The night of Dec. 19, 2023, Natasha Israt Kabir was frisked by a member of the SIUE Police Department after requesting their escort service. Almost a year later, as a student senator, Kabir shared her experience with the Senate and proposed a resolution to require training on student rights for police and students.
Kabir, an international student, said she used the escort service during winter break to safely travel the distance between The Social, an apartment complex just outside of campus, and Peck Hall. This was the second time Kabir had requested an escort, but the first time she was frisked.
Kabir said there was very little lead-up to the pat-down. Before Officer Anthony Jones put his hands on her, Kabir said she could not understand what he was saying and only understood the word “pat-down.”
“All of a sudden, he start-
ed patting me down. I was in shock, because that was unexpected for me,” Kabir said about the officer. “It doesn’t matter if he did it in an appropriate or inappropriate way — the fact is that he was a male officer,” Kabir said.
Kabir said that Jones recorded the interaction, a fact later backed up by the police. Kabir also said she confronted Jones about the pat-down afterward but was told that a previous officer, who did not perform a pat-down, was in the wrong. Jones still works for the SIUE Police Department.
Kabir reported the incident via SIUE’s campus climate reporting system shortly after the frisking occurred.
Approaching the Title IX office
“There was no response from the Title IX office,” Kabir said. “December passed by, January passed by, February passed by … I felt like I was [a] nobody.”
Kabir shared her story with Ezra Temko, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology, who offered to act as her advocate.
“It seemed like the university’s bureaucracy was not serving her well in terms of her getting responses or getting any-
Unprovoked 2023 frisking of international student prompts change to police escort policy
thing to happen, from validation to accountability to action,” Temko said.
Temko said that, at an Islamophobia training in the spring, he mentioned Kabir’s experience. Vice Chancellor for Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Jessica Harris was there as well, and Temko said she ensured that the Title IX office, known formally as the Office for Equal Opportunity, Access and Title IX Coordination, got in contact with Kabir.
Mary Zabriskie, the director of Equal Opportunity, Access and Title IX Coordination, first responded to Kabir’s email on March 4, a full two months after Kabir had attempted to reach her office. Zabriskie informed Kabir that she had shared Kabir’s campus climate report with SIUE Chief of Police David Goodwin.
Meeting with the police
Kabir met with Goodwin on March 11 to discuss the incident and the climate report she submitted.
Kabir said that the police found no evidence of sexual assault or inappropriate conduct after viewing the video of the frisking.
“This is not a question
about inappropriateness or sexual assault, this is about cultural sensitivity and how a male police officer can frisk a female student,” Kabir said. “Does it happen with other students as well? Did it happen with any white students or any African American students?”
Kabir said cultural sensitivity was at the heart of the issue. Cultural sensitivity is defined as being aware of and respecting the similarities and differences between one’s culture and another’s.
Kabir was not only patted down by a male officer. She is also an international student. As someone who grew up in Bangladesh, Kabir said she felt unprepared when faced with American law enforcement customs.
“Natasha felt like she was racially profiled with this. What [the police] told [Zabriskie] was that they had a newer police officer that was being trained, and they wanted to show what you’re allowed to do, so this was them demonstrating what you can do with the student,” Temko said.
“They were using her as a training exercise, basically,” Temko said. “She wasn’t familiar with that meaning that a male was about to pat her down with his hands.”
Goodwin called Kabir on April 2 to inform her that Jones had been spoken to about cultural sensitivity. Later that month, the police department also sent Kabir a letter to check in on her after the incident and subsequent meetings.
During this time, the police worked with Harris to re-evaluate the escort policy. Zabriskie met with Kabir and Temko on June 20 to discuss the incident and changes to the escort policy before the new one was officially adopted.
The new policy, adopted on July 16, is more comprehensive and includes parameters for proper risk assessment, situational awareness and documentation of pat-downs.
“In order for them to do [a pat-down], they would have to consider Natasha a threat — which nobody said they considered her that — and they’d have to document that they thought so,” Temko said. “The new policy is good in that it says … if somebody feels like they were patted see FRISKING on page 3
The Wedge Innovation Center to house major regional organizations
SOPHIE HAWKINS
reporter
SAM
MUREN
managing editor
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, along with project leaders, took a look at the Wedge Innovation Center in Alton on Nov. 14. The center, which will be a hub for several local organizations, is set to open in February 2025.
The Wedge is a key part of AltonWorks’ plan to revitalize Alton.
“I founded something just like this called ‘1871’ in Chicago. It’s created thousands of jobs over the years,” Pritzker said. “These spaces are much nicer than what we created in Chicago. I love the idea that Alton is going to be the hub for entrepreneurs.”
SIUE is one of the groups investing in the Wedge. The university is working closely with Founding Executive Director of TechSTL Emily Hemingway, who is also the executive director of the Wedge Innovation Center.
“SIUE was our first major anchor partner. Having a university support the work we’ve been doing since day one has been really powerful in the whole framework of how we’ve tackled the work at the Wedge,” Hemingway said.
“SIUE will have offices on both the second and third floors and will be home to the new GeoMARC office as well as the Center for Predictive Analytics,” Hemingway said.
GeoMARC is an SIUE department focused on Geographic Information Systems. Along with GeoMARC, other offices in the Wedge will be committed to predictive analytics.
In light of this major partnership, Chancellor James T. Minor and SIU President Dan Mahony were both in attendance during Pritzker’s visit to the Wedge. Pritzker spoke highly of SIUE’s involvement in the project and of the institution as a whole.
“I can tell you that having the university involved directly in this space and available to [local] entrepreneurs is a huge benefit,” Pritzker said. “The resources that a major university, and a very successful one at that, can bring to the table means that there will be economic success that is greater than there otherwise would have been because they’re sharing space and ideas with one another.”
The collaboration on the Wedge Innovation Center shows not only signs of success for just students or independent groups, but the whole community as well. AltonWorks will be housing its 10 Gig Fiber Network system at the Wedge.
The Fiber Network system will be an alternative for home internet. Residents will be able to choose a more local operation that has been built into the city in place of other big corporate providers.
The state government provided $20 million to the broadband network.
“That’s gonna give Wi-Fi access to well over 90 percent of our residents, I think even 95 percent of our residents,” Alton Mayor David Goins said. “This will provide our residents with another option for internet broadband.”
dedicated to research and innovation in the field of Artificial Intelligence. MAIN will establish a lab and office on the second floor specifically devoted to its AI endeavors.
Having the university involved directly in this space and available to the entrepreneurs is a huge benefit.” “
J.B. Pritzker Governor of Illinois
Alton provided $7 million, approved by the aldermen, to the Wedge Innovation Center project.
“It’s gonna be great. It’s gonna be a boom for our city and our community,” Goins said.
SIUE is not the only group investing assets in the Wedge Innovation Center. Other companies and entrepreneurs are also contributing to fill the space.
Midwest Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN) is one of the companies
“The second floor is really focused on AI research and innovation that will have an AI thinktank and a group of partners that are part of that initiative,” Hemingway said. In addition to research efforts, venture capitalist organizations like Stakehouse operate to help other entrepreneurs and investors. Hemingway said that Stakehouse will move a headquarters into the Wedge.
“[Stakehouse is] an early stage [venture capitalist] that supports startups that spin out of universities,” Hemingway said. For business-minded individuals like SIUE School of Business Dean Mario Hayek, witnessing these diverse groups collaborate is exciting — particularly when considering the inspiration it can provide
BRINGING IN THAT S O LAR ENERGY
SIUE cutting costs, generating sustainability with solar panels
MICHAL KATE CASTLEMAN online editor
SIUE is taking steps toward sustainable energy — and saving money — as the Board of Trustees is set to vote on moving the university’s solar panel project into its third and final phase.
Craig Holan, director of Facilities Management, said SIUE began considering solar power two years ago. He said the project is being developed in three phases.
Currently, Holan said the university has approximately 20 acres of land for the solar panels.
“We’re a large consumer of electricity,” Holan said. “We’ve had favorable contracts, but those are expiring and prices are rising. There are some events that occurred two years ago where electrical prices jumped significantly.”
Celik Serdar is a professor for the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering and the chair of the Climate and Sustainability Advisory Board. Serdar said a benefit of installing solar panels is lowering SIUE’s carbon footprint.
“SIUE is committed to being a sustainable campus in the area,” Serdar said. “When we think of sustainability, there’s clearly recycling and reusing. Energy efficiency is also very important for sustainable campuses [as well as] renewable energy.”
Serdar said installing solar panels will not only lower the university’s carbon footprint, but the installation can potentially lower SIUE’s electricity bills.
“It has the potential of annually reducing the electricity bills for SIUE at substantial amounts,” Serdar said. “[These funds] could otherwise be used for things in favor of students and faculty on campus.”
Holan said the university is within a Midcontinent Independent System Operator, an electric grid operator that manages electricity flow. According to Holan, the university was hit with large user prices, as energy prices rise in the summer months.
Workers install solar panels in a field that can be seen from New Poag Road. SIUE works through their three-phase plan to implement solar power. This field is part of the 20 acres that will hold solar panels.
| Gavin Rask / The Alestle
“with an 8 percent savings over what the university would otherwise pay if they bought straight from the electric service company, Ameren.
“We just agree to use some of the electricity that we purchase from those fields or guarantee the production amount of the fields,” Holan said. “It’s complicated, but the bottom line is that we get a reduction in our rate, which is good for us. It helps solar developers and puts fields into production. We did that
close to [Ralph] Korte Stadium,” Holan said. “We basically are letting the developer build a field [of solar panels] and charge us a fixed rate, which pays for their cost over a 25-year period.”
Holan said this development will provide significant savings for the university, as the energy flows directly into its system. Since the university does not rely on transmission through Ameren, they do not have to pay the usual transmission cost of a cent and a half per kilowatt to move the electricity.
It has the potential of annually reducing the electricity bills for SIUE at substantial amounts. [These funds] could otherwise be used for things in favor of students and faculty on campus.”
“We felt we needed to not only move to a greener environment for electrical use,” Holan said. “It’s also to help us with those peak periods. By doing solar, meaning it flows into our university system, we can protect the university a little better, plus enjoy a better kilowatt rate.”
Celik Serdar Chair of Climate and Sustainability Advisory Board
for approximately five megawatts, which is a third of what our usage was.”
Holan said the system was acquired from Ameren a few years ago. Having the ownership means they can upgrade the system.
“This will be a five-megawatt production field,” Holan said. “[It’s] adding about another third of our needs. Now, over 50 percent or 60 percent of our electrical needs should be made by solar.”
elect to keep the panels and pay them for what value is left out of [the panels],” Holan said. “Or, we can have them return it to farmland, which is in the contract. We have really good options at the end of it. We could decide, ‘Hey, this worked out. We’ll keep the panels.’ It’s really up to us.”
Holan said phase three would involve SIUE adding their own panels to the phase two system. He said the phase two system will be designed to handle this additional load. Holan said as electricity costs go up, SIUE should be paying the same rate.
“Basically, we could add our own panels right to that system,” Holan said. “Then, of course, the amount that we use for solar goes up. There’s no kilowatt charge at all for those, so our average kilowatt price goes down.”
Holan said to complete phase three, SIUE would have to receive construction funding from the state. He said per their request, the university should be able to own the panels and electricity and only pay for the cost of maintenance.
Serdar said the usage of solar power does not just have an environmental and economic benefit, but also a social benefit.
“Whenever we have visitors coming to campus, they can see these projects,” Serdar said. “It promotes awareness on environmental topics, [like] solar energy.”
Edwardsville District 7 has also begun a construction project to install solar panels on the roofs of their school buildings.
Metzger said the district’s incentive to build the solar panels is due to increasing utility prices. She said three of the buildings should be fully operational by the end of the year. Metzger said the district is working with three different suppliers for the ten buildings.
Along with the solar power project, Serdar said the Climate and Sustainability Advisory Board is actively finding other ways to reduce the university’s carbon footprint and bring awareness to the environment.
The first phase of the project involved the university entering into a community solar agreement, where they subscribed for five megawatts of capacity of off-site solar installations, Holan said. He said the output is credited to the university
Holan said SIUE is currently working through phase two. He said phase two will involve the university having their own field under a public-private agreement. Holan said this field will have a five-megawatt capacity.
“Essentially, we’re not building it, but we’re providing the land, which is
Holan said to enter a contract with a provider, they must receive approval from the SIU Board of Trustees. He said after the university meets state requirements, the field will be in full production between 18 months and two years from now.
Holan said the university’s provider is Ameresco. He said they will provide the solar panels and maintenance services. Then, the providers build the connection from the panels to the university electrical grid.
“At the end of the period, we can
Serdar said SIUE is a founding member of the St. Louis Regional Higher Education Sustainability Consortium. He said the university is also part of the Midwest Climate Collaborative.
Holan said SIUE has an LED conversion program, where the university will switch out fluorescent lights for LED.
“We’ve already encouraged savings upwards of $300,000 to $400,000 a year with that program,” Holan said. “We probably started four years ago, and we’re starting to get payback where the first fixtures now have generated enough savings to pay for themselves.”
Opportunities are endless for entrepreneurs
The
Wedge to provide businesses and students innovative space
INNOVATION | COVER to his students.
Hayek said he sees many possibilities for students and the university, especially with people like Hemingway running the project.
“[Hemingway] is embedded in the whole entrepreneurial scene in St. Louis,” Hayek said. “She is an amazing person, and she’s very well-connected. She knows this industry really, really well. So, if she is also gonna be the CEO of the Wedge, it’s just a natural fit.”
“I want to invite her over [to SIUE]
a nd have her speak to some of our students here, because she is really knowledgeable,” Hayek said. “I think they are great people to be working with.”
Hayek said he is committed to supporting students and anyone eager to refine their business ideas and develop them into viable models. However, Hayek said that he doesn’t want to leave people with just a good idea — having an entrepreneurial hub nearby provides a valuable resource to guide them further.
According to Hayek, the bonding between all the entities involved at the
Wedge is what makes the project so special and could lead to rapid success for everyone involved.
“They could all be in a silo. They can all be just independent, but there is no energy that is created,” Hayek said. “Bringing us all together, we start feeding [ideas] off each other, and that is neat.”
Not only will there be economic benefits of more businesses moving into the city, but the Wedge will also house many community-focused groups. The four-story structure will house all these innovative companies in addition to providing a place
for community members.
A restaurant will be located inside as well as other retail businesses. There will be a public lobby area and other parts of the historic building open to the public.
For AltonWorks, the Wedge is only the beginning. John and Jayne Simmons, founders of AltonWorks, have more in store for revitalizing the city.
“I wanna especially thank the Simmons family, John in particular, for their amazing commitment to Alton and particularly supporting spaces like this,” Pritzker said.
Escort policy changes after frisking
down inappropriately, there should be documentation about what happened. None of that was there previously.”
The new policy says that, if a pat-down is conducted, officers have to explain its necessity to the person being frisked. The new policy also explicitly states that pat-downs should be the exception, not the norm.
However, after following SIUE’s policies and procedures, Kabir felt that it was time to take the issue into her own hands.
Approaching the Student Senate
Kabir was elected one of the senators for the Diversity Council in Student Government earlier this calendar year, and, with Student President Barrett Larkin’s push for senators to propose more bills and resolutions, Kabir saw an opportunity to use her position to enact change.
“Everybody should know about their rights. This is not about international versus national versus local — this is everybody,” Kabir said. “When you aren’t a citizen of a country, you have a disadvantage. Even local or national students — do they really know their rights? Not everyone is interested in knowing about their rights.”
Kabir’s resolution was proposed to the Student Senate at their Oct. 21 meeting. It was approved by acclamation but vetoed by Larkin shortly afterward
on the grounds that, along with some textual errors in the resolution, the Senate did not debate it thoroughly enough.
“I get Larkin’s perspective that there should be a healthy debate, and people should know what is happening,” Kabir said. “This is not a place to use jargon. I feel like I could have been a little bit more responsible, more specific about the resolution to make it more clear.”
The resolution was reformatted and sent back to the Senate the following week at their Oct. 28 meeting. It was approved again, albeit with some pushback from a few senators.
Senator for the School of Nursing Ray Ehrenhaft ultimately voted “no” on the resolution along with three other senators.
“I think it’s a great bill, [but] I think we should’ve amended it,” Ehrenhaft said. “Any governing body should not advocate for requiring people to do any sort of thing. I think it’s infringing on their rights. It’s the technicality of the bill. I agree with the substance of the bill, but I just could not pass it and could not say ‘aye’ to that.”
Ehrenhaft pointed to the final paragraph of the resolution, which calls for making this training mandatory for students.
“SIUE should establish a non-biased mandatory training and orientation regarding student rights and resources regarding police and public safety,
following a rights-oriented approach that covers information all students should know,” the bill says.
Kabir and Ehrenhaft both agreed that Larkin’s veto was necessary to facilitate better communication on the subject.
Ehrenhaft believes the mandatory training is acceptable for the police, as that’s “part of their job,” but said Student Government should advocate for police-student relationship education in different, more “responsible” ways.
“Once you require something, it doesn’t really make progress. It doesn’t make people learn,” Ehrenhaft said. “People are gonna learn if they want to, and we need to almost sell it to them and communicate it.”
Reflecting on the incident
Kabir said she felt like her calls for change had gone unheard until she “got loud” and took the matter into her own hands as a student senator.
“You have to push the Title IX office, you have to push here, you have to push there,” Kabir said. “I followed each and every procedure, and nobody heard me. Nobody tried to hear me. It doesn’t work.”
Temko agreed, saying it’s problematic for bureaucracy to get in the way of reporting these incidents.
“If SIUE has a system for something like this, and you’re following their system and don’t
get any response, that furthers your experience of marginalization and exclusion,” Temko said. “If [Kabir] hadn’t persisted and followed up with multiple people, I don’t know when or what kind of response she would have gotten.”
The Alestle reached out to Zabriskie for comment via email, but did not receive a response. Additionally, Goodwin was advised by University Marketing and Communications to defer to them for a statement instead of giving an interview to The Alestle.
“When a campus climate report pertaining to the police department’s voluntary safety escort service was received, [the Office of Equal Opportunity, Access and Title IX Coordination] sought to gather information and understand the nature of what occurred,” Director of Communications Nicole Franklin said. “This led to an internal review by the police department. As a result of these efforts, relevant police department policy was updated.”
“There has been a willingness from the outset to work with the student who submitted the campus climate report and engage in an ongoing dialogue,” Franklin said.
“It is great to see that they acknowledged this issue,” Kabir said about the university’s statement. “However, there is a long way to go.”
11.19.24
Officer responded to a report of a possibly homeless subject sleeping on a restroom floor. Officer advised contact was made with subject and subject was escorted to bus stop and left campus.
11.19.24
Officer responded to a report of a male subject allegedly trying to gain entry to a residence through the window and kicking on the door. Officer advised contact was made with residents and female resident fell asleep and didn’t hear boyfriend trying to get in.
11.16.24
Officer responded to a report of a female subject allegedly walking with what appeared to be a sword. Officer advised subject was no longer in the area.
ALESTLE CLASSIFIEDS GIVE YOU MORE
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SIUE
SENATE SCOOP THE
Monday, November 11, 2024 - Mississippi/Illinois Room
Senate welcomes two new members, barely approves ‘dead week’
DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief
The Student Senate heavily debated — but ultimately passed — a resolution supporting the creation of a “dead week” before finals, during which no new assignments, quizzes or exams above a certain percentage of that course’s grade could be given out.
This resolution, denoted Student Senate Resolution 2024-1025, was written by Student President Barrett Larkin and sponsored by Senators Emma Ebbeler and Peyton Lovel.
Immediately after Larkin explained the resolution, Senator Zach Entwistle moved to amend the resolution from seven days to four days. With Entwistle’s motion, the “dead week” would begin the Thursday before finals week, as opposed to the Monday before finals week that the original resolution called for.
After the floor was opened for discussion, Senator Mitch Baldwin challenged Entwistle’s amendment.
“I wanna know why you are so against seven days,” Baldwin said. “You are saying … that those professors are actually going to put something that is worth 15 percent or more in those [few] days.”
Entwistle said he was concerned that professors would have to shift their lesson plans to account for a missing week, meaning 15 weeks of content would be fit into 14 weeks of lessons.
“I 100 percent think this is going to happen. I want these four days because
it’s a lot more practical in my mind than doing all seven of the days,” Entwistle said. “Instead of making our semester 15 weeks, we’re making it 14 weeks.”
Larkin and Advisor Elizabeth Delaney both made remarks reminding the Senate that they are not actually writing this policy, just voting on whether or not to support it.
“I understand the questions and the nuances, but it’s important to remember … [that] this is a policy that would have to be decided upon by the Faculty Senate,” Delaney said. “The decision here is whether or not there is advocacy from this body … not necessarily making the text of this policy.”
Supported by Senator David Ferrier, Entwistle continued advocating for a four-day “dead week.” Entwistle also called Larkin’s argument into question on the basis that Larkin used sources that were “over 50 years old.” While Larkin did have a couple of sources from 1966 and 1983 cited in the text of the resolution, the majority of his sources were current university policies across the country or were published within the last decade.
Senator Roman Becker proposed tabling the motion to discuss it outside of the Senate meeting in a less formal venue. Entwistle made a motion to approve the amendment, which was seconded by Senator Tonanzi Montoya, who made no other contribution to the discussion.
Entwistle’s amendment failed with 16 “no” votes, four abstensions and only
| Pedro Henrique G-M / The Alestle
LETTER
FROM
THE
DYLAN HEMBROUGH
editor-in-chief
Are you an SIUE student looking to get your photography published? The Alestle is hosting a student photography contest, and the winners will be published in the first print issue of the spring semester.
Reader engagement has been one of our top priorities as editors this academic year, so we have been trying a lot of new things to engage with you all. Everything from our social media polls to our word search puzzles to our experimentation with more visually appealing design has
resolution
Senator at Large Zach Entwistle argues for an amendment he proposed to the “dead week” resolution. His proposition ultimately failed to pass, but the “dead week” resolution passed.
four “yes” votes. The four “yes” votes came from Entwistle, Ferrier, Montoya and Senator Heaven Watkins.
Baldwin then moved to approve the resolution in its original form, calling for a seven-day “dead week.” The resolution passed with 14 “yes” votes, six abstentions and six “no” votes, which came from Entwistle, Ferrier, Montoya, Becker, Senator Becca Loftus and Senator Nicholas Yuhas.
The resolution will be sent to various deans, with the exception of the deans of the School of Pharmacy, the School of Dental Medicine and the Graduate School due to those three having differing schedules from the rest of campus. Loftus and Yuhas represent the School of Pharmacy and the School of Dental Medicine, respectively.
The Senate passed two more resolutions by acclamation calling for an update to the Graduate School’s travel grant application website and a recognition of LGBTQIA+ History Month.
The Senate also voted in two new senators: Angel Tony Ativie, representing the School of Nursing, and Gabrielle Allen, representing non-traditional students. A series of constitutional and bylaw revisions proposed at the last meeting were also approved unanimously.
A new student organization was approved by acclamation as well: Black Women in STEM. Additionally, the Senate approved a travel request for Alpha Kappa Lambda and a program request for the Black Girls Rock Fashion Show.
| Pedro Henrique G-M / The Alestle
Larkin also issued two executive orders at this week’s meeting, both aimed at combating poor mental health caused by anxiety. Larkin said Executive Order 2024-1003, the “Agenda Against Anxiety,” is meant to keep himself and his administration accountable for dealing with mental health.
“Vice President [Lucia] Knapp and I campaigned on the issue of helping average students improve their mental health,” Larkin said. “But, unlike legislation around academics and Student Government-funded events for the SIUE community, mental health legislation and initiatives have taken too much of a back seat.”
Larkin gave his mental health agenda the “fun, jokey” name “Larkin-Care,” inspired both by Obamacare and TimelyCare, the mental health resource SIUE uses. His second executive order of the meeting called on the Student Organizations Advisory Board to compile a list of active student organizations that support or promote improving mental health through activities like exercise, spirituality and time in nature.
“I intend for this to put pressure on myself and to bring down accountability on this administration,” Larkin said.
The next Student Senate meeting will be at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2, in the Mississippi/Illinois Room of the MUC. It will be the last Senate meeting of the Fall 2024 semester.
There were no unexcused absences this week.
EDITOR: Alestle opens photo contest to students
been, in part, in an effort to interact with our readership.
However, we want to give the students a chance to participate in their campus media, and the idea we came up with was a student photography contest where the winners will be published in print — a tangible souvenir they can take home and proudly display.
There are a couple of guidelines, but we wanted to keep them loose to encourage creativity in submissions. The theme is “friendship.” Find examples of friendship around campus that you can showcase with photography. A couple of friends sitting in a circle in the Quad, club members spray-painting the Rock with
their logo, even a study session in Lovejoy Library — all are acceptable.
What we’re looking for is photographs that feature the people of SIUE. This is a bustling community of its own, and there’s plenty to be captured and memorialized in a picture.
Submissions are open until 11:59 p.m, Dec. 31, after which the staff of The Alestle will review the submissions and determine the top five winners. These winners will be contacted individually for confirmation of identity, and their photos will be published in the Jan. 23, 2025, print edition of The Alestle in a photo package.
The only prohibitions are AI-gener-
ated content and selfies. We want honest bonds and candid emotion, not something a program created. Of course, ask permission before snapping pictures, and make sure to get the names of the people included in your submissions so you can write a short description of each photo when you submit.
We have put up flyers all over campus announcing the opening of this contest, complete with a QR code that can be scanned to submit your final products. Each contestant is allowed up to three submissions.
We’re looking forward to this and hope you are too!
Freshman Senator Mitch Baldwin raises his nameplate to give input on a contentious Senate resolution.
Admin rejects accuracy of Alestle reporting
University clarifies housing media ‘policy,’ tells FIRE Alestle reporting is inaccurate
DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief
Shortly after The Alestle published a stor y on the unconstitutionality of University Housing’s media practice in late August, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression requested clarification from SIUE on the practice. While the university did respond, it officially maintains that the reporting was not accurate.
An Oct. 4 letter from FIRE, written by Campus Advocacy Team member Dominic Coletti, urged SIUE to clarify the practice so Housing employees are aware that they can speak to media outlets as individuals without the approval of Housing administration.
“As an institution bound by the First Amendment to protect both freedom of the press and speech, SIUE may not censor student journalists or university employees, including student employees,” Coletti wrote. “The university must promptly clarify that Housing employees may speak to the media, including SIUE student reporters, as private citizens on matters of public concern.”
“Most Housing employees’ duties would not include representing the office publicly, so their speech would most certainly be as private citizens,” Coletti wrote. “While SIUE could require official Housing statements be released only by a select few administrators, it cannot claim jurisdiction to restrict all personal
statements by its employees.”
Coletti agreed with the anonymous Housing employees quoted in the Aug. 28 Alestle story, emphasizing that their opinions cannot constitutionally be silenced by college administrators.
“SIUE … violates its constitutional obligations by gagging employees’ speech as private citizens, as the governmental interest in protecting administrators from minor embarrassment does not come close to the level of that involved in the revelation of, for instance, classified documents exposing the failures of high-level Pentagon officials,” Coletti wrote. “Housing employees — particularly student employees who also live in campus residences — are the constituency most likely to have informed opinions about housing at SIUE and should therefore be free to share their personal opinions with the press.”
FIRE gave SIUE until Oct. 18 to give a “substantive response,” though no consequence was given for responding past that deadline. SIUE did respond on Oct. 10 in a letter written by Senior System Counsel Phyleccia Reed Cole.
“University Housing administration has clarified with its employees that they are free to speak as individuals to whomever they wish, but if they are contacted by the media to make a statement on behalf of the university or University Housing, those inquiries should be forwarded to the Director of University Housing for a response,” Cole wrote.
The following day, Director of Uni-
versity Housing Mallory Sidarous sent a message to Housing employees clarifying the practice. Coletti said in an email statement that the response “looks to line up with the university’s stance in the letter, and, by extension, to comply with the law.”
Cole ended the letter back to FIRE by saying SIUE is “well aware” of the First Amendment and is committed to upholding First Amendment rights for all members of the community.
This correspondence comes after FIRE released their 2025 College Free Speech Rankings, in which SIUE ranked lowest in public universities in the state of Illinois. The university did not respond to requests for comment by The Alestle on this topic until the third email sent to the chancellor’s office, after which Director of Communications Nicole Franklin issued the following statement:
“SIUE is deeply committed to the principles of free speech and open dialogue, recognizing that the exchange of diverse ideas is essential to the pursuit of knowledge and academic growth,” Franklin wrote. “We encourage respectful discourse, ensuring that all members of our community can engage in meaningful conversations while upholding First Amendment rights.”
Despite the university’s statement that it “encourage[s] respectful discourse,” Cole began her letter to FIRE by saying the university believes that The Alestle’s reporting on the Housing media practice was inaccurate.
“While the university is aware of the Alestle article that is referenced in your letter, we do not agree that it accurately portrays the position of the university or University Housing related to speech by resident assistants or other University Housing employees,” Cole wrote.
Cole did not offer an explanation for why the university believes The Alestle’s reporting was inaccurate in her response to FIRE and only responded to The Alestle after two emails on the subject.
“I am not interested in meeting to discuss this matter. You are in receipt of my correspondence with FIRE, and I don’t have anything to add,” Cole wrote.
Additionally, in emails obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request, Executive Director of the Office of the Chancellor Lauren Bartshe said to Franklin that “[the] chancellor is not going to speak with The Alestle.”
Cole also blocked a portion of The Alestle’s FOIA request on the grounds that the requested communications were “privileged attorney communications.” This denial has been appealed and is currently being reviewed by the Illinois State Attorney General’s office.
The Alestle has yet to receive a response from the chancellor’s office as to why the chancellor will not speak with SIUE’s student media outlet.
The Alestle welcomes all feedback and encourages readers who have an opinion about our reporting to submit a letter to the editor.
Wings make for a delicious meal, but not all wings are created equally, and finding perfect wings is hard. We reviewed local wing restaurants from Edwardsville to St. Louis. While the wings are the most important component, perfect food comes with friendly service and a good price. We rank based on experience, price and taste.
Too Much Sauce on Delmar Boulevard in St. Louis is too good
Edley’s
WOLFE lifestyles editor
With delicious food and great customer service, Too Much Sauce is the perfect take-out place if you’re craving wings.
My friends and I decided to order 15 wings: five of the St. Louis Sweet and Spicy, five Ko — a hot lemon pepper made specially by the owner— and five garlic parmesan. Each order of wings comes with a side of fries and a roll.
We paid a little under $30 which, in my opinion, was good for the amount of food we received.
Too Much Sauce also offers meatless
options. My friend ordered cauliflower wings with garlic parmesan sauce. It came with fries and a roll.
The wings took about 15 minutes, but when they did we took them outside to eat. There were places to sit inside, but this place is more suited towards take-out.
All the sauces that we tried were delicious, but my favorites were the garlic parmesan and St. Louis sweet and spicy.
Their meatless wings were also delicious. Although the texture was not my favorite, they tasted good.
I will be making the trip back to St. Louis to get these wings again.
Bar-B-Que offers delicious, crispy wings at a discount
BRANDI SPANN opinion editor
Edley’s Bar-B-Que in Glen Carbon has lovely food and a great atmosphere with large garage door windows that open in the summertime.
There’s a lot of seating, and the restaurant smells like burning wood. The walls and ceilings are covered in wooden detailing. There is a bar and plenty of TVs.
You order your food at the indoor window, and it is brought to your table. From Monday to Thursday, students who bring their Cougar Card can get 10 percent off their order or wings for one dollar each.
In general, the menu’s prices are comparable to other barbecue places. The options range from $12 to $20. I paid $8 for my wings. Their wings are fresh. The buffalo sauce is light, and it’s not too strong. The barbecue sauce is a thin glaze over the crunch of the wing. The white barbecue sauce is slightly greasier with a creamier taste.
I ordered the green beans and the mac and cheese on the side for $4. Both were unique, delicious sides, and they were filling.
It’s a great place to bring your friends and family. I would recommend these wings!
Fairview Heights’ Wings & Things serves flavorful wings and much more
SOPHIE
HAWKINS reporter
Wings & Things, a fish, chicken and grill in Fairview Heights, is your one-stop shop for delicious chicken wings and other foods and assorted goods.
The small shop does not have in-store seating, but they make up for it with their excellent customer service and a small selection of assorted goods.
I ordered four buffalo wings and four teriyaki wings, which came to a total of $10.99. The order of chicken wings also came with a side of fries and a can of soda, making it a reasonably priced meal.
After about 15 minutes, I had fresh, flavorful chicken wings that were worth the wait. The buffalo wings had more of a kick than the teriyaki but both were very juicy.
My favorite was the garlic parmesan chicken wings that my sister ordered, which had a perfect blend of garlic and parmesan flavor. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and was pleased by how helpful the cashier was. She was very polite and answered all my questions about what to order.
The shop also serves sandwiches, fish, salad, grilled items and desserts. If you’re in the area, Wings & Things is the perfect stop for wings and so much more.
Wings and Things Market serves surprisingly scrumptious snacks
DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief
Wings and Things Market, just off Granite City’s Nameoki Road, is a nondescript location both inside and out. What looked like a half-abandoned gas station actually served up some decent wings.
When I walked in, I was a bit shocked at how empty the place was — both of people and products. Looking to the left of the entrance, there were a couple of sad shelves of chips and other gas station goods. The rest of the building on that side was more or less an empty room. To the right of the entrance was the
actual restaurant. They had a wide selection of items. I got honey-glazed chicken wings for $6, and my fiancée got a catfish dish for $14.
The service was pretty good, and we only had to wait for about 10 minutes for our food after ordering. There were only two chairs in the waiting area, which surprisingly wasn’t sufficient for the number of customers that came for food.
The wings themselves were pretty good. I would compare them to Buffalo Wild Wings with a bit more spice. Personally, I prefer to dine in when eating wings, which was not an option here, but I digress.
Sophie Hawkins / The Alestle
Chloe Wolfe / The Alestle
Brandi Spann / The Alestle
CHLOE
Dylan Hembrough / The Alestle
Thursday, 11.21.24
Edwardsville’s Wing Zone is fying high with favor
MICHAL KATE CASTLEMAN online editor
Close and convenient, Wing Zone is the best new place to get wings.
Wing Zone’s Edwardsville location opened in April of this year. The restaurant is considered a fast food chicken wing chain, with both sit-down and takeout options for its customers.
I ordered the “Football Special,” which is 10 boneless wings with fries. A drink was not included in the special. With a drink, my order was about $13 after tax.
The Edwardsville Wing Zone location also accepts Cougar Bucks, which can be helpful for SIUE students, and offers
a 10 percent discount for SIUE students.
Although I wish a drink had been included in the special, the combo price overall was appropriate for the quality. The buffalo wings I ordered were fresh, hot and flavorful. It was one of the better buffalo sauces I have tried. The fries were also outstanding.
I appreciated the presentation of my food, with each item placed on its own tray and the fries and wings in separate containers.
Overall, Wing Zone impressed me. Although I wish it were a little cheaper, I would definitely order wings from this restaurant again.
Heaterz in Alton fails to bring the heat to its wing game
TAHZIVE AVI ISLAM graphics manager
Heaterz in Alton offers a unique blend of wings, alcohol and gaming slots. While the concept is intriguing, the execution falls short.
I ordered “8 Wings” with Nashville Fire Hot seasoning and “The House” dipping sauce for $8.99 plus tax.
Despite a 30-minute wait, the wings lacked flavor, with the seasoning failing to penetrate the skin and the chicken itself seeming undercooked. The saving grace was the creamy gar-
lic parmesan sauce, which provided a welcoming burst of flavor.
The bar and dining area were overpowered by the gaming slots, which were the clear focus of the establishment. With only three small tables crammed into a limited space, it’s not ideal for dining in. The focus on gaming is evident, making it more suitable for those seeking entertainment rather than a quality meal.
While Heaterz has potential, the poor execution of the food, the lengthy wait time and the cramped, gaming-centric atmosphere make it a less-than-desirable
Hotshots wings lack favor but delivers on service
AUBREE NOLES reporter
Hotshots Sports Bar & Grill is your typical sports bar located in Edwardsville. If you’re looking for a perfect place to spend game day, then this is the place for you. However, the food is pretty foul.
The restaurant operates on a seat-yourself basis, and within minutes of sitting down, our server greeted us and took our order.
The server we had was friendly and honest, openly admitting to us that their Dr. Pepper tasted bad. She consistently checked on us throughout the night and made sure we were doing good.
I ordered six buffalo garlic wings, and
my boyfriend got six garlic dry rub wings “trashed.” This just means that they were cooked twice. We also got a side of fries to share.
I was pretty disappointed in my wings. They lacked flavor, really only tasting like a muted buffalo sauce. I was drenching the wings in ranch to try and get some sort of strong taste to enjoy them. I tried my boyfriend’s wings, and I did like those.
I paid about $31 for our two meals, which felt a little bit pricey.
Later that night, I began feeling the after-effects of the wings. My stomach started turning, and I felt unwell. I ended up lying down with a heating pad, trying to ease the discomfort. I would not go back to Hotshots after this.
Stacked STL does not stack up with other wings in Metro East
GAVIN RASK photographer
Two of my favorite food groups are wings and burgers, so I was very excited when I got assigned to Stacked STL. My mother and I hit the road and headed toward St. Louis for brunch. The dining area was cozy with large windows and murals on the walls.
We ordered two different wings to start: the signature hot and the garlic parmesan. I also ordered a “wakey wakey” burger, which is a burger on Texas toast with an egg and bacon on top, while my mother got brisket nachos.
The signature hot wings were pretty good. The chicken was juicy, and the hot sauce gave it just enough kick. I found the garlic parmesan wings to be a bit bland, but the meat itself was good, so they were alright.
My burger, however, was overcooked. The egg on top wasn’t runny, and overall, the burger was very dry and left a burnt taste in my mouth.
The total for the two orders of wings, my burger and my mother’s nachos came out to $60. In my opinion, it was not worth it, though I might have caught them on a bad day since they generally have positive reviews.
Grab some grub from Geo’s Wings & More
SAM MUREN managing editor
I stopped by Geo’s Wings & More, a small sports bar, with some friends and enjoyed both their wings and the lively sports atmosphere.
If you are in the Belleville area looking for a small sports bar, then Geo’s Wings & More has everything you need.
Our waitress was friendly and gave us plenty of time to order. I ordered five boneless wings with garlic parmesan sauce and tater tots on the side. The meal ran me $16 including a tip,
so it was a bit pricey.
However, my wings had an appetizing garlic flavor and tasted delicious. If you are not a wing person, no worries. There is a variety of bar food on the menu. My friend ordered tacos with wings, and he said they tasted great.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere at Geo’s too. The lively atmosphere at Geo’s was amplified by a St. Louis Blues game broadcast on the TVs. Though we missed the band playing live that night, knowing such entertainment is part of Geo’s charm adds to the draw, making the place even better.
Michal Kate Castleman / The Alestle
Tahzive Avi Islam / The Alestle
Aubree Noles / The Alestle
Gavin Rask / The Alestle
Sam Muren / The Alestle
SIUE celebrations honor Native American culture
SOPHIE HAWKINS reporter
During November, SIUE and the surrounding area are celebrating Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month with events aimed at educating the community and exploring local Native American culture.
SIUE’s Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub has set up a range of events between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30.
On Nov. 7, Julie Zimmermann, chair of the anthropology department and coordinator of SIUE’s Native American Studies program, led a presentation in which the university’s land acknowledgment statement was read.
“It’s a statement that faculty in Native American studies wrote identifying which tribes we want to remember and acknowledge,” Zimmermann said.
Along with reading the land acknowledgment, there were discussions about its purpose and the research involved in creating it. This included explaining why the Kiikaapoi, the Illinois Confederation and the Dhegiha Siouan peoples were specifically mentioned.
“We decided not to list all of [the tribes]. We wanted to just focus on those that we would actually hope to have a relationship with and collaborate with,” Zimmermann said. “We feel a special obligation to the tribes that were here in the early 1800s, when Edwardsville was first settled, and they were run out of
Edwardsville and run out of this area.”
Zimmermann led a walking tour of Cahokia Mounds, the largest archaeological site north of Mexico, on Nov. 16. The mounds are the archaeological remains of the central area of what is now known today as Cahokia.
In 1982, Cahokia Mounds received a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site Designation, changing the mounds from a state park to a state historic site.
“The significance of being recognized by UNESCO … means that [it’s] not just important to the locals or to the descendant groups, but worldwide,” Site Service Specialist II at Cahokia Mounds Angela Cooper said. “I think these types of sites really demonstrate our humanity across time and space.”
On Nov. 19, Lovejoy Library invited Maria Beaver Hussman, an Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) seamstress and crafter who told stories as well as instructed others on making crafts including dreamcatchers.
The Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site will host its 21st Annual Native American Holiday Market from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30. The event will be held at the Collinsville VFW Post 5691 located at 1234 Vandalia St., Collinsville, Illinois.
The Native American Holiday Market will have unique artwork from over 30 tribal affiliated artists from across North America.
Sally Rooney’s ‘Intermezzo:’
An intricate
story of grief and love
Michal Kate Castleman has loved reading her entire life. Through this new section, “A Novel Approach,” she will be reviewing a recent book release once a month.
Sally Rooney, best known for her novels “Normal People” and “Conversations with Friends,” released “Intermezzo” in September 2024. “Intermezzo” is Rooney’s most intricate and honest work to date.
Potential Spoilers
Rooney is known for her pattern — a multiple-point-of-view novel that explores intimacy, class differences, survival and complexities of relationships, all while being completely absent of quotation marks. “Intermezzo” is no different, but digs deeper into the lives of its characters than other Rooney novels.
For the entirety of “Intermezzo,” readers become well-acquainted with the inner thoughts of its characters. By the end, you truly understand these individuals and who they are at their core.
The novel follows two brothers, Peter and Ivan, in Dublin, Ireland, as they grapple with their father’s passing. The story focuses on the brothers’ relationships with romantic interests, family and between themselves.
Rooney’s work often focuses on messy, intimate relationships between her characters. Ivan, a 22-year-old chess prodigy, finds himself in a romantic relationship with 36-year-old divorcée Margaret.
Peter, age 32, is stuck in a back-andforth relationship with his ex-girlfriend Sylvia. The two are meant to be, but she rejects a romantic relationship due to a traumatic traffic accident. At the same time, Peter is in a relationship with an immature, nearly homeless college student, Naomi.
The novel’s pacing is slow, but it is absolutely necessary to fully tell the story. Rooney’s writing is like a dance, with scenes long and drawn out to give the reader a bigger picture. Dialogue melts within the narration, and scenes are set with intricate care.
“Intermezzo” has quietly intense conflict, with the two brothers constantly conversing with those in their lives, or each other, while the chaos of their lives continues around them. It is within these moments that you see Rooney’s intelligent plotting and the layers beneath her characters.
The novel is purely character-driven, which is one of its strongest qualities. Instead of following a character simply moving with the plot, readers get to know characters on a deeper level.
Because “Intermezzo” is driven by its characters, Peter and Ivan’s struggle with their grief comes and goes in waves, mirroring reality. It’s these moments in the novel that make it genius and well-written.
Finding the perfect fit: Counseling resources at, near SIUE
MATTHEW WOLDEN
copy editor
CHLOE WOLFE
lifestyles editor
Finding a therapist or a trusted mental health professional to talk to can be overwhelming, so we have compiled a list of local therapists to make your search easier. Many of the listed are recommend ed by SIUE Counseling Services and offer virtual and in-person counseling for busy students.
In-Person Resources
SIUE Counseling Services
Edwardsville Campus
Southern Illinois Institute of Behavioral Health
Glen Carbon
With a goal of leading people to live a life they can celebrate. Their services include assessments, pre-surgical evaluations, divorce counseling, couples counseling, family counseling, stress management, substance abuse, anger management, adolescent counseling and more. They also work with a wide assortment of behavioral issues such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and more. On top of that, they can provide psychological evaluations. Call them at 618-710-4123.
Focused on supporting students who are feeling the pressure of college manage their daily life on campus. They provide group counseling and individual counseling. They also offer online resources and have assessments for possible mental disabilities that can be used for accommodations in classes. They can be found in the Student Success Center and contacted at 618-650-2848.
Karvinen Counseling Services
Glen Carbon
Working to help people to better understand and resolve their current challenges. Their services include teen counseling, adult counseling and couples counseling. You can contact them at 618-659-5411.
Radzom Counseling LLC
Edwardsville
Direct counseling services to anyone in or around the Metro East area. Their services include individual therapy, family therapy, group therapy, youth mental health services, relationship services and more. They offer assessments and you can schedule online appointments instead of going in-person. You can call them at 618-248-2040.
Alternatives Counseling
Glen Carbon
Helping people discover their strengths and work through issues. They provide individual therapy, group therapy, evaluations and, for anyone majoring in psychology, training for graduate students. You can call them at 618-288-8085.
Counselors Associates Ltd.
Glen Carbon
Counselors Associates is there to help people in need. They provide individual therapy, family therapy, play therapy (for kids) – a way for kids to express their experiences and feelings in a way they know how – couples therapy, group therapy and art therapy. They also pro vide virtual support through telehealth or texts with your counselor. Contact them at 618-972-1568.
ANEW Perspective, Inc.
Maryville
Created to help people achieve balance in their lives between changes, commitments and general well-being. They provide individual counseling, family counseling, couples counseling, bariatric evaluations, divorce mediation, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy and certified first responders counseling. They also provide online services or telephone appointments. Contact them at 618-977-6252.
Online Resources
TimelyCare
SIUE offers 24/7 care through TimelyCare. TimelyCare has a goal of improving mental health on college campuses and fostering student success. They offer services such as virtual counseling, a 24/7 phone service where they offer “mental and emotional support, health literacy guidance, and crisis management by masters-level mental health care professionals” and digital coaching with resources for self-care among other services.
SIUE also offers more resources from selfcare tools to calming activities. More information can be found on their website or through Blackboard.
Rehab
Preferred Behavioral Health
Fairview Heights
Helping people sort through their problems to live more enriching lives. They offer psychological therapy, individual therapy, group therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, art therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy. They also provide psychiatry. Contact them at 618-398-4226.
Rehab is an online service that helps individuals struggling with addiction connect to resources such as inpatient, outpatient, or detox treatment and therapy. It provides a list of facilities in Illinois and surrounding states including the type of treatments they offer methods of payment and acceptable insurance.
Editor’s note: This story was first published Sept. 7, 2023. This version has been updated with new resources.
MICHAL KATE CASTLEMAN online editor
THE ALESTLE WILL PUBLISH ONLINE 12/5. THE FALL GRAD ISSUE WILL PRINT 12/10.
Share your thoughts: opinion@alestlelive.com (618) 650-3527
Political discussion on campus must take place following election
THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board
Every election has a winner and a loser. There are tears, and there are cheers. However, now that things have begun to settle down, we, as a campus and a nation, should look to heal a major divide.
Our mainstream media and the contentious battle for control in Washington, D.C., have left individuals with strong opinions on either side feeling quite hostile toward each other.
Instead of maintaining this hostility, every student, staff and faculty member should consider engaging with one another with an open mind. Instead of focusing on the party ideologies, both sides could learn a lot from
civil conversation.
Whether debating strategies and alternative outcomes in class or out on the Quad discussing social standards, we should all be better active listeners.
Not only is it polite to be considerate of other people’s thoughts and feelings, but there is something to learn from another person’s point of view.
Perhaps in a discussion with someone you disagree with, you may find commonalities. There is no guarantee you will agree with everything, but understanding how the other person thinks may lead to better internal reflection.
Knowing what you disagree with is important. By hearing someone’s viewpoints, you are more likely to either agree and come to an aligned understand-
Infamous anti-vaxxer
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been chosen by President-Elect
ing together or take away information that could be used to solidify your beliefs.
Following this election, both parties should take the time during this new era of government to learn from each other.
For Democrats and the Democratic Party, talking to their Republican friends or acquaintances could reveal why they may have lost or been off-base with messaging.
Republicans and the Republican Party should seek dialogue with Democrats to learn how they can help govern in a manner that serves everyone. This open-minded dialogue should occur from the Oval Office to our classroom discussions at SIUE.
The idea of being loyal to a
party and an ideology should not prevent one from being an active listener or trying to be open to different ideas. There is no reason to throw away all your moral boundaries, but so much could be learned by listening — you could even learn more about why you believe something so strongly.
Hearing the premises of someone’s argument will allow you to evaluate their reasoning. If you cannot make sense of their arguments, then that is something you can use to build yours. Whether you’re frustrated with the outcome of the election or ecstatic with the results, consider finding someone who disagrees with you and hearing them out. Go into every situation with the intention to listen, rather than persuade. HAVE A COMMENT?
Let us know by scanning here: Campus Box 1167 Edwardsville, Illinois 62026-1167
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY: The editors, staff and publishers of The Alestle believe in the free exchange of ideas, concerns and opinions and will publish as many letters as possible.
Letters may be submitted to: The Alestle Morris University Center Room 0311
All hard copy letters should
Donald Trump as the next secretary of Health and Human Services. Giving this spot to someone who sows public doubt in the power of vaccines — and medicine as a whole — is a very bad idea.
“Robert F. Kennedy has done more than just about anybody to instill distrust in our public health system,” Richard Besser, former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said.
Politicians legitimizing vaccine hesitancy is already an issue. In Florida, State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has been criticized for his anti-vaccine rhetoric and blamed for outbreaks of easily preventable diseases like measles.
“We just had a measles outbreak right around the corner of the elementary school that my daughter went to,” Florida pediatrician Lisa Gwynn said. “There were five kids who contracted measles, and they were not immunized.”
Measles was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000, according to the CDC — a monumental accomplishment. Cases shot up in 2019 after the cracks in herd immunity in New York became too wide: 85.8 percent of those with known vaccination histories
RFK Jr. doesn’t know anything about vaccines
had not received the measles vaccine.
‘Herd immunity’ is the scenario in which enough people are vaccinated that a disease cannot transmit between unvaccinated people enough to survive in a population. Achieving herd immunity requires most people to be immune to a disease, in this case via vaccination. The exact number changes depending on the disease and effectiveness of the vaccine, but most estimates for COVID-19 herd immunity hover around 90 percent or more immune.
This was not an issue until fairly recently.
In 1998, Andrew Wakefield published a paper linking the measles vaccine to the development of autism in children. Though the paper was retracted due to fraud and scientific misconduct, and several research papers have been published since then disproving the claim, the damage was done: even today, many believe that vaccines “cause autism” and other disorders.
Measles isn’t the scariest disease, but many others have been subdued or even eradicated due solely to the power of vaccines. Smallpox haunted humanity for thousands of years and killed millions. In 1977, the last natural case of smallpox was diagnosed. A disease that killed roughly three in every 10 of those it infected was defeated with vaccines.
Kennedy has been outspoken about this vaccine in particular, as well as the more recent COVID-19 vaccine — a marvel of modern medicine and a first-of-its-kind vaccine.
Like many other anti-vaxxers, Kennedy has no formal medical or health care training. While his criticism of processed food and the average American diet does hold some non-fluoridated water, his good ideas are far outpaced by his bad ones.
I’m a pharmacy student and previously worked at Walgreens for almost two years. I was vaccine certified and gave hundreds of COVID-19 and flu shots in my time as a technician. As someone with lots of experience with vaccines, I will be the first to say that vaccines are not perfect. But, no serious member of the scientific community has ever claimed that
they are.
Vaccines are a luxury we take for granted in our modern era. History is littered with epidemic and pandemic disease outbreaks that claimed millions. Chances are, you have at least one direct ancestor who battled smallpox. I’ve found death records for some of my own ancestors that list smallpox or other once-widespread diseases as the cause of death.
Vaccine distrust is a complex issue, but it is often furthered by a misunderstanding of how science itself works. Science is always changing to accommodate the most recent evidence — it is not a static entity.
I once had a customer denounce vaccines to me on the basis that, “They lied to me,” about never having to get an-
BRANDI SPANN Opinion Editor SAM MUREN Managing Editor
DYLAN HEMBROUGH Editor-in-Chief
AUDREY O’RENIC Sports Editor
HANNAH LEDFORD
SIUE could do more to honor its Native American history
AUBREE NOLES reporter
During November, which is Native American/Indigenous Heritage Month, SIUE has to do more to pay respect to the people who once lived here.
The U.S. is stolen land. There were Native Americans who lived here for millennia before it was discovered. However, they were forced into conforming to our ways of life for our ancestors to achieve the “American dream.”
SIUE is no different. The land we walk daily to attend classes, hang out with friends and eat lunch was once home to several tribes. Between the Treaty of Edwardsville in 1818 and the Treaty of Edwardsville in 1819, all of them had ceded their rights to their land to the United States.
The land that SIUE resides on was once home to a handful of Native American tribes, such as the Kiikaapoi, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Michigamea, Cahokia, Tamaroa and Dhegiha Siouan.
While there is nothing we can do to change what happened in the past, there is more we can do in the present
to honor those who once lived where we stand today.
November is a month of paying respect to the Native American and Indigenous peoples of America, and SIUE could
“
People need to understand the historical signifcance of Native American and Indigenous peoples that once inhabited the land we walk on.
Aubree Noles Reporter
do more to educate its students on our campus’s history.
Since November began, SIUE has held two presentations in the MUC to discuss Native American history.
On Nov. 1, there was an opening ceremony and land acknowledgment display to showcase the cradle made by Kilan Jacobs (Osage) and Mary Jacobs (Quapaw) to accompany the clay figure that was found on SIUE’s campus in
2013. This can be located in the MUC under the land acknowledgment sign that reads “YOU ARE STANDING ON NATIVE LAND.”
On Nov. 7, Julie Zimmerman gave a presentation on the land acknowledgment statement that SIUE has. Zimmerman is an anthropology teacher at SIUE. She discussed the history of this land and its importance to us.
While these were very important for highlighting and bringing awareness to the history of the campus, there is more that needs to be done.
SIUE’s Instagram page makes posts that in some way highlight almost every historical month other than Native American History Month. Considering that our main form of communication is through social media, it is concerning that they didn’t at least make an effort to post something that reminds students of the history at their school.
For instance, on Nov. 1, they made a post discussing Preview Day at SIUE. How hard would it have been to make a post commending the land acknowledgment ceremony and its new artifact?
Another recommendation for en-
hancing SIUE’s efforts to honor Indigenous peoples’ history during November is holding more engaging events. So far, only one event remains, and that is at noon on Nov. 19 with Maria Beaver Hussman. There, she will be telling stories about Native American culture and history as well as making crafts.
That is only three events to educate people on the significance of Native American and Indigenous people’s culture at SIUE. This is incredibly disappointing and could be changed easily. Even adding three more days for presentations or showcasing the Native American artifacts that the Art Museum has would be a significant improvement.
People need to understand the historical significance of Native American and Indigenous peoples that once inhabited the land we walk on. However, SIUE has to do its part in educating its students and staff by providing sufficient opportunities for people to come and learn.
If you are interested in learning more about our campus’s Native American history, visit the Native American studies page on SIUE’s website and read the Land Acknowledgment Statement.
Appearances are essential to a university’s success
SAM MUREN managing editor
Every day, we make decisions based on how something appears. Food, clothes, homes and even colleges — all are things where first impressions play a pivotal role in making a decision.
SIUE has recently faced criticism for investing heavily in its appearance, but maintaining a polished image is not something to overlook.
To attract first-time students, most universities spend a pretty penny trying to captivate as many prospective students as possible. Therefore, SIUE should focus on how it markets itself to students.
After all, most students don’t choose to attend a university they have never heard of. Future students need to discover the university in some way, and that’s when the first impression is formed.
If a high school student receives a mail advertisement, browses the university’s website or visits in-person and finds the school disorganized in any way,
chances are you’ve lost a future student.
Of course, having esteemed programs is crucial, but for universities like SIUE, there will often be schools with even better programs. Competing with more prestigious institutions is no easy feat. However, with fair and affordable tuition, SIUE has an edge — and effective marketing might be all it takes.
Any argument that SIUE fails marketing to prospective students does have validity to it. Enrollment at SIUE has dropped. In Fall 2021, the total headcount was 13,010, but the numbers dropped in Fall 2023 to 12,045, according to the SIUE Fact Book.
The university is experiencing a decline specifically in freshmen enrollment. According to the SIUE Fact Book, in Fall 2022, the freshmen enrollment was 2,413. The following year, it dropped to 2,074.
SIUE’s marketing department needs to regroup and find a better strategy. Marketing to prospective students is not a waste of money, but the key to growing enrollment.
My observation is SIUE’s failed mar-
keting strategy only shows how important marketing the university’s appearance really is.
SIUE should find a better way to advertise their affordable prices. I believe SIUE does have the potential to draw in more students than currently enrolled.
“ SIUE should fnd a better way to advertise their comparably affordable prices.
Sam Muren Managing Editor
Painting the university as an institution of prestige at an affordable price would be a good start.
There is an untapped market for students in Illinois and the St. Louis area. Chancellor James T. Minor has discussed efforts to expand its appeal.
The university’s appeal extends beyond its affordability. The cam-
pus itself is stunning, yet its natural beauty is under-marketed to those in surrounding cities.
Watching the chancellor play in leaves does not draw students. In fact, this is where SIUE’s marketing fails the most. It just seems inauthentic.
Showcasing the university’s beauty and prestige through a student’s lens would appeal to those considering SIUE as their college. Perhaps more aerial shots of all three of SIUE’s campuses would draw more students in.
One area where SIUE has made strides is in branding. While the new logo and its associated costs may be controversial, the university’s presentation through merchandise and overall appearance now exudes a more prestigious feel.
The key to drawing in students is simple: create a sense of pride and belonging. Potential students need to envision themselves at the university, which is why showcasing SIUE’s appeal through effective marketing tactics is important.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Dining at the MUC — repetitive, boring, unhealthy
Imagine feeling hungry on a Sunday, heading down to Center Court in the MUC and being forced to choose between ultra-sugary fruit and yogurt concoctions (yet oddly bitter too), a burger or pizza (for the third time this week), dubious “Entrées” or the healthiest but least desirable option: a salad. It’s not an ideal situation to face, yet this is the reality for most students here on campus.
Dining Service limits the campus community to a narrow selection of
dishes. Even though Center Court offers multiple dining options, many close early during the week and entirely on the weekend. The few choices available are often unhealthy, leaving meal plan holders feeling robbed in a couple of ways — they don’t get what they paid for, they don’t get to experience a variety of options as they are inconveniently unavailable and they miss out on healthier and more diverse options.
One simple solution to this never-ending problem would be to extend
the hours of restaurants that close early and are only open on weekdays, such as Sammiches, Kamayan and Cocina. Extending their hours by just an hour or two would allow many more students the opportunity to branch out and have the food they pay for.
The restaurants could be kept open for roughly the same hours on the weekends as they are during the weekdays. This would give students who stay in the dorms over the weekend, along with those with busy weekday schedules, the
chance to have more dining options. The limited options and hours available to dorm students considerably diminish the campus experience. SIUE should — and easily could — serve its students better. Investing in better dining services is important to create a satisfying experience for students and their well-being and ultimately to help them to be better students.
TAMIA JACKSON EDWARDSVILLE, ILLINOIS
The United States needs a secretary of Health and Human Services who knows about vaccines
RFK | PAGE 9
other COVID-19 vaccine. She went on to explain that “they” were scientists and the government. Recommendations can and do change — especially during an unprecedented pandemic and under an administration that disavowed scientific advice from experts. Change is inherent to science and is the reason we have the technologies we do today.
For those who are on the fence about getting vaccinated — or getting your children vaccinated — I implore
you to think critically about the situation. Vaccines are not strange chemicals the government is injecting into your body. They are tested, they are held to very strict standards and they are safe. Additionally, when attempting to achieve herd immunity, vaccination is a selfless act. Getting sick may not be
a big deal to you, but it is to someone with a weakened immune system. You can help prevent unnecessary sickness. Do your research and read the studies — they’re usually publicly available. You can see the raw statistics on how safe and effective vaccines are. Don’t just take opinions at face value.
SIUE Athletics teams up with Edwardsville YMCA for Junior Cougar league
MICHAL KATE CASTLEMAN online editor
SIUE Athletics and Edwardsville YMCA are encouraging community involvement with the new Junior Cougars league collaboration.
YMCA Director of Sports and Recreation Nick Walker said the collaboration between the Edwardsville YMCA and SIUE Athletics is for the YMCA’s youth volleyball and basketball leagues.
“Going forward, our kids will have the Cougar logo on their jerseys instead of just the Y’s logo,” Walker said. “It’s a collaboration [between us], and starting in January, it’ll be our first one.”
Walker said the collaboration will help put a face to SIUE’s name for the kids.
“SIUE is the big shiny university in town,” Walker said. “So they get to rock the same kind of gear that the college athletes are wearing.”
Walker said the only change to the league will be the Cougar jerseys. He said the goal is to make the league cultured with SIUE.
YMCA Branch Executive Director Natasha Howard said the YMCA is excited about the collaboration.
“We’re real ly excited to partner with [SIUE] and bring this to our kids as it continues to foster and grow,” How ard said.
“[We want] to not only grow [the kids] as Cougar fans, but then to also grow their ex perience with SIUE and the excitement that comes with that. Who doesn’t want to see Eddie [the Cougar] when you come in?”
The YMCA has leagues for boys and girls from second and third grade, fourth and fifth grade and sixth through eighth grade. Walker said there is also a “rookie league” for kids in kindergarten through second grade. He said the rookie league will have their own Cougar T-shirts.
games and YMCA kids playing on the field at halftime.
Gavin said the initiative for the Junior Cougars League collaboration came from Edwardsville YMCA President and CEO Brandon Bell, who had done a similar initiative with the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team and the Shawnee Family YMCA in Oklahoma.
“This specific initiative we’re excited about because it meets a lot of our goals,”
Gavin said. “[The goals are] getting our brand out in the community more and building the SIUE brand of visibility, starting with young people. We hope 10, 15 or 20 years from now there’s more Cougar fans and people who want to cheer on our teams. Being able to start with a seven or eight-year-old in a Cougar jersey at the YMCA is a great way to build that future base of students, alumni and fans.”
Gavin said Athletics plans to bring Eddie the Cougar and student athletes to the YMCA Junior Cougar League games.
“As a father, I know how much it means to my kids to have student athletes at their games or cheering them on,” Gavin said. “We will certainly try to bring SIUE to the YMCA through this program.”
Another way Athletics has been in-
Walker said the YMCA’s basketball program had 190 kids participate last year. He said volleyball has up to 500 participants this year.
SIUE Athletic Director Andrew Gavin said the university has had partnerships with the YMCA before at SIUE games.
“Things like bringing kids to games, getting the kids out on the basketball court or the soccer field at halftime and cross-promoting our initiatives,” Gavin said. “That’s been something we’ve been doing with the YMCA for a few years.”
Walker said some of the partnerships with SIUE have included YMCA soccer players walking out onto the field with their SIUE “player pal” at soccer
VIEW FROM THE SIDELINES: Women’s basketball hunting for rebound season
SAM MUREN managing editor
Women’s basketball is moving into the 2024-25 season after a forgettable 2023-24 season. Finding wins needs to be the top priority for the team.
SIUE lost their first game of the regular season to University of Missouri – St. Louis, 60-54 on Monday. Fans and the team alike have become accustomed to losing — beginning with the losses in the two exhibition games in late October.
While it is only the beginning of the season, SIUE finished their last season with a five-game losing skid. The team has not won a single game since Feb. 15 against Lindenwood.
Finding the win column has been a recent battle for the team, with wins dropping exponentially since 2021. During the 2021-22 season, SIUE held a 13-18 overall record. That is the closest they have been to a .500 record since. Last season, the Cougars finished with a 5-26 overall record.
The Cougars need a turning point to halt this downward spiral, and it needs to happen soon. Is this early season slide a sign of further decline, or can the team turn things around?
One area of improvement would be the team’s offense. SIUE has not eclipsed the 70-point mark since an 86-72 loss last season on Jan. 20 against Southeast Missouri State University.
sophomore guard Ava Stoller registering two points each against UMSL simply isn’t a winning recipe. Sheehan was third and Stoller was fourth in points scored last season for SIUE. The two players need to find a groove quickly while the season is still young.
However, it cannot all weigh on them. SIUE needs to find a way to put points on the scoreboard if they are going to manage to find wins. Relying on certain players to perform every night might not be the best approach.
By only relying on one player, the team risks guaranteeing losses if that player has an off night. If every player is chipping in with points, that takes the pressure off of specific players and guarantees that the team can compete if a top player struggles during a game.
For this team to find offensive success, they need to pitch in. The best way to rack up points is from the three-point line. SIUE made .118 percent of their shots from the arc of the court against UMSL. Last year, the team held a .351 percent threepoint shooting percentage on the season.
Rallying as a group won’t be easy as the upcoming games prove to be strong challengers. Murray State University was 20-12 overall last season. A win at Murray could be the catalyst the Cougars need to build this season up from years prior.
However, winning is easier said than done, and losing has to be in the back of the team’s mind.
“They get a T-shirt, stickers and a credential with their name on it, as well as birthday cards and free admission to SIUE games,” Gavin said. “So hopefully they’re telling [their family], ‘Hey, bring me to the Cougars game, I’m in the Kid’s Club.’”
Howard said the feedback surrounding the YMCA’s collaborations with SIUE has been positive. She said she anticipates more excitement surrounding the Junior Cougars League when basketball starts in January.
“We have a lot of stuff that we’ve started to talk about for our basketball launch in January,” Howard said. “[We have] things we would like to do and ways we would like to partner with SIUE as well. We don’t necessarily have concrete pieces of that yet, but I am excited.”
For information about the Junior Cougars League, visit the YMCA website.
The offense needs to jump into full gear if the Cougars want any hope to avoid the trend of the last few seasons.
Senior guard Molly Sheehan and
“We have a really great group of women. They’re really kind, they’re really nice women, and we’ve got to take our basketball play to another level,” Smith said.
Senior forward Halle Smith (15) acts as a screen against UMSL, giving sophomore guard Ava Stoller (1) the opportunity to score during the match-up.
| Photographer Gavin Rask / The Alestle
Cougars claw Huskies in double overtime, take back-to-back championship title
AUDREY O’RENIC sports editor
Men’s soccer dominated the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament after defeating Houston Christian University 3-2 in two overtime periods Saturday at Ralph Korte Stadium.
The Cougars earned the league’s automatic NCAA bid for the second consecutive year. This is the first time since back-to-back appearances in 2005 and 2006.
Graduate student defender Wes Gibson secured the Cougars’ victory in the second overtime. Sophomore midfielder Yasha Schaerer strategically delivered a corner kick, flicking the ball to Gibson, who was waiting at the back post.
“The ball got flicked on [the field]. I saw my man was behind me and just ran into the ball,” Gibson said. “It’s a dream come true.”
Head Coach Cale Wassermann said the second-seeded Huskies put up a tough fight.
“I really respect [HCU],” Wassermann said. “They took us to overtime and had the lead, but [I have] so much love and so much pride for our guys and the way we fought back and earned the win.”
The Cougars were first to make their mark 21 minutes into play. Senior forward Nacho Abeal shot into the box where senior forward Jacobo Sanfeliu made sure the ball followed through by heading it directly into the net.
“Jacobo did a great job being there,” Abeal said. “To be honest, I was trying to take a shot, but I’m happy we got the first goal.”
The Huskies responded with a goal of their own just
eight minutes later. After some messy back and forth within the box, HCU’s Ethan Giwa-McNeil knotted the match with a shot off the crossbar.
Momentum shifted in favor of the Huskies, and the Cougars began to lose composure. At the 38-minute mark, HCU took the lead and ran after HCU’s Theo Butterworth knocked in another loose ball. SIUE was unable to recover, leaving the first half 2-1.
“I told the guys at halftime, if they had the belief and they came together, there’s not a better feeling in the world than coming back and winning a championship final from down a goal,” Wassermann said.
Both teams took the second half on with a shifted offensive focus. HCU attempted opportunities that inadvertently gave SIUE chances. Within the final eight minutes of the half, graduate student forward Pavel Dashin headed in a pass from graduate student defender Patrick Coleman.
“We just kept pushing,” Dashin said. “I knew he was coming, I felt it, and I knew that the team was believing in it. I saw [the ball] cross, and [then the] only sight I see [is the] ball in the back of the net.”
Ninety minutes wasn’t enough for the teams. With a regular time score of 2-2, Gibson said the Cougars went into overtime disciplined and in control.
“We were kind of rushing the game during regular time. I think it was key that we slowed the game down and got a groove again,” Gibson said.
Wassermann said the team displayed a high level of determination as they were willing to push through heavy legs to get the final reward.
“We had three, four subs ready, but really I just looked at them all in the eyes and said, ‘Are you ready and are your legs good?’” Wassermann said. “Not a single guy wanted to come off the field.”
The championship victo-
ry comes after a 1-0 win in the semifinal round on Nov. 13 against the University of the Incarnate Word.
Despite heavy downpour, a corner kick from Schaerer drove the ball to the top of the six-yard box when senior defender Nic Muench headed the ball in for the SIUE advantage in the first half of the match. Muench would later receive OVC Championship MVP honors.
UIW and HCU were some of the only teams to not give SIUE a win in the regular season. Wassermann said this time around, the games were driven by different motives.
“Going into Incarnate Word, we talked a little bit about redeeming ourselves from the Texas trip, but we were really focused on advancing to the final [round],” Wassermann said.
“Going into this game, we didn’t talk too much about the NCAA tournament. We didn’t talk too much about another trophy. We talked about trying to right the
ship and get a rematch against Houston Christian.”
Two-time OVC Coach of the Year, Wassermann credits the success to the alumni who have set the standard for the SIUE Men’s Soccer program.
“The alumni ... have really helped us rebuild this program to an NCAA tournament-caliber team — they laid the groundwork,” Wassermann said.
The 2024 title marks the second consecutive year the Cougars have dominated both conference and post-conference OVC tournaments. Abeal, the sole scorer across both games in the 2023 championship tournament, said that although the trophies are the same this year, the team isn’t.
“Definitely hasn’t been the same this year,” Abeal said. “But it’s just been great, winning a championship, having the opportunity to go play against the top teams in the nation, and we proved that we’re one of those teams.”
Wassermann said there is pride in the team’s progress, but this year, the focus is to surpass last year’s achievements.
“Last year’s team was so special, and going defeated is something that doesn’t happen very often, but we left the NCAA Tournament with a bitter taste in our mouth,” Wassermann said. “We want to go beyond last year — we’ve matched the trophies with half the team being new — 13 new guys this year. Now, it’s time to rest, recover and await our fate.”
“The job is not finished,” Dashin said.
The Cougars will take on Western Michigan University in the NCAA first round at noon on Nov. 21 at the WMU Soccer Complex.
Not one goal: Rasch, Cougars blank Illini in hockey series
SAM MUREN managing editor
SIUE Club Hockey skated out of the past weekend series against the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with two shutout wins. The Cougars defeated the Fighting Illini 5-0 on Nov. 15 at East Alton Ice Arena.
Junior forward Hunter Parker returned to the lineup after being sidelined with a concussion for three to four weeks. Parker made quick work in his first game back, lighting the lamp just over two minutes into the game.
SIUE found scoring support from four other players Friday night with two goals in both the second and third
periods for the big win.
Graduate goalie Brendan Rasch held the Illini off the scoresheet and earned his first shutout of the season.
Both teams returned the next afternoon for a rematch, but the storyline did not change much.
The game on Nov. 16 started almost identically to the night before as senior forward Kaleb Harrop scored just under three minutes into the game. While in the first period, the Cougars were on the prowl and added two more scored for a 3-0 lead.
U of I could not manage an offensive drive on SIUE through the first. The Illini began to find their game in the second period, but Rasch continued his solid performance from the night prior.
Rasch stopped all of Illinois’ 14 shots, including two high blocker saves, to maintain his shutout. With the help of their goaltender and solid defense, SIUE pushed through the second period adding a goal for a 4-0 lead.
With a second consecutive shutout in mind for netminder Rasch, all the Cougars needed to do was buckle down their defense. However, SIUE looked to add to their lead and so they did.
Harrop scored with five and half minutes remaining in the period to make it 5-0. Then, skating coast-to-coast, senior defensemen Simon Maxfield shot five-hole on Illinois’ junior goalie Tyler Wardell. SIUE then held a 6-0 lead.
To cap off the game, sophomore defenseman Blake Miller scored on the powerplay giving the Cougars a demanding 7-0 lead.
“I think the team played great and made my job super easy,” Rasch said.
Rasch closed out the game with 28 saves and his second consecutive shutout. He blanked Illinois all weekend, making 57 saves on all 57 Illinois shots.
Despite Parker’s return, he only factored in a goal and an assist. A major change for SIUE in Parker’s absence was depth scoring, which continued in his return.
“You can’t win games with just one line score or two guys producing. Depth scoring has been a thing we’ve been preach-
ing all year, and it’s finally coming about at the right time, so that is good for us,” Harrop said.
Harrop, a key player that has stepped up, scored three goals in the two games against Illinois.
Depth scoring will be key as the Cougars continue to focus on the push for the playoffs.
“We’re trying to get to the playoffs and [Illinois] is the hurdle we have to get over,” Head Coach Darin Kimble said. “It was a huge effort by all the guys, probably some of our best hockey we’ve played all year.”
SIUE will take the ice next for their alumni games at 7:15 p.m., Dec. 6 and 3:15 p.m., Dec. 7 at East Alton Ice Arena.
Houston Christian attempts to stop SIUE forward Pavel Dashin in his tracks during Saturday’s 2024 Ohio Valley Conference Championship Tournament. Dashin was able to overpower the herd of Huskies, heading the ball in the net to secure the second goal for the Cougars.
