The Reveille 4-7-22 by Reveille

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T hu r s d ay, A p r i l 7, 2 022

EVOLVE WINS Lizzie Shaw and Nick St. Mary win 2022 SG election and most senate seats.

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DYLAN BOREL / The Reveille

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LSU Student Government President-elect Lizzie Shaw and Vice Presidentelect Nick St. Mary pose for a picture April 4 in the Live Oak Lounge on the first floor of the LSU Student Union in Baton Rouge, La.

NEWS

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LSU student organizations respond to former French chair’s continued teaching amid lawsuit.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Poetry night with LSU Libraries at Hill Memorial Library and other events are happening this weekend in Baton Rouge.

SPORTS

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All eyes were on Derek Stingley Jr. at LSU’s Pro Day Wednesday, where all 32 NFL teams attended.

OPINION

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“If the university did not require general education courses, degree programs would be shorter.”

L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le

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CLOSE RACE

B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803

In close race, EVOLVE wins spring 2022 SG election BY CORBIN ROSS @CorbinRoss5 Political communication junior Lizzie Shaw and psychology junior Nick St. Mary won the 2022 Student Government race for student body president and vice president Monday in a close race. Shaw will be the first female LSU SG president in 15 years as only about 8% of student body presidents have been women. Shaw and St. Mary will be inaugurated on April 19. “I want to run a good administration. I want the best for the students and I’m not letting anything get in the way of it,” Shaw said. Running under the EVOLVE ticket, Shaw and St. Mary won the race by 34 votes in the third round of voting against the ScottRovere ticket, headed by political science juniors Devin Scott and Isabella Rovere. “Even if they didn’t support us, that means nothing to us. We’re here to represent all students so we’re ready to get the work done,” St. Mary said. “We want to have their support, obviously, so we want to prove to them that we’re the right fit for the job.” The EVOLVE ticket also won 22 Senate seats and 30 College Council seats. Scott-Rovere won 18 senate seats and 10 College Council seats. RISE won 11 senate seats. No other SG candidates ran under the FAFO ticket. The election brought in a total of 7,196 votes, a 38% increase from the 2021 spring election that brought in 5,207 votes. Not all students completely filled out the ranking, which is why there were fewer total votes by the third round. The 2022 spring election was the third SG election to use the ranked-choice voting system, which was first implemented in spring 2021. Ranked-choice voting allows runoffs to be simulated according to voters’ preferences on the ballot instead of having students vote multiple times in runoff elections. The first round of voting saw the EVOLVE and Scott-Rovere ticket in a close race while the other two tickets, RISE and F*** Around and Find Out, trailing significantly. The RISE ticket, headed by mechanical engineering junior

DYLAN BOREL / The Reveille

LSU Student Government President-elect Lizzie Shaw and Vice Presidentelect Nick St. Mary react to student government election results April 4 in the Live Oak Lounge on the first floor of the LSU Student Union in Baton Rouge, La.

BY CAILIN TRAN

Colin Raby and broadcast journalism sophomore Georgia Peck, was eliminated in the first round of voting with 437 votes. FAFO, headed by architecture senior Harris Quadir, was eliminated in the second round of voting with 575 votes. EVOLVE won against ScottRevere by a mere 34 votes. SG voter turnout has been historically low, and runoff elections typically result in even fewer students voting, one of the reasons for implementing ranked-choice voting. Shaw and St. Mary said that one of the main things they will be working toward will be greater transparency within SG and LSU administration. They want to

I want to run a good administration. I want the best for the students and I’m not letting anyone get in the way of it. LIZZIE SHAW

Student Body President-elect

have all of SG’s activities documented and made readily available on their website, one of their first priorities when their term begins this summer. At a SG minority debate, St. Mary said his campaign’s policy is working with the Programming, Support & Initiatives Fee to change the bylaws so that minority organizations can have more funding to host events. Shaw said there are not

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enough efforts being made to recruit minority organizations to serve in SG, especially Hispanic students. “That’s the thing that I really love as far as Latinx representation — is to work with student organizations and groups on campus to see if we can get Latinx representation in the executive branch,” Shaw said. St. Mary also said the divisiveness among branches is a key issue that affects the efficiency of SG. “It’s very hard to get three different branches all on one page, which is something that we have really tried to implement in our campaign,” St. Mary said. “One of our key values is collaboration, we want to make sure we are collaborating with not only our staff but the student body as a whole.” Shaw expressed interest in putting into place the FAFO ticket’s idea of having report cards for administration to determine which administrators are best to work with. Shaw announced her campaign for student body president alongside St. Mary in an Instagram post on Nov. 7. She said the few female presidents SG has seen motivated her to run. “With campus culture shifting rapidly year to year, it’s time for a strong female voice to be added to the administration for female student wants and needs in addition to that of the entire student body,” Shaw said. St. Mary, who previously served as presidential executive assistant in SG, said he was asked to run alongside Shaw while he was still in his hometown working his summer job stocking shelves at Albertsons. A member of SG as well as LSU Ambassadors, St. Mary said he wanted to give back to the same community that supported him. “Being a part of a campaign that seeks to put women’s voices on top is something that’s really important to me,” St. Mary said.

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DYLAN BOREL / 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 STUDENT LIFE

‘Got to go’

Students discuss LGBTQ issues BY ALEXA HATTEN @HattenAlexa

Her removal as chair came on recommendation by the Office of Title IX following The Advocate’s reporting, Stone said. Following the listing of Russo’s classes for the fall, a letter, shared with The Reveille, was released sharing frustrations students had with Russo’s presence in classrooms. The letter, written by French junior Ali Redmann, demanded “that the details of the findings regarding the actions (and inactions) of Russo be released in a timely and public manner.” “Allowing her to continue to teach before the findings of the investigation are released is borderline criminally negligent and directly contrasts all statements that LSU and the Department of French Studies have released regarding the multitude of sexual

Members of the Social Workers Advocating for Equality club set up a table March 25 in Free Speech Alley to encourage students to engage in conversation about LGBTQ women’s issues as part of Women’s History Month. Graduate students Madelyn Operario, Miya Tate and Abby Taylor are members of the club and host a series of table sits once a month to discuss relevant and timely issues. “As a social worker, I feel obligated to have the voice for the voiceless. So, with that, birthed the table sit series,” Tate said. For Women’s History Month, the table-sit was geared toward discussing three bills: the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, a bill that would ban discussion of LGBTQ topics in kindergarten through eighth grade classrooms in Louisiana; Senate Bill 156, a bill that bans transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports; and House Bill 570, a bill that prevents transgender people from receiving health and mental health coverage, Operario said. Operario said there was a march being held in New Orleans to protest these bills on the day of the table sit, March 25, and that their table ties into that

see RUSSO, page 4

see LGBTQ, page 4

LSU students respond to former French chair Adelaide Russo’s continued teaching amid Title IX investigation MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Hodges Hall stands tall on April 1, on Field House Drive in Baton Rouge, La. BY DOMENIC PURDY @tigerdom16 A single phrase rang through the march in action last October, a student-ran protest regarding the mishandling of a sexual assault case at the hands of LSU’s French Studies Department: “Dr. Russo’s got to go.” Almost six months later, French professor Adelaide Russo’s name still appears on the course listings of a senior level elective in the fall, despite multiple allegations lobbied against her about her knowledge of multiple sexual assaults within the French Department. Russo was removed from her position as chair of the French Studies Department on Oct. 13. Russo currently teaches Intermediate French and is set to teach French Literature of the 20th Century in the fall.

On Oct. 5, The Advocate reported on a lawsuit filed by a group of LSU students against former graduate student Edouard d’Espalungue d’Arros. The lawsuit that was filed by six unnamed women listed Russo as a defendant, claiming that she ignored student complaints about French native d’Espalungue from 2017 to 2020, when he was a graduate student in the university’s French Studies program. Following his 2018 arrest and third-degree rape charge in Alexandria, Russo reportedly continued to allow d’Espalungue to work with undergraduates directly, The Advocate reported. d’Espalungue has since fled the United States and returned to France. In the wake of The Advocate’s reporting, Russo was removed from her position as the French Studies’ Department Chair and

replaced by French Studies professor Gregory Stone. “Dr. Russo has been removed as chair of the department but is not being placed on administrative leave from her faculty position,” LSU spokesperson Ernie Ballard said. “She has no advising responsibilities for student organizations or departmental groups, and we believe there is very low risk of immediate possibility of harm. We may change our actions in the future, but at this point we do not have sufficient information to take additional steps.” Prior to her removal as chair, Russo was already on sabbatical. Stone said that she applied for sabbatical in September 2020, a full year before the lawsuit was filed, and the sabbatical was effective in the fall of 2021. She returned to teaching in January.

BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY

Interactive event for children returns after two-year hiatus BY CHANDLER MCINTOSH @GeauxChandler18 The LSU AgCenter invited children in Baton Rouge and surrounding areas to experience AgMagic, a Louisiana agriculturalfocused event, after a two-year hiatus. According to the AgCenter website, AgMagic is the AgCenter’s signature annual educational event for children and was put on hold for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was held for registered school groups from March 28 to April 1, and opened to the public on April 2 and April 3. Hannah Devall, an instructor in the AgCenter 4-H Youth Development unit, worked on the opening of AgMagic to the public. She says AgMagic provides children with interactive activities that teach them about Louisiana agriculture.

“AgMagic is an interactive tour that showcases Louisiana agriculture,” Devall said. “When touring the event, youth have the opportunity to play games, complete crafts, pet different animals and witness top agriculture commodities from across the state.” Devall said her favorite part of the event is watching children get excited about learning Louisiana agriculture. “For me, the most exciting part of this event is to witness youth learn more about the agriculture industry in Louisiana,” Devall said. Devall also said the event showcases other displays, like 4-H youth development, “World of Wonder–Forestry,” “Aquaculture,” “Plants Produce for You,” “Bugs Rule,” “Animals Produce for You” and Farm Gate to Dinner Plate. Each of these displays showcase different agricultural

commodities while making a connection to everyday items that derive from those same commodities. She said the children’s favorite part of the event is typically petting chicks in the “Animals Produce for You” session. Sammie Parks, a civil engineering graduate student with a focus in environmental studies, heard about the AgMagic event from her renewable and natural resources professor and decided to volunteer. “I think that this event is great for teaching children hands-on activities pertaining to Louisiana agriculture,” Parks said. “Agriculture is very important as how food is produced, how homes are built and how daily resources are made, such as paper and oxygen.” Parks also said she believes it is important to be aware of all the agricultural resources Louisi-

ana has to offer. Agricultural and extension education and evaluation sophomore Emma Vines believes that LSU’s contribution to agriculture education for children does a great job with community outreach. “I think this event is a great way for children to be exposed to agriculture through hands-on activities and other learning experiences,” Vines said. “Many people don’t know where their food comes from and the importance of agriculture in everyday life.” Vines said events like AgMagic sparked her interest in agriculture. “It was events like AgMagic that made me really enjoy learning about agriculture,” Vines said. “I had such a great learning experience from my teachers and agriculture events that I wanted to give future students similar opportunities.”

Vines said she would volunteer at AgMagic again and wants to encourage other LSU agricultural majors to get involved with community outreach. “I would love to help children experience agriculture, and it’s what I want to do for a career,” Vines said. “Having the opportunity to see a young student light up when they hold a bunny for the first time or look so proud of themselves after learning something new is something I really enjoy.” Veterinary sciences sophomore Isabella Matysil said AgMagic could help children better understand what it is like to be a veterinarian. “I and other veterinarian science majors all agree that we had an innate sense of wanting to work with animals, and this event can persuade children to fully understand the tasks of a veterinarian,” Matysil said.

Thursday, April 7, 2022

page 4 RUSSO, from page 3 abuse scandals in recent years,” Redmann’s letter read. Despite protests, letters, fliers and emails all objecting to Russo’s teaching, her removal from the classroom is not up to the French Studies Department, unlike her chair position. “Neither our department, nor the Dean’s office, has any authority to remove her from teaching,” Stone said. “Those who would be involved would be the Offices of Academic Affairs, Human Resources and Title IX.” Following the letter, Angelina Cantelli, co-founder and president of Tigers Against Sexual Assault, found it disappointing to learn of Russo’s continued status as a professor. “We heard a lot from students who rightfully did not want to take her class this semester or are under the belief that we are, that she should not be in contact with students until the investigation is over,” Cantelli said. One such survivor was asked to attend a meeting with Stone with leadership from Feminists in Action and TASA, but, as Cantelli said, she “didn’t want to rehash the trauma.” “She’s chosen to wait to speak at any meetings until there is enough attention on it by LSU administration,” Cantelli said. “All that being said, TASA has

stepped in on her behalf.” Since the lawsuit and the events that followed, TASA has been working with state legislators to draft legislation that would prohibit individuals under investigation for Title IX violations from teaching students. TASA teamed up with LSU College Democrats and Cooperation Rouge, along with other organizations, to issue a joint statement on Russo’s presence in the classroom. The statement, released Monday, echoed the language of Redmann’s letter, pleading with LSU to “let her file papers, print exams, or buy coffee for the office — anything to keep her away from students.” “Until the lawsuit is resolved, Dr. Russo should not be allowed to teach in the classroom or interact with the very students she is accused of dismissing and abusing,” the statement read. The statement is addressed to LSU President William F. Tate IV, Stone, Dean Tony Blanchard and others. “We are of the belief that she shouldn’t be in direct contact with students and that it is obviously damaging to survivors,” Cantelli said. “But it also sets students up for retaliation directly and retaliation is explicating against the law. So, LSU is creating an environment that puts people at risk of perpetuating this violence.”

LGBTQ, from page 3 discussion. “We’re really just trying to show unity to women or really anyone in the LGBTQ community, and we’re just showing the community that they’re not alone, that we are here,” Operario said. “Especially in some fields, like STEM, or something like that, it can feel kinda isolating if you’re the only woman in your field.” The club members also conducted a survey about women’s opinions on campus safety. The survey was conducted using fliers that students could fill out and return to the table. The data collected from the survey will help show statistics about how safe women feel on LSU’s campus at different times of the day. “As a woman, I do sometimes feel unsafe on campus. I work on campus. I leave sometimes late at night, especially when it’s still dark,” Taylor said. “It’s pretty common for all the girls to link up and walk together, but there is still some unsafe on campus. There have been so many incidents on campus about violence with women.” Tate, vice president of Social Workers Advocating for Equality, says the table sit-series highlights different issues every month.

ALEXA HATTEN / The Reveille

Members of the Social Workers Advocating for Equality club set up a table March 25 in Free Speech Alley in Baton Rouge, La. “Every month, we pick a population or a demographic to focus on to highlight basically the injustices,” Tate said. “For example, for February, we did a Black History Month table sit, and we kind of highlighted the injustices that Black LSU students encounter in their everyday lives of being Black at a PWI (predominantly white institute).” Tate says the series has been

growing since its start, and she loves interacting with students and listening to their stories. “I’m so excited because our first table sit series had like 30 people come, and it’s been a growing population ever since,” Tate said. “I think our last table sit had over 200 people stop by getting fliers and telling us stories about basically their time at LSU.”

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ENTERTAINMENT

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THIS WEEKEND IN BR

Want to see your event in The Reveille? Email information to editor@lsu.edu.

FRIDAY AT 6:30

BY REVEILLE ENTERTAINMENT STAFF @Reveilleent

APRIL

Poetry Night with LSU Libraries Hill Memorial Library Join the Society of African and African American Studies as they collaborate with LSU Libraries to share their new collection focused on Black art and experiences. Local poets will be performing their own work at the event, which runs from 6:30-8 p.m. MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Clark Creek Hike Clark Creek

SUNDAY AT 2

Take in the wonders of the Southwestern Mississippi landscape during the Clark Creek Hike, set up by the LSU UREC. Let sloping bluffs and waterfalls be your weekend companion during this free adventure.

APRIL

SATURDAY AT 9

APRIL

COURTESY OF WORLD OF WATERFALLS

TH Sunday in the Park Shaw Center for the Arts It is springtime, and that means Sundays in the Park are back at 2 p.m. in Downtown Baton Rouge thanks to the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge. Enjoy live music from Bonerama on what looks to be a beautiful day in BR.

COURTESY OF HARGREAVES

Thursday, April 7, 2022

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Thursday, April 7, 2022

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LSU track and field sprints sophomore Leah Philli

ps powers through the hurdles during the 100-m

eter hurdles.

BATTLE ON THE

LSU track and field distance junior Adam Wise high fives his coach after the 800-meter run.

BAYOU

LSU track and field sophomore Ronnie Rounds II clears

The LSU track and field team held their first home meet Saturday, April 2, at Bernie Moore Track Stadium. Photos by Matthew Perschall

LSU track and field sophomore Hannah Carroll hugs her coach after the 800-meter run.

LSU track and field distance sophomore Garrett Hamilton makes a splash in the water pit during the 3000-meter steeplechase.

Tiger Olympian Arthur Price knocks over the last hurdle during the 110-meter hurdles.

LSU track and field distance junior Katy-Ann McDonald sets the pace during the 1500-meter run.

the bar during the high jump event.

SPORTS STINGLEY’S SPEED LSU football held Pro-Day, here’s how it went down.

BY DYLAN SANDERS @DillySanders Between general managers, coaches and scouts, all 32 NFL teams were in attendance as LSU held its Pro Day Wednesday, one of the last to do so in the process. A lot of players are just now getting healthy, which is why they decided to hold it late. NFL teams weren’t the only ones in attendance, as former teammates, family and media gathered to see how they would perform. Defensive lineman Glen Logan called it “one really big job interview” as a series of LSU draft prospects lined up to perform workouts in one of their last opportunities to impress teams before the NFL Draft later this month.

Vertical Jump The highlight of the vertical came from wide receiver/cornerback Jontre Kirklin. Kirklin, who stands at 5 foot, 11 inches , tied the 2022 NFL Combine record with a vertical jump of 42 inches. Kirklin said in a later interview that he wanted to jump 43 inches, but regardless, he had an impressive showing and topped all players involved in LSU’s Pro Day. “I am the most versatile player in the draft class this year. I showcased a lot, and the vertical shocked me, but I wanted a 43,” said Kirlin after his workout. Kirklin showed his versatility by competing in defensive-back drills after getting snaps at wide receiver and quarterback in college. Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. also performed well for the vertical, jumping 38.5 inches. Coming off a lisfranc injury, Stingley showing his verticality proves his health to NFL scouts. He finished with the second-best vertical on the day and answered some questions about his health in the process. Stingley told the media that he had been cleared from his lisfranc surgery about three weeks ago, but was only been at full health for a couple days.

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

LSU football junior cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (7) runs the 40yard dash April 6, during LSU’s NFL Pro day in the LSU football indoor practice facility in Baton Rouge, La.

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

LSU football graduate student safety Cameron Lewis (31) jumps April 6 during LSU’s NFL Pro day.

40-yard dash When it comes to the 40-yard dash, all eyes focused on Stingley. After coming off a lisfranc injury that tends to affect athletes for their entire careers, Stingley needed to prove his health and his athleticism. He did so with two good runs at 4.37 seconds and 4.44. While the numbers are solid for what the NFL teams needed to see, he was frustrated with the times, which made him run a second time. He told the media later that day that he could run a bit faster than 4.37. Questions remain about Stingley’s tape in 2020 and 2021, and he affirmed his speed during this test, which will help him from sliding when the draft comes. Otherwise, cornerback Cordale Flott also performed well with 40yard dashes of 4.40 seconds and 4.42 seconds. Flott projects as a later pick in the draft, but he always had athletic upside. These times reaffirm what he is to most teams; Flott remains a project with great athletic upside due to his speed and twitch. To add on to his excellent testing, wide receiver/cornerback Kirklin ran a 4.53. Teams may not draft Kirklin due to his limited snaps, but he tested well at LSU’s Pro Day, and that helps with getting eyes on him. He proved himself as an NFL quality athlete, and maybe some team takes a shot on him late in the draft. Another big performance in the 40-yard dash came from defensive lineman Glen Logan. Logan had been at LSU since 2016 and is now getting his chance to go to the NFL. He has started to make his case as he ran a 4.99-second dash, which for a defensive lineman is a headturning number. Logan joked around with the media that it was a “lucky” number, and then later said it helped him win a bet with former LSU defensive lineman Rashard Lawrence on

what the running would end up being. Logan was complimentary of his teammates, saying that Stingley is a great competitor and the best defensive back that he had ever been around and saying that it was amazing to watch Kirklin perform today. Andre Anthony is another feel good story for LSU, as he just got cleared from an injury and ran a 4.63 second dash. He admitted to the media that he surprised himself. Anthony also mentioned that he was able to help Stingley in his recovery as he also had a lisfranc injury in his freshman season. Broad Jump Kirklin continued to impress during the broad jump session. He jumped for a Pro Day high of 11feet, six inches. Stingley also performed well, only making his case stronger that he is recovered from his injury. The first-round pick projected corner jumped for 10-feet, two inches. Flott also jumped for 10-feet, two inches, and Darren Evans jumped 10 feet. Bench The linemen most definitely made their presence heard when it was time to bench press. During the bench press session of Pro Day, players bench press 225 pounds. Center Liam Shanahan led the charge with 28 reps for a Pro Day high. Offensive tackle Austin Deculus, arguably the strongest player in LSU’s draft class, was right behind him with 24 reps. The two offensive lineman got some good reps in practice with New Orleans Saints legend and assistant offensive line coach, Zach Strief during drills. Defensive end Andre Anthony pushed for 21 reps, offensive guard Chasen Hines pushed for 20 and Tyrion Davis-Price pushed for 18, which is an impressive amount for a running back. Defensive tackle Neil Farrell also repped for 18.

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Baseball run-ruled Grambling State

BY COLE HERNANDEZ & TYLER HARDEN

@Ct_hernandez & @ttjharden8 The LSU baseball team is coming off a one-win, two-loss series at home against Auburn as they head into a potential make-orbreak series on Friday against the defending national champion Mississippi State. But if the team needed a confidence boost coming off a tough series, and heading into the most important one so far this season, it came Tuesday night against Grambling State. LSU dominated for a 16-3 win and tied their seasonhigh of 18 hits as a team. Every member of the starting lineup had at least one hit. “Our players were fresh and ready to go and eager to get back out on the field,” said LSU Coach Jay Johnson. “It was a good performance by a lot of guys tonight. We put together a lot of good swings, and everyone contributed to it, which was great.” LSU didn’t get off to an ideal start. Starting right-handed pitcher, Grant Taylor, a freshman, made his first start Tuesday night, but his defense didn’t help him out right away. Grambling started with a double down the right-field line by Trevor Hatton and three singles gave them an early 2-0 lead. The bottom of the second inning is when the dam broke, and LSU started to pull away. Hayden Travinski started the inning by slapping a 423-foot home run over the outfield bleachers. After Jacob Berry allowed Collier Cranford to score off a delayed steal, Jordan Thompson hit a ground-rule double off the batter’s eye, scoring two runs. LSU had a 6-2 lead after two innings.

see BASEBALL, page 9

LSU softball drops three straight games to Kentucky BY MACKAY SUIRE @macthetiger The LSU Tigers faced a potential series sweep against the Kentucky Wildcats this past weekend at Tiger Park. Despite leading all three games in early innings, LSU fell short next to the efficient bats of Kentucky. It seemed that in regards to wins and losses against Kentucky, LSU was unable to battle back, a trait that junior Georgia Clark says she really doesn’t want this team to have. “You’ve got to have some luck to win some games in the SEC,” Clark said.

In the series opener, it was LSU that led most of the game. The Wildcats latched onto the lead with a three-run sixth inning to take the game. The Tigers fell short with three runs to Kentucky’s five, despite out-hitting their opponents 7-6. It was Kentucky that put runs on the board first, though when their leadoff hitter cashed in on a solo homer to left center. Pitcher Shelbi Sunseri returned the favor and tied the game 1-1 with leadoff homer in the second inning. LSU increased its lead 3-1 in the fourth inning with RBI’s from multiple the Tigers. Kentucky responded with a three-run sixth inning taking the lead 4-3, then

later crossed another run in the top of the seventh inning to finalize a two-run lead against LSU. In game two of the series, the Tigers got an early jump on a lead with a four-run first inning. Kentucky walked in a Tiger run, then sophomore Ali Newland roped in a three-RBI double to left center. Kentucky slowly but surely chipped away at LSU’s lead, but it wasn’t until the fifth inning that the Wildcats were able to take a one run lead making the score 5-4 Kentucky. A clutch pinch-hit RBI double from freshman Baylea Brandon in the sixth frame allowed the Tigers to tie the game. A quiet seventh inning pushed the game

into extra innings. In extra innings, Kentucky’s sophomore Erin Coffel hit a threerun homer, taking a three-run lead over LSU. Coffel was the leadoff batter that started off game one for Kentucky with a solo-homer. The Tigers were unfortunately retired in the bottom of the eight, allowing the Wildcats to take to the game. In the series finale, LSU once again was first to put runs on the board when Newland crossed the plate in the second inning on a wild pitch. Kentucky tied the game with one run in the top of the fourth, but was scoreless in the fifth frame. Back-to-back two-out RBI doubles from sophomores Danieca

Coffey and Ciara Briggs in the sixth pushed LSU back on top 3-1. In the seventh inning, Kentucky opened up its at-bats with two consecutive doubles, including one that closed in on LSU’s lead. With two outs on the scoreboard, sophomore Meeko Harrison hit a two-RBI single to give the Wildcats the lead. An error from the Tiger offense allowed a final run and with no action from LSU’s bats in the bottom of the seventh, and the Wildcats were able to leave Tiger Park with five runs to three. Kentucky produced a solid three-game shut out. LSU was able to rack up 22 hits

see SOFTBALL, page 9

page 9

Thursday, April 7, 2022 BASEBALL, from page 8 LSU’s bats exploded in the fourth inning, where they scored nine runs on 10 hits. After Brayden Jobert and Gavin Dugas both got on base, Hayden Travinski hit his second home run of the game to make the score 9-2. They batted around the order, scored four more runs, and carried a 15-2 lead after four innings. LSU’s bats shined all game long. Berry, Crews and Travinski all hit home runs. Travinski hit two, and Berry and Crews each hit one. Travinski also had three RBIs, and Berry and Crews each had two. Tre’ Morgan went two-for-two with two RBIs. Jordan Thompson hit a ground-rule double and contrib-

SOFTBALL, from page 8 throughout the weekend, but fell short to Kentucky’s 29. Wildcat pitchers wakled a total of 15 tigers, but LSU failed to capitalize on runners stranded on bases at the end of innings. Clutch hitters were able to close in on leads, but none were able to find the gaps in Kentucky’s defense that would have allowed for them to take one. Fans saw four LSU pitchers throughout the weekend in the circle. Sunseri started the weekend off in game one. She pitched five innings and allowed six hits and four runs, walking two and striking out two in the 23 batters that she faced. Ali Kilponen came in

uted three RBIs. Brayden Jobert added a double, and Josh Pearson and Josh Stevenson each hit doubles off the bench. Tyler McManus also hit a triple off the bench. Grambling was able to get on the board in the fifth inning, however, the scoring discrepancy was already too large. Two sacrifice fly outs allowed Trevor Hatton to score, the score read 15-3. LSU’s bats continued to find success. Josh Stevenson entered the game in the sixth inning, doubled into left field, and scored on a passed ball shortly after. Tyler McManus also entered the game in the sixth inning and hit a triple into right field. The inning ended with the score 16-3. Relievers Trent Vietmeier, Gar-

rett Edwards, Michael Fowler and Jacob Hasty combined to limit Grambling to one unearned run on one hit over the final five innings with 13 strikeouts. Vietmeier relieved Taylor and immediately showed why LSU’s staff believes in the fifth-year senior. Vietmeier and LSU’s bullpen are on pace to set a school record for strikeouts per every 9 batters, as the Tigers struck out 18 batters on Tuesday night. The record is 9.88, set in the 1997 season, and the 2022 Tigers average 10.59. The NCAA average in 2022 is 8.80. Taylor was credited with his third win this season and his first from the starting role. “I have a lot of faith in Grant,” Johnson said. “He’s very good for

his age and his maturity. This is a guy LSU fans should be excited about being in our program for the next couple of years.” After LSU held Grambling to a three-up, three-down inning, both coaches agreed to end the game and implemented the NCAA 10-run rule. This is the eighth meeting between these Louisiana universities and LSU has won each contest. LSU improves its overall record to 20-9, and picks up a much needed, confidence-boosting win headed into its weekend series at Mississippi State. The Tigers will face the Bulldogs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Dudy Noble Field on the campus of Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi.

LSU baseball sophomore Will Hellmers (48) pitches the ball March 23 during LSU’s 6-7 loss against Louisiana Tech.

as relief in game one and pitched two innings, allowing one hit and one run, while also striking out two and walking two. Sunseri was credited with the loss of game one. Kilponen got things rolling in game two for LSU. She pitched 3.1 innings and allowed four runs with five hits, walking four and striking out only one. A more unfamiliar face for the Tigers, Shelby Wickersham, came in as relief and pitched 4.2 innings, also allowing four runs with five hits. Wickersham walked two and struck-out one, and was later given the loss in game two. Freshman Raelin Chaffin started in game three for LSU. It was her first outing in the circle after a couple of games with no play-

ing time. Chaffin pitched for 5.2 innings and allowed three runs with 11 hits. She had no walks and struck out two in the 30 batters that she faced. Sunseri closed out the weekend when she came in for relief. She pitched 1.1 innings and allowed two runs with two hits and no walks or strike-outs. Sunseri was once again given the loss. In regards to their losses, the Tigers felt that they were simply outcompeted. Their opponent was able to capitalize on LSU’s weaknesses while supporting their own strengths. To Georgia Clark, first baseman, and one of only nine upperclassmen, their weaknesses come from lack of experience. Clark believes that there is still a

ton of growing for the young team to do. “I think at the end of the day, this team still has a lot of growing to do,” Clark explained. “There are only a few upperclassmen on this team, and it gets really hard when you have those underclassmen that are trying to fill those pressure spots but just haven’t been there before. There’s going to be some trial and error, but they’re going to figure it out and be great for the postseason and later on down the road.” Head Coach Beth Torina seemed to share the same opinion of being outcompeted. She said that even in the losses, she never felt that her team was in a spot to

win in every game. “It’s not like we’re out of anything that is happening,” Torina explained. “We’re in a spot to plan, research, and figure out how to close the door and shut it down. We’ve been inspired to win. I hate to keep blaming our youth, but I hope that we keep growing up through this. I hope we keep getting better.” LSU will have all week to plan, research and figure out how to shut out its next opponent before the tigers go on the road to face the Texas A&M Aggies at Davis Diamond in Texas. Fans at home can watch the three-game series through the SEC Network. Game one is set to take place at 6p.m. on Friday.

PETER NGUYEN / The Reveille

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Thursday, April 7, 2022

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THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 Purple Heart recipient 5 Frolic about 10 Yosemite National __ 14 Fired from a job 15 European nation 16 Sabotage 17 __ up; arranges 18 Meeting 20 Shade tree 21 Patty __; lunch menu item 22 “King __ Road”; 1965 song 23 “The Thrill of __”; Doris Day film 25 __ West 26 Mental health 28 Dressing room item 31 Joint most often sprained 32 Readers & spellers 34 Portable bed 36 In a __; out of sorts 37 Stir from slumber 38 Surgery reminder 39 Sermon topic 40 Precious ones 41 Ice skate part 42 Braggart 44 Cool dessert 45 Tub 46 Polynesian New Zealander 47 Twelve 50 Mountain range path 51 “Birds __ feather…” 54 Surgeons’ specialties 57 Old radio adjuster 58 Good buy 59 Girl’s nickname 60 Chief Justice __ Warren 61 Not more than 62 Tearful petitions 63 Joy DOWN 1 “Every cloud __ silver lining”

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews

2 Tic-tac-toe symbols 3 Considering again 4 Takes too much, briefly 5 Actress Tyson 6 Reef in a lagoon 7 Breathe heavily 8 Mischievous fairy 9 Deli loaf 10 Like the most 11 Family tree member 12 Affluent 13 Middle of the leg 19 Lion’s greetings 21 Spouse 24 Incline 25 Todd or Wallace 26 Be impudent 27 Comic strip orphan 28 Playwright Hart 29 Occurring now and then 30 Highways 32 Tug or canoe 33 TV’s “Days of __ Lives”

4/7/22

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

35 Spruce or sequoia 37 Sit for a spell 38 Speak ill of 40 Late Princess of Wales 41 Catcalls 43 Excessively 44 Cathedral services

4/7/22

46 Short-lived craze 47 Airhead 48 Dentist’s directive 49 Ardor 50 Warsaw native 52 Golfer’s cry 53 Skilled enough 55 Touch lightly 56 Ailing 57 Beer barrel

OPINION

page 11

General education courses are a waste of student time and money KACEYING THE STORY KACEY BUERCKLIN

@0kacey1

General education courses can be some of the most difficult classes taken in a student’s college career. General education courses are supposedly required to round out a student’s knowledge. Art majors are required to take math and science courses, and science majors must take an art credit, even though these classes have nothing to do with their degrees or interests. According to the university’s general education requirements, “students must complete the 39hour general education requirement prior to graduating from LSU.” That’s around three semesters worth of courses. Many general education courses are a waste of time and money. To get to college, students have already learned the basics of social studies, math and science through a high school or

GED program. Why should they have to retake these classes for thousands of dollars? I used to tutor for a general education American history course. Even though this class is considered easier than many math and science courses, there were a lot of STEM majors doing poorly. It was difficult for these students to pay attention in a class that they found uninteresting and useless academically. It’s unfair to have students take this many courses outside their field. It took me until my senior year of college to have all my general education courses finished, and they were some of my lowest grades. Taylor Terry, a political science senior from New Jersey, said she spends thousands of dollars on classes she will never use. “I had to take multiple maths,” Terry said. “I am a political science major and taking a college algebra class has not helped me with my degree whatsoever. It costs thousands of dollars for me to take these classes. I feel like it’s another way for the uni-

versity to gain more money from students.” Terry is right; the university gains a large profit from requiring students to take all these extra courses. If the university did not require general education courses, degree programs would be shorter. In Europe, college is considerably cheaper, and students generally finish their bachelor’s degree in three years, compared to the U.S. average of four to six years. European universities allow students to take more classes in their specialized fields instead of requiring a hefty load of general education courses. Cutting down on general education classes will shorten degree programs, save students money and produce better-prepared graduates. Eliminating this unnecessary burden would increase accessibility and allow more students to complete their degrees.

QUICK TAKES

What do you wish you knew before coming to LSU? I wish I knew less before coming to LSU because change is inevitable. I was stockpiling study habits and tips on being sociable, trying to the best person possible. There was no way to know I would have to unlearn so much past behavior to become who I am today. The only thing more valuable than knowledge coming into college would’ve been ignorance and the ability to start from scratch. Gideon Fortune @gidfortune

Spending time on campus is one of the best things you can do to improve your short time here at the flagship. From hanging out on the Parade Grounds, eating at the Student Union or just studying with friends at the library, there are plenty of places and activities that can engage you more deeply with the campus community, which has helped me enjoy my time much more. Charlie Stephens @CharlieStephns

Kacey Buercklin is a 21-year-old political communications senior from Murrayville, GA. I would tell myself to take advantage of the time that I have while it’s still early. When it comes to academics, do everything to get the highest grades possible—it won’t get any easier, and you might regret losing an easy early boost for your GPA. Spend more time with your friends and neighbors in the dorm because moving, internships and preparation for graduation will take up way more time than you think. Drake Brignac @drakebrignac

I wish I would have known the importance of GPA early on. As a freshman, I was excited to be in college and meet new people and less focused on academics. I did not know how drastically a C or even a B can drag your GPA down. If I had to do it all again, I would focus more on my easy electives rather than not taking them seriously and settling for a low grade.” Lura Stabiler @lstabiler3

I wish I could tell my younger self about the importance of getting to know your professors. Having a positive, informed relationship with the people who provide instruction is so valuable. Going to your professors’ office hours, helping them to understand your situation as a student and an individual, learning about each other’s goals for the course—these things allow them to properly support and assist you. Noah McKinney @itsthatnoah EMILY TRAN / The Reveille

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Lara Nicholson Enjanae’ Taylor Josh Archote

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor

Bella Dardano

Deputy News Editor

Claire Sullivan

Opinion Editor

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

Quote of the Week “In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was, in me, an invincible summer.”

Albert Camus

French philosopher 1913 — 1960