Volume: 59 Issue: 17 by Driftwood

Volume: 59 Issue: 17

driftwood.uno.edu

MARCH 2, 2016

BRING THE H.E.A.T. LA college students storm state capitol in protest BY CHARLES NICHOLSON Managing Editor The students and administrators of Louisiana came together last Wednesday, Feb. 24, when, on the steps of the state capitol, they made their outcries heard against proposed cuts to higher education. Approximately 2,000 students from UNO, LSU, Grambling, Southern, Nicholls and many other universities and colleges met in Baton Rouge at the state capitol building as legislators went into special session to decide on how to solve the over $900 million budget deficit. The Bring H.E.A.T. (Higher Education All Together) rally came on the heels of the proposal by state legislators to make significant cuts to higher education funding, most notably the suspension of the TOPS program. The rally saw many leaders in education and the state give

speeches, expressing their disappointment in the legislators and raising the challenge to fight cuts. “Tensions are high, funds are low and we all know the areas that will be hit the hardest,” said Jesse Elliott, student body president of Louisiana State University of Alexandria. “One of it being why we are here today: higher education.” “We want to see graduation as the number one issue in the state, not incarceration,” said Louisiana State University President F. King Alexander. Governor John Bel Edwards also appeared briefly to speak on his commitment to avoid further cuts to higher ed. “What you’re doing here today, by standing up and making your voice heard, is critical during this period,” said Edwards. “We cannot afford to not invest in your future.” All of the speakers were responded with overwhelming applause and chants of “No more cuts!” The rally’s energy and turnout was heightened by the performance of Southern University’s Human Jukebox Marching Band. UNO’s own SGA president, Joy Ballard-Oliver spoke with Driftwood after the rally to signify the importance of student action. Continued on page 3

Photos by Nathan Nguyen

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016

OPINION

LETTER TO THE EDITOR A word from Governor John Bel Edwards Students in Louisiana deserve better than what they’ve gotten from their state government over the last eight years. I’ll be the first to tell you that. The previous administration put the needs of an out-of-state special interest ahead of your own and made you pay the price for a political agenda. That stopped on January 11th. Unfortunately, the damage was done. Over the last eight years higher education institutions were severely weakened and Louisiana’s budget now sits atop the largest deficit our state has ever seen. Year after year, these budget deficits were patched using budget tricks and temporary funds. The state wrote checks to corporations it couldn’t afford, which left students with higher tuitions and campuses unable to invest in your education. In fact, Louisiana ranks fourth in the nation for subsidies to big business, double what the state of Texas pays, yet our higher education institutions were cut by more than $700 million – the largest disinvestment in the nation. Today, we’re faced with two dramatically different choices in Louisiana – bring in additional revenue or make deeper cuts to high-

er education that will force campus closures, class cancellations, and jeopardize the highly popular TOPS scholarship – a program I’ve fought year after year to protect. The $940 million shortfall this year that must be fixed in 4 months and the $2 billion shortfall for next year will need to be addressed with a combination of spending cuts and additional revenue – doing one without the other would be irresponsible. I have called the Louisiana Legislature into a special legislative session to address these challenges, and I have proposed several measures to avoid devastating cuts to our universities and community and technical colleges. Unfortunately, because of the mismanagement of the state’s finances over the last eight years, higher education will face, in a best case scenario, $70 million in cuts very soon. However, if the legislature does not work with my administration to bring in additional revenue, those cuts will increase to a catastrophic $200 million before June. Next year, that number is even bigger. The TOPS program is already operating this year at a shortfall to the tune of $28 million. I have

directed the universities to absorb those costs, preventing students from having to pay for someone else’s reckless budgeting. However, next academic year, the program, if underfunded, will award scholarships to far fewer students – both current recipients and those expecting the award next year. I have outlined several proposals to avoid these cuts. While I do not like the plans that I have proposed, they are necessary to begin the process of reinvesting in our young adults and universities. Your support is critical in this process. There are some in the legislature who are only interested in playing political games – who are determined to make our state capitol look like Washington, DC. I refuse to let that happen. I refuse to fail you, our students and young adults, in that way. Louisiana’s future depends on you getting a quality education that will land you a good job here at home. We’ve already seen too many of our young adults leave Louisiana for jobs and education in other states. That cycle must end. Together, we can rebuild the future of Louisiana.

COLUMN Impossible question, kind of answered

BY CHLOE GAGNON News Editor One of the questions people ask me the most is what my favorite movie is. I hate this question for three reasons. One, as a film major, it is impossible for me to answer. I have way too many. Two, choosing a favorite film is personal. Depending on my answer to the question, I may be identified with that movie for the rest of my life. Also, what if you don’t like my favorite movie? Does that mean you are going to criticize me for my taste in one movie? Three, do you know how many movies there are? Thousands of movies are made every year all around the world. My list of favorite movies would be so long if I were to make one. Of course, I have my favorites, but all great

movies are wonderful in their own way. Each has its own captivating spark whether it be the cinematography, the story, the actors or something else. For arguments sake, I will narrow down my favorite movies to three directors—Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg and Wes Anderson. Alfred Hitchcock is probably one of the most famous directors of all time. Hitchcock has 69 directing credits. I don’t know if I could even whittle my way down to one Hitchcock film. “North by Northwest” has a captivating story that ends with the characters repelling down Mt. Rushmore. “Vertigo” has an intriguing way of sucking viewers in and keeping them guessing. “Psycho” is a classic horror film that cannot be overlooked. “Rear Window” is thrilling and a classic. Each film is amazing and unique in their own way. Steven Spielberg is another director that is super well known. IMDB’s profile of Spielberg states: “Undoubtedly one of the most influential film personalities in the history of film, Steven Spielberg is perhaps Hollywood’s best known director and one of the wealthiest filmmakers in the world.” With 55 directing credits, Spielberg’s films are thrilling and keep viewers on the edge of their seats. “Jaws” was the first ever blockbuster movie that was basically about man vs. shark. “Jurassic

PERSPECTIVE

Park” entertained audiences with man vs. dinosaur on a remote island. E.T. brought aliens to our lives, while “Saving Private Ryan” put the audience in a war that was so realistic. I also have to mention “Schindler’s List” because it is a time-honored Holocaust film. With only 15 directing credits to his name, Wes Anderson’s films are beautiful in every way. The reason I love his films is because each one takes place in their own beautiful movie world. Each film normally does, but his worlds are contained. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is symmetrical with such an attractive production design that it cannot be ignored. “Moonrise Kingdom” is adorable and probably the cutest love story ever. These aren’t even all of my favorites. “Paris, Texas” by Wim Wenders, “Brief Encounters” by David Lean, “Casablanca” by Michael Curtiz, “Pride and Prejudice” by Joe Wright, “Mommy” by Xavier Dolan and “It Happened One Night” by Frank Capra are also among my favorites. Whenever someone asks me this question, I get an almost an anxiety because I never know how to answer it. My favorite movie may also change day-to-day depending on how I’m feeling. There are many other questions that can be used to get to know a person. By choosing one movie, when there are so many contenders, is impossible for this movie lover.

Illustration by Jared Buck

Nigel Washington Editor-in-Chief driftwoodeditor@uno.edu Charles Nicholson Managing Editor driftwood@uno.edu Visuals Director | Grant Campbell • • • • • • driftwoodart@uno.edu News Editor | Chloe Gagnon • • • • • • • • • • • • • • cprange@uno.edu Features/Ent. Editor | Anna Gowin • • • • • driftwoodent@uno.edu Photographer | Helen C. Reed • • • • • • • • • • • • • hreed1@uno.edu Web Editor | Ave Maria Bordenave • • • • • • • • abordena@uno.edu Reporter | Lones Gagnard • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • lgagnard@uno.edu Reporter | Alexandra Garcia • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • aigarcia@uno.edu Reporter | Mindy Jarrett • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • mjarrett@uno.edu Reporter | Thanh Nguyen • • • • • • • • • • • • • • tnnguye7@uno.edu Illustrator | Barrington Hebert • • • • • • • • • • • bkhebert@uno.edu Illustrator | Jared Buck • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • jbuck@uno.edu Business Manager | Matt Stennis • • driftwoodbusiness@uno.edu Faculty Adviser | Vickie Kennedy • • • • • • • • • vkennedy@uno.edu

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 midterms/finals week. 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. 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. Please limit letters to 500 words. Submissions can be emailed to driftwoodeditor@uno.edu and must be sent no later than 5p.m. on the Monday before publication. 2000 Lakeshore Drive, UC 252, New Orleans, LA 70148 (504) 280-6377

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016

Continued from page 1...Bring the H.E.A.T. “They just have to make their voice known: speak out, call your legislator. That’s all we can do at this time, so keep speaking out, keep showing out and we’ll make it through,” said Ballard-Oliver. “I needed to be at the rally because our students and faculty were there, and we’re all part of the same team,” said Dr. John Nicklow, provost at UNO. Nicklow was present at the rally among other administrators. “I also wanted them to know that I appreciated their attendance and their efforts to help raise

awareness about the issues facing higher ed in LA.” Nicklow, one of two finalists in the UNO presidential search, is confident in what needs to be done, even in the event of major budget cuts. “Depending on how the budget comes down, my priorities aren’t changing; they are enrollment,” said Nicklow. On the matter of rallies and protests, Nicklow said that he’s never seen such involvement from so many students.

“Coming from Illinois, we had significant budget challenges. I’ve been involved in rallies and lobby days, but never like this,” said Nicklow. “This is an incredible feeling. I’ve never been a part of a rally where you have several thousand students; so vocal and at the same time so respectful. It’s really impressive.” At this point, the legislature is still in a bind as the 25-day special session continues. After approving $100 million in cuts to government spending and a penny increase to

sales tax on Thursday, the legislators are still looking for more answers. Even in this critical time, certain viable options, such as tax increases, are being kept as last options. UNO, a school that has seen drastic cuts and steadily decreasing attendance since Hurricane Katrina, is in an undesirable financial state. Just last year the university was forced to discontinue seven degree programs. “I really want to see higher education succeed, not just for my

benefit, but for [students] as well,” said Phillip Battista, political science professor and rally attendant. “With John Bel Edwards calling a special session and TOPS being cut all in the last month, something will come of it. I think we may see at least no more cuts. Maybe slight gains.” Until the cuts have stopped and the gains do arrive, students, faculty and anyone who values higher education are encouraged to keep bringing the heat.

MAN ON THE STREET

What would you do if you lost your financial aid?

Photos by Sanjiv Pradhanang and Barrington Hebert

HUY TRUONG Freshman, Computer Science

FADEKE ADEOLA Junior, Biology

KRISHNA SHAH Junior, Biology

BAIHAU DALLAKATI Freshman, Physics

AILEEN DO Sophomore, Computer Science

I would have to use student loans and pay it off in the future.

I would apply for internships and other scholarships.

I would probably drop out and find some internships.

Cry a lot.

I’ll probably drop out.

CRIME SCENE DO NOT

CROSS CRIME SCENE

• On Feb. 14, Ms. Melanie Bopp reported damage to the northeast stairwell window of the Earl. K. Long Library. The glass had been broken by a rock. • On Feb. 16, three Privateer Place residents reported finding threatening “Post-Its” stuck to their front doors. • On Feb. 17, the victim’s bicycle, lock, and chain were reported stolen outside the Earl K. Long Library patio. • On Feb. 17 in the Administration Parking Lot, an unknown black male pulled up next to the victim in a black Infinity Crossover with a Louisiana handicap license plate and shouted obscenities at her. The victim fled the parking lot. • On Feb. 19, UNO police apprehended a black male subject after he jumped the fence near the pool at the UNO Recreation & Fitness Center. He was charged with Criminal Trespassing. • On Feb. 22, a Privateer Place resident reported his bicycle missing off his balcony at 4:30 p.m.

CAMPUS CALENDAR WED., MAR. 2

THURS., MAR. 3

FRI., MAR. 4

SAT., MAR. 5

SUN., MAR. 6

JAZZ AT THE SANDBAR A series of jazz artists will be performing at UNO’s Sandbar every Wednesday from March to April. This week’s performer is pianist Peter Martin. General admission is $5 and free with UNO I.D.

PUBLIC LECTURE David Shoemaker will be presenting his lecture “You Oughta’ Know: Defending Angry Blame,” a part of Tocqueville Project’s lecture series in philosophy and political economy. The lecture is at 5:30 p.m. in LA 236.

PRIVATEER TENNIS The women’s tennis team will be going head-to-head against players from Incarnate Word in the university tennis center. The game is at 1 p.m.

2016 LOUISIANA REGIONAL SCIENCE BOWL Hosted by UNO, 18 teams from 12 high schools in LA will be competing in a quiz competition about various science topics. The bowl is from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For a full schedule of the event, visit www.uno.edu.

PRIVATEER BASEBALL The privateer baseball team will be going up against the Pittsburgh Panthers for the third consecutive game at Maestri Field. The game is at 1 p.m.

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016

Two finalists remain for UNO presidency

Andy Kopplin speaks to the search committee to make his case as a potential president.

BY CHARLES NICHOLSON Managing Editor The search for the next president of UNO has come down to the wire with the announcement of two finalists: Deputy Mayor of New Orleans Andrew Kopplin and UNO Provost Dr. John Nicklow.

The decision on the finalists came on Friday, Feb. 19, after narrowing down from the semi-finalists John Valery White, Glen Cope and Jaimie Herbert. The search committee attempted to have four finalists, the current two plus White and Hebert, but after a split vote, returned to executive session and re-voted.

Photo by Nathan Nguyen

During the interviews, each candidate presented their experience, plans and zeal that would qualify them for the presidency. “I am not a traditional candidate. I feel like the luckiest guy around to be able to show that I’ve got the tenacity and the passion, talent and the fortitude, and the skills to lead the University of New Orleans as

its next president,” said Kopplin in his opening. “So I’m tremendously grateful for the opportunity today.” Kopplin was appointed as Deputy Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer of New Orleans in 2010. Before then, he was chosen by former Governor Kathleen Blanco as the founding executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. Kopplin received his B.A. in History from Rice University and Masters in Public Policy from Harvard. “To be able to put my skills and talent to work, making government work, is what this is all about. If you look at my history as a faculty kid, my role running successful government organizations...and the educational mission that I grew up with, that’s a match with this role here at UNO,” said Kopplin. As current Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs since July, Nicklow has been making effective changes and plans to the university and wants to continue those plans as president. “My short time at UNO has been nothing short of extraordinary. One of the primary reasons I came to this institution was because I saw that it had a very vibrant and exciting future ahead of it and I still firmly believe that today,” Nicklow said during his interview. After receiving his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Civil En-

gineering from Bucknell University and his Ph.D. in the same from Arizona State, Nicklow eventually went on to be the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Southern Illinois University before coming to UNO. Nicklow said that, though he has been putting a lot of work into making improvements, he hasn’t been alone in the effort. “We’ve set in motion some significant game changers on this campus. We’ve accomplished a lot, I think, in a very short amount of time,” Nicklow said. “It might be nice for me to sit here and say I’ve done this all myself, but that’s absolutely not true. I might be leading the effort, but I have an incredible team of vested faculty and staff behind me that have shown they are willing to roll up their sleeves and think a little bit different and do things different to get better results.” Currently, Dr. Randy Moffett, former president of the UL system, is interim president until the final decision is made. Moffett has taken up his position after former president Peter J. Fos stepped down at the end of January. The Board of Supervisors were supposed to make their final decision Tuesday, Feb. 23, but due to severe weather they cancelled the meeting. The rescheduled meeting has not been announced as yet.

Student and faculty emails in danger due to phishing BY NIGEL WASHINGTON Editor-in-Chief A select number of UNO student and faculty emails have been under constant attack by phishing emails that appear to be messages sent directly from the university. Phishing emails are emails that try to get a user’s personal account information by posing as a company or large organization. Because these emails can be sent many times to large quantities of people at once, phishers can easily send many attempts in a short amount of time to try and hack into accounts. While some phishing emails are easy to spot, filled with spelling errors and suspect sending addresses, others look much more believable to the unsuspecting eye. “A lot of the emails that you’ll see will look fake, they’ll have a lot of misspellings…or have names of departments that look strange that we don’t even use. Some are getting really good though,” said Juan Enriquez, the director of user training at the UNO information technology department. The emails pretend to come from the University of New Orleans and will usually direct the reader to another site. The email will also ask for login information due to a secu-

rity concern of some sort and will urge you to act quickly. “The main thing is that we never ask you for a password or an account,” Enriquez said. “If somebody in the email is asking you to go to a site outside that email then it’s most likely fake--or phishing.” “Pay a little more attention to those emails that seem a little weird.” Even with some of the poorly done scam email attempts, there are some that can look relatively legit. In those cases, always beware of links that attempt to direct you towards outside sites. “Emails that come out of Information Technology, 99 percent of those emails will never have a link,” Enriquez said. “We will try to tell you how to get there, but we’re not going to give you a link to follow.” Most links can also be manipulated to appear to belong to a certain company or organization’s website, creating the perfect visage for unsuspecting users. The best option is to manually type in the website and navigating that way instead of following a link directly embedded in the email. UNO’s security system has a massive list of accounts and emails that have been marked as spam

Keeping a keen eye will keep your email and personal information safe from potential hackers.

and cannot be sent to other UNO emails. It’s difficult for the system to capture every attempt, however, and some attacks are able to slip through and potentially trap students into releasing their personal login information. If you have been a victim of

these emails, the first move is to change your password as quickly as possible and the spam emails should stop. If the problems persist, or if you think your account has been compromised any further, contact the Help Desk immediately.

Photo by Grant Campbell

Should you find a email that you recognize as fake, send an email to abuse.uno.edu so the account can be flagged by UNO’s security system and blocked from potentially attacking other students or faculty members.

FEATURES

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016

NOLA Confederate controversy far from over iconic monuments. The monuments targeted by the mayor were the statue of the Confederate States of America president Jefferson Davis, the statue of Confederate Commanding General Robert E. Lee, the statue of Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard and the Liberty Place Monument, which commemorates the Battle of Liberty Place where a white-supremacist militia, the Crescent City White League, drove federal troops out of New Orleans during the reconstruction era. Many people believe Mayor Landrieu’s statement was only encouraged by the tragic shooting of nine African-American churchgo Photo by Grant Campbell ers in Charleston North Carolina Monuments are still at risk as multiple by right-wing terrorist Dylan Roof, pro- and anti-groups fight for control. and by Charleston’s response to the massacre: the removal of the Confederate flag that flew over their BY QUEST RIGGS state-house. Driftwood Contributor However, many New Orleanians aren’t aware of contemporaneous The heated debate over historical events here in New Orleans that confederate monuments rages on pressured Mayor Landrieu to make in New Orleans. Most have heard this statement. of or have an opinion on the issue, On Memorial Day and the Fourth but many are not aware of the bat- of July 2015, there were Confedtles that have taken place already. erate flag-burnings in front of the This fight has proceeded rapidly Robert E. Lee statue, which resince Mayor Mitch Landrieu made ceived local support and press. The statements in July in support for the energy from these actions resulted removal of some of the city’s most in the coalescing of the Take ‘Em

Down NOLA Coalition. Angela Kinlaw, who has been involved with TEDN from the beginning, said, “we’ve been working as a coalition…pushing that not only should those monuments come down, but all of the racist monuments to white-supremacy in New Orleans should come down.” TEDN began a long series of actions demanding that the powers that be follow up on Mayor Landrieu’s pro-removal statements. They held teach-ins, rallies and actions involving the dressing up of monuments with counter-symbols that would draw attention to the darker sides of the individuals being commemorated. They also started a petition, which has been circulated widely. Their activities eventually pressured New Orleans City Council to hold a vote on the removal of the four monuments mentioned by the mayor. On Dec. 17, the city council voted six to one in favor of the removal of those monuments, with Councilwoman Stacey Head as the only dissenter. “Since then,” said Kinlaw, “four organizations that want to protect the monuments, starting with the Monumental Task Committee as the primary leader in that work, filed a lawsuit to halt the movement of those monuments.”

The defenders of the Confederate monuments have had their case heard before two judges, one federal and one civil. In both cases their injunction was denied, but according to Kinlaw, “they have a desire to continue to appeal those cases and Take ‘Em Down NOLA’s going to continue our efforts as well.” She said that the pro-monument organizations are “trying to persuade [the judges] that this is a claim of property because people had been ‘donating’ their services to protect these [monuments].” Meanwhile, defenders of the monuments have also used other tactics to keep the monuments standing. The contractors hired to physically remove the monuments have received numerous threats, and one of them has lost their Lamborghini in the flames of this debate. These tactics might have worked to slow the process, but it does seem as though these four monuments will be taken down in the coming months. The removal of these monuments, however, will not spell the end of TEDN’s mission. The Coalition, which Kinlaw is involved with because she says “symbols pull people together around cultural values and beliefs that ultimately show up in [social] systems,” targets over 40 monuments, school names, street

names, park names, etc. as symbols of white supremacy that they say must be removed or replaced. From Claiborne Street, named for the slave-owning governor, William C.C., to the statue of Andrew Jackson, architect of the Trail of Tears, and owner of 300 slaves. From Robert E. Lee (the Confederate general) Boulevard to largest financial donor to the Confederate State, Paul Tulane, with Tulane University. From Poydras Street, named for Julien Poydras, slave owner and President of the Louisiana State Senate to the introducer of African slave-trade to New Orleans, Territorial Governor Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, and Bienville Hall here on campus. Kinlaw believes that this struggle is an important part of the broader push for social justice in our city. “Not only the idea of connecting symbols with systems but understanding that as we mobilize, strengthen ourselves and grow to remove these monuments, we’re also building together as a community: making a decision about what we want in its place, not only in terms of new markers and symbols to represent throughout the city, but also a broader push towards racial and economic justice showing up, in practice, through systems.”

English professor explores city’s hidden street art BY LONES J. GAGNARD Driftwood Staff English professor by day, urban explorer by night, UNO’s Dr. Doreen Piano wants to show New Orleans how much graffiti has to do with it’s own growth. When it comes to graffiti, most people think of vandalism, but graffiti comes in all shapes and sizes ranging from small tags to giant street art murals. “I’ve seen that graffiti is mostly on businesses that allow it and abandoned property, of which there is much, which is part of the reason why I think it’s a renaissance year for it,” said Piano. Abandoned buildings long forgotten in a post-Katrina world scatter New Orleans’ landscape, with no property owner left the city takes control, but does nothing and leaves these sites to rot. “Graffiti does point to neglect and the places where it happens are typically impoverished neighborhoods,” said Piano. Tags gain recognition from many different perspectives, whether it’s those who see tagging as filth rather than beautiful pieces of urban artwork, or travelers stopping to talk about a pretty picture. Regardless of the viewpoint, people are still looking at the scars be-

neath the paint, whether they know it or not. According to Piano, the darkest parts of the city are coming back as vibrant as ever. “Graffiti is usually associated with drugs, crime and gang activities. Most of the tagging in New Orleans isn’t gang related,” said Piano. Scattered throughout the Bywater is graffiti that promotes the exact opposite of gang activity, signs reading “Read Mother F*cking Books All Damn Day” and encouraging the inner muse of all passersby. With budget cuts raining down on all Louisiana schools, mainly targeting Liberal Arts programs, artists need places to express themselves. “In Williamsburg, Oakland, Austin and other cities there are these things called ‘Legal Walls’ where artists can legally go and do their thing,” said Piano. New Orleans is starting to follow suit, employing graffiti artists to paint on their buildings. Dr. Bob’s famous folk art store is one of the first things you see entering the Bywater, across the street is a plot of land solely dedicated to artist’s work; surrounded by storage containers, each more decorated than the last. This lot of land is a sanctuary for the growing phenomenon that is New Orleans graffiti. With the growth of graffiti there must be a push back, and that push back is named Operation Clean

Photo by Lones J. Gagnard UNO professor Doreen Piano has spent a lot of time with NOLA graffiti. Her work, “Boost or Blight? Graffiti Writing and Street Art in the “‘new’ New Orleans” explored the writing scene post-Katrina.

Sweep. A business bent on eradicating all graffiti from the city does just as much harm as good. Piano said: “They got into trouble once for painting over a mural that was commissioned by the business that it was painted on. They seem to be on a crazy mission to rid the world of graffiti.” Removing vandalism is a cause to get behind, but removing someone’s art because you think it looks better that way is not how the world

works. In a world filled with billboards and corporate slogans, street art lends a human touch to the city. New Orleans, overflowing with its seemingly infinite number of hidden treasures, secret murals only add to the cities’ mystique. “I was coming home from school one day down St. Bernard and they were taking down this empty building and the building opened up and there was so much beautiful graffiti

that got exposed that is now gone,” said Piano. Art in its many forms could be considered one of the backbones of the Big Easy. Whether there’s a painting of Koi fish swimming in a circle beneath your feet or a plainwhite concrete barrier turned into a kaleidoscopic wave of colors, graffiti communicates that it is okay to express oneself and more importantly that no one is alone in this world.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016

FEATURES

Photos by Nathan Nguyen

Louisiana college students gathered at the state capitol in Baton Rouge on Wednesday, February 24 to protest further cuts to higher education. Nearly 2000 students from all over the state filled the capitol steps. UNO SGA President Joy Ballard-Oliver spoke on behalf of UNO students. Governor John Bel Edwards, who was also present, has assured students that he will do everything in his power to prevent further cuts.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016

ENTERTAINMENT

Open mic night gives voice to the risqué BY MINDY JARRETT Driftwood Staff This is not your average open mic night. Every other Wednesday at the Allways Lounge on St. Claude Avenue, local artists take the stage to share their version of an open mic night for Esoterotica: original erotica writings being shared by local artists. “How did this kind of show begin?”, one might wonder. “Honestly most our first year was probably just about 10 of us, mostly reading to each other, partners and other close friends we could convince to come...and then there were a few more of us, and a few more friends, and then a few more, and a Facebook page, and…the rest, as they say, is history,” said Esoterotica founder Aimé SanSavant. Live entertainment may be performed in the form of poetry, spoken word, short story, essay, mono-

logue and song. While the shows provide unique entertainment for the audience, they also double as a way for a person to use written language to express what SanSavant calls, “one of the very things that makes you human”: the sexual experience. For the past five years, seasoned “provocateurs” frequently take the stage, but newcomers are encouraged to take part in the event as well. “No one writer is more valued or important to the show and the audiences’ experience than another,” said SanSavant. “It takes all of us to put on a great show, and therefore when it comes to decisions about what we want to do as a group or under the name Esoterotica, all of us get a say.” Esoterotica is a “human event,” SanSavant said, meaning all humans of any sexual orientation may participate. The only restrictions, in fact, are placed on age: all attendees must be at least eighteen years old.

SanSavant prides herself on providing a “safe space” for people to express themselves. “Erotica is not just personal, it is inherently intimate and even if it is humorous or fantastical requires a degree of openness, honesty and vulnerability that is not necessarily rewarded, and in fact sometimes, is ostracized,” said SanSavant. “This is why it is so important to us to create a safe space for not just our writers but our audience, because just bearing your soul is scary, but bearing your soul about what makes you burn with desire, or what it’s like for you to have an orgasm, that’s puddle-inducing. Sexuality and physical experience of all kinds is an integral part of not just being human but living, and we think that anything that can be done to help people experience and love their lives just a little bit more is amazing, and one of the worthiest causes we can get behind.” Shows are themed, with works

falling under a particular category; past show themes include True Confessions (100% true stories), Frisky Fairytales and Folklore, Seven Deadly Sins, Celebrating the Quickie (strictly haiku and limerick works) and Fantasy Love Letters, to name a few. If you’re interested in submitting works or attending shows, send an

Photo courtesy of Esoterotica Facebook

email to info@esoterotica.com. More information about upcoming shows may be found on Facebook as well as the Esoterotica website: www.esoterotica.com The shows are free and are held on Wednesdays, bi-weekly (the next show is Wednesday, March 2). Doors open at 7 p.m. Show begins at 8 p.m. Ages 18+.

Jazz at the Sandbar impresses with visiting artists BY ANNA GOWIN Features Editor UNO’s Jazz at the Sandbar series begins for the spring 2016 semester tonight, March 2. Each performance features a different combo of students from the jazz department, alongside different renowned jazz musicians. Look at the schedule and some backstory about each visiting artist if you need motivation beyond seeing fellow students show their chops on the stage at the Cove. March 2 - Peter Martin- Despite growing up in St. Louis, renowned jazz pianist, composer and educator Peter Martin spent years in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

Martin has toured with the Berlin Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as well as New Orleans-native Wynton Marsalis. March 9- Mark Mullins- This local trombonist has been studying since age 8 and declined an offer with the Manhattan School of Music to instead join Harry Connick Jr.’s Big Band. While Mullins is now known throughout the city for his work with brass band Bonerama, he has previously worked with artists like Sheryl Crow, Better than Ezra and local powerhouse band Galactic. March 16 - Carl Allen- The New York-based drummer has over 200

recording credits to his name and even today is busy teaching, recording and touring. He was also the Artistic Director of Jazz Studies at The Julliard School from 2008 to 2013. March 30 - Deanna Witkowski- Witkowski started her career as a classical pianist before discovering jazz while in college. Even now Witkowski’s style is known for combining jazz, Latin folk and classical piano. She worked with leading jazz/gospel services at All Angels’ Episcopal Church before leaving to put out her album “Having to Ask” in 2000. April 6 - Todd Duke- This jazz guitarist developed his tastes by going to French Quarter jazz clubs

with his father as a boy. Duke then studied at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts under Hank Mackie, who is now a jazz professor here at UNO. Duke graduated NOCCA in 1989, but didn’t return to music for two more years. He is now best known for his Saturday night gigs at d.b.a. April 13 - Kermit Ruffins- One of New Orleans best known musicians, this native trumpeter, bandleader and singer was first inspired when he heard Louis Armstrong at age 19. Many now look at Ruffins as a modern-day Armstrong, with his inventive music and charming stage presence. April 20 - Henry Butler- This

distinctive, inventive pianist has been playing since age six. The New Orleans native is known for his fascinating mix of styles, including Professor Longhair and Jelly Roll Morton. Dr. John refers to Butler as “the pride of New Orleans,” and the next in line of many great N.O. pianists. April 27 - Maurice Brown- This Grammy-winning trumpeter studied at Southern University before moving to New Orleans. In 2001, he won the National Miles Davis Trumpet Competition and released his first album in 2003. He is known for his ability to expand the possibilities of the genre through innovative techniques and vision.

ENTERTAINMENT

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016

Wiz continues disappointing LP run with “Khalifa”

Photo courtesy of Atlantic Records

BY NIGEL WASHINGTON Editor-in-Chief Take a look at Pittsburgh rapper, singer and world-renowned smoker Wiz Khalifa’s discography and it’s easy to not feel impressed. His debut album “Rolling Papers” was largely a disappointment, so much so that he wrote a letter to fans saying, “…creatively it wasn’t my

best work.” The average albums continued with “O.N.I.F.C” and “Blacc Hollywood” as fans struggled to adjust to Wiz’s musical movement towards a more pop-heavy style and continued to wait for the next “Kush & Orange Juice,” the mixtape that launched Wiz into the stratosphere and in our hot box playlists in 2010. A lot has changed with Wiz since that album dropped. His style has changed, both fashion-wise and sonically. He’s had a child, a marriage and a separation, a trending beef with Kanye West on Twitter and a Grammy nominated track in “See You Again” with Charlie Puth. His close friend Curren$y described Wiz as a planet, but the one album where he can bring all of his styles together to create an enjoyable, cohesive project is still soaring through the cosmos somewhere.

“Khalifa,” Wiz’s fourth album in what has become quite a career for the “Black and Yellow” rapper, tries to be a more personal album— mainly in the first five songs. Sadly, all the personal moments are so vague and non-descriptive that it loses any impact it could have had. Basic verses like “humble beginnings, rich ass endings” on the album opener “BTS (Behind The Scene),” or the elementary level rhymes on the following track “Celebrate,” doesn’t give us a deeper look into Wiz’s life. Meanwhile, the production has the same pop-rap element that made Wiz a household name, but in the process turned away many longtime fans. He doesn’t need to give away his diary, or delve into all of his most personal stories during a smoke session, but there is nothing new to learn about the Pittsburgh rapper in these initial tracks. Without much to truly connect listeners, the ma-

jority of these songs end up being downright boring and uninspiring. The most personal “Khalifa” gets is when Wiz and his son Sebastian go back and forth on “Zoney,” which is one of the best moments of the entire project. The latter portions of the album show the trap-influenced and laid back Wiz that made him popular with the underground community. “Bake Sale” is an absolute banger as Travis Scott controls the hook with his signature auto-tuned vocals. Wiz sounds right at home as he maneuvers through the ground-shaking bass, hard snare drums and futuristic sounds, changing flows at will while also shifting the tone of the album. His familiar feel continues with the two-part track “Lit.” The first part was released in the middle last year, but is now massively improved with vocals on the hook and an extra verse at the tail end of

the track from Taylor Gang crooner Ty Dolla $ign. The laid back yet bass heavy beat feels like a smoke session under palm trees with 80 degree weather and is easily one of the better tracks of the album. The final moments of “Khalifa” will likely drive longtime Wiz fans insane because that classic album potential is still there. The biggest knock on Wiz has been his lackluster album history, and his most recent project does little to break the mold he’s created for himself. In an interview with radio station HOT 97, he stated that “Rolling Papers 2” will be dropping this year—hopefully before the summer. Maybe that’ll be the “Kush & Orange Juice” level album we’ve been waiting for, but “Khalifa” is just another project that missed the mark.

“The Pianist,” and the timeless clash of hope and hate BY THANH NGUYEN Driftwood Staff After World War II, numerous movies and comic books have depicted Nazism as a force of pure, absolute evil that should be eliminated. Introducing “The Pianist” (2002), a movie that gives surprising depth and complexity to this embodiment of evil. The movie tells the true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody) who, in the 1930s, was known as the most accomplished piano player in all of Poland, if not Europe. At the outbreak of the Second World War, however, Szpilman becomes subject to the anti-Jewish laws imposed by the conquering Germans. By the start of the 1940s, Szpilman has seen his world go from concert halls to the Jewish Ghetto of Warsaw and then must suffer the

tragedy of his family deported to a German concentration camp, while Szpilman is conscripted into a forced German Labor Compound. After escaping, he goes into hiding as a Jewish refugee where he is witness to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the Warsaw Uprising. At the turning point of the story, Szpilman is discovered by a Wehrmacht officer Wilm Hosenfeld (Thomas Kretschmann), who learns that Szpilman is a pianist and asks him to play on a grand piano, and the decrepit Szpilman manages to play Chopin’s Ballade in G minor. Hosenfeld then lets him hide in an empty attic and regularly supplied him food. When they part ways Hosenfeld promises he will listen to Szpilman on Polish Radio after the war and gives him a German Army greatcoat to keep warm. This is one of the very rare

moments where an act of kindness toward a Jew by a member of the Nazi regime is beautifully portrayed. It is often said that two people can interpret a work of art ten different ways. “The Pianist” is one such awe-inspiring artwork in which there’s no simple explanation. Is it a beautiful lie to conceal the hopelessness of humanity belying our civility, or is it a message of hope extended beyond any scope of suffering for generations to come? The answer lies in the never-ending battle between the optimist and the pessimist, the faithful and the faithless, the nihilist and the believer within each of us. A cynic may smirk and claim the futility of one such small miracle in the vast horror of the Holocaust. In the end millions perished at the hands of the Nazi regime. So what’s the point if one pianist lived

and hundreds other musicians perished in flames? What is one act of kindness compared to the magnitude of other atrocities committed? The faithful may argue that it is exactly the point, that within the depth of inhumanity, a little tender light of kindness shone through;

Photo courtesy of Universal Studios

out of the grisly sight of barbarism, a speck of beauty lingered and prevailed through music, that soulful hymn which connects all of us humans in spite of our differences. That gives us hope for humanity, and isn’t hope everything we need after all?

LAGNIAPPE

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016

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SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016

Privateers drop final road game of season to Nichols BY NIGEL WASHINGTON Editor-in-Chief With the season winding down, the UNO menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball team is trending downward as they lost their third straight game to Nicholls State, 80-76 on Monday in Thibodaux. With the game tied for the 11th time of the night at 70 a piece and three minutes remaining in the second period, the Privateers (9-18, 5-11 SLC) looked to squeeze out a victory in a game where they were leading by double-digits earlier in the half. UNO split a pair of free throws and soon after junior guard Christavious Gill came up with a steal and fast break layup to regain

control with a three-point lead. The Colonels (8-22, 4-12 SLC) answered back with dunk and a three pointer, putting the pressure back on the Privateers. UNO could only convert on oneof-three attempts in the final minute and a half of the contest to give Nichols the home victory. In the first half, both teams battled back and forth in attempts to secure early leads. Senior Kevin Hill scored 11 of his 14 points in the first period. Freshman guard Danny Cohen drained a three with a minute remaining before halftime to give the Privateers a 39-34 lead heading into the break. Issues on the road continue for the Privateers as they have only won two of their last 10 road games and are 3-14 away from the Lake-

front this season. Four Privateers finished with double figures in scoring with Gill leading the team with 19 points on 7-for-16 shooting. Gill is the scoring leader for UNO as well, averaging 14 points per game. Erik Thomas was right behind Gill with 16 points and has now scored double-digit points in 13 straight games. For the game, UNO shot 46.3 percent from the field and committed 15 turnovers. Nichols State shot over 50 percent for the night. New Orleans will finish off their season with two home games as they try to earn a spot in the Southland Conference tournament. The team will host Southeastern on Thursday at 7:45 p.m. before finishing the season against North-

Photo by Steve Dalmado Gill is currently 10th in the Southland in scoring average per game (14.0) and 14th in total points scored (377).

western State on Saturday. Tip for the Northwestern State game is

scheduled for 6:15 p.m.

Baseball continues hot start, sweep Valpos in weekend series BY NIGEL WASHINGTON Editor-in-Chief The UNO baseball team has had a hot start to the 2016 season under new head coach Blake Dean as they swept Valparaiso in a three game series this past weekend. After sophomore pitcher Shawn Semple pitched a shutout throughout six innings to help the team earn

a 9-0 win in game one, the Privateers held off the Valpoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s late comeback attempt to squeeze out a 5-3 victory in game two and earn the series win. In game three, the UNO (6-1) had all eyes on the sweep. The hitting came early as Valparaiso (1-5) jumped to an early 3-0 lead at the top first inning, and a one-run homer to start the third inning had UNO with their backs

against the wall. Sophomore Jay Robinson and junior Dakota Dean got on base in the bottom of the third inning with two singles. Two wild pitches would help both advance bases as they would eventually score the first points and cut into the lead. UNO blasted in the fourth inning to put up four runs and take a 6-4 lead. Valparaisoo scored three runs in

the seventh and eighth innings, but a two run seventh inning by UNO was just enough as they held off the late rally and completed the sweep with a 9-8 victory. Senior Preston Marsh was huge in the victory went 4-for-3 on the day and drove four runs. Junior Keaton Brewer earned his first win of the season as he pitched 3.1 innings and allowed two runs on three hits with four strikeouts.

The Privateers are looking at a tough schedule in the next few games as they travel to 16th-ranked ULL (4-3) on Tuesday before hosting Pitt (6-1) at Maestri Field for a three-game weekend series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.