Driftwood The community newspaper of the University of New Orleans
Volume: 58 Issue: 22
April 8, 2015
driftwood.uno.edu
What’s Inside:
Electrical engineering student is changing the face of farming Senior Michael Flot’s award -winning project prepares for world population increase page 2
Risky Business project encourages “failing gloriously” Step outside your comfort zone and take a risk at the next showcase page 5
UNO Jeff campus for sale Festival season is here!
Check out photos from last week’s Freret Street Festival page 7
UNO’s Dance Team is getting back to it’s roots Learn more about the Starlettes’ journey and how to become a part of the team page 9
UNO senior makes major accomplishments before graduation
Find out more about Brandon Rizzuto, UNO’s former Assistant Athletic Director and current General Manager of New Orleans VooDoo page 10
Photo by Garrett Piglia
Last satellite campus up for auction Garrett Piglia Driftwood Contributor UNO President Peter J. Fos has verified that classes will no longer be scheduled at the UNO Jefferson Campus, after receiving approval from the Louisiana State Senate in late January to sell the building. “This decision will save the university from having to spend $200,000 to $400,000 annually on utilities, maintenance and mortgage fees associated with the building,” Fos said. Fos projects that the Jefferson Campus ( UNO’s last remaining satellite campus) located on 3330 N Causeway Blvd. will be sold for no less than $4.5 million at the public auction on April 7 in the University Center at 2 p.m. “Any additional profits from the sale will go to capital improvements on the main campus,” said Fos. {Editor’s note: Driftwood did not not have information about the sale of the building at press time.} For more than a decade, biological sciences professor Dr. Lura Williamson taught evening classes at the Jefferson Campus, which opened as a metro college in 1996. Williamson described the campus as a great alternative to the main campus for students.
“I remember teaching prior to Katrina when we had many campuses around the area,” said Williamson, one of those campuses being the UNO Technology Enterprise Center, which was located at 1600 Canal Street prior to being sold in 2013. “With the decline in student population, along with the cuts from Bobby Jindal’s administration, we have been forced to
Students who lacked the transportation to get to the Jefferson Campus on time for classes. “One student worker in Business Affairs didn’t have a car and couldn’t get to class over there.” These factors led Fos to commission a study on the Jefferson Campus during the summer. Vice President of Business Affairs Gregg Lassen appointed five UNO staff
ventory.” Linn stated that the committee is hopeful that the for-credit and non-credit classes offered at the Jefferson Campus, along with the two UNO employees positioned there, will be shifted to the main campus. “They’re mostly evening classes,” said Linn, “so we have the resources and certainly the space to offer them all on the main campus.” According to Fos, all of the non-profit groups leasing space in the Jefferson Campus, including the WLAE Public Television Studio located on the first floor, were notified of the sale and that their leasing contracts may or may not continue depending on the buyer’s decision. Despite the building’s long history with UNO, Fos stated that the sale is a positive move -Auxiliary Service Director Patrick Linn for UNO at the present time. “Any place on campus that close and sell off our satellite cam- members, including Auxiliary Ser- is not benefiting the community and puses,” said Williamson. vices Director Patrick Linn, to a losing money other than the class“The Jefferson Campus was committee that was tasked with room is not worth it and needs to needed when we had 17,000 stu- evaluating the best course of action stop,” said Fos. dents [prior to Hurricane Katrina], for the building. While Williamson understands but now we only have 7,000 stu“We looked at the possibilities of the decision to sell the campus, dents,” said Fos, noting the de- either revitalizing the building’s op- she said, “The Jefferson Center is cline in student enrollment as one erations or offloading the property,” a UNO icon in the Metairie area in of the key factors to closing down said Linn. “After a lot of research, a wonderful location and I think it the building. Fos also noted the in- [we found that] the building is to- will be missed by students and the convenience that it put on students tally underutilized and that it was faculty who taught there.” taking classes on the main campus. best to take the building off our in-
“We looked at the possibilities of either revital-
izing the building’s operations or offloading the property. After a lot of research, [we found that] the building is totally underutilized and that it was best to take the building off our inventory.”
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NEWS
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Senior Michael Flot develops resources for future food supplies Krystal Dumas Driftwood Staff Senior Michael Flot, an electrical engineering major at UNO, recently came in second place for his automated aeroponic plant growing system prototype at the Emerging Researchers National Conference. The prototype was made for his senior design project. Aeroponics is a way to grow plants without a soil medium, such as dirt. Nutrients are applied directly to the root of the plant by misting a nutrient-rich water over it, which helps the plant grow. Flot began his senior design project at the beginning of the Fall 2014, after hearing on National Public Radio (NPR) that there was a growing need for food production and a shortage of water in countries where it doesn’t rain often. Flot discovered that by 2050 there will be over nine billion people in the world and food production will have to increase by 70 percent to keep up with the growing population. Flot also learned that the high demand on food will put a strain on the environment and create a big gap between people with access to healthy food and people with no access to food at all. Flot understands the importance of aeroponic development for the future. “I chose to focus on aeroponics because I saw a need for it and I knew in my sophomore year that I wanted to do something that helped third world countries. There is a need for change and I have always been interested in green technology, the ability to look at things in a nontraditional manner. This project
is very nontraditional. Most people would consider it not to be a good way to go about farming. We’ve been doing this for thousands of years, why change it? The problem is our method. First of all there are so many pesticides we’re spraying on our food and we’re wasting a ton of water just splashing water on dirt. Not all of the water you spray on dirt gets to the plant. NASA is another group that has actively been doing research in aeroponics. They said they can use up to 98 percent less water than a farm.” Water management, land management and general green practices will play a big part in our future according to Flot. “There are many countries with no regulations on water management, and if we are going to solve this problem, [the world] definitely needs to look at this differently. This is just my idea and hopefully my contribution to helping the future.” Flot explained that an aeroponics system would work better than everyday farming practices. “You do not necessarily need dirt to grow plants. If you properly regulate an aqua-hydro water environment, then basically it works better and you have more yield if you do it properly. You don’t have to worry about seasons. My design can be used indoors or anywhere, a greenhouse or a warehouse. You can regulate a temperature or simulate a season for a certain kind of plant. It maximizes your yield so you can grow things out of season and you can grow more. The benefit is that you can have a lot more local food. You can save on transport cost and land restructuring.” Flot’s aeroponics system differs
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from others by trying to automate the growing process of plants. “I want to give the user the ability to control the environment if they wish and also give a suggested environment for specific plants. It will take a lot of the guess work out of aeroponics. The idea is that basically everyone can do it... I believe that I can contribute a lot to urban farms [local small farms], because you don’t need as much land and you can grow out of season. You can have good local food all throughout the year. Flot has had three successful harvests with his system: a small harvest of beans, and two harvests of snap beans. Flot is currently attempting a basil harvest. The three harvests are not large, but right now Flot’s aeroponic system is only a proof of concept prototype. “If I were to scale it up, I would be able to grow a lot more plants, maybe about two-by-three square feet, a couple of dinners’ worth of beans.” Flot’s goal is to make two different types of aeroponic systems. One aeroponic system will be smallscale for indoor use like in a small apartment. The other aeroponic system will be scaled up for local urban farms that are trying to expand. “There are many urban farms in the community, trying to expand and become bigger like Rouses going towards the French Quarter has a small aeroponics system on top of their buildings. But it isn’t automated, someone has to regulate everything.” “I definitely want to commercialize the product to a larger scale because of the benefits it would have on a commercial farm. The smaller use of water and the better use of
photo by Grant Campbell
land, it would be a more environment-friendly approach to what we are already doing,” said Flot. Flot’s aeroponics system is currently in its second prototype phase. The first prototype was finished at the end of the Fall 2014 semester. The second prototype, Project L.E.A.F. (Liquid, Environment, Automated, Fear) 2.0, will be complet-
ed May 1, 2015 and presented as his final senior design project. Electrical engineering majors have to present their senior design project to UNO professors and a group of professionals in the field. After the completion of Project L.E.A.F. 2.0, Flot plans to make a larger aeroponic system scale, develop software for the system and conduct research on a bigger variety of plants. “I currently only have data on two types of plants [regular beans and snap beans]. We plan on doing more research on how to grow different plants and making that into a database.” Flot thanks the strong support system in the Engineering Department for allowing his mad-scientist and creative side to flourish. Professors like Kim Jovanovich and Parvis Rastgoufard, who encouraged this project, his team of student helpers (Daniel Braun, Roger Calix, Brandon Allen and Ozgur Aydogan) and everyone who supported and funded his trip to the Louis Stokes Louisiana Alliance for Minority Participation (LS-LAMP) conference like Dr. Puri at LS-LAMP. “A lot of people thought it was an ambitious idea for a bunch of undergrads to take on, but we did it. I like proving people wrong,” said Flot. “It’s definitely going to be a couple of years of research down the line, but I think this is a useful product and I have faith in it and will pursue it as far as I can.” After graduating in May, Flot will continue to work at his internship with Rail Services Corporation, a company that provides communication designs for trains. Flot may also return to UNO to pursue a graduate degree in electrical computer engineering, where he may conduct further research on his automated aeroponic system in hopes of starting his own business.
NEWS
Wednesday, April 8, 2015 3
Post 9/11 GI Bill: In-state tuition now offered nationwide Rebekah Bell Driftwood Staff The Post-9/11 (Chapter 33) GI Bill is a highly beneficial incentive for active duty veterans to pursue their college education without incurring massive amounts of student debt. The provisions include 100 percent funding of a public four-year undergraduate education for a veteran, who has served at least three years on active duty since September 11, 2001. A problem that veterans have been facing after leaving the service has been within university tuition requirements to qualify for in-state residency within the states they are establishing their new homes. That will change this July. Veterans who are eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill will no longer pay out-of-state tuition at any public university within the country. Thanks to a new bill under the Veterans’ Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, all public universities will now be required to offer in-state tuition to veterans who make use of their Chapter 33 benefits starting in July. “The Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 expands a veteran’s ability to maximize his or her Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit and use that benefit at any public school in the nation regardless of residency restrictions,” Jason Hansman of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
said. “This provision will benefit both states, by allowing them to retain new veteran residents who end their period of active service and decide to remain local and veterans, who will no longer face financial constraints in attending the public school of their choice. This law is a win-win for the new greatest generation.” The current maximum tuition covered is just over $20,000, requiring veterans to pay out of pocket for any additional charges. Many states, including Louisiana, already offer in-state tuition to veterans. However, 18 states will be affected by this law. Most colleges within these states participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, granting additional funds to veterans to assist in the difference between in-state and out-ofstate costs. However, the program has funding limitations with special requirements, which disqualifies some veterans to be eligible recipients. Not qualifying for in-state tuition is a considerable hurdle for men and women in the military, as out-ofstate tuition expenses often exceed $20,000 per year. California, an affected state, currently offers $11,200 for in-state tuition at the University of California-Berkeley and $34,100 for outof-state tuition. If a non-resident veteran does not qualify for the Yellow Ribbon Program, the will spend over $14,000 out of pocket for tuition and fees. For veterans seeking
photo courtesy of Louisiana Air National Guard-159th Fighter Wing Veterans will no longer have to pay-out-of-state tuition at any public university within the country
to make their new home within affected states such as California, the act of 2014 will lift a huge financial burden as he or she establishes a new life outside of the military. At the University of New Orleans, the tuition cost difference for a full-time student between in-state and out-of-state tuition is as much as $6,805. The Registrar’s Office currently reports that within spring term, 247 veteran students are actively using their Post 9/11 GI Bill, while 275 students are utilizing other GI Bill program benefits.
As a veteran utilizing my Post 9/11 Bill, I recently transferred to UNO from an Oregon University. Fortunately, I discovered that Louisiana has been offering in-state tuition to its veterans since 2012 thanks to Legislative Act 581. In accordance with the provisions of La. R.S. 17:2137(E), a veteran student in Louisiana can qualify for resident classification for tuition purposes if he or she: •Has served on active duty for a continuous period of no less than two years and has received an Hon-
orable Discharge, as verified by a United States of America Department of Defense Form 214, within one year of enrolling in a Louisiana public college or university. •Is currently serving in a Reserve Component of the armed forces of the United States as verified by a memorandum from his or her commanding officer. •Has been assigned a service-connected disability by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs.
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OPINIONS
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Spring break puts a damper on spring fever Aviayna Thomas Managing Editor
Spring break is arguably the most awaited week of the semester, but this year, University of New Orleans students faced a disappointing predicament. There wasn’t much of a break to look forward to; the week had been reduced to three days. Now don’t get me wrong, I appreciated the three days off from class, but it’s kind of a shock to the system since the midway mark in the semester has always been celebrated with a week-long hiatus. Spring break is often associated with beach parties and Caribbean cruises, but for many UNO students and myself, it’s a week where we can finally just stay home and release the stress and pressure that has built up throughout the semester. Catching up on your favorite shows, playing games in your pajamas, hanging out with friends or my favorite, sleeping, can all be therapeutic activities that help us reenergize and prepare to gear up and finish the semester strong. Of course we always tell ourselves that we’ll use a couple of days to catch up on school work, but by the time Sunday rolls around, we realize we weren’t exactly as proactive in the studious department as we thought we would be.
Lights & Sirens
I approached this spring “break,” however, with a completely different attitude: all work and little-tono play. On top of being a full time student and working, I’m also graduating this semester, so I have quite a lengthy to-do list that just keeps getting longer: Study for upcoming tests, file taxes, go apartment hunting, write papers, replace my expired brake tag, pray for an answer to the ever-recurring question, “So what are you doing after graduation?” along with countless other little tasks I haven’t had time to complete throughout the semester. After my last class on Tuesday, I was relieved that I didn’t have to come back to campus for a few days, but I didn’t feel that sense of careless freedom that I usually do. Instead, I felt determined to cross as many things off my list as I could. But as each day passed by, I became more anxious that three days would not be enough to accomplish all of my tasks, and it turned out it wasn’t. While I did enjoy sleeping in a couple of extra hours last week, I would have welcomed those extra two days off with open arms. Maybe then I would have been able to accomplish a few more daunting tasks and finally start season 2 of “Vikings,” but I guess that’ll just have to wait until after graduation. -March 21 at 4:55 a.m. A female was found unresponsive but breathing inside the south Pontchartrain Hall Dormitory. The victim had been positioned with a bottle of pills next to her on the floor. She was transported via a New Orleans Emergency Medical Unit to Tulane Hospital for fur-
THE DRIFTWOOD UNODriftwood
Staff
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.
Christy Lorio Editor-in-Chief
All submissions are subject to editing by Driftwood Staff. The Driftwood office is located in room 252 of the University Center, 2000 Lakeshore Drive University Center 252 New Orleans, LA 70148
Nigel Washington Sports Editor
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
Aviayna Thomas Managing Editor Veronica Mansell Features Editor Anna Gowin News Editor
Ave Maria Bordenave Web Editor Willie Marsalis Photography Editor Distribution Manager Traven Stout Photographer Kerry Leigh Pittenger Business Manager Pawan Aryal Layout Editor Ashley deBaroncelli Cartoonist Vickie Kennedy Faculty Adviser
ther medical treatment. -March 22 at 12:45 a.m. A resident in the Privateer Place Apartments reported to a UNOPD officer that he had been robbed at gunpoint in his apartment an hour and a half earlier that evening. Items taken were his cell phone and a video game controller. -March 25 at 12:30 p.m. A bread toaster caught fire at the Administration Annex building. It was extinguished a short time after and the toaster was discarded. No injuries or structural damage were reported. -March 26 at 2:50 a.m. An unknown male suspect wearing all black clothing forced his way into the res-
idence of a female in the Privateer Place Apartments. He fled the scene when the resident exited her bedroom. No one was injured and no property was taken. -March 26 at 9:08 a.m. Officers responded to a verbal disturbance at the Lakefront Arena caused by an intermittent employee who believed there to be a payroll discrepancy. -March 29 at 11:13 p.m. Police responded to a call that reported a female was heard screaming in Pontchartrain Hall North. A male informed police officers that he and his girlfriend had been arguing. The officers then spoke with the female, the resident of the room, who confirmed his statement. No signs of a
physical altercation were visible on either person and no damage was observed to the property. -March 30 at 5:30 a.m. A bicycle was reported stolen from Privateer Place Building 4. The complainant stated that the bicycle had been unsecured underneath the staircase at the exterior of his apartment. -March 30 at 9:45 a.m. A bicycle was reported stolen from Privateer Place Apartments. The victim stated that her bike was chained to the railing outside of her apartment, but when she went to retrieve her bicycle she discovered the bicycle and lock were missing. Compiled by Rebekah Bell
Getting back on track after Spring break Veronica Mansell Features Editor
I take my breaks from school seriously. I like to go big if given the opportunity. We work hard during the semester. Many of us balance multiple jobs, extracurricular activities and families on top of a full class load. Breaks are certainly deserved and necessary, but can be also be distracting. Juggling life as a student requires routine or a steady pace to stay on track. The Spring semester already seems to fly by compared to the Fall semester. We have multiple small breaks throughout the semester from MLK Day to Mardi Gras break (which universities outside of New Orleans do not observe). A professor may cancel a class here or there, which can feel like the biggest blessing in the middle of a semester. But when I think of a full week for Spring break, I think, “man, it’s
going to be even harder to get back on track.” Of course I want all the time possible away from school (I’m not a crazy person), but I also know myself. More time away from school rarely ever equals academic productivity. Most of us ambitiously begin breaks with long to-do lists and even longer scholastic agendas. Its time to polish up that research paper, buckle down on a term paper or review material for upcoming tests. Who can accomplish all this from the beach or while working extra shifts? The longer the break, the more tempting it is to travel or push things back for a few days, and the longer we stay away from school, the harder it is to retain information. Spring break is a time-honored tradition associated with fun-inthe-sun, beaches, pools and parties. Luckily in the South, we don’t have that far to go for those traditional
Spring break treasures and we live in a city that definitely goes up on a Tuesday year round. A one-totwo day getaway is relatively easy to pull off and allows us time to get back to reality. A full week vacation so close to the end of the semester might drain all motivation for school and cause a stressful shock to the system come finals time. The summer is practically here. Longer breaks during the semester often lead to days getting tacked on to the end of a semester. For students who take summer classes, study abroad, or have a long way to travel home (a good deal of the student body) extra class days cutting into the summer might not allow for a vacation in-between semesters. It is much easier to relax without deadlines and finals looming, so why not finish the semester and then take advantage of the maximum time away from being a student?
FEATURES
Wednesday, April 8, 2015 5
Risky Business encourages students to “fail gloriously” Christy Lorio
Editor-in-chief There isn’t much room for error when it comes to taking a risk with your grade for a class, but Risky Business gives students a platform for experimentation and a safe space to explore their creative side. Sarah Beth James, a theater graduate student and founder of Risky Business, said, “Students today are taught not to answer - not to even try - for fear of being wrong. Risky Business provides a safe, supportive environment for play, experimentation and failure.” The concept for Risky Business is to push students out of their comfort zones while exploring their boundaries. James said, “The idea is to take risks, do something you’re afraid of, you’re bad at, or you’ve just never done before and have always wanted to try… anyone and everyone is invited to come jump off the proverbial cliff with us.” David Brown, a second year graduate student in acting, performed a one man improv act at a recent showcase. “Improv is a group experience and I don’t do
well presenting alone unless I have something prepared,” Brown said, “It was nerve racking. I received a warm welcome and support. But I learned some things I can do better the next go round.” James said, “The name of the game is failure. The philosophy behind the showcase is that there are extraordinary places in life that one can only get to through a willingness and, perhaps, an enthusiasm for falling on one’s face.” Students are encouraged to do whatever they want on stage: from telling bad jokes, juggling, singing, even taking a nap. Previous acts have included burlesque acts, theater performances and one student even called another student to ask her out on a date (she said yes.) James said, “If you’ve got an idea you’ve been wanting to test out but need a venue, this is for you.” Students interested in performing need to sign up in advance for a 10 minute time slot on the signup sheet on the Lab Theatre door, located in the Performing Arts Center in room 121. Production elements such as props and costumes should be minimal.
photo by Christy Lorio Trey, Candace and Joni perform a sketch they worked on in acting class. The trio tackled topics such as parents who rely on teachers to educate kids and unhealthy food options in school cafeterias.
Please read below about an exciting opportunity from Driftwood
Now Hiring: Driftwood Editor-in-Chief
The Student Publications Board is seeking a student interested in serving as editor-in-chief of UNO’s student newspaper for the 201516 school year. Please submit a cover letter, résumé, at least two published writing samples and one reference letter by noon Monday, April 20. (May be submitted as attachments electronically or dropped off at the history department office, LA 135.) Applicants must meet the following qualifications: -be a University of New Orleans student (graduate or undergraduate). -have a GPA of at least 2.5 for the fall 2014 semester. -be a student in good standing. -and have worked at least one semester for the Driftwood or equivalent publica tion experience.
Applications should be submitted to Dr. Connie Atkinson at c.atkinson@uno.edu. Questions, please call Dr. Atkinson at 504 280 6611 or by e-mail. The editorship is a paid position.
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Campus Calendar April 8th • Unity, in partnership with the Inclusive Language Campaign, is holding an event to empower students against hate speech with “Coming Out of Your Shell” from 12-3 p.m. in the Quad. Students will be able to purchase eggs and throw them at a backdrop filled with harmful phrases. • Jazz at the Sandbar at 7 p.m. will feature European drummer Paul Wiltgen, in the Cove. April 9th • SAC presents UNO Spotlight, a talent show event in the Amphitheater from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. to highlight the talents of the UNO student body. • “Will America Remain ‘One Nation, Indivisible’?”, a part of the Tocqueville Project Lunch Lecture Series. Dr. Joseph Reisert will deliver a lecture on the future of what it means to truly be an American as the country evolves. Begins at 12:30 p.m. April 10th • Muckfest, Theta Xi’s philanthropy fundraiser will
take place in the quad from 2-6 p.m. $5 admission. All proceeds will benefit Multiple Sclerosis research. • Not-So-Silent Night, an evening of classic silent films in the Nims Theater accompanied by new music composed by UNO students. Beginning at 7 p.m. • Honors Council’s annual Clean the Lake event will begin at 1 p.m. The group will provide all the necessary materials for cleaning the UNO Lakefront, as well as free pizza and water. • Contemporaneous, the New York-based music group, will end their weeklong residency at UNO with a two night performance alongside UNO students, beginning at 7 p.m. April 13th • Alpha Xi Delta will host a fundraising night at Mellow Mushroom for its philanthropy Autism Speaks
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Wednesday, April 8, 2015
FRERET STREET FESTIVAL
Photo by Christy Lorio J’wan Boudreaux, vocalist for the Cha Wa Band and Spy Boy for the Golden Eagles, is accompanied by bassist Bill Richards
Photo by Christy Lorio Freret Street Festival took over its namesake thoroughfare between Napoleon Avenue and Soniat Street this past Saturday. Three stages hosted local bands and 150 vendors selling food as well as locally made arts and crafts lined the street from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Photo by Christy Lorio Tank of Tank and the Bangas entertains the crowd with her infectious energy at the Ochsner Baptist Stage.
MIDLO CENTER AWARD
Wednesday, April 8, 2015 7 The Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies presented its annual Herman L. Midlo Award for excellence in research to Kevin McQueeney, a graduate student in history. Kevin just defended his MA thesis, and he has been accepted into Georgetown’s history doctoral program. The photo shows Dr. Mary Niall Mitchell, Midlo Endowed Chair, presenting the award to Kevin on April 1, 2015. Coupon Code: Driftwood
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FEATURES
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Students benefit from opportunities through TOPS
Chloe Gagnon Driftwood Staff
Many Louisiana students benefit from the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) scholarship program. The TOPS program, started by the Patrick Taylor Foundation, provides an opportunity for many students to not only attend college, but graduate as well. This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the foundation. The idea for the program started when Taylor promised 183 middle school students if they “studied rigorously, maintained a B average, and stayed out of trouble,” then
he would send them to college. Then he worked with state legislators to create the program that now has helped thousands of students over the years go to college. Taylor started the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) in 1989. TAP became a part of TOPS when it was combined with other academic award programs in 1997. The program has since been renamed the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, in honor of it’s founder. James Caillier, the Executive Director of the Patrick Taylor Foundation said, “One of the main functions [of the foundation] is to protect TOPS work with the leg-
islators and the government to maintain the scholarships and make sure it’s available for students to defray their education costs by providing tuition to students who qualify for TOPS.” Patrick Taylor passed away in 2004 and since then, “more than 20 other states had adopted versions of the Taylor Plan, and four years later, the Louisiana legislature renamed TOPS the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students in his honor,” according their website. Not only does this foundation donate money to education, but they also “provide many different grants to various organizations around the
city of New Orleans,” said Caillier. The website has various captions that tell their most recent donations such as “Taylor donates $15 million to Tulane” and “Taylor Foundation Gives $920K to Louisiana Tech.” It also states, “the Foundation also supports law enforcement, the military, and other community and humanitarian efforts. Since its founding, the Foundation’s total gifts and commitments in these areas total more than $53 million to more than 475 organizations in Louisiana and across the United States.” To be eligible to receive TOPS, high school students must have a grade point average of 2.5, pass re-
quired standardized tests, and complete a specific core curriculum in a Louisiana high school. If a student meets these requirements, he or she could receive enough money to complete their undergraduate degree in the state of Louisiana. The Foundation also gives individual scholarships to undergraduate students who can apply if they meet the requirements which are a bit more rigorous. Caillier said that Mr. and Mrs. Taylor started the foundation because they “wanted to assist the community with grants and scholarships for needy purposes.”
FEATURES
Wednesday, April 8, 2015 9
Get to know the Starlettes, UNO’s dance team Asia-Vinae Palmer Managing Editor
The Starlettes, the University of New Orleans’ dance team, are passionate about reestablishing their legacy and are currently constructing plans for the team’s future. Starlette Aida Diack, a sophomore in business administration, said, “Starlettes just characterizes us more than [the team’s former name], Lafitte Treasurers; it’s like spotlight. Our legacy had this name and we want to get back to our roots.” The name Starlettes was recovered in a yearbook on the top floor of the library. Ashley Lacy, coach and campus advisor, took reins of the team two years ago and wanted to “get back to basics” when it came to revamping the UNO Dance Team. “The Lafitte Treasures didn’t really describe who they were as a dance team. They had become something completely different. My goal was to have it go back and relive whatever glory that they had and bring it to now.” Lacy made a trip to the yearbook section and searched for a name to match the legacy she intended to reassemble. Excited about the newly found information, she began their practice with the question, “You know girls, the dance team used to be called the Starlettes, is that something that you guys would like to revisit?” The transparency Lacy had with renaming the team has been consistent throughout her entire involvement. “My job is to make sure that the
girls feel comfortable in whatever style they’re dancing in. I give them a lot of accountability in terms of their music selection, choreography, all the way down to the clothes they wear. I want them to feel comfortable in the things that they do and the way they present themselves.” Currently, the team performs at men’s and women’s basketball games and pep rallies. They will be expanding to volleyball next year and are presently working on branching out to more events dealing with orientation and welcoming transfer students. Lacy acknowledged the team has had consecutive budget cuts since 2008, “but there is a contingency plan if something were to happen, I’ve just been ready to plan ahead to make sure that these girls are still able to do what they need to do.” “I feel responsible for them and the only thing that I can do is to ensure that the next advisor is someone who will still allow me to participate as a coach and someone
who is still in full communication with the department of athletics,” said Lacy. Lacy, like many advisors, can’t promise a permanent presence on campus, but she has plans to continue providing the girls with guidance and support. She is building the team around everyone having a say in the way they are presented. “If I were to try and instill my style and my taste, we wouldn’t really get anywhere. The girls are responsible for their own choreography, they carry on their own practices and I am there only a few days a week to oversee practices to make sure that one, things are getting done, and two, to teach them things normally taught in dance classes: technique and other aspects of dance, like the proper way to execute a pirouette turn.” The accountability Lacy gives the members is something they are proud of. It helps them feel free to create dances with their unique styles as well as consider what their
coach would suggest. “We do a little bit of everything, especially since we all get to choreograph collectively. For some of us, jazz might be our strongest style, or hip hop might be our strongest style and ballet might be someone else’s strongest style, so I think that with everybody getting to choreograph their own dances we get to all work together and have a little piece of every style in our dances,” said Christina Gordon, a Starlette and sophomore psychology major. With tryouts coming up in April, the members are thinking about where they see the team going next. “The type of ideal candidate that we want to have on our team is someone that is enthusiastic and has great showmanship but can also deal with the changes that they incorporate for every game,” said Lacy. These auditions will dictate the new team members as well as officer positions and rankings. The new captain will be the leading voice
and provide direction for the team. “The captain will have a lot to say in as far as where the team’s going and how they’re conducted but at the same time, it’s still a democracy. They still will have an input and say in what choreography that’s put in. If someone has an idea, you can’t override it unless you come up with something better,” said Lacy. The Starlettes, a team where everyone gets heard, has plans to expand in the type of dances they perform. People shouldn’t know what to expect. “When you’re a dancer, music speaks to you. Whether it’s jazz with Kenny G, or hip hop, you have to go with the music,” said Kristina Oliver, a Starlette and sophomore biology major. The voice she mentioned was a prominent hum in the background of their passion and excitement for the upcoming team.
“Let them talk” panels a part of UNO’s presence at French Quarter Festival Carlee Lauve Driftwood Staff
The French Quarter Festival premiered in 1984 as a way to bring people back to the French Quarter following the World’s Fair. Since then the French Quarter Festival has become the South’s largest free music festival with 23 stages and over 1,400 musicians. This year’s French Quarter Festival will take place Thursday, April 9 through Sunday, April 12. UNO History professor and Director of the Midlo Center Dr. Connie Atkinson was also a board member of the French Quarter Festival for several years. The Midlo Center sponsors the “Let Them Talk” series sponsored by the U.S. Mint during the French Quarter Festival. “In 1997, the Midlo Center helped create the Sidney Bechet Centennial, and out of that
came an annual music colloquium a conference where people came to talk about New Orleans music. The festival began to allow us to hold the colloquium during the festival,” Atkinson said. This partnership evolved into the “Let Them Talk” series that allows the musicians to talk about their music. “We call the program “Let Them Talk: Conversations about Louisiana Music” and usually WWNO’s Fred Kasten does the interviewing. Fred and I work with the festival to organize the event, and UNO history students help put on the event Saturday and Sunday at the Old Mint on Esplanade on the third floor,” Atkinson said. According to Dr. Atkinson, UNO has had a significant presence at the French Quarter Festival for over 15 years. “UNO, particularly the Midlo Center and the history department have had a very long affilia-
tion with the festival. The festival has been generous enough to allow the university to use the festival to circulate information on the history of our music back into the community. For public historians, it’s a great opportunity. And for the festival-goers, it gives a deeper experience of the music – not just to hear it, but to hear about it,” Atkinson said. The French Quarter Festival has become a huge event for New Orleans with over 730,000 people in attendance at last year’s festival. It has become such a big event that the Huffington Post has named it the “one thing to do in Louisiana” The French Quarter Festival is also home to the “World’s Largest Jazz Brunch”, which includes different local restaurants throughout Jackson Square, the Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint and Woldenberg Riverfront.
Festival Highlights
April 9 10 a.m.- Second Line KickOff Parade starting at the 100 block of Bourbon Street 5:20 p.m.- Abita Beer StageIrvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra present the music of Stevie Wonder, The Beatles and The Grateful Dead 8 p.m.- 2015 French Quarter Fest Gala at Antoine’s restaurant. Tickets available for purchase at fqfi.org
April 10 11 a.m.-3 p.m.- Film Festival at Le Petit Theatre, featuring showings of a series of short, NOLA-centric films. 5:20 p.m.- Jackson Square Stage- The National WWII Museum presents Jump, Jive, and Wail: A Tribute to Louis Prima 7 p.m.- The French Market presents Opera at Dusk, a series of operatic performances at the Pontalba building April 11 All Day- The Pirate’s Alley Juried Art Show, presented by The New Orleans Art Association and featuring work from over 100 artists. All Day- “Let Them Talk” Conversations on Louisiana Music, a series of free talks given by musicians, about music.
All talks are open to the public on the 3rd floor of the Old U.S. Mint. Noon- Rouses World Championship Crawfish Eating Contest, hosted at the Old U.S. Mint 5:30-7 p.m.- Battle of the Bands, featuring a playoff between several traditional jazz bands on the 400 block of Royal St. 7:15 p.m.- GE Capital StageSouthland Plumbing presents Flow Tribe
April 12 3:00 p.m.- Kid’s Stage- New Orleans Aerial Arts performance 3:30 p.m.- St. Louis Cathedral Annual Spring Concert 5:45 p.m. - Popeyes Barracks St. Stage- Corey Henry’s Treme Funket 6:00 p.m.- Dancing at Dusk, an opportunity to swing and dance along to hits from the 30s, 40s and 50s with popular band The Tomcats
The festival will also feature food from dozens of vendors across the French Quarter, including favorites like Plum Street Snowballs, Antoine’s, Galatoire’s, Cafe Reconcile, Court of Two Sisters, Tujague’s and many more.
SPORTS
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Brandon Rizzuto managing AFL Team while earning masters degree Nigel Washington Sports Editor
It’s not often that a student is at the peak of his or her career while still in college. This is not the case for soon-to-be UNO graduate Brandon Rizzuto as he managed to work on his degree and heavily with the athletic department on his way to becoming the General Manager of the New Orleans VooDoo arena football team. Rizzuto is currently in his last semester, taking his final class before graduating with a masters degree in English with a professional writing concentration. Before going after his masters, he attended UNO as an undergrad and worked as an intern for the athletic department. After so many years of juggling very different challenges at the same place, he talked about the feeling of graduating: “Working in sports has many long and odd hours, so it has been a challenge, which makes graduating that much more rewarding.” His first stretch of work in college athletics began in 2006 at Nicholls State where, at the age of 21, he was the Director of Media Relations for four years. During his time there, Rizzuto earned multiple awards for his writing and media programs. In 2009 he added Best Release by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association to those accolades. After his time at Nicholls he began his first stint with the New Orleans VooDoo. He started as the Director of Media Relations and was eventually promoted to Vice President. In 2010, Rizzuto won Best Release by the Louisiana Sports Writing Association and won the league’s Best Publication in the Arena Football League only a year later. With plenty of experience, Rizzuto joined the University of New Orleans athletic program in late 2012. Around that time the program was in the very beginning of its rebuild-
Sports Wrap-up Nigel Washington Sports Editor
Baseball After an 8-2 win against a hometown rival in Loyola on Tuesday, the Privateers were swept as they traveled to McNeese State on Thursday to start their spring break. UNO now sits at 11-20 with a 2-10 conference record, which is tied for last in the Southland Conference. Track and Field The UNO track and field team traveled to LSU for the Battle of The Bayou. Along with a few top 5 finishes, the squad also saw two school records fall from the men’s and women’s side. Sophomore Alexia Fortenberry led the day for the women’s side as she placed first in the 100-meter hurdles. Her time of 13.28 set a new school record for the event. Meanwhile, Junior Lakayla LaFrance placed seventh in the same event. Sophomore Chelise Brown placed 10th and ninth in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash respectively. In the 400-me-
Photo courtesy of New Orleans VooDoo Rizutto’s career in sports started as a UNO undergrad. He is now the general manager of the New Orleans Voodoo arena football team.
ing phase. President Peter Fos and athletic director Derek Morel decided to keep the athletic teams in Division I as opposed to Division II or Division III, which do not allow universities to offer athletic scholarships. Rizzuto helped establish a strong social media presence and played a part in the new logo for the program, which has had good reviews. He was also responsible for the day-to-day obligations of managing media programs and overseeing game day operations for the teams. Rizzuto spent two years with the athletics team while also attending
school and working toward his second degree. Long nights and little sleep are something that all working college students are all well too aware of, and that privilege extended to Rizzuto as well. “I don’t sleep all that much anymore,” Rizzuto said. “But if you want something bad enough, you make it work; you find the time to make things happen for yourself. Trust me, it has not been easy; there has been a lot of sacrifice along the way – more than anyone will ever know – but somehow, some way I found a way to get it done.” Even with all his accomplish-
ments and improvements he has made to the athletic program, he credits an event he helped start for students as one of his biggest accomplishments at UNO. “This may sound crazy, but my favorite accomplishment as a student came in undergrad when we started Swampball in Spring of 2006,” Rizzuto said. “I was president of the UNO Ambassadors and we lobbied to start that event for two years and we kept getting shot down. After Hurricane Katrina, Chancellor Tim Ryan gave us the green light to start Swampball, and it’s now a UNO tradition and signa-
ter hurdles it was Sophomore Mikayla Barber with a sixth place finish. Sophomore Farydah Inoussa teamed up with Fortenberry, Brown and Barber to earn second in the 4x100 relay. It didn’t stop there as Sophomore Fadeke Adeola also finished second, but in the women’s high jump instead. For the men it was Sophomore Michael Batson with the new school record as his 1:49.66 time was good enough for third in the competition. Junior Constant Pretorious also had a great day as he finished first in the 400-meter hurdles. In the 1500-meter hurdles Jared Robertson took fifth place, while sophomore Edmund Pine finished in ninth. With a 22.27 time sophomore Dario Scantlebury had a ninth place finish. Scantlebury was also on the men’s 4x400 meter relay team as they came in third for the day.
doubles point, the Privateers (79, 2-1 SLC) cruised through the singles matches en route to a win that ends a 5-game losing streak. Up next for the team is a home match against Jackson State this Thursday.
didn’t spark the Lady Privateers as they dropped the next two matches against Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin. UNO (10-9, 2-6 SLC) lost the doubles point in both losses and were not able to make up the ground in the singles games. The Lady Privateers will host Jackson State this Thursday.
Men’s Tennis The UNO tennis team had a perfect match against the Lindenwood Lions as they won 7-0 on Wednesday. After taking the
Women’s Tennis 7-0 win against Lindenwood
ture event.” In October of 2014 his hard work and determination paid off as he entered the upper echelon of his career. The New Orleans VooDoo introduced him as the General Manager of the team in an effort to rebuild the franchise. “Honestly, it’s a dream come true to have this opportunity...I never thought that I would be 30 years old and be running a professional football team, but it just goes to show you that if you work hard enough and do the right things that other working professionals take notice.” The great opportunity still came with mixed emotions, as leaving his job at alma mater was not an easy choice. “It was very hard to leave UNO,” Rizzuto said. “ I mean, my career in sports started there as an undergraduate student and when I was hired as an Athletic Assistant Director, I thought it would be the job I would have until I retired… so when this opportunity came, I had mixed emotions.” Rizzuto attributes the experience he obtained by volunteering as a big reason he finds himself in the position he does today and encourages other students do the same. “ As an undergraduate student, and to some extent postgraduate, it’s about gaining experience to put on a resume and not always about getting paid. I volunteered in the UNO athletics department for four years and never got a dime, but that experience turned into many dimes after graduation. I hope you, the students take advantage of opportunities and understand that practical experience is more valuable for obtaining a job than that “A” that you received in a senior level class. No matter the outcome, Rizzuto would love to find himself back at the Lakefront aiding in whatever way he can. “No matter where my career takes me, I will always love my Privateers. I hope my career takes me back to UNO one day.”
Men’s Golf The UNO golf team finished in 11th place as they traveled to Jonesboro, Arkansas to compete in the ASU Red Wolf Intercollegiate over the weekend. The Privateers will end the season two weeks from now when they travel to Texas for the Southland Conference Championships.
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LAGNIAPPE
Two weeks in a row the best part of the “Driftwood” newspaper is missing… No top Yik Yaks mentioned! That’s the only reason I pick it up!
6.25oz of gummy worms should NOT cost $3.69. In fact, that’s more than twice as much what it should cost.
Almost walked across campus with my lab goggles on my head. I will not become “goggle girl” on Yik Yak.
When I have contacts in, I shower with lab goggles.
Broad City gets me on spiritual level. Yik Yak is an anonymous messaging app for college students.
Staff Picks Rebekah Bell Driftwood Staff
Bar The Tasting Room has brought the wine tasting experience to New Orleans. Perfect for date night and small gatherings, this trendy wine bar on Magazine Street in the Lower Garden District offers signature wine flights that include three half glasses of wine. Be sure to ask about their wine club, they have an array of wines from around the world. If you get hungry, they also offer an eclectic dining menu in a relaxed dining atmosphere. If you have favorite wines that they don’t offer, mention it to the server before you go— they may consider it for future additions.
Band Caribou is a Canadian electronic band that began with Dan Snaith’s theft of a sampler gathering dust in
My roommate’s diary says I have boundary issues. Excuse you library coffee shop.
his high school’s music department. Snaith’s musical career took off from there originally under the name “Manitoba,” however after a lawsuit filed against him over the name in 2005 he changed his performance name to Caribou. As a studio project Caribou is carried out by Snaith alone, but on tour the band consists of a four part ensemble. Touring internationally, Caribou’s exploratory style tackles various angles of the electronic music scene. Labeled as electronica, IDM, folktronica, neo-psychedelia and shoegazing, Caribou’s mellow sound resonates well with the cerebral coolness of an academic.
Knowing that there are so many people in college who still write “a women” honestly causes me pain. Who needs April fools when my entire life is a joke? Caf closed til Monday...what better way to say ‘screw you’ to anyone
Movie A Million Ways to Die in the West is a western comedy film directed, produced by and starring Seth MacFarlane. Featuring an ensemble cast of several other well-known actors, MacFarlane stars as a cowardly farmer who falls for the new girl in town. He must put his courage to the test when her husband, a notorious gunslinger announces his arrival. Shockingly, Rotten Tomatoes has given it a 33% rating, citing a “disappointingly scattershot affair,” while IMDb has given it a rating of 6.1/10. Regardless of the lackluster reviews, if you appreciate MacFarlane’s work with the television show “Family Guy,” you will appreciate his spunky humor in this flick and you will never look at the wild west in the same way again.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015 11
staying over break? Roomate and I worked our asses off coding a free iOS/Android app for UNO called ‘Pear U’. It’s like Tinder, but shows personality match and has no fees. Grateful to anyone here who tries it out! Student protest at the Capitol on April 15, noon- 3 p.m. in response to Jindal’s crippling budget cuts. Please go, even if you have to skip classes. We won’t have classes to skip at this rate. #SaveUNO Thought about starting an apathy
club on campus but I can’t be bothered to actually get it going. Shout out to the girl who just busted out a hammock next to the library. If you have to preface what you’re about to say with “I’m not sexist, but…” then you’re probably sexist. I’m going to make a porn film in NO. It’s going to be produced by “Privateer Productions.” We want to film in the dorms. Ages 18+. Comment below if you would be interested and state your gender.
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