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IX T hu r s d ay, M a r c h 4 , 2 021
Former LSU football player Drake Davis
Former LSU football player Derrius Guice
2017
LSU alumna Samantha Brennan
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TITLE IX TIMELINE
Former LSU women’s tennis player Jade Lewis
Sexual assault protest on Nov. 20
Several alleged Title IX violations occurred from 2016 to 2021, which Husch Blackwell reviewed in its report to be released Friday. NEWS
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LSU engineering students design a prosthetic for a Catholic High student for their senior design project.
ENTERTAINMENT
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Hayley Williams releases emotional new album “FLOWERS for VASES/descansos” and it’s already on repeat.
SPORTS
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Senior leader Kristen Nuss looks to lead the Sandy Tigers in their championship quest.
OPINION
Read on
page 2
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“Broome’s hope for a compassionate approach could easily be overshadowed by another person’s greed or cruelty.”
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page 2 BY KATHERINE MANUEL | @kmanuel_2
2016
The major sexual assault incidents and Title IX violations that led up to Husch Blackwell’s report include: Former LSU football player Derrius Guice allegedly takes a nude photograph of LSU alumna Samantha Brennan without her consent. The photo circulates around the football team. Sharon Lewis, Brennan’s supervisor at work and LSU’s head of football recruiting, called Brennan into her office on July 22 after hearing about the photo. Senior Associate Athletic Director Miriam Segar is also present in the meeting. Segar accompanies Brennan to LSUPD to file a report. Brennan does not press charges. The Title IX Office never reaches out to Brennan about her report, Brennan told USA Today. Brennan leaves LSU after the Fall 2016 semester, and Guice completes a record-setting season in football.
Guice allegedly rapes a former LSU women’s tennis player, “Jane Doe,” while she is intoxicated. Doe abused alcohol and prescription drugs before meeting Guice, and her drinking increases after the incident. Concerned teammates inform LSU Women’s Tennis Head Coach Julia Sell about the drinking. Doe is dismissed from the tennis team after testing positive for a drug that she was not prescribed.
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Former LSU football player Drake Davis begins dating former LSU women’s tennis player Jade Lewis. Davis abuses Lewis and leaves her “bruised or bleeding” at least six times over the course of one year, according to USA Today. Lewis informs her athletic trainer, Donovan White,
of the assault, but White does not report the incident to the Title IX office. Lewis’ father informs LSU Women’s Tennis Coach Julia Sell of the toxic relationship between Davis and Lewis. In April 2017, Doe checks into rehab paid for by the University. She tells a counselor
that Guice raped her and a rehab center employee informed the alleged rape to LSU. Doe’s father informs Sell that Guice raped his daughter, and Sell tells him “I don’t believe her,” according to USA Today. The University’s Title IX office does not contact Doe or her father, USA Today reported.
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Davis punches Lewis and breaks her ribs. Three weeks later, Lewis informs White, senior athletic trainer Micki Collins and Segar that Davis punched her for the second time in one year. Segar files a Title IX report. Two months later, according to USA Today,
LSU investigators interview Davis. By this time, Davis had assaulted Lewis at least three more times. On April 14, according to an LSUPD report, Davis texts Deputy Athletic Director Verge Ausberry that he punched Lewis. According to USA To-
day, Segar calls LSUPD Aug. 16 after Lewis shows her pictures of the bruises and scratches that Davis gave her, and text messages where Davis threatened to kill Lewis and encouraged her to commit suicide. LSUPD arrests Davis the next day.
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Davis admits to punching Lewis in court in March 2019. He also admits to violating a court-issued protective order, according to the Advocate. When asked in court if he punched his girlfriend in the stomach, Davis said “yes sir, and I apologize,” according to the Advocate. Davis is expelled from LSU in July.
USA Today sues the University in October for access of four campus police reports involved sexual assault allegations against four LSU football players after the University failed to release the reports when requested by reporters. The University released three of the reports on Nov. 13, but redacted the names of suspects, victims and witnesses.
Brennan also requests a copy of her own police report, the University sends her a foursentence report that lacks details such as Guice’s name. The University tells Brennan that she cannot obtain the rest of her file because the statute of limitations expired, though she did not press charges against Guice. A USA Today report is released
in November alleging LSU of mishandling reports of sexual assault and outlining stories of sexual assault and violence at LSU. LSU students march in protest of LSU’s mishandling of sexual assault reports. LSU hires law firm Husch Blackwell in late November to look into the University’s handling of Title IX processes.
The US Department of Education launches an investigation into LSU’s compliance with federal campus safety laws on Feb. 5.
The Husch Blackwell report will be presented at a March 5 LSU Board of Supervisors meeting at 10 a.m. in the Lod Cook Alumni Center.
CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsureveille.com.
ABOUT THE REVEILLE The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.
NEWS
page 3 SAFETY
PROSTHETIC PROJECT
LSU Title IX report to be released Friday BY KATHERINE MANUEL @kmanuel_2
‘These students have changed James’ life’
LSU students design prosthetic for Catholic High athlete COURTESY OF AMELIE THOMAS
BY ANNE MARIE WHERRITT @amwherritt One of LSU’s senior engineering design projects involved creating a prosthetic for a senior at Catholic High School. LSU Professor and Director of the Athletic Training Education Program Ray Castle worked with students at Catholic High School from 2006 to 2012. He was visiting the high school in 2018 when he met James Robert III. Castle was informed that Robert was unable to compete in athletics due to his disability. When Castle pitched the idea to make a prosthetic for James and asked if the high schooler was interested, he said yes. The idea was then introduced to Mechanical Engineering Professor Warren Waggenspack. Waggenspack said he would oversee the project and provide the funding for the senior engineering students.
The team consisted of 2019 alumni Amelie Thomas, Gary Couturie, Landon Stein, Cecilia McAlear and Brette Crocker. Robert was born without the top half of his hand. He is independent; he can drive, dress himself, and he lives a very fit lifestyle. However, Robert wanted to play football. He needed a prosthetic that could allow him to play and do the necessary training, like weightlifting. As the research continued, the students realized they would not be able to produce a prosthetic that could do the movements of catching a football while being strong enough to lift a weight. They decided to create it for weightlifting, as this prosthetic would serve him longer in life. “Our biggest challenge was the initial switch from football to weightlifting,” Crocker said. “Our time and resources were
going to be better spent focusing on one thing James could do really well.” “It came down to more of a compromise,” Stein said. “After talking to Dr. Waggenspack and James, it became more of a weightlifting prosthetic because it was something he could utilize for longer.” During the fall 2019 semester, the group of students created the design process. They came up with the analysis, anticipated equipment they needed to order and created the actual archetypal design. In spring 2020, they worked on the manufacturing of the actual prosthetic. They utilized LSU’s machine shop and the Patrick F. Taylor building to do so. “As we were going through with our design in March 2020, COVID-19 hit,” Thomas said. “Thankfully, we had the frontload of work done, but it was tough to scramble and get it all
together.” The group of engineering students learned about the COVID-19 shutdown on March 13 and had until March 16 at 4 p.m. to complete the prosthetic. Throughout that weekend, they contacted their sponsors and professors to see what they could get done. They were able to finish the prosthetic, test it and train Robert that Sunday. “It came down to the fact that we had a dedicated team,” Thomas said. “I think each and every one of us would have hated it if we did not complete this for James just because the University was closing.” Castle has seen Robert since he received the prosthetic and said that Robert is getting physically stronger with a new level of confidence. “These students have changed James’ life,” Castle said. “I am excited to see where he will go from here.”
The report by Husch Blackwell law firm on LSU’s handling of sexual assault and violence cases will be released Friday, Interim President Thomas Galligan announced in an email Tuesday. The report will be published online, and Husch Blackwell representatives will deliver a report about its findings to the LSU Board of Supervisors at the board’s meeting Friday at 10 a.m. After a November USA Today article accused the University of mishandling sexual assault cases, University administration hired law firm Husch Blackwell to conduct an investigation into its Title IX office and LSUPD to determine if such misconduct exists. During its investigation, the law firm met with students, student leaders and other members of the LSU community to discuss the University’s Title IX processes. “We want a full and fair independent investigation that tells us exactly what happened so that we can take any appropriate actions,” Galligan said at a December board meeting. “We want to be able to go forward and be better.” Board Chair Robert Dampf said in December that the board supports Galligan’s engagement of Husch Blackwell. “If errors were made, we want them fixed,” Dampf said. “If any members of our University community failed to fulfill their responsibilities they will be held appropriately accountable.”
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Two LSU Student Government election campaigns join forces with other tickets BY CAROLINE SAVOIE @carolinesavo With less than a month before Student Government’s election day, the SPARC and Grad Gold campaigns dropped out of the race and are running under other tickets. Grad Gold, a ticket composed of LSU’s graduate students that runs each year, rarely offers its support to an undergraduate campaign. This year, Grad Gold isn’t merely endorsing an undergraduate ticket — it’s withdrawing its candidates and running them under another campaign, It’s Time. Mia LeJeune, the presidential candidate for It’s Time ticket, said
she has wanted to partner with Grad Gold since she started running. “Graduate students are the foundation of LSU as a research institution,” LeJeune said. “They have so many issues specific to them, and we spent hours on Zoom calls with graduate students talking about plans to tackle those issues.” During one of those Zoom meetings, LeJeune asked Graduate Senator Jordan Landry if Grad Gold would consider joining her campaign. After an hour of deliberation with graduate students on Grad Gold’s ticket, Landry told LeJeune and her running mate Angelina Cantelli, “It’s time,” signifying the
start of a historic merger. “We’d been keeping our options open, but after meetings with It’s Time, the students with Grad Gold decided that Mia and Angelina are not only willing but able to get graduate-specific problems fixed,” Landry said. Landry said that It’s Time understands the systems that can affect change, but they know when to defy those systems. He said that LeJeune’s connections to the Governor’s Office combined with her fervor to fight for students gave graduate students the confidence they needed to join It’s Time. “SG is supposed to fight for the issues of all students, not only with
administration but with the state legislature,” Landry said. “We see them fighting for undergraduate students’ rights, but rarely, if ever, are graduate students involved in those processes. It’s Time has already gotten us involved.” “We’re honored, to say the least,” Cantelli said. “It’s hard to get them on an undergraduate ticket, so we’re proud that they believe in our ability to serve them.” Candidates who were running on the SPARC ticket will appear under the Unity ticket in the spring election. Former SPARC presidential candidate Ethan Lauvray and vice presidential candidate Kalie Gonzales now serve as advisers to
the Unity administration under Amina Messelhe and Preston White. “During the NAACP debate, we realized SPARC and Unity had the same ideologies, goals and plans to implement them,” Gonzales said. “Ethan and I realized that we would be better together, that we shouldn’t spend time fighting each other if we have the same vision.” Gonzales said she’s grateful that Messelhe and White opened up spots in their ticket for students who were running with SPARC. “We wanted this merger to be as fair as possible,” she said. “We asked our staff if they wanted to
see STUDENT GOV, page 4
Thursday, March 4, 2021
page 4 ALUMNI
Former LSU football player helps community with art BY AMBER BUETTNER @Amber_Buettner LSU alumnus and former LSU football player Brandon Surtain was inspired by his hometown of New Orleans to take his art back to his home community. Surtain graduated from LSU in 2017 with a degree in art and design. “Since graduation, I’ve been doing a mix of both freelance and design work so commissioned pieces, and the other half of that has been my own personal painting and showing,” Surtain said. While he was at LSU, Surtain said he would paint during and after class because his time was so “regimented” while on the football team, Surtain said in a press release. He said some of the other football players would go to the studio and paint with him. “It never really felt like a chore,” Surtain said. “I spent a lot of time around the guys. I was always with friends and family. I think people taking interest in me doing the art certainly helped me be a lot more focused and continue doing the art.” Surtain grew up in Mid City and said he draws a lot of his inspiration from growing up there and living there now. His family and friends were heavily affected by
Hurricane Katrina. “A lot of what I work on nowadays is reflective a lot of times, and a part of that is drawing on my experiences of New Orleans pre– Hurricane Katrina,” Surtain said. “Essentially at the age of eleven, everything I knew was kind of cut in half, you know. I had to pick up and move, and the place was so drastically changed.” The most recent show that Surtain had was photographs highlighting a second line group in New Orleans called the Sidewalk Steppers. He used photos he took of the show as inspiration in his paintings. “One of the last things I did before the pandemic happened, I went out and photographed a second line, the Sidewalk Steppers in New Orleans,” Surtain said. “And seeing all that life, that color, hearing all the sounds, seeing the people, I thought it was fitting to close 2020 with a show dedicated to that.” In November, Surtain worked on a project that helped to beautify a part of his old neighborhood Lafitte Greenway, a two-mile park, where he helped to transform an old parking lot into a vibrant plaza. He helped to paint a mural and create the stage design for the plaza. “Recently, I did a design project with a team in New Orleans, and
we worked on this place in New Orleans called Lafitte Greenway,” Surtain said. “I got to do this design for this pocket park in my old neighborhood.” Surtain has helped his community with his involvement in a program called Pass Dat Joy. He and a team from Tulane received a grant to develop art kits for children who are struggling due to the effects of COVID-19. They were able to distribute around 3,000 kits, are working on their second wave and are hoping to expand the program, according to Surtain.
COURTESY OF BRANDON SURTAIN
STUDENT GOV, from page 3 continue under different leadership, and everyone who wanted to continue with Unity got the spots they wanted.” “We’ve been talking to them because they’re people we believe in, and we didn’t want to push them in any direction,” Messelhe said. “But when they asked us to work together, we were super excited.” Unity is working with its new members on initiatives like implementing a Black marketplace on campus to highlight Black businesses and getting pet waste stations put on campus for service animals. “They’ve brought so many new ideas to our ticket already, and we’ve increased our manpower and support,” White said. Lauvray said the ideals laid out in SPARC’s campaign aren’t losing traction because of the merger. He said SPARC will register as a student organization that will talk with student organizations and help them work on projects separately from Student Government. “One thing Kalie and I heard when we were working on our campaign was that several student organizations don’t want to work with SG,” Lauvray said. “We want to create a space where they can engage on campus and grow their ideas without the drama associated with SG. SPARC isn’t running a campaign, but our momentum doesn’t stop here.”
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Testing materials and informational pamphlets lay flush against the wall in the Student Government office on Jan. 25 on the first floor of the Student Union on LSU’s campus.
EVENTS & EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE GUIDE COMING 3.3.21 GET YOUR COPY TODAY
ENTERTAINMENT
page 5
REV R ANKS
ALBUM
LOVE STORY
Hayley Williams mourns, reminisces and heals in
Taylor Swift
The three-minute and 55-second songs’ only real difference is the maturity in Swift’s voice. The slight country accent is no longer a feature of Swift’s music. “Love Story” was deserving of five stars when it first came out, and classics tend to age nicely. “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” gets the same five-star treatment. Gideon Fortune @asapfortunate RADIO SHOW
HUNKER DOWN RADIO Leslie Jordan
To clarify, “Hunker Down Radio” is not a podcast. It’s a radio show. Instead of just listening to a straight music playlist for an hour, you can pick and choose to listen to one of your favorite artists or personalities host a show, complete with music and a few personal anecdotes in between.
Ava Borskey @iamavab
ALBUM
NEON SHARK VS PEGASUS
Trippie Redd and Travis Barker
When I first listened to the album, I was immediately impressed by how much versatility and range Trippie Redd shows in “Neon Shark,” alongside one of the most prominent drummers in the rock genre. Trippie and Barker broke boundaries by blending various music genres in order to create a refreshing, emo-punk album that has been playing in my head nonstop since its release. Emma Jackimowicz @emmajackimowicz SINGLE
BAILA CONMIGO Selena Gomez
If you have never heard American pop singer Selena Gomez sing in Spanish, the upcoming release of her new Spanish-language EP will make you want to start listening. As someone who has been a fan of Selena Gomez’s music since her Disney era, it is exciting to see how much she is willing to push her boundaries with her songs.
Emma Jackimowicz @emmajackimowicz Read the full reviews online at lsunow.com/entertainment
‘FLOWERS for VASES/descansos’ COURTESY OF PITCHFORK
BY ARIEL BAISE @arielbiancaa Hayley Williams’ “FLOWERS for VASES/descansos” translates what the process of recovering from heartbreak is like. I almost want to say that it is poetry brought to life. There is something so raw and gentle, yet so heart-wrenching within the 42 minutes of this album. Venturing off to a folkier, somber sound from 2020’s “Petals For Armor,” Williams takes the listener down a path of both unrequited love and mourning. Nostalgia breathes throughout the 14 tracks, then later wraps itself into a blanket of self-reflection. Williams describes it as “much of a songwriter’s album as I ever made” in an interview with Zane Lowe through Apple Music. “FLOWERS for VASES/ descansos” serves as the prequel to “Petals of Armor.” The album opens with “First Thing To Go,” which entails losing the memory of the voice of someone from a past relationship. “My Limb” is a more upbeat song centered on letting go of a relationship — or cutting it off like a limb. Medical imagery continues in “Asystole,” which has the acoustic guitar’s arrangement resemble a heartbeat. Williams explores her experiences in toxic relationships in “Trigger,” the fourth song of the LP. The chorus “’Cause I got the trigger, but you hold the gun/How come you never put the safety
on?” is repeated in the outro. It has two meanings: a person is left with a psychological trigger caused by the relationship, and the other explains the control dynamics of said relationship. “Over The Hills” is one of my favorites due to its wistful relatability and the electric guitar’s riff. It fills the void of the “what ifs” of past relationships and the fantasy of going back to each other. “Good Grief” adds to the emotional saga of moving on and mourning a relationship. “Wait On” uses a metaphor of the sky, clouds and birds to describe the need to cry and release emotions. “KYRH” almost is an intermission for the whole album with its instrumental. The song focuses more on the production and ambiance with a tense progression. The song that made me burst into tears was “Inordinary.” I don’t know why, but it did. The instrumental is gentle. It mixes nostalgia and simplicity. Williams reminisces on her youth, moving to Tennessee from Mississippi and Paramore’s origins. It looks into how the simplest of things become special. “HYD” has the best intro and the core of heartbreak. “No Use I Just Do” covers just loving someone. Being there for someone through their personal issues is the main idea in “Find Me Here.” “Descansos” is a full instrumental. Descansos are memorials placed on the road at the site of an unexpected death. Williams liked a tweet about Dr. Cla-
rissa Pinkola Estes’ book, “Women Who Run with the Wolves,” which discusses turning betrayal and deep losses or other pivotal moments into descansos and acknowledges how it shaped them. To close the album, “Just a Lover” takes one to another universe almost. The instrumental is a total shift from the rest of the album. It is my favorite because of its whole vibe and the instrumental change. “Just a Lover” is ineffable for me. I love it so much that I probably had it on loop for an hour some days. At first, it was a change of style. I didn’t go in expecting the same sound from Paramore’s albums. I found “FLOWERS for VASES/descansos” purely authentic. I enjoy albums the most when artists are writing genuine life experiences through storytelling and poking at different themes. Though this album will most likely become one of my favorites of the year, there are moments when songs blur into one another, but not in a transitional way. It’s more sonically where there isn’t a standout sound. To some, it can be a bore and for others, it can bring relief. Personally, this album pulled out emotions that I pushed down months and years. I don’t want every single album to break through genres or be a phoenix. I want stories, self-expression, self-reflection and I want to feel something. Williams’ music does that effectively with pure authenticity.
Thursday, March 4, 2021
page 6
Thursday, March 4, 2021
page 7
BY ABBY KIBLER
BY ABBY KIBLER
LSU volleyball team celebrates after it scores the first point in the first set of the game on Feb. 28 during LSU’s 2-3 loss against Ole Miss.
LSU volleyball right side senior Taylor Bannister (7) gets ready to serve the ball on Feb. 28 during LSU’s 2-3 loss against Ole Miss.
BY SAVANNA ORGERON
LSU softball team members lock arms for the National Anthem before the Tigers’ 1-0 loss against OSU on Feb. 26. BY SAVANNA ORGERON BY KRISTEN YOUNG
BY KYLE VALDEZ
LSU baseball team huddles together on Feb. 27 before LSU’s 14-0 win over Nicholls St.
BY KRISTEN YOUNG
LSU men’s basketball freshman guard Cameron Thomas (24) goes for the layup on March 2 during LSU’s 83-68 win against Vanderbilt.
LSU softball freshman outfielder Ciara Briggs (88) slides into second on Feb. 27 during LSU’s 3-2 win over UL-Lafayette.
LSU freshman outfielder Ciara Briggs (88) blocks the sun out of her eyes during the Tigers’ 1-0 loss against OSU on Feb. 26. BY KRISTEN YOUNG
LSU men’s tennis freshman Joao Graca and LSU men’s tennis redshirt junior Joey Thomas high five after scoring a point on Feb. 28 during LSU’s 1-4 loss against South Carolina.
A WEEK OF SPORTS BY ABBY KIBLER
LSU women’s basketball senior guard Khayla Pointer (3) falls after a hit to the head on Feb. 25 during LSU’s 59-68 loss to Mississippi State.
BY ABBY KIBLER
LSU men’s golf sophomore Connor Gaunt analyzes the course before he putts the ball on Feb. 26 during the LSU Invitational hosted at the University Club.
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THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 Blouse or shirt 4 Wine bottle holders 9 Eyebrow shapes 13 Gentlemen 15 Stand by for 16 Motown music 17 Scheme 18 Country estate 19 Piece of furniture 20 Already chosen 22 Uncertain 23 Part of a royal flush 24 Casual farewells 26 Moral principles 29 Island nation near Sri Lanka 34 Verge; threshold 35 Cardiff’s nation 36 Under the weather 37 Björn of tennis 38 Gathered leaves 39 Mexican wolf 40 First lady 41 Summons with a beeper 42 Delta employee 43 Military runaway 45 Colorful parrots 46 Wahine’s accessory 47 Small rodents 48 Equestrian’s command 51 Foes 56 Gather crops 57 Innocent; unworldly 58 Burn 60 __ and crafts 61 Change slightly 62 Deserve; merit 63 Sit for a portrait 64 __ the way; pioneers 65 Prefix for guided or fortune DOWN 1 Dosage amt. 2 Engine lubricants 3 Stage item
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Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews
4 Glossy-black birds 5 Inspiring with wonder 6 Part of the leg 7 Metric weight 8 Surprised suddenly 9 St. Francis’ home 10 Housetop 11 Sleeve’s end 12 Assassinate 14 Feeding a fire 21 Soccer move 25 Billboards 26 Decreased 27 Collection of treasures 28 Puts on the payroll 29 Creator 30 Pub orders 31 Stringed instrument 32 Nudge 33 Casino machines 35 Hourly pay 38 Sane
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48 Envelop 49 Rescuer 50 Cheerios ingredients 52 Not vivid in color 53 Pocket bread 54 Reds or Browns 55 Calcutta attire 59 ICU personnel
SPORTS
page 9 TRACK & FIELD
Handful of Tigers bring home titles BY TJ POLK @thetjpolk
other. It comes with hard work, and both of these players are willing to give it their all. The pair had to win at least 75% of their matches that season. Nuss was a part of the preseason CCSA All-Conference team. Nuss and Coppola grasped CCSA Pair of the Week. Nuss’ greatest accomplishment during her sophomore season was earning a spot in the FISU World University Championship. As usual, Nuss and Coppola rose to the challenge, finishing fifth and representing the USA out of 32 international pairs in Munich, Germany. In Nuss’ junior year, she and Coppola earned CCSA Pair of the
The LSU track and field team saw extreme success in the three day SEC Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on the last weekend of February. Five LSU athletes clinched individual SEC titles, the men’s team placed second (93 points) and the women’s team placed fourth (62 points). “To have five athletes win SEC individual titles is special, and I’m so proud of them,” Head Coach Dennis Shaver said. Senior JuVaughn Harrison received the Cliff Harper Trophy, which is given to the highest point scorer of the meet. Harrison swept the high jump and long jump, claiming 20 points for the Tigers. Harrison came into the high jump as the two-time defending indoor SEC champion and secured his third straight high jump SEC title with a mark of 7-feet, 2.5-inches. “The high jump was a good, smooth start for me,” Harrison said. “It meant a lot to me [to win the high jump title], and after I cleared the last bar, my focus was on the long jump.” Harrison clinched his second SEC title of the day on his first attempt in the long jump. “I was a little surprised by the mark,” Harrison said about his jump. “The run felt good, the takeoff felt good, but I didn’t think it was as far as that. I saw the 27-foot, 4-inch mark on the board, and that
see NUSS, page 10
see TITLES, page 10
JALEN HINTON / The Reveille
LSU senior Kristen Nuss (13) prepares to strike the ball during the Purple vs. Gold scrimmage on Feb. 15, 2020 at the Beach Volleyball Complex.
Kristen Nuss looks to lead LSU beach volleyball to national championship BY LILLIAN O’CONNELL @lillyoconnell1 Saturday, March 6, begins a new chapter for the LSU beach volleyball team as it will host a tournament for the first time since COVID-19 ended its promising season last March. LSU beach volleyball star Kristen Nuss is excited to see her teammates return to their home court and compete. Nuss earned Preseason Player of the Year before playing a single match. Fans also voted for her to be named the Preseason Player of the Year on a Facebook poll with 942 likes. Nuss is a well-known player, not just on the LSU campus, but in the sport of beach volleyball as a whole.
“Claire [Coppola] and Kristen can be the best pair in the country,” Head Coach Russell Brock said. “The goal is to have the best team.” Nuss is a unique player for the LSU team who can play with any other Tiger. She can help enhance the strengths of any player. Brock can see Nuss playing with either Coppola or Taryn Kloth this season, and Nuss can help them in different ways. In 2016, Nuss was a three-sport athlete as a senior in high school. She was a stand-out player for all three sports - basketball, volleyball and soccer. She received achievements only a small select number of athletes received. She earned Gatorade Player of the
Year candidate and LHSAA Division I MVP for indoor volleyball. Nuss helped lead Mount Carmel Academy to win three state championships during her career in high school volleyball. Nuss was named Player of the Year by the Advocate, Times-Picayune, WGSO and MaxPreps. She wrapped up her high school career with 1,831 digs, 1,255 kills, 133 blocks, 102 aces and 54 assists. Nuss also had a stellar sophomore beach volleyball career in 2018. She held the record with her partner, Coppola, of 31-8 on Court One. The untouchable pair was the first to be named AVCA AllAmericans at LSU. Nuss and Coppola earned the AVCA Top Flight Award. This award is not like any
MEN’S TENNIS
LSU men’s tennis suffers second consecutive ranked loss BY HENRY HUBER @HenryHuber_ LSU men’s tennis (8-3) is in the midst of one of the toughest portions of its season, facing three ranked teams in the span of a week. None of these teams are tougher than No. 11 Florida, which features five ranked players in singles (tied for the most in the country). On paper, the Tigers couldn’t handle the Gators, and that turned out to be a reality. Though some matches were closer than others, LSU couldn’t crack the scoreboard, suffering its second straight sweep of the season in a 7-0 rout. Halfway through doubles, it appeared the Tigers had a good chance of earning the point. Ron-
ald Hohmann and Rafael Wagner held a 3-0 lead against the No. 45 duo in the country and Court Five was in a back-and-forth battle that could have gone either way. That opportunity closed quickly, however, as Hohmann and Wagner choked their lead away and couldn’t bounce back. Joey Thomas and Joao Graca would also lose on Court Three, as the Tigers would fall in doubles 0-2. It looked bleak from the beginning of singles too, with Courts Three through Six all suffering quick first-set losses. The only court to finish the first set with a win for the Tigers was Court One, as Ronald Hohmann gave his Top15 opponent, No. 12 Duarte Vale, a run for his money.
Through the first set, things were looking good for No. 99 Hohmann, and he was able to clutch the set with a 6-4 victory. He struggled in the second set though and gave the momentum back to Vale, dropping six out of seven points to lose it 1-6. It would all come down to set three, which would play out as a tiebreaker set. Hohmann would give it his all, shown by his constant hustle and emotion after earned and lost points. It didn’t appear to be enough at the beginning though, as Vale jumped out to a 7-1 lead that transitioned to a match point at 9-3. However, things would change. Hohmann would catch fire just as
KRISTEN YOUNG / The Reveille
The LSU men’s tennis team cheers together before the match Feb. 28, during LSU’s 1-4 loss against South Carolina in the LSU Tennis Complex on Gourrier Avenue in Baton Rouge. it seemed like the match was lost, playing six match points in a row on the way to a legit chance to win. After getting the score to 8-9, he
would fight extremely hard to even the score, but Vale would ultimate-
see TENNIS, page 10
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Thursday, March 4, 2021
TENNIS, from page 9 ly come out on top. Had Hohmann not let his emotions get the better of him through that 1-7 skid, he definitely could have pulled out a win, and Co-head Coach Andy Brandi expressed that fact. “When you let your emotions get in the way, no matter what your talent is, it nullifies it,” Brandi stated. “You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t control yourself and take advantage of the opportunities that are presented in front of you, you’re not going to cash in and that’s exactly what happened today.” “His emotions got in the way, and he fell short of beating a very
good player.” The score was 7-0, but the team had opportunities to put points on the board. A lack of confidence and loss of momentum are to blame for its downward spiral, Brandi said. “We had opportunities. The issue is, I don’t believe they really believed that they had chances to win those matches,” he said. “When they become more confident in themselves, trust in themselves and believe in themselves, that match could’ve been more interesting.” The Tigers will have a chance to redeem themselves against No. 20 South Carolina. They square off at 1 p.m. Sunday at the LSU Tennis Complex.
NUSS, from page 9 Year for the second time, and made history by being the first pair to receive this honor twice. They also won the USAV Collegiate Beach Championship for the second season in a row. Nuss and Coppola earned a 33-4 record on Court One of their junior year. The dynamic duo did not drop a single set from March 29 to April 21. COVID-19 cut Nuss’ senior year short in 2020. She did not have the season she thought she was going to have. Nuss and Coppola were still able to go 12-2 on Court One. They made history even with the shorter season
TITLES, from page 9
COURTESY OF LSU ATHLETICS
Eric Edwards Jr., Damion Thomas, Terrance Laird, Noah Williams, JuVaughn Harrison pose at the 2021 SEC Championship.
made me happy. I knew I had that in me, and it felt awesome to get it out there in competition.” The Tigers claimed both the men’s and women’s 60-meter hurdles. Milan Young secured her first SEC title with a personal record of 8.03 seconds. With this victory, Milan extends the 37-year win streak that a woman from the LSU program has won an individual SEC title. Damion Thomas clinched his title with a personal record of 7.60 seconds. Eric Edwards Jr. finished second behind Thomas with a season best of 7.67 seconds. Noah Williams, a transfer from Akron University, set the LSU
by being the third NCAA pair to reach the 100-win mark in history. Nuss and Coppola helped lead the team to the No. 1 ranking for the first time in LSU beach volleyball history. “Everyone is excited to compete again,” Nuss said. “We’re excited to play against another team.” This season, Nuss is excited to earn the title that she was striving for last year when her season was cut short. She wants to win it all for this program. She and the other senior returners came back to experience and support that togetherness. They truly love and care about each other and the team.
Nuss said that it takes everyone on the team to give 100% in order to have a successful program. Nuss is a selfless player that is on fire with her love for beach volleyball. She is an amazing athlete with an amazing history, which is why she is a valuable leader who can help the younger players become better in every aspect. Nuss can’t be happier with the attitude of the coaches. Nuss and the girls are not satisfied with just being ranked No. 1. They are going to prove to the other teams that they deserve this title. “Day one in recruiting, they’re constantly saying how this is a family,” Nuss said. “LSU as a whole is one big family.”
school record in the 400-meter dash with a time of 45 minutes, 26 seconds. Terrance Laird clinched an SEC title in the men’s 200-meter dash to win his second straight title. Laird ran a 20.28, setting an LSU school record and a 2021 world lead. The men’s team also saw contributions from freshman triple jumper Sean Dixon-Bodie (53-feet, 11.75-inches). Kenny Odinet placed fifth with a clearance of 16-feet, 10.75-inches in the pole vault. Eric Coston, Davis Bove, Dorian Camel, Jon Nerdal and Jake Norris also helped the Tigers clinch second. The women’s team had contributions from freshman Favour Ofili who ran a Nigerian indoor national record of 22.75 seconds in the
women’s 200-meter dash, the fifth fastest run ever by a U20 athlete in world history. Amber Anning ran a seasonbest 400 meter dash with a time of 52.27 seconds, earning fourth place. Monique Hardy and Emma Robbins competed in the weight throw. Hardy placed fourth (70-feet, 10.50-inches) and Robbins placed sixth (67-feet, 9-inches). The women’s distance medley relay, consisting of Shanya Luna, Jurnee Woodward, Lorena Rangel and Alicia Stamey, placed seventh. The Tigers will finish their indoor season with the NCAA Indoor Championships March 11-13 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
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OPINION
page 11
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Mayor Broome needs to reexamine proposal for panhandling GOING DOWN SOUTH
DO YOU SEE CAMPUS FULLY REOPENING IN THE FALL?
TAMIA SOUTHALL
@tamiabrem_
I’ve learned that the road to hell is sometimes paved with good intentions. Mayor Broome’s proposal in response to aggressive panhandling is nothing short of proof. Aggressive panhandling refers to high-pressure forms of asking for money or other aid in public. An example of aggressive panhandling would be a homeless individual approaching someone and asking for money at the ATM. As Terry Jones wrote in The Advocate, “The set of proposed statutes would specifically target aggressive solicitation and harassment, false or misleading representation and obstruction of sidewalks and other public rights of way.” Under Broome’s plan, individuals who falsely identify themselves as homeless will be penalized. This plan also outlaws panhandlers to collect funds for one purpose but use it for another purpose. In addition, it bans sitting or lying down on sidewalks or near intersections. Offenders will be fined or forced to complete service hours. Dealing with homelessness is a delicate topic for public officials because of the many civil rights components that go into the issue. However, this proposal is bound to further criminalize the homeless. This type of polcy change will further isolate the homeless from the rest of the population. They could become scared of asking for help when they really need it. Downtown Baton Rouge business owners support this proposal because panhandling often affects business. These businesses, however, have a greater opportunity to help the homeless than neglect them and could offer jobs or resources to members of the local homeless population. The details of implementing this plan are borderline immoral. Violators of the policy may have to go to court. If it is deter-
TA K E S
“I believe that campus will be open but with certain restrictions. Classes will be smaller in an effort to minimize exposure, and if an outbreak does occur, the University will not hesitate to quickly shift back to online.” Anthony Bui @da_bui_
“For my own sanity, I’m going to tell myself that campus will be open in Fall 2021. I’m also going to predict that by Fall 2021, climate change will be fixed, world peace will prevail and I will win a million dollars.” Cecile Girard @_cegi_
“I feel like I’m not in any position to make predictions about such an unpredictable situation, but I think it’d be nice to see some sense of normalcy on campus. I’m not letting myself get too excited for the fall semester.” Emily Davison @ichigoemily
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA
mined that they are homeless, then the judge has the option — but is not required — to dismiss fines or community service obligations. How does Mayor Broome expect homeless people to make it to court? Or pay fines, for that matter? These types of penalties will only take money away from the homeless and potentially make panhandling even worse. In addition to Broome’s proposal, her team began placing signs in high-traffic areas discouraging people from giving money to panhandlers. The signs read, “Your generosity could lead to a fatality. To help the needy donate to local charities.” These signs are dehmanizing homeless people. Homeless people are still people at the end of the day, not just “the needy.” The way we use our words is important, especially regarding social issues like poverty and homelessness. Each sign also has a typo
telling people to send their contributions to brhelp.org instead of brhelps.org. How are moral citizens of this community supposed to trust that a plan for helping the homeless will be properly enacted if something as simple as a sign has a mistake on it? If this proposal is approved, BRPD will have to go through special training to enforce this policy. However, the community already knows our police department can’t even arrest a 13-year-old boy without putting him in a brutal chokehold; I have little hope BRPD will approach Broome’s plan ethically. Broome’s hope for a compassionate approach could easily be overshadowed by another person’s greed or cruelty. I hope Broome takes one more good look at this plan before enacting it. Tamia Southall is a 20-year-old mass communication junior from New Orleans.
“I just don’t think it’s possible to determine what that future even looks like for our campus. Officials really put themselves in a tough situation with that email because if we don’t open back up normally, they’re caught with their pants down.” Domenic Purdy @Tigerdom16
“Realistically the University will have to issue a statement mid-summer taking back their last email and saying that classes will still be hybrid for the most part in the fall and COVID-19 policies will stay in place until further notice.” Marie Plunkett @MarieC_214
“I truly believe that campus will be open for the fall 2021 semester. There have been so many advancements regarding COVID-19. I am happy to look forward to campus opening back up. Life has already started going back to normal for other countries, so it’s a shame that Tamia Southall America is so behind.” @tamiabrem_
“I really hope campus will be fully open in the fall of 2021. I think by the time the next semester rolls around, enough people will have received the vaccine. Honestly, I think there are safe ways to attend in-person classes right now, so by fall, it should be even better.”
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Elizabeth Crochet @elizabethcro_
Quote of the Week “We’re making the same mistakes we made 1,000 years ago. So they must be the right ones.”
Chuck Palahnuik author 1962 — present
Thursday, March 4, 2021
page 12
It’s too soon to predict what Fall 2021 semester will look like EMILY ON CAMPUS EMILY DAVISON @ichigoemily I’ve found myself reminiscing about pre-pandemic campus a lot recently. The majority of my classes have me stuck inside and glued to my laptop screen, so I’ve found myself missing the extra excuse to get out of my apartment and experience campus life. I miss it all, from the rushed early morning cross-campus walks to the late-night cram sessions in the library. I’ve come to realize more and more each week how burnt out I am on this “new normal” and how discouraged many of us have become because of it. Despite how much I miss the 2019 campus environment, I’ll have to admit I was shocked to see the University’s Fall 2021 announcement in my email on Feb. 24. The update was addressed to all students, faculty and staff members. It predicted, very optimistically, that we will be conducting next semester “the way we did before the onset of the pandemic,” going as far to say that Fall 2021 is expected to “operate similarly to Fall 2019.” Well, that was unexpected. Given how uncertain everything has been since last March,
I was really taken aback by this assertion. It struck me as being extremely spur-of-the-moment and almost outrageously ill-considered. I would love to get back to normal and feel like a functioning human being and college student again, but this message worried me more than it consoled me. It felt more like a reason to panic than a glimpse into a bright future with the pandemic behind us. Generally speaking, making any sort of prediction about COVID-19 has seemed to bring forth more public commotion and confusion than it has clarity. It seems too early to tell what path the pandemic will take in the future. The rise of vaccines and drop in new cases in the U.S. do provide a trace of justification for these new expectations, but we’re putting a lot of faith in the vaccine distribution system and unpredictable statistics. A myriad of different factors or situations could throw a curveball in our understanding of this virus at any time. I’m afraid that what the University has done in spreading this message more than five months in advance could be more dangerous than anything. Call me a pessimist, but I think the best way of navigating through a pandemic is by maintaining the utmost caution and
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The entrance to the Student Union lies quiet on Sept. 5, 2020 on LSU’s campus understanding that nothing is truly certain. While I’m sure the administration meant no harm, I think it was a poor choice to inspire false hope in students when we really have no idea whether
we’ll be returning to “normal” next semester. I wish I could blindly rejoice and celebrate a long-awaited return to campus, but it feels wholly irresponsible to ignore the current disconcerting state
of the world and the ongoing pandemic for the sake of having a sense of normalcy again. Emily Davison is a 19-year-old anthropology and English sophomore from Denham Springs.
Campus preachers not Christian nor are conservative politicians DOM’S UNCANNY DISCOURSE DOMENIC PURDY
@tigerdom16
It’s that time of year again: the brimstone preachers have begun flooding Free Speech Plaza. On days when these nut jobs are on campus, I can’t even walk to work without hearing them proclaim: “You must repent your sins.” To these people, everything is a sin. Homosexuality, Judaism, socialism, dyed hair and even belief in evolution are all scornful in the eyes of God according to the preachers in Free Speech Plaza. The idea of a group that proclaims love for all of God’s children being so intolerant of others’ beliefs is ironic. For conservative Christians like these, “love thy neighbor” seems only to apply if that neighbor looks and acts like you. These preachers scream at college kids for hours on end, judging them as moral arbiters while paradoxically releasing homophobic, transphobic, racist and sexist rhetoric into the air. Their signs are brazen with Bible verses they claim are evidence of their hateful beliefs but that in reality show their misunderstanding of the religion as a whole. Groups like this are not only not Christian; their entire act is an-
tithetical to the teachings they’re so eager to defend. It’s my understanding from attending about two decades’ worth of Catholic mass that God loves all of his creations, not just those who believe in his tenets and practice his dogma. If conservative Christians like the ones that invade our campus waving around freedom of religion as an excuse for their intolerance were truly moral people, they wouldn’t defame those around them. Rather, they would do their best to lift others up and embrace their uniqueness. Isn’t everyone made perfect in the image of God, after all? Even those who have sinned? Conservative Christianity is not limited to college campuses: it’s everywhere in American society — and, for a group that claims to follow the word of Jesus and his Apostles, they seem to be completely misunderstanding the message. Conservative politicians across the country, particularly here in Louisiana, use Christianity as their prime directive behind policies. This can range from defending America from “the war on Christmas” to advocating for a ban on legal abortions in the name of “protecting God’s creations.” In the case of the latter, conservative politicians are using their Christianity to justify removing women’s autonomy over their own
bodies. How very Christian of them to strip rights from half of God’s creations. Even Jesus Christ himself is misread by many politically conservative Christians. The same conservative Christians that decry socialism as the work of the devil and the downfall of western civilization seem to ignore Jesus’ own ideas of wealth distribution — as well as his status as the Middle Eastern “King of the Jews,” rather than the white man he is so often portrayed as. Galatians says: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you” Leviticus 25:35-38 states. “Take no interest from him or profit… You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. I am the Lord your God.” Contrary to what some conservatives may think, Jesus wasn’t a capitalist in line with modern conservatism. He was more in line with Bernie Sanders’ social programs than with the kind of greed that led to Donald Trump’s ascendance. Jesus healed the sick, fed the hungry and worked to level out the social hierarchy in his time. He taught that the highest form of love was through service to your neighbor as God’s child. Sounds
THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES
Sister Cindy holds a sign displaying multiple sins on Jan. 15, 2020 while preaching on LSU’s campus. a lot like socialized medicine and unionization, no? Practiced correctly, Christianity can be progressive in its teachings, but so many still use it as a justification for oppression. Whether it’s the brimstone preachers in Free Speech Plaza or Donald Trump and his own disciples using fake Christianity to win followers on baseless rhetoric, conservatism just doesn’t align with the Bible’s teachings of peace among men. If religion exists as an integral part of American society, why should it function now as a perversion of its original intent? Christi-
anity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and nearly every other religion is about helping others and guiding morality toward peace among men, something conservatism seems to go against as of late. There’s nothing wrong with practicing religion. It acts as a guiding light for so many. But when that light points in the wrong direction, we get the bigotry masked in morality the preachers on campus espouse in Free Speech Plaza. Domenic Purdy is a 19-year-old journalism sophomore from Prairieville.