Center for Health Equity (LCHE) host 1st Health Crusaders Health Fair Lauren Johnson MANAGING EDITOR The Southern University Student Health Center partnered with The Louisiana Center for Health Equity (LCHE) to host the 1st Health Crusaders Health Fair on March 19th in The Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union from 11a.m. to 4 p.m. Students were able to get health screenings, BMI testing, and had the opportunity to win giveaways and an opportunity to donate blood. Along with these opportunities, students were able to sign up for the ObamaCare Health plan before the March 31, 2014 deadline. Founder and Director of LCHE, Alma Stewart, encourages students to sign-up and find out if they’re eligible for the ObamaCare Health plan. “With Southern University being the first campus in which we stopped at, I want students to take advantage of this opportunity,” said Stewart. “The LCHE works to help spread the word of the importance of health care in Louisiana, in doing so, we discovered that the majority of people that are uninsured are between the ages of 18 – 39, which is about 36 percent,” Stewart ended. Stewart also said that some students may not be eligible for the health care plan due to the recent vote not to expand the opportunities here in Louisiana. Stewart encourages students that are not eligible to campaign, question their governor Bobby Jindal, and be an advocate. “We know they won’t all qualify but they may be able to qualify for Medicaid, “ said Stewart. “I encourage them to go through the process and find out where they stand, because there is a minimum and maximum amount students can make a year,“ Stewart explained. There were certified officials present to help each student individually sign up and become aware of eligibility.
Courtney Jacobs/DIGEST Director of Student Health Shirley Wade talks to students during the 1st Annual LCHE Health Crusaders Health Fair.
To bring awareness to Health Care, LCHE will have candlelight vigil ceremonies every first Thursday of each month during election months. Stewart invites everyone to the second candlelight vigil on April 3 at 6p.m. at the State Capitol. When students enroll into Southern University, it is optional for students to sign up for usage of the Infirmary on
campus. “By it [usage of the infirmary] being optional most students do not take get it,” said Director of Student Health Services Shirley F. Wade. “Unfortunately I kept being told that I wasn’t a resident back home, so its been hard to find a place to go and register,” said junior accounting major Meoni Amaya from Los Angeles, California.
”When I saw it was an open enrollment I hopped on it because its been difficult.” When asked how many times she used the on-campus infirmary, Amaya responded “I’ve used it about 7 or 8 times. I think it sucks for us that don’t have anywhere to go, because I don’t know where I would go if it weren’t for it [the clinic] being back there, “said Amaya. HEALTH FAIR Continued on P.1
Four students arrested for on campus robbery Marchandrea Seals STAFF WRITER Four Southern University students are accused of breaking into Ulysses Jones Hall dorm room on the night of February 26,2014. The students accused demanded clothes and money from the residents using a small handgun. The incident started in Jones Hall and a phone call was made from the University Apartments, Building 200. It is unknown if any of the four students were on-campus residents. Detective Division of the University Police started the investigation that lead to the arrest of the four students. On March 13, 2014, Jaleel Bridges, Rodney Briggs, and Deylan Jones were arrested on Home Invasion charges. The
fourth student, Kailin Sylvain, turned himself in and was arrested on March 15, 2014. Sylvain was also charged with Home Invasion and Armed Robbery. Sylvain’s bond was set at $52,500. According to the East Baton Rouge Parish website, Briggs was released March 14, 2014 and Sylvain was released on March 17, 2014 from East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Records were not provided for Bridges and Jones. Marcus Coleman, Dean of Students on Southern University’s flagship campus said,“Those four students have been placed on emergency administrative suspension until further notice.” Some students aren’t happy with the lack of communication about on campus crime. ARREST Continued on P.3 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA