WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2016 Volume 121 · No. 51
Of the 12 rapes reported to LSUPD since 2010, all but one occurred on LSU gamedays and gameday weekends, according to an investigation by The Daily Reveille. page 3
Editorial: Students should support survivors, take back gameday ... pg. 2 Opinion:
Sexual assault prevention measures necessary in LGBT community ... pg. 8
Recent lawsuit highlights society’s rape culture ... pg. 9
Campus sexual assault cases should be tried in criminal court ... pg. 9
page 2
The Daily Reveille
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Reveille The Daily
B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803
Newsroom (225) 578-4810
Advertising (225) 578-6090
EDITORIAL
Students should show gameday solidarity in fight against sexual assault BY THE DAILY REVEILLE EDITORIAL BOARD @lsureveille Sexual assault is a cancer that has now infected one of our most beloved institutions — LSU sports. In the past six years, 11 people have reported rapes to LSUPD correlating with University gamedays and gameday weekends, but no one can say for certain how many sexual assaults go unreported. Part of the problem is the environment. Gamedays create an atmosphere ripe for victim-blaming. But alcohol at tailgates is as much to blame for campus rape as tiger-striped mini skirts — not at all. Rapists are the only common denominator in rape cases. When we learn to stop chalking atrocities up to one too many keg stands and wondering how short a survivor’s dress was at the time of her attack, we will be miles closer to solving the problem of sexual assault. LSU sports fans should view these reported rapes as an affront to the deep-seated tradition and brotherly commune found in Tiger Stadium, the PMAC and Alex Box Stadium. People who are tired of always looking over their shoulder might now elect to stay home on Saturdays, and we don’t blame them. But to the disillusioned and disgusted: quitting on timeless traditions doesn’t help solve a problem. These horrific incidents don’t represent the values of the University or the people from all walks of life who enjoy gamedays. When the Tiger faithful gather, their sense of community is apparent. That same community should be united in creating a space where everyone is supportive of those brave enough to come forward regarding their attacks. Victims should not have to live in fear knowing they have a support base of thousands. There is strength in numbers and power in your student sections. This is a wake-up call. You’ve seen the horrors of sexual violence across campus and on your gamedays. They shouldn’t have to reach your homes before you take the first, small steps toward ensuring a better, safer community: believing survivors’ stories and watching out for one another. Let’s make our communal sense of awareness just as strong as the cheers in Tiger Stadium at the season opener against Jacksonville State on Sept. 10. It’s a Saturday Night in Death Valley, and we will stand together. Geaux Tigers.
QUINT FORGEY Editor in Chief CARRIE GRACE HENDERSON Co-Managing Editor JOSHUA JACKSON Co-Managing Editor ROSE VELAZQUEZ News Editor WILLIAM TAYLOR POTTER Deputy News Editor MEG RYAN Entertainment Editor CHRISTIAN BOUTWELL Sports Editor APRIL AHMED Associate Production Editor CLAIRE CASSREINO Associate Production Editor CODY SIBLEY Opinion Editor EMILY BRAUNER Photo Editor ARI ROSS Radio Director SAM ACCARDO Advertising Manager
CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Daily Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 5784811 or e-mail editor@lsureveille.com.
ABOUT THE DAILY REVEILLE The Daily Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Daily Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Daily Reveille is free. To purchase additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall. The Daily Reveille is published daily during the fall and spring semesters and twice weekly during the summer semester, except during holidays and final exams. Second-class copies postage paid at Baton Rouge, LA, 70803. Annual weekly mailed subscriptions are $125, semester weekly mailed subscriptions are $75. Non-mailed student rates are $4 each regular semester, $2 during the summer; one copy per person, additional copies 25 cents each. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Daily Reveille, B-39 Hodges Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.
The Daily Reveille
page 3 CRIME
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Vast majority of LSUPD rape reports since 2010 fall on gamedays, gameday weekends BY SARAH GAMARD @SarahGamard The LSUPD daily crime log for the past six years shows that seven of its 12 reported rapes allegedly occurred on the days or weekends of LSU football games, two on LSU basketball gamedays and two on the days of LSU baseball games. All but one football and one basketball game were at home. The University’s Lighthouse Program, which accepts reports from survivors who may not have reported to LSUPD, has seen increased reports of rape following home football games, said Seirra Fowler, LSU Student Health Center Wellness and Health Promotion assistant director. Football gamedays create an environment dangerously conducive to sexual assault, said kinesiology junior Camille Faircloth, a student advocate for “We’re Committed,” a Student Government initiative aimed at combatting sexual assault on campus. “There’s alcohol present, there’s a huge number of people, there’s so many
distractions, it’s at night,” Faircloth said. “It’s during those prime times when sexual assaults occur.” Texas A&M University researcher Jason Lindo found that college gamedays correlate with increased reports of rape. A December report by Lindo and his colleagues suggests that Division I football gamedays are marked by 28 percent more reports of rape among 17- to 24-year-old women. Lindo’s research concluded that football games mark 253770 additional rapes per year across all 128 Division IA football schools — a category that includes LSU, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, University of Louisiana at Monroe and Louisiana Tech University. The research also showed reports of rape increased by 41 percent during college home games and increased by 15 percent during away games. Reported rapes increased marginally when a team unexpectedly beat a higher-ranked opponent. LSUPD spokesperson Capt. Marshall Walters said football games are busy days for the
department because, “you’re bringing in 100,000 extra people” and bracing for more alcohol-related crime incidents. In response to a request for comment from LSU President F. King Alexander, University spokesperson Ernie Ballard said in an email, “The university, including LSU Police, the Student Health Center and other departments, strive to make the gameday experience as safe as possible. LSU Police, along with public safety partners such as state and city police, specifically target alcohol-related crimes on football gamedays, along with the many other efforts to police the gameday campus population … [We] want people to understand that our university and community have no tolerance for [sexual assault].” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva did not respond to a request for comment. LSUPD spokesperson Lt. Kevin Scott attributes the increase in reported rapes on gamedays to greater alcohol consumption. “I see no reason for this to be shocking data ... It’s an energetic weekend,” he said. “Certainly,
people are going to be more active.” Scott said he sees an increase in every category of offense on football gamedays — not just sexual assault — and not all reports of rape to LSUPD guarantee a rape actually occurred. Scott said he suspects national research identifying sexual assault as underreported is factual, but said he is not sure about the commonly cited statistic alleging one in five female college students experience sexual assault at some point during their college career. “If you surveyed 100 girls, or 1,000 female students on LSU’s campus, will you really see one in five that say they’ve been sexually assaulted, if they’re really being honest?” Scott said. “Is that accurate? I mean, look at the numbers.” Scott said he is skeptical of whether it is accurate to “rubberstamp” a national statistic on every individual community, and the number of sexual assault reports received by LSUPD do not support the one-in-five statistic. But college women report completed or attempted rape to
law enforcement less than five percent of the time, according to a report from the National Institute of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Faircloth said LSUPD officers may have a skewed perspective because they see the issue through the lens of received reports rather than as female college students do — firsthand. She said she expects more survivors are going to the Lighthouse Program and the LSU Women’s Center for help than to LSUPD. The Campus Climate Survey, a recently completed community-wide study, aims to “assess the knowledge, perceptions and behaviors of [LSU] students, faculty and staff regarding sexual misconduct,” according to a December update to the University’s Title IX Policy. Faircloth believes the study will reveal that the University most closely aligns with a onein-four ratio of sexual assault among college women, which she considers the national average. “We’re on a campus of 30,000 people,” she said. “A lot can get lost behind that 30,000.”
GAMEDAY RAPES REPORTED SINCE 2010 Date of Incident
Date of Incident
Date of Incident
Date of Incident
Date of Incident
Date of Incident
Nov. 6, 2010
Oct. 6, 2013
Oct. 13, 2013
Nov. 23, 2013
Feb. 1, 2014
March 23, 2014
Home Football Game
Away Football Game
Home Football Game
Home Football Game
Home Basketball Game
Home Baseball Series
LSU v. Alabama Nov. 6, 2010
LSU v. Mississippi State
Oct. 5, 2013
LSU v. Florida Oct. 12, 2013
LSU v. Texas A&M
Nov. 23, 2013
LSU v. Arkansas Feb. 1, 2014
LSU v. Georgia March 23, 2014
Date of Incident
Date of Incident
Date of Incident
Date of Incident
Date of Incident
Oct. 19, 2014
March 28, 2015
Feb. 17, 2016
April 5, 2014
Sep. 20-21, 2014
Home Football Game
Home Football Game
Home Football Game
Home Baseball Series
Home Basketball Game
LSU Spring Game
LSU v. Mississippi State
LSU v. Kentucky Oct. 18, 2014
LSU v. Kentucky March 28, 2015
LSU v. Alabama Feb. 17, 2016
April 5, 2014
Sep. 20, 2010
Data obtained from LSUPD crime log
EMILY BRAUNER / The Daily Reveille
LSU fans watch in disappointment during the Tigers’ 31-14 defeat against the University of Arkansas on November 14 in Tiger Stadium.
The Daily Reveille
page 4
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
STUDENT LIFE
Students, administration discuss possible changes to tailgating
BY BETH CARTER @bethie_carter A committee from the LSU Dean of Students’ office met with students Tuesday to discuss possible changes to the University’s tailgating policies. University Policy Statement 78 states that “alcoholic beverages ... may be served at registered social events sponsored by campus organizations,” as long as providers and consumers of alcohol are at least 21 years old. However, the committee acknowledged this policy has rarely been enforced in the past. “We understand the tailgating is a cherished LSU tradition, but we want to incorporate potential positive changes for the tailgating experience,” said assistant di-
rector for leadership and involvement Kathy Jones, a committee member who led the discussion. Possible changes include prohibition of drinking games, restriction of tent sizes to 10x10 feet, restricting furniture at tailgates to allow only folding tables and chairs and enforcing an end time for tailgates prior to kickoff. All proposed changes would only apply to student-sponsored tailgates. Family and alumni tailgates would not be affected. The committee also discussed three possible changes related to the possession of alcohol during tailgates. The first option would require student organizations hosting a tailgate to use a pre-approved third-party vendor to provide alcohol to students of legal
drinking age. Currently, the University only has one approved contract with a pre-approved vendor which sells alcohol, All Star Catering. Other vendors would be required to fill out an application and pay a fee to the University. Option B would also utilize a third party vendor. However, this option would only provide one vendor on the Parade Ground for all student organizations to use. Students who attended the meeting raised concerns about long lines and potential altercations. One student asked about the third-party vendor requirements as a potential revenue-generating tactic. “If these vendors have a contract with LSU ... is this requirement more about safety
or money?” the student asked. Committee members acknowledged there was no clear explanation. The third option would excuse student organizations from the third-party vendor requirement, but would adopt a BYOB policy that would “permit students 21 years or older to bring a specified amount [of] alcohol for his/her personal consumption.” There was no clear strategy for measuring how much a “specified amount” entailed. Although drinking on gamedays is an issue, business sophomore Taylor Schultz said she believes the problem is an issue of self-control, not one of student organizations’ tailgates. Another student in the crowd said the proposed changes to
tailgating were “absolutely ridiculous.” “We’re all here ... because of Louisiana traditions that have been going on for a hundred years,” the student said. “Nothing needs to change.” Since many students disagreed with all three of the proposed options, Student Advocacy and Accountability graduate assistant Margaret Vienne said the committee will continue to work with students to discuss further plans. “The committee’s next move is to ... look at the feedback and reshape what the options look like,” Vienne said. “There will be some kinks to work out, but I hope as a committee we can come up with some safer options for our students.”
BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY
Baton Rouge Zoo plans exhibit renovations, possible relocation BY CAITIE BURKES @caitie1221 After recently celebrating its 46th birthday, the Baton Rouge Zoo plans to combat a cliché midlife crisis by rejuvenating itself to meet local demand. In the next eight to 10 months, East Baton Rouge Recreation and Park Commission leaders expect the Capital City gem to undergo a facelift, hopefully attracting more visitors. Spearheading the project is zoo director Phil Frost who foresees a future for the local recreational area complete with a sky rise, boat rides and more interactive exhibits. Though the Baton Rouge Zoo ranks among the top 10 percent in the nation, Frost said, like any business, it is always looking for ways to improve. A year and a half’s worth of studies have left many wondering whether the zoo will relocate or remain at its Thomas Road location after extensive renovations. “That’s the $110 million question,” Frost said. With 250,000 visitors each year, the zoo primarily caters to East Baton Rouge Parish residents. However, Frost said last year it welcomed visitors from all 50 states. If the zoo stays where it is, Frost said internal studies show a 50 percent increase in the yearly number of visitors, totaling about 375,000 people. If the zoo switches its address, he said the annual patron count is projected to double to approximately 500,000. Additionally, Frost said the demolition and reconstruction process necessary to revamp the current location would take about 15 years to complete, compared to the five years expected to build a brand new zoo from scratch. He said the cost for both alternatives would come out to the same price — $110 million, to be obtained from a combination
of public and private funding. Either way, the zoo’s director of marketing and development Kaki Heiligenthal said the end result will either be “a brand new zoo right where [it is] or a brand new zoo somewhere else.” “From a business standpoint, it’s not a really difficult decision to make,” Frost said. Despite the seemingly transparent solution, the zoo director said politics muddy the waters. As part of BREC, the next step the zoo takes must serve the best interest of its EBR constituents. While people may disagree on geography, Frost said BREC’s main concern is upgrading the facility. Because visitors only spend one-third of their time observing the animals, he said the zoo is seeking out guest opinion on the overall experience. Georgia native and mass communication freshman Sarah Tadros said she would like to see more interactive exhibits from the Baton Rouge Zoo, like the Atlanta zoo’s stingray petting area. Though mass communication freshman Lindsey Davis has never been to the Baton Rouge Zoo, she said she would like to see them advertise more on Facebook and Twitter by posting “cute animal videos.” “Everyone hears about the New Orleans zoo and no one hears about the Baton Rouge one,” Davis said. With greater knowledge of quality animal care, more ideas for interactive exhibits and better access to top-notch amenities, Frost said he believes the zoo is well-equipped to master an allinclusive guest experience. Frost said one of the questions he often finds himself answering is why Baton Rouge should have a world-class zoo if New Orleans already boasts one just an hour away. “Why have LSU when everybody can go to Tulane?” he said. “We think Baton Rouge is a great town, and it should have a great zoo.”
A GLIMPSE AT RENOVATION AND RELOCATION PLANS FOR BR ZOO 1
2
3
4
5
6
1 Baton Rouge Zoo at Greenwood Park (Illustrative Site Plan)
3 Nicholson Corridor Zone (Illustrative Site Plan)
5 Airline Highway Park (Illustrative Site Plan)
2 Baton Rouge Zoo at Greenwood Park (Conceptual Site Diagram)
4 Nicholson Corridor Zone (Conceptual Site Diagram)
6 Airline Highway Park (Conceptual Site Diagram)
renderings courtesy of BATON ROUGE ZOO
Sports
page 5
Fast Talkers
baseball
Tigers clobber Southern, 11-1 BY Jarrett Major @jarrett_TDR
Javier Fernández / The Daily Reveille
LSU junior sprinter Cyril Grayson runs the men’s 400 Meter Dash during the 2015 LSU Invitational Battle on the Bayou on Saturday at the Bernie Moore Stadium.
Competition among teammates encourages better performances BY Jourdan Riley | @jourdanr_TDR Every athlete handles competition differently. For junior sprinter Michael Cherry, firing friendly trash talk at his teammates gets him revved up to take the blocks and go head-to-head. But senior sprinter Cyril Grayson and junior sprinter Tinashe Mutanga cut the talking short and put it all on the track. “I’m not a trash talker to be honest,” Mutanga said. “I just like to show it on the track, and if I do good, you can’t talk trash anymore. I’m going to come with the heat though.” Team chemistry is essential in group sports like basketball and football, but it can be harder to foster in track and field, when an athlete must outrank opposing
athletes and compete against teammates. Grayson, Cherry and Mutanga agreed the competition between the Tigers is healthy and has no effect on the team’s dynamic or performance. Mutanga transferred from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is in the middle of his first semester competing as a Tiger. The Zimbabwe native said the competitiveness has no effect on the family-like atmosphere at LSU. “We’re more than teammates,” Mutanga said. “We’re brothers.” Grayson said the sense of connection he found at LSU was the deciding factor in his choice of program. “Everyone seemed like they supported everybody,” he said. “It just seemed like
a brotherhood. It felt natural for me. It’s easy to want the best for them. It’s easy to want them to do good ... When you have that type of support around each other, then you don’t want to let anybody down.” Cherry, a transfer from Florida State, was familiar with some faces on the team when he started at LSU. It was all thanks to Grayson, who hosted Cherry when he left high school and was deciding which track and field program would be the best fit. Though Cherry ultimately chose Florida first, Grayson said he tried to show Cherry what he thought was real about the University’s program because he didn’t want to oversell LSU. “You have to take it for face value,”
see competition, page 11
In his first inning as a starter for the No. 15 LSU baseball team, sophomore pitcher Jesse Stallings threw just nine pitches. That was all it took to finish the first frame with two strikeouts and the momentum needed to pull away early as the Tigers (19-9, 4-5 Southeastern Conference) beat the Southern, 11-1 in Tuesday night at Alex Box Stadium. “I feel like going up there and getting the outs real quick is big for the offense because we were ready to hit,” Stallings said. “So, if we can retire the first side of the order, we are going to come out confident.” Freshman right fielder Antoine Duplantis started off strong as the leadoff with a hit. One at-bat later, junior third baseman Greg Deichmann hit an RBI single to give LSU its first run. Two batters later, sophomore left fielder Beau Jordan singled to bring in Deichmann. Jordan followed his hit by stealing second base for his first steal of the season. A throwing error by Jaguar (8-18, 3-8 Southwestern Athletic Conference) senior catcher Jose DeLa Torre on the steal managed to bring in junior shortstop Kramer Robertson. Southern sophomore
see baseball, page 11
women’s tennis
Lady Tigers’ improved doubles play sets base for successful postseason BY Markus Hüfner @Hufner_TDR Teams cannot afford to lose a point in a conference as competitive as women’s tennis in the Southeastern Conference. The No. 16 LSU team learned that the hard way. It’s most recent 3-4 loss against then-No. 8 South Carolina on April 2 marked the Lady Tigers’ seventh match of the season that was decided by just one point. With no clear one-sided matches on the schedule, coming out strong in doubles play has been as crucial as ever. Though the
Lady Tigers were off to a promising start, it took major lineup changes in order to compete with fellow top-10 contenders. “It’s been an interesting year,” said LSU co-head coach Julia Sell. “We started off doing great in doubles, but especially with women players, it’s so much more about chemistry than what makes sense on paper. We had three teams who had a lot of proven results in the years past with incredible chemistry. At a certain point they just clicked off.” LSU started the season with five consecutive wins in doubles play but followed the streak by losing four in a row.
While strong performances in singles play made up for their struggles, the team knew something had to be done, as they started conference play without victories on any doubles courts in the first two matches. Sell said the coaching staff disregarded chemistry aspects and focused on who would fit the best on paper. The result, she said, has brought out the best in everyone and continues to improve their confidence, which had been a challenge earlier in the season. “Their friendships were so
see doubles, page 11
Wingate Jones / The Daily Reveille
Junior Abby Owens playing a doubles match with Senior Skylar Kuykendall against the Arizona Wildcats on Feb. 26 at the LSU Tennis Complex.
The Daily Reveille
page 6 SOFTBALL
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Tigers break away from conference grind for midweek matchup BY MARC STEVENS @MarcStevens_TDR Southeastern Conference softball is a competitive, hardfought dog-fight week after week. No. 8 LSU is one of nine top-25 squads from the league. Eleven of the 13 SEC teams have at least a 73 percent winning percentage — Mississippi State and Arkansas are the only teams below the mark. “The people that understand how to fail are the people that succeed,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “There’s a lot of great programs [in the SEC]. You’re going to struggle a lot of the time, but the people that can bounce back from it are the ones that are going to be good.” But the Tigers (28-9, 5-7 SEC) will have a one-game reprieve when Southern Mississippi enters Tiger Park at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The unranked Golden Eagles (18-20, 5-7 Conference USA) should prove to be a much easier opponent for an LSU squad that has faced four straight top-11 teams in each of the last four weekends. Southern Miss has
been falling lately, dropping eight of its last 12 contest and has been outscored by ranked teams, 44-8, this season. LSU enters the game hoping to see a spark in their offensive performance. Since the Tigers dismantled Louisiana Tech, 30-8, on March 15, the team has been held to six runs or less in each of the 10 games. But the Golden Eagle hurlers may be the solution the Tiger hitters need. The Southern Miss pitching staff has a 4.42 ERA, No. 198 in Division I. Sophomore Samantha Robles has taken up the mantle as the team’s ace, and even she is averaging a 3.48 ERA. “They are a scrappy bunch,” said LSU assistant coach Howard Dobson. “They have three or four pitchers that throw in all different zones. They give you different looks. They don’t have huge [offensive numbers] but they stay in games.” The LSU pitching staff will attempt to suppress an underwhelming Golden Eagle lineup that boasts just two hitters averaging above .300, among its starters. LSU’s rotation has allowed batters to maintain a
.223 average and has a 1.95 ERA, the eighth best in Division I. The matchup will be a reunion of sorts for Dobson, who worked as the Southern Miss head coach for four seasons before joining the LSU staff prior to the 2012 campaign. “Anytime you get a chance to beat your [former teams] you want to take advantage of it,” Dobson said. “It’s nice to see the friendly faces that I know ... But you want to take care of business against the people you just left.” The Tigers will look to improve its record within the friendly confines of Tiger Park, where they are 20-5 on the year. The team is a perfect 6-0 in midweek games thus far and has outscored opponents 50-8 in those contests. Sophomore pitchers Carley Hoover and Allie Walljasper have been almost exclusively weekend performers for the Tigers. Either junior Baylee Corbello or freshman Sydney Smith is likely to start in the circle for LSU. Smith currently holds the nation’s third best ERA with a 0.86 and Corbello is the lone
WINGATE JONES / The Daily Reveille
LSU senior infielder Bianka Bell (27) bats during LSU’s 6-2 victory against the University of Alabama on March 11 at Tiger Park. Tigers’ pitcher with flawless 5-0 record. “We don’t overlook anybody,” said senior catcher Kellsi Kloss. “It’s nice to get out
of conference play for one game a week to get reset and get a little bit of confidence back and just work on some things physically and technically.”
WOMEN’S GOLF
Lady Tigers place eighth in finale at Silverado Showdown BY MARC STEVENS @MarcStevens_TDR
LSU freshman Kathleen Gallagher kept the women’s golf team team afloat throughout the Silverado Showdown in Napa, California, which concluded Tuesday. Gallagher finished the event with a team-high three-over-par and tied for 11th in the 93-woman field. Lady Tiger freshman Marina Hedlund finished with a seven-over-par score, and senior Elise Bradley shot a nine-over par to claim the next two team spots on the leaderboard. Sophomore Sydney Cavin’s final line was 12-over par, and senior Nadine Dreher recorded a 21-over-par in her final career event to round out the LSU lineup. Entering the final round Tuesday, the Lady Tigers were second, but after a 15-over-par round, they ultimately finished the event 31-over par. The squad finished the regular season finale eighth out of the 18-team field. Stanford dominated the competition to claim the showdown’s team championship. The Cardinals shot a one-over par team score, 13 shots ahead of the second place finisher, Oregon. But for the individual title the schools were flipped. Oregon junior Cathleen
THE DAILY REVEILLE ARCHIVES
LSU freshman Elise Bradley hits the ball during the Lady Tiger’s victory at the University Club on Sunday March 29, 2015 during the Tiger Classic. Santoso recorded a five-underpar total score to take home the individual title. She finished just ahead of Stanford senior Lauren Kim who finished the competition with a four-under-par final score. The event ended what has been an underwhelming regular season from the team. LSU placed 10th or higher in five of its eight events this season. The best finish for the
Lady Tigers was a fourth place finish in the Mason Rudolph Championship at Franklin, Tennessee for the team’s regular season opener Sept. 20. Gallagher and company will have another chance to compete when the SEC Championship event tees off on April 15. The three-day league championship is followed by NCAA Regionals, which begins May 5 at the University Club in Baton Rouge.
The Daily Reveille
Wednesday, April 6, 2016 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
page 7
UConn’s era in women’s basketball is not bad for sport OFF THE MARC MARC STEVENS @MarcStevens_TDR How would I describe the sports world’s reaction to the UConn’s Women’s basketball team? Disgraceful and embarrassing. The Huskies have tallied a 334-19 record over the last nine seasons with four perfect seasons, and they have reached an NCAA record nine-straight Final Fours with coach Geno Auriemma at its helm. After last night’s 82-51 win against Syracuse, UConn claimed its fourth straight championship and sixth title since 2008. This season, Auriemma’s team stayed perfect with a 38-0 record. In the NCAA Tournament, the squad averaged an almost 40-point margin of victory and won each of its games by at least 21 points in six tournament matchups. The squad has dominated the women’s basketball world since 2008 and deserves respect. But instead, they’ve had to answer questions about whether or not the team is ruining women’s basketball. “UConn Women beat Miss[issippi] St. 98-38 in NCAA tourney. Hate to punish them for being great, but they are killing women’s game. Watch? No thanks,” said Boston Globe sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy on Twitter after the Huskies’ Sweet 16 game. Auriemma rightfully ripped into Shaughnessy and any other critics during his postgame press conference after the Mississippi State blowout. “Nobody’s putting a gun to your head to watch,” Auriemma said. “So don’t watch, and don’t write about it. Spend your time on things you think are important. If you don’t think this is important, don’t pay any attention to it. The fact you have to comment on it,
that says something about you, doesn’t it?” The Huskies’ head man’s statement was a strong one, maybe a bit harsh, but was completely accurate and necessary. “When Tiger Woods was playing golf, nobody said he ruined the game of golf,” Auriemma continued. “In fact, Tiger was good for the game. He made everyone else play better. There are a lot better writers than Dan Shaughnessy, but that doesn’t mean he’s bad for the game.” Tiger Woods won his first major in 1997 but did not really break through until after his second major victory at the 1999 PGA Championship. Woods proceeded to go on a nine-year run quite similar to the Huskies’. Including the 1999 PGA Championship, he won 13 majors championships and began jumping up the all-time major’s list. When 2008 came to a close, he had won 14 career major championships, second only to legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus. Another example of sports dominance goes back to hardwood — Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls. Jordan’s Bulls claimed six NBA titles over an eight-year span, denying multiple legends
of a championship. The most dominant Bulls team during that stretch was the 1995-96 sqaud. That team went 72-10 over the 82-game regular season and maintained the same form in the playoffs. Jordan’s team dropped just one game in the first three rounds. They took a commanding 3-0 lead in the NBA finals before ultimately finishing the job in Game 6, defeating the Seattle Supersonics, 87-75. No one that takes themselves seriously would say Woods was bad for golf or Jordan and the Bulls were bad for the NBA. Even beyond common respect for the Huskies, which is the greatest women’s team of the past nine seasons, the claim that they are ruining the sport is ludicrous. There have been more upsets in this year’s tournament because of UConn. Teams trying to catch up to the Huskies have elevated their level of play, much like the golfers who strived to be better to compete with Woods. People blame his affair for his fall from the top, but it’s likely the rest of the field just caught up to his once-imperial status. Like No. 4-seed Syracuse, UConn’s opponent in the
championship game tonight, the Orange advanced to the championship game, defeating No. 1-seed South Carolina and No. 7-seed Washington in the Final Four matchup. The fact that the Final Four matchup opposite UConn was a No. 4 against a No. 7 shows how wide-open the field has been. But what makes the Huskies
dynasty different from Woods’ or Jordan’s? If you aren’t going to say Woods or the Bulls ruined their respective sports, as well, then I have one thing to say to you: stop talking. Marc Stevens is a 20-year-old mass communications junior from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
NOW OPEN at LSU’s Northgates
F
Magical Mystery Tour
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma cheers during a semifinal game against Oregon State, at the women’s Final Four 2016 tournament.
YUKI PRESENTS
Michael Jackson
Wednesday | April 6 | 8PM Yuki takes you on a tour of the Michael Jackson legacy: from the Jackson brothers in nightclubs when Michael was just nine years old, his reputation as an eccentric recluse, to his 2009 final curtain call in a brilliant six hour dress rehearsal prepping for a series of 50 concerts. The next day Michael Jackson was dead.
Tune in at 91.1 fm or at klsuradio.fm THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Connecticut’s Breanna Stewart comes out of the game late in the second half of a national semifinal game against Oregon.
@KLSUradio
@KLSUradio
@KLSUfm
Opinion
page 8
Sexual assault prevention should include LGBT people BEYER’S REMORSE MICHAEL BEYER
@michbeyer
When we talk about sexual assault, the LGBT community is often forgotten in the conversation. Sexual violence is usually discussed in terms of male rapists and female victims, neglecting how sexual violence impacts the LGBT community. According to a 2010 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, 44 percent of lesbian women and 66 percent of bisexual women have been raped in their lifetime. Four in 10 gay men and nearly half of bisexual men have experienced some form of sexual violence in their lifetime. Nearly three in four transgender and gender nonconforming people reported being sexually assaulted in their lifetime, according to the National LGBTQ Task Force. On college campuses, LGBT sexual assault is a widespread but rarely discussed issue. A recent Association of American Universities survey found 11.4 percent of undergraduate women and 14.8 percent of undergraduate LGBT students at select campuses experienced sexual assault due to a lack of affirmative consent. The highest rates of sexual assault on college campuses in the AAU survey were among undergraduate females and LGBT people. Shame and stigma often prevent queer people from reporting their assault. Interacting with university officials or even police who are
homophobic or transphobic hinders access to post-assault services, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. NSVRC reports nearly half of LGBT respondents were uncomfortable seeking police assistance. Of those who interacted with police, 2 percent reported being sexually assaulted by police, with percentages higher for respondents who identified as black or Hispanic. Police may ask an LGBT person where they met their assailant, and if it is certain online dating services, they may out themselves to police. Much like straight and cisgender survivors, police may also believe queer people are asking for sexual assault because they met their assailant on a dating app. We all know BRPD and the Louisiana legislature haven’t been the kindest to queer people recently. Until 2003, consensual gay sex was considered a crime. Despite the Supreme Court ruling anti-sodomy laws unconstitutional in 2003, BRPD set up sting operations to catch gay people having consensual sex in 2014, according to The Advocate. In other words, Baton Rouge police were arresting gay people for something that isn’t an enforceable crime yet is still on the law books. BRPD received national attention on this issue, yet still charged a man with a sodomy statute in 2015, according to The Advocate. In 2014, the Louisiana legislature failed to repeal the unconstitutional and unenforceable sodomy statute. Sen. Dan Claitor, R-Baton Rouge, has proposed a bill to repeal unconstitutional statutes from the legal code this
year, but the anti-sodomy statute isn’t included in this effort, according to The Advocate. So why should LGBT people report sexual assault to the police when they clearly cannot be trusted? How does the University work with BRPD when a queer survivor of sexual assault tries to report their sexual assault? Queer people also have to worry about being outed when reporting an assault. A survivor may be outed to friends, family, police and health officials and lack the community support that can aid a survivor healing from a sexual assault incident. Another component of LGBT sexual violence is how perpetrators assault queer people to humiliate them because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In addition, perpetrators try to use sexual assault to “fix” queer women’s sexuality. Ignoring LGBT campus assault will perpetuate a culture of fear, where sexual assault survivors do not have access to adequate care and their assaults go unreported. Affirming and culturally competent care are critical for combatting LGBT sexual assault on campus. The Student Health Center, LSUPD and BRPD all need cultural competency training to understand the unique challenges of LGBT sexual assault. In order to fight rape culture, LGBT sexual assault must be part of the University’s conversation and included in sexual assault training. Michael Beyer is a political science senior Orleans, Louisiana.
22-year-old from New
photo courtesy of FLICKR
The Daily Reveille EDITORIAL BOARD
Quint Forgey Carrie Grace Henderson Joshua Jackson Rose Velazquez William Taylor Potter Cody Sibley
Editor in Chief Co-Managing Editor Co-Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor Opinion Editor
Editorial Policies and Procedures
The Daily Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Daily 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 Daily 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 Daily Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Daily Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Daily Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.
Quote of the Day “Rape is one of the most terrible crimes on earth, and it happens every few minutes.”
Kurt Cobain
Musician February 20, 1967 — April 5, 1994
The Daily Reveille
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
page 9
Kesha’s sexual assault allegations bring rape culture to light ENTITLED MILLENNIAL CODY SIBLEY @CodySibley The developing story behind Kesha’s sexual assault allegations highlights deeply rooted problems in society. Sony offered Kesha her “freedom.” In exchange, she had to publicly apologize and deny that Dr. Luke raped her, according to Think Progress. She turned Sony’s offer down. “I would rather let the truth ruin my career than lie for a monster ever again,” Kesha wrote on Instagram. Some may call her bold stance ignorant or blinded by heated passion, but Kesha is taking a principled stance against the rape culture we foster in our society. Society gives men the benefit of the doubt while telling women to be more cautious. People will point to her clothes, actions or intentions before they point to the man’s actions. “What was she wearing?” “Was it really rape?” “Is she sure she didn’t really want it?” What difference do any of these questions make? If
someone says no, they mean no. Wearing short clothes or drinking doesn’t make rape or sexual assault suddenly okay. Being a rape apologist won’t solve the problem, and it certainly won’t help victims of sexual assault. Some critics will cry, “innocent until proven guilty.” Yes. Under the law, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. That protection is there for a reason, and I’m glad we have it. But, when Uniform Crime Reports notes that only seven out of 100 instances of rape led to arrests and only three out of 100 were referred to prosecutors, we have a problem. For Kesha specifically, she’s losing money by not working with Dr. Luke. She’s jeopardizing her entire music career by speaking out against her employer and company, yet she’s still there speaking out against the injustice done to her. Under oath, she said that Dr. Luke did not sexually assault her, but few people know how difficult coming forward against your abuser is. Most women can’t afford to speak out against their employer in the same fashion as Kesha, and most women don’t have the name recognition for people to care. I do believe there’s a way to
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kesha leaves the New York Supreme Court on Friday, Feb. 19. protect people’s right to be innocent until proven guilty while also prosecuting sexual offenders and rapists. We can create a safe environment for sexual assault victims while also treating suspects the same way we treat murder suspects. We don’t have to choose. By standing her ground, Kesha is taking a stance against our rape culture. She’s creating a ripple effect, which
will make other sexual assault victims more comfortable coming forward with their allegations. She’s opening a dialogue, which is an important step to combat this terrible issue. Hopefully, others will follow her lead and come forward as well. I’m not telling victims of sexual assault to come forward if they’re not comfortable. But, I am telling other people to come
forward and say they’ll stand by the victims and hold perpetrators accountable. That’s what Kesha is trying to do with her strong stance. I hope people hear Kesha’s message and end our problematic rape culture. Cody Sibley is a 20-yearold mass communication sophomore from Opelousas, Louisiana.
Universities should defer to courts on sexual assault cases SMASH THE HATE JACK RICHARDS @jayellrichy There are a few things the University’s disciplinary system is good at handling: fraternity pranks, inter-club disputes and plagiarism. But one thing it shouldn’t touch before a court has the chance to look at is accusations of sexual assault. These claims are some of the most serious charges a person can face. When somebody is charged as a rapist, their life changes forever. People will shun them, hide their children from them and refuse to give them jobs. All of those things are good if the person actually committed the crime. However, if the accused did not sexually assault the victim, the accused’s name will be dragged through the mud for something they didn’t do. To be clear, lawmakers and university administrators should take all reasonable means to ensure victims of sexual assault are taken seriously and the crimes are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. However, let’s not pretend every person who reports a sexual assault is telling the truth. The national flash point for this was Rolling Stone’s University of Virginia rape story, whose poster child and
main source, known only as “Jackie,” was widely discredited by every outlet from Reason to the Columbia School of Journalism. “Jackie” will now have to testify for a defamation suit brought by a university administrator against the magazine, according to The New York Times. “Jackie” didn’t report her assault, but if she had, the University of Virginia might have screwed her or her alleged attacker over. Both public and private universities are proving themselves inept at adequately handling sexual assault claims. Take the case of a male student at the University of Texas at Austin, who had consensual sex with a female non-student. A team of investigators with the university’s Title IX bureaucracy still recommended he be expelled without having the chance to ask witnesses questions about the encounter, because the woman’s father filed a police report. This is exactly the problem. The right to an attorney and the right to cross-examine witnesses is a fundamental component of due process that the school is denying him. If the school ends up expelling him, however, the student will have to go to court to start his education again. Luckily, the LSU Code of Student Conduct allows students to call witnesses to testify. However, it doesn’t allow the student a lawyer to properly structure
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
On Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, University of Virginia students walk to campus past the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va. their case. There is no easy solution to this matter. Sexual assault cases are messy beyond belief and almost impossible to prove definitively one way or the other. I do know one thing though: universities should not halt a student’s education before a court rules on the matter. Not following this rule hurts both victims and the accused. If a university rules against
someone and expels them, but a court overturns the decision for lack of due process, the victim is put on an emotional roller coaster that will only exacerbate his or her feelings of powerlessness. And let’s be clear again: few people are qualified to appropriately handle sexual assault cases. Both police and university coordinators need to know how to be compassionate to the victim, while still upholding due process
for the accused. If the students need to stay away from each other, then the University should separate them. If one of the students is in danger, then the police need to be called. Universities should not prosecute violent crimes. Let the courts handle it. Jack Richards is a mass communication senior from New Orleans, Louisiana.
page 10
Announcements
Employment
The Daily Reveille
Housing
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Merchandise
Transportation
Classif ieds
To place your ad, visit www.lsunow.com and click classif ieds
Costs: $.40 per word per day. Minimum $5 per day. Deadline: 12 p.m., three school days prior to the print publication date
For Rent 3B/2BA Luxury Condo Brightside Estates, REDUCED RENT, on bus route, pool, gated, volley ct. call Paul 2252669063 / Talbots@cox.net _______________________________ Premium guest house/Cottage on LSU Lakes- 2 large bedrooms, 2 full bath, hardwood floors, granite, open floor plan. Lives large for 1700 sq. feet. Fenced in yard and covered parking for one car. all appliances including washer and dryer. Graduate students preferred. Serious inquiries only. Rent $1750 a month. 1 year lease preferred, but will consider 6 month. Contact Rick 1-225383-0703 or 1-225-241-8001. _______________________________
Ole Towne Apartments has large 2 Bedroom/2 Bath Apartments ready for immediate move in!! Apply now to receive up to $25 off of your monthly rent for the entire lease term!! Gated community, pool, close to shopping, dining call 1(866)9320887 oletownetour.com _______________________________
The Warwick Apartments has large, 750 sq. ft. 1 Bedrooms ready for immediate move-in!!! All utilities included, 24 hr. fitness center, pool, gated community, close to Whole Foods and lots of shopping and dining options call 1(866)644-0843 liveatwarwick.com _______________________________
Services
Help Wanted For Rent: 3 BR, 2 BA Condo, great location close to LSU (1/2 mile away -- 10 min walk) in Burbank Estates; conveniently located on LSU Bus Route; safe Gated complex (includes 3 gate remotes), 2 reserved parking spots, large open floor plan (1556 sq ft); spacious living room w/cathedral ceiling; built in 2005; modern floorplan; includes Washer / Dryer / Microwave / Oven / Range / Refrigerator/ Dishwasher / Garbage disposal; Alarm system; all 3 bedrooms have ceiling fans & large walk in closets; Ceramic tile in kitchen/ den/bathrooms; Newly painted with new carpet; New energy efficient A/C; covered outside balcony w/storage room; Easy walk to bars & LSU & Tiger Stadium & Tigerland & University View shopping ctr; $1795/mo rent includes cableTV / internet / wireless / water / trash / sewer; Furnished with 2 big sofas, big chair/ottoman; kitchen table w/4 chairs; 1 year lease starting Aug 2016, please no pets; contact Mike to view unit. http://batonrouge. craigslist.org/apa/5471769717. html _______________________________ BRIGHTSIDE VIEW DUPLEXÂ 2-BEDROOM 2-BATH, 1200SQ FT, VAULTED CEILING, NEW APPLIANCES WITH WASHER & DRYER.$1000.00 MONTH 225-6589095 OR TEXT 225-278-3473 _______________________________
LSU Student Media is looking for a student IT MANAGER to join our team for SUMMER 2016. The IT manager will offer support services during the summer for desktops and servers, along with other IT-related responsibilities. Pay is $10 an hour for 5 to 10 hours per week maximum. The IT manager will maintain office hours with some on-call hours. Coding skills are desired but not required. Applicants must be in good academic standing and enrolled full time at LSU. Summer session enrollment is not required if enrolled full time for Spring 2016 and registered full time for Fall 2016. Contact Tad Odell at todell@lsu.edu for more information. _______________________________ Looking for a fun rewarding job that will work around your schedule? St. John the Baptist Human Services is hiring! For the job you will work one on one with someone who is developmentally disabled. If you are interested call 225-216-1199 or email 1Carolynmills@gmail. com! _______________________________ Servers, Food Runners, Cooks, Bartenders needed. Bocage Racquet Club is now hiring for summer positions for our poolside restaurant. Must be energetic, enthusiastic, and ready to work. Competitive wages, tips, and free meals! Customer service or cook experience a plus. _______________________________ EKG Technicians needed. Part time around school schedule. On job training. $9 hr. Energetic, caring, professionals that need to work. Great for B.R. area hospital experience for medical career students. Application at www.southernmedical.com. Fax to 225-765-7952 or 225-752-2614. _______________________________ COURIER NEEDED Downtown law firm - preferably M-F 1-5; responsible student with neat appearance; must have car/ good driving record/ins., computer skills; $8/hr+mileage; email resume to jwinkle@ pierceandshows.com _______________________________
Full-time Nanny wanted for 4-year old twins. Prefer background in Education and experience working with pre-school age. Will involve helping with carpooling, discipline, educational needs. Send resume with credentials and experience to julieb7@cox.net _______________________________
Let Your Business Bloom
Vet. Assistant needed for small animal hosp. Mid City 15. min. from LSU. Exp. pref. but not req.*Acadian Oaks Pet Clinic*225-387-2462*
Boil Up Some Interest!
Place a Classified
Place a Classified today! LSUNow.com lsunow.comFOR RELEASE APRIL 6, 2016 THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 Garbage 6 “__ Sesame”; Ali Baba’s line 10 Family member 14 Small weight 15 Sheet of floating ice 16 Middle-__; neither young nor old 17 Prefix for violet or sound 18 Truck scale divisions 19 Use a Kindle 20 Shy 22 Hypnotic state 24 Strong __ ox 25 Sowed 26 Bat, cat or rat 29 San __, CA 30 Hightailed it 31 Local __; small-town resident 33 Prolonged attack 37 Argument 39 Small brooks 41 Tyne or Tim 42 “__ John B” 44 High-powered surgical beam 46 Look at 47 Very tall 49 Took a nap 51 Envious 54 May’s follower 55 Flynn & others 56 Impetus; force that is growing 60 Winter flakes 61 Exhibit 63 Silly as a __ 64 Magazine title 65 Actor James __ Jones 66 Miscalculated 67 Burn slightly 68 Coloring agents 69 Makes smooth DOWN 1 Sightseeing trip 2 Regulation 3 Household pests
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 21 23 25 26 27 28 29 32 34 35 36 38
Shriek Rumor Frequently Trudge Very long time Move around and get cozy Suspicious of everyone Insurance policy seller Harmony __ in; inserted Bravery Dust cloths Aspirins or Vicodins Performing __; dancing, etc. __-biter; very close race Lowdown; facts Procrastinate Scot’s skirts Vane direction Joy Observed Disciple; imitator
by Jacqueline E. Mathews
Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved
©2016 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.
40 Antitoxin 43 Swimming spot 45 Goes back on a promise 48 Kept griping 50 Lady of the casa, often 51 Jokes around 52 Bert’s buddy
53 Fragrance 54 Bulldog’s cheeks 56 Oliver’s request 57 Shredded 58 __ up; spent 59 Prescriptions, for short 62 Stable supper
The Daily Reveille
Wednesday, April 6, 2016 and Mutanga. On the final day of the invitational, the Tigers grabbed first place in the men’s 4x400-meter relay. With junior sprinter LaMar Bruton (46.95), senior sprinter Fitzroy Dunkley (44.66), Grayson (46.01) and Cherry (44.20) at anchor, the Tigers posted a nationalleading time of 3:01.83. “I always want to beat everybody,” Cherry said. “If one [of my teammates] happens to beat you, you can’t really take it the hardest. You have another chance to race them again ... When one of us beats each other, it’s like, ‘OK, come back to practice, talk trash again, go back out there and try another time to beat the person. If you don’t, you don’t. There’s really no confliction.” “Nobody wants to lose” Cherry and Grayson said in unison.
competition, from page 5 Grayson said. “If you like it, you like it. If you don’t, you don’t. You just have to do what’s the best for you. Michael is a cool person. I love him like a brother, but he has to make his own decisions, and he wanted to go to Florida State because that’s what was best for him at that time. But he came back home like the prodigal son.” On April 1 and 2, The Tigers and Lady Tigers traveled to Austin, Texas to compete in the Texas Relays at Mike A. Myers Stadium. On day one, the men earned a spot in the men’s 4x100-meter relay final after achieving third place in the qualifying round with a time of 40.34 seconds. The team consisted of junior Jordan Moore, freshman Jaron Flournoy, junior Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake
April 5 • 6:30 p.m.
vs. VANDERBILT April 7 • 6 p.m. April 8 • 7:30 p.m. April 9 • 2 p.m.
SOFTBALL vs. SOUTHERN MISS April 6 • 6 p.m.
vs. KENTUCKY April 9 • 2 p.m. April 10 • 6 p.m. April 11 • 6 p.m.
--------------------------------------
BASEBALL vs. SOUTHERN
--------------------------------------
pitcher Harold Myles allowed one more run after walking junior second baseman Cole Freeman with the bases loaded. Myles walked two batters and hit two with a pitch during the four-run first inning. “It was a little bit hard to get going, but it was good that we scored four in the first inning,” Duplantis said. “It was able to get things going and show that we were swinging the bats.” After the high-powered first inning, the Tigers relied on their pitching staff to get through the game. Sophomore pitcher Austin Bain managed two consecutive strikeouts to close out the second inning after allowing a double by Jaguar freshman left fielder Ashanti Wheatley. In the top of the third, senior pitcher Hunter Devall picked up a strikeout with
WOMEN’S TENNIS
vs. GEORGIA April 8 • 4 p.m.
vs. TENNESSEE April 10 • 11 a.m.
--------------------------------------
the bases loaded to close the inning with two more strikeouts. In the top of the fifth, the Tigers further extended their lead over the Jaguars. Junior catcher Jordan Romero and Robertson singled in the second and third at bats of the inning to put two runners on base. In the fourth at-bat of the inning, Jordan brought in Romero on a fielder’s choice to give LSU a 5-0 lead. After the Tigers loaded the bases, Myles walked Freeman and hit Duplantis to bring in two and put the Tigers up seven. Myles walked five and hit four batters in his five innings on the mound. “We kind of kept them in the game, and then we kind of just scratched a few across,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. Southern finally got on the board in the top of the sixth, when an RBI by freshman shortstop Malik Blaise gave
BASEBALL, from page 5
TRACK & FIELD BATTLE ON THE BAYOU April 9 • Noon
doubles, from page 5 strong outside of the court that we stuck with it probably a little longer than we should have,” Sell said. “At a certain point we said, ‘Well it’s not working anymore. We can always come back to it, but right now, let’s just drop a bomb on it, blow it up and try something totally different and see if that sparks the chemistry we had before.’ And I think that it did.” As the season progressed and the new pairs became familiar with each other’s playing style, the Lady Tigers’ doubles performances quickly started to reflect their national ranking. Progress reached a high point in the 2-5 loss against then-No. 7 Vanderbilt on March 19. The matchup marked LSU’s first the Jaguars their lone run of the evening. LSU responded in the bottom of the sixth with three more runs — an RBI single by freshman third baseman Chris Reid and a two run single by sophomore catcher Michael Papierski. Reid brought in the Tigers’ final run of the night on a triple in the bottom of the eighth to put LSU up 10. The Tigers used eight pitchers in the game, who combined for 13 strikeouts and gave up two walks. Southern used four pitchers, but gave up six walks and hit six LSU batters. “It was not a phenomenal performance, but it was a workmanlike performance,” said Mainieri. “It was good for us.”
page 11 doubles victory of conference play, as the Lady Tigers’ took courts 2 and 3, but the lineup was far from it’s final stage. “We’ve never really been a strong doubles team,” said junior Abigail Owens. “We had to build that up and get more comfortable in trusting each other and ourselves, while not being nervous and enjoying the process.” And the process keeps climbing up. After losing to Vanderbilt, the Lady Tigers swept their following home weekend against thenNo. 26 Arkansas and then-No. 59 Missouri, while not allowing a single win in doubles play. “We are way more aggressive,” Owens said. “I definitely have been volleying more, and we
don’t play two-back like me and [senior] Skylar [Kuykendall] did. I’ve been getting a lot of looks up at net, and it has helped me getting more comfortable with my volleys, too.” Now, Sell focuses on minor adjustments. With this week’s focus on returning, a great sense of encouragement and optimism dominates practice, because the issues are easily fixable. “We’re actually working away as the better doubles team, where as before, we weren’t even in some of these matches,” Sell said. “It was poor, poor performances some of those days. With doubles, you can’t be afraid to change it and that’s what I think has been good for us so far.”
SHIP OF FOOLS
LSU PMAC APRIL 8th, 2016 | 6 PM
STUDENT MEDIA MANAGER Summer & Fall 2016 Advertising • The Daily Reveille • LSUNow.com • Legacy • Gumbo • KLSU • Tiger TV
summer editor of the daily reveille Fall editor of the daily reveille Summer station manager of klsu Visit B39 Hodges Hall or Fall station manager of klsu email studentmedia@lsu.edu summer editor of digital media fall editor of digital media editor of Gumbo yearbook B39 Hodges Hall by April 12, 2016 station manager of tiger tv editor of legacy magazine
The Daily Reveille
page 12
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
POLITICS
Universities eye education-centered bills on session docket BY SAMUEL CARTER KARLIN @samkarlin With two months left in the legislative session, more than 1,000 bills have been filed, tackling issues ranging from abortion to minimum wage to feral hogs to pink hunter outfits. Higher education leaders are eyeing legislation that will affect them as well. Here are some of the bills and issues that will impact colleges and universities.
HB 1 HB 1 is the state’s budget, carried by Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry, R-Metairie. This is perhaps the most important piece of legislation for colleges and universities this session because schools are fighting with every other agency for funds, while the state still faces a $750 million shortfall for the upcoming budget cycle, beginning July 1. Because 2016 is an evennumbered year, the Legislature cannot raise taxes. That’s why a special session was called in February to raise some quick cash and plug massive budget holes. Universities took a $28 million mid-semester budget cut because TOPS was underfunded, while narrowly avoiding what could have been deep cuts from the general fund. Commissioner of Higher Education Joe Rallo expects an 8-10
percent cut statewide to higher education, to the tune of $60-75 million for the upcoming fiscal year. With Gov. John Bel Edwards’ budget proposal set to be announced next week, this is far from set in stone, and the Legislature could call another special session after the regular session ends to backfill some cuts. But, as Henry noted, there doesn’t seem to be much of an “appetite” for more taxes — especially among the GOP majority. Either way, Sen. J.P. Morrell said, “a bell will be rung that cannot be unrung.”
TOPS The Legislature largely agrees on one thing: the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students needs tweaking. TOPS is at the top of many lawmakers’ lists. For Edwards, it’s the only thing on his agenda for higher education. The scholarship’s cost has ballooned in recent years, and will hit an estimated $300 million next year if fully funded. This is primarily because the Legislature has supplemented state funds for higher education with higher tuition, which has also exploded, though Louisiana public college tuition is still lower than most states. The TOPS-related bills Edwards supports deal solely with cost-savings. SB 79, by Sen. Dan Morrish, R-Jennings, SB 174, by
12
Sen. Jack Donahue, R-Mandeville, and HB 390, by Rep. Nancy Landry, R-Lafayette, would all decouple TOPS from tuition. That way, if tuition increases, TOPS doesn’t automatically increase, leaving students to deal with the gaps in costs. Tuition increases have comprised the bulk of the rising costs of TOPS. Donahue proposed this measure last session, and it passed through both houses, with Edwards voting in favor, until it was vetoed by former Gov. Bobby Jindal. It is expected to pass, in some form, this time around. The only money ensured to TOPS in next year’s budget is around $60 million. That means, if the Legislature does not find the money, the required ACT score could be raised to 28. Students will not know for sure if they qualify for TOPS until funding is secured. If a special session is called to find that money, students could find themselves in limbo while they wait to see if they qualify. Countless lawmakers have chided TOPS’ low academic benchmarks and its lack of requirements for students to pay back the award if they don’t complete college or stay in Louisiana after they graduate. Mary Ann Coleman, who oversees the 10 private colleges in the state, said “our demographics are going the wrong way.” Many lawmakers agree. HB 846, by Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, R-Metairie, would
AUTONOMIES With the looming expiration of the GRAD act, which gave school boards some autonomy over tuition, higher education leaders are eyeing the power to increase tuition on their own. Barry Ivey’s HB 439 would allow school boards to increase their tuition up to 10 percent per year, capping at 20 percent over four years. But, Ivey, R-Baton Rouge, said the bill has some legislative oversight to prevent school administrators from having a “checkbook to the treasury,” because of TOPS awards given out to students at those schools. HB 989, by Rep. Rob Shadoin, R-Ruston, addresses out-of-state tuition for schools. Tuition for out-of-state students must be at least equal to the same tuition of SREB (regional peer) schools.
There is an exception to the law for historically black colleges and universities, but this bill would eliminate the requirement altogether. Rep. Patrick Jefferson, DHomer, is carrying HB 788 for the Board of Regents. The bill would allow colleges and universities to choose whether they pay into the state’s risk management program. Rallo estimates for every dollar Louisiana colleges and universities receive from the state, they pay back 63 cents in unfunded mandates, programs like risk management, legislative auditor and retirement programs. This bill is an effort to allow schools, whose employees are inherently low-risk, to pay lower risk management costs.
EFFICIENCIES Streamlining higher education in Louisiana, which has more schools than more highly populated Florida and more independent governing bodies than New York, has become a sticking point for lawmakers who want to grab every efficiency they can when dealing with budget woes. Rep. Chris Broadwater, RHammond, is also carrying a bill for the Regents. HB 842 would consolidate three boards, including the one that oversees TOPS, into the power of the Board of Regents, as an effort to streamline more education operations. But, as Rallo noted, colleges and universities have cut 5,000 positions over the last few years. “We think what we’ve been doing in the last few years is pretty good,” he said. If more budget cuts come and TOPS is not fully funded, Rallo said “it is going to be a very dicey situation.”
LSAT
POINTS
Law schools don’t settle. Why should you?
require TOPS recipients to pay back one full year of the award if they do not stay in Louisiana for a year after graduation. It would also require full repayment if a student loses eligibility or drops out, with exceptions for extreme circumstances. Rep. Julie Stokes, R-Kenner, has a similar proposal that would make TOPS a loan program, with all debt forgiven if a student graduates. A handful of legislators have also proposed modest increases in eligibility requirements, raising the required ACT score one or two points and the GPA to 2.75 instead of 2.50. Other TOPS bills are pending committee movement, including some with slight differences in how the scholarship should be paid back if students drop out or lose their eligibility.
The Princeton Review’s Ultimate LSAT Course has an average 12 point score improvement. Where could 12 points take you?
Visit PrincetonReview.com for course listings
3930 Burbank Dr, Baton Rouge
225.349.7120
EMILY BRAUNER / The Daily Reveille
Gov. John Bel Edwards addresses the Legislature about impending budget cuts on Feb. 14 at the Capitol.