ISSUE 6, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018
The Southern DIGEST Volume 71 ● The sentinel of the enlightened student body at Southern University and A&M College ● Since 1926
Pick a Club, Any Club: 2018 Student Organization Fair
“Keeping Jags Safe” Future of Student Safety at SU Dante Davis ● DIGEST Staff Writer
Collegiate 100 Black Women of SU member, junior Sierra Price, hypes her organization to a peer and fellow organization member at the Student Organizations Fair in the Smith-Brown Memorial Union on Wednesday, October 3. (Destiny Speaks/DIGEST
Jacqueline Morgan ● DIGEST Editor-in-Chief
The annually hosted Southern University Student Organizations Fair took place on a unique venue this year, hosting a variety of student organizations to match. On October 3, the fair was scheduled to take place from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union Courtyard. Factors like unpredictable weather, and other logistics caused for the event to be moved to the inside of the Student Union. Organization tables lined the perimeter of the building from the Jaguar Lanes bowling alley, around to the
Royal Cotillion Ballroom, and past the Lakeview Room. The line of organizations ended with the Alpha Sigma Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Senior, music education major, Michael Bingham has partaken in the organization each year of his matriculation in some way. Bingham says he participated as an attendee his freshman year, and has since joined organizations to represent at the fair. Representing Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc this year, Bingham expressed, “I used to be on the other side of those tables at the organization fair, and now that I’m able to represent
for my brotherhood, I feel proud to lead by example for incoming students.” The Office of Student Organizations and Campus Involvement hosts this event twice an academic year. Each year the student turnout has grown, and especially in the past year due the easily accessible and central nature of the venue. According to subr.edu, “More than 300 students turned out around midday,” at the Fall 2015 Organization Fair held in Seymour Gymnasium, a number that was nearly tripled at this year’s event. Again, owed to the popular location. Organizations like the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Student
Government Association, MANNRS, Men’s Federation, Collegiate 100, and the Kappa Kappa Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity presented information and paraphernalia examples to the attendees of the fair. Fall ‘17 initiate of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity, Zephani Daigle is a senior, Criminal Justice major from Beaumont, Texas. As a senior, Daigle aimed to leave an impression on those stopping by her table. “The organization fair was exceptionally beneficial for see ORG FAIR on page 3
Talking With Talbert: FAFSA Opens for Fall Debrandin Brown● DIGEST Staff Editor
As of October 1, 2018, the portal for the 2019-2020 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has opened to all prospective and returning college students interested in receiving federal assistance from the government in paying towards their school. Although financial aid opens nearly an entire year before the semester it is pertaining to starts, getting the FAFSA done is a problem that numerous students, including Ryan White, are
not looking forward to. “Getting all the information from your people and then actually getting your financial aid processed is always extra. There’s always some type of issue that makes things way more hard than they should be.” said White, a Civil Engineering major from New Orleans, Louisiana. Although completing the FAFSA does take time on the part of the students, help on campus is always available through the Office of Financial Aid and your particular financial aid advisor.
DIGEST ART
Sharmaine Lazard-Talbert, Interim Associate Director and Scholarship Coordinator in the Office of Financial Aid, was able to shed some light on what can be done www.southerndigest.com
by the students to make their experience making their FAFSA as stress-free as possible. see FAFSA on page 3
JAG SAFE - Courtesy subr.edu
Several incidents resulting in injury or death occurred during Southern University’s homecoming week of September 24. These incidents, and others similar, continue to raise questions about the security at and around the Southern University campus. Southern University, however, is gearing towards becoming safer. In a yearly report published by the Southern University Police Department (SUPD) for the 2017 year, there were less reported cases of violent crimes, including assaults, sex offenses, and burglary, than in the past two years. This marks the third consecutive year that the number violent crimes at Southern University has gone down. This is a fact that Captain Harold Williams of the Southern University Police Department takes pride in. “Our crime numbers are down from last year and the year before,” said Williams. This could be due to any number of factors including the presence of more security cameras, the awareness among the student body about the Jag Safe App, or the integration of the yellow distress poles. All this not only makes the campus safer, but it also makes the students on campus feel safer. This is especially true about the new distress poles as sophomore Psychology see CAMPUS SAFETY on page 3