Baseball: Kentucky takes two of three from Tigers, p. 9
Athletics: Ever wonder what Mason Katz does on his days off? p. 13
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Recreation: LSU Cycling hosts bike race at Capitol, p. 3 Monday, April 23, 2012 • Volume 116, Issue 130
University mourns death of student in Herget Hall Zibilich remembered as determined friend Brian Sibille Staff Writer
The University is in mourning after student Keller Zibilich, a freshman and member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, died Saturday in Herget Hall. The death is being investigated as a suicide by LSU Police, according to University Relations. LSUPD had not elaborated further on the status of the case as of Sunday. “The LSU family was saddened to hear about the passing of Michael [Keller] Zibilich,”
Chancellor Michael Martin said in a prepared statement. “This is a tragic situation, and our hearts go out to his family, friends and everyone he touched while at LSU. We encourage anyone who would like some help in dealing with this loss to speak with a grief counselor at the Student Health Center.” As soon as ZIBILICH news of the incident broke, social media flooded with an outpouring of prayers, condolences and memories of Zibilich, a 19-year-old from Georgia who was considered a “best friend” by many. Those close to Zibilich
Campus buildings need $255M in repair Last full state-contracted assessment was seven years ago
gathered at the Sigma Chi fraternity house on Sunday to mourn privately. More than 40 Sigma Chi members attended a Sunday mass at Christ the King Catholic Church, where Father Bob Stine acknowledged their mourning and offered Zibilich up as a special mass intention. Word of Zibilich’s passing first began to spread Saturday afternoon. History freshman August Williams recalled walking back to his dorm room in Herget that day when he noticed numerous emergency vehicles surrounding the building. He said he was later told a suicide had occurred on the fifth floor, where Williams also lives. Haeden Griggs, international trade and finance freshman, said she knew Zibilich from a
young age. “Keller was the best person,” Griggs said. “It’s hard to put him in a nutshell.” She said she and Zibilich would bicker like siblings when they were children, earning the nicknames “Phil and Lil” from their parents. Growing up with Zibilich guaranteed her a constant companion, and even though they lived in different states, the friends would always see each other when they routinely visited North Carolina together, Griggs said. Griggs recalled time spent kayaking with Zibilich in North Carolina, an activity she said he poured himself into. He saved all his money for kayaking gear and worked at an outdoor center in North Carolina during the summer, she said.
“He wanted to be the best kayaker on the river,” she said. Zibilich was determined in everything he did and always worked for what he wanted, Griggs said. The two decided to go to college together. “He told me he’d go wherever I go. He was always there for me,” she said. Griggs said coming to LSU with Zibilich was special because she got to see him every day and talk to him constantly. “He was my best friend.”
Share your memories of Zibilich with The Daily Reveille at editor@lsureveille.com. Contact Brian Sibille at bsibille@lsureveille.com
Here’s a breakdown of what else that enormous sum could buy:
42,500
141,666
students’ on-campus living expenses
15-in. Macbook Pros
(Based on a $3,000 per semester average)
note: Assessing Editor’s This is the first Our Buildings in a three-part
operating systems have needed repair since the ’80s. Additionally, the state is paying money for this A three-part series series detailing largely unused and outdated data. the state of the University’s acaIn 2004, Louisiana’s state demic buildings, which have not office of Facility Planning and been evaluated Control hired inKevin Thibodeaux since 2005. ternational conContributing Writer sulting firm VFA Faulty pipeto assess facilities lines, deteriorating door frames, and help plan capital renewal prostaircases without railings. grams, which would fund those These are a few of the items buildings. The Boston-based firm on the University’s “to-do” list was to evaluate all state-owned of improvements, a list that has buildings in Louisiana, including remained stagnant since 2005, LSU. The firm was then supposed slowly festering as the projects’ to routinely reassess the facilities multi-million dollar price tag — and maintain current data. currently $255 million — continWhile the firm met this expecues to grow. tation originally, the VFA hasn’t A Daily Reveille investiga- been back to the University or any tion into the progress of updating other state-owned building since the University’s academic build- 2005. ings has revealed that although That year, VFA’s project they should be routinely assessed manager with Facility Planning and evaluated, it has been more and Control had a stroke, and the than seven years since this process majority of the staff working on was carried out to its fullest extent, and many of the facilities’ bigger FACILITIES, see page 8
Mike The Tiger LSUID: 890000001 0000000000000000-0
23,181,818
85,000,000
swipes into The 5 dining hall
Big Macs
80,670 full-time in-state students’ tuition
graphic by BRITTANY GAY / The Daily Reveille