THE JOURNAL

Volume 67 Issue 21 February 26 - March 4, 2014 websterjournal.com

The News Source For Webster University

Illustration by Victoria Courtney

City urges university to submit University, Eden and city await its plans for future expansion judges decision in lawsuit
By Kavahn Mansouri Webster University Chief Financial Officer Greg Gunderson approached the podium at the Tuesday, Feb. 25 special Webster Groves City Plan Commission meeting with copies of Webster Universitys Master Plan. He asked commission members to review the materials to better understand the university and Edens intentions. Gunderson fielded questions from the commission on the Master Plan. Plan Commission Vice Chair Eric Romano asked why the university would not submit the Master Plan to the city to go through the formal process. Gunderson said the university would lose control of the Master Plan if it were formally submitted to the city. The process, as I understand it, is the city council can modify the Master Plan, and modify it in any way they see fit, Gunderson said at the meeting. We lose control over our master plan. That is a challenge for us. The CUP process doesnt create that challenge. Commission member Renee Ross said even if the university lost control of its Master Plan, it was supposed to be a collaboration. At the Feb. 3 Plan Commission meeting, Gunderson urged the commission to table proposed changes to the Webster Groves zoning code. The changes would categorize Webster University and Eden Theological Seminary differently If passed, the proposed zoning changes would put Eden and the university in different educational zones, preventing them from sharing property. The
News Editor

By Gabe Burns
Managing Editor

MACKENZIE WILDER/ The Journal Greg Gunderson, Cheif Financial Officer, brought copies of the universitys Master Plan to the City Plan Commission Meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The meeting was held in accordance to educational zoning. To hear audio from the meeting visit websterjournal.com.

Judge Mark Seigel asked Webster University, Eden Theological Seminary and Webster Groves if there was a possible solution to the institutions lawsuit outside of the courtroom. The three entities pleaded their cases to Seigel at a Feb. 21 hearing. I just want to know: is there a practical way to solve this without delaying (Webster University and Eden) another year and costing them money? Seigel said at the hearing. Eden and Webster University seek to overturn an August 2013 city council decision that prevented the university from using property on Edens campus (See timeline below story). Webster Groves City Attorney Helmut Starr said the university has continued to work independently of the citys processes, which lead to the lawsuit and past miscommunications. I really think that, unfortunately, the city and the petitioners are like two ships passing in the night, Starr said. We, did not understand each others position as to what was going

forward and what could legally go forward. Starr suggested Eden subdivide the land so it would be considered a different lot. Then the university can reapply for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). Starr said the council would be more favorable if the land was subdivided, but could not guarantee it would be approved. Starr also said if this process goes smoothly, it could take three months. If the judge decides in favor of the university and Eden it would allow the university to use two of the three buildings for offices and student activities and demolish the third to create green space. A second count in the suit requested the university and Eden collect damages in excess of $5 million if the decision was not overturned. Seigel dismissed this charge on the recommendation of University lawyer Gerard Carmody. University lawyer Traci Pupillo told The Journal the count is not gone for good. Pupillo said that it was requested to be dismissed so the judge could make his decision on count one before considering count two. If the judge dismisses count one, the

To read The Journals past coverage of the lawsuit, visit websterjournal.com

university expects to follow up with count two. The university requested the following uses for the buildings at Eden: Luhr Library would be used for office space, equipment storage and the new home for the Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence (SPICE). The White House would be demolished for the creation of more green space. See Lawsuit Page 2

Webster University 2012 Master Plan mentions use of property on Edens campus. The Conditional Use Permit (CUP) voted down by the city council (see adjacent story on lawsuit) sought to allow the university use of Edens Luhr Library and Wehrli House and clearance to demolish Edens White House. The Webster Groves City Plan Commission voted on Feb. 26 to continue public hearings

and postpone the vote on educational rezoning of the city. The board said it would need more time to gather information and discuss possible amendments to the proposed zoning code. At the Tuesday meeting, the board voted to continue public hearings at the March 3 meeting. Eden would be placed in a district that includes educationSee Zoning Page 2

Timeline: City decision leads to lawsuit

Aug. 20 2013 - City council voted 4-3 to deny a Conditional Use Permit to allow Webster University to use two properties on Edens campus and to demolish third. Webster university purchased the properties in 2010 for $5 million. Sept. 18 2013 - Webster University and Eden filed suit against Webster Groves to overturn the councils decision concerning the CUP. If that were to fail, they requested damages of $5 million be paid. Feb. 21 2014 - Webster University and Eden met Webster Groves in court. The parties will submit briefs to support their petitions by March 3 to the judge.

Reporting by Gabe Burns

Graphic by Emily Ratkewicz

Roots in mind, delegate advocates tuition benefits for contract workers

By Gabe Burns
Managing Editor

As sophomore Jesse Koons stood before his peers, family and school administration, he introduced himself, cracked a smile and waved to his mom. Koons presented the idea of offering tuition benefits to contract workers, such as custodial and food service workers hired through Sodexo and Follett, at the spring Delegates Agenda on Feb. 20. The Delegates Agenda is an opportunity for students to present issues to the administration which they would like to see addressed. Koons said the idea came to him while speaking Bosnian with a Webster University custodian about her child attending Webster. When he asked what kind of assistance the university was providing the student, her answer was none. According to Websters employee benefits specified on webster.edu, the university offers tuition remission to

He knew in his heart what I went through. Not just me but his grandfather was a custodian for a hospital.
Darlene Koons
Mother of Webster University student Jesse Koons

full-time Webster employees as well as their spouses and children if the university has employed them for at least one year. However, Webster does not employ these contract workers a third party does. Therefore, neither they nor their children are offered these benefits. The entirety of Sodexos custodial staff is hired on fulltime, and their dining service staff is a mixture of part-time and full-time employees. Koons said this lack of tuition remission is a problem because low-income workers are the ones who need the education and tuition remission more than the faculty and staff of the university.

I wasnt looking for any type of gain, but I just felt like I had that understanding that (contract workers) contribute a lot that people take for granted, and you reap a lot less of the rewards, Koons said. Darlene Koons, Jesse Koons mom, has worked as a custodian and cafeteria worker in educational institutions. Koons grandfather worked as a janitor, as did Koons girlfriends parents. Darlene Koons said this awareness of their situations led her son to care about this topic and present it for consideration at the Setting of the Delegates Agenda. He knew in his heart what I went through. Not just me,

but his grandfather was a custodian for a hospital, Darlene Koons said. Its the underclass and the working-class workers that really need the help. With four children, Darlene Koons said it would have been impossible for her to send all of her children to college on her salary. She said she would have worked for a job at a university like Webster if she knew benefits like this had been available not just for her children but for herself. However, Darlene Koons said she was lucky her children worked hard to make their own way into school. We are a middle-class family and it was struggle for all my children to attend college, and it was on their hard work, Darlene Koons said. Darlene Koons said seeing her son take a stand for other middle- and lower-class workers made her realize he did not forget where he came from. She said this was his way of See Delegates Page 3

GABE BURNS / The Journal Jesse Koons waves hello to his mom during his presentation in Sunnen Lounge, he asked the administration to offer tuition benefits to contract workers.