No. 15 (May 2, 2019) by University News

VOL. XCVIII No. 15 / May 2, 2019

THE UNIVERSITY NEWS

T E G D U B E H T G N CUTTI

Cover Design by Ashlee kothenbeutel and Rebecca LiVigni

NEWS

Photo Courtesy of Emma Carmody

SLU’S NEW BUDGET CUTS SHOW THAT THE FIRST ISN’T THE DEEPEST Faculty prepares for another heavy round of budget cuts for upcoming school year By TANNOCK BLAIR Associate News Editor

t the beginning of April, all of SLU’s deans were issued budget cuts by the provost, Chet Gillis. The college of arts and sciences was issued the biggest number, that of $4.1 million. In addition to $1.6 million that the college still has left in “academic reinvention” that they have to complete in spring, this functionally rounds out to about 10 percent of the college’s budget. Most of the college’s budget goes toward personnel, so the options left to Dean Duncan are to cut adjunct spending, graduate assistantships and faculty. Communication Department Chair April Trees expressed her confidence in the dean despite the difficult circumstances, “I know the dean is committed to minimizing the impact on students.” This isn’t the first time the University has experienced budget cuts of this scale. In February 2016, Magis’ “Operation Excellence Program” was launched. This was – according to SLU’s website – an attempt to “make SLU more efficient and effective and identify opportunities for increased revenue and growth.” One part of Magis was “academic reinvention,” which involved academic cuts as well. However, according to Trees, “they had the year to plan what to do and then had three years to implement it.” This year, the deans only had until the end of the month to turn in a plan that would be implemented next year. Another part of Magis was “organizational redesign”

in which they laid off over a hundred staff-people, without an expectation that those positions would be refilled. SLU had a deficit the year before Magis was implemented, “and this year we had a deficit again” explained Trees. Because of the deficit, a new “position control process” was implemented at the University. This meant that new hiring of any sort (faculty, staff, etc.) would be subject to a process before being accepted. According to Trees, this process began with Mike Lewis, the acting provost at the time, who had criteria that he used to determine if the new position would affect accreditation or if the department was teaching more than 300 student credit hours. From there, the application would be passed on to a cabinet that would then decide whether or not the open position would be filled or not. It is important to note that it is not only academic programs being cut; $3 million is being cut from non-academic programs and other cuts that will be made to SLUCare as well, said Trees. President Pestello sent out an email to the community earlier in the semester outlining these cuts, expecting that they would reduce expenses by $10 million. Mike Lewis explained that “the Provost’s Office is working hard with the deans to achieve this goal.” There are concerns within the faculty over the accuracy of the data they are using to come up with these numbers, however. It may be hard to get accurate data because it is difficult

to account for things like course releases for grant work (faculty who get big grants buy out courses and that money then gets used to cover their teaching). It is also difficult to account for faculty with other responsibilities (department chairs, for example). Faculty members are expected to teach at least 300 student hours a semester. About two classes of 25 students each per semester. However, this kind of mandate doesn’t account for certain specialist teachers. For example, according to Trees, a piano teacher would struggle to meet these requirements because their teaching is most often oneon-one. One possible alternative to layoffs is the “Voluntary Early Retirement Program.” VERP gives people salary and benefits if they don’t need to be replaced. Any college or school that has someone take the VERP contributes to their budget goal. Even this creates problems though, because classes are already registered for next spring. If teachers choose to take the VERP and leave, the classes they were supposed to teach will have to be covered. These budget issues are not unique to SLU either; universities all across the country are experiencing economic challenges. Earlier in April, Wheeling Jesuit eliminated all majors in the liberal arts after finding themselves deeply in debt. As a result, the university is now being forced to sever its Jesuit affiliations. And just last week, an essay in the City Journal on the University of Tulsa exposed the university as pushing the liberal arts aside in favor of turning itself “into a glorified trade school.” While SLU’s situation is far from these other universities at this stage, it is important to note that the academic landscape is changing. The future is uncertain at this stage. Although, it is clear that these cuts are an unsustainable method of solution, “doing this repeatedly, without strategic planning isn’t good,” explained Trees. “We need to have a different sort of solution. Until then, I don’t think this year is the end of it,” she said. President Pestello and Provost Gillis are hosting an “All colleges meeting” on Monday May 6 in the auditorium of the business school, where hopefully some of these issues will be addressed.

News

DRIVING FOR JUSTICE By CAROLINE LIPSKI Staff Writer hat started as an old delivery truck has grown into a network of four “mobile museums” with the mission of driving the conversation surrounding culture, race and identity. These mobile museums, dubbed The Justice Fleet, “foster healing through art, dialogue, and play,” said Amber Johnson, Ph.D., associate professor of communication at SLU and founder of the Justice Fleet. “Once you are aware of how social injustice impacts specific people, communities and institutions, it is hard to sit and do nothing” they said. Johnson works to inspire others both inside and outside the classroom as a scholar, artist and activist. They are also very active in their research on art activism and social justice—in which the idea for the Justice Fleet was developed. The first truck features the theme of “Radical Forgiveness,” by uniting art activism with social justice. Participants in the exhibit are encouraged to heal through painting a message of forgiveness onto the Forgiveness Quilt. Johnson has been constructing Forgiveness Quilts for over a decade in the classroom as a visual display of liberation from the pain and guilt suffered in social inequity. “Our mission is simple and universal. There are inequities on every single country on this planet and if we’re going to attempt to fix these inequities we also have to also heal from them, they have to happen at same time,” Johnson said. Each Justice Fleet truck embodies its own theme surrounding social justice through interactive and creative outlets like paint, toys, legos and even a ball pit. By bringing their message to communities around the coun-

try, Johnson hopes to counter the notion that “humans have forgotten how to play and how to imagine.” “We are constantly in community. We are always working with community members from different marginalized spaces with different traumas and different inequities,” Johnson said. These tools are intended to initiate healing from injustices as well as build solutions, with the goal being to reflect, engage and apply forgiveness to our prejudices and biases. Johnson recounts the inspiration they had for the project when they began teaching at SLU in 2015, when Darren Wilson was found innocent after the shooting of Michael Brown Jr. “My students said to me that there’s so much happening and people need healing. You can’t just do this in the classroom. This was how Radical Forgiveness and Injustice Fleet was born,” said Johnson. Another exhibit named “Transfuturism” celebrates gender embodiment through telling the story of black transgender and nonbinary people. After interviewing and photographing them, Johnson digitally projects the participants as superheros. These pieces of art break down gender and race barriers, and instead lifting participants up. “I am making the argument that trans and nonbinary people do that in the flesh...

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Photo Courtesy of Riley Tovornik

STANDING ROOM ONLY FOR

KOLLARS’ CYBERSECURITY TALK By JACOB CUNNINGHAM Contributor tudents packed into McGannon Hall Wednesday, April 24, to hear Nina Kollars, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Strategic and Operational Research at the Naval War College, give a talk on international cybersecurity research. The event, titled “White Hat Hacking as National Security: The Emerging Global System,” focused on Kollars’ most recent undertaking in research, and previewed a larger analysis of the issue in her coming book. The talk, which was presented by the Political Science Department, brought a large and diverse array of students and faculty, not exclusive to SLU, to listen to Kollars speak. With the crowd packed in, the room was standing room only by the time the event began. Nori Katagiri, Ph.D., began by introducing Kollars and welcomed the large number of attendees, as well as jokingly welcoming “others” listening – in the spirit of the cybersecurity talk. Kollars spent the majority of the time discussing the issues and challenges facing the future of cybersecurity and international relations in the public and private

sector and emphasized the role that “white hat” hackers would play in the not-so-distant future. One student in attendance, sophomore Caroline Barnes said that “cybersecurity and hacking is not something I am usually exposed to as a political science major.” Barnes was not alone in this, as Kollars surveyed the room and found that many in the crowd knew little, if nothing, of the topic she was going to cover. “I really had little knowledge on hacking in general,” Barnes said, but she continued, “learned how vulnerable we all are as a society and our government in general.” Even with little to no background on the subject, the talk was accessible to all that attended. “Kollars was very knowledgeable and knew how to keep the crowd interested,” Barnes said. “Her presentation had some great information and taught me a lot.” Ultimately, the presentation by Kollars offered a lot to the students that attended, regardless of their major or background. “I think cyber security and hacking as a whole is an issue that is on the rise and our government will need to create laws to combat these issues,” Barnes said. “I hope one day to be proposing legislation that deals with this topic.”

NEWS

Heather Brock (Award Committee Chair) and Kellisa Lyn Fiala (President) stand on stage behind Woman of the Year Regina Walton.

(Emma Carmody/The University News)

WOMEN’S COMMISSION HONORS SIX “REMARKABLE” SLU WOMEN By RILEY MACK News Editor

omen are so inspiring and we don’t talk about it,” said Heather Brock, Award Committee Chair for the Women’s Commission and Assistant Director for Communication in Office of Admissions. “We don’t talk about what we do right, we talk about the things that went wrong.” Although, she said, the annual Woman of the Year Awards put on by the Women’s Commission finally gives women in the SLU community the opportunity to do so. The Women’s Commission has worked since 1977 to highlight multiple women at SLU for their incredible accomplishments in their work, religious, home and community-oriented responsibilities. Each year, they hold a ceremony to do the unheard of—give the impressive women of SLU an opportunity to show off their accomplishments. Brock emphasizes that women “do so much on a day-to-day basis that I think doesn’t get the recognition that it needs.” While becoming focused on their jobs and daily tasks, women tend not to realize the amazing work that they are doing, Brock explained.

Kellisa Lyn Fiala, President of SLU’s Women’s Commission and Office Manager of School of Education, couldn’t agree more. While women are often caught up in supporting others, they aren’t able to realize that they have a community that supports them too, she said. Winners of the award are selected through nominations submitted by faculty and students, as well as discussions by the Women’s Commission. “Taking an hour out of your time to actually recognize your colleagues is outstanding”— and shows the nominees that they have supporters, too, Fiala said. “All of the women that get submissions and recognition are phenomenal,” Brock said. Which leads her to the same question every year: “how in the world do we narrow this down?” While they realize this is a great problem to have, this is what makes the decision process so difficult for Fiala and Brock. Their ideal candidate is a well-rounded woman, who not only raises standards at SLU, but in every

aspect of her life. This year, there were 45 submissions total. Normally, the Commission decides on five winners, but because of an event cancellation in the fall, they decided upon six “remarkable” women of SLU, Fiala said. Of those six winners were Ghazala Hayat, P.h.D., Sadita Salihovic, Regina Walton, Donna LaVoie, P.h.D., Danielle Uy, J.D. and Karen Myers, P.h.D. Among their wide array of accomplishments are being directors of programs to help underserved communities, achievements in the workplace that go beyond their job descriptions and recognition by world-renowned programs for their excellent work. “To be the Woman of the Year, we are looking for three or four components,” Fiala said. The decision gets especially hard when it comes to women who “eat, breathe, and sleep SLU, and there’s no time to do anything else.” This kind of work ethic impresses and even inspires the Commission. “Sometimes I feel like I

While women are not accustomed to talking about their successes, this award continues a crucial conversation about the recognition they have earned.

can’t give anything outside of my work, but [these] women do it,” Fiala said about the winners. As for the future of the Woman of the Year ceremony, Fiala and Brock hope that their impact becomes larger for the SLU community. They hope that coming to this event can be beneficial to all students and staff—not only to support the women being awarded, but for their own benefit, as well. “In 2012, I was offered a free seat at a table and I have been to every luncheon ever since because I cried and was amazed at these women that were doing what the University says they’re doing,” Fiala said. Brock agreed, saying “It makes you want to be their friend. It makes you wonder how they got so amazing, because I want to do that too.” To boil the ceremony down to one statement, Brock described it accurately, with “you get the feels.” Above all, this event brings women together and celebrates the amazing things they do on and off of SLU’s campus. Supporting women of all different backgrounds and acknowledging the incredible work that they do is vitally important to the development of the SLU community. While women are not accustomed to talking about their successes, this award continues a crucial conversation about the recognition they have earned.

News Painting Courtesy of Ashlee Kothenbeutel

TITLE IX BILLS

DEFERRED IN MISSOURI By CONOR DORN Staff Writer n November 2018, Education Secretary Betsy Devos proposed sweeping changes to federal regulations under Title IX. The changes, which are meant to reduce expenditures and streamline the process, have come under fire as destructive and entirely counterproductive. Critics of Devos’ proposed changes have taken issue with key stipulations that seem to complicate and aggravate a process that is already traumatic for survivors of sexual assault. For example, Secretary Devos proposes that campus Title IX offices guarantee the right of the accused to cross examine the accuser and vice versa. The cross examination would be conducted by personally appointed advisors. This transition toward courtroom-style Title IX proceedings is incredibly troubling.

First, the introduction of personally appointed advisors that conduct cross examinations produces grave concerns about inequality. If one student can afford to pay an experienced lawyer to conduct the cross examination while the other cannot, the wealthier student has a massive advantage—regardless of the guilt or innocence of the accused. The proposed changes allow either party to appeal the university’s decision, which, according to Missouri House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, would further create a “socio-economic imbalance,” if one student has the resources to influence the appeal process favorably while the other does not. Moreover, it is impossible to overstate the detrimental effect a live cross examination might have on survivors reporting sexual assault. After the trauma of an experience with sexual assault, most survivors have no desire to be in the same room with their attacker, let alone cross examined in their presence. The Title IX process is already challenging for survivors; the proposed changes would make it positively hellish and would dras-

tically reduce the number of survivors who feel comfortable coming forward. These proposed Title IX reforms have special relevance for college students in Missouri, as the Missouri recently introduced two bills, HB 573 and SB 259, which closely mirror Devos’ reforms. However, the Missouri Title IX proposals are actually more destructive to the Title IX process than Devos’ federal reforms. Administrators, Title IX coordinators, and concerned citizens from across Missouri have almost unanimously condemned the two overly accommodating to the accused. If passed, Missouri Title IX proceedings would provide more protection for the accused than any other state. The House bill abandons Obama-era standards of proof for sexual assault, known as “preponderance of the evidence” in favor of a “clear and convincing” level of proof. This requirement would apply only to sexual assault cases. In other words, crimes of lesser degree, like theft or physical assault, would require a higher standard of proof than sexual violence crimes. The Senate Bill has stipulations which are equally troubling. It allows respondents to submit a survivor’s sexual and mental health history as evidence, a form of harassment that is without precedent in Title IX proceedings. In addition, the bill allows respondents to sue a survivor for making a “false statement,” effectively discouraging survivors from coming forward for fear of a lawsuit if there is a lack of conclusive evidence. HB 573 and SB 259 have been on the legislative agenda for more than four months, and it seems that the bills have stalled for the time being. Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden is not optimistic that the proposal will reappear in the senate chamber this session. When interviewed by Missourinet reporter Alisa Nelson concerning SB 259, Rowden responded: “We’ll see. I haven’t talked to anybody this week that has pushed very hard to bring it back up. From my perspective for the moment, there’s a bunch of other things that are a little bit more pressing.” The legislative halt coincides with reports that a Missouri lobbyist, Robert Mcintosh, created

DPS REPORTS On April 24 at Marchetti Towers East, there was an altercation between two students, one student being bumped to the ground as they passed each other. The two students reported they had prior incidences with an ex-boyfriend. Video footage revealed little contact between the two. On April 27 at Chaifetz Arena, a man attending the Cirque Du Soleil show was walking down the stairs when the person in front of him began to fall. The man stepped back, tripped and hit his head on the stairs. EMS responded to the scene for treatment. On April 29, a Wool Center employee received an email from a friend reporting an offer of five Apple gift cards and that she should fax him her credit card information. The employee purchased the cards, spending $500, only to find out the email was fraudulent. She soon cancelled her credit cards and called the non-emergency police. a “dark money” nonprofit, called Kingdom Principles, to push the pair of Title IX bills through the Missouri legislature. In addition to hiring twenty-nine lobbyists to advocate for the bills, Kingdom Principles reportedly spent thousands of dollars on a Facebook ad campaign, which dishonestly collects signatures for the Title IX reform bills by framing it as an initiative by President Trump to “protect due process” at the federal level. In reality, the user is signing in support of the state-level Title IX reform bills. With this lull in legislative activity for the Title IX reforms comes an opportunity for concerned parties to voice their displeasure with the direction in which Missouri Title IX proceedings are headed.

Arts and life

“EndGame” Ended the Game

This Week’s

Favorites

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EVENTS

Largest Dance Class Saturday, May, 4 Missouri History Museum The Missouri History Museum is attempting to set a record for the world’s largest modern-jazz dance class, and you’re invited to be part of it. Tickets are $7 per person and include a commemorative T-shirt.

(Photo Courtesy of Riley Tovornik/University News

FOOD

Cookie Fiesta Sunday, May 5th LeGrand’s Market & Catering “It’s going to be a cookie fiesta at our new pop-up at LeGrand’s! We do the work while you have fun decorating cookies!”

CONCERTS

By MARIAH WESTON Contributor and CHANDANA KAMARAJ Arts Editor “vengers: Endgame” marks the 22nd movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU if you’re a fan. The film was released exactly a year after the release of the last Avengers film “Avengers: Infinity War,” where we saw many of the characters disintegrate due to Thanos’ snap. Since then, fans witnessed the emotional passing of the Marvel Universe creator Stan Lee, along with the pleasingly emotional introduction of Captain Marvel, played by Brie Larson, Marvel’s first woman-centric film. “Endgame,” directed by Antony and Joe Russo, rides high on all these emotions and produces a satisfying ending to most of the characters after three hours worth of footage and no post-credit scene. Emotions remain at the forefront with tense arguments, tears of grief and fear that those who were lost will never return. However, these heavier scenes are punctuated by laughter and sweet sentiments. The balance of feelings makes the darker scenes tolerable and leaves

(Photo Courtesy of Entertainment Weekly) lief. While popular new characthe viewer hopeful for the future of ters such as Captain Marvel and the MCU. Okoye of Black Panther are not “Endgame” starts by showing as integral to the plot as was adthe rest of the world after Thanos’ vertised, they unite with other snap. Like any normal citizen, each female Avengers in a powerful of the Avengers responds differscene. ently to the trauma of losing close As always, the men of the MCU friends and family. Although Thor were looking great. Chris Evans is a god, he has arguably the most is the proud owner of “Amerihuman reaction. In the face of loss, ca’s Ass” even if his first Captain he turns to worldly vices such as America suit made it look flat. food and alcohol, with no desire to Mark Ruffalo pulled off an intelreturn to saving the world. Despite lectual, glasses-sporting version her earlier cold persona, Black of the large, green man - the first Widow starts to show emotions and only one to make the Shrek that she never did before after loslook work. Chris Hemsworth ing the only family she has ever rocked the beer gut, and was latknown. Captain America, on the er transformed by a beautifully other hand, leads a support group, braided beard. Paul Rudd looked convincing himself as much as othgreat as an infant, old man and ers of the importance of moving his normal gorgeous self, urinary on. With these realistic responses incontinence aside. Tom Holland to tragedy, “Endgame” shows that is a cutie as always, even while even superheroes are not immune inadvertently giving spoilers to mental health struggles. offscreen. While they experience unthinkImmense pressure has been put able chaos, the surviving Avengers on “Endgame” to fully wrap up a form surprising bonds. It is clear 22 movie run of box-office breakthat the directors purposefuling movies and beloved charly chose which characters would acters. The directors succeeded remain, and it allowed for new in living up to expectations and friendships in the face of tragemade wise decisions to close each dy. The new film builds upon and individual character arc. Fans got ties in past films more than ever, the closure they desired while with unexpected inclusions such the Avengers creators left plenty as “Guardians of the Galaxy” proof anticipation for future stories viding important backstory and in Phase 4. Exciting films comAnt-Man providing comedic re-

Maren Morris Thursday, May 9 The Pageant Maren Morris will be touring her latest album GIRL with special guest RaeLynn.

CINEMA

“Pokemon Detective Pikachu” Release: Friday, May 10 “Ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son, Tim, to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokemon partner, wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth Detective Pikachu.”

BOOKS

“Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope” By: Mark Manson Published: May 14 “From the author of the international mega-bestseller ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck’ comes a counterintuitive guide to the problems of hope.”

ing next are “Spider-Man: Far From Home” on July 5 and a Black Widow prequel in 2020. A “Black Panther” sequel, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “Doctor Strange 2” and further continuations are expected in coming years. “Endgame” may be closing one chapter, but the next is already open and better than ever.

07 Arts and life LANY’s energy and aesthetic electrify St. Louis By LEIANNA TANEDO Staff Writer On Tuesday, LANY gave a taste of California shores and good vibes at The Pageant. Solo artist FLETCHER opened for them, hyping the crowd up with her upbeat songs like “Wasted Youth” and “Undrunk.” Her vocal range was impressive, pulling the audience in. The stage was set up in two levels: The top level was the instrumentalists and the bottom level had the lead singer, Paul Klein, spearheading the energy by dancing around on stage and playing on the synthesizers to create LANY’s unique synthpop sound. Even their drum set and instrument board were clear so that the audience could experience both visuals and sounds. By using lights and looped videos on the screens, the band set the tone for each song. Their concert was an extremely immersive experience, both aestheti

cally and musically. The band walked on stage and opened with “Thick and Thin,” marked by a constant drum beat and dreamy sounds. This song was a strong start, since it brought the audience up to their feet to dance and scream their lyrics. After flashing lights, the song ended and cut to black. Sounds of cameras flashing filled the room and screen shots of a text conversation saying “i loved you.” appeared on the screen, referring to their 2015 EP. Audience members threw roses at the stage after the song “4EVER!” Klein seemed genuinely surprised and flattered, thanking them and saying that it was his birthday. “It’s just another day for me,” he said dismissively, then continued to hype up the audience. During “If You See Her,” Klein went into the crowd, sweeping his hands to touch as many people as possible. LANY focused on being visually striking and contrasting with their background. The band looked like silhouettes in front of the bright screens. A lot of the videos that played during their set had sunsets,

skies, or colorful backdrops to bring the audience to the Los Angeles beaches that they came from. In “I Don’t Wanna Love You Anymore,” the background was a simple image of flowing silver silk sheets as Klein played piano. My favorite song, “pink skies” had flashing pink lights paired with a backdrop of a sunset over a busy highway. When singing “Taking Me Back,” the lyrics appeared on the screen so that we could sing karaoke-style. “Malibu Nights” had a backdrop of a night sky and inspired the audience to hold up their phone flashlights to accompany the piano-heavy ballad. Then, the constant pulsing rhythms of “Super Far” had the audience singing at the top of their lungs. They also embraced a throwback to the 90s, using rainbow static from old television screens as a background during “Hurts.” Then they walked offstage, their name repeated on the screen in pixelated font, looking like a broken computer. The audience cheered loudly, bringing back the band onstage for the encore. They closed their show with “Thru These Tears” and “ILYSB,” which

are two of their most popular songs. Afterward, they bowed in front of a screen with the book cover to “Goodnight Moon,” beaming with pride for their performance and love for the audience. LANY creates music to exude positive energy. Their infectious melodies and 80s-inspired synthpop made the crowd dance and sing at the top of their lungs. Though the lyrics of the album “Malibu Nights” may be focused on heartbreak, LANY channeled that pain into playing upbeat songs for their fans to connect with. For some concerts, you see artists to hear them improvise or provide an acoustic set. LANY’s show was marked by bubbly energy and visually striking staging to complement their upbeat sound. They gave us an exciting artistic performance to remember beyond any Instagram story. LANY’s music has always brought me joy. I blast their songs in the car during long drives or focus to their albums when writing a paper. Throughout the set, Klein would ask, “Are you happy?” Before cheering loudly, I said to myself, “You know what? I am.”

(Photo Courtesy of Parmount)

(Photo Courtesy of This Is Lany)

Arts and life

SWMRS Make a splash in St. Louis By SAVANAH SEYER Staff Writer n Tuesday, April 24, indie rock band SWMRS played a show at St. Louis concert venue The Ready Room. The band of childhood friends from Oakland, Calif., delighted fans with a show that sped along at breakneck speed. Almost the band’s entire catalogue was on the setlist, and the quintet rocked through the songs one by one, barely taking a breath in between. This seemed to be completely fine with the fans in attendance, who responded to each song with just as much enthusiasm as the next. The Ready Room is a small, intimate space, requiring bands to really connect with the patrons in the audience. SWMRS, of course, is no stranger to St. Louis’ small clubs. In fact, the band mentioned that the Ready Room was a size upgrade from the last show they played in St. Louis, when the group played at the rock club Fubar. The group were experts at engaging the crowd. The band has two lead singers, brothers Max and Cole Becker. Cole was obviously the energy of the band, often jumping down from stage into the crowd and encouraging them to sing along. His energy was contagious as he danced across the stage, almost in a trance, seemingly propelled involuntarily by his band’s music. The group includes the Becker brothers, drummer Joey Armstrong and bassist Seb Mueller, along with Armstrong’s brother Jakob, who joins as a touring musician. All thier skilled musicianship was on full display during the set, and the songs were played fast and tight, without a single note out of place. The five were in musical harmony,

creating a wall of sound that perfectly filled the space at the Ready Room. The band’s music, which is a unique mix of punk and indie rock with pop sensibilities, played even better during their live show than on their recorded albums. SWMRS’s music is clearly meant to be

or “Hellboy” for some examples) and sweet sing-along moments that had couples in the crowd wrapping their arms around one another and singing at the top of their lungs. Mid-tempo fan favorite tune “Lose It,” with its heartbreak theme and delightfully

(Photo Courtesy of Savanah Seyer/The University News) played live, and their catalogue creates the perfect balance between quick punk-rock musical interludes designed for moshing and dancing (check out “Lose, Lose, Lose,” “Berkley’s On Fire”

romantic lyrics “Tell me why’d you have to have such a damn good taste in music? Yeah if all my favorite songs make me think of you I’m gonna lose it,” drew the loudest crowd participa-

tion of the night. Having only casually listened to SWMRS’s music before this show, I knew I would enjoy the show, but I was not prepared for just how impressed I would be by not only the incredible live show they put on, but by the band themselves. The group very rarely stopped the show to talk, but when they did, they made sure to profusely thank the crowd for coming, to mention that they wanted everyone to feel welcome and to use their platform to express positive support for members of the LGBTQIA+, African-American and immigrant communities. Cole told the crowd that we were all working together to make sure we made the world better and that by coming to a SWMRS show we had all joined a community and that everyone belonged. The show had a beautiful tone of positivity, love and support. SWMRS played a rock show with no gimmicks. The music and the message were the prevalent focus of the night. It was evident that the band members were enjoying themselves, and their infectious music made it impossible not to get involved and dance along. The genius of SWMRS, which became evident throughout the night, was that their music appeals to a multitude of generations and fans of all music genres. The group has obvious punk influences, and it is easy to hear the echoes of bands like the Ramones or Green Day in their music. But it is also just as clear that SWMRS uses pop/dance mechanisms and song-writing and that the music is uplifting and engaging. Overall, SWMRS is a must see, and their growing popularity will continue their upward climb through the music clubs of St. Louis.

04 06 07 FINALS08-14

MAY

summer at slu snow cone day @ outside duBourg hall 12pm to 2pm

rose day @ central west end ALL DAY

FINALS STUDY DAY

ALL DAY

lolpalooza: spring comedy showcase @ morrissey 0200

5pm to 7:15pm

String orchestra end of semester concert @ xavier hall theatre 7:30pm to 8:30pm

de-stress with dps and miniature horses @ throughout campus 10am to 2pm

champ therapy dog visit @ pius library 2pm to 4pm

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games 1

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Zest Highway exits 17 18 Sting operation 21 22 23 20 Irish offshoot Poet T. S. ___ 26 24 25 Auction off Not garishly 27 28 29 30 Madame Bovary 36 37 33 34 35 Dined Jamaican export 40 39 Snob Also-rans 43 44 42 Present mo. 47 48 46 Burns and Allen, 45 e.g. 49 50 Drawing Party handout 57 54 55 56 Rash 60 61 59 Historic period J.F.K. postings 64 63 Battery units Guitar part 67 66 Medic Copyright ©2019 PuzzleJunction.com As such Urania and 2 9 Hairdressers 63 Bar mitzvah, e.g. Down, e.g. 10 Fearsome ﬂy 64 Family girl Small piano 11 Those who pay 65 Etna output Orbital point 66 Applies 12 Charity Old stories 13 Surveyor’s map 67 Shoe parts “The magic 18 Trial’s partner 68 Deuce topper word” 23 Jet black Sullivan’s 25 Heroic poem Down partner 28 Red-bearded god Struggle 1 Corolla part 29 Chip dip Sequel to 2 See 44 Across 31 Canadian Indian “Angela’s 3 Twisty turns 32 Derbies Ashes” 33 Revenuers 4 Tennis call Russian river 34 At the summit 5 Just say no Negotiates 6 Astringent 35 Wafﬂe between two 7 Bag thickness 37 Stair part parties 8 Fishing need 40 Old hands

Last Issue’s Solutions

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

Solutions to thisPuzzleJunction.com week’s Puzzles on Page 19

University News 4/11/19 Crossword

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

16 19

38 41

University News 4/11/19 Word Search

62 65 68

41 43 44 46 48 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 61 62

Electrical device Pop, in Picardy Distance runner Court ﬁgures Injures, usu. verbally Fragrant oil Strainer Bacon piece Wise guy Spring bloom Small musical combo Woodworker’s tool ___ Paese cheese Cockpit abbr.

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photography

SAYING GOODBYE TO THE UNEWS SENIOR EDITORS By EMMA CARMODY Photo Editor

MEREDYTH STAUNCH Editor-in-Chief

“This year has been quite a whirlwind - literally. From changing the look of the newspaper to creating a YouTube channel and teaching myself how to animate at my internship at the Science Center, you can say that sleep was not in my vocabulary. Maybe I’ll be able to put my new videography skills to the test or integrate my minor in BME at Discover Magazine? The possibilities are limitless, and my aspirations are high as I continue my job search.”

MONICA RYAN MANAGING EDITOR “Throughout my time at SLU, I’ve served as the president of SLU-TV and the managing editor of the newspaper. I have had the amazing opportunity to hone my leadership skills in these roles. Now that my days at SLU are numbered, I’m looking forward to starting my job as a producer for KRCG in Columbia, MO on May 31. I can’t wait to start my career in broadcast news!”

KENDRA RUETHER copy EDITOR

“‘New York, New York. The city so nice they named it twice. Manhattan is the other name.’ - Michael Scott. I’m so excited to be attending NYU’s Summer Publishing Institute in June. After that, who knows?! Hopefully, I’ll get a job in my dream field of publishing so I can read books for the rest of my life and get paid for it.”

photography “It turns out that I actually have something in common with professional football players who recently won the Super Bowl...I’m going to Disney World! Watch out Disney College Program Fall 2019, I’m coming for you!

“If it wasn’t obvious from the hundreds of articles I’ve written about immigrant rights, I hope to work in nonprofit advocacy for immigration. I’ll be doing a year of service with the Loretto Volunteer Program, serving immigrant communities in El Paso, Texas. As Khalid once sang, “llévame a ciudad del sol,” or, take me to Sun City!!”

Then I’ll get a big-girl job preferably in journalism, hopefully with a soul.”

FIONA CLAIR OPINION EDITOR

CELINE REINOSO COPY EDITOR

“The University News gave me an amazing opportunity to have an excuse to go to concerts and movies during class, while I tried to fit in my engineering and pre-med courses in between. Jokes aside, I have found a family at SLU with these people and I will miss them dearly as I continue to go onto medical school until I’m 50.”

“The University News helped me find my voice as a writer. Without it I never would have discovered the passion I have for storytelling and justice. I’m going to continue working on my writing while interning for the literary journal River Styx after I graduate.”

CHANDANA KAMARAJ

ARTS EDITOR

TANNOCK BLAIR

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

Photography “Well, I’ve sold my soul and went corporate. I will be interning with FleishmanHillard this summer in their corporate marketing department. I hope to continue to pursue a career with public relations and music, plus I plan on attending law school in the near future.”

MADISYN SIEBERT ASSOCIATE ARTS EDITOR

“I will forever be grateful for the opportunity that the University News gave me as sports editor this year, as well as the opportunity to work with an incredible group of people! My favorite memory from the past year was Monica Ryan literally ripping the front door to the newsroom off the hinges the first week we moved in.”

RYAN LEFNER

ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR

INTRODUCING THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 2019-2020... “I have already had so many great opportunities through the University News and I am so excited to create even more for everyone involved with the organization next year. I see this newspaper as a place to make student voices heard, and I’m hoping to represent as many students as possible next year and increase our presence on campus. I couldn’t be more grateful for this opportunity and all of the amazing people I have gotten to work with.” Emma Carmody is a junior studying economics and international business with a minor in Spanish. She has served as Photography Editor since her freshman year and has loved every minute of it! Having the opportunity to pursue her passion for

EMMA CARMODY

photography while documenting the lives of other Saint Louis University students and community members was never something she thought she would get the chance to do. Carmody is also involved in leadership positions for Alpha Phi Omega, Delta Sigma Pi and She’s the First. One of her main goals for the newspaper in 2019-2020 is to increase the paper’s presence on campus and work to develop more online content. If the University News is able to reach a wider audiance within the SLU community, Carmody says, the more accurately they will be able to represent the students who they stive to provide a voice for.

TRAVEL

Waiting For a Bus in Chefchaouen By TRENTON ALMGREN-DAVIS Travel Editor

Across from the Hotel Madrid, whose lobby is decorated with geometric symbols and vibrant tiles, there is a walkway elevated on one of the many sky-blue hills in the Moroccan city of Chefchaouen. Here on the walkway, I stand apart from the chatting CityLife explorers, including mostly international college students, young English teaching assistants and the trip guides. We are waiting for a bus to embark on our 15-hour journey with a drive to the port city of Tangier, a ferry ride across the Gibraltar strait and another bus drive through the arid, mountainous southern region of Spain to Madrid. Chefchaouen is a place I will likely not return, not for a fear or distaste, but for an utmost contentment: contentment for the memories of racing the setting sun to the

rocky overlook; to enjoying the ephemeral beauty of the golden glow against the blue buildings; to enjoying hilarious conversations over savory kebabs; to watching water crash against the rocks of the Herculean cave; to sitting on the hump of a camel running across the Mediterranean beach as our guide sprints at the vanguard proudly displaying his red Moroccan flag. These memories and others can never be replicated. The bus has not arrived. So, I stand alone to truly soak in the city as my time within its limits dwindles. The morning air is cool enough to make my exposed hands notice the chill but not cold enough to make me shiver. I lean against the wall and look out. Below, a street runs horizontally across my field of view. A white cat with a black tail scurries along the sidewalk as two individuals, likely tourists, in

bright neon and dark blue windbreakers stroll through. A camera dangles from the neck of the man in the dark blue. Beyond the street immediately below, further winding roads break through the cascade of blue, white and red buildings on the hill I had previously watched the sun set against. Now, I watch it rise from behind its crest, forming a dusty orange to rich blue gradient above the horizon. Cars intermittently pass along. A few are teal blue taxis, possibly carrying departing travelers to the places where they are from or possibly introducing newcomers to the azure abodes. The many layers of the scene compress to one composite experience. I take this composite memory with me because my alone time with the city is over. The bus arrives. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to leave.

sports

TRAVIS FORD’S RECRUITING CLASS SETS THE PROGRAM UP FOR FUTURE SUCCESSES By CARTER CHAPLEY Sports Writer he book on the 2019 Billikens has essentially come to a close, all that waits to be written is professional outcomes of a handful of players. Javon Bess and Tramaine Isabell Jr. look to be the most likely to get opportunities in NBA systems over the summer, and if not, are essentially locks to be offered European professional contracts. While unlikely, Bess could hear his name called at the NBA draft in June, however, it is more likely that one or both of the Billikens are given G-League opportunities or signed to free-agent deals. The other graduating seniors will have the opportunity to test their luck abroad, searching for professional opportunities should they continue to pursue basketball as a career. Both Dion Wiley and DJ Foreman have the skill to play professionally and it would really come down to where they are willing to go. The odd man out of the fiveman senior class is Elliott Welmer, who has been notably plagued with foot injuries in his time at SLU. His health concerns make his future in athletics hard to predict, but it seems clear that being a professional player is not in his future. It is no secret that the Billikens face an uphill battle in their attempt to repeat their successes of 2019. Most power rankings and projections have the Billikens sitting between seventh and ninth in the conference. Considering they are graduating four of their seven primary players, the fall in the polls makes sense. Coach Ford and the Billikens are a year behind the A-10 in terms of recruiting and rebuilding. Not to say they have done anything wrong, it’s just that the SLU time-

line hasn’t yet matched that of the rest of the conference. The likes of St. Bonaventure, Davidson, Dayton, VCU and Rhode Island all had outstanding 2018/2019 seasons on the backs of freshmen. Now they look to dominate the conference with those players being another year older and more experienced. While some of the more notable freshmen for those programs have entered the NBA draft, it is unlikely they will be taken and thus will be returning to make a run at the A-10 Championship. When head coach Ford was initially brought into the fold, a major selling point and asset he brought to the table was his recruiting ability. Up to this point there is no reason to doubt that ability. His first recruiting class brought in Jordan Goodwin and Hasahn French. His second class had Fred Thatch Jr. and Carte’Are Gordon. Three fourstar recruits in two classes is very impressive. Not to mention the additions of Bess and others from the transfer market. All that being said, the recruiting class Ford has collected for

next year is the deepest and (by virtue of that depth) arguably most talented he has assembled in his time at SLU. Depth was a necessity for the 2019/2020 season with so many key contributors graduating. The incoming class boasts four freshmen and two transfers, one transfer from another Division I program and the other from the JUCO ranks. The four freshmen include four-star recruit Terrence Hargrove Jr., threestar recruit Jimmy Bell and two-star recruits Yuri Collins and Gibson Jimerson. Mike Lewis II comes to SLU as a transfer by way of the Nevada Wolfpack and Javonte Perkins makes the jump to Division I after spending the last two years at South Western Illinois College. A central theme of the class is how rooted this particular group is to the St. Louis area. Four of the six incoming players are from the greater St. Louis area, with only Bell (Arizona) and Jimerson (Florida) being the exceptions. This indicates a dramatic shift away from the standard. SLU has historically had a really difficult time defending

their hometown pipeline of talent. An absolute shame considering the immense amount of top tier talent coming out of the St. Louis high schools and Missouri as a whole. It’s clear from this class, and the acquisitions from the previous two years (despite the departure of Gordon), that Ford looks to capitalize on St. Louis moving forward. While the depth of the class is what truly stands out compared to the Ford classes of the past, the keynote individual additions of the class are Hargrove and Lewis.

FINISH READING ONLINE

The Billikens men’s basketball team is looking forward to bringing in six new players for next season. The coaching staff is still hoping to fill one more spot for the 2019 season. Photo courtesy of Billiken Athletics

sports

WHY THE SHARKS DESERVED TO WIN GAME 7 By MIKHAIL FAULCONER Contributor

uesday night the San Jose Sharks made an incredible comeback in a wild Game 7 against the Vegas Golden Knights, winning 5-4 in overtime. What is controversial about the Sharks’ victory is a 5-minute major penalty and ejection on Vegas’ Cody Eakin for cross-checking and injuring the Sharks’ captain James Pavelski. However, the Sharks’ impressive win in what was a memorable Game 7 was actually well deserved and should not have generated as much controversy as it has. First, regarding the penalty itself, it is difficult to argue that the referees seriously bungled the call. Rule 59.3 from the NHL rulebook states, “A major penalty, at the discretion of the Referee based on the severity of the contact, shall be imposed on a player or goalkeeper who ‘cross-checks’ an opponent.” Most are not debating whether Eakin

The San Jose Sharks hockey team took down the 2018 finalist Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last week. Game 7 came down to overtime after a controversial five-minute major was called on Vegas’ Cody Eakin. Photo courtesy of zimbio.com

cross-checked Pavelski, which is quite common after face-offs in the NHL and usually not called, but rather if it should have been a major or minor penalty, which was made awkward by Paul Stastny’s involvement in the hit. To add insult to injury, the NHL apparently quietly apologized to Vegas for the call after the game, and the refs who made the call will not be working in the second round of the playoffs. The NHL’s bewildering apology notwithstanding, considering the referees were not able to review the play and that the rulebook is clear on the consequences for injuries resulting from cross-checking, the call should not be so controversial. Vegas’ Jonathan Marchessault heavily criticized the call in a post-game interview, attributing Vegas’ loss in the series to it. Fans of all sports dispute difficult calls that make a big impact in a game or series. While missed calls can be much more important in single-game playoffs like in the NFL, which received a lot of criticism this year, in the NHL, teams have potentially

seven games every series and abundant chances to turn the tide of or finish a series. Critics of the call should remember first that usually teams do not score four goals on a 5-minute power-play, as the Sharks did Tuesday – tying the NHL record. I distinctly remember when Vegas scored its third goal with about 15 minutes left in the third period, thinking that the game was over. Even after Pavelski was injured and Eakin ejected, I did not expect San Jose to score more than two goals on the power-play, after which Vegas would batten down the hatches and hold on to the end of the game. Everyone’s surprise at the Sharks’ blistering power-play success is understandable, considering that Vegas had killed the previous four Sharks’ power-plays that game and had been stellar at killing penalties the whole series. The Golden Knights could have called a time out to settle things after the first or second goal, but instead not only allowed a record number of goals on a major penalty, but failed to win the game

in overtime after tying it with less than a minute left in regulation. To top it off, Vegas was leading 3-1 in the series. Forget about the horrible last penalty-kill in Game 7, what happened in games 5 and 6? Anytime a teammate gets injured, especially one as respected as Pavelski, good teams usually respond with a new level of intensity and urgency. Considering the ballistic fury that the Sharks unleashed on the Golden Knights after the injury, I think that even had the call been simply a minor penalty, the Sharks would have possibly tied the game anyways. Vegas fans should focus not on the call, but on what was a very admirable season and great series to watch. Many fan bases have waited eons for a playoff run like Vegas’ historic one last year. For fans of San Jose, perhaps Pavelski’s loss may motivate the Sharks to make this their year, though it will not be easy without him.

sports

FROM GOAL LINE TO SIDELINE: THE RISE OF COACH O By SAM GLASS Sports Writer didn’t really feel it at first,” said SLU women’s soccer goalkeeper Olivia Silverman after taking a knee to the back of the head in their NCAA Tournament game against Kansas in November. Her pounding adrenaline kept her in the game, but the damage had already been done. Silverman collected her fifth concussion and is now medically retired from soccer. An NCAA study showed that women’s soccer is one of the highest concussion-risk sports, with sports-related concussion rates at 6.3 per 10,000 athlete exposures. Concussions cause dangerous injuries to the brain with potentially life-altering damages. Silverman said after her most recent concussion she started suffering some memory issues that still linger even months after the concussion occurred. Silverman has an aggressive style of play in goal. She is not afraid to jump out and put her body on the line, but aggression comes with risks, and for Silverman it resulted in five concussions. Silverman had two concussions prior to starting at SLU, one from soccer and one from basketball. She got two more concussions in her freshman year at SLU, one in preseason and one in the spring. Silverman said her fourth concussion was concerning as the trainers said she would likely be ready to play in a few weeks. It took her over 100 days to recover. Silverman spent the period between her fourth and fifth concussions to focus on the little things. “I started working more on my form, started working more on my technical skill, and making sure every inch was covered, protecting myself,” she said. The fifth concussion in Kansas

was another long road to recovery. Silverman said it took 102 days before she was cleared just for physical activity. Some days she was fine but others she was stuck in bed all day. She decided to talk to a doctor who ultimately gave her the choice whether she would play again. “That was just hard to think that this situation could possibly be the ending,” said teammate and friend Brionna Halverson, pausing to take a deep breath, “her career ending factor…it was tough on a lot of us.” After talks with doctors, friends, family and coaches, Silverman came to a decision that she would no longer play. But still eager to be part of the team, she and head coach Katie Shields came to a conclusion that would keep her as a key play-

er. Silverman has wanted to go into coaching and said that her new role as a student assistant coach is just starting early. Now nicknamed Coach O, Silverman plays a role in helping volunteer assistant coach Sam Lund do goalkeeper work with the three other keepers, Kasey Hartmann, Mary Niehaus and Kat Zaber. With Silverman out, the goalkeeper spot is up in the air. Niehaus was nursing a knee injury last season and unable to play but was a strong keeper in her last two seasons. Hartmann and Zaber are both young goalkeepers that put Niehaus to the test. Silverman has been working with the “goalkeeper sorority” and said that no matter who is in goal the team will be strong.

SLU women’s soccer coaching staff was unable to comment on any issue regarding Silverman’s retirement with medical exams and paperwork still pending, but Silverman said the coaching staff has supported her through the process, helping her come to a decision and guiding her through her new role as a coach. “It’s bittersweet definitely,” said Silverman, “but seeing that I can still have an impact on my team is everything to me.” After her fifth diagnosed concussion, Billiken junior women’s soccer keeper, Olivia Silverman has become medically ineligible to play. The coaching staff has agreed to keep her on as an assistant coach to finish out her time on the team. Photo courtesy of Billiken Athletics

sports

SOFTBALL WINS FIVE CONSECUTIVE, HOPES TO SNEAK INTO A-10 TOURNAMENT BY ERIN MCCLELLAND Sports Editor he SLU softball team is going into their final series of the regular season in Olean, N.Y. to take on the St. Bonaventure Bonnies this weekend. The Bills have won five of their last seven games, all five wins being against conference teams. The team is currently in sixth place in the conference, the last qualifying spot for the conference tournament next week at UMass. The Bills will look to solidify their spot in postseason this weekend. Last weekend the team traveled to Philadelphia, Pa. to visit the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and to take the series over the St. Joseph’s Hawks, 2-1. The Bills swept the doubleheader, winning the opener in a close 6-4 game, followed by a run-rule 12-0 blowout to close out the evening. In the doubleheader, Sadie Wise and Kaylyn Breitbach sent two bombs each to lead the hitters for the day. Wise also hit her single season record-setting 17th double in the first game of the day. In the second game of the day, Wise, Breitbach and Mackenzie Lawson hit homers to drive in eight of the 12 runs in the game. Kaylea Chappelle led the defense with a fantastic game from the circle, giving up only three hits and one walk in the second game. The following day, the Hawks found their rhythm and run-ruled the Bills right back with an 8-0 win in five innings. The Billikens finished up their home schedule with a mid-week matchup with Southeast Missouri State falling in the game, and season series, to the Redhawks. The Redhawks took the early lead, jumping out to a

3-0 lead by the third inning. Despite the strong Billiken defense that was able to hold the Redhawks scoreless in the remaining four innings, they weren’t able to get their offense going to bring in more than a single run in the fifth on an RBI single from Wise. Freshman Chloe Wendling and Chappelle were able to both throw two scoreless innings in relief to keep the game within reach for the Bills. After the huge scoring

likens in the series with second place games against St. Joseph’s, Wise was UMass in their way. picked as the A-10 Player of the Week for the week of April 22-28, her first time winning the honor and her fifth time earning an honor from the conference in her young career. Wise is currently in the top five in the conferSophomore Sadie Wise leads the softball ence for nine different categories. team with a single season record of 17 The Bills look to sweep the doubles and is tied for a team high six Bonnies to secure their spot in the homeruns on the year. The Billikens look to field for the A-10 Tournament for the sneak into the A-10 Tournament in either seventh consecutive year. They are fifth or sixth place, making postseason for currently trailed by George Mason, the seventh consecutive year. who sits just one game behind the BilPhoto courtesy of Billiken Athletics

the university news is in need of a design editor and section writers!!

help wanted Contact Editor-in-chief emma carmody for more information! eic@unewsonline.com This issueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solutions:

Opinion

LOSING MY RELIGION: THE ILLUSTRIOUS TALE OF A COLLEGE STUDENT’S SPIRITUALITY

By FIONA CLAIR Opinion Editor t’s hard to be religious in this world. Faith is such a beautiful thing, but all the escalating violence, retaliation and hate that have spread over the last few months (and years) centered around religious belief has really made me stop and think about my own spirituality and privilege. I don’t think that being religious would be the first thing that anyone close to me would identify me by, but for a large portion of my life, it was a core part of my personal identity. I was raised Catholic, and I have no remorse for my upbringing in the faith. Sure, I didn’t like going to church as a kid because I thought it was boring, but my dad would just tell me and my siblings to picture the priest as Spongebob and pretend we were just watching two episodes of TV. It wasn’t until I was in the seventh grade that I considered myself a religious person. I lost my aunt that year after her nine-year battle with breast cancer, and turning to God was something that helped. Praying every night helped. Going to church every weekend helped. So I ran with it. My first 13 years of Catholic education didn’t come with much of a choice, but I made the conscious decision to attend a Catholic university. In fact, one of the main reasons I chose SLU was because it

was a Catholic school. I thought that college would be a time when I truly deepened my faith. A time when I proved that not every young adult rebels against their religion when they go to college. And for the first two or so years, I think I may have done that. Going to 9 p.m. mass at College Church was exciting, so I went pretty much every week without fail. Taking upper-level theology courses where I got to expand my ideas about religion, faith and God were exciting. Having late-night “deep talks” with friends about the existence of God among other existential crises were exciting. It felt like I was thinking the things that book and movie characters thought in college, and I loved it. B u t somewhere along the way I realized that maybe, it was possible, that the religion I’d been practicing all these years wasn’t really Catholicism at all. OK, I know that sounds crazy. I’d done all my Catholic sacraments, and went to Catholic mass weekly and attended Catholic schools my entire life, of course I was practicing Catholicism. But was I? For me, religion was about finding comfort when I felt lost, and anxious and scared. It was talking to God at night to rehash the day and think about the other people in my life who needed help. Once I started journaling my second semester in college, I actually found I had no use for nightly prayers, so that practice was out. Going to church was still a comfort, but it was more about the routine. When I was at mass, I mostly just people watched, thought about my week and zoned out. The stuff happening on the altar was so ingrained in my mind from years of the same mass over and over again that it became a little meaningless. As life became more hectic, I just stopped going as much, so there went that practice too.

More than the loss of those practices that I believed tied me to my religion, I started to realize that, actually, I didn’t believe everything the Catholic Church was preaching. It’s been a rough time to be a Catholic, there’s no doubt about that, but really what the Catholic Church lacks more than anything is a willingness to change. Despite having a really awesome pope right now who is taking us down a slightly better path— shout out to you Papa Frank—a lot of Catholicism is stuck in the past. I also—through the religion classes that SLU required me to take—found that I’m not even sure I believe in God, or at least the God that Catholicism paints. So now I’m an agnostic, semi-practicing Catholic who has created her own version of a 2,000-yearold religion as a coping strategy for crippling anxiety and depression (not aided by a stressful and busy college life). When I do go to church, which still happens relatively often, I like to find small ways to be rebellious. For example, when the whole church recites the Nicene Creed there are two lines that directly contradict my own beliefs: “For us men and our salvation” and “I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.” In place of the first, I simply erase the word “men,” because it flows better and acknowledges that women exist in the Catholic Church (something else they’re not too great at doing). It’s a little petty, but it’s also 2019. The second is a newer addition to the rebellion, but one that has really helped me deepen my understanding of my own beliefs. The line in question recites the four marks of the church, and I believe in all but one, literally one. I didn’t used to think about it, but as someone

“So now I’m an agnostic, semipracticing Catholic who has created her own version of a 2,000-year-old religion.”

who has developed a deep passion for social justice in her formative years, I simply cannot say with confidence that Catholicism is the one, correct religion. How the hell would I know that? This rebellion is not sticking it to the church. I’m not making a difference. And yet, these small acts, in addition to my innate curiosity to learn about different religions, have helped me come to the conclusion that in reality I’m not a religious person, but rather a spiritual one (that’s allowed, I checked with the big (non-gendered) guy upstairs). The funny thing is, looking back even when I thought I was in the peak of my “I’m religious” phase, this was true. I gave a speech at a religious retreat in high school about discovering God in my life and a direct quote from that speech reads, “I do think it’s important to believe in Something...[Faith] is an ideal, a place, a person, a feeling, a smile. My faith in God is merely a sum of the people in my life whom I love.” A lot of that has to do with me being the World’s Biggest Theatre Geek™ who likes to allude to “Les Mis,” but faith for me has always been more about love than any of that other stuff we do. Without love, it really would just be a weird cult (well, more of a weird cult than it already is). Who knows, maybe if I lived in a different century I wouldn’t have lost my faith, but for now this is what I believe. I don’t regret the 17 years of Catholic education I’ve experienced because it challenged me to think for myself, to be curious and to love. Maybe you don’t care about religion, or maybe you’re super passionate about your own. Wherever you fall on the spectrums of religion, faith or spirituality, know that you’re not the only one who’s confused, or skeptical or questioning. The beautiful thing about faith is that it is subjective. It can be what you need it to be, when you need it to be. That doesn’t mean that it’s a joke or you shouldn’t take it seriously, it just means it was created by humans. Oh that reminds me, “God, please let me get a job after graduation. Amen.”

Opinion

A RESPONSE TO ‘ABOLISH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE:’ IN DEFENSE OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE By JACOB DOWELL Contributor

ith the latest presidential election, the debate on the electoral college has been revived. An opinion piece in the last issue of the University News called to abolish the electoral college. However, calls such as these are often grounded in a misunderstanding of our national and state governments. The article begins the argument by pointing out that the electoral college causes people’s votes to have significantly different weights depending on the state he or she lives in. This is true, but that argument forgets to consider the whole purpose of the Senate. After all, electoral votes are allocated amongst the states according to the sum of representatives and senators it has. The article’s author is forgetting the Great Compromise. The debate between proportional and equal representation in the legislative body was one of the most controversial topics when drafting the Constitution. While most people’s initial reaction is to treat democracy and proportional representation as a god, it is important to go back to the purpose of this debate. There was, of course, an argument for complete proportional representation: The bigger states had more people and would contribute more to the finances of the national government. However, small

states were extremely hesitant to subject themselves to the greater power of the other states. The agreement of the new national government was not to become one complete unitary body, but to form a coalition in which the several states could come together only for certain purposes—such as common defense and limited institutions of collaboration, like the establishment of a common currency. But this comes with a risk of creating too powerful of a central government. The smaller states needed some extra mechanism to ensure that this entity would not have the potential to grow into a more dangerous one. Thus, they demanded e q u a l representation. Of course, the result of the Great Compromise was a bicameral legislature: one chamber of proportional representation, and one chamber of equal representation. As mentioned above, the agreement of this central government was to establish a coalition amongst the several states, not a unitary body. As such, the central government was not really a representation of the general people in all the colonies, but of the several states—which, in turn, is representative of the people within those states.

Looking back at the various state ratifying conventions, particularly that of Virginia in which Patrick Henry was present, it is clear that the words in the preamble “we the people” are actually totally improper. It was a common understanding that a more appropriate wording would be “we the states” because it was, in fact, only the states that were agreeing to this new government. Henry’s testimony in the Virginia Convention tells it best: “The people gave [the drafters] no power to use their name.” While the preamble has no legal b e a r i n g on the Constitution a n y w a y, this point is important as it shows that the purpose of the new national government was to govern between the states. Thus, the national government, including its president, would be a government by and of the several states. Next, the article states that the electoral college is an “anti-democratic and unconstitutional institution.” The latter assertion can be quickly answered by referring the author to Article II, Section 1 and to Amendment XII of the Constitution. Next, in addressing the founding fathers’ disagreement

“Even with the continued existence of some great evil, such as slavery, the American founding was one of radical freedom relative to its time.”

with democracy, the author stated that because they were all “fairly wealthy, they feared redistribution of wealth,” and described their scheme of diluting the power of the masses. This gives the reader the idea that the sole purpose of these checks against democracy was in economic self-interest. I would request that the author reads the speeches, letters and essays of the founding fathers and continue to tell us that their motive was in wealth rather than in protecting the natural rights of citizens against majority rule. Even with the continued existence of some great evil, such as slavery, the American founding was one of radical freedom relative to its time. The idea that the founders were mainly motivated by their wealth is pure speculation. It is a much stronger case to say that they were motivated by the philosophies of John Locke and Charles Montesquieu. While the electoral college does place restrictions on democracy, these checks have a vital purpose. Democracy is no god. It does not inherently lead to protecting the rights of citizens. There remains a tendency of democratic violation of rights. The electoral college provides a check against the bigger states trampling on the sovereignty of the smaller ones, creates a necessary decentralization of the election process that reduces incentives for fraud and requires presidents to have a broader, more moderate national appeal to represent all the states.

Opinion

WHY WE SHOULD STOP USING THE WORD HOMOPHOBIC

By LEXI KAYSER Staff Writer rachnophobia is the fear of spiders. Mysophobia is the fear of germs. Hemophobia is the fear of blood. And homophobia is the fear of...gay people? As an English major, I have lots of opinions when it comes to words, their roots, their meanings. I’m a total word geek, to be candid with you, and one word in particular has really been grinding my gears lately. Perhaps it’s because this word is used so often in today’s culture; it seems like I can’t go a day without hearing accusations of it. That word is homophobia. My No. 1 issue with the word is that we’re using it completely wrong. The term “homophobia” was first seen in the late 1960s, and was coined by psychologist George Weinberg. At this time, it was only used to describe the fear

of heterosexual men that others might believe that they are gay. Over time, the word has evolved (as all words tend to do) as something different. Nowadays, we use “homophobic” to refer to people that act hateful or discriminatory toward members of the LGBTQIA+ community. I completely agree with the idea that we should have a word that refers to people that act this way. It’s a helpful political tool and makes it clear that this behavior is neither inherent nor warranted. However, the nuances of the word are not only problematic, t h e y ’ r e downright misleading. The suffix “- p h o b i a ” indicates a legitimate fear that a person might have. This fear is oftentimes irrational, however, it is deeply ingrained in the person’s psyche, and it is therefore valid. “Homophobia,” on the other hand, is not. There is nothing valid about hating an entire group of people for the way that they were born, the way that they feel, the way that they love. In the case of this word, the suffix “-phobia” seeks to justify unacceptance by labeling

it as if it is something innate or scientific. It is simply not. The reasons for which a person might be “scared” of homosexuals are formed entirely by the society in which we live. Take, for example, religions such as Christianity, in which the holy book labels any sex other than that which is done heterosexually and in wedlock as “sinful.” Take, for example, the fairytales which we read to our children and the Disney movies which we show them from a very young age, which only represent a man and a woman together romantically and exclude any other possibility from the narrative. Take, for example, the complete lack of sexual education in most elementary and middle schools (the programs that do eventually come to fruition are rarely gender or orientation inclusive). It is a lack of conversation that sparks these “fears,” and even then, I use the term lightly. A person cannot logically or rationally be afraid, much less phobic, of a group of people that has not once proven to be

“A person cannot logically or rationally be afraid, much less phobic, of a group of people that has not once proven to be harmful.”

harmful. It is not the LGBTQIA+ community that is frequently shooting up nightclubs and elementary schools, or raping women and escaping conviction, or committing acts of terrorism against other groups. We use the term “racism” to refer to discrimination toward certain groups of color. In a better universe, we would have a similar word to refer to discrimination towards homosexuals. The word “racist” evokes an aspect of a person’s personality rather than an aspect of their psychiatric health or state. It is rare that being a racist can be brushed aside as OK or fair. Perhaps this is because of the structure of the word. Nowhere does it imply that there is anything logical about it. Of course, in a perfect universe, we wouldn’t need a word to describe these sorts of people at all, as they simply would not exist. Perhaps education and love can get us there, someday. But for now, we must understand that homosexuality is natural. Homophobia, quite frankly, is not; it is not equivalent to arachnophobia or mysophobia or hemophobia. It is equivalent to hate and ignorance. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Opinion

GUEST ESSAY: THE PROS OF PEACEFUL PROTEST By DAVID RAPACH Guest Contributor

letter in regards to the peaceful protests during the National Anthem. Although I have not followed sports closely for some time, I was deeply moved in 2016 when I learned of the courageous decision by Colin Kaepernick (and others) to kneel during the national anthem in peaceful protest against police brutality

and the racism that still pervades much of our society. Michael Brown’s tragic shooting death in 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri made Kaepernick’s heroic act resonate even more strongly with me. Over the last few years, I have felt a growing obligation to publicly support Kaepernick’s cause. I was deeply disturbed by President Trump’s disparaging remarks about players who engaged in peaceful protests. I was also dismayed to learn that NFL team owners effectively colluded to keep Kaepernick out of the league in retaliation for his peaceful protest. Given such appalling actions by those wielding political and financial power in our society, I feel an even greater sense of urgency to support Kaepernick.

My conscience now demands that I publicly support Kaepernick’s cause by kneeling during the national anthem at this year’s graduation ceremonies. Graduation is a time of celebration, as we recognize the achievements of new graduates and all the good that is accomplished at SLU. At the same time, given our university’s mission, I believe that it is appropriate to temper our celebration by recognizing— indeed, peacefully protesting— the racial injustices that continue to mar our region and country. I thank those who have generously shared their thoughts with me as I contemplated kneeling during the anthem. Of course, I remain solely responsible for my actions. I welcome hearing from anyone

concerning my peaceful protest, so please feel free to contact me. David Rapach Professor of Economics John Simon Endowed Chair in Economics Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business Saint Louis University Email: david.rapach@slu.edu Webpage: https://sites.google. com/slu.edu/daverapach

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