Volume: 59 Issue: 4 by Driftwood

Volume: 59 Issue: 4

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

driftwood.uno.edu

UNO to lay off 75 employees by outsourcing Facility Services Mia Lett Driftwood Editor In order to save at least $1 million, UNO will outsource facility services to Sodexo, a multi-million dollar international corporation that employs over 132,600 people, and has over 700 facility management sites in the United States alone. The outsourcing will lay off all current UNO facility service classified employees. The takeover officially begins on October 5, but for now, all current UNO classified employees are being encouraged to apply through Sodexo. The company recently set up shop in the Human Performance Center. In order for classified employees to continue their employment at UNO, they must

apply using the company’s online application—a process which consists of an application, 50 assessment questions, and an in-person interview. “Sodexo is obligated to interview all affected classified employees. We would hope and anticipate that many will continue their duties at the university as Sodexo employees,” said Adam Norris, Director of Public Relations in an email statement. Norris’s statement is corroborated by Warren Davis, associate Vice President of Facility Services. Davis said that 75 classified employees will be affected by the change, but he is sure the layoff does not intend to displace employees. “The layoff doesn’t mean people are not going to have jobs,” said Davis, who is working closely with

Sodexo through the application process. By offering the process inhouse, Davis is confident employees will feel supported: “We are making the biggest effort we can to give people a comfort zone… though [employees] still have to sell themselves, we give them every opportunity to be employed by Sodexo,” said Davis. What Norris and Davis both agree on is that the outsourcing will improve facility services. Though neither has offered any explanation as to why current services need improvement, both agree that the performance standards introduced by Sodexo will improve services. “One of the primary reasons for outsourcing is to improve the functioning of services…the university will go from having no designated performance standard to meeting a

well-recognized industry service standard,” said Norris. Davis outlines how Sodexo’s performance standard will improve the function of services: 1) an increase in technology, which will reduce the need for more people, 2) a more robust work order system for tracking services and 3) a proactive industry standard approach. But the real savings come from eliminating the benefits paid to civil service employees. As Davis notes, civil service fringe benefits currently take up to 45-50 percent of an employee’s salary. The outsourcing eliminates the need for fringe benefits, which in turn, saves the university approximately $1 million. Sodexo employees will have benefits, but not to the extent which the state offers.

As of now, UNO employees are uncertain as to whether or not they will have a job in the future, and appear to be in the dark when it comes to wages and benefits. After completing the online application, an employee of nine years said that she has not been informed about wages or benefits, but was told to apply to Sodexo and wait for an interview. Another employee of over 19 years was told he would have to wait two weeks to find out about wages and benefits, and then he would decide if it is worth it to keep his job or retire as a civil service employee. Civil Service employees will have to wait until Oct. 5 to find out about their future. There is no guarantee they will be rehired by Sodexo.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

OPINION

Column: The LGBT+ community doesn’t need fair-weather allies

Photo by Grant Campbell

Anna Gowin Features Editor

Seeing photos fill my Facebook newsfeed from the recently Decadence Festival left me with a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, one I couldn’t quite place. I quickly identified it as the same feeling I

got when, upon the Supreme Court marriage equality ruling, my social media networks were flooded by rainbow-tinted profile pictures and exaltations of “#lovewins.” I should be grateful, I told myself. Look at all these people in my life who were happy and excited for something that was so important to me and other people like me. Why wouldn’t I be pleased about this many people celebrating the fight for marriage equality finally coming to fruition. I mean, I was certainly ready to celebrate. Then, a few days later, I shared some words I had seen online about how far from over this fight really was-- employers can still legally fire LGBT+ employees in 27 states, 20 percent of homeless youth are LGBT+ and 41 percent of transgender and gender nonconforming people have attempted suicide (the national average is 4.6 percent). That status wasn’t liked,

shared, or even acknowledged by half of the people who wanted to help me celebrate. To me, that didn’t feel fair. Just like people being able to come to Decadence and take photos with drag queens and exclaim how wonderful and alternative this city, this community, are. It feels a little like crashing a party you didn’t help plan. Sure, maybe you’re a great addition to the party, but that doesn’t change the fact that you didn’t put in nearly as much work as other people to make the party happen. Perhaps I’ve become jaded. I truly want everyone (LGBT+ and allies alike) to be able to celebrate when good things happen in the community. They’re exciting and momentous and that deserves to be celebrated! But if this is something you want to tell other people you care about, you need to care about all of it. Not just the fun parts.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Is the administration at UNO allowing the university to deteriorate in order to usher in a new model? We know a few things about Louisiana and New Orleans in particular. We know that the legislature in Baton Rouge has been following a Koch Brothers model of stripping away “the fat” from state budgets such as education, and other social spending. Bobby Jindal as well as Wisconsin governor Scott Walker are strict adherents to this model. As governor of Wisconsin Walker took bargaining rights away from teacher unions; he saw unions as fiscally undisciplined organizations with overstated budgets feeding off of a state budget that couldn’t afford to continue to pay for what he saw as a lack of results. In Louisiana, we have a state legislature and a governor that have shown by their actions that higher education is not a priority. Maybe Jindal’s too busy on the campaign trail, maybe he thinks that there is too much pork in the budgets of the state-funded systems. Closer to home, in New Orleans, we know that it was the same neo-liberal tactics employed by the city that converted our public school system to a privatized, for-profit charter school system after Katrina. All the teachers I have spoken to, some who quit the new charter system and others who still work because they ultimately still believe in the work, condemn the charter system as a joke; in for-profit education, the goal is not to educate, but to bring up test scores. Higher test scores bring in more money. So whereas before, students were given a more organic, teacher driven education, charter schools are bottom-line driven. The term STEM school has similar connotations. Except here, the bottom-line is justified from the assumption that more science, technology, engineering, and math schools will put America’s college aged adults in a competitive stance in the job market, a problematic conclusion I won’t address here. There have been rumors on campus that our administration on campus would like to turn the University of New Orleans into just such a school. If that is not the case, then the administration should start being very, very transparent about its future intentions. Because what it looks like, is a school being left to go to seed through neglect. Perhaps, as Naomi Klein writes in her work Shock Doctrine, this is the Hegelian dialectic that the administration is seeking: by allowing the school to go into disrepair (problem), the student body and city officials will demand something be done (reaction), and the administration will unveil a plan that they have been sitting on that will line their pockets at the expense to the course and major selections of the students of UNO, students who come here because we can’t afford to go to Tulane or Loyola, but want a 4 year education we can’t get at Delgado or Nunez. So, my question is the administration, what is the cause for the degraded state of the University now? Is it sheer incompetence, or is it part of a long-term restructuring? Let us all in on the secret, we pay our tuition and deserve to know. Sincerely, Franklin Fehrman

EDITORIAL Call for minimum wage increase speads With the fight for a $15 minimum wage gaining traction in cities like New York, Seattle and San Francisco, it was only a matter of time before the minimum wage workforce in New Orleans started seeking the same. After the Fight for $15 rally, it’s time to analyze why a higher minimum wage is so important. Atlantic’s City Lab website reported: “Currently, an average American needs to earn $19.35 [per hour] to afford rent on a two-bedroom unit. That’s a few dollars more than the $15.16 average hourly wage earned by the average American renters, and 2.5 times the federal minimum wage. It’s also more than the median hourly wage of the average American worker, which is $17.09.” This website also offers a map that shows how many hours a single adult would have to work to afford a one bedroom apartment in each state. A person working at the national minimum wage of $7.25 per hour would have to work 69 hours per week in the state of Louisiana. The Living Wage calculator takes into account the living expenses of an area and reports three different numbers—the minimum wage, the living wage of that area (how much living expenses cost per hour), and the gap between the first two numbers. According to the Living Wage Map calculator, a single resident of Orleans Parish making a minimum of $7.25 per hour doesn’t come close to earning a living wage. According to the Living Wage Calculator, a person would have to earn $11.08 per hour to meet minimal expenses. In other words, there is gap of $3.83 per hour between what a minimum wage earner makes, and what is needed. The situation becomes more serious when adults try to support a family. A parent of a four person family consisting of two adults and two children, has a living wage of $24.06 per hour and a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. The gap here is $16.81. The minimum wage simply has to rise to accommodate basic survival. According to the World Bank, the United States per person capita is about $54,600. Working 40 hours per week at $7.25 per hour only amounts to about $15,000 per year of income. So, there is a huge gap between what people at minimum wage are making and the people who are bridging that gap to $54,600. People in New Orleans had a rally on Sept. 10 fighting for minimum wage to be raised to $15 per hour. Most people would probably love to see their salaries raised to $15 per hour. Because finding degree-related work right out of college can be so difficult, college students are some of the most at risk to be affected by an unlivable minimum wage. The question students should be asking themselves is: ‘how am I going to pay for my college debt when I graduate if I can’t even afford to pay for living expenses?”

Driftwood is the student run newspaper of the University of New Orleans. We publish every Wednesday with the exception of mid-term and finals weeks and official holiday breaks. 2000 Lakeshore Drive University Center 252 New Orleans, LA 70148 Phone: (504) 280-6377 Fax: (504) 280-6010 Ad sales inquiries should be directed to driftwoodads@uno.edu

STAFF Nigel Washington Editor-in-Chief driftwoodeditor@uno.edu

Traven Stout Photo Editor tstout@.uno.edu

Charles Nicholson Managing Editor driftwood@uno.edu

Lili Harrison Advertising Manager driftwoodads@uno.edu

Anna Gowin Features/Entertainment Editor agowin@uno.edu

Zachary C. Guntner Marketing Manager driftwoodpr@uno.edu

Chloe Gagnon News Editor cprange@uno.edu

Ave Maria Bordenave Web Editor abordena@uno.edu

Grant Campbell Visuals Director gbcampbe@uno.edu

Vickie Kennedy Faculty Adviser vkennedy@uno.edu

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

NEWS

Senators propose a streamlined FAFSA application Tori Bush

Driftwood Staff The FAFSA application process may become much easier in the near future. Last June, Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) introduced the FAST Act, a bill that will change the process of applying for and receiving federal financial aid. Applicants would need to answer only two questions on a postcard: What is your family size? And, what was your household income two years ago? Supporters of the bill cite research that shows that a streamlined process increases the number

of low-income students who complete the application. “Even minor bureaucratic hurdles can keep people from making smart investments in their futures,” said the Editorial Board of the New York Times. Today, FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) has 105 questions and 88 pages of instructions, similar to the length of a federal income tax form. They went on, “To quantify just how much the aid bureaucracy discourages college attendance, a team of economists ran a randomized trial in which families applied for aid in a radically simplified process. The results were striking: The streamlined process increased the share of low-income young people

who attended college for two years by eight percentage points (to 36 percent from 28 percent).” According to Rhea Wong, Executive Director, Breakthrough New York: “My organization, Breakthrough New York, successfully shepherds 100 percent of our low-income students to college, but each year we have to devote hours — including an annual daylong workshop — to helping students and parents navigate the FAFSA and other financial aid forms. Unfortunately, most low-income families don’t have the benefit of such programs. Any step we can take to eliminate small obstacles that keep our kids from being successful is a step worth

taking.” Proponents say that getting rid of the current FAFSA form could narrow the large gaps in college attendance that persist between the rich and poor in the United States. On the other hand, is getting rid of an onerous FAFSA assisting low-income families or financially illiterate families, because the two are not the same. There are many low income families who can be quite savvy at bureaucratic processes-- for example the many people who navigate the process to get on federal disability, which can be much more time consuming than FAFSA. Also, the lenient terms of some federal student loans raise the ques-

tion if the government is lending as a public good or earning money off of the interest. The government charges almost 7 percent interest on some loans and a 4.2 fee which can earn roughly $3 billion a year off of the loans, according to the White House Budget Office. Is an easier FAFSA also an easier way for the government to make money off of student loans? President Obama supports a simplified FAFSA process and some hope the bill could be voted on and approved either this year or early next. Perhaps by the fall semester, students will receive student loans by answering two little questions.

MAN ON THE STREET

Do you think minimum wage should be raised or kept the same and why?

Nam T. Ly

Benjamin Detiveaux

I think the minimum wage should be raised to $8 per hour at least because people deserve good money for working hard. However, lazy people can’t have more payment than hard-working people.

Rising costs of living require raising wages. Workers can’t be expected to ‘do more with less’ in every aspect of their lives.

Junior

Canne Cyuzuzo

Sophomore, Civil Engineering

I think the minimum wage should be raised to at least $8 or a little bit more because the official minimum wage is not enough for an average American adult to take care of all their bills, Besides, all hard workers derserve a little extra.

Thao Nguyen

Jeramey Maniel

Senior, Biology

Freshman, Engineer

It should be kept the same because if they raise it there will be a large job loss, since corporation will be less likely to make cuts elsewhere in order to compensate for the extra pay raise, so instead they’ll fire employees to maintain profits.

I strongly believe it should be raised for certain jobs. The cost of living is increasing this millennia. So, I agree it should be raised.

Photos by Traven Stout

CRIME SCENE DO NOT • • • •

CROSS CRIME SCENE

On Aug. 6, a student returned to Privateer Place Parking Lot and discovered his 1992 • Buick LeSabre missing. On Aug. 11, A student reported receiving threats from his a former roommate who is • still a UNO student. NOPD summoned the student for communicating threats. On Aug. 22, UNOPD responded to a NOPD 911 hang-up call that came from Privateer • Place which turned out to be a false alarm. On Aug. 24, a theft was reported from a student resident of Privateer Place. Numerous kitchen and household items were stolen.

On Sept. 5, two Central Utilities Plant employees argued and the disagreement broke out in a brawl which led to minor injuries for both employees. On Sept. 8, Personnel from Central Utilities Plant reported a theft of some tools missing from a toolbox. On Aug. 28 The Baseball Clubhouse was burglarized and a Samsung 32 inch flat screen television was stolen.

CAMPUS CALENDAR Sep. 16 Service Fair - Different service providers in the New Orleans area will be at the University Center North patio ( Rec Center side) to promote their service events and look for weekly and bi-weekly service partners. Sep. 17 Happy Hour Sponsored by Founders Club - A cash bar and finger food are being

offered at the cove from 4-6pm. Enjoy special drink prices while networking and connecting with fellow UNO students and Alumni. Anyone and everyone can attend. Sep. 18 “The Misanthrope” - UNO theatre premieres their production of Moliere’s comedy, “The Misanthrope.” Curtains rise at 7:30 pm.

Sep. 19 Women’s Volleyball- The Privateers begin the New Orleans Invitational with a matchup against Grambling State. Sep. 21 Strength Week - A series of events to help students learn to think positively of themselves and expand on what makes them great at school, home or work. The last day

of events is on Sep. 25. For more info, visit http://strengthsquest.uno.edu. Sep. 22 Career Services Internship and Part-Time Job Fair- The University Center will be hosting an internship and part-time job fair. Bring your resumes as interviews will be conducted to recruiters and connect with fellow employers.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

NEWS

More affordable contraception faces opposition Tishawn Mitchell Driftwood Staff

A recent study published in the journal Health Affairs has found that since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed, zero-dollar co-pays for contraceptives has made birth control much more affordable for women, but not everyone is happy about it. Under the act, passed Aug. 1, 2012, private health care plans are required by law to cover all prescribed FDA-approved methods of birth control without charging policy-holders out-of-pocket costs such as co-payments or deductibles. In the 2015 healthcare study, Nora V. Becker and Daniel Polsky examined a sample of nationallyrepresentative information from the claims database of a large

nation-wide insurer. The study tracked patient monthly out-ofpocket spending for prescribed contraceptives from Jan. 2008 to June 2013. Of the eight types of birth control analyzed, it was found that the more popular forms of birth control such as the pill and the intrauterine dvice are now available for a zero-dollar co-pay for women, while the cost-share for other contraceptive methods, like the ring and the patch stayed the same. It’s predicted that the new federal guidelines for complying with the birth control mandate, released in May 2015, will soon drive down the costs for those forms of contraceptives as well. “It’s important for women to have access to (contraceptives),” said Julie Green, Administrative Assistant at UNO’s Women’s

Center. Though this is great news for women, the ACA decision regarding contraceptives has been met with its fair share of opposition. The mandate has prompted numerous lawsuits, including the landmark 2014 Hobby Lobby Case in which the Supreme Court ruled that a for-profit corporation, citing religious exemptions, could elect to not cover birth-control costs for its female employees. “Birth control coverage should be included in whatever health care coverage you get,” Green insisted. “There’s a plethora of things that can happen [when a woman has an unexpected pregnancy]. The woman could, for instance, give up what she’s working for, give up her own goals to take care of children.” According to Green, UNO’s

Student Health Center, located in room 238 of the University Center, is a viable first point of contact for students with questions about birth control pricing and options. “They do a good job,” she said. Everyone enrolled at UNO has access to the Health Center regardless of what kind of insurance coverage that they may or may not have. Women should also keep in mind that in terms of cost, the form of birth control that they select matters. While the pill and the intrauterine device are available now for a zero-dollar co-pay, overthe-counter birth control products, because they are available without a prescription, are not covered under the health care reform law. Not only does inquiring about and obtaining birth control reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancies among women, according to

Green: “It also gets women into clinics. They can take care of their reproductive health to begin with.” Caring for one’s reproductive health by means of STD screening and management is crucial. “Louisiana has terrible rates of STDs,” Green said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Louisiana currently ranks first among the U.S. in cases of gonorrhea, second in chlamydia, and third in syphilis and H.I.V. Green also noted that around 56 percent of pregnancies in Louisiana go unattended. Green said, “When I say unattended, I mean that women will ignore that they’re pregnant altogether or they will basically continue to use drugs and alcohol to not carry the child. And that’s just not safe for anybody.”

SGA MEETINGS 2015

Every other Friday, 2:00pm Starting September 18

Room 208, 2nd Floor of the UC Come visit us and see what the Student Government Association is all about! /UNOSGA

unosg

@unosg

sga@uno.edu

sga.uno.edu

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

FEATURES

Photo by Traven Stout The battle to raise minimum wage has taken held across the U.S. on September 10, the fight for $15 took to the streets of New Orleans with protesters marching on Canal Street to City Hall.

NOLA workers join the Fight for 15 Charles Nicholson Managing Editor

Thursday, Sep. 10 saw the most recent of public demonstrations in New Orleans of the Fight for 15 movement who are working to raise the national minimum wage. Protesters gathered at the McDonalds on the corner of Canal St. and Royal St. then took their fight to the government as they marched to City Hall. “The fast-food workers here in New Orleans saw that there were workers in other states organizing and they decided to become part of the movement. So they contacted them via Facebook and they got involved,” said Jacquelynn Rodders, a leader of the New Orleans branch of Fight for 15.

The first of their minimum wage protests to take place in New Orleans was in August 2013. Rodders is a new local leader of the Fight for 15 movement as well as a former McDonald’s employee. “[$15] was really based on the cost of living across the U.S.,” said Rodders about why that number was chosen. “It’s what is required, what people end up spending as opposed to what people are forced to spend and cover the rest with government assistance.” The movement has been covering much ground both locally and nationally. New York recently moved to gradually raise the minimum wage for fast-food and cashier workers to $15 per hour by 2018 for New York City and 2021

for the rest of the state. Now local businesses are beginning to react as well. “Stand with Dignity, one of our partners, just recently won $10.55 for subcontract workers here in New Orleans. Before, there was no base wage and some construction companies were paying workers $7.25 because they weren’t forced to pay them more and now they are required by law to pay them $10.55 beginning January 1, 2016,” said Rodders. Rodders went on to explain just what is at stake for wage increases: “For here in New Orleans, it would mean reduced crime, people would be able to get off of government assistance and pay their own bills. People would be able to live well instead of barely

live, which is the unfortunate state of most families here.” This movement comes after decades of increasing wealth inequality that has caused civil unrest amongst those who are struggling to support themselves and their families. The wealth gap has all but erased the middle class; the only notable class status being top one percent, the working class and those below the poverty line. One of the biggest concerns to come from this wage jump is how it would affect small businesses. The problem lies in how small businesses will be able to keep their operations running while paying their employees. “I believe if everyone made $15 per hour, if everyone made a living wage, they would be able to

afford to spend more money locally as opposed to paying for products that come from overseas,” said Rodders. “[Local] products are usually a little more expensive and this way we can spend a little more of our money here and boost the economy as a whole.” Rodders said that they are trying to get together with the city council to open a public forum as their next event, though they don’t have a date set just yet. Rodders said: “$15 to me would mean a stable living, a stable income. It would mean a future for myself and no longer needing public assistance to feed myself and my family.”

See page 7 for more photos

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

FEATURES

HOW DOES UNO STACK UP? Chloe Gagnon News Editor

College rankings are a tool for both parents and prospective students to use to help evaluate and which college or university best suits a particular student. A recent look at how UNO ranks against other institutions yielded some interesting results. Subjects for rankings vary from best academics to best food, parking, professors, classes, parties, etc. According to the Center for World University Rankings, UNO

ranks number 609 among top universities in the world for 2015. It also pulled the 182 slot for universities in the United States. University administrators see the rankings as having a positive effect on enrollment. UNO Provost, John Nicklow said: “. . .this will be the largest class of incoming freshmen since the new increased admissions standards were put in place in 2012. That’s a major accomplishment for us, considering the effect the new standards have had on our enrollment over the last few years. I am proud of the progress made in Enrollment Services, partic-

ularly over the last few months. Overall enrollment shifts occur over the period of a few years; it’s the nature of creating and sustaining enrollment yield. This year’s outcome is a very positive sign for UNO.” The increased numbers of freshmen may be attributed the a variety of reasons and a website called College Niche is a good place to examine this question. College Niche polls students from 892 colleges and universities and ranks them on both a national scale and a state scale. On this website, UNO was ranked 51 for Most Politically Diverse Colleges

on a national scale as well as 81 for friendliest students, 98 for best colleges in big cities, and 92 for best location for a campus. In the state of Louisiana, there are approximately fifty colleges (according to a Google search). Each poll varies with the number of colleges and universities ranked because some schools did not poll very highly so they were not included in the rank list. College Niche bases its polls on about 1020 Louisiana universities. On a smaller state pyramid scale, UNO is at the top. UNO ranked second place in four state categories—Best Aca-

demics, Most Diverse, Friendliest Students and Best Parking. It also ranked third for Best Colleges in Big Cities and Best Location. It was ranked fifth for Best Party school. However, not all ratings were good. UNO’s food was ranked 13 in the state and its campus was ranked 11. No college ranking websites should be used solely for selecting a college or university. Academics should be the top priority which, fortunately, UNO is ranked number 2 for Louisiana state colleges. See the infographic below for UNO’s rankings in the state

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

FEATURES

NOLA JOINS FIGHT FOR $15

Pictured left and above: Protesters gather outside McDonald’s to raise awareness of the Fight for 15 movement; organizers urge supporters to continue the fight. Pictured below: Participants march down Canal Street to New Orleans City Hall.

Photos by Traven Stout

Student Legal Services

SPONSORED BY: UNO STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

What we do:

• Give legal advice • Write letters and negotiate on your behalf • Assist withdrafting of wills, living wills, and powers of attorney

We cannot: • Represent you in court • Advise you on any dispute you have with the UNO administration, a UNO faculty or staﬀ member, or another student

• Review and notarize documents • Help you prepare to go to court • Help with divorce, custody, landlord/tenant disputes & traﬃc oﬀenses

CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT TODAY!

Michael Tusa, JD (504) 280-6229 Wednesday 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM Thursday 1 PM - 6 PM

ENTERTAINMENT

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

Courtesy of CBS

Television Review: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Charles Nicholson Managing Editor

“Stephen! Stephen! Stephen!” was chanted as The Late Show opened up Tuesday, Sep. 8. Stephen Colbert is back on the airways! Nearly nine months after the conclusion to “The Colbert Report,” Colbert takes up the mantle as host of “The Late Show.” If you had any concerns of drastic changes in his comedy style, fear no longer. Though he has shed the faux-conservative character that starred in the Report, the real Colbert is still as crazy as ever.

He’s funny, he’s charismatic, he’s playful and he still has that touch of narcissism to balance it all out. His self-admiration was on full display as he introduced viewers to his newly renovated set featuring unique set pieces like Captain America’s shield and a “cursed” demonic amulet. The best part of the new renovation is the fake stained-glass ceiling sported with the title of the show and Colbert’s face all over. One of the biggest questions to come up as the premiere drew closer was “Who is the real Stephen Colbert?” Without his

distinctive Report character, what could audience members expect? The answer to this he promised to not only viewers but himself as he said, “With this show I can begin the search for the real Stephen Colbert.” But the real Colbert isn’t too different from the Comedy Central version. From opening the show and addressing the audience as “Nation” (as in the Colbert Nation, his fanbase) to his over-dramatizations, the host is without a doubt familiar. He’s definitely more light-hearted than his old character and you can tell he’s clearly having fun (like the “cursed” amulet

forcing him to promote Sabre hummus). Whether a mockery of the media’s obsession or letting out his pent-up political drive after nine months, Colbert’s tangent about Donald Trump was not only truthful and meaningful, but hilarious as well. And he doesn’t slack off as an interviewer either. He was carefree with George Clooney, stern with GOP nominee Jeb Bush, yet ecstatic with both. I’ll also mention the opening of the show where Colbert could be seen singing the Star-Spangled Banner on a baseball field and the umpire turning out

to be none other than Jon Stewart (those two are truly inseparable). One other thing worthy of note is the music, presented by Jon Batiste and Stay Human. Batiste, a jazz musician and Kenner, LA native, along with his band, brings a fresh sound to the show that truly captures the mood. Batiste himself is very energized as you can catch him after commercial breaks dancing with Colbert on stage. For any fan of the Colbert Report or Stephen Colbert himself, you won’t want miss out on this late night treasure. The Colbert Nation is alive and well.

STAFF PICKS

Courtesy of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. A Time Warner Company.

In the time when adult cartoons are fighting to achieve the legacies of “The Simpsons” and “South Park” a few shine, but “Rick and Morty” shines brightest. Rick, the alcoholic super genius, drags his timid, teenaged grandson, Morty, on insane adventures through galaxies, dimensions and alternate universes. The show brings together the comedy of “Family Guy,” the references of “South Park” and the sci-fi of “Futurama” and does it smarter than any of them. Be warned: some episodes even manage to be heart-heavy. With Season Two well on theunder way there are sure to be many more adventures to come. “Rick and Morty forever and forever a hundred years!” -Charles Nicholson

Courtesy of Cooking Vinyl

The Fratellis most recent album, released August 21, continues along the band’s direction of becoming more polished. This move is something that certain fans disagree about, but anyone who hears the infectious lyric “I’m gonna sell this soul of mine,” from the opening track Me and the Devil can tell that the band hasn’t lost any of the spirit of Chelsea Daggers. The album is energetic, distinctively raucous and borderline sexy: everything long time Fratellis fans could hope for. Regardless of whether or not the band’s improved production value endears you, “Eyes Wide, Tongue Tied” is Fratellis music, the kind of sound that warrants rolling down your windows and screaming out fueled by adrenaline and the sheer power of youth. -Anna Gowin

Courtesy of Konami Courtesy of The CW Television Network

Fans of the Metal Gear solid franchise should love the newest creation by Hideo Kojima. “Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” brings the first open world game in the series and delivers an amazing plot as well. Traversing the lands of Afghanistan as the legendary Snake, “Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” is action packed with explosions and stealth gameplay. The graphics are beautiful and the scenery of the Afghan mountains are mesmerizing. Fans of the long-time series or just casual players looking for an immersive experience should give this Game of the Year contender a try. -Nigel Washington

Aimee Teegarden and Matt Lanter star in this fascinating Science Fiction/Romance TV series about an alien boy whose race crashes onto Earth and is taken hostage. A high school program is put in place to integrate teenage aliens into the community where Teegarden’s and Lanter’s characters fall into a dangerous love. With only one season produced, it’s a quick watch that instantly draws the audience into a new world--one where aliens live among the humans. The show combines romance, politics, sci-fi, and drama so that anyone is sure to enjoy. -Chloe Gagnon

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

ENTERTAINMENT

Video Game Review: EA SPORTS Madden NFL 16 Nigel Washington Editor-in-Chief

Football fans rejoice! Yes, football season is back, which also means a new Madden release (because there is no such thing as too much football). “Madden NFL 16” is introducing all new mechanics and a brand new game mode that looks to be a major part of the franchise. So break out the chips, dip, pizza and extra controller, because Madden season is finally here. EA Sports heavily promoted the new mechanics for defensive backs and receivers. Now, players can be seen jostling for position at the line of scrimmage and interactions seem more fluid and realistic. Receivers have three catches to choose from—aggressive, run after catch, and possession—all of which have their benefits and drawbacks. For instance, users who choose the possession catch will have an increased chance of catching the ball without dropping it, but will also sacrifice the ability to gain extra yards after the catch. The added mechanic is a great addition that puts more control in the player’s hands and adds a new level of gameplay that makes every play much more interesting. To combat the receiver’s new abilities, defensive backs are

given the option to either play the ball and go for the interception, or play the receiver and try to swat the ball away. Just like the receivers, both options have their rewards and repercussions that players much choose on the fly based on the situation. The swat button remains in “Madden NFL 16,” but it can easily get lost behind these new gameplay additions. I tied myself down to these two buttons on defense before having to search the in-game manual for the swat button because passes were still being caught over my defender. The new defensive abilities do work, but I wouldn’t recommend relying solely on those two buttons if you want to build a strong defensive game plan. Of course, quarterbacks will get some love too. Now, players can decide how he or she wants to deliver the ball with new passing options. One can now throw the ball low or high depending on what button is held as the football is thrown. The most popular addition to “Madden NFL 16” is Draft Champions, a new game mode where players create their own team reminiscent of a fantasy football style draft. Players will choose one of three different players in 15 rounds with the first round being exclusively coaches and their respective playbook. Users will take their handmade team and compete

against other players in a tournament style gauntlet where winning can net players prizes in Madden’s Ultimate Team mode. You will never know what player or position will come in each round, making each experience different and exciting. A perfect formula to Draft Champions is whatever formula you decide. The pain of losing was also a joy because it meant I could draft again and play with a new mix of players. Draft Champions is the gem of this year’s Madden and will likely become a staple in the franchise for years to come. Ultimate Team and Connected Franchise have, for the most part, stayed the same. Scouting and drafting have been improved, which was much needed, and the new dynamic goals were a nice touch. Ultimate Team remains the same, addictive mode we have all come to love (and sometimes hate). Buying and selling players have become much easier and the solo challenges are fun and rewarding. As always, Ultimate Team will be updated throughout the year with new players and items. New camera angles have been added and give some of the same sights and sounds that are shown on Sundays. Sadly, the commentary is still disappointing. With Jim Nantz and Phil Simms on the call, the dialogue

Courtesy of Electronic Arts Inc.

is constantly recycled and becomes boring after three games. With Madden being the only football game in the market every year, fans always have high expectations and are usually let down with “new” gameplay additions that were in previous versions but have been taken out. “Madden NFL 16” definitely delivered in the

form of gameplay with the new mechanics and the induction of Draft Champions. Improvements to the commentary and Connected Franchise were needed, but still unaddressed. Regardless, “Madden 16” delivers a fun gameplay experience with a ton of replay ability to keep all of us football fanatics satisfied throughout the season.

Photo by Lones J. Gagnard

Concert Review: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Lone J. Gagnard Driftwood Staff

On Thursday Sept. 10, Gasa Gasa was rocked by FIRST!, BottomFeeders, Michael Rault, and King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, the headlining Australian psychedelic band. The space, Sisters in Christ underground record store by day and Gasa Gasa music venue by night sports several murals on the outside walls and unique decorations inside. The walls are covered in local photography, depicting animal rescues in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Music, art, and film thrive in this small relatively unknown club. The ear-splitting festivities

kicked off at 9 pm in the new Uptown venue for the arts. Up first was FIRST! whose lyrics explained “if the doors opened at 10 they’d be on at 9, it takes dedication to be first”. Quintron’s new band consisting of a fierce all female foursome came prepared with local punk lyrics, banging drums and driving guitar. Two drummers wearing low-key daft punk-esque visors alongside a bass and rhythm guitarist gave Quintron all the musical fortitude he could ask for. “Bobby Jindal suck my tail pipe AND GET SICK!” was chanted throughout the venue along with other humorous hooks. FIRST! left the small stage for BottomFeeders to shred

away; the locals brought garage rock and began plugging in their own pieces of psychedelia. Experimenting with new songs about things like how pizza sucks, BottomFeeders brought the noise necessary to welcome a Canadian artist by the name of Michael Rault. Combining the gritty guitar tones of T. Rex’s Marc Bolan with the songwriting and hooks of Ty Segall, Rault captivated the audience with amped up love songs and lyrics of a modern day musician’s life. His touring band chimed in with melodic ooh’s and ah’s while laying down the sonic skeleton of the songs. Rault’s voice was the cherry on top for all Marc Bolan fans that never got the

chance to see him play. The set was nostalgic and a much needed sound resurgence for listeners everywhere. The final act was gearing up and the kaleidoscopic feel was in the air. Two drum kits, one bass, three guitars, a keyboard, and three odd metal microphones were set up on the small Gasa Gasa stage awaiting King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. The seven-piece prepared in front of a multi-colored projector to blow every eardrum in a one-block radius. The two drummers and bassist started a beat that would connect the first few songs that were played, and just like that the venue exploded. The lead singer wrapped his mouth around the mic to utter

a primal scream while the band jammed in Oceanic unison. Distorted voices screamed “Cellophane” before a finger frenzied guitar solo, which honestly appeared as a guitarist having a seizure, tongue out and all. Every mosher banged their head in worship over the barricade, getting as close to the ‘wizards’ as they could. The energy was thundering as people got pushed every which way trying to give back to the band what they were given. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard left every ounce of energy on that Gasa Gasa stage that night and I’m sure ears are still ringing because of that rambunctious rock n’ roll we all love so much.

LAGNIAPPE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

Illustrated by Lindsay Alexander

PRIVATEER POOP

Illustrated by Barrington Hebert

sudoku

word search

Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.52)

9 9

5 9

9 3

4 1 9

1 3

9 6

CARTOON COLBERT CONTRACEPTIVE CUSTODIAN DECADENCE FACILITY

Answers will be published online on Friday via our Instagram account: UNODriftwood Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Mon Sep 14 17:43:51 2015 GMT. Enjoy!

FAFSA FIFTEEN FRATELLIS HOST MADDEN PROCRASTINATE

RALLY RANKING SAINTS STATISTICS WAGE WIZARD

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

SPORTS

In the Doghouse: Lady Privateers face four bulldogs, tame three

FROM THE CROW’S NEST Cross Country team finished second to LSU in Loyola Sugar Bowl Cross Country Festival on Saturday’s 5K invitational. Sophomore Emily Martinez was the fastest individual among the women with a time of 22:13.15. For the men, Clayton O’Callaghan and Jared Robertson finished as the ninth and tenth overall clocking in times of 16:46.0 and 16:53.7. The Cross Country team will travel to Baton Rouge this weekend to compete in the LSU Invitational on Sept. 19.

Photo by Adrian Etheridge The UNO volleyball team sends the ball back to Alabama A&M, one of four opponents the Privateers faced with bulldogs as their mascot.

Nigel Washington Editor-in-Chief

The UNO volleyball team traveled to Asheville, N.C. this weekend and brought home 3 wins and the team’s first sweep during the 4-game UNC Asheville Tournament. UNO (6-4) was handed their only loss of the tournament early against host UNC Asheville (6-3) on Thursday, the first game of the tournament for the Privateers. After going down 2-0, the Privateers were able to avoid the sweep and win the third set 25-17. The fourth set saw UNO fight until the very end, but the Bulldogs kept them at bay and walked away with a 28-26 win. On Friday, the Privateers faced

off against the lowly South Carolina State Bulldogs, a team who had yet to win a game up to that point. The team won the first set 27-25 and rode that momentum to take the next two sets, 25-12 and 25-22, and earned the first sweep of the season. The next set of Bulldogs on the Privateers’ deck was in the form of Alabama A&M (1-9). Senior Milica Zmiric and freshman Kaitlyn Grice recorded 20 of the team’s 39 kills as they led UNO to another three-set sweep. The Privateers as a whole earned their highest hitting percentage of the season with a .371. While the Privateers could finish out the tournament with another sweep, they were able to head back home with a victory and a three-

game winning streak. UNO’s last match of the weekend was against the Citadel Bulldogs (4-7). Both squads were coming off victories in their last match and riding high. The Privateers dominated the first set. After going on a 9-3 run to start, the team cruised to a 25-9 beating and set the momentum for the rest of the match. UNO and Citadel split the next two matches with both of them being decided by extra rallies. Set 4 saw the Bulldogs get out to an early 9-4 lead. The Privateers roared back and tied the game at 9-9. The lead went back and forth for the remainder of the game. After being tied 21-21, UNO scored three straight and put themselves

on the verge of victory. An attack error by Citadel sealed the deal and give the Lady Privateers a 25-22 victory. Freshman Kaitlyn Grice earned her second All-Tournament Team honors after her first came in the New Orleans Invitation last weekend. Grice led the Privateers with 33 kills with an attack percentage of .491. She also recorded nine blocks. The last Privateer to earn multiple All-Tournament Team honors in one season was Edina Dobi in 2011. After a road game against the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (11-1), UNO will head back to the Human Performance Center for the second New Orleans Invitational.

Saints open season 0-1, lose to Cardinals Zachary C. Guntner Driftwood Staff

The Saints (0-1) have not won at Arizona since 2000 and the Cardinals (1-0) continued their winning ways beating the Saints 31-19 on Sunday. In the opening drive of the game, the Cardinals received the ball, then marched the ball 80 yards up the field ending in a short touchdown pass from Carson Palmer to second-year receiver John Brown giving the Cardinals a seven point lead after their first possession. Palmer and the Cardinals offense continued to assert their dominance on New Orleans’ secondary

throughout the entire game. Palmer finished 19-of-32 for 307 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions to end the game. The Saints never looked consistent on offense throughout the game as a bulk of their total yards came off short passes or screens to the running backs. The backs caught for 154 total yards while the receivers and tight ends only emerged for 160 yards altogether. Overall, it was a tough day for the Saints as they gave up two sacks, five tackles for loss, and also threw one interception after wide receiver Marques Colston tipped the ball up to Cardinals safety Rashad Johnson.

Throughout the game, New Orleans’ defense failed to sack Palmer and only forced a single turnover after linebacker Hau’oli Kikaha stripped the ball from running back Andre Ellington. New Orleans native Delvin ‘Chip’ Breaux recovered the ball resulting in the team’s only defensive highlight against Arizona. With less than two minutes left in the game, the Saints were down by eight points and needed 97-yards, but failed again to reach a first down in the first three plays. Backed into their own red zone they decided to punt the ball, hoping that the defense could make something significant happen.

Arizona then decided to take a play out of the Saints’ playbook as the Cardinals rookie running back David Johnson caught a short pass from Palmer and took it 55-yards upfield sealing the game in a 31-19 victory. During the game, safety Rafael Bush left the game with a chest injury and cornerback Damian Swann was sidelined for multiple possessions putting the Saints at a greater deficit than before their arrival in Glendale, AZ. Running back C.J. Spiller, linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, cornerback Keenan Lewis and safety Jairus Byrd did not play due to injuries.

Baseball added two assistant coaches to the staff by hiring Lee Bryant as the new pitching coach and Brett Stewart as the team’s new hitting coach announced by the athletic department on Tuesday last week. Stewart is coming from Northwest Florida State College (2013-2015) where he was the team’s recruiting coordinator and won the Junior College National Championship last season. Stewart also has experience in the Southland Conference as an assistant coach at Nichols where he assisted with offensive strategy and game planning. The Colonels’ hitting percentage at .271 and 76 stolen bases were both ranked in the top five in the Southland Conference. Women’s Tennis begins play at the Warhawk Fall Tennis Tournament on Sept. 18. Men’s Tennis travels to Hattiesburg, MS to compete at the USM Fall Invitational on Sept. 19. Men’s Golf starts the season at the HBU Husky Invitational in Houston, TX on Sept. 21.

Compiled by Zachary C. Guntner