grant. The Pell Grant is also now open to incarcerated students who have completed a prison education program. The changes coming to the 2024 FAFSA are all documented in the FAFSA Simplification Act but are difficult to find in detailed descriptions. How the changes will affect each student is widely unknown.
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“We are attending training on the little information that is out there and waiting for more information,” Collinsville High School Counseling Department Chair Karen Olsen said. Even high schools are still receiving information to help prepare first-time applicants. “Once the FAFSA becomes available, we will host our annual FAFSA Night,” Granite City High School Guidance Department Chair Jeff Hayes said. SIUE Financial Aid intends to reach out with information as December gets closer. “Be on the lookout for presentations or even FAFSA nights to help you at least start your FAFSA,” Garner said. Questions may be directed to the office of student financial aid via email. The Federal Department of Student Aid can be contacted online, and the FAFSA Simplification Act can also be accessed online.
Iran warns of escalation in Israel-Palestine conflict PATRICK SYKES ARSALAN SHAHLA Bloomberg News (TNS) Iran said Monday that an expansion of the war between Israel and Hamas was becoming increasingly unavoidable. “The time for political solutions is running out and the possible expansion of the war on other fronts is approaching the inevitable stage,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian wrote on Twitter. Iran supports armed groups around the Middle East, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, but has denied any involvement in the unprecedented Oct. 7 attacks that killed 1,300 people in Israel. Israel is preparing for a ground invasion to “wipe out” Hamas following the assault. Tehran has repeatedly called on Israel to lift its siege of Hamas-ruled Gaza and stop air strikes that have so far claimed more than 2,750 lives in
the Palestinian enclave, warning that the conflict will escalate if Israel doesn’t end what it describes as war crimes. Hezbollah, one of the Middle East’s most powerful militias, has repeatedly exchanged fire with Israeli troops on the border with Lebanon over the past week. Amir-Abdollahian toured the Middle East last week, including visits to the leaders of Hamas in Qatar and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah, which fought a monthlong war with Israel in 2006, has warned that it stands ready to act. “We are fully prepared — when the time comes — for any action that we will carry out,” Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said after the meeting. Hezbollah’s battle-hardened fighters have in recent years seen extensive combat in Syria, where they fought on the side of President Bashar al-Assad, and the group has an arsenal of precision-guided missiles that can reach deep into Israel.
10.13.23 An officer told a person putting things from a dumpster into their truck on the East St. Louis campus that they were not allowed to do so. 10.16.23 A person preaching at the Quad was told to turn down their speaker due to the police receiving a noise complaint.
10.16.23 A person was reported walking around an Alton venue with a knife. An officer said that the person was a minor in a Halloween costume.
Elected officials condemn stabbings of Illinois Muslim family Chicago Tribune Staff (TNS)
The weekend stabbing death of a 6-year-old Muslim boy and wounding of his 32-year-old mother allegedly at the hands of a landlord upset about the escalating war between Israel and Hamas drew swift condemnation from politicians across the nation. Hours after the charges were announced Sunday, President Joe Biden said he was sickened to hear of the fatal stabbing of Wadea Al-Fayoume and the serious wounding of his mother, Hanaan Shahin. “This act of hate against a Palestinian Muslim family has no place in America,” Biden wrote in a statement on Twitter, formerly known as Twitter. “As Americans, we must come together and reject Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry and hatred. I have said repeatedly that I will not be silent in the face of hate. We must be unequivocal.” Joseph Czuba, 71, of Plainfield, was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of hate crimes and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in a “senseless and cowardly act,” the Will County sheriff’s office said in a news release Sunday. Detectives were able to determine that both victims in the Saturday morning attack were targeted by Czuba “due to them being Muslim and the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis,” the release said. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement that he’s “heartbroken” over the attack and said the Justice Department has opened a federal hate crimes investigation into the incident. Garland said Czuba attacked the family with a military-style knife. The Justice Department is investigating the attack and “will use every legal authority at our disposal to bring to justice those who perpetrate
illegal acts of hate,” he said. “This incident cannot help but further raise the fears of Muslim, Arab and Palestinian communities in our country with regard to hate-fueled violence. The Department of Justice is focused on protecting the safety and the civil rights of every person in this country,” Garland said in a Sunday statement. “We will use every legal authority at our disposal to bring to justice those who perpetrate illegal acts of hate. No one in the United States of America should have to live in fear of violence because of how they worship or where they or their family come from.” The attack is also being investigated by the Chicago FBI Field Office. Noting the Justice Department investigation, Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement that “we unequivocally condemn hate and Islamophobia and stand with the Palestinian, Arab and Muslim American communities. The Biden-Harris Administration will continue working to protect our communities against hate and senseless violence.” Following news of the stabbings, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is Jewish, released a statement condemning the stabbings and saying that the Illinois State Police had reached out to the Muslim community and other religious leaders. “To take a 6-year-old child’s life in the name of bigotry is nothing short of evil. Wadea should be heading to school in the morning. Instead, his parents will wake up without their son. This wasn’t just a murder — it was a hate crime. And every single Illinoisan — including our Muslim, Jewish and Palestinian neighbors — deserves to live free from the threat of such evil,” Pritzker said in the statement. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was expected to attend the boy’s funeral at 1 p.m. Monday at Bridgeview’s Mosque Foundation.
PALESTINE An Israeli airstrike hit a Gaza hospital on Tuesday, killing 500 people. The airstrike is the deadliest single attack on Gaza since the war began on Oct. 7. Iman Negrete places two teddy bears at a memorial outside the Plainfield Township home where the stabbing took place. | Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune “This despicable hate crime is a shameful reminder of the destructive role Islamophobia plays in our society,” Johnson wrote in a statement. State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, the first Palestinian American state representative in Illinois, said the stabbings were the “result of the dehumanizing, one-sided media coverage of Palestinians and irresponsible statements from elected officials.” “I call on President Biden, elected officials and all people of good conscience to condemn this heinous killing and to call for immediate cease-fire in Gaza so that no more of our children are killed here in Illinois or in Palestine and Israel,” Rashid said in a statement on Twitter. Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch said in a statement on Twitter that “reports indicating that the crime was motivated by a bigoted misinterpretation of world events makes this tragedy a reprehensible act of hate. Our diverse state of many faiths and backgrounds is united in condemning this hateful violence and praying for the safety of all of our neighbors.” State Rep. Bob Morgan, chair of the Illinois Legislative
Jewish Caucus, said on Twitter: “This is devastating news and must be universally condemned by all. Our Jewish and Palestinian communities in (Illinois) are already broken after this week. Illinois will never, ever accept this evil, and (we) must all do our part to keep our neighbors safe.” U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, whose district includes Plainfield Township, where the stabbing occurred, described Wadea in a statement on Twitter as a “beautiful Palestinian American boy” who was “taken from our community in an unacceptable attack rooted in bigotry and hate.” “We are a community that thrives because of our diversity, and every one of our neighbors deserves to feel safe,” she said. Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant said Illinois State Police officers are working with local law enforcement to monitor any potential extremist activities following the hate crime. “At a time when tensions in the community can run high, I am asking residents to remain on alert. If you become aware of anyone who is threatening others, please contact law enforcement immediately,” she said.
RUSSIA The lowest branch of Russia’s parliament voted unanimously to revoke the ratification of the nuclear test ban treaty that was signed in 1996.
AUSTRALIA The 2023 Constitutional Referendum that would recognize Australia’s indigenous peoples in the constitution was voted down by a large majority of voters. MEXICO Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexico’s president, stated the country will continue to provide oil and support for Cuba, who have been under embargo for decades. UNITED KINGDOM Greta Thunberg was detained in London for protesting an oil and gas conference. Thunberg and other protestors blocked the entrance of the conference’s hotel.
Information courtesy of Reuters / AP
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‘Racial healing is the heart of racial equity’
Taylor’s mission to create narrative change BRANDI SPANN copy editor
“The E-stories” are a digital collection of first-hand accounts from individuals about their experiences as members of the East East St. Louis local TanSt. Louis and SIUE community. dra Taylor, assistant professor This digital depository is a call for the Department of History, to action and an observation of was named interim director for day-to-day life. SIUE’s Institute for “I helped design Community Justice and the project, along with Racial Equity. Professor Kathryn In collaboration Bentley and Professor with the SouthwestSandra Weissinger. I ern Illinois Justice and help students connect Workforce Developto East St. Louisans for ment campus in Belthe purposes of collectleville, SIUE’s institute Tandra Taylor ing and working with started a new initiative their stories,” Frey Spurlock that was announced last year to wrote in an email. “I was struck focus on racial healing in the by her [Taylor’s] commitment to greater East St. Louis area. both the East St. Louis commu“The idea for the institute nity and making SIUE a better is that it takes on the work or place. [And] because of her deep advances the university’s strides roots and commitment to the towards excellence in equity,” East St. Louis community.” Taylor said. Taylor said the university’s The institute works closestrategic plan relies on improvly with SIUE’s Truth, Racial ing our kinship with marginalHealing and Transformation ized communities, emphasizing Center. SIUE was a recipient of a Kellogg Foundation grant that particular relationship with that launched the Center in East St. Louis. “There’s a trust issue beJanuary 2020. tween our community — a “My role is to concretize the campus community as it’s now work that the institute will do, so much of what it is will be how situated in Edwardsville — and I work along with core mem- the community of East St. Loubers of our campus’s TRHT is. A big part of my work will team. The pillars of TRHT will be to facilitate racial healing,” ground the work of the Institute Taylor said. Taylor is interested in colfor Community Justice and Ralaborative work and emphasizes cial Equity,” Taylor said. The center’s five pillars that how important and imperative guide and inform their work are Institute partnerships and affilnarrative change, racial healing iations with other local instituand relationship building, sepa- tions will be to her work. “Racial equity work is no ration, law and the economy. “[The center believes] racial small thing, and it really does healing is the heart of racial equi- warrant an all-hands-on-deck ty. The framework — the pillars sort of approach with mis— really what they are focuses sion-aligned individuals and enon narrative change, essentially tities,” Taylor said. As an African Americanist truth-telling about how people have experienced life opportu- and lecturer, Taylor said her renities, where equity comes up in search in labor and educational health care and food access, so disparities for Black people — on and so forth. Truth-telling is particularly the realities of Black women — guides her work for central to that,” Taylor said. Associate Professor of So- the institute and in her classes on ciology and Interim Director for the Edwardsville campus. “I’ve taught a class, ‘Histhe SIU Office of Community Engagement Connie Frey Spur- tory of Black Women.’ I’ve also lock worked with Taylor on a taught a class on the history of Black food identity and culture,” project called “the E-Stories.”
Taylor said. “Currently — and Taylor said. Taylor said she taught EnI’m very proud of this class — I’m teaching a course called ‘The glish at a high school in France Black Urban Experience,’ We and then moved to Atlanta, start with the Great Migration where she started her family and began graduate school at and we trace up to the present.” In this course, Taylor Georgia State University. “I knew that I enjoyed obteaches about the development of Black urban life as it serving culture and trying to shifted throughout the 20th make sense of the present by century from a rural, south- looking at the past,” Taylor said. ern population into an urban, “I trained with public historians — people who wanted to northern population. “Not only is this a demo- make history accessible to the graphic shift, but it changes broad public [such as] museum fundamentally the way that workers, preservationists, archiAmerican cities look forever. My vists — these are the sorts of research, my work as a historian, people I’m in conversation with, informs how I see approaches to preserving the past to actualthe work that should be done to- ly inform how we understand the contemporary moment,” day,” Taylor said. Born and raised in East Taylor said. Taylor said she continued St. Louis, Taylor said she was a child of the ‘80s and ‘90s and her education at St. Louis Uniwent to school at East St. Louis versity and earned her PhD in American Studies. It was during High School. her time there “There that she said are certain she realized ways that, as that her ina historian, I Racial equity work terest in mugo back and I seum work look at newsis no small thing, shifted to fopaper articles and it really does cusing on hisfrom that torian work. time period, warrant an Jessica and I’m like, Harris, asso‘Wow, this all-hands-on-deck ciate professor isn’t the East sort of approach.” of Historical St. Louis I Studies and grew up in.’ I vice chancelhad phenomTandra Taylor, lor for anenal teachers. Assistant Professor of History ti-racism, diThey had high versity, equity expectations, and my peers sought to meet and inclusion said she was introand exceed the expectations that duced to Taylor in 2019. “Tandra was finishing her were set for us by those teachers, and our families as well,” PhD in American Studies at St. Louis University and she was Taylor said. Taylor said she believes the being considered for a faculty years she spent at Spelman Col- position in the history departlege, a historically Black wom- ment at SIUE,” Harris wrote in en’s college in Atlanta were just an email. Harris said her intention is as pivotal as her upbringing in East St. Louis. After finishing to support, lead and fulfill SIschool at Spelman, she moved to UE’s goals in accomplishing intellectual inclusivity. France for a year. “My personal mission as “I think that that’s when I really kind of saw the world, and Vice Chancellor for Anti-Racism, I saw the connections between Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Black and brown experiences is to support the overall effective in the United States and Black execution of the strategic plan to and brown experiences abroad,” achieve the university’s goals. I
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do this by leading efforts to operationalize inclusive excellence. This simply means that our goals related to anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion are measurable and observable; and that our actions are focused,” Harris wrote in an email. Harris said she believes Taylor was an ideal candidate for this position as interim director and she admires Taylor’s genuine passion for her line of work and study. “If SIUE, through this institute, is going to help address systemic inequality and improve outcomes for underserved populations in surrounding communities, the university must exercise humility and be an authentic and consistent partner. Tandra understands and embodies this principle. She has integrity, and I know she will do right by people,” Harris said. Taylor said her life and education inform her devotion and persistence in the work that she does, and will continue to do, for SIUE, the Institute for Community Justice and Racial Equity and the hearts and minds of the people she impacts. “I study African American history, life and culture, and that’s what brought me to this point where I examine race, I examine inequity, I examine labor history, educational history and all of those experiences from East St. Louis, to attending an HBCU, to moving to France, to studying public histories. [I am] always seeing history as a way to engage the public,” Taylor said. Frey Spurlock said she enjoys working with Taylor and recognizes her love for the work she does for our community. She also said Taylor’s passion for racial equity in East St. Louis and SIUE does not go unnoticed. “Taylor’s grounding in American and African-American studies, along with her personal and professional commitment to justice and equity in our communities, makes her an excellent candidate to lead the Institute for Community Justice and Racial Equity. I look forward to seeing the Institute flourish under her leadership,” Frey Spurlock wrote in an email.
MUC move temporary for Textbook Service, future uncertain TEXTBOOKS | COVER
instance, a table of contents with hyperlinks to each unit, chapter or section, the ability to highlight or mark important passages, etc.” Totsch said one of the drawbacks of online books was that of using the “search” feature, as it will search through all pages of the book instead of one section, making finding certain information difficult. “When searching for a topic that is heavily referenced, the built-in Google PDF viewer slows down a lot,” Totsch said. Totsch said he prefers having OER sources, such as e-books, instead of carrying around heavy
textbooks to most of his classes. “It’s very easy to access, and the ability to jump to any specific topic or keyword makes the e-book an undeniably better source,” Totsch said. While Hendricks said having Textbook Service in the MUC is convenient for students, the future of Cougar Lanes, which once occupied that space, is now up in the air. “Everything is being stored. Lanes are still being run and we are still maintaining them,” Hendricks said. Hendricks said she does not want to see the bowling alley be taken away, and also said there will be a meeting with MUC faculty to discuss the future of Cougar Lanes in the spring.
Manager of MUC Marketing Austin Hinderliter and MUC Program Assistant Christina Wegman hang decals on the new Textbook Service office in the former Cougar Lanes room. | Bruce Darnell / The Alestle
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Thursday,
NEW YEAR, NEW EDDIE: Eddie the Cougar high-fives a fan at the women’s Homecoming soccer game. At Cougarfest, earlier in the weekend, SIUE revealed the new design of Eddie the Cougar.
| Pedro Henrique G-M / The Alestle
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E P t a c h
| Chloe Wolfe / The Alestle
STORM BREWING: Members of the Redstorm cheer on SIUE’s volleyball team in a 3-1 win over Tennessee Tech on Oct. 14. A new single-game attendence record for volleyball was set. Chancellor James T. Minor said he is “very proud of what is brewing in the Redstorm,” and that “athletic events and what happens after class on a campus are critically important for student retention.”
2023
| Maximilian Lenhart / The Alestle
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NOTHING BUT NET: Senior defensive player Will Harris, No. 6, and graduate student forward Pavel Dashin, No.9, celebrate after netting the Cougars’ second goal against Houston Christian University. During halftime, there was a firework display in celebration of Homecoming.
| Pedro Henrique G-M / The Alestle
E D D I E - PA L O O Z A : F o u r- y e a r- o l d Payson Danaher (FACEPAINT) holds three-year-old Kennedy Thomas as they slide down a bouncy house during the Saturday homecoming festivities.
| Maximilian Lenhart / The Alestle
FLYING FLAPJACKS: As runners finished the Cougars Unleased Homecoming Run Saturday morning, Dan Horton of Chris Cakes was flipping pancakes onto plates. Freshman Joan Obi waits in anticipation as the pancake flies through the air onto her plate. | Chloe Wolfe / The Alestle
lifestyles
NEXT WEEK: METRO EAST EATS FEATURING THE CLASSIC AMERICAN DINER BREAKFAST
contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com (618) 650-3528
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Banned books lead to silenced communities MICHAL KATE CASTLEMAN reporter
Over the past couple of years, groups aiming to ban or censor books have begun by removing books from schools and libraries across the country. The voice of discrimination and fear of progress has carried its way through the media, into homes and into our libraries. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker recently signed into law a law prohibiting the banning of books in Illinois school districts and libraries. Timothy Lewis, associate professor of political science at SIUE, said Illinois’ stance on banning books conveys a message that Illinois will not return to the past of using literacy as a political tool to marginalize and disenfranchise its citizens. “No law is permanent,” Lewis said. “Law is not the same thing as culture, so in order for us to ensure that the law remains there, we need to create a culture where those who would like to impose a ban never feel empowered to do so.” Joseph Kohlburn, the open educational resources and scholarly communications librarian at Lovejoy Library, said book challenges and bans have always existed and usually stem from a parent being concerned about graphic or mature content, such as a child reading a manga with nudity in it. He said now, however book bans are coming from politically-involved organizations such as Moms For Liberty, a conservative organization for parents who advocate against children being educated about topics such as critical race theory or the LGBTQ+ community. “What they’ll do is create a Facebook group for a school district, and they’ll find a local parent who agrees that there shouldn’t be any LGBTQ or BIPOC representation in local collections,” Kohlburn said. “Then, they’ll start spitting out groups of parents going to board meetings of schools and demanding that things be taken off of shelves.”
Lamonta Swarn, teacher’s assistant at in freedom.” Lovejoy Library, said leaders who push to According to Sussman, the Edwardsban books are severely overstepping. ville Public Library created signs showing “I think it’s a control issue,” Swarn particular banned or challenged books, said.“I think people who are trying to ban why they were banned and information books are afraid of change and progress in about free speech and the importance of our nation.” not banning books. Books that have LGTBQ+ or BI“We’re hoping with the display, we POC representation, and books that can point people in that direction so that discuss gender or sexual education have they understand a more nuanced argubeen challenged by parental groups and ment than a flat-out argument of ‘don’t state governments. ban books,’” she said. “If people aren’t According to Kohlburn, banning sure how they feel about it, they deserve these books is harmful to these communi- an attentive approach and they deserve ties and the bans send a clear message to more information.” those in them. Lewis said the banning of books rep“As a resenting those of queer person, marginalized comif you look at munities mirrors the top ten the mistreatment of banned books those communities last year, I from the past. He think seven or said these communieight of them ties are being re-inare about jured with the literary queer people blockades that book or they have bans do. a main queer Books educating protagonist,” about race and AmerTimothy Lewis Kohlburn ica’s history with racAssociate Political Science Professor said. “The fact ism are among those that people are being banned from trying to have schools and libraries. those books removed says to me emotionLewis said there is a resistance in ally that they want me removed.” America to presume that America is a racAll around the country, “Banned ist nation, even with hundreds of years of Book Week” was celebrated with the pur- history to prove racial divisions still exist pose of standing against the actions of within the country. those who believe in book bans. “I think there’s this obliviousness that Diana Brawley Sussman, Director these books might point out these racialof the Edwardsville Public Library, said ized facts,” Lewis said. “And instead of the Edwardsville Public Library made embracing those facts and trying to work sure to have resources available for those towards racial equity, some people would wanting to educate themselves about just want to dismiss them as if those facts banned books. don’t exist, because it alleviates them from “We wanted … to show the lengthy doing the work of racial equity.” history of book banning and that it is Another issue is the ongoing desire not just in the United States, and to to change the wording in older works demonstrate that it’s something done by such as books by Dr. Seuss, Roald Dahl repressive governments,” Sussman said. or Mark Twain in order to make them “It’s done in societies that do not believe less offensive.
“Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn are both books that are frequently challenged because of their use of racist language,” Sussman said. “It’s interesting to me because those are books written by Mark Twain because he saw the racism in his society and he wanted to demonstrate that it was there.” In 2011, a new version of Huckleberry Finn was published in order to make the novel less offensive so the book could still be taught in schools. However, Sussman said Twain was using the authentic language of his time in order to mirror his society. “If you were to strip out anything that might offend someone from a book then you basically are showing a false representation of the world, a white-washed representation of the world, and you’re lying,” Sussman said. Kohlburn said an alternative idea to banning books is to keep outdated books in an archive or on a record. This way, the books are still able to be accessed, but not out front where children can grab them. “Usually, the only reason you should remove a book would be if it were damaged or if it were no longer relevant. It’s never like ‘We’re removing this book because we no longer agree with it politically,’” Kohlburn said. Libraries are facing various challenges and have risen up to meet them with events such as Banned Book Week or having displays dedicated to honoring banned books. “Libraries are supposed to be institutions that have a shelf where everyone can read something, and a good library will have something to piss everyone off,” Kohlburn said. For parents or others offended by the content of particular books, Sussman said she encourages people to read through the books and have open discussions with one another about what they’ve read. For more information, visit the Illinois Library Association website.
‘Avalanche,’ Leonard Cohen Originally on the soundtrack to Stephen King’s show “Castle Rock”, Avalanche creates a tone of worshiping an underlying and all-knowing (as well as narcissistic) evil that will eventually destroy us all.
cemetery mindset.
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Law is not the same thing as culture... we need to create a culture where those who would like to impose a ban never feel empowered to do so.”
Spooky tunes for spooky season
THEA WELTZIN illustrator While we all know classic Halloween songs like “Thriller”, diversity among songs is key to a memorable Halloween. These songs stretch from nerve-shaking instrumentals to midwestern gothic to Insane Clown Posse’s horrorcore. ‘In My Room’ Insane Clown Posse A story about relations with a nightly apparition, the beat excuses the mention of various murders the vocalist commits in this narrative. The song is one that definitely gets you moving, being very catchy and with emotional pressure raising the tensions.
‘Tuning Out…,’ Bastille This cover of a Christmas hymn spins it in a whole new light, or rather darkness. The ethereal vocals give way to a pitched-down version of “Skulls,” another Bastille song, as the hymn comes to a close. ‘In The Room Where You Sleep,’ Dead Man’s Bones This song starts off strong with a spooky melody and a voice with reverb stating that he saw a ghostly apparition upon someone’s bed, looming over them lovingly. Whether a ghost or a vampire, this song is perfect to listen to in the October season. ‘The Wizard of Gore,’ Dated Referencing an older movie, this lofi song is one that is perfect for when you are walking along a dreary dark road with soft orange leaves underfoot. The twang
in it gives a nearly bayou-type feel, adding to the dark and damp feeling the song has.
‘Strange Days,’ The Doors This song is one of the more nostalgic ones. It completes the ideal October vibe of walking down a dreary, foggy street that is littered with old leaves and a scary black cat or two. ‘The Curse,’ Agnes Obel With a low and rhythmic start, this song is perfect for those eerie nights where the witch in you comes alive. Light some incense and enjoy the creeping melody. ‘The Killing Moon,’ Echo & the Bunnymen “The Killing Moon” gives a classic Halloween feel. With soft reverb and an overall fun yet creepy tone, it is the perfect backdrop for a Halloween party playlist. ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead,’ Bauhaus Whenever someone thinks of a classic gothic-style song, this is the song you think of. With a long intro, this song allows you to really get into the foggy
‘Ramalama (Bang Bang)’ Roísín Murphy Before it was a hit on TikTok, it was on every emo middle school kid’s playlist. This song is dark and repetitive, but sways with a ghostly ferocity that is determined to complete any task at hand. ‘Ballad of Dwight Fry’ Alice Cooper Alice Cooper singing in a low-light party, his song relating back to the vampire character, is a perfect setting for Halloween. ‘Cannibal Within,’ Amigo the Devil Fitting more within the niche of Midwestern gothic, all of Amigo the Devil’s songs are dark. This specific song is about fighting the urge to fall to your diagnosis and allowing it to destroy you. Find the full playlist and more on The Alestle’s Spotify.
OPINION
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Thursday, 10.19.23
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DYLAN HEMBROUGH Editor-in-Chief
BRUCE DARNELL Managing Editor
FRANCESCA BOSTON Lifestyles Editor
AUDREY O’RENIC Sports Editor
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UDIT NALUKALA Multimedia Editor
CHLOE WOLFE Opinion Editor
MADISON HUTCHINSON
Online Editor
Grace Gentemann Tyson Hicks Michal Kate Castleman Sam Muren Reporters Matthew Wolden Brandi Spann Copy Editors Hannah Ledford Podcast Producer
Thea Weltzin Illustrator Rameshwar Gundem Circulation Manager Meghan Fosnock Damon Fowler Front Desk Clerks Shoba Swar Advertising Manager Tammy Merrett Program Director
Maximilian Lenhart Pedro Henrique G-M Angie Trout Office Manager Photographers
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Women deserve to feel secure on college campuses THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board
There have always been certain things women are told not to do: do not walk by yourself late at night, do not dress a certain way. As students at SIUE, we should not feel like the campus does not accommodate women and their needs for safety and comfort. Women have always been taught to live with a sort of hypervigilance, walking home alone at night, keys gripped in one palm and pepper spray in another. Students need to feel that their college campus is a safe place. One of the many issues facing women on campus is walking alone at night. A vast majority of campus is spread out and many people have to walk a great distance to their parking lots, dorms and apartments.
There is the blue light system — a series of poles spread around campus that allows students to call the police at the push of a button — but there could still be problems. Last summer, an e-Lert was sent out reporting the alleged abduction of a student from campus. The e-Lert that was sent out following the incident included ways for women to keep to themselves, but nothing calling on people to refrain from attacking other people. The issue isn’t the way women look or dress — it is the way they are treated by those around them. Sending out information that singles out victims to take care of themselves by following certain safety protocols does little to diminish the threats that women face. On top of feeling safe, women should be allowed to feel se-
cure in their surroundings. Until 2021, the SIUE gym had stricter regulations on what women could wear to work out compared to their male counterparts. The college environment should be a place for students to express themselves, and many students choose to do so with their outfits. Students should not have to feel as if their outfits are looked at as provocative or that how they choose to dress should discredit their character. This is not to say that SIUE does not aim to provide a secure environment for its students, but that in any space, students need to feel comfortable. SIUE is also working to provide self-defense classes to help prepare students in case of dangerous situations, but these classes are aimed at women to protect themselves. Why do women have to
fight to keep themselves safe rather than being allowed to be safe in their environment? The school mandates sexual assault training videos at the beginning of each year. While there are issues with the training, as mentioned in a recent Alestle opinion, sexual assault training keeps students more educated and more aware of what sexual assault is and how to prevent it. The training is a step forward, but data from the ‘The Gender Policy Report’ from the University of Minnesota shows that trainings are viewed by students as an inconvenience rather than an education opportunity. As the years go on, we hope to see SIUE become a comfortable space for everyone, not just women so students can see SIUE as a safe campus and safe place that they can continue their education at.
by the man quizzing me, but even then, my “correct” answer does not mean I will be deemed a worthy fan. The same can be said of sports, movies, comic books and literature. If something is targeted towards men — or male-dominated — women are not allowed to enjoy it without interrogation. Men also have this tendency to believe that women cannot, and will not, thrive in STEM-focused careers and environments. Women who decide to become engineers or scientists are not taken seriously by the men in their field. When a woman decides not to follow a STEM or male-dominated career path, she is still met with criticism for her choices. Women who pursue art, education, languages or music are firmly informed that they will not be making money and that their future degree will be worthless. The interests and pursuits of
women are not for men to scale and measure. When women decide to be excited about something, it has never been for a man to decide if she is being rational or not, or if the discussion is worth having. Men, next time you hear a woman talk about her interests or her career, please show her
respect. Try having a healthy, normal conversation with her. Recognize when you are attempting to insert your own masculine “authority.” Women decide their worth for themselves. There are not as many differences between you and her as you think there are.
Start taking women seriously and listening to them MICHAL KATE CASTLEMAN reporter
When women take an interest in something usually followed more by men, they often have to “prove” their fandom or seriousness about it. Whether it’s movies or music or a career choice, men struggle with the idea that a woman can feel passionately about these topics, with no valid reason other than gender difference. With women, men provide a pop quiz about any topic, usually with the goal of proving that the woman is “not a real fan.” I have been a fan of Pink Floyd’s music for a few years now. I’m no expert on the band, but I enjoy their work and I own merchandise to show that I am a fan of their music. Many times when I wear my Pink Floyd shirts, I am asked to name the members of the band or to name five songs. If I answer “correctly,” my interest may be validated
Letter to the editor:
SIUE should bring the old logo back
Regarding the new logo, I would like to say that I totally agree. I personally refuse to wear an angry-looking cougar on the front of my shirt, and I won’t buy apparel with the new logo no matter how much it is discounted. I don’t think it represents the school at all. And while we were allowed to vote on the new logo, we were given two choices that were basically the same, and neither were appealing. There
wasn’t an option of “neither” on the form. The old logo was modern and looked tough without looking angry. Regarding the “little e,” I have many shirts with the “little e” on them, I wear them all the time and don’t feel small because of it. Maybe if more people speak out something will change. DENISE W. WEST Brighton, Illinois
contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com (618) 650-3528 PAGE 8
AUDREY O’RENIC sports editor Men’s soccer remains undefeated following their win at Saturday’s homecoming game with a final score of 3-1 against Houston Christian University. Just after two minutes into play at Korte Stadium, the Cougars got a head start with a goal by graduate student forward Jacob Bilyeu. The goal was assisted by graduate student midfielder Alsadiq Hasan and redshirt sophomore midfielder Jake Karolczak. Following the goal, Houston Christian University put up a fight, which led to no goals being scored for the next 46 minutes. During this time, SIUE had seven shots on goal, whereas Houston Christian University only had four, each saved by graduate student goalkeeper Sam Gomez. The second goal came at the 40-minute mark by senior defender Will Harris, assisted by junior forward and midfielder Stephan Moreira. “We have to be patient,” Harris said. “Coming into the game, we knew [Houston Christian] had some good attacking players, and they made it dif-
sports alestlelive.com
ficult for us to play out. But once we found the gaps and the spaces behind them, that second goal came.” The third goal came three minutes into the second half by graduate student forward Pavel Dashin, assisted by junior forward Ignacio Abeal Pou and senior midfielder Sam Layton. Head Coach Cale Wassermann said that discipline played a big part in the team’s performance. “We create a lot of chances, but when you go up a couple of goals, it’s easy to kind of take your foot off the gas,” Wassermann said. “Houston Christian is a very talented and forced us to defend for long spells. I thought our guys were very disciplined and stayed focused in those moments when we had to defend.” Houston Christian University scored the fourth and final goal of the game during the 73-minute mark, bringing the score to 3-1. “We take a lot of pride in getting shut-outs, [so their goal] rattled us a little bit. But we have a very mature group … The upperclassmen have seen
NEXT WEEK: EDDIEVILLE ENHANCES BASKETBALL SPIRIT Thursday, 10.19.23
Junior forward Ignacio Abeal Pou (right) dribbles the ball as he takes on a Houston Christian opponent in the men’s soccer game Oct. 14. | Pedro Henrique G-M / The Alestle it before,” Wassermann said. “They didn’t panic, they stayed calm and stuck to our plan to roll the game out at 3-1.” SIUE remains unbeaten at 10-0-3 with a record 5-0-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Cougars have 10 wins in a season for the first time since 2016.
“I think our team culture is as strong as it’s ever been,” Wassermann said. “The guys are playing for each other; they’re fighting for each other … and I think that’s a massive part of our success.” Karolczak, Harris and Gomez received Ohio Valley Conference Players of the
Week Awards following their performances in the Oct. 12 game against the University of the Incarnate World and the Oct. 14 homecoming game against Houston Christian University. The Cougars will play at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 19 at Chicago State University.
The volleyball team continued to give it their all as they racked up points to win the set with 16-25 for SIUE. With this, the game was up to 1-1 in sets. The next set was a close game, with each team consistently overtaking each other in leads. At the end, SIUE took the game with a score of 2325 — winning the third set. In the last set, SIUE took the entire game with a controlled lead in the second half of the set, leading to a score of 25-21 and ultimately winning the game for SIUE. In the second game, SIUE won the first point from a kill by redshirt junior setter Corinna Jones which left SIUE with a small lead that was quickly overwhelmed by the other team as the set ended with a score similar to the first set of the first game of 17-25 — giving the set to Tennessee Tech. The next set started with a point for Tennessee Tech as they began with a kill. They attained a strong lead going as high as five points ahead of SIUE with a score of 4-9. But SIUE quickly flipped the game as they closed the
gap in points and began pulling ahead. SIUE won the set after junior middle blocker Priscilla Jones got the final kill, closing with a score of 21-25 with the set going to SIUE. SIUE volleyball then proceeded to continue the pressure into the next two sets of the game as they won the game. The third set was won 22-25 and the last set was won 23-25. With SIUE’s annual homecoming happening simultaneously with the volleyball home game, Montgomery said the team was quite excited to play. “All the excitement with all the homecoming events going on, it’s just like we’ve been so excited for this game, we’ve had so much excitement leading up to it, and we’ve just let it all out,” Montgomery said. There isn’t just excitement in homecoming alone for the volleyball team, but for what’s in store for the team. “I’m excited to see where this team goes,” Montgomery said. The Cougars will travel to Martin, Tennessee to play at 6 p.m., Oct. 20, against the University of Tennessee at Martin.
Volleyball wins two games during homecoming week MATTHEW WOLDEN copy editor
Elana Fuller (right), graduate student middle blocker, returns the serve from the Golden Eagles during set two on Oct. 14 as junior setter Alyse Drifka (left) approaches to assist. The Cougars took the second set 25-21. | Udit Nalukala / The Alestle
As the season continues, the volleyball team gains momentum, securing back-to-back wins against Tennessee Tech — one on Oct. 13, and the other on Oct. 14, at the First Community Arena. “Midterms hit us really hard, we were really stressed this week,” Volleyball Head Coach Kendall Paulus said. “So, having such a big crowd last night and then a really good crowd here today, I feel like it helps us really enjoy it and let loose from the stress from this past week.” The first set started with a point from SIUE with a kill from Corinna Jones. While the first half of the set was about even in points, the later half of the set proved to be difficult as SIUE lost the set 17-25 to Tennessee Tech. However, the team was not discouraged and was quick to lift each other up. “We motivate each other through our own hard work, and we are so good at connecting with each other,” Paige Montgomery, sophomore outside hitter, said.