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Errors, delays in new FAFSA may lead to less financial aid
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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
THE student voice since 1960
Thursday, December 7, 2023 Vol. 77 No. 13
PROTESTS, DEMONSTRATIONS, NEGOTIATIONS: WRAPPING UP A TENSE YEAR
JANUARY
timeline by Michal Kate Castleman / reporter
FEBRUARY
MARCH
On Jan. 17, Facilities Management announced a boil order and water outage that impacted all of campus. Students were advised not to consume water and Dining Services had to make accommodations for students.
On Feb. 3, SIUE Marketing and Communications released a form for members of the SIUE community to vote on a new logo. The proposed new logos had different variations of Eddie the Cougar, along with the official removal of the lowercase “e.”
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
Clerical and building service workers, as well as other union members on campus, expressed their desire for pay raises. These unions began protesting on campus.
SIUE announced that the university had received more than 21,000 applications for the Fall 2023 semester — a record-breaking number. SIUE News reported processing 6,569 more applications than the previous year.
On June 25, the Faculty Union ratified its contract with SIUE. The union had been negotiating the contract for over a year, but were able to finally make an agreement with the university.
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
SIUE baseball players Brennan Orf and Avery Owusu-Asiedu were both drafted into the MLB. Orf was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays and Owusu-Asiedu by the Philadelphia Phillies. Jake Bockenstedt signed a free agent deal with the Chicago White Sox.
The mysterious 283 signs appeared around campus, prompting questions. Chancellor James T. Minor later announced his campaign to reach a 90 percent retention rate, which means SIUE must retain 283 more students from the freshman class.
The popular steak statue, “Seven Cows,” was removed from its spot on campus. An online petition to keep the statue was signed by 520 people.
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
There were protests against the Israel-Hamas War in front of the Morris University Center and on the Stratton Quad. Many of the student protestors were part of the Muslim Student Association. While protesting, students handed out pamphlets and had conversations with those who stopped by.
SIUE Men’s Soccer defeated the University of Incarnate Word at the Ohio Valley Conference Final. The Cougars were named OVC champions and received national recognition for their season.
The new FAFSA, originally set to release on Dec. 1, was pushed back to Dec. 31. The government admitted to errors on the new form.
Student Government’s election results were rejected, and another vote had to occur. Mackenzie Richards was voted in as president of Student Government after the second round of voting.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker visited SIUE to celebrate the beginning of construction for the new Health Science Building.
Demonstrators gathered around street preacher Chris Svochak. Svochak’s messages were viewed as harmful by many in the SIUE community and were demonstrated against by Christian groups on campus.
On March 27, the new SIUE logo was released. Students had mixed reactions to the new Eddie and the now-capital “E.”
The SIUE Men’s Soccer team won the Bronze Boot against the St. Louis University Billikens. This victory was the first in 40 years.
Thursday, 12.07.23
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KNOW YOUR vote:
Get to know your elected student officials by Dylan Hembrough Sydney Euchner Freshman Senator
Freshman Senator
Ben Cole
Prasheen Bijukchhe
Right out of high school, business administration major Sydney Euchner plans to use her own experience to help smooth the transition between high school and college for future SIUE students. “I was very involved in Student Council and stuff like that in school … so I wanted to continue to do that in college, and [Student Government] was kind of a gateway to that,” Euchner said. Euchner said part of what is unique about her job is that, as she works to help ease that high school transition into college, she is experiencing it herself. “Right now, we’re really focusing on mental health,” Euchner said. “As we work through that transition, we want to make sure mental health stays really strong and insecurity isn’t as widespread.” In her free time, Euchner said she does graphic design using programs such as Canva and Photoshop.
Physics major and Eagle Scout Ben Cole keeps an ear out for the conversation on campus in order to make college life easier for students, particularly freshmen. “I normally am planning things out, thinking, ‘What have I heard on campus? How can I make things better?’” Cole said. “So typically, I’m making lists and business plans like, ‘What do I want to do? What impact do I want to make on college? And how are we going to do that?’” Cole said Student Government seemed perfect after his leadership roles in the Boy Scouts and in high school. “My vision is the same as Sydney’s since we’re both on the same initiatives — just making transition easier, making sure that the mental health of the freshmen is really good, and making sure that all the students know what they have available to them and bring more to them,” Cole said. Cole said his hobbies include “anything nerdy.”
Nepalese graduate student Prasheen Bijukchhe envisions his position as a problem-solving bridge between the students and the administration. “I find that, being an international student, I used to be afraid to communicate anything with the school,” Bijukchhe said. “I was too afraid to go and talk to the department, so I thought that [other] people might be thinking that as well.” Bijukchhe said he has been working to organize a group where graduate students who have problems in school can come to air those grievances. “I want to be a clear bridge between our organization and students — whatever problems our students have,” Bijukchhe said. “I want to be involved heavily in student life and whatever problems they have.” Bijukchhe said he likes to travel and read, and is interested in inventing something with his electrical engineering knowledge.
Graduate Senator
Government errors may harm students filling out FAFSA SAM MUREN reporter
Growing concerns from inside the United States Congress and educational reporters are speaking to fears of mistakes made by the Department of Education and Federal Student Aid. In October, The Alestle reported that the Department of Education and FSA announced a revamping of the FAFSA for the 2024-25 application year to collaborate with the passing of the FAFSA Simplification Act. Now, new information has been released that has some experts concerned. In the Simplification Act, there are new amendments allowing for a percentage raise for multiple groups’ income protection allowance. However, there is also an amendment to accommodate the past few years of inflation. According to the FAFSA Simplification Act, “The FSA specifies that the codified IPA levels will be further adjusted for inflation between April 2020 and the April in the year prior to the award year.” According to sources at the Washington Post and WBUR-FM, the Department of Education and FSA have ignored this amendment for the 2024-25 application and will work that into the next application cycle. The government’s oversight, along with the multiple delays on the launch of the application process, have experts worried that students of average to higher-income families will not receive as much aid as in years’ past.
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lifestyles
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Graphic by T. Weltzin Header by Thea Weltzin
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or a holiday that falls in the new year, such as Eid and Ramadan or Chinese New Year, we wish you a warm holiday season. In the next four pages you will find a Metro East Eats featuring local cookies and staff cookie recipes. We also polled the SIUE community about holiday traditions and compiled a Headphone Jack for the season.
BRANDI SPANN copy editor This playlist is perfect for a snowy day playing board games or to throw on in the background while you read and sip on some cocoa.
‘A Marshmallow World’ Darlene Love An ode to the world when it’s blanketed in snow, this song is a celebration of mittens, scarves and mugs of warm chocolate. A time of the year that she waits for “all year round.”
‘Winter Wonderland,’ beabadoobee Backed by a symphony of strings and bells, beabadoobee hums along to the all-too-familiar melody of this holiday classic.
‘Love Me Or Leave Me,’ Nina Simone The piano and swinging cadence of her voice makes this track a joyful one for the holiday season.
‘Frosty The Snowman’ Ella Fitzgerald Fitzgerald’s jazzy cover of “Frosty The Snowman” will make you want to sway side-to-side. It’s a memorable and fun track for holiday shopping and cookie baking.
‘Christmas Breakfast’ Alexandre Desplat From Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of “Little Women,” Desplat’s soundtrack captures the magic of a slow, warm and love-filled snowy morning.
‘Yerushalayim - Live Version,’ Yerachmiel Begun & The Miami Boys Choir This is the perfect time of year for some choir music! Take some time to learn the dance with your families.
‘Like the Stars Shine,’ Canyon City This song captures the feeling of going for a walk through one’s hometown. At the end of the day, persistent love is all one has.
:
‘two queens in king sized bed,’ girl in red This song features a feel-good melody about keeping one another warm, safe and full of love on the cold Christmas mornings.
‘(I’m Spending) Hanukkah in Santa Monica’ Tom Lehrer A celebration of the warmth and the sun, Lehrer’s track is a fun crack at the wintery way we experience the holidays here in East St. Louis.
‘Merry Christmas Darling - Album Version/Remix,’ Carpenters When lovers are separated for the holidays, a longing to be reunited and a desire for quality time with one another becomes the Carpenters’ dream..
‘Love to Keep Me Warm’ Laufey, dodie Laufey’s sultry voice and dodie’s soft vocals are a recipe for the perfect smooth and cozy song.
‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Remastered 1999’ Frank Sinatra A classic, Sinatra’s melodic recording of this song captures a nostalgic feeling, the perfect soundtrack for a holiday party or an afternoon of crocheting. ‘When The River Meets The Sea,’ John Denver, The Muppets A fun track, The Muppets sing longingly of the passing of time and the greeting of old friends.
BUILD A GINGERBREAD HOUSE?
49%
*Percentage from 55 responses on an Instagram poll*
Find this playlist and more on The Alestle’s Spotify.
*Ranked by number of answers per movie*
1.
51%
‘Little Saint Nick - 1991 Remix’ The Beach Boys This feel-good track is a cute and upbeat song, perfect for finishing off the playlist with some finger-snapping and toe-tapping.
WHAT ARE SIUE’S TOP HOLIDAY MOVIES?
WOULD YOU RATHER... BUILD A SNOWMAN?
Songs for the season of joy and light
2. “National Lampoons Christmas Vacation” 3. “It’s a Wonderful Life” 4. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” 5. “Elf” 6. “Home Alone” 7. “Home Alone 2” 8. “A Christmas Story” 9. “Die Hard” 10. “Polar Express”
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Thursday, 12.07.23
Graphic by Thea Weltzin
The best way to ring in the holiday season is to celebrate with a sweet treat. We reviewed all types of cookies at local spots, from small town bakeries to local cookie chains. While the taste is the most important component, the perfect cookie also come with friendly service and a good price.
Eckert’s Bakery is the go-to for holiday cookies AUDREY O’RENIC sports editor
I Audrey O’Renic / The Alestle
Eckert’s Bakery, located in the Belleville Country Store, is a go-to place this holiday season for authentic homestyle pies, breads, muffins, and most importantly, cookies. I visited Eckert’s on a cold, rainy morning and was the only customer in the store. The service was phenomenal, and I was in and out within five minutes. I got the iced gingerbread cookie. While I’m not much of a fan of gingerbread, I chose this cookie because it looked cute. A single bite from this cookie changed the way I thought about gingerbread. Typically, I am used to stale, storebought gingerbread that hurts my teeth
when I try to take a bite. Eckert’s, however, delivers quality homemade gingerbread for $1.31 a cookie. This cookie had an initial crispiness but then became chewy as it melted on my tongue. The flavor was a bit sweet, with the spice of the cinnamon being the most prominent. The icing was an aesthetic addition, but it didn’t have much of an impact on the overall taste. In addition to baked goods, Eckert’s hosts various cookie-making classes, such as Christmas cookie decorating and gingerbread house-making workshops. Overall, if you don’t have time this holiday season or simply don’t know where to start, Eckert’s is the first place to visit with its delicious, inexpensive desserts.
Jan’s Naturals sells variety of contemporary cookies BRANDI SPANN copy editor
I Brandi Spann / The Alestle
The employee working the counter at Jan’s Naturals, a CBD marketplace and coffee shop in Maryville, instantly welcomed us to the shop and directed us to their display case of cookies. The case had a range of interesting flavors from salted dark chocolate pistachio to an apple cinnamon macaron. Each cookie costs $3.50. The snickerdoodle was a little bit dry and crumbly, but it had a strong flavor and the cinnamon was not overbearing. The best bite was the very center of the cookie. The honey cinnamon macaron was firm. It had a subtle flavor, making it hard to fully taste the honey. It
was very sweet and quite chewy, but still deliciously unique. The chocolate chip cookie was soft and moist. It was thicker than your average chocolate chip cookie, making it buttery and enjoyable to bite into. The red velvet cookie had both dark chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. It was exactly what you’d expect. I could taste the flour. It was thick, but not to a fault. The cookie tasted like it was homemade with love. The shop features stands from local vendors. There were mugs, handmade crochet projects, candles, glassware, soaps and so much more. I highly recommend stopping by Jan’s Naturals for some cookies and holiday shopping.
Neighbors Bakeshop: delicious cookie,community-oriented CHLOE WOLFE opinion editor
I Chloe Wolfe / The Alestle
Located about seven minutes from campus, Neighbors Bakeshop is a perfect place to get a sweet treat and support a good cause. Although the hours are a little inconvenient, as long as you can roll yourself out of bed by 1 p.m., this place is perfect if you’re craving just about anything sweet. While I specifically went here for a cookie, they had three cases full of other treats from mini cheesecakes to bagels. When I went, they only had a couple of cookies, including a few ‘Everything But the Kitchen Sink’ cookies, monster cookies and cosmic brownie cookies. This place is taken out of a millennial’s Pinterest board — which I normally wouldn’t like — but the person who was running the shop and the families
in the bakery made it seem homey. The person behind the counter was extremely helpful and incredibly nice. Going on their website, I learned that all employees are volunteers. I ended up going with the cosmic brownie cookie. I don’t really know if it could be defined as a cookie, but it was delicious. If you’ve ever had a cosmic brownie, you know it tastes very artificial and leaves you with the worst taste in your mouth. This cookie exceeded those expectations by miles. You could tell in one bite it was homemade and the aftertaste was actually pleasant. The price also wasn’t too bad — only $3.15 with a $1 tip. I would definitely recommend going to this bakery, especially since they donate all of the profits to “help families and individuals by funding various community impact projects.”
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Thursday, 12.07.23
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Duke Bakery: The go-to Alton choice for sweet delights OLIVIA WHITLOCK copy editor
I Olivia Whitlock / The Alestle
My entire family has been celebrating occasions with cakes from Duke’s since the 70s, but their cookies are not something I have personally gravitated toward in the past. Duke Bakery is a bit of a drive from campus, about 25 minutes. I went on a Friday afternoon, but it wasn’t busy, there was only one person ahead of me in line, so I had a moment to admire the fully-stocked display cases. Once it was my turn in line, I grabbed a dozen chocolate chip cookies for $8.31, but you could buy a single cookie for 72
cents. The cashier was friendly and swiftly packed up my cookies. The bakery only has outdoor seating since the store is fairly small but, unfortunately, it was raining, so I took my cookies to go. The cookie itself was thin and crispy but not hard — very lightweight and not overly sweet. It had a great flavor. It would be the perfect cookie if the center was a bit more chewy and maybe had a pinch more salt. While I usually prefer other desserts when I go to Duke’s, I think I will add their chocolate chip cookies to my treat rotation.
The Cup may be known for cupcakes, but serves great cookies MICHAL KATE CASTLEMAN reporter The Cup, a cupcake bakery located in Edwardsville, has all the makings of an expensive, high-end bakery, but without the high price. When I went inside The Cup, I was greeted with an all-white interior with gold accents on their logo and furniture. There were two bar-height tables along with several smaller tables and a coffee bar for customers. I would describe the atmosphere as very “Instagram-friendly,” but in the best way. I thought The Cup would be similar to other high-end suburban bakeries I have visited in the past. While the store has an expensive appearance, the options were remarkably affordable. Along with various cupcake flavors, The Cup sells cakes, frosting and double-decker cookies, which was buttercream I Michal Kate Castleman / The Alestle frosting sandwiched between two oatmeal
chocolate chip cookies. The service was welcoming; you could tell each product was handmade by the employees, as the store provided a view of the kitchen I ordered a singular frosted sugar cookie, one of the two cookie options on the menu. The cookie was decorated with buttercream frosting and rainbow sprinkles. The Cup proves that a high price doesn’t always mean higher quality; while the price for one Crumbl cookie is $4.25, The Cup sold their sugar cookie for $2.45, and I would argue that The Cup served a better cookie. The cookie was hands-down one of the best cookies I have ever had from a bakery. The Cup is known for its award-winning buttercream frosting, and it did not disappoint. I would visit The Cup again in the future.
Alibi Cookies: A fun warm treat for cold winter days FRANCESCA BOSTON lifestyles editor
I Francesca Boston / The Alestle
Alibi Cookies, which are served warm, are a bit smaller and pricier than I would have liked, but a wonderful treat. The shop, which is part of a local chain, felt a bit industrial, but not unwelcoming. I went in on a Sunday evening, and I was one of two customers in the shop. The shop had a small seating area to the side, but I chose to make my cookies to-go. I ordered three cookies, double-chocolate, red velvet, and smores. The total for all three plus a tip came to just over $5 with each cookie costing less than $2 each. The cookies were a bit small for being nearly $2, but delicious. The cookies are served warm, adding an extra layer of deliciously, especially
when eating them on a cold, wet, winter night. The double chocolate was rich and buttery, as well as being sweet without being overwhelming. It had a good amount of warm, melted chocolate chips in the center which only upped the experience. I found both the red velvet and smores cookies to be a bit too sweet for my taste, but still quite tasty. The s’mores were a bit plainer, relying heavily on the marshmallows to carry the cookie. The red-velvet cookie was less soft than the other two, and its main flavor was sweet, but the warm white chocolate chips were a nice touch. The server at the counter was wonderful, very attentive and kind. She took my order and got my cookies quickly, and I was in and out of the store in less than five minutes, which was nice as someone with a busy schedule.
Morris University Center Cookies: A grab-and-go delight MATTHEW WOLDEN copy editor
I Matthew Wolden / The Alestle
The Morris University Center cookies are perfect for students here at SIUE as both a snack and something that students can easily get their hands on and they are baked on campus. One of the cookies I tried was the huge chocolate chip cookie for $1.99 next to the check out area and on the brownie rack. The outer crust is crunchy and delightful and the center is chewy and delicious. I also tried a sugar cookie. The icing
was solid on the cookie, but the entire cookie was easy to bite through. The icing gave the cookie a more smooth texture and was quite a sweet tasting treat at the price of $2.50 for three cookies. Lastly, I tried a snickerdoodle. I only grabbed a single one costing $0.90. It was soft and melted in your mouth while being a perfect amount of sweet. All the cookies are under $3, making them affordable for students with and without a meal plan. Simply stop by the MUC for a sweet, affordable treat.
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Thursday, 12.07.23
Collinsville’s Kruta Bakery: The Hallmark of holiday cookies THEA WELTZIN illustrator
I Chloe Wolfe / The Alestle
If you want a festive and inexpensive holiday cookie, look no further than Kruta Bakery. Kruta Bakery is the prime example of a cookie shop from a holiday movie. Upon entering a delightful ambiance complete with a well-kept ‘60s vibe, I was greeted with the intricate and floral holiday decorations one would expect from a Hallmark movie. Not only that, but I was greeted with the smell of freshly baked pastries, cookies and cakes. Even though
I walked in 10 minutes prior to closing, they still were stocking shelves with freshly decorated cakes. I ordered a classic holiday sugar cookie, which was only 68 cents. The cookie itself was very lovely for a cheap sugar cookie, as it wasn’t dry and had an assertive taste that reminded me of watching movies in the warmth of my grandma’s basement. The lovely women working at this time were very caring and nice. They made sure to double check our order, and they waved and wished us a good night as we left.
Find our staff’s family holiday cookie recipes FRANCESCA BOSTON lifestyles editor If you want to make your own holiday cookies, we have complied a list of recipes for you. Members of The Alestle’s staff have shared recipes from their friends, families, and the personal recipes they enjoy during
the holiday. Some are recipes that have been passed down through generations. Others are newer recipes created in the last few years. Some recipes are no-bake. Others require a stove. There is a recipe for everyone. A couple of our favorite, personal recipes include Lemon Cookies, Buck-
eye’s and Nana’s Butter Cookies. Feel free to share a family cookie or treat recipe with The Alestle in the comments of the community recipe page. Tell us where the recipe came from or how the recipe is important to you and your family. We wish you a wonderful and delicious holiday season. The QR code will redirect you to The Alestle’s website.
O H L I Y D P A P Y A S H
The Alestle staff wishes the SIUE community a wonderful holiday season filled with love, light and joy
OPINION
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DYLAN HEMBROUGH Editor-in-Chief
BRUCE DARNELL Managing Editor
FRANCESCA BOSTON Lifestyles Editor
AUDREY O’RENIC Sports Editor
UDIT NALUKALA Multimedia Editor
CHLOE WOLFE Opinion Editor
HANNAH LEFORD Podcast Producer
Grace Gentemann Tyson Hicks Michal Kate Castleman Sam Muren Reporters
Matthew Wolden Brandi Spann Olivia Whitlock
Illustrator
Rameshwar Gundem
Circulation Manager Meghan Fosnock Damon Fowler
Front Desk Clerks
Copy Editors
Shoba Swar Advertising Manager
Maximilian Lenhart
Tammy Merrett
Pedro Henrique G-M Program Director Photographers
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Office Manager
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The name Alestle is an acronym derived from the names of the three campus locations of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville: Alton, East St. Louis and Edwardsville. The Alestle is published on Thursdays in print and on Tuesdays online during the fall and spring semesters. A print edition is available every other Wednesday during summer semesters. For more information, call 618-650-3528 For advertising, email advertising@alestlelive.com
‘Tis the season to be quiet in the library As finals week looms, it’s natural to expect heavy traffic in Lovejoy Library. The downside to the crowded space is the number of people who feel comfortable having loud conversations while others are studying. While on campus tours, potential SIUE students are told the first floor of the Lovejoy Library is a good space for conversation, while the second and third floors
are quieter environments for studying. Once the semester starts, the library’s volume rules become an unspoken and understood agreement. Awareness of the rules is necessary, especially when students will be going in and out of the library all week. Those who decide to play music, maintain loud conversations and take phone calls on the quieter floors of the library are being extremely disrespectful to those around them. This impolite
behavior is harmful to students who are working hard to achieve ideal grades. One might argue that volume is not a problem because most students wear headphones to block out noise while they study, but you should never force someone to adapt because of your lack of common courtesy. Students who regularly use the second and third floors of the library are aware of the rules and go there for quiet study, so they may not feel that it is necessary to
wear headphones. If you want to be loud while you work, you are welcome to use the first floor of the library or other public study spaces, such as the Student Success Center. In the future, Lovejoy Library should consider putting up signs to enforce the volume rule so students are aware before entering the library. Remember students: We’re all going through the same thing this week. Be kind. Be courteous. And please be quiet in the library.
Our hearts were heavy on Oct. 7 when Hamas terrorists attacked a musical festival along with several residential towns in Israel, murdering more than 1,200 innocent civilians, torturing and raping men and women and kidnapping hundreds more. Their victims include rightwing and left-wing Israelis, Israeli peace activists and children, Holocaust survivors and festival-goers, Jews and Gentiles, citizens, visitors and foreign workers. Diasporan Jews who found refuge in our ancestral homeland — who sought freedom from a historic cycle of ethnic cleansing, still unsafe. Dead. Captured. Our dread and fear were palpable when, instead of this calamity being universally condemned, hateful extremists organized on and off the streets, glorifying Hamas terrorism with posters featuring Hamas paragliders, chanting, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a genocidal call to wipe Israel and its Jewish citizens off the map.
These antisemitic calls for ethnic cleansing are all too familiar, but now also all too close in proximity of time and space. Our grief grew when Israel’s campaign to root out Hamas expanded the death count, humans dead, suffering expanded. Our anger grew when religious extremists took advantage of the situation to terrorize Palestinian families in the West Bank, a direct attack on Israel’s founding commitment to “freedom, justice and peace.” Families and loved ones, Palestinian civilians caught up in the middle of the Israel-Hamas war, dead. Homes, communities and infrastructure were destroyed. Our hearts are heavy at this tragic and unforgivable loss of human life. In Judaism, the most sacred value, above all others, is the sanctity of life. We feel compassion and fear for our Israeli brethren, and we feel compassion and fear for our Palestinian cousins. Both are human and deserving of humanity. We also personally feel and witness the rising manifestations
of hatred — Islamophobia, anti-Arab oppression and antisemitism — in our local communities and throughout the U.S. as a whole. What is the answer to this heartache? To this absence of peace? How can we respond? What can we do with our collective grief? Theodor Herzl, a founder of Zionism, once wrote, “If you will it, it is no dream.” The progressive Zionist ethos is one of self-determination, of claiming agency and making our own futures as we want them to be. Zionism means we don’t absolve ourselves of responsibility and leave the future in G-d’s hands. It is not enough to want peace, to pray for peace or to hope for human dignity, security and prosperity for all Israelis and all Palestinians. We must make it into existence. And we can, if we do it together. We can, if we seek to understand each other’s sufferings, each other’s stories, each other’s histories, each other’s identities,
each other’s lives. We ask the SIUE community to join us, Jewish staff and faculty at SIUE, in striving for peace and in supporting two states for two peoples. Join us in calling out antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab sentiment and actions when it is in our organizations, social movements and communities. We must educate ourselves about how these systems of oppression manifest and about our own biases. We must reject narratives that erase any peoples. We must seek understanding, choosing our words and actions with empathy, heart and compassion.
THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board
Letter to Editor: Jewish faculty call for peace
Ezra Temko, Asst. Professor Dept. of Sociology Charles Berger, Professor Dept. of English Ariel Belasen, Professor Dept. of Economics and Finance Belinda Carstens-Wickham, Professor Emeritus Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literature
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Women’s basketball leaves NIU Huskies with tail between their legs BRUCE DARNELL managing editor Keeping a strong 10-point lead for most of the game, the Cougars were easily able to win their fourth home game of the season against Northern Illinois University. Less than a minute into the match, the Cougars were able to score a 3-pointer, illustrating their immediate aggression against the Huskies. Head Coach Sam Smith said the team has been getting better with their starts each match. “To be able to put together one of the best starts in our three years here as a staff from a quarter standpoint was really awesome,” Smith said. “You have to come into every quarter with energy and life, not just on the offense but with defense as well.” The Cougars’ lead early in the game slowly began to fade as the Huskies started to close the gap, but this was quickly shut down as the Cougars consistently made 3-pointers, bringing the score to a safe 20-9. This momentum was maintained for almost the entire game, but in the second quarter, the Huskies were almost able to take over as they closed in from
27-17 to tie the score at 34-34. This was the closest the Huskies came to beating the Cougars during the match. The Cougars were able to keep the Huskies from overtaking them before the second quarter ended, getting a few layups and free throws in as the clock wound down. Before the buzzer, the Cougars created a small safety net for themselves with a score of 43-37. Once halftime ended, the Cougars came back onto the court with the same aggression they began the match with, getting five points in under a minute. Grad Student Guard KK Rodriguez was at the center of the aggression the entire match, scoring 34 points for the Cougars. “My teammates are really good at finding me,” Rodriguez said. “We pride ourselves on being an unselfish team, so who am I to try and take on five people when I have people open and I know they can knock them out everytime?” Freshman Guard Ava Stoller defined this selflessness as she provided a firm backbone for the team, collecting eight rebounds and five assists. “Finding those teammates that are great shooters makes it
SIUE graduate guard KK Rodriguez (33) tries to find a gap in the Northern Illinois defense in the 89-79 win Nov. 3. | Maximilian Lenhart / The Alestle easy for me,” Stoller said. “When I pick, [NIU] has to stay on their shooters and then it opens up the lane for me and everybody can score.”
The Cougars’ aggression didn’t stop for the rest of the night, and they were able to easily maintain their lead for the last two quarters
of the match. The final score was 89-79. Their next home match will be against Harris-Stowe University Dec. 20.
Maryville hands SIUE loss in weekend hockey series SAM MUREN reporter The rematch versus Maryville University resulted in back-to-back losses for SIUE Hockey on Saturday and Sunday at East Alton Ice Arena. After Thanksgiving break, the Cougars returned to action for a rematch against the Saints. SIUE lost to Maryville in a home-andhome series on Nov. 9 and 11. The Cougars lost both games 2-1 in overtime, including their first home loss. Both games in this series were at East Alton Ice Arena. SIUE was 8-0-1 coming into their rematch with the Saints with hopes of maintaining their dominant home record. Unfortunately for the Cougars, Maryville came to play in this series. The Saints won both games against SIUE with a score of 5-2. Maryville also won the day before their series with the Cougars to clean sweep the weekend. On Saturday, the Cougars seemed to come out flat in the first period and were not able to recover from it. Senior goalie Brendan Rasch gave them a fighting chance but neither he or the team could contain the push of Maryville’s offense. The team just could not overcome the deficit and fell in the end. In the next game, the Cougars gave everything to fight for a win but ultimately fell short.
The first period continued to be a struggle for SIUE, aside from two spectacular saves on one-timer opportunities for Maryville. The Cougars were severely outplayed. SIUE was unable to get a clean breakout of their zone, and they had multiple defensive giveaways that led to scoring chances for the Saints. Late in the first period, the Cougars killed off a penalty, but quickly after, Maryville converted on an offensive opportunity to go up 1-0 at the first intermission. SIUE had been outshot 23-4 in the first period alone. The Cougars woke up a bit in the second period and had their best moments of the game throughout it. SIUE managed to move the puck out of their zone and into the offensive zone for multiple stretches in the second period. Eventually, junior forward Kaleb Harrop scored on a set-up play to tie the game. Despite the goal and now a tie game, the Cougars fell back into their old habits of the first period. They were hemmed in the defensive zone and gave the puck up one too many times. The Saints eventually made them pay with a goal to recapture the lead, 2-1. While SIUE may have been down in goals, they managed to keep the shots close, only getting outshot 18-14 at the end of the second period.
Maryville had 41 shots at this point in the game. SIUE started the third period out strong; they managed to get some offensive pressure, which led them to a goal. This goal came from freshman forward Justin Shouse to again tie the game, this time at two. Shortly after the goal, the Cougars had gone on a penalty kill when they took a second penalty just 18 seconds into the kill. It was now a 5-on-3 penalty kill for nearly two minutes. Right off the faceoff, senior forward Brendan Sommer outskated the Maryville defender for a breakaway but failed to score. Not long after, Maryville was back in the Cougars’ zone and scored to make the game 3-2 with a minute to kill on the second penalty. Maryville did not waste time as they scored again on the power play to go up 4-2. Then madness took over. Senior forward Drew Parres took a penalty while on a power play for SIUE. After moments of discussion among the referees, Parres was ejected from the game. This caused an uproar in the stands and also from the SIUE coaching staff. The official then ejected SIUE Assistant Coach Joey Skelton after some heated deliberation over the call to eject Parres. Cougar fans were upset with the official and began yelling and boo-
SIUE forward Kaleb Harrop processes his team’s 2-3 overtime loss against Maryville University Nov. 12. | Maximilian Lenhart / The Alestle ing them for the rest of the game. SIUE Head Coach Tyler Elbrecht was also very visibly frustrated. What was once a Cougars power play was now a Maryville 4-on-3 power play. The Saints capitalized on their third consecutive power play to go up 5-2 in the game. From there, both teams were very chippy on every shift. There were multiple big hits, and there seemed to be lots of trash-talking in
between every whistle. In the end, SIUE lost their second in a row to Maryville, who outshot 51-25, and outscored 5-2. The Cougars are 0-2-2 against the Saints and have seen the last of them for now. SIUE is still 8-2-1 at home and now 9-10-3 on the season as a whole. The homestand will continue for the Cougars next weekend on Dec. 8 and 9 back at East Alton Ice Arena.