By Jacob Greene College. Four years—if you are lucky—that form you. They can be transformative—if you allow. A built-in community that helped create moments you will look back on with the utmost nostalgia. Transition, memories, conversations, growth, community, firsts, lasts—all of these components make up the shared college experience. With all those positives you cannot forget the negatives, late-night cramming, clogged toilets, roommate drama, homesickness, bad games or competitions, and of course the heartbreak—whether it be from sports or not. This year is a year of truly basking in the last moments of college. It is an “Alright, let’s do this one last time” moment. I have been blessed to be integrated into a community of wonderful people. But it did not start out that way. Freshman year—within my first 6 weeks—I wanted to go back home. College was not what I expected. Now, looking back—it is better than I could have ever imagined. Through various series of events, I ended up in Thompson 209. That began the creation of a tight bond between all of “The Boys”—or so we were referred to as. That group makes up only some of my best friends that I have made here at Simpson. Since freshman year I have made a wide variety of friends all in different pockets of campus. It came with time—not to mention some awkward interactions at first. Lots of game nights, caf table chats, and late-night conversations—we are all tight. Do spontaneous things—especially with your roommates. We went to Denny’s at 2 A.M. one time—now we go as a yearly tradition—Taco Bell is more of a weekly tradition. I was once told that college is only 4 years of my life—after those years are over, I will not be friends with them. That is not true at all. This past summer I was in the wedding of one of my closest freshman roommates–along with some of the other Boys with whom I became friends during my freshman year. Create or find a community—they have the potential to become your lifelong friends. It seems like only a year ago I was a wide-eyed freshman unsure of things–of the next 4 years–or heck, of the next 4 hours. I felt as though I was lacking in so many departments. But I kept saying yes. Opportunity knocked—I answered. The transitions came—I had people to help. Community popped up—I chased after it. Curveballs came at me—I tried to lean out of the way, got knocked down—but, I had people to help pick me back up. All sorts of conversations, moments, failures—they all led to growth. This is a place that can shape you in a positive way. If you allow it–if you keep saying yes to things–if you seek opportunities–it can give you an avenue to fulfill your dreams. As I look back at my 3 years (and counting) I think back to all the different moments I have experienced. From the first time that all The Boys hung out, to the first time playing bass in chapel, or that first time I felt like a journalist with the Slate—then, of course, those times with friends where it felt like time was going by too fast to truly appreciate the fun time we were having. There are so many fleeting moments I wish I could go back to—to relive–to truly appreciate.

By Addison Jones    Simpson University has been patiently waiting for its new and returning students to fly back in.     New Students were greeted with a jam-packed weekend full of fun. The campus was buzzing with each new event. From the electric football scrimmage of the team to the scenic float down the Sacramento River--while not forgetting Midnight Madness at the local Oasis Fun Center. Transfers and First Time Freshmen forged an amazing experience with valuable connections.     Transfer and Commuter Student Carly Lucero speaks on her experience with the events.    “I live 30 minutes away from campus, which can be a challenge for attending the events. I still find I have a great group of friends to go to all the events and make great memories,” Lucero said.     Students were also given a glimpse into the core values and faith of Simpson University. The incorporation of God’s will and faith brought many emotions to students. Whether it was serving in the gateway groups, attending church at Pathway, or attending Arise with the worship team—God's  presence was with us.     New freshman Evie Anderson speaks personally on how it has been with her faith here.     “It’s been inspiring to see the faith element being incorporated into these events. It confirmed that I made the right choice to attend Simpson University,” Anderson said.     The fun never stopped—important and information-filled meetings were held for the freshmen, as well as transfers. Information was given on Simpson academics itself including the specific majors. There was a big welcome meeting held on Friday. The Residence Hall meetings were held on Sunday Night.    “Definitely got a good overview of my major and its expectations. The meetings were very informative with great speakers,” freshman Bella Oliver said.     This is just the beginning of the plethora of events hosted by the students and the university.  Be sure to check out the Campus Life Instagram – @campuslife_su  – for information on the next six weeks full of events!

By Jacob Greene This year, there was tremendous amounts of growth for the Slate. As the editor, I cannot help but brag on behalf of my staff. We all put in a lot of work. Our online articles have had more average reads than in previous years. A feature article written by yours truly was read over 600 times. The previous record was 150 reads. Additionally, we had growth in social media following, as well. Three years ago The Slate’s Instagram had less than 50 followers—now it has over 550 followers. We had a reel reach over 3,000 views. Two others have over 2,000 and 1,000 views. The team–as a whole–has worked to grow our media presence. This included working with the Digital Media team—a team some of the staff is a part of—to photograph as many events as possible. Our staff is made up of both student-athletes, as well as spectacular academics. The balance of school, sports, and extracurricular activities is done well by our staff. Many of us are involved in different things on campus, everything from the worship team to clubs, to student leadership, to tutoring. The whole staff works exceptionally hard to bring our viewers the best content possible. If you are interested in joining the Slate—feel free to reach out. We recruit anyone—no matter the level of experience—whether it be a lot or none. Next year we look to grow our following even more while reporting, fair, honest, and unbiased news.

By Jacob Greene Sport or not—bass fishing is tough. Pre-fish We – myself and my boater partner, Brayden Bishop – left at 4 a.m. to make the 3-hour drive to Lakeport, CA. That day we fished all around Clear Lake from 7:30 to about 5. In the cloudy, cold, and periodical rain—we had no bites at the end of the day. Pre-fish is the time spent before a tournament to find where the schools of bass are. Then you throw different styles of lures. You change the color, the presentation (retrieval rate), or the technique. You use trial and error to find a behavior pattern the bass are in. That is also conditional on what season it is. On LiveScope we did not even see any schools of bass. We knew going into this tournament that it would be tough. We also knew the weather pattern was going to improve as it got closer to tournament day. The MLF Toyota Series had started their pre-fish 2 days prior—in 29 degrees with snowfall. Day 2 of pre-fish–which was Day 2 of the 3-day tournament for the Toyota Series–we went out early. After Day 1 we had only eliminated water. There was no pattern we had found. We could not figure out the bite—which we knew was due to the pressure on the lake in the last couple of weeks. We had a couple of places to try, one we wanted to go to—first thing. Our goal was to get to the spot across the lake before the pros blasted off at 7 am. Our lines were wet by 6:45 am. On Brayden’s 3rd cast of the morning, he set the hook on a 7-pounder. Our plan–now that we had found fish–was to sit there all day to make sure no one took our spot. At about 7:10 a boat rolled up—asking us to move. He was leading after Day 1 in the Toyota series. We moved. From there–in our state of hopelessness–we ran north and south searching for something that replicated that spot. We found nothing. Both of us kept in contact with our teammates to see how they were doing. Everyone had 1 or 2 bites. By the time we got back to the hotel, we had nothing to go off. We had covered a lot of water—attempting to [still] replicate what we found earlier. We were looking for down willows, warm water flowing in through a creek channel, and some sort of flat or ditch where the bass would be schooled. Some places had downed willows, but no bites. After talking to a couple of other teammates we found out they were biting down south–if you could find them–if you fished a drop shot. I had been fishing a drop shot along with everything else in my tackle for the past 2 days—coming up empty. With pre-fish over –20 hours of fishing done–with only 1 bite, the hopelessness ahead of tournament day only grew. All we knew was fish slow. We needed to not throw any fast-moving baits. Tournament Day I woke up at 5 am. We had to pack before heading to the boat. From there we got all our gear ready, checked in, then launched. Neither of us knew where to start—what water to cover. As we idled out before blast-off we decided to see if there was a pro in our one spot where we had a bite. He was so we went north—then south to find a fish. 3 hours later we had nothing to show but an empty live well. Brayden made the call to go to a spot where we had seen fish on day 1. As we rolled into the area a boat 100 yards away from us caught a bass. They graciously offered to let us roll past them–to where we were trying to go–since we were in a tournament. About 10 casts in Brayden cast his swimbait (the only bait anyone could get bit on). He got bit but missed the fish. I gave him my drop shot rod. He casts into the same spot, gets bit, sets the hook, and the line snaps. As that happens, I flip my Senko (a slow-moving finesse bait) into the same spot—then I got bit, missed the hook set, and reeled in with no lure on the end. I put another Senko on—cast again, then set the hook as I got bit. Once we got that first fish in the boat, we stuck with what we were doing—after about 24 hours of fishing in 3 days, we had figured out what pattern to run. I kept flipping a Senko into the tules. Brayden fished a drop shot. Our 3rd fish was the biggest, but our 4th made all the difference. Without the 4th fish–caught about 2 minutes before we left to make it back by 2 pm–we would have got 6th place. We got 3rd, one spot away from qualifying for Nationals. RESULTS 1st Joey Gentle / Justin Gentle UCLA 16 - 13 (5) 2nd Kent Moua / Seth Moua FRESNO STATE 14 - 09 (4) 3rd Brayden Bishop / Jacob Greene SIMPSON UNIVERSITY 13 - 13 (4) 4th Landon Ford / James Hawkinson SIMPSON UNIVERSITY 13 - 09 (4) 5th Austin Brown / Brandon Huse CHICO STATE 12 - 13 (4) 6th Justin Keegan / Cody Wyatt SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY 9 - 07 (3) 7th David Berry / Aiden Grad SIMPSON UNIVERSITY 6 - 10 (2) 8th Jordan Harris / Fisher Perkins CHICO STATE 6 - 06 (2) 9th Michael Bray / Brennan Osborn SIMPSON UNIVERSITY 5 - 14 (2) 10th Miles Bootay / Jim Emory SACRAMENTO STATE 3 - 06 (1) 11th Dylan Grad / Taj White SIMPSON UNIVERSITY 2 - 01 (1) 12th Koobheem Her / Austin Soucy CHICO STATE 0 - 00 (0) 13th Peter Khoury / Steven Verschoor CHICO STATE 0 - 00 (0) 14th Nolan Bartlett / Bradley Tiller OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY 0 - 00 (0)

By Ruby Churchill Another Fireside Chat of the semester is upon us, with an interesting twist. Image by Jacob Greene Hold onto your textbooks! A riveting Fireside Chat rolled into town on February 27, 2024. The Student Union transformed into a cozy haven. Students flocked in for a night of airing grievances and indulging in the legendary cookies of Alison Hall. The scene was set with an oblong circle of seats occupied by none other than President Norman Hall, Student President Brandon Hall, Sarah Jobson, and other staff. Natalie Goens set the tone with a prayer—then Dr. Hall took the stage. He spoke about an aviation major, a master's nursing program, and fundraising for a fancy new business and engineering building. “Here’s a couple of updates. The STEM building, we finally raised 7.2 million dollars...the last three years we fundraised about thirty million dollars. Students at Simpson, about 99% get aid, on average 52% get tuition scholarships. That’s a big thing,” Hall said. Athletics and other future activities like beach volleyball are underway as well. “With athletics, we’re about two clicks below the national average on scholarships for athletics, that’s also something I’m really pleased with,” Hall said. Dr. Hall then transitioned to a commentary on the history of college founder A. B. Simpson, as well as his own personal journey. “When I came here, I felt a calling from God, to serve at Simpson University and to move it to a place of this unyielding, unapologetic faith in Jesus,” Hall said Now, here’s the twist: Last Fireside Chat, students were summoned to take part in the Student Satisfaction Survey. 14,000 nationally participated, including 137 of our very own Red Hawks. Armed with the results, Sarah Jobson took the lead to reveal what students really think about campus life. The strengths of Simpson University include campus life, safety, tutoring, athletic programs, and weekend activities. “These are the things friends, that students say are important to me and I’m satisfied in them…with academics, your advisor’s approachable. That’s good, that’s a strength. What else? Tutoring services are readily available, that’s great. Faculty are available during office hours, I keep hearing that,” Jobson said. Jobson then transitioned into some of the university’s weaknesses. “Admissions staff are knowledgeable, and admissions accurately portrays the campus in their recruiting practices…there are our challenges.” Jobson then asked what the experiences of students were, and a few gave their responses. One student spoke up and explained that perhaps athletes are not getting adequate tours of campus if they tour with a coach rather than admissions personnel. “If people don’t know who the admissions counselors are...not all sports require their tour to be with an admissions counselor,” they said. Another challenge was the lack of timely feedback provided by professors. Students complained about email abysses where assignments went to hibernate until midterms. It was suggested that professors should provide comments at least weekly on assignments. “I think for me, emails are great, but I don’t even get my assignments graded until like midterms or end of the semester. And you turn in like 3 or 4 assignments a week and you’re doing things wrong, you don’t know that they wanted it different,” a student said. Also mentioned was the lack of communication between the departments of Student Accounts and Financial Aid, leading to issues with charges. One student explained that they had problems with being charged too much on their account. “I had to keep going to each one separately, they could have solved that by communicating to each other. That’s where the big issue lies, there’s lackluster communication between those two…” they said. Other topics unfolded—maintenance requests, dorm room mysteries, cafeteria food adventures, and more. In the end, another Fireside Chat wrapped up, leaving the community closer than ever.

By Kassandra Soria As the 2024 year starts, the Red Hawks continue competing with winter sports in the crazy Redding weather. The real issue, how are these teams competing in weather hazards and why. Unfortunately, some sports teams are struggling with practicing and playing their scheduled games which has been causing some issues for these athletes because of the weather. Not only does this take away reps. But, all these athletes want to do is play the sport they love. I was able to talk to some student athletes, to see how they react to these conditions. Track and Field/Cross Country answered some questions having to do with their sport and if there are any challenges, this is what they said. “I like running early in the mornings so I have the rest of the day free for school and work. It only really sucks when we run in the pouring rain,” Jewels Zaragoza said, “But there really isn’t a place for us to run inside when it is raining....it’s usually on a treadmill and I get worse shin splints, so it makes no sense for me to run on a treadmill. The only thing that sucks is when it rains and we run 5 miles in it”. “I wish we had our own track so that we didn’t have to worry about driving to places to run,” Abigal Kang said. After hearing both responses it is clear all sport teams are determined to compete. Athletes of both winter and spring sports share this challenge. Another example of getting work done is both basketball teams staying over their winter breaks and only going home for a couple of days. Both Baseball and Softball have started to practice and play with weather hazards. This has made it difficult as well but, both teams both find ways to get work done this upcoming season.

By Ruby Churchill Image courtesy of USA Today In the vast, poetic universe, one name shines brighter than a supernova—Brandon Leake. Leake has a charming stage presence and a knack for weaving words into magical tapestries. He has been capturing audiences worldwide with his poetry, even gracing the stage of America’s Got Talent. On March 4, 2024, he visited Simpson University—treating everyone to a short film. Leake's journey started in Stockton, California. Born on May 24, 1992, Leake fell head over heels for the spoken word while attending college. Poetry became his trusty steed for navigating the roller coaster of life. His childhood trials and tribulations were like fertilizer for his poetic garden. “When I seriously started taking poetry for myself was freshman year. My best friend drowned in a levee running away from a rival gang while I was here…and I said, what better way can I honor my friend than by writing about him. So I wrote a poem, and I came up and shared it. And that was the first inkling I had to dive back into writing,” Leake said. Leake crashed into the limelight like a poetic wrecking ball when he made history as the first spoken word artist on America's Got Talent in 2020. His audition piece was more than just a poem—it was an incredible moment addressing the social issues gripping the United States. Leake’s authenticity set him apart from the beginning. Howie Mandel couldn't resist hitting the Golden Buzzer. After winning America’s Got Talent, Leake continued his creative career. He has used his platform to fight for social justice and mental health awareness. Leake is not just a poet; he's a force of nature wrapped in human form. From his humble beginnings to the America's Got Talent stage, he has proven that words are not just ink on paper—they are dynamite sticks waiting to explode minds. Leake answered questions in the Student Union before introducing his short film to Simpson University students. One student asked about the transition from playing basketball to doing poetry. “It was super difficult...what you will find is that any athlete—especially the higher you go, the more difficult the fall after it’s done. When you see professional athletes who are drugged out, who are struggling trying to figure out life after sports when they’re retired at 33, and they still have the rest of their lives ahead of them, it's because they never established any identity outside of what they did on that field. And that was me…” Leake said Leake also empasized the importance of faith in his journey. He explained that he tried out for America’s Got Talent in 2017 but was turned down, only for God to lead him back to the stage in 2019. “How did my faith play a role in my success? It’s solely responsible for it…Before I was on America’s Got Talent, I did 4 hours a day of rehearsal. From 9 pm to 1 in the morning, just running poems…But I did that before I committed to Jesus like for real, and didn’t get the same results. And it was my faith that met me, because I was doing poetry in 2017 when I tried out for America’s Got Talent the first time, and got told no…The distinct difference isn’t just my work ethic. The distinct difference is that God is here with me because you can show up to the right destination at the wrong time, which was me in 2017,” Leake said. His short film Complexity detailed the relationship between a young teenager and the police officer who killed his father. It showed themes of faith, forgiveness, and struggle. Many students expressed the emotions it made them feel—sadness, loss, hope. As he continues to paint his masterpiece on the canvas of life, Brandon Leake reminds us of the magic that happens when art and storytelling collide. Visit Leake’s website for information about his upcoming projects.

Ruby Churchill Photo by Bobby Rutledge The transfer process at Simpson University. The journey of becoming a Red Hawk by transferring can be akin to deciphering hieroglyphics underwater. The process is undeniably worth the adventure. Simpson University opens the door to an immersive experience. The supportive community nurtures your intellectual growth and encourages you to explore your faith. The smaller class sizes create an intimate learning environment. Meanwhile, campus life is so vibrant it makes disco balls jealous. There is never a dull moment with student organizations, events, and sports. The transfer process is not as complicated as rocket science but is more intricate than assembling IKEA furniture. To submit an application, you will share academic information. They want to ensure you did not learn calculus from a fortune cookie. There will also be an opportunity to showcase your background and flex your faith muscles. The next step is sending transcripts for evaluation of credits. You would not want to accidentally be put in the underwater basket weaving class if you have already taken it. Admissions counselor Marjorie Kennedy explained that there are a few things students should know before transferring. “They should know which program they want to transfer too…and they need to send transcripts from all colleges and universities they’ve attended. That’s really critical,” Kennedy said. Upon admission, the university meticulously evaluates student transcripts to determine which credits can be seamlessly transferred. For students concerned about their credits, Kennedy has some recommendations. “They can always email our transfer email, its transfer@simpsonu.edu, and they can always check things class by class,” Kennedy said. The transfer process is a character-building obstacle course with room for improvements. Some students have trouble getting their classes transferred as a result. For the program I chose, I could not get all my credits transferred. I therefore have three heavy semesters ahead of me, one of which is above sixteen credits. Over the summer, I have three additional classes. I also worked to get a certification in IGETC, only for it not to be accepted. It was a time-consuming struggle to figure out my schedule, but my academic counselor worked tirelessly to help. I genuinely appreciate how friendly and helpful the staff at this university are. Abby Kang, a pre-nursing student, had positive and negative experiences as well. “The transfer process was really easy in terms of getting into the school. Everyone was really accessible, that’s the benefit of it being a small school. You can get into contact easily and ask whatever questions you have” Kang said. When it comes to credits, Kang states she had a difficult time “In terms of transferring credits, I did have to advocate for myself a lot...there were some obstacles and bumps along the way. I’m actually still in the process of getting credits transferred because they never gave me my course evaluation, so I was in classes I didn’t need to be taking,” Kang said. The university could simplify the transition by creating articulation agreements with more schools. This allows students to research which classes will transfer ahead of time. It is like having a treasure map for credits—X marks the class. The IGETC and CSU Breadth patterns are certificates that show students have completed certain general education requirements. If they were accepted, this would make the transfer process smoother than a buttered penguin slide. Other courses such as Bible classes could still be added to schedules to ensure students meet the specific requirements of Simpson. Get ready for the adventure of transferring, future Red Hawks—where education meets excitement.

By Elizabeth Aleo Photo by Jacob Greene Women’s Basketball gets into a groove for the postseason. The team is currently in 4th place in the California Pacific Conference. With a record of 9 wins and 3 losses in the conference. Makenzee Moretto, a junior that plays the 2 or 3 guard position here expressed how the team is looking. “I think the team is looking good so far. Yes, we have our ups and downs, but we have grown a lot through it,” Moretto said via text. Hannah Parsons is also a junior that plays shooting guard and power forward on the team. She also expressed how the team is looking this season. “The team is looking good right now and a lot different than last year, which has its pros and cons. I feel like we have gotten into a good rhythm with each and have worked hard to develop good chemistry,” Parsons said via text. Moretto also is looking forward to the team growing. “I’m looking forward to see the team continue to grow and continue to get better every day,” Moretto said via text. Parsons indicated what she is looking forward to. “I’m looking forward to finishing out conference and getting to playoffs,” Parsons said via text. The team is on the road on the 22nd and 24th before the Cal Pac tournament.

By Jacob Greene The swim team for Simpson University competed in the Logger Invitational at the University of Pudget Sound from Dec. 1-3. The team had a successful meet. Four swimmers set multiple PRs (personal records). Junior, Liam Schroeder had a huge meet. He set 2 personal records with 4 season bests. In the 200-yard fly, Schroeder’s time was 2:11.80 (in prelims). In the finals, it was 2:11.68. Which improved his previous time by 6.98 seconds. “I feel like everyone did really well. Everyone was rested. Everyone was suited up. Everyone put their best in it,” Schroeder said. A big part of the team's success is Coach Logan Friesen. “With the change in coach over the past year, it really showed how well his coaching style works for us–it’s great,” Schroeder said. Sophomore, Alannah Lucin set a new personal record in 4 events. Her biggest time difference was in the 100-yard fly, beating her time by 3.48. Lucin’s second-biggest improvement was in the 50-yard fly with a 2.5-second difference. Freshman, Teo Barthelemy set 4 personal records. His biggest time difference was in the 100-yard breaststroke with a 1.69-second improvement. One of his other personal records was in the 50-yard breaststroke with a final time of 27.44 seconds–improving his time by 1.48 seconds. Cloe Barthelemy broke two school records in the women's 100 butterfly (101.87) and backstroke event (1:04.37). She made the National provisional cut in the women's 100 freestyle. She is ranked 61st in the nation in the 100 butterfly, 42nd  in the nation in the 100 freestyle, and 35th for the 50 freestyle (All according to the SU Athletic page). On Dec. 8–less than a week later–Simpson had their first “home meet” ever.  The meet was vs. Shasta Community College at Shasta’s Redding campus. It was a scrimmage, not an official meet. Head coach Logan Friesen offered his thoughts on the scrimmage. “It just kinda gauges what we can work on for February,” Friesen said. There is a lot to look forward to going into the second half of the season. “We had a great midseason meet. It was good to see where everybody is at going into the second half of the semester. We got a couple of weeks coming up, just some rest before we get back into some hard training in January. Then we’ll be back on the grind,” Friesen said. There were positive takeaways from the scrimmage. “I think everyone did pretty well. Doing every single event took a toll. But you know, it was fun, a lot of fast swims. Just an all-around good time,” Schroeder said. The whole team did well, given the circumstances. “Even though we’re all tired and finals is like taking a massive mental toll getting in the water, swimming is always fun to do–just to relax and take like a mental break from school,” Schroeder said, “[And] just to see where you’re at post-midseason.” The team’s next meet is Jan. 6 in Santa Barbara at Westmont College.

By Ruby Churchill Questions were answered and cookies were eaten at the Fireside Chat. On Nov. 8, 2023, students gathered in the Student Union to have their questions about housing, faith, parking, and more answered by President Norman Hall. There were also plenty of cookies with accompanying drinks from the Bean Scene to enjoy. The Student Union was enveloped in the aroma of coffee. Students engaged in animated conversations as Hall and others settled onto couches positioned on the stage. I was curious to know why students were there. Three said they wanted to socialize. Six had been enticed by the cookies. Hall may be the president, but he’s married to the baker, Alison Hall. As the night commenced, students took their seats. Hall shared updates on sports. He expressed optimism about the teams' future endeavors. Exciting changes at Simpson were also unveiled, including potential additions like women’s flag football, an aviation major, and a new engineering building. “Engineering went from 2 or 3 majors to 22 majors. We've raised 6 million dollars, committed 3 million in the bank for our business engineering building,” Hall said, as he circulated plans for the building around the room. The floor then opened to questions. A student brought attention to concerns with spiritual matters. “So, you spoke a lot about the cool athletic and academic improvements we’re making on campus, I’m just curious to know if there’s anything new we’re looking at for improving the spiritual nature on campus?” Dr. Hall nodded in thought, acknowledging the importance of the question. “The strategic plan calls for a definite increase in mission and outreach…our goal has been that every team on campus go on a mission trip every other year. That’s a massive change agent for a small Christian college,” Hall said. Sitting next to Hall was the Dean of Students, Mark Endraske, who also had things to say. “I have been really happy with the spiritual formation office this year, especially in the space of chapel and worship,” Endraske said. Then a request for more water fountains on campus came forward, with Hall concurring that they were a priority, but also outlining some caveats. “Those were far more expensive than I anticipated because there wasn’t water fountains there already, so now you’re talking about bringing a pipe through the wall…They’re looking at now these things that you plug into the water in the kitchens, and it can give you filtered water, or filtered hot water,” Hall said. Another student mentioned issues about Simpson’s housing policies. “I’ve been a student here for 4 years…I have a concern that Simpson is not upholding its commitment to being Christ-centered. In the case of housing, contracts with Bethel and Cal Fire, I feel like Simpson is placing a higher importance on making money before housing and provisions for its own students, Simpson students…Because of Simpson’s recent choices, I feel like I am not a part of the Christian community here. When I voiced this concern to a member of the Res Life faculty, I was cut off and [they] said, ‘Don’t give me that. You know we are a business.’” Hall listened attentively and addressed the statement. “Housing for a private Christian liberal arts institution is unquestionably about philosophy and finance…research shows very clearly that students who live in housing are more satisfied, succeed academically, persist longer, and graduate at a higher level when they live on campus in the community. So, we want students to live on campus…I haven't known until now of any concern about Cal fire people misbehaving,” Hall said. Hall also expressed concern that the student did not feel valued as a person and apologized for that. He asked the student how his response was, and she replied that it was a good start, but she wanted a follow-up. Student President Brandon Hall was called upon to address parking. He explained the issue and the complaints while acknowledging that they are not unique—many college campuses have parking that could be better. Dr. Hall also added his own observations of the situation. “You have to be careful what you want to legislate, because if this goes much further it becomes assigned parking, then the people that don’t go into their assigned parking, they get fines, and then all of a sudden we become this police state on parking. So, I would urge you guys to study this as a student group, student leadership, and come back and tell me if there is a problem,” Hall said. Many other topics were discussed, including healthcare, trainers on campus, reusable boxes in the cafeteria, and issues with the weight room. The night concluded with an announcement about the Student Satisfaction Inventory survey, offering students a platform to voice their opinions until December. The Fireside Chat not only addressed pressing issues but also nurtured a sense of community, transcending the confines of the Student Union.

OPINION By Jacob Greene PARKING Simpson University and William Jessup University are compared often. They both are private Christian universities with a smaller student body. Jessup’s undergraduate enrollment (as of fall 2022) is 1,169 according to usnews.com. That same site has Simpson’s undergraduate enrollment amount (as of fall 2022) at 729. Of the enrolled students 37% of Jessup students live on campus while 65% of Simpson students live on campus. According to those statistics 432.53 Jessup students live on campus and 473.85 Simpson students live on campus. Image: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Jessup+University/ These figures show the parking lot distance from the dorms. If the problem is that there is not enough parking–students are mistaken. Even with commuters, staff, and visitors, there are still open spots. If the Science and Nursing building (approx. XX feet away from living areas) is too far then you should go to school online so you do not have to walk to and from things. Jessup is 126 acres while Simpson is only 92 acres. MEMES A meme account was created on Instagram to poke fun at the bad parking here. The first post was on Oct. 3. Whoever runs the account is anonymous, there are no names attached to it. Right around the time the meme page was created a petition was submitted to ASBSU President Brandon Hall and Vice President Jacob Vincent. A student made the petition, it was signed by many. Vincent told me what the “parking situation” is according to the current ASBSU administration. “Parking is a difficult issue, the petition got turned in to us. We talked about it with people who are involved,” Vincent said. “The difficult thing is that there’s a lot of people involved in these decisions. You can’t just like push something through because there’s problems that need to be solved before you can solve other problems. The root of the issue is different than people realize. “The main problem as we talk to the people involved in it–we’ve realized–is that we need to start doing a better job of registering vehicles and being able to keep account of what vehicles are in our parking lot,” Vincent said, “While we do the parking passes, not everybody actually gets those, and we don’t have a very strict policy on what happens with that as of the moment.” LEGISLATION Dr. Hall’s fireside chat got a little heated at some points. One of Dr. Hall’s best responses was to the parking concern. The Slate’s brief quoted Dr. Hall who said, “You have to be careful what you want to legislate, because if this goes much further it becomes assigned parking, then the people that don’t go into their assigned parking, they get fines, and then all of a sudden we become this police state on parking. So, I would urge you guys to study this as a student group, student leadership, and come back and tell me if there is a problem.” The Slate published a summary of the event. Some highlights included a student who said, “I’ve been a student here for 4 years…I have a concern that Simpson is not upholding its commitment to being Christ-centered.” True or not–it is bold. That is the beauty of these fireside chats. Dr. Hall wants students to ask questions like this. This is not a Dr. Hall show and tell. This is for students to bring their concerns forward to the administration. It is also for students to ask questions or bring concerns directly to administrators. When the student size increases abruptly housing will be more difficult than before–it’s math. Drinking fountains–for filtered water–were another item brought up at the fireside chat. This is a recurring topic because students do not have easy access to fresh drinking water–they have to walk to the cafeteria or Owens Center. Water bottles do not fit under sinks in the dorms. The other option is to use the tap water in the kitchen [of the dorms] which is not filtered. Thompson kitchen: First floor Irwin kitchen: First floor Morgan kitchen: Second floor Currie kitchen: Second floor Cooper kitchen: Filled with BSSM students, second floor UPGRADES Additions are nothing new for Simpson. They are constantly adding new things—that is never the complaint. The standard gripe is that there are things that need fixing or could be better, but instead that money goes to something new, such as a sports team, sports bubble, or engineering building. It took an entire football program to get the weight room expanded, but even that is not finished yet. A wall got taken out so there is more floor space, but no additional equipment. LOOKING AHEAD I am all for looking ahead. I am a college student–I have been looking ahead. Not only looking ahead but planning, dreaming, and praying about what is ahead. I have to do something with my degree. I need to think about what that is now so when I graduate I know what steps to take next. The same thing goes for other things in life. You think ahead. You plan. But, you also need to take into consideration the things in your current situation that need fixing. Rome may not have been built in a day, but it had to be maintained and upgraded. Of all the things that need to be upgraded or fixed—I do not think parking is at the top of that list. I am not blind, the lines are crooked, and the parking lot layout is not the most efficient, but so far it works. There are more pressing matters to attend to. SOLUTIONS A solution I can offer is to deal with it. We live on a small campus, it is not far. Assigned parking, freshman not having cars, or “adding another parking lot” as if it is that easy to do. There is no place to expand parking or add another lot. The “overflow parking” areas are by the science and nursing building or the gym. To reiterate, it is not that there is not enough parking. It is that students are going to find something to complain about. A couple hundred more feet will not kill you–no matter how sore or tired you are. If your legs are sore from walking, talk to someone from Jessup or UC Davis, where they have to walk farther, much farther. UC Davis does not even allow freshmen to have cars. Take notes from them–invest in a bicycle or scooter. I suppose if you are really sore it could be motorized.