POLLING TOGETHER
WE GON’ BE ALRIGHT: Nekisha Omotola helps register a student attending the “State of the Black Vote” panel. Omotola attended the event with other members of the Edwardsville NAACP and League of Women Voters. During the event, the organizations registered over 50 students to vote in the upcoming presidential election.
THE student voice since 1960
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Chloe Wolfe / The Alestle
Minor speaks at budget update
SAM MUREN managing editor
Chancellor James T. Minor addressed concerns and potential solutions for SIUE’s budget during the University Budget Update at 10 a.m. on Wednesday in the Legacy Room of the MUC.
Minor opened the address by emphasizing the university’s mission and its correlation to the budget.
“The budget is in service to the mission of the institution,” Minor said. “It’s not in service to me, it’s not in service to you, it’s not in service to your particular department, it’s not in service to a particular collective bargaining agreement.”
Minor said that SIUE is important to the St. Louis region. He displayed statistics showing that SIUE leads regional schools in students graduating with their bachelor’s degree. On his chart, SIUE ranked first with 2,151 graduates, St. Louis University ranked second with 2,082 graduates and Washington University in St. Louis ranked third with 1,868 graduates in fiscal year 2023.
“Today, we are holding on as tightly as we can to the distinction of being the number one producers of bachelor’s degrees,” Minor said. “[It’s] about 69 bachelor’s degrees that we are ahead of SLU, so we want to work to maintain that distinction.”
According to Minor, SIUE has made strides to leave a footprint in the greater St. Louis region with students entering and succeeding in the market.
Minor then shifted the focus to the importance of enrollment. He said that tuition is the largest source of revenue for the university, and he emphasized that enrollment and retention are focal points to upping the university’s revenue.
“
If they survive their frst year of college, the likelihood that they are going to complete their degree goes way up.”
James T. Minor Chancellor
SIUE currently has a total headcount of 11,893 students enrolled at the university and 9,642 full-time enrolled students in the Fall 2024 semester. That number has dropped since Fall 2021, when the total headcount was 13,010 students and 10,407 full-time enrolled students.
Minor said the 1,100-student decline in that timeframe is an estimated $10 million of revenue lost.
Minor said recruiting students is as competitive as ever. He referenced concerns over the demographic cliff and how top universities are accepting students with lower standards, pulling them from more regional institutions.
“Places like the University of Michigan, [University of] Texas at Austin, [University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign] only reach further down their applicant
09.21.24
Officer took a report of an altercation between two subjects. Investigation continues.
09.21.24
Officer took a report regarding a female subject advising a male subject allegedly touched her. Officer advised victim declined to prosecute.
09.21.24
Officer took a report of a verbal argument between two student workers. Officer advised it was a verbal argument only.
09.09.24
Officer assisted the Student Fitness Center with a subject that refused to leave after being asked. Officer advised subject agreed to leave.
pool. So, students that would have gone to a regional public [university] are now being admitted to flagship institutions,” Minor said.
Along with enrollment, the chancellor is focused on achieving retention goals.
SIUE has a 75.7 percent retention of first-to-second year students. Minor said this is the toughest year to retain students.
He referenced last year’s 283 retention campaign and again stressed his goal to be one of the top Illinois universities in retention. Last year, SIUE’s total retention was around 71 percent.
The 283 campaign tasked the university with hitting a 90 percent retention rate. According to the chancellor, with a 90 percent retention rate, SIUE would place second in the state and rival the University of Illinois for first, which has around 93 percent.
According to Minor, a new calculation shows that for this year, SIUE would need to retain 216 students to hit 90 percent.
Minor also said that hovering at 81 percent retention would still jump SIUE into second place behind the University of Illinois and shows strides to achieving the bigger picture.
“When we reach 90 percent, I guarantee you we will have national media outlets on our campus asking, ‘How are you all doing this?’” Minor said.
SCAN HERE FOR MORE ABOUT MINOR’S THOUGHTS ON STRUCTUAL DEFICIT
The roofs are back, hail damage repairs are complete
AUBREE NOLES reporter
Last semester, SIUE experienced significant damage from a hail storm, which required the roofs of the Student Fitness Center and Art and Design buildings to be repaired. Additionally, 67 SIUE vehicles were damaged, according to Director of Facilities Management Craig Holan.
Holan said he promptly began coordinating the repairs, which were completed over the course of four months. The cost for the roof repairs was approximately $566,000.
Holan said that emergency repairs were made to any visible holes, but these were temporary until the roofs could be fully replaced. During the repair process, several rainstorms caused water to infiltrate the buildings.
“We had to be a little bit more vigilant on identifying the leaks and addressing them,” Holan said.
Previously, the roofs of the Student Fitness Center and the Art and Design building were PVC roofs, which are single-ply roofing membranes made from polyvinyl chloride. Holan said that they went with a TPO
roof when doing the repairs, which is another single-ply roofing membrane but is instead made from thermoplastic compounds.
Assistant Director of Campus Recreation in Facilities and Informal Recreation David Hagedorn was there on the day of the hail storm and said there was water damage right away.
Hagedorn said the first round of hail arrived around 4:45 p.m. that day, punching holes in the roof of the Student Fitness Center, particularly toward the south end of the track.
“It was like it was just raining inside the building,” Hagedorn said.
Hagedorn said that on top of the ceiling tiles being damaged, the inside of the building was damaged as well. He said that the repair didn’t take long, but the process to get it coordinated did.
Hagedorn said that there were quick repairs done over the process of two days to ensure people could use the gym and track. However, it took a few weeks to fix up the entire building.
Holan and Hagedorn both said that the repair process was quick and they were pleased with the outcome.
SENATE SCOOP THE
Monday, February 19, 2024 - Mississippi/Illinois Room
DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief
The Student Senate passed six bills and five resolutions at its Sept. 23 meeting. Among these were commitments to create a committee on artificial intelligence with the Faculty Senate and follow through on the syllabus bank, which has been a recurring topic for the Senate.
Student Senate Bill 2024-1015, authored by Student President Barrett Larkin and sponsored by Senator Ray Ehrenhaft, provides for the creation of a joint faculty-student committee with the Faculty Senate to address issues with generative artificial intelligence in the classroom.
Larkin said current syllabi do not adequately address student use of AI tools in class.
“I referenced a survey in my citations of recent graduates who feel they have been underprepared by their college to go out into the workforce and use these artificial intelligence tools,” Larkin said.
Student Senate Resolution 20241005, authored by Larkin and sponsored by Senator Zach Entwistle, calls on Student Government to commit to the creation of a syllabus bank, a centralized repository where syllabi from all classes are available to view. Larkin said such a tool would prove useful for students when registering for classes.
The idea of a syllabus bank has been a perennial issue for Student Government, going back at least to 2019, according to Larkin. However, Larkin said he is hopeful that the foundations for the bank can be laid this year.
“Over the summer, I had a meeting on this topic with the provost’s office,”
Larkin said. “[They are] optimistic that faculty and deans of each school would be on board, specifically this academic year, because this is the year we’re undergoing accreditation.”
Senator Becca Loftus brought up concerns about ensuring the syllabus bank is kept up to date by the professors.
“Will there be requirements for them to update the syllabus yearly?” Loftus said. “I’m worried that if we make this too much, they’re gonna be against it.”
Larkin said one potential avenue for keeping the bank up to date would be additional resolutions sent to the chancellor’s office.
Student Senate Bill 2024-1013, authored by Senator Nicholas Young and sponsored by Senator Megan You, called for the establishment of a sustained dialogue chapter at SIUE. Sustained dialogue is “a deliberate, patented and repeatable peace process employed to transform difficult relationships and move toward resolution in conflicts between groups,” according to the Sustained Dialogue Institute.
There was extensive debate around this bill, mostly because Young was not present to answer questions about the bill. Ehrenhaft and Senator Stacia Tillison spoke in favor of passing the bill.
“I took a couple of these [sustained dialogue] classes last year, and I found them to be really eye-opening,” Ehrenhaft said.
“I believe we should go ahead and get the club going,” Tillson said. “If things are going south, we can find a different solution.”
Loftus and Senator Alexander Baldwin both posed questions about the bill that they felt could not be answered unless the bill’s author was present.
“I’m not against this,” Loftus said. “I just want my questions answered.” Loftus moved to table the bill until the next meeting. The Senate agreed, with only two “nay” votes and one abstention.
Student Senate Resolution 20241006, authored by Larkin and sponsored by Senator Natasha Kabir, condemned Counseling Services for being lacking in its “Self-Care Tools” section online.
“This page has only two resources under the heading of “Self-Care Tools”, set beneath many other, seemingly less universally practical resources,” the resolution said. “These two resources seem to be neither professional, comprehensive nor updated.”
Other resolutions included congratulating the men’s and women’s soccer teams on their performance in the recent Bronze Boot and acknowledging the pressure washing of the MUC. Another bill included an initiative to promote stress and mental health workshops.
The Senate also approved $600 for Collegiate 100 for their national conference and $1,343.63 for Beta Alpha Psi to pay for guest speaker Kal Maadi. Additionally, a new club called “Socrates Café,” whose aim is to make philosophy more accessible to non-philosophy students, was authorized, and the Pre-Dental Association’s constitution and bylaw revisions were approved.
At the end of the meeting, Larkin announced that Senator for Students with Disabilities Winter Powell resigned from her position due to scheduling conflicts. Currently, this senator position is vacant. The next Student Senate meeting will occur at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, in the Mississippi/Illinois Room of the MUC.
University Museum manages artifacts amid staffng, funding shortages
AUBREE
NOLES reporter
SIUE houses a large collection of artifacts managed by two full-time staff members at the University Museum. Out of the 37,000 total pieces, more than 1,700 are currently on display across the Alton, East St. Louis and Edwardsville campuses, even without a rotational exhibit.
Executive Curator Erin Vigneau-Dimick works at the SIUE Museum. Since she started, she has taken on the responsibility of managing all the artwork and artifacts that come through the University Museum.
Vigneau-Dimick said the University Museum serves as both an archive and research center, with comprehensive collections that include two- and three-dimensional objects of fine art, architecture, history, ethnology, archaeology and the natural sciences.
“I think art has the capacity to enrich everyone’s everyday life. Art [is] not just for decoration, it’s really to make us think about the ideas that the artist put in place,” Vigneau-Dimick said.
Art for the campus began being collected prior to the campus being built. Vigneau-Dimick said this was because the founders wanted to make art a part of students’ everyday lives, which is why they prioritized it from the start.
The museum collected funds from donors and accepted donations of artwork from local collectors and museums. One donor from Belleville, Milton and
Dorris Harrington, donated a collection of 18,000 items to SIUE. The museum also has a collection of all the masters of fine arts candidates, which is currently up to 200 pieces.
While there isn’t a current rotational exhibition space for art on campus, there used to be one on the second floor of the MUC.
In 2014, this room was repurposed first as a meeting room and now serves as the Multicultural Center.
“We kind of miss having a space right in the center of campus where we can have rotational exhibits,” Vigneau-Dimick said.
“We are still lobbying different aspects of the university to see if we can find a space that can be centralized for students and faculty to see new artworks [and] changing artworks.”
Adding space for students would allow for more students to be exposed to the artwork the university has. Director of the Museum Studies Graduate Program Laura Fowler said that exposure to the artwork would help spread awareness of the museum’s existence.
“I think it’s a major deficiency, and I really feel like it would help the awareness of the museum for people to be able to see their collections out in a central place where people pass through,” Fowler said.
The museum currently has one gallery that they share with the Center for Spirituality and Sustainability, where they host about one to two rotating exhibitions a year. Fowler said that Lovejoy Library holds the
Sullivan Collection, but that does not rotate.
“There’s more that has to happen at the museum than just an exhibit,” Fowler said.
According to Fowler, there is a museum studies exhibits class that is taught by Vigneau-Dimick in the museum that allows the students to help curate an exhibit. However, these exhibits are usually not on campus because of the limited gallery space.
When Chancellor James T. Minor first came in, he inquired about getting new artwork for his conference room. Vigneau-Dimick was able to use funds from the SIUE Foundation in the Museum’s Acquisition Fund to purchase artwork from an artist in Detroit named Amos Paul Kennedy.
One of the five prints purchased from Kennedy features Katherine Dunham. Dunham pioneered the field of dance anthropology as a dancer and choreographer. The rest of the artwork consists of colorfully-printed proverbs about education, learning and courage. Vigneau-Dimick said that she selected Kennedy’s works because she believed Minor would appreciate his style.
The museum gets a budget from the university that consists of state and tuition dollars. Vigneau-Dimick has helped allocate funds for the museum by applying for grants. She successfully won three different rounds of federal grants and has won grants for over $150,000 every two years.
The museum has used
An Important Message About Gas Safety
Natural gas delivered to the University from Ameren through an underground piping system. It is used to provide fuel for clean efficient heat to all campus buildings and residence halls. It is also used for hot water and food preparation.
Overview of Hazards of Pipeline and Prevention Measures Used
The hazards associated with the pipeline include fires, explosions, leakage, damage to the facility and loss of service. In order to prevent these incidents, the pipeline maintained and inspected according to state and federal regulations. Facilities employees receive ongoing training to ensure the continued safe transport of natural to the campus.
In order to prevent damage to the pipeline due to construction excavations SIUE participates in the one call system known as JULIE. Within 2 days of a call for a planned excavation SIUE will mark the location of underground gas as well as other utility lines.
Recognizing and Responding to Gas Leaks
Pure natural gas is colorless and odorless. Before gas is delivered to the SIUE campus, an odorant called mercaptan is added to give gas its distinctive odor so you can smell a leak immediately. The odorant makes the smell like sulfur or rotten eggs.
If you smell a faint odor in any campus building notify facilities management at 3711. If the gas odor is strong and or you hear a hissing or leaking sound, you should leave the building immediately. If the odor is strong:
• Do not use telephones cell phones, computers, or elevators
• Do not smoke, use a lighter, match or open flame
• Do not operate vehicles near where the leaking gas could be
• Do not re-enter the building to retrieve personal affects
If you smell a strong gas smell in the air outside, or you see unusual occurrences such as: high pitched whistle or hissing sound, blowing dust, dead vegetation in a normally green area, or ground fires, you may be observing signs of a leak in a natural gas line. Always use caution near an outdoor gas leak and recognize the possible hazards, such as fire, ignition or explosion.
In these conditions:
• Do not use any device or equipment that may generate a spark or flame
• Do not start up or shut down motor vehicles or electrical equipment
• Do not use a telephone or cell phone in or near the area
awarded funds to bring in professionals to assist with the artwork inventory. Vigneau-Dimick said that graduate assistants from the art, history and museum studies departments are able to work alongside these professionals, gaining valuable experience to help them decide if they want to pursue a career in museums.
“Of the grad assistants who have been there, I think three or four have been hired on as formal, short-term employees of the museum,” Fowler said. “[Some] have gone on to do other professional work in the field because of the experience they gained there.”
Vigneau-Dimick said that it is a lot of work to maintain all the artwork and that she is examining ways for the university to put money towards additional funding for staffing.
“Even though budgets are tight, it’s still important for us to care for the artwork,” Vigneau-Dimick said.
Vigneau-Dimick said that the museum does not solicit donations and is not purchasing at this time. While the museum has some foundation funds, there is still not much.
Fowler said that she believes Vigneau-Dimick has done tremendous work despite the limited resources she has. She said that museums often have to resort to grants to do long-term projects. However, they still have people who are able to manage the dayto-day tasks at the museum.
Vigneau-Dimick said that there are only two full-time staff members who maintain
the Architectural Arts Program. These staff members are responsible for installing, uninstalling, maintaining and monitoring the more than 1,700 artworks that are displayed across the three SIUE campuses, both internally and externally.
“Really, for a collection of this size, [that] is probably not adequate,” Vigneau-Dimick said.
Fowler said that staffing is a top issue for the museum.
Fowler said that the person who is in the director and executive curator position should be focused on external public relations, grant writing, reports and accountability. However, this person ends up doing more than this. Fowler also said that Laura Mullen Vermilye, the museum’s preparator, should really be focusing on managing and caring for the exhibits out in the campuses, but she ends up having to do a lot of the collections management work.
“There really needs to be somebody, at the very least, who can manage incoming accessions and deaccessions and help oversee the inventory project,” Fowler said.
“I think it’s horribly understaffed,” Fowler said. “I think that comparable museums at other universities have a much bigger staff.”
While there isn’t one specific museum building on campus, there are pieces everywhere. To learn more about the museum you can visit The University Museum page on Facebook.
the student voice since 1960
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
MARKETS METRO EAST EAST METRO
Farmer’s market edition
We went from a kitchen over the summer to a microwave and an air fryer, but that doesn’t mean we can’t eat well. Local farmer’s markets provide all the healthy, organic food your diet has been desperately missing. If you just made your grocery run though, these farmer’s markets also have trinkets. We reviewed local farmer’s markets from Edwardsville to St. Louis. While the market is the most important component, the perfect experience comes with friendly service and a good vibe. We rank based on ambiance, service, price and selection.
Soulard Farmers Market: The oldest, best market in Metro East
GAVIN RASK photographer
Established in 1779, Soulard Farmers Market is the largest and oldest farmer’s market in St. Louis. I went on a Saturday, their busiest day, with my nephews.
Right from the start, my nephews were eyeing Smitty’s Mini Donuts. The donuts paired nicely with the caramel latte I got from the lemonade booth right next to it.
Throughout the market, the produce looked amazing. I got to sample some grapes from a local vendor, and they were
super sweet and crisp. They even had exotic fruits like star fruit, and my nephews’ favorite, rambutan.
Besides food, you can find a wide range of other items like jewelry, crafts, home decorations and flowers for sale.
The only downside I found was how busy the market was at the time I went. A lot of the time I felt as though I was shoulder to shoulder with other people, and I had to wait in lines to make my purchases.
Despite how busy it was, my nephews and I enjoyed our time and will be going back.
Troy Produce Patch: Small market, big options
DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief
From dragon fruit and mangoes to honey and mushrooms, Troy Produce Patch has it all for fair prices.
The market itself is very small and seasonally decorated with an array of pumpkins and gourds, including a fun setup of two life-size skeletons carrying a coffin full of pumpkins.
Upon entering the main market area, the first thing you’ll notice is a tent surrounded by shelves filled with a wide variety of items to choose from. There was fairly typical produce like apples, peaches and broccoli, but some more exotic items
as well, such as mangoes and dragon fruit.
The market also sold three brands of homemade honey, which I thought was impressive.
I thought the prices were pretty fair. For around $33, my fiancée and I bought three caramel candy apples, three peaches, three kiwis, two enormous mangoes, a large stalk of broccoli, a dragon fruit and a plum.
I would have bought more, but my trip was cut short after getting stung by a wasp and having an allergic reaction. Of course, the risk of getting stung is not unique to the Troy Produce Patch, but something that anyone going to an outdoor market should be aware of.
Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market a great way to spend a Saturday
Every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, the Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market is open. It is located in downtown Alton on the corner of Henry Street and Landmarks Boulevard. Between the beautiful scenery, diverse crowd and many shopping options, I enjoyed my time there this past Saturday.
The Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market was in downtown Alton, so the area was scenic. The area is surrounded by historic buildings that added to my experience. When I pulled into the parking lot, I saw about 15 tents to my left and another 30 to my right.
One standout was a tent featuring custom rugs, including an adorable Stitch rug
that caught my eye. There was a wide variety of things to choose from, including wood carving sculptures, mandala stone artwork, tie-dye hoodies, homegrown fruits and vegetables, flowers, jewelry and baked goods.
They had live music, which added to the relaxing atmosphere. Although it was a bit hot, the nearby river provided a nice breeze. I loved walking around, enjoying the weather, taking in the views and listening to the sounds of music.
The prices were incredibly affordable. While I didn’t make any purchases, I found myself admiring many items and appreciating their fair prices. A few stands seemed a bit pricer, but overall, it was a great opportunity to support local businesses while staying within budget.
Gavin Rask / The Alestle
Dylan Hembrough / The Alestle
AUBREE NOLES reporter
Aubree Noles / The Alestle
Belleville bests other farmer’s markets with convenience
AUDREY O’RENIC sports editor
The year-round Belleville Farmers Market is not only convenient, but also makes shopping fun with fresh spin-towin produce prizes.
The Belleville Farmers Market has two locations to better serve the community on North Illinois Street and North Belt West. Both locations are indoor, open seven days a week with hours ranging from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. I opted for the market that was closest to me, located on North Belt West.
Though quite small with little brows-
ing space, the market is packed full with a diverse selection of fresh produce, handbaked goods and home-grown flowers.
The staff were kind, quick to answer questions and even offered to assist with carrying larger orders to the car. Complementary samples of fresh cantaloupe and pineapple were served at the register, and customers also had the opportunity to spin a wheel for free prizes such as a lemon, apple or banana.
I got a jar of locally-made Miller’s Honey for around $8. Despite being more expensive than other store-bought options, the overall experience and ability to support small business makes it well
Just Produce in O’Fallon, Illinois, just an average market
TAHZIVE AVI ISLAM multimedia editor
Just Produce Farmers Market in O’Fallon, Illinois, offers a great selection of fresh produce.
Despite the quality and care put into the market, the shop was completely empty when I went around 3:30 p.m, which left the atmosphere feeling somewhat quiet and still. While the lack of customers made browsing easy, it also lacked the
vibrant energy one might expect from a bustling market.
The shop itself was clean and well-organized, making it simple to find what you need. Prices were a bit higher compared to supermarkets, but for the freshness of the produce, it seemed fair.
If you’re seeking a calm, quiet shopping experience and value quality over a bustling atmosphere, this might be a good option for you.
St. Louis’ U City Farmers Market worth the drive
BRANDI SPANN opinion editor
The farmer’s market in University City is a charming, close-knit market with friendly faces and live music.
The market is conveniently tucked away in the parking lot behind the north side of the Delmar Loop. It’s easy to find and provides a small circle of local stands.
Though the market is small, they had a nice variety of fresh vegetables and fruits, hand-printed bags, plants, drinks and spices.
There is a stand in the center where you can pick out a free book and get a library card.
The prices were reasonable, and they are well worth the drive into St. Louis. I purchased a zucchini for $3.50. Most of the options available were within the $5 range.
The market is open Wednesdays 4-7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The Delmar Loop has many other shops alongside the farmers market, making it a great destination for a day out.
Friendly people, low prices found at Edwardsville’s Goshen Market
TORI WATERS reporter
The Land of Goshen Community Market is a charming, laid-back farmer’s market where you can find fresh flowers, seasonal produce and coffee — all at reasonable prices.
Located in downtown Edwardsville, the Goshen Community Market is in an ideal spot to attract a crowd.
Upon my arrival, I noticed the farmer’s market was not very large, with around 20 tents in total. You could easily walk through everything in about 30 minutes.
The tents offered a variety of items, from coffee stands and soap to pottery, fresh vegetables and fruits. There were also homemade cinnamon rolls baked just two hours before the market, beautiful flowers
and a selection of homemade desserts and snacks. The aroma of all these items was indescribable. Hints of cinnamon, coffee, pumpkin and lavender blended together in the air, creating a warm atmosphere.
As I wandered through the market, taking in all of the scents, I came across a charming tent that had a wagon full of colorful pumpkins and vibrant sunflowers. The sunflowers were beautiful and in great condition. I bought five single sunflowers for only $5. The lady working the stand was extremely kind and offered me a bag for my flowers.
I enjoyed my time at the Goshen Community Market. If you are in the mood for homemade goods or flowers and do not want to be bombarded by a massive crowd, this is the perfect location for you.
Tower Grove Farmers Market towers over other local markets
CHLOE WOLFE lifestyles editor
If you’re in search of a gift, groceries or a new outfit, the Tower Grove Farmer’s Market in St. Louis has it all and more. The best part is, it’s all local.
Without a doubt, this market is the most diverse market I’ve ever been to, as far as merchandise goes. From plants, to art, to clothes and produce, this market had everything.
This is a market where you could
walk around for hours and discover something new each walk around.
The market is fairly busy throughout the day, so be aware that the crowds are large and hard to navigate.
There were so many things that I debated buying, but I ended up purchasing two art prints from a local artist for about $15 and a small string-of-pearl plant for $5.
I will definitely be returning to the market before it closes for the season on Nov. 2.
Aubree Noles / The Alestle
Audrey O’Renic / The Alestle
Tahzive Avi Islam / The Alestle
Brandi Spann / The Alestle
Chloe Wolfe / The Alestle
‘Your vote matters:’ More than 50 registered to vote at panel educating Black students about voting
CHLOE WOLFE lifestyles editor
Illinois State Senator Christopher Belt and former Illinois House Rep. LaToya Greenwood joined Collegiate 100 for their State of the Black Vote panel on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Several students asked questions about the democratic process, and several were registered to vote by Edwardsville’s NAACP and League of Women Voters.
The event, which was hosted on National Constitution Day, was held to better inform Black students about their right to vote and the importance of exercising that right.
The event was held by Collegiate 100, a national organization with local college-based branches that, according to their website, is “programmatic initiatives that support the development of social, emotional and educational needs of youth who need positive role models in the communities in which they live.”
The event began at 5 p.m. and had several deputized registrars outside the entrance registering students from across the Metro East area to vote.
By the end of the event, registrars said they had registered around 51 students to vote in Illinois and around 5 in Missouri.
The panel was moderated by Political Science Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Work Timothy Lewis. He gave the opening remarks acknowledging the struggle that Black Americans went through to obtain the right to fair voting.
“Sometimes people think that their vote doesn’t have power. If that’s the case,
we ask ourselves two questions. First, why did people struggle, sacrifice and even die to give you the right to vote? And secondly, why are others going through such great lengths to keep you from voting? Your vote has power and you should use it,” Lewis said.
Following Lewis’ introduction, the panelists were introduced which included Belt, Greenwood and senior mass communications student Noah Goldsmith.
Lewis then posed the first question: “What is the importance of voting as a Black student?”
Belt explained the importance of voting using an analogy about ordering pizza as a comparison to having a say in politics.
“When that pizza comes, you have no right to say anything,” Belt said. “If it’s cold, be quiet. If it’s not what you thought it should be, be quiet because you forfeited your right to have a say-so in what the pizza looks like. And that’s really why you should vote. It’s your future.”
Greenwood brought up the past of voting rights to explain the importance of voting.
“The past is not too far behind us,” Greenwood said. “We have to make sure we are vigilant in protecting our rights, and the only way we can do that is [by] making our way to the ballots.”
Goldsmith asked everyone to turn to their neighbors and tell them their vote matters.
“Look at all of these beautiful Black people in the room,” Goldsmith said. “Look at what voting has got us. We have the opportunity to become educated. This opportunity was not afforded to us in the past, and now we have the opportunity.”
Lewis asked similar questions about engaging young voters and what advice they would give people who aren’t inter-
Dreaming of a career in the spotlight? At SIUE, those dreams aren’t just on screen — they’re taking shape in a handson television studio nestled in the first floor of Dunham Hall.
This hidden gem, buzzing with activity and creativity, serves as a crucial training ground for aspiring media professionals, offering them experience with industry-standard equipment and technology.
According to Broadcast Engineer Theresa Pauli, the studio’s primary purpose is to provide students with a real-world experience in media production.
“The studio is a workhorse for our department,” Pauli said. “We teach everything from entry-level audio and video production classes to ad-
ested in politics before moving onto the open-ended audience questions.
Several questions were asked about the democratic process, how to find information on candidates and how to know if the politicians they are voting for are influenced by lobbyists.
During one of the questions, an attendee asked how they would encourage voters that their vote would bring change.
“What you’re doing by voting, you’re planting seeds,” Belt said. “And if you ever planted anything, the moment you put it in the ground and walk away, you come
back tomorrow [and] nothing’s there. But if you take care of it — if you continue to vote — if you water the plant, if you keep the weeds away, sooner or later, a plant will pop through. Then from the plant, there will be a harvest. So, I just want you to keep the faith.”
Lewis also reminded attendees that voting was not the only way to participate in politics. He said to reach out to elected officials, volunteer with campaigns and petition to have an issue put on a ballot.
For more information on voting and to check if you are registered to vote, visit VOTE411.
their vote matters as requested by panelist
Lights! Camera! Action!
Behind the scenes at SIUE’s TV Studio
vanced courses where students create short clips, narratives and documentaries.”
One notable project is “Global Village,” a feature-style short produced weekly each semester. Students work together to create content that is eventually uploaded to Vimeo, allowing them to see their work in a professional setting.
The studio is well-equipped with modern technology, though Pauli said “it extends beyond just one room”
“The equipment and technology are housed in four different rooms,” Pauli said. “The studio itself has an LED lighting system, three pedestal cameras with teleprompters, a green screen, a TV news set and a jib camera.”
One of the studio’s standout features is its size.
“I would say our studio is as
big or bigger than most television or production studios in the St. Louis area,” Pauli said.
According to Pauli, the advanced lighting system is comparable to those in professional broadcast studios.
“Some of the other equipment shows its age, something the department is actively working to address with the administration,” Pauli said.
Behind the scenes, the control room contains tools essential for audio and video production, including a Yamaha QL1 audio board, video playback and graphics machines. Pauli said that while some equipment is new, other parts are older and slated for future upgrades.
Pradeep Dhakal, a graduate student in mass communications and filmmaker from Nepal,
said that while the studio has served students well, modernizing certain aspects would elevate production quality.
“We have all the basics, but upgrading the cameras and lens systems would significantly improve the final product,” Dhakal said.
Dhakal, who works as a graduate assistant in the equipment room under Pauli’s guidance, believes that the studio offers invaluable experience for aspiring filmmakers like himself.
“There is nothing like handson experience,” Pauli said. “Students can listen to lectures and read about it in a book or watch a video, but if they don’t have the equipment to use and practice on, they will achieve little.”
Pauli said many SIUE alumni have gone on to successful careers in the media industry.
“I actually went to school in this same department and was able to get hired working in local St. Louis broadcast news for 30 years as a result of being a student here,” Pauli said.
The TV studio also collaborates on projects within the university and with external organizations. Recently, University Marketing and Communications utilized the studio’s green screen to shoot promotional videos for Homecoming and Family weekend. According to Pauli, an often-overlooked aspect of the studio is its role as a community-building space.
“Our studio is not only a place for students to learn skills but to work together as a team creating content and making bonds with each other that will hopefully last lifetimes,” Pauli said.
TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR: Freshman Mass Communication student Imani Coleman (Left) and Freshman Biological Science student Danise Koleosho tell each other that
Noah Goldsmith.
| Chloe Wolfe / The Alestle
TAHZIVE AVI ISLAM multimedia editor
Student Government making move toward transparency, sustainability
THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board
Student Government took a big step in the right direction during their Sept. 9 meeting, when they approved a bill requiring them to post a breakdown of their budget online. Very early in the academic year, Student Government is proving that it does work for the students and doesn’t exist just for its own benefit.
Student Senate Bill 20241005, also known as the “Student Government Polo Uniform Policy,” was authored by Student President Barrett Larkin and sponsored by Senator Tonanzi Montoya.
According to the text of the bill, more than half of Student Government’s funds have been spent on “internal items” in the past.
One of the “large and consistent” purchases in this category have been new uniforms for each member of Student Government every year.
vague, it nevertheless keeps future administrations from changing the uniform design themselves, as previous administrations have tended to do.
What really shines about this bill is how it keeps Student Government accountable for its spending. The bill requires Student Government to maintain a link on its website with a breakdown of its budget.
The bill emphasizes that the breakdown will include what is spent on uniforms, but the idea of making one’s budget publicly available at all is an applaudable one. Student Government is taking concrete steps towards transparency.
The bill acknowledges that Student Government is supported by student fee dollars. Students at SIUE have every reason to pay attention to — and every right to be curious about — the way their elected representatives spend their money.
Anti-immigrant rhetoric dangerous to political atmosphere
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On the surface, Student Senate Bill 2024-1005 is a practical, money-saving initiative. On a deeper level, the bill also promotes sustainability with its system of recycling uniforms from year to year.
So long as the bill is enforced, future Student Government administrations will be required to use the current design unless an outside organization “reasonably suggests a change.”
While this wording is a tad
What Student Government has done here falls in line with their mission of “hearing voices and taking action,” as said in the text of the bill.
Previous administrations have been more inwardly-focused than the current administration. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but a Student Government that wants to connect with the students should be making itself available and transparent to the students. This bill is evidence that Student Government is striving for this and is a sign of good things to come.
Bruce Zuchowski of Portage County, Ohio, recently made a Facebook post containing derogatory comments on immigrants and suggesting that residents should keep track of the addresses of anyone with a Harris-Walz sign in their yard. The post has since been taken down, but the damage was done.
This anti-immigrant rhetoric comes amidst the racist, baseless claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating people’s pets. Former President Donald Trump parroted these claims in his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Shortly after the claims of pet-eating caught national attention, a series of bomb threats in Springfield forced the evacuation of government buildings and elementary schools.
A large part of this rhetoric is a imed at dehumanizing the perceived enemy, be it Democrat voters or Haitian immigrants. The best way to combat this rhetoric is to call it out when it happens. Shortly after Zuchowski’s post, the Portage County Board of Elections removed his office from providing security for the election.
A lot of the time, claims like these go unrefuted. Trump’s claim that post-birth abortions are occurring rampantly in the country went pretty much unrefuted by President Joe Biden in their June debate. It’s good that this sheriff was held publicly accountable for his remarks. But, the fact that he was called out at all is a big deal. The actions taken to combat these dangerous claims are admirable and should be applauded.
Letter to the Editor: The illusion of ‘Asian’ — Unpacking a misleading term
The term “Asian” takes its root in the geographic location of Asia as a continent encompassing multiple nations with completely different cultures, traditions, languages and history. As a Central Asian, I want to emphasize the words “completely different” above before I begin to unpack the misleading nature of “Asian” as a concept of race.
Most people think of sushi, K-pop and hibachi when talking about the “Asian” identity. While these experiences certainly constitute an important part of Asian culture, this stereotypical idea of “Asian” also fails to recognize the diversity within Asian sub-groups. In other words, the traditional understanding of “Asian” often refers to the culture and experience of East Asian nations, creating a monolithic understanding of Asian identity.
In turn, the homogeneous understanding of the “Asian” label leads to a cycle of invisi-
bility for Asian sub-groups who have their own distinct culture in terms of history, food, language and identity which is often erased by a generic “Asian” label. Consider the following 5 sub-groups of “Asian” with their corresponding nationalities:
Central Asian: Afghan, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Mongolian, Tajik, Turkmen and Uzbek
South Asian: Bangladeshi, Bhutanese, Indian, Maldivian, Nepalese, Pakistani and Sri Lankan
Southeast Asian: Bruneian, Burmese, Cambodian, Filipino, Hmong, Indonesian, Laotian, Malaysian, Mien, Singaporean, Timorese, Thai and Vietnamese
East Asian: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Okinawan, Taiwanese and Tibetan
Middle Eastern or West Asian: Israeli, Bahraini, Iraqi, Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Lebanese, Omani, Qatari, Saudi Arabian,
Syrian, Turkish, Emirati, Yemeni and Iranian.
It’s crystal clear that most Asian sub-groups above do not share a lot of similarities – Indian people (South Asians) have completely different cultural identities from Japanese people (East Asians) or Israelis (Middle Eastern/West Asian). Hence, there is a misleading geographic limitation to the understanding of Asian race and identity.
To further demonstrate this distinction, let me present a few traditional stereotypes about Asian culture and people that are not true for all Asians:
“Do you eat with chopsticks at every meal?”
Central Asians, South Asians and Middle Easterns/West Asians do not use chopsticks in their cuisine at all.
“Do you celebrate Lunar New Year?”
It’s not celebrated by Central Asians.
“Do you celebrate festivals like Obon or Chuseok?”
As a Central Asian, I have never heard of these festivals until recently because they are East Asian cultural events.
These differences are so unique to each Asian sub-group due to their own cultural heritage and historical context which deserves to have its recognition, inclusion and awareness.
As an institution of higher learning, SIUE must pioneer the transition away from the misleading concept of an “Asian” label to a more inclusive recognition of diverse Asian sub-groups that have their own unique history, culture, language, identity – Central Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, East Asian and Middle Eastern/West Asian.
BAYMUHAMMET BALTAYEV
BRANDI SPANN Opinion Editor SAM MUREN Managing Editor
DYLAN
Editor-in-Chief AUDREY
HANNAH
DYLAN
Leading the pack in the Redbird Invite for the Cougars, freshman Erica Woodard placed 11 out of 89 runners and finished with a time of 22:24.50. On the men’s side senior Tyler Guthrie led the team, placing 31 and finishing with a 26:19.70 time. | Courtesy of SIUE Athletics
SIUE Cross Country: A ‘fresh’ start to the season
Despite having a younger roster, the SIUE Cross Country teams placed in the top 20 in the past two meets and continue to gain personal records.
With only eight meets on their schedule, the SIUE Cross Country teams must give it their all at each meet.
The most recent meet was the Redbird Invite on Friday, Sept. 13, in Normal, Illinois. Overall, the women’s team placed 5th and the men’s team followed close behind in 6th.
Head Cross Country Coach Marcus Evans said this meet was a great starting point for future meets.
“I thought it was a really good start to the season in terms of running in a way we would call regular distances. Men run 8Ks and the women run 6Ks for championship purposes and all the way through the conference,” Evans said.
Evans said the Redbird Invite highlighted the talent of members on the team.
“[I was] very happy with the efforts and where we are in training,” Evans said. “We think our times are definitely going to keep going down, but we are really
happy with some of the individual performances and [personal records] we got out of the entire group,” Evans said.
One runner in particular on the women’s team had an impressive individual performance. Freshman Erica Woodard placed 11th overall. She holds the second-fastest 6K time run by a freshman and also ranks in the top 20 in overall school history.
“We definitely think there’s more to come from her. We think she can be in the top freshman group,” Evans said. “They usually have a Freshman All-Conference Team where, typically, the top 14 in the conference on the day of the championship [are picked], so we think she’s going to be in that mix,” Evans said.
The youth are taking a leadership role, pushing the team in the right direction. Woodard and freshman Tanner Emerson stand out as young leaders to Evans.
“Tanner has kind of stepped in head-first into 8Ks, which is a lot tougher on the men’s side,” Evans said. “You’re adding 3,000 meters on top of what you’ve been doing in high school, and he’s been doing really well,” Evans said.
With the addition of multiple new members to the team,
Men’s golf swings strong start to season, Kaufmann wins accolades
BRANDI SPANN opinion editor
After a win at both the SIUE Dolenc Invitational and the UT Martin Grover Page Classic, men’s golf lost their winning streak at the Air Force Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational in Colorado on Monday.
The cougars swung into high gear with a home-opener domination on Sept. 10.
This is the second year in a row that the golf team has won the home invitational. Head Coach Derrick Brown said they didn’t have any expectations for how they would perform this year.
“We hope to play well on [our] home golf course, but we graduated three really good players last year, so we’ve got some new guys in the lineup. So really, we were just trying to see who we were as a team. Lucky for us, it turned out well,” Brown said.
Junior Brady Kaufmann was awarded Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week and Prairie Farms Cougar of the Week for his performance, taking second place out of 98 players.
“It’s a great honor to receive both of these awards in the same week,” Kaufmann said. “It’s a testament of all the hard work I’ve put in.”
“Brady is just awesome,” Brown said. “He came in as a freshman, played really well and won OVC Freshman of the Year in the conference.”
Evans is not worried about how the team will perform moving forward.
“We feel really confident rolling close to the middle of the pack of the OVC, which is a really strong conference on the cross country side,” Evans said.
Looking towards the future of the season, Evans hopes to improve the team both individually and as a whole.
“Individually, we are trying to get some more student-athletes in that top 14 on the All-Conference group and getting some more runners on the all-freshman team as well,” Evans said. “Team-wise, we are hoping to continue to take steps forward. I think both groups have the capacity to be in the middle of the pack on a team level,” Evans said.
There are only three meets left before the Cougars start championships. The next meet is the Ganz Creek Invitational starting at 9:00 a.m. on Sept. 27, in Columbia, Missouri.
“Ganz Creek is a very competitive meet, and nationally ranked and regionally ranked teams are there,” Evans said. “Once again running those 6K and 8K distances, we will get a pretty good look of where we stand in both those competitions.”
As a sophomore, Kaufmann was an All Ohio Valley Conference selection and had the second best scoring average in SIUE’s single-season history.
“He’s a leader. All the guys respect him. He’s a very friendly individual [and] gets along with all the other teams and coaches,” Brown said. “Starting this year [finishing] second out of 99 at our home event, and he just finished first of 99 and at UT Martin, [he’s] really off to an exceptional start.”
The Cougars contin ued the momentum tak ing first place in their first away match at the UT Martin Grover Page Classic on Sept. 17 in Jackson, Tennessee. Kaufmann won first place out of 99 total players.
“It was my first college win, and it was just an unbelievable feeling,” Kaufmann said. “I knew I had a shot the first day. I was three shots back. I just told myself I was gonna go out there and try to play the best round I could.”
Kaufmann has been playing golf since he was four years old.
“I feel like, my whole life, I’ve hit the ball really well. It’s been a matter of how well I put that would determine how well I could score each round,” Kaufmann said. “I feel like, this year, my putting has really just been spot on and has led me to some really good rounds.”
Brown said they have played well at the UT Martin Grover Page Invitational the last couple years. The golf courses at the country club in Tennessee are similar to the ones the team practices on.
“It got to be a little bit windier and a little bit harder course conditions. The guys really played exceptionally the last 15 holes or so yesterday to move up the leader board and jump over some teams,” Brown said. “We had quite a few great individual performances yesterday that really helped out.”
Kaufmann won by three. Junior Will Simpson, a transfer this year, tied for fifth. Senior Brent Reintjes tied for 24th, hitting one under par.
“Obviously, having two guys in the top five, and Brady winning individually, was pretty awesome,” Brown said. “Three guys under par on a pretty hard day was excellent.”
Despite the strong open to the season, the cougars placed 11th out of 22 teams at the Air Force Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational in Colorado this weekend.
Kaufmann remained a key player, securing second place as the runner-up.
Men’s golf has a quick schedule this season, and Coach Brown hopes they continue their momentum.
“We’re coming off to a good start, so hopefully the momentum is good and we can keep the energy up,” Brown said.
The Cougars will compete in the Wichita State Grier Jones Invitational on Oct. 4-6 in Newton, Kansas.
TORI WATERS reporter
Head Coach Derrick Brown
Brady Kaufmann