VOLUME 55, ISSUE 2
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SEPTEMBER 12, 2019
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WWW.MERAMECMONTAGE.COM
WHO IS GOVERNING STLCC? STLCC Undergoes Change In Internal Governance System OLIVER PULCHER ART & LIFE EDITOR
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eginning this semester St. Louis Community College, both at a local and collegiate level, will be shifting its internal governance structure from two separate governance councils into one major senate. Starting Sept. 9, the college wide senate began their meetings for this semester at the Wildwood campus. Each semester the location of the college senate will shift, however there are also local senates for each campus. The meetings for these local senates will begin on Sept. 23. The structure for the college system going forward, according to Dr. Andrew Langrehr, will consist of 16 faculty and 16 non-faculty members. Dr. Langrehr, the vice chancellor for academic affairs, said that for now the positions for the Senates are being filled by appointed members, however after the first meetings in September, elections will be held to fill the positions in both the college wide and local senates. According to Dr. Langrehr, the call for change to the governance system goes back several years. Dr. Langrehr said, “It started with a proposal right before HLC (The Higher Learning Commission) arrived at the college. This year we formed a task force, and what
Pizza with THE President pg. 5
ultimately got approved was a plan that partially came from a task force proposal and partially from some agreed upon changes from the existing governance councils.” According to Dr. Emily Neal, St. Louis Community College’s NEA President and Professor of Political Science for the Meramec campus, “Part of the reason that this change is occuring is that there was a governance task force established that had made a proposal for a new governance structure and only one side of the district wide councils approved the proposal. So the institutional affairs side approved it, but the faculty had a lot of questions and a lot of concerns about the new governance proposal, and so the faculty voted it down in one form. And the faculty did not vote on additional ideas for revision. So during the last college academic council meeting of the 2018-2019 academic year the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs announced that there was going to be a new structure since the college academic council had not passed the proposed new structure and so he said that there had to be a change and that there would be a change and that he was going to establish a group of faculty and staff to meet over the summer to consider the bylaws for what the new structure would be.”
MLS for the Lou pg. 7
Though there are differing thoughts on how the change came about in the college’s internal structure, some faculty and staff seem to believe that there will be a positive shift in the amount of communication present for decisionmaking. Dr. Gail Hafer, a Professor of Economics at Meramec who worked on the bylaws council over this past summer said, “This feels to me like now, we are merging those two together, so now faculty and non-faculty will interact for conversations about decision making and we will record votes separately, so there will be a faculty vote and a nonfaculty vote.” Dennis White, the Director of Strategic Planning Initiatives and Continuous Quality Improvement for St. Louis Community College, agrees with Hafer in that he thinks the change in governance will bring about a positive change in the amount of communication between faculty and non-faculty members. White also said that the change in internal governance will help “to streamline the process. In the past it could take items months to get through the process, with the new system it’s around a 30-day turnaround on all items. It enables the college to respond more quickly to items the college has.” According to Dr. Langrehr, there is
also a positive change in the amount of communication students will have. Within the structure of the college and local senates there will also be an exofficio student position. This will mean that students will be able to speak to the senate about issues they and their fellow students are facing. This position will not enable students to vote, however they will be able to listen to what happens in the senate and will be able to voice their opinions on behalf of the student body. For the collegewide senate this student representative will be chosen from the Wildwood campus, as this is where the college wide senate will be meeting. However, when the college wide senate shifts to another campus the student position will also shift to that campus. And for the local senates the student representative will come from their respective campus. Dr. Langrehr said he encourages students to come to both their local and college wide senate meetings to listen in on what is happening in internal governance. Although students may not be able to voice their opinions unless they hold the representative position for whichever senate they are attending, students are always welcome to listen and speak to their representative about any concerns they may have., he said.
Archers set expectations for the season pg.8
Lady Archers Strive for a Winning Season pg. 8
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C O L U M B I A C O L L E G E - S T. L O U I S
September 28, 2019
NEWS 3
September 12, 2019
Enrollment Down at Meramec
A variety of factors leads to smaller enrollment numbers for STLCC JACOB POLITTE ONLINE EDITOR
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nrollment at STLCC-Meramec has decreased from the previous school year, according to information recently confirmed by the Meramec Admissions Department and the enrollment management department that is now based out of the Forest Park campus. “Generally speaking, enrollment is a combination of recruiting new students, retaining and supporting current and continuing students, welcoming back students from prior years, and celebrating students who complete their credentials and degrees at STLCC,” said Philip Campbell, who serves as the Admissions and Enrollment Services Manager for the Meramec and South County campuses of St. Louis Community College. In his role, Campbell is responsible for campus-level oversight of college enrollment processes related to admissions, registration and management of student records according to federal, regional, state and institutional policy. In addition, he serves as the lead admissions officer and official steward of student academic records at the Meramec campus.
“With such a large scope,” he says, “enrollment changes almost every day based on many factors from personal circumstances that students may face to new opportunities that our students may be provided.” “While our recruitment efforts have grown to include more community outreach, higher numbers of dual credit and dual enrollment students including early college programs with several high schools, and strong transfer opportunities with the Missouri Transfer Guarantee coursework; our biggest challenge is supporting continuing students to continue to register term to term,” said Campbell. Campbell also said that while the newly instituted online college doesn’t affect STLCC’s enrollment numbers, it does change how those numbers are viewed in terms of Meramec. He said that the lower enrollment will affect the campus budget, but it’s hard to tell how exactly how much at the moment. “Lower enrollment obviously means less tuition dollars to add to the overall budget,” he says. “Since we are still enrolling students in 12-week and second 8-week courses, it is hard to say what the
impact on the budget from tuition dollars will be for fall 2019.” Campbell also made sure to note exactly how enrollment is categorized for students who attend classes at multiple campuses. “Students can take classes at any campus or online,” he said. “However, the campus that they self-identify on their application is where they are counted for enrollment purposes.” In terms of how he thinks enrollment can increase in the future, Campbell said that he thinks that the largest opportunity to boost enrollment is to encourage current students to register early and continue in their educational programs by utilizing the many resources that STLCC has made available. These resources include the Student Assistance Program, Counseling, the Academic Support Center, and Campus Life as well as the many student club experiences on campus; and for transportation help, the free Metro U-Pass. WCampbell said he thinks that these programs and resources are often underutilized, but stresses that they provide great help for students who need it.
TRANSIT TRIAGE: METRO SCRAMBLES DURING IMPROVISED STRIKE MERAMEC STUDENTS AFFECTED BY CHANGING ROUTES, future metro bus changes EVE COHEN STAFF WRITER
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n Monday, Aug. 26, many Meramec students waited more than two hours for a bus that was never going to come. The cause for delays was a massive shortage of drivers commencing on Sunday, Aug. 25, an MLB game day. Announcements broadcast on Metro’s trains and platforms warned all passengers to expect delays. As it turned out, drivers were staging an improvised strike for increased wages, affecting not just the one in five students reported as commuters, according to MetroStLouis.org, but also
the community as a whole. A Metro driver, who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity, maintained that Metro employees are prohibited from staging a formal strike. Though, that did not stop what some reports estimate to be 50 operators from devising an alternate strategy. They simply didn’t show up for work, prompting the company to go into a sort of transit triage. In a larger city, the impact would have been devastating. However, St. Louis seemed to take it in stride. Although local news stations covered the “walk-out,” the
EDITORS
St. Louis Post Dispatch made no mention of it. However, it is not the first protest, nor will it be the last. An online post by Fox 2 now St. Louis reporter Joe Millitzer confirms an unofficial strike took place on Monday, July 22. Moreover, anticipating the sudden, unannounced disappearance of a large chunk of Metro bus and train operators is hardly the only concern for public transit travelers. Effective Monday Sept. 30, Metro is rolling out its “New Service Plan,” a system-wide re-organization of all of Metro’s Missouri routes. Six routes have been all-together discontinued and
THE MONTAGE
STAFF EVE COHEN
STAFF WRITER
BRI HEANEY NEWS EDITOR
ISABELLE WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER
OLIVER PULCHER ART & LIFE EDITOR
JORDAN RAYMOND
JACOB POLITTE ONLINE EDITOR
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
MARY WILSON OPINIONS EDITOR ASHLEY BIUNDO PRODUCTION MANAGER SYED ALI PHOTO EDITOR
Shannon Philpott-Sanders Faculty Adviser
19 have been replaced. In addition, a large number of routes will gain an increase in frequency. According to Metro, the changes follow two and a half years of public hearings, including a 14-month feedback period after the final plan was submitted. Students with concerns can contact Metro customer service at 314-2079786, (Monday through Friday from 7am. - 6pm.,) or email the company at customerservice@metrostlouis.org. To see route maps or schedules, visit Metrostlouis.org/reimagined.
To place an advertisement, contact the advertising manager for rates, sample issues, etc., at 314-984-7857. 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. 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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4 ART & LIFE
September 12, 2019
Women’s Wellness Event Strives to Connect Students With Resources on/off campus
student assistance program, clubs, host local vendors, agencies MARY WILSON OPINIONS EDITOR
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n Sept. 4, the Student Assistance Program sponsored the Women’s Wellness Event on the Meramec campus. The event, featuring input from the Circle of Life Club and Women’s Club, brought in representatives from area organizations, including the St. Louis County Department of Health, BarnesJewish Hospital’s Women and Infants Center, Planned Parenthood, Thrive, YWCA and more. “Our goal (at the Student Assistance Program) is to reduce barriers to student success. We do a variety of things to help students combat barriers,” said Shannon Nicholson, the coordinator for the Student Assistance Program. Some of those barriers students face include food insecurity, lack of safe housing, finding childcare, and crisis intervention. “We have the on campus food pantry. We provide crisis intervention and safety planning,” Nicholson said. “We work with students to find safe housing, help them with childcare resources. It’s very hard for a student to focus on learning if they are struggling to find food, if they’re struggling to pay for daycare, if they don’t have transportation. Our staff noticed that a lot of students were identifying concerns with healthcare, childcare, and access to those things, so we decided to bring in many different community agencies that can help with some of those pieces that are specifically around women but open to anyone.” Nicholson said the goals of the event were “to raise awareness for community resources for students. We want to make
sure that they know that both on campus with Student Assistance and off campus, there are options that want to help them be successful.” The event, which took place in the Library Quad, had different agencies and organizations lined up at tables. “We are here...because we feel that taking care of your sexual health is very important. A lot of people just worry about their general, overall health, but your sexual health can affect your overall health. So we’re out here today educating people on prevention, education, and how to prevent you from getting STDs, STIs, and HIV. So we have a lot of literature out here for women to pick up, because women, it’s very important that you take charge of your sexual health as well,” said Leigh Braxton of the St. Louis Effort for AIDS. Caitlin Ashby of Barnes Jewish Hospital, said that “we (Barnes Jewish Hospital Women and Infants Center) are a full service obstetric and gynecological clinic. So for all those needs across the lifespan of women. If it’s UTI testing or treatment, yeast infections, pregnancy testing, Well Woman exams, Pap smears. Even if one gets pregnant, we have prenatal care.” Ambrea Ball of Thrive Date Safe program, said, “We talk about healthy dating situations, how to prevent different things from happening, encouraging women and walking alongside them.” Also in attendance was the St. Louis County Department of Public Health. “We have three locations in St. Louis County. One South County, two North County. We’re here today promoting
DID YOU KNOW?
women’s wellness services that we offer at those locations. (We Between 15 percent and 71 percent of women offer) preventative around the world have suffered physical or care, contraceptive sexual violence committed by an intimate male partner at some point in their lives. c o u n s e l i n g , mammograms, birth Every day, 1600 women and more than 10 000 control, minimal newborns die from preventable complications fertility services. (We during pregnancy and childbirth. offer) STI testing Once thought to occur mainly in wealthier and treatment,” said countries, the health impacts of cardiovascular Renee Durham of disease, cancers, diabetes, depression and other the St. Louis County mental, neurological and substance abuse (MNS) disorders are increasingly felt by women Department of Public globally. In fact, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) Health. account for 80 PERCENT of deaths among adult Students and women in high-income countries. community members alike do not need to INFO. COURTESY OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION have health insurance to come to these clinics. “We have Title X, (which) is a men as well. But we are here to talk grant from the federal government, that about Title X, and the Title X gag rule, covers a lot of expense for birth control and what it could do to people who are and contraceptives. And (we have) sliding of lower socioeconomic standing,” said fee scales services for those without Willie Peete. insurance that qualify,” said Durham. “Title X is a federal grant program Emily Cabot of the Head Start division that’s designated to make sure that of YWCA, said that “part of my job is these individuals are able to afford low community outreach. We go out where to free healthcare. When it comes to we can find people for our programming. other services such as birth control, We provide affordable daycare and contraceptives, STI and HIV testing. preschool to low income families. A lot If you remove Title X, that means that of times parents, moms especially, are patients who are of lower socio economic trying to go through school and they need standing, they may not have a place to go childcare, so just trying to connect with and receive their services,” he said. people like that in the community.” Broader needs were also addressed Planned Parenthood was also at the event. “We’re here to inform the represented at the Women’s Wellness campus community about the availability Event. “This is important because we at of mental health counseling on campus,” Planned Parenthood, a lot of the people said Kathleen Swyers, a counselor at we service are women. We do service Meramec.
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Thirteen Reasons Why Season 3 Review Season 3 has some great moments, but still stumbles in some places JACOB POLITTE ONLINE EDITOR
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hirteen Reasons Why isn’t the greatest television program. Despite it’s incredibly talented cast, one could argue that everything that has come following its standout first season was not necessary. The show’s second season curated a lot of detractors for that reason, and the third season does nothing to change the tide. While it’s an interesting ride and really fun to watch at many points, it just doesn’t feel like it’s necessary television. Let’s start with the good. The show shifts it’s focus away from suicide, and instead turns into a murder mystery. If the show was to continue, it had to evolve and move away from Hannah Baker; there’s only so much story you can tell there. A ‘whodunit’ story isn’t a bad way to go. The cast is so incredibly talented, and everyone involved plays their part well. In particular, Devin Druid (Tyler Down) and Justin Prentice (Bryce Walker) really stood out this season, giving absolutely gut-wrenching per-
formances. One of the shows greatest strengths was how well it develops its characters, and that continues this year. For example, in the scenes that they have together, the duo of Dylan Minnette (Clay Jensen) and Brandon Flynn (Justin Foley) really shines; Justin’s adoption into Clay’s family continues to be one of the series’ best arcs. There is a ton of potential in these stories, but the show often has made questionable choices in how it chooses to tell them. This season did have questionable choices, too. One of those questionable choices was making Bryce, and to a much smaller extent Montgomery “Monty” de la Cruz, the series greatest villains, into somewhat sympathetic
figures. While it’s probably realistic to expect positive change from someone in their position, no one is watching this show to feel sorry for them. They’re rapists after all. It completely undercuts the story that the show has spent two seasons telling The revelation of who murdered Bryce was kind of a letdown. In the end, that person got away with it (at least for the moment) even though everyone knows, and now pretty much everyone is an accomplice. We have to talk about the show’s newest character, Ani.The problem with her is not the actress (Grace Saif), who has been getting a lot of unjust
hate. The problem is that she is the season’s central character, surpassing even Clay, despite coming literally from out of nowhere. Longtime fan favorite characters from previous seasons are shoved aside because of it, and Ani gets more screen-time than any other character. That just rubs people the wrong way, and rightfully so. Not to mention her detective-like demeanor is very offputting and unintentionally comical, even if the story is centered around a murder. While it might have been necessary to have an outside character give her perspective on things, Ani as a character just does not work. If she is the show’s voice, then the show should find a different one. Thirteen Reasons Why is not a show that is going to get a lot of love, especially from critics. It’s legacy would have been more revered had it ended at the end of the first season. That being said, this third season is still a mostly enjoyable affair, as long as you don’t think too much about some of the choices the show decides to make.
ART & LIFE 5
September 12, 2019
BRINGING CREATIVITY TO STUDENT SERVICES ACADEMIC ADVISOR SUZZIE SCHWEIGERT VOWS TO ‘PAY IT FORWARD’ EVE COHEN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
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hile stepping into the Advising Office on the second floor of Clark Hall, it’s likely students are greeted by Suzzie Schweigert. A petite woman with red-auburn hair and expressive hazel eyes, Schweigert exudes a combination of optimism and a let’sget-down-to-business attitude in her role as an academic adviser. She has an infectious optimism that is reflected in the open décor of her office. The air and light welcomes visitors, courtesy of the windows that span one wall. Incidentally, the view provides a brief respite for other colleagues in her department. “When it’s raining, they’ll come and stand at the door-way and look out the window,” she said. Two bright, enlarged prints hang on a wall adjacent to her desk: photographs of tulips taken at the Missouri Botanical Garden. The office overlooks the Meramec campus. A water tower rises up past the buildings and tall trees in the distance. She recalls the whole undertaking. The tower was just constructed within the last decade to replace the old one that was in a state of disrepair, some three-hundred or so feet away. She said she is interested in what is going on in and around the campus. “If I wasn’t doing this “I would probably be doing something in the creative field,’” she said while reflecting upon her interest in design. Her path to academic advising was not always clear, she said. A first generation student, Schweigert comes from a supportive family, from a town so small, “it didn’t even have a stop-light.” She said she was encouraged early on by a high-school counselor who made such a positive impression in her life that she wanted to pursue the career herself. Subsequently, she attended Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri - four hours away from her small town roots in Pacific. At Truman State, a public liberal arts and sciences university close to the northern border of Missouri and Iowa, she minored in sociology, expanded her world view, made life-long friendships and found her niche, she said.
PHOTO by syed ali Schweigert began her freshman year studying history for her education requirement, though quickly decided that was not her path. “I wanted to work with students, but wasn’t sure; not feeling the education courses.” Things started to come together while she was simultaneously working scholarship hours at the university’s academic planning office. She worked as a junior advisor in her sophomore year. “Students met with me prior to the Academic Advisor; I might be dating myself,” she said. “But this was prior to the internet. I was doing orientation stuff, explaining [to students] what a credit hour was, [going through] the degree checklist, prereqs, a lot of terminology. I would explain how to read the course catalog, since students could only see what courses were available at the advisor’s office. I loved it.” After meeting with Schweigert, students would then see the academic
advisor where the focus of the appointment would turn to the student’s major and appropriate course selection. While taking a sip from a glazed blue and earth-tone ceramic mug, part of a small collection of pieces that adorns her office, crafted by one of her colleagues, Schweigert said, “I like working with students one on one. I understand sitting on the other side. Ultimately, academic decisions such as field of major are the student’s decision. I like helping them through the process, exploring choices. All these doors are in front of you. It’s exciting helping with that journey and making those decisions.” At Meramec, Schweigert began her career at the admissions office just after graduating from the university. “It will be 23 years in November,” she said. Many changes have transpired over the past 23 years, she said. A recent and drastic change took place last year, when the number of counselors was reduced
from eight to two. Consequently, what is more challenging in her work, she said, is the recent time cuts imposed upon advisors. One hour appointment times were cut down to half hour sessions. “It’s a hard adjustment to not feel rushed. I’m working on pacing,” she said. It also bothers her that some students don’t see her until they are struggling. She raises her eyebrows. “Asking for help is not a failure,” she said. “Great students get the student [support] services from the very beginning; it builds a good foundation.” Schweigert said she knows the positive impact of support. “I was fortunate to have a lot of great mentors,” she said. She credits her family and several mentors and colleagues who provided guidance throughout her career, starting with her grandmother, whom she reveals, “will be turning 95 in two weeks.” It’s her grandmother’s buoyancy, independence and youthful openmindedness that Schweigert admires, she said. “I’ve had a lot of great colleagues, too,” said Schweigert. The former Academic Dean at Meramec, Jean Campbell, communicated the professional qualities necessary for success. “She was very fair, detail-orientated, very professional, but not stern or cold. She knew how to strike that balance.” In addition, her first supervisor, Jewel Jacobs, had, “great people skills, knew how to talk to students, give them information, like what courses to take, and had that human touch,” said Schweigert. Moving forward, Schweigert said she is looking forward to the positive changes coming to the Meramec campus. She said she is animated by her clients’ latest achievements and feels fortunate that she has had a lot of support throughout her life. “It’s exciting. I like seeing students meeting their goals. Success doesn’t have to be graduating. Giving someone the confidence to move toward their goal is rewarding. I feel like, I had that and I’m always indebted to the folks that were cheering for me. I feel like I’ve had a lot of support, I want to, you know, pay it forward.”
PIZZA WITH THE PRESIDENTs Pizza boxes stacked, swarms of students eating and intermingling, and some of the faculty and administration of Meramec including the president and vice president of Meramec Dr. Moore-Davis and Dr. Robinder acquainted themselves at the Sept. 4 event Student Government Concil organized in room SC125. President Moore-Davis talked to many students over the course of the event, asking them about their experiences at the campus.
PHOTOs by syed ali
Moore-Davis laughs with Student Government Council President Kiera Davis and member Krystal Cohen. “This is my village and it takes a village to make all this work,” said Moore-Davis.
Caitlen Chapmen and Mica Davison hold plates with pizza while meeting the new vice president Dr. Robinder. “I came to meet both the student government and the new leaders of the school,” said Chapmen.
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Join the Team Meetings every Tuesday at 4 PM in SC 220A (Student Center)
Office hours for STLCC Meramec students: Advising Center–Clark Hall MONDAY–TUESDAY Contact Christy Hummel for an appointment: askchristy@umsl.edu or 314-984-7512 WEDNESDAY–FRIDAY Contact Teri Furlow for an appointment: furlowt@umsl.edu or 314-984-7512
Did you know UMSL offers bachelor’s degree completion programs at STLCC?
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Business Administration at STLCC–South County Elementary Education at STLCC–Meramec For more information, contact Teri Furlow, furlowt@umsl.edu
Contact Shannon Philpott-Sanders at ssanders147@stlcc.edu for more information.
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September 12, 2019
MLS FOR THE LOU
OPINIONS 7
Why Saying Hello to the Newest Team Hurts So Good OLIVER PULCHER ART & LIFE EDITOR Lately a lot of people have asked me how I feel about the new MLS team that is coming to St. Louis because of my vested interest in soccer in St. Louis. To be completely honest I have that range from being completely overjoyed to being incredibly saddened by the prospect of an MLS team. To explain the wide array of emotions I feel, I need to go back to about four years ago. A lot has changed since then. When professional soccer first came to St. Louis, in the form of STLFC, I barely could’ve been classified as a shadow of the person I am now. Back then, I was a loner. Save for a few friends I occasionally saw in passing at Lindbergh, I barely had any friends back then. I constantly sat alone at lunch, I was never invited to parties, I was never picked in team sports, and I was the definition of a fly on the wall. I made no impacts. The first time I interacted with the Louligans was at a pre-season chant practice. My uncle brought me to this
meeting room in Soccer Park. In that room stood a small crowd of people who all seemed to know each other and were practically buzzing with excitement. I felt drawn in, but I stayed in the corner at a random table I found. I didn’t feel comfortable even making eye contact with most of them. But then, two of them approached me. Liz and Jack, two of the capos at the time, walked right up to me and engaged me in a conversation. At the end of this conversation they offered me the opportunity to join them capoing. My life was changed forever that day. After the first game I ever capoed, Liz pulled me aside and asked if I was okay. I took a look at the person who would come to be one of my greatest mentors, and I broke down. I told her I wasn’t okay. And she talked to me and genuinely listened to everything that I told her was wrong and I felt like a person again. The rest of the Louligans followed after Liz, and they all showed me what it felt like to truly have a family that isn’t blood-bonded.
Since that time four years ago my involvement with the Louligans has increased drastically, both as a capo and as a member of the Louligan family. And with my increase in involvement with the Louligans my success in all other aspects of my life has increased drastically as well. I have become much more confident, I actively take on leadership positions, and I am even looking at successfully transferring to an out-of-state college when I graduate from STLCC in May. All of this can be attributed to the Louligans. They are my family, and they have supported me both through every good moment, but also through every bad one as well. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without them. For myself, I know it will be less of a shift. Since I am transferring out of state, I will have to say goodbye to my soccer family sooner than the new team will arrive. And though I know that day won’t arrive for about a year, I also know that the changes in St. Louis soccer will be less
GRAPHIC BY ASHLEY BIUNDO obvious to me. Change is inevitable. This is why I am both incredibly happy and sad when considering the arrival of a new team. On the one hand, it will be fantastic for soccer in St. Louis and all the fans of this life changing game. But on the other, it means saying goodbye to STLFC and the corner that my family and I have been in for four years now.
IS IT OKAY TO BE FIRED FOR BEING GAY? MARY WILSON OPINIONS EDITOR When I sat down to write this article, my deadline growing closer, I hesitated. What decade was I living in? The Stonewall riots were 50 years ago. Samesex marriage was legalized in all 50 states in 2015. There are occasionally queer couples featured in TV advertisements. Queer and transgender people are coming out earlier, and some children’s hospitals have gender identity clinics for trans and gender non confirming youth. It’s been easy to feel almost complacent. We can’t afford to feel complacent. We’ve come too far to feel complacent. And then in late August, the Trump administration issued a devastating blow to the LGBTQ community. Time Magazine reported that the Trump administration filed an amicus brief, which the Public Health Law Center defines as “legal documents filed in appellate court cases by non-litigants with a strong interest in the subject matter”, asking the Supreme
Court to “essentially legalize anti-gay discrimination in the workplace.” The brief was filed by Solicitor General Noel Fransisco, who argued that federal laws on discrimination by employers does include people being fired or “otherwise disenfranchised” because of their sexual orientation. Earlier in August, the Justice Department filed a similar brief asking the Justices to “conclude that Title VII does not protect transgender people from employer discrimination.” The American Association of University Women says that “Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal law that prohibits employers from discriminating against employees pn the basis of sex, race, color, national origin and religion.” In the 55 years since the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, Congress has not amended it to include sexual orientation
STUDENTS WEIGH-IN MARY WILSON OPINIONS SYED ALI PHOTO EDITOR
JONATHAN BISHOP, 19
“I feel like it is wrong to discriminate against someone…I feel like, if this is a work setting, as long as I show respect for my job and the place that I work and deliver my job correctly, it shouldn’t matter what gender I claim myself to be or the people that I like to be with. Your personal life’s your personal life and your work life’s your work life.”
SAGE VERMONT, 20
or gender identity. However, in May 2019, the House of Representatives passed the Equality Act, which, according to govtrack.us, would “prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and for other purposes.” Govtrack.us says the bill has a 33% chance of being passed in the Senate and being enacted, while the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) “found that nationally, support for a bill like the Equality Act topped 70%, which includes a majority of Democrats, Republicans and Independents.” Call me idealistic, but should discrimination really be a liberal or conservative issue? Being a member of the LGBTQ community, I know I’m biased, but shouldn’t discrimination be a human rights issue? So why hasn’t a law like the Equality Act been passed? If our elected officials
truly serve their constituents, why haven’t the laws been updated? It is time for Americans to decide what our values are. If more than 70% supports a bill like the Equality Act, it’s time for Congress to listen. Are we really comfortable with no national laws protecting the rights of LGBTQ Americans? As the saying goes, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” It’s time for us to pay attention. The U.S. Senators for Missouri are Josh Hawley and Roy Blunt. Senator Blunt can be reached at: (202) 224 5721. Senator Hawley can be reached at: (202) 224 6154. Oh, and one other thing: elections have consequences. If you’re not already registered to vote, you can do so at vote. gov. We can’t afford to feel complacent. We have to act.
“On Oct. 8, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear cases and decide whether or not people can be fired or discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. What are your thoughts?”
“I don’t think that it’s fair to discriminate or fire someone because of their gender or sexual orientation. I think that people should only be fired for doing something wrong against the rules in their job. And that sexual orientation and gender have nothing to do with their ability to work proficiently.”
“There shouldn’t be any bias in the courts, because it’s supposed to be justice, and if there’s any bias towards any of those things, then it’s not really justice. Their sexual orientation, any of their religious beliefs, should not be taken into account when they’re in SKYLAR BAXTER, court. They should not 18 be judged upon that, no matter where they are. I don’t think that should justify what they do.”
8 SPORTS
September 12, 2019
LADY ARCHERS STRIVE FOR A WINNING SEASON Women’s Soccer KICK THE SEASON INTO ACTION ASHLEY BIUNDO PRODUCTION MANAGER
T
he STLCC Lady Archers started off their season with a 4-1 winning record. Head Coach Jason Howard said that there is still room for improvement and they are getting better everyday, especially with a young group. “We are trying to improve competitiveness each day and hopefully that translates into more winning,” he said. “We have young players this year, probably one of the youngest groups we have ever had. So, I think just day by day, kind of just building on our playing style and work ethic and trying to get better at it each day.”
With a new season beginning and new players, comes new strengths and talents. “We’ve got an athletic group that has a lot of talent. So hopefully, as the year goes on, they can kind of build chemistry with each other and really play off of each other,” Howard said. “Their size, their pace, their technical ability, which I think they have and only if they can mesh well together and play hard for each other.” The Lady Archers season has changed a lot from last season. Although there are many more freshmen this year, the coaches preach a little more this season, according to Howard. “We’re trying to get [the girls]
accustomed to what we want to see in practice and in games every day, but I think it’s been a good group so far,” he said. “They listen really well. They’ve got great attitudes, and hopefully it continues throughout the year.” The Lady Archers set goals every practice and strive to reach them, said Howard. “They just come in everyday competing and trying to be the best that they can be every single day. We can’t always control the teams we play or the outcome in games,” Howard said. “The girls are competing everyday and trying their best and that usually leads to positive results
and that’s our overall goal day in and day out.” Seasons come and go, but Howard said that coaching the Lady Archers has always been rewarding. “Their personalities are great to be around every day. So it’s great to know the new faces and meet new people. Just to see the kids grow throughout the season, and then when they’re done playing for us and coming back, that’s a pretty rewarding experience,” he said. “We love being around the girls; this has been a great group. The girls that we have had in the past have been awesome, so hopefully that continues.”
Freshman Midfielder Jaycee Fischer goes for the ball against Southeastern Community College on Aug. 28.
The Lady Archers get ready to start the game against Southeastern Community College on Aug. 28.
Athlete Spotlight
MEN’S SOCCER TEAM LAUNCHES FORWARD
“I’ve played soccer for over 6 years and I’ve always loved it because [soccer] provides for me emotionally, mentally, and physically. If I’m having a bad day and decides to play soccer it’s the best thing ever, and is basically my main source of happiness honestly.” -Odaine Reid, Goalkeeper PHOTOS BY ASHLEY BIUNDO
“We take it one game at a time. I think we’VE been good previous seasons and that can put a lot of pressure on the guys. But we just can’t look too far ahead and take the next opponent seriously.” -Martin Clayes, Head Coach
Top Left: Archers get ready to start the game against Greenville College JV on Sept 4. Top Right: Zach Klevorn looks to pass the ball. Bottom Left: Reece Kral gets ready to kick the ball. Bottom Right: Joe Ruane and Kieran Campbell celebrate a goal.