The Reveille 1/9/19

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We d ne s d ay, Ja nu a r y 9, 2 019

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out of sight Visually impaired students face challenges navigating LSU’s campus, page 2

NEWS

SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT

OPINION

Companion Animal Alliance opens new location near campus with Date-A-Dog program, page 3

LSU gymnast McKenna Kelley looks to bounce back from Achilles injury with a strong season, page 7

LSU alumna Jordan Hefler discusses personal branding and her upcoming projects, page 13

“If you think Fox News and MSNBC show partisan bias, pay closer attention to your Twitter feed,” page 3

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

page 2 COVER STORY

LSU poli comm class’ research uncovers limitations for visually impaired students

BY SHERIDAN WALL @slwall7 Josh Price crashed his motorcycle just three weeks after his 21st birthday when he hit a rock while driving at 150 mph and severely damaged his skull. The near-fatal accident rendered Price completely blind and suffering from memory loss.

“I’m so lucky I’m not dead or severely mentally impaired,” Price said in an interview. “I’m extremely lucky to be here.”

After the accident, Price said his life became a “downward spiral.”

Once a rambunctious, fearless kid, Price leaned on alcohol and drugs to cope with his new reality. Eventually, he pulled himself out of this dark place and earned his associate’s degree at Daytona State College.

Now at LSU, Price is studying psychology with dreams of becoming a mental health and substance abuse counselor, so he can help others in situations similar to his. However, achieving this goal at LSU has proven to be a significant challenge with his visual impairment.

“I think I bit off more than I can chew by coming here,” Price said.

Price delivered this testimony along with three other visually-impaired students to an advanced seminar for a political communications capstone course at the University last fall, according to project group member Mallory Knudsen.

The team researched the University’s accommodations for visuallyimpaired students, including facility compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, other universities’ accommodations, an interview with the director of the Office of Disability Services and student testimonials.

The research team from the class discovered the University is lacking in its accommodations for visuallyimpaired students, like the lack of visibility strips on staircases and braille lettering on classroom and bathroom signs. Title II of the ADA requires state and local governments to comply with federal regulations, which includes the University.

New buildings and renovations are required to have the proper braille signage and have been built on the University’s campus in accordance to these standards, according to Director of Campus Planning Greg LaCour. Older buildings on campus may not have the proper signage in accordance with ADA regulations, but the University is required to come up with and implement a plan to bring all properties up to code.

First, the University must conduct a study detailing all areas of campus that need to be brought up to code, LaCour said. The study costs about $500,000, so the University has applied for a grant from the state to request the study. Once the study identifies all of the problem areas, the University will begin working on the improvements.

The lack of visibility strips on

staircases makes moving through buildings difficult for students with limited visibility. Such is the case for accounting junior Jake Sicard. Sicard began to lose his vision when he was 11 years old, the cause of which is still unknown, according to his testimony to the class. Sicard was adopted at a young age, so without a family history, doctors told Sicard, “‘You’re just going to have to live with it.’”

Sicard, a lifetime LSU football fan, came to the University from New York and was provided an orientation and mobility specialist by the state of New York, according to Sicard. Even with the extra help, Sicard said the buildings can be difficult to navigate without the proper visibility markings.

Price said he was looking for the bathroom in Coates Hall when he found a mistake in the braille labeling on the bathroom doors. While it is the men’s restroom, the braille indicates it’s the women’s restroom.

The research team also discovered a classroom, room directory and bathrooms without proper signage in Lockett Hall.

The Office of Disability Services currently has about 2,300 registered students. However, only 10 of those students actively seeking accommodations have some form of visual impairment, according to ODS Assistant Director Keiara Beverly.

Of those 10 students with a visual impairment, Beverly said she only works with four of them regularly due to the severity of their disability.

Accommodations for visually impaired students depend on the severity of their impairment, Beverly said. Some specific accommodations offered by ODS include large print text, note-takers, extended time on exams, access to take exams in ODS, readers, scribes, e-text audible software, relocating classes for easier navigation and consideration for tardiness.

Price said he’s struggled with navigating the University’s campus, especially as an out-of-state transfer student without prior familiarity with the campus. The University does not currently provide transportation or an orientation and mobility specialist for visually impaired students.

Instead, several visually-impaired students rely on the services of Delta Gamma, a sorority on campus whose philanthropy focuses on helping the visually impaired.

“I think it’s absurd that [the University] rests that responsibility on a student body,” Price said.

The LSU DG chapter assists University students and Baton Rouge residents in transportation around campus and the city. The chapter currently assists seven students with 50 sorority members volunteering in biweekly shifts, according to Knudsen, who also coordinated the chapter’s program last fall.

Price said he’s also encountered issues with acquiring audible textbooks. When the University did not provide an audible option for

him, he sought outside assistance through Learn Out Loud, a company that provides audio and visual learning materials. But Price said he thinks the University should be working with companies like this already, so students don’t have to fend for themselves.

“I love LSU,” Price said. “I’ve been an LSU football fan my whole life. I was absolutely enthralled with the idea of going to LSU, but with all of these difficulties, I’m at the point where I want to say, ‘Forget LSU.’” Sicard also said he’s had issues with note-takers for some of his classes. In some cases, Sicard said his designated note-takers wouldn’t respond to his emails once they had been registered with ODS. Beverly said she’s only recently encountered visually-impaired students with persistent difficulty navigating campus, as students with more severe impairments and who are unfamiliar with the campus have enrolled in the University.

ODS does not assist students with orientation, mobility or provide transportation. However, some previous ODS employees did have specialized orientation and mobility training to help students navigate campus, but most students with visual impairments learn to navigate campus independently or with outside assistance, Beverly said.

“Just like our office isn’t necessarily set up to provide transportation for a student with a mobility disability, we aren’t set up to provide O&M training,” Beverly said. “We do as best as we can with the resources that we have.”

The University’s “Tiger Trails” bus system also poses challenges for visually-impaired students, as the buses don’t include vocal indication of stops or bus routes. The University has nine full-service and four night-service bus routes and introduced new buses in 2016, but none of these included vocal indication.

“I’m scared out of my mind to use the bus system,” Sicard said in his testimony. “I don’t want to end up downtown or something.”

Students with disabilities must register with the ODS to receive accommodations. The application for accommodations asks students to submit a diagnosis, functional limitations, medications and a doctor’s and the student’s recommendation for accommodations, Beverly said.

Students then schedule a meeting with advisers to sign additional forms, learn how to print letters and discuss communication with their instructors about additional needs.

While ODS reaches out to students to let them know they need to schedule a meeting, it’s up to the student to meet with ODS advisers and communicate with instructors.

“Our office specifically is a resource for students,” Beverly said.

“By no means are we a solve-all or one-stop-shop, but we do try to point our students in the right direction. We all will do whatever we can to support the student in whatever way is practical.”

As a former student with a visual impairment and an ODS adviser, Beverly said the most pressing issue for University students with visual impairments is web accessibility. Several courses include requirements for online assignment submission, quizzes or homework.

The screen reader software used by visually-impaired students are not compatible with programs required for their classes.

“We’re so technology-based these days that our students are running into a lot of issues with that when their screen reader is not compatible with whatever program it is that they’re using for their classes,” Beverly said. “Of course, that’s going to cause a student a lot of frustration when they don’t have the same opportunities to complete the work that other students are doing.”

Price said he’s encountered issues navigating LSU’s website, especially when scheduling exams and registering for classes. The testing center and disability services require students to schedule exams online.

However, neither the testing center’s website or disability service’s website is compatible with Price’s screen reading software.

The Office for Civil Rights notified the University that its online presence was not in compliance with federal law regarding accessibility and issued a deadline of August 2019 for the University to comply with existing standards. This includes improving existing content and course materials, new content and third-party content or resources.

The University created the Online Accessibility Working Group to determine and implement improvements to the site, according to the team’s research.

ODS advisers have also started reaching out to instructors before the start of the semester to gauge which courses will include components that may be inaccessible to students with visual impairments and resolve those issues prior to the start of the semester, Beverly said. Price said he’s had issues with instructors relying on PowerPoints with visuals, which his screen reader can’t properly interpret.

Knudsen said she hopes her research will inspire improvements for visually-impaired students on campus.

“It became a part of my daily life, interacting with these students,” Knudsen said. “I get to see the real impact DG and the mass communication program has on these students and can have on this campus.

It’s impacted my career goals. Now, I want to go to law school and help these people.”

One of these improvements includes installing audible and tactile crosswalks on busy streets like Highland Road and Nicholson Drive.

Sicard said he hoped to live in the Nicholson Gateway Apartment Complex when it first opened, but he didn’t think it was possible due to the lack of audible and tactile crosswalks on Nicholson Drive.

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NEWS doggies day out

page 3

TECHNOLOGY

LSU alumni develop social media app

BY TAYLOR BOURGEOIS @tbourge_

got t-shirts, bandannas and posters made. She also got the word out through social media and worked on the logistical aspects with CAA. But for Carville, Datea-Dog is only about one thing.

“Fun,” Carville said. “It is just about fun.”

She said there are all kinds of activities people can do with the dogs, such as bathing them before leaving and hopping in the car for an adventure.

Now, with the recent change

LSU graduates are preparing for the launch of Mozi, a social media app with the vision of improving communications throughout daily activities.

“Making plans with your friends and sharing what you’re up to will be easier than ever,” said Jonathan Nester, an LSU alumnus working on Mozi.

The Mozi team is built of mostly LSU graduates including Nester, Andrew Bryson, Chris Harsch and Ben Nguyen. They also have a group of interns to help with the workload.

Noticing the pitfalls of other social media networks inspired Nester and the Mozi team to begin the project.

“After working, managing and owning establishments in the service industry for several years and using social media, we realized social media doesn’t compliment the process of going out and doing things,” Nester said. “We just wanted to come up with a better way of communicating and socializing with your friends.”

Mozi will be an ad-free messaging app that “integrates the best features of social media to facilitate the house and going out.” The team chose the ad-free route to give the best possible experience to the users. “‘Mozi will focus on users’

see DOGS, page 6

see MOZI, page 6

New program at CAA allows people to take dogs out on dates

BY RAYMOND CONSTANTINO @r_dog_3 Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Companion Animal Alliance is starting a new program that allows lonely hearts to go on all the dates they want.

Date-a-Dog is a volunteer program at CAA’s new location on campus across from Alex Box Stadium. Started by Susan Arnold and Holly Carville, volunteers for the non-profit shelter, the initiative aims to help socialize the

dogs for adoption and also serve as advertising.

Another benefit of the new building is that University students who live on campus and are not allowed to have pets can now easily sign up for Date-ADog and spend some time with a four-legged companion. All they need to do is participate in a 30-minute orientation held each month.

CAA was founded in 2010 to decrease the number of animals euthanized in East Baton Rouge

Parish. The shelter has increased the EBRP animal save rate from 20 percent to 70 percent over the past decade, according to its website. The save rate is the percentage of animals the shelter takes in that are adopted.

The women both credit each other with getting the program running, but Arnold said Carville did all the work.

“Holly was the one who really took the bull by the horns,” Arnold said.

In less than a month, Carville

ACADEMICS

History lectures emphasize minorities, LGBTQ community

BY KARLI CARPENTER @karlicarpenter_ American history students can expect to learn about presidents, wars and the constitution, but not all will be immersed in the historical struggles of women, minorities and members of the LGBTQ community.

Catherine Jacquet teaches HIST 2057 at the University and, in addition to covering the basics of American history from 1865 onward, she emphasizes topics that some teachers and textbooks abandon.

Jacquet is a professor of history and women’s and gender

studies and received her Ph.D. in history from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her history lectures at LSU dive into the lives of the oppressed.

“I want to look at those histories that are less well-known and tend to not be told as often,” Jacquet said.

For each exam, Jacquet creates a section called “Resistors and Dissenters,” in which students are required to write an in-depth analysis on the historical significance of one of two designated individuals or groups who overcame considerable hardships. Some resistors and dissenters in her exams last

semester were Sitting Bull, Rosa Parks, Alice Paul and Fred Korematsu. Jacquet taught her students more than just who they were — she explained how they altered history by refusing to remain the victims of an intolerant society.

“These are stories that the students can really grab onto, and it makes history interesting,” Jacquet said.

Jacquet said the resistors and dissenters were people who fought to change their own lives.

She wants her students to know that they also have the ability to organize and respond to current injustices.

Her goals are for her students to think like historians, use evidence backed by credible sources and apply their knowledge of history to understand facets of their lives.

“I want [students] to be able to make more sense of today using the history that I present to them. I want students to be educated and informed citizens,” Jacquet said.

Her powerful teaching style captivates her students and enriches their understanding of America’s tumultuous past.

Psychology junior Amber Hornsby took Jacquet’s class last semester and was surprised by

not only what was taught, but also the way it was taught. She said it was refreshing to have a professor like Jacquet who encouraged class participation and actually taught her students things they may not have previously known.

The class forced Hornsby out of her comfort zone. She said the exams, which consisted primarily of essays and other written responses, pushed her to become a better writer.

“When I signed up for her class, I was worried it would be my least favorite class,” Horn-

see JACQUET, page 6

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

page 4 ATHLETICS

LSU athletic training program gives fun and helpful opportunities

BY TAYLOR BOURGEOIS @tbourge_ The University’s athletic training program offers handson opportunities for students looking for a career in athletic training.

A kinesiology junior, Maia LeBlanc, didn’t decide to become an athletic trainer until she enrolled at the University. After attending an interest meeting, she decided to combine her love of sports and helping others and started working toward becoming an athletic trainer.

Jeremy Plante, another kinesiology junior, decided sports medicine was his passion freshman year. He came to the University from Rhode Island and was excited to see the University’s strong athletic training program.

The process of being accepted into the program can be strenuous. Plante completed 100 observational hours and had two interviews before he was accepted in a small group of 16 student trainers.

Once accepted into the athletic training program, students are assigned to a team. Plante

started with the University’s volleyball team, where he built a relationships with many team members. He said he learned a lot while working with them.

“I could not have asked for a better experience to start off my path in athletic training,” Plante said. “These girls were such a blessing to work for as they were so appreciative.”

After spending the 2017-18 season with the volleyball team, Plante spent this year working with coach Ed Orgeron and the football team. He credits this with helping him grow even more as an athletic trainer.

“The clinical responsibilities are much greater working for such a bigger team,” Plante said.

“It has allowed me to learn and experience so many new things within the profession and has only set me up for success in my future.”

LeBlanc started working with coach Will Wade and the men’s basketball program during her first year in the program, but she completed her studies off campus and spent this year at Central High School, working for the football team.

While she enjoyed her time with LSU’s basketball team, she has felt more challenged by working outside the University.

“It is definitely a different atmosphere than being at LSU,” LeBlanc said. “But it is a good stepping stone to gain the confidence I will need as I step into my senior year and beyond.”

Along with being athletic trainers participating in games and practices, LeBlanc and Plante also balance working hard in their classes. All classes in their major require a B- or above to advance. While both had their struggles in various classes, they recognized it was essential for the future of their careers.

“There were definitely some classes that were harder than others, but that just meant more time and effort needed to be put into them because they were essential for my success in the future of my career,” Plante said.

Plante plans to continue his education in graduate school and earn a graduate assistant spot after he completes his undergraduate degree at the University. He’s undecided whether he wants to go back home to Rhode Island,

courtesy of MAIA LEBLANC

Kinesiology junior Jeremy Plante stands with the LSU Volleyball team, which he worked with during the 2017-18 season. or find a new part of the country to discover.

LeBlanc also plans to go to graduate school and earn a graduate assistant spot once she graduates from the University.

She hopes to work with a professional sports team, preferably

a women’s soccer team, but said she will be happy wherever she ends up.

“Regardless of who I work with, I would love to work with a team or organization that would allow me to travel and explore the world,” LeBlanc said.

RESEARCH

LSU professor researches in Antarctica’s extreme climate

BY BAILEY CHAUVIN @baileychauvin

Geology and geophysics professor Peter Doran has conducted over 20 field seasons in Antarctica as part of the McMurdo Long-term Ecological Research program. One of his most recent projects involved the first application of the SkyTEM, a geophysical survey instrument, in the McMurdo Dry Valleys.

Doran was introduced to conducting research in cold regions through field work in the Canadian High Arctic. In 1992, he traveled to Antarctica for the first time as part of his Ph.D. project.

Doran became a co-principal investigator on the McMurdo Long-term Ecological Research program in 1999.

MCM LTER’s research has been funded in six-year cycles by the National Science Foundation since 1992. The project is one of 26 research sites within the LTER network, all of which conduct similar research on different ecosystems around the world.

Although Doran is no stranger to working in cold environments, he said working in the coldest and driest ecosystem in the LTER network is one of the most challenging parts of his research.

“I tell my students all the time that working in that environment is like trying to go up an escalator that’s going

down,” Doran said. “You have to put in that extra effort or else it will just push you back.

You’re always fighting against the environment and the environment’s always fighting against you.”

The McMurdo Dry Valleys form the largest ice-free area in Antarctica and exist under extreme environmental conditions, including low humidity and frigid temperatures.

The area’s ecosystem closely resembles the ecosystem on Mars, which actually led to Doran’s participation in several astrobiology projects funded

by NASA. The MCM LTER team studies how changes in the climate affect the Dry Valley’s ecosystem. Doran’s work largely consists of gathering meteorological data and researching the permanently ice-covered lakes. To collect year-round weather data, 13 automatic weather stations were placed in the area. Researchers collect the data and change the solar powered batteries once a year.

However, field work is necessary for research in the lakes. Doran is currently focusing on the ice cover around the edges of the lakes, which they expect to disappear as warming occurs. Doran’s team is exploring the shallow water around the edges of the lakes through scuba diving and taking measurements.

In a separate project funded

by the National Science Foundation, Doran determined how much water lies beneath the icy covers of the lakes. To do this, Doran used an instrument called the SkyTEM, an airborne electromagnetic device that mapped the area’s geology. This was the first application of the SkyTEM in the Dry Valleys.

Doran learned there was much more groundwater under the lake’s icy covers than anticipated. This discovery affects the team’s understanding of how much water lies beneath the glaciers in the area.

“When you have water underneath glaciers, that impacts how the glaciers flow,” Doran said. “We can use that in future modeling for how glacier ice will move to the ocean and start affecting sea level rise.”

Antarctica contains a large amount of water that’s stored above sea level. As the climate continues to warm and that water moves out into the ocean at a faster rate, the sea level rises.

Large changes in sea level rise will eventually lead to flooding and the relocation of much of the world’s infrastructure that’s been established at or below sea level for hundreds of years.

Through his research, Doran understands how changes in climate affects the Dry Valleys’ ecosystem and the implications sea level rise can have. He believes that society must first acknowledge the scientific consensus on climate

courtesy of PETER DORAN

LSU Professor Peter Doran stands next to the SkyTEM, an instrument he used to determine how much water is underneath ice-covered lakes in Antarctica.

change in order to work toward solutions.

“For my own part, I keep trying to explain to people how science works and how

we know this is real,” Doran said. “Science has stopped debating whether climate change exists or not. It’s time to start responding.”

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

page 5

HEALTH

Safety App for College Families To Prepare for Future

BY BRITTNEY FORBES @itsbritforbes One in four college students in the U.S. are taken to the emergency room every year, which is roughly 4.5 million students.

Umergency is a safety emergency app for students to notify and update their loved ones about any situation they may be in.

Gail Schenbaum, co-founder and CEO of Umergency and “mom-preneur,” launched the app nationally in August 2018.

“Even if their roommate goes to the ER, they feel they like they could be invincible,” Schenbaum said. “Yet with all the scary stuff going on on campus, we’re having more and more students sign up.”

Schenbaum is unsure as to whether or not parents are telling their children to download the app or if the students are taking their own initiative to do so, but they currently have 65,000-70,000 users.

Schenbaum felt the need to start an emergency services app for college students after her daughter had an accident her freshman year that resulted in her being taken to the ER. “It was horrifying to get that call in the middle of the night,” Schenbaum said. “I didn’t know where she was being taken. I didn’t have any of the emergency, health or safety contacts at all.”

The only reason the medical center called Schenbaum long after her daughter’s accident was because her daughter was older than 18, and the medical professionals treating her daughter didn’t have to talk to Schenbaum until her daughter told them to.

Schenbaum and her husband were calling numerous hospitals to find where their daughter was admitted. By that point, the medical professionals had given her daughter morphine and were processing her for medical surgery after her hand was caught in a door and her thumb came off.

Schenbaum was grateful that her daughter’s thumb was reattached and she had regained full function of her hand. Because of that, Schenbaum couldn’t help but feel helpless and didn’t want other college students or their

families to go through what they went through.

Schenbaum and her team conducted research to see whether or not students and their parents would want an emergency, safety and health app, interviewing over 200 parents and students.

“We wanted to have a really good base from students all across the country,” Schenbaum said. “We wanted to make sure it wasn’t based on if you lived 3,000 miles from your home. You could live 45 minutes away from your home and still need this.”

They learned that almost no one had any emergency health or safety resources on their phones.

“Almost all of the parents didn’t realize that they needed permission in order to speak to medical personnel,” Schenbaum said.

The app contains campusbased contacts, local emergency resources, digital medical consent forms, an urgent alert beacon with GPS location, an insurance card upload with mobile access and securely linked accounts to share vital data.

“Everything you need [and] nothing you don’t,” according to Umergency’s website.

Because students usually carry their phones with them, Umergency’s app format frees students from having to lug around insurance cards in purses or wallets.

“Every parent with a child in college needs this app,” wrote Elize Z., a reviewer published on the Umergency home page.

Umergency has over 1,200 colleges and universities in the database. All users have to do is sign up for their colleges in the app and it will pre-populate emergency health and safety information for the specific school.

“We’ve done all of the work for you,” Schenbaum said. “All you have to do is fill in your emergency contacts. You get to choose who you want to have this information.”

Umergency is currently in the process of trying to streamline the onboarding to make the app even simpler. Because of privacy, the app is not notified when it is in use. For example, when you are pressing the urgent alert

COURTESY OF UMERGENCY

Umergency is a safety emergency app for college students who’d want to notify their loved ones about any situation they may be in. button, information is sent to your personal contacts rather than those working at Umergency.

Although the app is completely free for students, parents pay $9.99 per year or $19.99 for four years.

An urgent alert button, requested by students, allows students who feel unsafe in any way, to enable push notifications that will say the users need help and send help to their locations. If the situation changes, the users can click a button that reads, “I’m safe” sending it to their contacts.

“It’s a scarier world,” Schenbaum said. “People just want to feel safe in their environment.

That’s why [Umergency] was created. It came from a personal experience, and [we] didn’t want people to feel as helpless as we did. It’s very easy to feel safe and prepared.”

Schenbaum originally produced television for the past 10 years. She switched to emergency technology services after she escorted her two teenage girls to three funerals of friends who died within two years from car crashes.

Because of those incidents, the community asked Schenbaum to make a film about car crashes. Instead she asked students to make a non-profit video

3x3 zanella’s

program known as “In One Instant,” which is now shown in 2,100 high schools.

Because of the success of “In One Instant” Schenbaum said she got more interested in the safety world.

“You’d think nothing is ever going to happen to you, but if and when it does, it’s so much better to have a tool that will help

you move through [situations] quickly,” Schenbaum said. “You’d be doing your parents and your family a favor. It’s really the gift of safety.”

Umergency also contains the three national hotlines most used by college students in every app: National Sexual Assault Hotline, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Poison Control.

matherne’s

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

page 6 JACQUET, from page 3 sby said. “It ended up being my favorite class last semester.”

Hornsby enjoyed Jacquet’s history class so much that she has enrolled in a women and gender studies class taught by Jacquet this semester.

Emily Wells, Jacquet’s teaching assistant for the past two semesters, learned new material from Jacquet’s lectures. Jacquet helped expand Wells’ knowledge on subjects that are not always covered in undergraduate and

high school history classes.

Jacquet said a history class she took as a sophomore in high school sparked her interest in history. She did not make the decision to pursue history until later in her undergraduate studies. It was during this time that she came out as gay and took women’s history and LGBTQ studies courses.

The collision of these occurrences fueled Jacquet’s hunger to learn more about history, particularly gay and women’s history.

DOGS, from page 3 in location and the creation of the Date-a-Dog program, CAA wants to raise the number of activities even higher. Carville said the organization loves its new facilities and location next to the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine.

“My sister (a member of CAA’s board) said it just has made everyone so happy to be in such a fabulous facility,” Carville said.

While the program is geared toward helping the dogs at CAA, it can also help people who just want to relax by spending time with man’s best friend. Lacey Lamana, a nurse in Baton Rouge, said her friend invited her along for the orientation on Jan. 5.

“I had rescued a dog before

I think it brings awareness to the public that there are great pets in the shelters that need good homes LACEY LAMANA

Date-a-Dog volunteer

and that changed my life, so I’m passionate about homeless animals,” Lamana said.

Like CAA, Lamana believes that Date-a-Dog will help the community to be more aware of the good nature and adoptability of shelter animals.

“I think it brings awareness to the public that there are

great pets in the shelters that need good homes,” she said.

Lamana’s chosen dog, a black bull-terrier mix named Kanye, could barely contain his excitement once he got outside. His tail wagged c onstantly as he dragged Lamana along, ready to explore LSU with his new friend.

XXXXXX XXXXXX / The Daily Reveille

Catherine Jacquet teaches HIST 2057 at the University and, in addition to covering the basics of American history from 1865 onward, emphasizes topics about minorities and the LGBTQ community. users to fine-tune the app before its launch. preferences, keeping them in “We will continue focus testcomplete control of everything ing with LSU students and others from the Baton they view,” Nester said.

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If you are in“mosey.”

The name was kept be the most difficult terested in becoming one of simple to push the thing.” the first users of social aspect of Mozi, you can the app.

RICHARD LIPSEY sign up at mozi“We’re all Board of Regents co-chair social.com to be a about getting out part of the official and socializing, and wanted a name that reflected launch in Spring 2019 on iOS and sAndroid devices. There will also that idea,” said Nester.

The team has plans to get be launch parties leading up to Mozi into the hands of potential the release.

MOZI, from page 3

courtesy of MOZI

Mozi is a new social media app being developed by LSU alumni.

BELLA BIONDINI / The Daily Reveille

Date-a-Dog is a volunteer program at CAA’s new location on campus across from Alex Box Stadium.

SPORTS

page 7 OPINION

UCF can’t compete with upper tier programs

COMEBACK KELLEY

CAL’D UP CHRIS CALDARERA @caldarera11

McKenna Kelley’s mentality, maturity drives 2019 comeback

BY KENNEDI LANDRY @landryyy14 McKenna Kelley was speechless when she stepped onto the PMAC floor for the first time in two years.

The senior all-arounder missed all of the 2018 season with a torn Achilles tendon. After a 9.90 floor routine in her season debut during LSU’s win over Cal, Kelley walked on and off to deafening cheers from fans and teammates alike with tears in her eyes.

“It was so good, I missed that,” said fellow senior all-arounder Sarah Finnegan. “We love that the crowd is so into it, too. She loves it.

It’s really good to have her back.”

Kelley said it brings tears to her eyes to know the adoration LSU fans have for this team and the passion they have for college gymnastics.

“I would catch myself in practices and in the gym, reminding myself what personally I am working for in this comeback — it’s Tiger Nation,” Kelley said.

“There’s no better feeling than representing these three letters on my chest.”

After more than a year without competing, Kelley didn’t set any high expectations as she returned for the first time. She was more focused on just hitting her routine rather than being result-oriented.

She just wanted to compete and perform the exact same way she had been practicing.

LSU coach D-D Breaux, on the other hand, knew what to expect when Kelley made her return.

“I think the expectation that I had was exactly what I saw transpire,” Breaux said. “There’s a lot of energy and enthusiasm and a lot of confidence on her part. Of ‘Hey, I got this.’ She stepped out there and did a great job. To watch her train and see what she does in the gym and to be able to take that to the arena — that’s our job. It’s what coaches aspire to do and she did exactly what she practices.”

see MCKENNA, page 9

Confetti and ticker tape fluttered to the field. Fireworks lit up the California night sky as the Clemson Tigers rejoiced in victory against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Clemson will no doubt commemorate its triumph with diamond rings and parades, but if you ask me, there seems to be far too much hoopla surrounding a game that essentially decided third place.

The Clemson-Alabama game was billed as the national championship by the mainstream media, but real fans of the sport realize that the game was merely a formality. The real national championship was decided New Year’s Day when the LSU Tigers defeated the then-undefeated and reigning national champions, the UCF Knights.

That’s how college football works, right? Teams that feel left out are more than welcome to the rings and parades that the real winners earned the privilege to enjoy, right?

Obviously, no sane person would believe that LSU has any right to self-declare itself national champion this year.

see FOOTBALL, page 9

BASKETBALL

Emmitt Williams brings energy and tenacity to a young LSU team

BY JACOB BECK @Jacob_Beck25 It’s hard to quantify what having a player with high energy does for a team, but it’s not hard to see that when Emmitt Williams steps on the court, he brings with him a knack for getting rebounds, and gives the Tigers a spark off the bench whenever they need it.

But the freshman forward also brings short shorts and tattoos that personify who he is as a person and player. The short shorts aren’t a reference to the oldschool “Bird and Johnson” days, but they showcase a new set of ink that Williams recently got.

One is of his favorite

rapper, Kodak Black. The other is Chuckie — not the evil baby doll, but the character from Rugrats, which is one of Williams’ favorite cartoons.

“I think I have nice legs,” Williams joked. “I just got these new tattoos … what’s the point of getting tattoos if no one can see them?”

Aside from his affinity for ink, Williams has averaged 23.8 minutes per game off the bench for LSU. In each of those 23.8 minutes, Williams brings the energy and goes 110 percent. It’s easy for him to go full speed, because he doesn’t have to worry about pacing himself through a full 40 minutes.

He averages 6.6 rebounds per

game, and nearly a block per game, providing a good physical presence on the defensive end, even though he is a bit undersized at the forward position at 6-foot-6-inches.

Williams not only provides a physical presence on the defensive end, but also has been a solid offensive rebounder, with 35 in just 12 games, and in the top three in the Southeastern Conference.

“Whenever we have the ball, it’s just my mindset to crash the boards every time, and coach (Will) Wade preaches getting on the offensive glass, so that’s what I do,” Williams said. “Getting that

see WILLIAMS, page 9

ALYSSA BERRY / The Reveille

LSU freshman forward Emmitt Williams (24) flashes his thigh before the Tigers’ game against Alabama in the PMAC on Jan. 8.

page 8

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

SOFTBALL

Young stars look to get opportunity for LSU softball

BY MYLES KUSS @KussMyles The LSU softball teams brings a mixture of veteran players and new blood to the 2019 roster, and coach Beth Torina is looking to capitalize on both this season.

Coming off an impressive Super Regional finish from a year ago, the team has one goal in mind: to win the Women’s College World Series.

“I think that we have the same expectation every year,” Torina said. “We are here to win a National Championship, and we are not afraid to say that out loud.”

To achieve the ultimate goal this year, Torina knows that she has to look to her large freshmen class, especially when it comes to her pitching staff.

“There is a couple of freshmen that stood out,” Torina said.

“With the loss of Allie [Walljasper] and Carley [Hoover] , Shelby Wickersham has the best opportunity to help the pitching staff.”

Losing two big pitchers in AllAmericans Carley Hoover and Allie Walljasper makes the huge freshmen class all that more necessary. Torina will feed them

opportunities early and often, arrived 30 minutes early to pracbut they will not have to do it all tice to reunite with teammates on their own. and get ready to approach the Torina is not worried about season. the pressure of the game beThe practice was filled with cause, by being young and old, energy from old and new playshe can introduce the young play- ers alike, but the trick is keeping ers to situations the momentum without having all throughout. the pressure of the “I think just game. trying to enjoy the “We are here to She is lookday,” Torina said. ing to keep the “Enjoy the mowin a National day one energy instead of Championship, and ments throughout the thinking about the whole season by we are not afraid to result.” executing a new Whether it’s say that out loud.” motto for her about keeping team. the momentum “The motto is or making sure BETH TORINA fight all the way,” the young players LSU head softball coach Torina said. “We are comfortable, have talked about coach stresses famous battles winning and will and have even do anything to had a sparring day with an MMA achieve it. trainer.”

“There are some opportuniTorina is using every tactic ties for our young players, and at her disposal to get her team we will put out the nine or 10 over the hump, but maintains the best players every game,” Torina constant message about intensity said. “the biggest voids were left and work ethic. in our pitching staff so obviously The scene at the first day of those players will have to spend practice was just that. Everyone some time there.”

CHRISTA MORAN / The Reveille

LSU softball head coach Beth Torina gives her insight on the upcoming season for LSU softball on Jan. 6 at Tiger Park.

FOOTBALL

Tigers finish 10-3 with big wins, create excitement for 2019 win over Miami was no fluke.

A tough loss at Florida left the Tigers a daunting date with No. The 2018 season for the LSU 2 Georgia in Tiger Stadium, and Tigers football team can be the result was shocking to say summed up to about two words the least. A 36-16 scoreline in favor of LSU, prompting the stu— exceeded expectations.

During the lead-up to the dent section to rush the field in Tigers opening matchup with one of the biggest wins at Tiger Stadium maybe pre-season No. 8 ever.

Miami , many fans A boring but and pundits alike feared the Tigers The 2018 season easy 19-3 win over Mississippi might lose their for the LSU Tigers State set the stage season opener, and for a one versus many more games football team three matchup to follow. can be summed with Alabama in Optimistic preup to about two Tiger Stadium. dictions had LSU This result finishing the reg- words — exceeded however, did not ular season 8-4, expectations. prove to be posiwhile some had tive, as the Crimthe Tigers finishing son Tide rolled as low as 6-6. ESthe Tigers 29-0, PN’s Football Power Index gave LSU only a 50 per- in what was a very disappointcent chance or better to win five ing result considering how LSU of their 12 games, which would had played up to that point in the season. give the Tigers a 5-7 record.

A string of wins over ArkanBut after seeing those 12 games played out, it became very sas and Rice gave the Tigers a clear just how inexact pre-season chance to get their first 10-win predictions can be. The opener regular season since 2012, but against Miami would prove to would need to win at Kyle Field be a lopsided 33-17 victory, and over Texas A&M to do it.

What ensued might be the Miami would go on to finish the season 7-6 with a 35-3 loss to wildest result in an LSU footWisconsin in the New Era Pin- ball game: seven overtimes, 146 combined points (the most ever stripe Bowl.

Following a win over in FBS history), and a tie for the Southeastern Louisiana, the Ti- longest game in college football gers pulled off an upset over history. Unfortunately for the TiNo. 7 Auburn with a Cole Tracy gers, the 74-72 score favored the walk-off field goal, proving the Aggies, and LSU would finish the

BY JACOB BECK @Jacob_Beck25

ALYSSA BERRY / The Reveille

LSU junior quarterback Joe Burrow (9) hands the ball to LSU senior running back Nick Brossette (4) during the Tigers’ 31-0 victory over Southeastern on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018, in Tiger Stadium. regular season 9-3.

A bowl game provided the Tigers with a chance to reach that 1oth win, and it was in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against 2017 self-proclaimed National Champions UCF. LSU would start the game down seven starters, and then

lose cornerback Terrence Alexander and safety Grant Delpit to ejections in the first half. But the Tigers persevered, winning the game in convincing fashion with a 40-32 score that didn’t quite match the run of play.

A 10-win season, wins over four AP top-10 teams and de-

throning the self-proclaimed national champs certainly exceeded all expectations set for the Tigers. Now, with expectations already rising for the 2019 season, the question will become whether or not LSU will live up those expectations, or exceed them like they did in 2018.

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

MCKENNA, from page 7 It was a long and hard road to recovery for Kelley, who had never gone through a major injury like an Achilles tear, but it wasn’t the rehab process that she struggled with the most. She credits her teams for their focus and support for making the rehab so easy for her, unlike many who suffer the same injury.

Relearning to trust her body in gymnastics - the one place where she had never felt fear — was a new challenge for Kelley.

“I wouldn’t call it a fear, but my concern was to help the team as much as I could and give my senior year my all,” Kelley said.

FOOTBALL, from page 7 However, we’d be having a different conversation if the Knights would have defeated the Tigers in the Fiesta Bowl.

UCF would have had another parade, hung another banner and made more rings to fool the world into believing that their secondrate football program is the real champion, or at least deserving of a berth in the College Football Playoff.

I realize using an adjective like second-rate to describe UCF’s football program may seem a little harsh, but it also reflects the current reality of college football.

Alabama and Clemson are at the peak of the football mountain, and there’s a steep drop before hitting the next tier of programs.

It’s evident that LSU’s program is not on the level of Alabama or Clemson, but it’s also clear that UCF isn’t exactly the powerhouse billed by its fans, coaches and players.

The Tigers defeated the Knights by a score of 40-32, seemingly a nail-biter until further investigation of the box score. LSU began the game without nine defensive players before losing two more during the game due to ejections. LSU relied on a makeshift defense that included Jontre Kirklin, a wide-receiverturned-defensive-back, and held

page 9 “I know that I’m more than just a floor gymnast. For me, it was a matter of just getting there and being able to provide that for my team.”

Though the process was tough on her personally, it never stopped Kelley from being her usual loud and excited self on the sidelines for her teammates and the team did the same for her during recovery.

Kelley said her injury never altered her overall mindset. Even though she wasn’t competing on the floor, the team still had a job to do and she wanted to be on board with it.

“My faith is huge to me and that definitely played a huge role in this whole process,” Kelley UCF to 250 yards of total offense and four scores totaling 25 points.

UCF fans were quick to point out that the Knights were without starting quarterback McKenzie Milton due to a late-season injury, but I find this to be a difficult excuse to make when the Tigers were playing with a defense filled by second and third-string players.

After all, LSU fans argued from the beginning that the Tiger backups were better than UCF starters, and their play certainly supports that claim.

Offensively, LSU racked up 555 yards of total offense behind the solid play of an offensive line that was manhandled by the national runner-up Crimson Tide earlier this season. I mention LSU’s offensive line’s performance in the Alabama game because it’s important to put UCF’s performance in perspective.

The Knights struggled to stop an offense that did not score on the Crimson Tide this year. UCF let second-and third-string defensive players stifle its offense, albeit an offense without a starting quarterback.

Championship teams don’t make excuses, though. They rise to the occasion and meet the challenge with a “next man up” mentality. Championship teams also embrace the opportunity to play quality opponents. Clemson

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said. “I know that the God that I serve is not going to put me in a situation where it’s for misery. He’s not a God of suffering.

With the help of my team and the people that surrounded me, it really kept my spirits up.”

Senior all-arounder Lexie Priessman, who has had nine major surgeries during her gymnastics career, specifically gave Kelley advice on dealing with the recovery process. Kelley said she gained so much respect for one of her best friends through the process and it was cool for her to personally understand what it was like to go through, not one, but nine major surgeries.

“My whole team really

surrounded me,” Kelley said.

“What I really appreciated is that they didn’t treat me any different.

They didn’t throw me any pity parties — like McKenna’s just McKenna. This is my team.”

“I think she handled the adversity, the extreme disappointment, she handled it well and with a lot of maturity,” Breaux said. “Now she’s back in the gym and competing very hard in practice to try to get into more than just one event, and she’s handling that really well, too. As we progress through the season, I’d like to think that we’ll see her in three events and not just one — beam, vault and floor.”

It’s reaffirming and rewarding for Kelley to know that Breaux

and her teammates recognize how she’s pushed through the injury with that maturity and that they have so much trust in her coming back.

As she continues into her senior season, Kelley is raising her expectations for herself as she wants to help LSU win its first national championship.

“I am a bit hard on myself, so I did expect myself to be competing,” Kelley said. “However realistic that was or not, that is something I put on myself. I really just want to go out there and hit it for my team. I mean Tiger Nation has been the reason and the motivation to get back, because we have fans like no other.”

WILLIAMS, from page 7

MITCHELL SCAGLIONE / The Reveille

LSU junior linebacker Devin White (40) and sophomore cornerback Patrick Queen (8) celebrate after a play during the Tigers’ 40-32 victory over UCF on Jan. 1 in State Farm Stadium. coach Dabo Swinney called playing Alabama a “privilege.” Meanwhile, the Knights bully a weak American Athletic Conference while declining invitations from Florida to play a 2-for-1 series.

Until the Knights have a change of heart and start to embrace the privilege of playing stiffer competition outside of bowl games, I suggest we leave the delusions about their program in 2018.

Where the spirits move you. @deadpoetbr

rebound and getting the team another possession is big, so I definitely put a lot of effort into that.”

Apart from showing off his legs and tattoos, Williams’ main focus is doing everything he can to help the Tigers. And so far this season, he seems to be doing just that.

While he’s on the bench, Williams isn’t distraught or disinterested because he’s not playing. He’s actually more than happy to be able to cheer on his teammates and hype them up when a big play is made.

“When Marlon [Taylor] goes up for a dunk I wish I could pull my phone out and record it,” Williams said jokingly. “I love being on the bench, getting my guys pumped, anything I can do for the team’s success.”

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

page 10

COMMENTARY BY KENNEDI LANDRY

The LSU beach volleyball team will play its first season at its brand new on-campus stadium following back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for coach Russel Brock

The men’s basketball team heads into SEC play as the Tigers look to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2015 season with the No. 4 recruiting class in the nation The women’s basketball team also continues into a tough SEC schedule after its first win against ranked opponent Texas A&M on Jan. 6

page 11

LSU baseball brings in the No. 1 ranked signing class in 2019 and returns with a loaded pitching staff as the Tigers look to recover in Omaha after falling short in 2018

Freshman vaulter Mondo Duplantis will look to continue his rise among the track and field community in his first year of collegiate competition

LSU softball brings a mix of wisdom and experience with seven seniors and seven freshmen as the Tigers prepare to face a tough regular season schedule filled with formerNCAA Tournament teams Junior Maribeth Gorsuch will be the veteran on an inexperienced pitching staff that lost All-Americans Carly Hoover and Allie Walljasper to graduation

PHOTOS BY THE REVEILLE PHOTO STAFF

A loaded senior class including Sarah Finnegan, Lexie Priessman and McKenna Kelley will highlight the LSU gymnastics season as they look to finish their collegiate careers with a national championship

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

page 12

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ENTERTAINMENT

page 13 LIFESTYLE

AgCenter to host Arbor Day event

ON BRAND

BY MASIE O’TOOLE @masieotoole

For Hefler, her passion ranges from a variety of things, from lifestyle to fashion and music photography, along with a lot of angles. Pretty much the only thing she’s unwilling to do is wedding pictures, which she says aren’t interesting.

Besides her growing Instagram presence, Hefler is also excited to launch her podcast in February. On it,

The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens are helping repair natural disaster damage — and having a little fun, too.

Arbor Day at Burden is set to take place Jan. 19 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the AgCenter Botanic Gardens. This event will be both a lively celebration of nature and a way for locals to give back to the community around them, a community that still bares the scars of natural disaster over a decade later.

In summer 2008, Hurricane Gustav laid waste to Louisiana’s coast. It made landfall in Cocodrie, Louisiana, then blew directly north through Baton Rouge as it made its way up the U.S. Along with flooded homes and fallen power lines, the natural landscape itself took a hit, and Louisiana lost a significant amount of its native tree cover.

Since then, invasive species have found their way into what once were naturally wooded areas. After clearing out this nonnative wildlife, the AgCenter is offering the Baton Rouge community the chance to plant their very own tree.

On Jan. 19, the AgCenter Botanic Gardens will host their 10th annual Arbor Day at Burden event. Along with tree planting, activities will include an educational visit from Smokey the Bear, a tree sale, coloring, crafts, tree climbing and timbersports demonstrations. Admission is free and open to everyone.

Events Coordinator Katie Guitreau encourages families to come out and experience

see HEFLER, page 16

see TREES, page 16

LSU alumna creates brand, ‘do what you want’ mantra

courtesy of Jordan Hefler

BY RACHEL MIPRO @remroc15 Jordan Hefler has a mantra.

The Baton Rouge-based entrepreneur who, among other things, is a successful Instagram influencer, blogger and photographer says that her motto has always been “do what you want.” So far, she has.

Hefler graduated from the University in 2014 with a degree in photography. After

realizing she didn’t want to stick to conventional photography, such as taking wedding pictures, she started branching out working on graphic design. Hefler now does graphic design one day a week and devotes the rest of her time to her creative projects, mainly photography.

As someone who created her own business, Hefler realized the importance of Instagram early on, challenging herself to

post frequently. Since late 2014, she’s posted almost daily.

“It turned into a miniature challenge for me every day, because I missed school, I missed having assignments and deadlines,” Hefler said. “So this was my personal deadline, that I had to post something every day, whether it would be a photography project or a selfie, or just anything. That’s kind of how it grew into what it is now.”

FOOD AND DRINK

New Vietnamese eatery offers variety in Northgate area

BY LIA SALIME @liasalime The atmosphere is relaxing.

Bamboo drawings liven up the white walls. There is a display with an assortment of pastries from New Orleans bakery Dong Phuong. In the corner, a TV in front of plush chairs replays an LSU football game. Manager and executive chef Jonathan Nguyen sits in a table having an early

dinner after a day of work. It’s a tranquil afternoon at Pandan, Northgate’s newest eatery.

For Nguyen, the restaurant business is nothing new. In fact, it’s a family affair. Pandan’s owner is his wife, Lynn Nguyen.

“We’ve had a business called Chez Pierre in Metairie for over 20 years,” Jonathan said. “Since we moved to Clearview from Kenner, our business really picked up after that. That’s what drove us to

open Pandan.”

Lynn, a University alumna, conceived the restaurant with students in mind, drawing from her own experiences during her time as a student.

“I’m envisioning to be able to branch this restaurant into a franchise [see] if I can look at other college areas and bring it to them,” Lynn said. “Because it’s cheap eat, affordable, and it’s fresh for students to be able to get

hot meals at an affordable price.”

Located in the College Row shopping center, Pandan Vietnamese Teahouse & Café will see its grand opening on Jan. 12. The restaurant will serve a variety of Vietnamese foods, including banh mi sandwiches, pho, a dish selected with college students in mind called poor man’s noodles and the popular bubble tea.

Guests can enjoy BOGO bubble teas, coupons and gift card give-

aways during the grand opening.

With Pandan, Lynn hopes to bring affordable, fresh food to students. A sandwich at Pandan will cost less than $5 and be made to order with fresh French bread, a staple of Vietnamese sandwiches, and chosen meats cooked to order. Lynn also chose the poor man’s noodles dish because it is inexpensive and

see PANDAN, page 16

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

page 14 BUSINESS

Topgolf Baton Rouge to open Jan. 11 as state’s first facility

BY LYNNE BUNCH @lynnebunch11 You don’t need to see “Happy Madison” to believe golf can be for younger, more hip audiences. Golf is no longer just for your grandparents and sports fanatics — a new entertainment venue gives the sport a modern, high-tech twist for customers of all ages and skill levels.

Topgolf Baton Rouge will open off of Siegen Lane near I-10 at 9 a.m. on Jan. 11, according to the venue’s website. The three-level, 55,000-square-foot venue is the company’s 52nd location worldwide.

The location will feature 72 climate-controlled hitting bays, full-sized restaurants and bars, a private event space and a rooftop terrace with a fire pit.

Topgolf venues feature flexible event spaces with year-round programming for children and family-friendly events, social leagues, groups, golf tournaments and instruction.

Topgolf Baton Rouge provided a sneak peek to media and VIPs on Jan. 2. The venue, located at 10955 N. Mall Drive, will be the first Topgolf in

courtesy of TOPGOLF BATON ROUGE

Topgolf Baton Rouge is set to open on Jan. 11 and will be the area’s first high-tech golfing facility.

Louisiana. More than 350 full- and part-time associates have been hired in advance of the opening.

“The excitement and energy here in Baton Rouge is off the charts and we are thrilled to

open our first Louisiana venue in the heart of the state,” said Topgolf Baton Rouge Director of Operations Blake Upchurch in a press release. “Topgolf is a place for everyone to create special memories with friends

and families so we hope to have you out soon.”

Topgolf’s microchipped golf balls score themselves, providing players with instant feedback on each shot’s accuracy and distance on a TV screen in

their hitting bay. Players can aim for 11 dartboard-like targets on a 215-yard outfield — the farther the shot goes and the closer to the pin, the more points the player receives.

Topgolf operates over 50 venues in the U.S., United Kingdom and Australia with the headquarters located in Dallas, Texas. The Topgolf technology was developed in Watford, England, between 1996 and 2001 by twin brothers Steve and Dave Jolliffe. The brothers wanted to improve their experiences after golfing in a London driving range, which began their Topgolf idea.

The Jolliffe brothers formed a company called World Golf Systems (WGS) and installed the technology in a Watford driving range in 2001. WGS sold the range and licensed the technology to a U.K. development company called Baydrive. Baydrive then developed two additional U.K. sites.

Topgolf as we know it today emerged from Golf Entertainment International (GEI), the U.S. licensee. This company was established in London in 2006 to bring the technology and the experience to the U.S.

Resolutions, I Got a Few

BY WHITNEY HICKS @whitchicks

o w atnd o h Learltnitask t—o mu en not can come wh asking omes to

c it Mult when it , worky k . d r o n w pers in ha home ting pa kill g i s n t wr doi grea t and g is a importan n ing i k s o a t t ’s i t ) t i l hen ut Mu ve, b w (and w a h o to ow h to kn do it.

Set and stick to a routine

Find the pe study spot rfect

Finding the perfect study spot is crucial to academic success. Find a place outside of your dorm or apartment so you don’t get distracted. Make sure it’s quiet, comfortable and free from distractions.

Create a rout ine (down to the hour) and try to st ick to it througho ut the semes ter. Schedule time to study, time to relax, time to spen d with friends and most im portantly, tim e to sleep.

Ta poskietioa leader ship n M

any find colle g bore themselv e stude d wit nts e s h lives . Ste their da getting pp ycomf ort z ing out to-day for one a of yo a le ader nd apply ur can s in a h ent t dd some ip posit g ion thing o yo u give you n r day as differew e w xper ell as ience s.

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

page 15

REV RANKS TIDYING UP WITH MARIE KONDO Netflix

“Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” focuses on renowned Japanese organizing consultant and author Marie Kondo entering the homes of eight families to help them tidy their homes. The main issue the families face is that they have too much stuff rather than a cleanliness problem.

The show should be called “Downsizing” with Marie Kondo as the participants merely go through everything they own and get rid of junk.

‘Mary Poppins Returns’ delivers nostalgia but little else

Lia Salime @liasalime

A BRIEF INQUIRY INTO ONLINE RELATIONSHIPS The 1975 Stylistically, the band is all over the place in the best possible way. From the ambient passages on “How To Draw” to the full-blown jazz production backing “Mine,” the band toys with different genres with reckless abandon and to great effect. It is the sound of a band trying to step out of its comfort zone, with Healy’s familiar vocals allowing the diverse tracks to gel with ease.

Richard Haydel @magnetodorito

THE FIX Netflix The comedians and the guest stars are the beating heart of the show. The banter between them and the host Carr is what makes the show so funny and interesting to watch. Hughley and Ryan are great permanent team captains and continually bring their A-game to every episode.

Peyton Davis @peytongdavis

BANDERSNATCH Netflix “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch” has broken boundaries that no movie or television series has been able to even imagine.Throughout the program, the viewer is presented with choices and is forced to make a decision on behalf the main character.

The plot itself is thought-provoking but disappointing when compared to other Black Mirror episodes

Whitney Hicks @whitchicks Read the full reviews online at lsureveille.com/entertainment

courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

BY MASIE O’TOOLE @masieotoole Paying homage to the original film seemed to be the order of the day for “Mary Poppins Returns,” but any original plot was traded for nostalgia.

The film is centered around now-adult Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw), his sister, Jane (Emily Mortimer) and his three children.

After the loss of his wife, Michael is struggling both financially and emotionally and has less than a week to repay a loan to the bank.

If not, he loses his home.

Sensing stress and disarray, Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) arrives to save the day, pulled in by a central prop in “Mary Poppins” -- an old green kite. Mary Poppins’ whimsical antics ensue, aided by a brand new Cockney jackof-all-trades, fittingly named Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda). Beyond this point, there is little plot left.

That’s not to say it wasn’t enjoyable, however.

The new film delivered a healthy dose of magic and some incredible musical numbers just like the original, along with a

hearty serving of nostalgia in the form of callbacks to “Mary Poppins.” Reused props (the parrot umbrella), sets (the Banks’ home) and cameo appearances (Dick Van Dyke) all set the scene and helped Mary Poppins come back to life, but didn’t allow it much room to grow.

To supplement the minimal main plot, there was also an awkward side plot hinting at, then confirming, a budding relationship between Jack and Jane.

It didn’t seem to fit naturally into the flow of the movie and it’s only addressed a handful of times, so it really just felt like an afterthought to hit the love quota and add some romance to an otherwise couple-less film.

But the bare-boned side plots don’t end there.

Mary Poppins takes the children and Jack to visit her Cousin Topsy’s (Meryl Streep) repair shop. Topsy performs a spectacular music number, eventually agrees to perform a repair for the children, then is never heard from again.

Even in the confines of a reused story, several stars truly

shined. Namely, Blunt.

Blunt pulled off Mary Poppins perfectly, and managed to capture Julie Andrews’ fast paced, nonchalant yet still prim and proper character to a T. No one could do it better. From her witty quips to her trademark flexed feet as she floats away, Blunt stunned. In my opinion, her performance is tied with Andrews’ herself.

Alongside Blunt, ManuelMiranda also impressed. His reprised role was one he was wellsuited for, though at times his accent was comically over-exaggerated. Despite this, he pulled off the character of Jack fairly believably, and shined in a few musical numbers. There likely could have been a better fit for the role, but Miranda’s celebrity status surely took precedence.

Overall, “Mary Poppins Returns” was a fun, magical movie built around a story that could be told in a paragraph. Little was reimagined and it could never compare to the original, but it accomplished the goal of entertaining the audience and bringing a nostalgic smile to everyone’s faces.

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

page 16 HEFLER, from page 13

TREES, from page 13

she plans to give advice on entrepreneurship and have conversations with people who have interesting and unconventional jobs, as well as encourage people with their own creative projects.

Hefler wants to make it easier for people to start careers that they’re passionate about, especially when what they want to do is a little unusual.

“I feel like a lot of people, especially creative people, get boxed in their own boundaries they create for themselves, sabotaging their own creative passions because they’re so worried about what other people are going to think or what other people think they should be doing or what everyone else is doing,” Hefler said. “I think just straight up doing what you want creatively can be an overall liberating influence for an entrepreneur creating content.”

Since she has so many projects, one of her priorities is staying focused and keeping track of her deadlines. But Hefler is used to being her own boss.

“I am pretty busy,” Hefler said. “You kind of just make it happen, because no one is going to make it happen for you.

You have to work for yourself.”

Hefler even did a series of tutorial videos on this for her

both what nature and the local community have to offer.

“It’s really fun for the kids to get out from in front of their screens and really get their hands dirty,” Guitreau said.

“They love it, and you realize that kids really enjoy being outside when you see an event like this.”

Kids between the ages of 3 and 8 also have the chance to enjoy StoryTime in the Garden, a book reading supported in part by the Junior League of Baton Rouge. Arbor Day readings and activities will start every half hour from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

courtesy of Jordan Hefler

LSU alumna Jordan Hefler uses her degree in photography beyond the traditional jobs of a photographer.

Do What You Want Workshops.

For hopeful entrepreneurs, she says the best advice is following passion instead of trying to be a crowd-pleaser.

“Don’t be trying to put out or create content that you think people want to see necessarily, just do stuff that makes you happy and have a little daily challenge for yourself and from there, if you build it, they will come,” Hefler said.

TUESDAY, JA NUARY 15 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16 11 A.M. - 1 P.M. ROYAL COTILLION BALLROOM LSU STUDENT UNION

Join today, lead tomorrow! Find an organization or service opportunity that’s a perfect fit for you at the Student Involvement Fair. Representatives from many registered student organizations and community volunteer agencies will be on hand to introduce you to their organization’s activities. Campus Life staff will also be available to help you get acquainted with a group that shares your interests.

For slightly older children, the Kiddie Tree Climb is an opportunity to show off their adventurous spirit and learn what it’s like to be a real arborist.

Kids will hook up to a harness and learn to scale a tree the way the pros do it, learning more about trees and gaining a new perspective along the way.

Along with providing a fun day in nature for families, planting a tree can carry great symbolic significance for anyone, regardless of their age.

Many of the trees planted through this event have a meaning, from the memorial of a loved one to the celebration of the birth of a baby. Along with the experience of doing your

part to restore the state’s wildlife, you will receive a GPS coordinate for your tree, allowing you to visit and watch it grow for years to come.

All of the activities at the event are free, and there will be concessions available for purchase. The event will also include a tree sale, which is a popular request in previous years. After a day of fun, families can now take home and plant their own sapling, only furthering the positive impact on the environment.

“It’s a way for the community to invest in our facility not financially, but physically,” Guitreau said. “It’s a really good way to give back.”

PANDA, from page 13 filling. She hopes to be able to offer more options in the future.

“I would love one day to, if we have leftover rice, stir fry that, call it a poor man’s fried rice, and offer that at a very cheap price for the students who can’t afford to have fancy meals,” Lynn said.

When she was a student, Lynn struggled financially. She was raised by her grandparents who could only afford to get her to school. As a result, she had to work in order to feed herself. If she was unable to work, she had to forfeit food.

“Some days I’d go without a meal and just try to eat an ice cream cone just to get through school,” Lynn says. “So I feel [the students].”

The Nguyens see this as an opportunity to give back to the community. Lynn expects to hire mostly students because of her struggles to find work. All of Lynn’s children, two of whom are University students, work at Pandan.

“That’s my main goal,” Lynn said. “Sometimes parents don’t have money to support and sometimes they’re just on their own trying to get and education.”

As a family-built restaurant, Lynn’s children have also had a part in building Pandan. It was Lynn’s daughter, the youngest child and a future LSU tiger, who painted the bamboo art seen on the walls.

“At first, I thought it out with get-your-meal-and-sit-down, but my kids decided they want to bring it to the table and serve [the

CHRISTA MORAN / The Reveille

Pandan Tea House & Cafe operates under normal business hours on Jan. 7 on Highland Road. customers],” Lynn said.

She adds that Pandan offers an opportunity for her to spend time with her children while they learn the process of building a business from the ground up.

“Matthew is going into business, so this is going to be

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something that he’s going to expand eventually in his career,” Lynn said.

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OPINION TOPPLING TOP$

page 17

TOPS funding should be withheld until after Graduation ALLOW ME TO DIEFERENTIATE BRITANY DIEFENDERFER

@back_in_a_dief Louisiana wastes money on TOPS by funding education for students with little accomplishment who are statistically more likely to drop out. Students should take out loans from the state for school, and the loans should be paid by the state if they meet TOPS requirements after high school, throughout their undergraduate experience and after graduating. This would ensure that TOPS funds are beneficial for the state by only funding students who complete their education.

Instead of cutting or terminating TOPS like politicians continuously suggest, the state needs to stop wasting funds on average or below average students and provide funding for superb students who are more likely to be successful in obtaining a degree.

Students should not be allowed to take out loans through private lenders with ridiculous interest rates. Socioeconomic factors require a large percentage of students to obtain money through student loans to get through school. In 2015, 41.2 percent of students registered as financially independent in

Louisiana. These students are forced to take out private loans with absurd interest rates that leave them in unforgiving student loan debt for years after graduating.

Since 2006, the total number of TOPS scholarships given to students totaled 169,744. A total of 6,383 TOPS awards were cancelled due to student resignation.

In addition, 7,724 awards were cancelled due to non-continuous enrollment. This totals 14,107 awards cancelled due to students dropping out. This is a complete waste of taxpayer money The University’s retention rate is 83 percent after freshman year.

The average retention rate for students returning after freshman year in Louisiana is 68 percent.

Though LSU has the best retention in the state, 54.5 percent of TOPS awards go to students studying at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. UL’s freshman retention rate averaged 75 percent, lagging behind the University’s 83 percent. Despite this, UL receives the most funds awarded by TOPS from the state, beating the University’s percentage of 33 percent of the TOPS award.

Only 22.8 percent of college students meet the TOPS Honors requirements. Of this percentage, 45.5 percent of these students attend the University. The

University’s ACT requirement for admission is lower than UL’s, yet the University has a higher percentage of students receiving the highest level of TOPS. The standards to receive TOPS Opportunity are completely subpar and outright embarrassing for Louisiana. Students need to have a score of 20 on their ACT and have a high school GPA of a 2.5.

The average national ACT score for the graduating class of 2017 was a 21, meaning Louisiana expunges thousands of dollars from taxpayer money to students who are considered below average in the nation.

The average ACT score in Louisiana in 2018 is a 19.2, almost two points below the national average. In the spring of 2018, the students that met these requirements received $3,731.49. Students who met the requirements for TOPS Honors, the highest level of TOPS, only received $400 more per year than those at the lowest level. In total, 50.8 percent of students receiving TOPS are receiving the award at the lowest level. The state is allocating the majority of this fund to students with little achievement detaining insurance of the completion of their education.

Less money should be given to students who meet the average requirements for the lowest level of this award and students in the

The Reveille Archives

The Louisiana State Capitol stands in downtown Baton Rouge on Oct. 2.

TOPS Honors category should receive compensation from the state on costs pertaining to their education, such as books. If the TOPS fund became a loan forgiveness program for students who finish with a degree, the state would save funds from being wasted on college dropouts. The state could reallocate these extra funds to successful, above average students who should receive more funding for their academic achievement.

If Louisiana raised the requirements by only awarding TOPS to the two highest levels and only allocated money after the completion of students’ degree programs, the state would ensure that the award would provide beneficial outcomes. The second

level of TOPS, TOPS Performance, requires students to have scored a minimum of a 23 on the ACT and a high school GPA of a 3.0.

The TOPS Performance requirements are very attainable and fair — these prerequisite scores should become the minimum for students wishing to obtain state funds for their education.

TOPS is a program founded with good intentions, but it has become a method of waste Louisiana cannot afford.

The state should allocate money only after students receive their degrees.

Britany Diefenderfer is a 21year old English Literature junior from Thibodaux, Louisiana.

Social media platforms propagate partisan echo chamber LET ME BE FRANK MICHAEL FRANK @bigmpfrank96 When performing my daily calisthenic routine, a vigorous index finger workout that hits all the main groups — Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and even Venmo when I feel generous — I come across a large problem.

I’m not talking about the ads, although Facebook’s knowledge of my Amazon history is a little egregious. I watch one episode of “Bojack Horseman” and suddenly Facebook tries to sell me the boxed set.

“Horseman” aside, I’m talking about the social media accounts I follow. If you think Fox News and MSNBC show partisan bias, pay closer attention to your Twitter feed.

Americans don’t want statistics and mediated discussion anymore. Real bipartisan conversation is a thing of the past. Who needs it when you have Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson

glaring at the camera every night like Gore Vidal’s ghost slipped him some tongue?

Televised news transitioned into the realm of reality TV and professional wrestling a long time ago. Their purpose isn’t to change the viewership’s mind — anyone watching Fox News every night already bought five Trumpy Bears as tentative Christmas gifts.

Their purpose is to make money, and the easiest way for these networks to do so is to play off already established biases.

So, where does social media fit in? Take Twitter, for example.

Millions of people have access to one another. A Republican in Texas has access to the opinions and beliefs of a Democrat in New York, a libertarian in Washington or even a Green Party member from Florida. But who does he choose to follow instead?

Most likely, he follows another Republican from Texas.

If this wasn’t enough to completely nullify any semblance of contrarian thought, Twitter allows people the option to mute accounts or topics they don’t like

because, let’s be honest, everyone gets tired of “covfefe” jokes sooner or later.

I’m not saying social media platforms should force their users to follow an account they disagree with idealistically — and the mute button, however much it may be abused, serves an essential purpose. But, the contentious state of American politics began with media outlets privileging a biased narrative over civil debate, and political upheaval has only grown worse since the involvement of click-bait producing social media accounts.

Fixing this problem is easier said than done, but as members of the voting population, we have a responsibility to stay informed.

Instead of following social media accounts we agree with, we should follow accounts that challenge our beliefs. It’s irresponsible to disregard accounts just because the political affiliation they adhere to differs from our own.

I realize it is difficult to empathize with words on a phone screen, but still, it’s a start. Someone needs to fight back against

courtesy of WIKIMEDIA

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey leads the popular social media company. the Sean Hanni-fying of America, and social media might just be the perfect medium to do it.

Michael Frank is a 22-yearold English and political science senior from New Orleans, Louisiana.

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

page 19

Trash accumulation widespread problem on LSU campus OH, NOT AGAIN! KYLE RICHOUX @KyleRichoux Tailgating brings students and adult fans alike together and gives them a way to participate in football gameday festivities before the game itself starts. Unfortunately, it leaves the University’s campus looking like a junkyard.

Take a look around campus any Sunday following a football game and you’ll find a dreadful display. The areas around the UREC, LSU lakes and Greek houses are particularly inundated with trash, but the rest of campus also boasts an impressive collection of beer cans and hamburger wrappers.

Like most places, Louisiana considers littering a criminal offense. Current laws demand a $175 fine for negligent littering and a $250 fine for intentional littering. Larger amounts of litter incur larger fines, and all offenses trigger an eight-hour litter abatement program.

It’s unfortunate to see, however, these rules don’t seem to apply on gameday. It’s difficult to manage, no one’s going to deny it. But, we can’t ignore rules just because they’re hard

to enforce. Otherwise, what’s ruining the experience. the point of having those rules It’s not all about your own in the first place? experience, either. When examIf the goal is to protect the ining the big picture, we find environment, we shouldn’t it’s about the presentation. The abandon these rules when we University is a public instituneed them the most. However, tion, and the flagship university for our state. if the environTake a look around ment’s safety isn’t In many ways, enough to move campus any Sunday the University is you, consider representative of following a football the economic us as denizens game and you’ll find a of Louisiana, and ramifications.

In Louisiana, especially, as studreadful display. dents. On a perlitter takes up sonal level, we $40 million in taxpayer money each year. No should strive to be represented one likes taxes — we’d all much better. Luckily, a higher status prefer to spend our money the is within our reach.

Likewise, we become repway we’d like. Even if you’re not getting caught and fined for resentatives of the Univerlittering, you’re still paying the sity. We should want to make price for other people littering. our community look betIn the interest of fairness, we all ter, even if it’s solely for our ought to do our part to prevent own representation. litter buildup.

A campus can’t be cleaned As bad as post-gameday overnight, and it certainly can’t gets, the campus isn’t perfect be assured unless we all do any other day of the week, our part. Gameday gets messy either. Take a walk around the and normal school life runs at popular areas on campus and a breakneck pace, but it only you’ll often find a campus you takes a little effort to maintain wouldn’t be proud to show off. where we put our trash. TogethThe trash problem is a veri- er, we can make our campus a table shame, as our campus is cleaner place to be proud of. generally aesthetically pleasing and makes for a pleasant stroll. Kyle Richoux is a 20-year-old However, a critical eye reveals sociology junior from LaPlace, mounds of earth-killing trash, Louisiana

The Reveille Archives

Gameday trash litters campus on Oct. 14, 2012 after LSU played South Carolina in Tiger Stadium.

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The Reveille Archives

Gameday trash litters campus on Oct. 14, 2012 after LSU played South Carolina in Tiger Stadium.

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The Reveille Archives

Thousands of LSU and Chattanooga fans gather around Tiger Stadium to tailgate for LSU’s first home game of the season.

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Wednesday, January 9, 2019

page 18

Creative outlets increase productivity, improve mental health SMITT’S TEA JAMES SMITH @itssmitt Pablo Picasso once said, “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

The legendary artist’s words hold true today. In our fast-paced world, we often don’t take the time to tap into our creative sides. We’re too busy cramming for an exam, refreshing social media or arguing about President Donald Trump.

We don’t think to sketch a picture, write a poem or decorate a cake for no reason at all. We don’t think to create for the sake of creativity.

A Google search of “creative activities” shows just how disconnected adults can be from their creative side. The search results are almost entirely articles about how parents or teachers can encourage creativity in children, which is rather unfortunate. Don’t get me wrong, we should absolutely encourage creativity in our youth.

Adults, however, can likewise benefit from creative outlets.

Creativity offers freedom from judgment. When we create for the sake of creativity, there’s no assignment sheet or rubric telling us how to sketch a landscape, write

a poem or decorate a cake. Nothing dictates our expression. That sketch, poem or decoration becomes something that we’ve made wholly by ourselves. That creation is an ode to our identity, allowing us to become more self-aware and confident in who we are, not what we are. Rather than spending all of our time learning calculus to become an engineer, we should take a bit of time creating something to learn who we are.

Several studies have offered a scientific voice to this idealistic notion. A comprehensive article in the American Journal of Public Health lists several health benefits of creativity. The study found that creative tendencies reduced stress, depression and anxiety; improved well-being, self-worth and social identity; decreased negative emotions and encouraged healthier expressions of grief among cancer patients and those suffering from trauma or chronic illness.

However, we don’t need to be sick to reap the benefits of artistic self-expression. Our minds are constantly altering. Therefore, we should indulge in an activity that promotes positive thinking and better mental health.

Personally, studying for an economics exam plays hell with my mental well-being. A break that includes writing a short poem in

my journal or playing with sound design in my production software is far more refreshing than mindlessly scrolling Twitter or watching Netflix.

Once again, science offers a reason for this phenomenon. An article in the Harvard Health Letter notes that when we create, we enter a psychological state known as “flow,” when we become absolutely immersed in something, often losing track of time. When we’re in mental flow, our anxieties are muffled and our mood improves.

The article also notes that creating a finished product floods the brain with dopamine. That sense of pride we feel after earning an A on an essay is the same sense of pride we feel after writing a quick poem, sketching a tiny doodle or decorating a cupcake. Which of these, however, is less stressful?

Creativity is a means of acquiring confidence, self-worth, identity and better health. I urge you to incorporate a single act of creativity into your day-to-day routine. It doesn’t have to be anything major.

A simple doodle, a quick poem or a spontaneous dance routine can go a long way.

James Smith is a 22-year-old mass communication major from Grand Coteau, Louisiana.

cartoon by ETHAN GILBERTI / The Reveille

Restaurant servers undeserving of demeaning treatment I SAID WHAT I SAID MAYA STEVENSON @colormemaya On New Year’s Eve, a video went viral of a fast-food worker at McDonald’s being assaulted.

In the video, we see a man upset about there not being plastic straws in the lobby, and aggressively complaining to a female employee about it. The city where this incident occurred — St. Petersburg, Florida — voted in December 2018 to ban plastic straws by 2020. This law began with “a grace period in 2019 in which customers must specifically request plastic straws at city businesses.” The young female employee relayed this information to the customer, who argued there was no law of the kind.

Then, the situation got ugly.

The man leaned across the counter, invaded this worker’s space, and yanked her forward. The

employee proceeded to defend herself against a man who thought it acceptable to physically accost someone over a straw. The incident didn’t get prettier, even after the customer and employee were broken up. Another witness account stated the customer also kicked the employee in the stomach while being kicked out.

Here’s the thing: this incident is sadly not one of a kind. Over the years, there have been several incidents where workers in what people perceive as unrespectable professions have been treated less than fairly. These workers are often victims of verbal abuse, and in more extreme scenarios, physical abuse.

Another recent example was the “tipping trick,” in which the customer laid five $1 bills on the table, and any time the server “messed up,” he removed one of the bills. This is one of the most demeaning things I’ve ever heard.

The federal minimum wage is at least $2.13 for tipped employees.

Tips are a server’s livelihood. To treat someone’s job as a game is condescending and disgusting.

Your employer doesn’t take money from your paycheck whenever you have mishaps or make minor mistakes.

Society has a habit of treating people who don’t work in what they deem “professional environments” as less-than. People look down on them and make it evident in their treatment of them.

These are workers just making a hard-earned living, which I thought was the American way. It seems I was wrong.

Besides, what happened to the Golden Rule? What happened to manners? What happened to mutual respect? All of these concepts are diminished in the face of people sitting on their elitist high horse.

You cannot simultaneously demean a person while receiving a service they’re providing for you. Not only is it morally wrong, but it’s classist and elitist. These

courtesy of WIKIMEDIA

The federal minimum wage is at least $2.13 for tipped employees, including those in the food services industry. workers do not deserve the brunt of whatever frustration you’re experiencing in life, or the consequences of your misguided views.

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Natalie Anderson Evan Saacks Hailey Auglair Luke Jeanfreau Hannah Kleinpeter Lynne Bunch

Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor Opinion Editor Production 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.

Maya Stevenson is a 19-yearold English and economics sophomore from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Quote of the Week “The beginning is always today.”

Mary Shelley Novelist Aug. 30, 1797 — Feb. 1, 1851

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

page 19

Trash accumulation widespread problem on LSU campus OH, NOT AGAIN! KYLE RICHOUX @KyleRichoux Tailgating brings students and adult fans alike together and gives them a way to participate in football gameday festivities before the game itself starts. Unfortunately, it leaves the University’s campus looking like a junkyard.

Take a look around campus any Sunday following a football game and you’ll find a dreadful display. The areas around the UREC, LSU lakes and Greek houses are particularly inundated with trash, but the rest of campus also boasts an impressive collection of beer cans and hamburger wrappers.

Like most places, Louisiana considers littering a criminal offense. Current laws demand a $175 fine for negligent littering and a $250 fine for intentional littering. Larger amounts of litter incur larger fines, and all offenses trigger an eight-hour litter abatement program.

It’s unfortunate to see, however, these rules don’t seem to apply on gameday. It’s difficult to manage, no one’s going to deny it. But, we can’t ignore rules just because they’re hard

to enforce. Otherwise, what’s ruining the experience. the point of having those rules It’s not all about your own in the first place? experience, either. When examIf the goal is to protect the ining the big picture, we find environment, we shouldn’t it’s about the presentation. The abandon these rules when we University is a public instituneed them the most. However, tion, and the flagship university for our state. if the environTake a look around ment’s safety isn’t In many ways, enough to move campus any Sunday the University is you, consider representative of following a football the economic us as denizens game and you’ll find a of Louisiana, and ramifications.

In Louisiana, especially, as studreadful display. dents. On a perlitter takes up sonal level, we $40 million in taxpayer money each year. No should strive to be represented one likes taxes — we’d all much better. Luckily, a higher status prefer to spend our money the is within our reach.

Likewise, we become repway we’d like. Even if you’re not getting caught and fined for resentatives of the Univerlittering, you’re still paying the sity. We should want to make price for other people littering. our community look betIn the interest of fairness, we all ter, even if it’s solely for our ought to do our part to prevent own representation. litter buildup.

A campus can’t be cleaned As bad as post-gameday overnight, and it certainly can’t gets, the campus isn’t perfect be assured unless we all do any other day of the week, our part. Gameday gets messy either. Take a walk around the and normal school life runs at popular areas on campus and a breakneck pace, but it only you’ll often find a campus you takes a little effort to maintain wouldn’t be proud to show off. where we put our trash. TogethThe trash problem is a veri- er, we can make our campus a table shame, as our campus is cleaner place to be proud of. generally aesthetically pleasing and makes for a pleasant stroll. Kyle Richoux is a 20-year-old However, a critical eye reveals sociology junior from LaPlace, mounds of earth-killing trash, Louisiana

The Reveille Archives

Gameday trash litters campus on Oct. 14, 2012 after LSU played South Carolina in Tiger Stadium.

y r g n ?

Hu

Save money & sign up for one of our

The Reveille Archives

Gameday trash litters campus on Oct. 14, 2012 after LSU played South Carolina in Tiger Stadium.

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January 29

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The Reveille Archives

Thousands of LSU and Chattanooga fans gather around Tiger Stadium to tailgate for LSU’s first home game of the season.

335 South Acadian Thruway • 225.367.4189 • www.trudyswaxbar.com

Full Body Waxing 20% off for students

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LSUDinin g .com

“She’s the one your friends are talking about!”

For more information, visit PETA.org/LSU.

An LSU professor plans to resume cruel and pointless experiments in which wild birds will be lured to feeders, trapped with a net, and then tormented in order to cause them stress and fear.

LSU: TAKE A STAND AGAINST THIS CRUELTY!

Bird: © iStock.com/Andrew Howe • Blood: © iStock.com/fotografstockholm • Flock of birds: © iStock.com/photographereddie

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