The University News Celebrating 90 Years as a Student Voice of Saint Louis University
Vol. XCI No. 9
unewsonline.com
A HALLOWEEKEND OF FUN AND FRIGHT
The history of Halloween, and how SLU students plan to celebrate >>ARTS
Thursday, October 27, 2011
WHAT A CLASSIC! Cardinals. Rangers. Play ball. Welcome to the Series >> SPORTS
APO: Lending a hand, making a difference
Update: The ongoing tale 3,100 supporters help buttress group’s ability to assist the St. Louis needy of light rail By PATRICK OLDS Associate News Editor
With Make a Difference Day approaching on Oct. 29, the members of Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity are driven to be service leaders not only at Saint Louis University, but also the St. Louis community. APO has an active membership of 500 students, not including its largest pledge class in recent history of 273. The ranks of this year’s MADD swelled as a record 3,118 people from SLU signed up to do service--an increase from 2,778 last year- consisting of more than 160
student organizations. Due to the efforts of the Center for Service and Community Engagement and the 21-year-old co-educational Delta Chapter of APO at the University, which co-sponsors the event, MADD will be at its height this year. MADD is an annual nationwide service initiative, and thousands of SLU students will come together to provide community service and goodwill toward those in need in St. Louis. “Make A Difference Day made a difference to me my freshman year. That is what made me join APO,” Brendan Waldoch, junior and vice-president of membership, said. “It’s usually the biggest day of
the year for APO, and we are excited to gather interested students and show what service can be about.” According to APO President Perry Cole, the group is based on three tenets: leadership, friendship and service. The main tenet of service requires every student to complete 25 hours of service a semester. Cole said the tenants of leadership and friendship are essential, and APO has more than 30 executive board positions and hosts various leadership classes called “leads.” Every member is required to captain at least one See “APO” on Page 3
By ANNE MARIE BECKERLE Staff Writer
important for students to pay attention to Occupy St. Louis because it gives them a chance to focus on issues outside of classes and exams. “As college students, we have a responsibility to speak out for social and economic justice,” Gaillardetz said. “There are things greater than us going on. The poor are often overlooked and oppressed by those in
When the bridge at Grand Boulevard, the connection between Saint Louis University’s Frost Campus and the Medical Campus near I-64, was closed for reconstruction last March, students were presented with several transportation obstacles. The construction forced the Health Sciences Campus shuttles to find alternate routes, but it also shut down the Grand MetroLink station, which allowed quick access to many St. Louis attractions like Busch Stadium, the Loop and Forest Park. The bridge is expected to be open for traffic by the end of May of 2012. Once the bridge is up and running, MetroLink can then begin their project, which also includes new updated features, to be completed four to six months later. The bridge was previously six narrow lanes, which caused problems, including a lack of space for city busses to pull over at the bus-stop in the center of the bridge. While plans for the reconstruction have been in the works for some time, it was not until December of 2010 that the project began receiving the appropriated funds. Nearly 80 percent of the project is federally funded. “It’s been something that’s always been on the back burner for years” Joe Stumpf, supervisor of mail and transportation services for the University, said. The completed project is planning to produce a more efficient and aesthetically appealing new bridge. Stumpf said the new bridge will host four wider lanes with two in each direction, rather than the previous six. In addition, there will be a median with landscaping, giving an attractive look that will prevent cars from making U-turns on the bridge. “We will also have a bike lane in both directions, and I know a lot students have expressed interest in that,” Stumpf said. Another new safety feature, besides a wider sidewalk, will be a zone for public buses to pick up passengers. Stumpf said that the
See “Occupy” on Page 3
See “Metro” on Page 3
Allison Smith/ Staff Phtographer
Sophomore Sam Celarek prepares to have his blood drawn at the Alpha Phi Omega Blood Drive on Friday, Oct. 21.
On-site report from ‘Occupy St. Louis’ movement Students take interest in protest By KRISTEN MIANO Associate News Editor
St. Louis is under occupation. More specifically, the Occupy movement has been camping out in Kiener Plaza in Downtown St. Louis since Oct. 1. People of all ages and backgrounds have gathered to represent part of the precieved 99 percent of the population who feel that too much power has been given to the 1 percent of the population who they say control most of the nation’s wealth. College students around the country have participated in the protests, including in St. Louis. A separate Occupy committee has been created for students to represent interests including things like loan debt and access to affordable higher education. “After college, even with bachelor degrees, we’re going to have a hard time getting jobs we can live on,” sophomore Dyln Brewer said. “We can get minimum wage jobs, but we won’t be successful.” In this spirit of inclusivity, the Occupy movement has spread to more than 200 cites in the United States and to several cities abroad. The initial movement started Sept. 17 with Occupy Wall Street,
Kristen Miano / Associate News Editor
Occupy St. Louis protesters participated in a march on Oct. 14 in Downtown St. Louis. The occupation began in Kiener Plaza on Oct. 1 and has contiuned for approximately three weeks. The protest is a part of the national Occupy movement. which took up residence in Liberty Square in Manhattan’s financial district in New York City. One of Occupy Wall Street’s sister movements is Occupy St. Louis. They state on their website to stand in solidarity with those who “seek to expose the greed and avarice that has sold off the ‘American Dream’ in exchange for executive bonuses and political kickbacks.” According to the movement’s Statement of Purpose,
the protesters represent the unemployed, elderly foreclosed, indebted college students, and the future of children. The protest is a leaderless demonstration that does not associate itself with any existing organization or political affiliation. While a major criticism of the movement has been their lack of a central issue, some of the primary goals presented by the Occupiers have been a need to fight back against the
growing power of banks and corporations and their role in creating economic instability. Occupy St. Louis has faced some police action with several arrests occurring on Oct. 6 after an eviction notice was issued by the police. Apart from a steady police presence in the Plaza, however, the St. Louis movement has been allowed to keep occupying Kiener Plaza for nearly three weeks.. Junior David Gaillardetz said he believes that it is
Two profs open Tavern of Fine Arts near campus Model U.N., back on campus By SARAH TARRANT Staff Writer
Here is a list: doctorate in music composition, fine arts professor at Saint Louis University, restaurant and bar owner. Which of these things is not like the other? For professors Matt Daniels and Aaron Johnson of the Department of Fine and Performing Arts, they all fit perfectly. Since Aug. 1, 2011, Johnson and Daniels have co-owned the Tavern of Fine Arts in the DeBaliviere Place neighborhood. “It all started a couple of years ago. My cousin Matt and I were sitting around and we thought ‘Wouldn’t it be neat to have a place?’” Johnson said. “That sort of brought all the visual and performing arts into one place in a very casual and relaxed atmosphere. No one else was doing it. It just didn’t exist.” This unique combination of visual and performing arts in a relaxed atmosphere is exactly what Johnson and Daniels said they have accomplished with the Tavern of the Fine Arts. With walls decorated by the work of local artists and events ranging from the performance of one-act plays to opening release parties for a new poetry printing press to string quartet performances, the Tavern has something to offer for everybody.
Curtis Wang / Multimedia Director
New restaurant opened in DeBaliviere Place. “What we’re trying to do is be equal parts wine bar and cafe, art gallery and performing space,” Johnson said. As for the wine bar and cafe, Johnson said he and Daniels have very little experience. “We are certainly learning as we’re going,” Johnson said. According to Johnson, the two co-owners depend upon their own tastes to guide the menu, which are often times quite different. Johnson said it allows them to cater to a variety of tastes, especially when it comes to wine, and he said that Daniels even created a house-made ginger ale for
the designated driver to add to the diverse list of drinks, leaving something for everyone to try. The menu consists of a mixture of “light plates,” flatbreads, sandwiches and desserts ranging in price from $4 to $7, as well as a selection of 25 different wines from which to choose. Johnson said that all age groups and demographics can be found enjoying the atmosphere. Those likely to enjoy the Tavern will “enjoy, first of all, the fine and performing arts, and those who like just very comfortable, quiet, relaxed atmospheres,”
Johnson said. Even with the diverse wine list and affordable food prices, Johnson said he enjoys the fact that events at the Tavern tend to bring people together that otherwise might not be brought together. “As some of our customers have said, what we’re doing is creating a community and they feel a part of that community,” Johnson said. The Tavern of the Fine Arts is also unique, according to Johnson, in that it provides a chamber space for classical musicians to perform. “Finally there is a proper venue for that music,” Johnson said. Some SLU students said they also find appeal in the Tavern. Junior Amy Krzmarzick said she enjoys the potential new scenery and a laidback atmosphere. “I think it’s a different environment than the ones that are already out here,” Krzmarzick said. “I think that would have some appeal, if my girlfriends and I were looking for a more relaxing night.” For any students striving to open their own business someday, Johnson said that there are three things to remember: “Know what you’re getting into, do a lot of research, and be very patient because it really takes patience to succeed.”
Civic-minded students lead the resurrection By PATRICK OLDS Associate News Editor
After a brief hiatus, students driven to become model representatives of Saint Louis University have taken it upon themselves to bring back Model United Nations. Within the political science Department, there was a big demand from students to reinstate Model U.N., which is dedicated to educating students on foreign policy through mock U.N. conferences. “We were told that there was interest in restarting this program,” junior Joseph Yancey, one of several students spearheading the program’s reinstatement, said. “A couple of us took upon ourselves as a duty to make this happen, we felt like this club should have it’s place at SLU.” J.R. Leguey-Feilleux, a professor in the political science department who advised the previous chapter, is set to advise this new group of interested students. “I was quite happy when the students came to me about the idea, just as long as they gathered the support,” Leguey-Feilleux said. “I have had a feeling for a long time that this was extremely beneficial to all students and the
overall educational experience at SLU. I was sad to see it go the first time around but interest levels and money were the main detriments.” Leguey-Feilleux said that the benefits of a Model U.N. are so numerous that he was surprised that interest faded almost two decades ago. Leguey-Feilleux said that the experience of public speaking, organization, and preparedness are essential to any career field. See “Model U.N.” on Page 3
Boo the Billiken Happy Halloween!
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