M T H E M O N TA G E
Smoke Out
STLCC adds electronic cigarettes to smoking ban Concerns from students and faculty lead to district-wide ban on smoking ASHLEY HIGGINBOTHAM STAFF WRITER An email was recently sent to St. Louis Community College students about a new ban on electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Students are no longer allowed to use e-cigarettes anywhere on campus. Faculty members have been researching this new type of cigarette for over a year before it was brought to the Board of Trustees. “This is just an extension of the goal of having a healthy campus, and setting the right example,” Board of Trustees Chair Craig Larson said. “In the last year or two, colleges all around the country are including e-cigarettes because of the concern that they are just another way to smoke, and we don’t want students to think that if they used an e-cigarette, that they
could get past it.” The Board added this extension of the tobacco ban for health reasons only. “Our goal is not to make our campuses any less inviting to the students who want to be here, and some of those students smoke, so this decision was not intended to be an ‘I gotcha’ to our students,” Larson said. Larson and Interim Auxiliary Service Manager Paula Savarino both agreed the goal is to have a healthy campus overall. According to WebMD, an electronic cigarette is a new way to smoke without burning tobacco. The released smoke is vapor, which is why using one is called, “vaping.” Inside the cigarette is a battery, a cartridge and a heating tool. The battery
heats up the heating tool which heats up the nicotine and any other flavorings that is inside. “These e-cigarettes were getting a lot of complaints from students on campus,” Savarino said. Savarino also said it was not just students complaining - staff and faculty also had a few words to share. When enough people complain about an issue, it comes up as an agenda item to the governance council. The issue was addressed to Meramec and STLCC - Florissant Valley had was discussed at a meeting. “They decided that it should be discussed at all campuses, and it passed pretty fast overwhelmingly,” Savarino said.
Once the governance council passes the new rule, they get together with a leadership team including the chancellor, the vice chancellor and associate chancellors, who then vote. “Once it is approved, the chancellor takes it as a recommendation to the Board of Trustees,” Savarino said. The board agreed upon it, and it was passed. Larson said no one had concerns against the policy. However, this was not a quick decision. Larson said the Board watches a policy for a few months to see how it works out. There was research put into this policy before it was passed, Savarino said. The council had been researching the e-cigarette for over a year
Story continued on Page 3
STLCC hires new Compliance Gas-o-lean toward low prices Shootin’ for a repeat Battle of the Opinions: E-Cigs Officer Page 3 Page 6-7 Page 5 Volume 50 Issue 5
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Oct. 23, 2014
2 NEWS Oct. 23, 2014
Meramec welcomes new Campus Life Director Caroline O’Laughlin joins the team in the Campus Life Department upon Steve Brady’s retirement BRITTNEY FARROW STAFF WRITER Growing up in St. Louis, new Campus Life Director Carolyn O’Laughlin is no stranger to Midwestern hospitality, and said she was pleasantly surprised by the community presence at St. Louis Community College – Meramec. Before starting her position at the beginning of October, O’Laughlin and her family moved from New York where they had been living for many years. While there, she gained experience working in the Residence Life department of schools such as the Manhattan School of Music, Columbia University and Sarah Lawrence, a liberal arts college. “My family and I were thinking about returning to St. Louis, and we looked around and this position became available,” O’Laughlin said. “I’m really excited to be here. I liked working with student leadership and working with students and thinking about community life on campus. I’ve been doing that from a Residence Life standpoint and this is different, but it’s really exciting for me.” As an undergraduate, O’Laughlin earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Women’s Studies from Marquette University.
Later she received her Master’s from Michigan State University where she studied Student Affairs Administration. Up until September, she acted as the Director of Residence Life at Sarah Lawrence, where her responsibilities included overseeing the housing of more than 1,000 students. While she said she believes that many of her skills will carry over to Meramec, O’Laughlin said she understands that the lack of a residence hall makes commuter campuses very different. “One of the things I have to adjust to, because it is a commuter campus, is that we don’t have a captive audience 24/7. So we have to plan events when people are here, and we have to make them worthwhile so that people come back,” O’Laughlin said. With the time she has had at Meramec so far, O’Laughlin said she has been taking time to make contacts, meet new people and learn about the institutional structure. She said she attends a lot of meetings and is still getting used to the paperwork, but is satisfied with the community presence already established on campus. “[On campus] I haven’t found the isolation that comes with
students hanging out casually,” O’Laughlin said. “People here seem to be friendly, I’ve gotten help from faculty and students. People keep saying how much they like working here. People seem proud to be here. I’m encouraged by that.” O’Laughlin said out of the many resources available, she believes students should not discount the importance of clubs. She said she believes that the amount of clubs available to students at Meramec is a testament of how diverse student interests are on campus. She also feels club sponsors play an important role, as they connect students with mentors who have experience in several different occupational fields. O’Laughlin said the students involved in clubs play an important role in shaping the campus community. “To have a student community, it’s got to be student-based,” O’Laughlin said. Aside from setting community standards, O’Laughlin said she firmly believes the Campus Life Department can help provide students with valuable life lessons they can carry on into a real-life setting. While she said her job demands
creating an active environment, she said she understands Campus Life is only a small portion of a student’s experience, and instead wants them to learn the responsibilities involved with being part of a vibrant campus so they can develop critical skills that will help them once they leave college. “This is the place to practice putting together events. The stakes here [on campus] are not so high, so it’s a good place for students to practice,” O’Laughlin said. “There are students here who are going to go on and do great things. There are students here who are already doing great things.” As for her own responsibilities, O’Laughlin said it all comes down to finding out what works and what does not. She said she wants to learn what Meramec does not do well and what does so those strengths can be expanded upon. From what she has seen so far though, O’Laughlin said she does not believe a big change needs to occur. “[What’s] happening here isn’t broken. It’s not as if I have to come in and dust things off and throw them out the window,” O’Laughlin said. “I want to learn
Chancellor of Student Affairs Brad Bankhead.
Spring 2015 Registration Begins This Month
PHOTO BY: BRITTNEY FARROW Carolyn O’Laughlin takes over as Campus Life Director after Steve Brady’s retirement. With experience in student affairs, O’Laughlin said she is excited to help in student leadership.
about what’s [already taking place], so that we can grow it. It’s not about dismissing it.” O’Laughlin does not want to knock tradition. Instead she said wants to encourage thinking out of the box and developing leadership on campus. “I’m bringing students to a student government conference next month,” O’Laughlin said. “One thing that is on the forefront of my mind is student leadership. There’s [a lot] happening [at Meramec]. I’m excited to see where we go next.
News Briefs Dr. Victor Rios to Speak at Meramec Oct. 23 UC-Santa Barbara Professor and Author Dr. Victor Rios will present “Punitive Social Control, the Youth Control Complex, and Restorative Justice” at 7 p.m. in the Meramec Theater. The event is hosted by The St. Louis Community CollegeMeramec Global Studies program. In the presentation, Rios will talk about how juvenile crime policies and criminalization are affecting the nation’s youth. The event is free and open to the public. A book signing will follow. For more information, call 314-984-7689.
Dr. Faye Harrison to Present Oct. 27 Dr. Faye Harrison presents “A Global Critical Race Feminist Perspective on Rights and Justice: Transnational Implications of the Crisis in Ferguson” Monday, Oct. 27 at 11 a.m. in the Meramec Theatre. Harrison will discuss three cases of women of African descent in the United States, Brazil and Cuba who have taken
their forms of anti-racist activism to a national level for setting an agenda for social and economic justice. The lecture will brush on how these activists confront social injustices and other kinds of repressive social control.
NAMI: In Our Own Voice Presentation Oct. 23
Gem and Fossil Sale Oct. 22-23 The Geology Club’s Fall Gem and Fossil sale will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Center cafeteria.
Spring 2015 registration commences Oct. 29th. Priority registration: Oct. 29 to Nov. 5. Oct. 29: registration opens for students with 50 or more earned
hours. Oct. 30: registration opens for students with 30 or more earned hours. Oct. 31: registration opens for students enrolled for Fall 2014 with fewer than 30 hours. In-Person Registration Begins Nov. 5 at 8 a.m. Mail-Fax Registration begins Nov. 6
The organization will talk about mental illness. “In Our Own Voice” speakers will speak from their own experiences. The event will be held from 2 to 3:15 p.m. in the Library Confluence Room and is hosted by the Focus on Ability Club. Admission is free and open to the public. The presentation includes a DVD with “additional stories of hope.”
President’s Forum Oct. 23 at Meramec A President’s Forum will be held at 3 p.m. in SC 200. Joining President McIntyre will be Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Kent Kay, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Donna Dare, and Interim Vice
PHOTO BY: SPENCER GLEASON STLCC - Meramec President Pam McIntyre (center) accepts the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, along with Vice President of Academic Affairs Andrew Langrehr (left) and Vice President of Student Affairs Kim Fitzgerald (right.) They were challenged by TRiO, the student support service program, on Oct. 8.
NEWS 3
Oct. 23, 2014
STLCC hires new compliance officer Bill Woodward enters the STLCC community in a new position to keep order in the college ASHLEY HIGGINBOTHAM STAFF WRITER After recent events on the local and national level, St. Louis Community College hired Bill Woodward as Compliance Officer, a new position created by the college. He was offered the position in August, and had his first day at the end of BILL WOODWARD September. He said he was drawn to the position and is looking forward to it. “Everyone is aware with watching the news that there is concern regarding Title 9, and the way campuses are handling
investigations,” Woodward said. This is where the conversation for his position began. Woodward will have top knowledge of the ADA, the Clery Act, Title 4, 6, and 9 so that the college can follow these. “Working with all these pieces that the campus needs to be in compliance with that, is having people looking at these in addition to their responsibilities,” Woodward said. Woodward makes sure that the campus is following these acts thoroughly. He said he helps make sure people are following the rules as they are mandated by the government and legislation. When an incident happens, Woodward’s job is not to step in and oversee things. “I am just making sure that the
E-cigs: district-wide ban in effect CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 before they decided to go any further. “We were seeing that other things could go inside of those things to be used for other reasons, and we cannot just check the inside of every single student that has one,” Savarino said. According to NJOY, the inside of an e-cigarette gel is nicotine and a few other harmless ingredients. The product that is made is vapor. “We have found in our studies that it is not just vapor and nicotine and we have a whole cross section of finding other things inside of them,” Savarino said. Larson said that this is all about health, and they want to
discourage people from “a really bad habit.” Starting Oct. 27, campus police will start issuing tickets for using an e-cigarette on campus. “We are giving students a two week warning period,” Chief of Police, Anthony Russo said. After that warning period, a fine of $15 will be given to students caught using them. If a student receives one, they must pay it at the Cashier’s Office. While there is no time limit to pay the ticket, students will not be able to receive their transcripts or graduate until it is paid at the end of the semester. Savarino said they are just “leading the way to being cautious” on STLCC campuses.
things that need to be reported are being reported,” Woodward said. “I’ve been taking a look at how situations are being managed,and the campus police chief seems pretty on top of things,” Woodward said. Woodward also said strong procedures are already in place, but he does have a few goals for this position. “One of the goals is to always meet and identify key people, and make sure that I am bringing the right people together to talk to,” Woodward said. He said he also hopes to finalize some revisions after he met with the Campus Vice President. “I am working at the Cosand Center so I’m not interacting with students on a day to day basis, so I rely on those people
to help me make sure that happens,” Woodward said. He said he also wants to make sure that he is hearing the student voices, and is creating a division wide look at student affairs as a whole. In addition to compliance, he said he is going to be looking at strategic planning as a whole. “In addition to the compliance piece, I am going to be looking at strategic planning as a whole,” Woodward said. Woodward wants to be well informed of all acts that are a part of the campus, so that he can stay ahead. He said he wants to better the campus as a whole. “If things are going well on one campus, why not look at ways to expand it, so it works for all students on all campuses,” Woodward said.
How is an e-cig made? Built-In lithium battery
Cartridge
Atomization chamber
Smart chip controller
Stainless steel shell
Operating mode indicator
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website, an e-cig is a “battery-operated product designed to deliver nicotine, flavor and other chemicals.” They are supposed to turn the chemicals into aerosol, making it safer for the smoker to inhale. According to the website, there is a lot of information consumers do not yet know about e-cigarettes. The potential risks, number of harmful chemicals and any benefits are currently unknown. The only e-cigs currently regulated by the FDA are for therapeutic purposes.
Meramec Students Weigh In: What are your thoughts on the new e-cig ban?
“It depends on the e-cigarette. The ones that have no nicotine that are only the flavor and vapor I don’t find too harmless… I understand the band because they can be distracting, especially for the people who are trying to quit,” -Hannah Johns
M
Get Social
“I’ve actually heard they are worse for you than actual cigarettes. They could head young people into cigarettes. So I think that they ban can be really justified,” -Kelsey Wright
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“Since they are newer they aren’t regulated as much as normal cigarettes. We know what is normal cigarettes, but not yet what is in e-cigarettes. I think it is a good thing and that it makes the campus look a little more polished,” -Phuong Tran
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4 OPINIONS Oct. 23, 2014
DMV-Devil’s Right Hand Man LIVIE HALL MANAGING EDITOR Anything that requires you to take a number and wait in line to be greeted by a grumpy, middle-aged human is never good. Unfortunately, the government mandates that you must waste time in these horrible lines. If you have ever had a driver’s license, license plates or anything else to do with a car, then you have surely encountered the fresh hell that is the Department of Motor Vehicles. Not many errands bother me. I love to get in my car and drive around town to accomplish things, it makes me feel productive. But God forbid my license is expired or I have moved to a new town. Nothing ruins my day more than the hour I spend in that fluorescent-lit prison cell. My license recently expired for the first time since I had gotten it. I noticed way after the fact and hurriedly jumped on it. Prior to my arrival at the DMV, I had called the license bureau, where an utterly useless automated man told me everything I needed to bring – except a proof of residency. I thought I was prepared. When I walked into the room, the entire atmosphere changed. The sunny day outside turned cloudy when I opened the door. I took my number and smiled at the lady at the desk. After she stared me down, I took my seat. When another lady snapped the word “next,” I headed over. “How can I help you?” she asked, ever so cheerfully. “I need to get my license renewed,” I said.
“Need your license, Social Security number and proof of residence,” she said as she continued to make eye contact with only the computer in front of her. I fumbled with my things, pulling out two of the three she had requested. I did not have a proof of residency. When I told her this, she could not have cared less. She said I needed to bring that in, handed my expired license back and called for the next person. I stormed out behind a guy who seemed to have had a similar experience. He took the words right out of my mouth as he expressed his anger with some choice words. I understand hating your job. I understand having a job because you need the money for your family. What I do not understand is a blatant disregard for other people. Working with people, it is necessary to have a form of respect. It can be annoying, but you have chosen that job. There are other jobs to have that require much less social interaction. If the DMV would have clearer instructions, it would be easier to deal with. If someone would be kind enough to help you understand what you need to do, it would be easier to deal with. If they would smile, even a tiny bit, it would be so much easier to deal with. Working in customer service sucks. As a waitress, I have to be nice to rude people all day long. As long as I smile, then I do not have a guilty conscience about a customer’s reaction. However, the people at the DMV do not have anything on their conscience. Maybe it is because they truly do not care, but I think they had to sell their souls when they signed their contracts.
ILLUSTRATION BY: JASON WATERS
Distracting Habits CHRISTIAN HARGAS STAFF WRITER There are many instances when a student is sitting in class, trying to concentrate on their work, but the person sitting near them is preventing them from doing that. Whether it is constantly tapping a pencil, chewing gum with your mouth open, or talking during the lecture, these actions come off as being disrespectful. I am not saying that I have never done any of these things, because that would not be true. I use to have a serious problem with constantly tapping my pencil on any open surface during my middle and high school years. It got to a point where I was told by multiple students and teachers to stop or I would suffer consequences, but it was a habit that I could not break. It was not until my junior year in high school when I was finally able to break the habit of rapid pencil tapping. At first, I never really understood why people had such a big problem with it. After all, it was just a way for me to express myself. However, I now realize that tapping a pencil like that in a public forum, such as a classroom, tends to be disrespectful to everyone else. It’s not just the annoying sound of a pencil constantly smacking the surface of a desk that aggravates people, it is the principle.
The principle being that no one wants to hear that because it is extremely disruptive to their concentration. I never understood it at first, but I understand it now. That is why I have stopped doing it. Today, it bothers me when I am trying to concentrate in class and someone is doing the same thing near me. It strikes an extra nerve with me, however, because I use to be one of those annoying pencil tappers myself. I use to be the one who caused enormous amounts of aggravation in the people around me and now it has become a form of aggravation to me. In a public forum, such as a classroom, it is important that we, as a society, should respect each other by not doing things such as tapping pencils during lectures. It is also understandable that habits like that are not easy to break. I should know because I was one of those people who had trouble breaking mine. It’s difficult but it can be done. Now, I understand just how difficult trying to stop a habit like this can be. I was one of those people who had trouble breaking my pencil tapping habit. One of the things that I began to do was chew gum. Also, when the teacher was talking, I would put my pencil on the table and place my hands in my lap to prevent the need to tap. It was hard at first, but it got easier as time went on. I was able to break my bad habit through hard work and dedication. If you have a bad habit(s), you can too.
ILLUSTRATION BY: JASON WATERS
EDITORS Spencer Gleason Livie Hall Marissa Diercks Ryan Obradovic Alex White Dalila Kahvedzic Bill Gezella Sabree Blackmon Shannon Philpott
MONTAGE STAFF THE MONTAGE
Adis Elijazovic Editor in Chief/ Sports Editor Brittney Farrow Managing/News Editor Christian Hargas Graphics/In-Depth Editor Ashley Higginbotham Opinions Editor Jason Jamison Photo Editor David Kloeckner Asst. Art and Life Editor Aaron McCall Copy Editor John Poe Copy Editor Kayla Cacciatore Faculty Adviser
Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Photographer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer/Photographer Jason Waters Staff Designer Aaron Landgraf Staff Multimedia Specialist Kurstin Mecey Staff Multimedia Specialist
To place an advertisement, contact the advertising manager for rates, sample issues, etc., 314-984-7955. Editorial views expressed or content contained in this publication are not necessarily the views of St. Louis Community College, the board of trustees or the administration. The Montage is a student publication produced seven times per semester at St. Louis Community College Meramec, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., Kirkwood, Mo., 63122. 314-984-7655. One copy of The Montage is free of charge. Up to 10 additional copies available, $1 each, at the office of The Montage, SC 220. Bulk purchases may be arranged with circulation manager. Editorial policy: All letters should be no longer than 500 words and must include identification as a student or faculty member, phone number and address for verification purposes. 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.
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OPINIONS 5
Oct 23, 2014
Vape on
Justified ban: E-cigarettes
RYAN OBRADOVIC OPINIONS EDITOR
SABREE BLACKMON COPY EDITOR
Re c e n t l y the Board of Trustees got together and revamped the district-wide smoking ban. In addition to cigarettes and other tobacco products, e-cigarettes are now on the list of banned tobacco substances even though it’s not tobacco and nothing has been proven to suggest that vaporizing an e-cig is harmful to anyone’s health. If anything, e-cigs have greatly cut down the use of cigarettes on campus, which is a great thing because it shows that people are willing to quit if there is an adequate, healthier substitute. Now this healthy substitute is being taken away because “STLCC is committed to providing a healthy educational setting and workplace not only for our students and employees, but also for those who visit our campus and facilities,” Interim Chancellor Dr. Dennis F. Michaelis said in an email regarding the ban. It’s not like e-cigs are unhealthy. Just like the court systems, e-cigs are innocent until proven guilty of being bad for you. They only have two chemicals, propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, which are both approved by the Food and Drug Association (FDA) in food products, according to v2cigs.com. Traditional cigarettes have 4,000 known chemicals and 69 of those are known to cause cancer, according to tricountycessastion. org. So why is there a ban on e-cigs again? I think the banning of e-cigs is about the school feeling insecure about their appearance, rather than a concern for student’s health.
Earlier this month, an STLCC c a m p u s wide ban of tobacco use was extended to electronic cigarettes. While I do have a libertarian streak, I support smoke-free zones. The case I have seen made supporting the ban is that we still know little about the products and the industries that make them. That, to me, is enough justification, even if e-cigarettes prove an effective tool to wean people off tobacco. If we accept the assumption that vapor products are safer to bystanders than cigarettes, that does not mean there is zero public health risk. It is true that pharmaceuticals utilize vapor as a delivery system. However, that industry is governed by testing and purity standards. There is also a path of investigation and liability if something goes wrong. Producers of e-cigarettes are not under similar scrutiny. These companies currently have zero consistent regulation nationally. While the Federal Drug Administration currently has a proposal for e-cigarette regulation, it is still pending as of today. As such, states themselves have enacted preemptive legislation — the state of Missouri, however, does not currently have any laws passed limiting e-cigarette sale or production according to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation. I am hesitant to label any e-cigarette product as safe, given the lack of ingredient disclosure and no quality standards. There are thousands of new businesses selling vapor products and presenting anything as fact about their safety is intellectual
I understand this because who wants their school to be known as the one whose students smoke leisurely in the hallways? That problem can easily be solved though, because not everyone just blows huge clouds of vapor in the air. Fines can be handed out to those who annoy everyone with their storm cloud-sized hit because they deserve it, but not to the ones who try to conceal their vapor. No one appreciates the massive clouds in school and those people give misconceptions about those who use e-cigs for the right reasons. Since what is being inhaled is water vapor, it evaporates more quickly than cigarette smoke so it is a lot easier to conceal, also diminishing the cough for less of a distraction. STLCC is jumping the gun on this topic. Because e-cigs are a new trend, people are going to be skeptical and automatically assume it is bad, especially since it is being smoked. Look at pot for example. It was made illegal because people thought it made you crazy without knowing anything about it. Now it is being sold as medicine for multiple ailments, including cancer. But that is a totally different story. STLCC should revisit the smoking ban and revise it so those who distract others can receive discipline. Another solution would be to leave it up to the teachers to say whether e-cigs can be used in the classroom, just like the food policy. I have yet to hear of a person dying from using an e-cig, but people die every year from obesity and fast food while that is still allowed in classrooms. Maybe STLCC could look how to actually improve student’s health in their next rule change.
ILLUSTRATION BY: MARISSA DIERCKS
dishonesty. Just like tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes affect the air quality around their users. On a dense campus like STLCC-Meramec, that can blanket a large number of people. I do not want a lung full of someone else’s oxidized unknowns. I also do not want a contact nicotine buzz from another student’s vapor. If another student gets sick from second-hand exposure or from a product failure, who is held responsible? E-cigarettes face many of the same safety issues as tobacco and potentially more so, given the unregulated nature of the vapor liquids and the electronics themselves. Consumers and their buying choices will ultimately force positive changes to the industry. However, until the market sorts itself out, it is a large scale experiment. I do not want to be a part of this experiment, at least until there’s a resemblance of oversight. There is a moral failing in that I now have no real opportunity to remove myself from new pollutants produced at whim by industry. I prefer that we gain more protections to our right to a clean, healthy public environment, not lose them. I want e-cigarettes eventually to succeed as a safer alternative to tobacco products. Still, I do think STLCC is making a good preemptive step to protect my rights as a student. Ultimately an e-cigarette user can walk a few feet off campus — I cannot move my classroom to avoid second-hand vapor. Until there is more transparency to the e-cigarette industry, I think the minor inconveniences are a common sense precaution.
Letter to the editor Regarding the article about the STLCC sexual harassment tutorial: I am quoted as stating that I complete it (the sexual harassment tutorial) because “I’m just told to do it” without the provision of a “clear reason.” This misrepresents the point that I was making to the reporter. Yes, in the time that I have been on staff, we have been required to take the tutorial, and I, as do other faculty members and staff, complete it as directed. I was not able to tell the reporter when this requirement was first instituted. However, as a faculty member I am well aware of the importance of the information provided in the tutorial and the
necessity of updating and remaining current in our understanding of issues relevant to the topic of sexual harassment. What I was unaware of is what seems to be (according to this article) a recent requirement that students in clubs and organizations must now take the same training as faculty and staff. Although I was unaware of what may be a relatively new requirement or is an expectation/ encouragement impacting student organizations, I certainly support the underlying principle behind it. As a frequent faculty presenter at new student orientation sessions, I can confirm that all students in attendance are encouraged to complete this
tutorial. Sexual harassment is an issue of concern on college campuses throughout the country, and I support the efforts to educate our students about it, and to communicate information regarding the resources and assistance available on our STLCC campuses. Sandy Brady Reading Professor
6 INDEPTH Oct. 23, 2014
Gas-o-lean toward low prices Pump up the savings
DALILA KAHVEDZIC ASST. ART & LIFE EDITOR With gas prices fluctuating many people gas.” may have the simple question of “why?” Meramec student, Andrew Ebert said Having questions answered by students, a he pays for gas with his card and fills up gas station manager and employees, this all the way. little gas guide might be of help. “It’s annoying because I have to get Gas prices depend on the price of oil. it on the right day before it goes back up If the price of oil skyrockets, so will the again” Ebert said. price of gas to the gallon. Renee Berry is the manager of the According to the Institute for Energy local Phillips on Kirkwood Road. Taking Research (IER), lowering the price of oil into consideration that there are multiple would involve lowering world oil demand franchises, this one is run by Petro Mart. and increasing world oil supplies, which is “Our gas is priced by the barrels that difficult in itself because the U.S. has no come in” Berry said. ability to effect the oil demand of other “We try to stay competitive and match countries. others. Quik Trip is the market leader so if Refining costs play a big role as well. they go down, we go down. If they go up, Refining of oil is a process where oil is we go up,” Berry said. cracked and formulated into its chemical Phillips receives two tanks of gas components, transforming it into gasoline. weekly, each holding 11,495 gallons. That Splitting apart the price at the pump, is 22,990 gallons, or as Berry portrays it, the IER said that oil amounts to about “a lot.” 70 percent of the price at the pump, tax Meramec student Jamal Hodge about 13 percent, distribution/marketing works at the Phillips on Kirkwood Road. 11 percent and the refining costs add up to Many people may know that Phillips about 8 percent. charges five cents less if you pay with cash Basically, gas prices are high and will than with a card. continue to increase because world oil “The five cents off brings more demand growth is outpacing oil supply customers. The way that it is set up is we output. can’t give a discount with cards,” Hodge Lack of refining capacity is a big issue said. as well because of equipment failure. Not all Phillips gas stations are like this, Meramec student James Gentry Faust though. Some have the five cent discount, said he pays for gas with cash.He says it’s some do not. frustrating. “Since there are multiple franchises, “I never fill up all the way, I go little other stores have different ways to do it,” by little” Faust said. “I spend too much on Hodge said.
Where does the
gas money
PHOTO BY DALILA KAHVEDZIC Employees Nick Hentz (left) and Meramec student Jamal Hodge (right) work at the local Phillips 66 gas station on Kirkwood road.
go? 13% taxes
67%
Crude Oil
11%
Distribution & Marketing
8%
Refining
INDEPTH 7
Oct. 23, 2014
Gasoline prices are composed of FOUR main components: 1. Supply and demand for oil in a global market 2. Taxes levied by federal, state, and local government 3. The cost of refining crude oil to turn it into gasoline 4. Distribution and market costs, such as the costs incurred by local gas owners
Information obtained from The Institute of Energy Research
8 ART & LIFE Oct. 23, 2014
PHOTOS BY: KAYLA CACCIATORE Pieces of fabric hang from a clothesline in the Student Center building with words of encouragement. The phrases were written by students for the citizens of Ferguson, Mo. The squared fabric will be pieced together to make a quilt that will be displayed on the Meramec campus as a permanent art piece. The Clothesline for Peace Project took place Oct. 6 to Oct. 9.
One ‘peace’ at a time: the Clothesline for Peace Project Square by square, students raise awareness for Ferguson through messages of hope BRITTNEY FARROW STAFF WRITER The Clothesline for Peace Project made its annual appearance on the St. Louis Community College - Meramec campus on Monday, Oct. 6, on the Student Quad. As students walked from the Student Center to class, members of the Global Justice Project, Diversity and Native Peoples clubs sat at a table with markers and triangles of fabric. When students approached, they were encouraged to write down messages of hope for the citizens of Ferguson for an awareness effort that is set to involve many aspects of the campus community. After the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson on Aug. 9, members of the Meramec faculty brainstormed ways in which they
could raise awareness for the issue with students on campus, said Sociology Professor Cindy Epperson said. It was then that Vice Chancellor at the Academic Affairs Office Joyce Johnson suggested making a quilt. Johnson said she inherited an interest in quilting from members of her family and had seen the craft used as a form of activism in projects such as The AIDS Memorial Quilt. The project was also loosely inspired by the Clothesline Project, which raises awareness for domestic violence and sexual assault by having participants write messages on blank tee shirts. Epperson said she supported the birth of the project. Every semester, Epperson asks her students to complete a survey
which evaluates their stances on social issues. With this questionnaire, students use the Likert Scale to determine their feelings on topics such as social class, politics and racism. When Epperson added questions asking students if they could describe the social issue behind the protests in Ferguson, she said she was surprised to discover the majority of her students could not. “I’ve been shocked by how many students aren’t aware of what’s happening in Ferguson,” Epperson said. “I want students to realize that it should matter [to them] even if it’s not impacting [them] directly.” For three days, students wrote their messages down on pieces of fabric that were displayed on a clothesline in the Student Center.
As they wrote, club volunteers at the booth asked them how the protests in Ferguson had affected them and how they had made them feel. Epperson said that in her classes, students have discussions about what defines a social movement. She said that in order for something to be classified as a social movement, it has to meet a certain set of criteria and that a social movement relies heavily on the people involved. Because of this, she said she wants students on campus to look for ways to help the residents of Ferguson. Johnson also shared this belief. “I want students to realize that through their education they have a responsibility to try and make the world a better place,” said Johnson.
The project ended on Oct. 9, but will not be complete until March. Now that the messages have been collected, Johnson will compile the pieces and choose the strongest statements to make into a quilt. Students from the Art Department on campus will also be involved and are responsible for incorporating symbols women used in protest throughout history onto the fabric. Once the quilt has been finished, it will be unveiled in March as a part of Women’s History Month and will become a permanent display piece on campus. The STLCC Forest Park and STLCC Florissant Valley campuses also participated in the Clothesline for Peace project and will each have a quilt on display as well.
Game On Students battle each other on ‘Super Smash Bros.’ and ‘Borderlands’ computer games JASON WATERS STAFF ILLUSTRATOR A stroll through the second floor of the Art Department will likely find a gaming group of seven or eight in the hallway at almost any time of day during the week. Controllers in hand and laptops spread out on the table in Humanities East, they play “Super Smash Bros,” a game by Nintendo, 24/7. A few of the regular gamers are Meramec students Kirsten Frederick, Tyler Leiwecke, Nella Donati and Mike Dempsey. It was not until the Spring 2014 semester when the group began getting together at a table in the hall. Leiwecke said playing games openly in the hall is easier on a college campus than in high school. “We’ve all known each other somehow in some form,” Leiwecke said. “It makes it easier because you are around friends and college is a more relaxed environment.” Frederick said he agrees. “I think it helps that a lot of us knew each other from high school,” Frederick said. “The rest of us know each other from classes we’ve had here at school
[STLCC-Meramec].” The gamers are mostly art students. Frederick said some students are taking classes in other departments as well. “My boyfriend has gotten some of his friends over here when we started sitting here, who are from all over campus. We even have a computer science major. But for the most part we are all art majors,” Frederick said. Leiwecke, Donati and Frederick are in their third year at Meramec but not everyone in the group is the same age, Leiwecke said. It is generally a welcoming group considering many members are younger than the three, he said. “Usually we’ll have at least one extra controller. Some people will ask, ‘Can I join?’ I don’t think we’ve ever said no to anybody,” Frederick said. As students spot the group playing “Super Smash Bros” in the hallway, Donati said they would slow down, stop and just stare at the screen. Many other game titles illuminate their computer monitors and hand-held devices.
“We play ‘Pokémon’ we also play stuff like ‘Animal Crossing’ as well,” Leiwecke said. “If you can come up with a game to play or if you say ‘I’ve got this game, it has multiplayer, let’s all try it,’ we are willing to try a new game.” H o w e v e r, “Super Smash Bros.” is one of the most played games in the hallway, Frederick said. “It doesn’t really get old unless you are playing it like five PHOTO BY: KAYLA CACCIATORE days a week,” Students gather in the Humanities East building to play video and computer games between classes. Frederick said. “We Outside of Humanities East, “There were some people played ‘Pokémon’ when that came out. I’m sure we other gamers congregate in who brought an Xbox and a TV will be playing it when the new various locations around campus, and were playing ‘Halo’ in the one comes out. Now that the [DS] toting consoles and flatscreens as cafeteria. We came here because version of Smash is out I think we opposed to laptops and handheld we were bogged down by how systems, said Frederick. loud it is,” Frederick said. will be playing that, too.”
ART & LIFE 9
Oct. 23, 2014
Hepner’s own ‘American dream‘ Criminology professor reflects on his humble beginnings SPENCER GLEASON EDITOR IN CHIEF A few years ago, Dr. Michael Hepner got a laugh out of sittingin on former STLCC-Meramec counselor Christina Jackson’s College 101 course, when she asked the students to stereotype him. The wide-eyed 18 and 19-year-old college students sat in the classroom as Hepner stood in front, dressed up in his suit and tie and they would guess where he was from. “’You’re probably from Clayton, [Mo.] or Ladue, [Mo.],’” Hepner said the students would guess. “’You had a good upbringing.’” That was the funny part. “Then I would just drop the bomb on them,” Hepner said. Hepner’s upbringing was not as they had guessed. “I had nothing growing up. I had absolutely nothing,” Hepner said to the students. “But if you just work with what you have, you can have a pretty good life. It’s like the ‘American dream.’ I grew up as impoverished as anybody. And now, here we are.” HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
was a handyman who suffered from alcoholism and a gambling problem. “There was really no stable income,” Hepner said. “I think he made money. But it was all drank away by the end of the day.” Money was tight and many nights, dinner consisted of saltine cracker sandwiches with mustard. “We were just poorer than dirt,” Hepner said. “Just as poor as could be.”
“I always liked the policeman every time they came. Everything would be going to hell and then they would step in. My dad would walk away and go wherever he’d go. My mom would calm down. There was no more yelling. No more screaming. All growing up, I wanted to be a [policeman],” he said. RISING ABOVE
Hepner began working on farms when he was an earlyteenager. His father had a small Hepner’s dad had alcohol farm with some crops. He would issues, he said. go back-and-forth owning pigs “That reared its head a lot,” and cows. Hepner said. “It was nothing really stable,” And he said his mom shielded Hepner said. the four kids from experiencing Hepner said he spent every that. Saturday and Sunday on farms. “There would be times when Some nights after school would he would come home early, before be spent on farms, all the while we had gone to bed, and he’d be working at McDonald’s and keeping up with a paper route. If you just work with He wanted a car. So he what you have, you worked. “I think I got my work can have a pretty good ethic from my mom’s dad, life. my grandfather,” Hepner - Michael Hepner said. “He worked at a scrap yard during the day and then he’d have an hour or so off before he went to work drunk,” Hepner said. “She would at a foundry. Then he owned the try to get him out of the house Mexican restaurant on top of it.” because she didn’t want him there Hepner has always had around us. You can imagine what multiple jobs, he said. kind of battle that turned into, His list now — four. sometimes.” On top of being a college The domestic violence was professor, Hepner is an officer heated with knives pulled and with the St. Louis County items thrown, he said. “Some Park Rangers, teaches hunter really scary stuff happened when education courses for the Missouri I was a kid,” Hepner said. Department of Conservation and That’s when Hepner’s teaches CPR and First Aid classes “calming force” would show up at through the American Heart the door. Association. ROCKY ROADS
“
Born in Feb. 1978, and the second of four kids, Hepner grew up in Bishop Hill, Ill., a town with a population of 80 that sits in the northwest corner of the state. Bishop Hill, Ill. was an “allwhite” town. Hepner’s mom was Mexican and they were the only Mexican family in the area. “It was kind of rough growing up,” Hepner said. His mom worked as a waitress at her parent’s Mexican restaurant, while raising Hepner and his three sisters. Hepner’s dad
Hepner (left) and Meramec student Kaylee Matthews (right) take a break after Matthews pepper sprayed Hepner, as part of a class challenge on Oct. 3. Matthews donated the most food items in Hepner’s police supervision class, during a Meramec Hunger Awareness charity. The charity coincided with Hepner’s class learning about the use of force.
PHOTOS BY: SABREE BLACKMON STLCC-Meramec Criminal Justice Professor Dr. Michael Hepner speaks to his police supervision class on Oct. 3. Hepner was hired as a part time criminal justice instructor at Meramec in 2009. Today, Hepner is in charge of the Criminal Justice program at Meramec.
Those — on top of being a husband and father to two baby girls. BEATING THE ODDS Hepner acted out in elementary school and spent many days in detention. Although, from the get-go, there was never a question that Hepner and his sisters would go to college. Hepner’s parents paid the $100 for him to take the ACTs. “I don’t think I scored a 20. It was pretty low. But my last couple of years in high school really kicked in,” Hepner said. “I went from a pretty solid ‘D’ and ‘F’ student to starting to get an ‘A’ here or there, especially in the sciences. I liked that kind of stuff. Growing up in the woods and fields all of the time, that’s what we did.” Hepner said he met with his guidance counselor his senior year of high school to get his plans together for the following year. “He had no faith in me going to college,” Hepner said. “I remember he handed me stacks of applications for factories. He kind of laughed when I told him that I wanted to go to college. He laughed and said, ‘I think these are more appropriate for you.’” Hepner was accepted into college — barely, he said. “’Congratulations, you’re
accepted. But you only have one semester to prove yourself,” Hepner said his Southern Illinois University-Carbondale letter read. “I suppose I did [prove myself]. I don’t know what my GPA was that first semester, but I did end up with a degree.” Hepner ended up with more than a degree, he said. If Hepner sees his old guidance counselor now, “he has to call me doctor,” he said. LOOKING BACK The Mexican restaurant is gone, now. Hepner’s parents have divorced. His mom lives in Detroit, Mich. His dad still resides in Hepner’s hometown. Although his dad still frequents the bar, he “drinks a lot of Diet Coke,” these days, he said. The first 18 years of Hepner’s life and the second 18 years are two told stories. Hepner now makes more money in a year, than his parents made in two or three years — combined. “I don’t know if that’s a measure of success. But financial success, I guess,” Hepner said. He can now afford his suit and tie. “I don’t reflect on [my past] often. I should do more,” Hepner said. “Just thinking of where we came from and where we are now — it’s just amazing.”
10 ART & LIFE Oct. 23, 2014
Halloween is running out of tricks ‘Stranger danger’ and safety take center stage over trick-or-treating door-to-door CHRISTIAN HARGAS STAFF WRITER Although many STLCCMeramec students may be past the age of dressing up and collecting candy on Halloween, non-traditional students may have concerns for their children. In the United States, 41.1 million children ages five to 14 participated in the Halloween activity known as “Trick or Treating,” according to the 2012 Census Bureau. The number of parents who allow their children to engage in taking candy from strangers has continued to decline. “We do not trust it like we used to,” said Roy Cables, STLCC-Meramec staff member in Student Affairs. “When I was a kid, we did not know anything about stranger danger. Today, no one trusts their kids to avoid stranger danger. Also, our kids are programmed to do so many different things, they do not have time for anything else.” In 2011, 93 percent of United States households who participated in trick or treating considered their neighborhood
safe, according to the Census Bureau. And 78 percent of these residents also declared their neighborhood safe enough to walk around alone at night. “It is the safety; it all depends on where you stay,” said Angela Cozart, Meramec staff member in the Business Office. “It is just a big difference in today’s world. I do not think trick or treating will ever be the way it used to be.” People have moved from the traditional act of trick or treating, Cozart said. “When I was a kid, it was like Christmas. Everybody participated. It is almost like the kids are left out today because the older generation throws parties; they don’t go trick or treating.” Candy consumption is typically a concern for parents as well. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2010, 24.7 pounds of candy were consumed by Americans on Halloween. “Parents just do not want their children to have too much candy,” said Martha Henderson,
Meramec reference librarian. “There was also a big scare about people putting razor blades in bags of candy.” Options for safe consumption
of candy and trick or treating still exist, though. “I know of some parents who take their children trunk or treating,” Henderson said.
Cozart said she agreed. “There are parents who go take their children to churches for different activities and things,” she said.
ILLUSTRATION BY: MARISSA DIERCKS
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SPORTS 11 Oct. 23, 2014
PHOTOS BY: DAVID KLOECKENER (Photos left to right) Head Coach Randy Reed talks to players about practice as they do stretches before practice starts. Players run through practice drills to get ready for the start of the season. The Archers start off the season on Oct. 31, 2014 against Coffeyville Community College at the State Fair Community College Classic.
Shootin’ for a repeat STLCC Archer’s Men’s Basketball team aims to surpass last year’s 8th place national finish AARON MCCALL STAFF WRITER The STLCC Archers men’s basketball team were District 13 champions and finished eighth in the nation at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) tournament last season. This season STLCC Head Coach Randy Reed said they are looking to build on that success. Reed wants to keep the positivity flowing and improve. “Let’s try and get better than eighth,” Reed said. “Let’s keep the success rolling baby. Let’s just keep getting better.” Reed said he knows the task will not be easy, but he has high
expectations. “It’s going to be hard, but I think we have a chance of getting better than eighth,” Reed said. “That’s a lofty goal, but you want to always say you can do better than the team last year.” Reed says the 2014-15 team has talent and with a good attitude this group of Archers can be successful. “This team will be successful because I think they have a good attitude, work ethic, and I think they believe in me and what I’m teaching,” Reed said. Reed said his team will put
on a show for the fans when they attend home basketball games at STLCC-Forest Park. Along with the flash on the court, he said the Archers will play solid fundamental basketball. “You are going to see dunks,” Reed said. “You will see entertaining basketball, smart basketball, and well coached basketball. You will see some really good quality junior college basketball.” Freshman guard Jeremy Verges said he thinks this team can repeat some of last season’s success.
Students toss the ball for physical ed credit
“I expect nothing less than nationals again,” Verges said. The 2014-15 roster has only three returning players from last season. Point guard Jacob Hensel, guard Sean Robinson and post position player Devin Naruaez are the returning trio. “Our team chemistry can improve,” Vergas said. “This is a new team, but we have a lot of offensive threats.” Reed said this Archers team is deeper on the bench than in the last season. “We have a lot of depth. Last year we were pretty much two
players and a couple of other guys who were pretty solid, but this year we have balance,” Reed said. “We have about eight or nine really good basketball players on [this] team.” Sophomore guard Jacob Hensel said he is ready to be a leader and take his team as far as they can go. “[I want to be] better as a team and lead my fellow teammates to get us as far as we can go,” Hensel said. “[I want to] win as many games as possible and play as a team first and foremost. [I want to] get back to nationals.”
Athlete Spotlight
Volleyball classes teach elements of ‘lifetime sport’
KAYLA CACCIATORE STAFF WRITER
AARON MCCALL STAFF WRITER
Tessa Killingsworth, a freshman and athlete at STLCCMeramec is playing for the women’s soccer team as a defensive player. Growing up, Killingsworth said she played numerous sports but decided soccer was her favorite. “I started playing club soccer in fifth-grade. I love the sport because it keeps me in really good shape and it’s like a stress reliever for me. When I’m out on the field I don’t think about anything else but soccer,” Killingsworth said. Playing numerous positions such as midfield, forward and defense, Killingsworth said defense is her strongest position because she is aggressive and can win tackles. “The hardest part of the game for me is myself. When I mess up, I get down on myself too much which affects my play,” Killingsworth said. Killingsworth said team chemistry is a challenge. Soccer is a team sport and you need to have a bond with your team so you can get a feel of how each member plays and the will and want to play for each other, she said. With this year’s season coming to an end, Killingsworth said is very proud of the accomplishment her team has gained with the majority of them being brand new and having new coaches “Play hard and push yourself in practices because how you practice is how you play. Each time you step out onto the field for game day and put your jersey on, you need to play for your team,” Killingsworth said. She said she plans to continue her education at Meramec and keep up with soccer. She said she hopes to one day start a physical therapy program, which she said will take a lot of time and effort.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 1:20 p.m. during the Fall 2014 semester, Instructor SuzAnne Paez surveys students tossing around the ball - a volleyball - in the Meramec gymnasium. The class is worth one credit hour and any student can enroll. “We have two volleyball classes - Volleyball 1 and Volleyball 2. Volleyball 1 learns the basics. Volleyball 2, students learn and execute the spike, overhand serve and setting strategies,” Paez said. Paez said both classes are together so students end up learning everything as a whole. Paez said she has been teaching the class for 17 years and played volleyball in high school. “If you like sports, even if you do not, you will enjoy it. We have fun, get exercise, you learn strategy, and you learn how to play the game without really
knowing it,” Paez said. The physical education class is open to all STLCC students with varying levels of skill, Paez said.
ILLUSTRATION BY MARISSA DIERCKS
“I think it is an easy game to follow. I think anyone could understand it and enjoy it if they were to go to a game. It is a fast pace when you get two good teams going,” Paez said. Paez said volleyball is a sport
that people young and old can participate in. It is a good sport for socialization. The skills needed to play volleyball can be applied to everyday activities, said Paez. “Volleyball is like working with a team in an office. You know your weak spots and you work around those and with those,” Paez said. “Everybody has a different way of saying something, but yet they mean the same thing so you have to learn your teammates. You have to know who you are working with.” According to Paez, volleyball teaches lifelong skills. “It is a lifetime sport. You learn cooperation, communication. You learn how to work out problems sharpen your skills of observation, and listening skills. It involves a little bit of everything from everyday life,” Paez said.
12 OUT & ABOUT Oct. 23, 2014
PHOTOS BY: KAYLA CACCIATORE Meramec students listen to Luisa Otero and Susan Hamilton talk about Latin American Culture at the Oct. 9 Hispanic Festival hosted in the Student Center.
International Connection The International Club hosts Latin America demonstrations, dance, food and art ALEX WHITE PHOTO EDITOR
The International Club held a Latin American Festival on Oct. 8 to 9, in the student center at STLCC-Meramec. The festival was geared toward expanding the knowledge that Meramec students have about Hispanic Heritage Month, which spans from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. At the festival many different artists from Latin America were featured. A few of the artists were Luisa Otero, Eliana Cristancho, and Mamerto Sanchez from
Peru,and Alejanda Velasco who is from Colombia. The media ranged from canvas paintings to print making and charcoal drawings. The subjects of the pieces consisted mainly of figure portraits and still life paintings. Along with the variety of artwork, there were Latin American snacks as well as a group of Latin dancers. One of the dishes presented at the festival was a Mango Flan. Flan is a dessert made in many Latin
American kitchens. It is a baked custard, that usually consists of eggs, milk, gelatin and vanilla. Another food option available was an Almond Agave Thumb Print cookie. The almond cookies resemble thin wafers filled with a small amount of icing. The dancers that were spotlighted at the festival performed to several different songs for the students. After they finished their routines, students were encouraged to join them.
PHOTO BY: ALEX WHITE The Mango Flan (top left) is one of the dishes that the International Club provided for the event, giving the students a better taste of Latin America. One of the dancers at the event strikes a pose (top right). Claudia Susana Perez Mills (bottom right) was one of the dancers present at the festival. She is wearing a traditional Latin American dancing dress. Alejandra Velasco (left) was born in Colombia and moved to the United States when she was very young. She took a few art classes at STLCC Meramec for a few years but now teaches art and Spanish to kids and adults alike. She had many pieces present at the festival, spanning over several different mediums. She used print making the most, which she learned from STLCC Meramec. She also had quite a few still life drawings and metal works showcased at the event.