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Exclusive content @
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
www.southerndigest.com
Volume 57, Issue 12
Scenes from Homecoming 2011 see Photo Essay, page 4-5
Where were you when the BOS voted?
Southern defense shows teeth
see Commentary, page 7
see Sports, Page 6
Llorens discusses exigency vote; SUBR’s future Evan Taylor
The Southern Digest
Plans for institutional restructuring to help balance Southern University’s abysmal budget are in the works as of Friday’s SUS Board of Supervisors’ unanimous vote for financial exigency. With the filing of financial exigency SUBR Chancellor James Llorens can submit a balanced budget without any “false assumptions” to the Board of Regents. Ronald Mason Jr., Southern University System president, voted in favor of the financial exigency declaration for the 2011-2012 fiscal year along with 13 other board members present. “I don’t think it’s a black mark on the university it will get a strong message out. One that’s better prepared to deliver academics to them. We are building a stronger university academically and we believe that will be attractive to students in the state and nationally,” Llorens said. Llorens explained the authority that the declaration will give him and his administration to build a better future for Southern. “Exigency allows the administration to implement furloughs, reorganize and restructure the university, implement reorganization and restructuring plans. If we did not declare exigency we would be looking at a more extended period,” Llorens said. The resolution approved requires Llorens to present restructuring plan
PHOTO BY keldric nash/digest file
Chancellor James Llorens discusses the financial status of SUBR with members of the Faculty Senate earlier this semester. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Friday for financial exigency.
at the November board of supervisors meeting. “We will report in the next 30 days. Faculty, staff, and students will be solicited for input in our plans.What we plan to project is a model institution in
the 21st century. With improvement in technology to deliver courses and technology used to support courses,” Llorens said. The uncertainty communicated in the public comments is where financial
exigency and emergency will leave students, faculty, and staff. “Tenured faculty who did not sign the voluntary furlough will be impacted. They will now have to be furloughed. And hope faculty and staff will work with their deans and chairs to effectively reduce their 40 hour week schedules, that they can identify it minimizing the impact on the students. Staff won’t see a difference. Students will not see an impact. Courses scheduled for the spring will still be offered. We can assure the students of southern that their education will be stronger after this,” Llorens said. Llorens seemed optimistic in his comments following the declaration. “It is a dramatic measure it is a drastic measure but I think it’s something that in the end we realize that was necessary for us to move forward, to develop this institution into a model 21st century institution. And that’s what the objective was we look at it as an opportunity. It affords us the opportunity to restructure our academic programs restructure our administrative operations and create a university here at Southern that will be able to respond to the changing financial conditions of the state. Allows us to move forward with our strong alumni base with our students, faculty and staff to develop a university that will generate the type of academic programs that will make this university stronger,” Llorens said. See Exigency page 8
SUAF reunites Jaguars Marcus Green
The Southern Digest
The Southern University Alumni Federation invited alumni and friends to return to the Baton Rouge campus for its annual Alumni Homecoming Roundup Friday at Seymour Gymnasium. This was the main event of the 2011 Southern University Alumni Homecoming Reunion Weekend. The Roundup was the gathering of university graduates celebrating 50, 40, 30, 20 and 10 years. Participants enjoyed access to Southern cuisine and a dance floor, enjoying performances by Zydeco singer Keith Frank and R&B group After 7. Graduates were encouraged to return and see how much the university has changed and adapted over the years with both students and technology. “This event allows graduates of SU to come back and not only
fraternize with other graduates but also to network with students,” said Robyn Merrick, Director of Alumni in the Office of Alumni Affairs. The Alumni federation has been a strong support system for Southern University for many years. In February, the Southern University System launched S.O.S — Support Our Southern — Campaign. Support Our Southern, is a general support and fundraising campaign dedicated to preserving access to education, excellence in teaching, and most importantly, ensuring the perpetuity of the Southern University System. The action was created in response to the budget crisis, along with a proposed merger of the University of New Orleans and Southern University-New Orleans. The proposal was defeated with a collective effort of legislative along with alumni
and student support. “Whatever we can do to help this university and ensure it’s future as a pillar in this community,” we will said Merrick. With Southern University’s recent financial issues, it’s imperative that the alumni come together and support the institution that set the foundation for their careers and is setting the foundation for the careers of the students that currently attend it. Merrick said “We encourage our alumni to come back and donate their time, talent, and treasure, their time meaning, to assist in certain departments that could use an extra hand or two, their talent meaning any skills that they have that could help the university students, and finally their treasure meaning their money. Anything they can give is greatly appreciated here.” Some graduates who attended the round-up, hadn’t visited the university in years but
PHOTO BY trevor james/digest
Southern University Alumni Federation National President Dennis S. Brown, right, discusses the Alumni Roundup with Keith Bynum.
expressed not only their concern for southern but also their inquiries on how the university can improve and overcome adversity. James Maholmes, a 1975
the official student newspaper of southern university and A&m college, baton rouge, louisiana
graduate said, “I think that the federation has done a good job in terms of keeping in contact See Reunion page 3
Campus Life southerndigest.com
Page 2 - Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Classifieds
African American seamstress, and Herman, a baker her white lover and common law husband. The story highlights racial politics, miscegenation, the role of African Americans in World War I, lynching, and the rights of African American women according to Kathy Perkins. The production opens Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Dramatic and Fine Arts Theatre in Frank Hayden Hall. The play will continue on Nov. 3, 4, and 5 at the same time. Admission is $3 for students and $5 for general public. For more information contact DR. Hendricks at 225.771.5847.
apartments for rent
Apt. homes available @ The Palisades. 1.866.936.5544.
WANT TO BUY
WANTED TO BUY 1973 SU Jazz Band record album. Also 1950, 1980 45rpm records. Call 225.687.8076.
Campus Briefs today Tag! You’re It! Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign
Baton Rouge General’s Pennington Cancer Center has launched a new breast cancer awareness campaign this year called, “Tag! You’re It!” The campaign encourages women to remember the importance of a proper, annual evaluation of their breast health and monthly self breast exams with the help of short message system (SMS) text message reminders. Women interested in registering to receive personalized breast health text message reminders can sign-up at www.brgtagyoureit.org.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Informational Sessions
Internships, Collaborations, and Research experience opportunities are available at Science Education programs at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Are you interested? Information Sessions will be held in the High Tech Room in P.B.S. Pinchback (Engineering Building) Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2-3 pm and Thursday, Nov. 3, 12-1 pm For more information contact: Mrs. Bronwyn Dickson @ Bronwyn_dickson@subr.edu or 225-771-3890 ext 209 or Dr. Francesca M. Mellieon-Williams @ francesca_williams@subr.edu or 225-771-5893.
november 2 Grad Prep Days
The Southern University bookstore will hold their “grad prep days” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 2 and Nov. 3. SU students and faculty will be able to order their regalia, caps, gowns, announcements and rings on these days. A late/rush fee of $20 will be applied to all Cap and Gown orders after November 11th. For more information go to www.facebook. com/southernuniversitybookstore or contact the bookstore at 225.771.4330.
music Faculty Chamber Recital
Joao Paulo Casarotti Faculty chamber recital. Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Debose Recital Hall. Guest artists to include; Pitagoras Goncalves, piano, Richard Hobson, baritone and Pedro Huff, cello. Featuring works from Schubert, Debussy, Piazzolla, and Nazareth-Vieira. The performance is free and open to the public.
Wedding Band: A Love/Hate story in black and white
november 18 Social and behavioral sciences undergraduate research conference
The Southern University department of Speech and theatre presents Wedding Band: A love/hate story in black and white by Alice Childress. The play details the interracial relationship between Julia, an
The Departments of Psychology and Social Work are pleased to sponsor the 13th Annual Social and Behavioral
Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Nov. 18 in the Smith-Brown Memorial Union Cotillion Ballroom. The conference will feature oral presentations of students’ empirical and theoretical research papers. For more information, please contact Dr. Reginald Rackley (771-2313) or Raven White (raven_white_00@subr.edu). Ag Stars
Calling all Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors … Do you have a 2.5 GPA and no declared major? Pursue an exciting degree in agricultural sciences and become a member of AG stars mentoring program. Ag star participants will earn $1,000 stipend per semester. Apply today in Fisher Hall Room 101. Ronald E. McNair Scholars
Do you have a 3.0 GPA? Lowincome first generation college student? Have a desire to earn a Ph.D. in your discipline? The SU Center for Social Research encourages rising juniors and seniors to apply for the Ronal E. McNair Scholarship. Applicants must have earned at least 60 credit hours. For more information contact Janeal Banks at 225.771.4717.
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Who’s Speaking Out? Do you think next semester’s four-day week will help or hurt students? Joshua Honery
Nodia Hamilton
DONALDSONVILLE, LA. SENIOR MUSIC EDUCATION
baton rouge sophomore finance
“I feel they should keep it the way it is now because it will lessen the day to learn.”
“It will harm the students because they will not be looking forward to having longer classes.”
Honery
Jodeci McKnight
Shontay Williams
hammond, la. sophomore criminal justice
merryville, la. freshman political science
“I think it will help students. It gives them time to study more, as well as see their family more.”
“In my opinion, a four-day school week will give students more time to study. It may also save the school more money.”
McKnight
Hamilton
Williams
Pinkie G. Lane Poetry Contest
Southern University students can start submitting for the Pinkie G. Lane Poetry Contest. Each entrant may submit no more than three (3) poems of no more than 35 lines for each poem. The poems can be on any subject matter and in any format, provided the content is not vulgar or offensive, does not contain profanity, and is the original, individual work of the entrant. Failure to comply will automatically eliminate the entry. Poems may be rhymed or non-rhymed, lyric, narrative, satire, elegiac, epic, philosophic, or didactic. Entrants retain copyright on his/her own individual work. Poems must be typed and submitted via email to pinkieglane@cox.net or online at the library’s website www.lib.subr.edu. For more information please contact committee chair Angela Proctor at (225) 7712624, angela_proctor@subr. edu or committee co-chair Maya Banks at (225) 771-2776, maya_banks@subr.edu.
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 5,000 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. Southern University and A&M College at Baton Rouge is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, telephone (404) 679-4500, Website: www.sacscoc.org. MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Southern University and A&M College, an Historically Black, 1890 landgrant 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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News southerndigest.com
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 - Page 3
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
SUS first tobacco-free system in La. Evan Taylor
The Southern Digest
Friday Southern University became first Historically Black College to become a 100 percent tabacco free campus with the approval of this initiative by the SUS Board of Supervisors. “We are very happy and very pleased. We have a lot of work before us. This is going to benefit everybody. I am extremely proud and happy the policy passed,” Frankie Poland, Regional Coordinator Communities of Color network at SU Ag Center said. The tobacco free campus policy for the system will be effective on January 2, 2012. Smoking and use of any tobacco products will be prohibited in buildings, facilities, dormitories, or on any campus grounds in accordance with the policy. According to Ronald Mason, SU System President in SU press release, “Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in this country. As the only HBCU System in the nation, we strive to provide a safe and healthy environment for our students, faculty, and staff to learn and work… adopting a tobacco-free policy is an example of this commitment.” Linda Early Brown, Director of Communities of Color Network at SU Ag center; stated the work involved in preparation for the passage of the policy in recent press release from the SU
system. “We have worked with the individual Southern University campuses to provide them with additional resources, technical assistance and sample policies. We are pleased that they are now part of the group of colleges and universities that have 100% tobacco-free campuses. The Southern University System is the first college system and only HBCU in Louisiana to go 100% Tobacco-Free. We urge other colleges and systems to pave the way and create healthy learning and working environments,” Brown said. Poland acknowledged that the Southern University system is making history and has the chance to create best practices and serve as an example to other HBCUs in adoption and implementation of this policy. “This is a movement that is gaining popularity. We want Southern University to take the lead as it relates to HBCUs. This is the first step in that direction,” Poland said. Darren Mire, Southern University Board of Supervisors chairman made a statement in a recent SU press release saying this policy will help the environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. “As an institution of higher learning we are committed to providing both a healthy and safe environment for our students, faculty, staff, and visitors. We applaud these efforts and want to model
best practice policies regarding tobacco,” Mire said. The SU Ag Center and Communities of Color Network will be asking for input in implementation and enforcement of the new policy. “We have a policy that is outlined and we plan to expound on. We plan to educate the students, faculty, and staff. Enforcement is a concern and we will look for input from students, faculty, and staff on how it will be implemented. We will be advising everyone in the process,” Poland said. She explained the process as being incremental and it will affect anyone and everyone who sets foot on any campus in the Southern University system. “We are going to be 100 percent tobacco free not just smoke free. It’s not just about cigars and cigarettes but, also smokeless tobacco. This policy will be extensive and affect students, faculty, employees, visitors, and vendors system wide,” Poland said. The next step in the transition will include gaining input from the campus and community for implementation and enforcement. “We will start in steps with incremental things. We are forming workgroups to gain input because it will be a system wide effort. It will be a cooperative and we will try to make the transition as easy as it can be,” Poland said.
Homeland Security reviews social media guidelines P. Solomon Banda The Associated Press
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The wave of uprisings across North Africa and the Middle East that have overturned three governments in the past year have prompted the U.S. government to begin developing guidelines for culling intelligence from social media networks, a top Homeland Security official said Monday. Department of Homeland Security Undersecretary Caryn Wagner said the use of such technology in uprisings that started in December in Tunisia shocked some officials into attention and prompted questions of whether the U.S. needs to do a better job of monitoring domestic social networking activity. “We’re still trying to figure out how you use things like Twitter as a source,” she said. “How do you establish trends and how do you then capture that in an intelligence product?” Wagner said the department is establishing guidelines on gleaning information from sites such as Twitter
and Facebook for law enforcement purposes. Wagner says those protocols are being developed under strict laws meant to prevent spying on U.S. citizens and protect privacy, including rules dictating the length of time the information can be stored and differences between domestic and international surveillance. Wagner said the Homeland Security department, established after the 9/11 attacks, is not actively monitoring any social networks. But when the department receives information about a potential threat, contractors are then asked to look for certain references within “open source” information, which is available to anyone on the Internet. The challenge, she said, is to develop guidelines for collecting and analyzing information so that it provides law enforcement officials with meaningful intelligence. “I can post anything on Facebook, is that valid? If 20 people are tweeting the same thing, then maybe that is valid,” she said. “There are just a lot of questions that we are sort of struggling
with because it’s a newly emerging (issue).” Wagner was in Colorado Springs to deliver a speech at the National Symposium on Homeland Security and Defense, a conference that included defense contractors and the military. Aside from discussing the use of technology in unrest that has led to regime changes in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, she delivered a speech that addressed the way the department operates, saying that its crucial elements include a nationwide network of 72 fusion centers that gather and analyze reports of suspicious activity, a new National Terrorism Advisory System that replaces the color coded alert system with one that provides more information about a threat, and a “See Something, Say Something” campaign that encourages citizens to report suspicious activity. She also said another key program involves training hundreds of thousands of law enforcement officers across the country in filling out suspicious activity reports.
graduate. Jeff Moore, another 1986 graduate said, “Were going through a recession right now, and there a lot of cuts going on, and with some grants and loans being taken out, it has a trickle down effect on the school. “I think we need to pull together, were all a big family here at
southern and we need to do whatever we can do to help things come along. Although the night was filled with years of Sothern University history, it is clear that it is going to take a combined effort of both the past and present of Southern to help the university weather it’s current storm.
Reunion from page 1 with the classes, but we’re going to have to come together as Southernites and just do this thing on our own.” “We as alumni need to interact better with the undergraduates and others, the communication shouldn’t be split but together because that’s how students learn,” said Paris Bundrige, a 1986
SPECIAL SECTION southerndigest.com
PAGE 4 - TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2011
THE SENTINEL OF AN ENLIGHTENED STUDENT BODY SINCE 1926
TRANSFORMING O
Page 4, clockwise from bottom left: Comedian Double D entertains the student body during the annual Homecoming Comedy Show (Keldric Nash/Digest). The Pretty n Pink dance troupe performs at the Homecoming Fashion Show (Talor Kinzy/Digest). Flames from the first-ever Homecoming bonfire lights up the night sky as students surround the fire (Trevor James/Digest). Joclyn Dunham, Health Educator, RN, and Community Prevention from St. Hope Foundation talks to Ramal Ellis about HIV/AIDS prevention and how he can win a TV in the drawing when he recieved his results at the BET Black College Tour (Evan Taylor/ Digest). Page 5, clockwise from top left: Rapper Big Sean rocks the crowd during the annual Homecoming Concert (Trevor James/Digest). Students and people from the community view art works of past and present Visual Arts faculty during the annual Homecoming Art Exhibition (Trevor James/Digest). Southern band director Lawrence Jackson conducts the Human Jukebox during JagFest (David Clark III/Digest). SGA President Demetrius Sumner escorts Miss Southern 2011-12 Chisolu Isiadinso during her coronation ceremony (Trevor James/Digest).
M
HOMECOMING 2011 southerndigest.com
THE SENTINEL OF AN ENLIGHTENED STUDENT BODY SINCE 1926
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2011 - PAGE5
OUR FUTURE S
tudents, alumni and those who love Southern University and all it stands for gathered on the bluff to celebrate Homecoming. They celebrated Baton Rouge native Chisolu Paula Isiadinso going “from the bayou to the promenade” as she was crowned the 82nd Miss Southern University. Money was raised to the beat of the drum at the first annual Jag Fest in celebration of the award winning SU Human Jukebox. Faculty: past and present exhibited works in honor of the founding faculty in The SU Visual Arts Department. The newest fashions and talents of the bluff were shown in the Fame and Fashion show. Big Sean, Dru Hill, and Travis Porter entertained attendees of the concert while Steve Brown, Double D and Benji Brown left the audience in stitches at the comedy show. When it all came down to the gridiron, Southern University Jaguars prevailed 30-14 over the Alcorn State Braves. —Evan Taylor
MISSION POSSIBLE
sPorTs southerndigest.com
Page 6 - Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The seNTiNel of aN eNlighTeNed sTudeNT body siNCe 1926
Southern defense shows teeth against Braves MORRIS DILLARD
The Southern Digest
Second-year defensive coordinator O’Neil Gilbert knew his young defense would start to click at some point. He didn’t know when, but they came together at the best possible time. Gilbert’s hard-hitting defense overwhelmed Alcorn State, sacking its quarterback once and forcing two turnovers in a 30-14 home finale win in front of 15,011 fans that filled Mumford Stadium Saturday night for homecoming. “It was just a good old-fashioned butt whooping,” head coach Melvin Spears of Alcorn said after the game. The Braves (2-5, 1-5 SWAC), who won the last meeting between the schools, gained 219 yards of total offense, 96 in the second half. Spears’ offense was force to punt the ball away on its first seven drives. As a result, 118 yards of total offense, one fumble, five punts, and a missed field goal. The Jaguars offense scored touchdowns on its first three possessions, had 124 yards of offense and no turnovers, a statistic the Jaguars (3-5, 3-3) could not afford to win.
PHOTO BY TREVOR JAMES/DIGEST
Southern defensive back Mychal Bell tackles Alcorn State running back Anthony Williams short of a first down during Saturday’s Homecoming game.
“I think this was the best performance we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Gilbert said. “It started on Tuesday at practice, they came out with the right attitude and they’ve worked hard all the way up until tonight.” The Jaguars will head to
Houston next Saturday, looking to redeem last year’s 54-7 blowout loss to Texas Southern. Meanwhile, SU finished 2-9, the worst record in school history, losing the last six games in 2010. “Our backs were against the wall,” true freshman quarterback
JP Douglas said, who started for the second straight week. “It feels good to have a defense that doesn’t stay on the field often and gives the offense back the ball so we can do our thing.” Gilbert’s defense played the way it did when they held Alabama
A&M offense to two field goals in a 21-6 win in Sept 10. AAMU running back Kaderius Lacey, who finished as a top rusher a year ago, was held to 21 yards without a score. Lacey is the second leading rusher in the conference this season with 733 yards, averaging 91 yards per game. From there, Gilbert’s defense struggled. However, as shown by losses to Jackson State, Florida A&M, Prairie View and Pine-Bluff, Gilberts’ defense is improving. Each margin of defeat was by five points or less. “The thing I like about this defense is that they are starting to grow up,” Gilbert said. We’ve seen it against a lot of different opponents. Therefore, we got a great performance out of the whole entire defense in all three areas.” With sophomore linebacker Larry Johnson starting for the first time this season, the defense did not disappoint Saturday. Johnson, who will start in place of senior Jamie Payton for the second straight game, led with nine tackles, six solo. “We all knew that we weren’t going to be with Jamie so everybody had to do their part,” Johnson said.
Commentary southerndigest.com
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 - Page 7
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Where were you when the board declared financial exigency on Southern University Baton Rouge? Were you tailgating, in class, at home, with a friend? I was in the meeting where more students should have been. It was not just about a deficit over 10 million dollars it was about a reputation, programs, faculty, and students who may leave and never come back. It wasn’t just a vote to declare financial emergency on the Baton Rouge campus but, a declaration of enrollment emergency, retention emergency, graduation emergency, low student involvement emergency, and a national reputation emergency. Even if you were not watching the state of Louisiana, the United States of America was watching and the world was watching as we declared that we have to change our policies and procedures to get business handled. As we questioned and asked within our own Board of Supervisors whether our policies and procedures should be amended for clarification to make a possibly detrimental decision. As we declared that our faculty and administration cannot work efficiently together. As we declared that the only HBCU system would declare financial emergency on a campus before exhausting system resources and state resources to solve the problem. The world watched as Southern University declared financial exigency
Evan Taylor again jeopardizing the reputation of this historical institution. As Southern University at Baton Rouge celebrated homecoming, the Board of Supervisors declared that there was a financial crisis present in Baton Rouge. A crisis that could only be corrected and addressed through a mandatory furlough of all Southern University employees and employee layoffs and cost savings measures. After pleas of compassion and consideration of other options and solutions were heard from the podium in front of the Board of Supervisors acting as judge, jury, and executioner. The Southern University Board of Supervisors laid down the verdict that Southern University Baton Rouge needed to be executed in order to save the system. There was no sentence for rehabilitation but an immediate sentence of restructure and reorganization within this time period
or face death row. As the gavel hit the podium to charge Southern University with crisis on the heads of the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community faced the charges. Thirty days of strict and defined planning to how to approach the next year sentence to be eligible for parole as of June 30, 2012 or earlier for good behavior. The question becomes will you let Southern University at Baton Rouge be executed alone for the crimes committed by other conspirators. The State of Louisiana deserves to be up for trial for its treatment of higher education institutions in this state, for its choice to ignore the forces on the students of Southern University inside and outside of the classroom. The System deserves to be prosecuted for being a top heavy and dependent office without leadership to sustain the other campuses. Passing the buck to entities smaller and with less representation than them. It’s time to call our lawyers, friends and family and fight for proper and equal representation across the system. Not to allow lackluster leadership persecute and execute the Baton Rouge campus for crimes it did not commit. Who will be next? Without the Baton Rouge campus how will SUNO, SUSLA, SUAG, and SU Law Center survive the scrutiny of the Southern University system?
I think we’ve been played
How can this be? SU has declared financial exigency/ emergency, an issue that the SU community WAS so passionate and skeptical of. It has been reported that financial exigency draws negative attention to the university as a whole. I agree, because if one were to look closely at SU’s current status of functioning, these several implementations (i.e. layoffs, furloughs, shortened class weeks, and program consolidations) have been set up and are signs of the closing chapters of SU’s legacy. What happened to those people, both board members and the general SU community, who were breaking the silence valiantly by opposing the issue of declaring financial exigency? When the declaration was initially placed on the agenda in September, EVERYONE spoke out on the issue and a deadlock vote of 6-6 caused for celebration. We must have celebrated to hard and forgot that this is a fight to the finish. What makes matters worse is the fact that last week the entire board, minus the two members absent, were in favor of declaring financial exigency with a 14-0 vote. What caused them to change their minds? The chairman of the board told the Advocate that they changed their minds because the faculty wouldn’t compromise. So … does that mean give up? Usually if an agreement isn’t met then another alternative should be put forth. I also question the alteration of the agenda. The declaration of financial exigency was added to the agenda at the
Billy Washington last minute during homecoming week, a time when people are filled with the jaguar spirit. I don’t think this was an appropriate time for a decision to be made without giving formal notice to the entire jaguar nation, meaning adding an item of such concern at the last minute was a shady move. (And they wonder why the endowment is low and why the radio-thon can barely raise $100,000. We raised millions in the early 2000’s, check the records.) So where do we go from here? To start off, I believe President Mason, Chancellor Llorens, and the board members who voted for financial exigency should give the SU community an elaborative explanation to why financial exigency is the last resort. Articles have been written about financial exigency being something that can cause a negative image for the campus. If this is the only way out of our financial crisis, tell us why!!! We are really losing the trust and faith of our administrators and we need to bridge that gap.
Secondly, cease with the secrets and quick moves like the one that was pulled last Friday. We usually receive emails about those issues, but no one(maybe a few) received a notice about the declaration or any information pertaining to the shortened class week scheduled for next semester. All of the examples stated earlier are prime examples of power being utilized and abused by the elite few. The power must be (and hopefully will be) put back in the hands of the student body and faculty members. My colleague stated in an editorial last month that we need solutions to these problems rather than speaking flowery rhetoric. I agree and the first step to creating a solution is to come together collectively and work towards a solution. I can only imagine what would happen if all students and faculty members from the entire SUS boycott the university for a month. What if we had newly organized student groups on campus whose mission promotes the longevity and continuance of the jaguar nation by attending all board meetings while building a rapport between the student body and administrators? You may ask, “Doesn’t the SGA do that already?” The answer is (you fill in the blank). If all of these COLLECTIVE strategies were to take place the administrators would have no choice but to find alternatives. Now that we realized we’ve been played, let’s provoke the administrators to give US some solid answers to OUR new status of financial exigency.
Page 8 - Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Exigency from page 1 Mason supported plans for the restructuring and reorganizing of Southern University at the Board of Supervisors meeting. “You heard the former student body presidents talk about seeing Southern in the way it can be we all have a vision for a great Southern built up on the traditions of the past but achieving that vision is going to be a difficult process. It’s a road that are we are going to have to walk that will not be an easy road and it won’t be a short road but that road has to start with one step. And the one step we have to take is a difficult step but, it’s a necessary step, and that is the step the chancellor has recommended which a declaration of financial exigency. I support his recommendation 100 percent and offer for your consideration the following resolution,” Mason said. The resolution included the need for a balanced budget for fiscal year 2011-12 and accounted for the deficits faced by the Southern University Baton Rouge campus. “Whereas Southern University in Baton Rouge has absorbed reductions in direct state support totaling in over 10.6 million between fiscal year 2008-09 through fiscal year 2010-11. Whereas the governor signed house bill one on July 1st 2011 further reducing the southern university baton rouge’s annual direct state support by approximately
9.7 million dollars. Whereas Southern University enrollment has declined from 9478 students in the fall semester of 2004 to 7316 in the fall semester of 2010 a decline of 22.5 percent whereas Southern University baton rouge has experienced other loss of income including revenues associated with intercollegiate athletics and the Southern University Laboratory
deficit for fiscal year 11-12 was approximately 10 million dollars,” Mason said reading the resolution. The resolution also addressed the processes and procedures utilized to correct and address the deficits facing SUBR. “Whereas Southern University baton rouge has engaged in reduction measures for several years including
2011. Whereas the board of supervisors has expressed it’s intent to provide the policy needed to address budget reductions while minimizing impact on the students and restructuring southern university baton rouge to become more efficient and more competitive. Whereas the system and campus has engaged in collaborative processes to
“It is a dramatic measure it is a drastic measure but I think it’s something that in the end we realize that was necessary for us to move forward, to develop this institution into a model 21st century institution. And that’s what the objective was we look at it as an opportunity. It affords us the opportunity to restructure our academic programs restructure our administrative operations and create a university here at Southern that will be able to respond to the changing financial conditions of the state. Allows us to move forward with our strong alumni base with our students, faculty and staff to develop a university that will generate the type of academic programs that will make this university stronger.”
James Llorens SUBR Chancellor
School whereas Southern University Baton Rouge has incurred significant increases in expenses including unfunded mandates for employee benefits, risk management insurance, and other state mandated expenses totaling over 6.58 million dollars between fiscal year 2009-10 and fiscal year 2011-12. Whereas the initial total projected budget
furloughs for classified and unclassified employees, employee layoffs, reductions in expenses for travel and other reductions in administrative expenses. Whereas the board of regents has deferred approval of the Southern University Baton Rouge operating budget and requested that additional clarifying information be submitted in November
address the impact of budget cuts on staff and faculty are encouraged to continue those efforts,” Mason read out loud during the meeting. The resolution concluded with the terms of financial exigency declaration and how it should be approved by the board. “Therefore be it resolved that the board of supervisors
of the Southern University system declares that a financial emergency exists for the Southern University Baton Rouge campus for the 2011-12 fiscal year beginning Nov. 1 2011 through June 30 2012. Be it further resolved that the board authorizes the president and chancellor to present a retrenchment and academic and administrative reorganization plan no later than the November board meeting. Be it further resolved that the board hereby approves the revised salary formula for faculty. Be it further resolved that the board authorizes the president and chancellor to commence with furloughs of all southern university baton rouge employees as described in their plan. Be it further resolved that the board may take any additional actions during this fiscal year to amend, restate, or remove this declaration between now and June 30th 2012,” said Mason concluding the resolution. The board will be presented with the Chancellor’s retrenchment and academic and administrative reorganization plan at the November board meeting. The board will vote to accept the plan and give or deny the chancellor authorization to complete the necessary actions. “We hope by way of restructuring we will put a greater emphasis on academic instruction.” Llorens said.