Music: Student rapper performs at South by Southwest, p. 4
Student Government: Candidates debate campus issues, p. 5
Reveille The Daily
www.lsureveille.com
Wednesday, March 21, 2012 • Volume 116, Issue 114
CALLIN’ BATON ROUGE
Newt Gingrich to speak at campus forum on Thursday Kate Mabry Staff Writer
BILL HABER / The Associated Press
Republican presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich addresses supporters gathered at a local restaurant March 16 in New Orleans.
Women’s Basketball: Penn State ends LSU’s season, p. 7
Following Rick Santorum’s visit to an LSU baseball game, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is scheduled to make an appearance on campus Thursday. The event is a Tea Party forum and straw poll hosted by the LSU College Republicans, according to Austin Stukins, state grassroots coordinator for Louisiana Team Gingrich 2012. Stukins is an interior design junior at the University. As of Tuesday afternoon, the event was planned for 8 p.m. in the Cox Auditorium. However, due to scheduling confusion, Baton Rouge Tea Party Treasurer Mark Holmes is working with Associate Director for Student Involvement Michelle Lowery to solidify a location. Holmes said Lowery will book a different venue if the auditorium is unavailable. Holmes said he is extending the forum and straw poll invitation to the other presidential candidates as well. If candidates are unable to attend the event, GINGRICH, see page 6
ACADEMICS
Professor takes part in relativity debate
Brian Sibille Staff Writer
A University professor participated in a national debate Tuesday night about Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, hosted by the American Museum of National History. Gabriela González, physics and astronomy professor, was one of six “of the world’s leading voices in this great scientific debate” chosen to discuss recent discoveries about neutrinos that may GONZÁLEZ travel faster than the speed of light, according to the museum’s website, where the debate was live-streamed. The debate was held in honor of scientific author Isaac Asimov and was hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson, a well-known astrophysicist who recognized the University for being the home of a world-renowned gravitational wave observatory. The debate was lighthearted, DEBATE, see page 6
ELECTION WATCH: SG presidential campaigns
‘Be Heard’ campaign requests student involvement Danielle Kelley Staff Writer
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a four-part series profiling the Student Government candidates. The articles will be printed in order according to presidential candidate’s last name. Taylor Cox and Carrie Hebert said they promise student voices will “Be Heard” if they are elected as Student Government president and vice president. The two mass communication juniors met at S.T.R.I.P.E.S. before attending their first classes of the fall 2009 semester. “He was the first friend I met at LSU,” Hebert said. Since then, Cox has been
involved in multiple student organizations like LSU Ambassadors and is currently SG’s assistant director of student outreach. Hebert has never been associated with SG. Her extracurricular involvement comes from the Greek system, where she is the LSU Panhellenic Council director of operations. Hebert said despite her inexperience with SG, she is qualified for the vice presidential job. “For two-and-a-half years here I’ve walked around campus. I’ve seen what I liked and I’ve seen what I didn’t like, and now it’s my turn to do something about it,” she said. Cox said in order to influence the administration and faculty on University decisions, he will need the help of all students.
“We will not be people’s microphone. We are going to make a stand. We hope that every student stands alongside of us to make a difference in the University,” Cox said. Cox said he hopes the new provost will incorporate student opinions in budget discussions. However, the University’s Budget Committee, which brainstorms scenarios for the University depending on the size of a cut, does not have a student member. “They know they are stepping onto a battle ground,” Cox said. “Several have mentioned they are excited to work with students. … That’s exactly what I as a leader want to hear from a faculty or administration leader.” BE HEARD, see page 6
XERXES A. WILSON / The Daily Reveille
Mass communication juniors Taylor Cox and Carrie Hebert are running for Student Government president and vice president, respectively, under the campaign “Be Heard.”