The Board of Regents called an emergency meeting, giving 24 hours' notice on July 27, to extend the contract of university President Carlos Vargas and to adopt a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) county-wide hazard mitigation plan. After completing his annual performance review, the Board of Regents extended Vargas’s contract through June 30, 2024, with a vote of 5-0. ...

As communications major Connor Mobley stood alone at the peak of a 14,000 foot-tall mountain he had summited minutes before, he had a deeper understanding of Professor Tom Holman’s advice he shared with the group enrolled in RC 350. The advice was simple, but also all-encompassing: “Eat the full meal.”...

At Southeast, the Spring 2021 semester has been different for everyone, including students and professors. Not only were there mask mandates and blended classes, but this semester also had no spring break. Instead, the university gave students two days off called “reading days” on Feb 23 and March 17. These days off from campus for both students and faculty were aimed at giving them a chance to catch up or have a day to relax...

Southeast’s River Campus has been gaining recognition for its fine arts program and has seen an increase in its enrollment numbers throughout the past year. The River Campus at Southeast is the newest campus at the University as of 2007 and is home to the Earl and Margie Holland College of Arts and Media, which is a highly-valued venue for performances. The River Campus is the only campus in Missouri that dedicates its purpose solely to art, dance, music and theater programs...

Southeast Missouri State University currently has more than 1,500 nontraditional students who are a part of the undergraduate student population, according to Debbie Below, vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Success. Many colleges and universities classify nontraditional students in different ways. ...

Each year, student government executive board positions are up for grabs, and this year, Redhawks from several colleges were selected for those executive roles.

Byron Henderson, director of the University School for Young Children (USYC), said they do things a little differently at the USYC. Students don't learn the alphabet in order, infants are taught to communicate first through simple sign language, the teachers focus on interest-based learning and many lessons are tailor-made for the individual child.

As the semester comes to a close, it can be a stressful time for many students, faculty and staff. April is National Stress Awareness Month, and May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the Center for Behavioral Health and Accessibility (CBHA) is working to help students relieve their stress.

Madison Mingione, psychology major and senior at Southeast, organized a book drive during the spring semester to collect reading materials for the University School for Young Children (USYC).

The legalization of cannabis is opening new jobs for those in business and agriculture industries. Not many universities and colleges across the country are beginning to prepare students for a growing industry, however Southeast may be one of few.

Every year, the Greek Five Star Chapter Program names the Fraternity and Sorority of the Year. The winners of the awards are based on the points given during the 2020 calendar year. Points are awarded through various events Greek Life hosts during the selected year. This year, Phi Delta Theta was named Fraternity of the Year, and Tri Delta was named the Sorority of the Year.

Each graduating senior attending the Spring 2021 commencement ceremony has been limited to six free guest tickets. Some graduates with more than six family members are asking other graduates for tickets.

Salaries, insurance, scholarships, utilities, maintenance and repair are all things that make up a college student’s tuition expenses. With the rise of mixed courses, hyflex and online courses, Budget Office director Sue Wilde said students could see an increase in next year's tuition in an effort to merge online course fees.

In honor of Earth Day on April 22, Kent Library and multiple student organizations held an event promoting earth-friendly practices.

In 2020, the total student loan debt in the United States exceeded $1.7 trillion for the first time ever. For comparison, the U.S. military budget in 2020 was $714 billion.

When Dr. Susan Kendrick, English department chair and professor, became the chair of the English department, the dean asked Kendrick what she thought of the curriculum. Kendrick said it was “strong, but similar to the program I took 30 something years ago.” Kendrick said her goal was to develop the curriculum to be more diverse and inclusive.

The approval session for Student Government Association President-Elect Layla Bouzihay’s executive board appointments hit a rough patch at the final meeting of the semester when the senators’ votes failed to pass the resolution to approve next year's executive board.

Melissa Odegard-Koester, the interim dean for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, said positive change has always been her goal.

The legalization of cannabis has become a trend in past years. The federal government approved the use of hemp, a cannabis sativa plant with less than 0.3% THC, and to be used by students as an agriculture product.

The City of Cape Girardeau issued a boil water advisory at 8:30 a.m. for some 2,000 residents, including all of main campus.

Greek Life is a big part of the Southeast University community, with more than 20 different fraternities and sororities on campus. To do good for Southeast and Cape Girardeau, once a year, students plan a week-long event called Greek Week. During this event, the Greek houses of Southeast give back to the community while having fun during the process.

On Wednesday, April 14, the Campus Violence Prevention Program and Redhawks Rising hosted their annual Walk A Mile event in honor of sexual violence awareness month.

With the Spring 2021 semester coming to a close, SGA is working to finalize organizational systems, budgets and funding for the following fall semester.

Each year, the Global Brigades at SEMO travels to underserved countries, creating makeshift clinics, eco-stoves and water systems to serve the community members. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Brigades have been unable to travel but continue their work through Telebrigades via Zoom.

Throughout the past week, you may have seen tables and tents set up between Kent Library and Academic Hall. The Student Government Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee set up a variety of “Ask a Blank” booths to allow students to ask questions about different groups on campus.