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MONTAGE
VOLUME 53, ISSUE 12 | THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2018 | WWW.MERAMECMONTAGE.COM
REDUCTION IN FORCE FINAL NUMBERS 58
VSIP Elections (of those notified): 9 Rescissions:
24
By Campus Meramec Forest Park Florissant Valley Wildwood
6 6 3 3 1 5 1
By Discipline
3
Temporary Faculty Notified:
4
English Library
4 2
Physical Science
1 4
Net Involuntary Separations:
18
Reading
ey
Resignation or Internal Rehire:
Architecture Counseling Economics
Photo Il lu s tr a ti o n by Noah Sli n
Total Notified of Reduction:
What’s next after the reduction in force
Changes still expected after heavy mitigation from ‘successful’ voluntary separations Melissa Wilkinson | Editor-in-Chief
Mid-March 2018, the final numbers of the reduction in force are in. Only 18 of the initial 58 fulltime faculty that received reduction notices in December will actually lose their jobs at the end of the spring semester. The number is a result of what Chancellor Jeff Pittman called a “successful” Voluntary Separation Incentive Program campaign. Over 100 faculty and staff elected to voluntarily separate, heavily mitigating those who were involuntarily cut. According to Andrew Langrehr, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, the notices were rescinded based on how many VSIPs were taken in a certain discipline. This is how some disciplines, like physical education, ended up with no cuts, but disciplines like English and reading, which comprised of collectively almost half of the original 58 cuts, ended up with several faculty that could not be spared. “If there were x number of English faculty who got a reduction in force notice and y number of English faculty took the VSIP and y ended up being equal to x, they would cancel each other out,” said Langrehr. “But in English there weren’t enough people who took the VSIP to rescind all of the folks who were RIF’ed so what we did is we used some VSIPs in disciplines where no-
Clothesline Project Gives Abused Women A Voice
-Art & Life, Page 3
body was RIF’ed.” While Langrehr called this “a humane approach”, Forest Park English professor Melody Gee said that the move was “completely backwards.” “It should not have been a reactionary move. Why would you [reduce] people and then offer the retirement?” said Gee. “Rather than dealing with the budget crisis with a forceful VSIP, with cash incentives like they did after the RIFs, they did the RIF first. That’s not how you handle a budget crisis. It says to the community, the first priority is cutting faculty.” Gee is one of the 18 faculty who did not have her RIF notice rescinded. She has been outspoken in her disdain of STLCC’s administration, publishing several articles in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. While there was a VSIP offered during the summer of 2017, immediately following Pittman’s announcement that there might be faculty cuts due to a decrease in core funding, Gee said the original benefits were “so ridiculous” that not a lot of people accepted the VSIP. Langrehr is also in the process of evaluating the need to transfer faculty between campuses, something he said is likely. “Over time the college hasn’t done a good job
Women Don’t Need Hashtags; We Need Reform
-Opinions, Page 7
of making sure that equilibrium is balanced. It’s been more campus-centric, said Langrehr. “Right now is a time that we can look at those things and see that it’s fair for the students, that they all have equal opportunity to have full-time faculty in their classes. I think that there’s a chance that some people will be transferred. ... And there are people who are interested. I’ve had a lot of people lining up because they’re itching to move from campus x to campus y.” STLCC National Education Association (NEA) President Rob Hertel met with Langrehr on Friday, March 23 to discuss the matter. Hertel said that next week, Langrehr will email faculty asking if anyone would like to voluntarily transfer campuses, moving forward with involuntary transfers if the need is not met voluntarily. He predicts the number of moves will be between one and 15. According to Hertel, some of his colleagues have accepted the results of the reduction in force. Others are still “agitated” about it. But some, like Gee, are doing their best to move on. “I’m taking some time to explore my options,” said Gee. “I thought I would retire at Forest Park. That was my lifelong goal. I’m still in the middle of mourning that loss and moving forward at the same time.”
Fate of Archers Baseball is Up in the Air
-Sports, Page 8
Page 2 | News March 29, 2018
Photos by Noah Sliney Left: Members of STLCC’s Board of Trustees ‘break ground’ at the March 23 groundbreaking ceremony for the Center for Nursing and Health Sciences. Right: A virtual-reality program takes attendees on simulated tours of the new building. Construction is set to begin the first week in April.
New Forest Park health care building ‘breaks ground’ Construction of the Center for Nursing and Health Sciences begins in April Melissa Wilkinson | Editor-in-Chief Friday, March 23, STLCC’s Forest Park campus welcomed distinguished guests to its groundbreaking ceremony for the new Center for Nursing and Health Sciences. As the event was held inside the physical education building, STLCC administrators including Chancellor Jeff Pittman and the Board of Trustees dug their shovels into a trough of dirt to cap off the ceremony. The Center for Nursing and Health Sciences, a $39 million project that has been in the works for the past three years, is a response to the growing need of the St. Louis area for health care professionals. During his commencement speech, Pittman called the project “a rebirth” for the Forest Park campus. “We looked at our healthcare labs and equipment...and quickly came to the realization that it’s just a better value for the community and our students just to start with something new,” said Pittman. “Most importantly, this is really a strategic response to our community. We looked at the workforce needs in the community. Our health care employers in particular just really needed a qualified workforce. The projection over the next ten years is an 11 percent growth
rate for health care workers. The need for these trained health care professionals is really critical. Health care was really an easy pick for us given the significant growth that’s going to occur.” Included in the plans for the center, which is set to begin construction the first week of April, is an expanded dental hygiene lab, state-of-the-art nursing simulation labs and other labs dedicated to disciplines like radiology, ultrasound, fire protection and clinical laboratory science. According to Bill Hubble, Dean of STLCC District Health Sciences, the upgraded equipment cost is estimated at $2 million. Nursing student Joshua Bludsworth said he is most excited about the nursing simulation labs. “It’s nice to be able to see what’s coming, to get a first glance so one day maybe we can come back and teach and be in the new building,” said Bludsworth. Bludsworth, who serves as president of the Student Nurse Association, attended the ceremony to represent the his program. Dental hygiene student Kimberly
EDITORS
Melissa Wilkinson Jordan Morris Will Murry Mary Wilson Amanda Harris Noah Sliney Shannon Philpott-Sanders
Editor-in-Chief Production Manager Art & Life Editor Opinions Editor Photo Editor Graphics Editor Faculty Adviser
Volz was also asked to attend as a representative. Though neither Bludsworth or Volz will complete their program in enough time to attend class in the new center, both said they were excited for future Forest Park students. “Right now we’re kind of in a transitional phase where we’re learning the old protocols as well as the new on top of everything. It’ll be really helpful for future students, just going in and learning the one protocol,” said Volz. The Center for Nursing and Health Sciences has been a topic of controversy in recent months after major budget cuts resulted in a reduction in force. Many faculty and community members have spoken out at board meetings questioning the ability of the college to fund the Center whilst being unable to maintain workforce numbers. “The administration says there are two different budgets; one for capital and one for human resources. So whenever we decry the creation of this multi-million dollar move they say ‘oh, well, it’s capital money.’ But everyone in the business world knows that budget can be moved,” said English professor Melody Gee. “They’re telling me the
STAFF
Stephen Buechter Tania Robin Lauren Johns Monica Obradovic Kyah Probst Victoria Williams
money for my job doesn’t exist...You can’t say we have no money and then spend that money.” Gee was one of 58 faculty reduced last December. Gee also expressed concern that the Forest Park parking garage was closed to students and staff the morning of the groundbreaking to reserve parking for “distinguished guests” of the event. “You’re telling us to get out of the way so you can have this public display and you’re going to take our parking that we need to work,” said Gee. “[Faculty and students] are secondary to these other audiences.” Pittman denied any controversy, stating that the Center for Nursing and Health Sciences will ultimately create a financial gain for the college through meeting increased demand for enrollment in health care programs. “You have to have good facilities and good equipment to educate people,” said Pittman. “If you don’t have that you’re no longer going to be relevant.” The Center for Nursing and Health Sciences is estimated to be ready for use in fall of 2019.
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Page 3 | Art & Life March 29, 2018
High School Art Students Display ‘Intrepid’ Nature Third annual regional high school exhibition wraps up March 23 Melissa Wilkinson | Editor-in-Chief March 23 was the final day of the Meramec art gallery’s third annual regional high school exhibition. According to curator Jim Ibur, ‘Intrepid’ featured artwork from 17 area high schools that “examine[d] moments or acts of fearlessness” in today’s era of struggling to forge an
individual identity. The definition of ‘Intrepid’ was left for interpretation by the artists. Grace Singleton of Fox Senior High School, whose contribution was a mixed media sculpture resembling a storybook, described ‘Intrepid’ as “to be strong and fearless
Photos by Noah Sliney Above: A mixed-media piece by Grace Singleton of Fox Senior High School, representing her struggle and victory over depression. Below: Parents, faculty, staff and students clap as Curator Jim Ibur announces winning submissions.
and bold.” “This piece is my battle,” said Singleton. “My project shows me fighting my demons, drowning in my waves and finally coming up for air on the beach. I have scars, I bled. I came out stronger.” While Singleton’s sculpture was a reaction to her struggle with depression, Parkway South’s Alexis Cole took a different approach with a brightly-colored self portrait done in Gouache. “We’re all, within ourselves, really heroic,” said Cole. “[My piece] is showing myself in a heroic light. I’m trying to give myself more confidence.” Participating schools were asked to submit three pieces for the exhibition, but Ibur made no specifications in his prospectus regarding how the pieces should be chosen. Cole was asked to participate by her art instructor, but Kirkwood High School took a different approach, with three different art teachers selecting the strongest piece amongst an entire class of work. One of these teachers was Nancy Grimes, who chairs the art department at Kirkwood High school. Grimes attended the opening of the gallery in February and lauded the importance of ‘Intrepid’ for her students. “For a high school student the importance is being in a real art competition,” said Grimes. “The hard part is trying to interpret that word into a visual image. It’s challenging and it’s a really good exercise.” Jason Hoeing, who teaches ce-
ramics and art history at Kirkwood High School, said the high school participation in Meramec’s art gallery not only encourages students to attend STLCC after they graduate but also serves as a “celebration” of their art outside of school. “They can see there’s a broader respect for their work than just the classroom,” said Hoeing. Like Grimes, Hoeing also selected a piece from his class for the gallery. Hoeing said Taylor Jones’ sculpture, an anchor with a chain, conveyed the dark meaning of being weighed down by expectations. “To me it spoke of a truth in our society,” said Hoeing. “Also, it’s hard to make a chain out of clay.” ‘Intrepid’ is the third annual regional high school exhibition featured in Meramec’s art gallery. Ibur originally conceived the idea to exhibit art by high schoolers to bring in potential Meramec students and community members. According to Ibur, ‘Intrepid’ couldn’t have been more timely. “This is an incredibly auspicious moment in our country’s history for high school students who are making an enormous statement in the wake of that horrible Florida shooting,” said Ibur. “Their amazing grit and articulation and unwillingness to just let it be another horrible senseless thing… I think high school students are doing what adults are unable to do, which is to take charge and use common sense. [The word] intrepid really stands out above the ordinary, going into the unknown. That’s what they’re doing.”
Clothesline Project shows Abuse Toward Women is International March is Women’s History Month, a time to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of women. But there’s a darker side to the event which lies in the understanding that abuse toward women is still very common. Amongst the events brought to campus this month was the Clothesline Project, an international effort to “break the silence” of violence against women. The clothesline, set up in the lobby of the Student Center, displayed messages of past experiences of abuse by medium of colored t-shirts. Stories were written directly onto the shirts for passersby to see, no matter how bold the language or how terrible the experience depicted. The display was organized by Nursing Retention Coach Erica Eciarlo. Eciarlo is also the president of the Diversity Club and the Diversity Committee. “Anything that raises awareness about domestic violence or sexual assault towards women is important,” said Eciarlo. “It’s a resource
that people can connect to, whether they’re an ally or they just want to learn about it.” The t-shirts were color coded to signify what type of abuse the writer had, whether it be domestic violence, sexual assault, abuse, rape, or even incest. For those who weren’t direct victims of abuse, but still have a story or want to show support, they were given a clothespin to put on the clothesline to add to the display. “It’s definitely not a happy topic but you can’t fix problems by ignoring them, so if it means sticking them in everyone’s face, then, good,” said Gene Dempsey, ESL professor. “It’s important to bring attention to this issue and I think that [the display] is done in a way that’s tasteful.” The display also included a stereo with a bell that went off every minute to represent that, every minute, there is a new victim of abuse somewhere in the world. The bell continued from the time they set up until the time they tore down the display every day.
Photos by Amanda Harris
Will Murry | Art & Life Editor
Colored T-shirts showing stories of abuse are hung in the student center to raise awareness for women’s struggles as part of the international Clothesline Project.
#LetFrancisStay 4
Francis Ladege has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for 28 months. He’s missed three birthdays. He’s missed three Christmases. He is 28 years old and there is no end in sight. For years, he has been awaiting deportation to his home country of Sudan. His crime? Possession of marijuana. Melissa Wilkinson | Editor-in-Chief Photos Courtesy of #LetFrancisStay
LADEGE MOVED TO the United States from South Sudan as a refugee seeking asylum. He immigrated with his younger brother Charles and other family when he was eight, leaving their mother in a refugee camp. The brothers lived with their grandparents in Louisville for most of their childhood, following them to St. Louis after high school. Ladege received his residency card in 2003. He attended Webster University for a semester in 2009 before transferring to STLCC Meramec for several more. It was there he met Christine Salamone, a supplemental instructor who tutored him in physical geography. Salamone has two biological sons. Both went to Meramec and studied at UMSL. One is an accountant; the other manages the Wild Birds Unlimited store on Manchester. But when she met Ladege, Salamone quickly gained a third son. “I realized that he didn’t have a mom here and that his dad had been killed when he was a toddler...when he was in the military in Sudan. But his mother, I knew she was back home, and that he and his brother would send money back, that he had younger brothers living with the mom,” said Salamone. “I just connected with him. There was something
that was just very special. I’ve always been his American mom.” Though Ladege had dreams of attending Mizzou or studying culinary arts, money kept him from pursuing them.
Ultimately, Ladege dropped out of school. Some of his paycheck went to his mother in the refugee camp; some went to his diabetic grandfather. He worked two jobs to make ends meet, eventually earning enough to leave his grandparents’ house and move into an apartment in Crestwood. Outside of work, Ladege was a typical 21-year-old. “Francis liked to party. He liked to drink,” said Salamone. “He ended up befriending someone from work...and this friend ended up getting him in trouble.”
LADEGE’S FIRST RUN-IN with the police was on June 11, 2014, when he was pulled over near his apartment. Crestwood police found marijuana in his car. He was arrested and charged but released when Charles Ladege paid his bond. Later that month he also sold marijuana to covert police officers. In
September of the same year, an arrest warrant was issued for Ladege based on the June incidents. He was arrested on Sept. 18 and charged with two counts of selling marijuana and one for intention
to distribute. The Ladege brothers spent their life savings to hire criminal lawyer Richard P. Hereford, who encouraged the elder Ladege to plead guilty to all three counts. He did so on March 5, 2015 and received a five-year probationary sentence. If marijuana was his first mistake, this was his second. “[Hereford] never told him that because you’re not a US citizen, you could
be deported,” said Salamone. Ladege’s probation was going well until October 2015, when he arrived at his probation officer’s office, only to be met with ICE agents who arrested him
on-site. They brought him to a detainment facility in Montgomery County, Missouri. “His criminal convictions for a series of aggravated felonies in 2015 on multiple drug offenses rendered him removable,” reads the most recent ICE statement on the matter. According to Salamone, the rented building is tiny and houses up to 50 people at a time awaiting deportation. There are five stations for visiting, each a small cubicle about the size of a computer, each with a small table and a glass window. Salamone made the drive to Montgomery County every week to see Ladege. “You can’t touch him. You just put your hand on the window and just have him touch your hand,” said Salamone, holding up her palm. “Or we would hug like this,” she wrapped her arms around her own torso, “and just say you’re hugging each other. I never imagined I would go to a jail. I never imagined I would see somebody like this. He didn’t belong there. But we had no control.”
ICE FLEW LADEGE temporarily to a facility in Pine Prairie, Louisiana in 2016, where he was informed about a warrant for his arrest issued in May 2015, based on his first arrest. Ladege was not aware of the warrant. “On Sept. 20, 2016, a federal immigration judge ordered him removed (deported). On March 9, 2017, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) upheld the judge’s removal order,” reads the official ICE statement. In October 2017, ICE flew Ladege
Page 5 | In-Depth March 29, 2018
back to St. Louis to appear in court, where he pleaded guilty. “I saw how the system was working then. I saw it first hand,” said Salamone. “They shackle them with their hands and feet and walk them all the way over to the courts and they have to stay that way until the time that they take them back. Sometimes that’s eight hours.” He returned to the Montgomery facility after the trial, where he remained until February 2018. That same month, Salamone hired immigration lawyer Michael Sharma-Crawford, who filed two motions to stop Ladege from being deported. The emergency stay of removal was rejected by the BIA later that month, but a decision on the second motion, to reopen and remand Ladege’s case, has not yet been made.
AFTER MOVING AROUND to several ICE detention centers, Ladege is currently in a facility in La Paloma, Texas. There he can watch TV, access the rec room and go outside. But Salamone says Ladege doesn’t feel safe. She records her calls with him on a tiny battery-powered recorder. It costs Ladege $25 to make a call, money he receives from Salamone. He isn’t allowed much time to talk. Every minute or so, a female voice interrupts the phone line: “In the event that a third party call is detected, your call will be terminated without warning.” “There’s a lot of fights going on. We got pepper sprayed,” said Ladege, his voice garbled by the recorder. “A lot of people are so angry and desperate. They just wanna leave.” But they can’t leave. ICE gives them little information. Many times, Ladege
According to ICE Public Affairs Officer Shawn Neudauer, detainees are told when, not before, they will be moved. “No law enforcement agency would announce operational moves prior to beginning them in case someone tried to interfere, which could cause a security situation and place lives at risk,” said Neudauer. At this time, Ladege is currently
and they still haven’t removed him. The conclusion is they can’t remove him.” LaCome believes Ladege has yet to be deported because he is “stateless.” South Sudan had not yet received its independence in 1999, when Ladege and his family immigrated to the United States. According to LaCome, South Sudan might not accept him as a citizen.
lecting resources for Ladege so she can wire him money via western union in the event he is deported. She has a Paypal account going. She has a GoFundMe. She’s organizing bake sales and selling wristbands and t-shirts. “I’m wearing this color because Francis wears this color every day,” she said, pointing to her bright prison-orange t-shirt. ‘#LetFrancisStay’ is embla-
still facing deportation. But according to criminal and immigration lawyer Joseph LaCome, there’s still hope that he could stay. The best case scenario is that Sharma-Crawford’s second motion to reopen and remand Ladege’s case is considered. Another alternative comes in the form of a habeas corpus, which would require ICE to show lawful ground for keeping Ladege detained. The petition was filed March 12,
Another issue, said Lacome, is that Ladege’s charges were improperly handled. The crime Ladege is convicted of, distribution of under 35 grams of marijuana, is not an aggravated felony, which is the current assumption. This means that Ladege may be able to withdraw his original guilty plea. “I don’t think [the average ICE officer] would even know that legal distinction. What would have changed if someone knew at the beginning? This is a minor offense, is this worth our resources? Or even if they did charge him he would have had a defense,” said LaCome. “As long as the BIA sees what the legal issue is and then they reverse it, that just resets his whole case. He would go from having this case where he has a final order of removal and they’re treating him like a felon to a simple possession charge. He shouldn’t be under mandatory detention either.” If Ladege’s guilty plea is withdrawn, said Lacome, it will change everything. The entire basis of Ladege’s deportation is based on his convictions. “Chances are pretty good,” said LaCome. “Best case scenario is the whole case gets reopened but that takes time.”
zoned on the front, along with details of his situation. Salamone no longer works for STLCC. Now, she is a full-time advocate for her adopted son. “I have a new calling,” said Salamone. “I graduated with a human services degree [at Meramec.] I’m doing human services.” Her next batch of t-shirts will be black and white, because she sees this as a black and white issue. Do something wrong once and you’re out of here. “I stand for all those other people waiting,” said Salamone. “When I made the shirts and #LetFrancisStay, it was like, oh my god. Francis isn’t just Francis. Francis stands for thousands and thousands of people. To let them stay.” And Salamone isn’t Ladege’s only advocate. Xavier Phillips, president of Meramec’s Student Social Action Committee, is planning a political literacy program to raise awareness of Ladege’s plight and that of others in similar situations. Part of the program will involve a flyer explaining the situation and asking for others to share their personal stories about ICE treatment of friends and family. “We can’t ignore this. It’s a very ugly situation that, as Americans and as humans, we have to look in the face,” said Phillips. “I’m trying, SSAC is trying, to raise awareness about it, by simply asking people to look this up. We’re talking about a state-sanctioned version of harassment. You have every right to be angry.”
SOUTH SUDAN IS a war-ridden country. Having only gained its independence in 2011, its foundations are still shaky. In 2013, a political power struggle erupted into civil war which still continues today. Hundreds of thousands died and more continue to do so. For most of its people, South Sudan is plagued with famine, mass killings and slave trading. In a November 2017 letter, Ladege called it “a no man’s land.” Ladege’s aunt still resides there. He’s never met her. She said that food, if you can come by it, is prohibitively expensive. People are thin. Ladege, an average size for an American, would be considered fat. “He won’t make it here,” she said. “Francis won’t make it here.” In the meantime, Salamone is colhas heard rumors of early morning flights. Each time the flight has been cancelled or rescheduled. “The flight was supposed to leave in one to three weeks,” he said. “That was three weeks ago.”
2018 by LaCome, who has taken Ladege’s case pro bono. “Personally, it bothers me. If they really can’t remove him and they’ve just been leading him on...it’s unconstitutional,” said LaCome. “It’s been so long
BUT LADEGE ISN’T ANGRY.
His voice, over the tiny static of the recorder, is calm. “I do believe I was targeted and set up. I don’t know why it happened to me,” he said, speaking to Salamone over the phone. “You guys give me motivation. The friends, the phone calls, all the little things keep me positive every day.”
For more information on #LetFrancisStay: https://www.gofundme.com/francis-ladege039s-support https://www.facebook.com/donotdeporthim
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Page 7 | Opinions 4 March 29, 2018
We don’t need hashtags; we need reform.
With society repeatedly failing women, it’s time to take the battle for our rights into our own hands. It’s 2018. I shouldn’t have to write this. It’s been almost a hundred years since women secured the right to vote. However, my bone to pick is not with women’s rights. What I’m more concerned with is simple morality. In the past, I’ve been wary of labeling myself as a feminist. I thought that equality is a progressive movement, something that takes time, and didn’t understand why all these women were suddenly raising so much hoopla about feminism. Now with age and some acquired wisdom from experience that thought is long gone. Not only am I a feminist, I’m angry. Currently, the #MeToo movement is ruling social media and is shifting ideals to help victims of sexual abuse. The cup of justice finally seems to be brimming over for not only women but men who have fallen victim to violations of their bodies. However, this justice does not pertain in the case of Emilie Morris. Emilie Morris was a 1997 graduate of local Lindbergh High School. She walked the same halls and ran the same paths as I, who graduated in 2016. She and I both participated in cross-country. Our high school experiences probably would’ve been very similar had she not had a sexual encounter with her cross-country coach, James B. Wilder III. On the high school cross-country team, Coach Wilder’s name was like a curse word that could only be whispered and felt dirty once it came out. Other cross-country coaches refused to talk about him and any mention of his six charges of statutory sodomy
was prohibited. Some girls thought he was creepy, but most, as I remember, thought the charges were bogus. No way could Coach Wilder do something like that. He was cool, he was well-liked, he was married. It took Morris over a decade to decide to take action for the things that Wilder had done. Morris met with her old cross-country coach and recorded their conversation in which he admitted to their relationship. Wilder certainly would’ve been jailed if Morris hadn’t been found asphyxiated in her apartment in November 2014. Due to her death, which according to the police report was “suspicious,” the 35-year old’s case fell flat. Without her testimony, Wilder, a confirmed sexual predator, walked free despite a taped confession. Also, according to Buzzfeed News, he still possesses his teaching license. Why is our system failing girls like Emilie Morris? Why are most systems failing women altogether? And lastly, but most importantly, why is our nation led by a man who is practically a billboard for nefarious sexual behavior? No one needs plastic hashtags typed passively behind a screen. What women need is reform. We are at war with each other, a tug-of-war game with nobody crossing the line. This isn’t a fight of men vs. women; this is change against antiquated ignorance. It’s 2018. Let’s take this into our own hands and put an end to these injustices.
Graphic by Noah Sliney
Monica Obradovic | Staff Writer
APRIL FOOLS’ prank ideas Graphic by Noah Sliney
April Fools’ day is April first, but that doesn’t mean that the pranking has to end. For an opportunistic prankster, any day is April Fools’ day. Here are some harmless but hilarious ideas that can be tried out on friends, family or otherwise unsuspecting victims. But be warned! All meaningful relationships may be harmed in the process.
Lauren Johns | Staff Writer
1. Take a sandwich cookie or cupcake and replace the cream with toothpaste. Offer the ‘treat’ to your friends. Watch chaos ensue. 2. Add two spoonfuls of baking soda to ketchup and let set for a minute. The person who shakes it up to use it will get a very explosive surprise. Back up and be prepared to clean the mess. 3. Cover a grape tomato in chocolate and pass it off as a truffle. 4. Replace someone’s orange juice with yellow mac and cheese powder and water. 5. Coat an onion in caramel—exactly like a caramel apple but disgusting. 6. Hide a blow horn or whoopee cushion where they least expect it. 7. Leave a paper or styrofoam cup of water on the top of a door. It’s like the ice bucket challenge, minus the ice, bucket and consent. 8. Shove pennies in the door jamb so the door be comes difficult to open for someone on the other side. 9. Duct-tape a harmonica to the grill of someone’s car. This will work best at 40 MPH. 10. Mess with the autocorrect settings on their phone. Watch as they become horribly confused when all their sentences are illegible. 11. Change their phone settings to a foreign language they don’t speak. 12. Dip pen tips in nail polish so they can’t use them.
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March 29, 2018
Head injuries are nothing to joke about
What concussions are, how to recognize one and why student athletes should care about them The American Association of Neurological Surgeons defines concussions as “an injury to the brain that results in temporary loss of normal brain function.” Concussions are typically caused by a blow to the head. While a bump to the head—or somebody getting their ‘bell rung’—might seem easy to shrug off, a concussion is a serious brain injury and can have lasting effects. “We try to educate [the athletes] as much as we can in regards to concussions,” said Darren Jones, Meramec’s Certified Athletic Trainer. “We do a baseline test….[which] gives us an idea of what their baseline is when they’re at normal, compared to if they were concussed. Then we do a post-injury test on them if they if they do get concussed.” For on-the-field evaluations, there is a test called the SCAT 5. Since concussions affect the brain, they have a plethora of symptoms, ranging from the cognitive, like confusion or difficulty concentrating, to physical symptoms like impaired balance and vision disturbance. These symptoms can make sitting in class close to impossible, let alone focusing on a lecture or long-term project, something that can be hard to understand because concussions are an invisible injury. “The brain is a valuable tool that everyone should understand,” said Jones. “When someone gets concussed, it does affect their everything.” According to The Mayo Clinic, “rest is the most appropriate way to allow your brain to recover from a concussion.” Students might require a temporary break from school, work and any activities that increase symptoms. The risk of starting activities and sports too soon after a head injury “increases the risk of
a second concussion and potentially fatal brain injury.” When students with concussions return to school, accommodations from Meramec’s Access Office may be needed. The Access Office provides students with appropriate accommodations for disabilities. “Part of our process is we ask students what they’re asking for,” said Joseph Bryant, Ed.D, JD, learning specialist at the Meramec Access Office. According to Linda Nissenbaum, manager of the Meramec Access Office and member of the Board of Directors of the Association on Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD), each student is looked at on an individual basis to determine what their needs might be. “Because someone has a head injury, and another person has a concussion or a head injury, that doesn’t mean that they will process information the same and need the same accommodations. So we rely first on the individual to tell us they have a disability, how that disability affects them in a major life activity and then what accommodations would they like us to consider for equal access,” said Nissenbaum. Although concussions might seem scary, there is good news. If instructors are aware of the injury, they are typically understanding, according to Nissenbaum. “When instructors get an instructor notification sheet from the student... they have a conversation with the instructor about it...they talk about how they can use those accomodations in the classroom, what kinds of things they need,” said Nissembaum. “For instance, if they need a notetaker, they can ask the instructor to help them find
Graphic by Noah Sliney
Mary Wilson | Opinions Editor
a notetaker. If the instructor has any questions, they can talk to the person with the disability, and they can also call our office...We help them to understand what’s reasonable and what’s not reasonable.” Students that might have a concus-
sion should get their injury checked out by a medical professional quicky and follow treatment guidelines as close as possible. It’s important not to rush recovery. And if a student needs accommodations in the classroom, the Access Office can help.
Archers Baseball Triumphs in March 17 Game Against MATC With a close record of wins and losses, chances for nationals are up in the air Steven Buechter | Staff Writer
March 17—The Meramec Archers won their game against Milwaukee Area Technical College by 11 points in five innings, with a final score of 14-3. The Archers were down 2-0 in the first inning but made a comeback by the
second and did not lose their lead for the rest of the game. Audience cheers were almost entirely for Meramec and the team’s performance created an energetic crowd. Freshman catcher Anthony Rask
Photo by Syed Ali An Archers player winds up to bat at the March 10 home game against State Fair Community College. Two games were played that day, resulting in one 1-0 win and one 10-0 loss.
described the game as “all around…a good day” for the Archers, emphasizing the defensive strength of the team. “I thought the defense did really well. Pitching was great and offense was really good too,” Rask said. Pitching has been among the team’s greatest strengths throughout the season, Rask said. Head baseball coach, Scott Goodrich, said that he also believed the team has had “really good” performance from their pitchers, both starting and those coming in from the bullpen. However, he also identified a common weakness of this season. “I think that we’ve done a good job of that so far and that our pitching has really kept us in games,” Goodrich said. “While we’re doing a good job early innings getting guys on, we’re not doing enough to get them in.” Goodrich also said that despite winning, the team didn’t take advantage of all scoring opportunities during the March 17 game. “We did a good job on the mound throwing strikes, keeping ourselves in the game. I thought offensively we could have done a little bit better. We had a ton of chances to score which is a great thing because that meant we were getting our runners on and giving our-
selves opportunities,” said Goodrich. Goodrich described the season so far as “ok” and clarified that the team’s current record and staistics are not bad. “You can do this every season. You look at one or two games and think ‘if we would have done this one thing a little better we would have won that game.’ We just need to continue to get better as the season goes on,” said Goodrich. Rask said that the March 17 game was a potential “turning point” for the Archers going into regionals. The best moment of the game, in his view, was when he hit a three-run homerun. “First college home run,” Rask said. “Got it under my belt, so it’s all good.” Goodrich, however, said that what was most important was winning the game. “It was a bases-loaded walk to end it,” said Goodrich. “That’s maybe not the most exciting way to end a game, but we had to get a victory any way we could so we’ll take it.” Since the March 17 game, Archers baseball has won a majority of their games, but it might not be enough to make up for heavy losses at the beginning of the season. With a loss record nearly as high as their wins, it remains to be seen whether or not Archers baseball will make it to nationals in April.