The Complete January 22 Issue of the Southern Digest

STATE & NATION

SPORTS

VIEWPOINTS

Senator defends Senate plan . pg. 4

Men hope to snap skid. pg. 5

Writer vents at SU. pg. 7

landrieu holding out hope

i’m just frustrated

su prepares for ‘Bama teams

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010

VOL. 55, ISSUE 2

SU official: “It’s a real crisis” By norman j. dotson jr. diGest editor-iN-cHieF

During a budget meeting earlier this month members of administration presented the faculty and staff with the budget plan for this upcoming year. Provost Mwalimu Shujaa spoke to everyone about the cuts and reallocations of this year’s budget.

“We are actually entering into this spring semester with $1,104,559.53. That’s all that we have…that’s it,” said Shujaa.

“Now if we spend at the same rate that we did in the fall which was $1,490,261.43 we would already be in the hole. In addition to this, we thought we could get by with the money we had which is the $1,104,559.53 but then in December we are hit with a budget reduction which we did not anticipate because we were gonna have one in the fall but not necessarily one in midyear. We are calculating that we need to save another $275,000 off the cost of instruction for the spring.”

Due to this reduction

“We don’t have the resources to do that, and we are getting push backs regarding cancellations of courses.

So what needs to be understood is that this is a real crisis, its not a manufactured crisis, it’s a real crisis.”

diGest NeWs serVice

- mwalimu shujaa sU provost

administration has decided to subtract the $275,000 from the $1,104,559.53, which would leave the actual budget with a total of $829,559.53.

The deans and chairs of each department received urgent emails informing them that the university needed them to eliminate low enrolled courses.

“We have to eliminate low enrolled courses because we can not pay for them. We don’t have the resources to do that, and we are getting push backs regarding cancellations of

to pay for two overloads this semester, we really don’t have the resources to pay for overloads, but we have to ask for help from the faculty for those who can and are willing to do so at no additional cost to the university,” Shujaa commented. “ We also have the issue to arise with graduate courses with very small enrollments and undergraduate courses enrolling a small

courses. So what needs to be understood is that this is a real crisis, its not a manufactured crisis, it’s a real crisis,” stated Shujaa.

Shujaa requested the help of the entire faculty to do whatever they could to assist in this crisis. He made mention to a few instances where some instructors taught overloads at no cost to the university, there were even some instances where a professor taught two overloads for the price of one.

“We don’t have the resources

Jukes to perform at ‘Dome

See CRISIS page 3

The Southern University Marching Band has been chosen to provide halftime entertainment Sunday at the Louisiana Superdome when the New Orleans Saints take on the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL’s NFC Championship game.

Southern’s invitation to perform at the game is more proof that the “Human Jukebox” is the icon of college marching bands. Southern was recently the subject of a profile in the New York Times on marching dance routines.

SU’s band will be part of the 2010 Honda Battle of Bands held January 30 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The event will showcase Southern and marching bands representing seven other historically black colleges and universities.

The “Human Jukebox” will hold practice from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the Superdome. Kick-off is at 5:30 p.m.

Professor coping with loss after quake By mary daVis diGest MaNaGiNG editor

photo By patricK farrell/ap photo

a sign reaching out for help hangs in the wind in petionville, port au prince, Monday.

SUNNY HIGH

71° | 53° LOW

INSIDE S O U T H E R N

A Southern University professor lost four members of his family last week when their home collapsed in Petionville, Haiti as a result of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that shook the country.

Dr. Patrick Carriere, associate dean of the College of Engineering, lost two nephews, a niece, and a brother-in-law after their home collapsed, which also leaving eight family members homeless.

“I couldn’t sleep, the only thing I could do was cry. I prayed,” said Carriere when the fate of his family members was still a mystery. “Finally Thursday, I got through. I found out that one family member was found

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dead and on Friday, I found that another 3 had been confirmed dead.”

Carriere’s sister, Rosemary Polynice, lost her husband, 59-year-old Leslie Polynice; 23-year-old son Jean-Pierre Polynice and 16-year-old daughter May-Lissa Polynice. Another sister, Paule Duchemin, lost her 14-year-old son Jonathan Duchemin. Carriere has three other siblings and other relatives in Haiti along with his mother, who is among his now-homeless family members.

“The other three are okay, their houses are damaged but not like the others,” Carriere said when asked how the earthquake had affected his other siblings.

See CARRIERE page 3

CAMPUS BRIEFS Page 2 - Friday, January 22, 2010

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THE SOUTHERN DIGEST 4 - DAY WEATHER OUTLOOK SATURDAY, JAN. 23

scattered t-storms

SUNDAY, JAN. 24

partly cloudy

HI - 73° / LO - 57° 60% CHANCE OF RAIN

HI - 67°/ LO - 41° 20% CHANCE OF RAIN

Classifieds

in the Center for Student Success in Stewart Hall Room 107. Available hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Mondays-Thursdays and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Fridays.

Follow the Center for Student Success on Twitter to see exciting upcoming events: www.twitter.com/ jaguar_nation.

apartments for rent

Move-in special $99 dep. Everything new. 3 blocks off SU campus. 1 bdrm $525. 2 bdrm $625.

H20 & trash incl. No pets.

Call 928.0444.

apartments for rent

Southern University.

1 and 2 bdroom/1 bath starting at 395/250 dep. Call 357.1594 or 775.1008.

apartments for rent

Tired of student housing?

Free rent specials.

1.866.972.5495.

Campus Briefs

BoWling tournament

The Smith-Brown Memorial Union Jaguar Lanes is holding registration from January 11-22, 2010.

The registration fee is $5. The competition begins Jan. 27. For more information visit Lacumba’s Playpen (Gameroom) or call 225771-2020.

JAN. 25

TODAY help miss southern assist st. jude

Drink a lot of soda?

Don’t know what to do with those can tabs? For every gallon of can tabs collected, you will give a sick child a free chemotherapy treatment. Save your tabs and turn them in on the second floor of the SmithBrown Memorial Union at any time or at the Letter Writing Party March 4.

Beep meetings

BEEP Meetings are held every Tuesday at 11 a.m. in T.T. Allain Room 222.

These meetings are open to all majors. For more information contact Toni Jackson at 225.771.5640 ext. 222 or at subeep@ subr.edu. peer tutoring

Peer tutoring is available

css seminars

The Center for Student Success is offering a seminar, “Discovering your Learning Style” on Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. and Jan. 27 at 1 p.m. in the Lawless Auditorium in Stewart Hall.

The Center for Student Success is offering a seminar, “Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy” on Jan. 26 in the Lawless Auditorium in Stewart Hall.

The Center for Student Success is offering a seminar, “My Game Plan” on Jan. 28 at 3 p.m. in the Lawless Auditorium in Stewart Hall.

JAN. 29 sga Battle of the Bands Bus trip

Southern University’s Student Government

MONDAY, JAN. 25

TUESDAY, JAN. 26

sunny

sunny

HI - 62° / LO - 36° 0% CHANCE OF RAIN

HI - 58° / LO - 35° 0% CHANCE OF RAIN

Association is sponsoring a bus trip to the Honda Battle of the Bands in Atlanta to support the “Human Jukebox” as they battle against marching bands from Albany State, Clark Atlanta, Florida A&M, North Carolina Central, Prairie View A&M, Tuskegee and Virginia State.

The bus will depart from the Smith-Brown Memorial Union on Jan. 29 and return to the university on Jan. 31. The time of the departure and return to the university is still being determined and will be passed along once it is finalized. There are only 35 seats available.

The cost of the trip is $150 and includes a two-night stay in a fivestar hotel and a ticket to Honda’s Eighth Annual Battle of the Bands in the Georgia Dome.

To secure your seat, the cost of the trip must be paid to the Cashier’s Office in room 102 of the Felton G. Clark Activity Center and your receipt must be taken to room 227 on the 2nd floor of the SmithBrown Memorial Union.

For more information, contact the SGA Office at 771.2300.

FEB. 3 collegiate 100 BlacK Women

The Collegiate Black Women of Southern University presents “Self Love: I Don’t Need Anyone’s Approval” Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. in Room 313 T.T. Allain Hall.

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FEB. 26 race for the cure

The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Walk/ Run will be held on March 6 at 8:30 a.m. Registration is $25 before Feb. 26 and $30 after February 26, 2010. For more information visit the Facebook group: Southern University – Race for the Cure Walk, email su.komen@gmail.com or contact Breanna Paul at 225.625.4252.

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2010 SPRING DIGEST STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Norman J. dotson Jr.

OPINIONS EDITOR Breanna paul

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DIGEST PHOTOGRAPHERS april Buffington trevor James Justin Wooten PROOFREADER darryl J. edwards

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NEWS

Friday, January 22, 2010 - Page 3

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Land-building project in La. shuts down AT&T to By cain Burdeau associated press Writer

NEW ORLEANS—Six years after the Army Corps of Engineers hailed a landbuilding project near the mouth of the Mississippi River as a major step in saving coastal Louisiana, the project is being shut down after millions of dollars went into it.

Over the objections of scientists, a panel overseeing the effort to save coastal Louisiana voted Wednesday to close a river diversion at West Bay, a spot about 75 miles south of New Orleans. The cut in the river was supposed to create 10,000 acres of land. However, after six years and $33.3 million in work, it created little to no land.

Directing the Mississippi’s flow into Louisiana’s sinking coast through diversions is one of the chief methods being looked at to restore the river delta, one of the fastest eroding coastal areas in the world. South Louisiana has lost more than 2,000 square miles of land since the 1930s, an area roughly the size of Delaware.

The failure of the West Bay diversion highlights the problems federal and state governments face as they try to combat sea level rise and land loss. The project is being scrapped for reasons that have plagued other coastal restoration projects: the conflict between coastal restoration and maritime traffic, high costs, and untested scientific and engineering techniques.

The West Bay diversion is being closed because it led to shoaling of an anchorage spot for ships bound for New Orleans near

Pilottown. The Army Corps estimated that it would cost more than $100 million to keep the anchorage free of mud; on Wednesday, a special task force said that cost was prohibitive.

Scientists on Thursday said the move was wrong-headed.

“For me, it’s a step backward,” said John T. Wells, a coastal geologist at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science who sits on a scientific advisory board looking at how to restore the Mississippi River delta.

Wells said closing the diversion was premature and that not enough time had passed to know for sure whether the diversion might have worked.

“From a scientific standpoint, this is a truly unique opportunity to gain an understanding if the diversions are going to be part of the tool bag,” Wells said. He said expectations for the project’s landbuilding capacity after six years were unreasonable.

Col. Alvin Lee, the corps’ district engineer in New Orleans, said the diversion simply wasn’t worth keeping open.

“It’s a difficult decision to make but it was the right decision,” Lee said. “It comes down to the benefits and costs.”

He said the diversion was an experiment when it was constructed in 2003. “This was a study of a diversion and I think we’ve learned a significant amount from this diversion,” Lee said.

Officials said they looked at a variety of alternatives to keep the diversion open, but that they were bound by legal agreements

CRISIS from page 1 number of students under the practice that has existed of offering a course so two or three students could graduate and if they need the course Southern University would try and accommodate these students and run the course. We just don’t have the resources to do that anymore, and if we are going to help those students we are going to have to look at scheduling differently and advising differently so that students wont reach a point where they have to have a course to graduate. We need help, and the only place we can receive that help is from the faculty in this case, ” he continued.

The Provost continued speaking about ways to help in the class crisis by recommending that some classes increase their size of enrollment as well as contacting students and advise them on option that can be taken about classes that are not offered this semester.

get online @

to maintain the Pilottown anchorage.

Sean Duffy, the president of the Gulf States Maritime Association, said the Pilottown anchorage has been in use for a century and serves as an important safe haven for ships, especially those in distress or caught in fog.

“Prior to the diversion being open, the anchorage never needed to be dredged,” Duffy said. “Since the diversion, it has been dredged three times.”

He said the maritime industry had hoped the diversion would be successful, but that it made no sense to keep it open because it didn’t work as it was intended.

John Day, a coastal expert at Louisiana State University, said scrapping the West Bay project showed that coastal restoration was not a priority.

“It still means flood control and navigation have a much higher priority than coastal restoration,” Day said. “The projections are that if we don’t do anything, most of the coast will disappear. We have to do big things.”

Now, officials are looking at diverting Mississippi water farther upriver, where river sediment may do more good and not get swept offshore, as may be happening at West Bay, which is next to the Gulf of Mexico.

“The idea of investigating in diversions farther upriver with better payout is a good decision,” said Oliver Houck, a lawyer and coastal restoration expert at Tulane University in New Orleans. “It sort of shows that economic constraints force you to make better decisions.”

tour at Southern diGest NeWs serVice

AT&T Technology will host a one-of-a-kind campus-tocommunity technology and education fair on Saturday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., at the Felton G. Clark Activity Center.

The event is free and open to the public.

AT&T’s 53-foot walk-through interactive mobile facility will allow participants to immerse themselves in cutting edge wireless technology for mobile phones, internet and television applications. Participants will also be able to use the technology and student-teachers will be on hand to teach practical ways to use the technology to enhance your life.

AT&T recognizes that education is the key to unleashing new levels of personal, scholastic and professional potential in an increasingly tech-savvy world.

Its mobile facility annually tours around the country visiting collegiate sporting events, fairs and festivals.

For more information, contact Southern University’s Office of Media Relations at 225.771.4545.

CARRIERE from page 1 The university’s website has a list of course cancelled for the spring semester.

“This is an all hands on deck moment. We really are going to need help with advising students before and during registration because they will be frightened and uncertain about what’s before them,” Shujaa continues “When they are faced with a situation where we have to reduce the number of courses we plan to offer by the amount that we are. The one thing that is happening all across this state is that we are not the only ones in this situation, but it is gonna be a very trying time for students.” Shujaa concluded.

This is a multi-part story covering the budget meeting in its entirety that with part three Tuesday, Jan. 26.

Also the website will be updated with documentations from this meeting throughout the whole coverage of this meeting.

www.southerndigest.com

Carriere said was on campus for a meeting when his phone began ringing off the hook with news of the earthquake.

“Then after the meeting the secretary told me it was urgent to call this number.

I tried calling and calling Haiti, not knowing about the earthquake,” said Carriere.

The earthquake, which is believed to be killed an estimated 250,000 Haitians, left those with family in Haiti to wonder and fear the worse as bodies were being discovered on the news. News of the earthquake came as a shock to Carriere, who spent four days in his home country in late December.

Carriere, who came to America in 1982 for academic advancement, has plans of bringing the surviving members of those families to the US as soon as a means of leaving the country becomes available to surviving citizens. Despite strict immigration laws, the United States has plans of letting Haitian immigrants temporary placement in the US. “I don’t know if they are going to let

them (Haitian citizens) leave from the Dominican Republic or somewhere else,” said Carriere.

Carriere said that he talked to his family early Wednesday morning following the 6.1 magnitude aftershock that shook the country yet again.

“Its very tough. They are very discouraged,” Carriere said speaking about the state of his family members.

“This is will have a long-term impact, not a short-term impact.”

With such devastating lost, he (Carriere) feels that his family is losing faith and that prayer from others will help him and his family through this tragedy.

“We want faculty, staff, and state, to pray for not only his family, but for other Haitian people. Any help is welcomed.

Keep me in your prayer, pray that I can stay focused on my work.” he pleaded Also, Dr. Carriere hopes that when his family reaches American, American citizens will allow them to work in the place of business to regenerate some funds.

state & nation Page 4 - Friday, January 22, 2010

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Landrieu still hopes for fix

Two plead guilty to storm fraud by the associated press

By justin mcgill associated press WRITER

NEW ORLEANS—Sen. Mary Landrieu defended the Senate’s version of health care overhaul legislation — and language in it that provides up to $365 million in Medicaid money for Louisiana — as she discussed what her fellow Democrats should do after losing a crucial Senate seat to a Massachusetts Republican.

With state Sen. Scott Brown’s victory Tuesday in the race to fill out the term of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Republicans will have 41 seats in the Senate, enough to block votes on the health care plan.

Landrieu told reporters in Washington on Wednesday that efforts to reach a consensus on health care should continue.

She said she still favors the Senate version, which does not contain a government-run insurance plan backed by the House. She said she still hopes the Medicaid money for Louisiana will be included in a final version of health care legislation.

“I am very comfortable with the Senate version of this bill, which is not a government takeover, which is a public-private response

file photo by Bill haber/ap photo

Vice President Joe Biden joins Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., right, and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, at an event where recovery from Hurricane Katrina was being discussed last week in New Orleans. Biden was in Louisiana to announce steps that the Administration is taking to assist recovery efforts from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

to a major problem, which has some significant cost-containment measures, which strengthens Medicare and gives the private sector more affordable options,” Landrieu said. A recording of her remarks was provided by her office.

Landrieu announced her support for the Senate health care measure last month after the Medicaid provision, which has been estimated in value at from $100 million to $365 million for Louisiana over the next two years, was included in the bill. It led to accusations from conservatives opposed to the bill that she traded her vote, and the money was dubbed the “Louisiana Purchase” by some critics.

Gen. Honore: U.S. has moral duty to house Haitians By cain burdeau

Alabama has not been asked to shelter Haitians. But he added that “if that need arises, the state of Alabama stands ready NEW ORLEANS—Retired Lt. Gen. to work with our federal partners to help Russel Honore, who was credited with in any way we can.”

Kyle Plotkin, a spokesman for Louisiana restoring order in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, is calling on the United Gov. Bobby Jindal, said Louisiana officials States, and in particular the governors have been “in constant contact” with federal authorities and that the along the Gulf Coast, to offer state stands “ready to assist the refuge to the most vulnerable recovery efforts.” He added that Haitians affected by the deadly the federal government “has the Jan. 12 earthquake. lead on handling international “It would be nice, very moral, if citizens that may evacuate to the our governors would reach out and United States.” take the vulnerable population to So far, the United States a place that is safe,” Honore said has not flung open its borders by telephone Wednesday. “It’s a to Haitian refugees. The moral issue. We ought to do what honore Department of Homeland we can to help people.”

Honore, a Louisiana native who lives Security said Wednesday that 29 Haitians in Baton Rouge, said people on the with medical problems and 92 orphans hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast ought to be had been allowed into the United States open to the idea of helping others struck for humanitarian reasons.

Last week, the federal government by a natural disaster.

“We need to face up here in Louisiana approved temporary protected status for and show our charity and human kindness Haitians who were already in the U.S. when the earthquake struck, meaning they to people who need help,” he said.

Honore commanded Joint Task Force cannot be deported back to their struggling Katrina and became a hero in New Orleans homeland. U.S. officials expect 100,000 after he landed in the flooded city and quickly to 200,000 applications from Haitians, kicked into action the military response to including illegal immigrants, who want to stay under the 18-month reprieve. the catastrophic August 2005 storm.

Doctors and medical experts agreed Governors and their staff in Texas, Mississippi and Florida did not return calls with Honore about the need to do more seeking a response to Honore’s comments. for people still in Haiti, but said it was Todd Stacy, the press secretary for unlikely large numbers of Haitians would Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, said that be airlifted to U.S. hospitals. associated press WRITER

“There were special deals done. This is not one of them,” Landrieu said. “A special deal, to me, is a deal that has limited merit.

It applies to only one state and there’s no precipitating reason to ask for it.”

Without Landrieu’s language, Louisiana’s federal assistance for Medicaid will be cut because the state’s post-Hurricane Katrina economic surge temporarily drove up average income in the state because of government aid and high-paying reconstruction jobs.

The federal share of Medicaid aid is higher for states with lower average incomes. State officials have argued the state shouldn’t be penalized for an artificial, temporary percapita income boost.

NEW ORLEANS—A 45-yearold woman has pleaded guilty to mail fraud relating to applications for financial help she submitted to the American Red Cross following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Sandra D. Williams, of Gibson, entered the plea Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval Jr., said U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.

According to court documents, the disaster relief agency made up to $1,565 available on a onetime basis to those affected by the 2005 hurricanes.

Letten said Williams admitted applying for and receiving funds from the Red Cross on 12 occasions, illegally obtaining $9,390.

Wallace Bourgeois Jr. also entered a plea Wednesday to similar charges. Bourgeois, 35, of LaPlace, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, admitting he repeatedly applied for funds from the agency, Letten said in a statement Wednesday.

SPORTS

Friday, January 22, 2010 - Page 5

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SU prepares for Alabama teams

Students to work ESPNU broadcast

SU men looks to snap skid against AAMU and Bama State; women hope to add more to streak DIGEST NEWS SERVICE

The Southern men’s basketball team hopes the cure to stopping a three-game losing streak is a little home cooking this weekend.

The Jaguars (3-15, 1-5 Southwestern Athletic Conference) play host to Alabama A&M (4-9, 1-4) at 4 p.m. Saturday at the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

SU follows that game up with a Monday night home tilt against Alabama State (6-10, 3-2), which will broadcast live on ESPNU (Cox Channel 243) at 8 p.m.

SU and AAMU are one game ahead of winless Alcorn State (0-18, 0-5) at the bottom of the conference standings. Alabama State is in the midst of a sixteam logjam atop the league standings.

The friendly confines of the Minidome have been just that for coach Rob Spivery’s unit. All three of the Jaguars wins of the season have come on their home court, and SU is 3-2 at home at the is point of the season. This weekend starts a stretch where Southern will play five of its next

seven games at home.

Spivery said he has a young team and any team cannot win on the road without experience.

SU has not put together a consistent starting five, using multiple lineups in 18 games so far this season.

“We’ve settled on a starting lineup, but it changes based on opponents and matchups,” Spivery said.

Spivery said the team needed time to develop and learn the system because more than half of the roster is new. One of those newcomers, guard Nick Walls, said the team has to do the small things on the court in order to be competitive at home or on the road.

The Jaguars will lean on the leadership of team captains Jazz Williams and Doug Scott more after the dismissal of leading scorer Earnest Jones. Spivery said Jones, who averaged 11.1 and nearly seven rebounds per game, was dismissed for what he called behavior “unacceptable of

photo by apRil bUFFinGton/DiGEst

Southern’s Monday night game against Alabama State will be broadcasted live on ESPNU, but a different crew will be behind the controls.

Fifteen of Southern’s best Mass Communications students selected by media engineer Darrell Roberson will man the controls of the broadcast in a collaborative effort with the network.

Southern is one of a handful of schools across the country involved in ESPNU’s Campus Connection Week, in which students handle various aspects of a live broadcast ranging from announcing, interviews and production. The majority of Southern’s crew are seniors or students who had done some sort of internship or had stood

See alabama page 6

Southern’s Norm Nixon Jr. goes up for two on a fast break against Jackson State. SU takes on Alabama A&M Saturday and Alabama State Monday at the Minidome.

See espnu page 6

By trevor james DIGEST STAff WRITER

Page 6 - Tuesday, January 19, 2010

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espnu from page 5 out to Roberson. “ I expect the student to get a working knowledge of what takes place on a live electronic field production. A real world hands on experience and hopefully give them some insight on what they want to do in the future,” said Roberson when asked what his expectations were.

A lot of people don’t know it but preparation for games that are televised often begin hours before viewers actually see it.

Roberson also mentioned on how this event will give these students a look at how things operate behind the scenes. “ These students will get to see the work that goes on behind the scenes, it just doesn’t start when the game comes on at 7:30, it starts at 10:00 in the morning,“ said Roberson.

When asked how often this may happen during school he replied “I don’t know because I think they’re trying to spread it out amongst universities, but fortunately they’ve come to me each semester and asked, so it maybe a yearly thing; it may not be a fully integrated broadcast but it maybe for students on homecoming and home games, but I’m expecting it to be something each semester,” he added.

“Watch ESPNU if you have access to it, come out to the games if you can and you’ll see some of your class mates working as sideline reporters, play by play, field reporters, and I hope that in the future with not just this department any department when you have opportunities to work with companies take advantage of it and more students will be prepared next time.”

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SWAC STANDINGS WOMEN’S STANDINGS

SWAC Overall

W L W L Prairie View 5 0 8 6 Alabama A&M 4 1 8 6 Southern 4 2 10 6 Alabama St. 3 2 6 8 Tex. Southern 3 2 6 10 Ark.-PB 2 3 3 12 Alcorn St. 2 3 2 11 Miss. Valley 1 4 4 12 Jackson St. 1 4 2 13 Grambling St. 1 5 4 11

MEN’S STANDINGS

Karl Morgan, right center, holds his wife, Marcia, during a news conference introducing him as the new football coach at Mississippi Valley State University. At far left is interim director of athletics Donald Sims. At right is school president Dr. Donna Oliver.

SWAC Overall

W L W L Prairie View 4 1 9 7 Tex. Southern 4 1 8 9 Jackson St. 4 1 6 11 Ark.-PB 4 1 4 12 Alabama St. 3 2 6 10 Miss. Valley 3 2 4 14 Grambling St. 2 4 4 10 Alabama A&M 1 4 4 9 Southern 1 5 3 15 Alcorn St. 0 5 0 18

Morgan new MVSU coach

Saturday’s Games (Women’s/men’s doubleheaders) Alabama A&M at Southern, 2 p.m./4 p.m.*

is a former defensive lineman with the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1984-86) and the Saskatchewan Roughriders (1983) of the CFL.

Monday’s Games Alabama State at Southern, 5:30 p.m./8 p.m. (ESPNU)*

photo by bill johnson/ap photo

DIGEST NEWS SERVICE

ITTA BENA, Miss.—The Mississippi Valley State named North Alabama defensive coordinator Karl Morgan as its new the head football.

Morgan takes over the program from Willie Totten, who spent eight seasons at the helm and stepped down November 30.

A veteran of both high school and collegiate coaching, Morgan has spent the previous five seasons as the defensive coordinator at the University of North Alabama. Morgan has 21 years of coaching experience including stints as defensive line coach at Nicholls State, Southern University, Purdue University and Arkansas State University. He has also served as defensive coordinator at Alcorn State University, Hampton University and the University of North Alabama.

At UNA, the team has amassed an 84-26 record and a NCAA Division II quarterfinalist in 2006, 2007 and 2009 in addition to being a NCAA Division II semifinalist in 2005 and 2008. In 2008, his defensive unit forced 44 turnovers. He

Fair Grounds Field to host 2010 SWAC Tournament

SHREVEPORT—The 2010 SWAC Baseball Tournament will be played at Shreveport’s Fair Grounds Field.

SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp says the tournament will be played May 26-30, with the top four teams in each of the SWAC’s Eastern and Western divisions qualifying.

Sharp’s announcement Thursday said the tournament returns to Fair Grounds Field for the first time since 2002.

Alcorn-JSU game rescheduled

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—The Jackson State- Alcorn State basketball games originally scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 9 have been rescheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 27. The women’s game will start at 5:30 p.m., with the men’s game to start at 7:30 p.m.

Inclement weather that swept through the South at

the time of the game forced officials to cancel the game.

UAPB adds to staff

PINE BLUFF, Ark— Arkansas-Pine Bluff head football coach Monte Coleman announced the additions of Jerry Mack, Vernon Dean and Dennis Winston to the Golden Lions’ coaching staff.

Jerry Mack will serve as offensive coordinator and coach quarterbacks at UAPB. He spent the previous two seasons as wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Central Arkansas.

Dean arrives to Pine Bluff after spending last season at Fort Valley State where he coached outside linebackers.

He spent seven seasons in the NFL tallying 22 interceptions and winning two Super Bowls with the Redskins.

Winston spent a total of 10 seasons in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints winning two Super Bowl rings with the Steelers. He spent the 2009 season at Mississippi Valley State where he served as defensive line coach under former MVSU head coach Willie Totten.

alabama from page 5 Southern basketball.”

SU Women Keep Streaking

Meanwhile, SU’s women swept Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State to extend its winning streak to four games and moving into third in the conference standings. The Jags are hot on the heels of the second-place Lady Bulldogs (86, 4-1). However, coach Sandy Pugh’s squad is also tied in the loss column with the Lady Hornets (6-8, 3-2) and UAPB (610, 3-2).

An Alabama two-step would give the Jaguars sole possession of second behind league leader and defending conference champion Prairie View (8-6, 5-0).

PV is the only undefeated team in conference play and currently owns a 21-game winning streak against SWAC foes.

——— Staff writer Justin Wooten contributed to this report.

VIEWPOINTS

Friday, January 22, 2010 - Page 7

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20 Questions I’M JUST ASKING STATEMENT

I’M JUST ASKING is for entertainment purposes only. These remarks do not represent the opinions of the DIGEST staff, Southern University or the Office of Student Media Services.

1. How many students do not have their books yet?

2. How many students plan on not getting their books at all?

3. Are you planning to bum off the person next to you?

4. What if they don’t have their books either?

5. Whose classes got cancelled?

6. Instead of canceling classes, how about firing the ombudsman?

7. Omb ... what?

8. Who do you have to be kin to in order to get a job like that?

9. Is the Honda Battle of the Bands really a hazing convention?

10. Will the winning band director get a gold-plated 2-by-4?

11. Who has gotten a parking ticket yet?

12. How many of you park in the wrong zone and still get mad when you get a ticket?

13. Who would win: Scotlandville High boys’ basketball team or the SU men’s team?

14. Did we fire the right coach?

15. Could Pete come back to coach the men’s basketball team?

16. Anybody made a grocery list with their book voucher?

17. Who bought Ramen noodles with their book voucher?

18. Who is using their book voucher to buy items for the Haitian relief effort?

19. Isn’t that like Southern buying the items?

20. Wait…isn’t there a budget freeze?

Read the Digest at WWW.

southern digest .com

Basic guidelines for roommates SPEAK OUT

Back in the 1980s and even the 1990s roommates and suitemates started out as strangers but became best friends. My mother attended Southern University in the 80s and she and her suitemates from the now-demolished Thomas Hall gather for a weekend of reminiscing and remembering. One of her suitemates is even my godmother.

Fast forward 20-30 years, roommates and suitemates start out as strangers and stay just that. You would think the people you share a sink, tub and toilet with would be a little more courteous or welcoming.

Nope! Most people tell me that they don’t know their suitemates name, let alone what she looks like.

Roommates might be a different story, since you do live in the same room.

But not to worry, I am here to help! Let me give you 5 simple tips to being a good roomie.

1. Don’t drink my juice or eat your roommate’s

BREANNA PAUL food. This is like the main commandment of living with a person you don’t know.

2. Don’t stay up all night on the phone or listening to loud music with a heavy bass. Then ask “Am I bothering you?” Most likely you won’t stop doing what you are doing, so what’s the point of asking the question.

3. Don’t touch any of your roommates’ belongings or “borrow” them without the owner’s permission. You should ask, even if you get a “Hell no!” you will feel really bad about using them.

4. Keep the bathroom clean.This includes the toilet, shower, and sink areas. Don’t leave empty tissue rolls everywhere or hair in the shower or in the

sink. Sometimes I wonder how some females live like pigs but act like princesses on the strip.

5. Don’t put your empty chicken boxes or plastic bowls with Maruchan noodles in my garbage.

Most of the time, you won’t offer to take out the trash.

When visiting my friend’s room, this makes me wonder one question. “Did you get this way because you don’t know any better or because you know better but are out on your own and decide to act out?” All I’m saying is be courteous and conscientious of your roommates and suitemates.

My father always tells me, “Treat everyone how you would want to be treated.”

I don’t know about you all but I like being clean and having a clean area to sleep, study and eat. Therefore so should you!

Lastly, even though “cleanliness is next to godliness” is not in the bible, it is very important; because when you are clean, you are happy!

I’m just frustrated Usually, I can be found on the scene taking pictures.

However, for a moment I stepped away from the photography scene to embrace my writing skills.

Two things have prompted this action—Tuesday’s soiree in the SU bookstore and the antics of our financial aid department.

On Tuesday, as any other day, I proceeded to the SU bookstore to purchase snack items to be paid for with my hard-earned money, not my book voucher! Of course its the second week of class and the bookstore was crowed with eager students trying to purchase books and other items as well.

I proceeded to shop for the snacks, peruse the “sales” and then decided to stand in line to checkout. Silly of me to not know that the cashier at the front counter didn’t feel as if it were in her job title to check out students that only came to the store to purchase small items not books. Her direct words, “Ya’ll gotta get out of my line, I’m only doing returns, and if you wanna check out go get in the book voucher line.”

You mean to tell me,

get online @

KENYETTA COLLINS she can’t handle returns and checking out regular customers as well? Everyone could see that the book voucher line was wrapped around the store to the section of where the books were stored on the shelves.

So not only myself, but everyone else that was in the “returns” line, had to get out of line and either settle for the book voucher line or to come back later.

Was the cashier purposely rude because she didn’t want to do her job, or could this situation have been handled differently? Might I suggest that the SU bookstore, its managers and employees go back to the drawing board to discover a successful plan to accommodate students in the correct way that could possibly alleviate their stress as well.

On to the next—SU

Financial Aid. Where is the DIGEST’s money?

We haven’t been paid at all this school year! I’m sure you enjoy reading the DIGEST, but did you know that time and effort from every DIGEST student staff member goes into every last issue. We’re student journalists, using what we learn while on staff for our future careers. I, myself, will be attending film school upon graduation on May 14.

It wasn’t enough that we were given the runaround about our funds, so we made it our business to go to the financial aid office and were still given the runaround.

The DIGEST functions off of grants (student fees and advertising revenue); therefore our money has been made available to us.

The DIGEST was assigned a case worker, however tracking down that case worker is like finding a needle in a haystack. Where is she? I’m pleading, begging and praying that we, the DIGEST students are paid before the end of the month.

SU bookstore and SU Financial Aid, PLEASE GET IT TOGETHER!

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What are your expectations for the NFC Championship game?

BY trevor james Digest Photographer

edward johnson new orleans freshman nursing

“The Saints are going all the way.” johnson

ashley zone houston freshman biology

zone

“Go Saints! I love Reggie!”

tanesha smith houston freshman biology

smith

“I’m rooting for the Saints to win the game. WHO DAT!”

chardonnay taylor new orleans sophomore occupational therapy

taylor

“The Saints are going to pound the Vikings.”

SUBMISSIONS POLICY

The Southern DIGEST welcomes letters from readers commenting on current issues and other matters of general interest to the SU family and public. We set aside this space to publish these letters for others to enjoy. This newspaper is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on its editorial and opinion pages. The Southern DIGEST reserves the right to edit any contributions and or reject them without notification. Authors are encouraged to limit the length of submissions to 300 words. Letters should not include libelous statements. Offensive and personal attacks will not be permitted. The DIGEST will not print “open letters” addressed to someone else. All contributions must be type written, signed and must include the author’s address and phone number. Unsigned letters will not be printed.

Southern University students should include their majors, hometowns and year in school.

When referring to specific DIGEST articles, please include the date and title. All materials should be directed to the editor in chief of The Southern DIGEST, P.O. Box 10180, Baton Rouge, La. 70813. Materials may be delivered by hand to the DIGEST office located in Suite 1064 Harris Hall or can be e-mail to digest@ subr.com.

Editorial policy

Staff editorials represent the opinions of the author and the majority opinion of the Southern DIGEST Student Editorial Board, which is comprised of the student staff of editors and columnists. The Southern DIGEST provides an open forum to educate, inform and enlighten the students, faculty and staff at Southern University, Baton Rouge, La.

Page 8 - Friday, January 22, 2010

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