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“WE’RE ALL TOGETHER” LSU community shaken by three student deaths in less than two weeks photo by CHRISTA MORAN / The Reveille
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Graffiti on a fence outside the Dairy Science building depicting person performing oral sex surprises and confuses students.
SPORTS
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Saints fans must stay hopeful despite the team’s unclear season after recent injury of quarterback Drew Brees.
ENTERTAINMENT
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MoMo Tea introduces authentic cheese tea, the latest Taiwanese craze, to Baton Rouge.
OPINION
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“If a parent is bringing their child to class rather than enrolling them in preschool on campus, they cannot afford it.”
L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le
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Three recent University student deaths brings the LSU community together in prayer, solidarity
NEWSROOM
BY BAILEY CHAUVIN @BaileyChauvin Three University student deaths in less than two weeks have rocked the LSU community. A University freshman was found dead on Tuesday in Cypress Hall when LSUPD responded to the call around 3:50 p.m. The female’s body was released to the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office shortly after. East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner William “Beau” Clark said the coroner’s office finished the autopsy, but cause of death remains unknown as of Wednesday. The coroner’s office will rule on the cause of death after receiving a toxicology report, which can take up to three weeks. The body showed no signs of trauma, or physical injuries, according to Clark. Clark confirmed the student’s parents have been notified. The student has not yet been named, but was an 18-year-old female from the Washington D.C.Maryland area. Multiple students said the student lived on the second floor of her residence hall. After hearing about the situation, University freshman Teejay Polk organized a prayer circle outside of Cypress Hall on Tuesday evening. He didn’t personally know the student who died, but wanted to acknowledge the tragedy. Polk spread the word about Tuesday’s prayer circle on Twitter. Just two hours later, over 150 University students arrived at the prayer circle to honor the deceased. In regards to University students attending the vigil on such short notice, Polk said the overwhelming student response showed that everyone was “Forever LSU.” “What happened tonight truly shows we’re all together,” Polk said. “We’re all here to support each other. That’s what’s important.” Mechanical engineering freshman Garrick Francis II, who went to high school with the deceased student, attended the prayer circle on Tuesday. Francis II heard about the student’s death from his high school counselor who also attended LSU. “It’s a great tribute to her,” Francis II said. “I think it’s something that she would want -- to see people come together.” LSU Student Government organized a vigil titled, “An Evening of Remembrance and Reflection” for the student on Wednesday in the Greek Amphitheater, near Cypress Hall. Approximately 150 people, including LSU President F. King Alexander, were in attendance. Following speeches from Alexander, SG President William Jewell, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Mari Fuentes-Martin and Polk, students lit candles in remembrance of the three deceased students.
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LSU Student Government holds an evening of reflection and remembrance to honor the loss of three students over the past two weeks at the Greek Amphitheater on Sept. 18. Construction management sophomore Isaiah Imanuel Carter attended the vigil and said the recent multiple deaths at the University shocked him. “Three students have already died in the month of September, and I haven’t even taken my first exam,” Carter said. “This honestly hit home more than any exam I’ll ever take.” Psychology freshman Russell Marshall also attended the vigil and said he appreciated the renewed sense of community following the recent tragedies. “To see people come together is nice,” Marshall said. “There’s been a stronger feeling of community and people being nicer around campus.” Two other University students have died within the past two weeks. University freshman Gilgamesh “Gil” Homan died at 8:09 p.m. on Tuesday, after being taken off of life support. He was 18-years-old. Homan suffered a severe skateboarding accident on Sunday, fracturing the back of his skull and rendering him unconscious. He was rushed to an LSU infirmary and later transported to a local emergency room, according to Nola.com. The student’s father, Michael Homan, said on Facebook, Homan was placed on life support on Sunday and that he would be taken off life support once his family found recipients for his organs. A memorial service for Homan will be held on Sept. 28 at Xavier University, where his father is a professor. “While the past three days have been so awful, one bright spot is that in the hospital room with visitors, and with email and social media, I’ve gotten a better understanding of the extent
to which Gilgamesh positively impacted people’s lives,” Homan said on Facebook. “It makes me so proud of him.” Homan and his family ask that donations be made to the Gilgamesh Homan Memorial Scholarship Fund in lieu of flowers or other donations. The scholarship will financially support a graduate of Lusher High School, where Gilgamesh Homan graduated, to attend Xavier University during their freshman year. Computer science and engineering graduate student Md Firoz-Ul-Amin was shot and killed around 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 7 during a robbery of Mr. Lucky’s Valero gas station on Airline Highway in Baton Rouge. The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office arrested Antonio D. Watts, 22, for the killing of Md Firoz-Ul-Amin on Sept. 12. Watts is being charged with first-degree murder, illegal use of a weapon and possession of a weapon. Firoz-Ul-Amin researched cyber security under Computer Science and Engineering Professor Golden G. Richard III and was expected to receive his Ph.D. in 2023. Richard III praised Firoz-UlAmin for his enthusiasm and work ethic. “He helped the University way beyond the call of duty. He helped students in the lab when he was tired and could be doing something else and worked so hard,” Richard III said. “The students loved him.” Firoz-Ul-Amin planned to return home to Bangladesh in December to marry his fiancee, Nazmin Sultana Smrity. The couple planned to return to Louisiana after the wedding for Smrity to pursue a master’s degree in library science at the University and Firox-Ul-Amin to continue his cyber security research.
Richard III has contacted Smrity since Firoz-Ul-Amin’s death and said she is distraught over the loss of her fiancé. Richard III hopes to create a scholarship in his former student’s name to finance Smrity’s goal of pursuing a master’s degree at the University. “Her view now is that her life is destroyed,” Richard III said. “The only thing that she sees that she can do is to pursue a little part of the plan that they had.” Firoz-Ul-Amin’s father died due to illness last year, Richard III said. Firoz-Ul-Amin wanted to help support his remaining family in Bangladesh. LSU Bangladeshi Student Association program coordinator Md Tanvir Ahmed Sarkar started a GoFundMe to cover the funeral expenses, aid Firoz-Ul-Amin’s family through this time and transport his body to Bangladesh. The GoFundMe had raised almost $50,000, surpassing its $30,000 goal. LSU President F. King Alexander released a statement on Wednesday concerning the three recent University student deaths. “I know that these painful incidents, so close together and so early in the semester, have shocked and saddened our student body,” Alexander said in a statement. “All of LSU’s faculty and staff share in those feelings as well. These students, each with a bright future ahead, will never have the opportunity to realize their full potential.” Alexander urged students that need assistance that need assistance coping with the recent tragedies or other medical, emotional or academic issues to reach out to a University faculty or staff member. Reveille reporter Nick Frewin contributed to this report.
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NEWS GRAPHIC GRAFFITI Graffiti spray-painted on fence by Dairy Science building
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New transit coming to campus BY JULIA-CLAIRE EVANS @juliaclaire1026
and removed, said Igor Matkovic, a day shift custodial manager for Building Services. “The other day we got a phone call that somebody put graffiti on dumpsters between Lockett Hall and Prescott in the Quad area,” Matkovic said. “We went and cleaned it.” While the mysterious infinity signs of 2014
LSU Facility Services is working toward several new transportation updates for students, faculty and staff. These updates include additional methods of transportation and making the current transportation options more convenient, according to Facility Services Executive Director of Facility and Property Oversight Tammy Millican, Millican said improving the University’s parking options is a priority. “We’re looking at a lot of different technologies to improve parking,” Millican said. “Perhaps one day sensors in parking lots will let you know automatically how many spaces are available.” Kinesiology junior Adeline Delaune said she would love for the University to implement sensors in parking lots “Why wouldn’t you want to know [if a parking spot is available] before?” Delaune said. “If you did know, you wouldn’t have to go and ride around for ten minutes prior to class or be late.” Millican also said Facility Services is considering bringing Flixbus to the University. According to the company’s website, Flixbus is a bus service that promises “unbeatable prices, comfortable seats and free WiFi.” Students who live outside of the state or who do not have a vehicle on campus could use Flixbus to travel home on week-
see GRAFFITI, page 4
see TRANSPORTATION, page 4
ANA BLOCK / The Reveille
BY ANA BLOCK @anablock_4 If you have class on the south side of campus or have stopped for a food truck snack along South Stadium Drive, you may have noticed new artwork on a fence nearby. Graphic graffiti, which illustrates a person performing oral sex, appeared on a fence hiding equipment behind the
Dairy Science building late last week. Graffiti, especially when suggestive in nature, is not very common on the University’s campus, according to Facility Services Executive Director of Facility and Property Oversight Tammy Millican. Older students on campus might remember the last large outbreak of spray paint art in 2014
when mysterious infinity signs appeared randomly around campus. The mathematical sign, accompanied by the letter “B,” and, in one instance, the word “bound,” was painted onto the walls of Free Speech Plaza, the Student Union, Barnes and Noble, and Himes Hall. This caused many students to wonder about the message behind the symbol, but the graffiti
currently painted behind the Dairy Science building is less ambiguous in its physical qualities. While Millican said that there are sometimes long periods of time where there are no instances of graffiti around campus, it seems as though the University is not currently in an off season. A smaller spray-painted mural was also recently discovered
Middleton visits heavily outweigh books checked out BY GUNNAR VIATOR @wviato1 You can judge a book by its cover. At least that’s the case in Middleton Library, where reports have shown only 3,449 items were checked out in a month with over 104,000 visits to the library. According to a Middleton Library circulation report from Feb. 2019 created by LSU Libraries Head of Circulation Elissa Plank, Middleton saw over 104,000 visits during the time its access services desk was open. Middleton’s access services desk is open from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, from 7 a.m.
to 8 p.m. on Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Sundays. Middleton’s access services department was busiest on Tuesdays and reported 527 visitors on those days. Peak traffic for Middleton access services that month occurred between 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Students asked Middleton librarians the most questions on Wednesdays. Plank reported 175 questions were answered at the access services desk that month. Of those questions, 45 were about Middleton’s cataloging system, making this the most frequently asked type of question. According to Plank, check-out
records show Language and Literature was the most popular genre, with 608 books on those subjects checked out that month. This was followed by Fine Arts with 320 checked out books, Social Sciences with 298 checked out books, and General Science with 261 checked out books. More obscure topics were among the least checked-out genres that month. Military Science reported the lowest number, with only six books checked out on the subject. Similarly, only 17 Auxiliary Sciences of History and 22 Law books were
see MIDDLETON, page 4
ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille
Thursday, September 19, 2019
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UREC provides goat yoga, other themed fitness programs BY RAYMOND CONSTANTINO @r_dog_3 Aside from some occasional headbutting, goats are fairly docile creatures. That temperament should serve them and LSU students well in the goat yoga class UREC’s in October on the Parade Ground. Goat Yoga is part of the UREC’s GroupX fitness program series, which aims to reach more students by offering different takes on regular fitness classes. UREC Coordinator of Fitness and Wellness Melissa Mapson said the UREC is partnering with a vet student who owns a farm to bring the ever-hungry animals to campus. “We’re going to have about two to three goats and they’re gonna be walking around a little bit,” Mapson said. “We’ll have different poses, so in different poses you can basically interact with the goats in a pose. That’s a really great photo op.” UREC Assistant Director of Fitness and Wellness Paul Kwiatkowski said the idea for the goat yoga class came after he and his colleagues noticed the popularity of Seaux Stressed events, which are sponsored by LSU First Year Experience. In previous years, these events involved various animals and photo opportunities and were
GRAFFITI, from page 3 have since been removed, along with the recent art painted onto dumpsters near the Quad, the graphic image painted by the side entrance of Tureaud Hall still remains for students to view and question. While the picture itself is unclear, it has left students puzzled and shocked by its explicit nature. Mass communication sophomore Anna Ball was shocked and left with numerous questions when she first noticed the vandalism. “Oh, wow,” Ball said. “Why is it there? Like, what’s the point?” Ball then joked, saying that the male appearing in the photo looks like a popular rapper. “He looks like Lil Yachty,” Ball said. “This is just a bad picture.” Students also said that because of the location of the drawing, it is easy to miss. Accounting junior Jacob Kershaw was surprised that he had not seen the illustration before it was pointed out to him. “Well, that’s a little peculiar,” Kershaw said. “I passed here yesterday and must not have noticed it.” Accounting sophomore Lindsey Mumey said that the location of the drawing is on her daily route to class, but she hasn’t noticed it before. She expressed that, after finally seeing it, she wishes she hadn’t. “I don’t want to look at that
a hit among students. “I know two years ago, I took a picture of a kangaroo. That’s awesome, that’s just the coolest thing,” Kwiatkowski said. “And the line was just down the block with students.” Goat Yoga will be a free class, and UREC members of all skill levels are encouraged to attend. If your social media profile needs some sprucing up or you need to de-stress after a rough week, some candid pictures with goats may be just what you need. Goat Yoga is just one of these specially-themed programs, however. The UREC is going all in on Halloween this season by holding a Zombie Zumba class. Zombie Zumba is a special, Halloween-themed version of the UREC’s weekly zumba class. Mapson said costumes are highly encouraged, and the participant with the best costume will win a prize. Zombie face paint will be provided to make dancers look extra un-dead. After dancing for an hour, you might smell like a zombie as well. “We tried to program an event around the holidays we have,” Mapson said. “We know that people are going to be here in the facilities, so why not celebrate those different opportunities while they’re every day on my way to class,” Mumey said. “It’s just weird.” According to the LSU Facility Services Customer Service Center, a work request has not yet been filed for this drawing. Once a work request is placed, Facility Services staff will be assigned to remove the mural, which can vary in time required to return the fence back to its original state. This task could take from one hour to one day, according to Millican.
MIDDLETON, from page 3 checked out. Despite being outnumbered by undergraduate students by roughly 6-1, graduate students accounted for the most frequent book users in February. Middleton, despite being the primary library on a campus populated by over 30,000 students, with no real limit on the number of books one can check out, only had 3,449 items get checked out that month. According to the report, 2,072 books were checked out at the access services desk. 627 reserved items and 498 Interlibrary Loan books were also checked out. 190 patrons used the self-check out machine that month and collectively checked out 252 books. Chemical engineering junior Ethan Thibodeaux has been using Middleton’s study rooms and going to the CC’s in the library at least weekly since he was a freshman, but has never checked out a book. “I get by fine with just the inter-
LONG LE / The Reveille
here?” Another Halloween-themed event that will be held at the UREC is Riding Through the Decades. Throughout the last week of October, each nightly cycling class will be themed after a different decade, starting with the 70s. Mapson said the instructors will have music playlists corresponding to the decade of the night, and that participants can dress up with attire from each time period if they want. “Have fun with it,” Mapson
said. “Fitness shouldn’t just necessarily be like, ‘I have to be miserable the entire time.’” Some other specialty programs the UREC will hold this semester include a fitness boot camp and a weight-training fundamentals class. Kwiatkowski suggests that less experienced UREC members pick one activity that interests them and follow through with it. “If you look at all 70 classes on our schedule, that gets really intimidating,” Kwiat-
kowski said. “But if you find a time that works best for you and just pick one and commit to that one, you’ll see that expand. You’ll make a community with the people who are taking the classes.” Kwiatkowski also said the UREC opened a new facility last year in Canal Hall that few students know about. This makes it even easier for students, especially those on the opposite side of campus from the UREC, find time to get active.
net. It’s way more efficient and accessible,” Thibodeaux said. The University’s large undergraduate body may just be unfamiliar with the call-number system, and deterred by the task of hunting down books from a large catalogue. Pre-business administration junior Everett Pooler admitted he found the process slightly confusing. “My first time there was kind of daunting,” Pooler said. “It took me a little while to find the circulation desk, and then peering over all the shelves looking for the right callnumber took some time.” However, other students seem to navigate the process easily. First-year law student Tyler Bergeron said he’s checked out books many times without issue. “The circulation desk staff were always super helpful and didn’t mind pointing me in the right direction,” Bergeron said. Chemistry junior Davis Curry offered a more critical explanation, saying that Middleton’s texts are dated. “I don’t like their selection,” Curry said. “This is anecdotal, but everything I’ve found for my major in there was from like the 1970s.”
ends,” Millican said. “Plus, you can be productive, because while the bus driver’s driving, you can study.” Psychology junior Mignon Huckabay, who lives in Shreveport, said this update could be useful to her. “I don’t like to drive late, and my parents often get mad at me for driving late at night, because it’s such a far way home,” Huckabay said. “Having a bus that will take me will increase my safety and will make it easier on me. It would also be cheaper because it takes me a whole tank of gas to get home.” Millican said Facility Services is currently trying to make all the University’s current transportation options, including the recently implemented Gotcha bike share program, available on the LSU mobile app. One current transportation option that may be less known among students is Zipcar. With
Zipcar, students can reserve a Zipcar by the hour or day and only pay for they amount of time they drive, according to Zipcar’s website. There are currently five Zipcars available on campus for students to drive. Three Zipcar parking spaces are located in front of East Laville Hall and two are located in the Aster Street East Lot. Facility Services is also working to make bus routes more efficient and straightforward. According to Millican, some students feel the bus routes take them away from their desired location and then bring them back. Millican said Facility Services prioritizes student safety and encourages students to consider using the transportation options available on campus. “I think that what’s really most important to me is always safety of students,” Millican said.
TRANSPORTATION, from page 3 ends or holidays, with ticket prices as low as $19. “This would allow students who are coming from out of state or further away in Louisiana to have the ability to go home and get back on week-
LONG LE / The Reveille
SPORTS
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Dancing to Diving
FOOTBALL
Hope: Brees’ injury isn’t Aimee Wilson's Scottish dancing background translates to diving success the end for the Saints
BY ELIZABETH CUI @lizzie_cui
For LSU sophomore Aimee Wilson, diving wasn’t always number one. For 11 years, highland Scottish dancing was her life. Wilson started dancing when she was five and loved it for most of her life. “I loved so many things about dancing,” Wilson said. “It ran in my family before because my aunt did it when she was growing up, so it brought me closer to my family.” Highland dancing is a form of Scottish solo dance, that developed in the 19th and 20th century to perform in competitive competitions such as the Highland Games, which is an event held in the spring or summer to celebrate Scottish and Celtic culture. The unique form of dance is typically performed to ceilidh, country, waltz and folk music. “I loved performing for people, so dancing gave me the chance to be on stage and perform, and I met so many amazing people,” Wilson said. Many divers have a background in either a gymnastics or dance as it helps develop body control and coordination. It is also a way to train the mind to focus and develop good habits revolving around exercise and overall well-being. Dancing and diving are very similar in terms of competing and putting on a performance for an audience. Both sports incorporate aesthetics and flexibility into routines. “I think Highland dancing was the perfect cross training for diving,” Wilson said. “It is a very technical type of dancing similar to ballet. It requires a lot of
BY MYLES KUSS @KussMyles
MITCHELL SCAGLIONE / The Reveille
stamina and cardio along with arm and leg strength as you are constantly jumping along with precise feet and arm movements.” “Diving is a performance sport,” said diving coach Doug Shaffer. “Every time a diver executes a dive it is a performance which is evaluated. Aimee’s dancing has taught her grace and body control which are readily applicable to diving.” Most athletes who hope to become very competitive in athletics have to dedicate their lives to the sport they choose. Wilson had to choose between diving and dancing when she turned 16.
She made the choice to focus on swimming and diving, and it has paid off for her. Wilson is part of the Canadian national team and competed for the junior national team from 2014-2017. In 2013, Wilson was the youngest member of Team Alberta at the 2013 Canada Games, and she has goals to translate her success on youth teams into success for Canada’s senior team. After being named Southeastern Conference Female Co-Freshman Diver of the Year and Second-Team All-SEC in 2019, Wilson hopes to compete in grand prix competitions this
year and ultimately qualify for the Olympic Games. Collegiately, Wilson looks to medal again at this year’s SEC championships and qualify at the NCAA championships. She also wants to beat existing personal records and break school records. “Overall, I’m happy I choose to continue diving because it has given me so many amazing opportunities that I wouldn’t have got with dance,” Wilson said. “Although my dancing days are behind me, the skills I acquired from it are still things I will continue to use in diving everyday.”
Walking down a dark path can be a scary thing. There is no light in sight and there seems to be no end to the darkness. Yet, you keep walking down the narrow path in the hopes of finding the way home. The key word is hope. Using hope when there seems to be no positives in any situation. Darkness is exactly where every Saints fan sits, waiting for the light to return to the team. Drew Brees dropped back as he has done thousands of times before in Sunday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, except this encounter turned out differently. As Brees attempted to connect with tight end Jared Cook down the seam, he hit his hand against the pursuing Aaron Donald. Brees walked off the field and kept looking down at his throwing hand in disgust as trainers on either side stretched out his thumb. The darkness finally ascended once he tried to pick up a football with his right hand and he simply couldn’t. Sighs could be heard from 1,500 miles away in downtown New Orleans as Teddy Bridgewater stepped onto the field. Bridgewater gave his best effort, but the Saints ended up losing a winnable game on the road to the defending NFC champion Rams as they proved too much to beat without first ballot hall of famer Drew Brees. So, what is next? Does the tanking begin?
see BREES, page 6
SOCCER
Soccer relies on Louisiana talent to compete in SEC BY NATASHA MALONE @malone_natasha Louisiana is known for producing some of the best athletes across the country in all sports. It may not be as prominently known as it is for sports like football and baseball, but Louisiana produces great soccer talent year in and year out, and LSU has done a good job at keeping those highly touted athletes in state. Although LSU soccer isn’t a program that gains a lot of national recognition, it is a program and state that holds rich tradition, culture and deep roots.
There are eight players on the Tigers’ roster who are native to the state and decided to call LSU their home. Those eight players include Rammie Noel, Makenzie Maher, Molly Thompson, Meghan Johnson, Hannah Cueno, Maddie Moreau, Marlena Cutura and Mia Dubroc. “I knew LSU was the place for me when I took my official visit and I stepped on this field,” said Noel, a freshman forward, who attended Acadiana High School in Lafayette and led them to four-straight district titles. Much like her fellow teammates, the decision for Maher to come to Baton Rouge was
set and stone from the time she could walk. As a redshirt freshman, Maher has not gained a lot of collegiate experience, but her history speaks for itself. Coming from Denham Springs, Maher knew that no other university could provide her with what LSU gives. She felt the people, sports and culture can not be matched anywhere else in the country. As an elite forward, Thompson earned the 2018 LHSAA Division III Offensive Player of the Year during her senior season at Vanderbilt Catholic in Houma. She was also recognized as a four-time all-district and a threetime all-state selection. Thomp-
son’s parents are both alumni of LSU and her brother is also enrolled at the University. “When I came to LSU, it was kinda a no-brainer,” said Thompson, who scored three goals as a freshman. “Going from a small town to a big university and being able to represent the purple and gold the way I do has been fantastic.” Cueno is the second Tiger from Houma. She and Thompson spent their high school careers playing together and decided to continue their collegiate careers at LSU. Much like Thompson, Cueno was also a four-time alldistrict performer during her
prep career and scored 71 goals and dished out 88 assists during her time at Vandebilt Catholic. For Johnson, the choice of coming to play soccer for the Tigers was one that did not take much thinking. Johnson’s roots with the Tigers run deep as both of her parents are graduates of LSU and her cousin, Jeanne Kenney is a former women’s basketball player with the Lady Tigers. A Baton Rouge native, Johnson used to attend Tigers soccer camps as early as elementary school and absolutely fell in love with anything and everything LSU.
see SOCCER, page 6
Thursday, September 19, 2019
page 6 SOCCER, from page 5
SWIMMING & DIVING
Swimmers try to qualify for US trials BY ELIZABETH CUI @lizzie_cui Five members of the LSU swim and dive team have qualified for this year’s Team USA Olympic trials at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, this June — seniors Matthew Klotz, Helen Grossman and Nicole Rozier, junior Cassie Kalisz and freshman Brooks Curry. Klotz and Kalisz will lead the way as veterans in the trials process, whereas, Grossman, Rozier and Curry are competing for the first time. “The coaches knew this has been a goal of mine forever and they gave me a lot of support,” Grossman said. “They had confidence in me so it made it so much easier to have confidence in myself.” The US is the powerhouse of the world in the sport of swimming, winning a total of 462 international titles. This is over twice as many titles as the second best in the world, Germany. “I’m so excited to have
qualified for the U.S. Olympic trials,” Rozier said. “Since I was 7-years-old, and I first started swimming, it was my goal to eventually make trials, so I pushed myself this summer so I’d be able to qualify before I graduate.” Klotz will be competing in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meterback stroke and 200-meter bacstroke, Kalisz in the 200-meter backstroke, Grossman in the 100-meter butterfly, Rozier in the 200-meter individual medly, and Brooks in the 100-meter freestyle. There are still opportunities to qualify for the 2020 trials and other Tigers have their sights set on qualifying. Kalisz is close to qualifying in the 100-meter backstroke as well and hopes to shave a few seconds off her time this season. “I’m really excited to have qualified this past summer because I didn’t really have high expectations for myself following a kind of disappointing collegiate season,” Kalisz said. “LSU and the coaches have been huge on
getting me back on my feet and back into a winning mindset.” The coaches are very supportive of their athletes and support them in all of their swimming goals, no just in the collegiate season but internationally as well. “My two sprint coaches Lyle Robelot and Steve Mellor has been very invested and passionate towards my training these past years and we know what my strengths and weaknesses are,” Klotz said. “Using that to my advantage, we’re able to know what works for me and what doesn’t training wise going into a year of preparation for trials.” The Tigers are looking forward to training hard this Olympic year and are ready to cheer each other on in both the collegiate season and the international circuit. The LSU swim and dive team’s season starts this weekend with the annual intersquad meet. “My team and my coaches pushed me beyond my limits, and I hope more of my teammates get to join me in Omaha.” Kalisz said.
Moreau was a very highly talented product out of Youngsville. She led St. Thomas More to back-to-back state titles in 2018 and 2019 and was named the 2018 Louisiana Gatorade Girls Player of the Year. Moreau’s choice to attend LSU was simple. She choose LSU because it allowed her to compete at a high level on the pitch, while also giving her the ability to stay close to her Louisiana roots. Cutura was not only one of the best prospects in the state of Louisiana, but emerged as a top talent in the southern region after playing with the Region III Olympic Development Program Team in 2015-16.
Despite all of that, Cutura did not take the traditional road to LSU. “I did not even plan on playing soccer in college. I never put too much thought into it,” Cutura said. “It was the atmosphere that really sold me.” Dubroc, the freshman from Mandeville, started out her collegiate career at Samford University, but quickly transferred to LSU. Much like many of her fellow teammates, Dubroc also has deep roots with the Tigers as her uncle, Gregg Dubroc, played outside linebacker for LSU in the 1980s before being drafted by the New York Giants in the 1985 NFL draft.
MITCHELL SCAGLIONE / The Reveille
The Reveille Archives
LSU sophomore Mathew Klotz starts off the means 200 yard backstroke race strong during the Tigers’ swimming and diving meet against Loyola and Tulane on Sept. 29, at the LSU Natatorium.
BREES, from page 5 The answer, Saints fans, is hope. New Orleans has been here as the franchise has not been the most successful since its founding in 1967. Some of these seasons include years with one win and plenty with three, but the fans kept walking that path until a light shined so bright they forgot about the darkness behind them with names such as Aaron Brooks and Jason David. That luminous grace was the 2009 Super Bowl win led by no other than the man in question: Drew Brees. Yes, the path has no clear direction or ending, but hope continues to live on. The offensive guru Sean Payton will not stand down, especially with a week to prepare
for another tough road matchup against Seattle. He is the leader down this path, and he has guides to help the team and the fans escape into the shining paradise of the playoffs. His guides start on the offensive side of the ball with two of the best young stars in the game today: Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara. Both are more than ready to carry the load of an offense that has been captained by Brees since 2006. They are young, but can handle the pressure of big games and big touches, especially with an offensive line as solid as the Saints. Secondly, Payton has talent on the defensive side that can lead the way when the route gets tough. Playmakers like Defensive
Player of the Year candidate Cameron Jordan always seem to be around the quarterback when it matters most and has the instinctual ability to stop the run as well. If other teams decide to try and pass the ball, Marshon Lattimore will be waiting for the pick six and Marcus Williams will not be far behind. These are just some of the names that can and will fill the void left by Brees’ absence for the next six to eight weeks. Payton has even come out and said that he will approach the next game with two quarterbacks, which should be interesting to see if Bridgewater and Taysom Hill can handle the pressure of coming in on a moment’s notice. Both have shown signs of greatness through practice and
LSU senior midfielder Marlena Cutura (20) and sophomore forward Meghan Johnson (31) during the Lady Tigers’ 1-0 defeat against Arizona State on Sept. 15, in the LSU Soccer Complex
BUTCH DILL / The Associated Press
training camp. Bridgewater recieved more time with the first team, but Hill adds the added dynamic of the run to mix up defenses. All in all, playoffs and beyond are not out of the question because the Saints are a team;
not one man. In six to eight weeks, the hope will pay off; the Saints will be led out of the darkness due to their supporting cast and welcomed back to the light with nothing but shining Super Bowl aspirations ahead.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
page 7
REV R ANKS MOVIE
TALL GIRL
Netflix
The plot itself was so shallow perhaps because the characters lack depth themselves. The main problem with this film is that it completely missed the opportunity to shed light on real problems affecting tall girls. There are so many issues with this film, but I guess watch it anyway if you’re bored.
Lia Salime @liasalime
ALBUM
CHARLI
Charli XCX
‘Charli’ brings fans back to ‘1999’ and all the way to into ‘2099’ with an album that truly transcends space and time. This album definitely allows Charli XCX to stand out in the pop scene. Charli was able to keep her unique sound, take her featured artists and highlight them in a way that doesn’t stifle or overshadow her own creativity.
EnJanae’ Taylor @_queenet_
MOVIE
IT: CHAPTER TWO Andrés Muschietti
In the case of, “It: Chapter 2,” bigger is not always better, as the nearly 3-hour runtime of the film results in an overblown, bloated sequel with a weak sense of pacing and a meandering story. Despite this, an incredible cast and some truly incredible sequences of horror filmmaking elevate, “It: Chapter 2,” above your standard horror fare, and concludes the tale of Pennywise the Dancing Clown in a somewhat satisfying way.
Charles Jones @saxycj
TV
GLOW
Netflix
Showgirls, wrestling, drag shows and self-discovery are a few of the many events that shaped this funny and heartwarming season of “GLOW.” Overall, this was another spectacular season of “GLOW.’” The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling are sure to hold a special place in your heart.
Britney Young @byoun99
Read the full reviews online at lsureveille.com/entertainment
‘Hustlers’ genuine, shows true struggles of exotic dancers BY MASIE O’TOOLE @masieotoole If “Ocean’s 8” and “Showgirls” had a baby, this would be it. “Hustlers,” the long-awaited and star-studded crime flick dominating the box office, is set to become a girls’ night staple — and for good reason. J. Lo’s most recent project is a film following a group of strippers in New York City. At the beginning, the girls were successful, making enough money to get by and support their families by targeting wealthier clientele. Everything changed in 2008 when recession hit. The dancers’ clients had less to spend, and the women had to work harder for every dime. The cut-in customers and the club owner taking a hefty share of profits left the performers desperate for money. Ramona (Jennifer Lopez) develops a plan. Ramona, as well as her protégés Dorothy (Constance Wu), Mercedes (Keke Palmer) and Annabelle (Lili Reinhart) decide to target the same clients they did before, this time with even more vitriol. The group begins to carefully drug its wealthier, Wall-Street clients, fueled by desperation and anger towards the men that helped take down the economy. First, they give the men MDMA to loosen them up and make them more-easily influenced. Next, a pinch of ketamine for memory loss and a side of unconsciousness. The women would then max out the men’s credit cards under the assumption that the men would be too embarrassed to report this to anyone. After all, most of them were cheating on their wives. This left all the power in the hands of the women, something most of them were never allowed in their dayto-day lives. This crazy tale is actually based on a real story written by Jessica Pressler for The Cut in an article titled “The Hustlers at Scores.” It’s mostly accurate and shows a lot of the struggles and power dynamics within the stripping industry. It’s easy to point fingers and villainize either set of characters in this movie, but because
courtesy of WIKIMEDIA
its a true story, it’s so much more complex than that. The viewers don’t know the stories of the victims. It’s assumed they’re horrible people that disrespect women and steal profits for themselves. They’re the kings, and the girls are Robin Hood. But in the same way, the men are still victims. They were drugged and robbed. That obviously crosses a few moral lines, and throughout the movie the vigilante justice twist begins to fade. The film itself does a great job of treading that line, showing the raw chaos of the mission. For the most part, the movie was well-constructed and wellwritten, but it wasn’t anything mind-blowing. It’s a good story that blows shallow girl-power plots out of the water, but it lacks the character development and true friendships that would make it soar. With that being said, there
probably wouldn’t be enough time to fully delve into that and keep the movie under three hours. They tried their best, but there are certain cuts that are necessary to make in order to keep something in the box office. Another cut that was of little consequence to the actual quality of the movie, but of large consequence to personal fulfillment, was the startling lack of both Lizzo and Cardi B. Both musicians only have cameos at the beginning of the movie, despite trailers and advertisements portraying them as main characters. Despite this (personal) disappointment, “Hustlers” was still a great movie with more depth and truth than the typical menscamming plot. It hit the issues it needed to hit, but with more screen time it could have truly knocked it out of the park.
Classifieds
Thursday, September 19, 2019
page 8
Now twice a week. To place your ad, visit www.lsureveille.com/classifieds and click Submit an Ad
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Help Wanted Looking for motivated individuals to teach aftercare programs for students with dyslexia in grades 1-8. 3:15pm-5:45pm M-F @ $10/hr. email tracy.ritchie@ lakeyacademy.com MR. GATTI’S PIZZA NOW HIRING ALL POSITIONS FLEXIBLE HOURS GREAT FOR STUDENTS APPLY IN PERSON OR EMAIL RESUMES TO essenlanegattispizza@gmail.com
Phi Mu Alpha Eta at LSU welcomed 89 new members on Bid Day 2019. Congratulations to all of these girls and best wishes for the school year!
Do you like playing golf? The University Club is seeking part time kitchen help. Flexible schedule. Apply in person at Clubhouse 15333 Memorial Tower Dr. HELP WANTED LSU Student Media Distribution Assistant LSU Student Media is seeking applicants for the position of Distribution Assistant. This position is responsible for delivery/distribution of The Reveille newspaper and special publications. Applicants must be LSU students enrolled full time and in good standing. Reliable personal transportation and availability in the early morning hours on Mondays and Thursdays are required. Job expectations include attention to detail, good communication skills and the ability to follow instructions precisely. Distribution Assistants are considered brand ambassadors of the Reveille/ Student Media and are accountable for the presentation of the publications distributed. Rate of pay is $20/hr. Please submit an application at www.lsureveille.com/application.
Deadline: 12 p.m., three school days prior to the print publication date
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FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 19, 2019
THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 Late Bernie __ 4 First, second, third & home 9 Pillow covering 13 Leave at the altar 15 Know-__; wise guy 16 Dwelling 17 Chimney pipe 18 Aristotle’s “S” 19 __ canal; dental procedure 20 Inane 22 “__ boy!”; new parents’ cry 23 Treaty 24 Go quickly 26 Short fast race 29 Raincoats 34 Injury 35 Thick piece 36 Pasture cry 37 Swiss skier’s milieu 38 Injured arm support 39 Frame of mind 40 __ West 41 Singer Ross 42 Terra-__; earthenware 43 __ to be; impersonates 45 Embrace 46 School subj. 47 Bouquet greenery 48 Guacamole & salsa 51 Continuous 56 Aid in wrongdoing 57 Plunders in war 58 __ lights; marquee illumination 60 Fly the coop 61 Actress Potts 62 Fence opening 63 Take care of 64 Tall marsh grasses 65 Uncooked
by Jacqueline E. Mathews
Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews
4 Cut in half 5 Leaning 6 Cooking herb 7 Lawn trees 8 Cutting prices drastically 9 High-pitched cry 10 Owl’s sound 11 __ ’n’ Andy of radio fame 12 “…to St. Ives, I __ man with…” 14 Bowling 21 Make wood smooth 25 “This food looks awful!” 26 Marsh 27 Word with bears or opposites 28 India’s currency 29 Leg parts 30 __ moth; green insect 31 Overdo the role DOWN 1 Actor Fox’s initials 32 __ for; cheers on 33 Soft drinks 2 Has a bug 35 __ in; wearing 3 Classic board 38 Not plural game
9/19/19
Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved
©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.
39 Daybreak 41 Hideaway 42 Lincoln & Ford 44 Tried out 45 Stops 47 Foul-smelling 48 Loony 49 Suffix for flex or digest
9/19/19
50 Part of a hammer 52 Second to __; finest 53 Ice cream scoop holder 54 Close 55 “I __ Name”; Jim Croce hit 59 Just purchased
ENTERTAINMENT THAT’S THE TEA
MoMo Tea introduces cheese tea craze to BR
BY BRITNEY YOUNG @byoun99 Cheese and tea may seem like a weird combination, but MoMo Tea combines the two into a delicious treat for customers. Ronnie Wong, the owner of MoMo Tea, wants to keep Baton Rouge up to date with the cheese foam craze going on in China. The drink originated in Taiwanese night market stands, introducing to the public a cloud of powdered cheese and milk as a new topping. HeyTea, a tea shop in China, picked up on this in 2012 and started using real cream cheese and milk to give their customers a top quality taste. Lines of people would wait two to three hours just to have cheese tea. In California, New York and Texas, specifically Houston, the cheese foam trend only popped up one or two years ago. Wong wanted to bring cheese tea to Baton Rouge because America is behind on this trend. “This is what’s super popular in China right now,” Wong said. “We do have boba. It’s popular over here, but in China, it’s not popular at all anymore.” Wong described cheese tea as a liquefied cheesecake. Customers have to tilt their cup at a 45 or 50 degree angle, and the tea will go through the cheese making the perfect mixture. Wong also highlighted
the quality of their teas. He mentioned how this is as close customers will get to going to China. Customers who have been to these tea shops in China told Wong that their teas taste the same as the ones in China. “Our cheese foam is pretty similar to the one of the most popular places in China,” Wong said. Melina Chen, Wong’s wife, works at the shop and hand picks the ingredients. The ingredients are shipped from Taiwan, and they must be ordered them months in advance. Their matcha is shipped from Japan. MoMo Tea not only satisfies with their menu, but the atmosphere in the shop is very open and modern. It has a coffee-house atmosphere, and the shop attracts people of all ages. Friends and family can come in and play board games while they enjoy their order. “I go to MoMo probably a couple of times a month, and it’s seriously the best boba tea in
my opinion,” Music composition sophomore Lukas Dorcy said. “And if you’ve never had it, the cheese foam is amazing. It’s all super high quality, and the folks there are always friendly and helpful.”
MoMo Tea is an exceptional place to go to if you want to get a special treat with friends or a new place to study at. It’s important to always try something new, and trying cheese tea might be your newest addiction.
ABOUT MOMO TEA Hours of Operation
Sun: 11 AM-9 PM Mon-Thurs: 10 AM-9:30 PM Fri-Sat: 10 AM-10:30 PM
Address 7673 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge, LA 70810 Phone (225) 300-8071
ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille
Inside Momo Tea on Perkins Road in Baton Rouge on Monday, Sept. 16.
page 9
Local artist creates handmade ceramics BY ENJANAE’ TAYLOR @_queenet_ Local artist Ghada Henagan shares her artistic journey and how she adds to Baton Rouge’s ceramic craze. The ceramic artist makes hand-made dishes, mugs and other creative art that she sells on her Etsy shop and her website. Henagan has lived in Baton Rouge for 15 years, making art and sharing her talent locally. “It’s not like I chose Baton Rouge, I think Baton Rouge chose me,” Henagan says while describing her journey to Louisiana. Growing up in Lebanon, Henagan went to college and studied sacred art. She took one course on clay but didn’t know much about it then. After college, Henagan got a regular 9-to-5 job and never thought she’d be working with clay again. Later her sister, a nun and an artist, asked her if she wanted to work with ceramics. After that, she stayed with her sister for about five years and started working with clay, making religious objects. After coming to visit her brother who convinced her to stay in Baton Rouge, she started working on ceramics in the South. This was difficult for Henagan because the pots and other art she currently makes were very different from what she made when she first began making art. After coming to Baton Rouge, she
see CERAMICS, page 10
The Revelries, Flow Tribe headline show at The Varsity BY LIA SALIME @liasalime You might have heard of The Revelries, or even had class with one or two of its members. The Baton Rouge band continues gaining momentum, this time by headlining a show alongside New Orleans based Flow Tribe at The Varsity Theatre, known for its alternative music shows. The show kicked off a little after 9 p.m. on Friday with The Revelries performing first. They rocked original debut songs “Abbot Kinney” and “Blonde Hair. Blue Eyes” and fan favorite “That Side of You.” The band also covered John Mayer’s “Heartbreak Warfare” flawlessly for an exhilarated audience. “This is one of the best shows I’ve been to lately,” digital
advertising senior Samantha McBroom said after catching a pick thrown by guitarist Logan Maggio. The band is made up of Logan Maggio, the newest member and a finance senior, lead singer and general business senior Beau Bailey, bass player and mechanical engineering senior Hoyt Brignac and drummer and University accounting graduate John Lewis released an EP titled “After 7,” and has opened for Moon Taxi, Wilderado and Weathers and shared the stage with Better Than Ezra. Although the band has only been together for about two years, in synchrony and developed sound make it seem as though they’ve been rocking together for as long as Axl Rose and Slash.
Each member has played their respective instrument for years and derives inspiration from different musicians like Catfish and the Bottleman, Kings of Leon, U2 and John Mayer, but they combine their different styles to achieve guitar-driven alternate rock. “We got a ton of songs that we’ve already written and right now there’s a few record labels that we’ve been talking to,” Lewis said. “They were looking to produce our next project. So, a lot of what we come out with next kind of depends on who/if we sign with a record label or if the deal’s not there, then we would go and do it ourselves.” After an interlude, the show culminated with a buoyant performance from Flow Tribe that included maracas, jazz,
instrumentals, funk and a lot of dancing both from band members and the crowd to “Good Time Girl” and “Turning Table Live.” The band’s music, defined as funk rock, is based on funk with distinct jazz elements and takes in characteristics of rock to create Flow Tribe’s flowy and easy-tovibe-to sound. All members of Flow Tribe are New Orleans natives. The band is comprised of K.C. O’Rorke on vocals and trumpet, John-Michael Early on vocals, the harmonica, keyboard and washboard, Russell Olschner on drums, Chad Penot on vocals and bass, Bryan Santos on the guitar and Mario Palmisano also on the guitar. Both The Revelries and Flow Tribe’s music is available on Spotify and Apple Music. The Revelries and Flow Tribe will be at
the Gretna Heritage Festival on Friday, Sept. 27 as they return to Louisiana.
ABBY KIBLER/ The Reveille
Logan Maggio performing at the Varsity Theatre on Friday, Sept. 13.
page 10
Thursday, September 19, 2019
CERAMICS, from page 9 had to start from scratch. “I came here, and I didn’t know anything about the ceramics world actually, and the state and how important it is to ceramics and the artists here. In fact, in Lebanon we only have a few potters that you heard about,” Henagan said. She didn’t speak English fluently, or knew the proper terms used for ceramics in English. She also didn’t know the names and different kinds of clay that she could find here. Because of this, Henagan took online classes and attended LSU’s artist workshops. “That was actually very helpful to help me make the work that I’m making right now,” Henagan said about her experience at the University. Even though she learned more after coming to America, the style she worked with regarding religious themes, aesthetics as well as background and minimalist drawing, which she learned back in Lebanon, affected everything that she draws on her pots now. Henagan creates her designs as she goes and likes to experiment with her art. She doesn’t constrict herself to making certain things, allowing for her full artistic ability to be showcased. She gets the inspira-
tion for her art from childhood memories and the nostalgia she has for her country. She remembers a lot of animals from her home, so all the animals she puts on her pottery and all the elements in nature are essential for her work. For her, the animals represent nostalgia, but she hopes people connect to her work in any way they can. Henagan especially enjoys making mugs because she feels that they’re the most useful and beneficial to entertain with, while also connecting the user to the artist. She hopes people connect with her art while using it just like she connects with theirs. “When I use handmade mugs, it’s like I’m having conversations with the person who was making it,” Henagan said. Henagan likes to collect art from local and online artists, drinking from their mugs while wondering about the artists and how they made it. This adds another layer that makes the experience even more special. Henagan wants to try experimenting with things like red clay and printing on clay, but for now she is working on her art for festivals and markets. Henagan’s art is available at markets like the Baton Rouge Arts Markets and MidCity Makers Market, as well at the Three Rivers Art Festival. Three Rivers Art Festival is
the biggest show she does every year with over 200 artists being showcased from all over the state.
The artist prepares for almost two months straight with no days off for the big two-day event.
Henagen’s artwork can be found on Instagram at @ghadahenagenceramics and on Etsy.com.
THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES/ The Reveille
Ghada Henagan Ceramics showcase their craft at the Baton Rouge Arts Market on Saturday, March 3, 2018.
L SU Student Media Student At-Large Board Member Position The LSU Office of Student Media is seeking a student to serve a one year term as the at-large member on the LSU Student Media Board. The Student Media Board is comprised of LSU students, faculty, staff and media professionals who are responsible for interviewing and selecting students who have applied for the top editor or manager positions for The Reveille, Tiger TV, KLSU Radio and Gumbo Yearbook. The at-large student must not hold office in Student Government, must not be enrolled in the Manship School of Mass Communication and must not be employed by LSU Student Media. Availability for Friday afternoon meetings up to three times per semester is required. The first meeting is Friday, November 8th. If interested, please email studentmedia@lsu.edu and include a brief statement about your interest in LSU Student Media and why you want to serve on the board.
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*There will be no Farmers’ Market Oct. 16
Before..
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(225) 578-6090 admanager@lsu.edu
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OPINION
page 11
Woodward decision to end transfer-fund policy is best for LSU Letter to the Editor SCOTT BURNS Dear Editor, In its Sept. 4 editorial, The Reveille editorial board argued that athletic director Scott Woodward’s decision to end the $7 million annual transfer-fund policy displayed “LSU’s misguided principles.” As an economics professor and proud LSU and Reveille alum, I share the board’s concern for the University’s budget predicament. But the editorial itself is misguided. Counterintuitive as it may seem, Woodward’s decision is what’s best for LSU athletics and academics. To the extent it helps LSU athletics become more competitive, ending the subsidy will inevitably help the University. The best example of how athletic success translates to academic success comes courtesy our arch-rivals in Tuscaloosa. Before Nick Saban was hired in 2007, Alabama’s enrollment had stagnated below 25,000. The school received 15,761 applications, the vast majority of which were from in-state students.
By 2016, a decade after the Crimson Emperor’s arrival, enrollment rose by 50% to 37,665. Alabama received 42,802 applications, a 300% increase from 2006. Average ACT scores rose from 24 to 27 and average GPAs from 3.4 to 3.7. For the first time in its history, more than half of Alabama’s students are from out of state. Thanks in large part to this football-fueled spike in demand, tuition revenue rose by more than 400% from $112 million in 2004 to $482 million in 2016. Academic fundraising has also boomed. In 2017, Alabama raised $224.2 million compared to LSU’s $56 million. Saban isn’t the only reason for Alabama’s academic miracle, but he is the most important. Based on these results, one could argue he’s the best hire Alabama has ever made. Importantly, all of Alabama’s recent academic success occurred without an athletic kickback. Saban would’ve never taken the Alabama job had a transfer-fund policy been in place, just like Woodward would’ve never accepted the LSU job had he been forced to maintain it. The cost of the policy far outweighed its benefit – both to LSU athletics and,
ultimately, to the University. Woodward’s critics need to realize that the transfer-fund policy, though a nice (albeit costly) gesture, is but one small way athletics has contributed to the University. In a 2014 study, economist Loren Scott estimated that LSU athletics generated $400 million per year in new sales to Baton Rouge area firms and 4,000 jobs. Although it’s difficult to pinpoint the precise financial benefit LSU athletics provides the University, it vastly exceeds $7 million. One need only harken back to the halcyon days of the early 2000s, when the football program’s success as the “front porch” of the University fueled the greatest surge in out-of-state enrollment the University has ever seen (let’s not talk about the coach at the time…), to see why a strong athletics program is the University’s best friend. Scott Woodward was right to call the transfer-fund policy unsustainable. It puts LSU Athletics at a competitive disadvantage and creates a dangerous precedent by making the University dependent on athletics instead of more appropriate – and sustainable – sources of revenue. The question isn’t whether
“the University’s principles are misguided.” (As has been repeated ad nauseum, LSU athletics is privately funded. Not a penny of its spending comes from University coffers.) It’s whether its fundamental business model is misguided. In 2014, LSU was the only SEC program that had more athletic contributions than academics. The $45.1 million in athletics contributions was on par with peers like Florida and Texas A&M. But the paltry $36.8 million in academic contributions was only a third of Florida’s $111.2 million and Texas A&M’s $105 million. What this shows isn’t that LSU’s donors have misplaced priorities. It shows the LSU Foundation must do a better job of making the case to donors that investing in LSU is in their best interest. LSU will always receive public funds, but the past decade has shown why it shouldn’t be so reliant on state funds the whims of Louisiana politics. It should be able to sustain itself in large part through private donations like its peers. Relying more on private funds would put the University on more stable footing and sharpen its focus on creating value for the
community. Colleges that embraced this approach have thrived, even in an era of budget cuts. The E.J. Ourso College of Business raised $30 million from donors to help build the BEC. The Engineering College raised $50 million to renovate Patrick F. Taylor Hall. These state-of-theart facilities weren’t built by professors inciting PR debacles on Twitter (That $80 million would buy a lot of Dirt Devils). They were built because these colleges and faculty members took the initiative and show investors how their programs create clear value for our community. There has always been a tension between athletics and academics. That shouldn’t be the case. One of the most important economics lessons is that success in a market economy is not zero-sum. This is especially true for LSU athletics and academics. At the end of the day, we’re all on the same team. LSU’s athletic success is good for its academics. Or to put it in a manner we can all rally behind, “one team, one heartbeat.”
Scott Burns is an LSU alumnus and economics professor at Troy University.
Free childcare on campus should be available to students According to Ashlon ASHLON LUSK @ashlonrose The University should provide a free childcare system on campus for students who have children. As I sat in my economics class in Dodson Hall, I heard a baby crying. It wasn’t a very loud cry, but what caught my attention was the professor. He loudly said to the woman, “You need to leave. LSU has policies about this.” He said this to her three separate times throughout the lecture, and each time she ignored him and continued to take notes. After the third time, he said, “This reminds me of a junior high classroom.” I’m assuming he was joking about teen pregnancy. He didn’t seem to have any empathy for
this woman, who probably had no other choice but to bring her child to class. Although my professor yelling at the woman about LSU’s policies was intimidating, I was unable to find any actual policies about this. Professors should be allowed to tell whomever they want to leave their classrooms, but in this case, it can be assumed there was no other place for her to bring her child. If there was an affordable place that would take care of students’ children on campus, the woman would have no excuse for bringing her child to class. Just because a student has a child, it doesn’t mean they don’t deserve an education. Not everyone can afford quality childcare, and unfortunately, it’s clear not all professors allow children in their classrooms. Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool is the childcare the University offers on campus.
For full-time students, the cost is $866 a month for infants and children up to 2-years-old; $834 a month for 2-year-olds and 3-yearolds; and $795 for 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds. Those prices exclude a $250 registration fee, a $300 materials and technology fee and a $100 building fee. If a parent is bringing their child to class rather than enrolling them in preschool on campus, they probably cannot afford it. Parents in school are trying to further their education and thus have less time to earn the necessary money to pay for daycare. Childcare is expensive, but it shouldn’t be for someone who is already paying tuition. The University is a state school which is funded by the government or outside donations. The government should include a childcare system in this funding. About 46% of children in Baton Rouge come from single-
The Reveille Archives
The LSU Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool on Sunday Aug. 28, 2016, on Gourrier Avenue. parent households, and more single parents would want to get an education if they knew they didn’t have to also pay for childcare. Less student-parents would be forced to drop out to watch
Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Caleb Greene Hailey Auglair Bailey Chauvin Rachel Mipro Karli Carpenter
Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor Opinion Editor
The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.
their children or to work to afford childcare.
Ashlon Lusk is a 20-year-old mass communication sophomore from Houston, Texas.
Quote of the Week “Leadership is about vision and responsibility, not power.”
Seth Berkley
scientist Oct. 18, 1956 — present
Thursday, September 19, 2019
page 12
California fur trapping ban pointless, inconsiderate to sportsmen Your Best Brett BRETT LANDRY @bmlndry3 It is the responsibility of the outdoorsman to respectfully make the best use of every animal harvested, not the responsibility of legislators. On Aug. 4, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 273, also known as the Wildlife Protection Act of 2019, which outlaws the trapping of animals and the sale of their pelts, ending a practice that has been around since people first settled into the state’s eventual borders. If there was ever any doubt that California’s legislature is severely lacking in sportsmen and outdoorsmen, this new law makes it clear. The chief reason for banning the fur trade, or at least the most practical reason, was the number of licenses being sold were not covering the cost of regulating the trapping program.
Only 68 trappers were licensed, and they harvested roughly 1,500 pelts, according to the bill. But rather than continue to allow rural Californians to keep their outdoor lifestyle and try to consolidate their hunting regulation, California did what it does best and just outright banned the trade. The animals being trapped were not threatened in population in the slightest. Rather, many would consider them pests. Badgers, beavers, foxes, coyotes, skunks, opossums and raccoons were all animals commonly dispatched for their fur, and are all animals that are frequently the cause of agricultural pestilence. Now, farmers who actually set out traps to deal with wild pests have to completely waste the bodies of their kills, as by law it would be illegal for them to sell the fur. They’re unable to respectfully make use of the animals’ bodies. Many may wonder why is it
worth getting annoyed when only 68 people lost their ability to trap furs. Conservatives should be rejoicing over the end of a costly government program. The issue with this law is that it was passed without any honest consideration for sportsmen. As soon as the bill was passed, lawmakers in California were celebrating their social justice victory, with Newsom tweeting a picture of a puppet otter seemingly giving a press release with the caption reading, “My friends & I should not have to live in fear of being trapped & our fur being sold!” as if trappers are cold-blooded killers. Sportsmen will be upset by this new bill, and rightfully so. What was once a way of life is now illegal because California’s legislators could not find a way to make money off of trappers. People who have to set out traps for pest purposes, which is legal for now, will have little choice other than letting the pest go to waste.
RICH PEDRONCELLI / Associated Press
Assembly woman Lorena Gonzalez speaks on May 29, 2019 during the Assembly session in Sacramento, Calif. where Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Gonzalez’ bill, AB273, that now makes it illegal to trap animals in California for recreation or to sell their fur. An entire section of the economy is dead because fur manufacturing in California is now illegal. Outdoorsmen need to keep up their heritage, wet a line and get out this hunting season.
Clearly, if we do not keep up our traditions, our traditions will be shut down.
Brett Landry is a 20-year-old mass communication senior from Bourg, Louisiana.
Traditional print journalism industry is transforming, not dying DEAR SOCIETY JASMINE EDMONSON @edmonsonjasmine There’s a misconception that the gradual decline in newspaper consumption means print journalism is dying, but actually, it is undeniably transforming. Notable newspapers, such as The New York Times, are meeting the demands of the digital age. These outlets don’t have to retire their web offset printing machines to engage their audience. News consumers now view current news online via their computer, tablet or phone. With the click of a button, smartphone owners can download newspaper apps and turn on their push notifications to receive the latest events happening locally, nationally and internationally. Digitization allows traditional newspapers to experiment with its features and ultimately expand content. This not only attracts more subscribers but further diversifies audiences. Since 1851, The Times has been publishing ground-breaking stories from around the globe. It started as a penny paper with the intention of appealing to a cultured and intellectual readership instead of a mass audience. The newspaper wanted to stray away from the trend of sensationalism other newspapers grasped tightly. In 1971, “The Pentagon Papers,” a secret government study of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War that former Department of Defense employee Daniel Ellsberg leaked to the New York Times, changed the newspaper’s
reputation. The Pentagon Papers won the newspaper a Pulitzer Prize in 1972. The prize is one of many the newspaper collected, as The Times has over 120 Pulitzer prizes. This magnifies the popularity the newspaper gained during the 20th century. In the late 1970s, the publisher of The Times, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, used technology to expand the newspaper’s circulation. Sulzberger launched an online edition in 1995, and in 2005, the publication welcomed TimesSelect, a subscription service that charged subscribers access to portions of its online edition. Although TimeSelect was unsuccessful, the publication launched Times Reader, another electronic version of the newspaper that didn’t hinder access to portions of an edition in 2006. The publication started a subscription that limited free access to its entire content in 2011. This strategy to keep The Times alive and left journalists with promising jobs didn’t fail. In 2015, the publication surpassed 3 million paying subscribers. The newspaper surpassed 4 million subscriptions in 2018. The Times now has 4.7 million subscribers as of 2019, according to its reports. The numbers will most likely increase by the end of the year. The digital Times created multiple sections news consumers are unable to see in print edition. Some of the most convenient features on the app include Top Stories, Most Popular, Saved for Later and Recently Viewed. Top stories allow a subscriber to know what’s occurring around the world within minutes. Most
Popular grants a subscriber access to news that’s not only trending but credible. Saved for Later and Recently Viewed gives readers the opportunity to archive stories they find interesting and not have to worry about looking for it in the sea of updated news. Some other innovative sections seen on the the app and website that aren’t visible in print include Podcasts, TV and video. These features attract audiences who prefer to consume intellectual, political or cultural news without having to read it. Subscribers can change the language to English, Spanish and Mandarin, the most common languages globally. This draws more subscribers to the publication, making the publication reach a wide-spread audience that extends beyond U.S. borders. Newspapers like The Times have always been dancing with the digital age while managing to have its own beat. Notable publications will continue to be robust because of its investment and contribution to digitization. Most notable publications are on popular social media accounts to frequently engage and interact with its audiences. This helps newspapers reach younger audiences and allows them to see which stories are popular based on click analytics, likes, comments and shares. Print news may be lacking interest, but digital news is here to stay.
Jasmine Edmonson is a 21-year-old mass communication junior from Denham Springs, Louisiana.
cartoon by ETHAN GILBERTI / The Reveille
“As America focuses more heavily on ‘political correctness,’ discussion and social change is impeded by an unwillingness and fear of communication.”