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T hu r s d ay, Ja nu a r y 14 , 2 021
A YEAR IN REVIEW
The difference a year makes: Wednesday, Jan. 13 marked the anniversary of LSU’s national championship win.
Read on
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PHOTOS BY ABBY KIBLER
NEWS
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LSU Democracy at Work members bail out Baton Rouge defendants over winter break.
ENTERTAINMENT
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Baton Rouge Gallery highlights many local artists and more in Surreal Saloon 13 exhibition.
SPORTS
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Third time’s the charm: Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints look to sweep Tom Brady for the third consecutive time this season.
OPINION
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“Aside from putting your money to good use, these tools can help provide you with a better college experience.”
L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le
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WHERE WE’VE BEEN,
WHERE WE’RE GOING BY JARED BRODTMANN @_therealjarbear
B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803
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Editor in Chief BAILEY CHAUVIN Managing Editor LARA NICHOLSON Digital Editor BROCK SANDERS News Editor KATHERINE MANUEL Deputy News Editor NICK FREWIN PHOTO BY ABBY KIBLER
Coach O holds up the trophy on Jan. 13, 2020 after LSU’s 42-25 win at the National Championship in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Sports Editor NATASHA MALONE Deputy Sports Editor REED DARCEY Entertainment Editor ENJANAE’ TAYLOR Opinion Editor GRACE PULLIAM
It seems like a lifetime ago... Rabid fans dressed in purple and gold lined along the fence at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport awaiting the return of their heroes from Atlanta after the SEC Championship and the College Football Playoff Semifinal. Those same enthusiastic fans ushered their Tigers along Nicholson Drive on their way to the National Championship in New Orleans with thoughtful signs and loud cheers. The bright, glowing image of Joe Burrow with the elusive Heisman trophy was displayed proudly on a Times Square billboard. And then, it happened. The greatest team in college football history beat Clemson on a 35-8 run to finish out the season of LSU’s dreams. Triumphantly raising the golden trophy over their heads, the Tigers rested, completely unaware of the unforgiving future ahead. Before this year’s season began, Head Coach Ed Orgeron went as far as to say that this team could be even better than last year’s, specifically on one side of the ball. “We are so much better on defense right now than any part of the season last year,” Orgeron said at the beginning of fall camp. Since those whimsical days in December and January, the world has experienced a pandemic, a high degree of racial tension and unprecedented political turmoil. Wednesday, Jan. 13, marked one year since LSU completed its season and achieved “legend status—” one year since cruel, ruthless 2020 genuinely began for the state of Louisiana. The LSU football program has also undergone tremendous
change since then. The tumultuous 2020-2021 season included Bo Pelini’s disastrous defensive performances; numerous opt-outs from experienced veterans; three changes in starting quarterbacks, including two true freshmen after Myles Brennan’s season-ending injury; recruiting violations and sanctions; and most importantly, serious Title IX allegations raised against LSU Athletics in a Nov. 16 USA Today report. The team suffered beatdowns from Auburn and Alabama and had to swallow upsets from lowly Mississippi State and Missouri. It was far from what both players and fans expected after coming off the previous season. But fear not — all is not lost. We were reminded of that with a season-saving win over Florida in dramatic fashion. Give credit to Marco Wilson’s great shoe throw and Cade York’s tremendous 57yard game-winning kick for the LSU win, but Orgeron was well aware of what the win truly symbolized: resilience. “I saw great practices,” Orgeron said. “I saw want-to. I saw who was coming early to meetings. I know these guys like my kids. I know they were hurt on Monday, but we said, ‘You know what? We’re gonna beat Florida in The Swamp.’” “Throughout the whole year it was ‘almost,’” senior JaCoby Stevens said. “‘We almost had this’ or ‘we almost got that,’ and this time we finally got it and have something we can build around and something we can grow from.” Followed by an electric shootout with Ole Miss in the last week of the regular season, Orgeron’s program had finally gathered enough momentum to salvage the pieces from the hurricane that ripped down Nicholson Drive, finish over .500 and find a few
moments from this season to be proud of. “I think that throughout the season our team became tougher,” Orgeron said after the Ole Miss win. “Our coaching staff became closer. We continued to fight. Went through a lot of adversity. There were some games we didn’t play very well, but we came back and we fought and we finished strong. That’s what I’ll remember about this team.” Make no mistake, this season did not all go according to plan. The overhaul of Pelini getting fired and Steve Ensminger stepping down from his offensive coordinator post showcases how displeased Orgeron was with his team’s overall performance this year. Throughout the season, he frequently talked about how his program’s games were “not to the LSU standard of performance.” This job calls for near perfection without the pressure of coming off a national championship season, and these moves seem like Orgeron was made painfully aware of this truth by his superiors at the season’s conclusion. While the coaching staff is feeling the effects of turnover, player retention has been very promising for LSU thus far. Eighteen of 22 starters have announced their return for next season. The defense will miss Stevens and Jabril Cox, but the remaining defensive starters will use their experience to bring back LSU’s defensive pedigree. Orgeron worked hard to get all his offensive linemen back for another year, going so far as to take them out for shrimp po-boys after the season ended. “We are going to have more guys staying than we’ve had more guys leaving in the past. I’m going to talk to them. Especially
on the offensive line,” Orgeron promised. Minus Terrace Marshall Jr., Racey McMath and Arik Gilbert, who has entered the transfer portal, every offensive player will return to play in an offense soon to be designed by a coaching duo recommended from a familiar name: Joe Brady. Orgeron introduced on Wednesday new offensive coordinator Jake Peetz and new passing game coordinator DJ Mangas, two coaches who worked under Brady for the Carolina Panthers this past season. “We leaned hard on Joe Brady, who we thought was instrumental in helping us win a championship,” Orgeron said in their intro press conference Wednesday. “These two young men come highly recommended.” LSU also boasts the No. 5 recruiting class according to 247Sports. Premier homegrown talent like Maason Smith and Sage Ryan had wild recruitments but ultimately chose to stay home and continue the tradition of Louisiana talent coming to Baton Rouge to become NFL-ready talent. There is undeniable optimism springing from the program like a waterline that has just had its pressure released. Finally, the nightmare season LSU dreaded is over, and the team can flow according to its own pace and style. Orgeron has promised LSU fans a national championship level program, a hefty covenant to fulfill with a demanding client. He knows deliverance is not just in the job description; it’s a mandate that if left unsatisfied, would result in the end of the tenure of his dream job. It is a great reason why fans should be excited about the future. The pressure is on.
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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The 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 Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsureveille.com.
ABOUT THE REVEILLE The Reveille 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. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.
NEWS
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BAILED OUT
COURTESY OF DEMOCRACY AT WORK
Democracy at Work member and sociology senior Sebastian Brumfield Mejia wears the t-shirt used to raise money for East Baton Rouge Parish Prison bond payments.
LSU Democracy at Work bails out Baton Rouge defendants over holidays BY ANNA JONES @annajoneses Naquail Weaver wasn’t expecting to be home with his family for Christmas. The 22-year-old was in East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, held on a $3,000 bail with expectations of a release sometime in early January. But Weaver got to spend the holidays with his fiancée and his 3-month-old son after students from LSU’s Democracy at Work paid his bond on the morning of Dec. 25. Weaver was one of six prisoners the organization freed by using profits from t-shirts it sold on Etsy. “Sometimes I still think, ‘I’m not supposed to be home,’” Weaver said. “But God answered my prayers and those people came through.” LSU Democracy at Work, a student-led grassroots organization, was founded in 2018 and spearheaded other activist efforts, such as advocating to rename 13 University buildings named after individuals with racist pasts. Democracy at Work member and sociology senior Sebastian Brumfield Mejia said the members came up with the idea after reading Angela Davis’ novel, “Are Prisons Obsolete?” “We developed this bail project because we wanted to not just be reading about these issues but to actually go into the community and address them,” Brumfield Mejia said. Biological engineering senior and club member Soheil Saneei based the fundraising
HEALTH
Vaccines could come to LSU soon
project on a t-shirt he designed featuring a Malcom X stamp. “I thought it would be cool to put a stamp of different people that we look up to that have paved the way for activism,” Saneei said. Saneei originally chose to feature Indian revolutionary Chandra Shekhar Azad on the shirts, inspired by Azad’s work to establish India’s independence from Britain and the fact that “Azad” translates to freedom in both Indian and his language of Farsi. The design evolved to incorporate photos of other wellknown activists and the word “freedom” written in multiple different languages. On the back of the shirts is a quote from former Black Liberation Army member Assata Shakur: “Freedom is the right to grow, is the right to blossom.” Saneei said between Twitter and Tik Tok promotions, the organization was able to sell around 370 shirts. The group coordinated with the aunt of Alton Sterling and bail bondsman Sandra Sterling to help them navigate the system. Bond recipients were selected based on bond cost and the crime committed. “We don’t want to emphasize non-violent crime because the description can be arbitrary, but we also don’t have the capability to make sure that someone who committed, say… seconddegree murder won’t hurt anyone,” Saneei said. “We wanted to make sure these people wouldn’t harm anyone.”
As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout Louisiana, vaccines could soon be on the way for the LSU community. Students and staff who would like to be inoculated could potentially receive the vaccine later in the spring, according to LSU Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard. “LSU has been working with the state to prepare for vaccinating the LSU community that wants to receive the vaccine and is looking at later in the spring as a possibility,” Ballard said. Some members of the LSU community could get vaccinated as early as mid-January. “We anticipate getting a batch next week for our public safety and health care related personnel,” Ballard said. For the remainder of the LSU community, a specific date for receiving the vaccination has not been determined yet. The federal government is leaving the responsibility of the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to the states and their local governments. This could potentially delay the vaccination of students and staff if Louisiana experiences logistical issues or other problems with handling the distribution of the vaccine. So far, Louisiana has experi-
see DEMOCRACY, page 4
see VACCINES, page 4
BY HENRY WELDON @hankweldon3
STUDENT LIFE
Pageant in a pandemic: changes to Miss LSU-USA pageant BY ANNE MARIE WHERRITT @amwherritt The Miss LSU-USA pageant was not held in 2020 due to COVID-19, but the host sorority, Delta Zeta, was still able to use it to honor a late LSU alumna and raise money for various charities. Now, the sorority is gearing up for a livestreamed pageant in 2021. The Miss LSU-USA pageant has been hosted by Delta Zeta since 1998 but was canceled for the first time in 22 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pageant is a fundraiser for Delta Zeta’s philanthropies, including The Starkey Hearing Foundation, the Emerge Center and St. Lillian’s Academy. Miss LSU-USA Executive Director Leah McPhearson and Assistant Director Olivia Orlando
said they were heartbroken when they heard they could not see the 2020 Miss LSU-USA Pageant come to life on stage. “I was devastated and disappointed,” McPhearson said. “We found out we couldn’t host the pageant the day before. I literally had tuxes in my backseat.” Much of the fundraising comes through ticket sales, but with no pageant in 2020 there were no ticket sales. Still, Delta Zeta was able to raise $43,598 from ad sales and donations from local Baton Rouge companies. McPhearson and Delta Zeta Philanthropy Chair Callie Owsley hand-delivered checks to the sorority’s two local charities, St. Lillian’s Academy and The Emerge Center. The Emerge Center is a non-profit therapy clinic that works with children with autism and communication challenges.
St. Lillian’s Academy serves children who have educational challenges. “We hope to have the kids more involved in the upcoming
pageant by decorating crowns with the contestants,” McPhearson said. “It’s exciting to see how excited they are.” Louisiana Glow and Creative
Touch Photography coordinated photoshoots to commemorate the girls who did not get to compete
see PAGEANT, page 4
COURTESY OF LEAH MCPHEARSON
Members of Delta Zeta present a check to The Emerge Center after the sorority raised money for the charity in 2020.
page 4 DEMOCRACY, from page 3 What struck Weaver the most was how he was selected out of hundreds of pretrial detainees. He had just woken up and was talking to a family member on the phone when a guard interrupted the conversation and told him he was going home. “I thought it was a lie, at first,” Weaver said. “They could’ve chosen anybody, but they chose me.” When Weaver walked through the front door of his house on Christmas morning, he said his fiancée “dropped to her knees” in shock. However, not all of the former inmates could return somewhere welcoming. Saneei said three of the prisoners released were homeless and one needed mental care. The club members, along with Sandra Sterling, helped arrange temporary shelter for the bond recipients.
PAGEANT, from page 3 in the 2020 pageant. All of the girls took a picture with the sash and crown that would have been awarded to the winner, but there was one person that the 2020 Miss LSU-USA crown would be dedicated to. LSU alumna and WDSU sports reporter Carley McCord was posthumouslly named Miss LSU 2020.
“It’s not like either option is good - being in prison or having to find temporary shelter or else being homeless - but the people we spoke to were very grateful to be bailed back and did not want to return to the prison,” Brumfield Mejia said. The group was planning to post bonds for more inmates on New Year’s Eve but decided to focus on expanding its resources through partnerships with other organizations such as the Bail Project, which recently began work in Baton Rouge. In the meantime, the group plans to continue fundraising efforts and organize meetings with LSU administrators regarding the University’s prison inmate labor practices. LSU’s contract with the Dixon Correctional Institute, a Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections facility in Jackson, provides the University with around 28,000 hours
of prison labor each year. Inmates can opt to be paid four to 70 cents an hour or work to earn credit toward their release. “We want to convert that exploitation of labor into a pipeline to a jobs program and a scholarship program, so they can get their time reduced in prison and they’re actually paid for the labor,” Saneei said. “They [should] either have a job opportunity or an opportunity to attend a college that they created so much wealth for... If we could get LSU to commit to that jobs program it would be huge.” As for Weaver, he hopes this will be the first of many Christmases spent with his son. “I’ve never had a chance with luck at all,” Weaver said. “I’ve always had bad luck. I’ve never won that route. When they told me they chose me out of 230,000 inmates, I knew that was God at work.”
She died tragically in a plane crash while traveling to cover the Peach Bowl. McCord was daughter-in-law to LSU’s former offensive coordinator, Steve Ensingmer. McCord was a competitor and advocate for pageantry. She was crowned Miss Lafayette in 2011 and Miss Greater Baton Rouge in 2013. The Miss LSU-USA 2020 was dedicated to
her with the approval of her family. In 2021, the Miss LSU-USA committee is looking to continue raising money for the charities. The pageant is scheduled for March 14. Delta Zeta will livestream the event for those who purchase tickets to help further its fundraiser. Miss LSU-USA 2021 is still looking for and welcoming contestants.
What Will You
BECOME?
VACCINES, from page 3 enced difficulties with its vaccine rollout, citing a lack of doses from the federal government as the biggest issue. Still, the state increased its distribution of vaccines to the elderly and expanded the locations where vaccines are available from 107 to 209 locations in one week, according to the Associated Press. Demand for vaccines still exceed the supply available, the Associated Press reported. Gov. John Bel Edwards said that a significant portion of Louisiana residents could receive a vaccine by the spring. It remains unclear whether LSU will make it a requirement or not. “Administration is talking about vaccines but no decision has been made on if they’ll be required yet,” Ballard said. Ballard said vaccines will be “encouraged” for members of the LSU community, according to an article in the Baton Rouge Business Report. The University is enforcing precautions to help mitigate the spread amid students and employees in the spring semester until the vaccine becomes widely available. In an email sent out Jan. 9, LSU announced a list of COVID-19 updates including “random sentinel testing” and “wastewater testing.” “Every two weeks, a random sample of the student population will be required to get tested for COVID-19,” the email read.
Other safety measures will be taken as well to ensure the well-being of students and staff on campus. “LSU will continue to monitor the wastewater on campus,” the email read. “This has proven to be one of the most effective tools in monitoring the spread of COVID-19.” According to the LSU COVID-19 Reporting Dashboard on Jan. 13, there are a total of 159 total active positive cases on campus.
ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards listens to Vice President Mike Pence speak about football and coronavirus on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 during the press conference with Vice President Mike Pence and other local officials at Tiger Stadium.
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ENTERTAINMENT
page 5 COURESY OF HEATHER MCCLELLAND
SURREAL SALON 13 A showcase of pieces from local Baton Rouge artists and more
BY GIDEON FORTUNE @asapfortunate If you like unconventional, then this exhibition will be unusually special. Surreal Salon 13 is the free-to-view exhibition currently on display at the Baton Rouge Gallery. The BRG is one of the very few contemporary art centers that display international work in a wide radius. Pop-Surrealism is gifted by 40 different artists from 17 states and three counties, excluding the United States, during its 13th year. Once you walk through the door, the eye-catching pieces pull you in every direction. None of the work is what you would ex-
pect, had it been in a fine arts museum. The teeth on the girl’s portrait will not be of regular size. The man driving the car will not have a human head. I’ll share a few pieces that caught my eye. “Dorothy’s Carousel” is an acrylic painting of an elderly person crying by Jackie Cassidy. What makes this piece special is the way the tears turn into a roll film. The person or Dorothy has their memories shown on the film winding around her. The minute details in the 25 plus scenes are those of joy, pain and everything in between. Janelle Anderson’s “To Have and to Hold” is an abstract piece of art that I cannot clearly describe. The sections are clearly
defined yet interacting. Everyone may perceive this piece differently but there are definitely thoughts to be had about the interconnecting sections. This artist has two other pieces of similar style and intrigue on display in the gallery. “Ride or Fly” by Carlos Chavez is another piece with details so intricate, one will continue finding new objects after minutes of staring at the artwork. As seen from the artist’s other Surreal Salon pieces, the motorcycle inspiration in this piece comes in the shape of a motorcycle helmet. The subject’s head is literally in the clouds, and the surroundings are unbelievable. Andrew Soria is a Los Ange-
les photographer with two photographs on display at Surreal Salon. “Chinatown” is a grand photograph with so much going on. The golden dragons face-toface just in front of the sunset are the cherry on top. “Civilization Falls” is a watercolor piece by Baton Rouge’s own Bryson Boutte. The colors of this piece are excessively vibrant. We see a body in free fall position with buildings piled on top of each other on the subject’s back. Complexity exists in every part of this painting, from the body and extra arm to the town to the block style background. It is simply amusing to gaze at. The piece I found most intriguing is a work of art that comes off
the wall. “Ahuizotl, que inunda nuestras casas...” is a mixed media piece. The title translates to “Ahuizotl, that floods our houses.” Ahuizotl is a mythological Aztecan creature that is a sort of water dog which lures people to their deaths. Inside Ahuizotl’s mouth is a scene of flooding. The piece draws from a culture that is foreign to the United States while relevant to natural disasters here in Louisiana. The Baton Rouge Gallery will continue showing this exhibition until Jan. 28. It is completely free, with a mask being all you need to get in the door. Much more mindblowing artwork is on display at this year’s installation of Surreal Salon, curated by Thinkspace.
PODCAST
Listen up: The best podcasts by genre for college students BY KATIE DIXON @katiedixon0910 Podcasts are becoming more mainstream in the college community. They are the perfect way to effortlessly stay informed while remaining entertained. From your commute to campus to the walk to class, you can learn what’s new in any topic that piques your interest. Our social lives have become strained, but the right podcast can provide the same comforting feeling as a chat with friends. Reading on your own time is satisfying, but adding a new book to your list of textbooks can be exhausting. Podcasts are a clever alternative, although they can become overwhelming and difficult to sort through. While being constantly stormed with new information during your college years, it’s important to find the right content for your downtime.
TRUE CRIME My Favorite Murder Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark discuss their favorite true crime stories with a bit of comedy. Their way of empathizing with both the victims and victimizers leave listeners intrigued. Crime Junkie These two friends have managed to become the No. 1 true
crime podcast in the country. Without unnecessary banter, they discuss unsolved cases, kidnappings and murders. These wellresearched stories are made captivating with intricate details.
those bad studying habits or impress an interviewer? Thomas Frank and Martin Boehme will help you ease your stress.
Serial Killers
Every week, these two journalists discuss recent news that’s become misleading through public imagination. Sarah Marshall and Michael Hobbes explain how details of historical incidents often become distorted in our memories.
Look into the minds of serial killers to understand the psychology behind their murders. The narrators keep you entertained with the serial killer phenomenon by tying the early lives of each killer to their madness. Informational INFORMATIONAL
You’re Wrong About
Girl Talk GIRL
TALK
Stuff Mom Never Told You The Joe Rogan Experience Rogan interviews literally anyone he is interested in hearing from. Each episode is different and offers a variety of information tied to personal stories. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Rogan provides the perfect outlet to discover successful and influential people to keep around. From military officials discussing UFO sightings to celebrities explaining the motive behind their new book, you’re always taken for a ride. The Inforium (previously The College Info Geek Podcast) Do you want to finally break
Chrissy Conger and Caroline Ervin explain the psychology, sociology and biology behind men and women. This podcast acts as a comedic yet educational class for adult women. All your questions about what it’s like to be a woman are answered here. Call Your Girlfriend These two best friends met at a “Gossip Girl” viewing party in 2008. Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow have managed to ease the stress for women crying in the workplace. Each episode feels like you’re on the phone with your closest friends.
PERSONAL GROWTH Tiny Leaps, Big Changes Personal development can be hard to conquer. Are you tired of hearing people say that making your bed in the morning and taking cold showers are all you need to become successful and happy? Listeners can learn how to develop healthy habits that will actually stick with you.
podcast. These two have a comedic sense that will lead you to think. If you enjoy their viral web-series “That’s Cringe,” just know that they have taken that same energy to their podcast. VIEWS with David Dobrik and Jason Nash Dobrick and Nash humanize celebrities by revealing intimate details of their lives. They discuss what really happens behind the scenes of their vlogs while turning their issues into a comedy.
Bad With Money Hearing that you are not the only one with financial struggles can be relieving. Gaby Dunn discusses personal finances with different people each week to help calm her listeners’ anxiety. TED Talks Daily Elise Hu, host and journalist, releases short conversations with the world’s leading thinkers every weekday. The variety of people featured makes an interesting podcast that appeals to anyone.
COMEDY Tiny Meat Gang The chemistry between Cody Ko and Noel Miller carries this
SPORTS The Ringer Fantasy Football Show Need help picking your fantasy team? On this podcast, three fantasy football experts provide a guide to each season with analyses and subtle issues that may determine what a successful league looks like. The Bill Simmons Podcast Simmons brings in athletes and celebrities to discuss their opinions of the game. From postNFL career stories to how Obama sees the future of sports, the host goes out of his way to keep a wide range of people on his podcast.
Thursday, January 14, 2021
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Thursday, January 14, 2021
REV R ANKS
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Gianna Militana turned her creative passions into a business BY ARIEL BAISE @arielbiancaa Growing up, Gianna Militana was always the creative type. As a child, her favorite toy was a pack of crayons. In high school, she took advanced art classes. Creativity still is in her after all these years. Now, as a graphic design sophomore at the University, she runs her own small business in between classes. “I’ve always been super artistic and trying different things like screen printing, pottery to painting to pretty much anything,” Militana said. “I started sharing my projects and what I had been working on. People seemed to be really interested in it.” In 2018, Militana began her small business. She signed up for local pop-up events and networked with other artists in her classes. Over the year, friendships blossomed. Militana mainly shows her artwork through local popup events. The pandemic has changed how these pop-ups work. Venues have to be creative in finding new ways to host shows to fit guidelines, such as finding larger locations and sanitizing everything. “When there are, there is generally not as big as a turn out,”
said Militana. “So that’s a bummer, but as time goes on, people are more willing to go and see stuff.” These changes haven’t stopped Militana from creating. Her main driving force in making art is that everything is personal to her. “I use art as a coping mechanism with mental health and what’s going on in the world. I use art to cope and inspire myself and if it inspires others, then I’ll try to run with that,” Militana said. A lot of people have said that
they find inspiration in her art and connect it to their own lives. Her Etsy shop embodies self-love and self-expression. Personality pins reach anyone with captions, such as, “Dog Mom,” “LGBTQ,” “Plant Lady” and “Vegan.” Militana’s work also includes mixed media vessels, ceramics, drawings, jewelry and paintings. After a semester of doing several projects in her art classes, she has a diverse range of artwork to sell. Her main products are pins and ceramics, such as dishware and vases.
“As an art student, I get a lot of output and I have a lot of different pieces. If I feel comfortable with parting with it, then I’ll see if anyone is interested,” she said. “I rarely ever make things with just the intention to sell them.” Each piece has its own story and is crafted meticulously. Mixed media pieces can take five to six hours to create. Meanwhile, ceramics take a longer process from Militana using her preferred hand-building technique, firing the pottery and finally decorating it.
COURESY OF GIANNA MILITANA
MOVIES & TV
Underrated streaming services BY CONNOR MCLAUGHLIN @connor_mcla
Inspiration comes in random bouts. Militana’s creative philosophy is truly one-of-a-kind and genuine. Her work comes purely from her authenticity. Militana’s inspiration does not lie in a person. Her creative philosophy takes inspiration from nature and folk traditions. Having moved 10 times before coming to Louisiana, Militana noticed specific greenery and flowers. “I’d travel and try to connect through my actual surroundings, “ Militana said. “From moving around, I’ve collected a lot of things, like trinkets and things I picked up. That’s how my mixed media pieces came to be. Memory jugs, an American folk art that honors the existence of a person who has passed away, influenced her memory vessels. The mixed media pieces she creates are composed of items she’s collected over time from all her different houses, schools and friends. Gianna Militana’s artwork captivates people across several age groups, from older women to a six-year-old girl wanting a self-love pin. Her authenticity fascinates others to be themselves. Her work can be seen at local pop-up shows in Baton Rouge, occasionally in New Orleans and on her Etsy shop.
We live in an unprecedented age of streaming and video on-demand. This started with Netflix on Jan. 15, 2007 when the company introduced a “Watch Now” feature on its website. This allowed members to watch movies or television shows straight from their laptops. This streaming option pioneered what would later become the start of the streaming service wars as Hulu officially launched a year later on March 12, 2008. Fast forward 13 years later, and streaming services have essentially replaced broadcast television with new services like HBO Max and NBC’s Peacock launching left and right. However, there are some streaming services that seem to have gone unnoticed, so here are five underrated streaming services for your viewing pleasure.
Shudder
Tubi TV
Kanopy
Criterion Channel
Fandor
This service is for all the horror movie lovers out there. Shudder offers a wide variety of horror films and television shows that are divided into sanguinary categories like “Supernatural,” “Creature Feature,” “Killers” and my personal favorite, “Cult.” Shudder also features exclusive podcasts and original series for your viewing pleasure. The service costs $5.99 a month and allows viewers to start with a free seven-day trial.
Tubi TV includes over 5,000 movies that rotate on the site monthly. It’s completely free, although there are ads that play in between whatever movie or show you are watching. The TV show options are a little sparse, mainly housing older shows and a lot of British-based series. However, where else will you be able to watch all of “Alf” and David Fincher’s “Fight Club” for free? Nowhere except Tubi.
Put your wallets down because this streaming service is free for all college students. Containing nearly 15,000 films and documentaries, Kanopy offers a wide variety of content intended for educational purposes with programs about history, science and health. This service is definitely one to have on your devices.
•
“Lady Bird” (2017)
Offerings:
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“Cleo From 5 to 7” (1962)
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“Wayne’s World” (1992)
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“Breathless” (1960)
Launched by the Criterion Collection, the Criterion Channel is a streaming service that houses important classic and contemporary films. The site has an extensive oeuvre of influential arthouse films and documentaries from all over the world which includes tons of supplemental video extras, interviews and commentaries about the films. Costing $10.99 a month with no ads and a free two-week trial, I personally believe the Criterion Channel is a necessary investment for those who love movies, especially weird, artsy ones.
Like the Criterion Channel, Fandor is another streaming service that is marketed toward those who view themselves as hardcore film lovers. Starting at $9.99 per month with a free one-week trial, the site offers thousands of movies and shows from across the globe that are exclusive to the site. The options are hardly what you could call mainstream, but it has some really cool movies, including a wide variety of “blaxploitation” films. It’s a great service that I recommend checking out for all your offbeat viewing pleasures.
•
“Cartel Land” (2015)
•
Offerings:
“Cosmos: A Spacetime Adventure” (2014)
“What We Do in the Shadows” (2014)
Offerings:
•
•
“I Am Not Your Negro” (2016)
•
“Boyhood” (2014)
•
“Boy” (2010)
•
“Rashomon” (1950)
•
“Dolemite” (1975)
•
“8 1⁄2” (1963)
•
•
“The Great Beauty” (2013)
“Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” (2010)
•
“The 400 Blows” (1959)
•
•
“Paris Is Burning” (1990)
“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” (2010, Swedish version)
•
“Bicycle Thieves” (1948)
•
“Polytechnique” (2009)
•
“Dark Star” (1979)
Offerings:
Offerings:
•
“Super Dark Times” (2017)
•
“Heathers” (1989)
•
“Tenebrae” (1982)
•
“Mandy” (2018)
•
“You’ve Got Mail” (1998)
•
“In the Mood for Love” (2000)
•
“Halloween” (1978)
•
“Grease” (1978)
•
“Hereditary” (2018)
•
“The Hills Have Eyes” (1977)
•
“Memento” (2000)
•
“Amy” (2015)
•
“The Void” (2016)
•
“Battle Royale” (2000)
•
•
“The Love Witch” (2016)
•
•
“The Invisible Man” (1933)
“We Need to Talk About Kevin” (2011)
“Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children” (2020)
•
“Donnie Darko” (2001)
NETFLIX SERIES
THE CROWN: SEASON 4 Netflix
The show mainly revolves around the royal family in the ‘80s, but I was looking forward to seeing scenes with Princess Diana. Emma Corrin masterfully captures her kindness and vulnerability. She is young, naive and headover-heels for Prince Charles and loved the idea of becoming a princess.
Britney Young @byoun99
HBO SERIES
EUPHORIA: SEASON 2
HBO
Despite the COVID-19 filming restrictions, this episode looks and feels like a “Euphoria” episode through every moment and monologue. It is 54 minutes of unparalleled storytelling with one of the biggest takeaways that I think Rue, Ali, and all of us should remember: “trouble don’t last always.”
Connor McLaughlin @connor_mcla DOCUSERIES
ON POINTE Disney +
Although I was slightly disappointed, this may be due to the fact that the series seems to be directed mostly toward younger audiences. The documentary succeeds in providing a positive message of inspiration and encouragement for children to follow their dreams, no matter how young they are. Taking it for what it was, I would say “On Pointe” meets the barre.
page 7
Broadway comes back with ‘Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical’ BY ENJANAE’ TAYLOR @_queenet_ What better way to deal with the stress of a global pandemic other than make a beloved childhood movie into a musical? I know I can’t think of one, and “Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical’’ was a hit. The TikTokers creating this show were all over my For You Page for weeks and I loved every second of it. There were people from all over the world creating songs, dances, stage cues, art, props and so much more. Excitement built as the TikToks caught the attention of Disney on TikTok. Not long after, the official Playbill Instagram account posted Jess Siswick’s amazing Playbill for the show. I’m not going to lie, that’s all I really expected to happen, and I was happy. Well, I was thrilled in early December when they announced the show was going to get a concert presentation. They continued to update fans, and then announced the cast of the show a few days before its debut on New Year’s Day. I personally couldn’t have thought of a better way to start the new year, so I bought a ticket immediately. Tickets were $5, but people could pay more by
choice, and all of the money went to The Actor’s Fund to provide for workers in the arts who are currently out of work due to the pandemic. There was a star-studded cast with beloved actors like André De Shields from the hit musical “Hadestown” as Anton Ego, Ashley Park from “Mean Girls” the musical and most recently “Emily In Paris” as Colette, as well as Wayne Brady as Django and Adam Lambert as Emile. Our leading men were Tituss Burgess, Broadway star and well known for his work in “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” who played Remy and Andrew Barth Feldman, the breakout star from his early Broadway debut in “Dear Evan Hansen,” as Linguini. Everyone was amazing, but Feldman sold me on his performance as Linguini. Not only does he look the part, but he completely embodied him while acting as well. As a theater fan and a lover of the original film, I was really excited to watch this. There were a lot of opinions on the show, but personally I loved it. This was Broadway’s first virtual debut, and due to the circumstances, it was obviously not the same as a typical Broadway show. Regardless, I thought it was fun
and had a lot of heart. Since I saw it blossom from the beginning on TikTok, it was exciting to see it all come together. The songs were genuinely good I love them all, but my favorite has to be “The Rat’s Way Of Life” by Blake Rouse. It’s a full bop and it hasn’t left my head since I first saw the show. It’s amazing that during the pandemic so many people came together to do what they love and create something this special. Best of all, over $1 million has been raised for the Actor’s Fund. The cast had an encore show on TikTok live on Sunday to try to raise $2 million for the Actor’s Fund, and they did just that. I watched the show again as a pick me up before school started, and I loved it just as much as the debut. Logistically and legally, I’m not sure if it would work, but when Broadway comes back, I would love to have this show be a real thing. This was Broadway’s first virtual premiere, and with the announcement of “Mean Girls” the musical closing its doors, it’s unsure what the future of Broadway will be. I do know that theater contributors and fans alike are resilient, so no matter what happens, theater will live on one way or another.
Ava Borskey @iamavab
ALBUM
FINE LINE: ONE YEAR LATER
Harry Styles
It’s been a little over a year since Harry Styles blessed us with his second album “Fine Line.” Styles celebrated the album’s one year anniversary in December, and if I’m being honest, I’m still not over this record. “Fine Line” is an emotional rollercoaster full of fun bops, radio hits and emo breakup songs that will satisfy any emotion.
Olivia Deffes @liv_deffes
Read the full reviews online at lsunow.com/entertainment
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THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 Receives the trophy 5 Kingdom 10 Burn the surface of 14 Plant part 15 Squabble 16 Boxcar hopper 17 Off-kilter 18 Very sociable; outgoing 20 Nixon, for one 21 __ up; bound 22 “E” on the gas gauge 23 Dog 25 Itty-bitty 26 __ off; leaving 28 Ozzie or Harriet 31 Without companions 32 Canine problem 34 High chair accessory 36 Gospel writer 37 Bamboozle 38 Delight 39 Prefix for pay or heat 40 Place for rouge 41 Fruit drink 42 Prepared potatoes 44 “Away in a __” 45 Casual top 46 Screwdriver ingredient 47 South Pacific island nation 50 “__ Comes the Sun”; Beatles song 51 2,000 pounds 54 Conquers 57 Femur or humerus 58 Tattletale 59 Sicker than before 60 Make beer 61 Finds sums 62 Prestigious award 63 Saclike pouch DOWN 1 “It’s a __!”; director’s cry 2 Neighbor of Nebraska
by Jacqueline E. Mathews
1/14/21
Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews
3 Asian nation 4 Pig’s quarters 5 Becoming furious 6 Made a blunder 7 Elderly 8 Carry something heavy 9 “Give __ break!”; cry of frustration 10 Set of bells 11 Earring style 12 Lie next to 13 Promising; optimistic 19 Becomes dizzy 21 Adjust a piano 24 Sty cry 25 Feeble 26 Pat down soil 27 Nightstand wakener 28 Least popular chicken piece 29 Not optional 30 Family tree member 32 Gwynne or Savage 33 Commit perjury 35 Suds
Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved
©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.
37 You, to Shakespeare 38 Icky residue 40 Inexpensive 41 Green gem 43 Baby carriers? 44 Tidbit 46 Poem division 47 Davenport 48 Zealous
1/14/21
49 Repair 50 Sage or oregano 52 Aces, in cribbage 53 Mr. Gingrich 55 __ up; confess 56 Court romantically 57 British network
SPORTS
page 9
BACK AGAIN
Austin Deculus opts in for another year at LSU, eight other players join effort
COLUMN
“GOAT” status at risk in Brees v. Brady MICHAEL SANCHEZ
@MikeSanchez525
to regroup and keep improving next year proves that the chemistry is there and could lead the way to another award-winning year. “This year will be nothing short of rewarding and victorious,” Deculus said in his letter. “Without a shadow of a doubt, I believe that a year from now the Joe Moore Award will be back where it belongs in Baton Rouge.” Following the advancements made by the NCAA to grant eligibility to athletes whose seasons were upended last year due to the pandemic, an extra year of eligibility will be granted, allowing for seniors to play an addi-
The potential of the 20202021 playoff run for the New Orleans Saints being Drew Brees’ last is a high possibility. Brees was selected in the 2nd round at pick 32 of the 2001 NFL Draft. After 20 long seasons, a Super Bowl victory, countless broken records and an immense amount of touchdowns and yards thrown, the illustrious career of Brees may very well come to an end with a second Super Bowl win. The Saints are heading into the divisional round of the playoffs facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the third time this season. Of course the headline of this matchup is if Brees can go a perfect 3-0 on the season against the so-called “GOAT,” Tom Brady. On the season, the total score between the Saints and Buccaneers is 72-27 in favor of the Saints. After two commanding victories by New Orleans over Tampa Bay, all the pressure lies on the shoulders of the Buccaneers. Brady was gifted with an all-
see PLAYERS, page 10
see SAINTS, page 10
ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille
The game ball on Jan. 13, 2020 before LSU’s 42-25 National Championship win against Clemson in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. BY JOE KEHRLI @joekehrli After a national championship winning season last year resulted in LSU losing a recordtying 14 players to the 2020 NFL Draft, the Tigers were left this season without much depth and it showed on the field. Next season, LSU looks to sport many veterans as a number of players have opted to continue their reign in the purple and gold. Senior right tackle Austin Deculus is the fourth LSU offensive lineman to announce that he is staying in Baton Rouge for another season. Deculus made the announcement public on social media on Monday night, posting a letter
addressed to Tiger Nation. “After much consideration and prayer,” he wrote, “I have decided that it is in my best interest to pursue my fifth and final year as an LSU Tiger.” Deculus is now the fourth starting offensive linesmen to forgo declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft. Although the offensive line under the leadership of offensive line coach James Cregg underperformed this season, it is expected to be a vital piece of the LSU offense next season. “Goes to show our whole offensive line is coming back,” Head Coach Ed Orgeron said in a recent interview with ESPN. “They should be the strength of our football team next year.”
Presently, Deculus joins right guard Chasen Hines, left guard Ed Ingram and center Liam Shanahan committing to play next fall. The remaining starting offensive lineman left tackle Dare Rosenthal, has not yet made an official decision. With just a few scholarships remaining for the Tigers 2021 recruiting cycle, Orgeron did not shy away from the importance of the offensive line, saying that they are holding one or more of those spots for Graduate or JUCO transfers. This offensive line was the recipient of the 2019 Joe Moore Award – the most outstanding offensive line – and won a national championship. Making an almost unanimous decision
COLUMN
The 2014 Big 12 Championship controversy: where arguments for a larger playoff began HENRY HUBER @HenryHuber_
With one week remaining until the first final College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings in history were released in 2014, No. 3 TCU (10-1) was sitting pretty in the playoff and was expected to become the first Big 12 team to headline it. No. 6 Baylor (10-1) wasn’t too far behind, and many would argue that they deserved the spot over TCU after beating them 61-58 (yes, a football score) in Week 7. At the very least, there would surely be at least one team featured in the playoff from the Big 12. There was just one problem: every Power 5 Conference had a conference championship except for them. The Big 12 Conference did not have a conference championship
from 2011-2017 due to its realignment, in which four teams left the conference (Nebraska, Texas A&M and Colorado) and two teams joined (TCU and West Virginia). This was due to the conference not having enough teams for an extra game according to NCAA rules, as it needed 12 teams and only had 10. No. 4 Florida State and No. 5 Ohio State each won their respective championships, with the Buckeyes crushing No. 13 Wisconsin 59-0 to make an incredible statement. They were ultimately given the edge in the end, as each team jumped TCU to take the last two spots in the playoff. They would eventually make an exception for the Big 12 having a championship in 2017, three years too late. One question to ask when determining if this was fair or not: what would have happened if there were a Big 12 Championship?
If the Big 12 had implemented its current conference championship format by this point, TCU and Baylor would have had a rematch for the ages and the winner would have played Oregon in the Rose Bowl come January. Another question that can be asked: did the four playoff teams deserve to be ranked ahead of TCU and Baylor? TCU was a dominant force in the Big 12, sporting an average point differential (APD) of 26.5, an average yardage differential (AYD) of 182.67 and defeating six teams that made a bowl, four of which were ranked at the time and two that were ranked at the time of the final CFP rankings. Baylor wasn’t far behind, posting an APD of 24.66, an AYD of 213.66 and finishing with records of 5-1 against bowl contenders and 3-0 against teams in the top-15 (2 that were still top-15 at the time of the final CFP rankings), only losing
to a 7-5 West Virginia in Week 8. Baylor and TCU outpaced every contender in AYD, and TCU was on top in APD. But the playoff teams did have more wins against teams that were ranked at the time, though half of them only did so because of their conference championships. Either way, the similarities were all there. TCU shared a near-identical story with the top-2 contenders, Alabama and Oregon. Alabama lost to one of the SEC’s best teams in Ole Miss (who would ironically get obliterated by TCU 42-3 in the Peach Bowl) and though considered an upset at the time, Arizona’s 31-24 defeat of Oregon would prove to be more than a fluke, as Arizona would maintain its success and even contend for the playoff toward the end of the season. Baylor had a comparable season to Ohio State. Each team dominated throughout, but one medio-
cre team ruined its chances of a perfect season early, as Ohio State lost to unranked Virginia Tech in its second game of the season. TCU and Baylor crushed their opponents the way championship contenders do and that was apparent in how similar their stat lines were to the actual championship contenders. The only team that dominated as much as TCU did was Oregon, with an APD of 25.8, and the closest team to reaching its AYDs was Ohio State (179.62). The only team not mentioned here is arguably the worst playoff contender ever: Florida State. The Seminoles finished with a meager APD of 11.7 and AYD of 56.38. To put in perspective how much Florida State didn’t deserve its playoff spot, No. 23 LSU (8-4) had an APD of 10 and AYD of 77.58 that year. The two main differences between a barely ranked LSU and
see PLAYOFF, page 10
page 10
Thursday, January 14, 2021
SAINTS, from page 9 star offensive lineup when he departed from New England to Tampa Bay. Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski, Leonard Fournette and many more, look as a lineup that can only be configured in a video game. If Brady loses in the third matchup against Brees and the Saints, his credibility as the “GOAT” will very much be in danger. Brees has finished off the season without his superstar wide receiver Michael Thomas while also nursing injuries. Winning two out of the last three games at less than 100% is a true testament to the toughness and love Brees has for the game of football. The Green Bay Packers secured the No. 1 seed on the season ensuring the conference
PLAYOFF, from page 9 Florida State were that LSU played three teams that were in the top-10 (according to the final CFP rankings) and beat one of them, and Florida State played zero, and Florida State somehow managed to go undefeated. Based on statistics, it’s easy to see that Florida State wasn’t the same team they were a year ago when they won the national championship, and that was made crystal clear when Florida State got routed by Oregon 59-20. They didn’t deserve the spot, but realistically, it would have been difficult to not put them in because they hadn’t lost a game since 2012 (albeit they were close to losing many times in 2014).
playoffs will run through Wisconsin. When the Saints faced the Packers during the regular season, they suffered a 37-30 loss. Since that matchup in Week Three, the Saints defense has only allowed two other 30-point games on the season. The most likely outcome is that the Kansas City Chiefs represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Brees returned early from injury to face the Chiefs in Week 15 to give the defending Super Bowl champions a nail-biter 3229 contest. With a healthy New Orleans squad, if the Super Bowl matchup came between Patrick Mahomes and Brees, the 41-yearold black and gold leader would come out victorious. Brees is on a mission, and that mission ends with him hoisting the Lombardi Trophy over his head for a second and final time. Replacing the Seminoles with TCU could have produced one of the best playoff games of the decade (Oregon vs. TCU), but the more realistic scenario would have been to add two more spots and give Alabama and Oregon byes. Keeping the final CFP rankings the same, TCU and Ohio State would have likely advanced over Florida State and Baylor, and we would have witnessed some amazing football in the semifinals. This problem has repeated itself many times and will likely continue until an expansion is implemented, but TCU and Baylor are some of the best examples of teams that would have taken advantage of it. As stated earlier, TCU demolished No. 9 Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl in what many would
COURTESY OF BILL DUTCH AP
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) passes in the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans in New Orleans Sept. 9, 2019. describe as not only a statement to the NCAA, but definite proof that they should have been included in
the playoff, and Baylor would lose 42-41 to an underrated Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl.
ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille
Coach Orgeron holds up the trophy on Jan. 13, 2020 after LSU’s 42-25 win at the National Championship in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
PLAYERS, from page 9 tional year. While it is still early in the new year, the pandemic presents a viable threat to the safety of returning to a “normal” 2021 season following a truncated season. Other notable Tigers returning include wide receiver Jontre Kirklin and the entire starting defensive line: Glen Logan, Neil Farrell, Andre Anthony and Ali Gaye. Orgeron and the new members of the coaching staff will have tremendous amounts of talent returning to the team next season as they prepare to welcome the 2021 recruiting class which ESPN ranked No. 3 in the SEC for 2021.
WHO IS BACK AGAIN? LSU TIGERS RETURNING PLAYERS
2021 season
In 2020, LSU lost 17 starters to the NFL Draft and opt-out—the most of any reigning champion in the last 15 years. In 2021, the Tigers could return up to 20 starters, the direct inverse of last season’s mass exodus and the reward for a punishing season.
Defense
Offense
QB
15 Myles Brennan
RB
4 John Emery 3 Tyrion Davis-Price
RT
76 Austin Deculus
RG
57 Chasen Hines
C 1 Kayshon Boutte
WR 10 Jaray Jenkins 5 Koy Moore
TE
87 Kole Taylor
56 Liam Shanahan
LG
70 Ed Ingram
LT
51 Dare Rosenthal?
RE
11 Ali Gaye
LB
23 Micah Baskerville? 19 Jabril Cox
LE
8 BJ Ojulari 3 Andre Anthony
CB
24 Derek Stingley Jr. 1 Eli Ricks
DT
92 Neil Farrell 97 Glen Logan
S
7 JaCoby Stevens 4 Todd Harris ?
no longer on the team unsure if returning
OPINION
page 11
Students should know where their tuition is going FROM THE CRO’S NEST ELIZABETH CROCHET
@elizabethcro_
A few months ago, I received the email all students and their parents dread — the annual fee bill notification. Usually, when I get this email I simply put it aside until the deadline, and this year was no different. I am fortunate enough to have my parents pay my tuition, so often I do not put much thought into it. I know how blessed I am because many other students are not afforded this luxury. This realization made me consider how much money we’re asked to put toward the University. Many students have to pay their tuition on their own. Without financial aid, the average undergraduate student from Louisiana is paying over $24,000 in tuition each year, while. While for the average out-of-state student, that number is nearly $41,000. Where is it all going? I do not know many people who enjoy draining their bank accounts, es-
pecially when they aren’t sure where their money’s going. I originally assumed all our money went directly toward our education; a lot of it does, but not quite all of it. I am a firm believer that if your money is going somewhere, you should do everything you can to enjoy it. Well, in order to enjoy something, you have to know what “it” is first. I was able to find a source on the University’s website that breaks down how tuition and fees are spent. It doesn’t specify exact amounts, but it’s a good resource for when you want to see all the amenities we’re actually paying for. Luckily, there are lots of things on campus our tuition helps to provide for financially, some of which I was never even aware of. I am sure there are many other students out there who still think their tuition goes solely toward academics. Truthfully, however, the University tries to provide us the best of the best in all areas of student life, not just education. Our money is going toward things like the University Recreation Center, student media and
THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES
LSU students sign a petition thast asks the University to extend the deadline to pay their fee bills technology access across campus such as computers and printing in the library. So, I urge students this semester to work out at the UREC, engage with student media and use other tuition-funded campus resources to the fullest. If you don’t, your money is essentially being thrown down the drain.
This semester, I am going to try to do more things on campus and be a bit smarter with my tuition. This is a habit every student should practice, as keeping track of your finances will help you not only now, but in the future as well. Aside from putting your money to good use, these tools can help provide you with a better college
experience. When your time on campus is over, all of these luxuries won’t be as available to you anymore. Enjoy it while you can, and your wallet (or your parent’s wallet) might suffer a little less. Elizabeth Crochet is a 19-year-old political communication sophomore from New Orleans.
Capitalism strikes again, puts holiday workers’ health at risk GOING SOUTH TAMIA SOUTHALL
@tamiabrem_
You’ve probably read hundreds of articles criticizing capitalism, but this one comes straight from an exhausted and underpaid retail worker. Even during a pandemic, corporate greed wins, putting workers more at risk than ever. As COVID-19 cases rise, it’s clear that more workplaces should have changed the way they traditionally operate during the holidays and taken extra steps to ensure their workers’ safety. Most workers have other responsibilities at home that they should be taking care of instead of working past midnight. Some of my own coworkers have had to leave their kids at home to work for a company that couldn’t care less if they make it back to them. Retail employees can barely enjoy the holidays because they are slammed with hours at work. I worked an eight-hour shift nearly
every day for three weeks — there were family members I haven’t seen in years that I never got the chance to spend time with because I was too busy at work. As workers, we need to make these executives realize that we are the foundation of their companies. Our safety should be their primary concern, especially during a pandemic, and executives should make sure stores are stocked with masks, gloves, hand sanitizers and disinfectant sprays. Customers at my job refused to wear their masks properly, placing myself and my coworkers at risk. Managers didn’t care to make sure employees wore their masks properly either. To top it off, my job doesn’t even make employees complete symptom checkers or take our temperatures before shifts. I didn’t get a raise or a holiday bonus. We worked those long hours risking our health only to get paid chump change compared to what our CEO made during the holidays. “Workers are in public-facing jobs; and they interact with larger numbers of customers during the
holiday season, risking their own exposure to COVID-19 as well as possibly bringing it home to their families,” President Stuart Applebaum said in a statement for the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. It’s not just COVID-19 that retail workers are in danger of being exposed to. At my job, there weren’t even security guards around to make sure we left the store safely. My workplace closed at 1 a.m. and I wasn’t getting off until almost an hour later. There is no reason why a retailer should be closing so late, even during the holidays. The number of crimes like larceny and robbery, which tend to occur more at night, typically increases during the holidays. Consequently, employees are more at risk of being victimized after latenight shifts. If I was to get robbed or hurt after clocking off so late, the company I work for would not take any accountability. Their pockets would not be affected by my loss. At the end of the day, these companies only care about money.
They act like they care about the health and safety of employees, but they don’t. They will willingly put their employees at risk if it means they earn more profit. Your family does not matter to them. These companies just want to make sure their stores are open to customers. We already have to deal with rude customers and persistent
Bailey Chauvin Lara Nicholson Katherine Manuel Nick Frewin Grace Pulliam
Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor Opinion Editor
Tamia Southall is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from New Orleans.
KRISTEN YOUNG / The Reveille
A bottle of disinfectant sits Nov. 13, 2020 to clean each table after use at The 5 dining hall.
Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD
shoplifters. We should be able to trust our employers to look out for our safety. Society needs to really take a look at how corporations operate. Capitalism is one of the many downfalls of our society, and it has to go, one way or another.
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.
Quote of the Week “I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring ”
David Bowie Singer 1946 — 2016
• Mental Health Crisis Counseling • Case Management • Medication Management • Mental Health Counseling • “Let’s Talk,” Brief Consultations • Mental Health Seminars • The Phone (225-924-LSU1) • Wellness Coaching • ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) • Health and Wellness Apps • Meditation and Mindfulness • MindWise, Online Brief Screening • MyStudentBody, Stress Module • Journey for the Senses, A Stress Survival Packet** • Relax: The Art of Stressing Less, Stress Management Booklet* • Routine Exercise **Free resources available in the Office of Wellness and Health Promotion
CREATING A HEALTHIER CAMPUS COMMUNITY
All Student Health Center services are available via telehealth and in-person, but medical appointments require a prior telehealth screening* Medical Clinic, 225-578-6716 Mental Health Service, 225-578-8774 Wellness and Health Promotion, 225-578-5718 *In order to limit exposure, the Medical Clinic is not accepting walk-ins at this time. • www.lsu.edu/shc