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EPIDEMIC EXPERIENCES Three students share their summer COVID-19 experiences as LSU proceeds with its plans to reopen campus.
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page 2 photo by EMILY SCHEXNAYDER
NEWS
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New Residential Life regulations change on-campus living experiences, including preventing guests in dorms.
ENTERTAINMENT
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This semester is different than any other, so here is some advice from current Tigers to the incoming freshman class of Tigers.
SPORTS
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Despite current circumstances, LSU head coach Paul Mainieri keesp his head high in regards to the upcoming season.
OPINION
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“...it’s blatantly obvious that reopening campus has very little to do with protecting student interests.”
L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le
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LSU students describe COVID-19 experiences in light of University proceeding with reopening BY KATHERINE MANUEL @kmanuel_2 As LSU students return to the campus’ stately oaks and broad magnolias, many remain wary of the threat COVID-19 continues to pose to students, faculty and the community at large. With the United States’ case numbers above five million and still rapidly increasing, many have debated whether in-person learning should continue, especially on college campuses. At least three dozen states have already reported COVID-19 cases on their college campuses, according to ABC News. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, originally a leader of the college reopening movement, became one of the first flagship universities to return to remote learning last week. After just one week of classes, six COVID-19 clusters were identified and the number of reported positive cases grew from 33 to about 177. Over 140,000 positive cases were reported in Louisiana on Aug. 24, the day classes were originally scheduled to begin at LSU. In East Baton Rouge Parish alone, over 13,000 positive cases were reported by the Louisiana Department of Health. Still, LSU forged ahead with its original reopening plan that includes a combination of about 30% in-person, 30% online and 30% hybrid class formats, Director of Media Relations Ernie Ballard said. The University’s safety plan is detailed in the “Roadmap to Fall 2020,” which contains guidelines that students, faculty and staff are expected to follow. All LSU community members are also encouraged to sign a pledge to continue to follow general health and safety guidelines, including wearing a mask and continuing social distancing measures. What’s less clear are the specific consequences students and faculty face if they choose not to comply with the University’s guidelines. In an Aug. 14 email, Executive Vice President and Provost Stacia Haynie detailed the University’s classroom guidelines for COVID-19 operations to faculty and staff. If a student does not follow the campus-wide face covering mandate, faculty and staff must first remind the class of the mask mandate. If the student still doesn’t cooperate, faculty should ask them to “please use a proper face covering so the class can proceed without delay.” Any students who are still unwilling to comply should then be advised to leave the classroom immediately. If faced with more uncooperation, faculty members are then prompted to remind the student that they are in violation of the Code of Student Conduct; if those guidelines are not followed, the faculty member will call campus security. If the student still does
not cooperate, University officials will be called to diffuse the situation, and the class will be dismissed. The University classroom guidance does not include any instructions for addressing a student who refuses to socially distance. The Roadmap to Fall also does not include any repercussions for students who refuse to comply with the safety guidelines outside a classroom setting. Prior to students moving into the dorms, three RAs resigned from their positions in response to Residential Life’s lack of clarity in its housing plan, according to the Advocate. Marketing senior McKay Stevens told the Advocate that Res Life staff would not answer questions the RAs had, such as who would take over the position if an RA contracted the virus. “The first thing I asked was what do we do with positive tests,” Stevens told the Advocate. “They said, ‘don’t manifest that into this atmosphere.’” An RA tested positive on Aug. 13 and was relocated off-campus, according to the Advocate. Stevens told the Advocate that RAs had been eating together without masks and some had spent significant time with the RA who contracted the virus. The Advocate reported that the positive case was never addressed by University administrators. Stevens said she did not receive a call for contact tracing, which led to her resignation. The University staggered oncampus residents’ move-in dates and times over the course of last week. By Sunday, the University reported 33 positive test results, including any cases involving people that were “not on campus at any time in the period they contracted the virus,” according to the University. With the University’s decision to include in-person classes in their reopening plan, almost all students will inevitably be affected by the virus in some shape or form. The virus poses an invisible threat to the LSU community, and each case of COVID-19 presents differently. Here are three student testimonies of their unique experiences after contracting the virus. Hailey Young Microbiology sophomore Hailey Young first noticed she was experiencing symptoms on June 30. Young said she wore a mask and tried to stay socially distant before contracting the virus. “I was taking it seriously,” Young said. “I wasn’t very afraid of it for me, but I was concerned for some of my family members.” Young thinks she contracted it from a dinner party at a friend’s house; the host’s family and other guests tested positive a few days after the dinner. For the first four days, Young
Reported COVID-19 cases at LSU as of Aug. 23 — 33 said her only symptom was an irritated throat. She didn’t go to the doctor until she started coughing on the fourth day. On the fifth day, the body aches and headaches began. “That was the worst part of it, and it only lasted for about two days where I felt sluggish and very sore,” Young said. She lost her senses of taste and smell on the fifth day, which lasted for about a week. Young also experienced congestion and a low-grade fever during the course of her sickness. “I slept a lot,” Young said. “I couldn’t taste or smell anything, but I ate a lot of soup. I rested a lot and I watched movies.” Georgia Guertin Biochemistry sophomore Georgia Guertin tested positive for COVID-19 about two weeks before the fall semester was scheduled to begin. Guertin thinks she contracted the virus when she went on a trip with friends of her family. Guertin tested positive the day after the beach trip ended; she stayed quarantined in her apartment while battling the symptoms. “I had bad headaches for the first few days; my body ached. I had stomach aches and a fever for the first three days,” Guertin said. “After that, I was fine. By day five, I had no symptoms.” Guertin said her headaches would come and go, but they were the worst symptom she experienced during the course of the virus. “It was up and down,” Guertin said. “I would say the symptoms weren’t even the worst part; it was the quarantine.” Though the quarantine was difficult, she felt that a lot of good came out of it. “I got to spend a lot of time in the Word and getting closer to the Lord,” Guertin said. “That companionship with the Lord has been really awesome for me.” Guertin said students should be aware of the risks surrounding the virus; she encourages them to fully comply with the University’s safety precautions. “No one wants to be doing this for the rest of our college experience,” Guertin said. “If we can all be personally responsible for our safety and the safety of others, then we can do this right and go back to normal as soon as possible.” Luuanne Nguyen Biochemistry junior Luuanne Nguyen contracted the virus in mid-June. Before she had COVID-19, Nguyen said she took the state-wide mandates very seri-
ously. Her father works for the Louisiana Department of Health, and he informed her family of the risks related to the virus. Like Guertin, Nguyen tested positive after returning from a trip; everyone who went on the trip tested negative before the trip began. “[The virus] really did concern me a lot,” Nguyen said. “We took a lot of precautions before going on this trip.” The night before the trip ended, Nguyen said she was very cold but sweating at the same time. She felt very weak and sick and knew she should get tested when she returned home. Nguyen said she didn’t cough a lot while she had the virus but had severe migraines and felt very weak. “The whole two weeks I was in quarantine, I would sleep 16 hours and eat one meal a day,” Nguyen said. “It was hard for me to get out of bed, move around or stay awake.” Nguyen said she lost her sense of taste and smell during the week she was quarantined. Although her symptoms only lasted about a week, she still hasn’t fully regained those senses. She said the worst part of her experience was the thought of endangering her family and possibly exposing them. She was especially worried about passing the virus to the older members of her family. Nguyen and her family were very cautious during the course of her experience with the virus. Her parents dropped meals off at her bedroom door and she stayed quarantined in her room. “Luckily, no one else in my family contracted it which is a really good thing,” Nguyen said. Support from her friends and family and knowing that the symptoms would be over soon got her through the roughest moments with COVID-19. “I think people don’t realize that, although you can get through it, there’s so much that you have to go through while you’re sick,” Nguyen said. “There’s so many people that you’re endangering that it’s not worth whatever party you want to go to or whoever you want to hang out with.” Nguyen said it’s inevitable for students to come in contact with the virus when classes begin, and she encourages students to continue to take precautions against the spread. “I definitely feel like it’s something that people should take very seriously, and I think it’s something that young people, especially college-aged, don’t take as seriously as they should,” Nguyen said.
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NEWS
page 3 FACILITIES
TIME FOR CHANGE LSU Student Senate endorses change of racist building names under new bill.
Student Senate unanimously passed two resolutions concerning the evaluation of University building names on Aug. 16. The first issue on the agenda was to demonstrate Student Senate support for the renaming of 13 buildings on campus. The buildings were researched by student activist organization Democracy at Work LSU and LSU College Democrats, and include any namesakes who supported the institution of slavery, served in the Confederacy, marginalized Black voters or otherwise promoted white supremacy. The bill recognized the following building namesakes: -P.G.T. Beauregard, brigadier general in the Confederate Army -David F. Boyd, major in the Confederate Army and LSU president (1865-1880, 1884-1886) -Murphy J. Foster, 31st governor of Louisiana (1892-1900) -George Mason Graham, 1st chairman of the Board of Trustees for Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and founder of the Rapides Horse Guards -Andrew Jackson, 7th president of the United States (18291837)
-William Preston Johnston, aide-de-camp to Jefferson Davis and LSU president (1880-1883) -Edmund Kirby Smith, general in the Confederate Army -Samuel H. Lockett, major in the Confederate Army -James William Nicholson, sergeant in the Confederate Army and LSU president (1883-1884); -John M. Parker, 37th governor of Louisiana (1920-1924) -Francis W. Smith, soldier in the Confederate Army and 1st LSU commandant of cadets; -William C. Stubbs, cavalryman in the Confederate Army -Zachary Taylor, 12th president of the United States (18491850) “Student Government recognizes that historical figures are the sum of their experiences and contributions, both good and bad, and cannot be entirely defined by one moment; however, when we reference figures without proper context, such as on the face of a building, this recognition becomes purposeless as the ability to critically and holistically review the past is lost,” the proposal read. Student Senate called on University administration to “quickly and permanently” remove these names and to reconsider the
naming policy for future buildings. The following changes to the University’s policy were proposed: New buildings should not be named after individuals who “violate the mission and commitments of LSU.” Public opinions and administrative discussions should determine if an individual meets these requirements. A facility may be named after an individual who preserves LSU’s values, even if that individual did not otherwise have a connection to the University. The LSU Board of Supervisors should consider underrepresented groups in naming discussions. If a building is renamed right before it is torn down, the University should use the name on a future building. This guarantees every name will be used for a reasonable time period. The second bill was for the University administration to create a public webpage with information on the naming committee such as meeting agendas, names and titles of committee members and official voting records. It also asks the committee to allow public input at meetings and through online forms. Additionally, a committee member is requested to brief the Student Senate every
BY JOANNA CLARK @front-row-jo
time a naming recommendation has been made or if one semester has passed since the last briefing. The proposal was presented by SG members Carianne Asberry and Drake Brignac. Asberry said she was “ecstatic and proud” about the meeting’s outcome. “The work that is being done across our campus through various student organizations makes me proud to be a tiger,” Asberry said. “Since being here it’s been a mission to create everlasting change and not just putting a bandaid on a corrupt system. It is not to point the finger at anybody, but our university needs to do better.” Asberry said she hopes to see real change implemented across campus. Now that the resolution has been passed, her next step is to personally speak to the administration about student issues such as high tuition, mold on campus and safety precautions for RAs. “We all deserve to be valued and we follow our commitment to the community, and it’s time our school does the same for us,” Asberry said. Brignac described the bill’s
LSU freshmen are experiencing an entirely different college experience due to COVID-19, including many changes to living on campus. On July 8, LSU Residential Life released their fall housing plans regarding COVID-19. One of the most notable regulations for residents is the new guest policy which states that no guests are allowed in campus communities during phases one and two of campus reopening. “I don’t have a roommate or suite mate, so with the restrictions on guests it has been lonely at times,” digital advertising freshman Parker Simpson said. “However, I don’t have to worry about [them] transmitting the virus to me, which does put my mind at ease.” Simpson lives in South Hall and was not hesitant to move in because he was expecting everyone around campus to be wearing a mask and social distancing. But according to Simpson, that was not the case. “To LSU’s defense, it’s impossible to ensure that every student is wearing a mask in public places,” Simpson said. “They do a great job in the residential building that I’m staying in as well as the UREC.” Simpson thinks the problem
see BUILDINGS, page 4
see GUIDELINES, page 4
ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille
Edmund Kirby Smith Hall sits on LSU’s campus. BY ANNA JONES @annajoneses
Residential Life COVID-19 guidelines change oncampus living experience
ACADEMICS
LSU alumna petitions to offer fully online courses for students BY BROCK SANDERS @BrockSanders6 LSU students will soon return to campus for in-person, virtual and hybrid classes in order to minimize risk of COVID-19 outbreak. One former student, though, is pushing for students to be able to opt for virtual-only classes. LSU alumna Nalo Zidan posted a petition on Aug. 18 titled “STUDENTS & FACULTY FOR MOVING LSU FALL 2020 SEMESTER ONLINE.” The petition expresses con-
cern over the University not offering an online-only option for the fall semester. In the petition, Zidan said the University hosts a significant number of immunocompromised students and faculty, and the University is “irresponsible” for gathering these individuals into one place for the fall semester. As of Aug. 23, the petition, on change.org, had 166 signatures out of the 200 signature goal. Hybrid-model classes, a style of learning that places students into groups that dictate what days they
attend in-person and what days they attend virtually, has become the alternative for most courses on campus. Zidan, however, called these hybrid-model classes “dangerous and unacceptable.” Sports administration senior Austin Ash said he recognizes the problem with hybrid-model courses and will not return to in-person classes until either a vaccine is developed or students can “follow the simple guidelines properly.” Construction management junior Nicole Armanini, on the
other hand, disagrees with Zidan about the dangers regarding the hybrid-model classes. “I completely understand and agree with why they are going with a hybrid-style teaching,” Armanini said, whose classes are all virtual this semester. “But I wish we had more of a choice for our classes.” According to biological sciences senior Tina Vu, this option would be very beneficial to out-of-state students who are moving away from home just to attend
class one day per week. “They are wasting thousands of dollars just to come back to Baton Rouge for that one class,” Vu said. As of Aug. 20 there is an average of 771 cases per day in Louisiana and 78 cases per day in East Baton Rouge Parish, According to the New York Times’ Louisiana Coronavirus Map and Case Count. The University released its Roadmap to Fall plan to take initiative for possible coronavirus cases that could manifest on campus.
Monday, August 24, 2020
page 4 BUILDINGS, from page 3 creation as an arduous process. He and Asberry sought to prevent resistance from public figures who previously criticized the initiative, such as Sen. John Kennedy. Throughout all the draft changes and disagreements, Brignac said Democracy at Work and College Democrats supported the resolution and continued to contribute valuable research. “By the end of it all, the resolution became about more than just eliminating the names of racists or traitors--it was also about our values and ideals as students and citizens, meaningful dialogue and recognizing the importance of context,” Brignac said. Brignac hopes this is the first of more student-involved initiatives, and that they may be “turning a new page” in SG. “Our initiatives gradually address more serious issues, legislation has more student input and involvement and, finally, students can start believing in SG as a body that truly stands for student interests, no matter how difficult the path may be,” Brignac said. While both resolutions passed without opposition, the meeting lasted nearly three hours. Other items on Student Senate’s agenda were addressed first and at one point there was a delay to ensure the minimum number of voting members had logged into the Zoom call. In a statement released to
GUIDELINES, from page 3 arises when people are not wearing masks at parties or gatherings. “Then, those people go home to spread COVID to their roommates, suitemates and friends,” Simpson said. “It completely negates the efforts that LSU administration and responsible LSU students are making to ensure that everyone stays safe.” The University’s plan also references Residential Life’s Living on Campus Handbook. The handbook has a page regarding COVID-19 prevention in dorms which lists their newest safety guidelines, such as maximum capacity of three people in elevators and posted capacities of community spaces. Residents must wear a face covering when in a public area within the residence halls. “Potential violations of these policies will be addressed through the Residential Life Student Conduct Process,” the handbook states. “If found responsible for violating the policies through the process, appropriate outcomes will be assigned to residents. Outcomes may include removal from on-campus living.” In order to follow these new guidelines, the dorm move-in process was spread over the span of two weeks. “It wasn’t bad, it was just difficult to try and keep only three people in the elevator,” engineer-
the Reveille, Democracy at Work said the meeting “went well overall,” but the group would have preferred to see the resolutions placed first on the agenda. The organization also acknowledged that the bill is the first step to further activist efforts. “We want material change on campus because the building names do not matter if students are being affected by material conditions,” the statement read. “For example, it does not matter if a Black student studies in a building that’s name is non-racist or even of an honorable Black person if when they leave that building they are still targeted by police officers, and they still suffer housing discrimination. “It doesn’t matter if a Hispanic person enters a building named after an honorary Hispanic person if when they leave the building they are subjected to fear of deportation or food scarcity. Symbolic changes don’t matter if workers on LSU’s campus and in the Baton Rouge area are still being exploited. If the campus is still using prison labor. “We didn’t expect to get this far this fast, but at the same time, we’re not content and seek to go beyond this. We hope that the symbolic passing of this resolution will urge the renaming committee to utilize the research we’ve provided to make changes that shift the culture at LSU. And, we hope that these cultural changes manifest into material ones. We hope the coalition we’ve built up getting this
far will follow us into the next stages of our movement, which will address systemic problems.” Both resolutions will be dis-
tributed to InterimPresident Thomas Galligan, Executive Vice President and Provost Stacia Haynie and to all members of the
Building Name Evaluation Committee and the Committee on Naming University Facilities & Academic Units.
ing freshman George Megilligan said. “But if it was everyone moving in [on one day] instead of spread out over a couple of days it would have been way
more chaotic.” Industrial engineering sophomore Courtnee Williams is a desk assistant at the Residential College Complex. She
feels that COVID-19 has had little impact on the job itself. “Putting in work orders and checking out keys is the same process,” Williams said.
“With COVID though, there’s different cleaning procedures.” Freshmen are required to live on campus as per the University’s housing contract.
ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille
The Pentagon, which includes LeJeune, Beauregard, Taylor and Jackson Halls, sits on LSU’s campus.
New LSU ResLife COVID-19 guidelines include: -More frequent cleanings in all residential halls, including weekly detail cleaning of bathrooms. -No more than three people will be allowed in any elevators. -All furniture in common areas and dorms will be rearranged to promote social distancing. -Limit of one guest per resident, who must be accompanied by the resident at all times. -Failure to follow any of the new Residential Life guidelines may result in removal from on-campus living.
ENTERTAINMENT
page 5 photo by EMILY SCHEXNAYDER
FRESHMEN ADVICE Advice by Tigers for Tigers: Tips for the incoming freshmen class
BY ENJANAE’ TAYLOR @_queenet_ Welcome Class of 2024, we’re so excited to have you. We know this semester is different than any other, with its own challenges on top of the anxiety college already brings. We want you to feel ready to tackle this new chapter in your life and have a successful first year at LSU. Freshman often have a lot of questions, and who better to give advice and guidance to new tigers than other tigers. We’ve been in your shoes, and even though we’re all going through this tough time together hopefully we can offer you some good tips to make you feel at home and prepared to tackle your freshman year. Here is some advice on remote learning, college classes and more, from Tigers for Tigers. No matter what your college or major, we’ve got all the tips and tricks to get you ready to geaux.
Name: Courtney Walker Age: 21 Major/Concentration: Mass Communication Public Relations Advice for freshmen in mass communications: “It’s important to establish a
relationship with your professors, because it’s very possible that you will be taking more classes from them in the future. Even if you don’t have them again, they’re all very knowledgeable and experienced in their fields, so use them as a resources. They’re always willing to help and give you advice, even after you’ve taken their class, so don’t be afraid to talk to them.” Advice for freshmen in public relations: “Talk to and make friends with the people in your classes, because these are the people that you’ll be taking classes with throughout your entire college career. Form study groups and reach out to them if you have questions about class. You never know, the people in your classes could become your friends for life! The Manship School is a very tight knit community, and maing friends with your classmates will help you feel like part of that community.” Advice for LSU freshmen: “Try to stay as organized as possible, both with your schedule and your physical space. As soon as you have access to your class syllabi, put the important dates into your calendar. Google calendar and your planner will be your best friend! Also, the rooms in the residential halls
are small, so keeping your space clean is pretty essential. If your space is cluttered, your life will feel cluttered and you’ll get stressed more easily, trust me.” Online learning tips: “Participate in your classes, even if they’re online. It’s really easy to sit there with your microphone muted the whole time, but actually participating in the discussions will help you retain the information you’re learning, and studying will be much easier. Resist the temptation of the mute button.” Health advice: “It’s very important right now that we follow all of the safety procedures set by the University. Carry hand sanitizer with you everywhere you go, wear your mask correctly and continue to social distance. Try not to gather in large groups and be smart about how you spend your free time. Don’t put yourself in a situation where you know you could be more easily exposed to COVID-19. This won’t last forever, and that party can wait, I promise.” Remember: “I know this semester doesn’t look anything like the semester you imagined for your first semester in college, but you’re all still going to do great things at LSU. Use the resources provided on campus, get involved
as much as possible, and, most importantly, enjoy your time at LSU.”
Name: Tayler Hooper Age: 19 Major/Concentration: Biological Sciences with a minor in Psychology Advice for LSU freshmen: “Studying is very important but it does not have to run your life. Find a group or hobby that you are passionate about and create a space outside of just academics to have fun. For me that was music and participating in Tiger Band and music ensembles on campus.” Online learning tips: “Create and stick to a schedule. The worst thing that can happen is if you get behind. You lose motivation very fast. Try to do any work for a class during the class time if you are not meeting on Zoom.” Remember: “Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Any professor/TA will be willing to help you.”
Name: Alexis Dunham Age: 20 Major/Concentration: Leadership and Human Resource Development Advice for freshmen in LHRD: “Meet with an advisor early on
so you don’t make any mistakes when scheduling your classes! This field is so broad, and there are so many directions you can go with it, so try to gain experience through internships as early as possible. It’s important to see all directions you can go with this degree before you graduate!” Advice for LSU freshmen: “GET INVOLVED!!! Getting involved is KEY to having an enjoyable college experience! Find student organizations that you are interested in, and join them! Odds are, you’ll meet some pretty incredible people, and gain so many new skills!” Online learning tips: “Find a place you can concentrate and study. Try out new spaces until you find somewhere that you can focus. Also, take breaks. Staring at a computer screen forsix or more hours isn’t healthy, and you’ll want to find creative ways to relieve some stress and take a break!” Health advice: “Wash your hands, wear your mask, and be smart!” Remember: “LSU is unlike any other school. There’s so many people, organizations and areas of campus to meet and explore. Push yourself outside your comfort zone, and find your people.”
Back to school looks a lot different this time around. We were all hoping for this to be over by now, but we’re still very much in the middle of a pandemic. Now, we’re starting a new semester while trying to fully adjust to our new normal. There’s no doubt the college experience won’t be the same, but all we can do is try to make the best out of a bad situation. Starting school can still be exciting, especially for all the incoming freshmen. It may be different, but it’s still a big time in our lives. Every significant moment needs a playlist, and these songs will be the soundtrack to your life in college.
Monday, August 24, 2020
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EMILY SCHEXNAYDER / The Reveille
Monday, August 24, 2020
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EMILY SCHEXNAYDER / The Reveille
Parents and incoming students unload their belongings on Aug. 17, at West Laville Hall on South Campus Dr.
An LSU parent helps move in on, Aug. 17, at the Nicholson Gateway Apartments on Nicholson Dr.
! e l i g a r F
HEAVY books UP EMILY SCHEXNAYDER / The Reveille
EMILY SCHEXNAYDER / The Reveille
MASK ON & LSU students move in on Aug. 17, at West Laville Hall on South Campus Dr.
Bedding
UP
UP
LSU students move in on Aug. 17, at the West Campus Apartments on LSU’s campus.
MOVE IN HEAVY more books
EMILY SCHEXNAYDER / The Reveille
Move-in staff checks in an incoming student on Aug. 17, in front of East Laville Hall on South Campus Dr.
EMILY SCHEXNAYDER / The Reveille
A family moves students in on Aug. 17, at the Pentagon Community on Dalrymple Dr.
Clothes
EMILY SCHEXNAYDER / The Reveille
LSU parents help move in on Aug. 17, at the Pentagon Community on Dalrymple Dr.
FOOD
EMILY SCHEXNAYDER / The Reveille
LSU students walk Aug. 17, past the Pentagon Community on Dalrymple Dr.
UP
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Monday, August 24, 2020
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SPORTS UNDER SCRUTINY
page 9 BASEBALL
Mainieri optimistic about fall baseball practice
LSU to investigate Derrius Guice’s two 2016 sexual assault allegations
BY REED DARCEY @byreeddarcey
sciousness in one of three assaults. LSU did not answer USA Today’s pointed questions, instead releasing a statement. “LSU and LSU Athletics take all accusations of sexual assault with the utmost seriousness. Formal complaints are promptly and fully investigated and the rights and
privacy of students are protected as stipulated by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Complainants are also strongly encouraged to report the offense to law enforcement and are provided information on health care, counseling and supportive measures available.”
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BY JARED BRODTMANN @_therealjarbear “Life threw us a curveball, and we just had to deal with it and move forward.” Baseball head coach Paul Mainieri was not going to be the one to sulk over a soiled season after playing only 17 games before the SEC cancelled all spring sports in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. Just hours after he sent his players home, he was back in his office with his staff looking over the depth chart for the 2021 season. “I didn’t look back, I just started looking forward,” Mainieri stated of the abrupt and
Former LSU football player Derrius Guice greets fans before the Alabama game on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018 at Victory Hill.
5 0 The Big 10 and Pac-12 conferences announced plans to cancel the fall football season earlier this month due to health and safety concerns related to the coronavirus.
2020 LSU Football Schedule —Home
—Away
9/26—Mississippi State 10/3—Vanderbilt
The SEC released the schedules of all conference teams on Aug. 17. The conference will play conference-only games beginning Sept. 26. Athletes in highcontact sports will be tested three times a week, including a rapid diagnostic test that will be administered close to the competition date.
10/10—Missouri 10/17—Florida 10/24—South Carolina 10/31—Auburn 11/14—Alabama 11/21—Arkansas
The Big 12 conference announced on Aug. 11 that it will proceed with fall sports. Safety precautions will include testing athletes in high-contact sports for COVID-19 three times per week.
11/28—Texas A&M
5 0
12/5—Ole Miss
see MAINIERI, page 10
2020 SEASON UPDATES
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
LSU Interim President Tom Galligan told WAFB on Aug. 20 that the school is investigating the two 2016 rape allegations against former star running back Derrius Guice, published in USA Today on Ag. 19. “We take every allegation of sexual misconduct very seriously,” Galligan told WAFB. “It’s our goal to eliminate and eradicate sexual violence and sexual misconduct from our campus.” USA Today investigated the claims, finding that the allegations were brought to at least two coaches, an athletics administrator and a nurse. The school did not launch an investigation into either incident, the report found. Guice’s attorney denied all allegations in a statement. “At no time were allegations of physical or sexual assault brought against Derrius during his years as a student athlete at LSU,” the
statement read. “To bring up such assertions only after the Virginia charges were initiated certainly calls into question the credibility, nature and timing of what is being alleged years later. “Such speculation and innuendo should not be the basis for Derrius to be required to make any comment at all,” the attorney added. “But he wants to be absolutely clear. The allegations in this story are just that and have no basis in fact.” Neither woman reported the assaults to LSUPD or BRPD. It is uncommon for victims of sexual assault to file police reports. Guice was recently released from the Washington Football Team after he was arrested on domestic violence charges on Aug. 7. The Washington Post reported he was arrested on one count of strangulation, three counts of assault and battery and one count of destruction of property. According to court records, Guice strangled his girlfriend until she lost con-
page 10 MAINIERI, from page 9 dissatisfying ending of last season. Now, the fall quickly approaches, and with more questions and not enough answers about what the future holds, it is up to Mainieri and his team to build a competitive squad while keeping his players safe. Mainieri reported that six of his players and some of his staff members tested positive for COVID-19 while at home over the summer, but nearly all were asymptomatic or experienced mild symptoms. He and his program fully understand the gravity of the pandemic because of this. “We are doing everything we can think of to control the health of the players while they are under our control,” Mainieri said. “We also are trying to educate the players on what to do when they are away from the game. Outside
Monday, August 24, 2020 of all that, it is business as usual in trying to develop a championship team.” Fall practice is going to look different this year. Two dugouts will be occupied for intra-squad games instead of using one dugout for all players. Inactive players will be spread out in the stands. Instead of pitchers and position players having lockers with their similar teammates, they will alternate pitcher-position player so that there will be more space for both players when pitchers finish practice early and position players and the two pitchers stay out for the scrimmage to end practice. Just like the guidelines set out by Major League Baseball, close contact without a mask is prohibited, and spitting and high-fives have been banned. The team has entered the six week “ramp up” period which consists of three phases. The first phase is a two-week quar-
ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille
LSU baseball Head Coach Paul Mainieri looks onto the field Feb. 15 during LSU’s 7-4 victory against Indiana at Alex Box Stadium.
antine period, which the players will have completed by next week. The second phase follows with two weeks of strength and conditioning to get the players physically ready to perform. Finally, the third phase concludes the pre-fall practice period with two weeks of individual baseball workouts before the team begins training together. “After six weeks, if everybody’s doing well with it, then we’re able to start practice as a full squad,” Mainieri said. He tabbed Sept. 20 as the opening of fall camp and Oct. 30 as its conclusion should the plan hold together. With 23 returning players and 17 new additions, there will be old and new faces once Sept. 20 arrives. Mainieri is anxious to see how his players perform after some of their encouraging developments in summer leagues, which was organized largely in part to second-year hitting coach Eddie Smith. “Several of our players went off and played in the summer leagues,” Mainieri said. “Eddie Smith deserves a lot of credit for that. He had the responsibility of placing kids this summer, and he was like Houdini. One league would cancel, and he would move them to another league. We ended up having several players play this summer and they all played extremely well. So, a lot of players were still able to gain some good experience this summer. All in all, I feel very excited about getting back to fall practice especially with having so many new players combined with the veterans we have.” The Tigers return with a loaded pitching staff, punctuated by an experienced weekend rotation of junior Landon Marceaux, redshirt-junior AJ Labas, and junior Jaden Hill as well as their primary closer senior Devin Fontenot. Trusted relievers like graduate senior and LSU’s No. 8 Matthew Beck, senior Ma’Khail Hilliard, senior Trent Vietmeier, and senior Aaron George will look to bolster the bullpen and be leaders to the talented young arms this year’s recruiting class brings. Last year, in the 17 games the Tigers played, they held opponents to the lowest
THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES
LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri exits the field after the Tigers’ 5-3 victory over Lamar on Tuesday, April 23, 2019, in Alex Box Stadium. batting average in LSU history in 24 years, according to LSU Stats & Info. The only major loss was Friday night ace Cole Henry, who was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft, but Mainieri believes Hill, who came out of the bullpen last year, will fill his absence nicely. “I feel like we virtually have the same pitching staff back, except, we’ve added to it with some really electric arms,” Mainieri stated confidently. “If you imagine we had the same rotation, which was really elite last year as we were getting ready to go, and I think it’ll be every bit as good this year, if not better, and then you add to that some of these young arms. I just think our pitching staff has a chance to be one of the best pitching staffs we’ve ever had.” LSU loses three key hitters in Daniel Cabrera, Zack Mathis, and Saul Garza but returns veterans such as junior first baseman Cade Beloso and junior outfielder Giovanni DiGiacomo and
looks for big second years out of infielder Cade Doughty, catcher Alex Milazzo and infielder Collier Cranford. The Tigers also landed the highest ranked high school prospect in college baseball to not sign a professional contract in outfielder Dylan Crews, as well as Perfect Game top-100 prospects in infielder Jordan Thompson and outfielder/left-handed pitcher Brody Drost. “I have a feeling that we’re going to find the pieces of the puzzle, and it’s going to be a very good, solid lineup, and very good defensively,” Mainieri inferred. However, it could all be for naught. With some conferences already cancelling fall sports, the future for Mainieri and his team is clouded. But with the busy work the Tigers have for themselves to prepare for this year, Mainieri believes his players will be ready even with the threat of cancellation looming like a thunderstorm. “We plan on playing baseball in the spring, and that all starts with us getting things going in the fall.”
OPINION
page 11
LSU’s “Roadmap to Fall” offers no real protections against COVID-19 SPILL THE TEA WITH MARIE MARIE PLUNKETT @MarieC_214 Back-to-school is usually an exciting time for students, as the anticipation of seeing old friends, taking new courses and participating in fall semester activities fills the air – but this year is different. Instead of embracing friends and gathering for mixers and meet-ups, students will be selfquarantining and keeping their distance according to guidelines in the University’s Roadmap to Fall. The Roadmap outlines basic procedures for preventing the spread of COVID-19 on campus, like the use of face covering and basic hygiene including frequent hand-washing. Of course, none of these measures would need to be taken if the University took the initiative to move all courses online beginning in August. Instead, they’ve opted to get rid of fall break
and transition completely online after Thanksgiving in order to reduce the increased risk of infection during the holiday season. Superficially this seems like a solid enough plan. Students are likely to travel back home to be with their families during this time, after all, and could potentially be transporting the virus both to and from campus. But there is one major flaw. Those students will already be traveling in order to get to campus at the beginning of the semester and potentially exposing their classmates, professors, and roommates to the virus just as they would be when traveling back to campus after fall break. What is so different about the travel risk in August compared to in November? Why is one acceptable while the other isn’t? The answer is simple: there is no difference. Despite the seemingly endless stream of emails from the administration meant to reassure us that they’re “taking many precautions as well as enacting new policies and procedures to ensure you remain
safe and healthy during the fall semester,” it’s blatantly obvious that reopening campus has very little to do with protecting student interests. The University simply cannot overlook the financial losses they would stand to take in a fully online semester. Student tuition and fees – including on-campus housing, dining and parking – made up 72.6% of the University’s 2019-2020 Budget Revenue; state funds, by comparison, made up only 24.3%. For those of us who disagree with the reopening, the obvious solution is simply to avoid campus as much as possible. Incoming freshmen won’t have that luxury. Following the University’s mandatory firstyear housing Expectation, all first-year students enrolled at the University full-time will be required to live on campus in the fall. What’s more, the incoming class is set to be so large the University will have no choice but to house some freshmen in upperclassman residential halls. 7,000 will be living on campus this se-
mester, according to an Aug. 11 report by The Advocate, and the University and its staff clearly aren’t prepared for the months to come. One Resident Assistant, a student employee in charge of overlooking dorm activities, tested positive for COVID-19 during a training period in which staff members were maskless and not socially distancing. Administrators have yet to address the incident or initiate contact tracing protocol. The University is not equipped to contain a pandemic when residential halls are half-full, much less when they’re completely flooded with hundreds more on the waiting list. RAs may be University employees, but they’re still students and should not be put in uncomfortable or dangerous situations just so the University can make more money. Students’ lives are far more valuable than on-campus housing fees. When the fire alarm goes off, students don’t get a questionnaire on how important they think it is to evacuate the building, or whether they “strongly agree” or
“strongly disagree” that someone should call the fire department. This semester, LSU is going to get burned. Marie Plunkett is a 21-year-old classical studies senior from New Orleans, LA.
ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille
The covered walkway lies empty on June 17 in the Quad on LSU’s campus.
Antoine Pierce is the Senate candidate Louisiana deserves CLAIRE’S COMMENTARY CLAIRE SULLIVAN @sulliclaire As the pandemic rages on, millions of Americans grapple with job loss, food insecurity and impending eviction, and Congress decides to take a break until September. Racial and economic injustices light civil unrest afire; democrats don kente cloth, paint murals and turn the other cheek. In the face of these historic pains, the Democratic National Convention has chosen to double down on the same falsehood it worshiped during the presidential primaries: that only a centrist can unseat a Republican incumbent. But while national Democratic leadership fails to acknowledge the public’s appetite for change, Louisiana Senatorial candidate Antoine Pierce champions bold solutions to the issues plaguing everyday people.
Pierce, a Baton Rouge resident and LSU alum, is one of 14 candidates set to challenge Sen. Bill Cassidy in November. As a non-profit founder working with underserved young men Pierce fights for the people that the government often neglects, and seeks to do the same in the Senate. The largest issues in Baton Rouge and Louisiana mirror themes dominating American politics: income inequality, endemic poverty, police brutality, environmental injustice, racial inequality and more. Instead of offering vague platitudes and poll-tested policies, Pierce attacks these problems with an unapologetically progressive platform that calls for universal basic income, medicare-for-all, universal childcare, ending qualified immunity for police officers, cannabis legalization and more. Pierce’s support of UBI and other people-first policies have earned him the endorsement of former presidential candidate Andrew Yang. Pierce has embraced UBI since he was a student, and
it’s hard to overstate how transformative the policy would be for Louisiana, a state with one of the highest rates of poverty in the nation. Poverty is an evil that our government has chosen to ignore, and its eradication would free hundreds of thousands of Louisiana citizens from the stress of extreme financial struggle. In addition, UBI would create jobs, improve childhood outcomes, ease inequalities and strengthen our communities. Though he has garnered the support of Yang, Pierce, like many progressives, has been no favorite of the Democratic Party. He represents a threat to the apathy and corruption that has become second nature to politicians on both sides of the aisle, particularly when it comes to the monied interests that clog our government. While Sen. Cassidy perhaps feels he has the agency to ignore the economic distress of his constituency because of the over $2.5 million conservative Political Action Committees have raised for
courtesy of ANTOINEPIERCE.COM
his reelection, Pierce is 100% voter funded and therefore wholly accountable to his supporters. Pierce’s candidacy is a breath of fresh air to a political climate that has been starved of empathy and energy. The Democratic Party’s refusal to embrace his candidacy -- and those of other insurgent voices -- is emblematic of an institution motivated by money instead of public service. Yes, democratic leadership has shortchanged the public by not amplifying these candidates, but
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they have also made a poor tactical choice. In a time so rich with despair, Louisiana citizens do not yearn for politicians that will toe the line with half measures, but rather a leader brave enough to fight for the future they and their children deserve. Antoine Pierce is that leader. This November, a storm awaits Sen. Cassidy. Claire Sullivan is an 18-year-old Coastal Environmental science freshman from Southbury, CT.
Quote of the Week “It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”
Donald Trump
U.S. President June 14, 1946 — present
Racism lingers on University’s campus, must be addressed KEVIN ON EARTH KEVIN DOUCETTE @kgdouce Following the recent wave of civil rights protests sparked by the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, many predominately white institutions have sought to brush up their diversity packages. LSU has been no exception. In an official statement released in June, the administration stated its goal to not only foster a more welcoming and supportive environment for minority students on campus but pave the way for an anti-racist community as a whole. In order to do so, however, I believe the University must fundamentally disturb its own establishments and administrative practices to remotely begin to be deemed anti-racist -- and it has some serious catching up to do. You may already be aware of the administration’s latest efforts to erase racists’ names from campus. While this is a step in the right direction, it’s not nearly enough. The administration is so focused on the performative aspect
of the gesture that they forget the buildings themselves are unpopular, unsafe and outdated; the Library faces chronic flooding issues, Lockett Hall is the campus cockroach hot-spot and the Pentagon complex predates Martin Luther King Jr. himself. Black students will not be entering improved buildings, only re-branded ones. The experiences of minority students have little to do with superficial efforts like these and everything to do with their encounters with white students, faculty members and staff throughout their time on campus. The University remains segregated not by design, but through the enduring moments and interactions that serve to subdivide white and non-white students. Where Black students act with basic respect and kindness, they are often met with alienating and racist remarks. I spent my freshman year in Kirby Smith Hall, which tends to house more Black students than any other residential halls. One day a white friend of mine recalled that his aunt, an LSU alum, had called the building “Vertical Africa,” a joke among white students back in the day. When I later noticed my white classmates referring to
the hall as “Kirbesha,” I finally realized: the joke’s still funny to them. A consistent thread among many Black students’ stories is that of non-Black peers seemingly going out of their way to pick at racial differences. Pointing out the “type of girls” their Black roommate was bringing home. Calling Black people’s hair “dry” and criticizing product use. Remarking on how much “hipper” Black people are than their non-Black counterparts. For minority students, these micro-aggressions are seemingly unavoidable. We’re expected to tolerate a certain level of racism before raising concerns, as many of these encounters are spurred on by superiors and speaking out could be considered an act of insubordination. During my short tenure in the Tiger Band, my hair was groped like an animal at a petting zoo; I was often mistaken for another Black man and, more than once, called racist slurs. I told them off -- but they outranked and outnumbered me. As a self-proclaimed anti-racist university, LSU is responsible for discouraging this kind of racist behavior. Minority students need to know they can report these incidents without having to
graphic by SOHPIE VAGIANOS
worry whether the University will take action. Though the University claims to promote inclusivity, instances of real discrimination are often reduced to petty interpersonal squabbles. Recently the class of ’24 banded together to bring a racist incident to the University’s attention. After a video of an incoming freshman spouting racial slurs went viral, the administration denied his admission into the University.
This is the kind of action that must be taken moving forward in order to address racism on campus. Administration must reckon with the fact that creating a more diverse and inclusive campus means actively estranging racists already on campus, the communities they aggregate in and the institutions they fund. Kevin Doucette is a 20-year-old political science junior from New Orleans, Louisiana.
“WAP” is feminist, regardless of what Ben Shapiro says SAUCE BOSS CÉCILE CÉCILE GIRARD @_cegi_ On August 7, rappers Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion released the single “WAP,” meeting great success online. At the time of this article’s publication, the electrifying music video on YouTube, in which Cardi, Megan and, briefly, Kylie Jenner dance among snakes and tigers in a kaleidoscopic mansion setting, has amassed almost 100 million views. At least one of those views was from conservative media personality and Daily Wire founder Ben Shapiro. Naturally, Shapiro had a decidedly obnoxious, regressive opinion about the song, which he decided to share on his podcast “The Ben Shapiro Show.” In a monologue, Shapiro repeatedly denounced the song as “really vulgar,” mentioning sarcastically, “this is what feminists fought for.” The song is demeaning to women, he suggests, by failing to show them as “independent, full-rounded individuals.” In a later tweet he asked that Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion “get the medical care they require,” having apparently consulted his doctor wife on the matter and concluded that vaginal wetness may be a cause for concern. Putting aside the pathetic irony of a married father of three
conflating a sign of female sexual arousal with the symptoms of venereal disease, it’s also telling that Shapiro believes that two sex-positive women can not also be “independent, full-rounded individuals.” He excludes sexuality from the list of things that can, in his view, make a woman full-rounded, completely ignoring that the song is about women celebrating their independence through bodily autonomy and sexual freedom. Countless male rappers have released songs boasting their sexual prowess and domination over women, yet few have received the same backlash as Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion have for “WAP.” Countless music videos are just as racy, yet go unnoticed because the naked or nearly-naked women feature as nameless extras rather than in the starring roles. Shapiro’s targeted disdain for “WAP” and the women involved is a clear case of chauvinist hypocrisy, but it’s far from unusual among conservative commentators. It reflects the wider regressive sexual attitudes of the modern conservative movement, a movement which has attempted and in some cases succeeded to criminalize abortion, cut funding for sex education in schools, block protections for sex workers and restrict women’s access to birth control across the country. The message is clear: women can have sex to procreate, but not
courtesy of ASSOCIATED PRESS
for pleasure. Meanwhile, many of the same conservative lobbyists who demonize female sexuality have also made sure male enhancement drugs like Viagra remain widely attainable and relatively cheap — go figure. Although I personally would not be comfortable performing like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion in the “WAP” music video I respect their work and will always defend their right to make it. The demonization of sexual
women in the media does nothing but perpetuate the false dichotomy of the moral, repressed woman and the corrupt, sexual one, despite this split having no basis in reality. Women can be upstanding citizens while simultaneously being proud of their sexuality. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are complex women whose love of sex represents only one dimension of their respective identities. As world-renowned
artists with huge fan bases and a prominent role in pop culture, their legacies will surely extend much further than Shapiro’s own, regardless of how much skin they show online. So please, Ben, instead of criticizing women online, go spend time with your wife and children. Cecile Girard is a 20-year-old psychology junior from Lake Charles, Louisiana.