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How the campus academic governce council voted on the Physical Education requirement.
VOLUME 52, ISSUE 6 | THURSDAY NOV. 17, 2016 | www.meramecmontage.com
Sports:
Archers win regional final
News:
St. Louis Community College campuses voted on elimination of Physical Education requirement
Mens soccer team triumphs 3-1 against Crowder College Roughriders. Region XVI Final showed continued dominance of the team.
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Art & Life:
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For
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Story on page12
Backstage of ‘Violet’
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“I feel like a lot of people don’t realize how much affect the lighting and the set and everything has on the rest of the show.”
Florissant Valley
Forest Park
Wildwood
Although three out of four STLCC campuses tied on the vote to eliminate the Physical Education requirement from board policy, the motion did not pass because a simple majority was needed. Eliminating the requirement from board policy does not immediately eliminate the requirement from specific programs.
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Spotlight:
Opinion:
Save your tears for later...not for finals! Surviving finals is a struggle all students face, but Meramec faculty and staff are there to help students develop healthy study habits, sleep schedules and diets as well as offer counseling to help students’ emotional wellbeing.
Meramec
Andrew Ameer Students deserve respect, too “A sense of empathy is a must when dealing with people. The same is true when it comes to teaching students.”
Story on pages 6 & 7
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2 | News
Nov. 17, 2016
Dual enrollment conversation dominates Chancellor’s open forum
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Photo by: Katie Hayes Community Relations Officer Tom Burnham from Peter & Paul Community Service Homeless Shelter and student Scott Roy answer students’ questions during the panel discussion on hunger in St. Louis on Wednesday, Nov. 2 in BA 105.
Meramec hosts panel discussion on hunger Hayes m Katie Editor-in-Chief More than 30 Meramec students are currently researching hunger in St. Louis in response to the 2016 Missouri Hunger Atlas, which reported that 26 percent of St. Louis City residents are food insecure. English Professor Pam Garvey, who teaches two sections of Composition II, hosted a panel with representatives from the Brown Bag Cafe, Community Relations Officer Tom Burnham from Peter & Paul Community Service Homeless Shelter and Scott Roy, a Meramec student who is currently homeless. Students from both of Garvey’s sections of Composition II attended the panels on Wednesday, Nov. 2. “I’ve seen [Roy] around before and it’s interesting because I would have never thought he was homeless and had gone hungry, because I’ve seen him a bunch of times on campus,” said Lila Lemeyian, a student in Garvey’s Composition II class who is currently working on an honors project related to hunger in St. Louis.
Lemeyian most recently wrote a grant proposal to obtain food for Gateway 180, an emergency housing organization, which involved students in preparing food for more than 100 homeless people on Saturday, Nov. 12. Garvey said one goal of her Composition II classes is for students to make the connection between their education and their community. “There is something profound about that because all of a sudden this issue is no longer this abstract thing I’m reading about, but I’m sitting next to a person who doesn’t have enough money to buy food,” Garvey said. “That makes it real.” Lemeyian, who is originally from Kenya, moved to St. Louis last October. Lemeyian heard about the Mizzou hunger study from Garvey while taking Composition I last spring. “I think when people think of hunger they think of the images you have of the starving kids in the desert in like Africa,” Lemeyian said. “It’s so interesting in here, in like 2016, in a country that’s as developed as this, there is
EDITORS Katie Hayes Marie Schwarz Andrew Ameer DJ McGuire Erik Muschinske Missy Arneson Jordan Morris Ian Schrauth Shannon Philpott
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Opinions Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Graphics Editor Online Editor Faculty Adviser
still hunger and it’s almost hidden in the sense that somebody could be sitting next to you and you have no clue that they’re going hungry. It’s just a strange concept for me, I guess, because my idea of hunger is from those places of like just acute starvation.” During the panel discussion, Burnham from Peter & Paul explained that there are food deserts in St. Louis. Food deserts, which are areas that lack access to affordable healthy foods, force residents to buy food from places such as convenience stores or gas stations. “You see a lot of overweight people suffering from malnutrition,” Burnham said. Garvey worked with Service Learning over the summer to organize the panel as well as multiple volunteer opportunities for students. While these sections of Composition II are not officially service learning courses, the hours are meant to assist students in understanding the issues they study. “I wanted to have some kind of panel,” Garvey said. “I wanted to have some kind of service oppor-
tunity. I said, ‘what I want is for them [students] to be able to study this issue as a local issue, but also as something they can see from multiple pathways.” Garvey said Composition II should be about applying the research, argumentation and persuasion to a project with a “real” audience. “When you can give students something concrete like that, it goes far,” Garvey said. “There is a lot to experiential research and observational research that students can gain.” Garvey’s students have gone to Peter & Paul, Campus Kitchen, Food Outreach and Gateway 180 this semester to cook and serve food. Lemeyian started volunteering outside of class as well. “What we do is we fill backpacks with canned food and blankets and when we drive downtown and to places where there are homeless people, we will just hand out the backpacks,” Lemeyian said. “I saw something on TV where the person always had backpacks of food in their car and I was like ‘that’s smart, I’m going to start doing that.”
STAFF Stephen Beuchter Daphne Drohobyczer Brittney Farrow Caroline Frank Cornelious Jones Dalila Kahvedzic Lexie Keller Adam Moran Amanda Harris Ashley Biundo Noah Sliney ToQuyen Tonnu
Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Photographer Staff Photographer Staff Designer Staff Designer
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Daphne Drohobyczer
Staff Writer
Chancellor Jeff Pittman hosted an open forum, which focused on dual enrollment for high school students. The forum took place Monday, Nov. 7 in BA 105 from 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. “I have rarely heard complaints about the quality of education that students have here,” said Kim Fitzgerald, dean of student development and enrollment management. Fitzgerald said she finds dual enrollment very advantageous and it is especially useful for students who do not have an A.P. program at their high school. Dual enrollment is when high school students take classes at their high school as well as a college. High school students can start taking classes at STLCC the summer after their sophomore year in high
High school students can take classes at STLCC the summer after their sophomore year school. “Sometimes they [students] are bored, sometimes they do it to get credits,” Fitzgerald said. “Hopefully, more people are completing their associate degrees, and either get out into the workforce, or transfer.” “There are two-year career programs in horticulture, physical therapy assistants, and informations systems; you can turn around and get a job with those degrees,” Fitzgerald said.
THE MONTAGE 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
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News | 3 STLCC considers eliminating the physical education requirements 4 17, 2016 Nov.
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Stephen Beuchter there is a large number of our student population that Staff Writer
The College Academic Council has discussed the possibility of removing the two credit hours of physical education from the requirements for earning an associate degree from St. Louis Community College. This was done to make the program for an associate degree into a 60-hour program. The idea was brought forth by a task force made up of members from each campus who were dedicated to finding
“It’s not gonna hurt you to be physically active.” Robert Ewers out where classes could be cut to reach the 60 hour mark, said Professor Margaret Hvatum. The measure was not approved at individual campus levels. “In order to be approved by Meramec Academic Government Council, it would require a simple majority. The proposal was not approved by Meramec Academic Governance Council. It was also not approved by Wildwood and not approved by Forest Park,” Hvatum said. Coach Tony Dattoli from the Physical Education department said the number of students enrolled in P.E. classes shows definite interest in keeping the classes. “I understand the desire to get our common core requirements to a certain number, but I think the numbers themselves of registrants shows that
likes taking Physical Education courses, not just because they satisfy their P.E. requirement, but because they’re also a great means of dealing with stress,” Dattoli said. It is possible for campus representatives for the college’s wider College Academic Council to vote against the decision of each campus’ Governance Councils, but unlikely. “Assuming that now three campuses have not approved it and it went to CAC we would think, probably, that CAC would not approve it, because traditionally delegates to the CAC reflect the votes of their campuses,” Hvatum said. “But we don’t know, it may be that the delegates choose to disregard how their campuses voted. They have that option although the campus that elected them to represent the campus may be quite unhappy with them if they voted differently.” One of the more widely accepted possible changes to policy among staff, according to Professor Hvatum, is to make at least one of the required two hours of physical education credits into a wellness credit. “Some Missouri colleges don’t allow those classes [P.E. credits] to transfer in, but that’s not true for all Missouri colleges and the majority of Missouri colleges do allow wellness credits to transfer in, so if the phys ed classes were to focus on wellness, for at least one of the credits, that would give more transfer opportunities for students transferring to Missouri four-year col-
Consideration to remove physical education requirement process 1st
Committee of faculty investigated classes to omit from associate degree requirement
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Committee submitted a proposal to CAGC to remove physical education requirement
Proposal sent to faculty for discussion
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CAC voted Monday, Nov. 14 (still awating decision results)
MAGC voted on proposal. It was a tie, but required a majority vote to be approved
Graphic by: Jordan Morris leges,” Hvatum said. “I think we have such an unbelievable opportunity to grow,” Dattoli said. “And I think that instead of addition by subtraction, so to speak, which is what I think we’re looking at: trying to make our program better by eliminating, I think that — I don’t become a quicker runner by chopping off one of my toes, you know. I become a better runner by making the things I currently have better and more productive for me.” A second-year student and major in Music Education, Robert Ewers, believes that the college should keep its two credit hour requirement for getting an associate degree from St. Louis Community College.
“It’s not gonna hurt you to be physically active,” Ewers said. “If people who are in a rush trying to get the degree done and those two credits are holding you back, yeah, but I’d say we should leave it for now. I’m not too worried about it.” Francis, another student and a returning student and planned hospitality management major, was also against the removal of physical education requirements. “I’m for physical education. I think it’s important that we maintain our healthy weight and exercise, get those endorphins going, get our heart rate up. That’s what I believe,” Francis said. The Governance Council voted to remove required P.E. credits from the
Board of Trustees’ policy, not the individual degree programs. Board policy does not necessarily cause instantaneous changes at a campus level, and in this case, each individual program would need to decide whether to remove the requirement or not. “In order to remove it from any programs, that change would have to go through the curriculum committees at the campus level and at the district level,” Hvatum said. “However, I would anticipate that if the requirement for two credit hours of Phys Ed was removed from board policy that many programs would remove it from their programs because we want our programs to be as efficient as possible so that students can graduate.”
Registration hold affects 1,400 Meramec students due to TB-screening TB Testing/Readings on Campus Have your taken the mandatory TB Survey?
If so and they answered yes to one or more of the questions, you must follow-up with a free TB test.
Testing - Student Center Cafeteria
Mondays through Jan. 9 (no testing Nov. 21, Dec. 12, 19, 26, Jan. 2) 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesdays through Jan. 17 (no testing Nov. 22, Dec. 13, 20, 27, Jan. 3) 4:30-6:30 p.m. Readings - Student Center Cafeteria Thursdays through Jan. 19 (no readings Nov. 24, Dec, 15, 22, 29, Jan. 5, and no 11 a.m.-1 p.m. readings on Jan. 19)
Visit stlcc.edu/tbscreening or call 314-539-5082 for more information.
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Marie Schwarz Managing Editor
As of publication, 1,400 Meramec students are affected by a registration hold, which prevents them from registering for spring semester classes. Students cannot sign up for spring classes until they complete the mandatory Tuberculosis screening said Kim Fitzgerald, Dean of Student Development and Enrollment Management. About 940 Meramec students answered ‘Yes’ to one or more questions on the survey and therefore need to provide evidence of a skin test. Kim Fitzgerald said 700 students still need to show proof of the
skin test. This group of students is able to register for classes, but will be dropped from classes on Jan. 7 if proof has not been provided. The survey contains six questions regarding contact of Tuberculosis and frequent visits to areas where prevalence of the disease is high. Since the TB-screening is a state mandate, St. Louis Community College has to do the screening process, Fitzgerald said. “This is a compliance issue for all colleges and universities, so we don’t have an option of saying that we’re not gonna do it,” Fitzgerald said. “This is something that we need to do and in truth we do it so that we can make sure that
our students are healthy.” Mimi Butler is a registered nurse at Visiting Nurse Association and is doing the skin test on campus. “It’s a very fast process,” Butler said. “We do ask some screening questions before we put the PPD [purified protein derivative] underneath the skin. If students have had what’s called BCG vaccine, then we do not put this on them. They will need to go either to their own physician or the county or city health department depending on where they live to get further screening.” Students who answered ‘Yes’ to one or more questions on the survey, can get tested for free in the cafeteria.
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4 | Opinions
Nov. 17, 2016
Students should expect more effort from educators
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Andrew Ameer Opinions Editor
I have been a manager with one of the world’s largest retailers since I was 21 years old. As a manager, I manage about 50 different people. Each one of those people has a different personality. Each one has a different story. A different life. Not every one of them is perfect. They make mistakes. As a leader, it’s my job to look at each situation individually when mistakes do happen, to decide what should be done. I must make the decision that is best for the individual, the company, and the rest of the team. A sense of empathy is a must when dealing with people. The same is true when it comes to teaching students. A professor can’t expect to be successful by putting a book in front a student then telling them to “read and learn”, expecting it to happen. The modern student has a lot going on. Struggling to pay for school, juggling a job or two or three. Maybe taking care of a child (or two, or three). Some people don’t have a perfect home life, and college is an escape for them. Some people don’t come from a great background, but are in college trying to better themselves. Students look towards professors and other figures of authority in their lives as means of sup-
Photo by Ashley Buindo; Graphical work by Jordan Morris port. And professors must realize this. Empathy is just as important as any other qualification to be a college professor. It’s important for anyone in a leadership position or a position of authority, really. I have never been a professor before, but after a few years of college taking many classes from many different professors, and my degree completion right around the corner, I know a good professor when I see one. When a student messes up, or is struggling in a class, a good professor will ask “Why? What is
going on in this student’s life that is causing this sudden drop in productivity?” A crappy professor will say “You’re an adult, suck it up and deal with it.” At work, if I responded the same way every time one of my workers failed an assignment or didn’t give me 100 percent on a project, I wouldn’t have any workers to manage, because they would all quit. The same is true of college students, particularly in America where many students finance their own education, through loans, their family, or simply straight out
of pocket through a job that they work very hard at. Yes, students must do their part too. Making every attempt to complete coursework on time, striving to learn the subject matter as best as possible, and respecting the knowledge and experience the professor has attained before them. But some professors need to reflect on what their job truly is; what is their mission. Is it to rigidly enforce the rules they have set out in the syllabus by any means necessary, come hell or high water? Or is it to ensure that students learn the subject they are teaching, and help them on their way to graduation? Students will make mistakes. They will forget to turn in assignments on time, or they will not do as well on a test as they had attempted to do. Because life happens, particularly to students attending community college. When making decisions on these mistakes, professors need to look at situations with a sense of empathy. Getting people to do what you want them to do takes a certain amount of finesse. The same is true of teaching students. When students fail, a professor should be there to help them back up, not knock them down and definitely not to administer punishment. The field of human resource management is not for everyone. And a professor is a job that falls into the field of human resource management. During my time in college, I’ve come across many, many outstanding professors. I’ve also come across some that I wish would ask themselves, “What am I here to do?” My hope is that if a professor happens to read this article, they will take this question to heart.
Letter to the editor As an instructor of Earth science at Meramec I must refute the views of columnist Adam Moran that climate change is being exaggerated. This is a factually incorrect. Earth is getting warmer due to increased levels of CO2 from burning fossil fuels and rainforest destruction mainly to feed animals for meat production. 97% of climatologists, 99.8% of peer reviewed articles and every scientific academy in the world agrees. The Pentagon views this as a military problem and they are planning to deal with the conflicts that will occur. It’s wrong to say there are two sides to this issue. The only ones who doubt this are those who feel there should be no intervention in the market and fossil fuel companies supported by bribed politicians. Sea levels are rising and will flood millions who inhabit coastal areas. Increased CO2 is making the oceans more acidic and along with higher temperatures has killed 1/3 of the world’s coral reefs. The Gulf Stream is slowing down too and this will dramatically affect the climate of Europe. Frozen methane, stored in artic tundra is
being released. It’s 30 times stronger at trapping heat than CO2 and this will result in the temperature increasing 100 degrees in our lifetime. It’s false to claim that environmentalists want to destroy the energy industry with no alternatives. Wind power is as cheap as energy produced by coal. The price of solar energy has dropped so much that conservative law makers are trying to tax and outlaw it in many places while we’re subsidizing dirty fossil fuels with tax breaks. Tidal, geothermal power, and bio fuels from algae provide carbon free, non polluting energy but investment research into these alternatives is being blocked by the influence of theses politically powerful and rich energy companies. It is the fossil fuel companies who are actively to destroy the energy wind/solar industry by regulating them out of business, not the other way around. Raising car mileage standards and switching to a vegan diet (or reducing your consumption which is the second largest source of greenhouse gasses) will drastically reduce our use of fossil fuel. These are alternatives that Mr. Moran says don’t exist.
Climate change is a serious problem that cannot be ignored. We’ve spent trillions fighting terrorism but climate change will kill billions and cause widespread famine and warfare. We are spending virtually nothing on or are reducing research on alternatives. Meramec offers courses on environmental science such as physical geography, and Earth science. The Environmental club focuses on climate change too. Your writer is entitled to his opinions but he isn’t entitled to make up his own facts. Saying the fear of climate change is exaggerated with no viable alternatives is false This is greatest problem facing humanity and it cannot be dismissed or ignored We are leaving the children of the future with an overheated planet and a destroyed ecosystem in order to protect the interests of a wealthy few.
-Rick Menendez St. Louis Community College Instructor Physical geography Regional Geography Earth Science
Submit a letter to the editor by emailing meramecmontage@gmail.com. Letters should be 500 words or less. Please include name and phone number for verification.
Opinions | 5
4 17, 2016 Nov.
We can be friends again If you chose not to vote, don’t complain on social media
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Missy Arneson Copy Editor
Election season: the time when everyone argues for months on end over which one of two terrible people are less terrible than the other. Whether you voted for Trump, Clinton, or another candidate, I think we can all agree that nobody is really pleased with the choices we made Nov. 8. Political campaigns are awful to watch no matter who they’re for, but the amount of toxicity this cycle was downright horrendous. From the #hillaryforprison hashtag to Hillary’s comment about Trump’s supporters being a “basket of deplorables,” the whole season was full of hateful and uncalled for actions. Not so polished but just as annoying are all the people on social media that flood everyone’s feeds with post after post about politics.
Taking a strong stance is fine, even good in politics, but no one wants to see Great Aunt Sally’s thirtieth post today about the evils of the government and how everything is a conspiracy. So the summer before a big election such as our recent presidential election becomes a sort of ‘unfollow season’ — we change our account settings so we no longer see anything from people who continually post articles or opinions that we disagree with. While it’s healthy to develop informed ideas by listening to dissenting opinions, it gets exhausting to constantly be told our ideas and beliefs are wrong, without any attempt at a conversation on how we can form better ideas. Even though the election is over, our Facebook feeds will still be drowning in political posts for a while. A lot of people are angry over the result of the election, and want to vent their feelings in a way that allows their opinions to be heard by many all at once. Of course, these complaints are pretty pointless. Those who voted are at least validated in their complaints — despite the fact that they can’t change anything, at least they tried to get the outcome they
Graphic by: Noah Sliney wanted. But the whiners who didn’t vote and now have the gall to complain about the result are like the classmate who doesn’t participate in a group project, then complains about the group’s grade. They can be upset all they want, but they obviously didn’t care enough to try
and change the outcome. Soon enough the political scene will die down, our feeds will return to cute animals and recipes we never intend to make, and we can start looking at our friends’ posts again. Until then, maybe stay off social media for a while.
‘Young aspiring artist’ is a title to wear proudly Money is not worth the cost of mental well-being
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Dalila Kahvedzic Staff Writer
There has recently been uproar with Old Navy in regards to a T-shirt sold for toddlers. After countless customer complaints, the shirt has been removed and discontinued — for good reason. This particular T-shirt put an unnecessary shame to the title ‘artist.’ Old Navy’s T-shirt had ‘young aspiring artist,’ written on it, with the word artist crossed off and replaced by words such as ‘astronaut’ and ‘president.’ What is this teaching young children, that aspiring to be an artist is not good enough? That if this child grows up to be a photographer or a painter, they are not good enough? In 2015, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay of a craft and fine artist was $45,080 per year, about $21.68 per hour. The median pay of an accountant or auditor was $67,190 per year, about $32.30 per hour. Now get this — in 2010, the
Graphic by: ToQuyen Tonnu American Journal of Public Health published an article which pinpointed positive outcomes of art after conducting over 100 studies. Art therapy proved to relieve symptoms with health concerns such as cancer. Poetry helped in the role of healing — authors described that the use of poetry helped them find their voice through words that could not be found in ordinary language. Thirty-five women who competed in a 12-week trial which focused on healing through dance and movement said it improved their quality of life. According to Economia.com
and the Chartered Accountants Benevolent Association — an association which provides support and assistance in stressful situations — two main reasons for phone calls in 2014 were apprehensions about stress and mental wellbeing, with a highlight on accountants and their increased pressure at work and home. More research has found that 32 percent of accountants have feelings of stress in their dayto-day life. When did money become so much more important than mental well-being? Often many people aspire to certain careers because of
financial stability, but that should not be the end goal or a deciding factor — emotional fulfilment should come first and that is what we should be teaching young children. I am in no way whatsoever attempting to downplay being an accountant (or any other career for that matter) because, well, what would we do without them? As they say — if the shoe fits. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and if accounting is right for you — fantastic. But this is also no reason to downplay a young, aspiring artist. I have met a caricaturist on Hollywood Boulevard who seemed like the happiest man to walk the earth and an accountant who seemed to be the most stressful. I have in the same sense known a stressful artist and a happy accountant. This is no reason to teach kids that being an artist is not enough — because it certainly is. Please flip through your albums with professionally done photos and tell me that you are not thankful for the photographer who took them. After that, please look at the painting you hung up on your wall that completely brightens up a living space and woos guests, and tell me you are not thankful for the artist who painted it. Finally, attend a concert and tell me you were not moved by the ingenious music produced that sent shivers up your spine. To be an artist is real, achievable and it is a grand, beautiful gift. Besides — the ‘Earth’ without ‘art’ is just ‘eh.’
6 | Spotlight
Nov. 17, 2016
How to survive the final weeks... Study tips from the pros: Meramec’s peer tutors. Tutoring is located on the 2nd floor of the library.
“For math, I solve 25 problems every day to help me prepare for class and tests. For every math class, you have to exercise every day to be able to understand the problems and get ready for class. This method has never failed me.”
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Marie Schwarz Managing Editor “A portable flashcard is convenient and easy to use especially for definitions and hard-to-remember formulas. The ones I buy are basically business cards with a hole pre-punched in one corner. A binder ring holds them together, and you’re ready to study anywhere anytime.”
Aidan Brooks (Math tutor)
Daniel Muamba (French tutor)
“I use the 30/30 method for writing or any kinetic learning assignments like making outlines, writing or making presentations. 30 minutes studying and 30 minutes chilling. It gives me a sense of reward which makes me work harder.” Michael García (Spanish tutor)
Photo by: Marie Schwarz
Brook’s portable flashcards. Depending on the topic, he writes a formula, concept or term on the one side and the answer on the other side.
‘Sleep allows the mind and the body to rejuvenate’ College students need healthier sleep habits in order to achieve wellness
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Caroline Frank Staff Writer
Sleep affects every aspect of one’s physical and mental health, said Vicki Ritts, Ph.D., professor of psychology at St. Louis Community College – Meramec. “Enough sleep makes a difference in our physical health – things like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes [and] the immune system,” Dr. Ritts said. “Sleep makes a difference in how much food we end up consuming or not consuming. It also impacts our mental health in terms of anxiety and depression. When we don’t have enough sleep, we’re also under a lot of stress.” According to an online survey facilitated by the University of Georgia Health Center, the average college student gets 6-6.9 hours of sleep each night. Meramec student Scarlett O’shaughnessy said she gets about six hours of sleep per night, while Meramec student Haley Fields said she gets between seven and eight hours of sleep per night. These averages are below the amount Dr. Ritts recommended. “It varies depending on the individual, and it also varies depending on the age category. But the traditional college-aged student needs between eight and 10 [hours of sleep],” Dr. Ritts said. Dr. Ritts has made observations about some of the students in her classes.
“The problem is college students take on too much, so their sleep takes a hit. They try to take a full load and work 40 hours, and when you add that all up, there aren’t enough hours … so something suffers, and it’s usually sleep,” Dr. Ritts said. “It impacts
“You can’t catch up with your sleep debt.” Vicki Ritts our academic performance; our ability to focus is really sleep-dependent.” Psychology disproves the common belief that one can “catch up” on sleep, Dr. Ritts said. “You can’t catch up with your sleep debt. There are studies that show that it is best to have a consistent schedule. It’s hard for everybody, because it’s not like our lives are on a set schedule. But it really is best,” Dr. Ritts said. Richard E. Cytowic, M.D., M.F.A., and Neurology Professor at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., wrote an article in Psychology Today called, “Sleep: The Clean-Up Crew of a Dirty Mind.” “The brain parties every moment you are awake,” Cytowic said. “As [living cells] burn fuel they leave behind residue and toxic wastes—the equivalent of empty glasses,
smelly ashtrays, and dirty dishes that a host must face when the action is over and things have died down.” According to Cytowic, sleep allows the mind to rid itself of harmful properties and make room for the next day’s thought processes. Shelby Harris, Psy.D., P.C., is a specialist in behavioral sleep medicine and cognitive behavior therapy practicing in Hartsdale, New York. Harris suggests turning down the lights an hour or so before bed and unplugging from technology to signal to the body it’s time to retreat. “A lot of people watch TV in bed or pay their bills or even do their taxes, and then wonder why their minds continue to race when they want to go to sleep,” Harris said. “We encourage people to make their bedroom a sanctuary for sleep.” The National Sleep Foundation recommends maintaining a clean room, having a supportive mattress and pillow, setting a sleep schedule, performing a relaxing bedtime ritual, avoiding naps during the day and sleeping in a dark, quiet room at night between 60 and 67 degrees. Adapting healthy sleeping habits will ensure a higher level of wellness, Dr. Ritts said. “For me, wellness encompasses both physical health and mental health, and you really can’t separate those two out — ever,” Dr. Ritts said. “Sleep allows the mind and the body to rejuvenate.”
Spotlight | 7
Nov. 17, 2016
Counseling helps students to relax “There are people just like you”
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Daphne Drohobyczer Staff Writer
Mental Health is important during midterms and finals or even the holidays, said Jason Duchinsky, Mental Health Counselor at St. Louis Community College — Meramec. “Whether you need help with planning and time management, depression, or want to express a personal issue [confidentially], the counselors are here to help alleviate some of the stress that comes along with the holidays, pressure from parents, or any type of mental health stressors,” Duchinsky said. Duchinsky said counseling can be potentially very powerfully therapeutic. “Stressed students like ‘being heard, feeling felt, being understood,’” Duchinsky said. “It’s powerful to know that you’re not alone and that there are people just like you.” Duchinsky said a counselor trying to help out a student does not always know what the outcome is because the student has to put in
Maria Briceño
the effort too, and listen to what the counselor is saying. “Growth requires effort, it requires work,” Duchinsky said. “We don’t always have the answer for students in his or her process of finding those answers or making decisions. [But] it is reasonable to expect
“It’s powerful to know that you’re not alone and that there are people just like you.” Jason Duchinsky that the student would be able to cope better with the difficulty [after a visit at the counselor’s office].” Students should initiate assessing themselves, acknowledge their limitations, and being more comfortable with admitting to themselves that shortcomings happen,
“My favorite study technique is rewriting notes and color coding. It helps me to learn the concepts and separate them by choosing different colors. For example, if you’re writing concepts red and formulas blue, you can scan your notes easily and find what you’re looking for.”
Photo by: Marie Schwarz
Briceño’s color coded notes. Makes not only scanning easy, but also by creating them, the brain studies already.
(Spanish and chemistry tutor)
Healthy foods on the go
Test Taking Strategy Workshop
Finding that healthy balance in a student’s diet
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DJ McGuire Sports Editor
As long as students focus on moderation in their diet, a healthy lifestyle is easily attainable, said Jason Allen, Ph.D., full-time Biology professor at Meramec. He said his motto is “everything in moderation.” In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle several specific foods and food groups like fresh fruits and vegetables, such as broccoli, apples, and oranges are healthy, Allen said. Sophomore student Emma Fraley enjoys eating a banana, or chopping up a tomato and eating that in a rush. “I like to throw together a small salad or eating yogurt, which is fast and portable,” Fraley said. Student Pat Ryan, who visits the cafeteria occasionally, said he eats foods like bananas, oranges, carrots and celery sticks when he is in a rush. “These foods are great options to eat on the go,” Ryan said. Allen understands the busyness of college life, as he also leads a very busy life as
Duchinsky said. Students cannot take on everything, he said. Tyler Fuson, a sophomore at Meramec, has his own way to decompress. “What I like to do … is the Pomodoro Technique … where I do a certain number of problems, maybe ten, take a fifteen minute break, and then go back to my homework, that way it makes it a little more relaxed,” Fuson said. Meramec student Tim Donermeyer said that the internet and going to Blues Hockey and Cardinals games helps him to relax and destress from studying. “I usually hop online and either read stories or watch Youtube videos,” Donermeyer said. Students who need help with stress management can find the counseling office on the second floor of the Communication North building. “If you don’t make time, you will not have time,” Duchinsky said.
well, he said. A busy life leads students to eat and grab foods that focus on speed, not on its nutritional value, Allen said. “Things that are fast for us aren’t necessarily good for us”, Allen said. “These foods are filled with high amounts of processed sugars, trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. Try to avoid these kinds of foods. Avoid drinks such as soft drinks and energy drinks.” Allen combats the fast food problem by preparing food in advance, he said. “I cook several meals in one day… for the week. If a student spends one day cooking several meals that will last them a week, eating healthier in a rush becomes much simpler,” Allen said. Allen said chicken and turkey with just a little bit of seasonings are good choices for meals. “Fish can also be a very healthy option, although watch out for its country of origin and mercury content,” Allen said. If students are looking for a quick snack rather than a full meal, plenty of healthy options are out there, Allen said. “Nuts are a great example,” Allen said.
“Everything in moderation.” Jason Allen
Tuesday, November 29, 2016 1:00-1:45 pm BA 105 Sponsored by Academic Support Center “For example, walnuts, peanuts and cashews provide high levels of protein. Granola bars can be a good option too, just some are much healthier than others.” Sophomore Nick Keeton said he is a fan of almonds. “They are really high in mono and saturated fats,” Keeton said. Keeton said he also likes to eat fruits, such as apples and mangoes. Many students like to take the option of eating fast food for some of their meals, Allen said, but some options in fast food restaurants are healthier than others. “Arby’s Artesian Turkey is a very healthy option, as well as Subway and McDonalds’s salads,” Allen said. While fast food may not be the healthiest option for students, eating it occasionally will not harm students drastically, Allen said. Allen said one great supplement to a healthy diet are multivitamins. “A good multivitamin every day is worth its weight in salt,” Allen said. Vitamins can help bolster important nutrients every college student should focus on vitamin K, C, D and E and the Omegas, Allen said. “Finding the importance of a healthy diet and some sort of physical activity leads to a much healthier lifestyle”, Keeton said.
8 | Art & Life
Nov. 17, 2016
Empty Bowls Luncheon serves the hungry m
Dalila Kahvedzic Staff Writer
Bowls, soups and sweets lined tables in SC202 on Wednesday, November 9 when the 10th annual Empty Bowls Luncheon was held on the Meramec campus. For $5, students received a lunch and a ceramic bowl made by students in Jim Ibur’s ceramic class.
Debbie Corson, Coordinator of Service Learning and Civic Engagement, said the whole point of doing Empty Bowls (a national program) is to support Operation Food Search. “The ceramics students in Jim Iber’s classes all make bowls,” Corson said. “The professors make bowls too, so that people will be able to get their bowl and their lunch at this event - it’s kind of
Photo by: Dalila Kahvedzic Abbey Kriegel Noblitt admires ceramic bowls made by Meramec students in art classes. The proceeds from the bowls went to Operation Food Search.
become just a way to bring us all together at our campus.” Eric Nielsen, associate professor of economics, and Patty Keller, psychology professor, said they have been coming to this event for years. “My bowl will be used to be set near my stove so I can remember this day,” Nielson said. Keller has been attending the event since it began. “The whole idea of beating hunger and getting an awesome bowl,” Keller said “that’s my favorite part.” Nielson appreciates the creativity of the students, he said. Lily Polley, sophomore, played the piano as guests made their way in. She began to play in the second grade and continues it as a hobby. Operation Food Search’s Director of Community Relations, Judy Coyman and Development Manager, Derek May, also greeted guests as they made their way in. Operation Food Search is a hunger relief agency which focuses on ending childhood hunger and supporting families who are raising kids, Coyman said. The organization has had a long relationship with Meramec’s campus. “It started actually as part of hunger awareness week and with the empty bowls campaign,” Coyman said.
Operation Food Search works with high schools, universities and elementary schools as well. “It’s just become a really loving, giving event and we can’t say enough for the support that we get from the community service office, we cannot say enough for the incredible generosity and the talents of Jim Ibur and his students,” Coyman said. “Jim has been with us from the very beginning and we would not have this huge community event were it not for Jim and it’s just wonderful.”
“It started actually as part of hunger awareness week.” Judy Coyman The Empty Bowls Campaign has now become a full community-wide event, Coyman said. Although students pay $5 and faculty and staff pay $13, any over and above donations that are received benefit the Brown Bag Café on campus. “It raises about $12,000 over the course of the year for operation food search - we really want to end family food insecurity here in our region,” Coyman said.
Montage A T
M E R A M E C
Multimedia Podcast
The Music Program at Meramec offers courses and ensembles for all students. Classes are available for general education credit and the Associate in Arts degree with an emphasis in Music to prepare for transfer into a Bachelor of Music program. ** SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE **
COURSES
MUS 101,102,201,202 MUS 103 MUS 113 MUS 114 MUS 115,116 MUS 121,122,221,222 MUS 128 MUS 130 MUS 138,139,216 MUS 141,142,241,242 MUS 150 MUS 211,212
Music Theory I,II,III,IV Basic Music The History of Jazz The Enjoyment of Music Class Voice I,II Class Piano I,II,III,IV Survey of Rock Music Beginning Guitar Jazz Improvisation I,II,III Applied Music (Lessons) I,II,III,IV Fundamentals of Music Technology Music History I,II
Interested in performing in an ensemble?
Meramec students exercised their right to freedom of speech on Monday, Nov. 7 Scan the QR code to watch first-hand coverage of the conflicting protests in the Student Center quad.
All Meramec students may participate. No audition is required!
ENSEMBLES
Music 132 – Orchestra Music 133 – Jazz Lab Band Music 134 – Symphonic Band Music 135 – Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and Voices of Magic jazz choir All ensembles hold a seat/part assignment hearing during the first rehearsal. Members of the Concert Choir may audition for the Chamber Singers and/or the Voices of Magic jazz choir.
For more information, contact the Meramec Music Department Gary Gackstatter, Director of Instrumental Music, ggackstatter@stlcc.edu, (314) 984-7636 Dr. Jerry Myers, Director of Choral Activities & Music Theory, gmyers34@stlcc.edu, (314) 984-7638
Online Editor Ian Schrauth has a passion for thrillers. In this soundbite, he reviews the first book of the series of NYPD Red written by James Patterson and Marshall Karp.
Art & Life | 9
Nov. 17, 2016
Dorothy Robinson lights the show m
Katie Hayes Editor-in-Chief
When Dorothy Robinson goes to a play, she notes the mood and tone of the stage — the lighting, the set and the props. “I think a lot of people enjoy acting because you are the vessel that your art comes out in,” Robinson said. “In props, the vessel that all of the [artistry] comes out of is the props themselves and so the credit goes to the props and less to you — while in acting the credit all goes to the actor.”
Dorothy Robinson was the props manager for “Noises Off.” She collected props, ensured they were in place before and after each show and managed their placement during the show. “The lighting and the set and the props all add to the mood and the tone of a show, like whether it’s showing how much more professional it is or even tone itself in the play,” Robinson said. “I feel like a lot of people don’t realize how much affect the lighting and the set and everything has on the rest of the show.” Robinson worked backstage
Photo by: Erik Muschinske Robinson checks a light cue for “Violet” during tech rehersal before opening night, while learning the light board and more than 100 cues.
for “Noises Off” in October and is currently a light board operative backstage for “Violet.” “There were a lot of props in ‘Noises Off’ and I definitely think that the amount of work that Darren [Thomson] and I put into props could equivalate to what some of the actors if not all the actors put in,” Robinson said. “And I mean acting is really hard, because I’ve acted before as well, but I definitely think doing backstage stuff is just as hard and artistically challenging — it’s just a different type of art.” Robinson said Meramec productions are technically community theater, but are better funded than other community theaters in St. Louis. “You could go down to other community theaters that have less money and you can see the difference in the set and the lighting,” Robinson said. “If they did the exact same show and had the exact same actors, the show would get different reviews — not because the actors were worse in either one of them — but because I feel like the set really does make and break shows. I feel like not as many people realize that.” Robinson plans to pursue theater or film and wants to begin with learning the technical side of both. “I want to learn how to do lights and sound, but I also want to learn how to work a camera, like one of those big huge things, and how to do lighting for film as well,” Robinson said. “It’s easier to make a career out of film than it is for theater, so I want to be able to do both. Then eventually I also want to act, just because I like acting. But it’s definitely what I want to do for the rest of my life.” Robinson said the point of college theater is for students to try things and find out what they can do. “One of the biggest things I’ve learned and had to realize when acting or anything, like especially with auditions, you’ve just got to fail better,” Robinson said.
Humans
Homeschool students encouraged to dual enroll and ‘hit the ground running’
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Missy Arneson Copy Editor
On Thursday, Nov. 10, the St. Louis Community College — Meramec faculty hosted a homeschool info night which provided prospective students and their parents information about dual enrollment, transferring to four year universities, and the different campuses under the STLCC umbrella. Meredith Rauscher from the Enrollment Services Office began the event with a presentation explaining the transferability of STLCC credits, the different programs available at Meramec, and the affordability of those programs. “You’re looking at about $5,000 for an associate degree,” Coordinator of Enrollment Management Erika Malone said. Rauscher said STLCC offers a wide variety of academic programs, including Biomedical Electronics Technology, Culinary Arts, and Funeral Directing. “There are a lot of great, great options for students to pursue,” Rauscher said. The event also included a discussion panel with representatives of several offices. Several prospective students expressed satisfaction with the event. “It was informative,” homeschooler Maggie Van Emden said. She said she appreciated the information on how to transfer. “I liked learning about the price of the school compared to other schools,” homeschooler Gillian Pieper said. “It [the event] sparked more interest in dual enrollment,” homeschooler Landon Esher said.
of Meramec
“I enjoy cartooning, realistic drawing, painting, design, photography, photoshop, printmaking – I’ve done a wide spectrum of things project was video incorporated texture project. I went around Meramec and filmed different textures, but then I also had a somewhat of a plot where I was a character that was afraid of texture kind of running away. What’s intriguing about that is that there is texture everywhere so this person is constantly freaking out.” Edward Ellerman
Photo by: Erik Muschinske
“HOME”
WRITE A CREATIVE ESSAY, SHORT STORY, OR POEM ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF LOSING OR FINDING HOME. LENGTH: NO RESTRICTION DEADLINE: MIDNIGHT, TUESDAY, NOV. 29, 2016
13TH ANNUAL WRITING CONTEST Note: Because our Writing Specialists serve as judges, you may not have received help from the College Writing Center on any material you submit for this contest.
Submit by email only to fhooker@stlcc.edu
First Prize:
$100 CAMPUS BOOKSTORE GIFT CARD &
consideration for Currents literary magazine! SECOND PRIZE: $50 Bookstore Gift card
Sports | 11 Meramec students take physical education class to Crestwood Bowl Nov. 17, 2016
Brittney Farrow Staff Writer
Every Friday morning, Crestwood Bowl on Watson Road opens its doors — and all 24 of its lanes — to students of St. Louis Community College — Meramec professor Charly Kelly’s Bowling I and Bowling II classes. The class, which integrates students from both the beginning Bowling I level and the more advanced Bowling II level, is one of the many courses Meramec students can enroll in to fulfill a currently mandatory Physical Education requirement. Sean Harris and Christopher Saunders, students in Bowling I, both said the class attracted them because they liked to bowl and because it satisfied a general education requirement in their respective academic programs. Kelly’s class teaches students about technique, form, and how to approach the pins in certain situations, Saunders said. “What I really like about [Kelly’s] style is that he lets you bowl, and then approaches you on how you can improve instead of trying to tell you how to bowl...he watches you do it naturally,” Saunders said. Kelly, who has been teaching bowling at STLCC-Meramec for three years, previously taught the class at Missouri Baptist University.
The main difference between the students from each campus was that the students at MoBap took it too seriously, Kelly said. The grading rubric allows 40 percent of a student’s grade to come from the numbers of games they have completed. Bowling I students must complete 40 games a semester, and Bowling II students must complete 50. Fourty percent of the grade comes from attendance, and the final 20 percent to comes from the class final, which consists of questions and answers the class goes over together throughout the semester. A typical question might have a student identify the kingpin, or state the circumference of a bowling ball. “We always do like five questions, and then next week we’ll review them. I really drill it into them. There is no luck in bowling. All bowling is is physics. Bowling is physics and math. Changing the angle is the math. Gravity is going to determine most of the game anyways,” Kelly said. Harris said the bowling alley is like a second home to him, but he also enjoys the class setting. Bowling II student Josh Schindlen also said he enjoys the class. His decision to join Bowling I was mostly for social reasons, but he and his friends enrolled again for the next level. “It’s not just a certain type [of student] that fits this class. Bowl-
Athlete Spotlight
“I play Basketball for the fun and passion of the game. I have been playing since I was little and I have stuck with it. The love of the games has kept me playing to this day.” Marquis Pepper, Guard
Photo by: DJ McGuire
Photo by: Brittney Farrow Charly Kelly teaches students how to properly grip a bowling ball.
ing is something that I feel is for everyone. It’s not just those who can’t play football. No, it’s something that everyone can do. So it’s a class literally for everyone,” Saunders said. Kelly said that students should not worry about their skill level
when considering the class. “There’s no need to make this more than what it is -- it’s bowling,” Kelly said, “I have a good time with the kids...the interaction is the fun part, and when they do something really good and they’re really proud of it, I helped.”
? g n i r r e f s n a r Intereitsy otfeMdissoiunri–STt. Louis Univers
Transfer
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Office hours for STLCC Meramec students: Mondays & Thursdays Call 314-984-7575 for an appointment 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Advising Center – Clark Hall
To learn more about our Off-Campus Degree Completion Program in Business at the South County Education Center, contact Sue Bateman at 636-481-3243 or batemans@umsl.edu.
CHOOSE Serious education. Serious value.SM
Christy Hummel Transfer Specialist askchristy@umsl.edu 314-516-6943 “I can help with all of your questions about transferring, scholarships and what it’s like to be a Triton!”
12 | Sports
4
Nov. 17, 2016
‘Into the finals:’ STLCC defeats Crowder m
Caroline Frank Staff Writer
Dozens of spectators came to St. Louis Community College — Meramec on Saturday, Oct. 29, to watch the men’s soccer game between the Meramec Archers and the Roughriders from Crowder College. Sunny and 82 degrees, the weather had fans sitting in the shade and scorekeepers underneath tents. Music played as the men warmed up and people filed into the bleachers. The starting lineup from each team stood alongside the referees in the middle of the field for the announcement of the game, national anthem, and introduction of players. The opponents proceeded to fist-pump each other before the start of the match. Within the first five minutes of the game, number 14 on the home team Dion Lewis-Kirwan scored a goal, and all the Archers congregated on their side of the field to congratulate him. Minutes later, a player from Crowder College kicked the ball past the opponent goalie’s hands, tying up the score 1-1. “It was intense pretty much the whole time,” Meramec student Hope Beckerle said. Throughout the game, the referees called multiple penalties on both teams. “We should act professional
Photo by: Caroline Frank The Archers Men’s Soccer team celebrates their Regional Final victory. in front of our fans and spectators watching,” Connor Summerhill, a player for the Archers, said. Further into the first half, number 4, Harrison Weeks of the
Archers, scored after a throw in bounds by his teammate. This pulled the Archers ahead, who were now in the lead by one goal. “My favorite part of the game
was when I scored,” Weeks said. At half-time, players retreated to their benches. Head Coach of the Archers Tim Mosby said the team could do better by letting in no goals, scoring more and limiting fouls. The second half began, and there were multiple injuries as the aggression between teams escalated. During the second half Chidera Ude, number 10 of the Archers, scored after some great passing to give the team a 3-1 lead. The Archers stayed strong and kept this lead until the end. The final score was 3-1 when the ref blew the whistle, signaling the end of the game. “It was exciting to see [The Archers] continue their undefeated streak and win regionals,” Beckerle said. People from the crowd cheered for the Archers as the players swarmed to the middle of the field to celebrate the victory. “We finished scoring chances and shut down their best player,” Mosby said. “We played well offensively and defensively.” The players put on their championship t-shirts, huddled for a cheer, received their plaque and posed for pictures. “I think we did pretty well. I still don’t think we’ve played our best game yet,” Archers player Michael York said. “Hopefully we continue to play and hit our peak into the finals.”
Hot start fuels Archers:20 point victory in first season game
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DJ McGuire Sports Editor
On Thursday Nov. 3, the St. Louis Community College Archers Men’s Basketball team defeated The Lindenwood Belleville JV Lynx 90-70. The Archers led the game the entire way. “They were ready to play their first game. We were ready and excited,” said Head Coach Terry Collins. The Archers came out of locker room excited and ready to go, said Sean Rigmaiden, number two, a returning sophomore guard. The Archers started strong with tough defense and the offense matched that, Rigmaiden said. Rigmaiden led the charge and he finished with a great stat line of 28 points, seven rebounds, one assist and two steals. “On the defensive end, our first ten minutes we played hard on defense, creating turnovers, that’s what really helped us starting out,” Rigmaiden said. DaVante Harrell, number 23 and another returning sophomore forward finished with 13 points, two rebounds and three assists. He attributed the success on defense early to two freshman guards, Todd Simms and Henderson Faulkner. Harrell said they both came out and played very tight defense. As the game progressed the Archers maintained the lead, but the defense began to have some minor lapses. Coach Collins said
that these lapses were because the team “tried to protect the lead instead of trying to build the lead.” At the half the Archers were leading by a score of 45-26. Right before the half ended there was a questionable no-call by the referee, which led to an outpouring of boos by the fans, and nearly had a fan ejected by the referee. The second half began and the Archers maintained their steady lead. At the midpoint of the second half the Lynx gained a bit of momentum on offense by hitting a succession of difficult shots and cut the lead to as little as 10 points. “We played a little sluggish in the second half because we were up by a lot of points”, Rigmaiden said. The team needed to maintain their aggressive nature and defensive pressure, Coach Collins said. As the end of the game drew near, the Archers took control once again extending their lead and hitting key free throws to bury Lindenwood Belleville’s chances. The game ended as the Archers won 90-70. The end result pleased the players and coaches. “We started off pretty fast, ran into some mismatches later on, and had to adjust, but overall our first game was good and we got it under our belt,” Harrell said. However, the team knows they still have plenty of things to work on this season. “We need to focus on our re-
Photo by: DJ McGuire DaVante Harrell drives to the rim in the Archers’ first game of the season.
bounding, we don’t have a lot of size so our boxing out has to be strong.” Harrell said. Rigmaiden added that they need to finish strong at the rim, and make more free throws. The team has many strengths that they believe will lead them to a successful season. Coach Collins said the team’s ket strengths are
its quickness and unselfishness. Rigmaiden and Harrell believe that the team’s defense is very strong. “I was very proud of our two returning players [Harrell and Rigmaiden], they definitely led the way for our team” Coach Collins said. “A win is always a good start to the season” Harrell said.