Tropical warnings issued for Gulf Coast see State & Nation, page 4
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Jaguars seek win in season opener see Sports, page 5
BOS OK’s athletics fee hike Billy Washington The Southern Digest
Samantha Smith
The Southern Digest
Deal page 3
Monday
www.southerndigest.com
Faculty reps discuss pact
See Faculty
Sunday
Volume 57, Issue 2
The Digest will return Friday, Sept. 9
Southern University Faculty Senate Thursday discussed the conditions of the faculty furlough agreement and the possible outcome if such an agreement is not reached, in the Henton Room of the SmithBrown Memorial Union. A sense of urgency was felt as the Faculty Senate President, Sudhir Trivedi, presented a draft of the conditions for the proposed faculty furlough. Most of the faculty, who attended the meeting was not willing to accept any furlough deal that did not include additional furloughs of the administration and unclassified staff members. The faculty has until Friday at 1pm to accept the proposal, before the board of supervisors will take a vote in favor or not in favor of declaring financial exigency. Chancellor James Llorens has said in local media reports that at least 90 percent of the faculty must agree to a furlough plan in order to avoid exigency. “Practical magic is the only thing they request of us,” says faculty senator Diola Bagayoko, “To vote on this document for speedy transmittal to the faculty so that we can have them sign before exigency is declared,” Bagayoko said. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, declaring financial exigency basically acknowledges that the university cannot meet it contractual obligations and allows it to take unusual cost saving steps, like firing tenured faculty members. Financial exigency, if declared, may have lasting implications for the university and SU system. Declaring exigency could tarnish the reputation of Southern University and make it difficult to attract future students and faculty. SGA President Demetrius Sumner said, that declaring financial exigency will have a negative effect on student
Saturday
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Friday, September 2, 2011 Have a safe Labor Day weekend!
Today
photo by norman j. dotson jr./digest Diola Bagayoko speaks with the Faculty Senate Thursday about possible actions to take after today’s Board of Supervisors meeting. The board will decide whether or not to declare a financial emergency at the meeting.
Faculty Senate approves revisions to furlough plan Norman J. Dotson Jr. The Southern Digest
Disarray in the Faculty Senate did not halt business getting taken care of in Thursday’s meeting. The senate made a decision to disseminate a draft of the furlough plan that the senate revised in order to come to some sort of agreement with SUBR administration. The senate voted almost unanimously for the dissemination of this revised plan with only one abstaining vote. The Board of Supervisors today will make a decision on whether or not to declare financial exigency during a 1 p.m. meeting. The faculty senate’s hope is that they can get enough signatures from the faculty to present to the board in order to prevent the university from taking those measures. This agreement came after nearly two hours of deliberations, arguments, and open revising. Senate member Anthony Igiede expressed his anger about the indecisiveness of the senate and the confusion caused by having too many
different drafts of this plan circulating around. “I am starting to get frustrated here. Here we are yet again with different drafts of the same document bickering and arguing about them instead of making a decision on what to do,” Igiede said throwing his hands up grasping the varying documents. Many faculty members in attendance felt the same frustration and confusion, as they would constantly ask which page the senate was working on throughout the meeting. Senate president, Sudhir Trivedi, informed the faculty senate that if financial exigency were declared that he would file a federal injunction against the Board of Supervisors for not following the proper procedures that are outline in the board’s bylaws. “If you look at the bylaws it clearly states the procedures for filing for financial exigency and when you look at them you see that the board has not done any of those things they themselves have created,” said Trivedi. “I encourage that those members who are a part of the union seek out
assistance from their lawyers.” The bylaws list the proper sequence of events in order for the board to file for financial exigency. The bylaws state that the chancellor for the campus shall establish a process to assess the degree of the financial exigency or emergency with input from personnel throughout the campus or unit; oversee the development of a plan to address and manage the budget to eliminate any possible deficit by the close of the fiscal year; and supervise the development of a mechanism for reduction in force and/or reduction in status of personnel that provides for academic and non-academic staff input, and for due process and appeal rights for all affected employees, among other things that have not been done. The major concern from the senate is that they want to be sure that if they take a cut that the administration take at least that amount. “Until we get a document stating that the administrators See Revised
Plan page 3
the official student newspaper of southern university and A&m college, baton rouge, louisiana
Southern University Board of Supervisors held a system meeting along with their retreat in Shreveport, La., on the Southern University-Shreveport campus to discuss various items surrounding the Southern University System, including the increase in the students’ athletic fee, and the update of the registration process at SUBR. “The SGA proposed the fee prior to the upcoming spring semester. Starting in the spring the student athletic fee will increase to $190 per semester,” said Demetrius Sumner, SGA President and student member of the Board. “This fee will generate $382,000 for the Athletic department for the fiscal year,” said Sumner. The fee increase will also generate between $4.5 to 5 million over the course of five years. The fee increase also carries an expiration date, meaning the fee will return to the normal $140 fee after 5 years. The student affairs committee also discussed the admission, registration and financial aid processes at the SUBR campus. “We will work on creating a strategic plan surrounding recruitment, management and procedure,” said Sumner. The plethora of continuous troubles involved with the registration process are well known to students, faculty, and staff. “This process could be faster,” said Lavetta Chaisson a 21-yearold sophomore nursing major from Crowley, La. “They should have more staff in here (Seymour Gym). This is my fourth day here. There is a serious lack of communication between the students and the financial aid department. All I needed was an additional loan and I couldn’t add it on Banner,” said Chaisson. There are also rumors circulating around campus concerning refunds being disbursed on September 8th or in October rather than the previously scheduled Sept. 22. “It’s purely a rumor. The Sept. 22 anticipation date is still a pretty good date for students to receive their refunds,” said Sumner.
Campus Life southerndigest.com
Page 2 - Friday, September 2, 2011
Classifieds
Please contact the church 1-866-524-8891 to schedule pick-up on Sundays and contact Rev. David S. Jackson at 225.205.9736 or Bro. Eric Peters at 504.939.2149 for more information. The church us located at 1933 Wooddale Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70806.
RESTAURANT
Papa Stopa’s Pizzeria. Pizza, salads, pastas, tacos & burritos. Bad to the bone BBQ ribs & chicken. 225.778.0780. We cater to SU. 10% discount students & faculty with ID. By popular vote: #1 SU, #2 Mayor Kip Holden, #3 Papa Stopas. Peer Tutoring Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 Center for Student Success a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m.is offering Peer Tutoring in 8:30 p.m. Stewart Hall Room 107 Monday apartments for rent through Fridays from 8:00 The Palisades Apts. 7801 Scenic Hwy., Baton Rouge, La., am to 5:00pm. Any tutoring sessions after 5pm Monday 70807. 1.866.693.6554. through Thursday will be held in John B. Cade Library until Campus Briefs 9:00pm. today Table Tennis Tournament
SUBR Deadline Changes
Come out and test your skills against the best in LaCumba’s playpen in Smith-Brown Memorial Union on September 7 from 6-9 p.m. Registration is $5 per person and all participants must register by September 2. Awards and prizes will be presented the first, second, and third place winners.
The student withdrawal period began on Sept.1. The appeals deadline is Sept. 2. The last day for students to add classes is Sept. 6. The attendance verification period ends on Sept.7. The last day fro students to pay fee is Sept. 9 at 7p.m. via Banner. SGA Fall Elections
Filing week ends today at 5p.m. there is a $5 application fee to turn in applications and no applications will be accepted after 5 p.m. today. Students applying for positions must take the constitutional test in Stewart Hall on Sept. 6 at 5p.m. The candidates will be announced on Sept.8. Candidates along with tabulators and campaign managers must attend a mandatory campaign workshop in the Cotillion Ballroom of Smith-Brown Memorial Union at 5 p.m. September 12-16 will be campaign week.
Back to School Special in SU Barber Shop
shreveport senior psychology
Bogalusa, la. sophomore electrical engineering
Every Monday beginning September 12th the SU barber shop will offer a “Back to School Special”. Students can receive a $2.00 discount off a student haircut. This special is only during the month of September between the hours of 11a.m.3p.m. Students should bring in this coupon and ask for Rob to redeem the discount. For any questions call 225.771.3693 Reading Comprehension
september 8
Southern University MBA Global Leadership Speaker forum will host Mr. Carlos Alberto Medeiros, a special coordinator for the promotion of Racial Equality, will speak on Socio-Economic Development in Brazil: Opportunities and Challenges in the AfroBrazilian Community on
Dr. Charles Southall III and the First Emmanuel Baptist Church Family invite students to come fellowship every Sunday at noon. Transportation will be provided from Southern University campus in the circle in the back of campus at 11:15am Sunday mornings.
Janae Porter
Come learn how to use what you got to get to what you want. The Center for Student Success will be hosting a seminar called Critical Thinking Skills in Stewart Hall Auditorium. The seminars will be held on September 12 from 4-4:50 p.m., September 13 from 2-2:50p.m. and September 14 from 1-1:50 p.m.
Southern University MBA Global Leadership Forum
What are your plans if the SU Board of Supervisors declares financial exigency? Cha’Koria Wells
Billiards Tournament
Come out a show everyone what you’ve got in LaCumba’s playpen September 21 from 6-9 p.m. in Smith-Brown Memorial Union. Registration is $5 per person and all participants must register between September 6 and 15. Awards and prizes will be given to first, second, and third place winners.
Who’s Speaking Out?
SEPTEMBER 12
Learn the techniques to actually understand and apply the readings from a textbook. The Center for Student Success will be hosting a seminar called Reading Comprehension in Stewart Hall Auditorium. The seminars will be held on September 12 from 4-4:50 p.m., September 13 from 2-2:50p.m. and September 14 from 1-1:50 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 6
First Emmanuel Baptist Church
September 8 at 6:30 p.m. in T.T. Allain Hall. This event is free and open to the public.For more information contact the SU MBA Office at (225) 7716249 or the Dean’s Office at (225) 771-2763.
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
“My plans are to continue graduate in the spring, become an alumni, and give back.”
Wells
“If Southern declares Financial Exigency, I will transfer to LSU and finish my degree.”
Nicholas Williams
Tevin Coleman
new orleans senior computer science
alexandria sophomore secondary education
“I plan to stay at SU A&M in hopes that the school Williams will develop a way to pull together and enrich the school during the difficult future we face.”
“My plans are to pick up a trade to make sure I can provide for myself.”
Porter
Coleman
Critical Thinking Skills
SEPTEMBER 14 SU Career Day
Southern University’s Career Day will be Wednesday, September 14 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the F.G. Clark Activity Center. For more information, call 225.771.3922.
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
Friday, September 2, 2011 - Page 3
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Grambling tapped for Nicholls State seeks $2 White House program million in unpaid bills Sarah Eddington
The (Monroe, La.,) News-Star
GRAMBLING, La. — Grambling State University has been selected to participate in President Barack Obama’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge an effort aimed at encouraging people of various backgrounds to work together for a common good. The initiative involves inviting institutions of higher education to commit to a year of interfaith and community service programming on campus. The campuses that best exemplify coming together to aid those in need will be recognized by the White House. “The initiative is about getting people from different religions and nonreligious backgrounds working together and finding solutions to bring America together,” said Rory L. Bedford, director of service learning at GSU. “This is designed to break down barriers that we have because sometimes we don’t understand our differences. By working together, we can embrace our differences, strengthen our communities and build a stronger America.” GSU will launch its plan during the 20112012 academic year. The plan addresses a
number of community issues by creating a variety of different service opportunities. “We are going to cover a wide range because we have such a large number of service activities going on each year on campus,” Bedford said, adding that some of the service opportunities include mentoring high school and junior high school students, building homes for Habitat for Humanity, assisting local veterans and providing blood pressure checks. “The students are really excited about it.” Bedford said the initiative will involve participation from the entire campus community. “The entire university takes part in it. We have a diverse community, so that’s what makes it so great,” he said. “It starts with faculty and trickles down to students. That’s why this project is such a wonderful thing.” GSU President Frank Pogue said he supports the university’s involvement in the initiative. “Grambling State University is an outgrowth of the black community’s desire to provide access to a high quality education; its beginning was tied to a desire to enhance community service,” he said in a university news release.
The Associated Press
THIBODAUX, La. — Former students who owe Nicholls State University money could soon hear the state Attorney General’s Office knocking on their door. Former students who owe Nicholls State University money could soon hear the state Attorney General’s office knocking on their door. “Individually, this is not really anything earth-shattering,” said Mike Naquin, the school’s chief financial officer. “But we’ve got a lot of unpaid debts, and it’s starting to amount to a lot of money.” Naquin told The Daily Comet the Attorney General will begin searching for debtors in January of 2012. “Until then, we urge all students, former students and alumni with unpaid tuition and fees to promptly pay the university,” he said. In all, Naquin estimates the school is owed about $2 million in unpaid student tuition and fees. Those debts have accumulated over about 30 years. “It’s getting to the point where there’s a lot of money here,” he said. Nicholls officials declined to provide a list of who specifically owes the school money, citing a law that protects students’
academic information. Naquin said the school was in negotiations with a third-party debt collector when a counterpart at another school suggested using the Attorney General’s Office. “They have a lot more resources and can do things that a private company couldn’t,” Naquin said. Amanda Larkins, a spokeswoman for the attorney general’s office, said her office has a wide toolkit to collect owed money. “Debts placed with the Attorney General’s Office are subject to legal collections efforts which may include, but are not limited to, letters, calls, suits, judgments and garnishments of wages and/or assets,” Larkins said via e-mail. “Debts may be reported to the credit bureaus and the Department of Revenue for tax offset. If debts go through the legal process, a debtor may expect attorney’s fees, interest and court costs to be added to their debt.” Larkins said the Attorney General’s Office has a collections department that represents all of the state’s public universities and governing agencies. That department is funded by taking a small percentage of the collections it brings in.
Faculty Deal from page 1
PHOTO BY Norman j. Dotson Jr./Digest
Anthony Igiede expresses his frustration with the Faculty Senate’s indecisiveness and too many different drafts of a furlough plan.
Revised Plan from page 1 take at least a 10 percent cut I will not sign anything nor will they get any documents signed by the faculty,” said Thomas Miller, faculty senate vice president. One of the revisions made to the furlough plan is language that explicitly states that administrators take a cut “equivalent to or greater than the total percentage amount that the faculty will incur” in order to be sure that every money saving solution is being implemented. Another revision made stated that the
furloughs couldn’t reduce someone’s salary below $30 thousand. “We don’t want some who is making around $35 thousand to all of a sudden drop $300 below that of someone making $30 thousand,” said Miller. “I think that is just something that will cause mixed feelings down the road.” There was also concern about whether or not the meeting earlier this week was in violation of Louisiana sunshine and open meting laws. Miller called the meeting at
last minute in order to discuss the events that happened in Shreveport last week. However, Trivedi contested that it was in violation of the open meeting laws and was not pertinent to the discussion at hand. “The meeting was in fact against the law in the sunshine and open meeting law, faculty members were not given enough time to make arrangements to be there,” said Trivedi. “I don’t want speak on that matter right because we have to come to some resolution about this matter at hand.”
morale. He said, that it could have a lasting effect on the university’s enrollment and recruitment ability. “I don’t think anyone wants financial emergency,” Sumner said, “ The last thing students want to do is attend an institution that says that it is having financial trouble.” The Faculty Senate also discussed the outcome if the proposal if not passed. Trivedi questioned the existence of a true financial emergency, and expressed his concerns about the process to declare exigency. “There is a certain process that must be followed before a financial exigency can be declared, there must be a bona fide financial crisis as described in the system by-laws,” said Trivedi. In anticipation of today’s special board meeting, Trivedi said, “We know that the process has not been followed, if the Board does, they will be in violation of their own laws.” Trivedi discussed the faculty’s alternatives if the financial exigency is declared, “One of the options that we have is to seek an injunction in a federal court and stop the implementation of the financial exigency. We will decide that after tomorrow,” he said. The Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting today at 1 p.m. on the second floor of J.S. Clark Administration Building. The meeting is open to the public.
State & Nation southerndigest.com
Page 4 - Friday, September 2, 2011
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Tropical depression heads to Gulf coast Janet McConnaughey The Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS — A slowmoving tropical system packing walloping rains is slogging its way to the Gulf coast and was expected to make landfall on Saturday in Louisiana where the governor has declared a state of emergency. The National Weather Service issued tropical storm warnings Thursday night from Pascagoula, Miss., to the Texas state line. Forecasters said the tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico was likely to develop into a tropical storm within the next day and could dump up to 20 inches of rain on Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. After devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005, nothing is taken for granted. Craig Taffaro, president of coastal St. Bernard Parish, said some flood gates were being closed along bayous and residents were being warned to brace for heavy rain. Still, in a parish that was nearly wiped out six years ago by Katrina, Taffaro wasn’t expecting a major event. “We’d like the public to use this as a drill. Hopefully that’s all it will be,” he said early Thursday afternoon. On Grand Island, the state’s only inhabited barrier island,
people were keeping an eye on the forecasts. “We’re watching it — we’re watching it closely,” said June Brignac, owner of the Wateredge Beach Resort. It’s not as frightening as having a category 2 or 3 hurricane bearing in on the state, she said. “But we’re still concerned with all the rain that’s coming in, causing possible flooding of the highway going out. If we don’t leave, we may be trapped here until it’s completely past.” She said Hurricane Katrina is the only storm to flood the suites in her motel, which is raised several feet from the ground, in the 20 years she has owned it. Early forecasts were for landfall early Saturday afternoon in south-central Louisiana, though Revitte said it was too early for a firm time or location. The sluggish system is expected to get even slower, making it even more likely to it likely to pack drenching rains. “Wow. This could be a very heavy, prolific rain-maker,” NWS meteorologist Frank Revitte Revitte said. “Generally, we’re thinking 10 to 15 inches over the next three to five days. There could be some isolated amounts near 20 inches by the time it’s all over with,” Revitte said. With the depression’s center
PHOTO BY g.m. andrews/ap photo
Jody Bush eyes the the high surf Thursday in Dauphin Island, Ala. Forecasters have issued tropical storm warnings for the U.S. Gulf coast from Mississippi to Texas as a depression has organized in the Gulf of Mexico.
about 250 miles south-southwest of New Orleans and had already brought some rain to the area Thursday evening. The state needs rain — just not that much, that fast. All of both Texas and Louisiana have been suffering through drought. The New Orleans area, while the least affected by drought, also has been blanketed by smoke from a stubborn marsh fire. “Sometimes you get what you ask for,” New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said, noting that
rain from the system was helping with the fire. “Unfortunately it looks like we’re going to get more than we needed.” Based on predictions that the system could dump 12 to 15 inches of rain along the coast and inland over the next two days, Gov. Bobby Jindal declared an emergency through the end of the week. “Now is the time for Louisianians to make sure they have a game plan for themselves and their families should this storm strengthen,” Jindal said in a statement.
The emergency declaration lets him call out the National Guard if necessary and generally makes it easier for parishes and the state to prepare. It also lets parishes ask the state to repay money spent to prepare and fight floods, and lets the state track such expenses, said Jindal spokesman Kyle Plotkin. Charlotte Randolph, president of low-lying Lafourche Parish, also declared a state of emergency Thursday, saying coastal parts of the parish might get up to 18 inches of rain through Monday.
SPortS southerndigest.com
the Sentinel oF an enlightened Student body Since 1926
Friday, SePtember 2, 2011 - Page 5
Jaguars gear up for Tennesse St. MoRRis DillaRD
The Southern Digest
In 2010, the Southern Jaguars rallied past Delaware State in their season opener, giving head coach Stump Mitchell’s team a sweet taste of victory before the wheels came off. After an offseason spent pledging improvement, the Jaguars have their first opportunity to start anew — with new uniforms — in Saturday’s season opener in Nashville, Tenn., against Tennessee State in the John Merritt Classic. Kickoff is 6 p.m. at LP Field, home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. “They’re a physical team,” Mitchell said about the Tigers. “They were 3-8 last year of course but that was due to some injuries.” SU hasn’t enjoyed a 10-win season since 2003, but what is the best way to combat this criticism? The answer in college football is simply to win. SU closed the regular season in 2010 in historic fashion, with six consecutive losses, but early struggles prevented the Jaguars from winning big. “Numbers count now,” said Mitchell at Tuesday’s regularly
scheduled press conference. “The things we’ve done in camp mean absolutely nothing in terms of where you stand with stats. That’s huge but I think just the competitive nature of these guys … They understand what it is we need to accomplish.” Southern lost close contests to Jackson State and Alcorn State before being blown out by Texas Southern, the 2010 Southwestern Athletic champions, on its home field. At 2-3, the Jaguars were headed for another disappointing season and their first under Mitchell’s coaching. “I wasn’t pleased with the record,” Mitchell said. “I was pleased with the guys that I coached. I was 2-9 but those guys worked to be much better than they were last year.” There’s always something worth watching in the SWAC, but Week 1 is usually one of the most interesting Saturdays of the season because of the anticipation that has been building since the end of the conference championship. Fundamentals, attitude, a blue-collar work ethic and trying to outwork others will be the foundation of a defense that was a disaster in 2010. SU ranked ninth in the SWAC
PHOTO By TReVOR James/diGesT
Southern running back Kaelyn Mayfield scores during the Jaguars’ final scrimmage of fall camp. Head coach Stump Mitchell hinted at using Mayfield and other running backs extensively during Saturday’s season opener against Tennessee State at the John Merritt Classic.
in scoring defense (33.8 points per game) seventh in total defense (359.5) and fifth in rush defense (148.3). SU also allowed opponents to score 83 percent of the time when they ventured into the red zone (23 touchdowns and seven field goals in 10 attempts). “Those guys want to put it behind them and the only way they can do that is by starting a new season,” Mitchell added.
Mitchell is hoping the new defensive looks, brought in by defensive coordinator O’Neill Gilbert will help improve a defense with struggles. The multiple schemes and different blitzing packages have players pretty excited, and the hope is that this unit is more aggressive, especially up front on the defensive line. Plus, with an entirely different
offense than what fans last saw the Jaguars play, the biggest question is how well they’ll execute? Sophomore quarterback Dray Joseph has played his way into the starting lineup, and when SU lines up against the Tigers on Saturday, fans will get to see how productive the offense can be with an experienced quarterback and team looking to come out strong.
Culture southerndigest.com
Page 6 - Friday, September 2, 2011
The Sentinel of an Enlightened Student Body since 1926
‘Carter IV’ does not show growth Ryan Pearson
The Associated Press
Since “Tha Carter III” made him a legitimate pop star, Lil Wayne spent eight months in jail and released three albums, including a collaborative effort with his Young Money crew. He also forgot the art of songwriting. That 2008, Grammy-winning blockbuster succeeded because the genius of free association rhymes found discipline: Nearly every “Carter III” track had a theme, storyline or single emotion for Wayne to wrap his witticisms around. “Tha Carter IV” proves an unworthy successor. It piles on metaphors, similes, doubleentendres and word-images that work as punchlines but don’t cohere. You’ll chuckle along to that distinctive raspy voice and then wonder: What was that all about? Missing a golden opportunity to reflect on his time locked up, away from the spotlight, Wayne reveals little. His world is chock-full of words, empty of meaning.
Not that he needs to make a point with every tune. Some of Wayne’s best work has been on similarly scattershot mixtapes. And both the album “Intro” and “6 Foot 7 Foot” are thrilling examples of carefully considered but ultimately vacuous wordplay, the latter including Wayne’s nowclassic pronouncement that “real G’s move in silence like lasagna.” But lyrical laziness drags down “How To Hate,” ‘’Blunt Blowin” and “Megaman.” And does “So Special” really reference Lorena Bobbitt? In 2011? “President Carter,” using a sample from Jimmy Carter’s inauguration, makes some half-hearted nods at politics but falls back to nonsensical braggadocio: “I’m beneficial, I’ve been official. I say you rappers sweet, tiramisu.” The New Orleans rapper does find ways to make listeners snap to attention. A sinister beat and cocky chorus from Drake propels “She Will.” ‘’Interlude” features punishing verses from Tech N9ne and Andre 3000. And Wayne uses “It’s Good” to respond to Jay-Z’s recent dismissal of Young
Lil Wayne performs at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Money on “H.A.M.” with a threat to kidnap Beyonce and hold her for ransom. No moving in silence there. Easily the most prolific toptier rapper, Wayne has been praised in the past for generously putting out free mixtapes that with online buzz upstaged many of his peers’ heavily marketed
T.I. arrives at halfway house with entourage Greg Bluestein
The Associated Press
ATLANTA — Grammy-winning rapper T.I. stepped off a luxury motor coach bus Wednesday evening to start serving the rest of his time in a halfway house for a probation violation with a new book deal and TV reality show waiting for him. The artist, whose real name is Clifford Harris, earlier left the Forrest City lowsecurity prison in Arkansas and was driven the 375 or so miles in the bus with dark-colored windows, followed by four other cars. Dressed in a red and blue striped polo shirt and white shorts, T.I. stepped off the bus with his entourage to check into the halfway house. “The storm is over & da sun back out. IT’S OUR TIME TO SHINE SHAWTY!!!!!” the rapper posted on Twitter shortly after his release. “Welcome to the beginning of our Happy Ending!!!!” T.I. had initially served about seven months at the prison in 2009 after he was arrested for trying to buy unregistered guns and silencers from undercover federal agents. He was on probation after he was released and ordered not to commit another crime or to illegally possess any controlled substances. He was arrested again in September 2010 in Los Angeles on drug charges after authorities said he was found with four ecstasy pills. He was sentenced in October to 11 months in prison for that
violation, and had been set for release at the end of September. It appears a flock of cameras will follow T.I. regardless of where he goes next. VH1 said Wednesday that the network will film T.I.’s journey home from jail and debut the show in December. MTV aired a similar reality show on the rapper in 2009 called “T.I.’s Road to Redemption: 45 Days to Go,” which chronicled his attempts to help others avoid his mistakes. T.I. has also finalized a book deal. A representative from HarperCollins told The Associated Press that T.I. has written a book called “Power & Beauty” that’s set to be released in October. The novel, which was co-written with David Ritz, is a fictional tale about two childhood friends torn apart by dangerous dealings on the streets of Atlanta. The arrest on weapons charges came after Harris’ best friend was killed following a post-performance party in Cincinnati in 2006. The rapper has said the bullets that killed his friend were meant for him. When he was released from that sentence, he was required to perform 1,000 hours of community service, which he spent mostly talking with schoolchildren about the dangers of drugs, gangs and violence. But a federal judge said that “experiment” failed when Los Angeles deputies found four ecstasy pills on the rapper.
studio albums. This time it’s the opposite: A disappointing highprofile release following his bizarre performance at MTV’s Video Music Awards. There, Wayne showcased two of the album’s least inspired songs: the Auto-Tuned “How To Love,” which features a syrupy melody manufactured
PHOTO By matt sayles/AP PHOTO
specifically to win back the many fans of 2008’s “Lollipop”; and “John,” essentially an expansion of Rick Ross’ “I’m Not A Star,” the opening track from last year’s well-regarded “Teflon Don” album. Here’s hoping the diminutive 28-year-old shows some musical growth on “Tha Carter V.”
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Friday, September 2, 2011 - Page 7
The “Financial Exigency Bowl” SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SUITE 1064 T.H. HARRIS HALL POST OFFICE BOX 10180 BATON ROUGE, LA 70813 PHONE: 225.771.2231 FAX: 225.771.5840 ONLINE @ www.southerndigest.com
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Picture it: Five minutes until kickoff … The announcer presses the button to transmit …“Welcome to the Financial Exigency Bowl. I’m the State of Louisiana, and you are tuned into the biggest game in Southern University history… On the offensive side of the field we have the Southern University Administration and on the defensive side is the Southern University faculty, students, staff, and alumni (also known as Everybody Else) … Let’s get ready to rumble … ” (Pause for station identification) Kick-off … flanker Ronald Mason receives and makes a move into Everyone Else’s territory before getting cut down by linebacker Sudhir Trivedi and the EE 35-yard line. Administration quarterback James Llorens dropped back to pass, looking for Mason down the sideline, but Llorens’ pass is picked off by EE safety Diola Bagayoko. Bagayoko high-steps his way to the Administration 20. “… Wait a minute! Everybody Else is looking to take control of the game … ,” the announcer yells into his mic. However, Everybody Else is going through attrition. The students took themselves out of the game, transferring to Some Other University and leaving Everybody Else shorthanded. EE tries an end-around with Bagayoko, but Bagayoko fumbles the ball away and Mason falls on it to give Administration the ball. Llorens lines up in the shotgun, but Everybody Else is showing blitz. The Administration offensive line can’t seem to stop Trivedi as he blindsides
Evan Taylor Llorens. “ … This game can go on and on and on, folks … ,” the announcer said. (End of sequence, back to reality). I’m taking this whole Financial Exigency Bowl strategy back to the white dry-erase board. We need to consider our defense, offense, special teams and overall strategy. First of all, our defense: the vision and projected image of Southern University System, SUBR, SUNO, SUSLA, SUAG and SU Law Center. We need to create a vision that we are willing to sacrifice and change things for. Our vision needs to be nonnegotiable just like a defense strategy for a football team; it only changes if the offense changes to serve the same purpose. In our case protect and preserve our university. Secondly, the offense: the willingness and commitment to fighting proactively and not reactively. Students need to go to class and seek help when you need it. Faculty members need to teach their students the material so they can absorb and retain the information. Advisors need to advise students properly to graduate on time. Office
directors need to manage their staff, paperwork and attitudes efficiently. Administrators need to be willing to help their students at their own institution to succeed at the university and beyond. Next, special teams: Academic Affairs, Office of Ombudsman, Career Services, Residential Life, Financial Aid, Media Relations, Student Affairs, Campus Dining, and any other service that reflects on the university and serves the university needs to be efficient, productive and accessible. There should be no reason a student should have to meet an administrator or member of these offices at the first sign of trouble. Again proactive representation goes a long way. Last, overall strategy concerns unity. We talk about the “Jaguar Nation” but, it seems to only be present at parties, Mardi Gras balls, homecoming and during football season. Where is the “Jaguar Nation” when students can’t pay for school and have to drop out? Where is the “Jaguar Nation” when students are waiting 12-36 hours to do financial aid processing? Where is the “Jaguar Nation” when the administration wants to declare financial exigency? And where was it as we were getting closer and closer to this moment? This game we call the Financial Exigency Bowl will continue to go on until we develop a strategy. The key to not having a losing season is to plan to win and anticipate the moves of your opponent. After all, how do you think the Saints got to the Super Bowl?
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20 Questions
1. Why is the Center for Student Success using lines form “The Players Club” for their announcements? 2. “Come learn how to use what you got to get what you want?” Really? 3. Do you have to bring 8-inch clear heels to
the session? 4. Are advisors encouraged to bring singles? 5. Will the attendees be told “Make that money, don’t let it make you”? 6. Is student direct lending going to decrease after the seminar? 7. Does that make the head of the Center for Student Success Dollar Bill? 8. If you don’t go will there be (in your best Bernie Mac voice) “Trou-ble, Trou-ble”? 9. If the head of CSS is Dollar Bill does that make Dr. Mason St. Louis and Dr. Llorens Brooklyn? 10. Did Dr. Mason have to tell Dr. Llorens “to do something to make me feel better” when it came to the faculty? 11. Does that make Dr. Miller and Dr. Trivedi
officers Freeman and Peters? 12. Does that make financial exigency Trixie? 13. Are you catching all of these Players Club references? 14. While we’re still on it, Does that make SGA President Demetrius Sumner Lil’ Man? 15. Who’s mad because they can’t use their book voucher to buy Madden NFL 12? 16. How many seniors have to buy Live Text for their last semester? 17. Is anyone puzzled by the two listings of registration fees on their billing statement? 18. Who at the Palisades didn’t know how to fry chicken properly? 19. Was that person’s chicken better than the blue store? 20. Are they sure the smoke on campus was from the marsh fires outside New Orleans?
Page 8 - Friday, September 2, 2011
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Quakes pose greater risk to US reactors Dina Cappiello & Jeff Donn
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The risk that an earthquake would cause a severe accident at a U.S. nuclear plant is greater than previously thought, 24 times as high in one case, according to an AP analysis of preliminary government data. The nation’s nuclear regulator believes a quarter of America’s reactors may need modifications to make them safer. The threat came into sharp focus last week, when shaking from the largest earthquake to hit Virginia in 117 years appeared to exceed what the North Anna nuclear power plant northwest of Richmond was built to sustain. The two North Anna reactors are among 27 in the eastern and central U.S. that a preliminary Nuclear Regulatory Commission review has said may need upgrades. That’s because those plants are more likely to get hit with an earthquake larger than the one their design was based on. Just how many nuclear power plants are more vulnerable won’t be determined until all operators recalculate their own seismic risk based on new assessments by geologists, something the agency plans to request later this year. The NRC on Thursday issued a draft of that request for public comment. The review, launched well before the East Coast quake and the Japan nuclear
disaster in March, marks the first complete update to seismic risk in years for the nation’s 104 existing reactors, despite research showing greater hazards. The NRC and the industry say reactors are safe as they are, for now. But emails obtained in a more than 11,000-page records request by The Associated Press show that NRC experts were worried privately this year that plants needed stronger safeguards to account for the higher risk assessments. The nuclear industry says last week’s quake proved reactors are robust. When the rumbling knocked out offsite power to the North Anna plant in Mineral, Va., the reactors shut down and cooled successfully, and the plant’s four locomotive-sized diesel generators turned on. The quake also shifted about two dozen spent fuel containers, but Dominion Virginia Power said Thursday that all were intact. Still, based on the AP analysis of NRC data, the plant is 38 percent more likely to suffer core damage from a rare, massive earthquake than it appeared in an analysis 20 years ago. That increased risk is based on an even bigger earthquake than the one last week. Richard Zuercher, a spokesman for Dominion, the plant operator, says the earlier estimate “remains sound because additional safety margin was built into the design when the station was built.” The safety cushion would shrink,
though, if the plant’s risk is found to be greater. Federal scientists update seismic assessments every five to six years to revise building codes for some structures. But no similar system is in place for all but two of the nation’s 104 reactors — even
though improving earthquake science has revealed greater risks than previously realized. The exception is Diablo Canyon in earthquake-prone California, which has been required to review the risk of an earthquake routinely since 1985.
Dusty legacy of 9/11 still a medical mystery David B. Caruso
The Associated Press
PHOTO BY shawn baldwin/AP PHOTO
A shell of what was once part of the facade of one of the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center rises above the rubble that remains after both towers were destroyed in the terrorist attacks. A decadeís worth of study has answered only a handful of questions about the hundreds of health conditions believed to be related to the tons of gray dust that fell on the city when the trade center collapsed, from post-traumatic stress disorder, asthma and respiratory illness to vitamin deficiencies, strange rashes and cancer.
NEW YORK — Like a lot of New Yorkers who spent time near the smoking ruins of the World Trade Center, Lorraine Ashman needs to take a deep breath before listing all the health problems that have afflicted her over the past decade. First she got bronchiolitis and a constant cough that lasted for months. Then there were sinus infections, nine so far. She had pneumonia. She’s developed immune system problems, vitamin deficiencies and a sensitivity to gluten. She had acid reflux so bad it damaged the lining of her esophagus. “I’ve just been sick nonstop,” she said. “Being on antibiotics 12 months out of the year is an insane way to live ... I take 17 pills in the morning and six at night.” Ashman, 57, blames it all on the sooty air she inhaled in the two months she worked as a volunteer near ground zero. Science, however, is less sure. A decade’s worth of study has answered only a handful of questions about the hundreds of health conditions that people like Ashman suspect are related to the tons of gray dust that fell on the city when the trade center
collapsed. While people have blamed everything from strange rashes to skin cancer on the dust, the list of illnesses even tentatively linked to the disaster is short. Researchers have documented increased asthma rates among people exposed to the dust. Unusually high numbers of people have been diagnosed with chronic sinus problems, or inflammation of their nasal passages that makes their nose run constantly and causes a drippy cough. Many have also developed chronic heartburn caused by a stomach acid condition known as Gastroesophageal reflux disease. Doctors at clinics that treat ground zero workers and volunteers believe that exposure to the dust, which was made up of tons of pulverized concrete, glass and other building materials, may have irritated some people’s upper respiratory systems so much that many still haven’t recovered. “We think it has set up a cycle of chronic irritation,” said Dr. Michael Crane, director of the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program at Mt. Sinai Medical Center. “It’s a very disturbing condition. It keeps people up at night.” Luckily, he said, those
symptoms are also highly controllable. Patients can use antihistamine and steroid sprays and a saline rinse to ease their discomfort. Asthma isn’t curable, but can be controlled through medication and quickrelief inhalers. A smaller group of people have had surgery to relieve sinus problems. For many of the thousands getting treatment, however, fear runs deep. They aren’t worried about a nagging cough, or a frequent runny nose. They are worried about cancer. And here, experts said, evidence of a tie has been lacking. Hundreds of people exposed to trade center dust have, indeed, gotten cancer, and many have died, but that hasn’t surprised doctors. Cancer is a leading killer of people in the U.S., even among people in their 40s. Many of the cancers now afflicting people who spent time on the debris pile can develop over decades, meaning the disease could have been simmering away unnoticed in their bodies for many years before 9/11. Two new studies published Friday in the medical journal, The Lancet, failed to find a significant increase in cancer, or other deadly illnesses, among people exposed to the dust.