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Exclusive content @
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
www.southerndigest.com
Volume 58, Issue 9
Southern celebrates 132nd birthday see Founders’ Day, Page 4
Today
Grambling State sweeps Jaguars see Sports, Page 5
‘Alabama Sky’ addresses taboos see Culture, Page 6
New LED fixtures shed new light on campus Marcus Green
The Southern Digest
With the university already switching to a four-day school week to save money by cutting energy costs, the installation of new LED lights around campus could save even more while assisting with student safety. “The school received a grant to update it’s lighting on campus,” said SGA President Demetrius Sumner. The new light-emitting diodes (LEDs) will replace the incandescent lights that used to be up all over campus. “I lived on campus and I’m glad to see Southern is making a better living environment for its students,” said Chardonnay Spears, a mass communication major from Queens, N.Y. The incandescent lights used 60 watts of electricity an hour, and had a low life span averaging only 1,200 hours. “These lights also upgrade campus scenery because they are
much more modern lights,” said Sumner. The new LED lights are semiconductor devices that convert electricity into light. These bulbs are more efficient than incandescent using only 6-8 watts an hour allowing them an additional ten to twenty days of energy. The scenery isn’t the only thing these LED lights will improve, as they will also enhance campus safety for university students. Brandon Dumas, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs said it is part of his job to ensure the protection of students while they’re at Southern trying to gain an education. With these bulbs lasting up to 50,000 hours using little energy, the university will save money on electricity. The lights have been put up in heavy traffic areas such as the entry part of Harding Boulevard, the student union parking lot, and lining the side of the administration building.
photo by trevor james/digest
Workers complete wiring for a newly installed light fixture just feet from Mayberry Dining Hall and the J.S. Clark Administration Building. Officials said the new LED fixtures could save money while improving student safety.
“Students will be more conscious of their surroundings and thus they will be safer,” said Sumner. Many students have classes
Baton Rouge said, “I have night classes and I’m not always walking with someone, so I would like for these lights to be put up in as many places as possible.”
Meshing teaching, learning styles smoothes transition
Jindal pitches education revamp
Christie Carral
The Southern Digest
Melinda Deslatte The Associated Press
Gov. Bobby Jindal framed his wide-ranging plans to overhaul public education financing and teacher evaluations Monday as a “moral imperative” to improve education, as lawmakers opened their three-month regular session. The Republican governor wants them to shift taxpayer money into a program that would pay for private school tuition, do away with the seniority-based system of teacher pay and make it tougher for teachers to reach the job protection called tenure. “The moral imperative to improve education goes to the heart of the American dream,” Jindal told a joint session of the House and Senate. He added: “For us to continue to provide that American dream for our children, it starts with a great education.” Jindal focused his 25-minute
after 5:30 p.m. and good lighting is essential when they’re walking back and forth on campus. Michelle Yolks, a mass communication major from
photo by GERALD HERBERT/AP PHOTO
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal receives applause from legislators as he addresses the state legislature on the opening session in Baton Rouge, La., Monday. Gov. Bobby Jindal says Louisiana has a “moral imperative” to improve education, telling lawmakers they need to revamp the state’s system of paying teachers and expand a voucher program statewide.
speech on education, which he called his top priority for the session, and a series of changes he’s pushing to the pension plans for thousands of rank-and-file state government employees. Despite an $895 million shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year, Jindal didn’t discuss his budget plans in his address. The governor’s retirement and education agenda, along with the continued budget problems, are the centerpieces of the session, which must end by June 4. Jindal has raised the ire of unions,
traditional public education leaders, government workers and retirees with his suggestions. In turn, the governor has called such critics “the coalition for the status quo.” “The challenges I put in front of you today are not about the next polls. They’re not even about the next elections. They’re really about the next generation. We have a chance to shape the kind of future we leave behind to See Jindal Pitches page 3
Transitioning from high school to college, not all students are capable of learning or understanding completely due to the various learning styles that higher education provides. There are many learning styles in teaching and it is important that each student knows the type of learner they are in order to succeed in their academics. According to a presentation given by Lindsey Wiltz, mentoring seminar instructor and counselor in the Center for Student Success, there are three main learning styles, which are visual, auditory and tactile or kinesthetic. Wiltz said she uses Microsoft PowerPoint presentations for her seminar classes. Each of her students learn the three main types of learning styles and then take a survey of what type of learner they are considered to be. When the students are done with the survey, they
the official student newspaper of southern university and A&m college, baton rouge, louisiana
tally up the information, which classifies them as a type of learner. According to the presentation by Wiltz, 60-65 percent of the population is visual learners, 30 percent are auditory learners and 5-10 percent is tactile learners. “If a student is a visual learner, students are encouraged to sit in front of the class so that student would not be disturbed,” said Wiltz. After students are done with their tallied information, based on the information that classifies them as a specific learner, she gives each student pointers on how they can learn easier. It is important that students know learning styles due to the fact that they can develop strategies, which use the stronger styles and help strengthen the weaker ones. For instance, if a learner does not comprehend spoken instruction well but knows he See Meshing Styles page 3