h Volume 8, Number 25 | Student Newspaper of Lindenwood University | April 21, 2015 c is e f l e i S e The i t s i r h C y b o t o h P LegacyPresident James Evans acknowledges the impressive work of several students at the 2015 Honors Convocation. Lindenwood held the ceremony on Sunday, April 19, in the Lindenwood Theater in the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts. The event honored students who have demonstrated high academic skill and effort throughout the year. Daddy Area workers unite for rights Emily Adair issues: Editor-in-Chief Hundreds of adjunct paternity instructors, students and other workers gathered at leave Washington University in St. Louis to rally Abigail Fallon for workers’ rights on Staff Reporter Wednesday, April 15. The Very few U.S. rally was one of countless employers provide paid demonstrations held across paternity leave for new the nation. fathers, while most offer Show-Me $15 and no leave at all. the Service Employees At LU, only female International Union professors can take partnered with the Faculty leave due to the birth of Forward initiative to rally their child, while male for workers’ rights. Low- professors must take sick wage workers, including leave or no leave at all. food-industry, retail and When asked about health-care workers, societal attitudes toward demanded a minimum paternity leave, LU wage of $15 per hour, professor Andrew Allen while adjunct instructors Photo by Christie Sielfleisch Smith said, “It’s very rallied for $15,000 per Hundreds of local food-industry, health-care and retail workers, joined by adjunct professors, rallied on antiquated. It’s like the course. the steps of Brookings Hall at Washington University in St. Louis. woman is giving birth Adjunct instructors while the man is in the from schools like St. Louis effort. about this and we don’t need to be brave and to organization for low-wage waiting room smoking a University, St. Charles Event goers said their want our students to know start talking out.” workers’ rights. cigar.” Community College and main goal was to bring that we have to piecemeal Anderson said she Demonstrators included According to Smith, Washington University awareness to the issues. our lives together,” and other adjuncts were health-care professionals he had to use sick days in were among those who “A lot of professors and said SLU adjunct Sheri excited to partner with with signs that read, “I order to stay home with participated in the joint instructors are very shy Anderson, “but we really Fight for $15, the national take care of your loved his wife after she gave one.” Fast food employees birth to their first child this who work full-time at semester. minimum wage were also Although he said Adjuncts are often contracted per course and rarely present. the university was very Missouri $11,536 receive benefits. Those who rallied willing to work with him, They struggle to: at WashU were among Federal $10,933 he also said, “I think that • Make a living wage thousands nationwide who in terms of maternity LU demonstrated in cities $10,000 • Provide for their families leave and paternity leave Adjunct • Have ongoing job security like Atlanta, Chicago and there needs to be more • Qualify for professional development or other resources Philadelphia. Minimum wages calculated for 29 hours/week (max. to be communication.” They have to: Anderson said she found considered part-time), 52 weeks/year. Five full weekdays, in • Share offices many low-wage workers Adjunct wage calculated assuming instructor teaches two Smith’s view, would be an • Make due with limited equipment who were surprised by adequate amount of time courses at LU, for two consecutive semesters.* adjuncts’ salaries. • Provide restricted office hours/access for students for a father to stay home * Information from dol.gov and ncsl.org Continued on Page 2 with his partner and their newborn child. LU professor Jill Falk, Student housing lacking who recently gave birth to Weitzel seizes opportunity her second child, said, “I would argue as a mother “I most enjoyed reliable maintenance that paternity leave is just Cayla Brown teaching the freshman severe health concern, it as important.” News Editor Christie Sielfleisch English composition Design Chief should have been at the top As mentioned in a Provost and Vice courses,” said Weitzel. “I of their list and handled previous article, Falk President for Academic was able to hear amazing As a student, have you that day.” took 12 weeks of unpaid Affairs Jann Weitzel has stories and got to know all ever had your basement The National Resources maternity leave from LU made a name for herself at of my students.” flood with sewage, forcing Defense Council reports while her husband received Lindenwood over the past She was also the Dean of you to wait days before that almost 2 million cases four weeks of paid leave 20 years. Humanities before taking maintenance could come of illnesses per year are from his employer. She is the senior her current position. and clean up the stench? linked to sewage backups In a report called academic officer for the In the eight and a half Jann Weitzel Have you ever dealt and contamination. “Maternity and Paternity campus and oversees all years as provost, Weitzel which majors would be with a broken vent and According to the NRDC, at Work,” the International academic activities. has been offered many initially offered, looking at were forced to live in there are five main bacteria Labor Organization said, At the end of the opportunities, including popularity, what interested conditions comparable to that can be found in sewage: “Fathers undertaking semester though, she will travel. students and the local an arctic tundra until LU a more active role in be leaving Lindenwood Through LU’s backing, community. sent someone to fix the E. Coli caregiving is likely to be to take up the role of Weitzel along with others The group then worked problem? If not, then you causes abdominal cramping, one of the most significant president at Cottey College such as Ryan Guffey, with the Illinois Board of are the exception. diarrhea and occasionally death social developments of the in Nevada, Missouri. vice president for Student Higher Education to make Many times, students 21st century.” After earning her Development and Global the degree options official. who live in men and Acanthomobea As the world paves bachelor’s and master’s Affairs, were able to travel Even though her office women’s housing have causes eye, nose, throat and the way for fathers to degrees from the to multiple countries to may be located in the experienced severe ear infections become more involved in University of Northern create opportunities for Executive Suite in Roemer, maintenance issues and family life, LU and other Iowa, Weitzel graduated students to study abroad. she interacts with students unacceptable living Salmonella universities might consider with her doctorate from She has been to Panama, as often as possible, conditions that are causes abdominal cramping how they can follow suit. the University of Iowa. China and France. attending sporting events, potentially detrimental to and diarrhea Weitzel applied to In addition to her current campus events and other their health. Hepatitis Ideas of paternity leave Lindenwood in 1995. positions, Weitzel can be opportunities to interact “The first time I had a causes liver infection and are “very antiquated. She began as an credited as one of a select with students. sewage leak in my house liver failure It’s like the woman is education professor, group who developed LU- Also, as Provost, she it took maintenance three Leptospirosis giving birth while the supervising student Belleville’s first degree is the administrator who days to clean it up and two creates muscle aches and man is in the waiting teachers while teaching programs. works with each academic weeks to fix the problem,” vomiting room smoking a cigar.” both undergraduate and According to Weitzel, program and professors. said senior Miriah Ludke. -Andrew Allen Smith graduate students. the group worked to decide Continued on Page 2 “Considering this is a Continued on Page 2 Page 2 April 21, 2015 News Students struggle to Workers rally Continued from Page 1 not the case, and in many Library “Because they have cases they make less than stay out of debt in college such high education and fast food workers, for with them anymore or they of them don’t help unless receives they work at a university, example,” she said. Isis Wadleigh don’t claim me in their he can get the money in his they assume-- everyone WashU adjuncts Staff Reporter taxes?” name instead of it going assumes-- that adjuncts voted to unionize in Even with financial aid, It’s a federal guideline straight to the school. 7-figure are in an upper echelon January, and are still in students struggle to pay that students need their “When students bring of society and it’s really the preliminary stages of for college when parents parents’ information unless in outside scholarships, donation seeing major changes. refuse to help. they are able to file as Lindenwood will balance In a recent press Lindenwood has In most cases, eligibility independent. it out with the money release, President James an adjunct rate of 63 for financial aid depends Family refusing to they offer. Even if you Evans announced a percent, acording to on not only the student’s help a student out is not get a scholarship, that seven digit gift that will Vice President of Human status, but also their enough reason to claim means you’ll get less from create a new student Resources Deb Ayres in parents’, even if the parents independence, even if the Lindenwood,” said Brooks.