Humane Society of Southern Illinois permanently close its doors
Alli GoerinG AGoerinG@dAilyeGyptiAn com
The Humane Society of Southern Illinois served the Jackson County community for nearly 70 years. They announced that they will end all animal intake though they will be continuing their mission to support animal welfare. A press release was put out containing this information.
In February, the county board had been given notice that The Humane Society of Southern Illinois would be closing because they are the animal control facility of Jackson County.
HSSI announced on July 30 to the public that the shelter would be permanently closing on Aug. 1. They are no longer taking animals into the shelter and they are currently working on relocating animals.
The county faces overpopulation with stray, hurt and running at large animals. The humane society was a place where those animals could go. They were also in charge of animal control for the county.
“Closing the shelter was a hard decision to make. Many things contributed to this decision. Although we are closing the shelter, we are committed to finding placements for the animals that are still at the shelter,” HSSI board member Casey Parker said.
The county board met on Tuesday, Aug. 20 for their monthly meeting and the closing of the Humane Society was discussed. The Public Safety Committee members of the board are working to find a new
Board President of the Humane Society of Southern Illinois, Lisa Potter, checks on dogs in their kennels August 30, 2024 at Humane Society of Southern Illinois in Murphysboro, Illinois. Libby Phelps | @libbyphelpsphotography
animal control center. This group is made up of seven members and brings their decisions to the full board for voting.
“I know the public wants us to act immediately, but it’s not that easy to act like that. Any animals that we do have to take, any injured bite dog, reckless dog or vicious dog, we do have arrangements for those dogs to be taken in,” District 1 Board
Member Tonya Krust said.
The Public Safety Committee is currently working on finding a center for animal control for Jackson County.
“We just have to, by law, take care of whatever we’re required to by a law. Now we are weighing options of purchasing something. We are weighing the options of leasing
HUMANE SOCIETY | 5
Lot 11 closure disrupts student commuters
AnnAlise schmidt
Aschmidt@dAilyeGyptiAn com
As construction crews reshape the landscape at SIU, students find themselves navigating an unexpected challenge: the closure of Lot 11, a high-traffic commuter lot.
Just as students were preparing to return to campus, they received an email on August 13 announcing the closure of Lot 11, the red decal student
commuter lot east of the Student Center, due to the construction of the Tedrick Welcome Center.
The new building on campus, named after Roger and Sally Tedrick in recognition of their $6 million donation, was proposed to the SIU Board of Trustees’ committee in April 2023. The building was approved and is now in the process of being built.
In the Aug. 13 email to students,
the parking division wrote, “As you prepare to return to campus for the fall semester, it is our pleasure to share some exciting news. On Thursday, Aug. 15, Southern Illinois University Carbondale and the SIU Foundation will prepare to build the Tedrick Welcome Center.”
Their announcement highlighted aspects of the new project and its
SIU Leadership bonuses spark debate: Students and alumni weigh in on financial priorities
AnnAlise schmidt Aschmidt@dAilyeGyptiAn com
Recent salary increases and performance bonuses awarded to key SIU administrators have generated mixed reactions among students and alumni.
On July 11, members of the SIU Board of Trustees voted unanimously to increase the salary of Associate Vice Chancellor Wendell Williams, while Chancellor Austin Lane and System President Daniel Mahony received bonuses.
Williams was promoted to Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management, a title change that came with a salary increase. Previously earning $165,000, his salary was raised to $185,203, a change Lane recommended due to Williams’ responsibilities in managing enrollment and strategic planning.
SIU Board of Directors Chairman, Phil Gilbert, said, “Williams is a strong leader for SIU. His strategic work and leadership have led to impressive improvements in student enrollment at SIU Carbondale. SIUC experienced the largest increase in enrollment in over 20 years last year and expect to have an increase this year as well. This is all happening at a time when most other universities are struggling with enrollment…Promoting Williams to a vice chancellor role increases his scope of work and gives him more of an
opportunity to make a positive impact.”
Meanwhile, Lane and Mahony received bonuses as incentives for their work. The incentive compensation is included in both administrators’ contracts with the university. While the condition allows for annual performance bonuses, it does not mandate that they be awarded.
Lane and Mahony were also offered the option to comment on student and alumni opinion, but they have not yet responded to the matter. Gilbert speaks on behalf of them and the Board of Trustees.
“These bonuses are outlined in their employment contracts and are tied to meeting strategic goals agreed to by the board,” Gilbert said.
Gilbert explained that the board evaluates executive leader performance annually to determine if their accomplishments in the past year align with the system’s goals.
“If they don’t meet the performance goals, they don’t receive a bonus,” he said. “The bonuses for these and other employees have been critical in improving retention and that has been correlated with improved performance,” Gilbert said.
Lane was awarded the full $65,000 bonus allowed in his contract based on his performance during the past year, and Mahony was awarded the full $115,000 bonus.
“The SIU Board of Trustees
3
approved performance bonuses for Chancellor Lane and President Mahony based on their annual performance evaluations, which were both strong,” Gilbert said. “Most notably on their accomplishments – SIU Carbondale’s strong enrollment increases and record setting fundraising by the foundations in the last year. It’s important to point out that these bonuses are not funded with taxpayer dollars; the bonuses are funded by the SIU Foundation.”
Fern Lilley, an SIU student majoring in history and philosophy, said he “was appalled” when he first heard about the leadership compensation. Lilley’s concerns extended to broader budget priorities as well as how these decisions seem disconnected from student needs and struggles.
Lilley said, “I’ve been at SIUC for about three years and have seen very little change. The History Fair almost didn’t happen last year, and it’s little things like that which actually get more students – not bonuses for those already making six figures.”
He also emphasized how ongoing budget constraints have negatively impacted academic programs, leading to reduced resources and missed opportunities for student enrichment.
“Enrollment may be up, but departments are suffering. COLA (College of Liberal Arts) just received a merge of departments in advisement, doubling the workload of some of the advisors. The History department is hurting for money…This is not good performance, it’s good money making,” Lilley said.
The Daily Egyptian surveyed 389 anonymous people who self-identified themselves as students, faculty, alumni and community members, finding that many share similar sentiments. Among the 58 students surveyed, 70.9% strongly disagreed with the decision to increase Williams’ salary and award performance bonuses to Lane and Mahony. An additional 17.2% somewhat disagreed. Meanwhile, only 12.1% of students expressed at least some level of agreement with the decision.
For students like Lilley, financial aid and department funding are more pressing needs.
“I’m a stay-at-home parent receiving financial aid, and I barely afford this education,” he said. “More funding directly to departments would help teachers assist students in saving money.”
He added that greater financial support for departments could alleviate some of the burdens faced by students, and a need for more direct investment in educational resources rather than administrative bonuses.
Austin Peppers, a prospective SIU student, said, “It seems more and more money is spent lining the pockets of administrators rather than helping prospective students afford tuition, or even lowering the cost of tuition.”
Peppers said that it is very discouraging to see money being given to self-serving people rather than put into academics.
“As a prospective student, it’s beyond concerning that administration is more focused on getting more for themselves, rather than seeing how the school could be made more affordable and how more scholarship opportunities could be given,” Peppers said. “I am struggling to find an affordable, quality university to find, yet these folks can keep being
given more than they need.”
Lilley said, “The most important factor here is student, faculty and staff voices in order to create a more ethical environment. These bonuses have shown me that the administration doesn’t care about my education. If I was a student who had the ability to learn somewhere else, I would.”
In the survey, students were asked, “How do you perceive the impact of these salary increases and performance bonuses on the overall morale and motivation of faculty members?” The results were as follows:
• 43.9% of students reported that the salary increases and performance bonuses had a very negative impact.
• 36.8% of students reported that the salary increases and performance bonuses had a somewhat negative impact.
• 7% of students reported the salary increases and performance bonuses had no impact.
• 7% of students reported the salary increases and performance bonuses had a somewhat positive impact.
• 5.3% of students reported the salary increases and performance bonuses had a very positive impact.
Lilley also questioned the fairness and justification of the bonuses. Earlier this year, Chancellor Lane was a finalist for a leadership position at the University of New Mexico, raising concerns among some about his long-term commitment to SIU.
“In the long run, extravagant salaries and needless bonuses funnel money away from the college and are completely unethical and wasteful,” Lilley said. “Bonuses to lower workers would be plausible. Those who are already making enough money and even tried to leave to work somewhere else, shouldn’t be bought off. If the Chancellor doesn’t want to work at SIU then why would we give them extra money?”
Riley Hemken, a senior majoring in exercise training, offered a different perspective.
She said, “I heard about the salary increases in July, and I wasn’t surprised, given Chancellor Lane’s recent opportunity to leave for New Mexico State University. It feels appropriate from both a competitive salary standpoint and as recognition for SIU’s enrollment increase over the last four years.”
Regarding leadership performance, Hemken added, “From my perspective as a student, there are some areas that will always seem to be lacking and that is what mid-major schools will always face. While it’s easy as a student to complain about parking, dining hall food or staff, Chancellor Lane and his fellow leaders have done very well with what they have.”
She said that leadership may be working behind the scenes on issues that students do not always see.
“I think a lot of students and staff underestimate how many things our leadership may be trying to improve, and they are unable to meet the request of every student and their qualms,” Hemken said.
Hemken also said that resources should be more balanced.
“Yes, some areas desperately need attention, but funding often follows the profitability of each college,” she said.
When asked about the impact of leadership compensation on the student experience, Hemken said, “Money equals motivation. I believe that these
raises and bonuses will have a catalytic effect on improvements for our school or future classes. It may be a while before the effects trickle down to each college and classroom but nonetheless, they are coming.”
She said the hopes are that, if leadership is more incentivized, they will continue to put forth their best intentions and efforts to make the university better one step at a time.
“I think the future of SIU will be impacted as we have already seen SIU grow. There are more installments on campus for students such as the updates to the REC, student housing changes and much more. Again, current students may not see the changes due to how long they may take but things are improving,” Hemken said.
Alumni responses provide additional context on how these decisions are perceived.
Survey results reveal a mixed reaction among the 54 surveyed alumni. Of alumni who responded, 42.6% strongly disagree with the board’s decision to award the raise and bonuses to leadership, and 16.7% somewhat disagree, expressing concern about the allocation of funds. Meanwhile, 24.1% strongly agree, and 11.1% somewhat agree, sharing beliefs that the increases are justified by the progress and stability achieved under the current leadership. 5.6% of surveyed alumni took a neutral stance on the question.
Sam Donets, an SIU alumni who earned a bachelor’s degree in Radio TV in 2012 and a master’s degree in Sport Administration in 2014, expressed support for the board’s decision, noting that the university seems to be stabilizing after a period of uncertainty.
“If it means a higher salary for them to keep them happy and at SIU for an extended period of time, pay them. It’s worth the investment,” Donets said.
He commended the Board of Trustees for investing in administrators who have demonstrated progress and success.
“For the first time since Interim Chancellor [Samuel] Goldman, I’ve felt confident that the school is heading in the right direction,” Donets said.
Goldman served as SIU Interim Chancellor from 2008 to 2010.
Donets also highlighted Lane’s efforts to stabilize the institution and improve its reputation.
“Chancellor Lane has made it a priority to make sure the school is stable and that the student body is actually proud of attending their university… SIU finally has leadership in place that’s worth the money, proven by the fact that other schools are trying to poach our leaders,” he said.
However, Donets also suggested areas for further improvement. He called for more attention to faculty salaries, pointing out that some faculty compensation does not seem to align with program performance.
He said, “During my time at SIU, I was confused as to why certain faculty members were making a certain salary, but yet the program they were a part of was still rated as below average or mediocre compared to our MVC peers.”
Additionally, Donets advocated for increased investment in the university’s athletics programs.
“Overall, the school needs to invest more in its athletics programs. The ROI of playing in the NCAA tournament is proven to be the biggest marketing tool in the nation for prospective students. Get the Dawgs back to the tourney and
more prospective students will not only consider SIU, but enroll,” Donets said.
Responding to the feedback from the Daily Egyptian survey, Gilbert said that SIU competes for employees on a national level, especially for their top leaders. SIU’s human resources team establishes a range for all university positions with the goal of being competitive in the market.
In the survey, students and alumni were asked, “In your opinion, how important are salary increases/ performance bonuses for university officials in relation to their performance and contributions?” The results were as follow:
STUDENTS:
•22.4% reported they are somewhat important
•12.1% reported they are very important
•19.0% reported they are somewhat unimportant
•19.0% reported they are very unimportant
•27.6% reported neutral
ALUMNI:
•25.9% reported they are somewhat important
•35.2% reported they are very important
•7.4% reported they are somewhat unimportant
•11.1% reported they are very unimportant
•20.4% reported neutral
“In [Williams] becoming a vice chancellor, the scope of his area expanded since his appointment in 2020. The vice chancellor title more appropriately characterizes his level of work and is in line with other universities with vice chancellors over strategic enrollment management
areas,” Gilbert said.
He reported that Williams’ salary was increased to appropriately reflect the duties and title of a vice chancellor of enrollment position. However, Gilbert said his salary is still below the national median in a role like this by over 20%.
According to Gilbert, when it comes to the budget, SIU believes in prioritizing fair, competitive wages for all employees based on the jobs they are doing to move the system forward.
“We need to be competitive in what we pay our leaders, faculty and staff in order to retain and attract top talent,” he said. “However, as is the case with Mr. Williams, our top leaders are generally behind the median of those in similar positions at other universities because we are balancing competitive compensation with the university’s financial health.”
The proposal to change Williams’ title and salary, as well as Mahony and Lane’s evaluation letter, can be found in the Board of Trustees agenda from July 11.
Gilbert said, “The board works to fairly evaluate our administrators on a regular basis; we do not evaluate the performance bonuses of our leaders through an anonymous survey. These leaders are under contract, but they are required to achieve performance goals that are set each year. If they aren’t hitting the goals, they’re not entitled to this incentive pay.
“SIU is committed to strong ethical standards,” he said. “We always welcome public input, though the board is committed to making decisions that are in the best interest of the university system as a whole.”
Staff reporter Annalise Schmidt can be reached at aschmidt@dailyegyptian.com
Charts created by Annalise Schmidt in Microsoft Excel.
From sci-fi to horror, SIU staff member makes his mark on the literary world
Carly Gist CGist@dailyeGyptian Com
Jason Nugent has been many things–a writer, a teacher, a history buff, a sales manager, a father and a husband. The one thing he claims he hasn’t been, however, is a murderer.
“I don’t kill people, let’s start with that,” he said with a laugh. “But [you write about] the things that you’re familiar with.”
Nugent is a multi-genre, self-published author native to southern Illinois. Between two pen names, he has written more than twenty books in fantasy, sci-fi and horror.
“In a lot of my books, they’re set in cities I know,” he said. “A lot of them are set in southern Illinois, actually. I know southern Illinois, you know? I live here, I know these towns, and so that is something that I do bring to it.”
He said relationships and people he meets throughout his life also “will often come through as aspects of characters.”
“A character may not be entirely a person you know but it might be part of that person,” he said. “Let’s say you’re writing a high fantasy. You don’t know any orcs or elves, right? But some of the personalities of people you know can kind of filter their way into some of your characters or some situations.”
One of the first books Nugent wrote is titled “The Selection.” The first of his “The Forgotten Chronicles” trilogy, he describes the book as “The Hunger Games,” but in space. He wrote the book with solely his son in mind.
“He used to read a lot until he discovered video games, and then he didn’t really read much and I was trying to figure out what I wanted to write next. I was like, ‘You know what, I’m gonna write a book for my son that I think he’s gonna like,’ and so I kind of created this concept.”
He shocked his son with a proof copy of the book and a dedication.
“He was really surprised by all of that, because I didn’t really tell him I was doing that,” he said. “And so he didn’t play video games for two nights; he read the book. And he got to the end and was like, ‘What is this? I want to know more.’ So I actually made it into a three-book series.”
Nugent’s passion for writing began his freshman year at Southern Illinois University.
“I was in English class and we had to do…some essay about what we did over the summer, and I wrote it [from] the perspective of my best friend whose girlfriend had broken up with him just after we graduated high school,” he said. “They’d been together for a couple of years, so I wrote it from his perspective about how my summer was, so [it] was a very different take on it, and it was just a lot of fun and very creative. And that’s kind of what got me started.”
But Nugent failed that class. He didn’t turn in most of his work, and he went on to focus on a history degree instead of creative writing.
“I just never put any effort into trying to write, and then eventually a friend of mine at a previous job convinced me, ‘Hey, you liked this, do it. Just try it.’ And so I did, and here I am,” he said.
Nugent kick-started his career as an author writing fantasy and science-fiction. The books were published under Jason J. Nugent. When he transitioned over to the horror genre, he began writing under a pen name, which he prefers not to share.
“So I started releasing books under my name, but I’ve always, always, always loved horror, like the first stuff I read was a Stephen King book,” he said. “I watched a ton of
horror movies like that’s what I was always into. But when I decided I wanted to really write that now, that’s what I wanted to focus on, I split the names.”
He said he did so for two reasons.
“The first one is the marketing side of it,” he said. “It’s with Amazon. If you look up someone’s book, on the bottom underneath that it’ll have ‘you might like these books.’ You want those to be the same genre…You don’t want to confuse the system…So [from] a marketing perspective, if you just change a name, it treats it as something completely different, so there’s no crossover. Horror will just be shown to other horror and the fantasy and sci-fi will only be showing fantasy and sci-fi, so it splits that way.”
The other reason was to protect his family’s reputation.
“My wife does play the piano at our church. You know, they might not take too kindly to a horror author, and really more than just that on my family side,” he said. “When I first started writing [horror], my son was still, he might have been in junior high. I didn’t want him or my wife to catch any kind of flak from those that have a bias against horror… By changing the name, that kept them out of that connection, that public eye if you will, so that way you kind of protect them a little bit.”
He said he believes horror and “steamy romance” authors often have to use pseudonyms to avoid the negative connotations associated with their work.
“A lot of times [people] may be friendly to you face-to-face, but then the moment they find out you write horror, and they find out it’s like really bloody, gory stuff, they’re like ‘you must be an evil person,’” he said. “I’m just a guy. There’s nothing different about me.”
Nugent’s statement is reflected in his persona. He was the one to kick our discussion off, asking me about school and my hometown and my future goals as we took the elevator to the third floor of Morris Library.
From the outside, the SIU Press Office is a large closed-space behind a circulation desk and cardboard cutouts of Delyte Morris. From the inside, it’s an open-space filled with bookshelves of what Nugent recalled was everything the SIU Press ever printed. A giant conference table consumes the middle of the room, and small office spaces are divided by shelves and desks.
Nugent’s office is tiny but well-kept. He has books neatly laid down on the end of his desk, horror Funko Pops atop of his cabinets and laminated photos of his book covers plastered to the wall above.
After a brief tour, he assured me the floor was a collaborative space rather than a quiet zone, and we began our conversation at a table outside of the office. He spoke about his role as the marketing and sales manager, and said the job has been very beneficial to him as an independent author.
“I got into the marketing side of things because I published my own fiction,” he said.
“I’ve been doing that for six to eight years, something like that, and so I’ve been learning on the go for myself on how to market and publish books, and so that helped me to transition over to this position where I’m working with a traditional publisher to help market and sell their books.”
He also taught himself to use the program InDesign.
“That’s what I use to create marketing flyers and other marketing materials and things like
that,” he said. “I’ve been able to use that for my personal things like…at SalukiCon, I had those sheets at the table that had all the book covers on it. I did all of that with InDesign.”
While many authors begin their creative process with a specific routine, Nugent takes a unique approach to his craft.
“Each book has been very different,” he said. “I’ve done like a full outline before, I’ve done no outline, I’ve done somewhere in the middle. It’s usually somewhere in the middle that I find I’ll have an idea…so I kind of know the basic plot point, and then I kind of start filling it in and decide like kind of the start and the end, and then I kind of write everything else. I don’t really do much of an outline. If I do any kind of outline it’s usually like a sentence maybe…just some guidelines to give me an idea on where I want to go from point A to point B. It never follows that path, but that at least gives me some direction when I get started.”
Throughout his career, Nugent has had the opportunity to work with authors from all over the country, such as David Viergutz, a horror author from Texas.
The two met online. Inspired by YouTuber and author Brandon Sanderson, Viergutz made a writers group, and Nugent applied for it.
“One of the tenants that we had was that you were not to be subjective,” Viergutz said. “You were to be objective. And that was so important for us that we said, we want to help each other write the best story that this story can be, we don’t want them to write the story that we want to read. And so Jason believed in those tenants.”
Viergutz said his first impression of Nugent was that he was “honest” and “genuine.”
“The ambition that I have [for writing], it makes me very direct,” Viergutz said. “Jason is a little more relaxed about things, and so that felt genuine from him. It didn’t feel like some persona he was keeping, and so that’s one thing I just noticed about him…he feels real.”
He added that Nugent was “highly inspirational” to him.
“I can trust him knowing that if he’s going to give me an opinion, number one, he’s going to keep in mind what my goals are, but also, he’s gonna give me an outside perspective,” he said. “And it’s not going to be with the intent to turn me into him, but it’s going to be with the intent to help me along the way, whatever that means.”
Nugent is currently working with Rhode Island-based author John Lynch, who said
he believes Nugent’s “storytelling voice” has contributed to his success.
“He’s got a very unique [voice] and he seems to be able to write whatever he wants. No two things are really the same with him,” he said. “A lot of authors can be like a one trick pony, it’s almost like you’re writing the same book over again, but [Nugent’s] books are not the same thing over and over again. It’s always a different story and he’s very good with his characters.”
Nugent said the most important thing he’s learned throughout his journey as an author is to be open to criticism.
“There [were] a couple of instances early on that almost made me stop and I was like, I’m not doing this anymore I don’t wanna deal with this…but a lot of times criticism, wellmeaning criticism, can really help.”
There have always been and always will be trolls, but Nugent doesn’t let it bother him anymore. What helped, he said, was “paying attention to what’s working and what’s not.”
“I’m always trying to improve,” he said. “I’m always trying to do better. Every book, every story I write, I always want it to be better than the last one. So I’ll take some of the things I’ve heard…[and] I try to build on that.”
Nugent hopes his stories teach readers two things: one, don’t summon a demon, and two people are stronger together.
“A lot of the time in horror, there’s a lot of isolation, right? You’re separated from society, you’re separated from whatever, and by ourselves…things tend to go bad, because we’re just not strong enough,” he said. “You know, there’s so many different things and we’re not really built to be by ourselves like that. And so a lot of my stories do have things about relationships…and people struggling to try to preserve those relationships, and it often goes bad in horror, but that’s the thing. Being together, you’re so much stronger, no matter what the situation is.”
He wants to leave aspiring authors with one piece of advice: just write.
“So many people I’ve talked to, they say ‘I’ve started but I can’t finish or I don’t know where to take it, I don’t know what to do’...Well, just write through it…No one needs to read that. It can be total trash, right? And that’s fine. But you can’t fix what you haven’t written. So if it’s not down, you can’t make it better.”
News editor Carly Gist can be reached at cgist@dailyegyptian.com
Jason Nugent sits with some of the books he’s published. Photo provided by Jason Nugent.
something. We are weighing the options of possibly building something, and we’re also weighing the options of going into a contract with another entity,” Krust said.
There are several operating animal shelters in Jackson County that the board is looking to partner with if they decide to go that route.
St. Francis Care and Wright-Way Rescue Shelter in Murphysboro are both options that the board is considering.
“We have several options that we can do. There’s four main options we can find someone to do a contract through, like we did with the humane shelter that would take any animals that we would take in, they would come and hold them for us from
seven to ten days, in hopes that we find the owners or we get them taken care of,” Krust said.
“We have not done a good job of population control for the county. I think not necessarily, personally, opening up a shelter or something that is going to fix that problem,” she said. “We have to enact some kind of population control ordinances to get this under control.”
The humane society is currently working on getting the current animals in the shelter adopted.
“We are updating things daily. Animals are going to rescues, getting adopted, or going to foster to adopt homes, daily. As stated above, we are working with rescues that are willing to accept the animals we still have. We are also still adopting animals out. Our adoption fees are
$50,” Parker said.
Several humane societies outside of Jackson County have been reaching out to adopt animals still left in the shelter. They are currently in contact with several people and other organizations.
“We don’t have a date that we have to end caring for these animals. We just aren’t accepting new animals, and are working to get every animal placed somewhere. For instance, Quincy Humane Society just accepted 15 animals on Friday, and will most likely take more. We have also had folks from Chicago, Wisconsin, and St. Louis reach out,” Parker said.
After the current animals have left the shelter, the building is going to be used to continue some of the current programs that the humane
society takes part in. They are also looking to expand the building to new programs.
“We are also committed to continuing the Pennies for Pets Spay/Neuter Voucher Program, and hopefully, starting new programs that do not involve housing animals. We will not have a physical location, but have a mobile unit that will sell vouchers, etc,” Parker said.
On August 24, the shelter held a fundraiser at Starview Vineyards to raise money for Pennies for Pets and to ensure that animals at the shelter found homes. Pennies for Pets is a program that HSSI offers at the beginning of each month. It covers the cost of spaying or neutering pets.
“In addition to the Pennies for Pets Program, HSSI will maintain
its commitment to education and outreach efforts aimed at promoting responsible pet ownership, spaying and neutering, keeping animals in loving homes, and advocating for animal rights,” Parker stated in the press release.
The shelter still has animals that are up for adoption, and they can be reached at 618-457-2362 for appointments.
“We want to reassure our supporters and the community that while our shelter doors may be closing, our dedication to improving the lives of animals remains,” HSSI President Lisa Porter stated in the press release.
Staff Reporter Alli Goering can be reached at agoering@dailyegyptian.com
Humane Society of Southern Illinois employee Kailey Hall plays with Daphne, a pitbull terrier who is currently up for adoption Aug. 30, 2024 at the Humane Society of Southern Illinois in Murphysboro, Illinois. Libby Phelps | @libbyphelpsphotography
Humane Society of Southern Illinois board president Lisa Potter pets Carmen, a Pitbull and Rhodesian Ridgeback mix who is currently up for adoption.
Daphne the pitbull is currently up for adoption at Southern Illinois Humane Society.
Belle the pitbull is currently up for adoption at Southern Illinois Humane Society.
Hydration Kits
In response to the late summer heat, the Black Women’s Task Force organized an event that focused on distributing hydration kits to people through the Carbondale Warming Center on Aug. 30 in the Student Center. “Since our main mission is to build sisterhood through community service,” Janiyah Gaston said, “we’re just coming together on Friday to put together these hydration kits for the Carbondale Warming Center.”
The kits consisted of a reusable water bottle, bottled water, sunscreen, Liquid IV electrolyte packets, wet wipes and toothpaste. All of the items were donated by members of the Black Women’s Task Force.
As Gaston said, Carbondale Warming Center does a lot for the community. “There aren’t really a lot of places to go in carbondale from what I’ve seen,” Gaston said. In light of this, the hydration kits were a way of giving back to the community. Gaston said, “These bags are really just a way to say, ‘Hey, here’s a water bottle and some other little goodies to help you to stay somewhat cool… while we’re dealing with this hot weather…’”
The Black Women’s Task Force was founded 20 years ago, Gaston said, and they are continuing to expand the avenues through which they volunteer. In addition to their volunteer work, Gaston said that the group plans to host social events for its members to create a space for black women in SIU to be their authentic self.
Enan ChEdiaCk @EnanChEdiaCk
Armani Lewis, Armani Daniels, and Jireea Williams (left to right) place the hydration kits in the trunk of a car, to be taken later to the Carbondale Warming Center, Aug. 30, 2024 at the Student Center in Carbondale, Illinois. Enan Chediack @enanchediack
A group of students who volunteered to prepare hydration kits for the Carbondale Warming Center, Caitlan Laster, Armani Lewis, Jireea Williams, Jilessa Smith, Janiyah Gaston, Armani Daniels, and Ayanna Burnett (left to right) pose for a group photograph.
Volunteers with the Black Women’s Task Force cary the prepared hydration kits outside, to be taken later to the Carbondale Warming Center.
Jireea Williams (left) and Armani Daniels (right) put toothpaste into the bags. Armani Daniels (left) and Ayanna Burnett (right) prepare hydration kits.
Jilessa Smith (left) and Janiyah Gaston (right) prepare bags for the Black Women’s Task Force to fill.
Celebrate Diversity
The annual SIU Diversity Week kicked off Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 with a theme of “Celebrating Carbondale’s Diverse Communities.” The theme was designed to cultivate unity, foster inclusion and enhance knowledge that nurtures a sense of belonging. The week included a variety of activities including the “Diversity is” project which took place on Thursday Aug. 29 in the Faner breezeway where students designed their own posters celebrating diversity.
Photos taken by: Jason Isele | jisele@dailyegyptian.com
Students add their own touches to “Diversity Is” posters Aug. 29, 2024 at the Faner Breezeway in Carbondale, Illinois.
Freshman Caleah Williams writes what diversity means to her on a “Diversity Is” poster.
freshman Tatiana Scales stands for a portrait with her “Diversity Is” poster.
EDITOR’S NOTE: These stories were published in partnership with the journalism program at Du Quoin High School.
The State Fair offers more than fun
Tanner
Lights, screams of laughter, food and fun. That’s what the Du Quoin State Fair is all about. Every year, Du Quoin hosts thethe biggest state fair in southern Illinois, while Springfield hosts a larger state fair earlier in the summer.
Filled with excitement, there’s always something to do at the fair. The most popular, appealing, and exciting things at the fair are the rides and concerts. There is also amazing food, along with amazing drinks and desserts, but there’s also a lot more about the fair that might not catch your eye.
Many events and tents help students complete different tasks done for classes. Such things the fair might help students accomplish
is volunteering, or as a senior, Government teacher Mr. Ryan Summer’s citizenship project for his government class. You have to earn 28 hours of volunteer hours, but 15 are provided by the school, so 13 are to be obtained on your own time.
“It’s a great way to learn about the political process outside the classroom,” Government teacher Mr. Ryan Summers said. “It also gives students a chance to have hands-on experience with politics and how they function.”
Since seniors need a required amount of volunteer hours to graduate, the Republican tent or the comptroller tent are terrific places to spend the hours in. Volunteering helps you learn new
skills and also to know how to help others without expecting money in return.
“I volunteered at the comptroller tent,” Senior Maddox Hunter said. Hunter said they gave out yo-yos and had Martel’s pizza and water. “We gave out free yo-yo’s, and met some women who acted like they were still in high school. We also had Martels and water.”
Volunteering isn’t always a difficult thing to do. Places like the fair make it a fun experience and you meet all your necessary requirements. You also meet new people, and do things you might not normally do. You also are kindly gifted free food and drinks to make your experience just a little bit better.
Bringing people together by art
LaKen GrOss
As the annual Du Quoin State Fair comes around, Du Quoin high school students have the opportunity to submit their artwork to honor veterans in the Exhibition hall at the fairgrounds. Students hung up their work on a weekend display from Saturday, Aug. 24 to Sunday, Aug. 25. The students felt proud to have their artwork displayed at the fair to honor people who fought for the country.
“It feels like an accomplishment to have my artwork hanging up at the fair,” Senior Ahna Gosnell said. “Especially since the fair is such an attended event, I believe the veterans are some of the most brave people I can think of with some situations they get put in.”
This was an open project where the students could choose what they wanted to submit for it. Students began working
The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of Southern Illinois University Carbondale on a weekly basis. Fall and spring semester editions run every Wednesday. Free copies are distributed in the Carbondale, Carterville, and Springfield communities. The Daily Egyptian can be found at www.dailyegyptian.com or on the Daily Egyptian app!
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The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of Southern Illinois University Carbondale and functions as a laboratory for the School of Journalism in exchange for the room and utilities in the Communications Building. The Daily Egyptian is a non-profit organization that survives primarily off of its advertising revenue. Offices are in the Communications Building, room 1259, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, Ill., 62901.
the second day of school on Aug. 15, creating paintings, flag drawings, paper cutouts, and collages.
“The students seemed nervous before at first but now that the work is done it speaks for itself and the students are pretty happy about it.” Art teacher Richelle Lietz said. “The fair was interested in community involvement with this event and the students from District 300 having artwork visible to the veterans and the general public is a good way of bringing the children of the community and the veterans to a common place where they can both be appreciated.”
Students doing art to honor veterans can make some veterans feel seen and proud to serve their country. The students being able to project their artwork to the public gives them a sense of pride and accomplishment.
“There are a lot of good morals and values that can be learned through military service,” four-year veteran and 2019 DHS Graduate Josh Hill said. “That can help shape the younger generation into something better.”
Hill has been doing service in the Army for four years and graduated DHS in 2019. Hill believes that the best way students can get through tough times through art is through paintings of conflicts.
“Time period paintings of battles and conflicts can be some of the best ways to picture yourself going through the hardships that these soldiers were experiencing at that time.” Hill said. Art can bring together people that are completely different in some aspects. If you ever feel the need to show someone your admiration for them, art is an easy and effective way to show them.
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@2024 The Daily Egyptian. All rights reserved. All content is property of the Daily Egyptian and may not be reproduced or transmitted without consent. The Daily Egyptian is a member of the Illinois College Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press, College Media Advisers Inc. and the College Business and Advertising Managers Inc.
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Letters and guest columns must be submitted with author’s contact information, preferably via email. Phone numbers are required to verify authorship, but will not be published. Students must include their year and major. Faculty must include rank and department. Others include hometown. Submissions should be sent to editor@dailyegyptian.com
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Fair attendees walk through the ride midway of the 102 annual Du Quoin State Fair Aug. 23, 2024 in Du Quoin, Illinois. Lylee Gibbs | @lyleegibbsphoto
SIU Football trounced by BYU 41-13
Nick PfaNNkuche NPfaNkuche@dailyegyPtiaN
Late in the first quarter, looking for a stop on defense to get in rhythm, the Saluki defense rushed four. As Brigham Young University (BYU) quarterback,Jake Retzlaff, reached back, it was clear he was going for it all. With Cougars wide receiver Jojo Phillips beating his man, the ball fell safely into his hands for a 57-yard touchdown pass.
The BYU offense was deadly in their meeting with the Salukis, with Retzlaff finishing the game with 348 yards through the air and three touchdown passes.
“[Retzlaff] played well, he threw the deep ball really well,” Saluki head coach Nick Hill said. “They hit us on some deep throws to break the game open.”
On their first possession of the season, the Salukis would go three-and-out, punting the ball away.
The Cougars would cap off the 13 play, 7-plus minute drive with a touchdown run.
On their next possession, SIU quarterback DJ Williams would show off his running ability, picking up 25 yards on the ground on two rushes. The drive would ultimately
end with another punt.
Williams’ running ability was a huge strength to the Saluki offense, as Williams rushed for 121 yards and scored SIU’s only two touchdowns on the ground.
“I’m good at running the ball, I’m good at using my legs,” Williams said. “Whatever the team needs me to do to come out with a victory, I’m gonna do that.”
The two teams would trade some scoreless possessions before SIU was able to put together a solid drive.
Williams was able to pass for 47 yards and rush for 13, including a four yard touchdown run to get the Dawgs on the board with only 46 seconds left in the half.
The Cougars squeaked out a score with a quick-scoring strike, booting a 50-yard field as time expired.
Out of the break, BYU’s offense reawakened, going on a seven play drive highlighted by a 52-yard completion to Keelan Marion. SIU tried to muster a redzone stop, but to no avail and the Cougars extended their lead to 18.
Desperate to get back into the game, a stalled drive made the Salukis attempt a failed fake punt on 4th-and-11 from their
own 36. SIU picked up only two of the 11 yards they needed.
BYU took advantage of the short field and was able to trek the 38 yards they needed for another touchdown.
The Salukis responded with a touchdown drive of their own via a 38-
yard scramble by Williams.
Another BYU touchdown early in the 4th quarter pushed the lead to 25, and a Cougar interception sealed the game.
Both teams put in backups and played until there was no time remaining, the final score being BYU 41, SIU 13.
How to register to vote for new voters
The Salukis will be on the road again next weekend, when they will take on the Governors of Austin Peay State University.
Sports reporter Nick Pfannkuche can be reached at npfankuche@dailyegyptian.com
alli goeriNg agoeriNg@dailyegyPtiaN com
For people who have never voted before, going to the polls, registering and marking the ballet is a new experience. With multiple elections approaching, students from out of state and first-time voters need to know what to do on Nov. 5.
First-time voters must register before going to the polls on election day. Two forms of identification must be brought to the Circuit Clerk of Jackson County’s office to register. Voter’s must be 18 years old by election day and at least 17 years old to register to vote.
“You have to be a US citizen, you have to live in your precinct
30 plus days before the election and not be serving a sentence of confinement as a result of a conviction, you’ll need two forms of identification. One must be an Illinois picture ID and other one a current Illinois address, such as your electric bill,” Jackson County Circuit Clerk Frank Bryd said.
Other forms of identification that are recognized are social security cards; public identification cards; utility bills; employee or student identification cards; lease or contract for a residence; credit cards; or a civic; union or professional membership card.
The County Clerk’s office is open Monday through Friday 8am to 4pm. It is located inside of
the Jackson County Courthouse. The address is 1001 Walnut St, Murphysboro, Illinois.
“You can come to my office and you can register to vote. We’re open eight to four and we would just need those documents,” Byrd said.
Until Oct. 8, residents of Illinois have the option to register online to vote. On the Illinois State Board of Election website people can provide their documents to the State Board to register without having to go in person.
“You can go online to the State Board of election until Oct. 8, and then you cannot, because that’s when they close it. You will have to have documentation to give the State Board of Election to register.
It’s fairly simple,” Byrd said.
For students that are not residents of Illinois or a US citizen, voting registration begins Oct. 9th. Non-citizens are still required to bring documentation such as their state identification and proof of residency.
“They can do grace-period voting. They would have to register to vote, but they would register at their new location and be able to vote, but they would again need documentation showing that they are a resident here,” Byrd said.
Grace Period registration includes registering to vote and voting on the same day. This is an in-person process that takes place at the Jackson County Circuit
Clerk’s office. Voting will take place at the Jackson County Clerk’s office for the Nov. 5 general election on Sept. 26. Early voting will take place on Sunday, Nov. 2 as well. Jackson County will have several polls open for early voting. The Carbondale Civic Center will have polls open Oct. 16, Oct. 18, Oct. 21, Oct. 22, Oct. 23 and Oct. 25. The SIU student center will have polls open Oct. 17, Oct. 24, Oct. 30, Oct. 31, and Nov. 1. Voters must be registered prior to early voting at these locations.
Staff reporter Alli Goering can be reached at agoering@dailyegyptian.com
Letter to the editor
LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
I’m hoping that you will print this so that the appropriate people will
read this. I was hiking @ Garden of the Gods on July 26 when I slid across a path of dirt, sand and some gravel. There was a group of 4 people who had graduated from SIU (as did I in the 70’s).
2 of the girls were from Turkey, one guy from Venezuela, and the other from Trinidad. Not only did they attend to me but stayed with me tending to my facial wounds with no fear of my blood possibly getting on them. The guy from Venezuela carried me out of the sun while we were waiting for EMT’s. They never left my side
until the EMT’s had me on the stretcher. Just to know that young people would take time out of their trip touched me to the core! Eventually, after some XRays + CT’s I was discharged from S.I.H with a few broken bones. Just want to acknowledge and thank them from the bottom of my heart!
Sincerely, Liz Crawford
P.s. When my college age granddaughter heard my story she teared up because a lot of young kids get a bad rap.
Quarterback DJ Williams (2) runs the ball into the endzone to score against the Cougars of Brigham Young Aug. 31, 2024 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. Photo courtesy of Saluki Athletics.
liz crawford New SmyrNa Beach, florida
Close-knit O-line line brings offensive continuity
Ryan GRieseR RGRieseR@dailyeGyptian com
Even with all the changes this offseason, senior center Chase Evans can guarantee one thing about SIU’s offensive line.
“It starts with us up front. We lead the way,” Evans said.
These words couldn’t be more true as SIU enters its 2024 football season. The offensive line is the most experienced and one of the most talented position groups for the Salukis this season, and is being counted on to help bring continuity to an offense that had a lot of personnel changes.
“For an offense to function, 11 guys got to be on the same page,” offensive line coach Dan Clark said. “The command of an offense, it doesn’t happen overnight.”
However, as a long, physical, hot and competitive training camp gives way to the regular season, Clark is really impressed with where his unit and the offense as a whole has progressed to.
“It’s been really exciting to see them grow,” Clark said.
As a position group, the offensive lineman are very close. Several are entering their third or more years playing together, and even those that aren’t, like senior Noah Fenske, are able to be quickly adopted into the family.
“Just coming in here and just being able to be a douche-bag with the rest of the guys, that really helps me gel with these guys real good,” Fenske said.
According to Evans, this close bond and strong chemistry is “everything.”
“That’s all the line is: five is one, one is five. You know the guy next to you and trust him with everything you have, because you’re going out to battle with him,” Evans said.
Clark is able to speak to the importance of chemistry; as the position coach, he is a major cultivator of it.
“They gotta respect each other. They gotta trust each other. They gotta know each other. You know, there’s a lot of passion involved in it,” Clark said.
While it’s important for players to be passionate, it may be even more important for a coach to be. They’re often counted on to set the tone, and their demeanor is often reflected in their players.
“I like to make sure I’m showing them that I’m passionate,” Clark said. “And I think that’s important to a young o-lineman’s development.”
This development leads to an experienced team, a perfect storm of homegrown and transfer players taking full advantage of the season that the NCAA
awarded to them through redshirts, COVID and the transfer portal.
“The line is definitely elevated, just being a group that’s got a bunch of sixth-year guys. You’re gonna see that experience. We all want to play for each other, we all want to win,” Fenske said.
To Clark, finding players that want to play for each other and who have the mindset to play along the line doesn’t just happen.
“It’s not been easy. Anytime you talk about coaching an offensive line, doing it over and over again, finding the guys to live in the trenches and to live that life of consistency and toughness and understanding their job and executing at the highest level, it doesn’t happen overnight,” Clark said.
Being a lineman, especially on the offensive side of the ball, is often a thankless job, according to Clark. They aren’t usually noticed by regular fans unless they are making mistakes, and the praises given by anyone but the coaching staff are few and far between.
Evans, who is moving to center after spending last season at left guard, doesn’t have a problem with it though.
“I love not being in the spotlight. You know, it’s nice. We catch a lot of the slack, and that’s fine,”
Not being in the spotlight means that a lot of lineman are mostly unknown, which hides some of the best characters on a football team.
“We’re a different group. We have a lot of personality. We have the most fun. I think we have a lot of dudes too who are a little different, and I think that makes it more fun every single day. And our coach is just like that too,” Evans said.
For a coach like Clark who is trying to make sure his players want to be coached by him, being a little different is just one of the tools he can use to help build trust with his players.
“It’s a lot of pushing buttons… sometimes you have to have, you know, a sledgehammer mentality,” Clark said. “There’s always more in the tank, if you will. There’s always more that a young man has, I think. And to find that and to push that right button is, I think, the biggest thing for a coach.”
The time that Clark gets to push these buttons is also his favorite: practice.
“I enjoy just the little fundamental drills and seeing them grow and develop, and the eyes get really bright when they figure it out,” Clark said.
“I’ve always enjoyed the… developmental part of it, and the hot days, the cold days, just the different types of adversity a young man can go through and be able to respond to.”
All that practice, lifting and training helps build to a player’s favorite time.
“You’re gonna see on Saturday, that’s their day,” Clark said. “That’s their day, that’s their time to let it go and show everybody what they’ve got.”
Evans is already excited for what Saturdays bring and what the fans are going to see.
“This team chemistry is an all-time high,” Evans said. “We’re a lot of guys playing for each other, and I think that’s really important, and I
think it’d be really special.” Fenske, in his typical colorful manner, is all about providing for the fans and giving a good show.
“We’re gonna score some points, and you’re just gonna see a bunch of degenerates get down in the end zone,” Fenske said.
Sports consultant Ryan Grieser can be reached at rgrieser@dailyegyptian.com.
Chase Evans (62) and Noah Fenske (53) stand together during the 13th annual Saluki Fanfest Aug. 22 at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois. Evans and Fenske are key pieces for the upcoming season’s success. Simeon Hardley | @Simshardphotography
Chris Evans (62) takes photos with fans after the 13th annual Saluki Fanfest. Evans, a senior at SIU, is one of the few returning starters from last year’s football team. Simeon Hardley | @Simshardphotography
anticipated benefits for the university community.
However, they added, “as with most construction projects, some people will be inconvenienced, and we are sending this message now to help you make plans. Parking Lot 11, the red decal lot east of the Student Center, will be closed until construction is completed in May 2026.”
The parking division did not respond to requests for comment by print deadline. However, the Undergraduate Student Government shared a post on Instagram following a meeting with Chancellor Lane. In the Aug. 15 post, titled “Important Update Regarding the Lot 11 Closure,” USG wrote, “There will be an SIU officer stationed on Route 51 to safely escort students across the street from the parking lot to campus.”
They also wrote, “Administration and the Parking Division are exploring options to ease the burden on student parking during this construction period.”
The SIU Admissions office plans to use the Welcome Center for open houses, orientations, and student group visits. Additionally, the building will accommodate the philanthropy center, which will include the SIU Foundation offices. The center will also serve as a hub for alumni and the general public.
In the meantime, commuter students were offered temporary parking options.
During the first two weeks of classes, Lot 13 was temporarily free. The lot is typically a paid parking area, but it is free after 4 p.m. on weekdays and throughout the day on weekends.
Other red decal parking options include the following lots:
• Lot 3 (across Highway 51, accessible from East Grand Avenue and Washington Street)
• Lot 48 (near the tennis courts)
• Lot 89A (north) and Lot 52 (southwest) near Banterra Center
• Lot 39 (south of Life Science III)
• Near the Communications Building: Lot 4 (south), Lot 40 (southwest), Lot 44 (north)
• Lot 6A (north of Morris Library)
Employees with blue or gold decals were also encouraged to park in blue decal lots, rather than red lots, to make space for commuting students.
Kenzie Jones, a freshman at SIU, has a 20-30 minute commute each day to get to class.
Jones said, “Lot 11 was where I planned on parking, since it made the most sense with my schedule and what buildings I had to be in, so it really threw a wrench into my plans. Now I sometimes have to park
in pretty inconvenient places that make getting to and from classes more difficult.”
Instances such as this have led to increased congestion in the parking lots.
“There’s definitely been issues with traffic and parking that I’ve seen both in person, as well as people speaking out on social media,” she said. “There are students parking in lots that are not meant for them, or even parking in areas that aren’t considered parking, which leads to them getting tickets,” Jones said.
Megan Clarida is a sophomore at SIU. She said, “There already wasn’t enough parking for commuting students, so now there is even less. I have seen students parking in the grass or in ‘No Parking’ zones because there is literally nowhere else to park besides the faculty lot or visitor parking. In these lots you either get a ticket or have to pay for it, when we already pay a ridiculous amount for a student parking pass yearly.”
The lot closure also affects individuals without red lot decals, as they are now faced with a reduced number of available parking spots.
“Not being able to park at the Student Center Lot 11 has made it much more difficult to find parking elsewhere because all the other lots are full, or you have to pay for the visitor lot which is insane considering we already paid for parking stickers,” Clarida said. “I’ve had to park at the Student Center to get to my classes, and I have already been ticketed.”
She added, “If commuter parking lots…are already full, I don’t believe we should get ticketed if we have to park in the visitor’s lots. It is not our fault as students that there is not adequate enough parking for all of us. If we are already paying close to $200 for a student parking pass, we should not have to pay to park in visitor lots because there is not enough parking for students as it is.”
She said she thinks that the university needs more parking in general around campus to accompany everyone’s needs.
The Aug. 13 email from the parking division said, “According to a 2023 study by Walker Consultants, SIU has ample parking on campus, with an estimated 7,000+ vacant parking spaces during peak hours on a typical busy day; only 43 percent of red decal spaces were occupied.”
Additionally, many students also said they are frustrated with the lack of timely communication from the school about the lot closure.
Jones said, “The university did not communicate this closure well, and the impact it had on students is hard. Lot 11 was a very large parking spot that I know a lot of commuters planned on parking at because it made the most sense for them. Now, because of them getting rid of this lot, students are having to park in places where it’s incredibly inconvenient and untimely, and risk getting parking tickets in situations where it is their last option.”
The parking division said, in the Aug. 13 email to students, that “they understand that available spots may not be as close to a building entrance as someone
would like, but many are within a 10-minute walk. Also, after 4 p.m., people may park just about anywhere on campus, with the exception of visitors-only spaces, 24-hour reserved spaces and handicap spaces.”
For those who have disabilities and need assistance, the lot closure presents significant challenges and added difficulties.
The parking division said that students who have disabilities and need accommodations, including parking accommodations, should reach out to the Office for Access and Accommodations by phone at 618-453-5738, or by email at disabilityservices@siu. edu.
The parking division has also encouraged the use of on-campus bus routes from lots that are more distant from their classes.
However, Clarida said, “There needs to be better listed bus routes available as well as it is hard to find the routes and understand when and where they are going. We need more parking in general around campus to accompany everyone’s needs.”
Students are saying that the university did not adequately communicate the closure to students.
As a first-year student on campus, Jones has had to adjust to college life, while simultaneously navigating the added challenge of the lot closure.
“As a freshman, this gives me a fairly negative view of SIU,” Jones said. “They had to have known how badly this would affect students, and not only that, but they also didn’t alert us until a little under a week before classes started.”
Decals are available to purchase beginning July 1 of each year; however, the announcement about the lot closure did not come until mid-August, leaving those who had already purchased decals with limited options and little time to adjust.
“Instead of a three million dollar welcome center, that money should’ve been invested into more parking lots for on-campus and commuter students,” Clarida said. “We already have a welcome center that I have never seen full, so I’m not sure why we are taking away a much-needed parking lot in order to put another building on campus,”
Clarida said that parking on campus has been an issue for her since day one.
“The library parking lot doesn’t offer nearly enough space for students to park, so you either have to get there really early, or hope you catch someone leaving… The lot in-front of the agricultural building is also very small and is almost always packed,” she said. “The commuter lot by the engineering building is way too small, and I always see people parking in the grass or adding on to rows in the lot that aren’t even spots, just to get to class. There is a lot of land there that could be utilized better for more parking.”
For more about on-campus parking and a map, visit https://parking.siu.edu/on-campus/.
Staff reporter Annalise Schmidt can be reached at aschmidt@dailyegyptian.com
Illustration by Yarauseth Zavala | @zavala.designs
