Southern Digest March 25th edition

STATE & NATION

SPORTS

VIEWPOINTS

New majority black district added. pG. 4

SU softball sweeps series. pG. 5

Which side are you on? pG. 7

la. senate redraws districts

the battle is just beginning

su holds off miles college

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FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2011

VOL. 57, ISSUE 12

Crime at SU falls 8 percent

Breakers urged to use caution by charles hawkins diGest coNtribUtiNG writer

by samantha smith diGest staFF writer

The Southern University Police Department released its annual crime statistics report.

According to the report, crime on campus has dropped by eight percent over last year.

“To have any crime is an issue,” says SU Police Chief Col. Terry Landry. “I aspire for crime to be in the zero categories, but I am not naive enough to believe that we live in a perfect and sterile environment,” added Landry.

Overall there was no increase in violent crimes and a decline in assaults reported. According to the report the height of criminal activity on campus occurs during the months of September and October, when crimes against property reaches its peak.

“These numbers are always a concern, we look at these numbers as a management tool in deploying our resources when and where they are needed,” said Col. Landry.

Landry was commissioned by the administration for his second term as interim to oversee the operations of the department and aid in the search for a permanent police chief.

Since becoming chief, he has applied the latest and best practices in law enforcement and has networked with other agencies to ensure the safety of those in the community. He has implemented increased event security, with the help of city police, and the addition of dorm patrol officers to supplement primary officers and function as problem solvers and to police common areas.

“To deter, distract and arrest those who commit crimes See sU CrIMe page 3

photo by darnell Fisher./diGest

roderick west, the executive Vice president and cao of the company entergy, speaks to a group of students and guests last night in tt allain, invited as a guest speaker by the Mba association.

West: “Are you committed?”

Entergy CAO discusses power of teamwork, commitment by christie carral diGest staFF writer

Roderick K. West, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Entergy New Orleans, Inc., stated, “Life is a long string of right nows,” as he explained to the audience that he did not plan to be the CAO of Entergy.

West was the last speaker for the 2010-2011 Global Leadership Speaker Forum Series in Wednesday night’s forum, hosted by the College of Business and the Master of Business Administration program.

“There is not a day that goes by that I lose sight of what I am and who I represent,” says West as he explained the power of teamwork.

West later described how big of a competitor he is, “If I’m in it, I’m in it to win it,” he says, “I don’t even let my daughter beat me in video games.”

“What is it we present when we are college graduates and law school graduates?” West asks the audience.

West stated that all that we have established in school is the ability to learn, unlearn and relearn, “That’s it!” West exclaims. “That is the only thing you can bring to the table.”

West says that in the corporate world, companies will ask potential employees three essential questions.

West says he asks the questions: “Can I trust you? Do you care? Are you committed?”

West replied, “If I can answer these questions in an affirmative I know I have a prospective employer.”

West posed a question, “What is the first thing they ask you when you apply for a job?”

“Your resume is what you present to the world when the lights are off,” says West.

West explained that it’s not what you present on your resume, but its what you show to the world. A credit check is not trying to get your business, West exclaimed.

West said that no one cares about your personality or your personal background.

Businesses, like Entergy, want to know if you are capable of retaining and making money.

“If you’re not taking care of business on the front end, it creates a hurdle you’re going to have to jump,” says West.

In this modern society, West says, there is no way you can get away with things.

That is the reason he poses the question, “Can I trust you?”

West says that these questions are implemented in board discussions and meetings about students who are being considered for hire, to see if they are taking care of business.

“People will forgive you for making mistakes,” West says, “its really about how you work in teams.” West says the success of the enterprise is not you; the business is built by team work.

Later in the forum there was a segment for questions and answers from the audience.

Dr. George Neely, Chair Marketing and Management in the Business College, presented West with an award.

Southern University students prepare for the sun and fun over the week as spring break quickly approaches, but Spring Break safety has become an issue with the current drug cartel wars going on in Mexico.

Students and tourist are still considering travel to Mexico for spring break even with these massacres occurring. Students seem to have more concerns with price than safety.

On September 10, 2010 the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs issued a travel warning to those considering traveling to Mexico.

“Depends on who I went with,” said Evan Hutchins senior architecture major from Natchez, Miss., native on if he was going to Mexico.

Through different online venues Delta airline has the lowest prices for a round-trip to Cancun, Mexico ranging from $358 to $474 per person.

“I plan on going to South Padre, Texas instead,” said Hutchins about his destination.

He went on to say that safety was not a decisive factor in his choice, but other students recommending South Padre helped in his decision.

South Padre Island is considered a top ten spring break destination, which has become more popular year after year.

“Yea, but still stay in the safe areas,” said Peace Scott junior architecture major and Donaldsonville, La., native when she considered going to Mexico. She went on to say that she planned on attending Florida for her spring break to meet with friends.

An Analysis conducted by Avvo, a website created for the medical and law fields, listed the top 25 dangerous cities See break safety page 3

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HI - 46° / LO - 30° 30% CHANCE OF RAIN

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SATURDAY, MARCH 26

partly cloudy HI - 85° / LO - 66° 20% CHANCE OF PRECIP

Classifieds apartments For rent

Looking to move? Call now about our great movein specials. 1.866.972.5495.

Campus Briefs TODAY sprinG break residence and dininG hall closures

Residence Halls will close today at 5pm for Spring Break. They will re-open on April 3 at 8am.

Mayberry will close at 6pm tonight and Mayberry and Dunn Dining Halls will reopen for regular breakfast hours on April 4.

12th annual Greek variety show

The Greater Baton Rouge Pan Hellenic Council presents the 12th annual greek variety show will be tonight in F. G. Clark Activity Center at 7pm. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Tickets can be purchased in the Student Programs office located in Smith-Brown Memorial Union, Second floor, Suite 203.

MARCH 26 capital area heart walk

The Capital Area Heart walk will be on Saturday, March 26 at LSU Old Front Nine located at the corner of Nicholson Drive and Nicholson Drive Ext. The walk is free and open to the public. Attendees will be accommodated with free Subway, jambalaya, Coca-Cola products, refreshments, and health screenings. For information, directions, and donation call 225.771.2160.

SUNDAY, MARCH 27

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MARCH 31

ronald e. mcnair scholars proGram

Students are encouraged to submit an application to become a Ronald McNair scholar. Students will gain a stipend, mentored research experience, graduate school visit assistance, and GRE preparation assistance. Students must have a 3.0 GPA, be a first generation college student, have earned 60 hours of college credit, and have the desire for a Ph.D. Applications are due March 31. Contact Veronica Freeman at 225.771.4717 or come by Higgins Hall room 208D to pick up an application.

APRIL 5 campaiGn week

The week following Spring Break will be Campaign Week. The week will include the SGA Election Debates on Tuesday April 5 at 6:30pm and the Miss Southern Pageant on Thursday April 7 at 7:30pm in FG. Clark Activity Center. The location for the SGA Debate will be announced. All students are encourages to participate in Election on Monday April 11 in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom of Smith-Brown Memorial Union fron 9am-5pm. Students are required to bring there student id in order to vote.

If there is an Election runoff the Run off Debate is scheduled for April 12 at 6:30pm in the Cotillions Ballroom and the Run off Election will be held in the Cotillion Ballroom on April 13 from 9am-5pm. caFÉ lacumba

Come join your colleagues and faculty for a delicious and healthy lunch! All items are made fresh and can be enjoyed as dine-in or on-the-go.

MONDAY, MARCH 28

TUESDAY, MARCH 29

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Café Lacumba will be serving up sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads, snacks, and beverages every Wednesday from 11AM-1:30PM. Café Lacumba is located in 161 Pinkie E. Thrift Hall (between Tourgee A. DeBose Hall and James Blaine Moore Hall). For more information, please call (225) 771- 4660. women in media scholarship

Women in Media, Inc. is providing applications for the Jean Wheeler Memorial Scholarship to be granted to an outstanding full-time senior female student during the fall 2011 and spring 2012 semesters.

Applicants must have 3.0 overall and in their major and must be a major in Journalism, Mass Communications, Theater, or media related field. Applications and details can be found on the women in media website. www.womeninmedia.net.

APRIL 7 prospective su mba student inFo sessions

Any students who are interested in the SU MBA program have an opportunity to attend the information session held by the program, These sessions will be a source of information and place to get your questions answered about the SU MBA program. There will a session on April 7 and April 21. Both sessions will be held in T.T. Allain Room 313 from 6-7pm.

APRIL 22 retool southern university

Student Orientation Leaders and Ambassadors encourage all students, faculty, staff, and Southern University community members to vote to retool our school. Visit www. retoolyourschool.com and

vote for Southern University and A&M College. The last day to vote is April 22.

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sUite 1064 – t.h.harris haLL p.o. boX 10180 – batoN roUGe, La 70813 225.771.2231 phoNe / 225.771.5840 FaX www.soUtherNdiGest.coM issN: 1540-7276. copyright 2008 by the southern University office of student Media services. the southern diGest is written, edited and published by members of the student body at southern University and a&M college. all articles, photographs and graphics are property of the southern diGest and its contents may not be reproduced or republished without the written permission from the editor in chief and director of student Media services. the southern diGest is published twice-weekly (tuesday & Friday) with a run count of 6,000 copies per issue during the southern University - baton rouge campus fall, spring semesters. the paper is free to students, staff, faculty and general public every tuesday & Friday morning on the sUbr campus. the southern diGest student offices are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. the offices are located on the first floor of t.h. harris hall, suite 1064. the southern diGest is the official student newspaper of southern University and a&M college located in baton rouge, Louisiana. articles, features, opinions, speak out and editorials do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the administration and its policies. signed articles, feedback, commentaries and features do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors, staff or student body.

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MISSION STATEMENT the mission of southern University and a&M college, an historically black, 1890 land-grant institution, is to provide opportunities for a diverse student population to achieve a high-quality, global educational experience, to engage in scholarly, research, and creative activities, and to give meaningful public service to the community, the state, the nation, and the world so that southern University graduates are competent, informed, and productive citizens. website: www.subr.edu.

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U.S. presses allies to command

SUNO students plan campaign

By robert burns & erica werner

NEW ORLEANS — Some Southern University at New Orleans students plan a gettogether at the campus gym to draft letters opposing a plan that would take their school out of the historically black Southern University System.

Thursday’s activity at SUNO comes after the state’s top higher education board last week recommended consolidation of many functions of SUNO and the neighboring University of New Orleans.

The proposed “University of Greater New Orleans” would be governed by the University of Louisiana System — removing SUNO from the Southern University System.

Opponents of the move, which is backed by Gov. Bobby Jindal, say it would leave minority students with fewer educational opportunities. Backers cite low enrollment and graduation rates in saying that the current structure of higher education in New Orleans is not serving anyone well.

by the associated press

the associated press

WASHINGTON — Anxious to reduce its front-line air combat role in Libya, the Obama administration pressed Thursday for allies who first pushed for the campaign to come up with a workable alternative.

U.S. officials said the leadership handoff would come within a few days — with President Barack Obama facing growing congressional misgivings — and fellow NATO countries held crisis talks about the military operation.

In Ankara, Turkey, state-run TV quoted Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as saying Turkey’s objections concerning NATO’s role had been met and NATO would indeed take command. No official action on such a switch was immediately announced.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton held a conference call with British Foreign Secretary William Hague, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and Davutoglu on coordinating the process. The U.S. has been vague about what combat role the American military might continue to play once allies take the formal lead.

American and allied planes and ships pummeled Libyan air defenses and other military targets Thursday as the international alliance confronting Moammar Gadhafi moved toward shifting its command lead from Washington to NATO. U.S. officials avoid describing the operation as a war. White house press secretary Jay Carney said it was “a timelimited, scope-limited military action.”

Uncertainty also hung over the domestic politics of U.S. handling of an air campaign that is being executed by a coalition of countries, including Canada and several European allies, under a U.N. Security Council mandate.

Critics have questioned the purpose and cost of U.S. military involvement, as well as the legality of Obama acting without Congress’ approval.

NATO’s governing North Atlantic Council was meeting in Brussels to consider a way ahead. It has been meeting for six straight days, but a series of disagreements, including whether NATO should have overall political control over the operation and how aggressive the mission should be, have so far blocked agreement.

The White House was convening its own administration talks Thursday to consider the direction of events in Libya and the future U.S. role. Officials said there was no absolute deadline to hand over front-line control to other countries, or for an end to all U.S. participation. Still, with the costs

photo by cyril davesne/ap photo

In this photo provided by the French Army, French Navy technicians load a Mica missile under the wing of a Rafale jet fighter on the deck of Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean sea. The international military operation against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s forces may last days or weeks — but not months, France’s foreign minister said Thursday. Alain Juppe also said that he hopes the campaign in Libya serves as a warning to autocratic regimes elsewhere, including in Syria and Saudi Arabia.

of the campaign growing by the day and members of Congress raising complaints over the goals in Libya, the administration wants its allies to take the lead soon.

“We are still operating under that timeline, that it will be days, not weeks,” Carney said.

Obama has said the U.S. will continue to provide certain noncombat help that others cannot - particularly intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activities, as well as aerial refueling of allies’ warplanes.

But it was unclear whether American jets would join in combat air patrols to enforce a no-fly zone or to strike at ground targets.

Up to now the U.S has played the dominant role.

Between Tuesday and Wednesday, there were 175 air missions — including noncombat flights — in the Libya operation, according to Pentagon figures. Of that total, 65 percent were flown by U.S. planes and 35 percent were flown by allied aircraft. Three days earlier, the U.S. made 87 percent of the flights compared with 13 percent by allied aircraft.

Carney disputed complaints from Congress about inadequate consultation prior to the start of the military campaign, and he discounted the need for a specific response from the White House to a letter Wednesday from House Speaker John Boehner asking for details on the goals, costs and scope of the operation.

“We have certainly endeavored to answer those questions already. I don’t know of any specific response to the letter, I’m not precluding one,” said Carney.

Carney said that if the president had waited for Congress to return from its recess before moving on Libya, “Gadhafi’s forces would control Benghazi and there would have been a great deal of people killed in the process.”

Allied officials have said Gadhafi’s air force has been essentially defeated, but he remained defiant even as his forces absorbed more heavy blows against his artillery, tanks

and ammunition bunkers.

The U.S. assumed command of the operation, which began on Saturday, largely because it alone possesses the military wherewithal to coordinate the complex array of movements, targeting and intelligence collection that was required to enable the establishment of a protective no-fly zone over Libya. Now that Gadhafi’s air force has been grounded and his air defenses largely silenced, the mission could be pursued under a different command such as NATO. An American Army general now oversees the campaign from Europe, and an American Navy admiral is the day-to-day commander from a floating command post off the Libyan coast. An American Air Force two-star general is running the air portion of the mission, and one official said it was possible that the Air Force officer would remain in charge of the air campaign even after the overall operation was shifted to NATO or other non-U.S. command. That official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal military deliberations.

To try to stop Gadhafi’s forces from attacking civilians in cities and other areas where rebels are seeking his overthrow, the international coalition has established a no-fly zone over northern portions of the country. It also is trying to compel his ground forces to stand down.

French fighter jets struck an air base deep inside Libya and destroyed one of Gadhafi’s planes Thursday, and other coalition bombers struck artillery, arms depots and parked helicopters. Fourteen Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from U.S. and British ships in the Mediterranean late Wednesday and early Thursday, U.S. officials said. Their targets included Gadhafi’s air defense missile sites in Tripoli and south of the capital, one official said.

Other attacks were launched against an ammunition bunker near Misrata and forces south of the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, the officials said.

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break safety from page 1 for travel. South Padre, Texas ranked six on the list while the rest of the list was rounded out with mostly Florida cities.

Factors used to rank the cities were rape risk, fatal car crashes, violent crime risk and murder risk.

SU CRIME from page 1 against this property”, Landry said is the foremost goal of the university police.

Landry wants to change the philosophy within the department to that of community policing.

“Police should be a part of and not a part from the community,” said Landry.

Landry says that officers and students alike should be proactive in crime prevention.

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Senate redraws districts By melinda deslatte the associated press

Senate President Joel Chaisson’s plan to redesign the Senate’s 39 seats and add a new majority black district among them scraped through committee Thursday and will be heard by the full chamber next week amid disagreements about how to draw the lines that will govern elections for at least a decade.

The Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 4-3 to advance Chaisson’s remapping proposal after hours of debate about how to properly represent minorities, municipalities and hurricane-damaged regions of the state. Lawmakers bickered about incumbent protection, regional interests and small precinct changes.

The revamp of districts is more sweeping than in past

photo by arthur d. lauck/ap photo

Before taking up redrawing the Senate districts, Senators, from left, David Heitmeier, D-New Orleans, Senate President Joel Chaisson, D-Destrehan, Jack Donahue, R- Mandeville, Bob Kostelka, R-Monroe, Lidia Jackson, D-Shreveport, and Ed Murry, D-New Orleans, confer Thursday. The Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs passed out the lead plan on redrawing the districts.

redistricting sessions, because of large movements of residents after hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the New Orleans area and coastal parishes in 2005.

The Baton Rouge area and its suburbs and the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain made substantial gains in the latest census data, while northeast Louisiana continued to lose residents.

“Never has Louisiana faced such a dramatic and profound

shift in its population,” said Chaisson, D-Destrehan.

Among the major points of contention are how many majority black districts each body should have, to comply with the Voting Rights Act and get approval from the Justice Department. Louisiana’s new maps must be approved by federal officials to ensure adequate minority representation in a state where one-third of residents are black.

Miami police shootings subject of panel hearing By curt anderson ap legal affairs writer

MIAMI — The recent shootings of seven African-American suspects by Miami police officers is stirring outrage in many inner-city neighborhoods, prompting the city commission to hold a hearing Thursday to allow family members and activists to air their grievances.

Before the hearing, U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Democrat who represents the area, wants the Justice Department to open a civil rights investigation and the agency said it was reviewing her request.

She also called on Police Chief Miguel Exposito to resign.

“People are afraid for their children.

Black men are afraid for their lives as well,” Wilson said. “Are the police more prone to use violence in our community?

It’s just shoot them, shoot them dead.”

The hearing was scheduled for later Thursday afternoon.

Exposito defended his officers, contending the suspects are usually responsible when a situation turns violent.

“If the person they stop fails to obey orders, particularly when you are told to keep your hands on the car or don’t reach into the car, it’s going to be a problem,” the chief said. “It doesn’t matter what community it is, white, black, Hispanic or Oriental.”

The shootings of six men and one 16-year-old boy took place between July and February. They occurred after with Exposito doubled the number of officers,

now over 100, in specialized tactical units targeting violent crime in poorer neighborhoods long plagued by drugs and gangs. He said the units have made hundreds of arrests and taken some 1,000 firearms off the streets.

“The officers did exactly what I wanted them to do,” he said.

Each of the shootings is being reviewed by state prosecutors, and none of those investigations are completed. Activists have been particularly vocal about cases in which two of the suspects were unarmed, but Exposito said that does not necessarily mean the shooting was unjustified.

Critics like Wilson see those shootings as emblematic of an overly aggressive, quick-trigger mentality taking root within the police department.

“That mentality is not going to be effective, if you think you can just go into a community and shoot and kill people without any benefit of the doubt,” she said.

The dangers faced by police in tough neighborhoods were underscored earlier this year in Florida, where four police officers were gunned down in two separate incidents in Miami and St. Petersburg, though those shootings didn’t involve Exposito’s department.

Exposito, a 37-year veteran who took over as chief in November 2009, has also clashed with the chief Miami-Dade County prosecutor over a shaky city corruption investigation, and with Mayor Tomas Regalado over a probe into video gaming machines.

Chaisson proposed to increase majority black Senate districts from 10 to 11, while a plan being worked out in the House would boost minority districts from 27 to 30. Lawmakers said they were trying to craft plans that would get federal approval — and wouldn’t force the Legislature to revisit the politically tricky issue a second time.

The full Senate will debate Chaisson’s bill Tuesday, while the House and Governmental

Affairs Committee planned a Friday vote on a measure that would reshape the 105 House districts. Congressional district maps will be considered by the House and Senate committees next week.

The work is part of a threeweek special session to adjust state legislative, U.S. House, Public Service Commission and state education board districts to match new census information.

The session must end by April 13.

SPORTS

Friday, March 25, 2011 - Page 5

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Southern holds off Miles College

By Morris dillard digest sports editor

Southern led 6-0 in the bottom of the second then held off Miles College to claim a 9-6 victory in a nonconference series Thursday evening.

Freshman Shawntall Steamer hit a homerun in the bottom sixth inning and totaled four runs batted in as the designated hitter.

SU (8-16) played decent on defense, according to head coach Nancy Marshall, who felt pitching was average even though they allowed three runs Wednesday.

“They were sitting back waiting on the pitch that was for them and being patient,” Marshall said after the game.”

“Otherwise we hit the ball when needed to, that’s the only thing

that went well.”

Michael Pless (4-8), who relieved starter Caroline Myers in the fifth inning, collected the victory. She pitched three innings, allowed one hit and three strikeouts against nine batters faced.

Myers (1-3) allowed seven hits, six runs had two strikeouts and in four innings.

“She’s (Pless) one of our go to kids,” Marshall said. “We got TSU (Texas Southern) coming up next weekend and where’re actually trying to give her body rest.”

Steamer led Southern, finishing 3-for- 4 at the plate with an rbi triple down the first base line in the fourth inning 7-4 lead. Harley Roller also went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Audrey Phillips went 2-for-4 with two runs. Jasmine Payne,

photo courtesy of su student Media southern’s Jasmine payne slides safely into second base as Miles college’s tiffany roberts fields the throw in the top of the first inning thursday. southern held on to defeat Miles 9-6.

Faydr Hall and Destanie Agee each scored a run.

“It feel good to come though for my team when they really needed me to for us to pull out the win,” Steamer said shortly after.

Miles erased a six run deficit in the third inning when Tiffany

Roberts hit a two-run homerun.

They left five runners on base and recorded three errors. They added four runs in the fourth on three hits.

Southern travel to Houston next weekend to play host against the Tigers in an important Athletic Conference

Jaguars looking to reload for 2011-12

By Morris dillard digest sports editor

The women’s basketball season is over, but the program’s future is not.

Now that the 2010-11 schedule is done, the women’s basketball team will begin offseason conditioning which includes, weight lifting, visits to the trainer, and shoot around inside the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

Southern (20-12) clinched the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season title for the first time in backto-back seasons under 11-year coach Sandy Pugh. They ranked second in scoring defense and went 10-3 at home despite ranking near the bottom in home attendance.

Pugh, whose team lost in the opening round of the postseason Women’s National Invitational Tournament at Tulane a week ago, said that the team had an awesome postseason despite playing without starting point guard Carneta Henderson.

Pugh also pointed out that several players had to learn new roles in the offense as a result, which became tough to hold up against towards the end of the season.

Not to mention a 1-2 record against Prairie View, who defeated Southern in the conference championship game.

“It’s been a long season.

These kids been through a

lot of ups and down with the injuries to their friends, and people were counting on them,” said Pugh. “That’s a lot to take in, especially at the end of the season.”

For Henderson, who suffered a season-ending knee sprain against Alabama State in February, started 16 games this season, totaled 27 steals, 40 assist and led the team in 3-point shooting percentage (33.3).

Despite Henderson’s injury, freshman guard Adrian Sanders, who played in 31 games, became the starter.

Sanders averaged 3.8 points and 2.3 assists per game in the absence of Henderson.

Sanders, who went to Ridgeway High School in Jackson, Tenn., said critics doubted the transition because she was a freshman. Pugh recruited Sanders to play guard despite an offer by Arkansas Pine-Bluff, her first choice.

“I feel like my dominant position is shooting guard,” Sanders said. “I’m willing to do whatever needs to be done to get the team where we needed to be.”

Sanders ranked third in assists (47) and seventh in scoring (3.3) for Southern.

However, senior guard Hannah Kador felt Sanders played well in spite of switching positions and playing injured.

The 5-9 guard earned secondteam ALL-SWAC honors this year, scored a season-high

series.

“TSU right now is on top,” Marshall said. “We actually have to get back on top. We owe TSU something because they swept us at their place last year. I told them we have to play one inning to the next and we gotta play tough.”

SPORT SHORTS digest NeWs serVice

Hall earns LSWA honor

Southern University’s Frazier Hall has been named the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Hitter of the Week for his batting prowess last week and weekend in leading the Jaguars to a 4-0 week.

Hall, the SWAC Preseason Player of the Year, and Lowes Senior Class Award Nominee, hit .818 for the week (9 of 11) with two home runs, two doubles, four walks, six runs scored and 11 RBI. he also had a slugging percentage of a staggering 1.545 and an on-base percentage of .813.

Southern defeated Loyola (86), and completed a three game sweep of the Selma University Bulldogs (12-0, 13-1, 10-3).

photo By david clarK iii/digest adrian sanders stepped up as a true freshman down the stretch run of southern’s sWac regular season title run. the Jaguars look to retool its roster in hopes of another run at the sWac title next season.

29 points against Mississippi Valley during a winning streak that ended at 12 games.

“Most of the time, she was the only point guard that was playing the position,” Kador said. “I think she did real well to say it was her first year.”

Pugh announced that she has a group enrolling in the fall which will be ready to go for the 2012 postseason. Southern returned 10 players, including five starters and were predicted

to repeat as conference champions before the 20102011 season.

In a vote of the conference coaches and sports information directors, senior forward Freda Allen has was named SWAC Defensive Player of the Year.

Allen led Southern’s defense, which forced a league-leading 2.71 turnovers per game.

Southern also ranked first in offensive rebounds with 17.0 per game.

SU Tennis wins roundup

The Southern tennis team posted wins over Prairie View, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Grambling State inSouthwestern Athletic Conference Western Division Roundup in Houston.Playing its first matches since losing 5-2 to Southeastern on March 2nd, the SU Jaguars (8-5, 7-0 SWAC) remained unbeaten in conference play with wins in the SWAC Western Division Roundup.

With the wins at the roundup, the Lady Jaguars will go into next month’s Southwestern Athletic Conference Tennis Championship as the top seed from the Western Division.

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‘Ties’ bind readers

‘Treme’ cast grows for Season 2

By billy washington

NEW ORLEANS — A crowded nightclub is the setting. Ragtime music echoes through the smokefilled room.

Actor Jon Seda walks toward the end of the bar, takes a seat and begins a shady conversation with a city insider about what’s happening in post-Katrina New Orleans.

And ... cut!

The room comes alive. The crew begins moving lights, cameras, cables, chairs. Extras sprint from one end of the room to the other, back to their marks. Makeup artists and hair stylists move toward Seda and his scene-mate, actor Dan Ziskie, to remove the shine from their faces and put stray hairs back in place as they prepare for another take in season two of the HBO series, “Treme.”

Seda, known for his roles in “The Pacific” and “Homicide: Life on the Street,” brings to life a new character in “Treme”: Nelson Hidalgo, a venture capitalist who comes to New Orleans looking to help the city rebuild a year after the killer storm, while helping himself in the process.

“This character is just the beauty of David Simon,” said Seda, during a recent break in filming. “He (Simon) digs deep and tells the truth — the good, the bad and the ugly.”

Seda said Hidalgo looks to capitalize on an opportunity, as many people did after posthurricane flooding ravaged New Orleans in 2005, and in the end comes to love the city and all that it has to offer.

“You know, a lot of money came through here after the hurricane and there are a lot of questions left about where that money is now.

Those are the types of stories that should be told and that Simon tells so well,” Seda said.

After Katrina, billions of dollars in federal aid poured in to help the city rebuild. An estimated 80 percent of New Orleans was flooded in the storm’s aftermath and for a time the city was abandoned.

Season Two picks up in 2006 and looks at a period in the city when crime “came back with a vengeance,” said Simon, the executive producer and cocreator with Eric Overmyer of the series based on the city’s Treme neighborhood and the people who live there.

“Schools reopened in a schizophrenic form, there was a lot of discussion about land use and urban planning and there was a lot of gamesmanship about where the money was and how a lot of the money never made it to where it was supposed to go.

By chevel johnson the associated press

digest a&E editor

If you are looking for a good read that focuses on Louisiana’s simple life, “Family Ties,” written by former Southern University English professor Ernest Hill, will take you through the lives and settings of country folk.

The central theme of Family Ties evolves around the motto, “Family is everything, but family ain’t much good when the circle has been broken.”

Family Ties is the sequel to Hill’s “A Life for a Life.” D’Ray Reid, the main character of both novels, is a thug who killed a young man named Stanley in order to save his little brother Little Man. When D’Ray was released from prison for murder, Mr. Henry, Stanley’s father, took D’Ray in as his own son and taught him how to be a man.

Due to Mr. Henry’s influence and guidance, D’Ray made a complete change in his life and earned a degree from college.

Family Ties begins with the

photo courtesy of jerrold oatis Former Southern University English professor Ernest Hill speaking about his book Family Ties during a book group discussion at Elm Grove Baptist Chuch in February.

death of Mr. Henry, which illustrates D’Ray being on his own. After being influenced

by Mr. Henry’s sister, Miss Big Siss, D’Ray decides to take a trip to Brownsville, La., to visit his mother, whom he has not seen in years. He initially believes his return will play out like the parable of the prodigal son; however, D’ray’s arrival in Brownsville only leads him to find out that his little brother, Little Man, has escaped prison.

Throughout the story, D’Ray’s main focus is trying to find his little brother before the police chief captures Little Man and eventually murders him. As the story unravels, the reader sees

how corrupt the police system of Brownsville is; Little Man was falsely accused and D’Ray is reun.ited with his mother and family.

Being a native of Lousiana, Ernest Hill’s writing style in Family Ties creates vivid imagery with the mention of small country towns. He speaks of Ferriday and Lake Providence and state Highway 17, which leads through Delhi, La., and servers the Franklin, West Carroll, and Richland Parishes.

Some critics believe Hill’s use of dialogue between characters makes the novel flow like a script; however, the quick dialogue actually brings out the

personalities of country folk who are simple people.

Family Ties is equipped with discussion questions at the end of the novel making this book a challenge for people to reflect upon. The importance of family, both immediate and universal is questioned.

Overall, Family Ties is definitely a great read for those who are struggling or want more clarity on the ancient proverbial question, am I my brother’s keeper? If you would like a copy of Family Ties, check out the SU Bookstore or any major book retailer.

You can also email Ernest Hill at ehill@ernesthillbooks.com.

Ja Rule pleads guilty to $3M tax evasion david porter the associated press

NEWARK, N.J. — Rapper and actor Ja Rule admitted Tuesday that he failed to pay taxes on more than $3 million in income, and he faces up to three years in prison.

The platinum-selling rapper, whose given name is Jeffrey Atkins, earned the money between 2004 and 2006 while he lived in Saddle River, an upscale community in northern New Jersey.

If the plea conditions are met, the government will dismiss two counts against him for unpaid taxes on about $1 million he earned in 2007 and 2008.

Atkins is scheduled to be sentenced June 13 on the three tax evasion charges.

He faces up to one year in prison and $100,000 in fines on each count.

Five days before that, he is scheduled to report to prison in New York to serve a two-year sentence after pleading guilty in December to attempted criminal possession of a weapon.

Atkins’ attorney, Stacy Richman, is expected to file to have the tax evasion sentence served concurrently with the weapons sentence.

photo by julio cortez/ap photo Rapper Ja Rule, left, is seen inside a vehicle outside Martin Luther King, Jr. Courthouse after pleading guilty to federal tax evasion charges, Tuesday in Newark, N.J. Ja Rule admitted he failed to pay taxes on more than $3 million earned between 2004 and 2006.

Atkins appeared in U.S. District Court in Newark dressed in a brown leather jacket, pullover and blue jeans. He answered a series of questions from U.S. Magistrate Patty Shwartz and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Mack about his income from 2004 to 2008, which reached $1.59 million in 2005 and gradually fell to $490,000 in 2008.

The government estimated the unpaid taxes from those years totaled more than $1.1 million.

According to a court filing by the U.S.

Attorney’s office, Atkins earned the money from music royalties paid to ASJA Inc. and live performance-related income paid to Rule Tours Inc. Atkins was the sole shareholder of both companies, the government alleged.

Atkins didn’t comment outside the courtroom. Asked how he felt about the charges as he stepped into a waiting car he said, “I feel great.”

Richman noted that her client surrendered voluntarily and will pay the delinquent taxes.

viewpoints Friday, March 25, 2011 - Page 7

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The New American Webster Dictionary defines progression as a moving forward, a sequence of events, and a series in which there is a constant relation between each item and the one preceding it. Progression in society is the result of rallies, marches, protests, political uprising, political lobbying, and criticism of the status quo. Society and environments evolve as its contributors evolve.

The need for a new “Southern University mentality” is critical for the evolution of the Southern University culture, image, and productivity. As students, faculty, and staff we can no longer accept the realities of our situation.

At this time the Jaguar Nation is not in existence due to lack of unity, determination, participation, and commitment.

It is time to truly forge a Jaguar Nation that works together for

The battle is just beginning

the common good. It is time for progression in the time of stagnation.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. visited Baton Rouge to provoke action. He left those students, faculty, staff, community members, and elected officials gathered with three keys to progression; registration, litigation, and demonstration.

It is time for our community to register to vote; make an impact at the polls. It is no longer acceptable for you as a citizen to not vote just because you think you won’t be counted; you most certainly will not be represented if you don’t contribute to electing officials on your behalf.

It is time for the people who are for our university to be present at the table of litigation.

There are opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and community members to turn out in numbers at Board of

Evan Taylor Supervisors meetings, Board of Regents meetings, Lawsuits and Court hearings regarding our institution and our community.

It is time for our community to make signs and provoke change with the voices and numbers that we have to use.

To organize rallies, marches, and protests peacefully to show support in numbers, minds, and hearts.

It is a battle we must fight and no one can fight it on our behalf.

Before we hold meetings, before we call to arms it is important for us to understand.

Not only where we have been and where we are but, where would like to go and how we would like to get there.

You can’t go to war and not understand what you are fighting for. And you definitely can not fight hard and then retreat. We must prepare for the battle ahead and prepare accordingly.

We must educate our communities; our parents, our children, our relatives, our friends, and even more importantly our enemies.

Those who stand against us can not stand against us if they truly understand. Once we educate then we can initiate; define the terms of progression and confirm the terms of our stagnation. Address the issues of our past to create the goals of our future.

With education and initiation no one can stand against us because they don’t know or

understand; we have to fight ignorance and intolerance with education and understanding.

We have to defeat giants of racism, discrimination, and misrepresentation with sticks and stones of facts, statistics, and participation.

Our future is more important than to be built on a foundation of laziness, ignorance, violence, injustice, misrepresentation, and carelessness. We need the foundation of our community to foster unity, education, equality, participation, and communication.

Choose progression over stagnation so, we can advance our community to its full potential, move beyond the status quo, and stop accepting the unacceptable.

Would you rather believe what I tell you or know for yourself?

You decide.

Embrace your inner shoe fiend Often times, the fashion world seems biased. Women adorn themselves with blouses, skirts, tights, shorts, boots, hair accessories, belts, heels, body suits, etc.; while men have a choice between a basic set of tops and bottoms.

Then there are shoes, and this, ladies, is where men have the opportunity to take the cake. Asics, Converse, Vans, Timberland, Fila, Steve Madden and the plethora of options provided by Nike create a smorgasbord of footwear options for men. I know plenty of women who won’t look twice at a man whose shoes aren’t impressive in one way or another. So what is it that

draws women to feet and men to shoes?

A man can be defined by the shoes on his feet, at least for the day. You see a man getting into his car on a sunny day wearing flip flops and one can assume he will be venturing into leisure activity; certainly no heavy lifting would be involved. The same can be said about a man stepping out for the day in freshly shined oxfords; it is very likely that church would be his destination.

For men, the chance to explore their personal identities and interests is most accessible through their footwear.

Avid skate boarders turn to Etnies, DCs and certain styles

ERICA S. JOHNSON of Nikes to help them hit their next trick, and show the world a preview of the activities they partake in. Intense athletes wear running or boxing shoes for comfort and utility, and every man has that pair of loafers or house shoes they throw on to run to the corner store or shoot off at the mouth

with their boys on the stoop.

Even a worn in pair of chucks can prove to the world your anti-establishment attitude.

Clubs and restaurants help dictate the kind of men they want in their establishments by the kinds of attire they permit.

Even the music industry makes a point of noting the importance of a fresh pair of kicks. Run D.M.C’s “My Adidas”, The Pack’s “Vans” and Nelly’s top hit “Air Force Ones” demonstrate the love for shoes that men have.

The lengths that shoe connoisseurs go to expand their collection has to be respected.

Spending upwards of $300 on an exclusive pair of shoes,

camping out in front of a store until midnight to be the first to own the newest type of sneaker and stacking shoe boxes from floor to ceiling is a feet many footgear hungry fans crave to brag about.

But spending your last dime can be a thing of the past. The Internet has opened venues for shoe collectors and sellers to meet in harmony. Shoe sites like drjays.com, n-sb.org and fightclubnyc.com offer old school exclusives and new age hot picks at unbeatable prices.

We’re talking $10 a pair in some cases. A little exploring and a good Internet connection could turn your shoe game from meek to chic in just a few clicks.

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.edu.

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.

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