A $20,000 telescope was purchased during the summer of 2022 by the department of Chemistry and Physics that now allows for a more advanced look at space through the use of light reflection. The new telescope will be a learning resource for both the department and SEMO’s Astronomy Club.

The SEMO campus will close at 3 p.m. on Sept. 22 due to an emergency water outage. No classes will be held at 3 p.m. or after. Classes that began before 3 p.m. will continue to be in session. According to an email sent out by the University, the rupture is causing the loss of hot and cold domestic water in several buildings. Facilities management is looking into the ruptured pipe and making arrangements for emergency repairs...

On Feb. 15, 1994, SEMO student Michael Davis was pronounced dead from internal bleeding, after suffering from “fractured ribs, lung, liver and kidney damage, a bruised and bleeding heart, and spinal hemorrhaging.” In a story published by AP News, Davis’s mother described him as a kind soul who “couldn’t kill a spider,” and the hazing as “cold-blooded murder.”...

On Monday, Sept. 19, the SEMO Student Government Association (SGA) discussed funding expenses for the Student Organization, Discretionary, and Conference accounts. Undergraduates can receive money from SGA which can be used for conferences, competitions, showcases and more — by submitting a Student Government Funding Application to the Funding Board or the Executive Board. SGA provides funding for these accounts, which is drawn from a percentage of SEMO’s students tuition dollars...

College students often have more stress on their plate than they can handle, but not all students have access to a counseling center near their classes. Upon appointment, The Counseling Clinic will now send counselors to the Arts Resource Center (ARC), a small library at River Campus...

SEMO’s Office of Military and Veterans Services held a Patriot Day event at Academic Hall on Monday, Sept. 12 at 7:40 a.m. Show-Me Guard Officer Leadership Development Program (GOLD) active members and Air Force ROTC Detachment 205 cadets gathered to honor those who lost their lives during the Sept.11 terrorist attacks...

On Aug. 24, the Biden-Harris Administration announced their Student Debt Relief Plan. The plan includes a one-time student loan debt relief for low to middle-class families. According to the U.S. Department of Education (USDE), undergraduate students who qualified for a Federal Pell Grant are eligible to receive up to $20,000 in relief. Students who did not qualify for a Federal Pell Grant can receive up to $10,000 in relief...

The SEMO Student Government Association (SGA) voted to alter the requirement to be in “Good Standing” with the University as a qualification for SGA membership to include only undergraduate students, and the SGA candidates for Man and Woman of the Year...

Ferris wheel, funnel cakes, and family fun…Oh my! The SEMO District Fair has returned to Cape Girardeau, and is packed full of entertainment for the whole family. The fair kicked off Sept. 10 at the A.C. Arena Park Fairgrounds, opening the gates at 11 a.m. for all ages of fairgoers. This year’s fair theme is, “No time like fair time.”...

The first Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness: Horticulture and Cannabis degree is now offered at SEMO after many student requests and thanks to Professor of Agriculture, Horticulture, and Cannabis Sven Svenson’s dedication to research. Hemp is a major crop in the United States, and the industry is growing at an exponential rate. Svenson brought the opportunity to the students at SEMO to explore the benefits of this plant...

On the quad between Johnson, Magill, and Rhodes Halls on Thursday, Sept. 1, from 7 to 9 p.m., Saturn could be seen. So could the constellation Cygnus and Vega — the brightest star in the Lyra star system. These celestial bodies were visible with the aid of SEMO’s Astronomy Club, who supplied six telescopes and five astronomy binoculars to a crowd of curious students...

To promote altruism in the community, SEMO’s Volunteer Fair was held on Wednesday, Aug. 31 in the University Center to inform students about different organizations. As students entered the lobby, they were greeted by organizations’ booths eager to explain ways to volunteer...

Campus Outreach Ministry held their second annual “Big Bucks and BBQ” event at Parker Field Aug. 30, where over 900 students came out to eat hotdogs and try their chances at winning prizes, one of which being the coveted free semester of college. Campus Movement executive director Joey Babich was on the mic, and pumped up the crowd with music and games. He said he wanted students to get to know each other...

If students feel unsafe walking back to their dorms at night, are put in an uncomfortable situation, or just need an escort, SEMO Department of Public Safety (DPS) has safety tips for them. September is National Emergency Preparedness month and for students, staying safe on campus is a priority...

As students head into the new semester, SEMO’s campus is filling with people as classes begin and on-campus residents settle in. Living on campus is a great way to meet new people, and in certain residence halls, you may encounter some not so traditional residents. Acting sophomore Jamie McCarty is one of many students who has brought a fuzzy-friend along with them this semester...

"Humble," "Caring," "Serves the veteran community"— these are just a few of the words said by Military Services Director Amanda Woods about Student Veteran Leadership Award winner Hannah Porter. Woods nominated SEMO Biomedical Science senior Hannah Porter for the Student Veteran Leadership award, but withheld telling Porter, who didn’t find out until she received an email saying she had won...

Officials from the Cape Girardeau community gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony near the Show-Me-Center to celebrate the finished construction of the parking lot’s Ameren solar panels.

On Tuesday, President of the United States Joe Biden announced a student loan debt relief program that he had promised in his campaign. He said people making under $125,000 could qualify, leaving out the top 5% of income earners. He said he would forgive $10,000 per person in outstanding federal student loans, and students from low-income households who qualified for a Pell Grant would be relieved of $20,000 worth of student loans. ...

SEMO’s Board of Governors have approved a contract for the renovation of Houck Stadium’s south grandstand and sideline with Fager-McGee Commercial Construction winning the construction bid of $15,978,100. Of the two general contractors who vied for construction, Director of Athletics Brady Barke said Fager-McGee was the “lowest and best bid,” and had also built trust by helping to demolish the southside lot earlier in 2022. He said it was finished enough so Fall sports can proceed as usual...

The SEMO Student Government Association (SGA) plans to create more attainable goals and foster a more collaborative environment between their executive board and senators for the new year. SGA president Joel Philpott said a primary goal is to work with other college representatives on their own goals instead of forcing the executive board’s projects on to the senators...

Towers Landing is now open, providing to-go-style meals for students from homestyle barbecue to ice cream. Previously known as Towers Café, the landing has six main restaurants: Trading Post Smokehouse, Broadway Street Burgers, Cardiac Hill Cantina, The Greenhouse, The Hill Pasta Works and Pure Eats. Between them, students can eat a variety of meals...

According to a SEMO news release, a fight involving SEMO students was reported in Towers East on Thursday, July 21. Witnesses said a handgun was shown. The fight was reported at 3:36 p.m., and University police arrived at the scene at 3:37 p.m. University police identified Taron Woods for the handgun. Woods was arrested and charged with a Class A misdemeanor for unlawful weapon use. Woods is held at Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office with a cash bond of $1,500...

The state of Missouri awarded $11 million to Southeast Missouri State University for the renovation of Houck Stadium on Thursday, July 14. The money will fund demolition, site preparation and planning, design, and construction. The construction project for Houck stadium will start with a bid on Sunday, July 17. The project will have two phases before the stadium’s completion. The University sent out a news release on Thursday, July 14, regarding the stadium...

The Southeast Board of Governors met to discuss SEMO’s budget, a change in fees for international students, and the change or deletion of specific degrees. Other than the overall increase from $145.5 million to $146.3 million, the budget reviewed for the 2023 fiscal year will look very similar to past years...

The use of technology integration in classrooms is growing throughout the world. At Southeast, many instructors use Apple products such as Macbooks or iPads in their curriculum. AR480 Introduction to Virtual Reality (VR) at SEMO is teaching students to create their own VR environments. VR instructor Jeremy Griffin picked up the course when the university sent out an email for professors who were interested in teaching AR480...