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MONTAGE Serving the St. Louis Community College - Meramec community since 1964

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VOLUME 53, ISSUE 8 | THURSDAY JAN. 25, 2018 | WWW.MERAMECMONTAGE.COM

‘held

hostage’ OPINION: How the reduction in force convinced me to quit Meramec

Sean E. Thomas | Former Student

Photo Illustration by Noah Sliney and Melissa Wilkinson

Read related stories on pages 2 and 3

Dear St. Louis Community College, I came to you a couple of years ago seeking a way to constructively use a little free time. With no real goals in mind I thought, at the very least, that obtaining an associate’s degree might improve my chances for success in the future. To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect much from you, other than a possible stepping stone to another institution. I was caught by surprise when I found myself surrounded by such capable, ambitious and involved faculty and students.

A semester later, I was officially a part of the Honors Program at STLCC Meramec.

This, combined with interesting classes and becoming a writer for The Montage, has helped me understand who I am: the abilities that I possess, my place in this world, how I can use what I’ve learned to not only improve my place, but also that of those that will come after me. This is what the faculty, both fulltime and adjunct, at STLCC have given me: a sense of self, a sense of purpose and the tools to explore both.

I owe my time here everything. STLCC saved this life.

I changed profoundly and found myself no longer wandering aimlessly towards a degree but seeking out particular programs at specific universities. I went to the extremely qualified faculty at STLCC for their guidance while repairing my GPA and preparing to transfer.

Once I had met my goal and completed all of the necessary coursework to transfer, I had planned to stay at STLCC for an extra semester, so that I could graduate from the institution that had done so much

for me with honors. I would stay so that I could walk across that stage with my fellow students and thank the educators that had helped me along the way, so that I, a high school dropout, could represent STLCC as the first institution of education I have ever graduated, and tell people in the future that with you is where my success all started.

With only an algebra course left to complete, your administration, spearheaded by the Board of Trustees and their Chancellor Jeff Pittman, have made this an impossibility for me. This is not because I couldn’t enroll, but because the education with which you have provided me up to this point will not allow me to be part of an institution where I can only receive my degree if I keep my mouth shut.

You see, in the Fall semester of 2017, I noticed something. I noticed a change in the way you felt, in the way your educators were behaving and speaking. Your campuses, which once felt exciting, full of possibilities and promise, were beginning to feel sad, beaten down, oppressed. I started hearing about the horrible working environment thrust upon our adjunct professors by an administration unwilling to provide, at the very least, fairness. I joined the Student Social Action Committee. We began hearing acronyms like RIF (reduction in force) and realized that our full-time educators were under attack as well.

We started doing research, we started speaking out and then on Thursday, Oct. 19, at a Board of Trustees meeting, we were silenced. When one of your educators, Professor Steve Taylor, tried to speak

continued on page 5

New Art Exhibition Combines Familiarity with Abstraction

College Survival 101: How to Survive on Campus

Archers Basketball Bounces Back after Losing Streak

-Art & Life, Page 4

-Opinions, Page 7

-Sports, Page 8

Page 2 | News Jan. 25, 2018

Student protesters summoned to dean’s office Letters, meetings intended to ‘discourage political dissent’, says student Michael Marino At least 10 Meramec students who participated in protests at the Nov. 30 Board of Trustees meeting were served with notices shortly after the incident.

Delivered through both email and post, the notices requested a meeting with Kim Fitzgerald, Dean of Student Development and Enrollment Management.

The protest began after the public speaking portion of the meeting, just before the board was to vote for the Reduction in Force (RIF), which would result in the laying-off of 58 STLCC faculty.

Several students threw themselves onto the floor in front of the board table and continued to lay there chanting, “Justice for faculty.” Other students contributed to the chanting, and the protest went on for over an hour. The board ultimately did vote unanimously in favor of the RIF over the continued yells of students.

The notice, sent Dec. 7, cited the specific passage in STLCC’s code of conduct which was violated by the protesters and asked them to make an appointment to meet with Fitzgerald by Dec. 20. Included was a line warning students that, “Failure to do so may impact [their] enrollment for future semesters at STLCC.” Michael Marino, one of the protesters, said the language in the letter was intentionally written to cause students to believe they could be expelled for their actions.

“It’s disappointing to see them using tactics of intimidation and fear to discourage political dissent,” said Marino.

Fitzgerald, however, said the letters were not meant to be threatening and that disciplinary records do not travel with students, meaning they will not affect their ability to transfer to another school. According to Fitzgerald, the meetings were not intended to be a punishment for their actions.

“If you consider a conversation a punishment, that’s what it is,” said Fitzgerald. “We talked about responsibilities, accountability, consequences, thinking through their actions.”

According to Fitzgerald, the students in question violated STLCC’s Student Rights and Responsibilities policy, which forbids them from engaging in “obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures, or other college-authorized activities.” Fitzgerald said her first priority in speaking with the students was to make sure that, in this “era of protest,” students understand that their actions have consequences and that they

should think before acting in ways that might jeopardize their goals at STLCC. “We like when students find their voice. That’s the conversation we have,” said Fitzgerald. “Where to use it and how to make it more effective. There are ways in which students can protest that can be considered non-disruptive.”

Mary Zabriskie, Director of Student Conduct and Title IX Coordinator, also attended the meetings alongside Fitzgerald. According to Marino, Zabriskie told the story of Phyllis Schlafly, a St. Louis native known for her extreme conservative activism. When Schlafly was given an honorary degree at Washington University, several faculty members turned their backs on the ceremony in silent protest, which Zabriskie said sent “a very powerful message.”

Marino described it as a lecture in “more effective civil disobedience.”

“I asked her ‘Did that work? Did they take away Phyllis Schlafly’s pretend degree?’ And no, she still has her pretend degree,” said Marino. “My question is if a pretend protest cannot get rid of a pretend degree, who are they to lecture me on civil disobedience?”

According to Marino, the protest at the Nov. 30 board meeting was a result of Chancellor Pittman dismissing previous attempts at negotiation by the Student Social Action Committee (SSAC), of which Marino is a member. Marino said it is a symptom of bigger problems within the administration.

“It wasn’t just that we want to fiddle with the budget. It’s that we have a fundamental and moral objection to [the administration’s] philosophy of running this college,” said Marino. “The administration wants to create an institution that helps students adapt to the system. We believe that an educational system should help enable people to adapt that system to them.”

Marino first got involved in activism through protesting for adjunct rights, spending four days sleeping in a tent on campus in October. Marino said he intends to continue participating in SSAC activities throughout the rest of his time at STLCC. Sean Thomas, however, decided to do the opposite. Thomas, who was also involved in the protests, ended his education at Meramec with only one class left to complete his associate’s degree.

“The chancellor said two of his biggest problems are graduation and retention rate. I’m not going to give him either,” said Thomas.

EDITORS

Melissa Wilkinson Jordan Morris Will Murry Erik Muschinske Amanda Harris Noah Sliney Shannon Philpott-Sanders

Editor-in-Chief Production Manager Art & Life Editor Multimedia Editor Photo Editor Graphics Editor Faculty Adviser

Submitted Document

Melissa Wilkinson | Editor-in-Chief

Letter sent to Michael Marino from Kim Fitzgerald on Dec. 7. The letter states that failure to set up a meeting could impact future enrollment.

Thomas got involved with the SSAC after the October board meeting, during which Wildwood adjunct Steve Taylor was notoriously slammed to the ground by police whilst approaching the board. Thomas said his worst fear was not being able to speak out against the administration in the spring semester due to being “handcuffed” by his past record.

“To say that there was no disciplinary action taken is like saying this works the same way that a write-up at a job works.

You know that we think you broke the policy and you will not be allowed to do it again. That is the administration letting us know that we’re going to give you this pass because you’re getting a lot of attention, but speak up again and there’s a chance that we will not let you attend school here,” said Thomas.

Thomas said the protesters expected immediate consequences at the board meeting once the protest began, but they were told neither to quiet down nor leave the room. According to Thomas, the Steve Taylor incident, which made national news, is why the

STAFF

Madison Bouse Stephen Buechter Darius Haynes Christopher Hutson Tania Robin Mary Wilson Monica Obradovic Briana Heaney

meetings with Fitzgerald took place.

“I think that goes to show you that they understand that after tackling a professor, there’s no way you can be on video dragging students out of a meeting,” said Thomas. “So they decided to try to secretly punish us so that there would be no public outcry.”

While Thomas said that the administration is in a worse place after sending the notices, Fitzgerald said she believes the college would be in a “much more vulnerable place” without having addressed it.

“If we’re going to make an error I’d rather err on the side of conduct than overlooking it,” said Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald, who has been at STLCC for 30 years, said her meetings with students are always enlightening. “[STLCC] is where students come to make mistakes,” said Fitzgerald. “We’re taking every opportunity to help students learn.”

Students can access their rights through the Student Resources portal at stlcc.edu/student_resources.

THE MONTAGE

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Phone numbers and addresses will not be published. All letters are subject to editing for content and length. All letters submitted will be published in print and online.

Page 3 | News 4 Jan. 25, 2018

Reduction in force in full swing

Despite low morale, voluntary separations already having mitigating effects As of Dec. 15, all 58 faculty affected by the Reduction in Force (RIF) have been notified of their status.

Those cut were given notice by way of letter, email and a requested meeting with their division deans, all of which were to inform those selected that they would not be continuing at STLCC after Spring 2018. According to Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Andrew Langrehr, the selections were made by himself alongside provosts, deans, human resources and data from institutional research and planning.

Selections were determined primarily through seniority.

“The way seniority tables are built is around disciplines. The joint resolution [with the NEA] provides some staffing guidelines we used,” said Langrehr.

“We applied that formula to each discipline to see if it has a shortage [of faculty] or extra.”

Though the names of those laid off have not been released, the STLCC National Education Association (NEA) sent out a list, reportedly from STLCC’s human resources department, featuring the numbers of those cut organized by campus, department and status.

English and reading, took the biggest hit, with 23 notices handed out between the two across all STLCC campuses. The art department, however, was reduced by only one faculty. Langrehr said this is because the staffing guidelines laid out by the NEA encourage specialization rather than the ability to teach multiple classes.

“There’s people with all kinds of different skill-sets, whereas in other disciplines [like English] most of those folks can teach all the classes. Art is advantaged in that if you reduce someone who can teach, say, sculpture, you might be limiting class offerings,” said Langrehr.

The overall number of RIF notices mentioned in Langrehr’s Dec. 11 email is smaller than originally announced – 58 compared to 70. The new number subtracted the 12 faculty members who had already accepted the Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) offered during the summer. The Board of Trustees voted in December to approve two additional VSIPs: one for faculty and staff and one solely for faculty.

As of Jan. 18, Chancellor Pittman announced that 32 individuals had accepted one of the new VSIPs. As the offer is open until Feb. 20, Pittman said that he suspects more will follow. According to an email written by Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources Deborah Barron, the VSIP is already having mitigating effects on the RIF and some employees have started receiving rescissions cancelling out their layoff.

Some faculty are also expected to be moved to a different campus based on needs, said Langrehr. The discussion will begin in March, after the final results of the VSIP offer are analyzed. The administration will begin asking for voluntary transfers and move into involuntary if needed. If an involuntary transfer becomes necessary, those with similar seniority statuses will likely be selected randomly. Pittman said that ties to campus, such as a club or program, will be factored in when making decisions.

In the midst of a major reduction in force, NEA Vice President Emily Neal said the atmosphere is “awful.”

“I have colleagues who have been with the college 25 years and they can’t remember when morale has been this low,” said Neal.

But according to Pittman, this is typical of a school going through drastic budget cuts.

“I think for us the opportunity before us is what innovative strate-

Graphic by Noah Sliney and Melissa Wilkinson

Melissa Wilkison | Editor-in-Chief

gies do we develop to keep our costs down and our tuition low for our students?,” said Pittman.

Pittman also confirmed that negotiations are in play to improve conditions for adjunct faculty. Among adjunct demands were a three percent pay raise and a payment of $100 per credit hour in the event that an adjunct’s class

is cancelled.

Pittman said he hopes the NEA can move forward after negotiations are complete and offered his condolences to the college.

“It’s a very tough time. I’m sorry we’re going through this. We’re doing everything we can in the administration,” said Pittman.

Communications North to close spring break for renovations Relocation of classes, departments already underway The Communications North (CN) building will be shut down for asbestos abatement starting spring break, pending board approval. The project was submitted by the Campus Improvement Committee to Chancellor Jeff Pittman alongside STLCC’s other campuses, each making their own case for receiving campus improvement monies. Meramec’s project was selected to receive funding.

Sam Guth, Meramec Facilities Manager, said that most of Meramec’s buildings have asbestos sprayed on the ceiling, but it poses no danger because it’s encapsulated within paint. According to Guth, the problem with CN started with water damage last semester.

“That’s how it all started big time.

A few roof leaks caused that material to delaminate. The health hazard and exposure hazard of it was very small because it’s still in that paint. It’s just that you can’t have it laying on the floor or sweep it up, you have to hire people to clean that up professionally,” said Guth.

Provost Carol Lupardus said that despite multiple air testings with safe results, the project was suggested in large part to improve student and staff experience.

“I don’t know how many more times

we can have the hazard tape up and the classroom signs up,” said Lupardus.

With the building closed, all classes and other facilities within CN will be relocated to other buildings, including the Assessment Center and the campus IT department. Lupardus said the online interactive class schedule has already been altered to reflect classroom changes, and that the exterior doors of the CN building also list all class changes.

“The largest aggravation really will be [the first week] when you figure out exactly where you’re going,” said Lupardus. “Even though it’s a logistical nightmare, I really applaud the work of so many individuals that have gone to move all the classrooms out.”

Susan Hunt-Bradford, chair of the communications department, said that the key for dealing with the movement of classes will be “flexibility”.

“We need this building updated. So it may be a little inconvenient now but it certainly is going to be worth it in the end,” said Hunt-Bradford.

Hunt-Bradford said staff have been “very positive” about the experience and that the deans have put an effort into ensuring a smooth transition.

Guth called the decision to move class-

Photo by Amanda Harris

Stephen Buechter | Staff Writer

The Communications North building will close after spring break for asbestos abatement. rooms a good one but “contentious” due to the ongoing layoffs.

According to Hunt-Bradford, some classes have elected to remain in CN until spring break. The Assessment Office, as well as the Math and English departments, have already moved. Communications has chosen to stay until spring break.

Lupardus said that no remodeling

will take place, only renovation. She also said she was “surprised” that the district was able to provide funding for the project. Lupardus believes board approval is likely and said that preparations are already underway for the renovations.

“Our infrastructure is still very usable,” said Guth. “We’ve just got to make sure to invest some money into it.”

Page 4 | Art & Life

4

Jan. 25, 2018

Sculpture and Printmaking Collide in New Exhibition

“Evident” combines mediums to create familiarity in abstraction Chris Hutson | Staff Writer

Photos by Amanda Harris Left: One of Arny Nadler’s 10 untitled ceramic sculptures and Ken Wood’s prints, “Writ Large” and “Written Words Fly.” Right: Guest view and discuss artwork at the opening reception of “Evident: Recent Work by Ken Wood and Arny Nadler,” on Jan. 18, in Meramec’s Contemporary Art Gallery.

On Jan. 18 students and faculty were invited to the opening of a collaboration between Meramec’s own Ken Wood and sculptor Arny Nadler. Housed in the Humanities East art gallery, the exhibition, entitled “Evident,” features a mixture of both traditional prints and ceramic sculptures.

“Arny and I found each other a long time ago,” said Wood. “He’s the sculptor, I’m the printmaker. But there are some aspects of our work that overlap.”

According to Wood, both his work and Nadler’s study gestures and the idea of layering and working with

abstraction in ways that remind viewers of the human form.

“The curves that happen, the landscape curves, the body curves. As you walk around them you might see some connotations that remind you of a human nose over there, or animal legs,” said Wood. “We both sort of skirt between abstraction and things that are somewhat representational or remind you of something.”

Wood said he hopes that viewers can appreciate the similarities between his art form and Nadler’s despite obvious differences in medium and form; 2D versus 3D and color versus

black and white.

Sculptor Nadler said that he collaborated with Wood to determine the pieces to submit to the gallery beginning with those they felt would “anchor” the show.

“We spent a lot of time thinking about the sculpture and then the print behind it,” said Nadler Meramec alumni Wolfgang Ibur, who had his work featured in the Meramec gallery last semester, also attended the opening. He described the show as “interesting” and noted that the two artists’ pieces work well together.

“It’s very oddly figurative ceramic

works. Very dark grey, and black colors.

Very bright, very 60’s, 70’s style figurative painting works that you wouldn’t think go well together but mesh well,” said Ibur.

Student Hannah Decuir seconded Ibur’s commentary.

“I think it’s really interesting,” said Decuir. “There’s a lot of different pieces.

I really like all the different colors and all the different mediums.”

“Evident” will be featured in the Humanities East art gallery until Feb. 6.

Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-9 p.m. MondayThursday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.

QSU Wants to Help Students Show their True Colors The Queer Student Union hosts its first meeting of the spring semester For students who identify somewhere on the LGBT+ spectrum, the Queer Student Union has a place to talk about gender and sexuality related issues.

The QSU hopes to attract other LGBT students to cultivate relationships and understanding and provide a safe space for students when they need it and form a greater sense of community for everyone.

“We try to provide a safe space for people to feel that they have some sort of friends and family that they might not have outside of this club,” said club president Colin Chervitz. “I love being involved on campus.”

According to Chervitz, being gay has influenced his life in huge ways and is part of the reason why he is involved with the club.

“Being gay has been such a huge

“I took it upon myself to be part of the solution.”

Seanta Barrymore, QSU Vice President part of my life. Awful things can happen to you when you’re gay and to overcome that and share your experiences with people who get it is kind of a phe-

Photo by Will Murry

Will Murry | Art & Life Editor

Queer Student Union President Colin Chervitz (center) conducts a meeting with other leaders on Thursday, Jan. 18. They discussed leadership roles and responsibilities and a tentative schedule for the coming semester. nomenon,” said Chervitz. “When you’re in this club room, the people here get it.”

The club has many events lined up for this upcoming semester including the Meramec Campus Expo and their “Sharing Diversity” panel set for Apr. 27. They also plan to hold a drag benefit show and a Trans student panel with dates yet to be announced.

Secretary Andrea Denton said that one of her favorite things about QSU is that she has a chance to be active on campus and meet fellow queer students.

“I remember being closeted in high school and how difficult that was for me.

I was lucky enough to get out of that situation and be myself here, but not everyone has that advantage. So we try to supply that support,” said Denton.

The QSU plans to eventually organize a queer student council consisting of student members from the other STLCC campuses with the intent of not only furthering their club’s influence after the members graduate, but also to have the QSU become a household name amongst STLCC students.

QSU Vice President Seanta Barry-

more said she took her position because she wants to reach out to youth and older students.

“I was once told that if you’re not a part of the solution you’re part of the problem. So I took it upon myself to be a part of the solution, and I feel that this is the best way to do it,” said Barrymore. “A lot of the time people don’t know where to go, they don’t know who to talk to, and we are who you talk to.”

The QSU meets Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. in SC204. For more information, contact Colin Chervitz at cchervitz2@my.stlcc.edu.

Page 5 | Opinions 4 Jan. 25, 2018

Farewell, St. Louis Community College

out on behalf of the students that were speaking up for him, he was attacked

by St. Louis Community College police officers and arrested. This is when I woke up and our relationship will never be the same again.

After meetings with Chancellor Pittman, after offering our own proposals and possible ways out of the firing of 70 of our full-time faculty members, after pitching our own ideas for how our extremely well-compensated administration might be able to provide our part-time educators with a living wage, we still felt that we, the students, the faculty, and the community were being ignored.

We decided it was time we did more, it was time to make sure that the administration could no longer ignore us, or so we thought.

On Nov. 30, the Board of Trustees had its final meeting to vote on the RIF. Your students, believing that the decision had been made months in advance, decided this vote would not be taking place. To use an expression that is quickly becoming a slogan for the righteous participants of St. Louis politics, we “shut it down.”

While students laid across the floor in front of the Board of Trustees table and others stood in the audience, arms intertwined, all chanting phrases such as “Justice for Faculty,” we were going

“I refuse to let my thoughts or opinions be held hostage by a hostile institution.”

Sean Thomas, Former Student to ensure this vote didn’t take place, and at the very least, that the community was given an opportunity to see what a greedy administration was doing to its education.

We stood and chanted, exhausted and becoming hoarse, for an hour, the board retreating behind closed doors. Once the board realized we would not be leaving until they did, in what was possibly the biggest slap in the face to your students up to this

Submitted Photo

continued from page 1

Sean Thomas, former Meramec student, gives his final farewell to the campus by holding up a peace sign. point, they returned, huddled behind their table, and voted anyway, amidst our literal shouts of protest. The outcome of the vote was unanimous; they had approved the cutting of 70 of your magnificent educators.

We left that night, a bit surprised that no disciplinary action had been taken against us. A week later, the letters came, informing us that we were required to meet with Kim Fitzgerald, Dean of Student Development and Enrollment Services, to discuss how we were in violation of student conduct code. Failure to meet would affect our enrollment in the following semester.

These letters were delivered during finals week.

At this meeting we were given a copy of the student conduct code and condescendingly informed that “there are more effective ways to protest,” and that the school provides “designated protest areas.” I was even asked what sort of punishment I expected for

my behavior, which I likened to being asked to pick my own switch prior to a spanking. We were told repeatedly that this was an “educational” meeting so that we could be informed of how we broke the rules with an underlying and expertly veiled theme: don’t do it again, or else.

This is why it is time for us to part. I will be foregoing the graduation that I envisioned for so long and transferring to another university. A requirement to transfer to most is being in good standing with your previous institution, meaning amongst other things, that you can’t have been expelled.

While the current Board of Trustees and Chancellor Pittman are still at your helm, I refuse to let my thoughts or opinions be held hostage by a hostile institution. Rather than running the risk of your board being able to my fate, I have decided to inform them that they are no longer in good standing with me. I will keep coming for them, until

your hallways are returned to the corridors of opportunity and advancement that they once were.

While I would like to thank some of your educators specifically for everything that they have done for me, I feel that I cannot. I am afraid that by doing so, I would only be placing a target on their back, making them easy selections for your next round of layoffs. After all, the last thing Chancellor Pittman wants is more students like me.

St. Louis Community College, thank you. I love you. I am truly sorry that I must leave. Please know that although I am no longer a student, I will not rest until we have wrestled you from the hands of the oppressive and violent bullies you call your Chancellor and Board of Trustees.

I am forever in your debt.

Sincerely, Sean Edward Thomas Former Student

the

MONTAGE student voice What’s your stance on the government shut down?

“If it’s any thing like the last one I don’t thnk it’s going to be that big of a deal at all.”

“I think it’s metaphorical that the government shut down on the anniversary of Trump’s inauguration.”

“I find it hypocritical of Trump, since he once said that if the government shut down, the top of command is to blame.”

“I think that it’s unfair that during the shut down, government officials get paid, but our military officials don’t.”

-Noah Reed, Sophomore

-Kyah Probst, Sophomore

-Randall Kemp, Freshman

-Chris Keen, Freshman

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Jan. 18 • 9am-1pm • Meramec, Business Admin Bldg. lobby Jan. 29 • 9am-1pm • Meramec, Student Center lobby Feb. 5 • 10am-1pm • Wildwood Feb. 14 • 9am-1pm • Meramec, Communications North Bldg. lobby Feb. 27 • 9am-1pm •Meramec, Humanities West Bldg. lobby Feb. 28 • 10am-1pm •South County Ed. Center Learn about Webster’s exciting academic programs; generous transfer scholarships; how to apply for free; and request free estimated evaluations of your transfer credit!

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Page 7 | Opinions 4 Jan. 25, 2018

how to

SURVIVE COLLEGE Monica Obradovic | Staff Writer

1. MAINTAIN PERSONAL HYGIENE As America’s sweetheart Beyoncé belts in all her soulful glory, “pretty hurts.” College is all about bunkering down and studying until your tears turn to blood. (By the way, if this doesn’t happen, you’re not studying hard enough.)

Why waste all that valuable brain juice on showers, laundry and tedious things like applying deodorant? A student’s mind is a battery. Ration power to only the necessities.

5. STAY HEALTHY The beauty of having a cafeteria on campus open twelve hours a day is the constant availability of healthy snacks to munch on between classes. If a student is hungry, then so is their brain! Pop by the campus kitchen and grab a slice or two of some nice, gooey pizza.

Or maybe some fried chicken with an ice cream sandwich to cleanse the pallet and lighten the mood. Nothing says healthy living like a defrosted sandwich with French fries, right?

2. AVOID RELATIONSHIPS Is Dad nagging you? Mom breathing down your neck? It’s time to cut all ties. Focus on your education, not family, silly goose. Also, friends?

Who needs them?

6. MONEY MANAGEMENT Ramen.

4. GET TO CLASS EARLY Nothing tells a professor that a student cares more than arriving to class on time. A successful student arrives to class early to exhibit their promptness. The extra time can even be used to catch up on sleep.

Perhaps the greatest challenge after college is obtaining a job. What better way to make connections than by talking to other students on campus? It’s impossible for a job applicant to get a job if they have the social dexterity of someone raised by wolves. Bond with fellow college-goers over issues like where to go if the vending machine steals your money.

Or reminisce about when there was no cancer risk in the asbestos-ridden Communications North building.

8. OBTAIN FINANCIAL AID Frustrated? Angry over a low test grade?

For better mental health, direct any or all anger at the long lines at the Financial Aid Office.

9. STAY POSITIVE Seriously, the weight of one’s future does not rest on a single test or class. Enjoy your time at STLCC and have a nice semester.

Graphic by Noah Sliney

3. KEEP A PLANNER College can be overwhelming, mostly because students find that they never have enough time. Papers due at the end of the week, tests yet to be studied for, a long shift at work the night before a project is due. How can one do it all and stay sane? That’s where planners come in handy. Allot set times for crying alone in a corner or rocking back and forth in the fetal position when it all seems too much.

Pro-tip: the pages can also be used as tissues for your anxiety tears.

7. NETWORK

‘Jumanji’: Welcome to the Jungle

A recipe for disaster destroys all expectations and makes a fine family film Like many people my age I expected this movie to be an absolute disaster.

There’s an unspoken rule that you don’t mess with a Robin Williams movie and that stigma was definitely the source of controversy around “Jumanji.” A lot of millennials, myself included, cringed at the idea of something like this even being considered. Even on paper, this film reads like a run-of-the-mill 2010 remake, another elaborate cash grab from the Big Wigs of Hollywood.

How many movies boast the plotline, ‘small town high school kids get themselves into an elaborate debacle and the only way they can get out of it is by working together and becoming better friends?’ With a rep sheet like this it was easy for me to go into this movie with low expectations.

However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this wasn’t the case. For those who plan to see the movie, beware. There will be spoilers beyond this point. For a rating and general synopsis of the film, skip to the very end.

“Jumanji” opens with a middle-aged man going for a jog on the beach. He stumbles on a mysterious wooden box in the sand and digs it out to reveal the infamous board game. Like most people in movies who encounter a mysterious object, he takes it home with him.

(The logical thing to do, right?) He gives it to his to his son, a brooding teenager who tosses the board game aside in favor of his video game console.

In the middle of the night, a green light glows inside the Jumanji board game box. The boy wakes up to find that the game has now transformed into a cartridge for his game console.

He plugs it in and gets sucked into the game with no explanation.

It was at this point in the movie that I thought to myself, “thank God this isn’t a true to form remake, this movie actually shows a little promise.”

Cut to at least 25 years later, and the audience is introduced to the classic high school stereotypes: a nerd boy, a jock boy, an Instagram girl and a shy bookworm girl. Their acting will make you want to claw your eyes out but luckily it doesn’t last long.

They all get sent to detention for various reasons. In the detention room, the jock finds the knock off Atari 2600 game console with the Jumanji cartridge still inside.

They marvel at this fossil of ancient technology, their curiosity gets the best of them and they plug in the system to a nearby three foot deep tv and fire up the system to give the game a whirl.

They are presented with a character se-

Graphic by Noah Sliney

Will Murry | Art & Life Editor

lect screen and after choosing who they think they want to play as, are promptly sucked into the game.

Over the course of the game these high school kids work out their real life issues whilst working together to solve in game riddles and avoiding death at the hands of enemies and environmental hazards. Side Note; when they die they respawn by falling from the sky and this is used to hilarious effect.

I have to say that this movie was a pleasant surprise. I honestly thought this was going to be an absolute dumpster fire, but to my delight it was one

of the better movies to come out this holiday season. The cast had excellent chemistry, the script writing was good, the cgi wasn’t over-nauseating and the pacing of the overall film was excellent.

If you’ve already seen “The Last Jedi” and “The Disaster Artist” and think you can stomach the the stigma of remaking a Robin Williams classic then I highly recommend this film for people of all ages, especially families. There’s a lot of good things about this movie that so go and see for yourself if you’ve got some spare time and some ticket money.

I confidently rate this movie a solid 7/10.

Page 8 | Sports Jan. 25, 2018

STLCC Basketball Shooting for Nationals in March After a series of losses, men’s and women’s teams on uphill swing

Archers women’s basketball team practices at Forest Park on Jan. 18. since fall of 2016. According to Wadlington, what’s different about the team this year is the chemistry between players.

“Last year there were a lot of returns and everybody kind of gelled. This year it’s different. It took longer for everyone to learn roles,” said Wadlington.

Wadlington said his team’s greatest strength is their depth, as well as the ability to any player to step up and do what’s needed. Though his personal goal for the season is to work on his defense, Wadlington said the team’s overall goal should be trying to buy into their coach’s vision for how he wants them to play.

“I think it’s more about our preparing,” said Wadlington. “Coach gives us a game plan and I think we just need

to do a better job of preparing when it comes to practicing every day.”

Forest Park student Andre Pruitt was elbowed trying to take a charge during the Jan. 13 game against North Central Missouri College and received a sinus injury and a fractured nose.

Despite having to wear a protective mask, Pruitt said he hopes his injuries don’t keep him out of the game for too long.

“Everybody’s cool. Everybody’s got their own type of style,” said Pruitt.

“We’ve just got to bring it all together and make it work.”

Women’s basketball coach Shelly Ethridge attributed her team’s previous losses to the skill of the opposition.

“They were very, very good teams.

We knew that going into those two contests,” said Ethridge. “We gained a lot out of those two losses. It made us a better team and it prepared us for our second half of the season which is the most critical part.”

Meramec engineering student Erica Waelterman agreed with Ethridge, saying the team “needed” the losses in order to learn from them. Waelterman, an Archer since fall 2016, said her team is larger now than when she started and needs to learn how to stay together as one during games.

“It’s a great group that I’m playing with. Everybody’s got different talent and different needs,” said Waelterman.

STLCC women’s basketball finished fifth in the nation last year. According to Ethridge, her team is gearing up for the Mar. 10 district championship, where a victory means a trip to nationals. Ethridge said that while they have a shot, there’s plenty of work to be done first.

“We need to get more consistent with our shooting and free throws. Naturally we would like to do better than last year,” said Ethridge. “Right now we’re just taking it one game at a time.”

Ellisha Davis, point guard and Meramec student, echoed her coach’s sentiments.

“As long as we play hard and play good defense we should be fine. I think we have a pretty good chance of going to nationals,” said Davis.

Basketball district championships will take place this March.

Upcoming Events

Photo by Noah Sliney

Photo by Erik Muschinske

Archers basketball is bouncing back after both the men’s and women’s teams seized victory against Metropolitan Community College Penn Valley on Saturday, Jan. 20.

The wins follow an underwhelming start to the semester, with both teams having suffered three losses since the start of January. According to men’s basketball coach Terry Collins, his team has been going downhill since what he called “a great win” against Moberly Area Community College, then ranked eighteenth in the nation.

“I think maybe we got too full of ourselves and stopped doing the things that got us to that point,” said Collins.

“We’ve just got to work harder and smarter than we’ve been. We’ve got to get that back.”

Collins, who has been coaching the Archers for three years, said that although the team has been working together since October, they still don’t have a real sense of togetherness.

“Just like a person knows who they are, a team has to develop an identity. That’s how you build great confidence,” said Collins. “We still don’t have that.”

According to Collins, he plans to help the team find their unique image by helping them identify their strengths and focusing on improving them.

“We have an intelligent team.

We have really good depth and good rebounding,” said Collins.

Meramec student Jalen Wadlington has been on the team

Photo by Noah Sliney

Melissa Wilkinson | Editor-in-Chief

Jan. 26 Men’s Basketball

VS. Lindenwood U. Belleville JV Home at 7:00 P.M.

Jan. 27 Women’s Basketball VS. Cottey College Away at 1:00 P.M.

Jan. 29 Men’s Basketball

VS. Missouri Vally College JV Home at 7:00 P.M.

Jan. 30 Archers men’s basketball practices at Forest Park on Thursday, Jan. 18.

Women’s Basketball

VS. Lindenwood U. Belleville JV Home at 5:30 P.M.

Photo by Noah Sliney

Feb. 1 Men’s Basketball

VS. Culver Stockton College JV Home at 3:00 P.M.

Feb. 3 Men’s Baseball

VS. North Central Missouri College

Home at 3:00 P.M. Women’s Basketball

VS. North Central Missouri College

Archers women’s player Kelsi York attempts a play against opposing players at the Jan. 20 game against Metropolitan Community College Penn Valley.

Archers men’s basketball Head Coach Terry Collins gives his team some feedback at their practice.

Home at 1:00 P.M.