The Daily Reveille - Feb. 22, 2010

Olympic Medal Count

U.S. Germany Norway

GOLD

TOTAL

7 5 5

24 16 12

NEWS Campus parking lots to lose almost 400 spots soon, page 3.

Outmaneuvered LSU men’s basketball team loses to Mississippi State, page 7.

THE DAILY REVEILLE WWW.LSUREVEILLE.COM

Volume 114, Issue 93

Monday, February 22, 2010

Dominant pitching helps Tigers sweep series against Centenary

UNIVERSITY

System to make transfers easier

By Grace Montgomery Staff Writer

Starting Strong

By Johanathan Brooks Sports Writer

The LSU baseball team relied on one constant as it swept Centenary during its season-opening weekend series: starting pitching.

The Tigers (3-0) got five shutout innings from junior Anthony Ranaudo in their 5-4 win against the Gents (0-3) Friday, five shutout innings from junior Austin Ross in Saturday’s 25-8 rout and six shutout innings from sophomore Joey Bourgeois in their 4-0 win Sunday.

“I said [Saturday] night that [Sunday] would be like an audition for Joey Bourgeois,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri.

“And if he pitches the way he did [Sunday] all season, we’re going to be pretty good.”

Sunday’s final score could have been a bit misleading as LSU tacked on three of its four runs late in the game after being shut

down by Centenary junior David Benson.

“It was a really well played, crisply played game by both teams,” Mainieri said.

“We hit several balls hard that could’ve gotten through or fallen in, and we could’ve finished with a bigger offensive output, but you’ve got to give credit to Centenary.”

Bourgeois started the game with a three-pitch strikeout, perhaps foreshadowing things to come. He struck out another batter in that inning and seemingly locked into cruise control from there.

“I figured after I got that first strikeout I might as well go pound every hitter and keep my fastball down in the zone,” Bourgeois said.

After three scoreless innings from both teams, senior first baseman Blake Dean put the Tigers on the board when he belted a solo home run into the right-field bleachers.

photos by SARA HUNT / The Daily Reveille

[Top] LSU sophomore outfielder Trey Watkins slides into first base Friday. [Bottom] LSU junior pitcher Daniel Bradshaw throws the ball during LSU’s 5-4 victory against Centenary on Friday at Alex Box Stadium.

SERIES, see page 15

FACILITY SERVICES

$20M needed yearly for repairs

By Nate Monroe Special to The Daily Reveille

The University has a backlog of deferred maintenance projects totaling $430 million — a total that has steadily grown during the last decade and shows little sign of slowing.

Maintenance projects accumulate without available funds to devote to repairs. These projects are on a prioritized list — concentrating first on code and safety compliance issues, then projects based on deterioration levels.

“Current levels of funding are not keeping pace with the levels of

aging,” said Kenneth Courtade, manager of physical plant operation for Facility Services.

Courtade said Facility Services expects about $3.2 million from the state to arrive by early fall — far less than the funding needed to keep total deferred maintenance costs from increasing again.

The state would need to dole out around $20 million per year just to stabilize deferred maintenance costs.

And even at $20 million, “you’re barely keeping pace with aging,” Courtade said.

But the state hasn’t provided that level of funding once in the

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Log on to see photos of LSU’s win against Centenary this weekend.

TRANSFERS, see page 15

Deferred Maintenance Summary

last decade.

Aging can cause costly deterioration when deferred maintenance projects go unaddressed, making these projects even more expensive.

And the most recent wave of budget cuts will likely exacerbate this problem because staff reductions will result in slower response times for preventative maintenance.

Allen Hall is waiting on funds to replace an aged air-handling unit, replace windows and upgrade an elevator. Sturgis Hall needs to replace exhaust fans, and Peabody Hall needs MAINTENANCE, see page 15

Leaving community college to come to the University will soon be easier with a new state-wide transfer system.

According to the plan for articulation, the process of transferring from community college to a fouryear university, 60 credits would transfer from a community college to a Louisiana four-year public university in a block instead of course by course.

Of the 60 credits, 39 would be general education requirements and 21 would be more specific to the major a student chooses.

“A block normally takes two years to complete,” said Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope.

Senate Education Chairman Ben Nevers crafted the articulation process during the 2009 legislative session, and it will be implemented in fall 2010.

“It is intended to create a more seamless situation for students who started at community college,” said LSU System Vice President of Student and Academic Support Mike Gargano.

A more structured articulation plan could save students time and money.

graphic courtesy of FACILITY SERVICES

THE DAILY REVEILLE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010

Nation & World

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

Portugal floods kill 42, some people feared buried in debris

Dalai Lama doesn’t fault Obama for low-key meeting

FUNCHAL, Madeira Islands (AP) — Rescue workers in Madeira dug through heaps of mud, boulders and debris Sunday, searching for victims buried by floods and mudslides that have killed at least 42 people on the popular Portuguese island.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — The Dalai Lama says he doesn’t fault President Obama for his low-key reception in Washington because he recognizes that the president must juggle ties to the Tibetan spiritual leader with concerns about angering China.

The Dalai Lama told The Associated Press he understands Obama must be practical in exercising his commitment to human rights worldwide.

Obama statue returns to public view at school in Jakarta JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A statue of Obama as a boy was placed late Sunday night at the Jakarta elementary school the U.S. president once attended, after its display in a public park prompted backlash in the Indonesia capital.

The re-placement of the bronze statue a week after it disappeared from public view was a low-key event officiated by the school’s principal and three local education officials.

Feds outline plan to nurse Great Lakes back to health TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The Obama administration has developed a five-year blueprint for rescuing the Great Lakes, a sprawling ecosystem plagued by toxic contamination, shrinking wildlife habitat and invasive species.

The plan envisions spending

more than $2.2 billion for longawaited repairs after a century of damage to the lakes, which hold 20 percent of the world’s fresh water.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the document, which Lisa Jackson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, was releasing at a news conference Sunday in Washington.

Lawmakers to press service chiefs on reversing ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers this week will press the military’s top uniformed officers for the first time on whether they think repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” would make sense or be too disruptive.

The testimony from each of the service chiefs on Capitol Hill will be crucial to the debate in Congress on whether to repeal the 17-year-old law, which bans gays from serving openly in the military.

President Obama says the policy unfairly punishes patriots who want to serve their country.

PAGE 2

STATE/LOCAL

Study: Global warming to bring stronger but fewer hurricanes

Sen. Mary Landrieu takes heat on climate change

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top researchers now agree the world is likely to get stronger but fewer hurricanes in the future because of global warming, seeming to settle a scientific debate on the subject.

But they say there’s not enough evidence yet to tell whether that effect has already begun.

Since just before Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana and Mississippi in 2005, dueling scientific papers have clashed about whether global warming is worsening hurricanes and will do so in the future. The new study seems to split the difference. A special World Meteorological Organization panel of 10 experts in both hurricanes and climate change — including leading scientists from both sides — came up with a consensus, which is published online Sunday in the journal Nature Geoscience.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Sen. Mary Landrieu is being hammered on the airwaves for opposing the Environmental Protection Agency’s effort to regulate greenhouse gases by using the Clean Air Act. Landrieu, a Democrat, has pushed a resolution to stop federal limits on what some people consider climate-changing pollution.

Extreme cold could mean slow crawfish from harvest this season (AP) — Earlier this year, crawfish farmers expected heavy rains to bring a bountiful harvest, but that was before periods of subfreezing temperatures pushed the mud bugs back into their holes.

Now producers wonder if early projections of a strong crop will pan out. And some restaurant owners are having a hard time keeping up with customers’ hunger for crawfish.

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CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

The Daily Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards.This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes which may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified please contact the editor at (225) 5784811 or e-mail editor@lsureveille.com.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 3

TRANSPORTATION

University to lose about 400 student parking spaces Construction set to begin in March

By Sumit Kumar Contributing Writer

Students who park on campus will have almost 400 fewer parking spaces to choose from after this spring.

The CEBA parking lot will soon be replaced by the new Business Education Complex for the E.J. Ourso College of Business. Construction is expected to begin early next month.

The 300-spot triangular parking lot east of Patrick F. Taylor Hall (CEBA) will be removed, while the west parking lot will remain unaffected.

The AgCenter state vehicle lot, which holds 40 parking spots, will be moved to the motor pool north of the Swine Palace.

Ninety parking spaces will

also be removed from Chopin Hall this summer to make way for a new chemistry lab.

The projects will be financed by state funds, unlike other University Auxilliary Services ventures, which are self-funded. But state budget cuts caused the project to be delayed.

Some students, including Olivia Wilkins, a child and family studies sophomore, are not happy with the developments. “[The CEBA lot] is a really good parking spot — a key place on campus,” Wilkins said. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Joel Bonanno, business senior, said students will find getting to class more difficult, considering the time it already takes to find a parking spot.

“Over the years, we have added 1,400 parking spots right across the street,” said Gary Graham, Director of Parking, Traffic and Transportation. “It is an inconvenience that it’s an extra

100-200 yards away, but they will have place to park.”

The development will also improve traffic on Nicholson Extension, Graham said.

Students and faculty can find alternative parking spaces south of Nicholson extension in lots which can hold as many as 3,500 vehicles, Graham said.

Parking also offers several spots like the Remote Shuttle Lot west of the old Alex Box Stadium with 624 spots, which remain unused most of the time, Graham said.

The stadium will soon be brought down to build a parking garage that will hold about 600 vehicles.

Parking passes will remain the same, Graham said.

The central part of campus will not see any new parking developments, Graham said. The Easy Streets program encourages students to use bicycles and transit, relieving traffic congestion

JORDAN LAFRANCE / The Daily Reveille

Construction of the new Business Education Complex will cause the loss of 300 parking spaces in the CEBA lot in March. A new chemistry lab will also take over about 90 spaces in the Chopin Hall lot, with construction beginning this semester.

and enhancing safety, he said.

“The inconvenience will be offset by a great College of Business, which will help in improving [students’] education,”

Graham said.

Contact Sumit Kumar at skumar@lsureveille.com

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Senate appoints six student advisers to examine budget Proposal to be presented in March

By Catherine Threlkeld Staff Writer

lsureveille.com

Student Government appointed six new economic advisers to analyze Gov. Bobby Jindal’s recently proposed budget.

Jindal spared universities any further funding cuts in the budget proposal he reLog on leased Feb. 12. to see The UniSG’s blog versity has about Fialready taken nancial Aware- $43 million in ness Month. cuts during the last two years.

The new advisers are economics graduate student Christian Raschke, mechanical engineering graduate student Wei Xu, management senior Hunter Thompson, economics junior Ahmed Mohamed, economics and political science senior Paige Nichols and international trade and finance junior Brian Dombeck.

They are currently assisting SG Chief Economic Adviser Greg Upton in dividing Jindal’s budget into six parts.

Each adviser will study a section, such as health care or TOPS, and will report his or her findings to Upton.

The advisers will then create a proposal and present it in a seminar March 11, Upton said.

Economics professor Naci Mocan will co-host the seminar, and he will talk about the state of higher education in Louisiana.

The student advisers will

“We’re not going to ask for lead the second part of the seminar and will present their pro- higher education to be constitutionally protected, posal to the state but we’re asking legislature with for everything to detailed recombe on the same mendations, Upplaying field,” ton said.

Upton said.

“We want to Upton said have an educated some possibilities discussion, and in the proposal this is the way to are a fee raise, do that,” Upton Greg Upton which will abate said.

SG Chief Economic Adviser some of the effect Thompson is of budget cuts on analyzing Jindal’s this University. overall proposal “Another recommendation is to give an overview to the other what will happen to TOPS next advisers.

“Everybody gets emotional year,” Upton said. “We think it with education and health care, should be merit-based. That view and it’s our job to keep it as ob- is very consistent with the chanjective as possible,” Thompson cellor.”

Upton said the advisers are said.

Upton said the Louisiana all qualified, dedicated students constitution is large and bloated, and have an average GPA of 3.8.

The advisers have already and many sections are constituhad three official meetings, and tionally protected.

‘‘

‘We want to have an educated discussion, and this is the way to do that.’

the proposal will be complete in the next few weeks.

Upton said in addition to the state legislature, the advisers will present the proposal to the Chancellor’s Office and SG Senate.

Contact Catherine Threlkeld at cthrelkeld@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 4

Monday, February 22, 2010

BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY

New North Gate businesses to benefit students

By Sabrina Trahan Contributing Writer

Block Construction will build a new CVS drugstore in the vacant area on Highland in the North Gate area.

Rebecca Rainer, Block Construction marketing representative, said the out-of-state developers will not allow her to disclose specific information at this time. Campus Apartments, based in Phila-

delphia, purchased the property in 2007.

“Site preparation is underway,” Rainer said. “Currently, I do not have a timeline.”

Brad Bennen, petroleum engineering sophomore, resides at the Venue in the North Gate area. He said the addition of a CVS and other retailers will help students who live in the North Gate area.

“The new CVS will be much more convenient for students who

live in the Venue and other North Gate apartments because it’s a pain to have to go all the way down Highland just to go to a drugstore,” he said.

Bennen said he goes to a drugstore or grocery about once a week, and the new CVS will benefit other residents of the area and students living on campus. The new developments will cost approximately $2.7 million. The city-parish permit office contains documents

showing construction of a CVS and another building adjacent to Smoothie King.

The other building and the vacant two-building shopping center on West State Street will be converted into restaurants, stores and a 209-space parking lot on the West State property, according to the permit office’s documents.

Elizabeth Harvey, co-owner of Storyville T-shirt shop neighboring the construction site, said Sto-

ryville is excited to see new businesses coming into the area.

“This area needed some type of pharmacy because it’s lacking over here,” Harvey said. “The only place near here is Circle K, and a pharmacy will be more convenient for students and local area residents.”

Contact Sabrina Trahan at strahan@lsureveille.com

BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY

EA Sports Baton Rouge tests upcoming sports games

Testers working on ‘Madden,’ ‘NCAA’

By Ben Bourgeois Entertainment Writer

Some students can’t wait to get home after class and spend the afternoon mashing buttons on games like “Madden” and “NCAA Football 2010,” but 80 local students get to test the newest games before they hit the shelves.

The Electronic Arts Sports North American Testing Center, which opened in 2008 right off campus on GSRI Avenue, offers testing work to about 160 people, said Patrick Lamont, project specialist at the location.

“We’re expecting to hire about another 300 game testers,” Lamont said. “And at least 50 percent of our testers are local college students.”

Some of the games being test-

ed now include “Madden Football 2011,” “NCAA Football 2011” and “Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2011,” Lamont said.

“The lineup that we’re testing heavily now are the games that come out in June, July and August,” Lamont said. “‘Tiger Woods’ comes out on Father’s Day [June 20, 2010], and ‘NCAA’ comes out in July in time for college kickoff.”

Game testers are required to search for and report bugs they find in the games currently in development, Lamont said. A typical day at EA consists of free testing and assigned tasks.

“A tester’s day is 33 percent ad hoc or creative testing, where the whole day is open to them,” Lamont said. “Thirty-three percent is assigned tasks. Then the rest would be to check if the bugs that were claimed to be fixed were really fixed — we call that regression testing.”

Jordan Goynes, a University alumnus who has been working at

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the testing center for nearly a year and has moved to full-time employment since graduating last December, said the assigned tasks can get a bit tedious.

“You’re not just looking at the surface,” Goynes said. “We have to make sure if you’re playing through a season, the information will load up. There’s a bigger story behind all the visual things that you see.”

One of the misconceptions about the job is that the testers aren’t doing serious work, Goynes said.

“People think we come here and play video games all day — that is not true,” Goynes said. “I am playing the games that you don’t want to play, the things you have no

interest in doing in the game.”

But testers said they still enjoy the relaxed environment of the job.

“They’re pretty flexible — I’ve worked as little as 18 hours a week before,” Goynes said. “If you need to change or swap your shift, they’re very understandable about people who are in school.”

The testing center, known as EA Sports Baton Rouge, is the only one of its kind in the United States, according to Roger Pynn, spokesman for EA Sports.

“While we do some testing in Orlando and at the other locations around North America, what we did was to establish the center there with partnership with LSU and con-

solidate our [testing] function,” Pynn said. “We’re very pleased with the work that’s being done there.”

While the site serves only as a testing center now, Lamont said he could see it expanding in the next few years.

“The next two to three years could be lucrative for us in how we grow,” Lamont said. “We may be able to grow into a full development studio [for games].”

Contact Ben Bourgeois at bbourgeois@lsureveille.com

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 5

STUDENT LIFE

First Year Experience starts transfer student society Group first of its kind in Louisiana

By Joanna Zimmerman Contributing Writer

The University’s charter class of Tau Sigma Honor Society inducted 47 transfer students on Sunday.

Tau Sigma is a nationally recognized honor society created in 1999 at Auburn University specifically for transfer students.

Its goal is to recognize the academic achievements of students who have transferred from other institutions to LSU and to encourage and promote their involvement, said Randy Fontenot, the current chapter adviser.

LSU is the first school in Louisiana to create a chapter for the society.

The First Year Experience department within the Division of Student Life initiated the society, because freshmen are not the only students who experience a first year at LSU, said Darrell Ray, assistant vice chancellor for

Student Life. transferring to LSU. “We want to make sure they Chelsea Black, kinesiolfeel a connection to the Univer- ogy transfer from the University sity and make it their new home,” of Nevada, Las Vegas, said she Ray said. transferred for the opportuniChancellor ties from LSU’s Michael Martin Department of told the transKinesiology. fer students the The students University wants invited to join students to feel at Tau Sigma must home no matter have at least how they ended one semester at up here. He said LSU and two he wanted them to semesters at a priparticipate in the or university.

Mary Gaston University’s goals University of Pennsylvania transfer They must of education, exalso be full time perimentation and and in the top 20 engaging the community. percent of transfer students. Ray “It’s harder to be a trans- said the minimum GPA is about fer student and not have the a 3.35. freshman year experience,” said Students will elect officers Mary Gaston, who transferred once the society is fully estabfrom the University of Pennsyl- lished at the University and will vania. then have a meeting and an event Ashley Sylestine, commu- each semester. nications disorder transfer from LSU-Eunice, said she joined because she wanted to meet Contact Joanna Zimmerman at other transfer students. Students jzimmerman@lsureveille.com have a number of reasons for

‘‘

‘It’s harder to be a transfer student and not have the freshman year experience.’

FACULTY

Professor to star in new thriller

By Mandy Francois Contributing Writer

University students may soon see a familiar face on the big screen.

Richard Holben, a University dramatic arts professor, will be featured in “Seconds Apart,” a supernatural thriller. The release date for the movie has not been set.

The film is mid-budget, and it will feature the directing skills of upand-coming Latino director Antonio Negeret. Orlando Jones, best known for being an original MadTV cast member, will star in the film.

The film is about twin teenage boys with the ability to control minds. IT depicts the mayhem their abilities cause as they force others to live an alternate reality.

Holben was a guest star in shows such as “The Practice,” “LA Law” and “JAG.” He recently had a recurring role in “24.”

Holben said his work in these shows has earned him lots of attention.

“A few times a month I’ll get stopped in Albertsons by someone asking, ‘Hey, didn’t I see you on ‘24’?’” Holben said.

Despite his success as an actor and professor, Holben said

he wasn’t always sure of his life’s path. He began as a pre-med student at Xavier University in Cincinnati.

“I had a crazy roommate that talked me into auditioning for my first show — the director was the local acting guru, and he saw something in me,” Holben said. “From then on, I knew that acting would be my life.”

Holben has only spent about 25 of those years teaching.

“I didn’t start grad school until I was 51,” Holben said. “I had to work seven days a week for several years and all my peers were 10-plus years younger than me. “

With budget cuts on everyone’s mind, Holben said he is worried about the state of the theatre department.

“We’ve lost some important members of our support staff, like our shop foreman,” Holben said.

“And, of course, the dance staff has all received letters — how you can have a land grant university without a dance program is beyond me.”

Louisiana is the third largest national fliming area behind Los Angeles and New York, Holben said.

Contact Mandy Francois at mfrancois@lsureveille.com

SARA SICONA / The Daily Reveille

LSU Chancellor Michael V. Martin welcomes transfer student to Tau Sigma, the University’s new honor society.

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 6

Revelry

Today’s KLSU Specialty Shows: 9 p.m. - 11 p.m.: Valley Girl Intelligencia (Girl bands), 11 p.m. - 1 a.m.: Bars and Ballads with L.A. Tré (R&B and soul) MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010

lsureveille.com

Log on to see photos of these events.

J.J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille

RepreCensus team members wear their “you never forget your first time” T-shirts Saturday at the LSU-Centenary baseball game.

MELANIE SCOTT / The Daily Reveille

Dwanda Carter, human resource management major, speaks about one of the lessons she has learned in life Thursday during the Imani Pageant.

JORDAN LaFRANCE /

The Daily Reveille

Brian Crabtree, owner of Kafka Cotton, speaks to Alejandro Pinto, industrial engineering senior, in the Quad. Crabtree is promoting his T-shirt company, which makes donations to organizations that work to improve literacy.

Log on to lsureveille.com to watch this week’s guests: • Gregor the giant cockroach • repreCensus

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Sports

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010

PAGE 7

CLOSE CALL

SOFTBALL

LSU seals victory at Tiger Classic

By Jarred LeBlanc Sports Contributor

J.J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille

Mississippi State senior forward Jarvis Varnado, left, blocks LSU sophomore forward Storm Warren’s shot during the Tigers’ 60-59 loss Saturday against the Bulldogs in the PMAC.

Phil Turner. The Bulldogs raced downcourt, neglecting to call a timeout.

They didn’t need one.

Turner received a kick-out pass from sophomore guard Dee Bost and cooly drained a contested shot from beyond the arc to put

Sophomore left fielder Ashley Langoni only needed one swing to clinch the Tiger Classic title for the LSU softball team Sunday in Tiger Park.

Langoni’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the sixth inning of the championship game against Virginia gave the Tigers an 8-0 win thanks to the NCAA’s eight-run mercy rule.

LSU (7-4) picked up three other victories and one loss throughout the weekend tournament.

Senior pitcher Cody Trahan (10) was nearly unhittable in the championship game against the Cavaliers (2-5). Trahan pitched all six innings against Virginia, struck out four batters and gave up two hits and no runs.

Trahan thrived on her ability to control the pitch count, throwing first-pitch strikes to the first 11 batters she faced.

“It’s very important to work ahead, and that way, we can throw what we want later on,” Trahan said.

Langoni got the LSU offense started early with a first-inning RBI single to center field to drive in junior designated player Ashley Applegate.

Sophomore second baseman Courtney Hollier scored senior right fielder Rachel Mitchell with a single to right field on the next play to pull the Tigers ahead, 2-0.

Langoni’s bat stayed on fire throughout the day, as she smashed a two-run double off the top of the

BULLDOGS, see page 11

CLASSIC, see page 11

J.J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille J.J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille

LSU freshman forward Dennis Harris, left, dives for a loose ball against Mississippi State junior forward Kodi Augustus during the Tigers’ 60-59 loss on Saturday against the Bulldogs in the PMAC.

Mississippi State senior forward Jarvis Varnado, center, is trapped by LSU junior guard Bo Spencer (11), senior forward Tasmin Mitchell and freshman forward Dennis Harris (15).

Bulldogs, junior guard Phil Turner nip victory from Tigers in close matchup So close. Again.

The LSU men’s basketball team had a second consecutive good effort foiled as Mississippi State (19-8, 7-5) outgunned the Tigers (9-17, 0-12), 60-59, on Saturday in the PMAC. “Well, I thought Mississippi State made some tough threes and the plays they needed to make,”

said LSU coach Trent Johnson. “I forward Dennis Harris contributed thought we did a very, very good 10 points in the losing effort. job of executing.”

The finish

By Chris Branch But the excouldn’t have ecution came up been more draSports Writer a bit short. Senior matic. Down 57forward Tasmin Mitchell led LSU 56, Mitchell nailed what looked with 25 points and nine rebounds, to be the game-winning 3-pointer sophomore forward Storm War- with just 16 ticks left on the clock. ren had 14 points and freshman Enter Bulldog junior guard

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

No. 23 LSU travels to face No. 5 Tennessee Lady Tigers riding winning streak

By Rachel Whittaker Chief Sports Writer

The LSU women’s basketball team’s home loss to Tennessee on Jan. 24 began a stretch in which the Lady Tigers dropped four of five games.

The No. 23 Lady Tigers (18-7, 7-6) and the No. 5 Lady Volunteers (24-2, 12-1) meet again tonight at 6 p.m. on ESPN2 — this time in Knoxville, Tenn., with LSU riding a three-game winning streak.

LSU’s average margin of victory in the three

Southeastern Conference victories against Florida, Auburn and Vanderbilt is 26.7 points. Most recently, LSU allowed just 39 points to Vanderbilt on Thursday, the fewest the Commodores have scored in team history.

LSU coach Van Chancellor said he was encouraged by the Lady Tigers’ defensive effort in his team’s first meeting with Tennessee, despite the outcome.

“We played good defense — only gave up 55 points to the biggest women’s college basketball team that has ever played the game,” Chancellor said. “Our rebounding was good, and so was our offensive execution. We just couldn’t score.”

LSU shot just 14-of-53 from

the field, a meager 26.4 percent, while Tennessee converted 21-of47 shots, nearly 45 percent.

“If we miss that many shots Monday, that’s the way the game is going to go up there,” Chancellor said. “That was the only game in the SEC [when] we have not shot free throws well, and [from the field] we couldn’t throw one in the Mississippi River out there standing on the bridge.”

Junior guard Katherine Graham has contributed strongly to LSU’s scoring this month. In a triple-overtime loss to Ole Miss, she garnered 20 points on her way to just the third triple-double in LSU women’s basketball history, and TENNESSEE, see page 11

J.J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille

Vanderbilt junior guard Jence Rhoads races to catch up to LSU senior guard Allison Hightower on Thursday during the Tigers’ 55-39 win against Vanderbilt in the PMAC.

PAGE 8

SWIMMING AND DIVING

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Monday, February 22, 2010

Tigers, Lady Tigers both finish seventh at SECs

By Katherine Terrell Sports Contributor

The LSU swimming and diving teams returned home from a week in Atlanta and four days of events with seventh-place finishes in the Southeastern Conference Championships.

“Overall, I’m very proud of our group for coming out and competing hard throughout the competition,” LSU coach Adam Schmitt said in a news release. “The standings didn’t necessarily work out for us in the end, but we did have some great times and diving performances over the past four days.”

Several Tigers and Lady Tigers broke individual bests and school

records during the week.

The Tigers and Lady Tigers kicked off the meet by breaking school records in the 200-yard medley relay and the 800-yard freestyle relay.

The Tigers’ medley relay time of 1 minute, 26 seconds was good enough for third place at the meet and also ranks third in the nation. The Lady Tigers’ fourth-place finishing time of 7 minutes, 14.54 seconds in the 800-yard freestyle relay broke an LSU record set in 1997.

Day two saw individual records fall as junior Jane Trepp broke her own record in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.34 seconds. The time ranks seventh in the nation.

Sophomore diver Brian Gemberling placed sixth in the 1-meter springboard with a score of 364.60, third all-time in program history.

“It was a good day for LSU diving all around,” LSU diving coach Doug Shaffer said Thursday in a news release. “The highlight was obviously Brian getting to his second final with a career-high score in the 1-meter.”

Trepp wasn’t done breaking records after Thursday, as she broke two more of her own Friday. She placed fifth in the 100-yard butterfly with a school record-breaking time of 53.00 seconds and seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Freshman Craig Hamilton

placed sixth in the 1,650-yard freestyle on the final day of competition, smashing the LSU record by 13 seconds. Sophomore Mary Beck placed seventh in the 200-yard backstroke, also breaking a school record.

The Tigers and Lady Tigers ended the meet with NCAA ‘B’ cut marks in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

The Tigers placed sixth, and the Lady Tigers placed fifth.

“Craig had a great swim today in the mile race and will definitely be in the running for a bid to NCAAs, and Mary improved her school record in the 200 back,” Schmitt said in a news release Friday.

Schmitt said he is looking toward a good showing in the NCAA

championship meet.

“I’m pretty sure we qualified some of our men’s and women’s swimmers to NCAAs,” Schmitt said.

“Ultimately, our goal is to do well there, and I think it will come together when we get there.”

The Tigers have a “Last Chance Meet” on Feb. 27 and Feb. 28 for any swimmers who haven’t qualified for NCAA championships. The NCAA Zone B Diving Regional is March 1214, followed by the women’s NCAA championships on March 18-20 and the men’s NCAA championships on March 25-27.

Contact Katherine Terrell at kterrell@lsureveille.com

AWARDS

LSU student-athletes honored for academics, athletics

By Rowan Kavner Sports Contributor

In the midst of bowl season, March Madness and College World Series runs, it’s easy to forget LSU athletes are also students.

The Tiger Athletic Foundation’s Academic Excellence Gala on Sunday night recognized more than 150 student-athletes who excelled both in the classrooms and their respective sports.

Coaches and athletes from all LSU sports were represented,

including LSU football coach Les Miles.

“When we introduce a studentathlete at LSU, we do so with this in mind — that he will gain tools and strengths academically that will allow him to compete in the marketplace throughout his life,” Miles said.

Former pitcher Louis Coleman and former gymnast Ashleigh ClareKearney headlined the honorees as the TAF Athletes of the Year, awarded to the male and female athletes who excelled most in their respective sports.

Coleman, a fifth-round draft pick of the Kansas City Royals, was the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year. His 29 career wins and 303 strikeouts are No. 8 and No. 9, respectively, in LSU history.

Clare-Kearney was one of the most decorated gymnasts in LSU history. She was the first LSU gymnast to claim two national titles, winning the NCAA Vault Championship and the NCAA Floor Championship.

Junior swimmer Laust Helmig and senior volleyball player Lauren DeGirolamo were the 2009 TAF

Scholar Athletes of the Year. The award is given to the male and female student-athletes who have shown superior academic prowess.

Helmig, a native of Denmark, speaks three languages — English, Danish and German. The two-time recipient of the Director’s Cup for Academic Excellence maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA in five semesters at LSU. DeGirolamo graduated summa cum laude with a 3.925 undergraduate GPA and a 4.0 graduate GPA. The Eye of the Tiger award was

handed to the LSU athlete who overcame the most adversity. Sophomore goalie Mo Isom, who lost her father early in 2009 and was injured in a major car accident during Thanksgiving break, received the award.

The LSU soccer team edged out baseball to win the Tiger Cup award, which combines GPA, final SEC standings and average community service.

Contact Rowan Kavner at rkavner@lsureveille.com

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 9

TENNIS

Tigers, Lady Tigers struggle against superior teams Burns’ winning streak continues

By Rowan Kavner Sports Contributor

The LSU men’s and women’s tennis teams’ plights continued this weekend against superior opponents.

Freshman Kaitlin Burns secured the lone point for the No. 58 LSU women’s tennis team in a 6-1 losing effort against No. 14 Florida State (5-4) in Tallahassee, Fla., on Sunday.

Burns has been a bright spot in an otherwise troublesome stretch for the Lady Tigers (2-5), winning her last six singles matches.

LSU has only four points in its last three matches against

Texas A&M, Ohio State and Florida State. Three of them are courtesy of Burns.

The Lady Tigers continue to struggle in the midst of a fivematch losing streak despite Burns’ prowess.

Freshman Ebie Wilson had a fight to the finish but lost in a second-set tiebreaker, 7-5, 6-4 (10-5).

The rest of the Lady Tigers were swept in straight sets in singles.

Sophomore Whitney Wolf and freshman Keri Frankenberger won their doubles match, 8-4. But the effort wasn’t enough to obtain the doubles point as the other two Lady Tiger duos came up short.

The combination of Wolf and Frankenberger is in a groove and is now 6-1 on the season.

The No. 1 Virginia men’s tennis team displayed why it is the

nation’s best, blanking No. 35 give us anything.”

LSU, 7-0, on Saturday.

LSU’s closest matches came Five of the six Cavaliers in doubles, where two out of the were nationally three matches went ranked, includto tiebreakers. The ing two in the victories eventually top 10. Virginia went to the Cava(10-1) only liers. needed two sets The tandem of in every singles LSU sophomore match to retire Neal Skupski and the Tigers (0freshman Roger 4), as the CavaAnderson fell, 9-8 liers didn’t lose (11-9). The duo of a match in doujuniors Sebastian bles or singles.

Carlsson and Julien Danny Bryan LSU asGauthier dropped its sistant coach LSU men’s tennis assistant coach match, 9-8 (7-5).

Danny Bryan “It would have said Virginia was practically un- been nice to see what would have beatable. happened if we could have put a “They’re definitely a com- little pressure on them,” Bryan plete team with no holes in the said. “But once we lost the doulineup,” Bryan said. “They didn’t bles point, they kind of relaxed

‘‘

‘[Virginia is] definitely a complete team with no holes in the lineup. They didn’t give us anything.’

GYMNASTICS

Tigers tie with Razorbacks LSU posts seasonhigh road score

By Rob Landry Sports Contributor

Ties don’t happen often in gymnastics. They’re actually a nearly impossible feat to accomplish.

But No. 11 LSU (5-3-1, 2-2-1) and No. 6 Arkansas (3-3-1, 2-3-1) completed in all four events and ended up in a 196.200-196.200 deadlock Friday night in Fayetteville, Ark. But the Tigers did walk away from the meet with a new seasonhigh road score, which will come in handy with the regional qualifying score taking effect in next week’s rankings.

“We definitely needed a good high road score,” said LSU senior Summer Hubbard. “I feel really confident with what we did. It’s always a little nerve-racking to have to go into someone else’s house, but we took that with a grain of salt and we did good.”

Friday’s meet also marked the debut of freshman Ericka Garcia.

Garcia was a solid contributor for the Tigers in all three apparatuses on which she competed.

She scored a 9.825 on the vault, a 9.775 on the balance beam and a 9.70 on the uneven bars. “[Garcia] was so nervous for the bars because it was her first event,” said LSU senior Susan Jackson. “But once it was over, she settled down, and the last two events were great. It was exciting for her, and she had a great time getting to finally compete with the team.”

Arkansas senior Casey Jo Magee won the all-around title with a score of 39.525.

Magee’s all-around title marked the first time this season Jackson did not win the all-around, snapping her streak at five consecutive meets.

Jackson did still win an individual title on the vault and split the uneven bars title with Hubbard.

The Tigers led the Razorbacks through the first three rotations, but a couple slip-ups on the balance beam left a window of hope open for the Hogs, and they took advantage on the floor exercise.

LSU coach D-D Breaux was happy with the performance but not satisfied with what her team accomplished.

“We competed against a very good Arkansas team tonight, and they pushed us all night long,” Breaux said. “We are happy with this road score, but it was only a good night for us. We didn’t have great gymnastics [Friday], and we will look to get better next week.”

The Tigers would have walked away winners if Friday’s meet been a postseason competition. The

NCAA tie-breaker rule in gymnastics takes each team’s highest single apparatus score, and the team with the higher score is the winner.

LSU’s highest total came on vault, where it posted a 49.200. Arkansas also got its highest marks on the vault, but finished with a 49.125.

The Tigers will have to post another solid road performance next week when they travel to Athens, Ga., to take on five-time defending national champion Georgia.

But the unsure feeling of a tie is still lingering for now.

“It’s weird,” Jackson said.

“This never really happens. I’m glad we didn’t lose, but it just feels weird.”

Contact Rob Landry at rlandry@lsureveille.com

and steamrolled us in singles.”

LSU is 1-11 in its last 12 singles matches. The Tigers have dropped straight sets in all 11 losses.

The futile 0-4 start to the Tigers’ season could be attributed to the competition they’ve faced.

Three of the four teams the Tigers played were ranked in the nation’s top 20.

“We play a very tough schedule,” Bryan said. “We’re normally playing four freshmen. The experience they’ve gotten in the last month is really going to help us when the [Southeastern Conference] season comes along.”

Contact Rowan Kavner at rkavner@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 10

Monday, February 22, 2010

TRACK AND FIELD

Former Tiger Richard Thompson sets Field House record LSU improves marks during meet

By Katherine Terrell Sports Contributor

Richard Thompson came back to campus for one more record Friday night at the LSU Twilight track and field meet.

A packed Carl Maddox Field House got quite a show from Thompson and former Florida State sprinter Walter Dix, both of whom were 2008 Olympians.

Thompson and Dix went head to head in the preliminaries of the men’s 60-meter dash, with Dix besting Thompson with a time of 6.72 seconds to Thompson’s 6.74.

When Dix declined to run in the finals, the finals were all about Thompson. He raced past the finish line with a time of 6.59 seconds, tying the Field House record.

Thompson, who will skip the Indoor World Championships, said his focus is on the outdoor season.

“As the outdoor season starts, I’m going to try to run in some smaller meets and work on 400s, 4x4s, 200s, getting myself stronger for the 100-meters because you see some of those guys were pulling away from me at the end of the race,” Thompson said. “I need to get stronger and work on my technical aspect.”

Thompson, who trains in Baton Rouge, said he has faith in a good season thanks to LSU coach Dennis Shaver.

“Coach Shaver is such a great coach,” Thompson said. “I have so much faith in him. I’m sure I’ll be able to run faster this year and in years to come.”

It was a record-breaking night all around for the Tigers and Lady Tigers. Some people on the team sat out the meet to rest for Southeastern Conference Championships. Many of those who participated broke their own personal best marks.

Senior Will Coppage placed second in the men’s long jump with a season-best jump of 25 feet, 3 inches, an NCAA provisional mark. Sophomore Earnest Green placed seventh with a personal best jump of 24 feet, 1/4 inches.

Junior Melissa Ogbourne improved her personal best in the triple jump by 2 feet. Her mark of 43 feet, 5 inches won the event and ranks seventh all-time in LSU history.

Sophomore Michael Lauro placed first in the men’s weight throw with a personal best of 67 feet, 9 inches.

“I came into this meet expecting a big throw tonight because of what the training’s been like these past few weeks,” Lauro said. “I came into the meet nice and relaxed ... PRed the first two throws and I was really happy with it.”

Lauro said he is looking forward to competing at SEC championships and NCAA championships.

“This is going to be my first

photos by BRIANNA PACIORKA / The Daily Reveille

[Left] LSU sophomore Barrett Nugent finishes first in his heat for the men’s 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.79 at the LSU Twilight indoor meet at the Maddox Field House Friday. [Right] LSU sophomore Jeremy Handy competes in the men’s 400-meter dash in the same meet Friday.

year at nationals,” Lauro said.

“I’m excited about the whole thing. The whole season’s been going great.”

Shaver said he was pleased with the results he saw in the meet and saw it as a chance for athletes other than automatic NCAA qualifiers to step up.

“Internal motivation for each athlete is different at this time of the year,” Shaver said. “Those who really haven’t achieved the kind of marks that they wanted are more motivated in this kind of competition than those who are automatic NCAA qualifiers, who we didn’t allow to compete.”

It was a good day all around in terms of improving personalbest marks, Shaver said.

“With the people that we had in the competition, I thought we got some things done that were real positive,” Shaver said. “We had several indoor personal bests.

Many of the kids who competed around the track probably aren’t going to be able to go for the SEC indoor meet ... so it was a great opportunity for them.”

Contact Katherine Terrell at kterrell@lsureveille.com

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010

THE DAILY REVEILLE

floor in three seconds uncontested.

There were six. He was well aware Mississippi State up by the final tally. of it. Well, he’s been told what to do “One of the things they’ve al- in those situations.” ways been told in late game situaSpencer “was trying to do too tions is that you trust your defense, much,” Johnson added. and it’s going to be a man,” Johnson “I’m not going to blame him,” said. “Washington State was a simi- Johnson said. “It’s tough to execute lar type of situation. Utah was simi- in those situations.” lar too. I can’t fault what happened in Spencer’s desperation shot the stretch. No question. You have a missed the goal completely and guy in transition who’s a good shoot- landed out of bounds with 1.7 secer, and we overhelped.” onds remaining on the clock. After a The Tigers actually had a series of fouls, LSU somehow found chance at a final shot to win the another opportunity to almost pull game. Turner’s shot came with seven off the improbable. seconds still on the clock. LSU juMitchell intercepted the Bullnior guard Bo Spencer received the dogs’ final inbound pass near halfinbound pass and heaved a halfcourt court with 1.1 seconds left. He imshot with close to three seconds re- mediately heaved up a last-gasp shot maining. attempt from halfcourt only to have “From day one, when we prac- Turner swat the ball out of his hands. ticed late clock situations and you Mitchell thought he was fouled. have no timeouts, you get it to your “Without a doubt,” Mitchell best ballhandler, and you have to go said. “It had to be before the buzzer make a play at the basket,” Johnson went off. When I got the ball, I was said. “You can go the length of the about to throw it up. He hit my hand.

He hit the ball too. He hit hand and ball.”

Johnson was a little less opinionated on the situation.

“I didn’t see it,” Johnson said.

“If he was fouled, they would have called it. It is what it is.”

Johnson was nevertheless pleased with the effort from a team that could have given up long ago.

Statistically, this team could be the worst team in LSU basketball history.

“There was something I wrote on the board after Arkansas [on Feb. 10],” Johnson said. “It said, ‘The rewards in effort will only be seen through the ability to continue to compete and not quit.’ Yeah, we’re 0-12 and 9-17. But have we gotten better? Yeah. There’s no question.”

game.’”

Graham said LSU has to continue playing as a unit to win the Tennessee game. The Lady Volunteers have won eight games in a row and are 12-0 at home this season.

“We definitely take a team effort over individual statistics any day because that’s how you beat good teams like Vanderbilt and Tennessee,” Graham said. “One person is never going to beat the other team.”

Senior guard Allison Hightower was one of four players who scored in double figures for LSU

on Thursday. She said the Lady Tigers also need to bring a team effort on the defensive side of the ball.

“It starts with defense. LSU is known for our defense,” Hightower said. “We want to make sure we bring that effort every single night — hustle plays, get loose balls and rebound.”

LSU lost the rebounding battle, 39-32, against Tennessee in January, but Chancellor said the Lady Tigers have a different attitude this time around.

“We decided we’d demand more in practice, and we’d

a 6-3 lead.

LSU’s only loss of the tournament was to No. 4 Michigan (6-2) on Saturday, 2-0.

Wolverine junior pitcher Jordan Taylor (4-0) dominated the Tigers from the circle. Taylor struck out 12 LSU hitters and only allowed three hits and one walk.

“You have to give the credit to the opponent,” said LSU coach Yvette Girouard. “We were overmatched by that young lady.”

Mack received the loss for the Tigers after pitching seven innings, striking out eight batters and giving

up six hits and two runs.

The Tigers bounced back in their evening game Saturday against Oklahoma and beat the Cowgirls, 5-1, to advance to Sunday’s championship.

Shortridge (2-0) earned the win in the circle by holding the Cowgirls to five hits and one run, while adding four strike outs in her 4 1/3 innings of work.

BULLDOGS, from page 7

TENNESSEE, from page 7

she added a team-high 15 points against Vanderbilt.

“I’ve never seen anybody improve like [Graham]. I promise you that,” Chancellor said. “She’s been a post player all her life until she came to LSU.” Chancellor said Graham’s “unique personality” also extends off the court.

“She’s one of the few players who can talk to the coach where the rest of them can’t,” Chancellor said. “She’ll come tell me, ‘Coach, calm down a little bit. We got this

CLASSIC, from page 7

wall in center field in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend the Tigers’ lead to 6-0.

In all, Langoni went 3-for-4 in the game with four RBIs and raised her team-best batting average to .400.

“I’m seeing the ball really well,” Langoni said. “Once I start getting the singles and the doubles, I get more confident in myself to where I come up and hit a bomb.”

LSU picked up two victories on Friday, beating Virginia and Oklahoma State, 3-0 and 6-4, respectively.

In game one against Virginia, LSU freshman pitcher Rachele Fico (3-2) relieved Trahan in the fourth inning and earned her third victory of the season.

The Tigers scored the game’s only three runs in the first inning. Senior center fielder Kirsten Shortridge led off the game with a walk and then stole two bases before scoring on an illegal pitch.

Applegate and Mitchell followed Shortridge with walks of their own, and Applegate stole a base and then scored on a wild pitch.

Sophomore first baseman Anissa Young hit an RBI double to score Mitchell and give the Tigers the 3-0 lead.

In game two, the Tigers won a come-from-behind victory against Oklahoma State, 6-4.

After the Cowgirls pulled out to a 3-0 lead, Langoni ripped a two-run home run to left center in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 3-2. Junior third baseman Jessica Mouse, Shortridge and Applegate added RBIs later in the inning to give the Tigers

PAGE 11

J.J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille

Contact Chris Branch at cbranch@lsureveille.com

Contact Jarred LeBlanc at jleblanc@lsureveille.com

LSU senior forward Tasmin Mitchell gets caught between three Mississippi State defenders while trying to drive the ball to the hoop during the Tigers’ 60-59 loss Saturday against the Bulldogs in the PMAC.

demand more in games,” Chancellor said. “You have to have discipline, you have to know where to get the ball and you have to be able

to run things out of a timeout.”

Contact Rachel Whittaker at rwhittaker@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Opinion

PAGE 12

OUR VIEW

Monday, February 22, 2010

Cracks in campus buildings reveal neglect, lack of funds Among other things, LSU’s campus is known for its beauty — for stately oaks, proud magnolias and unique architecture.

But as pretty as the University appears, it has countless cracks, fractures and problems. And the list of problems in need of repair is getting longer all the time.

The University’s deferred maintenance list — a catalogue of

repairs Facility Services employees haven’t yet been able to fix — is currently worth a staggering $430 million. This sum is a result of years of inadequate funding.

Facility Services estimates $20 million a year would be necessary to fully fund physical maintenance. The state has given them a little more than $3 million this time around.

We understand $20 million to keep the University’s physical plant in top condition is a luxury the state can ill afford, especially given recent budget woes. But budget cuts haven’t been here forever, and the state has seldom or never provided Facility Services with anywhere near the money it needs to function at full capacity.

As the flagship University

and the epicenter of some of Louisiana’s greatest cultural phenomena, the aesthetic appeal of this campus is vital to the success of not just students, but the state as a whole.

Facility Services certainly shouldn’t get all the money it asks for, but $430 million is a lot of money — and a lot of problems that still remain on campus.

Once we emerge from our current budget crisis, the state should take some steps to at least catch up on the list. It’d be a shame for such a beautiful campus to crumble.

Contact the Editorial Board at editor@lsureveille.com

NIETZSCHE IS DEAD

Youth attendance at CPAC swells but disappoints “If you’re conservative when you’re young, you’re heartless.

If you’re liberal when you’re old, you’re brainless.”

So goes the old adage, reflecting conventional wisdom on age and politics.

But, in the wake of the Conservative Political Action Conference — a conservative organizational rally held last week — it seems some percentage of young Americans are either heartless or proving that saying wrong.

CPAC garnered a flurry of media attention, and there are already volumes of opinion and analysis written about its significance.

One of the foremost observations reporters and commentators are making about the conference is the unprecedented showing by younger attendees. By some reports, the audience was at times about half college-age young adults.

The organizers tried to put the “party” in the GOP, as a way of courting these attendees and putting up the appearance of youthful vigor.

Their attempts range from standard college party techniques (bars, underage drinking and the wildly popular drink “Redheaded Sluts”) to the bizarre (guests could attend a “Smoke Out Terrorism” event involving hookahs and cherry tobacco) to the downright laughable — an event on the XPAC schedule (Xtreme Politically Active Conservatives, the Stephen Baldwinfounded youth arm of CPAC) read, “11 p.m. XPAC Rap/Jam Session, live music and special performances by Rappers: Hi-Caliber, Young Cons and many more!”

It really gave the Republican Party some hope of changing its traditional image of old, stodgy, welloff white men — to stodgy well-off white men of all ages. I think Jon Stewart’s writing team would have

a hard time coming up with a satire that hilariously cliched and, well, lame.

In all seriousness, the youth presence at CPAC is disturbing — but only because CPAC itself is d i s t u r b i n g . Matthew Albright The event is a Opinion Editor riotous and selfcongratulatory anger festival showcasing the many faults of the most militant, reactionary and dangerous wings of the Republican Party and the conservative movement.

The prime speakers at the event included Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter — a veritable laundry list of exactly who should not be in charge of steering a movement, let alone a political party.

The convention’s overarching theme was nominally “reducing government spending.” The form that theme took, not surprisingly, was a no-holds-barred, riotous echo chamber of self-congratulatory bragging and inflammatory rhetoric against the Democratic establishment.

But, while this is business as usual for the far-right folks who follow Beck and Limbaugh’s word as law, what’s truly saddening is how well younger attendees took to it.

“This is like our Woodstock,” said Jason Mattera, a spokesman for the Young America’s Foundation.

“Except that our women are beautiful, we speak in complete sentences and our notion of freedom doesn’t consist of snorting cocaine, which is certainly one thing that separates us from Barack Obama.”

Just the kind of mature, civil discourse our country needs right now, don’t you think?

THE DAILY REVEILLE Editorial Board NICHOLAS PERSAC JERIT ROSER GERRI SAX ELLEN ZIELINSKI MATTHEW ALBRIGHT

Editor Managing Editor, Content Managing Editor, External Media Managing Editor, Production Opinion Editor

The highest-profile young Republicans there were the film crew of James O’Keefe, the rabidly ideological filmmaker whose most famous work was exposing the ACORN prostitute scandal.

Oh wait, did we mention he got caught brazenly and illegally tampering with the phones in Sen. Mary Landrieu’s office?

Instead of being shunned, this thug — who may well be a felon before the year is out — was given a hero’s welcome at the party, including an open bar tab, VIP spots and all the cigars he could smoke.

Let me be perfectly clear — I

have no problem with young conservatives, or really conservatives of any kind. If CPAC had been a rational forum where solutions to the real problems our nation faces could be calmly and thoroughly discussed, a strong youth presence would have been something to be cheered.

But CPAC was not any of that. Instead, it was a forum for gut-reactionary ideologues to spew immature hate, re-propose stale, meaningless ideals and go about the business of being conservative in the loudest, ugliest and most juvenile way possible.

If you’re a conservative when

you’re young, you aren’t heartless. But if you’re a conservative in the same way most of CPAC was, you’re probably brainless — and should probably stick to the “Redheaded Sluts” and leave politics to the grown-ups.

Matthew Albright is a 21-year old mass communication junior from Baton Rouge. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_malbright.

Contact Matthew Albright at malbright@lsureveille.com

BEST AND WITTIEST

cartoon courtesy of KING FEATURES SYNDICATE

EDITORIAL POLICIES & PROCEDURES

QUOTE OF THE DAY

The Daily Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Daily Reveille is an independent entity within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, paper or University. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-26 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must have a contact phone number so the opinion editor can verify the author. The phone number won’t be printed. The Daily Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration without changing the original intent. The Daily Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author.

Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Daily Reveille’s editor-in-chief, hired every semester by the Louisiana State University Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

“Television enables you to be entertained in your home by people you wouldn’t have in your home.”

David Frost

British journalist and comedian April 7, 1939 — present

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Monday, February 22, 2010

CAMPUS-RESIDENT alien

Opinion

PAGE 13

Foreign view on Iran issue understandably different There have been several disputes lately in the media about the U.S.-Iran relations in the wake of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s misleading statements about Iran’s nuclear program.

As a matter of fact, U.S.Iran relations are a rich subject for political analysts and historians. These relations are full of controversial trades of provocative “diplomatic” statements and sanctions. It is not my intention to speculate about the veracity of the affirmed “non-belligerent” purpose of that program, but especially after his re-election, it’s becoming harder to believe in Ahmadinejad’s words and intentions.

Ahmadinejad’s speeches have already painted the initiative as a lesson of Iran’s sovereignty to the West (I understand “West” here as U.S. and Europe) despite Iran’s right to develop technology for a more efficient energy-

generating matrix. If George W. Bush were still president, I personally believe a military reaction would be strongly considered — if not already in effect — as a result of the lack of transparency in Iran’s nuclear program.

But let me tell you something from my foreign point of view: I’m certain a significant part of the international community is not willing to fully believe in the U.S.’s reasons to militarily interfere in another country — especially after the absence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq (oops!). The American economic and military leadership is often seen as bossy and invasive. Nobody likes to be told what they can or cannot do, right?

Ahmadinejad doesn’t like it either. And here lies the problem.

For those of you writhing with the thought that I’m defending Ahmadinejad, I think he’s a crazy dictator who doesn’t give a nickel

(or anything else) to the United Nations’ IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) resolutions or to the American geopolitical and economic leadership. Watching Iran’s Revolutionary Guard actions Marcelo Vieira and Ahmadinejad’s intentions Columnist is crucial to the U.S. security. Moreover, it is even more crucial for Israel’s security.

I’m not going to argue on that.

But let me pick on the fragile image the United States has for common people in Latin American and many other countries not in the U.S.-Western Europe axis.

Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva recently welcomed Ahmadinejad in a visit to Brazil for business meetings and commercial agreements.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and several political commentators severely criticized the visit despite President Obama’s approval of the meeting and the intended role of President Lula as a mediator between Iran and other countries.

Iran’s nuclear program doesn’t mean anything for Brazilians. It obviously should — a nuclear war is a threat no matter where you are from — but in Brazil, people are not afraid of Iran.

We are not a target, and the last war we fought was more than 150 years ago. War is just not a strong part of our culture and history.

So I’m sure the U.S. reaction to Iran’s nuclear program is seen as obnoxious by most Brazilians and by a lot of other countries.

Well, I will have to disagree with most of my Brazilian friends on that. The sanctions now proposed by the United States to Iran are specifically directed to

businesses, services and individuals related to the development of their nuclear program. I agree with that. And I hope it has the effect intended, that of restraining any mad and belligerent purpose of the program.

But on one point I’ll have to agree: Another American invasion and subsequent war on a Middle Eastern country will cost not only the lives of soldiers and colossal amounts of tax money, it will also bury the already feeble belief by the international community that the United States stands for a peaceful and free world.

Marcelo Vieira is a 32-year-old jazz cello graduate student from Brazil. Follow him on Twitter@ TDR_marcelovieira.

Contact Marcelo Vieira at mviera@lsureveille.com

FACTORYHAUS

New Orleans breeds tolerance in unlikely setting The Crescent City, NOLA, The Big Easy, The City that Care Forgot, Paris of the South.

New Orleans is known by many names, and its reputation as a city rich in history with a love for nightlife is common knowledge.

The story of the city is an unlikely one — a historically Catholic city in the heart of the Protestant Bible Belt and a spot of blue in a sea of red.

It comes as no surprise the norms in the city are different. The city’s unique history and diversity have allowed for the development of an American subculture unlike any other.

Central to the city’s decadent culture is Bourbon Street, known for wild and crazy debauchery.

Fittingly, on the final day of the city’s wildest week, part of this infamous street was turned into one of the wildest costume contests in the country.

The 47th Annual Bourbon Street Awards Show — hosted by Oz, a Bourbon Street gay club, and sponsored by Bud Light — saw both men and women dressed in all sorts of out-of-this-world costumes in hopes of claiming one of five titles, including Best of Show, Best Drag, Best Group, Best Leather and Best Overall Costume.

The annual show is a mustsee event for any Mardi Gras reveler. The costumes are over the top, which lends itself well to the atmosphere brought about by Mardi Gras.

Some of the more memorable included a 12-foot-tall rendition of the Chinese New Year and a massive recreation of the old French

Opera House in flames.

Some people might be shocked by the show, but the view looking out across the crowd was far more surprising to me.

Spectators for the event were a diverse group. As exStephen Schmitz pected, many young people, Columnist gays and drag queens could be seen.

Yet, intermixed was a surprising amount of older couples, families and even children. Even the entrants to the show were a diverse group, most notably a 79-year-old grandmother from Metairie.

I couldn’t help but think about the crowd as I watched the show.

Only in New Orleans, in this atypical American subculture, would it be normal for children to be at such an event.

Even in New York, L.A. or San Francisco, this wouldn’t happen so freely. The idea that a costume contest sponsored by a gay bar and featuring a host of drag queens could be an affair for the whole family is a scene not typically found in American culture, especially not in the South.

The scene is a testament to the tolerance and charm of the city, a city devastated by natural disasters but blessed with culture far richer than most places.

To truly understand the uniqueness of this event, one must examine 1963, the first year the event was held. Arthur Jacobs, the owner of Clover Grill at the time,

started the event to revitalize the Lower Quarter around Dumaine Street.

The Civil Rights Movement was at its peak, and homosexuality was widely taboo. All states except Illinois had anti-sodomy laws and laws criminalizing homosexual acts, even between two consenting adults in private residences.

The awards predate much of America’s sexual revolution and even the Stonewall riots of 1969, largely seen as the beginning of the Gay Rights Movement in the U.S.

The event has become nationally recognized and cherished during the New Orleans Carnival festivities.

This year’s celebrations certainly lived up to the event’s reputation as “The Best Free Show of Mardi Gras.”

An event like this would unfortunately probably not be greeted with hospitality in much of even modern-day America, but the fact the city and citizens of New Orleans have embraced it for almost half a century, turning it into an

event even for families, is a true testament to the tolerance of this city and the uniqueness of one of America’s most treasured subcultures.

Stephen Schmitz is a 20-year-old mass communication sophomore from The Woodlands, Texas. Follow him on Twitter at TDR_Schmitz.

Contact Stephen Schmitz at sschmitz@lsureveille.com

BEST AND WITTIEST

cartoon courtesy of KING FEATURES SYNDICATE

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Monday, February 22, 2010 SERIES, from page 1

“Once Dean put up that home run, my confidence went up even more,” Bourgeois said.

Dean finished the weekend with eight RBIs and one home run.

Sophomore right fielder Mikie Mahtook scored an insurance run for LSU in the bottom of the seventh when senior designated hitter Matt Gaudet hit an RBI single.

Gaudet was cut from the LSU team prior to the 2009 season, but thus far has come up very big for the Tigers with six hits and five RBIs against Centenary.

MAINTENANCE, from page 1

a new tile roof.

“We have never been funded to meet the need,” said Tony Lombardo, Facility Services assistant vice chancellor of administration services and finance.

Lombardo said it’s not unusual for state agencies to get behind on maintenance, but current funding was far from sufficient to address the University’s backlogged projects.

“At $3 million, you’re never

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“He’s a good hitter,” Mainieri said. “There’s no question that we had a place for him where he could contribute to our team. He earned the DH spot. Nothing was handed to him.”

The Tigers lit up the scoreboard again in the bottom of the eighth when junior catcher Micah Gibbs hit a two-run home run over the distance marker on the left side of center field to bring the score to 4-0.

Those were the only runs scored in the game. Bourgeois went six scoreless innings in his first start as a Tiger while only allowing four hits and striking out seven.

His Centenary counterpart, Benson, pitched five complete innings while striking out two and only allowing six hits. His one earned run was Dean’s homer.

LSU sophomore pitcher Jordan Rittiner pitched two innings in a relief appearance Sunday for the Tigers and struck out two while walking none. Gibbs said performances like the one by the left-handed pitcher Sunday would be critical for future success.

“It’s going to be huge,” he said.

“Last year we really didn’t have a lot of lefties in our arsenal until [former LSU pitcher] Chad [Jones] came

along.

Despite the good Sunday pitching performance, Mainieri said he would have liked to see more from his relief pitching, but feels other areas are coming along nicely.

“I liked just about everything I saw this weekend,” he said. “The only thing I saw that concerns me coming out of the weekend is that we’re going to need to find more pitching. Three or four guys that pitched did not pitch all that well.”

The sweep was the second consecutive season-opening series sweep by LSU, and the win on Friday marked eight consecutive season

opening wins by the Tigers.

Saturday’s win was Mainieri’s 1,000th for his career.

“I’ve had the great privilege to coach for four great universities,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of great kids over the years, and those kids won the games — not me. For some reason they keep a record of the coaches, so I guess this is the 1,000th one that we’ve won.”

LSU will face McNeese at 4 p.m. Wednesday in its next contest.

going to catch up,” Lombardo said.

The state hired a private company, Vanderweil Facility Advisors, to conduct building assessments five years ago — the level of funding the University receives is tied to that assessment.

VFA assigned each building a facility condition index — the ratio of deferred maintenance required on a building to the total replacement value of the building.

Thomas Boyd Hall has an FCI of 132 percent — the worst on campus,

according to the VFA assessment database. This means the maintenance required on Thomas Boyd Hall costs 132 percent of the current replacement value of the building.

Dodson Auditorium has only a 1 percent FCI, and Hodges Hall has a 2 percent FCI. The campus average FCI is 22.5 percent.

The state hasn’t paid for statewide building assessments since the first time VFA assessed the buildings.

It originally planned to pay VFA to assess 20 percent of the campus every year following the initial 2005 assessment, Courtade said. “[The database] was intended

to be a dynamic database,” Courtade said. “But it’s a static one.”

Lombardo said the University completed its own building assessments before the state hired VFA. As one of the few state institutions with the manpower and technical capability to assess its own buildings, Lombardo said the University may have received a disproportionate share of deferred maintenance funding.

The state hired VFA as an equalizer, so all state institutions had building assessments from a third party.

But the state never paid for the VFA assessments again.

“We have a long list of requests that aren’t in the database,” Courtade

said.

TRANSFERS, from page 1

“We hope students will graduate in a quicker time frame — four to five years rather than six, which would offer significant cost savings,” Gargano said.

Students would denote their intent to pursue a bachelor’s degree when they enroll at a community college and would have to complete all classes with a minimum of a C during their time at a two-year college.

“Hopefully a student would only need 60 more hours to graduate or

possibly a few more for majors like architecture or engineering,” Gargano said.

A caveat to the plan is that a student is guaranteed admission to a university but not necessarily the college for a specific major, Gargano said.

In the future, officials plan to create a common course numbering system in catalogs across the state along with a common transcript.

“We are trying to find an easy way to do it that creates the least confusion,” Gargano said.

The Board of Regents plan to

Contact Johanathan Brooks at jbrooks@lsureveille.com The outdated numbers make the University’s care for more funding more difficult because the state will only use the VFA assessments.

“The greatest of intentions was never followed through,” Courtade said.

Lombardo said no matter the level of funding, Facility Services will continue to prioritize projects as needed and make due with the available funds.

“Everybody’s got a tough job right now,” Lombardo said.

Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at news@lsureveille.com make Web sites and other tools available with information about the program for incoming students as the program advances.

Similar programs are set up across the nation, and Massachusetts, Florida and North Carolina already have highly developed programs, Gargano said.

California has a strong community college program but only recently began the articulation agreement.

Contact Grace Montgomery at gmontgomery@lsureveille.com

Monday, February 22, 2010

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