University of Missouri, St. Louis IRL @ UMSL

Current (2010s) Student Newspapers

Spring 4-24-2017

Current, April 24, 2017

University of Missouri-St. Louis

Follow this and additional works at: https://irl.umsl.edu/current2010s

Recommended Citation University of Missouri-St. Louis, "Current, April 24, 2017" (2017). Current (2010s). 262. https://irl.umsl.edu/current2010s/262

This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Newspapers at IRL @ UMSL. It has been accepted for inclusion in Current (2010s) by an authorized administrator of IRL @ UMSL. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Vol. 50 Issue 1532 The Current April 24, 2017 UMSL’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWS UMSL’s Fiscal Future: Panel UMSL Chief of Police Discusses Possible $17 Million Forrest Van Ness to Deficit for Fiscal Year 2018 Retire in May Lori Dresner News Editor

handful of students gathered Ain the SGA Chambers on April 19 to hear panelists discuss the in- ternalities and externalities of the budget deficit and projections for the upcoming fiscal year at the Uni- versity of Missouri–St. Louis. The panelists included Chief Fi- nancial Officer Rick Baniak, Dean of the College of Business Charles Hoffman, Chancellor Tom George, and Associated Students of the Uni- versity of Missouri (ASUM) rep- resentative Jordan Lucas, senior, economics. Baniak said that administrators LORI DRESNER / THE CURRENT LORI LORI DRESNER / THE CURRENT LORI and faculty have been working col- Students listen to panelists discuss the challenges of fiscal year 2017. Captain Marisa Smith, Chief of UMSL Police and Director of Institutional Safety Forrest lectively over the past year to ana- Van Ness, and Captain Dan Freet in the UMSL Police Station. lyze expenditures and determine looks like we can balance our budget 17 was set up to be a difficult year whether the right amount of money for [fiscal year] 17. So I think to the for UMSL from the beginning. The Lori Dresner The Current (TC): What is being invested in the right plac- credit of everybody on the campus, university was facing a $15 million News Editor changes have you seen while you’ve es, while also looking to improve we’ve actually overcome ... a big deficit when discussions about FY17 been chief of police here? recruitment and ensure that the hurdle,” said Baniak. first began. hief of the University Missou- Van Ness: We did not have 24- student experience is as strong as Baniak said that the university, In light of the $15 million defi- Cri–St. Louis Police Department hour supervision when I came. We it can be. however, will likely be looking at an cit, Chancellor George and his lead- and director of institutional safety had three sergeants, and we had “The sum of all those things to- even higher $17 million hurdle that ership team set in place a plan to Forrest Van Ness has announced some officers that filled in when the gether has put us into a spot where it must overcome in FY18. reduce that deficit to $3.6 million, that he will retire from both of his sergeants were absent, but we real- we’re actually ahead of plan, and it He explained that fiscal year continued on page 3 positions at the university next ly didn’t have someone with the su- month. pervisory experience to make sure Van Ness, an UMSL alumnus that the officers are given the sup- UMSL Offers Interdisciplinary who attended the university from port that they need to do the job that 1980 to 1991, started as chief of they’re tasked with. It started with UMSL PD in 2010 and succeeded first-line supervisors. We were able Global Studies Certificates former chief of police Bob Roesler. to create six positions. When peo- A veteran and graduate of the ple left, we replaced them with a Leah Jones as how to become more culturally Global Cities Initiative. She cited a FBI National Academy, Van Ness sergeant, so the cost was minimal Features Editor competent as St. Louis becomes a study conducted by Jack Strauss, served nearly 30 years as the captain to do that. more interconnected place. who conducts demographic re- of the St. Louis County Police De- We [also] developed a recruit- othing exists in isolation; Launched last fall, the Certif- search and St. Louis University’s Si- partment prior to becoming police ment plan with a minority com- Nyet traditional tracks of stud- icate in Ethnicity, Migration, and mon Center for Regional Economic chief at the university. His last day ponent. With that, we have two ies at universities artificially divide Human Diversity, and the Global Forecasting. In the study, Strauss with UMSL PD is set to be May 12. different bureaus within the depart- knowledge into discrete and sepa- Health and Social Medicine minor found that in 2015, St. Louis was As chief, Van Ness has been re- ment. We have a police operations rate courses of study and branches not only give students unique and the 20th largest metro area in the sponsible for overseeing the daily [bureau], and then special opera- of knowledge. Even the best scien- marketable skills in a global world; United States. However, it was 43rd operations of the police department, tions are the engagement compo- tists and doctors must learn to write they also enable students to show- in the number of people who were parking and transportation, the nent. So we have two different well to communicate their findings, case these skills on their transcripts born in a foreign country, with less campus locksmiths, and the de- missions within those bureaus, and and the best creative writers must for future employers. Students who than 5 percent of the population partment of environmental health then we’ve got the command [offi- have some concept of the people study topics as diverse as foreign being foreign-born in 2012. Com- and safety. Van Ness has committed cers] to run those. and cultures about which they are languages and cultures, anthropol- pared to the top 20 metropolitan himself and the police department TC: What is it like working at writing. Two new certificates and a ogy, social work, criminal justice, areas in the country, Strauss found to maintaining international accred- UMSL PD on a daily basis? proposed major at the University of public health, cross-cultural edu- that other cities’ economies were itation through the Commission on Van Ness: I start early. I start Missouri–St. Louis reflect this inter- cation, medical research, biological growing 40 percent faster than the Accreditation for Law Enforcement at six in the morning so that I can disciplinary approach to knowledge. sciences, international business, ur- economy in St. Louis, indicating that Agencies (CALEA) and positive re- catch the midnight officers before On April 5, UMSL held two ban planning, and political Science slower immigration rates negative- lations between UMSL PD and the they get off. And then the phone panel discussions to celebrate the can all benefit from these interdis- ly affected our city and driving the campus body. starts to ring. launch of two global studies cer- ciplinary minors. argument that St. Louis should do He spoke with The Current Communication is paramount. tificates. The programs aim to help Betsy Cohen, the Executive more to become a welcoming place about his time as chief, his commit- We can’t work in a vacuum. The faculty, staff, and students become Director of the St. Louis Mosaic for immigrants. ment to UMSL and higher educa- things that we do revolve around more aware of the global role that Project, opened the first panel on Even though St. Louis’s foreign tion, and the future he foresees for that professionalism [that comes St. Louis plays in the world, as well demographics, integration, and the continued on page 6 UMSL PD. continued on page 3 What’s Inside:

Jamba Juice Closes, pg. 3 Olympic eSports, pg. 4 Italian Film Fest, pg. 5 Church v. State, pg. 7 2 April 24, 2017 CURRENT STAFF

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Kat Riddler Managing Editor Lori Dresner News Editor Lori Dresner Features Editor Leah Jones Sports Editor Lance Jordan A&E Editor Daniel Stawhun Opinions Editor Nathan Watson Copy Editors Zachary Lee Janeece Woodson Staff Writers Chris Zuver Danyel Poindexter Melvin Taylor

DESIGN Production Editor Giuseppe Vitellaro Photo Editor Now hiring! Web Editor Leah Jones SGA Election Results Multimedia Editor Math Problem of Aleeah Harden Cartoonist/Artists SGA Inauguration will Senators Amanda Royer take place on Thursday, Corinne Anselm Mike Diliberto the Week April 27 at 6:00 p.m. Junior, Political Science BUSINESS in the SGA Chamber, Patrick Archer Business Manager Jasmine Walker Millennium Student Graduate, Mathematics Advertising Director Center. Harold Crawford Michael Plumb Ad Representative Junior, Social Work Now hiring! The final SGA meeting Trevor Dobbs Distribution Manager Now hiring! of the year will take Junior, Criminology & Social Media Director place on Friday, May 5 Criminal Justice, Social Victoria Bauer Archivist at 12:30 p.m. in the SGA Work Zachary Lee Chamber. Joseph Dordoni Freshman, International President Relations Sean Burkett Emma Kneifl Junior, Psychology Junior, Fine Arts CONTACT US Michael Plumb 388 MSC, 1 University Blvd Vice-President Graduate, Business St. Louis, MO 63121-4400 Sammi Risius Administration [email protected] Suppose you have a fair coin thecurrent-online.com Sophomore, Media Daniel Pogue Newsroom (equally likely to land on either Studies Sophomore, Mechanical 314-516-5174 [email protected] side) and call one side “heads” and Engineering Business/Advertising Comptroller Kathleen Riddler 314-516-5316 [email protected] the other side “tails.” What is the Benjamin Branco Graduate, Business Fax Junior, Information Administration 314-516-6811 probability that you flip as many Editor-in-Chief Systems Corey Smith [email protected] “heads” as “tails?” Junior, Electrical Internships and Volunteer Positions [email protected] Email solutions to covertdj@umsl. Engineering Letters to the Editor Aleathea Williams [email protected] Twitter edu. Sophomore, Political @UMSLTheCurrent Science Facebook There were no correct guesses for /TheCurrentStudentNews London Williams this puzzle. Senior, Liberal Studies Intensive French Learn French in just nine weeks and complete your foreign language requirement! The summer Intensive Language Program begins May 22, 2017. For more information, call the Language and Cultural Studies office at 314-516-6242, or go online to: http://www.umsl.edu/lang.

MON 72 TUE 65 WED 72 THU 73 FRI 75 SAT 80 SUN 72 48 45 53 56 59 61 53 April 24, 2017 news 3 Panel Discusses Budget Shortfall Chief of Police to for Fiscal Year 2018 Retire from UMSL PD continued from page 1 said George. “We’re actually doing students the university recruits. continued from page 1 which thus came to be known as very well to end fiscal year 2017.” Lucas, a student lobbyist for from] CALEA. It gives us a body the Budget Deficit Reduction Plan. George said that the universi- ASUM, discussed his perspective of standards to follow. Bob Roesler That plan was to be implemented ty will be entering FY18 with the on the budget shortfall relative to [former chief of UMSL PD], who over a two-year period with about input of a fully shared governance the reduction in state funding to the was here in 1997, began that process 75 percent of the benefits from re- process that includes students, ten- university. He said that UMSL is of- of accreditation, and we’ve main- ductions expected in FY17 and the ure-track and non-tenure track fac- ten the first institution to see fund- tained accreditation since then. other 25 percent in FY18. So far, Ba- ulty, and staff. ing decreases because that funding TC: What made you choose niak said, the reduction plan has FY18 will begin July 1. UMSL can be made up through alternative UMSL? been successful. will likely face similar financial sources of revenue. Van Ness: I valued education a “The plan that [Chancellor challenges in FY18, according to “Obviously, we have ways that lot and knew how vitally important George] has put in place has been Baniak, because the university is we can raise funds outside of tax it was. I worked with Dean Gaffney executed, and it’s worked just the expecting that the $4.3 million cut revenues from the state, but it also from the evening college [while I way it was intended to,” said Baniak. in state funding will increase to $4.6 means that ... we’re one of the first was a student]. We had an evening

“That’s allowed us to stay on track million next year. they look to because they know that college then. With that education, DRESNER / THE CURRENT LORI to the $3.6 million commitment that One uncertainty relative to the we can make up for it with tuition I was able to go into the headquar- UMSL PD Chief Forrest Van Ness. we made.” budget lies with enrollment for the increases,” said Lucas. ters for the St. Louis County Police Van Ness: To walk and talk Despite the success of the bud- fall semester. Though attendance Hoffman added that some pro- Department. CALEA. To really create a culture get reduction plan, however, an ad- was high at UMSL Day, Baniak said spective donors and alumni are The value of the education was that these professional standards ditional $4.3 million reduction in that the university is still expecting even reluctant to donate to UMSL just so remarkable. It let me do are meaningful. It’s all about that state funding to the university in a five percent decline in total enroll- because it is funded by the state, and things in my career that I could have collaboration [and making] sure January worsened the current bud- ment for the upcoming semester, as many are under the impression that never done without the education. that we understand what our goals get situation, expanding the pro- total enrollment was down about a large amount of state funding is al- So when I retired and learned of the are and why we’ve got these goals. jected $3.6 million deficit to $7.9 five percent last fall. located to the university. position for the chief here, it was an TC: Do you think that you’ll stay million. The size of the student body “It’s not that well known that opportunity to give back to the cam- involved in the UMSL community “We’re in kind of a realignment depends on how many students such a small percentage comes from pus that had done so much [for] me. once you retire? mode ... realignment of budget ex- graduate, how many students the the state now,” said Hoffman. TC: What are the biggest chal- Van Ness: I think so. Every year penditures and budget revenue,” university retains, and how many lenges you faced as chief of police, since I graduated, I put my donation and what do you think are some card into the alumni association. I of the things that might need to be did that when I was with St. Lou- [changed] under the next chief? is County, I’ve done that since I’ve UMSL Offers Interdisciplinary Van Ness: We’re short three of- been here, and I’ll continue to do it. ficers. Regionally and within the I will share that I hand write in “the Certificates and Potential Major system, our pay structure needs to evening college” even though there’s be reexamined. The Proposition P not an evening college [anymore]. continued from page 1 quires 18 credit hours and offers so she asked her students to look lo- that was just recently passed is for HR asked if I’ll participate in born population has diminished, students the chance to take cours- cally to find global connections. municipal police. We won’t get any the selection process [for the next affecting its reputation as the Gate- es in anthropology, sociology, social Students explored fascinating benefit from that. chief ], and I said that I’ll do what- way to the West, St. Louis has al- work, criminology, political science, and unique topics, such as the rise of [We don’t have] body-worn cam- ever’s asked. ways been a destination to which history, teacher education, and in- Spanish masses in Catholic church- eras. The other campuses have in- TC: What will you miss most people from all over the world trav- ternational business, as well as re- es in St. Louis and ethnic entre- vested money in those, and we’ve once you retire from UMSL PD? el, including the French, Irish, and quiring students to take a capstone preneurship in Bevo Mill after the not been able to invest money [in Van Ness: Service to this com- German. course. influx of Bosnian immigrants. One them]. We’re working with REJIS munity. I will probably transfer Dr. Joyce Marie Mushaben, the Mushaben said that she tried student wrote about how the crack- (Regional Justice Information Ser- that service from this community new College of Arts and Sciences to get the certificate off the ground down on H1B visas is causing Indi- vice) to partner with them to pro- to the church community because (CAS) professor of global studies back in 2009 but met with some an entrepreneurs to return to India vide funding for that. The cost of law it’s about giving more than you and Curator’s Distinguished Pro- opposition in bringing the certif- where they begin startup compa- enforcement continues to increase. take. So I will miss that giving be- fessor for Comparative Politics, icate into fruition then. The idea nies with which St. Louis compa- TC: What would you say have cause it starts at six in the morn- who helped to create the Certifi- initially stemmed from Mushaben’s nies are now competing. Another been some of your personal accom- ing and doesn’t end until late in the cate in Ethnicity, Migration, and work teaching political science se- student wrote about the connec- plishments as chief of police? afternoon. Human diversity explained: “People nior seminars even earlier, in the tion between Monsanto’s patented in this town are very proud of their mid 1990s. Students came into her GMO seeds and increasing suicide heritage. What they do not realize courses knowing about American rates in India. Mushaben explained News Brief: RWC is that this is still going on. We still politics, but as a German scholar, that when Indian farmers could not have waves and waves of these peo- Mushaben knew that sticking with pay for new seeds every year and re- ple arriving because of the Interna- just American politics was limiting, continued on page 6 Jamba Juice Closed tional Institute that has been around for over a hundred years. ... Since we’ve had this going on for a hun- dred years, we have the institutional capacity [to help refugees]. As soon as these refugees come in, they get put in language classes, job training Lori Dresner and citizenship classes.” News Editor As such a global place, anyone who works in St. Louis will inevita- he following is a series of dai- bly encounter these cultures. This is Tly crime and incident reports April 16: At 9:53 a.m. a set of keys where the certificates come in, help- issued by the University of Missou- found in the Social Sciences and ing students to learn about different ri–St. Louis Police Department be- Business Building was turned in to cultures. “There are basic statis- tween April 15 and 17 UMSL PD and held for safekeeping. tics as to why St. Louis needs peo- April 15: At 9:28 a.m. a bicyclist April 17: At 9:32 a.m. a visitor ple coming in to repopulate the city, was transported to the hospital with who suffered a fall was treated by and our certificates are supposed to injuries after colliding with a vehi- paramedics and released at the Rec- teach people how to deal with cul- cle in Lot NN at Marillac Drive. reation and Wellness Center. / THE CURRENT JACKSON SYDNI tural differences,” Mushaben said. The storefront of Jamba Juice, shortly after its grand opening in 2015. “We see this as a three-legged Lori Dresner infrequent use. stool,” Mushaben explained. “The News Editor “We are currently working with one [leg] will be the ethnicity, mi- Pam Shoemaker facilities to reconfigure the space gration, human diversity, in gen- Manager he Recreation and Wellness over the summer to be utilized as eral. Then the global health and TCenter (RWC) at the Universi- a more functional space,” said Kell. social medicine is much more biol- ty of Missouri–St. Louis is looking Jamba Juice, which was oper- ogy [based]. … The third leg would secondatticministorage.com to fill the space of the Jamba Juice ated by Sodexo, opened inside the be more involvement with the inter- that was formerly located on the RWC in August 2015 and celebrat- national business programs: trade, second floor of the center but closed ed its grand opening with a series finance, international political econ- in December. of competitions, contests, and give- omy, and economic potential here in Yvette Kell, director of campus aways that fall. It offered smoothies the St. Louis area.” recreation, said that the university and various snacks and beverages to The Certificate in Ethnicity, Mi- made the decision to close the Jam- patrons. gration, and Human Diversity re- ba Juice based on low interest and 4 sports April 24, 2017 You Could Be in the Olympics SAAC Connects Competing in eSports UMSL Students With Athletics Lance Jordan Sports Editor

he Student Athletic Advisory TCommittee (SAAC) was creat- ed by and for the athletes at UMSL and has been around for a long time. “We’re actually used for a lot of different administrative things like the rules and any legislation amongst athletics will go through us,” said Sara Kern, senior, business marketing.

COURTESY OF EGAMES.ORG COURTESY Kern, who has been a part of eGames Showcase teams in Rio De Janeiro during the 2016 Olympics. SAAC for each of her four years at Kat Riddler In 2016, there was a big push to snowboarding. In 2016, the X Games UMSL, adds that the organization Editor-in-Chief make eSports globally recognized by gave out medals to the winners of a is a liaison between students, the submitting professional gaming as Halo 5 tournament. Freestyle skier athletic board, and the directors o not make fun of your friends an Olympic sport. The International Kristi Leskinen went to Twitter and at UMSL and makes sure athletes Dfor “wasting” their time play- e-Sports Federation (IeSF), a South attacked the winners, saying they are getting involved with other stu- ing League of Legends or other vid- Korean organization, submitted a were not real athletes. She later clar- dents on campus and the communi- eo games for hours on end—they request to the International Olym- ified that she thinks X Games med- ty around the school. could be practicing to be profession- pic Committee (IOC) on February als should be reserved for athletes The organization does this al gamers or eSport athletes. 19, 2016, to obtain information on who risk injury. by doing community service and COURTESY OF UMSL ATHLETICS OF UMSL COURTESY While video games were not how to gain recognition for compet- ESports have not gone away, de- working with the Make-A-Wish SAAC Board of Executive member and even created until 1958, the vid- itive gaming as part of the Olympic spite opposition. ESPN launched a foundation. senior, Sara Kern eo game industry has made great Games. IeSF received an answer on website focused solely on eSports, “We worked with a few Make- strides over the years with new and April 8, 2016 with the materials and which features stories like Stephens A-Wish families this fall. We actu- member,’” Kern recalled. emerging technological advances. paperwork to move forward with College of Columbia, Missouri, be- ally had a Make-A-Wish day that Kern added, “Your coach can de- The new frontier for video games the request. ing the first all women’s school to was super successful. We raised a cide or your current members can seems to be leaning toward the TheScore eSports reported that offer varsity eSports. News stations lot of money. Last year it was $800, just pick. It’s me and a sophomore realm of sports. Not sport games, applicants were required to fill out like CNN and others are consistent- and this year we fundraised almost currently that’s in SAAC. So I just but people playing games for sport. paperwork that covered basic infor- ly posting stories on the topic and $1,500,” she said. choose a freshman whose going to There have been competitions like mation, popularity, history and tra- covering tournaments. SAAC was designed to have two start coming to meetings now at the speed runs in the past, but the rise of dition, universality, governance, and Earlier in February this year, members per team, with an upper- very end of this year so she can kind the professional gamer and eSports development of the sport. Evalua- the National Basketball Associa- classman and a lower classman. In of be ready for being an SAAC mem- is a different type of competition. tions of applications were reviewed tion’s commissioner Adam Silver total, UMSL has 13 athletic teams, ber next year.” According to espn.com, profes- in December. announced the “NBA 2K eLeague” translating to 26 members on the Apart from the legislation and sional gamers can earn six-figure The International eGames Com- partnership with Take-Two Interac- committee. community service project, SAAC salaries, sell out arenas at gaming mittee (IeGC), a non-profit organi- tive Software. This will be the first tournaments, and even get college zation, in cooperation with the IOC, official eSports league that is oper- “I think we would all love for regular student gaming scholarships. With large hosted an esports event in Rio de Ja- ated by a U.S. professional sports amounts of money at stake in com- neiro alongside the Olympic Games league. The eLeague is a proposed involvement to be a lot higher than it is. But I petitions, there have been problems later that year. joint venture among 30 NBA orga- with match fixing and athlete dop- There was a 2-day showcase held nizations, each of which would have feel like Mark Twain is its own part of campus ing. To mitigate these issues, the on August 15 and 16 last year to pro- an e-team of their own with five and that not many people go over there.” World eSports Association was cre- mote video gaming to the non-gam- professional gamers paid to play a ated in 2016 to be like the IAAF in er population. Ally from eTeam version of the NBA 2K video game. “We meet every three weeks so has also been involved in increasing athletics to keep the competition Canada received gold at the Rio de The eLeague is set to launch in 2018. we really have somewhere in the turnout for UMSL’s athletic games fair. Janeiro eGames Showcase 2016, But it is not just a U.S. sport. It twenties. Some sports have one per- on campus. In May 2016, CNN published Larry Lurr of the USA was awarded was announced on April 17 that the son, some have three. It’s not super “I think we would all love for a story on professional gamers ex- silver, and Mexico’s MKLeo finished Olympic Council of Asia that it will strict, but it’s hard to get all of us to regular student involvement to be a plaining the sport’s rapidly increas- in the bronze-medal position. The include eSports in the 2018 Asian meet together. We’re all in different lot higher than it is. But I feel like ing popularity: “[T]he eSports global eGames 2018 planning is already un- Games and make it a medal sport in seasons, and schedules are hectic,” Mark Twain is its own part of cam- audience grew from 204 million derway with discussion with South 2022. Kern said. “At a meeting, I say we get pus and that not many people go to 292 million between 2014 and Korea and Japan. It is easy to see that esports are around 15 to 20 people.” over there, especially now that we 2016—a 43 percent increase in just ESports have faced some scruti- on the rise, so if you want to be one Kern is one of four officers who have the REC. I’m sure 10 percent two years—and it’s projected to ex- ny from the X Games. The X Games of the first competitors in the Olym- are all in their last years as leaders of the population at school can tell ceed 427 million around the world are aired on ESPN and began in pics for eSports, you better start of the committee. They include the you where where the softball field by 2019.” 1995, showcasing sports such as practicing. president, Evan Garrad, senior, bio- is, and they’re probably all art ma- chemistry, and co-vice presidents jors because it’s by the art build- Joe Rund, senior, biology, and Kevin ing—half their windows have been Smith, senior, criminal justice. But broken by softballs. It’s all spread for Kern, juggling the responsibili- out, and there’s no real sense of lo- ties of secretary of the committee, cation. I think that’s an issue,” Kern softball, and class hasn’t tired the said. “We’ve been trying to work on student athlete out one bit. putting posters up in the student “I’ve kind of gotten used to be- center about attending our sporting ing a crazy person running around events. We have an app called Tri- doing too many things,” Kern said. ton HQ that encourages students to In SAAC one is supposed to be come and get points. You get points a leader among your team. One is on the app and once you get enough responsible for getting the word points you can get a free soda, a free out and getting your team involved meal, or a free sweatshirt.” around campus, so someone quiet As her time with the committee and reserved may not be the best and with UMSL comes to an end, fit. Kern believes her coach chose Kern definitely feels she has gained her for the position because she was the knowledge and experience of a the complete opposite of that. In her leader not only in the organization freshman year, Kern’s softball coach but with her team as well. chose her to represent the team at “You’re kind of forced to step up, SAAC, as its senior member had left be a leader, spread the word, and let the committee after graduating. people know you’re out here for a “We needed a new person, so cause,” Kern said. “You’ve got to be my coach basically just said, ‘Find kind of pushy, maybe a little like a

COURTESY OF THE INTERNATIONAL EGAMES COMMITTEE EGAMES OF THE INTERNATIONAL COURTESY out what SAAC is—you are our new salesman.” The Rio De Janeiro eGames Showcase featured athletes competing in “Super Smash Bros: Brawl” on the Nintendo Wii. April 24, 2017 a&e 5 Review: “La Pazza Gioia” Is Marvel’s “Iron Fist” Funny, Sad, and Inspiring Lacks Punch

Danyel Poindexter other interesting character is Ward Staff Writer Meachum (Tom Pelphrey), who bat- tles prescription addiction and the n March 17, Marvel introduced torture of his father. Othe world to another beloved You can’t really blame the actor comic book hero in the new Net- for this fault. In retrospect, Jones flix series “Iron Fist.” Danny Rand plays his part according to the script. (Finn Jones), the star of the show, Unfortunately, the script is the ac- survived a mysterious plane crash tual problem. It is weighed down when he was just 10 years old. Af- with side character stories that add ter his parents died instantly in the no depth to the plot. While I com- crash, a group of warrior monks mend Scott Buck, the creator of the adopted the orphaned Danny and show, for his attempt to fit so many raised him in a city by the name of storylines into one season, he prob- K’un Lun. Enduring harsh condi- ably should have spread them out tions and trial after trial, Danny fi- through multiple seasons instead. nally earned the mark of the city’s For instance, season one should most powerful weapon, the Iron have focused on the character devel- Fist. However, instead of staying in opment of Madame Gao and Danny K’un Lun, he leaves for New York to Rand; then season two should have reconnect with his past and restore focused on Danny’s adventures but his family’s legacy. also touch on other characters of No matter how you first en- importance to the show. Instead, countered the Iron Fist—whether it it focuses on Danny’s love interest, was straight from the comic books Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick), or just from the shows—the execu- whom he trusts, only to find that COURTESY OF RAI CINEMA COURTESY tion of this show leaves much to be she is a member of the enemy clan, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi and Micaela Ramazzotti star in “La Pazza Gioia,” which showed this week as part of Italian Film Festival USA. desired. Two essential things were The Hand; Joy Meachum (Jessica Chris Zuver female protagonists who both con- er, lives with regret and a crippling missing: sufficient character build- Stroup), his childhood friend and Staff Writer front remnants of their pasts and ul- depression that causes her to with- ing and a set storyline. The first ep- crush who is constantly with him timately face the reality of who they draw and lash out when provoked. isode was a good start, introducing or against him; Harold Meachum n April 21, as part of the 13th are. Yet during the whole fiasco, the When applied to the rating sys- Danny Rand’s return to K’un Lun (David Wenham), who uses him to OItalian Film Festival USA, the comedic elements hardly let up. tem of this country, “La Pazza Gioia” and following him as he attempts to get out of hiding and take over the film “La Pazza Gioia” (“Like Crazy”) As for the comedy, the jokes are would probably receive an R, though reconnect with old friends from his company; and even Claire Temple was shown at the Jerzewiak Family often brief but are always effective. the film dances on a fine line. There childhood. Even the quick fighting (Rosario Dawson), a character con- Auditorium at Washington Univer- The humor is mostly based in the are a couple of brief scenes of nudi- scenes that do not overlap one an- stantly seen throughout Marvel’s sity as part of an ongoing series. dialogue that occurs between the ty, a handful of phrases that would other become refreshing to watch. Netflix series. The film, directed by Paolo two female leads, who make claims be deemed offensive, and a few dis- So where did the show go wrong? The writers should have cop- Virze, is described by PANORAMA that range from silly snubs between turbingly graphic moments. Yet for The fighting scenes become too ied the introduction they gave Dan- as “an Italian comedy in the style of each other to bigoted racial or sex- the most part, the content seems to repetitive, the same moves being ny Rand’s old friend Davos (Sacha ‘Thelma & Louise.’” ual remarks. be in the PG-13 area. copied at every opportunity with an Dhawan), where the face was final- The plot revolves around Be- The real point of interest is the Ultimately, “La Pazza Gioia” is a overload of roundhouse kicks. The ly brought to the name that Danny atrice (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) and dichotomy between Beatrice and film about multiple dimensions. In ultimate “boss battle”—or what is had been talking about. He came Donatella (Micaela Ramazzotti), Donatella. Beatrice immediately the movie, we see love, friendship, supposed to be—is a poor attempt with his missions, displayed his two women who are patients of a takes interest in Donatella, who, at acceptance, insanity, laughter, and to bring video games like “Soulcal- frustration with Danny’s choices— mental institution in Tuscany. Be- the beginning of the movie, is a new through it all—humanity. While it ibur” and “Tekken” to life. It con- something the audience could agree atrice is an extrovert and claims to patient at the institution. At first, is clear in the film that the leading sists of a series of competitors he with—and fought when needed. It is be of nobility, while Donatella is the two do not get along well. Do- ladies are out of their minds, they has to defeat in order to confront understandable that Buck was try- withdrawn and mysterious. Over natella dismisses Beatrice for her have hearts that shine through the Madame Gao, the villain who sells ing to emphasize that Danny felt time, these two opposites come to- crude personality. However, the two difficulty of their struggles and, in a more addictive version of heroin betrayed by the people around him, gether to become friends and es- quickly develop a camaraderie and the end, prove that they are inter- on the streets. but it was just too much. cape the ward in an adventure to escape the institution by means of ested in more than just their own In fact, Madame Gao—played As for Danny, his fight scenes find happiness. a bus that they flag down near their problems. by Wai Ching Ho and also seen in were nice, but as a character, he For the mainstream American ward. “La Pazza Gioia” and other Ital- “Daredevil”—never receives the is unrelatable and even annoying audience, this film will certainly Throughout the film, the two ian films will continue their tour proper recognition she deserves. at times. He never learns from his come across as off-beat in terms of battle over interests as they travel through the country as part of the One of only two characters who add mistakes, which soon becomes re- what many would consider a com- through Italy. Beatrice, being a care- Italian Film Festival USA, whose fi- depth to the boring plot, this villain petitive, and he keep blaming ev- edy. As the plot progresses, there free spirit on the outside, tries to run nal stop will be in Milwaukee from and her clever plans are constantly eryone around him for the faults is a harsh streak of darkness that is from her problems and in doing so April 28–30. interrupted by Danny Rand’s melo- of his life, even until the end of the shown in the backstory of the two acts impulsively. Donatella, howev- dramatic crying scenes. The only continued on page 8 ARTS CALENDAR COURTESY OF TREVORNOAH.COM COURTESY OF LIZ ELBY COURTESY HONORS COLLEGE OF PIERRE LACLEDE COURTESY

Trevor Noah, the South African stand-up comedian and In commemoration of Yom HaShoah Holocaust Memori- The Pierre Laclede Honors College will host its annual current host of “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central, will al Day 2017, Dr. Kathleen Butterly Nigro, Dr. Gail Fleming, juried art show this week on the first and second floors perform at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on April and Dr. Barbara Harbach from the University of Missou- of Provincial House on UMSL’s south campus. “Celebrat- 29 at 8 p.m. The show is part of UMSL’s annual Mirth- ri-St. Louis will present “Voices from the Holocaust: Mu- ing the Arts 2017,” which features original creative works week celebration. Noah, who is famous for his social com- sic Makes You Free” on April 26 at 4 p.m. The event is by UMSL students, staff, and faculty, will open to visitors mentary and political satire, has won numerous awards, free and open to the public and will take place in Mu- April 24 and run through April 27. Viewing hours are be- including the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lit- sic Hall 205 in the Music Building, 7930 Natural Bridge tween 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily. Visitors are encouraged erary Work by a Debut Author, the South African Comics’ Road. “Voices from the Holocaust” will feature three to vote for “Best in Show” and “Runner Up,” the winners Choice Award for Comic of the Year, and the MTV African outstanding musicians, who will be performing original of which will be awarded prizes at the closing reception in Music Award for Person of the Year. Tickets are sold out. compositions composed by Dr. Fleming and Dr. Harbach: Provincial House on April 27 from 2:30 p.m. until 4 p.m. Stella Markou, soprano; Julia Sakharova, violin; and Alla Voting ends on April 27 at 3 p.m. “Celebrating the Arts Voskoboynikova, piano. 2017” is free and open to the public. 6 features April 24, 2017 Global Studies Certificates and Problem Solving and New Proposed Major Thinking Strategies: continued from page 3 nic Experience in St. Louis. Musha- Students have some freedom to planted Monsanto’s patented seeds, ben explained that the course will choose which cities and issues pique UMSL Math Club Monsanto sued the farmers. This feature panels of people from differ- their interests and then can further caused them to go into debt and, in ent ethnic backgrounds coming in to develop these interests during the Leah Jones he said. some cases, kill themselves. speak with students about diversity course of the class. In the past, stu- Features Editor Covert continued, “One of the “It was those projects over time topics, including religion, food, and dents have taken an interest in is- first things that attracted me to that made me think that this is a rich possibly even music. sues such as the pavement dwellers n his 1864 novel, “Notes From math was the exactness of it. Ev- area for research projects. There is Another popular course which in Mumbai and Delhi. “They liter- Ithe Underground,” Fyodor Dos- ery problem seemed to have exactly just lots of stuff you can do here,” Mushaben teaches and which will ally have to carve out a section for toevsky wrote, “The formula twice one solution, and there were often Mushaben explained. “This town is count toward the certificate is “Sex themselves on the street. That’s all times two makes five is not without convergent methods for arriving at just popping with all of these glob- Trafficking in a Cross Cultural Per- they have. There are millions of its attractions.” While this may be the same answer. This absoluteness al/local connections. If we can give spective,” which will focus on the them,” Mushaben explained. true, Ian Edwards, junior, computer turned out to be an oversimplifica- people a piece of paper, some line local, national, and international Others have become interested science, and president of the Math tion, but it was one of the aspects in their DARS that says they’ve got levels of sex trafficking. “The people in the people who create livelihoods Club at the University of Missou- of math I liked best as a beginning some skills in trying to understand who are sex and human trafficked by collecting trash and selling plas- ri–St. Louis, and Dr. David Covert, undergraduate student. ... The fall these cultures, [and] trying to in- here [in St. Louis] are not necessar- tic. “The human resilience [is amaz- assistant teaching professor of math after I graduated college, I went teract [with these cultures] … [that ily foreigners. They are runaways. ing], and then you think …we can’t and computer science, see correct straight to ... graduate school,” Co- gives the students something] that [However]in Europe… after Koso- even get people to put stuff in a re- mathematics calculations as an in- vert said. other people don’t have.” vo in particular, all of these women cycling bin. These people are creat- tegral part of a functioning society. Edwards listed actuarial scien- While the Certificate in Ethnici- were sex trafficked out of Ukraine, ing a livelihood for themselves out “From something simple, such tist, mathematics professor, logis- ty, Migration, and Human Diversity Romania, Bulgaria [and] they were of collecting garbage. It’s just amaz- as telling time, or a more advanced tician, and market research analyst offers students the chance to com- used in the brothels in Amsterdam,” ing and inspiring,” Mushaben said. application, such as estimating the as some possible career choices for plete research projects, it also of- Mushaben said, explaining the glob- The Global Health and Social total bags of concrete mix needed students who choose to pursue a de- fers students the opportunity to gain al differences in sex trafficking. Medicine minor takes a different an- to make a slab, math has made such gree in mathematics. practical skills as well. “Our idea is As one of the founding mothers gle than the Certificate in Ethnicity, tasks achievable,” Edwards said. He “Math is a very versatile degree,” pragmatic as well as it is an inter- of the Women’s Studies Program at Migration and Human Diversity but also cited latitude and longitude Covert continued. “Of course, there esting research field. There are lots UMSL, Mushaben intends to talk maintains the interdisciplinary fo- and fuel calculations as other ways are many of the traditional options of topics that we are working on. … about gender issues in the course as cus, the attention to cultural differ- that math helps people in their ev- for a math degree. You can become Academically, it’s an up and coming well, including how sex trafficking ences, and the connections between eryday lives. “In short, math is the a teacher, engineer, actuary, or field, but more importantly it has se- has affected women in the wake of the local and global communities. language of the universe. It helps statistician, for example. Howev- rious economic implications for the the recent refugee crises. “One study Like the Certificate in Ethnicity, us create and explain our environ- er, math (and computer science) is future of St. Louis, which has always showed that over 60 percent of the Migration, and Human Diversity, ment,” he said. really about learning how to think been a city of migration, [and] inte- women who had come in from Afri- the Global Health and Social Med- Covert, who has served as the abstractly and solve problems, and gration,” Mushaben said. “We want ca were pregnant by the time they icine minor has been in the making faculty advisor for the Math Club [those skills are] applicable to every to make this more hands-on for local got [to a refugee camp in Malta]. for a while now, and was included since fall 2016, agrees that math field and every job. Beyond a career, police departments, for social work- They may have been assaulted on in the first five-year proposal under helps people engage with their en- it is deeply important for everyone ers, [and] for people in hospitals.” the way over,” Mushaben explained. the previous UM-System president, vironments in a more complex and to be mathematically and scientif- Mushaben used the example of Additionally, she said that Ni- Timothy Wolfe, who took office in dynamic manner. “Math is the lan- ically literate to be better able to service workers who may deal with gerian women who were being 2012. Dr. Susan Brownell, profes- guage we humans use to understand understand the world and to make families from different countries. used for sex trafficking were being sor of anthropology who worked to and talk about the universe, and the well-informed and evidence-based “You can’t go into the family and smuggled into camps on refugee create the curriculum for the mi- abstraction in math breeds problem decisions.” talk to the 8-year-old just because boats. “Not a happy topic, but some- nor, said Dean Ronald Yasbin first solving,” he said. “Neil deGrasse Ty- According to Edwards, the Math the 8-year-old is the only one who body has to talk about it,” Mushaben proposed the idea for a bio-cultural speaks English. You have to at least said.“Mega Cities and Diasporas: course of study with the department go through the motions of address- Understanding Global Migration” of anthropology and archaeology as “In short, math is the language of ing the father of the family, who will is another popular course which a core contributor. While the idea the universe. It helps us create and then ask the 8-year-old to translate. Mushaben teaches. The class fo- was approved at the campus-level, Otherwise, you’ve just destroyed his cuses on non-Western cities with it was not approved at the system explain our environment.” authority in the family, and so you’re millions of inhabitants and the in- level at that time. not going to get anybody cooperat- terrelated and systemic problems Since the minor has been ap- son said it well: ‘There are people Club at UMSL was founded in 1968, ing with you,” she said. that these cities face. Mushaben proved, Brownell has also put to- who say, “I’ll never need this math,” with the earliest documented con- The Certificate in Ethnicity, explained, “When you are talking gether the curriculum for a major in these trig identities from 10th grade stitution dating back to 1976. The Migration, and Human Diversi- about a city of 22 million people Global Health and Social Medicine, or 11th grade, or maybe you nev- Math Club became a student chap- ty features a variety of interesting and no toilets, you’ve got an ecolog- which is currently pending approval er learned them. Here’s the catch. ter in the Mathematical Association courses, including a core course ical problem, not to mention health at the University of Missouri System Whether or not you ever again use of America on January 23, 1987. Ed- called Diversity in the City: The Eth- problems.” continued on page 8 the math that you learned in school, wards said that the president of the the act of having learned the math organization at the time, Al Stanger, established a wiring in your brain who currently serves as an assistant that didn’t exist before. And it’s the teaching professor and the Math Ac- wiring in your brain that makes you ademic Center Supervisor, received the problem solver.’” the chartering document. There are different types of Today, the Math Club remains SPENDING math that enable people to under- active. The organization meets stand the world though. Edwards twice per month and they usually listed algebra, number theory, logic, watch math-related videos or dis- THE SUMMER differential equations, statistics, and cuss mathematical surprises, in- calculus and analysis, citing statis- cluding fractals, mental arithmetic tics as his personal favorite. with calendar dates, and graph col- IN ST. LOUIS? “I became interested in math- oring, according to Covert. ematics my freshman year of high The club also holds events such school when I began to understand as Pi Day and Fibonacci Day and in- Make the most the importance of math, despite the vites students to discuss math-relat- challenges it imposed,” Edwards ed topics and listen to presentations of it. Pick up a continued. “Mathematics has pro- from speakers with STEM (Sci- vided me strategies for altering my ence, Technology, Engineering, and class or two at thought process about the methods Mathematics) backgrounds. I use to solve my current problems, In looking to the future, the Math STLCC that’ll whether they be academic or out- Club has several goals. According to side of the classroom environment.” Covert, the organization hopes to ac- count toward Likewise, Covert discovered his quaint students with each other and interest in math at a young age. “I the faculty and to deepen members’ your degree. realized I had an interest in math grasps of the underlying concepts when I was in middle school. My of mathematics. They also hope to older brother was interested in show students the various and inter- learning tricks in mental arithmetic, esting or useful applications of the and the tricks he showed me piqued science of math, and to offer Math my interest. I ended up liking math Club members an opportunity to ENROLL NOW AT PATHTOSTLCC.COM quite a bit—more than he did!—and gain insight into the various fields of majored in it as an undergraduate,” Continued on page 8 April 24, 2017 opinions 7 Is Facebook Responsible for The Case for Monitoring Crimes? Separation of Church Melvin Taylor situation after viewing the video of crime and we do not allow this kind Staff Writer Stephens talking to his friend on the of content on Facebook. We work and State phone. It took a while for the media hard to keep a safe environment on n Easter Sunday, Steve Ste- to cover the topic. In fact, I learned Facebook and are in touch with law Ophens, 37, murdered Robert more from social media than the enforcement in emergencies when Godwin Sr., 74, and uploaded a vid- news media itself. Things only be- there are direct threats to physical eo recording of the murder to Face- came more serious for the news me- safety.” If Facebook had taken the book. Before this, Stephens went on dia when the chase for Stephens was videos down quickly, I do not think Facebook Live explaining that he heading into its second day. Stephens would have been found. was going to murder people because Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, The McDonald’s worker who iden- he was angry with his ex-girlfriend, and other social media applications tified Stephens was able to do so, in Joy Lane, and his mother, Mag- have features which allow users to part, because of the case’s publicity. gie Green. Stephens also claimed “live stream” video content. These The worker could have only learned to have murdered 13 other people, features have been used to publi- about his appearance from the on- but the murders were never con- cize the live deaths of many other line videos or the news. The news firmed. The videos of Stephens’ victims. In one instance, Katelyn got their information from the vid- crime quickly attracted thousands Nicole Davis, 12, hanged herself on eos. Whether I like it or not, these of viewers, and media outlets close- Facebook Live. Malachi Hemphill, videos are a central part in this case. ly tracked the nearly 2-day ensuing 13, accidentally shot himself while In the cases of Stephens and the KAT RIDDLER / THE CURRENT KAT police pursuit. The chase came to livestreaming on Instagram. A man Facebook live torture, those videos an end when a Pennsylvania Mc- with special needs was kidnapped led to the perpetrators being found. Kat Riddler that could get a lot more slippery. Donald’s worker withheld Stephens’ and tortured on Facebook Live. Oc- The only way to stop these Face- Editor-in-Chief There are limited public funds to food and called police after recog- currences like this are becoming in- book murders and suicides is to get pay for the basic needs of primary, nizing him. Stephens became im- creasingly common. I attribute this rid of the live feature or monitor us- or a relatively small state—only secondary, and higher public edu- patient and drove off, but the police to the relative ease with which peo- ers’ activity heavily. I disagree with Ftwo percent of the population of cation in the state of Missouri. Will were already on his trail. Stephens ple can use social media. Facebook both of these actions. We shouldn’t the United States—Missouri is often private, religious-based institutions pulled over his car and committed and YouTube upload live videos let a few bad apples spoil the whole at the forefront of the nation’s con- like Saint Louis University be able to suicide. shortly after the livestream ends. bunch. Facebook has had positive troversial issues. demand money from the state after The role of Facebook, the web- If a user wants to send a message uses for its live feature, such as clas- Pending before the U.S. Su- claiming religious discrimination? site where Stephens uploaded a vid- to the world, it can be quickly up- sic TV shows being streamed, fun preme Court is a case challenging a This past week there was a eo of the murder, in this situation has loaded, downloaded, shared, and video challenges, and waiting on provision of Missouri’s constitution contentious debate in the Missou- become a matter of debate. The vid- reuploaded. April the Giraffe to give birth. Be- barring public funds from going to ri House of Representatives over a eo of Godwin’s death was on its site As gruesome and scary as the re- sides, getting rid of live streaming churches. Arguments were heard bill designed to end discrimination for three hours and had been shared cent videos were, I think they helped will just push people to find anoth- before the court last week and a de- against members of the LGBT com- on many other social media sites. It to identify Stephens and led to a fast- er way to upload horrific content. cision is likely to be rendered in late munity for things like housing and is odd to blame Facebook for the er resolution. If Stephens had not Monitoring users heavily is an is- June. public accommodations. The pro- material put on their site, as many posted those videos, it would have sue because things may eventually For those who believe in the ne- posed bill would have expanded have done. It is true that allowing taken a while to even figure out who get to the point where everything cessity of strict separation between Missouri’s Human Rights Act to in- the video to stay on Facebook is dis- had murdered Godwin. The media is censored at the sacrifice of pri- church and state, the potential out- clude sexual orientation. respectful to Godwin’s family—but and many of us found out about Ste- vacy. Facebook could check content come does not look good. A church State Representative Tom Han- I would argue that the raw footage phens because of those videos. After before it is allowed to go live, but I in Missouri was denied state grant negan (R-St. Charles) joined Dem- of the death and Stephens’ rants are removing the video and Stephens’ think that would discourage people funding for playground improve- ocrats in co-sponsoring the bill and what kept people informed about account, Facebook released a state- from using the feature. ments because of the clause in the testified that, “Discrimination is the case. I first learned about this ment that said, “This is a horrific Missouri Constitution that bars discrimination is discrimination. I public monies from supporting re- don’t believe in protected classes. ligious institutions. The defendants I think everybody should have the are claiming religious discrimina- same rights, the same freedoms, the tion, and even some of the more lib- same law of protection.” eral judges on the Supreme Court Still, this bill aimed at ending Want more Current? seem to side with them. “actual discrimination” was at- While some acknowledge that tacked by religious conservatives the U.S. Constitution forbids the like Alyssa Johnson of Concerned institution of laws against the free Women of America, who testified, CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE. exercise of religion, they also con- “I am an Evangelical Christian, and tend that there is no requirement my viewpoint on the matter is that for state sponsorship or financial the Bible does not condone homo- WWW.THECURRENT-ONLINE.COM support of religion and that to do so sexual lifestyles.” would show state preference for one While we do not know John- religion over another. son’s views on the case pending be- This decision would have fore the Supreme Court, the fact is far-ranging consequences, since that churches are claiming that their 40 states currently have provisions rights should be protected against similar to the one in the Missouri discrimination by the state when it Constitution. comes to them wanting public tax While it may seem like an inno- dollars. And at the same time, some cent enough claim—that children of those very same religious groups playing on a church playground feel they should have the right to should benefit from the same im- discriminate against others. provements as those on a public The hypocrisy should be self-ev- playground—many issues are at ident. But that hypocrisy is then play in the playground dispute. For compounded by the fact that the instance, what if several religious in- same religious institutions ready stitutions all applied for grant mon- to lay hands on public tax dollars ey, and one gets funding and seven staunchly believe that they should do not? If the Christian school gets remain free of the burden of paying the grant and not the Jewish, Cath- taxes. If the Supreme Court does olic, Hindu, or Muslim schools, rule that denying churches access to would they not have a case to sue public tax dollars is discrimination, that the state just chose one reli- then how can they deny that their gion over another and discriminat- exemption from paying those same ed against them? taxes is not discriminating against What about a strict religious all other taxpayers? The separation school that is only for boys or of church and state should remain only for girls? Is that not sexual intact, and no burden should be discrimination? placed on public funding sources to This is a slippery slope, and one those exempt from taxation. 8 April 24, 2017 UMSL Offers Interdisciplinary Global Studies “Iron Fist” Certificates and Proposes Major Falls Short continued from page 6 sleep at night because they know programs. While biology often re- some of the professors who do glob- continued from page 5 level again. that [with] the situation we are [in] quires students to learn about things al work until their junior or senior show. Throughout the entire sea- The minor currently requires right now, we are just ripe for a pan- other than the health of human be- year. “Even if a student were able son, Danny treats life as if he were students to take 15-16 credit hours demic. Whatever hits [other parts ings, such as animals, cellular func- to fit [all of the classes] into their still a kid, though by the end, it was in diverse fields, including anthro- of the world] is going to be at our tions, and high-level mathematics, schedule, they would have trou- clear that some kind of personal pology and archaeology, as well as doorstep. Health is now global…We the Global Health and Social Med- ble finding them all. They wouldn’t growth was supposed to have hap- courses in biology, sociology, and saw that with Ebola, we saw that icine minor and the pending major know where to look,” Brownell pened—which raises the question gerontology. The proposed major with Zika, [and] West Nile Virus. would focus on humans specifically. pointed out. With the certificate of why he receives the Iron Fist to would offer students the same vari- For selfish reasons, we can’t ignore Additionally, the major would offer and pending major, the courses are begin with. After all, it is supposed ety of courses, as well as additional the crises in healthcare elsewhere an alternative route into healthcare brought together in a coherent and to be a sacred weapon only given to courses in psychology, philosophy, in the world because they are also professions for students who do not easy to find way. In addition, the the person chosen to protect K’un criminology, economics, and a cap- our problem,” Brownell said. “We wish to become physicians. minors and proposed major take Lun. Yet Danny fails to understand stone project, totaling 37 – 42 credit started to realize that, in terms of… Popular classes in the minor advantage of unique faculty and why his friend Davos, who grew up hours. infectious diseases and diseases and pending major include “Alco- classes that already exist at UMSL. with him, is upset that he left them “Increasingly, science is start- that might become pandemics, that hol, Drugs, and Society,” “Body and The interdisciplinary nature of unprotected. ing to realize that public health… we needed an interdisciplinary ap- Culture,” and “Medicine, Culture, the programs enable students to not The show lacks so much detail in involves the interaction of the en- proach that brings together social and History.” only augment their transcripts and its storyline that most fans will have vironment, lifestyle, genetics, hu- scientists, biologically-based doc- “Anyone involved in the health- job applications, but also gives them to force themselves to finish just to mans, and animals, interestingly,” tors, and even veterinarians and en- care profession needs to understand critical thinking skills and the ability say they have conquered another Brownell said, highlighting the vironmentalists. [It is a part of ] this alcohol, drugs, and society because to think across disciplines. Marvel Netflix series. I suppose the interdisciplinary nature of the bigger change in medicine towards that touches upon so many health- Mushaben, who studies new so- writers thought that adding famous programs. “[Social medicine is] this more holistic, interdisciplinary care issues,” Brownell said, high- cial movements and youth protests, actors would increase ratings. This grounded in sociology, anthropolo- approach to looking at illness.” lighting the relevance of the course. and has lived and studied in Ger- is one Marvel show that definitely gy, economics, and gerontology.” As with the Certificate in Ethnic- The “Body and Culture” course many for 18 years, said “I can’t do does not deserve a second season. Brownell said that social medi- ity, Migration, and Human Diversi- examines not just cultural practic- any research on Germany without cine differs from biology in the level ty, social justice is also a concern for es of body modification, such as knowing history. I can’t continue of focus. “The focus [in social med- the Global Health and Social Med- tattooing, piercing, female genital my research without thinking of de- icine] is on population-level health. icine minor and proposed major. mutilation, and medical traditions, mographics, [and] what future that Math Club The biological approach [focus- Brownell said that poor countries but also the things that people be- holds for economics. I clearly can’t es on] the individual organism and and poverty-stricken areas of the ur- lieve about their bodies which drive do my research without [knowing medication and how to treat indi- ban United States can become cess- some of these practices. “[These are how to speak a] foreign language. Solves vidual disease and individual peo- pools of disease that then affect the all] things that [students] might be I think that [we should teach] stu- ple. The social approach looks more rest of the world as well. “There is likely to run into in their practice. dents at the beginning that it is good Students’ at disease patterns in a bigger popu- a concern about social injustice be- [It will] help them make sense of it.” to know a little bit of everybody’s lation,” she said. cause, among other things, it threat- Brownell teaches the “Medi- discipline, because you’re not here She cited questions such as ens the health of all of us. Not to cine, Culture, and History” course to become a specialist. You’re here Problems why AIDS disproportionately af- mention, it would be good if injus- and said that she enjoys teaching it to learn how to think. You are here fects drug users and African Amer- tice were gone,” Brownell explained. and has learned a lot from it. “I am to learn how to take pieces of infor- continued from page 6 icans, as questions that might be Brownell said that students can educating my students and I think mation and to synthesize them…You mathematics. Covert said that the addressed by social medicine. Oth- benefit from both the minor and the they are better aware of why some can do this when you hear that this Math Club also hopes to expose er questions center on why diseas- pending major in a number of ways. of these issues are important, [such is the way that historians approach students to the opportunities avail- es like obesity and diabetes remain Firstly, she said that while it is not as] why it is important for the U.S. it. This is the way that political sci- able to them in these fields as well. prevalent, despite the fact that doc- an easy major, it also equips students Congress to allot funding for con- entists approach it. Then you are go- Edwards said that they also hope to tors are aware of the risk factors with skills that will benefit them on trolling Zika. [They are becoming] ing to go to an employer and you can increase regular attendance at meet- and causes of these diseases. “You the job market, including the ability a better-informed citizenry so that say ‘We didn’t think about this,’ as ings, increase university awareness are trying to parse out, at the popu- to do math with classes like social they know the potential threats and opposed to saying, ‘I only know this. of the organization, and to have a lation level, what is causing certain statistics. These skills will help stu- so that they can guide policy makers I only care about that.’ You can’t do “prosperous and well-populated diseases to be more prevalent in cer- dents to perform the different types into putting funding where it should business in. St. Louis without know- Pi-Day.” tain people. The answer to that is of- of analyses that they might be asked go,” she said. ing about foreign cultures and for- Though math is often consid- ten not a biological one, it is a social to perform in different jobs, as well While the certificates differ in eign companies anymore” ered a difficult and intimidating one,” she said. as help them to write number-driv- their focus, the interdisciplinary Brownell agrees. Though UMSL subject by students, Edwards said While the degree focuses on en grant proposals. nature of both minors and the pro- offers a few interdisciplinary mi- that, like learning a structured and the population-levels of health, it The degree programs are also posed major offer UMSL students nors, as well as a Bachelor’s de- logical language, students can learn will still take into account the indi- specifically tailored toward student several advantages. Both Brownell gree of International Studies and a math with time and effort. “Math is vidual with its attention to cultur- interests, as Brownell looked at stu- and Mushaben said that students Bachelor’s degree of Liberal Studies, usually seen as a foreign language, al differences. “In the profession of dent survey data to determine which take their required courses first, Continued online at and just like any language, some of medicine, they are starting to realize courses should be included in the and often are not even introduced to thecurrent-online.com the ‘grammar’ in math may not be that the doctors that they have been the easiest to understand. However, training, perhaps in part because of it’s not impossible. With enough pa- their single-minded focus on biolo- tience and practice, you’ll start un- gy, biochemistry, and the hard sci- UMSL Sustainability Plants derstanding the ‘sentence structure’ ences, are not trained to deal with (theorems, formulas). Then having real people. Cultural sensitivity… is Native Garden on North Campus ‘conversations’ (solving problems) a recognized issue that doctors of- becomes much easier. I hope that ten lack. You often have doctors students, specifically those who who are maybe white, male, mid- Volunteers gathered on April 21 view math as intimidating, can be- dle-class, and increasingly, they are from 2 to 5 p.m. planting a native gin to speak the language of math dealing with immigrants, for exam- garden outside of Stadler Hall. and see the world from a new per- ple. So, they are just not necessar- The garden was designed to en- spective,” he said. ily prepared to deal with people of courage growth, beauty, and func- While the formula twice times different cultural backgrounds. Cul- tionality for study and conservation two makes five may not be without tural sensitivity is an acknowledged efforts. The project goals included its attractions, the formula twice issue that needs more attention for improving water quality by man- times two makes four offers more both nurses and for doctors and aging storm water runoff and nu- pragmatic and applicable advantag- physicians,” Brownell explained. trient use, restoring healthy soil es for students. Like the other certificate, both by eliminating excessive presticide the Global Health and Social Medi- use, revitalizing quality habits by re- cine minor and the proposed major moving invasive species, replenish- focus on the connection between ing populations of native plants, and the St. Louis community and the conserving water resources. global community. As an example The garden was sponsored by of this, Brownell cited the recent faculty, staff, and students in the pandemic scares which have re- University of Missouri-St. Louis verberated throughout the medical Biology Department, the Des Lee community, including zoonoses, or Collaborative Vision, the Whitney TC diseases that originate in animals Harris Ecology Center, UMSL Sus- INDEPENDENT and then mutate and infect humans. tainability, and community partners. “I think that the people who STUDENT NEWS study pandemics don’t get a lot of COURTESY OF UMSL SUSTAINABILITY OF UMSL COURTESY