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University Archives (02) Campus Box 1063 ----------------e•. ---- __,,,_.. Find hot study Cougar soccer spots just in teams prove .... time for finals unstoppable page6 page 10 .._. thursday, 11 .1 7.1 6 alton - east st. louis - edwardsvil le vol. LXIX no. XVIII Students listen and watch their peers give emotional speeches at the student-led unity rally Nov. 15, outside of Rendleman Hall. Students marched from the Vadalabene Center, through the Stratton Quadrangle and to the outside of Rendleman Hall to urge administration to take action against intolerance on campus. I Allison Gregory / Alestle United for change Students gather, voice concerns of intolerance ALESTLE STAFF in political perspectives, social backgrounds and experiences, but as - an inteiiectual community, we choose to cherish and respect those Hundreds of students gathered Nov. 15, for a unity rally, orga­ differences at SIUE." nized by student organization Sankofa, in response to recent acts of Some students believe dlis response was insincere and too late. intolerance on campus that have made students feel unsafe and what At the rally Tuesday; Pembrook said in regard to his email, "I was has been perceived as a lack of administrative support. on the road for the 24 hours before the [ email] came out, and so we Wednesday morning, students received an email about how SIUE hadn't really heard much when I left on Wednesday. There were some administration will move forward. conversations about the election, but I think that the greater concern "Campus administrators will attend a meeting Thursday, Nov. 17, about people feeling disconnected and a sense of fear for the future, with concerned students who organized and attended Tuesday's event. that started to originate later in the week. As soon as I heard about The university administration plans on holding a public forum that that, we issued the statement." was recommended by Students for Change before the end of the fall H&wever, according to the University Police blotter from Nov. semester," Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple said in 8, ."Two students reported they had gotten into a political argument the email. "Chancellor [Randy] Pembrook and his team also plan on with a male acquaintance in the Student Fitness Center and while meeting with small groups of students representing the many forms of d1ey walking to d1eir car, the suspect displayed a handgun and yelled diversity at SIDE when we return for the spring semester." a derogatory comment. Investigation continues." According to speakers during d1e rally, alleged incidents on cam­ Despite dlis, and od1er accounts of student insensitivity on cam­ pus have included threats toward students of color in Evergreen Hall, pus, Pembrook said, '½.s far as I know, at this particular point in time, derogatory terms being shouted at minority students walking across we have not had any formal reports or formal complaints." campus, and harassment toward a Muslim student who had her hijab Pembrook said he hopes individuals will let administrators, RAs pulled off of her head. or police officers know if they experience intolerance personally. At roughly 4 p.m. Nov. 11, Chancellor Randy Pembrook sent "When people see things happening to others that they just know an email to the SIDE community saying he was disappointed to hear is not right, they can be a part of that communication process, too," d1e stories circulating that alluded to verbal displays of intolerance on Pembrook said. "They can communicate to the individual that is not campus. showing respect and/or they can come talk to us so we know that "We will work to maintain a safe, secure and inclusive campus those things are going on." etwironment for all students, faculty and staff," Pembrook said in last According to Waple, he and other members of administration -week's email. "This is a time for us to put aside whatever ideological received a letter from Sankofa explaining the purpose of the gad1ering differences there may be and work together to continually improve and urging change to take place. our commwlity in the days ahead. There will always be differences UNITY I pg. 2 connect with us ~;'!I'.~ ~~ ~---anytime pnllne ~~ alestlelive.com page 2 alestlelive.com thursday, 11.17 .16 Center, senior political science major Bryon Pierson, of Alton, speaks to students Nov. 15, outside of Rendleman Hall, during a unity rally. " Administration responds to unity rally UNITY I from cover Vice Chancellor of Administration Richard Walker said he wants to support tl1e students in their "This walkout and rally demonstrated our rejec­ efforts to change tilings on campus. tion of the bigotry that has festered on this campus "SIUE wants to be an all-inclusive and all-ac­ through racism, cis/heterosexism, classism, xeno­ cepting can1pus," Walker said. "But it's never over. phobia, Islamophobia and other forms of violence It is constant everyday. There has to be an effort on targeted towards members of our commwuty," the everyone's behalf, not just students. Everyone has to letter said. feel safe welcome and involved." Sankofa went on to demand in the letter, bv Pembrook said he talked to Waple and tlunks Friday, Dec. 9, a public forw11 for the students of people are going to sec more one-on-one conver· the SIUE community to address several administra· sations that will be proactively scheduled to try and tors including Pembrook, Waple, Interim Provost make sure students feel heard and that there is an av­ and Vice-Chancellor fo1: Academic Affairs Denise enue for those discussions to happen more regularl)c Cobb, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Diversity As far as tl1c protest goes, Pembrook said he is and Inclusion Venessa Brown, Director of Univer­ impressed with the passion he is hearing from indi­ sity Housing Michael Schultz and deans from the viduals. various schools. "I love the fact tl1at tl1ey are wanting to become According to Waple, the university hosted fo. more involved. That they're looking for ways to ere· mms in past semesters, but had gotten away from ate solutions," Pembrook said. "Most importantly, I it recent!)'. hear people talking about the need to communicate. "Maybe we got lazy and didn't have those con· That's the thing I'm taking away from this the most: Sophomore versations, even before tl1e election, or after, so this is biology major How do we have tl1e right kinds of conversations so Alleah Moore, a good reminder to faculty, staff and administration tl1at we can have the right kinds of perspectives?" of Bolingbrook, that we need to continue to have the discussion with Separately, in an effort to provide a safe and holds a sign students, figure out how we can make the change open space for minorities and allies, an gathering while listening that needs to happen here. I don't want anyone to titled "We Are Not One," will be held at 7 p.m. to her peers feel uncomfortable on this can1pus - I just can't Thursday, Nov. 17, in tl1e Hickory Room. speak at the accept tl1at. We will work as hard as we can to make unity rally Nov. sure any student feels comfortable and welcome on Caitlin Lally, Kendra Martin, Brian Munoz and Miranda 15, outside of this campus," Waplc said at tl1e rally Tuesday. Lintzenich contributed to this report. Rendleman Hall. Demonstrators march through campus Nov. 15, in the Stratton Quadrangle. According to organizers, the march and unity rally Junior criminal justice major Taylor Robinson, of are "to bring attention to the expressed feelings of isolation, displacement and invisibility experienced by members of the SIUE Chicago, speaks at the unity rally Nov. 15, outside of community." I Brian Munoz/ Alestle Rendleman Hall. I Allison Gregory/ Alestle I t- thursday, 11.17.16 alestlelive.com page 3 Senior political science major Unity -walkout, rally Reginald Hamilton, of Chicago, uses dra-ws student body, a megaphone to convey his emotions about injustice on the staff attention SIUE campus cation major Shantell Henty, of during the CAITLIN LALLY unity rally Nov. Alestle Editor-in-Chief Chicago, said that since Trwnp has become president there have 15, outside of MIRANDA LINTZENICH Rendleman Hall. (I) been things said and done that t: Alestle Reporter have left her scared as well. (I) "There have been things ~ Students on the SIUE cam­ written on walls, people are tcl)­ pus gathered for a unity walkout ing others to go back to their and rally in front of Rendleman home there have been racial slurs Hall to raise awareness and let and ;tudents don't agree with others know that they are not those actions," Henry said. "We alone if they are being u-eated w1- want to have the chance to tell fairly. people that it's not oka(' . Organized by student orga­ Senior biology maJor Gabn­ nization Sankofa, the purpose of elle Smith, of Chicago, s_aid she the ooity walk was to ~elp ma~­ heard about the event onlme yes­ ginalizcd groups .feel like th~1r terday and attended after ge~g voices arc being heard by admin­ out of class Tuesday mornmg. isu-ation. Smith said she believes the rally A group of students congre­ is a productive means for change gated at 10:30 a.m. outside the on campus. Vadalabcne Center, linked arms "We pledge that we're one, and began marching through the but it's kind of bullshit. I see peo­ parking lot t_o th~ sa:ar_ron Quad­ ple acting crappy to people all_ the rangle chantmg, This 1s what de­ time - even before the election. mocracy looks like," and "U-N-I- · It just seems worse now," Smith As the march progressed, T-Y." said.

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