The Maroon 12_11_2015 by Loyola Maroon

Loyola University • New Orleans • Volume 94 • Issue 14 • December 11, 2015

THE MAROON POL ICE LIN E DO OT C ROS S

The last thing Jon Vedol expected to happen during his venture into the French Quarter was to be robbed, and it's an experience he said he will never forget. “I was terrified because you don’t know what to do. For me it was fight or flight and fighting wasn’t worth it at all,” Vedol said. "It’s going to suck to get everything replaced but it’s more important than losing your life to a weapon.” Vedol, chemistry junior at Tulane, was walking through the Quarter when a man walked up to him from behind, pushed him against the wall and told Vedol to give him his wallet. According to CrimeMapping. com, there were 263 armed robberies in the New Orleans area between the dates of June 9, 2015 to Dec. 6, 2015. George Capowich, associate professor of criminology, said that in comparison, Uptown has far fewer armed robberies than other

neighborhoods such as downtown and the inner-city neighborhoods around the Central Business District. “What drives robbers to Uptown are those locations where students and residents in the neighborhood are frequenting such places on Carrollton and all the business on Broadway that students like to go to,” Capowich said. “Everyone knows where these locations are. The robbers know that as well.” According to the Uniform Crime Report, the definition of a robbery is “the taking of anything of value from the care, custody or control of a person by force or threat of force or violence. Robberies committed with a firearm, knife or cutting instrument, implied weapon or other dangerous weapon are considered armed robberies." Under the Louisiana judicial system, the maximum sentence for an armed robbery is 99 years in prison, while carjacking is 20 years and simple burglary is 12 years. Franklyn Scott, assistant professor of criminal justice at Southern

University of New Orleans, said that the main reason for crime is poverty. “I think a lot of people lack the resources that they need. Individuals who have committed crimes and come back after serving time are unable to get jobs like a normal person. Due to their criminal background, they can’t get jobs so they revert to stealing and what they know best,” Scott said. Scott said that crime is a big problem in New Orleans and that it is hard to control, but one way would be to rehab criminals. “We need to figure out ways to help convicted felons rehab into society and be law abiding citizens so we can break the circle of crime,” Scott said. Capowich said that the mindset of a criminal is to steal as much and as quickly as possible. “There is an intent to at least threaten harm if not actually do harm. I think that these crimes are malicious in that way,” Capowich said. “However, I think it’s a good idea to avoid labels such as evil because those types of labels don’t ac-

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curately describe the character of these people.” According to the New Orleans Uniform Crime Report, from 2010 to 2011, there was a 12.64 percent increase in armed robberies from 704 to 793. From 2011 to 2012, there was a -8.07 percent decrease from 793 to 729. From 2012 to 2013, there was a 2.06 percent increase from 729 to 744, and from 2013 to 2014, there was 37.37 percent increase from 744 to 1022. Capowich said that guns are a tool that robbers use as a way of controlling their victims. “Studies have shown that robberies involving a weapon are more threatening because you are less likely to resist. For the most part, they want to use the weapon as a way to intimidate someone to maintain control, get their stuff and leave,” Capowich said. Angela Honora, Loyola University Police Department lieutenant, said that Loyola does not allow for armed weapons to be allowed on campus or in the residential halls as well as body armor.

Staff and students are not allowed to carry weapons even if they have a concealed weapons permit. Honora said that only LUPD, NOPD or Jefferson Parish police officers are allowed to carry weapons on Loyola’s campus. “There are signs posted at every entrance to the school. There are definitely spots around New Orleans with higher violence rates as you hear on television, but we try to keep all the violence outside of our campus,” Honora said. “We urge students to report any crime that they witness or hear about to LUPD or NOPD.” Elmer Johnston, LUPD officer, said the reason for the policy is for student and faculty safety. “They are having a lot of armed shootings on campuses with active shooters these days. When shots are fired and someone calls in an active shooter we are ordered to respond immediately,” Johnston said. "When we arrive, it becomes a problem if we cannot identify who the active

See CRIME, page 7

December 11, 2015

THE MAROON

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Burglary 7700 Block of Zimpel St.

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Theft/Larceny 7100 Block of St. Charles Ave.

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Sexual Assault 7300 Block of Blk Burthe St.

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Assault 2600 Block of State St.

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Theft/Larceny Monroe Library

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IN MAGAZ STAFF

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news

December 11, 2015 The Maroon

Students show solidarity with Syrian refugees

Sneaux falls on campus

By Jessica Molina jgmolina@loyno.edu @jmolina217

Following the recent attacks around the world, Loyola’s honor students began taking action in support of Syrian refugees from advocating with legislators to educating their community. Fasting holds roots in many religious traditions. The concept of a rolling fast is intended to create a community with a constant reminder of the refugees. The goal of a rolling fast is to put yourself in an intentional mindset, and keep in mind the reason for the fast. Participants fast for one meal, and then pass on the fast to the next participant. Michael Pashkevich, biology senior, is the coordinator of the fast. “Our group of students also hope to promote interfaith understanding and cooperation; to communicate with our congressional representatives and express our opposition to closing the United States borders to refugees, both Syrian and otherwise; and to petition media sources to extend their terrorist attack coverage to more than simply Western cities,” Pashkevich said. Naomi Yavneh, director of the honors program, said that while this is not an official honors activity, she encourages participating students symbolically to recognize the suffering of others and to act as their hearts move them. Upon the start of the fast, two university offices contacted the group with concerns of student health during the time of fasting. Pashkevich encourages participants to eat if they feel light-headed. Yavneh and the honors department made granola bars and fruit available to students who may need it, in order to encourage student health. In addition to the fast, the group has created a map displaying where acts of terror have occurred, phoned senators, congress members and the governor, created a peace tower next to Loyola’s advent candles, and gathered for an interfaith prayer service.

news brief University Counseling Center will host last anxiety group session The University Counseling Center will host the last of the free anxiety management workshops on Thursday, Dec. 17. The group will meet from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Marquette 112. The topic discussed will be self-care and stress management, facilitated by Gil Lerma, staff counselor in the University Counseling Center. All current Loyola students are able to attend and no registration or participation in the previous groups is required. The last sessions discussed topics such as progressive muscle relaxation and cognitive distortions.

Members of the Uptown community came together with students to celebrate the holidays with the annual Sneaux event. Fake snow and other winter treats filled the Marquette Horseshoe on Wednesday, Dec. 9. The Stuart Hall boys choir sang “Christmas Time in New Orleans” (top left). Sam and Lucy Krause (right) build a sneauxman. Megan Alsop feeds candy to Lucy Krause (bottom left) at the annual Sneaux event in the horseshoe front of the school. The event also included fake sneaux to play in, smores, candy and pictures with Santa. All photos by Zach Brien, The Maroon

Pre-health students f lourish at Loyola By Marie Simoneaux masimone@loyno.edu @mariesimoneaux

Classes are ending, finals are closing in upon us and dreams of a stress-free winter break are not far off. However, for students like Andrea Dousdebes, finals are just the tip of the iceberg. Dousdebes, biology senior, is waiting to hear from the seven medical schools she recently applied to, and she should be getting her first round of life-changing decision letters before Christmas. Dousdebes is one of 10 Loyola seniors planning on going on to medical school next fall. According to Dousdebes, despite being known as a prominent liberal arts university, Loyola thoroughly prepares its students who want to go on to careers in medicine. “We’re not a science school, and the sciences aren’t the biggest part of campus, but even still, our acceptance rates are high, and I think that speaks wonders because science isn’t the school’s number one focus,” Dousdebes said. Loyola does not have the option to major or minor in pre-med and according to Edouard Crago, pre-health advisor, there was widespread push against programs that do. In fact, Loyola does not even require students to be in a science-related major to go on to medical school, he said, as long as they take the courses that fit the requirements of the schools they are applying to. Crago said having a

non-health-related major could be beneficial because they will have something else to fall back on. He said Loyola’s mission to educate the whole person inspired a change of focus in the pre-health advising process this year. “We are trying to broaden the horizons of our students because not everyone wants to be a medical doctor, but still wants to be in the health field,” Crago said. Lynn Koplitz, chair of the prehealth professions committee, said Loyola’s small size is also beneficial to students. She said that bigger schools tend to have classes of 200 or more, which is unlikely at Loyola. “I know all of my students by name, even in my ‘big’ class of 65 this semester,” Koplitz said. Koplitz said that students at Loyola have access to their science professors. “We love teaching and want to help them learn,” Koplitz said. Koplitz said that, in her experiences, classes at large research schools are frequently taught by graduate-level teaching assistants who may not be as passionate or as experienced as the professors who teach at smaller schools. Dousdebes agreed and said the individual help she received from her professors has allowed her to reach this critical moment in her life. “I’ve always wanted to go into medicine ever since I was a kid. I’m nervous to hear from my schools, but I’m also excited,” Dousdebes said.

ZACH BRIEN / The Maroon

Andrea Dousdebes, biology senior, examines the cartilage in chicken embryos in a lab in Monroe Hall. Dousdebes is one of 10 Loyola students currently applying to medical school, looking to attend in the fall of 2016.

SPORTS

December 11, 2015 The Maroon

Sports briefs Women’s basketball upset by Dillard University The no. 13 Loyola University Women’s Basketball team was riding a five-game winning streak entering on Saturday against city rival Dillard University, but fell 7169 in The Den. The Wolf Pack were looking to avenge a 73-68 loss to the Lady Bleu Devils earlier this year. Despite starting the game up 16-0, Loyola would be unable to overcome 13 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Loyola hits the road on Wednesday, Dec. 9 to take on McNeese State University in an exhibition game at 7:00 p.m.

Men’s basketball team falls to Nicholls State

ZACH BRIEN / The Maroon

Eva Allen, mass communication senior, embraces Joi Scioneaux, accounting sophomore, during a match against Alcorn State University in The Den. The volleyball team finished the year 17-21, a four-game increase from last year’s team.

Volleyball team has season of progress By Taylor Ford & Mark Robinson tcford@loyno.edu & mtrobins@loyno.edu @TaylorCFord & @_mtrobin

This year’s volleyball season for the Loyola Wolf Pack was highlighted by team improvement, program development and the departure of one of the most accomplished players in school history. The team was able to increase their total wins by four this season and were also able to land a berth in the Southern States Athletic Conference tournament. According to Allison Hartman, biology freshman, even though the team was eliminated on the second day, the experience their core group of younger players gained will serve them well in years to come.

“As a freshman, it was an amazing experience. To play in the most important tournament of the year was outstanding. The fight and drive my team and I had to push through even the toughest of games is astonishing. Obviously we would’ve liked to have made it further, but being a young team, we have a lot to look forward to next year,“ Hartman said. Eva Allen, mass communication senior, will leave the program this year ranking fourth in program history in overall kills. She said that former Wolf Pack great Gina Gill was her motivation for her success throughout her career. “My goal was to continue her legacy and establish myself as a powerful hitter and a leader on our

team, and I think I accomplished that. I hope that even after my time comes to an end at Loyola my memory will continue to have an impact and influence on the Loyola volleyball team and especially on the next person that wears my jersey,” Allen said. Though she is graduating this upcoming May, Allen believes the future of the program is headed in the right direction. “I believe that the team will continue to be successful after I leave. There is a lot of talent on our team. Many of the younger players just need to find their confidence,” Allen said. The coaching staff and returning players also appear to be confident in the strides they have made as a

team and the impact it will have on the future of the new program. Angela Franke, head coach, believes that the team can only get better. “The growth I’ve seen in my younger players is their commitment and becoming more disciplined with improving and perfecting their skills. They know where their strengths and weaknesses are and they realize they will need to keep working on improving their skills because every year we’re getting better and so is the talent we’re bringing in,” Franke said. The team will see 16 of their 18 players returning next year as they look to build upon the foundation of success they laid down this season.

Disabled athlete overcomes obstacles to play football By Mark Robinson mtrobins@loyno.edu @_mtrobin

Aaron Golub is a college student and athlete at Tulane University. While he may appear to be a typical football player, there is something that sets Golub apart from the others. The sophomore long snapper is legally blind, yet he is still able to perform at a high level for the Green Wave. Golub’s passion for the game was always there in spite of this obstacle. “I just always loved watching it and playing different sports. Watching my whole life, I just wanted to play and get involved,” Golub said. While in high school, Golub was a two-year letterman for Newton South High. According to 247sports. com, he is also ranked 18th in the nation at the long snapper position. Golub said that even with his love for football, it wasn’t always easy for him to excel on the field.

“It was a challenge at first to start, but I put in a lot of hard work and dedication to be effective for the team,” Golub said. His hard work and dedication to the sport is one of the many things that attracted Doug Lichtenberger, special teams coach, to Golub. “We talked to a couple of coaches and people around that worked with him. He has put more into it than a lot of our own guys. It was a no-brainer situation for us to add him to the program. He’s a quality young man,” Lichtenberger said. Golub is one of a handful of athletes battling disabilities and competing at the Division I level. In the article, “Stigma Management Through Participation in Sport and Physical Activity,” Diane Taub, sociology professor at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, points out that disabled students who participate in sports often produce at the same, if not greater, levels than students without physical disabilities.

According to Taub, disabled stu- have visual impairments will particdents participating in athletics help ipate in a sport. Still, Golub believes that the drive manage the stigma that comes with for an athlete to excel in his respecdealing with a disabled body. Dawna Callahan, director of pro- tive sport is the same. Whether an grams for the Challenged Athletes athlete is dealing with a physical disability or not, you Foundation and a fouralways want to be suctime Boston Marathon cessful at any level. finisher, believes that it is “I think that everythe foundation’s mission one who plays a sport to help disabled athletes wants to be the best thrive. that they can be. Every“Physical activity and one wants to be a high sports has such a profound ranked player and peraffect on one’s mental and form well. I wouldn’t say physical health, which we that it’s more rewarding believe everyone of all ages than someone else who and abilities should have is equally as good,” Golthe opportunity to experi- Aaron Golub Tulane University ub said. ence,”Callahan said. Golub also said that it While there are foun- Sophomore ultimately comes down dations and programs available for athletes with disabili- to the intangibles rather than the ties, Golub is still in the minority in physical aspect that defines a great terms of blind athletes who will take athlete. “Just keep working. If you are part in athletics. According to disabledeworld. dedicated and work hard enough com, only 12 percent of people who you can accomplish anything,” Gol-

Jalen Gray, junior guard, and Johnny Griffin Jr., junior forward, had a career night for the Wolf Pack, but Loyola was unable to get the win. Early in the second half, Gray scored nine consecutive points which helped give the Wolf Pack a 68-65 lead. Nicholls State ended the game on a 24-6 run resulting in a final score of 89-74. Gray had a game-high 28 points and added six rebounds, five assists, and five steals. Griffin Jr. finished with a double-double, 22 points and 13 rebounds. Loyola will get 13 days off before hosting No. 5 Louisiana State University-Alexandria on Dec. 18 at 7:30 pm in The Den.

Saints lose to undefeated Panthers in the Dome The New Orleans Saints came up short in the final minutes against the undefeated Carolina Panthers with the final score of 41-38. For the first time in NFL history, a defensive player blocked a point after touchdown and returned it for two points. Stephone Anthony blocked Panthers kicker Graham Gano’s attempt and returned it for two points. The Saints (4-8) will travel to Tampa Bay to take on divisional foe, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6) on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 12:00 p.m.

BCS national championship schedule Orange Bowl: Dec. 31, 3:00 PM on ESPN #1 Clemson Tigers vs. #4 Oklahoma Sooners

Cotton Bowl: Dec. 31, 7:00 PM on ESPN #2 Alabama Crimson Wave vs. #2 Michigan State Spartanas

sec bowl schedule Advocare b100 texas bowl: Dec. 29, 9:00 pm on espn #20 LSU vs. Texas Tech

Birmingham Hall Bowl: Dec. 30, noon on espn Auburn vs. Memphis

belk bowl: Dec. 30, 3:30 pm on Espn Mississippi state vs. North Carolina State

THE MAROON

December 11, 2015

SUDOKU

DOWN

1. Reactions to puppies and kittens

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Life & Times

December 11, 2015 THE MAROON

New Orleans does Christmas on a budget By Andrew Callaghan atcallag@loyno.edu @AndrewFromUSA

For some college students who are planning to spend Christmas in New Orleans, living like Ebenezer Scrooge seems like the only way to get through the holidays. However, the generous Big Easy is offering many events that will allow you to enjoy the holiday season at no cost at all. THE ST. LOUIS CATHEDRAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT SERIES Fill your ears with the sounds of the season throughout the month of December with the St. Louis Basilica Holiday Concert series. As part of the annual tradition, the Cathedral will host free jazz performances, gospel choirs, classical ensembles and more from some of New Orleans’ most prominent musicians. The Christmas acoustics, which generally run from 6 to 7p.m. at the heart of the French Quarter, are open to the public and will end Dec. 20.

Times have changed,

BONFIRES ON THE LEVEE Light the way for the Cajun Papa Noel on his airborne journey by blazing bonfires along the Mississippi River on Christmas Eve. The Louisiana tradition gathers crowds at around 7 p.m. to assemble imaginative wooden structures on the river levees. These holiday bonfires, usually accompanied by fireworks, begin in St. James Parish 30 miles upriver from New Orleans. MOVIES ON THE MISSISSIPPI Enjoy a hot chocolate and the mighty Mississippi River as you watch a free holiday movie screening at the Riverwalk. Together with the Downtown Development District, the New Orleans Film Society will host “Home Alone” Dec. 11 the and “Elf” the 18. Movies start at 6:30 p.m. and the first 50 people at each showing will receive free fleece blankets.

Christmas traditions have not NAASHA DOTIWALA / The Maroon

By Jamal Melacon jmmelanc@loyno.edu @Jam_M_Mel

Decorating the Christmas tree, leaving milk and cookies for Santa, opening presents and visiting relatives all represent popular traditions of the holiday season. Even with the change in time, these celebrations have remained true to their fundamental meaning of cherishing family and love. Benjamin Bayer, philosophy professor, said he believes there are many reasons why families celebrate the Christmas holiday. He said one of the reasons relies on the fact that humans, religious or secular, experience a state of spiritual comfort when they receive a material gift. “The act of giving during Christmas brightens up the atmosphere,”

Bayer said. Bayer said that, in addition, the fact that Christmas begins right after the winter solstice, which marks the longest days of the year, makes humans experience a kind of emotional shift due to the extended day. He added that by giving family members presents, humans stimulate one another because it shows they know the receiver well enough to anticipate their interests and needs. “It’s a gloomy time of year and we have a psychological need to brighten up the world on our own,” Bayer said. Petrice Sams-Abiodun, executive director at Lindy Boggs Center, said she believes Christmas has been greatly affected by the increasing commercialism of the holidays. Her claim is supported by a re-

cent study released by the PEW Research Institute in 2013, which states that only 79 percent of Americans planned to put up a Christmas tree, in comparison to the 92 percent that said they typically put up a Christmas tree with their families when they were children. “I won’t work during the holidays because the season is about family,”Abiodun said. According to Abiodun, she has learned that the real purpose of the Christmas holiday is to focus more on the spiritual part within us and to give back to the community. Amelia Stouffer, international business sophomore, said her family’s holiday tradition involves getting Chinese food and watching Christmas movies together. She said that she doesn’t believe our culture’s lost the meaning of the holidays, but rather have become

overly invested in our culture’s behavioral commercialization. “It’s become more about material spending and a lot less about family – what actually matters,” Stouffer said. According to Kentro Mason, vocal performance junior, he hasn’t witnessed a substantial change with how our culture practices the Christmas traditions because, for him, the holidays still remain as a time of self-discovery and a chance to spend time with family. Like Mason, nearly 86 percent of Americans said they plan to gather with extended family or friends on Christmas Eve, according to the the PEW Research Institute. “My favorite part of the holiday is when I’m in a food coma, and then I wake up and there is more food,” Mason said.

HOLIDAY ON THE BOULEVARD AT ASHE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER Don your dancing shoes because music and merriment are the order of the day outside the Ashé Cultural Arts Center on Dec. 12 from 11 a.m. until 6p.m. The 16th annual holiday celebration, located at 1724 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. in Central New Orleans, features a diverse mix of jazz, hip-hop and r&b, as well as spoken word artists and dancers. The event is free and open to the public. MIRACLE ON FULTON ST. Head over the pedestrian-only outdoor stretch in the Central Business District, and get into the holiday spirit with music, outdoor lighting displays and simulated snowflakes trickling down the air. NEW YEARS EVE FIREWORKS AND FLEUR DE LIS DROP Whether you want to watch the fleur de lis drop at midnight on Jackson Square or enjoy a unique view of the midnight fireworks over the Mississippi River, head to downtown for both of these unofficial NYE events which will give visitors the opportunity to welcome 2016 with a bang.

December 11, 2015 THE MAROON

WORLDVIEW

WORLDVIEW BRIEFS Chicago police officer not charged for shooting The federal government opened an investigation on how force is being used by the Chicago police; the same day, it was announced that a Chicago police officer would not be charged in the shooting of a 25-year-old black man. Nearly two weeks after a video was released showing a white police officer shooting a black teenager 16 times, the U.S. Justice Department will be investigating how the department disciplines officers and handles misconduct. According to authorities, Ronald Johnson refused arrest and was armed with a gun as he ran away from the officers. If the U.S. Justice Department finds systemic violations, an independent party will be brought in to oversee a court-enforceable agreement between the federal government and the community that will hopefully positively change how the police force operates.

Edwards may choose gubernatorial opponent as Chief Budget Officer Photo Illustration by ZACH BRIEN / The Maroon

Valeria Kawas, mass communication senior, takes a moment from studying for her exams to color. Adults are starting to use coloring books as a way to fight against problems of stress and anxiety.

Coloring fights off the forces of stress By Victoria Longtin vklongti@loyno.edu @reportergirl88

With finals season quickly approaching, students like Carmen Garcia are turning to coloring to cope with anxiety and stress. “When you have anxiety it feels like when you turn on a stove everything is happening at once,” Garcia said. “With coloring, you just focus on one thing and everything else is quiet. It’s like putting pause on a video.” Garcia, psychology junior, said she discovered the idea of art therapy in a psychology journal. After trying traditional therapy for her anxiety, Garcia said that coloring helps her in a unique way and provides an easily accessible outlet. “I’ve gone to therapy and done

more traditional things, but just with my schedule and being in a different city and finding a therapist, his was something you could do on your own schedule. It worked for me and was a great alternative,” Garcia said. Garcia said she enjoys using the books “Color Me Calm” and even bought her sister the book “Color Me Happy,” which features animals, children and other light-hearted topics as a way of combating depression. Caroline Comerford, management junior, who also battles with anxiety, said coloring helps her find her center like meditating does. “I’ve always had problems with anxiety, and I had talked to my aunt earlier this year about it, who happens to be a therapist, and she told me that something that helps her

CONTINUED: Armed robberies in NOLA shooter is if you are carrying a gun or wearing body armor.” Isabelle Benoit, criminal justice senior, is an intern for the public defender’s office in New Orleans and said that she enjoys helping in any way possible the people she hears about in the news. “The amount of armed robberies that have been in the news lately is alarming, but I don’t think it’s frequency that’s really scaring people. It’s more the fact that they can happen to anyone, anywhere,” Benoit said. “There’s no neighborhood you can avoid, nor is there a neighborhood you can stick to and think you’re safe from harm. Johnston had several tips for college students’ safety when traveling through the city. “When you are traveling off-cam-

pus, the best advice is to always travel in numbers. There is safety in numbers so always try to be accompanied by friends,” Johnston said. “You also need to know where the hot spots are so you can avoid being there by yourself and becoming a potential victim.” After his experience with being robbed, Vedol said he used more caution when traveling and even downloaded an app called Rave Guardian to help when going out. “I used to use the app all the time. I forgot to turn off my safety timer and then NOPD less than thirty seconds later called me two times and then sent a squad car around the corner to check on my last location,” Vedol said.

CRIME, continued from front page

patients is these coloring books. It’s like a way of meditation, but at the end you have something physical to show for it,” Comerford said. Because Comerford has done a lot of meditation in the past, she mainly uses a book that is specifically geared toward stress relief through filling intricate mandalas. “The mandalas are the ones I like the best because there are just so many little parts. I really feel like it puts you in a trance,” Comerford said. “It helps around times like finals, because you can be in the library for hours at a time looking at the computer and at a certain point your productivity goes down after you’re been focused for so long.” Kendra Reed, associate professor of management, who happens to color as well and has a passion for psychoanalyzing, said she believes

that art therapy provides a crucial outlet for students. “As far as stress relief, using any type of creative outlet, in my experience, really helps balance the student’s experience.” Reed said. “I find that my students in the business school spend so much time using the left side of their brains the logical, rational side, that they need to balance things out with the creative.” Garcia said that she notices a difference in her general attitude when she does not use these creative therapy tools to relax and distress. “It just mellows me out,” Garcia said. “It is something that you get what you put in and even when busy must try to set aside time for.”

According to multiple sources, Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards (D) will name Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne (R) as his top state government administrator and chief budget officer. Known for crossing party lines, Dardenne chose to endorse Edwards instead of David Vitter (R) after failing to make the gubernatorial runoff, which aligns well with Edwards’ administration bipartisan message. Both Edwards and Dardenne swear that no job appointment was promised if Edwards won. While Edwards has not officially appointed anyone yet, Dardenne has had more experience in dealing with state budget process and outlined ways how he would fix Louisiana’s financial woes. Edwards will make his final decision in the following weeks if Dardenne will join him.

The Associated Press contributed to these reports.

Armed robberies according to the New Orleans Uniform Crime report 40

2013-2014

35 2012-2013

30 25

2011-2012 20 15

37.37% 2010-2011

2010-2011

10 5

12.64% 2012-2013

0 -5 -10

2011-2012

-8.07%

2.06%

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The heat map above depicts the hot spots for armed robberies in the New Orleans area. There has been 263 armed robberies from June 9 to Dec. 6 , 2015.

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December 11, 2015 THE MAROON

The Maroon's section of student art. Contribute at letter@loyno.edu

ART

POETRY

Original art created by Loyola students

Original poems written by Loyola students

“Garden Greys”

“Rhapsody in Blue” I walked into a music store in melancholy, And sat myself down at a piano, trying to be jolly. My fingers played a jovial tune, Grieg and Ravel, But still I hadn’t managed to tune the part unwell. So I followed a sign “guitars upstairs,” A wish to fall into hope’s latest dares. I picked up an acoustic and felt no more pleasure, “You’re playing it too hard,” a voice of leather measured, “Relax; strum, don’t pluck.” So I put down the guitar and decided I hated music. “Rhapsody in Blue” Charles Elkins, psychology senior

“Garden Greys” Jonathan Lopez, graphic design senior

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December 11, 2015 THE MAROON

RELIGION

Mass and Pancakes preps students for finals week By Gabriela Morales gemorale@loyno.edu @GabrielaMo1996

ZACH BRIEN/ The Maroon

Ignatius Chapel holds weekly liturgies for the Loyola University community. Recent studies conducted by the PEW research center show that milennials tend to be non-religious.

Study shows millenials are non-religious By Sidney Holmes smholmes@loyno.edu @sidneymajee

Recent study done by the PEW Research Center have shown a steady decline in the amount of religious people in America and an increasing number of millennials wwho identify themselves as “nones” is believed to be the cause. Jessica Martinez, Pew senior researcher, credits this decrease in religious affiliation to two factors: generational replacement and religious switching. Martinez said that each generation has less religious affiliation than the previous generation. “As the millennial generation enters adulthood, this generation is replacing older, more religiously affiliated generations,” Martinez said. Daniela Leal, film studies junior, is among those people who identify as a religious “none.” “In the simplest terms, I don’t believe in organized religion,” Leal said. Leal grew up with a Catholic father and a Jewish mother. She said that neither of them made their religions a big part of her life. “I sometimes wonder how my values and morals would be different had I been affiliated with either Catholicism or Judaism,” Leal said.

Many people attribute this to the growth of curiosity in the digital age. Leal feels that children are growing up fast due to technological and social developments. “When given complex questions about life, it becomes a mental battle between what they have been raised knowing and how all of this new information is challenging that knowledge,” Leal said. Charlotte Klasson, president of New Orleans Secular Humanist Association, said younger generations are turning away from organized religion because it doesn’t answer life’s hardest questions. “They simply don’t find supernatural belief to answer the curiosity for intellectual pursuits that are available now,” Klasson said. Martinez said that people who were raised with certain affiliations tend to switch when they reach adulthood. She said nearly one-infive U.S. adults were raised in a religious faith and now identify with no religion. Although there is a rise in the percentage of unaffiliated people, Martinez said religious “nones” only account for about 36 percent of the population. “I would note that even as the unaffiliated share of the U.S. adult population has grown rapidly, there is still quite a bit of stability in the

U.S. religious landscape,” Martinez said. Loyola’s Mission and Ministry program aims to help students understand their faiths and maintain the religious landscape here at Loyola. Laura Alexander, university ministry assistant, said students turn to religion to find what they are missing in their lives. “I think there is a real hunger for more, whether it’s more community, deeper community, deeper sense of meaning and purpose,” Alexander said. According to Alexander, experiences like First-Year Retreat and Awakening help students find that purpose. “What we do is kind of offer the community aspect, but then we also really encourage students to experience a transformational faith experience with Mass,” Alexander said. Flora Nguyen, management freshman, said that her faith is the most important thing in her life. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my faith. It brings light in times of darkness, and that is what I need for self-fulfillment,” Nguyen said. Nguyen said that Awakening and First-Year Retreat helped her to find community with her peers and God. “You are with a community that

wants you to be the person you are called to be while listening to amazing life experiences and having fun,” Nguyen said. Leal said that she finds the community in all things around her, but she thinks it’s important to find a group of people who share the same morals as you. Klasson said that the members of the New Orleans Secular Humanist Assocation use their common morals for the good of the people around them. “We also believe that morality comes from within and from our willingness to help our community. We do not rely on an outside source to define this,” Klasson said. Leal said that morals are important, but she does not believe in the concrete set of morals that religion has, especially in this constantly changing modern world. “I think it’s okay to have a moral code with which to live your life by, but without boxing it in and putting limitations on it, because maybe one day you’ll feel different and want to change your code,” Leal said. Although Leal does not practice religion herself, she said she understands its role in society. “Organized religion isn’t for me, but I can understand how it is such an enormous part of the way society functions,” Leal said

Although the title of “Mass and Pancakes” suggests that pancakes will be served after a Mass, that however, is not the case. Ken Weber, university minister for liturgy and music said that the event actually serves french toast instead of pancakes. “Pancakes do not stay fresh as well as french toast once they are already made and set out to be served,” Weber said. Mass and Pancakes is an event organized by the Office of Mission and Ministry that takes place at the end of each semester right before final exams. Weber added that the event begins with a Mass and is then followed by a meal. “This event has been going on for at least 20 years. It was started by a staff member, Judy Deshotels. It is one of the best Loyola traditions,” Weber said. Julianna Lydon, mass communication sophomore, said the event is fun and a great way for everyone to unify and relax before going into finals. “Not only do you get a free t-shirt and french toast, but everyone is there together. The music is really good. They always pick a theme for it. It is honestly just a fun Mass to go to, and it really taps into our Jesuit identity,” Lydon said. Emma Schillage, theater freshman, has never been to the event before. “It is nice to have this before finals because the university is thinking about you. This is such a stressful time so it is kind of nice to have something to look forward to besides just taking tests,” Schillage said. Mass and Pancakes will take place on the second floor of the Danna Center in the Audubon room on Dec. 13 at 9 p.m.

RELIGION BRIEF Pig’s head discovered outside of mosque PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia police will step up patrols around worship sites as they look for the person who left a severed pig’s head outside a city mosque. Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says investigators hope to enhance security video that shows someone throwing the animal’s head out the passenger door of a red pickup truck. No arrests have been made in the Sunday night incident outside the Al Aqsa Islamic Society in west Philadelphia. The Quran, the holy book of Islam, prohibits Muslims from eating pork, and pigs have sometimes been used to taunt or offend Muslims. A caretaker told Philadelphia police that he found the head near the door of the mosque when he arrived for work Monday morning. A day later, Mayor Michael Nutter pledged a $2,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in any hate crime case.

OPINION

December 11, 2015 The Maroon

In My Opinion Students sharing their opinions on topics

The Maroon needs a revival — and we need you Gage Counts economics sophomore rgcounts@loyno.edu

If you talked about me to any of my close friends, they might tell you that I’m prone to losing myself talking about whatever issue I had been thinking about that day. One such tangent that I’ve been getting on since I became an editor at The Maroon this fall is over the Loyola Student Media: The Maroon, The Wolf, and the Maroon Minute. It’s time to put that rant on paper. The Maroon has had an award-winning year — and we haven’t been afraid to let you know. Between being named by The Princeton Review as the fourth best student newspaper in the nation and taking home the Pacemaker Award — college journalism’s Pu-

litzer Prize — were the other 74 city, state, regional and national awards. While we are proud of our achievements, all of these accomplishments are nothing if we don’t matter to our community. That’s the state that I’ve been realizing we are in. Of course, we do have fans in the Loyola community. Among the people who read The Maroon are administrators, faculty, students who know they’re in the paper, people with the vague goal of supporting student media, the few who still enjoy holding print newspapers in their hands, alumni, Maroon writers and their parents. Notice that I didn’t mention people who just want to know the news. The truth is that The Maroon isn’t necessary to the lives of the students. Few actually come to The Maroon to get the latest scoop on the happenings on campus. I know I don’t. Most of what students and faculty want to know can be learned from the emails the

university sends out, social media or hearsay. The Maroon isn’t alone in this, either. We’re simply reflecting the challenges that professional media is facing. It’s a consequence of transitioning to a news model which prioritizes social media and instant information. This is a transition that no one in the news industry has truely figured out yet. If a student wants to learn about an issue on campus, I want the first place for him to go to be the nearest newsstand. When an artist is proud of her work, I want her to get it featured in The Works section of the paper. If people see an injustice happening on campus, I want them to let us know so we can expose it. These things aren’t happening now. For many of us, this is the profession we’re aspiring to be in. Student newspapers mostly give us an opportunity to practice our trade. Writers and editors keep the the community in mind, but as an aside.

We suffer from a biased perspective. Most of us are mass communication majors. This is natural, given that students who are vigorously interested in journalism tend to study journalism. Still, Loyola has a panoply of students and faculty with a wide variety of interests, skills and values. To not have this better reflected in the paper is a travesty. We need entrepreneurs from the business college to help us confront the changing model of media. We need music critics to review the music that’s being listened to in our community. We lack these people. This is something we are going to change. For those of us in The Maroon’s office, this is our life. We devote countless hours a week to curating those emails that are being sent out, asking questions, writing stories and taking photographs. We have a love and devotion to the paper which is unparalleled. In addition to our inexhaustible energy, we’re uniquely positioned

to make this change happen. The Maroon enjoys national prestige, a stellar adviser, capable writers, a top-shelf business staff, a steady stream of funding, press freedom and widespread — but dormant — community support. We want to see if that community support can be awoken. Adjacent to my opinion is a blank editorial page, a symbol of the direction we’re afraid of going. To let us know that our community is going to help us avoid that direction, we want our readers to take a picture of the blank page and put it on our social media profiles. Tweet it to @Loyola_Maroon and post it to The Maroon on Facebook. It falls on us to innovate and create a paper that people want to read. We will be working tirelessly over the winter break to figure out how to do that, and we want everyone to return from the break willing to give us the engagement that will make The Maroon not only the voice, but the soul of Loyola.

Venezuela chooses democracy over socialist nightmare Rebeca Trejo mass communication senior rdtrejo@loyno.edu

Venezuelans have spoken. And their language of choice is democracy. On Dec. 6, Venezuela’s Democratic Unit Roundtable won control of the National Assembly by claiming 99 seats in the incoming 167-seat legislature, securing a two-thirds supermajority over President Nicolas Maduro’s United Socialist Party. The historic landslide victory accomplished by the Democratic Unity opposition, after almost 17 years of repressive socialist rule, is a clear sign of change in Venezuela. Framed by the country’s disastrous economic state, a remarkable 74 percent of the country’s 19 million eligible voters showed up to reject populism – up from 66 percent from the previous parliamentary election. Voter’s desperation in the face of record inflation, rampant crime, political engineering and long lines to buy food and other necessities, which the president has failed to address properly, have finally altered the political balance inside Maduro’s socialist-inspired government. Even though Maduro, who was elected — hand-picked — in 2013 after former President Hugo Chávez died, vaguely recognized the opposition’s overwhelming triumph over the Socialist party, it is still unclear if the president will be open to create a legitimate dialogue and discuss the opposition’s overwhelming desire for a change within Venezuela’s governmental system. When a constitutional referendum on radical reforms created by Chavez himself, in 2007, failed by a 3 percent margin, the former socialist-revolution-supporter dis-

missed the results and enacted all of the rejected reforms throughout his last years in the presidency – including an amendment that ended presidential term limits. Nonetheless, the parliamentary win marked the opposition’s first major accomplishment since Chavez became president in 1999. Now that Venezuela’s fractious opposition has made clear that they are tired of the government’s political schemes, they will have a chance to work on improving the country’s desperate security and stability problems in times of change, terminating corruption and placing faith in co-opted institutions. Perhaps most importantly, they will have a chance to fight for the release of the president’s political prisoners,

including Leopoldo Lopez, who was jailed by the government for nearly 14 years due to his role as the leader of a 2014 street protest movement. Indeed, all of these are Herculean tasks that won’t happen unless they are dealt with — with bipartisan unity. Chances are that, as the incoming democratic assembly gains a bigger voice, the ruling party will create substantial barriers to polarize bureaucratic procedures. But now, unlike previous legislations, the opposition will be able to question and challenge policymakers when those decisions are being made. This, in its own way, is nothing but a groundbreaking accomplishment for the right-wing activists that have been fighting to reshape Venezue-

la’s power dynamics and abolish the socialist revolution that reigns the country for good. There is a political shift going on in Latin America. The opposition’s crushing victory in the parliamentary elections proves that people are worn out and demand change. Argentina recently joined the fight, after voters dismissed Cristina Fernandez Kirchner, Chavez’s close ally, handpicked left-wing candidate and instead elected Fernandez Kirchner. In the wake of this rare electoral turnout, the Venezuelans’ unbroken and pervasive endurance through the political oppression created by the socialist-inspired movement that leads the country’s highest jurisdictions will define the

opposition coalition’s ability to establish any meaningful democratic cooperation within the upcoming legislature. Considering this democratic party has remained unbroken by Maduro’s rampant and uncontrollable corruption, even though the opposition coalition has never held a branch of government since Chavez swept into power, it might just waken from its 17-year long socialist nightmare. Venezuela’s opposition coalition is celebrating more than just a historic poll victory. They are celebrating new possibilities, a glimpse of a better future, but perhaps most importantly, they are celebrating hope – and hope is always a reason to celebrate.

FERNANDO LLANO / AP Exchange

Newly elected opposition congresswoman Marialbert Barrios holds up her credentials as lawmaker from the National Electoral Council (CNE) in Caracas, Venezuela, Dec. 9, after congressional elections. The opposition coalition secured, by a single seat, a two-thirds supermajority, surpassing its even most-optimistic forecasts.

December 11, 2015 THE MAROON

EDITORIAL

OUR EDITORIAL

The majority opinion of our editorial board

HOWLS & GROWLS HOWL to library hours being extended for finals GROWL to Adderall being prescription-only HOWL to Time’s Person of the Year not being Donald Trump GROWL to printer jams HOWL to being out of school for an entire month GROWL to exploiting mass shootings for political goals and pretending like it’s only the other side that does it HOWL to being in the last stretch of the semester

EDITORIAL BOARD Mary Graci Lauren Saizan

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor for Print

Naasha Dotiwala

Design Chief

Zach Brien Senior Staff Photographer Colleen Dulle

Senior Staff Writer

Emily Branan

News Editor

Rebeca Trejo

Life and Times Editor The Works Editor

Starlight Williams

Wolf Editor Worldview Editor

Gabe Garza Jamal Melancon Gage Counts

Sports Editor Religion Editor Opinion and Editorial Editor

Zayn Abidin

Photo Editor

Sidney Holmes

Maroon Minute Executive Producer

EDITORIAL POLICY

What do you want to see here?

The editorial on this page represents the majority opinions of The Maroon’s editorial board and do 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.

THE MAROON

December 4, 2015

Tulane student captures his future with photo-sharing app By Jacqueline Keisling jdkeisli@loyno.edu @jkeislingPR

Photo illustration courtesy of Jacqueline Keisling

Harrison Berger, Tulane sophomore, demonstrates how to use his new photo-sharing app, Frameshare. Berger is an example of the students using thier knowledge of social media and software development to create an app.

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After developing the idea for the past four months, a sophomore at Tulane University, has created a new social media app that he has been dreaming about for years. While other students were relaxing and enjoying their summer vacations, Harrison Berger began to plan the design of the software and search for a coder to help develop his future app, Frameshare. “I recently created a blueprint and started a business plan describing my idea showing how the app would be monetized with featured advertisements,” Berger said. According to James Lambert, A’14, founder and CEO of Concierge Solutions, developing apps in college has become one of the most highly profitable careers among the young entrepreneurs of our generation. “The millennial generation is the first generation to actually use and understand smartphone apps and web apps, and all these exciting products that are coming out in the tech world,” Lambert said. Lambert said that the skills he acquired while studying public relations at Loyola University New Orleans’ School of Mass Communication helped him create his tech startup, Concierge Solutions, with his roommate. “This was something that was in the back of my head, and he was a business major and I was a communications major. We just collaborat-

ed on the idea and it eventually fell to the way side.” Lambert said. Students like Maggie Donatelli, mass communication junior, are taught how to use social media platforms as an advantage in business. “We have learned how to utilize social media as a good tool that can benefit a company’s outreach,” Donatelli said. Lambert encourages young entrepreurs like Harrison Berger to take the leap, and just do it. His website and app are scheduled to launch in July of next year at Tales of the Cocktail. After some advice and mentoring from Lambert, Berger has realized what steps he must take to move along with his project towards the launch phase. “The biggest struggle I have found with this project is finding someone to develop it for me. I haven’t had a good relationship with my last developer who was supposed to do it, “ Berger said. Berger said he now has a clear plan of how the app will look, work and maybe in the future, display advertisements. He uses inspiration from the creators of other social networks such as Facebook, YikYak, Instagram and Snapchat to remind himself that a college student is capable of this success. He is ready to begin his project but is missing just one puzzle piece: a coder. “Now I am trying to find one at Tulane or Loyola, which has been very hard for me. There are not many people in that field.” Berger said.