WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018
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THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS Volume: 62 Issue: 2
AUGUST 29, 2018
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This week’s Russia probe indictments simply explained, and UNO’s response
BY CRYSTAL MCCAY News Editor The week of August 20th brought on a notable set of political events for the Trump administration. From special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe of Russian interference with the 2016 elections emerged a protracted set of findings for President Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen. Manafort was found by a jury to be guilty of eight counts of tax evasion and bank fraud, while Cohen pleaded guilty to eight felonies relating to tax evasion, loan fraud, and violations of campaign finance laws. The finance law issue drew an especially significant amount of discussion. The issue derived from the Trump campaign’s actions to prevent information about two alleged affairs of Trump’s (with Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal) from appearing in the media and influencing the 2016 federal elections. For a campaign contribution to be legal, it would need to come from the candidate’s campaign and would need to be reported as a campaign contribution. Trump’s team made what is referred to as ‘hush money’ payments to Daniels and McDougal to prevent their publicizing of their allegations. The payments were not provided by the Trump campaign, but instead were provided by corporations (in McDougal’s case, the publisher of the National Enquirer bought exclusive rights to her story and did not publicize it, a measure known as ‘catch and kill’). The campaign also failed to
report the payments in both cases. Additionally, Michael Cohen made an illegal contribution when he paid Daniels prior to his being reimbursed and failed to report it. Another substantial detail of the story lies in Cohen’s guilty plea. It included his statement under oath that in making the Daniels payment, he did so “in coordination with and at the direction of a candidate for federal office.” Although his statement did not include President Trump’s name directly, Cohen’s involvement with the 2016 elections was through his role as Donald Trump’s campaign chairman. Consequently, it is inevitable that he is referring to Donald Trump with the phrase “a candidate for federal office.” If Cohen’s statements are true, that would mean that President Donald Trump would be implicated in a felony relating to a violation of campaign finance laws. Some of the remaining discussion appears to be centered around the truth or falsehood of Cohen’s statements and on the possible legal implications for Donald Trump. A part of the discussion surrounding this story has been about possible consequences for the Trump administration in the future. Some perspectives offered by the UNO community provide insight to students’ reactions to the events. Second-year student Charles Medley expresses ideas relating to a lack of political action in response to controversies. “I feel like it may or may not have as much of an impact as you’d think it would,” he explains, “because I know that there is an ongoing increase in the amount of people
who say things but don’t vote or do anything about it, so I feel like as much as we politicize all of the things that are happening, not much will happen.” First-year student Vinicio Hernandez offers a perspective about the perceived insignificance of controversial political events. “The measure of politics to me is almost completely individual by now. So any time that any events like these will occur, I almost don’t pay them much mind, because if we were to look under the aspect of eternity, under the aspect of the greater scheme of things, much of it will not really seem to matter.” Claudio Gomes, a self-described ‘super junior’ at UNO, puts forth a perspective about the perceived seriousness of the findings this week. “It sounds like a big deal because if his lawyer and his
Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former lawyer. Source: Variety campaign chairman are involved in such things that have to do with him, it might even bring up the idea of a possible impeachment, because it’s not just about what’s going to happen in the next elections. Should he continue to be our president? That’s the question that Americans will ask.” Junior Ken Hagimoto shares a view about a perceived disparity between ideal and actual consequences for political misconduct. “Optimistically I would hope that it would lead to at least a removal of these people from office and hopefully that Trump himself would be eventually removed, because he definitely seems to be quite close to the entire investigation. I’m quite pessimistic for the actual outcome.” As for his predictions of the effects of the findings
on November elections, “We’re already looking at a very positive swing in terms of Congress for the November election results, at least according to FiveThirtyEight [an opinion poll analysis site], so I’m not sure if there is going to be any noticeable change in that sense, and I think it’s just going to make it more likely that the Democrats regain control of the House.” Hagimoto further analyzes, “I’m thinking it might end up being quite contested at some other locations just because of the fact that Democrats are now becoming more energized, it’s more likely that the Republicans are more likely to energize their base, and the Republicans have definitely a much stronger grassroots initiative than the Democrats do.”
-Mugshot of Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s campaign chairman during the 2016 presidential campaign. Source: Politico
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018
NEWS
Renowned scholar Dean Chemerinsky discusses pressing Supreme Court cases BY HOPE BRUSSTAR Managing Editor On Thursday, Aug. 23, Dean of Berkeley School of Law Erwin Chemerinsky visited the Earl K. Long Library to give a talk entitled “A Pivotal Time in the Supreme Court.” Chemerinsky ranked in a scholarly impact study as the second-most cited U.S. legal scholar. He lectured about the most concerning recent events in the Supreme Court and what he expects to change if and when Brett Kavanaugh’s spot on the bench is confirmed. “This is a pivotal time in the United States Supreme Court,” said Chemerinsky. “The conservative position prevailed in every case last year.” He canvassed several recent court cases, including Trump v. Hawaii, where the state of Hawaii challenged Trump’s executive order known as the travel ban, which temporarily halted all incoming citizens of Venezuela, North Korea, Libya, Syria, Iran, Yemen and Somalia. But Chemerinsky said, “It wouldn’t apply to Christians in these overwhelmingly Muslim countries.” And further, “People who had green cards and visas … were being kept out.” In response, “[Courts appealed that] the travel ban was motivated by hostility to religion,” according to Chemerinsky. But instead of forming a response to the public dissent, “the Trump Administration issued a second executive order banning travel from six countries.” And the third edition of the travel ban included North Korea and Chad.
“Do you have any idea how many people come from North Korea every year? 18. And I have no idea what Chad did to get on the list.” After all, the Supreme Court upheld the travel ban with a 5-to-4 decision. Chemerinsky called them “deeply divided ideologically.” As for Trump, Chemerinsky said it seems that “Anything the president does in regard to immigration policy will be upheld.” Chemerinsky brought up the arbitration clause which has been showing up in a wide variety of contracts, including cell phone plans and employment contracts. Upon agreeing to the arbitration clause, a person waives her right to settle a dispute in court, instead agreeing to do so in front of an arbitrator chosen by the company. The Supreme Court recently ruled that employees who had signed off on such a clause were not even able to file class-action suits against their employers, an issue which arose in Epic Systems v. Lewis, when workers who were being repeatedly underpaid joined together to sue their employer. This changes the way that the 1935 National Labor Relations Act is to be understood, as the Supreme Court stated that it did not apply since the employees in question were not part of a union. Chemerinsky discussed some of the ways the arbitration clause comes up, including at his optometrist’s office, where he asked the receptionist if his doctor would still see him if he did not agree to the clause. “She said no one had asked that before,” he said.
-Photo by Hope Brusstar Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, the second-most cited legal academic in the U.S., visited on Aug. 23. “For the iPad, the terms are 47 single-spaced pages long. I usually just press ‘agree.’” In Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, the local government took issue when a homosexual couple was denied a wedding cake on religious ground. But the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the cake shop. “The case was sent back to the Colorado court … it’s surely to get back to the Supreme Court,” said Chemerinsky.
“The Supreme Court left unresolved the [underlying] question,” he added. “Are bakers allowed to be choosers?” The Supreme Court has also recently considered the issue of gerrymandering, which happens regularly and can make a dramatic effect on election results. It occurs when a party redraws the borders of the districxts Chemerinsky has also authored books about constitutional law and criminal procedure, as well as “Closing the Courthouse
Door: How Your Constitutional Rights Became Unenforcable,” “Free Speech on Campus,” and “The Case Against the Supreme Court.” The Honors Program, Student Government, and the Alexis de Tocqueville Project were all sponsors to this lecture. “The SGA has been incredibly supportive of bringing speakers like Dean Chemerinsky to campus,” said Honors Program director and event host Professor Chris Surprenant.
UNO’s Back To School Block Party BY CLAIRE SARGENT Reporter Innovations are constantly happening, and it is no surprise that the world’s goal of sustaining clean energy seems to be right around the corner. Scientists have been hard at work trying to find ways to produce energy for our powered-up society. Tidal turbines are not exactly a new way of successfully getting renewable energy, but they’ve advanced quickly! While there are currently no commercial uses of tidal turbines, they can easily power the United States with some well-placed coastline turbines. According to RenewableNorthwest. org “the United States receives 2,100 terawatt-hours of incident - Clean energy is on the way! (Top) Photo by Flickr user Moonjazz. (Bottom) wave energy along its Photo by Flickr user Aluacha
coastlines each year, and tapping just one quarter of this potential could produce as much energy as the entire U.S. hydropower system.” In the next ten years, this could easily become the United States main source of clean energy. Geothermal energy is another well-tested source of renewable energy since early 2002. It has been tested in over millions of homes, and with the advancements in technology, production costs are only going down! Geothermal energy could even put old oil fields back into use by using the water that was associated with the old oil reservoirs in sedimentary basins, as that water can run very hot, which limits its possible uses. Solar energy has been making leaps and bounds in innovation when it comes to making a sustainable clean energy for the world to use. Efficiency has gone up; there are now portable solar energy systems that can help disaster areas,
people can now lease out solar panels for nearly half the price they would be for installing them, and there is now even solar transportation! Most importantly, using solar panels at home can even be used as a tax benefit, allowing for homeowners to save more of their money. Kinetic energy is one of the most underused sources of clean sustainable energy. Businesses like Pavegen have created pavements slabs that will convert the steps of those who walk over it into kinetic energy. This is a source that is just waiting to be used. Another company called Soccket, still in the Kickstarter phase, has created a ball that will act as a portable generator that kids can play games with to generate and store energy, afterwards providing a reading light during the night. Kinetic energy is picking up a lot of traction, with big promises for a cleaner future.
NEWS
#Gunshine State: Another shooting in Florida
rampage. These communities are often created through word of mouth and internet forums. This tight-knit community feels the pain of this tragedy deeply. Elijah Clayton was a 22-year-old from Woodland Hills, California, and Taylor Robertson was a 28-years-old from Giles, West Virginia. Both were well-liked and respected in their community. Clayton placed second in a tournament earlier this year, and Robertson made his name in the gaming community by winning over 72 percent of his -Photo by Christopher B. Merritt, M.D. games in the Madden UNO’s Musical Excursions event calendar is already planned for next year. community. Student and faculty tickets are always free. “We are shocked and deeply saddened by killed two participants and BY CASSANDRA JASKIEWICZ the senseless violence in wounded 11 before killing Entertainment Editor Jacksonville and the tragic himself on the scene. deaths of Dot City Gaming Katz was a player in the On Sunday, Aug. 26, tournament, but had lost earli- team member, Taylor ‘SpotFlorida experienced another MePlzzz’ Robertson, and er this week in the qualifiers. tragedy when David Katz Eli ‘True’ Clayton., They While none of the victims entered Jacksonville Landing were great competitors and played against him during Complex, which was hostwell-loved members of the those games, many speculating a gaming tournament Madden community. Our ed that his loss inspired this for Madden 19. He shot and thoughts and deepest sympa-
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018
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Question of the Week What do you think of campus beautification? “I don’t really think it’s that critical. If anything, I think the money should go into improving the galley options or ‘beautifying’ and updating the classrooms.” Sara Davis “I believe that it’s slowly getting better with what the university is doing around campus. However, I think that improving the food options at the galley, increasing the professors’ salaries, and the technological aspects of campus would be more beneficial to the university and to the students as well. It would be more prosperous in the long run.” Megan Miller History, Graduate Student “I think beautification of the campus is okay, but not really necessary.” Crystal Bennett Psychology, Senior
thies go out to their families, loved ones, and all of those affected by this tragedy,” Robertson’s gaming sponsor, DOT City Gaming, said in a tweet regarding the events. This is not the first time Florida has made news for a shooting. The Pulse Nightclub shooter left 49 people dead in 2016. In Fort Lauderdale, at their local airport, five people were shot, and later, Parkland, florida, experienced a school shooting. Many seem to be finding fault in the government as a result of these repeated tragedies.This shooting instigated the heated gun control debate and sparked the hashtag #Gunshinestate and the hashtag #anotherflshooting, demonstrating the public’s outrage for the tragedy. Many used Twitter as an immediately updating news
source. One student at the University of New Orleans (UNO), Kiara Smith, who is a freshman majoring in hotel and restaurant tourism, said, “I saw it on my phone with one of the apps that is embedded in your iPhone.” Another student here at UNO, Stephanie Waguespack , an accounting, in continuing education, and for many others said, “I saw it on the news,” or people there are people like Caroline Fruge, a graduate student in accounting, who said “I heard it from a friend.” Many are still reeling from the losses and finding out information about these tragedies, but keep following the news outlets.
some new members, including Margaret Royerre in the position of Director of Housing. Thompson described the new leadership to be particularly exceptional. “She has been making it such a better place and cleaner place for people to live, it’s so significantly better.” Thompson also details that improvements in organization will allow swifter responses to maintenance requests and other needs. Some students may have already observed changes in this area.
Additionally, housing has a couple of ideas in store for the dorms in the future. “They’re in the process of getting rid of cable in the bedrooms and replacing it with high-speed internet, which is a big thing for the better,” Thompson describes, “because the Wi-Fi in certain rooms can be spotty, so it’s gonna be a lot better now.” Residents will be able to look forward to faster internet speeds in the future as a result.
A brief survey of changes in Student Housing
BY CRYSTAL MCCAY News Editor
Students returning to the dorms at Pontchartrain Hall may have noticed some changes to the dorm experience since the last school year. One development is that student Housing has experienced an upward tick in the dorm resident population this school year. “This semester, the dorm occupancy
was set to be the highest that it has been in a while,” explains sophomore resident assistant Charles Thompson. “I think it went up over 100 people between the spring semester and the fall semester, and I feel like that’s very close to capacity.” When asked of his perception of the cause for that growth, he identified “the larger incoming freshman classes” as a likely reason. With a lot of transitions happening in leadership and other posi-
tions, Thompson has expressed his observations of the effects of some of the transitional vacancies. “The area coordinator of South Hall left, and without her being here, there is only one person filling the job of two people. So it’s been a bit more hectic and more responsibility has fallen on the RAs, and Housing has been trying to fill the area coordinator position since January.” The leadership team of the housing program is also featuring
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018
NEWS
Chauvin, Lee to be honored at 2018 Distinguished Alumni Gala BY UNO PUBLIC RELATIONS Retired insurance executive William Chauvin has been selected as the recipient of the 2018 University of New Orleans Homer L. Hitt Distinguished Alumni Award, the UNO Alumni Association announced. Additionally Bivian “Sonny” Lee has been named the 2018 Homer Hitt Young Alumnus of the Year. Both men will be honored at the Distinguished Alumni Gala, which will take place on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. in the National WWII Museum’s United States Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center. “It’s difficult to think of two individuals who embody the values of the University of New Orleans more than Bill and Sonny,” said University of New Orleans President John Nicklow. “Both men exemplify determination and selflessness in their professional and community work. They have made a mark on their city and their alma mater through their positive influence and career accomplishments.” Before retiring in 2016, Chauvin served as senior vice president of finance and treasurer for XL Catlin, Inc., a global insurance and reinsurance company. He was previously an executive with Global Special Risks, Inc. and Southern Marine & Aviation Underwriters, Inc. Chauvin began his career as an accountant for Price
William Chauvin, left and Bivian “Sonny” Lee, right, have been selected to receive distiguished alumni awards from the University of New Orleans Alumni Association. Photo by UNO Public Relations
Waterhouse & Co. in New Orleans. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of New Orleans in 1974. Chauvin has remained actively involved with his alma mater. He is a board member of the University of New Orleans Foundation. He was the president of the UNO Alumni Association from 1999-2000. He has also served as a board member for several local elementary schools and high schools. Lee is the president and executive director of Son of a Saint, a nonprofit that inspires mentorship and enhances the lives of fa-
therless boys. He founded the organization in 2011 in honor of his father, former Saints player Bivian Lee Jr., who died of a heart attack at the age of 36. Son of a Saint provides emotional support, life skills development and exposure to constructive experiences to its mentees. He was named New Orleanian of the Year by Gambit in 2016. Son of a Saint has a partnership with Privateer Athletics, which serves to benefit both the UNO student athletes and the boys from Son of a Saint through community service and mentorship activities. The
student-athletes hold tutoring hours on campus for the mentees and serve as role models to the boys. Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management in 2006 from the University of Orleans. Chauvin is the 35th honoree to receive the Homer L. Hitt Distinguished Alumni Award. Previous recipients include State Rep. Julie Stokes, New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation President and CEO Mark Romig, engineer and executive Roy Glapion, television news executive Kim Bondy, former Gambit Communications Chairman Clancy
DuBos and former Lieutenant Governor Melinda Schwegmann. The honoree is selected by a committee of former award recipients. The Distinguished Alumni Gala will also recognize a distinguished alumnus or alumna from each of the University’s four academic colleges. The gala’s venue is a testament to UNO’s lasting impact on the community—the National WWII Museum was conceived in UNO’s history department by professors Stephen Ambrose and Nick Mueller, the museum’s former president and CEO.
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018
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Simple ways to end the academic year right BY UNO ATHLETICS Kaitlyn Grice finished with a career-high 10 blocks and hit .438 (eight kills) in the season-opening University of New Orleans (1-2) Invitational Saturday afternoon in the Human Performance Center, but the Privateers fell to Murray State University (2-1) 25-22, 25-22, 25-18. Grice’s previous career-high was eight and the All-Southland Conference Preseason selection received all-tournament honors. UNO garnered 11.5 total blocks with Brianna Vega adding five. Blessing Dunn had eight kills and 10 digs as she approaches 1,000 for her career. Maxine Walsh made her indoor debut after redshirting 2017. Sarah Thomas and Nela Grau teamed for 30 assists. SET ONE Despite hitting .323 in the opening set, New Orleans trailed 23-18 before Grice’s block cut into the Racers lead. However, Murray State picked up the win 25-22 on Rachel Giustino’s kill. In the set, Grice had one solo block and three assisted swats. She and Dunn recorded three kills apiece and Samantha Uline had five digs.
Kaitlyn Grice and Kyra Hunter reach for a block against Murray State’s Rachel Giustino during the University of New Orleans Invitational. Photo by UNO Athletics
SET TWO Much like the first set, New Orleans mounted a late comeback but MSU extended its lead with the 25-22 win. After the Racers posted the set’s first three points, UNO went on a 7-0 run, highlighted by back-to-back service aces by Vega.
The Racers knotted the set and the clubs traded points before the set No. 2 win. Grice tallied four kills and three blocks, and Vega added two aces, two kills, two blocks and four digs. SET THREE
The Racers were able to escape the HPC with a straight set win, taking set No. 3 25-18, behind a .303 hitting percentage. In the set, UNO collected three team blocks and Ehize Omoghibo shined with five kills on nine attempts. Thomas assisted seven times and Grice and Vega com-
bined for five blocks. NEXT UP New Orleans visits Devlin Fieldhouse Tuesday in a battle of the Big Easy between the Privateers and Tulane University at 7 p.m. Live stats and video will be available.
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018
Welcome Back Block Party
-Photos by Cassandra Jaskiewicz On Thursday, Aug. 23, dozens of students congregated at the Cove to dance and enjoy food at the Student Activities Council’s Welcome Back Block Party. Partygoers strolled up decked out in neon and glow-in-the-dark accessories, and the most courageous ones even rode the mechanical bull.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018
The turn up was real
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ENTERTAINMENT
Taking the first plunge: Fresh Fest
BY CASSANDRA JASKIEWICZ Entertainment Editor On Tuesday, Aug. 21, the Univerity of New Orleans had its traditional Fresh Fest, which allowed new and old students to find a club that was the right fit for them. The Students Activities Council (SAC) went all out, providing drinks and other treats for the students who poured in. “I showed up and there were a lot of booths there. It was nice that they had refreshments and food for us on a hot day,” said Lisa Gilmore-Montero, who is starting her first semester as a nursing major. “I’m excited to see how the rest of my Privateer experience goes.” Each student received a “Fresh Fest Passport” that helped them find clubs in different categories. This passport asked them to travel to clubs under: Student Affairs, Counseling Services, Health Services, Student Accountability/Disability Services, Alumni Affairs,
Student Government Associations, Pan-Hellenic Council (PHC), Interfraternity Council (IFC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and Learning Resource Center, and receive stamps on the passport for each area. If students managed to get five stamps on their passport they received their choice of sunscreen or a portable fan. Students who managed to visit eight of the places listed won a lanyard that charged iPhones and Androids. “I think it’s a really awesome event that the University puts on,” said Talia Has, a sophomore marketing major. “It’s a lot of fun and it helps students learn more about all the different clubs and organizations that this university has.” For many commuter students, finding a reason to be on campus after classes is big struggle, but thanks to student government, club activities and Greek life, there are a lot of options of clubs and events for students to attend. The University has a lot of opportunities for students to get engaged
with, have fun doing and add to their resumes. Clubs ranged from the Pre-Dental Society to Greek Life and more. Each stand gave prospective members all the information they could need, often providing personal contact information if a student wanted to ask questions later. “Fresh Fest” is one of the few places for the student-run clubs of the University of New Orleans to show off events and goals. Clubs try their best to be accessible and understanding for all students and anticipate needs. For organizations such as the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the goal was helping to engage students and play their part in helping student retention and engagement. “It was nice to see a lot of freshman excited about their first semester,” said Maxwell Nodier, mechanical engineering major and a junior at the University. “I’m very happy I was able to meet them in the process.”
-Pre-Dental Society members attending their booth. Picture provided
Back-to-school movies build the academic atmosphere of films that could help build an academic atmosphere most conducive for a good college experience and possibly inspire the best decisions regarding the future. The 2006 movie “Accepted” follows Bartleby Gaines, played by Justin Long, a high school senior rejected from every college he has applied to. He and some friends invent their own fake college in order to avoid disappointing his parents. However, in attempting to avoid suspicion, Gaines creates a college so good that it attracts many other students also struggling to make the college dream come true. The message of the movie is clear: all students deserve a chance to thrive and have someone believe in them. While the movie is by no means the best film in cinematic history, it definitely is a good one to throw on in the background during an assignment.
BY CASSANDRA JASKIEWICZ Entertainment editor Back to school means homework, classes and rigorous schedules. However, that does not mean the new semester should be hard
work only, with the TV switched off, and the music turned down every night. Multi-tasking can be the key to making homework easier to endure. Try watching schoolthemed movies in combination with working on school assignments. Here are some suggestions
The “High School Musical” trilogy started in 2006, with a Disney Channel original movie and ended in 2008 with the theatrical release of the third movie. Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens star in all three films. The trilogy, loosely
based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, follows two high school students, Troy and Gabriella, from rival worlds as they get leads in the school musical. Through sports, music and academics, they navigate the final years of high school and the leap into college. Widely popular for the light song and dance numbers, the “High School Musical” movies are perfect visual and sound stimulus for a long weekend project. “10 Things I Hate About You” is another classic teen movie and another loose adaptation of a Shakespearean classic, this time, the “Taming of the Shrew.” The 1999 movie follows a new student Cameron, played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, who falls instantly in love with Bianca, the most popular girl in school. Bianca’s overprotective father and “shrewish” older sister make it impossible for her to date. Thanks to some tricks and planning, Cameron gets the school’s bad boy Patrick, played by the late Heath Ledger, to date the older sister Kat (Julia Stiles) in order for Cameron to date Bianca. This movie was a breakout role for many of the starring actors,
and with a compelling plot, a good love story, and great acting it stands the test of time. Put in on while working on easier assignments, but don’t let the hijinks distract you from the homework. “Mean Girls”, written by Saturday Night Live alumni Tina Fey, came out in 2004 and made a cultural impact with its sassy quips and characterizations. The film is partially based on information from Rosalind Wiseman’s non-fiction self-help book Queen Bees and Wannabes. “Mean Girls” follows a girls social clique and its damaging effects. Exposing the chatty, fickle world of girl cliques hit home for many, reminding viewers of their own high school experiences, and how those times shaped their choices today. This movie is fast-moving and fascinating, perfect to come in and out of when working on a project, and easy to immediately start over when there is no brain power left and you want to totally zone out. Let us know your preferred movies while doing work by using hashtag #UNOmoviemarathons on twitter!
ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018
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Review of “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society”
BY ERINN BETH LANGILLE Copy Editor “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,” released in April 2018 in the United Kingdom, was distributed internationally by Netflix as an original movie. The film is based on the bestselling 2010 book of the same name by writers Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrow. Directed by Mike Newell and starring Lily James and Michiel Huisman, the
story begins with four friends on the channel island of Guernsey under German occupation. In order to hide contraband and avoid German arrest, the four invent a reading group. Fast forward to 1946, after war’s end, when one of the members, Dawsey Adams, contacts a mainlander to send a new book. That mainlander, Juliet Aston, is a writer under the pen name Izzy Bickerstaff, and is in the midst of promoting a new book. Her publisher wants a series of articles on the benefits of literature. She decides to travel to
Guernsey to write about the society. They, however, are harbouring a whole slew of secrets, making Aston’s coverage of the society and writing difficult, though she is very fond of them. Interwoven in the narrative of the author visit to Guernsey are a series of love stories and heart breaks, one related to the Nazi occupation. The film follows conventions of World War II period dramas, with sweeping landscapes hardened by German occupation and love amongst the ruins. This film does, however, avoid the pitfalls of other
recent releases like “Suite Francais”, another film which deals with love between occupier and occupied. While “Suite Francais” drips with saccharine seriousness, “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” still can generate some laughs despite the subject matter. The movie serves up both a detective story and love story, with a feminist twist. The chemistry between Lily James and Michiel Huisman isn’t convincing, but Lily James’ general energy on the screen is solid and engaging. You
want her to figure out the drama behind the society, and rejoice when she pulls up her typewriter and gets down to work. Michiel Huisman, while handsome, is a Dutch actor, and never quite gets a grip on the English accent. Some positives are the costumes, which are gorgeous (but not particularly convincing for a recently war-ravaged people living off ration books). The Channel island also comes off as charming, a selling point for the otherwise slightly heavy-handed and hokey film.
UNO Creative Writing Workshop hosts welcome party in Mid-City BY ERINN LANGILLE Copy Editor
-Photo by Parrish Carpenter From Left - Emma Seely, Barb Johnson, Matt Knutson, Jake Budenz, Isabelle Barany.
The University of New Orleans is home to the Creative Writing Workshop, a Master’s Program in Creative Writing for both campus and low residency students. On Saturday, Aug. 25, they had their annual Welcome party at the Mid-City Yacht Club in from six until nine. Organized by Program Director Neal Walsh among others, the party took place in the private room in the back of the establishment, and spilled out to the back patio and front bar. The Welcome party was a chance for incoming and continuing students, alumni and teachers to get together, make connections and have some fun, before hunkering down to write for another busy year. The Welcome party had a free bar and buffet, complete with signature New Orleans food including pulled pork sliders, crawfish pasta, salad and crab balls. The spread of food and drink allowed guests
to enjoy some local favorites. The Creative Writing Workshop has been running at the University of New Orleans for 25 plus years. The Creative Writing Workshop low residency graduate program was just ranked the top online MFA program in the country by Best College Reviews. The Creative Writing Workshop program prides itself on providing a supportive, tight knit community and the welcome party was no exception. Program founders Rick Barton and John Gery were in attendance, as well as former student, now tenured professor of the program, Barb Johnson. Poetry professor Carolyn Hembree was also there, returning after a year sabbatical upon winning a an ATLAS grant. First, second and three year students, as well as many alumni, showed in full force sharing in the food, drink and conversation. As the program covers fiction, non-fiction, poetry, playwriting and screenwriting, the party was an opportunity for all these students to co-mingle.
Layth Sihan, a second year fiction student from Louisiana, said, “ It’s a good community experience. We got to know each other and just started looking ahead, figuring out what to expect. Just bonding in all the right ways.” Greta Hayer, another second year fiction grad, from Iowa, had this to say: “Orientation events like this are a great way to bond with other students in the program. I still remember my first year and the conversations I made turned into real friendships. this year I got a chance to get to know quite a few of the new students and reconnect with my old friends. Plus the food was great!” Upcoming events like the monthly reading series Gold Room at Pelican Bay, the first of which happens on August 30, will be other opportunities for the students to convene. For now the Welcome Party at Mid-City Yacht Club was a great way to kickoff the semester.
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PUZZLES AND COMICS
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Potatoe Gunshine Florida Shooting Major Decision
OPINION
Your academic major is your decision student than spending three to four hours a day going to classes that have nothing to do with what they want to do with their lives. Students should study what they find interesting! It would make college more enjoyable and less stressful. Aside from that, additional benefits to studying in a field that interests the student is the ability to connect with peers and even alumni who can connect them to the workforce. This could lead to amazing opportunities like job shadowing, internships, and tours of the workplace that could be beneficial for students in the biology, engineering, and science fields. A few more benefits for students who study what they actually find interesting is higher salaries! Harvard Business Review suggests that people who work in fields they enjoy end up making higher salaries in the long run. It is because people are more engaged with topics they like. With engagement comes the drive to want to do more than they are asked and
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DRIFTWOOD
Editorial Coming into the new school year, college freshman are bombarded with the same question repeatedly. “What’s your major?” But this question is answered with the old response that no one should ever say: “my parents picked it for me.” College is a time for self-discovery, and freshman are too accustomed to the high school way of life. The kind of life where there’s always somebody telling you what to do, when to do it, what to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, what classes to take, where to go, and the list could go on. When incoming freshman come to register for classes at their university, they should not be afraid to study what they enjoy. If a student wants to study biology and focus in dermatology, then they should pursue that in their academic career instead of being bogged down by the controlling parents who tell them to study engineering because the job field might be leaning in that direction. There is nothing worse for a
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018
success with their careers because of it. So, if a student studies what they find interesting and found a way to make a living doing it, they would be very close to having a perfect life. It is like that saying “if you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life.” People could have their dream job and make enough money doing it that they could afford to go on family vacations to Disney World. If a student just happens to have the most stubborn parents and there is no way they will be able to study what they want, there is still a light at the end of the tunnel. Statistics from the US Bureau of the Census show that only 27 percent of college students find a job related to their college major. So, if a parent is making a student study biology to go to pharmacy school, they could still end up with a job they enjoy. If a student reluctantly got a degree in engineering, they could end up working in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism if that is what they love to do.
Staff
2000 Lakeshore Drive, UC 252 New Orleans, LA 70148 (504)280-6377 Nathan Nguyen......................................................Editor-in-Chief Hope Brusstar.....................................................Managing Editor Crystal McKay.............................................................News Editor Kimberly Williams................................................Visuals Director Cassandra Jaskiewicz..................................Entertainment Editor Matt Stennis........................................................Business Manager Missy Wilkinson...................................................................Adviser
Driftwood is produced solely by students of the University of New Orleans. Driftwood publishes every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters, with the exception of holiday breaks and finals week. Letters to the Editor and columns are the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinion of the Driftwood editorial board. All letters to the Editor are subject to editing for length, style and grammar. Editorials are the opinions of the Driftwood editorial staff and do not reflect the opinions of the University of New Orleans, its administration or staff. Please limit letters to 500 words. Submissions can be emailed to driftwoodeditor@uno.edu and must be sent no later than 5 p.m. on the Monday before publication.
Column
When the science is questionable BY HOPE BRUSSTAR Managing Editor For a long time, the various scientific disciplines have fought to enlighten all of human society, despite always meeting with numerous obstacles along the way. Sometimes, after all, the most groundbreaking discoveries can become the most controversial. But as of the last decade, and increasingly still, hundreds of scientific papers have essentially been thrown in the trash. This is due to what was dubbed the “replication crisis.” The scientific method, the accepted procedure amongst all researchers, stipulates that an experiment or study must follow certain guidelines. This includes that the experiment must be repeatable, based upon the description of the experiment’s steps within the published academic paper. This is so that anyone can experience the same results by following the steps. Scholars began to realize that either the statistical data on many academic papers had been calculated or interpreted incorrectly, or that the experimental results themselves were impossible to reproduce. At times, some research papers even failed to describe their experimentation precisely enough to make the steps imitable for others.
Society depends on science in a countless number of ways in order to make its decisions, and rightfully so. But when the science is undependable, well — it’s like we’ve had the rug pulled out from under our feet. Those who paid attention to where the research has been proven wrong may find themselves needing to rethink political opinions, dietary choices, social debates, daily purchases, major financial decisions and much more. One lesson we’ve learned, then, is to not be so trusting: it is, after all, very easy to find two data-based academic papers with diametrically opposed conclusions. One paper may tell you that a grain-based diet is important to heart health, while another will confirm that the advent of grain is what ruined the health of civilization. We can only conclude, therefore, that at least one of these two papers must be wrong. But of course there are some things we can watch out for. We must be careful about how we read an article. For example, there is a phenomenon known as “correlation without causation,” which means that simply because two things happened at once does not mean one of those things caused the other. Your mother left the room and you ate a strawberry, but you didn’t eat that strawberry because she left the room.
In his recent email, “Welcome to the 2018-19 Academic Year,” President Nicklow said, “The data shows that, on average, students who are engaged in campus activities such as clubs, social organizations or research opportunities persist at a much higher rate and achieve higher GPAs.” Though encouraging this information may be, it is too presumptuous. Those who like to work hard will often be just as likely to work hard for their grades as they are to work hard for student organizations. Thus the behaviors may go handin-hand — but I’d hesitate to assume that one caused the other. Another good example of possible correlation without causation lies in a Gallup poll studied by Dean of Students Carolyn Golz for her PhD dissertation research: “Gallup (2014) found that alumni who had a professor who cared about them as students and a mentor who encouraged them to pursue their dreams were more likely to be engaged employees,” said Golz on her website at carolyngolz. com. Here, she is stating that the involved professor gave rise to an engaged employee. However, the person who is innately likely to be an engaged employee is also the person who is innately likely to pique a professor’s
interest. Farmers don’t water dead plants, and mentors don’t waste time on uninterested students. We may also recognize another issue that can make research consider-Image courtesy of the Manchester City Library ably more dif- Even the most popular publications will at times publish ficult within research that is later found to be false. the social scitruth as much as the rest of the ences: what defines an “engaged sciences. employee”? How can this quality Which brings me to another be quantified, using numbers? point: sometimes scientist actuAnd considering the many ally aren’t in earnest. Sometimes practices and policies which they just want to push out anvary from employer to employer, other paper. This is unfortunate how do these merits translate and hopefully rare, but the fact from one company to another? that people fudge their margins How do we compare employees? of error, lie about their data or Maybe Hannah has been keeping make conclusions after studying up well with emails and calls tiny groups of people, ought to but barely reaches out to new make us all more vigilant about clients, while Jennifer makes what research we do or don’t the entire workspace better but believe. It is never enough to just can’t complete certain work read the abstract; one must email assignments. Who is the better the authors directly and request employee? This is just one of the a copy of the full paper before many ways in which the social making any decisions. What we sciences can weaken, although discover about the experiment earnestly attempting to uncover itself may be just as important.
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018