ISSUE ONE, TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2018
The Southern DIGEST
SOUTHERN DIGEST • TUESDAY • AUGUST 28 • 2018
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www.southerndigest.com � The sentinel of the enlightened student body at Southern University and A&M College � Since 1926
A new look: CUSA switches to iStar
Pete Richardson:
NEWS,
The Dead of the SWAC returns
PAGE 3
SPORTS, PAGE 4
Renovations and the return: Hayden’s Welcome Back
“Welcome Back Football” COMMENTARY, PAGE 11
A&E, PAGE 8
Board of Supervisors upholds firing of Former Band Director Debrandin Brown � DIGEST Staff Writer
Former Southern University Band Director, Nathan Haymer, has been battling the ruling of his controversial termination after audits surfaced reporting over $300,000 being put into his personal bank account over his four-year tenure as Southern University’s Band Director. Since the initial ruling was announced in the Spring of 2018, Haymer has been battling the ruling under the pretenses of incomplete evidence via audits produced by the university .
Former Director of Bands, Nathan Haymer, during a previous interview discussing needed improvements for the Human Jukebox. (DIGEST FILE)
On Friday, August 24, the Southern University Board of Supervisors upheld the initial ruling that terminated Haymer’s position at the Historically Black College, temporarily halting
#WeARESOUTHERN We All Play a Role In Making Southern a Leading Institution of Higher Education AMMONS
By James H. Ammons, Ph.D. Executive Vice President/Executive Vice Chancellor Southern University and A&M College
Welcome, all new and returning students to the 2018-2019 academic year at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge (SUBR). We are honored to have you as a member of Jaguar Nation. We encourage you to study hard and stay focused because your effort will not only benefit you academically, but improve the quality of life for all students and the campus community. Please, let me explain.
academic officer and the administrator managing the day-to-day operations of Southern University, I am working on several initiatives that will lead to increased funding for our campus. Our success, with these initiatives, is dependent upon you, our student body, the administration, faculty and staff — who all will play a substantial role. Most of you, I’m sure, have heard of
As the Southern University System’s chief
see AMMONS on page 7
the long-standing saga of legal battles between the two parties. After meeting for a period of around two hours on the 24th, the Board exited the meeting and announced that by a vote of 6-5, they would be upholding Southern University System President-Chancellor Ray Belton’s, initial ruling of termination. Serving as Band Director of the Southern University Marching Band since 2014, Haymer’s termination was met with much controversy when it first occurred, as noted by many members of the band. “You can be doing all of the right see HAYMER on page 3
Moving in and up: Housing upgrades Jacqueline Morgan � DIGEST Editor-in-Chief
With an eventful past school year left behind, the Department of Residential Life and Housing has kicked into high gear for fall 2018. Over the past few semesters, Executive Director of Student Services and Residential Life, Tracie Abraham has spearheaded a host of initiatives to improve student housing. Continuing the cycle, the department spent the summer making improvements in some of the dormitories.
Carrying over from last semester, Boley Hall received major upgrades in the lobby as well as the individual suites. “Our next big project is to do something with Boley. We’ve been doing renovation in Boley for the last three years every summer,” Abraham says. According to Abraham, the latest improvements include new ceiling tiles in the lobby, wood floors in the hallways, studentcontrolled air and heating in each room, and fully see HOUSING on page 3
FRESHMAN ACADEMY: CLASS OF ‘22, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU Gabrielle Hutchinson � DIGEST News Editor
EYEING SUcess: Motivational speaker, Johnathan Jones talks to students inside the Royal Cotillion ballroom inside the Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union during Freshman Academy. (Courtesy/Freshman Academy)
A new academic year is underway and Freshman Seminar instructor and current Director of Freshman Academy, Zackeus Johnson has a fresh perspective in store for the class of 2022. What was once known as the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) and the Center for Undergraduate Student Achievements (CUSA) has been redesigned and simply termed Freshman www.southerndigest.com
Academy, accompanied by the iSTAR (Integrated Student Teaching Advising Research and Learning Center) advising team. As many know, Southern University takes a special interest in its incoming freshmen. The early years of undergraduate studies are what determines the rest of a student’s academic success. Therefore, our university does all it see FRESHMAN ACADEMY on page 3