Volume 79 - ISSUE 4

Under Construction: New Technology coming to the SU system

Jenna Bernard THE SOUTHERN DIGEST

New semester, new generation, new technology. The Division of Information of Technology revealed a few advanced pieces of technology that Southern University should lookout for this fall semester. Dr. Gabriel Fagbeyiro, associate vice chancellor and chief information officer of the Southern University System, Rachel Carriere, director of web applications services, and Lloyd Allen, director of network services, contributed their excitement on what’s to come for this fall and how the students will enjoy having a smooth experience and peace of mind.

“We would just like to share with the student population some of the things we’re doing in the Division of IT to make the students’ educational experiences more fulfilling,” Dr. Fagbeyiro divulged. The Division of IT have been working on these ideas and projects for a year and are ready to implement them.

Housing had one of the

biggest issues as this semester started. SUBR did not have enough housing to accommodate freshmen and upperclassmen alike. A new application will be available soon, StarRez™. StarRez™ manages student housing, and students will have an easier process when registering for housing. “StarRez is a userfriendly application where you

can pick your roommate based on your profile and preferences…it just provides an online platform where the students can actually choose what they want to see,”

Dr. Fagbeyiro assured.

The campus will be getting a facelift as campus security, network access, and electronic marquees rollout. The campus has around 1,060 access points

that offer network access and is seeking to add 100 more for better efficiency. “Our goal is to allow you to have very good WiFi access whether you are indoors or outdoors,” Allen emphasized. Allen stated that he wants to partner up with the Student Government Association and students to get a better

SUCCESS: Career Fair Gets The Job Done

LeaLer SimS THE SOUTHERN DIGEST

Last Wednesday, Southern University’s Career Services Center hosted the Fall Career Fair. The goal of this career fair is to connect students with potential employers. The career fair was great for students seeking postgrad employment or internships. Students put on their business professional attire and prepared their resumes to show to over fifty potential employers.

The event was held inside the F.G. Clark Activity Center. Students were required to have a Handshake account in order to be admitted into the fair. They were also advised to bring multiple copies of their resumés for the companies and corporations to see. When students first arrive, they signed in and received a personalized name tag. There was also a 360 photo booth for students and complimentary headshots were available.

One of the many recruiters that attended the career fair was Dennis Jackson from the Houston Independent School District. “We are trying to build our partnerships in the state of

Louisiana, and I understand that there is a wealth of talent at Southern University. I noticed that we did not have a partnership with Southern University, and I wanted to change that,” said Jackson. His goal was to find teachers to put in H.I.S.D classrooms.

Another partner of this semester’s career fair was

Hershey’s Chocolate. According to Jeff Dutton, the regional sales leader of Hershey, Hershey is looking for many different majors including marketing, business, communications, and finance.

Even the nation’s very own Secret Service showed up to the career fair. Recruiter and Special Agent Michael Monegan is a SU alumni, and had a few words to say. The United States

Secret Service wants to expand diversity within its agency. “We have representation from all of the HBCUs, and our incentive of coming to Southern University is finding qualified applicants to improve and diversify our workforce.”

Students had a lot of positive

Courtesy: DoIT

Sophomore, Amber Swayzer from Natchitohces speaks to Lousiana Police Department during the Fall 2022 Career Fair hostd by the SU Career Services Center on Wednesday, September 21. (Sandi Higgins/DIGEST)

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FALL 2022 STAFF

Editorial Team Member (news) Jenna Benard/Brittany P.

Editorial Team Member (sports) Alexis Easton

Editorial Team Member (features) Kynnedi Jackson

Editorial Team Member (photos) Issac Armstrong

Editorial Team Member (opinion) Isaiah Clay

Staff Writers:

Shyonna Turner Aaliyah Bennett Ashley Lovelace Kenikka Wafer Khalani Lloyd Taylor Haywood Taylor St. Vilus Te’yanah Owens Isaiah Clay Jalexis Edwards Jaidyn Nix Ti’Ja Taylor Nodea Sewell Laila Hazel Thomas Walker, III

Staff Photographer: Christian Phillips Angellena Funez Sandi Higgins Daria McGroom Knykolas Ross Jakavion Ashely Briana Fields

*Staff list will be updated each week

SUBMISSIONS POLICY

The Southern DIGEST welcomes letters from readers commenting on current issues and other matters of general interest to the SU family and public. We set aside this space to publish these letters for others to enjoy. This newspaper is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on its editorials, commentaries, ans speakouts. The Southern DIGEST reserves the right to edit any contributions and or reject them without notification. Authors are encouraged to limit the length of submissions to 300 words. Letters should not include libelous statements. Offensive and personal attacks will not be permitted. The DIGEST will not print “open letters” addressed to someone else. All contributions must be type written, signed and must include the author’s address and phone number. Unsigned letters will not be printed. Southern University students should include their majors, hometowns and year in school. When referring to specific DIGEST articles, please include the date and title. All materials should be directed to the editor in chief of The Southern DIGEST, P.O. Box 10180, Baton Rouge, La. 70813. Materials may be delivered by hand to the DIGEST office located in Suite 1064 Harris Hall or can be e-mailed to digest@subr.edu.

PUBLICATION ASSOCIATIONS

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The Office of Student Media is a department in theDivision of Student Affairs.

Let’s Talk About Sex

Shyonna Turner THE SOUTHERN DIGEST

September is Sexual Health Awareness month. According to Howard Brown Health, Sexual Health Awareness “goes beyond outdated views of simply avoiding disease or unplanned pregnancy. It should include experiencing pleasure and intimacy when desired, along with respecting the sexual rights we all share.” A part of being healthy is knowing what your body needs and what it doesn’t.

How can one make sure they are being safe and protecting all involved parties? Having intercourse with multiple people or even having one diseased partner while having unprotected sex can increase the chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. STDs are infections transmitted through sexual contact caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. One should get tested for sexually transmitted diseases regularly

A Sexual health event took place in the back of the campus a just few weeks ago at the Horace W. Moody Intramural Sports Complex. The event included a van of nurses who were offering free testing for all students.

Tara Snearl, a registered nurse at Open Health Care Clinic stated that the clinic, educated patients to get

understanding of where there should be better network access at.

Campus security will be extra secure this semester with Verkada™ Video Surveillance System with facial recognition as well as people and vehicle tracking across campus. There are about 400 cameras in place and around 200 that will be added. This video surveillance system will allow the police, the F.B.I, and other officials to run the cameras back over the past 30 days and find a specific person, regardless of clothes and masks. In addition, there will be more electronic marquees around campus such as the one in front of the “Hump” and built into the F.G Clark Activity Center. These are in place to beautify the campus as well as get information to the public easier.

The Southern University System Banner will also be getting a new look. Banner will soon have a new interface that will be self-service. It will allow students to customize their profile as you would for Facebook and Instagram. Students will be able to apply to their academic degree better, view their degree plan online, and determine

feedback regarding the career fair.

Our 92nd Miss Southern University, Briana Hall, a Shreveport native, said, “I appreciated the career fair because it exposed the SU student body to more opportunities in different careers that we would not normally see on a daily basis.”

tested if they’re having unprotected sex, risk factors such as IV drug usage, or multiple partners. Open Health Care Clinic offers rapid testing such as HIV, hepatitis C, and syphilis. Patients also can be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia which takes a few days for results.

The most common disease a person can catch is chlamydia. The main ways people contract this disease is from having vaginal and anal sex, but can also be spread through oral sex. The rarest virus a person can contract is AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. This virus can be transmitted through contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids. An example of a way this can happen is by unclean needles. What makes this disease extremely rare is that it is not curable.

Herpes is another familiar infection marked by genital pain and sores. Oral sex is mostly how herpes is passed around and it appears on the mouth. Sex is everywhere; movies, songs, literature, talks among family and friends, you can’t truly escape the discussion of sex.

Freddie Lewis, a sophomore from Monroe LA, majoring in sociology voices his opinion about sexual health awareness for the LGBTQ community. He was asked, Is there any extra precautionary measures that one

which classes are needed for their degree plan.

One way to make this possible is the program, Ellucian™ Banner DegreeWorks. In addition to better access of degree plans, Ellucian™ Banner DegreeWorks will also allow communications to be easier between the student, advisor, and professor for real-time advising.

Accessibility to others has not gone unnoticed either. The main SU website will have ADA enhancements with new programs such as Ivy A.I.(Artificial Intelligence) Chatbot and Accessibe. “Those of us that don’t have any challenges don’t think about it, but we have students that are not able to see…We have people who have issues with colors and epileptic,” announced Carriere. This software will allow students with and without disabilities to access information by contrasting colors and an AI chatbot.

Slate™ and Pathify™ are also new software additions to the interface which will provide students with a “onestop-shop” to their academic needs. SU Banner, Moodle, Outlook, etc. will

should take when having a homosexual relationship?” Freddie replied, “it’s a pill called Prep that I make sure to take once a day that prevents me from getting HIV.” Prep reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% and can be taken by man or woman.

Lacey Smith, a senior nursing major from Florida, is also a member of the LGBTQ and was asked the same question. She says, “ as a gay woman I ensure to date only gay women and not bisexual women because it reduces the chances of getting a disease. I cannot sleep with a female that sleeps with males because males sleep with everybody and that’s basically asking for a disease.” Sexual health is to be taken serious regardless if one is homosexual or heterosexual. Destiny Williams, a junior majoring in criminal justice, from Lafayette stated her views on sex as a woman in our society. “Sex is definitely being forced upon,” Williams stated. She continued, “Soon as you give a guy your number they expect you to have sexual intercourse that same day and it should not be like that. You should get to know each other first before being sexual, the sex is better that way anyways.”

Sexual health is important, and being healthy means educating oneself on their body and knowing what diseases are contractable.

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all be integrated under one umbrella, in one portal. Slate™ Customer Relationship Management(CRM) with Banner will enhance the Admissions and Recruitment process allowing upcoming Jaguars to track their documents and see their progress. Single Sign-On paired with MultiFactor Authentication, which has been utilized in other student applications such as Outlook, will then be used for all applications to enhance user online account security and give faculty and students a safety blanket to their information.

User training for these online applications and projects will be implemented to all in the form of a webinar before launching as well. When asked if there were any negative push backs in the whole process, Dr. Fagbeyiro responded. “It can be a hassle, but change is inevitable. Change is needed.” The Division of IT also added that they want to hear feedback from students and faculty and can be sent to feedback@subr.edu. Walk-ins are also welcomed at James B. Moore Hall.

Overall, the career fair was beneficial for anyone that attended. It happens each semester on Southern University’s main campus and could be a stepping stone towards a bright future for all.

Kori Toliver, a senior communications/criminal justice major from New Orleans, asserted, “I benefit from attending the career fair by networking with different people from Louisiana and different states. Southern University could improve the career fair by bringing more companies that appeal to all of the majors… for example bringing in news stations or B.E.T for the broadcast journalism majors, etcetera.”

BE HEARD! SUBMIT YOUR LETTER TO THE EDITORIAL TEAM EACH WEEK ON FRIDAY’S BEFORE 1:00PM send to: studentmedia@subr.edu

The Sentinel of an Enlightened Student Body Since 1926

In State Woes: Volleyball loses to Grambling

eric WhiTe THE SOUTHERN DIGEST

The Lady Jaguars started conference play against UAPB, but came up short Looking to rebound and get their first win of the season, they faced off against inner state rival Grambling State in a packed house at Seymour Gym.

In Set one, Grambling jumped out quickly to a 4-0 lead that resulted in Southern taking a timeout. Southern would find some momentum of their own led by graduate student, middle blocker Xaria Taylor, who made a few significant blocks to keep the team in the game. Unfortunately, Grambling would come back and pull away as the Jags would lose Set one 22-25.

The next set would be much of the same as Grambling would come out of the gates strong taking a decisive 8-2 lead. In addition, they would add on to make it a 16-7 lead. However, Southern would get close, but Grambling would tighten up and take the set 25-19.

The final set was probably the best set of the night for Southern, but it came at the cost of having to play catchup ball in the set. Grambling would start off strong again by pulling out to 7-1 lead, but they would lose as Grambling would win the set 25-21 and winning the game 3-0 becoming (015).

Southern would lead Grambling 12-5 in blocks with Xaria Taylor having eight. She spoke on her team’s efforts tonight by mentioning “We just have to look at

The Great Coach Debate: Discipline or Player

eric WhiTe/Kynnedi JacKSon THE SOUTHERN DIGEST

In sports, there are often two ends of the coaching stick. One is a player-coach, and the other is a disciplinarian. Both styles of coaching have their ups and downs. The player-coach is the more lenient coach whereas the disciplinarian coach identifies as more of the traditional coach, very loyal to rules and respect. Is there possibly a balance between the two? Should teams just stick with the original, or should they give this new style, the player-coach, a chance to develop? Will teams continue to crumble at the feet of their coaches?

Many teams, even those in the professional leagues, have converted to this player-coach style. Some coaches seem to think it gives everyone a chance to feel equal; however, many question the respect that is being reciprocated or if there is a thing of respect. Typically, these playercoaches try to be the team’s friend which is okay until it comes down to a play that will determine the games outcome. I agree that establishing a relationship with your team is essential, but I also agree that establishing respect, authority, and routine is as essential. I am not saying that this style of coaching will fail, but I am saying that without players who are self-disciplined enough to accept this type of leeway, it will be harder to succeed.

On the other hand, the disciplinarian is strictly all about discipline, respect, and

execution/military. This style of coaching is fading away year after year. Some notable disciplinary coaches are Nick Saban (Alabama), Bill Belichick (Patriots), Mike Tomlin (Steelers), Deion Sanders (Jackson State), Kirby Smart (Georgia), Greg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs), and Coach K (Duke). Between all these coaches, the coaching style is based on work ethic, discipline, and execution. Their tactics to many are viewed as extreme, but that is because it is tough love. They also are able to build connections with hundreds of players, and their success has grown outside of their sport. If you look at these coaches’ resumes, you will find championships, Hall of Famers, respect amongst their peers, and their players will have a lot to say about how they impact their lives. I get that it feels good not to get hollered at or to have punishments for messing up, but it also makes you tougher mentally.

The overall question is who has better success the disciplinarian or the playercoach? Would the competitiveness ramp up more if more discipline was installed? Is the discipline hurting the players in the long term? The answer is up to you, but all I can say is the numbers do not lie. Disciplinarian coaches win and raise amazing ball players and men. My vote is disciplinarian because without discipline you can’t execute, can’t find the will to come back and fight, or be successful in the real world. Which style is better; that’s the million-dollar question.

the film and hold each other accountable and we will be fine.” In addition, Coach Jacobs spoke on the team moving forward, “We will be fine when the team comes

back healthy just got to work on the small things.” The Jags will be back at home October 6th against Alcorn State.

You Can Teach A New Dog Old Tricks

and execution of proper fundamentals do not matter as much.”

Sports seem to evolve more and more as the years pass by. The crazy thing is we’ve noticed that just as much as sports regulations change, so has the culture between athletes. The question is, have all of these changes happened for the better or worse? Let’s analyze this a little further.

For example, grade-school athletes used to be held accountable for their efforts by their coaches and parents. A young athlete could lose a game and find themselves getting lectured by their mother or father about ways to improve their gameplay. Currently, we see more parents scolding coaches for poor play calling or not playing their child enough. Some of those discrepancies even end up in fist fights between adults, all the while, their child isn’t that talented in the sport they are playing, to begin with. That child then receives a participation trophy for the bare minimum of showing up and losing. This can mold a child into an adult that can’t take criticism and does not know how to lose. We see this the most in college athletes, who put more energy into posting their latest gameday drip when they should be shooting in the gym or watching the film because their team has yet to win a game in their current season. The motif is “As long as we look good, stats

We miss the days when we could rattle off whole rosters of teams that worked together and were equally balanced in terms of talent. Players cared if someone else was lacking, but this difference is they helped each other get better for the goal of winning. We see now that often that players are more concerned with individual gameplay as opposed to team play, which can make a team suffer as a whole. Chemistry matters. The carelessness of one player can cause scouts to bypass a team completely, even a single player seen as a standout player if too many consistent mistakes are being made. Teamwork is sparse in these current days and that is a problem, fixable, but still a problem.

Sports are still extremely competitive today, and in some cases more so than they have been before. What has changed the most has not necessarily been athleticism but the moral mentality driving sports forward. If we can meet somewhere in the middle, we think the new school kids can learn a few lessons from the old school greats. If you want to be the next Kobe, Michael, Serena, or Tom you have to put in the work like them to achieve your goals. Cutting corners will only sell your coaches, team, and ultimately yourself short.

The Sentinel of an Enlightened Student Body Since 1926

Middle blocker, Kailee Deffebaugh readies for the serve during the Jaguars matchup against division rival Grambling State on Monday, Septemer 26 inside Seymour gym. (Brianna Fields/DIGEST)

Spitting Image: The Multiples Association

TayLor hayWood THE SOUTHERN DIGEST

The Multiples Association here at Southern University was founded in 2018 by three sets of twins: Amin and Amiss Washington, Blair and Chelise Scott, and Jayla and Kayla Bloomfield. Blair Scott said, “Everything started after Chelise and I met the other two sets of twins at our freshman orientation. TMA was originally founded just to make more twin friends, but it grew into much more.” She continued, “We realized we had a lot of shared experiences and realized having a community like this was something we all didn’t know we really needed.”

The current president is a graduating senior and triplet Hanna Boyd who said, “The purpose of The Multiples Association of Southern University and A&M College shall be to provide a welcoming and supportive environment to multiples all while encouraging individuality and selfawareness.”

Being a multiple is something that seems really cool to the average person; however, we tend to neglect the struggles that

come with sharing a birthday and, even, face as someone else. According to co-founder Chelise Scott, “As a twin, people don’t see our individuality. People tend to group us together and not acknowledge that we have separate ideas and personalities.”

This association helps twins and triplets develop their individual personalities to differentiate themselves to the outside world.

Members of the association benefit from being in an environment where they are solely surrounded by multiples. They have the opportunity to share their joys and struggles of being a multiple with people who will actually understand. This not only helps them individually but also can strengthen their relationship with their multiple.

Blair Scott said, “It has helped us grow closer seeing the other sets bond with each other. We have always been close but realizing we were all we had coming in made me realize that we were made for each other, and we had to dive deeper and grow our relationship more.”

TMA meets once a month to plan events and get to know one another. Chelise said, “While we are all multiples, we still grew up

on different sides of the country. Meaning our life experiences and struggles are all going to be different in one way or another.”

President Hanna Boyd says, “we also plan events that are community service related and also events that are engaging with students on campus. Stay tuned!” Their most recent

outreach event was this past weekend, they hosted a Walmart run with The Beta Sigma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity INC. This event was to help students without transportation get to the local Walmart, so they could get groceries, clothes, and any other items they needed.

The Multiples Association

not only is working to help the multiples on campus, but they also are invested in bettering the entire school and surrounding community. The association that started off with 6 members continues to grow daily as it finds more multiples to bring into its inviting circle.

The Sentinel of an Enlightened Student Body Since 1926

courtesy: TMA

FEATURES

Till’: SU Alum Beauchamp host pre-screening

KaiLen Bourne THE SOUTHERN DIGEST

On Wednesday September 21st, Southern University organized a panel and advanced screening. Southern University Students were able to register for a free ticket to see the new Emmett Till movie, Til l at the Manship Theater in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The movie was directed by Chinonye Chukwu. Chinonye Chukwu is a Nigerian director, and she is the first black woman to win the U.S Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. Chinonye may not have been at the screening in person, but she had a few words about the movie she wrote posted onto the screen. She stated if it had not been for Emmet’s Mother, Mamie, she believes his story would’ve been very invalid and most likely not heard of. Due to his mother using her powerful words for her son, Emmett’s story is still being written and talked about today. Chinonye’s focus was mainly on Mamie and her life as a mother losing her son. Mamie was strong. She didn’t lose herself and let others win. Mamie kept fighting, and she became a warrior. She also hoped to have Mamie encourage us as the audience to make ourselves stronger and continue to fight for the change we want to see in the world just like her.

Although the director wasn’t at the screening, the producer of ‘Till’ was present. The producer, Keith Beauchamp, is Baton Rouge raised and a Southern

University alum. Before and after the screening, he expressed how important the movie was to him and how hard it was to finally get the true story into an official movie. As we all know Emmett Till’s story will forever continue due to its lack of attention.

Emmett Louis Till was an African American 14 year old boy who was from Chicago, Illinois. He was abused, lynched, and murdered in Drew,

Mississippi. This happened to him because he was accused of offending a white woman by the name of Carolyn Bryant, in a drug store.

Darius Gaines, a sophomore, business marketing major, attended the screening and gave his opinion. “Attending this prescreening and seeing a movie based on his story for the very first time was touching not only as an individual but as an African American young man. As

coutesy: Google

a student at an HBCU, it is important to know his story. I may not be able to imagine the pain as his mother but seeing how the actress, Danielle Deadwyler, who played as Emmett Tills’ mother, Mamie Till , reacted to her son being in a casket was very heartbreaking. I encourage everyone to please go see ‘Till’ on October 14th. It is very educational and worth seeing,” Gaines stated.

Sydney cuiLLier THE SOUTHERN DIGEST

Student organizations help shape the student experience at Southern University. With over 70 currently registered organizations and many more to come, there is a variety of interests for all to enhance their collegiate experience. While some have been around for decades, there have been a couple new organizations that are setting their own standard.

Established in 2022, the Lacumba Debaters is now the official debate team of Southern University. With 12 students joining the first ever roster, the organization’s mission is to help students build and exercise their intellectual and analytical skills through the power of speech.

Speech and debate has always been very popular and historic in the HBCU

world. Take Wiley College for instance; this small HBCU located in Marshall, Texas, took the world by storm when their debate team won against the nationally ranked University of Southern California. From this win, the Wiley’s debate team went to compete in 75 debate tournaments only losing one during their entire season. This historic feat garnered the adaptation of the critically acclaimed movie, The Great Debaters starring Denzel Washington. From this Wiley’s enrollment increased by over 2,000 students with the influx of money used to help rebuild the school.

Wiley isn’t the only school with strong debate ties. Howard University is a keen frontrunner in the debate world as well. Therefore, the adaptation of Southern’s very own team was simply a question of when not why. “I started the Lacumba Debaters because I saw the need for

students to be able to vocalize their thoughts and opinions in a way that could benefit them in the long run. Here at Southern, there are so many powerful and articulate voice. It was quite surprising to find out that out of the schools one hundred and forty two year tenure, there was no current debate team… And there the Lacumba Debaters was born,” said Iyanna Hanchett, a junior criminal justice major from Eunice, Louisiana.

Another compelling draw about the Lacumba Debaters is anyone can join. There is no specific background or major you need to try out for the team. Just about all walks of life require you to be able to publicly speak and articulate fluently enough to get your message across. Debate is also a stepping stone for some to further their careers. Many of the worlds best attorneys, judges, even politicians got their start in the debate

world.

Normally categorized into 4 parts: an opening, cross examination, rebuttal, and closing. A debate tournament is where teams argue over whatever topic they have studied and researched prior to the commencement of the tournament. The opening is where you present your stance on the topic. Cross examination is where your opponents question you on your opening and stance on the topic you and your team is debating. Rebuttal, the most important part of the tournament, is where you deconstruct your opponent’s argument and defense while also cleaning up any mistake you and your team has made. Finally, closing is where you further solidify your argument while also coming to a summation. While some may leave the specifics up to the professionals, the Lacumba Debaters are here to stay and pave the way!

The Sentinel of an Enlightened Student Body Since 1926

Should Majorette Stay Strictly for HBCU’s

LaiLa hazeL THE SOUTHERN DIGEST

Majorette dance is a longstanding tradition within Historically Black Colleges and Universities, but California does not offer any HBCU’s, the University of California has brought this tradition to it stands. I applaud Isis Lang, who is the creator of the majorette team due to the lack of HBCU culture in California. However, I completely understand the idea that HBCUs should keep their culture. Despite the fact that I

am an HBCU student myself and a resident of California, I am not upset about USC incorporating majorette dance.

Before we decide to judge the ladies of USC for creating their own majorette team, we must look at who Ms. Lang is and her reasons for wanting to create a majorette team at USC. California does not have an HBCU available for students who yearn for the experience of attending a university where Black culture is dominant. The reasons many of my Califorianian friends do not attend an HBCU

are the lack of financial aid, fear of leaving California, and the need for diversity. Lang explained to ‘Essence’ Magazine that she was a majorette dancer at her Chicago high school and wanted to continue her passion at USC. I find her reasons valid because while USC does offer cheerleading and a dance team, she wanted to create a space for women of color to dance comfortably amongst one another. It is clear that the team was not created to steal HBCU culture but to create a space for Black women to dance.

In contrast, others feel as if Lang is stealing a part of Black culture that belongs to HBCU’s. I understand the concern. However, I would like to offer another view point: The creation of USC’s majorette team can serve as an opportunity to provide exposure and insight to our culture. Just as the Divine Nine Organizations are welcomed on the campuses of many PWI’s, I feel that majorette should be just as welcoming. As HBCU students we should create support systems for our Black brothers and sisters

who have placed themselves in uncomfortable environments to provide representation for us.

Despite the controversy, I believe that Lang is introducing our culture to the University of California. She has endured quite a bit of criticism along with support and media attention. I applaud her for taking strides to ensure that we are represented not only in the classrooms and Divine Nine Organizations, but in the stands as well.

Funds in disarray: Southern needs to do better

Brianna FieLdS THE SOUTHERN DIGEST

Are you satisfied with the way Southern University A&M college spends its money? It seems to me that the majority of SU’s budget is spent on sports. It is understood that we also receive a great deal of revenue from sports, so the university want to give back to them. However, there are other things that need to be addressed

before we begin to renovate the stadium.

The dorms and apartments on this campus are out-dated and NEED to be renovated ASAP. In some dorms, the ceiling is falling apart, tubs have black stains on them, sinks clog up every other week, and the water is not clear. It has a faint white color. The washers and dryers need to be updated. Every time people take their clothes out the washer dust and white stuff

gets on the clothes, and students have to shake it off before they can put the clothes in the dryer.

Roads on campus also need updating as soon as possible. There are too many pot-holes in the back of campus, which are damaging people’s cars.

The food at Mayberry and Dunn are good, but it could be better. The school needs to fund more money towards better food suppliers. The cooks do a good job of working with what they

have, but I feel their food would be even better if they had better suppliers. After seeing those frozen patties, I wonder if SU REALLY has our best interest at heart!

Something all students use or eventually need to do is go to the library. The library needs a massive renovation. The elevators are very unpredictable, and the lights are out-dated.

The classrooms at this university are in good shape, but

What’s Really Going On? Crime on the Rise

Kynnedi JacKSon THE SOUTHERN DIGEST

Crime rates are at an all time high in the world right now. Baton Rouge alone has topped Louisiana in crime alone. So the question has arised, “What’s really going on?”. Is the punishment not enough? Do people even take law enforcement seriously? Is this just a way to get back at those dressed in blue? Are people simply just tired?

For many of the crimes that we are hearing about lately are from repeated offenders, with that being said, several people are wondering did they not get enough from the first offense. Does time in a cell not affect people anymore? This

generation is definitely one for the books. We are living in a time where ankle monitors have become trends on social media. It’s almost as if the goal is to make it to “prison tok”. The morals and ideals of our people have changed. The question is why? Do we just not care? Are the jails slipping? What’s really going on?

On the other hand, there are people that are wondering about the respect that law enforcement receives. For the past few years, there has been a rise with law enforcement crime, rather it be related to race, inside issues, or personal dilemma’s. If we can’t look up to our law enforcement and if our law enforcement doesn’t follow the rules then why should we? Right? Many

Curfews are for Kids:

imani Badie THE SOUTHERN DIGEST

As a sophomore student at SAs a sophomore student at Southern University, I find it unfair that the good students must suffer for the bad. Things were not as bad last year as they were this year. The students are fighting, igniting dumpsters ablaze, and seemingly no one is in their right mind, quite

frankly.

The behavior is out of pocket and out of character from what we know as Southern Hospitality and the recent implication of a curfew has solidified this characterization. The SGA president, Carlos Brister recently tweeted “visitation is over at 10:00 PM and there will be no hanging outside.” As the tweet got around to everyone, it was implied that, as students,

people feel as though this is to blame for the higher crime rates throughout the world. The cops have even responded saying, “we are all human”, but is this reason enough to commit such crimes? Is that reason enough for the people to follow?

Since the election of past President Trump, it is almost as if, officers gained a more cocky spirit. There is even the battle of Black lives vs. Blue lives. The rate of police brutality is at an all time high. In 2020, after the George Floyd and Breonna Taylor cases spread across the world, more and more cases were brought to light. It has even been compared to police brutality of the 1960’s during the civil rights movement. These events have the Black community and its

supporters in an uproar. Could this possibly be the reason that crime is rising? Is it a way to take back respect and get at those defending the blue?

Over the past few years, the world alone has been through alot. Not just relating to crime, but natural disasters, pandemics, and even foreign substances.

People could simply just be tired. Tired of trying to figure things out. Tired of looking to politicians for an answer. Tired of having to go through life not knowing what to expect the next day. Tired of looking to the police for help. Tired of dying by the police. Tired of black on black crime. Tired of racial tensions. Tired of constantly having to prove themselves. However, is this reason enough

the kind of desk that students have to sit in are unacceptable. The seats are very low to the ground, and the desk is so tiny. How are the students supposed to fit their laptop and their notebook on that small desk?

The students at Southern pay too much money to have to deal with the low standard things that Southern has provided.

to up the crime rates? Is it really worth it?

We may never know’ “what’s really going on?”, but what we know is that crime is on the rise. If no one gets a grip soon, will we ever be able to gain control? Everyday people walk out of their homes fearing other people on the street, law enforcement, and even their own health due to viruses. We as a community have to come together and realize by working together, we can get far. We also have to sit down as a people and figure out something that works for everybody. In order to do that, we need to answer the main question at hand, “what’s really going on?”

we do not have the freedom of most colleges.

While the university is justified in its actions, we as students can’t help but share mixed responses. All students do not need to be penalized for the wrongful behavior of other students. What SU needs is an upgrade in security to prevent the scandalous activities that go on around the campus. College should be a place where students

can roam as they need to without someone telling them what they can and can’t do. It’s a place where young adults experience their first breath of freedom. We as a community need to refrain from the mindset that what one does with their freedom, others should be held accountable for.

Overall, the lack of protection on this campus must be fixed, and a curfew will not address the violence that is still bound to go

on around this campus. Things such as blowing up dumpsters, breaking into cars, and students being killed will only get better if the administration hires those equipped to handle such matters. This must come to an end! It is mind-blowing that students can’t feel safe at their own school anymore due to the lack of care for student wellbeing.

addressed to someone else. All contributions must be type written, signed and must include the author’s address and phone number. Unsigned letters will not be printed. Southern University students should include their majors, hometowns and year in school. When referring to specific DIGEST articles, please include the date and title. All materials should be directed to the editor in chief of The Southern DIGEST, P.O. Box 10180, Baton Rouge, La. 70813. Materials may be delivered by hand to the DIGEST office located in Suite 1064 Harris Hall or can be e-mailed to digest@subr.edu.

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