Volume 58 Issue 18

Driftwood The community newspaper of the University of New Orleans

Volume: 58 Issue: 18

March 4, 2015

driftwood.uno.edu

Rally at the Capitol

Christy Lorio

UNO Student Government members Senator Chance Aucoin, Senator Joy Ballard, SG President David Teagle, Senator Denise Bauer and Senator William Leshe Jr. represented the university at the United Voices for a Better Louisiana’s Rally for Justice on Febraury 28 at the Lousiana State Capitol.

Christy Lorio Editor-in-chief On Feb. 28 United Voices for a Better Louisiana (UVBL) hosted a Rally for Justice on the steps of the Louisiana State Capitol.

Concerned citizens gathered to hear community leaders speak on topics such as the future of public higher education, healthcare, law enforcement and community relations and the role of the clergy in these matters. The rally was in response to Governor Bobby Jindal’s announcement on Feb. 27 that the state’s higher education budget will be cut by $211 million in the upcoming fiscal year.

Several members of UNO’s Student Government and Driftwood staff attended the rally to show support for higher education and to represent the university. Posters that proclaimed Rev. Tony Brown, host of Eyes Open with Tony Brown on KTTP AM in Alexandria and Pineville, touched on the fact that Louisiana spends more money on prisons than it does on education. Louisiana has

a higher incarceration rate than any other state in the country, 867 per 100,000 Louisiana citizens are locked up in state and federal correctional facilities.

“We spend more tax dollars locking up nonviolent drug offenders than we spend educating our kids,” Brown said, “I always say that our state is at the top of the list when it comes to the bad stuff and at the bottom of the list when it comes to the good stuff.”

Dr. Ernest Johnson, Esq., President of the Louisiana NAACP, stressed the importance of getting involved and taking a proactive stance to incite change. “And what was the real substance and the real issue of the Selma to Montgomery march?” Johnson asked the crowd.

“It was the right to vote. It was that we will sacrifice, we will die, we will get bitten by dogs, we will get arrested by police so that we will have the right to vote. And why do we have the right to vote? So that we can influence bodies like this.

This state legislature.”

Dr. Charles Steele Jr, President and SEO of the Southern Christian

Leadership Conference, said, “Education is the new civil rights.”

Representative Regina Ashford Barrow of District 29 in Baton Rouge offered her support for the younger generation. “Our young people need to know that their lives matter, that they can be whatever they choose to be,” Barrow said, “Education is the key. Education is the one thing to provide for us the opportunities to be able to move from one level to the next level...we have failed our children.”

Carnell Washington, Vice President of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, expressed his disdain for education in Louisiana right now and put the blame on Louisiana legislature. “The state of education in the state of Louisiana is absolutely, incredibly, messed up,” Washington said, “It’s not a mess because teachers are not teaching. It’s not a mess because parents are uninvolved. It’s not a mess because principals and administrators are not doing everything they can to make it work. It’s a mess because of two things basically: our governor and our state superintendent.”

Nathaniel Lester, a student at Huntington High School in Shreveport, attended the rally on Saturday with a group of his friends. He isn’t worried about these issues affecting him, but his concern lies in future generations. Lester said, “I don’t think it’s going to affect me necessarily but I do think my children [will be affected]...I’m pretty sure I’m safe based on the government before Jindal.”

UVBL is a collaboration of faith leaders from across the State of Louisiana, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus. The organization’s mission is to raise moral awareness of injustices in Louisiana, encourage cultural sensitivity in all communities for the purpose of acknowledgement and bridging the racial divide and addressing black on black crime. UVBL’s immediate objective is to promote trust in between the African American community and law enforcement agencies. additional reporting by Anna Gowin and Charles Nicholson

Take charge of your future by staying informed The Privateer Advocacy Network, launched by the UNO International Alumni Association with support by the University of New Orleans Foundation, serves as a hub for legislative news that affects UNO and creates a central online location with contact information for members of the Louisiana State Legislature and encourages users to write letters and make calls to legislators. To join go to http://www.ciclt.net/sn/ clt/uno/default.aspx.

The University of Louisiana System, which UNO is a part of, has created a hub for information concerning higher education in the state. The site features links to budget news, updates from UL System President Sandra K. Woodley, www.ulsystem.edu/budget hub for information.

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Wednesday, March 4, 2015

NEWS

With tax deadline looming, students have multiple options to alleviate stress Krystal Dumas Driftwood Staff

April 15 is Tax Day, and for students, properly filing in order to receive refund checks is especially important.

Receiving a much needed refund check to help pay off bills is always nice, but as a college student, finding an easy and affordable filing method can be difficult. However, even as a student, there are options.

TurboTax is a free online tax filing service that has become the goto for college students who file their own taxes.

TurboTax relieves some of the stress of filing with features that guide you through the process.

TurboTax also has an online chat option to speak to a specialist, recommended settings for each user, and the ability to pull up your W-2 online.

University of New Orleans student Debbie Nunes said, “I have been using TurboTax online since 2007. It was among the most inexpensive online methods and was also the easiest. I did, one year, try another online service but was disappointed in how complicated it was to navigate.”

Another popular filing option for students would be filing as a dependent under their parent(s).

“The state of education in the state of Louisiana is absolutely, incredibly, messed up,” Washington said, “It’s not a mess because teachers are not teaching. It’s not a mess because parents are uninvolved. It’s not a mess because principals and administrators are not doing everything they can to make it work. It’s a mess because of two things basically: our governor and our state superintendent.”

- Carnell Washington (Right) Carnell Washington, Vice-President of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, placed blame on the governer and state superintendent for Louisiana’s curremt educational crisis.

(Bottom) Crowd congregates on the Capitol steps to listen to community leaders discuss issues affecting the region.

Photos by Christy Lorio

UNO postbaccalaureate student Carlos Wylie does not file his own taxes, but he works for Big 4 accounting firm in their tax department.

According to Wylie, “There are many variables involved with [students filing as dependents] such as if they are under 25, still live at home, and parents supply 50% or more of their support, then they can file under their parents as a dependent. But if they make over $5,000 in a tax year, and if that is more than half of their annual support, legally they would have to file their own return. It also depends on whether or not the student is working for cash under the table or gets paid by a reporting paycheck.”

Filing taxes can be a hassle, but going through the process has its rewards. There are many tax credits awarded to students. The American Opportunity Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit are the two main student tax credits.

A student can receive a tax credit up to $2,500 if she or he qualifies for the American Opportunity Credit and $2,000 with the Lifetime Learning Credit.

The American Opportunity Credit is for undergraduate students in their first four years of college.

Students have to be enrolled halftime to claim and must make less

Driftwood Photo Illustration/Christy Lorio

than $90,000 if single or $180,000 if married. According to myfreetaxes.com, “up to $1,000 of the credit is refundable, so you can receive it even if you don’t owe taxes.”

The Lifetime Learning Credit can be claimed by all post-secondary education students, undergraduates and graduates, including job skill training classes and non-degree programs. Students can claim this credit if they make less than $60,000 if

single and $120,000 if married.

There is also a tuition and fees tax deduction and a student loan interest deduction. A tuition and fees tax deduction can reduce income by $4,000 or less. Students can deduct education expenses such as tuition, books, and supplies and can claim this credit if they make less than $80,000 if single or $160,000 if married.

If a student has already started

paying interest on a student loan they might qualify for a Student Loan Interest Deduction up to $2,500. Students have to make less than $65,000 if single or $130,000 if married.

Students can choose whichever credits or deductions will help them more, but a student can not use more than one in the same year.

UNO film professor John McGowan-Hartman shares his thoughts on recently proposed budget cut Why is it important for students to stay informed about proposed budget cuts to higher education?

The obvious answer is that students are the consumers here.

They pay the bills through their tuition dollars, and they reap the benefits of having a strong institution, as well as sharing the loss from any cuts to the institution.

If I am a student at a state institution, and I know that the state is about to enact massive budget cuts in order to meet their annual budget, I want to know how that affects me. I certainly don’t want to sit blithely by and wait to see what happens. I want to ask questions, and I want someone to give real answers to them.

Do you think UNO’s administration is withholding information from students?

I don’t know that the administration is withholding information (particularly fiscal specifics which they simply do not have at this point). What seems clear is that they are not including the students, and to some degree the faculty, in the decision-making process.

Here is an example: under the former administration (in the LSU system, under a Chancellor), UNO students were polled and asked whether they wanted the university to invest in the athletics program. The students overwhelmingly answered “no.”

When the new administration (in the UL system, under a President) came on board, they immediate-

ly set about investing substantial sums into athletics, creating new teams, hiring new personnel and expanding the program generally, even though it was clear that this is not what the students wanted.

I think that these are the kinds of things that students should be questioning, and I think that the student body should continue to be fully included in the process.

Is Bobby Jindal to blame for the financial burden of UNO? Not entirely, since management at the university level also affects the burden and how it plays out across programs. Still, there is a $1.6 billion deficit looming next year, and once again it exposes problems such as the fact that Louisiana has too many universities for the size of its population. Since it would take political courage to reduce the number of universities, institutions find themselves facing ‘death by a thousand cuts’ instead of being transformed in responsible and thoughtful ways.

Is Bobby Jindal to blame for all of the deficit?

I have read and am reading many reports that blame much of the deficit on fiscal mismanagement on the part of the Jindal administration, but we should also remember that the state legislature has to approve all budgets, so in that sense this problem was not created by one man...I think that understanding the problem in detail is part of what I would encourage students to strive for. compiled by Chloe Gagnon

NEWS

Wednesday, March 4, 2015 3

Loss of UNO Deaf Education program eliminates degree option for Louisiana students Carlee Lauve Driftwood Staff

The University of New Orleans no longer offers an M.A.T. (Master of Arts in Teaching, Special Education and Habilitative Services) program. As of Jan. 2015, students working towards certification in Deaf Education will have to leave the state.

The M.A.T. was offered to students with a bachelor’s degree in something other than education who wanted to work toward certification in order to teach students who are deaf or hearing impaired.

The degree provided an opportunity for students to complete a certification in areas such as early intervention, integrated/merged mild/moderate, and significant disabilities in addition to deaf education.

There are only thirteen Deaf Educations programs in the south amongst Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

The only Deaf Education program available in

Mississippi is at the University of Southern Mississippi, but the program does not offer online courses.

Without Deaf Education programs in Louisiana, the options for students in the South to gain

certification in Deaf Education are limited. Before the closure of this program, UNO was the only university in the state to offer a Deaf Education program.

The decision for the closure of this program came after the recommendation of the closure of the Bachelor of Science in early childhood education, the masters and doctorate in special education, and the doctorate in curriculum and instruction in the College of Education and Human Development. “It was a decision made by the college [College of Education and Human Development], not the university,” said Dr. Kate Reynolds, the

program coordinator of Deaf Education since 1990. Reynolds is also the current Publications Chair for the organization.

UNO currently offers a certification-only program for Louisiana certified teachers who want an endorsement in Deaf Education and the M.Ed. program for certified teachers who want an add-on certification in Deaf Education and a masters degree. Since Hurricane Katrina, there have been

a total of eight or nine students enrolled part-time and full-time in all three programs each semester.

Dr. Reynolds also teaches two sign language classes and said that her two courses of EDSP 1001, Intro to Sign Language, usually close early due to capped enrollment. “In the past, it was a 4000 level course, but we changed it to a 1000 level course,” said Reynolds. Because of this change, more students are able to take this course, which can also be used for a foreign language credit.

Dr. Reynolds was recently published in October 2014 by Butte Publications. Reynolds along with three co-authors, wrote Children with Audiological Needs: From Identification to Rehabilitation.

Butte Publications focuses on Special Education resources.

The future of this college and many colleges across this state will continue to change as the climate of financial needs is met by the state and the government.

Illustration by Delvonte Smith

My Sunshine Away garners national attention for UNO professor Lyndsey Anderson Driftwood Staff

Published on Feb. 15, 2015 and written by M.O. Walsh, University of New Orleans’ Creative Writing Workshop director, My Sunshine Away possesses an intriguing and mysterious storyline and is an Entertainment Weekly’s “Must List” pick.

Walsh knew in his final year of junior high school what he wanted to do with his life while many of his peers may not have been thinking about long-term goals and future endeavors.

“I’ve wanted to write and teach since about the 8th grade,” Walsh said, “I love being around smart people who take language and the human heart seriously.”

My Sunshine Away was inspired

by Walsh overhearing a story about a neighborhood rape that occurred one night when he was a young kid. “I didn’t know what this meant when I first heard it, and I didn’t think I was suppose to hear it, but the older I got, the more I thought about it.”

Walsh’s story took off from that point and turned into something great. After seven years of writing and revising My Sunshine Away, Walsh’s editing process wasn’t as involved or difficult. “I think I cut one chapter and added a scene or two. Nothing major,” he said, “all the major editing happened during my own revision process, before I

ever sent it in for consideration.”

UNO English professor Bob Shenk described the book as “wonderful” and said “It’s simply gripping from the opening- very hard to put down.”

He also said, “This novel is really about young love, friendship, the growth and conscience of family. A family to be sure, riddled by death and divorce, besides all the suspicions about the rape.”

With a natural style and believable characters, Walsh creates a relatable setting engulfed in a sweet Southern vibe.

Walsh offered advice to aspiring writers and/or those looking to be

“I’ve wanted to write and teach since about the 8th grade, I love being around smart people who take language and the human heart seriously.” published was pretty cut and dry: “Get used to rejection. It is part of the game.” That may seem easier said than done, but it’s essential for success and sanity within this career path.

“In other words, if someone tells you, ‘You’re no good at this’ and you say, ‘Yeah, you’re probably right’ then you should probably quit now. However, if someone says, ‘You’re no good at this’ and you say, ‘well thanks’ but you

think, ‘oh yeah? I’ll show you!’ then you might have a chance.”

Accepting rejection, hard work and refusing to give up eventually landed Walsh a killer pay off. “I think a handful of editors turned it down before Amy Einhorn accepted it,” he said, “However I don’t know the specific number. Thankfully, my agent kept this a secret!”

A few closed doors does not always mean, “you’re not welcome here.” Sometimes, it is an open invitation to a door open wide, waiting for what you have to offer.

Walsh is clearly a dedicated writer and teacher, but he is also a family man. “I like to cook and watch sports.

I especially like to go to UNO baseball and basketball games to support our students.”

Although Walsh finds enjoyment in teaching, writing and making pots rattle in the kitchen, the ultimate fun-makers in his life are his two children.

Provided by UNO PR

Profesor M.O Walsh’s My Sunshine Away received national recognition before it hit the shelves.

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EDITORIAL

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Our view

Desperate times, desperate measures: A modest budget proposal by the Driftwood staff

Lights & Sirens - Feb 5 at 4:25 p.m. Two subjects were reported to be using hypodermic needles in the first floor men’s bathroom of the Administration Building. One admitted to using the needles to shoot up heroin. Both individuals were arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

- Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. A member of the UNO Recreation and Fitness Center contacted UNOPD when her gym bag had been taken from a secured locker. The patron checked the locker room area and returned

with negative results. UNOPD has logged the case as an open theft.

- Feb. 11 at 8:40 a.m. Two male residents of Privateer Place engaged in a disturbance where it was alleged that one of the parties communicated threats to the other. The matter stemmed from one party repeatedly parking too close to the car of the other party. The matter was forwarded to Student Affairs for adjudication.

- Feb. 12 at 1:33 p.m. A small trash can fire was reported at the NW exterior of Kirschman Hall. It had

been extinguished by an unknown person(s) prior to the officer’s arrival.

- Feb. 17 at 1:46 a.m. UNOPD officers responded to a disturbance call in the Privateer Place apartments.

On arrival, the officers discovered the resident and her boyfriend had a loud verbal altercation over the contents of his cell phone log. The boyfriend was escorted off campus without further incident. compiled by Rebekah Bell

It’s no secret that the university has fallen on tough times with enrollment down, morale low, and a seemingly never-ending spiral of budget cuts. But hey, change doesn’t happen without stimulation and “when times get tough, the tough get going,” right? With that in mind, the Driftwood editorial board has rolled up their sleeves and stepped outside of the box to offer suggestions for improving UNO. We believe these suggestions, if properly implemented, could save the university $19,562,005.15 per semester.

• Eliminate all janitorial positions. Department chairs will be in charge of the maintenance of all bathrooms in their respective colleges.

• Goats, paid for by alumni donations, will now service all green spaces.

• Adjunct professors must sell their plasma monthly to help cover departmental expenses.

• Tenured professors must rent out their homes on Airbnb to support administration’s salaries, or provide room and board for six international students per semester.

• Night classes are to be conducted in the dark with flashlights. Batteries provided by students.

• Final exams will be oral in order to save printer ink and paper expenses.

• Stationary bikes and elliptical

machines in the rec center will be equipped with electricity generating capabilities. Freshman must generate enough electricity to power The Cove for 6 hours per day.

• Student organizations are required to host 12 bake sales per semester. Funds will be used to pay the sole librarian’s salary.

• Reinstate the Westbank Expressway toll booths with funds going towards UNO. • Every student must supply his/her own toilet paper.

• Lift smoking ban on campus, charge smokers two dollars every time they light up.

• Sell the liberal arts building; eliminating all humanities programs will render this building useless.

• Terminate the UNO email system, Moodle and WebSTAR. Official university correspondence will take place through Snapchat.

• All chalk and dry-erase markers will be removed from the classrooms. Professors will be required to explain their lectures through interpretive dances and wild gestures.

• British literature classes will no longer be offered. This is America.

• A $6.66 tax will be enacted on coffee purchases. Addictions are evil, but this tax funds a good cause and therefore pardons all sins.

THE DRIFTWOOD UNODriftwood

The 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.

All submissions are subject to editing by Driftwood Staff. The driftwood office is located in room 252 of the University Center, 2500 Lakeshore Drive University Center 252 New Orleans, LA 70148 Staff may be reached by phone at 504-280-6377 or email driftwoodeditor@ uno.edu or online at.driftwood.uno.edu.

Ad sales inquiries should be directed to driftwoodads@uno.edu

Staff Christy Lorio Editor in chief Aviayna Thomas Managing Editor Veronica Mansell Features Editor Anna Gowin News Editor Nigel Washington Sports Editor Willie Marsalis Photography Editor Distribution Manager Traven Stout Photographer Kerry Leigh Pittenger Business Manager Pawan Aryal Layout Editor Ashley deBaroncelli Cartoonist Delvonte Smith Illustrator Vickie Kennedy Faculty Adviser

Campus Calendar March 4 Theta Xi Fraternity— Wake-Up Wednesday In support of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, orange juice will be on sale to students from 8:30-11 a.m. at the Quad.

Reading by Poets Ralph Angel and Andy Young UNO’s Creative Writing Workshop will host a reading by poets Ralph Angel and Andy Young in the Liberal Arts Building Room 140 from 9-10 a.m.

Melancholy Play: A Contemporary Farce Written by Sarah Ruhl and directed by Jay Hammons. Showtime is 7:30-10:30 p.m. at the Robert E. Nims Theatre.

Contact: box office at 504-280SHOW (7469) or the department office at 504-280-6317. The play runs this week. Check website for showtimes.

March 5 Theta Xi Fraternity hosts Pie-AXi In support of National Multiple Sclerosis Society, students can pay to pie members in the face at the Quad from noon-3 p.m.

March 6 Modern Orchestration & Technology: Lecture by Harvard Music Professor Emily Dolan Harvard Music professor Emily Dolan offers thoughts on modern orchestration and music’s intertwining with technology at the Performing Arts Center Recital Hall from 2-3 p.m.

March 8 UNO High School Honor Band Concert UNO High School Honor Band

plays a free performance, conducted by Dr. Charles Taylor, in the Recital Hall from 2-3 p.m.

March 9 The UNO Student Government hosts a senate meeting from 4:30-7 p.m. in the University Center.

March 10 Student Government Senate Meeting The UNO Student Government will host a senate meeting from 4:30-7 p.m. in the University Center. Email sg@ uno.edu at least 5 days in advance to request interpreter service.

FEATURES

Student Spotlight

Wednesday, March 4, 2015 5

Mayeaux family balances student life while caring for special needs daughter Chloe Gagnon Driftwood Staff

Disease is a word that everyone fears. For Melissa Mayeaux and her husband, Laurance Mayeaux, the word disease brought their world to a sudden halt 13 years ago when they were told that their unborn daughter, Lauran, had Amyoplasia Congenita with Arthrogyposis.

Melissa and Laurence are native New Orleanians, current UNO seniors on the dean’s list, and the parents of a daughter who was not expected to live past birth. “She was born without any skeletal muscle,” said Melissa, “they had never seen this before and I don’t think they have ever seen anything as severe as hers.”

“She was born without any muscle and because of this her joints (elbows, knees, fingers) are all locked into place, because she can’t move anything so they all just sort of freeze and at some point solidify,” said Melissa.

In Dec. 2014, their handicap accessible van broke. The family only has a car now and it is not handicap accessible. “It has been really hard on our family,” said Melissa.

The family has started a GoFundMe account in hopes of raising enough money for a new handicap accessible van. GoFundMe is a website where people can donate money towards a cause.

On top of juggling a full course load and a family with three kids, Melissa also has an internship at

Fox 8. On Feb. 9, Fox 8 released a story called “Lifting Lauran” and since then the GoFundMe account has reached $8,759.

Handicap accessible features in vehicles are not cheap. Melissa said, “Handicap accessible vans run anywhere from $40-60,000. The conversion itself without the van is $23,000.”

The family has also been coordinating some fundraisers in the community to help reach that $40,000 mark. “I’ve reached out to UNO’s Greek Week and they have decided that they are going to be picking her up as their philanthropic initiative,” said Melissa. “Every fundraiser that they hold between March 9-12, they will be presenting us with a check for whatever it is that they have raised towards our cause.”

Melissa was surprised and excited to hear about UNO Greek Week’s support. “The UNO Greek Week picking us up was amazing for me because I did not expect that.

I didn’t know how I was going to throw together successful fundraisers while getting my school work done.” She also said, “I’m so thankful that they have decided to use our family.”

Melissa is an English major with a concentration in journalism and a minor in psychology. Laurance is a political science major who hopes to continue his education to law school. Lauran is a student at the Academy for Advanced Studies.

She is also on the honor roll, like her parents, and was nominated to

Lauran and her family hope to raise funds for a handicap accessible van.

be student of the year at her school.

“Our academics are really important to us. We love UNO and we really wouldn’t have it any other way than to be here as students,” said Melissa.

There are four upcoming fundraisers to help the Mayeaux family not including the GoFundMe/ Wheels4Lauran account.

The fundraisers include Greek Week, a Comedy Improv Event (all the ticket sales are being donated to the cause), a pool tournament and

crawfish boil with raffles, and a dart tournament. Melissa has also organized a raffle for an Anthony Davis autographed jersey and a 1990 Jerry Rice jersey. If interested in purchasing a ticket, email Melissa at mmayeaux@uno.edu. Anyone can check out their Facebook page titled “Wheels 4 Lauran - A Special Needs Benefit.”

“None of us know what tomorrow brings for us or for her or how long she is going to be here and we just try to really live the fullest life

Courtesy of Melissa Mayeaux

that we can,” said Melissa.

When asked how she juggles everything going on in her life, she said, “I tell people that I have to. I know this is what my family needs.

I know this is going to better us and we just do it. I feel like if I allow myself to crumble, my family is not going to get anywhere. This is what my family needs and we go after it.”

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Wednesday, March 4, 2015

FEATURES

Quink Vocal Ensemble opens in Musical Excursions series Rebekah Bell Driftwood Staff

On Feb. 24 at the University of New Orleans’ Recital Hall, the Quink Vocal Ensemble captivated their audience with a stunning performance as the second of three concerts for the 2015 Musical Excursions.

An internationally acclaimed Dutch acappella group, the members of Quink are experienced soloists who have built their reputation on an authentic sound and repertoire ranging from early Renaissance to modern. The group’s impeccable intonation and superb range of vocal color has earned them a wide range of acclaim.

Critics from the New York Times describe their sound as reminiscent of Renaissance madrigals, while the Philadelphia Inquirer said, “The group has a tight, polished sound. The surface of the music glistened, and the intonation was flawless.”

Quink’s first United States tour in 1985 was so successful that the group now returns each season.

This performance was their first visit to New Orleans.

Founded by Dr. Jeff Cox, chair of the Department of Music in 1993, the Musical Excursion series has been hosted annually by UNO for the past 21 years and is

presented jointly by the Department of Music and the Arts Administration Program at UNO. In response to the process for choosing performers, Chair of the Music Department, Dr. Charles Taylor said, “Director of Arts Administration Harmon Greenblatt handles the selection of the artists in consultation with me.

The selection is based upon artist availability, budget, and type of performer. We try to find a variety of types [piano solo, voice, instrumental, chamber ensemble] that may be of interest to an audience, especially students.”

Benefitting the UNO campus, the series brings artists of national and international reputation, attracting members of the community to the campus. Students have the opportunity to interact with the artists and to experience the brilliant performances. In addition, the students in Music Appreciation classes may attend the concerts to fulfill class requirements.

The first part of UNO’s Musical Excursion series took place on Feb. 4 with rising star Sean Chen, winner of the 2013 American Pianists Association’s DeHaan Classical Fellowship, and third prize recipient of the 14th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. The 26-year-old American Pianist has appeared

Willie Marsalis Quink Vocal Ensemble, a Dutch Acappella group, stuns the crowd at the 2015 Musical Excursions Series.

as a soloist with various orchestras including the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and the Suwon City Philharmonic in South Korea.

The VIDA Guitar Quartet will perform the final part of the series on March 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall. The Quartet

PART-TIME JOBS and FULL-TIME CAREERS

brings together four of the United Kingdom’s most talented guitarists, who have recently appeared on some of North America’s most prestigious stages for classical guitar. In 2013, the group followed up its acclaimed debut album, “Love the Magician,” with “Rhapsody,” featuring the works of George Gershwin, Mal-

colm Arnold and Adam Gorb.

Tickets may be purchased at the door as available or by visiting eventbrite. Prices are as follows: $15 for general admission, $10 for seniors and UNO faculty and staff, $5 for non-UNO students and free for UNO students.

For more information, call (504) 280-6381.

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FEATURES

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Becoming an extra: What to expect on a movie set Rebekah Bell Driftwood Staff

Prior to transferring to the University of New Orleans I held a full time job in Portland, Oregon and attended school in the evenings at a local university.

I benefitted financially, but my exhaustion hindered my performance at work and school. I was consumed with homework and test preparations, my sleep shrank to unhealthy hours, and my spare time and social life ceased to exist. I would literally sleep for two days straight after finals week was over.

Once I moved to New Orleans I became a full time college student and refused to take another job until I graduated.

I considered temporary work, but unless I took summers off from school, term breaks weren’t long enough to hold onto any kind of job.

I decided that in order to succeed in school I needed to focus on being a student.

I discovered the New Orleans film scene when my neighborhood became a movie set for the latest Terminator movie.

Some quick online research told me about Louisiana’s Motion Picture Tax Incentive Act. Filmneworleans.org reports a surge in applications for the state’s tax incentive package since it was created in 2002.

With Hollywood migrating to New Orleans to take advantage of a 30% tax break, they bring with them a demand for background actors.

I also discovered that anyone can be a background actor. According to ace-your-audition.com, there are no auditions. The roles are non-speaking with basic requirements of standing, pretending to talk, and acting natural.

If a person has a “look” the director

Film extras take a break from filming at base camp. Extras are allowed to nap, eat and read while waiting for their next scene.

wants, it is almost a guaranteed hire. I started applying for opportunities and landed roles in two movies within a month.

With the movies not released to the public yet, I am limited to how much detail I can give.

Each work day followed the same routine. The call times were set an hour prior to filming, allowing enough time for the background actors to check in with the casting crew, fill out pay vouchers, dress into costumes and eat.

Females were asked to have their hair and make-

up done prior to arrival, however we were still required to get a look-over by the hair and makeup artists. We were given a set of guidelines to follow prior to being transported to the movie set.

Professionalism was required at all times. Requesting autographs or pictures from the principal actors was strictly prohibited. The only interaction allowed was if they initiated it first.

Thinking about getting a graduate degree in Rehabilitation Counseling?

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If we needed to leave the filming area for any reason we had to notify the extras wrangler or production assistant.

Filming is done both indoors and outdoors, so less than ideal weather conditions and film equipment hazards should be considered. We were to never look at the camera during filming unless directed to do so.

Bringing friends or family to the set was never okay.

If we failed to follow any of the guidelines it would result in our immediate firing.

When we arrived at the set, we were sent to props before receiving our acting scenarios.

For each scene being filmed, I learned there was a three part process. First the director determined the layout of the scene with placement of the actors, cameras, and lighting.

We had a lot of downtime during this process in which we could read, take naps, or eat snacks until the director was ready to rehearse. Rehearsal time was the most exhausting part of the process. The scenes were practiced multiple times, often resulting in last minute adjustments until the director was satisfied.

Lastly, the filming began. On the command:“Background, action!” the background actors started their routines, which cued the principle actors to begin acting.“Cut!” let everyone know to stop acting. Occasionally the filming was interrupted resulting in retakes, however once the scene was completed the three-step process started over again for the next scene.

At the end of the day we returned our costumes, received our completed pay vouchers and were released to go home. I received my checks in the mail

Carlee Lauve

a few weeks later.

The most frequent question I’ve received has been what was it like to work with celebrities. I’ve always responded with: “It was epic.”

There were no red carpets with screaming fans. They were people at work who apologized if they bumped into you, cracked jokes, got flustered when they messed up, drank lots of coffee, and most importantly were human. I felt honored to see them in a light of normalcy.

Another question I’ve been asked was if background acting was hard. My opinion is that it was the easiest money I’ve ever made, because there was no stress on me.

But like any job, it has challenges. You are told what to do and when to do it, which can test patience levels when you’ve been working for 12 to 14 hours straight.

The pay isn’t a lot. Nonunion wages (comparable to minimum wage) were paid for a 10 hour period with time and a half offered for over time. In addition, a five percent payroll tax credit was offered to Louisiana residents.

I frequently get asked if I would do it again, to which I always respond with: “Yes!” For a job that fits around my schedule, offers free meals, and affords me a small piece of education in the film industry, I would recommend the opportunity to any college student.

According to Filmneworleans.org, there are three filming projects currently in production with five additional projects getting ready to start. Check it out if you want to get involved!

FEATURES

Wednesday, March 4, 2015 9

Changes at the Cove leave students with limited menus Coreyiel Ellis Driftwood Staff

The Cove at the University of New Orleans has recently made a lot of changes to its menu.

Menu items have been removed and students are not happy.

The PoD, The Cove’s small convenience store, has recently taken small coffee off its menu.

“Some people are addicted to coffee, so they have to get their coffee. So they’re going to get it, so The Cove might as well not sell small coffees so they’d make more money,” said Caroline Armstrong, a psychology major.

Armstrong only eats at the Popeye’s at The Cove, which closes at 2 p.m. Monday-Friday and is closed on weekends. Students who enjoy the food from the Sushi company and Popeye’s are not fans of the early hours.

“I hate it,” said Kacey Sheridan, a business major.

Students who want to eat on that side of campus after 2 p.m. are limited to the Sandbar. Unfortunately, as of Spring 2015, the Sandbar menu options have been stripped down to burgers, seafood sandwiches, and a few appetizers.

“My boyfriend and some friends and I come here all the

time and they get the burgers and the feedback hasn’t been that great. They’ll get the burger and it’s not worth the twenty minute wait,” said Allyson Daily, an education major.

The gluten-free lifestyle has become very popular in recent years, but options for this diet are extremely limited at the Cove.

Both Daily and Armstrong agree that the Cove does not provide many options for different diets.

“If you’re gluten free or vegan you’re kind of out of luck here,” said Daily.

“I guess they don’t think they’ll make a lot of money off of it,” said Armstrong.

Daily added her perspective on how the limited menu of the Cove represents UNO as a whole. “It’s not a cheaper option but it would be worth it because we live in a very liberal part of the state and there’s vegans and gluten free people,” said Daily. “It would be worth it and it would show that they are willing to show that there is diversity on campus. They should definitely realize that Lent is right now.”

Gluten-free student’s aren’t the only ones not being considered with the menu options at The Cove. The only non-meat options at the Cove are veggie burgers, french fries, mozzarella

Sandbar provides full beverage menu to students visitng the Cove.

sticks, and jalapeno poppers.

“I’m not a fan of the menu changes and that’s because I’m a vegetarian,” said Daily. “I have a problem with it being just a burger joint now. I don’t feel like there’s any real options for me.”

Some students speculate whether the menu changes reflect the university’s budget cuts.

“I’ve asked them a couple of times and they always say it’s new management,” said Daily.

“Honestly, I think it’s just budget cuts. They’re trying to think of cheaper options for us. So we’re just kind of getting short changed at this point because the burgers are like ten bucks a pop.”

UNO also started requiring all

full-time students to purchase a seventy-five dollar declining balance to use at the eateries around campus last fall. This has pushed students to eat on campus more, but some students feel forced to eat on campus. “I like it but then again, it’s kind of messed up,” said Sheridan. “It should be optional,” said Armstrong. “We shouldn’t have to [buy it].”

“They’re basically telling me like ‘here’s this money’ but it’s already your money,” said Daily. “It’s ridiculous. I use it and it makes me go to places on campus more.”

“It’s getting the job done but it’s a really sketchy factor.

They’re literally charging us

Willie Marsalis

money in our tuition but we get it back to come to only like six places. Honestly I’ve probably bought only grilled cheeses and french fries on this money.”

Students enjoy the atmosphere of The Cove. However, the recent menu changes and the early hours of certain eateries within keep students unsatisfied.

“It’s nice to have an open bar on campus,” said Daily. “We’ll come here and we’ll chill after class. But it’s not some bar where I really enjoy eating. I used to. Freshman and sophomore year here, it was great.

They had really nice options.

They had curly fries, which I will always be a fan of.”

10 Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Privateer golf opens season with fourth place finish

SPORTS

Privateers Blow Out

Abilene Christian on Senior Night

Nigel Washington Sports Editor

After a top-five finish last year in the A-State Fall Beach Classic, sophomore Erik Dege picked up where he left off last season and put up a second place finish in Patterson, Louisiana for the Atchafalaya Invitational.

The Privateers as a whole had a great outing and jostled around in the top five the majority of the event.

In the first of three rounds New Orleans had their lowest score of the entire competition with 316.

The score put them in a three-way fourth place with South Dakota and Nebraska-Omaha.

Day two of the three-day event was the shining moment for the Privateers as they shot great 300, which was the lowest score posted of any round. The score raised New Orleans from fourth to a first place tie with South Dakota who also placed a 300 score in the second round.

The Privateers weren’t able to keep the momentum going and finished the final day with a score of 311. With a total event score of 927 the Privateers finished with a respectable fourth place and were only two strokes away from third and seven strokes away from a first place finish.

Individually Dege led the way with his lowest score of 71 in the second round. The score was the lowest of any other round with two other golfers posting identical scores. Dege would finish with a three-round score of 227 with 2-above-par and was only four strokes away from a first place finish.

Junior Greg Palmer shot 236 for the event and finished tied for 16th place. The rest of the squad didn’t finish too far behind him with 239 being the highest score of any individual. Every Privateer finished in the top 25 for the event, something no other school achieved for the event.

South Dakota and Incarnate Word would end as the first place finishers for the competition with a total score of 920. Southland Conference foe Nicholls state was also present in the top five with third place.

The golf team travels to Birmingham, Ala. next Monday for the Samford Intercollegiate.

Courtesy of UNO Athletics/ Ron O’ Rourke Brown and Syon being honored on court by teammates and family at Senior Night.

Nigel Washington Sports Editor

Senior Night is always a special night for players, their families and the team. Sending those departing players home with a dominating victory over a conference opponent is the best way to end the night.

Emotions from senior night helped the Privateers put up a great performance against the Wildcats and take the win 75-55 at the Lakefront Arena.

An early turnover by Abilene Christian became a lay up for the Privateers and gave them a lead that would only get bigger.

The Privateer offense rolled on all cylinders in the first half. New Orleans shot 68 percent from the field and made all six of their threepoint attempts. A 12-0 run in the last seven minutes of the game opened things up for the Privateers and gave them a 18-point lead.

Senior guard Kevin Brown led the first half with 11 points and would end the night as the team’s leading scorer with 19.

The second half saw continued success from the Privateers as the lead grew to 22-points, its largest margin. Shots were dropping in similar fashion as New Orleans shot

50 percent from the field and made 3 out of 6 three pointers in the half.

The Privateers got to the rim for easy buckets as usual as well. With 30-points from inside the paint it helped the Privateers drive and find the open man for the three-point shot.

New Orleans has not been productive from behind-the-arc this season. Even with this impressive performance they are still last in 3-pointers made and have taken the least amount of attempts. Seeing this production from all over the floor was a great surprise that can hopefully push the Privateers for the final stretch of the season.

Head coach Mark Slessinger hopes to maintain this level of play for the remainder of the season.

“We’re going more inside-out and our guys are taking better shots and getting better passes. Hopefully we can keep it rolling these last three games and into the conference tournament,” said Slessinger.

New Orleans did a great job against Abilene State (9-19, 3-12 SLC) throughout the game. Abilene only shot 39 percent from the field while coughing up the ball 12 times for the game. The Privateers also blocked six shots from the Wildcats. New Orleans only averages

three blocks a game.

The Privateers also outrebounded Abilene Christian by 6 boards with emphasis on the defensive end.

Brown and Forward Terrance Syon were the honored seniors for the night. Syon finished with 12 points, a team-high eight rebounds and a block. In addition to his 19 points, Brown recorded four assists and one steal. Brown played sharpshooter for the night as he led the team in three-point shots. With 5-for-7 shooting from the three point line Brown shot over 70 percent while doing so.

Brown and sophomore guard Christavious Gill were the teams leader in assists with 4 each.

As well as the seniors, two more underclassmen Privateers finished with double-digit numbers in scoring. Sophomore guard Nate Fry scored 11-points while junior Kevin Hill scored 10-points and blocked three shots.

After the big win New Orleans are now in 10th place in the Southland Conference behind Mcneese State.

The Privateers are now 9-15 and 5-10 in conference play as they head into the final week of the season.

Sports Calendar

3/5 Thursday • Women’s Basketball VS Southeastern LA 5:30 PM @Lakefront Arena • Men’s Basketball VS Southeastern LA 7:30 PM @Lakefront Arena 3/6 Friday • Mens Baseball at Sam Houston State 6:30 PM @ Don Sanders Stadium

3/7 Saturday • Track & Field Jaguar Opener Mobile, Al. • Women’s Tennis VS Lamar 11 AM @University Tennis Center • Women’s Basketball at Northwestern State 1 PM @Prather Coliseum • Men’s Basketball at Northwestern State 3 PM @Prather Coliseum

• Men’s Baseball at Sam Houston State 3 PM @ Don Sanders Stadium 3/8 Sunday • Women’s Tennis VS Sam Houston State 10 PM @ University Tennis Center • Men’s Baseball at Sam Houston State 1 PM @ Don Sanders Stadium • Men’s Tennis at Southern Illinois 2 PM @Southern Miss Tennis Facility

3/9 Monday • Men’s Golf VS Samford Invitational Birmingham, Al. 3/10 Tuesday • Men’s Golf VS Samford Invitational Birmingham, Al. • Men’s Baseball at Louisiana-Lafayette 6 PM @M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field

Sports Wrap-up Nigel Washington Sports Editor

Men’s Baseball It has been rough for coach Maestri and his squad. After winning all their games at MLB Urban Youth Invitational, the Privateers dropped their next four games. New Orleans were swept in the two game series against Tulane where they couldn’t score a run in either games. They ended the losing streak on the final game of a three-game series against Middle Tennessee (7-2) on Sunday with a 8-2 score. The Privateers are now 5-7 heading into midweek play. They will face Conference opponents for the first time this Friday when they travel to Texas to face face Sam Houston State (5-7) Men’s Tennis The Privateers (5-4, 2-0 SLC) won against Nicholls State(1-6, 0-2 SLC) 6-1 last Friday at the University Tennis Center. The team won five out of six singles matches and two of the three doubles matches.

The Privateers are in first place in the Southland Conference.

Women’s Basketball The Lady Privateers (6-19, 4-12 SLC) beat Abilene Christian(16-11, 8-8) last Thursday and won consecutive games for the first time this season with a 71-50 score at the Lakefront Arena. Freshman guard Randi Brown led the team with 27 points. This was her fourth straight game with at least 20 points. Four other Lady Privateers also finished with double-digit points in the win.

Brown’s performance earned her Southland Conference Women’s Player of the Week.

Women’s Tennis The Lady Privateers (6-5, 0-2 SLC) lost to Nicholls State 5-2 on Friday at the University Tennis Center. With Sophomore Yasmine Rashad out with an injury, New Orleans forfeited a doubles and singles match without having another player to compete. The team won two singles matches and lost the remaining ones. The Lady Privateers are now in last place in the Southland Conference. They will look for their first conference win on Sunday as they play Sam Houston State Track and Field The Privateers will travel to Mobile, Ala. this Saturday for the Jaguar Opener. Their last time out at the Southland Conference Indoor Championships Sophomore Farydah Inoussa finished in second place for the women’s Pentathlon and fellow sophomore Alexia Fortenberry had a second place finish in the 60m hurdles. Junior LaKayla LaFrance also finished in the top-5 for the high jump.

The mens side saw success as well with Junior Constant Pretorious finishing eighth in the 800m along with a second place finish in the 200 meter dash. Junior Michael Batson was fourth in the 800 meter run.

Sand Volleyball Millicent Van Norden will start her first campaign as the head coach Lady Privateers sand volleyball team next week. The team will play nine games with three of those matches coming against in-state rivals Louisiana State University and Tulane. The team will play next Wednesday against Georgia State in Atlanta.

LAGNIAPPE

Staff Picks

I never buy headphones, I just find them on the ground.

by Krystal Dumas

Movie - Lucy is a thriller/action movie directed and written

by Luc Besson starring Scarlett Johansson. While the facts that the movie present are debated by critics, the entertainment value is hardly questioned. With a 66% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 6.4/10 on IMDb “Lucy,” if taken as a Sci Fi feature, is a thrilling action movie that puts a spin on the classic plot about a girl who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

App - Whether someone is looking for Chinese, West African, Ethiopian, or just pizza that isn’t Dominoes, type it into Yelp and a variety of different options will pop up. With ratings, reviews, pictures, menus, and

hours of operation Yelp answers all the questions before they are even asked. New Orleans is famous for its melting pot of people and its variety of restaurants. Yelp helps with discovering those new or old unheard of places.

Album - Linkin Park’s Grammy nominated debut album “Hybrid Theory” is a classic.

Released on October 24, 2000 the album was a commercial success. “Hybrid Theory” is an alternative rock album with Rap elements that is still being bought today. As of 2010 “Hybrid Theory” has sold more than 10 million copies in the United States alone.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015 11

Relationships are like adding a 4 credit course to your load.

Sorry, professor. The first backpack has been zipped. There’s no stopping us now.

Do Transformers buy auto insurance or life insurance?

The honey badger actually DOES care, but society has conditioned it into strict species roles that make the honey badger lash out from oppressed feelings.

Yik Yak is a social media app that allows college students to share anonymous messages.

Lab reports...Lab reports...Last resorts...Labradors...Lap refarts...Lack remarks...I don’t even know anymore.

Why aren’t iPhone chargers called Apple juice?

Use promo code: NETFLIX to get 50% off your midterms.

The most common cause of death in Beagles is human consumption when they are mistaken for bagels.

How are you going to steal someone’s seat this late in the game? We’re at midterms people, midterms.

I hate when people ask me what I’ll be doing in 5 years like, c’mon guys, I don’t have 2020 vision.

I mean I downed a bottle of wine at the cove before lab. No big deal.

If I wrote a book about my ex, I would call it Fifty Shades of Cray.

Doesn’t study for midterm because it’s open book. Brings wrong book to midterm.

On UNO’s graduation “academic costume guide” the tassel color for accounting is literally “drab.”

College students in the crosswalk be like “Hit me it’s midterms and I have no idea what I’m studying.”

I keep buying stuff online while in the bathroom… I think I have a problem.

People that put ice cubes in their cup of milk. <<<<<<< Why is almond milk called almond milk? Almonds don’t have nipples.

The dress is black if you close your eyes.

Isis destroys museums full of centuries old artifacts...and everybody is worried about the color of a dress.

When two peole are arguing in an elevator and I get in and they start arguing in Spanish ‘cause they think I won’t understand...I speak Spanish...and I know he ain’t faithful.

Shout out to the ladies who work at the Cove. They’re all so genuinely nice.

12 Wednesday, March 4, 2015