No. 2 (Sept. 20, 2018) by University News

VOL. XCVIII No. 2 / September 20, 2018

A S A F E S PA C E FOR ALL

NEWS

LGBTQIA+ SAFE ZONE PROGRAM RESTRUCTURING

Graphic courtesy of SLU Safe Zone program

By KIRTI VEERAMACHANEMI Staff Writer

ver the years, SLU has made an effort to promote diversity and inclusivity. The Cross Cultural Center, or CCC, is one such organization that seeks to broaden SLU’s students, faculty and staff knowledge of diversity as well as social justice and multiculturalism. The Safe Zone program was created in order to help educate students, staff and faculty at SLU about the LGBTQIA+ community and erase heterosexism and any phobias against the LGBTQIA+ community. The program also strives to create an accepting and open climate on campus that welcomes all members of the SLU community. The program recently underwent some restructuring when Shamin “Mason” Mason, a program coordinator for diversity and inclusion, joined the CCC a year ago. Mason wanted to bring structure to the program and bring focus to specialty groups within the LGBTQIA+ community, such as transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals. The program was restructured in an effort to “more effectively train people,” Mason said, “as you can’t be competent on a subject in three hours,” as the program used to do. The biggest change in the program is the shift from a singular three-hour training session to four three-hour training sessions. After the completion of these four trainings, participants will be

Safe Zone trained and will be given a placard that they can display. Each session addresses different topics. Phase one will educate the SLU community on terms, identities and experiences that are fundamentally related to the LGBTQIA+ community (Competency Phase One). The second phase (Competency Phase Two) will educate the SLU community on terms, identities and experiences related to transgender, gender-nonconforming and other queer identities within the LGBTQIA+ community (similar to the first phase). Phase three focuses on allyship and will teach models of acceptance, how to respond to potential situations one might encounter and how to visibly support the LGBTQIA+ community at SLU. The fourth and final phase will look at the history surrounding the LGBTQIA+ community as well as policies, laws and trends from the local to national level that affect the LGBTQIA+ community. The final phase will also teach people how to get involved in creating positive change and move past being simply an ally and learn what it means to be a co-conspirator. Mason spoke about how the Safe Zone program adhered to Jesuit ideals by stating that it is hard to look at one person’s story without understanding their background. According to Mason, the Safe Zone program will provide a robust intersectional training that will allow for a deep dive into learning about the LGBTQIA+ community. The program will not just allow people to

“‘You can’t be competent on a subject in three hours,’ as the old Safe Zone program used to suggest” learn about the community as a whole, but also about specific identities within the community, and what it means to have an ethnic background and be in the LGBTQIA+ community. Students, staff and faculty can all participate in the Safe Zone program by attending training sessions that are offered on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. and Thursdays at 6 p.m. in the Center for Global Citizenship Suite 124 Room A. Participants are asked to sign up in order to ensure that an effective training session can be provided. If you are interested in facilitating the Safe Zone program an application is also available. If you have any further questions regarding the program, please contact safezone@slu. edu.

News

03 The current progress of the mural by muralist Grace McCammond and students before the SLU community finishes the project.The main focus of the mural are the landmarks of SLU’s campus: the Clock Tower, the fountains and the Cathedral. (Andrea Simms / The University News)

AND THE MURAL OF THE STORY IS... The mural displayed on McGannon Hall representing Saint Louis University is scheduled to finish on Homecoming weekend— with help of students, parents and alumni By SAVANAH SEYER Staff Writer

uring Homecoming and Family Weekend, Saint Louis University’s largest ever public art project will be completed. The brand-new mural on the exterior of McGannon Hall was commissioned for the University’s bicentennial and was designed by a team of SLU students, along with St. Louis muralist Grace McCammond. McCammond is known for her incredible mural work across the city. The design incorporates different parts of SLU’s identity. Depicting both the Clocktower and St. Francis Xavier College Church, the colorful mural also includes symbols of academic study at SLU, such as a large book and quill and a microscope and test tube. It also shows different parts of the University’s culture and social aspects, such as a mini Billiken and a soccer ball. Students Haili Piel, Kaitlin Raftery, Emily Zoernig, Bridget Smith, Valencia Miller, Abigail Schlegl, Jieming Xiao, Madeline Youngman and Traiana Gorman were all a part of the team that

helped design the mural, collaborating with McCammond and studio art program director, Amy Bautz. Zoernig said she got involved with the project because she felt it would be a great opportunity to create something long-lasting. “I almost didn’t sign on to this project, but then I came to see it as a challenge to myself as well as the opportunity to participate in something that would outlast me and my time at SLU,” said Zoernig. The student team worked closely with McCammond to make sure that everyone’s ideas were incorporated into the design. “The designing process consisted of each of us drawing out our own version of what we thought the mural should look like, and then Grace would digitally incorporate our ideas into a single, collaborative design,” said Piel. Zoernig said that the group focused on the aspects of SLU that were personal to each artist. “We drew up designs based on what we felt was at the core of SLU,” said Zoernig. “We unanimously agreed on the Clock Tower. From there we chose elements that

encompass the universal SLU experience, but also those that make SLU a home for us: service, continuous learning, art. Our intent was for the mural to be by students, for students.” Because all the students were able to incorporate their ideas into the final product, the symbols are very personal to each of them. “My favorite part of the design is the water fountain and how it gradually transitions the focus from the traditional representation of the university, to a whimsical and abstract interpretation,” said Piel. “Personally, I’m quite fond of the open book and quill in the middle,” said Zoernig. “It may or may not have been my idea.” The mural will be finished over Homecoming and Family Weekend, and the University is giving SLU community members the chance to personally help complete it. The lower part of the design will be done in a “paint-by-numbers” style, so that many different members of the SLU community can sign up to have a hand in finishing the painting. Sign up for the Homecoming and Family Weekend festivities and to be a part of a mural that will go down in history at https://www. slu.edu/alumni-and-donors/alumni/events/hcfw.php

News CLAIRE MCCASKILL DRUMS UP SUPPORT

By SAVANAH SEYER Staff Writer

n Sept. 11, Sen. Claire McCaskill came to St. Louis for an event co-hosted by the SLU and WashU College Democrats. The event was held at Northwest Coffee Roasting Company in Central West End. While at the event, Mc-

O Emma Carmody / The University News

MEET THE JUGGLING JESUIT FATHER JOE LARAMIE By RILEY MACK News Editor

Caskill spoke briefly about the importance of the election and about the differences between her and her primary opponent, Josh Hawley, Republican candidate and current attorney general. “I felt that Claire wanted to speak with us on a basic level, no typical political jargon,” said SLU senior Patrick Graney-Dolan, who was in attendance. “It’s hard to find that in today’s politics.” The event was attended by many students who wanted to hear more about the upcoming Senate election, which is one of the tightest races in the country. “I think it is important to recognize that Sen. McCaskill is herself, and she’s honest about who she is,” said SLU junior Robbie Lasky. “At the end of the day, she’s an honest person who’s fighting for Missourians, and she backs her stances with facts—and that’s what we need in 2018 and beyond.”

Photo courtesy of Sophie Perry

Juggling and prayer: two things that make up the Rev. Joe Laramie, whose career at SLU began one month ago. Being a SLU —and University News— alumnus of the class of 2000, Laramie can relate to a lot of students’ issues with choosing a career path. Throughout college, he questioned what he wanted to do with his future; although, SLU’s Jesuit mission, God’s calling, as well as “meeting some young Jesuits who were like big brothers to [him],” helped him make the

biggest decision of his life—to become a Priest. The odd feeling of coming back to college after graduating is no stranger to Laramie— especially with all the changes to campus. “[Spring Hall] is a beautiful building” and is a huge upgrade from the “12 by 12 cement box” that he calls his past Clemens Hall dorm. Although, some things remain tradition on SLU’s campus. Laramie describes the clock tower as a great place for com-

One of McCaskill’s resonating messages was to urge students to vote. College students make up a large portion of eligible voters but vote far less than most demographic groups. “Students voices aren’t being heard because they aren’t voting,” said Graney-Dolan. President of the SLU College Dems, senior Paige Cook introduced McCaskill at the event and said that it was an honor to be a part of the efforts to bring the senator to STL. “There’s something admirable about a fellow Missourian woman being one of the driving forces behind policy in this country,” said Cook. “I hope the students that attended are able to take what she said to heart; our vote matters, and we need to mobilize our fellow students to register to vote, while also getting them to commit to showing up the to the polls.”

munity and Mass being full of “prayer, singing and friendships” Even though Laramie loves his career, his college experience included some great memories, like creating a KSLU show called “Mr. Koz & the Reverend” with the now SLU professor Dan Kozlowski, or receiving guidance from Rev. Chris Collins, who works for the President. But his proudest moment of college was undoubtedly when he “won free tickets to David Letterman” through a contest taking place on campus. As unique as Laramie himself, his talent was to “eat things while juggling.” He recalls mashing together lettuce, an apple and chocolate cake and juggling it, which made a huge mess. “It was a crowd pleaser” and what won him the tickets, he proudly remembered. Students can catch him at Spring Hall teaching residents how to juggle or see him at Mass on Sundays. No matter where, though, he is a welcoming spirit that could cheer up anyone’s day—making him a wonderful addition to SLU’s campus. Welcome Father Joe!

News Top: People make their way through the crowds to explore the stalls and stages of the event. Bottom: Matt Sherman of Kern Meat Company teaches the crowd on the “lost art of meat cutting.” (Trenton Almgren-Davis / The University News)

THE ULTIMATE FOOD EXPERIENCE IS BACK Bustling crowds returned to the annual Taste of STL for a weekend of food, music and culture all in favor of celebrating St. Louis. By TANNOCK BLAIR Associate News Editor

he 14th annual Taste of St. Louis food festival kicked off on Saturday to a big turnout in spite of sweltering weather condi-

tions. It was the fifth year that the event had been held at Chesterfield Amphitheater and the space was filled. The roads were lined with all kinds of stalls and vendors. From the entrance to the culinary stage were all of the nonfood related stalls—including furniture, clothing and palm reading. This area was called The Village. Detroit based artist, Kyle Danley Wetiko, was also present. Wetiko spent the entire weekend painting a number of pieces inspired by St. Louis. From the culinary stage to the music stage were stalls for all kinds of food-related St. Louis favorites. From startup food companies to classic restaurants, the

event showcased 30 eateries in total. Many of these eateries offered tasters, teasers and samples of their various food and beverages. The People’s Choice award winner from Restaurant Row this year was Drunken Fish. The already multi-award-winning restaurant is best known for its high-quality sushi and exotic cocktails. A host of local bands and musicians graced the music stage, from Dirty Muggs to Nite Owl. Popular cover bands like Strangelove, imitating Depeche Mode, also shared the stage. On the culinary stage was the annual “Chef Battle Royal,” a

He fled civil unrest when he was 15 years old. It was at The Crossing that Oo not only learned how to cook but also how to speak english. cooking competition between eight of the best local chefs and restaurateurs. Each “battle” gives both chefs 40 minutes to produce meals for the judges table. The winner of the competition this year was Thu Rein Oo.

Oo is a chef working under the leadership of Jim Fiala at The Crossing. He was born in Myanmar but fled civil unrest when he was 15 years old. He started working at The Crossing as a dishwasherer in 2008 and over the next 10 years worked his way to the top. It was at The Crossing that Oo not only learned how to cook but also how to speak English. This year was his first time competing in the competition. SLU students who were present had mixed reactions to the event. While some thought that it “fell flat” due to “the commercialization of the event,” others said that “the food was great” and “it had a wide variety.”

DPS REPORTS An incident was reported at 5:39 a.m. on 9/14 in Marguerite Hall when a student accidentally walked into the wrong dorm and urinated on the rug. The student was intoxicated and apparently urinating through his clothing just past the front door of the room. The student claimed he did not remember the incident. A disturbance was reported from an Alpha Phi Alpha event on 9/14 at the Allied Health building. Two unknown male subjects were pushing each other while the patrons of the event attempted to throw a “Foam Party.” DPS had to shut down the event and evacuate the 300 patrons. On 9/14, a DPS officer assisted a group of students coming from the Library Annex Bar, where one student fell and hit her face. The female fell once more on their walk home and another student called EMS. The Spring Hall resident refused medical attention and was returned to her friends.

Trenton Almgren-Davis / The University News

TH UG Arts and life

n a society fueled by racial tension and inequality, The Hate U Give by up-and-coming young adult author, Angie Thomas, deals with the many layers of the current African American identity in the U.S. and also struggles with police brutality against African American youth. As readers, we hear from teenager Starr Carter living in the heart of Garden Heights, known to outsiders as “the ghetto.” On the way home from a party one night, Starr drives home with her childhood best friend, Khalil who has been recently suspected of dealing drugs and involved with gang activity. When they are pulled over by a police officer, things quickly turn dangerous. Khalil is shot three times in front of Starr’s own eyes as she flashes back to the moment her other childhood friend, Natasha was killed in a drive-by shooting. The complexity of this young adult novel begins with Starr’s coat-switching—an internal conflict in finding her identity between the ‘Garden Heights Starr’ and the ‘Williamson Prep Starr’. Throughout the novel, Starr desperately tries to find her voice in both of these constantly conflicting worlds she’s a part of. An underlying theme of appropriation and stereotyping also peaks through when Starr monologues about the different person she becomes when she walks through the doors of Williamson: “Slang makes them cool. Slang makes her ‘hood.’ Williamson makes Starr hold her

By REBE CCA L Design E IVIGNI ditor

tongue when people piss her off, so nobody will think she’s the ‘angry black girl.’” THUG raises questions about African American identity and the value of diversity without fear of stereotypical depictions of individuals. Another important aspect of this novel surrounds the representation of Khalil and his hometown by the media in the aftermath of his death. While Khalil is described as a “suspected drug dealer or gang member,” the officer’s father holds an interview describing his son as someone who “only wanted to help the community” and a “people person”. These media depictions completely conflict with who Starr knows her Khalil was, a compassionate, loyal boy who got caught up in the typical Garden Heights trouble. Why do we so often see the media blaming the victim for his own death? Why is it so easy to appeal to the public in support of an officer who believed he was defending himself? These questions guide Starr throughout her journey in dealing with her grief and guilt of her experience. More and more layers are added when get to know more about Starr, firsther white boyfriend. Second, her ex-gang-member father who depicts the strong black father we don’t see so often in media and pop culture. Third, her uncle, a cop who works with the same man that shot Khalil. Fourth, a best friend with racist tendencies. A film adaptation starring Amandla Stenberg and Russell Hornsby comes to theaters October 19. Director George Tillman says during an interview with the

LA Times in August: ““What [do] I know about a YA?” he said with a laugh. “What I do know is that today’s movement is a young movement with young people leading the charge. That’s an energy I want to bring to the material. I never approached it as ‘YA’ because the material is very adult.” On a much more personal level, this book allowed me a space to turn inwards and question so much of what I see tragically often in news stories. While I was reading THUG for the second time this year, I still felt myself getting chills and feeling the deep sense of disappointment in the system along with Starr. Without ever seeming extremist or disrespectful, this novel tackles some of the most pressing questions of our time. As citizens, it’s our duty to understand and listen to voices that aren’t as easily accessible. THUG is that voice, this new youthfulness of a movement pursuing a greater humanity.

Arts and life

TAYLOR SWIFT SOARS, LITERALLY By MADISYN SIEBERT Associate Arts Editor

ow hard is it to sell out the Dome at America’s Center? Well, I can tell you Taylor Swift had no issues filling the stadium with loyal fans of all ages. What’s even more impressive is that she was able to do this on a Tuesday night. The Reputation Tour came to St. Louis on Tuesday, and the Dome was opened up for the rare occasion since being closed since the departure of the St. Louis Rams. The tour did not only have the multi-Grammy award winner, but also Charli XCX and Camila Cabello both performed songs that have made summer hit lists before. Swift highlighted the fact that this show was a girl-empowering one from the openers to the background dancers. Encouraging her mostly female fan base and telling them that women-empowerment is an amazing and powerful thing. Swift kicked off her show with a video highlighting her past and her reputation. She appeared

on stage singing “… Ready for It?” The crowd erupted into cheers as she engaged with them, getting everyone stoked with fireworks and smoke machines. After performing a couple songs, she took a second to address the audience and said, “St. Louis, you have no idea how many Thanksgivings I have spent here,” Swift said—having a lot of family that lives in St. Louis—which only made the crowd louder. She soon moved her talk into a smooth transition of the song “Gorgeous.” Swift focused this tour more on her latest album “Reputation” but she also made sure to throw in some cult classics. She sang a melody of “Style,” “Love Story” and “You Belong with Me.” The mashup made the long-time fans especially ecstatic. She also made sure to recognize that she could see all of her fans in the stadium because every fan was given a light-up bracelet that synced to the music. Swift said this helped her recognize every person from the front of the room to the very last row of the stadium. She went into her next act with a video interlude to her first single off of her last album “Look What You Just Made Me Do.” It had a surprise video snippet of Tiffa-

ny Haddish saying the famous line “The old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, because she’s dead!” Swift made sure this was an experience by having a giant inflatable snake rise behind her as she performed. Along with the giant inflatable snake, two more appeared on her back b-stages. Swift made sure to make an entrance to her first b-stage by floating by on a brightly-lit boat, soaring over her fans while singing her most recent single “Delicate.” But not before giving some of her notorious advice, she spoke about how we all want to be validated and not portrayed as something we aren’t. We all want something real, we all want some form of love, whether that is through friendship, family or a significant other. Her first b-stage in the back left corner was a whirlwind for her fans. She brought out Charli XCX and Cabello and they performed “Shake it Off” together. Swift soon took it down a notch though and went down an acoustic route with just her and a guitar. She did a stripped-down rendition of “Dancing with Our Hands Tied” and then brought back her song “Hey Stephen” from her second album “Fearless.”

(Emma Carmody/ Photo Editor)

Soon after, she walked to her next stage and touched the hands of her dedicated fans. As soon as she reached the b-stage she went into her infamous song, “Blank Space.” She did another song before she was whisked off to the main stage, a mashup of “Bad Blood” and “Should’ve Said No.” Swift again took the time to slow things down and we found her seated at the piano. She addressed the crowd again and explained how crazy it is that people have been listening to her music for so long. She added that she’s amazed that people still listen, and for them her music wasn’t just a phase. She took these words and displayed them, going into her song “Long Live” from her album “Fearless” and flowing it into her latest ballad “New Years Day.” As the show neared its end, Swift pulled out all the stops. There was confetti, fireworks and a collaboration of her songs “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “This is Why we Can’t Have Nice Things.” This was more than just a show. It was an experience. Swift made you feel like you were just one of her friends and that you were there to dance and have a great time with her. Her stages, sets, outfit changes and more made this an overwhelming event that I guarantee did not disappoint.

arts and life

Courtesy of Hozier’s Instagram

HOZIER TAKES A (POLITICAL) STANCE “Though each song has a somewhat dark tone, a straight listen through the entire EP still proves to be interesting and intense.” By LANI FROST Contributor

our years after his first hit, “Take Me to Church,” Irish singer-songwriter Hozier is back with another powerful, heavily political album. Though his new EP “Nina Cried Power” has only four tracks, each song is a work of art that was worth the wait. In the title track, “Nina Cried Power (feat. Mavis Staples),” Hozier sings about fighting for equality while paying homage to artists and activists who he considers to be legends of music such as Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Curtis Mayfield and more. Mavis Staples, who is featured in this song, is one of said artists. Her vocals in the chorus add another layer of intensity to the piece that would not have been there without her, especially considering her significance as a civil rights activist. The music video that accompanies the song provides another layer of depth—though it may appear relatively uninteresting at first—as it shows several Irish activists and even Hozier and Staples themselves reacting to the song for the first time.

The second song on the album titled “NFWMB,” which stands for the main lyric of the chorus of the song, is hauntingly beautiful throughout. Hozier’s singing voice is especially fitting for the tone of this song. Though it remains relatively static note-wise, it serves its purpose well and turns out to be a pleasant listen overall and good follow-up to the previous title track. “Moment’s Silence (Common Tongue),” the third track on the EP, proves to be another relatively political song. The faster pace of this song and the addition of electric guitar and a backing choir sound at times is also a nice change from the previous song. Lyrically, this track seems to be the most similar to “Take Me to Church,” the 2013 song that Hozier is most known for. Despite the song itself being solid as a whole, the vocal filter that Hozier uses makes his already somewhat poor enunciation particularly hard to understand here. The fourth and final song, “Shrike,” named after the bird known for impaling its prey, is a good wrap-up for the album. Like all of the other songs on the album, the lyrics are beautifully crafted, not having an immediately obvious meaning, and the piece itself seems to be well-produced. One of the immediate highlights of the song is the line, “I couldn’t whisper when you needed it shouted,” relaying intense emotion and making the audience feel the disappointment of the intended “you” addressed in the song. In this EP, each song has thoughtful lyrics that take a bit of effort on the part of the audience to understand. In general, each track has decent production. Though each song has a somewhat dark tone, a straight listen through the entire EP still proves to be interesting and intense. To the satisfaction of the listener, all four tracks seem to resolve. One of the few downsides of Hozier himself is that he seems to have some difficulty enunciating, which can take away from the impact of his lyrics. Overall, the “Nina Cried Power” EP turned out to be a worthwhile listen, speaking positively of Hozier and his musical and writing abilities.

THIS WEEK’S FAVORITES

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FOOD

Oktoberfest Sat., Sept. 21 to Sun., Sept. 23, times vary Das Bevo, 4749 Gravois Ave., Bevo Mill, St. Louis, Missouri Das Bevo will host its 2nd Oktoberfest featuring live music and German food.

CINEMA Life Itself Thu., Sept. 21 “This Is Us” creator Dan Fogelman comes back to direct his second film that stars Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde and more.

CONCERTS Vinyl Theatre Thurs., Sept. 20 Old Rock House Vinyl Theatre will return to St. Louis to tour their album, “STARCRUISER.”

EVENTS St. Louis Renaissance Festival Sat., Sept. 22 10.00 am to 6.00 pm Rotary Park “Join the St. Louis Renaissance Festival as they celebrate their 20th year! Enjoy entertainment ranging from pirates to jousting to juggling to turkey legs and more.”

BOOKS The Golden State By: Lydia Kiesling Published: Sept. 4 “In Lydia Kiesling’s razor-sharp debut novel, The Golden State, we accompany Daphne, a young mother on the edge of a breakdown, as she flees her sensible but strained life in San Francisco for the high desert of Altavista. with her toddler, Honey. Bucking under the weight of being a single parent and her Turkish husband is unable to return to the United States because of a “processing error” and Daphne takes refuge in a mobile home left to her by her grandparents in hopes that the quiet will bring clarity.”

EVENTS CALENDAR NOVEMBER SEPTEMBER 20

Men’s Soccer vs SIUE Bronze Boot Game @ Hermann Stadium

Tickets on-sale for Kelly Clarkson @ Chaifetz Arena

Men’s Basketball vs SEMO @ Chaifetz Arena

Billiken Madness @ Chaifetz Arena

Keith Sweat and Blackstreet @ Chaifetz Arena

Men and Women’s Basketball @ Chaifetz Arena

Women’s Basketball vs Cincinatti @ Chaifetz Arena

OCTOBER 1

Women’s Soccer vs Duquesne @ Hermann Stadium

Men’s Soccer vs VCU @ Hermann Stadium

Women’s Soccer vs George Washington @ Hermann Stadium

Pete Davidson @ Wool Ballrooms

Field Hockey vs Miami OH @ Sportport

DECEMBER Men and Women’s Basketball @ Chaifetz Arena

Men’s Soccer Jake Owen: Life’s vs Duquesne Whatcha Make It Tour @ Hermann Stadium @ Chaifetz Arena

Women’s Basketball vs Southern Illinois @ Chaifetz Arena

Men’s Soccer vs La Salle @ Hermann Stadium

Men’s Basketball vs Central Arkansas @ Chaifetz Arena

Women’s Basketball vs UConn @ Chaifetz Arena

FINALS WEEK

Men’s Soccer vs George Washington @ Hermann Stadium

FINALS WEEK

WINTER break

games

The Exponent 9/20/18 Word Search

Across 1 4 8 12 14 15 16 17 19 21 22 23 25 26 29 30 31 33 35 36 41 42 43 46 47 50 51 53 54 55 58 60 63 64 65 66 67 68

Bygone bird Yawn Pudding fruit Tolkien creatures Lamb alias Denims Computer info Get hitched Paradise Closed, like an envelope Singer Rawls Bullﬁght cheer Goose egg Celestial altar Crumb Woody Herman's ___ Autumn Deadlock Rubber boats Inadvisable action Make certain Decree Gardens Naval unit Checkers color Cot Snout Tear Fruit drink Black cuckoo Captain, e.g. Farm Defy convention Burlesque bit Cherish Biblical twin Fine-tune Beach shades Cease

21 24

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51 55

45 52

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59 63 66 69

69 Actor Beatty Down 1 Math term 2 Edmund Burke or Henry Clay, e.g. 3 Play on stage 4 Pick up the pieces and move on 5 ___ Baba 6 Bakers’ wares 7 Consumed 8 Lap dog, for short 9 Get hired 10 One (Sp.)

11 13 15 18 20 24 27 28 32 33 34 36 37 38 39

Compass pt. Dupe Cool dessert Greet Scintillas This, in Tijuana Bluster I love (Lat.) Wildebeests Pro ___ Astute Dublin’s home Continue yacking 1814 Byron poem Uncover an old truth

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

1 9 6 4 2 5 7 8 3 6 8 5 1 7 8 9 9 1 4 6 7 3

40 41 44 45 47 48 49 52 56 57 59 60 61 62

One-Word Songs

33 36

8 15

PuzzleJunction.com

More eccentric Summer cooler Duck Verdi heroine Trust Aircraft need Fasted Papas, in Calais Listening devices Pipe problem Cigar residue Cricket club Vitamin bottle info Tai language

F E R U N A W A Y R A X J C R A Z Y

D J Q M B C F O O T L O O S E P F D

E V E I L E B S R P Y Y D P E S Z H

R W A L Y B A O P E A Z I O H Z B L

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A T O P N A R I V L E L M L I U G H

C O E A R T Q G B M E H I O R N M Y

I G R E A S E T L A J V S R E K O S

S U D F L Q U C A N C U H I H Y F R

Y M R C K V C A C E B F M A C T A I

H M I U N B P H K A G V L P L O L N

R L W O H L P R I E H V E N M N L A

S A O W I E I Q R R R O W W U A A L

R Y N H C B L R D J O G Z N A S D X

N O S T Y S L L E I N U D X B Q Y P

O R A W Q E O D E T C E P S E R K H

N G C R P R L D U Y A D R E T S E Y

BELIEVE BLACKBIRD CHERISH CRAZY ELVIRA FOOTLOOSE FUNKYTOWN GLORIA GREASE HELP

JUMP LADY LAYLA LOLLIPOP MANEATER MICHELLE PEOPLE PHYSICAL RESPECT ROAR

ROSANNA ROYALS RUNAWAY SHILOH SNOWBIRD THRILLER VENUS VOGUE WIPEOUT YESTERDAY

last issue’s solutions

P S B C M C O V B T U O E P I W K P

Sudoku Solution

7 3 2 4 9 6 8 5 1

5 6 1 7 8 2 9 3 4

4 8 9 1 3 5 2 7 6

6 1 3 2 7 8 4 9 5

8 2 7 5 4 9 1 6 3

9 5 4 6 1 3 7 2 8

1 9 5 3 2 4 6 8 7

3 7 8 9 6 1 5 4 2

2 4 6 8 5 7 3 1 9

photography

students salsa the night away Photos and Writing by TRENTON ALMGREN-DAVIS Photo Editor

On Tuesday evening, a group of adventurous students came to the Center for Global Citizenship to learn the fundamentals of merengue, bachata and salsa. The event was hosted by Salsa Magic in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Latin music reverberated around the auditorium while colorful strobe lights reflected against the walls during the 90 minute instructional dance session. The instructors, Lee â&#x20AC;&#x153;El Gringuitoâ&#x20AC;? Smith and Kat La Gata, broke the students into groups: leaders and followers. The students rotated from partner to partner. As they learned the new moves, the students met new people. The event ended with a dance competition, which rewarded the students up to $1000 in prizes for their dance efforts.

photography

The 46TH ANNUAL GREAT FOREST PARK BALLOON RACE Photos by RILEY TOVORNIK Contributor Written By EMMA CARMODY

On Sept. 14-15, Forest Park hosted its 46th annual Great Forest Park Balloon Race and Balloon Glow. On the first day, the Balloon Glow included the chance to meet world-class hot-air balloon conductors, to eat at local food stands and to capture photos. It also featured St. Louis party band, Boogie Chyld, which played for Balloon Glow goers through the night. At the Balloon Race on Saturday, viewers not only got to see hot air balloons, but also skydivers and other performers. It was a great event for the whole family!

photography

REV. DR. JAMIE WASHINGTON EMPOWERs STUDENT LEADERS Photos and Writing by TRENTON ALMGREN-DAVIS Photo Editor

The first installment of the Cross Cultural Center Diversity Speaker Series was a discussion guided by Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington, who had a calm and confident voice, addressing student leadership.

He cited four pillars of leadership: awareness of self, awareness of others, courageous action and collaboration. Only after these pillars are firmly implanted into one’s leadership methodology can he or she be successful leaders.

A little more than a dozen students were present, along with Washington and Richard Marks, Interim When asked by one of the Director of the Cross Cultural Center, in students present to elaborate on courathe CGC on Tuesday. geous action, Washington said it is the ability to “move beyond [one’s] comfort The goal of the conversation zone” in order to converse with others was to “support and encourage leaders” in diverging or different circles. on SLU’s campus, said Washington. The ‘courageous action’ that Specifically, Washington disWashington spoke of not only allows cussed how one’s social identity informs one to respect and learn from others, how he or she leads. but also embrace and adapt new ways of thinking and living.

it is important to know where to put one’s energy. Just because one person focuses on a specific problem does not mean he or she does not care about another problem; they are simply applying While trying to do everything, a more thorough effort at the chosen students often forget about the work problem. of those before them – which can be beneficial learning material. Addi Applying these leadership tionally, Washington encouraged that techniques not only will help students student leaders prepare succeeding lead on campus, but also in their future student leaders. careers. Other topics that the dialogue encountered were current leadership challenges and finding one’s focus in a vast array of problems.

Washington believes that in the current information age, students are exposed to so much; thus,

Other speakers in the series include Alicia Garza on Oct. 17, D’ Lo on Nov. 14 and Martin Luther King, III on Jan. 17.

sports

15 Senior forward Anthony Brown leads the soccer team with three goals. (Trenton Almgren-Davis/ The University News)

ANTHONY BROWN LEADS MEN’S SOCCER By ERIN MCCLELLAND Sports Editor

enior forward Anthony Brown currently leads the SLU men’s soccer team in goals with three, number of shots with 13 and is tied with a few of his teammates for the lead in assists, with two. Brown, a native of Belleville, Illinois, gained an interest in soccer at the young age of 5 when he saw his brother playing at his grandparent’s house and decided he wanted to play too. He only played one year of soccer for his high school, where he started his freshman year. His high school career was cut short due to rules established by the United States Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) stating that players in the academy program could not play high-school soccer. “It was not a tough decision for me to decide to stick with the academy because there I knew I would get to be around the best of the best

players in the area and compete at a very high level for my age,” said Brown. When he was looking at colleges during high school, Brown said that his previous soccer coach, Mike McGinty, “played a huge role in getting [him] to play for SLU.” He fell

“We have a great group of guys that are all committed to each other to fulfill our team goal to compete for championships on a consistent basis...” in love with the campus and the team during these visits and it felt like home. Not only did SLU feel like home, it was super important for Brown to be close to his family and friends, so going 20 minutes from Bellville was the perfect fit for him. Along with the accessibility that SLU provides for him, Brown was very drawn to the history and prestige of the soccer program. “I wanted to be a part of the legacy

and make an imprint here to compete and win championships,” he said. Another draw for potential soccer student-athletes to SLU is Hermann Stadium. Brown said, “The history that was made here just gives me this special feeling that I just can’t really explain but it is honestly amazing [to play in Hermann Stadium].” Hermann Stadium has been the home of SLU soccer since 1999 and has since seen many Billiken victories, including last season’s win over the eventual national champions, Stanford. “We have one of the best college fields in the country,” said Brown, “the grounds workers here do an amazing job to make sure that the field is always in top condition.” This year’s team is different from the past. According to Brown, “We have a great group of guys that are all committed to each other to fulfill our team goal to compete for championships on a consistent basis and to play an exciting style of football that gets the fans excited to watch.” Along with the new members of the team, the coaching staff is completely new as well. Coach Kevin Kalish has led the team to a 3-12 start and has his sights set on a

strong finish in the A-10. Brown said, “The new coaching staff has done nothing but add to the culture [of the program] and help give us the players [and] tools we need to be successful not only during the season, but [down] the road as well.” Brown attributes the team’s successes to, “the fact that [they] are willing to fight for each other and [their] relationships with one another [are] so strong.” He attributes his own successes to his family, specifically his father. “He has helped me through the great times as well as the very bad times. My father is everything that I want to be in a man and I am on my way to getting there,” he said. For the rest of the season, and his career, Brown hopes to “just continue to score goals and get assist[s] to help the team win games and be the best teammate that [he] can be.” He shares a common goal with his teammates to win the A-10 championship, being hosted at home in Hermann Stadium this November, and to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2014 season. When he graduates from SLU, Brown hopes to continue his soccer career by getting picked up by a professional program. “It has been a long dream of mine and to fulfill that dream would be amazing,” he said. A fun fact about Brown is that he is “decent” at beatboxing. If you are in for a laugh, he recommends that you look up “14 year old Star Wars beatboxing” on YouTube to discover his second talent.

sports

SCORES FOR 9/7-9/16 SLU vs. ORU 4 - 0 SLU vs. MSU 3 - 0 KU vs. SLU 3 - 2

Courtesy of Billiken Athletics

WOMEN’S SOCCER DOMINATES IN 3 HOME MATCHES By RYAN LEFNER Associate Sports Editor fter a somewhat disappointing start to the season that left the Bills at .500, the ladies looked to finish the remainder of their out-of-conference schedule strong. The four game slate was kicked off with a home matchup on Sep. 7 against Oral Roberts University. The girls were fired up after their hard-fought battle with Vanderbilt that didn’t go their way, and it showed in their 4-0 dismantling of ORU. The offensive explosion was started in the 17th minute by sophomore Olivia Petit, who was able to bury a left-footed shot inside the far post to make the score 1-0. The offensive onslaught continued for the Billikens with a barrage of shots on goal, however they were not able to light up the scoreboard for the remainder of the first half. After 45 minutes, the score remained 2-0. The second

half shaped up very similarly to the first, with the combination of Alyssa Seitzer and Olivia Petit creating their second goal of the game in the 60th minute, after a free kick from Petit rattled around in the box before finally sneaking past the ORU goaltender for Seitzer’s first goal of the game and Petit’s second assist of the game. The final goal of the game came in the 70th minute on a clearance pass from an ORU possession. Seitzer was positioned perfectly as the pass lead her on a breakaway into the ORU box. She then hit a laser beam that ricocheted off the goaltender and found the back of the net. The Billikens outshot ORU 24-1 in the contest, and the offense stayed hot for their next match on Sep. 9 against the Bears of Missouri State. Picking up right where they left off, the Billikens offense took just 18 minutes to seize the lead against the bears, as Alyssa Seitzer managed to put another ball in the back of the net on a beautiful pass from Hannah Friedrich. The ladies only needed another three minutes to extend their lead even further, as freshman Isabel Burke headed a cross from Frie-

drich past the keeper for her first career goal. The unrelenting attack of the Billiken offense kept the Bears at bay for the remainder of the game, and was able to produce another score via a missile from Hannah Friedrich in the 88th minute. After the dust had settled, SLU had out-shot MSU 29-1, and had the edge in corner kicks at 17-1, just one shy of the Hermann Stadium record. After out shooting their opponents 53-3 over the course of two dominant home wins, the Bills were ready for another test on the road in the 18th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks. SLU again jumped out to an early lead with a goal in the 18th minute by Alyssa Setizer, and another in the 19th from Hannah Friedrich. However, the two-goal lead was short-lived. Grace Hagan’s first strike of the game came off of the following kick off, where she wasted no time finding the back of the net. Her second came in the 30th minute, and the Billiken lead was erased. The final goal of Hagen’s hat trick and the game came in the 50th, where she was assisted by Sophomore Midfielder Ceri Holland.The

SLU vs. EU 1-0 Billikens were outshot for the first time this year by the Jayhawks 116, and were hungry for vengeance at home against a struggling 2-6 Evansville squad. SLU continued their shooting dominance at home, gaining a 25-3 advantage in shots, and a 17-2 advantage in shots on goal. The lone goal came off of an unassisted drive to the top left corner of the box from Sophomore forward Haley Cox, who smoked a left-footed shot that clanked off of the far post and into the back of the net for her second goal of the campaign. “It wasn’t our best performance of the year, but not all wins are pretty,” said Billikens head coach Katie Shields. “We’re 0-0-0 now,” said Shields in reference to A-10 conference play, “objective one is to get in the tournament, and objective two is to win it”. The ladies will be back in action Thursday at 6pm in Philadelphia as they take on conference opponent Saint Joseph’s on the road.

sports

VOLLEYBALL GETS FIRST WIN

By ERIN MCCLELLAND Sports Editor

t the Sycamore Invitational on Sept. 7, the volleyball team notched its first win of the season with a 3-0 win over Central Michigan. The team reached their season-high attack percentage with a .365 in the victory. After trailing at the beginning, the Billikens found their groove going on a 9-3 run to end the set with a final score of 25-17, and to take the 1-0 set lead. The second set was closer with a 25-23 final, still in favor of the Bills. Central Michigan was able to tie the set three times, as well as hold off three Billiken set points before it ended. The Bills got the sweep in the match as they took control of the third set and never looked back. The final set score was 25-13, to give SLU their first win of the season. In the win, SLU was able to limit CMU’s attack percentage to just .176 and the

Trenton Almgren-Davis/The University News

team had a season-high 10 service aces. The match included lots of seasonand career-highs for the Billikens. Leading the way was freshman Cayce Chaykowsky with a career-high, and SLU season-high, 16 digs. Other notable Billiken performances include sophomore Kennedy Cordia’s season-high 33 assists, senior Sien Gallop’s season-high four aces, and freshman Isabelle Walsh’s career-high .667 attack percentage and 10 kills. Following the win over Central Michigan, SLU fell to Kansas City at the Billiken Invitational on Sept. 14 at Chaifetz Arena. Chaykowsky followed up her career day in Terre Haute by breaking her own career high with 19 digs against the Kangaroos, but it was not enough for the Bills to get the win. In the first set, KC took the lead and was able to maintain it for the entirety of the first set. The second set went to the home team, as they were able to fend off a strong KC attack before SLU was able to take the set, to tie the match at 1-1. Unfortunately, the third and fourth sets both went to the Kangaroos, giving them the 3-1 win in Chaifetz Arena. With the loss, the Billikens fell to 1-9 on the season and KC improved to 8-4.

In the effort, sophomore Maya Taylor notched 15 kills, Gallop got the double-double for kills and digs and Walsh had 11 digs. The tournament continued the following day with a double-header against Murray State and UNLV, which saw SLU fall in both, moving to 1-11 on the year as they prepare to enter conference play later this week. Against Murray State, the Bills fell in the first set after the Racers took the lead after a 1-1 tie and never looked back. Like the KC match, the home team bounced back from a first set deficit to a 1-1 tie in the match, but it wasn’t enough of a spark to keep Murray State from taking the next two. Following the loss to Murray State, the Billikens took the court for their last match of the Billiken Invitational and fell to UNLV in straight sets. The home team put up a good fight, taking the first set to 25-22 before the Rebels could put it away. The second set was not as strong from the Bills, and they were unable to regain momentum in the third set. In the effort, Taylor had an attack percentage of .385, 13 kills and two aces. Next up for the volleyball team, they take on their first conference opponent of the year at George Washington on Friday and George Mason on Saturday.

sports

FIELD HOCKEY READY TO ATTACK CONFERENCE PLAY By SAM GLASS Sports Writer

fter a bye weekend, the Saint Louis University field hockey team kicked off A-10 play with a game against VCU on Friday. The Bills entered the matchup with a 2-3 record looking to break into conference play. The Bills posted an 0-8 conference season last year and came into this season looking to upset some opponents. The team started conference play on the road in Richmond, Virginia. Off to a rocky start, the Bills played out a 7-1 loss against VCU, who currently resides at the top of the A-10. The Billiken goal came from junior forward Erica Bondoc off the assist from sophomore midfielder Micaela Diaz and freshman midfielder Kayleigh Fleming. The next game in conference play was on Sunday when the Bills traveled just a couple miles down the road to face the University of Richmond Spiders. The game was a close and hard-fought match. The Spiders took the lead early in the first period with a goal off a broken corner to the far post. The Billikens

stayed close for the remainder of the game and just narrowly under shooting the Spiders 10-14. The score ended at a 1-0 loss for the Billikens, but the hard-fought nature of the match showed that the Bills are ready to compete in the A-10. “It’s exciting to finally be in conference play. We are evenly matched with a lot of teams and I know we can win some A-10 games this year,” said senior midfielder Jess Dunlap. “Building off our progress from last year, I look forward to seeing how we come out this weekend against Saint Francis and Davidson.” The Bills begin a three-game home stand this weekend starting with their home opener on Friday against Saint Francis. The three A-10 games will mark a halfway point for the Bills. Both games this weekend were close matches last year with the Bills narrowly falling to Saint Francis 2-0 and 2-1 to Davidson. The Bills come into their weekend matches as underdogs but will be looking to secure the victories in both games. Projected weather for Friday and Sunday is sunny low to mid 80s; if you have never made it out to a field hockey game, it is the perfect time to go. Friday’s game

Women’s Cross Country wins Forest Park XC Festival

is at 5 p.m. and it is Dog Night, so bring your favorite furry friend. Sunday’s match is at noon. Games are played at Sportport International in Maryland Heights. Field Hockey fell to VCU and Richmond last weekend to open conference play (Billiken Athletics).

By KAYLEIGH FLEMING Sports Writer

his past Friday, SLU’s men’s and women’s cross country teams both participated at the National Catholic Invitational at the University of Notre Dame. The women’s team placed third in the invitational, and the men’s team placed sixth. Though this was the second invitational that the women’s team participated in for the 2018 season,

The women’s cross country team won the Forest Park XC Festival before the race was cut short due to severe weather (Billiken Athletics).

it was the mens first completed meet for the season. Due to severe weather, the Forest Park XC Festival was cancelled mid-race for the mens team. Although the men’s race was cancelled, the womens race still went on as planned, and they won the meet. Finishing with a time of 18:56.9, senior Anna Schmitz came in first place overall. Additionally, the top five runners consisted of other Billiken runners, thus giving SLU the sweep and creating a perfect score of 15. Following Schmitz, junior Hannah Pierson finished second, graduate student Courtney Link finished third, graduate

student Katie Anderson finished fourth and junior Megan Kress finished fifth. At the National Catholic Invitational this past Friday, Link finished first for the Billikens, placing 16th overall in the 5K. Link ran a time of 18:16.61 and her fellow teammate, Schmitz, finished 20th overall, with a time of 18:25.28. The men’s team ran a 5-mile race, and sophomore Ben Naeger finished first for the Billikens. Naeger finished in 29th place overall with a time of 26:05.04. Following Naeger, freshman Adam Walker came in 40th place with a time of 26:27.37. Both the men’s and women’s teams will be participating in the Joe Piane Invitational on Sept. 28, which is being held at the University of Notre Dame.

VOL. XCVIII No. 2 / September 20, 2018

A S A F E S PA C E FOR ALL

Opinion

STAYING AUTHENTIC DURING SORORITY RECRUITMENT

By Alexis Kayser Contributor y friends and I spent the weekend of Sept. 6 in a whirlwind of emotion, anxiety and perfume. It was sorority recruitment weekend here at SLU, and my personal experience with it consisted of so many ups and downs that a rollercoaster would likely feel threatened by it. While bid day—the day that we finally found out which sisterhood we were accepted into and ran home to our new sorority— was cloaked in raw excitement, I found the rest of the process to be rather exhausting and psychologically trying. From the conversations I’ve had with other girls who rushed, I’m not alone in this feeling. Here’s the thing about recruitment: you’re constantly being judged. And while the ultimate goal is to find a group of girls who will build you up for the rest of your college experience, I felt as if the process itself sought more to tear us down. I saw more than a few girls sobbing relentlessly in the hallway when the chapter that they felt a strong connection with dropped them after the first night. The nagging questions of what we did wrong to forfeit a return invitation were solemnly swirling in our minds. Was it the way that we looked? The way that we dressed? Did we come across as awkward, unsure, too “this” or too “that?”

Being unwanted by even one group of girls can have a pretty detrimental effect on a person’s confidence. After all, the craving for acceptance is embedded in our nature and can’t just be ignored. As much as a positive attitude and an open mind can help guide the recruitment process along a smoother path, the truth of the matter is that rejection is painful. Receiving a little slip of paper each morning that tells you how many cliques had turned their backs on you feels like a bit of a slap in the face. I get it. Not every group is for everyone. Each sorority revolves around a different style of community, and every single individual can’t be expected to fit that mold. The differences amongst chapters are what contribute to the beautiful vibrancy and diversity of the Panhellenic community here at SLU. The issue here is not that there is a problem with the way we are viewing the sororities and their decisions; rather, the problem is with the way that we are viewing ourselves. Over the span of that weekend, I sat next to a multitude of anxiety-ridden girls and literally watched their confidence fall out of their eyes. We ache so deeply to feel like we belong that we would fall to our knees in order to impress. It’s a deeply rooted issue, one that resides in human instinct and one that is going to be incredibly hard to combat. But we have to at least try. The confidence will come when we stop trying to whittle ourselves down, to mute our voices, to dilute our truths for the sole sake of fitting in.

I realized this about two days into my own recruitment journey. I found myself acting bubbly, when I really felt exhausted, and maintaining surface level conversations to avoid the vulnerability of speaking out about my passions. At one event, mid conversation, I realized what I was doing. I made a conscious effort to stop making a conscious effort, to just be myself and let my people come to me. I couldn’t be happier with where I ended up. The moral of the story? When you are your authentic self, and you believe in the value of your own being, your self-assurance will soon follow suit. In turn, social situations will no longer hold any power over you. Being loved for who you are will always feel better than being accepted based on the image you project. Let’s all take a lesson from sorority season and remind ourselves that our worth lies within us.

Opinion

NET NEUTRALITY: A YEAR LATER By Jakob Benedetti Staff Writer

ast year, I wrote about the repeal of net neutrality rules by the Federal Communications Commission, whose five-member board is currently three Republicans and two Democrats. The vote in December 2017 to repeal the Obama-era rules governing fair competition and pricing on internet services was on party lines, with the Republicans supporting repeal. Despite intense backlash from the public and many of the companies that operate on the internet, a net neutrality repeal went into effect in April. Now seems like a good time to review this issue and see what, if anything, has changed since 2017. To start, new research shows that companies have not only been violating net neutrality since the repeal of the regulatory system enforcing it, but also, to no one’s surprise, there was unprosecuted illegal activity when the FCC actually had the power to do something about it (i.e. before net neutrality was repealed). Researchers at Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst have discovered that cell service providers routinely “throttled” bandwidth and internet speed for certain users with specific data plans and on specific apps. These were often clear attempts to reroute consumers away from content created by their competitors, or the competitors of their many subsidiaries. Some throttling of speed is normal—even necessary—for the network

to reroute traffic, but the researchers proved that “[Cell companies were] throttling video traffic even when the network doesn’t need to,” they said. “It happens 24/7, and in every region where we have tests.” The researchers admit that the activity they’ve uncovered amounts to “what most people would refer to as a net neutrality violation.” They also admit, however, that it’s not entirely clear whether this activity became less common after net neutrality rules were enforced by Obama or if it became more or less common after those rules were repealed last year.

“It’s still unclear what the result of this lawsuit will be, but it’s pretty unlikely they will be successful in convincing the FCC to restore net neutrality.” Whether or not the impact of net neutrality rules or their repeal are clear, the public has made their voice heard. After the FCC held an open period for the public to comment on the proposed repeal of net neutrality, they found that an overwhelming majority of respondents opposed repealing the regulations. This is consistent with polling that shows that large majorities of American voters favor keeping the rules in place, including as many as 75 percent of Republican respondents in one University of Maryland survey. Isn’t living in a democracy wonderful? It’s not just voters who are upset about net neutrality repeal. In a court filing in August, a coalition of companies and groups representing a large portion of the internet—includ-

ing Amazon, Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and Uber—called on the FCC to reconsider net neutrality repeal. In their brief, they basically argued that the document passed by the FCC was poorly written and unreasonable. Transparency alone would not lead to the principles of net neutrality being upheld, as suggested by Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. It’s still unclear what the result of this lawsuit will be, but it’s pretty unlikely they will be successful in convincing the FCC to restore net neutrality. In my previous article I mentioned how the amount spent on lobbyists and political campaign contributions by telecom companies like Comcast, AT&T, etc. has skyrocketed over the past couple of decades to a high of $108 million in 2013 and $85 million in 2016; the vast majority of that money going to Republicans who favor net neutrality repeal. But since the repeal of net neutrality actually went forward last year, telecoms spending on campaign contributions and lobbying has significantly declined to their lowest point since 2001. Anyone who suggests that these campaign and lobbying expenses don’t amount to legalized bribery are fooling themselves; as soon as these companies got what they wanted, they no longer needed to spend as much on politicians. Although it’s unclear at this time what impact the repeal of net neutrality has had, it’s likely that things will continue to change as time goes on. Whether or not the change is positive, voters and internet companies have already made it clear they believe we would be better off with net neutrality enforced, and I tend to agree.

Opinion

GUIDE–COLLEGE SIMPLIFIED APP EXPOSED By TARA TABIBI Staff Writer

f you’re a neat person—or at least, if you’ve ever moved into a college dorm—you’ve probably organized your dresser. Maybe you bought drawer liners from TJ Maxx to separate your underwear, or looked up how to roll your t-shirts on Pinterest so they’d take up less room. I’m not saying it stayed organized throughout the semester. In fact, I’d bet by midterms your floor probably doubled as your closet. And that’s OK. I want you to take a deep breath and say, “I’m proud of myself for at least trying to make my life easier.” And I’m assuming that cleaning your room was, in fact, an exercise in making your life easier, since I have no idea why else you’d spend time doing that when you could be napping on a hammock, trying to find the Billiken’s true identity, or—if you really believe in social justice—chaining yourself to the dolphins in the dolphin pond in a bid to save a historical monument (yes, I’m angry; no, I’m not alone!) With that in mind, let me ask you a question: if your dresser had enough drawers to fit your underwear, T-shirts, shorts and extra bedding, would you buy an extra dresser just for your bedding?

If you got into this school or have any degree of common sense, I would hope you’d confidently say, “No, Tara, I would save my money and buy food! Plus, an extra dresser means I

“It seems a little redundant to not lump all appointments on the appointments portal in MySLU, kind of like moving your bedding to a different dresser just because.” have another surface to clean, and why would anyone want that?” Now, take the new Guide App SLU installed and ask SLU the same question. If you already had a decent(ish) system for setting up appointments, and you set up all your appointments on said system, would you move only one category of appointments to a third-party app? It seems a little redundant to not lump all appointments on the appointments portal in MySLU, kind of like moving your bedding to a different dresser just because. It overcomplicates my life as a student to have to check multiple places to see whether or not I have something scheduled, and it does more to hinder my organization than to help it.

Convenience aside, let me remind you that a new dresser is inconsequential compared to a whole app. First, you’re giving a third-party app your information—and maybe your information is safe, but it’s still stored in one additional place and in the age of the internet, the number of places you give information can really snowball. Second, if you’ve actually downloaded the app, you’ll see that the reviews on the App Store fall short of rave. The interface leaves something to be desired with an ugly, bare-boned home page full of useless features that, when clicked, lead to more useless features. The annoyance increases when you think about the fact that the majority of students don’t even see their academic advisor more than once or twice each semester. Do I really need to download an app on my phone, potentially share personal information with a third-party app, and try to navigate its subpar interface just to have a ten-minute conversation with someone? Besides issues with sharing information and the interface, this unnecessary app takes up valuable space on my phone. Let me rephrase my question for you: do I really need to buy a new dresser, clean out all its extra drawers and its top surface, just so I can store my bed sheets that I switch out once every other week in a different (not even aesthetically pleasing) place?

Opinion

IMPROVEMENTS ON SLU’S CAMPUS By ARJUN BAGAI Contributor ver the summer, there have been many improvements on campus. These improvements focus on the safety and utilization of SLU property. Some of these improvements include a new crosswalk, construction near the science building, solar panels and Amazon Echo Dots in residence rooms. While some of these appear completely beneficial to the community, others are more controversial in regards to their practicality. One major project is the improved crosswalk. Over the years, the crosswalk on West Pine Boulevard and Grand Boulevard seemed insufficient as there would be a small space between the northbound and southbound lanes on Grand. Students were at risk if they would stand in that small space. It would be hard for drivers to assess the student position in between the lanes and they would have to drive a lot slower. With the improvement of the crosswalk, a certain amount of space for pedestrians is designated and distinguished from the northbound and southbound lanes. As a result of this, students should feel a lot safer. Also, drivers do not have to worry about students standing on the lanes. This project was worth the invest-

ment because life is very crucial to each and every individual on campus. There have been some improvements near the science building as well. Specifically, the old tiles have been replaced with new material. The old tiles were wobbly and could result in tripping. They also placed new patches of grass and lights, which make the area more luminous at night. This improvement is worthwhile as it provides a function and utilizes empty space. There have also been solar panels attached to the roofs of certain buildings. The University is trying to utilize solar energy and convert it to electrical energy. Solar energy

“While some of these appear completely beneficial to the community, others are more controversial in regards to their practicality.” is a convenient source of energy and should not be wasted. It is abundant and renewable, and it is smart of SLU to take advantage of environmentally sustainable energy sources. Plus, the roofs were not being used anyway, so they do not take up any unnecessary space. Last, each dorm room and on-cam-

pus apartment has an Amazon Echo Dot. The goal of this is to have Alexa answer SLU-related questions. Such questions can include: “What time does Qdoba close?” I, personally, do not like having Alexa in the rooms. The Echo Dot is very limited in terms of its functionality, and students do not need it to solve their questions. Many have the SLU app which answers plenty of questions. Many students also tried to listen to certain music and were out of luck. If tuition increases were due to Alexa purchases, I do not think that was a worthwhile investment. SLU should use the money for more noteworthy renovations or expansions, like education buildings or more on-campus dining options. There are also certain projects currently ongoing. One is the completion of Macelwane Hall. In May 2017, there was a fire that demolished the entire building. Many biology professors lost their paperwork and research projects and had to move to the Biology Extension Building on the South Campus. In 2019, the construction will be finished and biology professors will return to their offices. This will also be convenient for students since they will not have to travel to the South Campus to reach the BEB. In 2020, SLU Hospital will expand, with new patient rooms and a new design. This will benefit physicians, patients and residents. Right now, the main entrance is located on a small street, Vista Avenue. With the expansion, it will become easier to access the entrance to the hospital grounds.

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The Editorial Board of the University News recognizes AVIS MEYER, PH.D., as the newspaper’s faculty mentor.

Winter coming is

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