April 21, 2017 by Loyola Maroon

Loyola University • New Orleans • Volume 95 • Issue 24 • April 21, 2017

THE MAROON FOR A GREATER LOYOLA

Loyola gets green for Earth Week

Loup Garou, where are you?

By John Casey jecasey@loyno.edu @J_E_CASEY

Students will be looking at an empty stage this year, as the biennial concert series Loup Garou was canceled By Jessica Molina jgmolina@loyno.edu @jmolina217

Loup Garou, Loyola’s annual Spring concert, has been canceled this year. Loup Garou began in 1998 and ran annually until 2014. The name comes from the mythical French werewolf, and was meant to mirror Loyola’s mascot. According to a previous Maroon article, the 2014 cancellation was due to overspending in previous years by the Student Government Association. Ron Palmer, marketing senior and SGA vice president of communication in 2014, told The Maroon that they hope to increase the amount of allocated funds for Loup Garou by making the event every other year, which will allow them to roll over the allocated funds from the off years and provide a larger budget. Elisa Diaz, SGA president, contributes the decision to end the concert series to a lack of funding. According to Diaz, SGA receives their money from student allocations and uses that money throughout the year for things like organi-

zation allocations, graduation exam reimbursements and SGA’s Third Friday events. “In 2015, we were able to have rapper Wale as our performing artist, but we spent more on that concert than we received for all of this semester’s student allocations,” Diaz said. “We also allocated funds to this year’s, Fools Fest, the Loyola Family Fair.” According to Ronald Chavis, SGA advisor, SGA receives funding from students, and since the university has less students, there is less money to spend. “Loup Garou is simply too expensive,” Chavis said. Some students, like Arianda Martinez, psychology senior, are upset about the cancellation. “It’s a little unfair that they gave up instead of providing alternate options. It’s a tradition, and as the 2017 graduating class, we’ve consistently been handed the short end of the stick with registration, events and now this.” More than just Loup Garou, previous traditions have been terminated on campus, such as 100th Night, a celebration for

See LOUP GAROU, page 3

Photo illustration by MARISABEL RODRIGUEZ

Loyola alumnus goes for the top prize By Jessica Molina jgmolina@loyno.edu @jmolina217

Two Loyola alumni made history in the journalism world: Eric Eyre, A’87, won the Pulitzer Prize, and Jonathan Bachman, A’12, was a finalist. The Pulitzer Prize is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine and online journalism, litera-

ture and musical composition and only has 13 recipients each year. Eyre won the prize for his investigative reporting of the opioid epidemic that was taking place in West Virginia. The Pulitzer judges said Eyre won the prize “for courageous reporting, performed in the face of powerful opposition, to expose the flood of opioids flowing into depressed West Virginia counties with the highest

overdose death rates in the country.” Eric Eyre graduated from Loyola in 1987 with a communication degree. He lives in Charleston, West Virginia working at the Charleston Gazette-Mail. Eyre’s award-winning series focused on the rising opioid-related death’s occurring in West Virginia. Even though people were dying at an alarming rate, the local pharma-

cies continued to distribute over 700 million opioids. “This is an issue that’s devastated our state,” Eyre told the Gazette-Mail. “We wanted to put the focus on the root causes and costs of the epidemic. By doing so, we hope we are part of the solution.”

See PULITZER, page 3

Loyola kicked off Earth Week celebrations on Tuesday with live music and science at the greenhouse atop Monroe Hall. The “Greenhouse Party” was the first event planned for the week leading up to Earth Day on Saturday. Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970. Spurred by United States politician Gaylord Nelson, the holiday led to the rise of an environmental activism movement. Anthony Rizzi, event organizer and environmental studies sophomore, hopes that events like the greenhouse party will bring attention to Loyola’s facilities dedicated to scientific research and environmental awareness. “This event is an introduction event. It’s to get students to really see what we have up here at the greenhouse. It’s a facility that we put a lot of money into and a lot of time and a lot of effort. Students do research up here, professors do research up here, but not a lot of the rest of the student body knows that. This is an event to really get this place and what we do up here out to the rest of the Loyola community,” Rizzi said. Student artists Tristin and Jana Sanders performed live for the event, followed up by DJ Derek Taylor. The local musicians, New Orleans sunset and physics experiments attracted students to the rooftop for the event. Andrew Eddins, physics senior, organized the physics display. “So we went and we performed some demonstrations on topics like angular momentum, adiabatic compression, forces and electric fields,” Eddins said. “I thought it was great, and we brought telescopes too. So we saw Saturn and we saw all the four Galilean moves.” The greenhouse party is just the kick off for the week long celebration leading up to Earth Day on Saturday, April 22. On Wednesday, the Holly Grove Farmer’s Market came to the Peace Quad, followed by an appearance by state lawmaker Foster Campbell. “He’s going to speak about how students can be more involved in politics, mostly about the environmental aspects of it,” Rizzi said. Environmental studies seniors presented their year-long capstone projects on the third floor of Monroe Hall at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. Later that evening at 6 p.m., Josh Fox’s “How to Let Go of the World” was screened in the Whitney Room in Thomas Hall. Rizzi said that the biggest event will take place on Friday from 2-6 p.m. in the Peace Quad. “We’re going to have Bagel Boy and his new bagels, a sand pit, arts and crafts, yoga, open mic and a bunch of organizations are going to come out and talk about the environment,” Rizzi said.

April 21, 2017

THE MAROON

CRIME MAP

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Theft from Exterior S. Robertson Street/ Cadiz Street

April 12

2:12 p.m.

Theft 00 Block of Cromwell Place

April 13

11:24 a.m.

Armed Robbery with Gun 2500 Block of Valmont Street

April 14

8:37 p.m.

Armed Robbery with Gun 5100 Block of Clara Street

April 14

8:50 p.m.

Theft 6200 Block of Saint Charles Avenue

April 15

7:05 a.m.

Theft 6400 Block of Freret Avenue

April 15

1:16 p.m.

Shoplifting 5500 Block of Magazine Street

April 15

5:36 p.m.

Vehicle Break-in 2600 Block of Valence Street

April 17

8:04 a.m.

Drug Violations 6400 Block of Freret Street

April 17

2:44 p.m.

Simple Battery Domestic 5000 Block of Freret Street

April 18

2:57 p.m.

E ST

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news

April 21, 2017 The Maroon

Free books offered to future freshmen By Lily Cummings lrcummin@my.loyno.edu @lilyrain6

Courtesy of Jonathan Bachman

Lone activist Ieshia Evans stands her ground while offering her hands for arrest to riot police during a protest against police brutality outside the Baton Rouge Police Department in Louisiana, U.S.A. on July 9, 2016. Jonathan Bachman was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Breaking News Photography.

CONT’D: Loyola alumni acknowledged by Pulitzer Prize committee See Pulitzer, page 1 According to the Gazette-Mail, numerous counties and towns in West Virginia have sued some of the nation’s largest drugmakers using

Eyre’s reports. Bachman was a finalist for his iconic photo of Ieshia Evans being approached by three armed riot police during the Baton Rouge protests in 2016 in response to a police shooting.

After studying photojournalism at Loyola, Bachman moved on to work for the Associated Press and Reuters. In July 2016, Bachman was covering the killing of Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old man who was shot and

killed by the police in Baton Rouge. From this coverage came the iconic photo of Evans offering her hands to the police to arrest her for participating in the protest. This photo was published by Reuters.

Fourth wave feminism marks new chapter in equality By JC Canicosa jccanico@my.loyno.edu @JCcanico

As fourth wave feminism picks up speed, Loyola makes strides toward promoting awareness and support for equality. According to Patricia Boyett, director of the Women’s Research Center, the emphasis on intersectionality separates fourth wave feminism from other waves in U.S. history. The first wave began in the late 19th century, which focused on opening up opportunities, especially suffrage, for women. The second and third waves have built on that struggle for gender equality, but women continue to struggle through unequal societal and social standards between women and men. Boyett said that the end of second and all of the third wave feminism grappled with understanding that people face different obstacles based on their personal identities within gender, race, culture, religion, orientation, class, ethnicity and other social constructs. “I am hopeful that it will be fully intergenerational as we need every living generation to share their

insight and expertise and develop a movement that has the depth and numbers to make exceptional changes,” Boyett said. The basic definition of feminism is the struggle for gender equality, according to panelists from the Feminist Festival that took place in March. “I was thrilled with Feminist Festival this year. We had considerable audiences at most events,” Boyett said. “I was so happy with all of the events and so moved by the brilliance and talent of our students, staff, faculty and community members who all came together to advance gender equality, celebrate successes and discuss how to continue to move forward.” Armani Eady, political science junior, said that gender equality continues to elude society. Women still suffer from unequal pay, glass ceilings, high rates of gender violence, sexual harassment and unequal representation in government. “As college students, fourth wave feminism will require us to step outside of our comfort zones. That means showing up to each other’s programming, being an ally and celebrating each other’s differenc-

es,” Eady said. “This also means creating safe spaces in which we can have discussions about what makes us different. Most importantly, we should all listen and learn.” The events and panels at the Feminist Festival inspired critical discussion and thought about the direction of gender equality, said student panelist Rula Thabata. The panels consisted of a diverse group of women who all sought to stress the importance that everyone work together “towards a feminism that is pluralistic, inclusive and inter-generational; one that makes intersectional more than a buzzword,” Thabata said. Loyola and the Women’s Resource Center have shown their support to gender equality by raising money for the organization Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response, which supports survivors of sexual assault by providing counsel and legal aid. Emmaline Bouchillon, general studies freshman, believes that Loyola has supported body positivity by posting pictures of students’ empowering messages about their bodies and raised awareness by celebrating Denim Day on April 27, where people wear denim to raise awareness about rape and sexual

GRACE GINNAH/The Maroon

Creativity through art is one of the ways Ginnah prefers to express herself. The Feminist Festival showcased the many ways students can express feminism in their daily lives.

assault. “I think we are at an important time in our history in America. We have the opportunity to push our nation toward its creed of equality and justice for all. To advance such a cause, we must want and fight for justice and equality for all of us,” Boyett said.

CONT’D: Lack of funding causes Loup Garou to be canceled See Pulitzer, page 1 seniors to celebrate their time at Loyola that took place on the 100th day of school. Both of these long-standing traditions ended in

2015 with nothing new moving in for seniors to look forward to. “It makes me feel as if the school doesn’t really care about us unless they get monetary reimbursement out of it,” Martinez said.

Benjamin Weil, next year’s SGA president, hopes to improve events offered and look into bringing Loup Garou back in the future. “There’s no way to know whether or not SGA will be able to bring back

Loup Garou next year, however, my team and I look forward to reviewing the budget in order to determine if that is feasible.”

Next fall, incoming freshmen will have the opportunity to receive free textbooks. The first 400 students who sign up for a “college readiness conversation” with a member of Loyola’s student success department and submit their deposit will be enrolled in the First-Year Ignition Program and be eligible for free textbooks. The Loyola First-Year Ignition Program is not tied to financial aid but is intended to help first-year students be prepared to succeed as soon as they start school in the fall. The program was announced at the university’s annual President’s Open House, held on Saturday, March 18 at Loyola University New Orleans. “When we say at Loyola University New Orleans that you’re part of our family, we mean it. We’re invested in you. In your success,” said university president, Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., Ph.D. in a press release on March 29. “As we say at Loyola, ‘the Pack has your back,’ and it starts here.” The program is a partnership with Loyola and Follett Educational Services. If the program does expand, then all students who register will remain on a standby list once they register, according to the university’s press release. Once students complete the necessary steps, they will be eligible for free textbooks for both the fall and spring semesters of their freshman year. The program is also available to first-year transfer students. Laura Kurzu, vice president of marketing and communications, announced in a press release the mission behind The First-Year Ignition Program. “At Loyola University New Orleans, we believe that a prepared student is a successful student, and with the right tools, they can accomplish anything,” Kurzu said. Each of the 400 students’ books will be ordered and ready for the students to pick up on First-Year Ignition Day during Wolf Pack Welcome. Similar to normal rented books, students will be required to return their books at the end of the semester. This will allow the offer to be extended to students in the following class. If the books are not returned, the students will have to pay for them. The First-Year Ignition Program hopes to accomplish three main goals: increase student preparedness, promote student success and pay it forward. “We are making this investment in freshman students so that they can have a good start to their college experience and not have to worry about the added costs of necessary items like textbooks, which oftentimes come out of the family pocketbook,” Kurzu said in the press release.

WORLDVIEW

April 21, 2017 The Maroon

Flood protection officials update coastal projects By Jamal Melancon jmmelanc@loyno.edu @Jam_M_Mel

The city of New Orleans is ready to take on this hurricane season without issues, officials said at the 2017 State of Flood Protection Summit. The current coastal master plan calls for 76 restoration projects, 12 structural risk reduction projects and 32 non-structural risk reduction projects, according to Walt Leger III, speaker pro tempore of the Louisiana House of Representatives. “Implementing the projects in the master plan, we believe, can reduce expected annual damages from flooding by $3 million by year 2025 and by $8.3 billion by year 2050,” Leger said. “Over the course of 50 years, the plan could reduce expected annual damage by over $150 billion.” Funding for specific projects that could reduce annual damage include the $153 million in non-structural projects for Orleans Parish and $2.3 million for projects in the Lake Pontchartrain area. State, local and Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East officials gathered inside the atrium of the New Orleans Lakefront Airport to share the progress of current projects. Joe Hassinger, president of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East board of commissioners, led the flood protection summit event and introduced speaker Robert Turner, director of engineering and operations. “It’s important for us to explain to the public that we are a group of over 200 professionals that work day in and day out to ensure that on our accountants, the system is functioning,” Hassinger said. Before giving his power point presentation, Turner said that we have to always approach flood defense issues with a sense of urgency and accuracy. “Complacency is one of our biggest enemies,” Turner said. Turner pointed out key statistics like having almost 200 miles of levees to take care of and 244 floodgates, which would need to be closed in the event of a flooding in-

JAMAL MELANCON/The Maroon

Robert Turner, Director of Engineering and Operations for the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East, holds up a piece of fabric mat sheet that is being used in armoring levees before they are lifted in a two part project. Bermuda grass laid on the fabric mats will be able to grow through the matting, allowing for further protection.

cident. “When we think of flood protection, of flood defense here in the city, what we think about is defending against hurricanes,” Turner said. “But just think back to just last year. During the course of the 12 month period, eight months we were in a flood site in the Mississippi river, and people went about their lives like nothing was happening.” Turner commented on how people away from actual flooding can take the flood defense system for granted, which he said is one of the best in the nation. He went over updates for the Barge Gate repairs in the Lake Borgne barrier wall, which is complete; the West Return Landside Runoff project in Jefferson Parish, which is about 95 percent complete; and the permanent pump

stations on the city’s canals, which is 95 percent near completion for around December of this year. If needed, the permanent pump stations and storm surge gates can be used instead of the temporary storm surge gates and pumps in the 17th St., Orleans Avenue and London Avenue canals, in case of a storm. Also, Turner shared work that is being completed in partnership with the Corps of Engineers for a two-part project to lift several parts of the levee before the Corps armors them. The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East will have to pay for the raising of those levees, but Turner said that is not what is important right now. The Orleans Parish section of the levee is completely covered, accord-

ing to Turner. “Right now, that project is about 30 to 35 percent complete.” Turner showed the audience the armoring material that he said they won’t be able to view on the Lakefront. A turf-reinforced mat is anchored to the protected side of the levee, and Bermuda grass is laid on the mats. “The combination of the matting with the roots from the side allows for erosion protection,” Turner said. Before leaving the podium, Turner told the audience that the flood defense system he works with is not passive and that it takes cooperation with real people to function correctly and save lives. Chip Kline, deputy director of the Governor’s Office of Coastal Activities, spoke on behalf of state and lo-

Emirates cuts US flights, blaming Trump administration curbs Adam Schreck, Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Emirates, the Middle East’s largest airline, slashed its flights to the United States by 20 percent Wednesday, blaming a drop in demand on tougher U.S. security measures and Trump administration attempts to ban travelers from some Muslim-majority nations. The Dubai government-owned carrier’s decision is the strongest sign yet that new measures imposed on U.S.-bound travelers from the Middle East could be taking a financial toll on fast-growing Gulf carriers that have expanded rapidly in the U.S. Dubai was one of 10 cities in Muslim-majority countries affected by a ban on laptops and other personal electronics in carry-on luggage aboard U.S.-bound flights. Emirates’ hub at Dubai Interna-

tional Airport, the world’s third-busiest, is also a major transit point for travelers who were affected by President Donald Trump’s executive orders temporarily halting entry to citizens of six countries. The latest travel ban suspended new visas for people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, and froze the nation’s refugee program. Like an earlier ban that also included Iraqi citizens, it has been blocked from taking effect by the courts. Emirates said the flight reductions will affect five of its 12 U.S. destinations, with the first cutbacks starting next month. “The recent actions taken by the U.S. government relating to the issuance of entry visas, heightened security vetting and restrictions on electronic devices in aircraft cabins have had a direct impact on consumer interest and demand for air

travel into the U.S.,” the carrier said in a statement. Emirates does not provide financial data for its U.S. operations or individual routes but said it had seen “healthy growth and performance” there until the start of the year. Since Trump has been in office, however, there has been what it called “a significant deterioration in the booking profiles on all our U.S. routes, across all travel segments.” The Americas region, which also includes routes to Canada and Latin America, accounted for 14 percent of the $22.75 billion in revenue Emirates pulled in during the fiscal year through the end of March 2016. Emirates’ half-year profit fell 75 percent to $214 million in the last period the company has disclosed, through last September — before the U.S. election. Executives cited increased investments including aircraft purchases and the repay-

ment of bonds and said a “bleak” economic outlook in many parts of the world was reducing travel demand. Robert Mann, an aviation consultant in Port Washington, New York, said business travel between the U.S. and the Middle East has clearly been hurt by the ban on gadgets, while the attempted visa bans have put a damper on leisure travel from the countries targeted. “Neither factor is a good thing for the Middle Eastern carriers who are primarily affected,” Mann said. The cuts will reduce the number of U.S.-bound flights from Dubai to 101, down from 126 currently. Twice daily Emirates flights to Boston, Los Angeles and Seattle will fall to once a day. Daily flights to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando will be pared to five per week.

cal partners. He said that hurricane protection couldn’t just be about the city of New Orleans, and he spoke in favor of Turner’s work. “I hope people understand the resource they have in people like Bob Turner,” Kline said. Mike Park, chief of the Operations Division in the Corps of Engineers, and Ken Graham, meteorologist-in-charge with the National Weather Service New Orleans, also spoke on behalf of federal partners. Park praised a “joined-at-thehip” strategic partnership for the last 10 years with Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, while Graham focused on how the leading cause of fatalities in a tropical system is storm surges.

WORLDVIEW briefs Woman with 4 US-born children is deported CINCINNATI (AP) — A Mexican mother of four U.S.-born children living in southwest Ohio has been returned to Mexico. Attorney Kathleen Kersh of Advocates for Basic Legal Equality says they are “disappointed and outraged” about the Wednesday deportation of Maribel Trujillo Diaz A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement statement says courts have “uniformly held” that she had no legal basis to remain in the U.S. Immigration officials say she entered the country illegally in 2002. Diaz had been moved to an immigration detention center near Jena, Louisiana, after a federal appeals court on April 11 dismissed her bid for an emergency order. Religious leaders and community supporters had called for her to be reunited with her family.

April 21, 2017

C R O S S W O R D

THE MAROON

ACROSS 1. Neutral 11. Farm animals 15. Reacts to staying up, perhaps 16. “St. Matthew and the Angel” painter Guido 17. The Hugo Awards are presented at one 18. What hearts may do 19. Queen __ Revenge: Blackbeard’s ship 20. Reams 21. Mil. addresses 22. Tree in a carol 23. Some subordinates: Abbr. 24. Turn in 26. __-chef 28. Home to many warthogs 29. Eastern servants 31. Store accessibly 32. With 37-Across, “No problem” 33. Its Gold Medal features a profile of Franklin 36. Vintage tape format 37. See 32-Across 38. Moore co-star 39. Like thou, say 41. Three-time Tour de France champion LeMond 42. See 48-Across 43. Albanian currency 44. Traipse 48. __-Neisse Line, western border of 42-Across 49. Two-point contest? 51. 122-square-mile republic 52. “Green Mansions” heroine played by Audrey Hepburn 53. Plus 55. 1860s-’70s Black Hawk War combatants 56. Digital emergency signal 57. Uncle __ 58. Become decent?

DOWN

1. Songwriters’ org. 2. Knockoff 3. Salon coloring 4. U-turn 5. “... the morning __ her golden

gates”: Shakespeare 6. Yahoo! alternative 7. Rite sites 8. Apes’ lack 9. “__, Sing America”: Hughes 10. Rectangular Manhattan attraction 11. Improved book list? 12. Adapt in a dangerous way 13. Come across 14. Naps 23. Conversational softener 25. Not inclined 27. Toledo native 28. Military address 29. Venus counterpart 30. Goons 31. “Bossypants” memoirist 34. Efron who voiced Ted in “The Lorax” 35. Thankless bunch 36. Product originally called Croup and Pneumonia Salve 40. Give a hard time

SUDOKU

41. Fixed, in a way 43. Rested (against) 45. Hodgepodges 46. Fix things 47. Shaggy 50. Together, in Toulouse 51. Vein locale 54. “L’Âge __”: Buñuel-Dalí surrealist film

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Life &Times

April 21, 2017 THE MAROON

Film • Arts • Food • Music • Leisure • Nightlife

Life and Times briefs Whiteboi Wonder to be roasted at the Willow Uptown Music industry senior Andrew Wlos, or Whiteboi Wonder, will be featured in a comedy roast at The Willow Uptown on Friday, April 18. Following the format of Comedy Central’s long-running series that targets famous comedians, actors and musicians, the roast will feature special guests to remember Whiteboi Wonder’s time at Loyola. Fellow music industry senior and Willow manager Tony Stancampiano will host the roast and doors will open at 8 p.m.

Go with the f low

Loyola indie and folk musicians take Howlin’ Wolf this weekend Several Loyola-based artists will be performing at an event called “Folk Me Up” on Friday, April 22 at the Howlin’ Wolf. Ann Elise Hastings, Lena Fjortoff, Caitlyn O’ Hara and Red & Company are all slated to perform. Tickets will be $5 and doors will be open at 8 p.m.

Louisiana Brunch Festival returns to Crescent Park In partnership with the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the second annual Louisiana Brunch Festival will take place in Crescent Park on Saturday, April 22, beginning at an entrance between Elysian Fields and N. Peters Street. The promoters are featuring brunch-inspired restaurants, cocktails and beer and wine, and live entertainment will be provided by artists Tuba Skinny, Secondhand Street Band and Mother Tucker’s Drag Queen, Inc. While VIP admission is sold out, general admission presales are still available for $5 and will be available at Crescent Park. The event is dog-friendly and will take place from 10 a.m.to 3 p.m. CRISTIAN ORELLANA / The Maroon

Jaimie Villar practices with sock poi in Loyola’s Peace Quad. Villar is one of several flow art practitioners that enjoy the exercise, poise and mentality that come with using a prop or toy to convey rhythmic expression. Flow artists can be found in college quads, parks, local shows and music festivals around the world.

Student volunteers foster animals for Jefferson Parish shelter

By Caleb Beck

By Jamal Melancon

cmbeck@my.loyno.edu @CalebBeckIRL

jmmelanc@my.loyno.edu @Jam_M_Mel

Two students have taken it upon themselves to volunteer their home for quite a number of dogs and cats, acting as foster moms for the Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter. Music therapy juniors Alicia Melendez and Mari Nerbovig have been providing foster care for the Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter since last April, and since then, they have had about 20 pets come and go through their apartment over the course of a year. Melendez said that fostering is an ideal form of care for these animals,

See FOSTER, page 12

Hula-hoops, poi weights, wands and orbs are all tools of the trade for Loyola’s flow art practitioners

Loyola students are no strangers to expressive arts, but a lesser-known subculture found on campus includes movement-based flow artists. Under the umbrella of flow arts are all manner of skill-based techniques including hula-hooping, juggling, fire spinning and more. The common thread between these types are manipulations of a prop or toy to convey expression and momentum. Students regularly take to the quads or anywhere outdoors to practice their craft. Jaimie Villar, music industry junior, practices spinning tethered poi weights in her free time, a performance art originating with the Mao-

ri people of New Zealand. She said spinning poi allows her to express herself freely and naturally. “Sometimes when I spin, I focus on timing, transitions and how clean my moves are. But it’s also nice to just let my flow come naturally and not focus on anything else but the music and the movement. I find that I flow best when I just let my mind wander and see where it takes me. It’s like my own form of meditation,” Villar said. Sam Giradot, music industry junior, uses a prop called a leviwand, a baton connected to a small string that appears to float in the air, to convey this feeling. Giradot said that he likes to apply the lessons he learns while flowing to his daily life, whether he’s practicing or not. “To flow throughout your day is to

be completely in the moment. When you’re walking down the street, you’re not thinking about what’s around the corner because you’ve already primed any experience you might have had, as opposed to just walking in the moment and then turning the corner. It’s like a free-flowing push and pull with my environment,” Giradot said. Hula-hooper Elly Wilde, music industry junior, encourages people to pick up a flow art and realize the prop is an extension of ones intuition enacted through movement. “For most people, flow arts are a beautiful combination of both physical and creative activity. I would recommend it to anyone who hasn’t tried it because in a way it is like dancing. The actual flow toy is just an extension of that expression, a supplement really,” Wilde said.

Many advanced flow artists practice with their prop of choice lit on fire, adding an element of risk that tests their calm detachment to dazzling effect. “Mentally it’s much more intense, but once you learn to overcome the scariness of it, it’s pretty much the same. Flame is just flame,” Giradot said. Villar said that everyone possesses the ability to find his or her technique, and there’s a very low barrier of entry for beginners. “I think what’s surprising about flow arts is that anyone can flow; it just takes some time to find your style. There are so many different types of flow arts and that’s what makes it so fun and exciting,” Villar said.

April 21, 2017

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SPORTS

April 21, 2017 The Maroon

Wolf Pack sets sights on conference championship By Ryan Micklin

MARISABEL RODRIGUEZ / The Maroon

Spencer Rosenbohm, physics junior, dives for a ground ball during the Wolf Pack’s game against Louisiana State University-Alexandria. The Wolf Pack is set to play Bethel University on April 21 at Segnette field in Westwego, Louisiana.

level from here on out to ensure a berth in the postseason tournament. “These next two series will be against conference opponents so this is the push. This is the time where we make a playoff push and I feel like we are in a good spot,” Lorenzo said. While the team has struggled to consistently compete with the conference’s top-tier teams such as William Carey and Faulkner, the Wolf Pack displayed flashes of brilliance that compel members of the team like Joseph Kuchler, marketing junior and starting pitcher, to believe that they can go toe-to-toe with the best that the conference has to offer. This was made apparent on March 31, when Loyola stunned the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic’s top-ranked Faulkner Eagles in a 5-3 upset victory. “That was a huge boost. It was the greatest feeling. I’ll never forget

it. That kind of win can boost the whole morale of the team and gets everyone thinking that we can beat these guys and we can hang in this conference,” Kuchler said. After the team’s three game sweep of Brewton-Parker a week ago, the Wolf Pack bolstered its conference record enough to claim the seventh spot in the conference standings. “We clinched a spot in the conference tournament this past weekend. Now we have a chance to improve our seeding with the next two series,” Faust said. “We play two really good teams in Bethel and Middle Georgia.” With the team seemingly hitting its stride at the most important part of the season, many Loyola players believe that the Wolf Pack is due for a return to the conference tournament. “Even though we lost Luis (Anguizola) last year — a once in a generation kind of player for a col-

lege team — I really do feel that we have a better team than we did last year,” Lorenzo said. “I really believe that we’re going to make a strong push and that we’ll be able to make some noise in the conference tournament.” The Wolf Pack didn’t fare well in the conference tournament a year ago after losing to Faulkner in their first game. The Wolf Pack’s 12-7 loss to William Carey the following day sent them home for good, ending their season with a 22-33 record. The Wolf Pack is hoping for a different outcome this time around. “These younger guys don’t really understand what making the conference tournament really means yet. For us, it was a big deal,” Lorenzo said. “We want to make this an expectation almost. We want to get there and expect to beat some teams.”

Rugby team travels to California for the Jesuit Cup

MARISABEL RODRIGUEZ/ The Maroon

Liam Doyle, business and marketing senior, prepares for a pass during practice. The Wolf Pack head to Santa Clara University in California to compete in the Jesuit Cup from April 22-23.

By Andres Fuentes aafuente@my.loyno.edu @af_nola

The Loyola rugby team packed its bags and headed west on Thursday to participate in the Jesuit Cup at Santa Clara University in California on April 22-23.

Baseball team sweeps Brewton-Parker The Loyola baseball team takes out the brooms sweeping BrewtonParker while gaining a seat in the conference playoffs. With wins in the first two games, the Wolf Pack put a 16-6 stomping on Brewton-Parker in game three. Loyola didn’t give their opponents a chance to breathe, as they scored eight runs in just the first three innings alone. The team went on another eight run spurt late in the game to solidify the win. Rawlings Elam and Ben Condara both tied for game-high three runs. Loyola now has a 21-26 overall record and is the eighth seed in the conference playoffs. Their next series will be against Bethel Univesiy on April 21 at home.

rwmickli@my.loyno.edu @RyanMicklin61

With the regular season winding down, the Loyola baseball team is striving to make a return to the Southern States Athletic Conference Championship tournament for a second consecutive year. Last year, Doug Faust, head coach, led the Wolf Pack to its first ever conference championship appearance with some help from one of the program’s most decorated players, Luis Anguizola who is currently pursuing a professional baseball career in the minor leagues. Alex Lorenzo, business senior, has stepped up as the team’s leader much like Anguizola did when he donned a Loyola uniform. “Alex (Lorenzo) has had a great season to this point. He has become a real good hitter as well, one of the best in our league,” Faust said as he praised the Miami native. The senior outfielder currently leads the Wolf Pack in nearly every batting category and was recently named the Southern States Athletic Conference’s Baseball Player of the Week after leading Loyola to three key conference victories over Brewton-Parker a week ago. Faust said the team’s inability to make plays in close games is a current weakness. Thus far, the Wolf Pack has been involved in many close games, losing five games by just one single run. “We need to continue to get better at ‘game winning’ situations. That is, get the timely hit, make the big pitch and make the big play on defense,” Faust said. Loyola currently has a 21-26 overall record and a 7-11 record against conference opponents. And with just seven regular season games remaining on the schedule and two crucial triple headers against conference opponents — Bethel and Middle Georgia State — the team knows that they must play at a high

Sports briefs

In its quest to bring home the treasured Pope Francis Cup, Loyola has to matchup against prime programs from Notre Dame University, Gonzaga University and other Jesuit schools across the nation. This is the first time the Wolf Pack has been invited to the 7’s tournament. Jerry Malina, head coach, said his team faces a tough road ahead but

has a shot to win some games if they compete at their highest level. “The tournament will be a huge step up for the guys, and there will be no easy opponents,” Malina said. “We will have to switch on and play to our full potential to have a chance for success.” With a 6-1 regular season record, Malina is looking forward to seeing his team show up big time in the tournament. “The guys stepped up to take the invitation to the nationally recognized Jesuit Cup against the top Jesuit institutions in the country,” Malina said. The players are eager to showcase their talent on a national stage against talented rugby squads. Vincent Duhé, history and mass communication junior, sees many positive aspects of playing in the Jesuit Cup. “I think it definitely gives us more nation-wide recognition because we are going across the country to play in a big-time tournament against some big-time programs. I’m really excited to see how we match up against some high-level competi-

tion,” Duhé said. The Wolf Pack will face tough Division I competition in the tournament. Some of the schools have varsity programs, offer scholarships and recruit their players. Loyola, a Division III rugby club, does not have the same resources to do some of the things these other schools can. Nonetheless, Liam Doyle, business and marketing senior, has high hopes about the tournament out west. “What excites me the most is being able to experience it with my rugby club,” Doyle said. “We are going to go in and we’re going to play our hearts out and see what happens.” On the first day of the tournament, the team will play three games, facing off in game one vs. St. Josephs, game seven vs. Santa Clara and game 11 vs. Gonzaga. Their success on day one determines who they play the following day. The tournament will be broadcasted live on the Jesuit Cup website.

Track star Leah Banks finishes seventh in South Alabama Invitational Sophomore Leah Banks finished seventh overall at the South Alabama Invitational. Banks racked up the eighth place spot on day one. On day two, her production spiked as she scored nearly 2,000 more points to take the seventh spot, finishing with 4,507 total points. She came in sixth place in the long jump with 5.36 meters and had a season-high in the javelin throw with 30.99 meters while finishing the 800 meter run in 2:34.02. Banks, along with the track and field team, will compete in the conference championships on April 21-22 in Mobile, Alabama.

Tennis drops regular season finale but makes the playoffs The men’s and women’s teams both suffer losses vs. Mississippi College, but land spots in the conference championship tournament. The men’s team fell in a close match up, 4-5, and the women’s team went scoreless. Ernesto de Diego, Alexander DePascual and Sean Presti took home wins in singles play. DePascual teamed up with Galileo Cabrales to score the only doubles win. The men’s team finished the season with a 8-10 record, tied for the most in school history. They will take on Middle Georgia on April 20. The women’s team had a program best 7-12 record and notched the first ever playoff appearance. They will face Mobile on April 20.

Kellie Kennedy named Coach of the Year

Women’s basketball head coach, Kellie Kennedy, was named Coach of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association for her monumental 2016-2017 season. She led the team to its second conference regular season title as well as an appearance in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Championship tournament for the fourth year in a row. She was also named the winningest basketball coach in Loyola history and her 25 wins this year is the best in program history.

RELIGION Study shows link between religion, health April 21, 2017 THE MAROON

By Alliciyia George atgeorge@loyno.edu @AlliciyiaG

For black women looking for ways to improve their mental health, some researchers say religion and spirituality bring health benefits such as a longer life and a decreased risk for heart disease. According to the Black Women’s Health Study, which was further analyzed in the April 2017 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology, black women who said they were very involved in their church, mosque or another place of worship tended to report excellent or very good mental health. According to a 2011 nationwide survey conducted by The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation, black women are one of the most religious demographics in America, with 74 percent of black women and 70 percent of black men saying that “living a religious life” is

very important, compared to 57 percent of white women and 43 percent of white men. Johannah Williams, political science junior, grew up Christian, and her parents are pastors. She has suffered from chronic migraines, pelvic and knee pain for several years, but she said she has a very positive outlook on life. “There are several different kinds of illnesses that I have to overcome on a daily basis, and my faith definitely helps me get through hard times, especially dealing with chronic illnesses,” Williams said. “It’s really important to me that I have this foundation that I can fall back on, whether it’s, you know, attending a church service or reading a particular passage of scripture or just knowing that somebody out there is praying for me.” The researchers behind the 2017 report said that it can be tricky to research health and spirituality. “I think it is very well known that black women, compared to other

people groups, are more religious. The question is if being religious is affecting their health,” Lynn Rosenberg, senior epidemologist at the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University and a member of the research team that compiled the report, said. Although Rosenberg’s team limited their research to black women for this report, other studies looking at white women had similar findings, Rosenberg said. Rosenberg’s team’s research suggests that attending a place of worship weekly and praying at least two or three times a week is related to lower mortality rates. “Women who prayed the most had the lowest mortality rate. Attending religious services was linked to lower mortality. Of course, you have to be healthy enough to attend church, but we did take that into account,” Rosenberg said. Rosenberg’s team is continuing its research on the impact of religion on health and will focus on specific

issues like heart disease. “Our study on religion began in 2005. Our grant from the National Health Institute is for five years, and we have to reapply after that. We were just approved for another five years. We hope to continue this study for a very long time,” Rosenberg said. Rosenberg believes the research done in this area could help religious and nonreligious black women alike. “I think if we find out why participating in religious services is beneficial to health — say, if having a support system is the biggest factor — that could be helpful for people to know. If they don’t have one, they can find one,” Rosenberg said. Williams said she believes that praying contributes to better health. “Whenever I need help with things like that, it’s important for me to pray so that I’m communicating and strengthening my relationship with God,” Williams said.

Supreme Court, including Gorsuch, to hear church-state case By Mark Sherman and Maria Danilova, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Neil Gorsuch’s first week on the Supreme Court bench features an important case about the separation of church and state that has its roots in a Midwestern church playground. The outcome could make it easier to use state money to pay for private, religious schooling in many states. The justices on Wednesday will hear a Missouri church’s challenge to its exclusion from a state program that provides money to use groundup tires to cushion playgrounds. Missouri is among roughly three dozen states with constitutions that explicitly prohibit using public money to aid a religious institution, an even higher wall separating government and religion than the U.S. Constitution erects. Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Missouri, says its exclusion is discrimination that violates its religious freedoms under the U.S. Constitution. If the justices agree, “the decision could have implications far beyond scrap tires and playgrounds,” Michael Bindas of the Institute for Justice, which is backing the church, said. “It has the potential to remove one of the last legal clouds hanging over school choice.” That prospect worries groups of public school teachers and others who oppose vouchers and other forms of public aid for private schooling. Adding to the intrigue is the long delay between when the Supreme Court agreed to hear Trinity Lutheran’s appeal, a month before Justice Antonin Scalia died in February 2016, and the argument. The span of more than 15 months suggests the justices were concerned they might divide 4-4. Indeed, the case wasn’t scheduled for argument until after President Donald Trump nominated Gorsuch for the seat. The timing of the argument “heightened our concern that the court has held this case for so long,” said Alice O’Brien, general counsel

Passover Seder brings together believers, nonbelievers By Cristian Orellana ceorella@loyno.edu

Jews and gentiles alike gathered at Tulane Hillel to celebrate the Passover Seder, continuing to retell the Jews’ unchanging, ancient story of hardship and hope. The celebration brought together both longtime followers and complete newcomers to pass on, remember and contemplate the story of the Jewish people’s escape from slavery in Egypt. At the Seder, which took place April 10 and 11, the first two days of Passover, participants read and chanted the Haggadah, a Jewish work that explains the Seder and the symbolism of the foods like unleavened bread and bitter herbs that are eaten during the ceremony. The Hillel Seder ended with a kosher buffet. Passover is usually celebrated with family, but Tulane’s Hillel, its Jewish student center, opened up their Seder to those like Sidney Absuch, who could not celebrate with their families. Absuch, a devoted Jew, explained why the Seder is important to him. “It’s passing on a story that’s remained the same” for thousands of years, Absuch said. Those who attended the celebration, regardless of their religious affiliation, were reverent toward the ritual. Adam Sebti, who is not Jewish but attended the Seder, said he respects the unchanging aspects of the celebration. “Ritual is important for the Jews. It reminds them of their duties and responsibilities to themselves. They do it especially well,” Sebti said. Regardless of why they came, everyone gathered together to keep passing on the more than 2,000-year-old story, respecting its significance and hoping to continue the tradition in the future. “It’s a big deal. A very big deal,” Absuch said.

AP Exchange

The playground at Trinity Lutheran Church in Columbia, Mo., sits empty on Jan. 26, 2016. The Church tried to get ground-up tires through a state program to cushion the playground but was denied due to a law that says religious institutions cannot receive public money.

of the National Education Association, which opposes state aid to private schools. Missouri’s new governor, Republican Eric Greitens, injected some uncertainty into the high court case on Thursday, when he directed state agencies to allow religious groups and schools to receive taxpayer money for playgrounds and other purposes. The court on Friday asked both the church and the state to tell it whether the governor’s announcement affects the case. A lawyer for the church said in an interview with The Associated Press that the case would be unaffected because Greitens’ policy change does not resolve the legal issue. But a top aide to state Attorney General Josh Hawley told the AP that state lawyers were evaluating whether the new policy would affect the case. Should the court decide to go forward, Gorsuch’s votes and opinions in religious liberty cases as a judge on the federal appeals court in Denver would seem to make him more

inclined to side with the church, and potentially provide the decisive, tie-breaking vote if the rest of the court is divided between liberals and conservatives, Bindas said. The case arose from an application the church submitted in 2012 to take part in Missouri’s scrap tire grant program, which reimburses the cost of installing a rubberized playground surface made from recycled tires. The money comes from a fee paid by anyone who buys a new tire. The church’s application to resurface the playground for its preschool and daycare ranked fifth out of 44 applicants. But the state’s Department of Natural Resources rejected the application, pointing to the part of the state constitution that says “no money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect or denomination of religion.” A recycled scrap tire is not religious, the church said in its Supreme Court brief.

“It is wholly secular,” the church said. Leslie Hiner, vice president of programs at Ed Choice, a school voucher advocacy group, said, “It is difficult to understand that a little school could not participate in a safety measure determined by the state because somehow safety of children is conflated with religious purpose.” But the question of where the dividing line should be between church and state is complicated, said the National Education Association’s O’Brien. The Supreme Court has upheld some school voucher programs and state courts have ratified others. But “in many instances challenges to voucher programs have succeeded based on state court views that their constitutions draw a different line than does the federal constitution,” O’Brien said. Associated Press writer Katie Kull in Jefferson City, Missouri, contributed to this report.

RELIGION BRIEFS Mormons to help AfricanAmerican museum with genealogy HOUMA, La. (AP) — A partnership between an African-American Museum and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has opened a pathway for Houma residents to connect with their history. The Courier reports Houma’s Finding Our Roots African-American Museum and the Mormon church have collaborated to make Freedmen’s Bureau records available at the museum. Black residents were first listed by name in a U.S. census in 1870. Previously, federal censuses listed slaves under the master’s household. The project is in its beginning stages, but the group has been conducting research on the Freedmen’s Bureau records.

EDITORIAL

April 21, 2017 THE MAROON

OUR EDITORIAL

The majority opinion of our editorial board

HOWLS & GROWLS

Loyola students need to tune into their school’s issues

HOWL to festival time in New Orleans GROWL to post-break jet lag HOWL to supporting local music GROWL to apartment hunting HOWL to Jon Ossoff in Georgia GROWL to America’s golfer-in-chief HOWL to 24th Night Have a howl or growl? Tweet us at @loyola_maroon to be featured each Friday!

EDITORIAL BOARD Starlight Williams

Editor-in-Chief

Naasha Dotiwala

RICCARDO MUZZETTO /The Maroon

Managing Editor for Print

Nick Reimann

Managing Editor for Electronic Properties

Taylor Ford

Maroon Minute

Voter turnout for the Student Government Elections increased from last year, but student engagement in Loyola’s growing issues is no where near where it needs to be

Executive Producer Riccardo Muzzetto

Design Chief

Barbara Brown

Photo Editor

Jessica Molina Caleb Beck

News Editor Life & Times Editor

Paulina Picciano

Wolf Editor

Jamal Melancon

Worldview Editor

Brian Wollitz

Sports Editor

Colleen Dulle

Religion Editor

Seán Brennan

Opinion and Editorial Editor

Paulina Picciano

Copy Editor

Hayley Hynes

Copy Editor

Liz Johnston

Copy Editor

Asha Thomas Haley Pegg Osama Ayyad

PR Director Senior Staff Writer Senior Photographer

EDITORIAL POLICY The editorial on this page represents the majority opinions of The Maroon’s editorial board and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Loyola University. Letters and columns reflect the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of The Maroon’s editorial board. The Maroon does not represent the opinion of administration, staff and/or faculty members of Loyola. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. Please limit submissions to 400 words. Submissions are due no later than 4 p.m. the Sunday before publication. Please send all submissions — The Maroon, 6363 St. Charles Ave., Box 64, New Orleans, LA 70118. Email us your letters — letter@ loyno.edu. Submissions may also be made online at www.loyolamaroon.com.

There’s some good news for the Loyola student body coming out of the recent Student Government Association elections: a voter turnout almost triple that of 2016. This year, 739 students voted in this year’s elections, making up roughly 22 percent of eligible voters. This is up from the 273 votes from last year, when only one presidential candidate ran unopposed. What’s more, this 22 percent is above the 15-20 percent national average for voter turnouts at private institutions, according to the American Student Government Association. The bad news? This year’s turnout is still down from the spring of 2015, when over 1,000 students came out to vote. The worse news? We’re at a point in our university’s history when this voter count needs to be higher than ever. Students, for their own good, need to care about the decisions their institution makes, and putting time into their representation is one of the most important actions they can take. While SGA voting is not the endall statistic surrounding student issues, just one out of five in the Wolf Pack taking the 10 minutes to vote online for their SGA representatives does not show the engagement that our student body needs. Put simply, if students knew the uncertainties and challenges that our university is currently up against — issues that can (and will) affect their lives at Loyola — a whole lot more than 22 percent would be using their right to vote. Of course, a mess of things prevents awareness about such prob-

lems and a higher voter turnout. A lack of SGA visibility, a doubt in SGA’s actual ability, a lack of readership when issues are reported, and even an admitted lack of reporting on the behalf of The Maroon are all pieces to an incomplete puzzle. More than anything, though, a get-my-degree-and-go attitude among too many in the community creates a two-way street where the institution can continue with its dangerous lack of communication as students continue not to care about the issues at their school. So, for the students who did vote; good job, and hopefully your ballot was informed by the issues. For those who think it’s not their problem, all we ask is that you take a closer look. Everything starts with Loyola’s financial situation, which is rocky to say the least. What many students do not realize is that the function of our university lies almost entirely in enrollment numbers, which account for a huge majority of the money we use to operate. Since a shortfall in enrollment in the 2013 academic year by nearly 200 new students, the university has been millions of dollars in debt, rolling out the Financial Equilibrium Plan last year that aims to balance the budget by shaving millions in spending over the next several years. The financial plan effectively cuts spending to multiple areas of the university, minimizing the impact on student resources while aiming to boost these crucial enrollment numbers, a goal that is much more difficult to achieve than to set. If enrollment numbers aren’t increased, we will see more of the

three things that hurt students the most: increases in tuition, decreases in student resources and a possible impact in the teaching quality from our professors. Already, there have been multiple rounds of professor buyouts, where faculty members take severance packages to leave the university. This is on top of an uptick in professors leaving Loyola on their own, all part of a year-by-year decrease in our overall faculty size. This is also related to the increase in hiring part-time instructors who are given a heavier teaching load for less pay, all as more departments come up to the chopping block. This is the reality of Loyola’s current state. If it seems daunting, it’s because it is. It is no surprise that a business would want to market its strong points and shuffle over its problems. So, it is up to the student body, through our SGA representatives, to demand transparency and remodel the relationship between our institution and us. If Loyola needs to increase student numbers, who better to work with the Office of Enrollment than the representatives in each section of the university to report on the needs they see in their department? This does not need to be a lofty goal if the Loyola community can realize that what happens in their time here will affect them. Voting numbers are one thing, but this is more than an SGA election. This is your money, your education and your school. Don’t be a passive part in any of them.

OPINION

April 21, 2017 The Maroon

Loyola needs to fight polarization Rula Thubata Political science sophomore rthabata@loyno.edu

In a growing polarized political climate, it is more crucial than ever to listen to the “other side” here at Loyola. No, do not listen to the other side in order to change your beliefs but listen in order to understand and reaffirm them. There is an intellectual stagnation which occurs when the only media we are consuming is that which agrees with us, shows up on our Facebook feed and tells us what we want to hear and see. It is difficult to find objective media sources, but alternative ones exist. To be able to critically think, it is vital to challenge not only our beliefs but our minds and selves.

When we are not willing to engage in critical thought, we become guilty of creating echo chambers. Most likely, you are only following sources you comfortably agree with on every social media platform. However, the way to defeat falling into confirmation bias, which is a result of being in an intellectual echo chamber, is by also referring to academic sources with which you disagree. As a university student, you have access to databases and books with a range of topics and perspectives. It is imperative that you use those resources to learn and prevent your own self censorship. The world is full of perspectives that are important to read and know about. When these are rooted in academic research and statistics, it is difficult to dismiss them, and at Loyola, critical thinking is an essential Jesuit value. We cannot allow our own views and the need to reaffirm them to stagnate our intellectual and academic growth.

Liz Johnston Copy Editor English writing senior jejohnst@loyno.edu

MCT Campus

San Diego State students, upset with their university president, engage him on campus on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. This was one instance of active university discourse.

No: Huge military budget is more than sufficient John B. Quigley Professor of Law, Ohio State University Tribune News Service

A president with business acumen should understand that throwing more money at an already over-budgeted asset isn’t wise. Yet President Donald Trump recently unveiled a federal budget blueprint that seeks “one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history.” The fiscal plan, when read with an understanding of what other countries spend on their militaries, fails to make a convincing case for increasing what’s an already-massive expense — in our case, nearly $600 billion a year. China spends about $150 billion a year, but our contentions with China are mainly in the economic realm. Russia, unlikely to send its military far from home, spends $60 billion a year and has been cutting back. North Korea, for all its missile-rattling, is small potatoes. Trump’s budget justifies the spending hike by describing the military as being saddled with “aging ships, planes and other vehicles” in need of replacement. But the document avoids the realities of how much such materiel cost. Earlier this month, Trump assembled a Navy audience aboard the new USS Gerald R. Ford, a mammoth aircraft carrier that has given the term “cost overrun” new meaning. Price tag: $13 billion. Standing on its deck, he told the cheering sailors, “We’re going to soon have more coming.” He did not mention that war games have shown gigantic aircraft carriers to be highly susceptible to today’s sophisticated anti-ship weapons or that we rely on such ships far more heavily than any other country. And while Trump has done his share to pressure military contrac-

MCT Campus

The guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) conducts strike operations while in the Mediterranean Sea, April 7, 2017. The United States spends nearly $600 billion a year on its military, more than the next six highest spenders combined.

tors to keep their costs under control, the real question is whether such firms should be building these behemoths in the first place. The budget’s stated goal of deterring war cannot be accomplished without strong diplomacy, yet the plan virtually guts the State Department, whose new chief, Rex Tillerson, seems content overseeing the drastic downsizing. Trump is enamored of nuclear weapons but has not explained what a modernized nuclear force would look like or what purpose it

Remember to enjoy senior year despite the stress

would serve. We are well beyond the Cold War strategy of mutual assured destruction, premised on the hope that neither we nor the Soviet Union would strike first. Instead of spending more on an already well-equipped military, we should direct those dollars toward another signature Trump aim: salvaging our crumbling infrastructure at home. The budget explains that the increase in military spending will be balanced by cuts in other programs,

many of them domestic. Nancy Pelosi, who leads the Democrats in the House of Representatives, says that the projected boost in military spending would cause “far-reaching and long-lasting damage to our ability to meet the needs of the American people.” Donald Trump was pressured by critics to stop being a businessman when he took the oath of office. Maybe those critics were wrong. Maybe President Trump needs to put his business hat back on.

Senior year is filled with many stressors — forcing yourself to schedule the classes you put off your entire undergraduate career because you need them to graduate; desperately looking for the energy to finish another application or phone interview; struggling to stay focused to complete your thesis or capstone and scrambling to figure out your next steps in a post-degree world. These are some of the few negatives that ruin what should be a time of celebration. I spent the beginning of fall semester trying to figure out if I wanted to apply to graduate school or put it off and get a job. At the very last minute, I decided on the former. I spent about $200 to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) 15 days before the first application was due, and it took a toll on my bank account. Then, I frantically ran around trying to get the best possible recommendations, construct the perfect sample essay, craft the best possible curriculum vitae and write stand-out personal statements and statements of purpose. I submitted my first application the day it was due, and after sending out applications in December, I spent the first half of my last semester in college biting my nails and constantly checking my email to see if I recieved my admissions decisions. The wait ended with two rejection letters. However, I got into three out of the five schools I applied to. But did I celebrate? No. I’m now spending the second half of my senior year trying to figure out how to fund my post-undergrad life. I’m graduating a full year early, debt free, and got admitted into a Ph.D. program; why haven’t I been celebrating? Is this not “turn-up” worthy? So many seniors are stressed. The daily questions include: “how am I going to pay for grad school? How am I going to afford to live on my own, What if I can’t get a job, Where am I going to live, Am I ever going to pay off these student loans, Will I have to move back in with my parents, What if I can’t do this, What if I fail?” As we’re juggling these worries, we’re still dealing with with our everyday classes, jobs, family, relationships and extracurriculars. As we keep thinking about the possible challenges waiting for us after we walk off stage and switch our tassels, we can’t forget our huge accomplishment: we’re graduating. We pursued a crucial and expensive goal, and we achieved it. It wasn’t easy. We’ve lost time, money and sleep to reach it, but we achieved it. No one can take that away from us. Wondering what’s next is important, but not knowing is OK. In the midst of your worrying, please don’t forget to celebrate this monumental achievement.

THE MAROON

April 21 , 2017

CONT’D: Music students double as foster volunteers for local shelter FOSTER, continued from page 8 and allows the pet to acclimate to a home setting. “Fostering is providing a home anytime longer than 72 hours, with the goal of having the animal adopted. It’s much better than keeping the animal at the shelter where they are prone to becoming depressed,” Nerbovig said. Nerbovig said she came to this opportunity through Loyola’s honors program and hasn’t looked back since “Dr. Naomi Yavneh introduced me to Interpup of New Orleans, and they recommended I do foster care through Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter. “We get all the great benefits of pet ownership without the definite responsibility of owning the pet their entire lives, but we know that we’re extending a service towards adopters that just might,” Nerbovig said. Melendez said that volunteers get out what they put in when it comes to fostering animals. “We have volunteers that were previously depressed and struggling before starting that have now completely turned around,” Melendez said. The roommates don’t compromise their course work to care for the pets and explained they have been fortunate to have understanding faculty in the past year. “Our professors know that we foster and trust our discretion, so we’re able to bring the animals to class

occasionally so that we’re not running back home and worrying about them throughout the day,” Melendez said. The roommates said that JPAS excels at encouraging new volunteers to take on this level of responsibility. “You need to get approved and fill out an application, but unlike other places I’ve lived, there is no elitism with this shelter’s selectivity, and the volunteers actively want as many responsible people to take on the job as they can,” Melendez said. Nerbovig said that acting as intermediaries through fostering is much more nuanced and caring than other systems she’s witnessed. “Emotional support animals I think pose a problem to the good will fostering tries to provide. I understand that people should have them, but having a note from a psychiatrist that a student can have an animal in their dorm or wherever, we’ve noticed a high rate of return when people aren’t prepared to fully commit to a animal, and then they becomes difficult to rescue,” Nerbovig said. Melendez said that fostering seeks to eliminate this risk and recommends more students become involved to help sustain these non-profit organizations. “We encourage that fostering transient dogs and cats is a good move for college students and more should participate. See if you’re actually cut out for owning a pet before going out on a limb and buying one.”

CALEB BECK/ The Maroon

Music therapy major Mari Nerbovig holds one of her numerous foster animals, the puppy Jackie. Nerbovig and her roommate Alicia Melendez are dedicated foster volunteers at Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter, and foster pets towards adoption.

Nerbovig said that this service saves more animals than people realize, and the work Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter volunteers put in is rewarded in knowing the future they

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may be saving the animal from. “None of these animals can survive without a chance, and cooped up in a shelter, they often become depressed to the point of despon-

dence, and many are euthanized. Nobody knows how quickly these animals can turn around until they’re given a home,” Nerbovig said.