The Reveille 2-22-24

More than 800 pieces of Black history sit at Hill Memorial Library.

‘TOO WELL-KEPT SECRET’

Expansive collection including famed Black authors acquired in 2022

BY TOREY BOVIE @toreyb12

Untapped history is resting at LSU.

The Wyatt Houston Day Collection of African American Poetry is an archival collection of more than 800 pieces of work by authors such as Phillis Wheatley, Gwendolyn Brooks and Langston Hughes.

The pieces in the Day collection feature materials from the early 18th century, the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement. Some of the pieces even contain hand-written messages or signatures from the authors.

Part of the collection is now open for viewing on the first floor of Hill Memorial Library in honor of Black History Month.

“There are going to be scholarly and cultural connections made by students and professors that we can’t anticipate,” said John Miles, curator of books at Hill Memorial Library.

But one problem could be delaying this process of unburying the past. Few LSU students and faculty have interacted with the collection since LSU Libraries Special Collections acquired it in February 2022.

The collection is generally a “too well-kept secret,” Miles said with pieces from the collection lined up next to him on a polished shelf.

Miles said Hill Memorial Library hosted a poetry reading with The Society of African and African American Studies, or SAAS, in 2022 that featured some poets from the collection. He said he hopes to add books from the Day collection into the curriculum for an introductory class for humanities and social science majors.

Stephen C. Finley, inaugural chair of the LSU African and African American Studies Department, said the answer to connecting students—particularly Black students—to the collection is in LSU’s backyard.

While Hill Memorial Library

has held classes and events, Miles said he would like to see more use of the collection.

“AAAS has been a program since 1994. I mean who else is better to utilize that kind of resource than faculty whose very research is focused on the lives and experiences of African and African Americans… It’s not just a focus of ours. It’s what we do,” Finley said. With more than 800 books, the collection offers an expansive opportunity for research and study for students and faculty.

“I’ve written about the esoteric nature of Harlem Renaissance literature. I’ve published on that. And yet, nobody asks us when it comes to these kinds of collections,” Finley said.

It’s easy to automatically think about English, history or master of fine arts programs when it comes to catalogs of literature Finley said. But, other applications come into play when dealing with such tangible glimpses into the past.

“When the university wants to know about hurricanes or something that impacts Louisiana, they tap their own scholars first. That’s not necessarily our experience when it comes to the kind of work we do,” Finley said.

During the arrival of the collection, Finley said AAAS had just become a department. AAAS Librarian Narcissa Haskins did some rollout work with the archive around this time as well. However, Finley said he was on sabbatical leave and is unaware of when or how Haskins delivered the news of the collection to the rest of the department.

Miles said the day he flew to New York to retrieve the Day collection was “a rare book emergency.”

“We needed to take possession of at least some part of it by the end of the year. So, I flew up with some clothes in a backpack and my carry-on,” Miles said.

Haskins said Hill Memorial Library reached out to her for help with the announcement of the collection. She chose specific books to showcase for camera crews and did some interviews, she said.

“From purchase to getting it organized and the process of getting it cataloged, that takes a long time,” Haskins said.

Haskins said she looks forward to connecting with Miles in the future to discuss projects or events that could showcase the collection.

Miles said one professor is at the forefront of using the collection. Casey Patterson, an assistant professor in the LSU English department since the fall, said he plans to encourage student engagement by using the collection in his classes as much as possible.

“Knowing that there was this

huge new resource at the university and that it hadn’t really been combed through by scholars yet, I thought it was a great opportunity for students at LSU to do original research,” Patterson said.

Patterson said he has been talking to a group of archival scholars at the City University of New York who could possibly bring a team of graduate students to LSU to study the collection.

Finley said no one intends to let the collection sit unused. Most people involved seem to share the common goal of putting the collection to use and making groundbreaking connections. He said the AAAS Department has ways and expertise to make this happen.

“Especially if these faculty members are doing this kind of research where they could use undergrad and grad students as research assistance or support as well,” Finley said.

Hundreds of works by Black authors on LSU’s campus wait to be explored. There are Black scholars across multiple fields who are ready to break down the walls that separate them from the people that came before. Now it’s time to start making the connections.

“There are some amazing poets in this collection,” Miles said. “But some of the real wealth in the collection comes from the people you haven’t heard of.”

All the materials from the Day collection are available by request to LSU students, as well as the general public, either in person at Hill Memorial Library or online through the LSU Libraries Catalog. The complete collection will be on display on the two gallery floors of Hill Memorial Library starting April 15, for National Poetry Month, until Aug. 30.

The

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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

MORGAN COOK / The Reveille Poetry rests on a table Feb. 20 as part of the Wyatt Houston Day Collection of Poetry by African Americans exhibition at Hill Memorial Library in Baton Rouge, La.

MORGAN COOK / The Reveille Poetry and biographical information about Paul Laurence Dunbar hangs on a wall Feb. 20 as part of the Wyatt Houston Day Collection of Poetry by African Americans exhibition at Hill Memorial Library in Baton Rouge, La.

NEWS SO LONG, SITO

After superintendent ouster, school district hopes for stability

BY GRACELYN FARRAR @gracelynfarrar

When East Baton Rouge School superintendent Sito Narcisse received a buyout on Jan. 12, it marked the end of a tumultuous three years as head of Louisiana’s second largest school system and swung an already troubled district back into uncertainty.

The change was set in motion after a Dec. 7 school board meeting that saw a new contract for the outgoing superintendent rejected in a tight 5-4 vote.

“It is hard for a Black man or a Black woman to serve as a position of leadership and be successful and also get a contract at the end of the day,” said school board member Dadrius Lanus, a supporter of Narcisse, at a news conference following the vote.

Appointed in 2021, Narcisse faced multiple controversies throughout his tenure, though he defended his success as superintendent when he spoke with the Reveille.

The most notable trouble of his term came from the 2022 “Day of Hope,” a field trip to a church billed as a college and career day where children were instead lec-

tured on topics such as sexual assault, suicide and religion. Day of Hope is now the subject of a lawsuit by parents against the district.

More recently, a strike by bus drivers and cafeteria workers for better working conditions at the

start of the 2022-2023 school year forced schools across the parish to close.

“For two weeks we had no idea if the bus was going to come and pick our children up,” said Tyler Hicks, parent to children in the school system.

Narcisse, at the time, was in Broward County, Florida, where he was vying for a position as the county’s superintendent, a position he was ultimately passed over for.

Traveling Black Inventions Museum

BY GRACELYN FARRAR @gracelynfarrar

The African American Cultural Center welcomed the Traveling Black Inventions Museum to LSU’s campus on Monday, Feb. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of its Black History Month program.

Models of inventions credited to Black inventors and scientists— including the traffic light, refrigerator, hairbrush and air conditioning— unit lined a long table that stretched down Free Speech Alley.

Umar Bey founded the museum in 1994 and has traveled with the exhibit around the country for 30 years, hoping to promote positive examples of Black history and contributions made throughout the centuries. From California to Atlanta to Baton Rouge, Bey has educated people on the accomplishments of Black inventors and scientists.

“I go around the country teaching children and people about the contributions of Afri-

see SUPERINTENDENT, page 4 see MUSEUM, page 4

‘Dead week’ extension rejected by LSU’s Faculty Senate

BY CONNOR REINWALD @conur16

The Faculty Senate Tuesday rejected a proposal from Student Government to extend the concentrated study period before finals, commonly referred to as “dead week,” by two days, for a total of seven.

The resolution was presented by student body President Anna Cate Strong and student senator Calvin Feldt before being voted down by a majority of the senate, with faculty citing concerns over the study period cutting into class time.

Currently, the concentrated study period consists of the five days before final exam week, beginning Wednesday and ending Sunday. During this time, no extracurricular academic activities or graded coursework are allowed. The only exception to this rule is coursework such as projects, presentations or papers that were identified on the syllabus on the first day of class.

“For me, in the fall is just a nogo. Thanksgiving week is a bust and now we’re talking about the entire next week,” said sociology and criminology professor Edward Shihadeh. Shihadeh also said that the loss of days to give assignments

would result in his final exam being weighted more, something he said would not be beneficial to students.

The prohibition of assignments during the extended study period would also prove bothersome to departments that are reliant on homework, such as math. Mathematics professor Scott Baldridge said that math is learned by practicing, and not being able to perform a “hard checkup” on students would cause them to forget what they had learned in class prior to Thanksgiving break and leave them unprepared for finals.

LSU originally implemented the concentrated study period in 1987, originally only restricting extracurricular activities. Then in 1994, the university banned any major exams during the period and in 2003 mandated that any graded coursework assigned within the period could only make up 10 percent of a student’s class grade, which was then lowered to 5 percent in 2012. Finally in 2017, LSU banned dead week graded coursework altogether, only allowing projects that have been declared on the syllabus by the first day of class. Currently laboratory, graduate and professional courses do not observe the concentrated study period.

The 2017 change forbidding the assignment of graded coursework over the concentrated study period remains a concern to members of the faculty today. Math professor Charles Delzell said he would want to abolish the 2017 resolution in favor of a previous resolution that

would allow professors to assign at maximum 5-10 percent of their coursework during the study period.

“I don’t care so much how many days it is. I care about what the restrictions are during those days,” Delzell said.

“Hopefully in the future we are able to find a proposal that satisfies both the needs of faculty and the wants of students,” Strong said.

These grievances with the current concentrated study period led to the faculty senate quickly rejecting the proposal.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

LSU student body President Anna Cate Strong and Student Sent. Calvin Feldt take questions on the concentrated study period Feb. 20 during a Faculty Senate meeting in the Coast and Envrionment Building on LSU’s campus.

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille

The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board Office sits Feb. 21 at 1050 S Foster Dr., Baton Rouge, La.

SUPERINTENDENT, from page 3

These controversies served to weaken an already fragile trust in the superintendent, who had previously received criticism for not moving his family from Washington, D.C., to Baton Rouge in what was perceived as a lack of faith in the school system he was administrating.

The issues the Baton Rouge community had with Narcisse didn’t stop there. Allegations of retaliation and fiscal mismanagement marred his time as superintendent.

“He’s very vindictive, and that’s a problem on the union side that we had with him, with a lot of our members,” said middle school teacher and local union leader Storm Matthews. “Like, people would be scared of going to the microphone at board meetings to even speak or do things because there was always fear of retribution.”

Matthews is no stranger to this “culture of fear.” Three potential instances of retaliation against her are currently under investigation, following a video that went viral of her speaking at a school board meeting in August 2023.

Then there comes the subject of money.

“I don’t know that anybody wants to inherit this budget crisis

MUSEUM, from page 3

can Americans to their everyday lives,” Bey said.

Bey’s favorite artifact in the traveling museum is the Super Soaker water gun, which was patented on Sept. 29, 1992, by Lonnie Johnson, a Black man who was in the Air Force and worked as a systems engineer for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In his spare time, Johnson invented the Super Soaker and a thermoelectric energy converter, which can generate electricity from heat. Johnson currently has his sights set on perfecting the rechargeable battery.

A recognizable face could be seen in the exhibit: first African American heavyweight boxing champ Jack Johnson. When he finished prize fighting, he began racing cars. Although he didn’t have his own pit crew, he patented his own wrench.

Several medical advancements

we’re in,” said Paige Colwell, former East Baton Rouge arts teacher who now teaches out of Lafayette. “I know that [Narcisse] manipulated people into spending money in areas that we really didn’t need.”

When contacted by the Reveille for comment, Narcisse defended his record as superintendent, touting the school district’s investments in tutoring, literacy and math coaches, as well as after school programs with partners.

“We have always worked with schools for programs and investments and receive direction from school leaders on their needs,” Narcisse said.

Before Narcisse’s superintendency, Colwell said she received $700 for art supplies for over 180 children. The year she left, 2022, she said her budget was reduced to $500 for the same number of students.

“He also quietly removed art programs in different schools, which never made the news,” said Colwell. “And he denied it whenever he was questioned on it.”

Colwell described a teacher who had been affected by these alleged changes.

“Her art program got removed and she was moved to another school site because there was no longer a job for her there. Then he removed the program at the site she was at,” Colwell said. “So, she

were featured at the exhibit as well. In ancient Egypt, Imhotep invented the stethoscope. Dr. Patricia Bath invented an apparatus for removing cataracts in 1988. In 1970, Dewey Sanderson created the urinalysis machine. To combat pain, Bantu tribes in Africa consumed bark that contained acetylsalicylic acid, which is more commonly known as aspirin.

Other notable creations from Black inventors and scientists at the exhibit included the gamma electric cell, which is a key component to the modern-day cell phone and was invented by Henry Sampson in 1971. The telephone transmitter, which took crosscountry communication from telegraph-style Morse code to that of a verbal quality, was invented in 1884 by Granville Woods, who later sold the device to the creator of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell.

“Oftentimes, Black history is viewed in this negative kind of

had to move again. She moved to three different schools in three years. He just kept removing arts programs. She wasn’t the only one, either.”

In response to these allegations, Narcisse said the arts expanded under his superintendency.

“Throughout my tenure,” Narcisse said, “I have worked with the EBR board of education to provide support to schools that enhance opportunities specifically in the areas of arts, early childhood education, college and career programs and workforce development.”

Mary Juneau, who founded an advocacy group for parents in the parish and wrote a petition to remove Narcisse from the superintendent position. “When you look at all these issues—reassigning teachers, denying teachers and staff stipends, failing to do the basics of the system like get kids to and from school, overspending emergency dollars—I mean, it goes on and on.”

She prefers interim superintendent Adam Smith.

“He’s pleasant; he’s knowledgeable. He cares about the children. He knows the community,” Juneau said.

Smith certainly does know the community. He worked for 27 years in the parish’s school system

undertone,” Bey said, “so I try to bring it as a positive thing that people all over the world can kind of share.”

Sharalle Arnold, director of the African American Cultural Center, said it’s important to have these kinds of learning opportunities on campus because “it’s about showcasing and sharing the truth.”

“There is a lot of everyday items that you can see along that walkway that has made an impact on our everyday living,” Arnold said. “And as African Americans, we were not credited, not honored, not acknowledged for our contributions, our efforts, our skills and our scholarships.”

The goal of the African American Cultural Center, which was founded in 1993, is to develop students through access and representation of historic African American culture, heritage and tradition. The center provides educational and developmental

as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant and associate superintendent, and he has four children all of whom graduated from the system.

He isn’t a stranger to the interim superintendent job, either. In October 2020, former superintendent Leslie Brown resigned after only about a month for unspecified health reasons. To fill her absence, public favorite Smith took over until January 2021, before Narcisse beat him out for the job in a 5-4 vote.

While it’s true that support seems to swell around Baton Rouge local Smith, in-state applicants are not necessarily given an edge in the decision-making process.

“We have many in this community who believe that we have to have people from out of state,” said Anna Fogle, a parent of children who graduated in the system. “That it’s people from out of state that have the answer. They want people who are ‘disruptors,’ who will upend the system and do things to make big changes.”

Matthews suggested that the board make a consistent vision for the future of the school system and hire in accordance with that idea.

“These are our kids, this is our community, these are our teachers. So, we’re not changing our vi-

sion and our direction every time we get a new superintendent, whether that’s every three years or every five years,” Matthews said.

Smith originally had an agreement with the school board that he wouldn’t pursue the permanent superintendent position, however, that restriction has been removed.

While a large part of the public is now clamoring for Smith’s expedited appointment to the job, he has not publicly said he will apply for the position. Regardless, the board must wait at least 30 days from the removal of the previous superintendent before deciding. This appointment can happen as early as Feb. 23, but the board has indicated the search will likely take several months.

Parents Hicks and Fogle want the same thing: stability.

“We need to go through the process and find the right person, whoever that may be,” Hicks said. “In the meantime, all these teachers and kids are caught up in this transition yet again. We need some stability.”

“We need stability,” Fogle said. “We need someone who has proven they are committed to our system, who will be here and stay here and care about this community.”

opportunities for interested community members and is open to all LSU students.

“Black history is shared history for all of us to learn and to take part in,” Arnold said.

LSU student arrested in connection to child pornography

BY CROSS HARRIS AND CLAIRE SULLIVAN @thecrossharris and @sulliclaire

An LSU student was arrested Tuesday in connection to a child pornography investigation, according to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.

Jahi Palmer-Davis, a sociology junior, according to his LinkedIn, was charged with pornography involving juveniles and the unauthorized use of a wireless router system.

Police allege Palmer-Davis

used Instagram, his LSU email and LSU’s router system to share the child pornography, both WBRZ and The Advocate reported.

Representatives from East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to phone calls from the Reveille Wednesday afternoon. Todd Woodward, LSU’s vice president of marketing and communications, said the university was aware of the arrest but had not received information about the investigation.

At the university, PalmerDavis was a member of the LSU Leadership Coalition, according to his Facebook. He was also involved in LSU Student Government. In 2022, he was elected as a student senator for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, a position he no longer serves in. He also acted as an ex-officio member for LSU Faculty Senate’s Integrative Learning Core Committee. He was still being held in custody as of Wednesday afternoon.

GRACELYN FARRAR / The Reveille Exhibits line a table in Free Speech Alley Feb. 19 on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.

CRIME

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille Memorial Tower sits in the distance Jan. 27 on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.

ENTERTAINMENT

THIS WEEKEND IN BR

BY MATILDA SIPP @SippTilly

FRIDAY AT 6 P.M.

FEBRUARY

23 RD

SUNDAY AT 10 A.M.

FEBRUARY

25 TH

Food Truck Round-Up Perkins Rowe

Go get your shopping on over at Perkins Rowe and enjoy some live music and food trucks. The event will last from 6 to 8 p.m. and feature lobster rolls, Caribbean food, snowballs and more.

Local Pop-Up Market

Student Union Vieux Carre Room

Local Pop-Up Market will come back to the Electric Depot from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Local businesses like Red Stick Reads and Local Supply Baton Rouge will host a Book Swap, and other local vendors will be selling their merchandise. Grab a friend and head out to sip on some coffee and buy some homemade goods.

Boozy Bookish Brunch: Romance Edition Tap65

Red Stick Reads is hosting a brunch event for romance book lovers to drink mimosas and try from the Tap65 brunch menu while shopping for some local romantic reads. The brunch will last from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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

FEBRUARY

24TH

SATURDAY AT 10 A.M.

Caroline’s Cookies: a young woman changing the cookie game

BY AVA FRANCIS @avamohsochic

What was once a way to cure boredom during quarantine is now a delicious sensation Louisiana residents and foodies alike.

Caroline Merryman is the 22-year-old cookie baker and owner of Caroline’s Cookies. Since she was 8 years old, Merryman has been whipping up delectable treats like cupcakes, cakes and cookies as a hobby. It wasn’t until she graduated high school in 2020 that things began to change.

After getting her first official cookie recipe book, Merryman’s friends and family were pleased with her creations, but she wanted to make something exceptional.

“I tried almost every recipe in there, but they were thin,” she said. “And I was determined to make a cookie that you couldn’t really find anywhere else.”

The cookies Merryman was making could be found at Great American Cookies, Albertsons or any other local bakery.

“Nothing was necessarily special about them, and I wanted to make my favorite thing, which is thick and gooey cookies,” she said.

After researching and experimenting with recipes over and over again, Merryman landed on what is now the thick and gooey recipe sold to customers Wednesday through Sunday. The first storefront for Caroline’s Cookies opened on Aug. 14, 2021, in Merryman’s hometown of Lafayette. The second storefront recently opened in Baton Rouge on Perkins Rowe,

just a couple miles from LSU’s campus. It’s easy to spot with a line wrapped around the corner.

Merryman moved to Baton Rouge when the new location opened and has been overseeing it since.

“We serve around 200 to 250 customers a day in about two hours. Oh my gosh, it’s insane,” Merryman said.

With such a large number of customers on a daily basis, Merryman said she relies on her staff to create an amazing customer service experience.

“I can’t take the credit for that though, it’s the girls behind the counter that do it. I will say it looks easy to box up the cookies, but we were short staffed on Thursday, I got behind the counter and I’m like, ‘This is so overwhelming’,” she said. “I need to give them credit because it’s intimidating standing back there with a line and serving customers. They do a great job.”

LSU alumna Caroline McDaniel is one of the team members behind the counter in Baton Rouge ready to serve customers a five-star experience. McDaniel described her behind-the-counter perspective as energetic, chaotic and fun as she watches the long lines stretch out the door.

“It’s fun to get into conversation with them. You kind of have a moment whenever they get to the checkout counter, while you punch in all their cookies,” McDaniel said. “There’s no question that the cookies are great. I mean, the lines are out the door every

day. But, I think a big part of our success has to do with how we communicate with our customers.”

McDaniel enjoys her time behind the counter as well as working with Merryman, who she finds inspirational.

“She’s encouraging and very sweet,” McDaniel said. “She is very successful, and I feel like she doesn’t even know it. She’s one of the greatest bosses.”

The hard work and support doesn’t stop with the women behind the counter. Merryman’s mom Dawn has been there from the start with encouragement and hugs on standby for her daughter. Merryman’s brother Reece has also played a creative role in the development of Caroline’s Cookies, crafting the original logo and being the company’s photographer and marketing director.

“My brother was kind of in between careers at the time and was getting into photography and videography. He offered to make me a logo,” Merryman said. “My brother takes all my pictures, he’s phenomenal. He built our website, and I make all of our posts, captions and Instagram stories.”

Reece Merryman said social media plays a big part in the business and is a great way to communicate with customers and keep them updated. He gets the best of both worlds working with family while pursuing his passion.

“I really enjoy working with her” he said. “...I think a large part of the growth of the business is due to Caroline and her hard work. I mean, she definitely puts every-

thing she has into the business.

And I think you can see that.”

As frequent customers and fans of Caroline’s Cookies know, social media has played a big part in her story.

“We were on the way back from New Orleans, and I remember saying, I really want to start an Instagram to show people my cookies,” Merryman said. “But I was way too nervous and thought that’s really embarrassing, I just can’t get myself to do it. My brother was like ‘stop worrying about what people will think, just do it.’ I’m so glad that I took his advice because it’s led me to where I am today.”

After starting the Instagram account, Merryman received a message from someone asking if she sold the cookies she was sharing on her profile.

“I was like, mom, I could sell them but it wasn’t like I was going to start a business. I thought I’ll sell them one time and that would be that, it never stopped from there,” she said.

Catherine-Grace Thibeaux, a marketing junior at LSU and Lafayette native was one of the first to experience all that is Caroline’s Cookies? Thibeaux said she remembers when Merryman sold cookies at her parents house.

“They would sell out in two minutes,” Thibeaux said. “I was in class in highschool asking my teacher ‘Can I please get on my phone and order these cookies. I just heard these are the best cookies ever.’”

Thibeaux wasn’t the only person who felt this way; she said the

talk about the cookies was swarming in Lafayette.

“I would say they’re different from any other cookie I’ve ever had. Everyone wants a good thick and gooey cookie,” Thibeaux said. “There’s nothing like that in Lafayette unless you go all the way to New York for cookies like that. They’re just so special and unique that everyone wants to get their hands on them,” Thibeaux said.

She once waited 45 minutes at the Lafayette store but said it was worth the wait.

“I think it’s so special and meaningful that we’re from the same town,” Thibeaux said. “I just want to support her.”

Merryman is hands-on with every aspect of her business and is always ready to make the experience better for customers.

“I think the secret to success is staying true to who you are and staying humble. Remember it’s not about you. It’s really important to me that I pour back into my people and remember to bless my team and not let money drive you,” Merryman said.

Merryman is excited to be a part of the woman-owned business scene in Baton Rouge and hopes everyone enjoys her cookies.

“I’ve been so overwhelmed and excited by the long lines. I can’t believe they’re there every single day,” she said. “I’ve been very thankful for the community that has already been built around us in Baton Rouge. I’m really excited for everyone to try all the cookies that we have to offer.”

A chalk sign leans against the wall inside the Food Science building on Feb. 1 on LSU’s campus.

A sign for the LSU Dairy store sits in the window of the Food Science building on Feb. 20.

LSU sophomores Tyler Besse and Shanice Snell work at the new Dairy Store location Feb. 20.

A sign points to the new Dairy Store location on Feb. 20 on Tower Dr. on LSU’s campus.

LSU sophomores Tyler Besse and Shanice Snell serve customers at the new Dairy Store location Feb. 20.

T-shirts hang on display at the new Dairy Store location Feb. 20.

LSU information systems and decision sciences sophomore Tyler Besse scoops ice cream at the new Dairy Store location Feb. 20.

Students enjoy their ice cream while leaving the new Dairy Store location Feb. 20 on S. Campus Drive.

The windows of the LSU Dairy Store read “We’re moving 2 S. Campus Dr.” on Feb. 1 on LSU’s campus.

Different ice cream flavors sit on display in the freezer at the new Dairy Store location Feb. 20.

Photos by Erin Barker

The LSU Dairy Store moved to The Ford Schience building on South Campus Drive as work begins on its old location in the Dairy Science building.

SPORTS STARTING FAST

Takeaways from LSU baseball’s undefeated opening weekend

BY CONNOR BARNEY @theconnorbarney

LSU baseball completed its opening weekend with four straight wins, beating both VMI and Central Arkansas twice in alternating games.

During their historic 2023 National Championship season, the Tigers earned a gunslinging reputation full of big hits and offensive action. This year, as the purple and gold begin to defend their title, there’s been a mix of captivating offense and fundamental defense.

LSU broke a school record for most singles in a game, tallying 27 singles in only seven innings against VMI. Facing the Keydets, the Tigers scored 38 total runs, but only managed to plate six in their two games against Central Arkansas.

Proving they can win both offensively and defensively is important, and a few players managed to stand out through both categories of victories.

An Old Face in a New Position

Jared Jones played first base for all four games, filling the shoes Tre’ Morgan left behind. The sophomore had no trouble competing to the standard Morgan left behind, showcasing his big hit ability with three home runs and a triple this

BASKETBALL

weekend.

Jones performed on both sides of the ball, improving his fielding at first base to a level head coach Jay Johnson can only applaud.

“I think he’s done a great job,” Johnson said. “He can become a true first baseman. He had some good picks and he’s a big target. I have really high marks for him on that side of the ball.”

Versatility in the Field

Johnson started a unique lineup each game, giving a larger se -

lection of players opportunities to showcase their skills. Some new roster additions from the offseason created some competition for the returning veterans.

Freshman Steven Milam was the most notable fresh face, making an instant impact at second base when Josh Pearson moved to the outfield.

The New Mexico native was the talk of the town after his performances over the weekend, boasting a .545 batting average.

Milam’s plate presence is head-

lined by his high on base potential. The 5-foot-8 freshman makes opponents earn their pitches, closing the strike zone down and forcing pitchers to throw where he wants. Jake Brown is another freshman who hit the ground running in Baton Rouge, recording solid performances in both center and right field. Brown is expected to be Johnson’s main man in right field and he proved it, hitting .600 for

SOFTBALL

LSU softball stays undefeated

BY LIZZIE FALCETTI @lizziefalcetti

With the game on the line and a runner on third, LSU first baseman Raeleen Gutierrez stepped up to plate.

The Tigers and Northwestern were tied at 12-12 in the bottom of the seventh inning, and LSU had one last chance to take the lead.

If it fell short, the Tigers’ comeback from a 5-0 deficit wouldn’t matter. Ali Newland’s game-tying grand slam in the sixth inning wouldn’t matter. Pitcher Sydney Berzon’s seven strikeouts wouldn’t matter.

The win was ultimately left up to one batter to bring Danieca Coffey home from third, and Gutierrez delivered. She hit a sacrifice pop fly to center field, and the Tigers won 13-12.

This success was just another example of LSU’s resiliency throughout the tournament.

In the next game of the invitational at Clearwater, Florida, the Tigers trailed No. 6 Oklahoma State 6-5. It was the bottom of the sev-

see BASEBALL, page 10 see UNDEFEATED, page 10

How Last-Tear Poa may be key for LSU women’s basketball

BY TYLER HARDEN @ttjharden8

Confident—the way Last-Tear Poa is playing her basketball lately.

“She’s playing with a lot of confidence,” Kim Mulkey said of Poa following the team’s win over Alabama. “She just has great anticipation skills.”

Poa came into the 2024 season as one of the team’s more valuable returners. Last season, she played an important role off the bench, giving the team depth and a different type of guard-play.

It was all about playing her role in last season’s national championship run. But whatever role Poa’s played throughout her career, she’s always played it with confidence.

And that all started in “the land down under,” Melbourne, Australia. Growing up in Australia, Poa’s natural, point-guard playstyle was born.

“Growing up with basketball, we learned so much about IQ and pushing the ball a lot,” Poa said. “That’s our game.”

She then came to the United States in 2020, where she played at Northwest Florida State College, a junior college in the panhandle

of Florida.

Her game translated well, to say the least. In her freshman season, she won a NJCAA National Championship, where she averaged 23 points per game. She earned Most Valuable Player in the NJCAA Tournament, and she shot 44.9% from the field that season.

Poa then became one of the top junior college recruits in the country, and it didn’t take long for her to land on Mulkey and LSU’s radar.

“She told me about coming here,” Poa said. “At first, I was a little skeptical. But just knowing her history, I was just like, ‘Okay, maybe I do have a chance.’ I got to come to LSU and visit, and I knew I was meant to be here.”

Poa made it official with LSU and joined the team ahead of the 2022-23 season. Her role became known early on in the season; she would be an asset to the team on the bench and provide consistent minutes off the bench every game.

“Obviously we had other threats last year, so I had to be behind people,” Poa said. “But coming off the bench, I didn’t complain, I just wanted to do what coach wanted me to do to win.”

Poa’s season-high came against

Texas A&M, where she scored 10 points along with three rebounds and an assist in 20 minutes of play. She then played 25 minutes against Kentucky in the team’s next game, the most playing time she got all season.

But her role remained the same for the remainder of the regular season and the Southeastern Conference Tournament. In the NCAA Tournament, however, she came through for the team at several points.

Against Hawaii in the opening round, she played 18 minutes, scoring five points, including a 3-pointer. In the Sweet 16 against Utah, she played 23 minutes. While she didn’t score, she played an important role on defense, helping the team come away with a 66-63 win.

In the National Championship game against Iowa, she scored six points in seven minutes of play. She knocked down two 3-pointers along with two assists and drew two charges against Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, forcing her deeper into foul trouble.

Coming into the 2023-24 season, Poa looked to play the true point guard position and wanted to facilitate the game with the

weapons around her.

“I’ll be a point guard, so just controlling the team, being more of a leader, and just understanding who I have on the floor now,” Poa said. “We’re definitely more of a threat. I got wings to play with me, I got drivers and shooters. Obviously, I’ve got Angel coming back, so I’m excited to play with them.”

While her minutes per game have increased drastically, and became more consistent, Poa still came off the bench for the majority of the season. Hailey Van Lith, who transferred from Louisville this past offseason, looked to transition her game into a point guard role and a facilitating role too.

At the start of SEC play, the team hit a rough stint, where the Tigers lost three of five games through 15 days. Van Lith’s game was somewhat limited, and the guard’s struggled overall with defense on the perimeter.

With a lack of consistent facilitation and perimeter defense, Mulkey and the team looked to Poa to step up.

When the team returned home after losing at Mississippi State, Poa did just that. In 27 minutes of play, she scored nine points with four assists, a rebound and a steal.

Her job was to facilitate, and that’s what she did.

Against Alabama, she played arguably her best game of the season. In the team’s 85-66 win, she scored 11 points with six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block in 30 minutes of play.

LSU was down by 10 at halftime against the Crimson Tide, and, once again, the team looked to Poa to step up. And, once again, she did. Of her 11 points, seven of them game in the second half, where she also came away with four rebounds, three assists and a steal.

“She got the start in the second half, and she did some really good things defensively that kept her on the floor. That is Poa’s game,” Mulkey said.

The Tigers have won their last three games following back-toback losses. With the changes the team has looked to make, Poa’s increase in playing time and production has been a huge part of why they’ve bounced back from adversity.

But Poa doesn’t think of her new role any different. She’s just doing what she’s asked; just doing her job. And she does it with confidence.

MADALYN CUNNINGHAM / The Reveille

LSU catcher Hayden Travinski (8), first basemen Jared Jones (22) and infielder Josh Pearson (11) celebrate Jones’s homerun during LSU’s 11-8 win against VMI on Feb. 16 at Alex Box Stadium

BASEBALL, from page 9

the Tigers alongside solid defensive performances.

Strength Behind the Plate

Other notable lineup changes came from behind the plate, with Johnson constantly rotating one of the deepest catching staffs in the country. Hayden Travinski played the majority of the weekend as a designated hitter, leading the team in runs and recording a .571 batting average.

Milazzo earned the start on opening day, showcasing his defensive ability at catcher, but it was the comeback kid Brady Neal who looked the best behind the plate.

Neal was cleared to catch just before the season started, appearing in a handful of intrasquad scrimmages in January. This weekend, Neal reminded fans why he was last year’s starter, hitting .300 between designated hitter and catcher.

His high note came on Sunday, smashing a grand slam over the right field wall in the team’s 27-5 win against VMI. His home run, combined with a pair of doubles, earned him a “magic moment” from Johnson.

Pitching highs and lows

LSU pitched the majority of its staff over the weekend, including some unexpected performances. The Tigers currently lead the SEC in strikeouts by a small margin, but also sit clear at the top in total

walks as the only SEC team with over 20 (27).

Projected ace Thatcher Hurd opened the season on Friday, but he struggled to make a statement against VMI’s offense. Allowing four runs, his shakiness against a less than formidable opponent raised questions about the potential for a different Friday night starter.

Luke Holman started on Saturday, flipping the script from Hurd’s slightly disappointing performance. The Alabama transfer threw a shutout in his five and a half innings of work, tallying 10 strikeouts and only walking one batter.

There were some hidden gems in relief for the Tigers, including Fidel Ulloa, a junior college transfer from California. Ulloa pitched in relief twice this weekend, allowing a single hit and helping save the purple and gold from a couple of sticky situations.

Freshman Cam Johnson had trouble during his collegiate debut, coming in during Sunday’s blowout and walking six batters in an inning. Johnson’s talent is undeniable, as he showcased in the fall, but some first game jitters caused him to allow four of VMI’s five runs that day.

Overall, the Tigers showed they can rely on both sides of the ball for wins. Their versatility, combined with the emergence of new talent, can send them right back to Omaha.

UNDEFEATED, from page 9

enth, and LSU had the bases loaded. The rain started to pour, but head coach Beth Torina pleaded with the umpires to let the game finish.

However, Cowgirls pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl, struggling to get a grip on the wet ball, and the rest of the defense with soaked gloves, wanted the game to pause.

Even so, the game went on, and LSU catcher Hannah Carson hit a hard grounder to the 5-6 hole. The ball went off the tip of third baseman Tallen Edwards’ glove and rolled to left field, allowing Newland and Maia Townsend to score. LSU won 7-6.

The Tigers proved their offense can clinch wins and overcome defensive errors and instances of subpar pitching.

Against Georgia Tech in the first game of the tournament, pitcher Raelin Chaffin struggled to throw strikes and gave up eight runs. Fortunately, LSU’s batters responded by getting on base and scoring. The Tigers defeated the Yellow Jackets 12-8.

While the Tigers scored a total of 32 runs in the invitational and went 3-0, they experienced trouble in the circle.

Torina had to pull pitchers in the two games Berzon didn’t start then placed her as the reliever in both. To secure the win against Georgia Tech, Berzon closed the seventh inning.

The next day against Northwestern, Kelley Lynch pitched for 1.1 innings but gave up five runs and walked two batters. Berzon threw for the next 5.2 innings and only walked one batter.

Torina won’t be able to put Berzon in for every tough matchup, so LSU will have to work on developing its pitching staff, especially before conference play starts in March.

The Tigers came back to win multiple games, but the team continued to dig itself into holes, relying on its offense to play catchup.

With the amount of depth in LSU’s lineup, each player can make clutch defensive plays. However, its opponents kept getting hits and

finding holes to keep games close. The LSU defense needs to continue dominating in the field while strengthening its pitching, so the game doesn’t come down to walkoff plays.

Because of the inclement weather, the latter half of Saturday and all of the Sunday games were canceled in the invitational. The Tigers were unable to face No. 5 Washington in a game that would’ve given both teams an opportunity to prove themselves.

LSU will aim to continue its perfect record Thursday, Feb. 22, through Saturday, Feb. 24, in the Tiger Classic at home. The Tigers will play Boise State, University of Houston and Austin Peay.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille LSU softball graduate student utility Raeleen Gutierrez (55) rounds third base after hitting a home run Feb. 8.

The Recording Academy should reconsider Killer Mike’s wins

LARKIN

@larkin_appleb

The 2024 Grammys were held at the beginning of February, and the awards show brought along some unforeseen wins. The most debated was Killer Mike, who swept the rap category, taking home the awards for rap performance, rap song and rap album.

Best rap performance

Nominated beside him for rap performance were Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar for “The Hillbillies,” Black Thought for “Love Letter,” Drake and 21 Savage for “Rich Flex” and Coi Leray for “Players.” Killer Mike and Andre 3000 won this award for their song “Scientists and Engineers” off Killer Mike’s album “Michael.”

This award came as a shock since “Rich Flex” became a smash hit worldwide. It launched at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 after its release on Nov. 3, 2022, and it amassed over 500 million streams on Spotify alone by May 2023. This is no easy feat. The

TAYLOR’S TALKS

Every single day, I wake up, get ready and walk to my classes. While walking, I notice friends talking, a slight breeze blowing in the air and numerous buses driving around campus.

However, my once-peaceful day comes to a crashing halt as soon as I enter the classroom.

It doesn’t take a keen eye to notice the rambunctious behavior of my fellow classmates. The first, of course, being the constant disruption that comes from students getting up and leaving in the middle of class.

A few weeks ago, I was taking notes in my Greek and Roman mythology class when, in the middle of the lecture, one of my peers decided to get up and leave.

This was the first time in my whole college career that I’d seen a college professor have a downcast

numbers clearly represent the huge footprint that the song left on the music industry.

“Rich Flex” was embraced by an entire generation. It would be odd if a Gen Z peer didn’t recognize the lyrics rather than recall the viral line “21, can you do something for me,” since it left that big of a cultural impact on younger generations.

When Killer Mike’s song was awarded the Grammy, it left people scratching their heads online. The song, which was released in June, has only accumulated 16.3 million streams on

Spotify as of this month.

Best rap song

The nominations in this category included “Attention” by Doja Cat, “Barbie World’’ by Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice featuring Aqua, “Just Wanna Rock’’ by Lil Uzi Vert, “Rich Flex” by Drake and 21 Savage, and “Scientists and Engineers” once again.

“Rich Flex” was unquestionably qualified to take home this award. If not “Rich Flex,” then “Just Wanna Rock” was a close second. Released on Oct. 17, 2022, Uzi’s song was catapulted to the Top 10 on Billboard’s

Hot R&B/ Hip-Hop Songs Chart by Dec. 2, 2022. “Just Wanna Rock’’ proceeded to go double platinum in March 2023 and has gathered over 600 million streams on Spotify as of this month.

“Just Wanna Rock” led to the birth of a dance that continues to be a viral phenomenon across the internet. Killer Mike’s release didn’t come close to that amount of success.

Best rap album

The most anticipated award of the night: best rap album. Killer Mike’s album “Michael” was nominated amongst some of the most influential albums of the year, including “Utopia” by Travis Scott, “King’s Disease III” by Nas, “Her Loss” by Drake and 21 Savage and “Heroes & Villains” by Metro Boomin.

The Grammy should’ve gone to Metro Boomin. This was undeniably his best album yet, and it was a testament to his innovative beats. Plus, the numbers don’t lie.

The album was released on Dec. 2, 2022, and by May 1, only six months later, the album had collected over 2 billion streams on Spotify. Metro Boomin had

incredible success with his work, and “Heroes and Villains” became the 15th highest streamed rap album of the decade.

The producer headlined many music festivals in 2023, drawing in an unprecedented crowd because of the popularity his album had received. From these concerts, people took to social media and posted clips of the performance, which gathered huge amounts of views and likes, showing the undeniable cultural embrace Metro Boomin’s music experienced in 2023.

Yet the Grammy went to Killer Mike.

All nominees deserves their place on the ballot. However, some just outshined others, whether it be in streams, charttoppings or cultural impact. Many fans of Killer Mike’s fellow nominees took to the internet to share their disappointment with the outcome of the 2024 Grammys, claiming their preferred artists were robbed or overlooked.

Unfortunately, what’s done is done. The best fans can do is hope for the best next year. Maybe the most deserving nominee will finally take the cake.

gaze and a frown on their face. My professor’s face reminded me of the faces that people often make while watching a commercial for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Not only did the student in question upset my professor, but by opening and closing the door, he made a loud, squeaky noise. This caused many students, including myself, to stop taking notes and look toward the back of the classroom to see what was going on. The worst part of it all is that the student couldn’t have cared less.

Why come to class if you’re not going to take some time out of your day to listen to the professor? I mean, seriously, what’s the point in walking or driving to class if you’re just going to turn around and go back to wherever you live? That seems like a major waste of time.

Whether you had pushover parents or a crappy secondary education, that’s not really an excuse for poor behavior. As someone who values her education, I find it completely disrespectful to enter a space of learning only to be a

distraction. Yes, this also includes students who come to class just to play games on their computers. As if you couldn’t possibly do that in your dorm room or apartment. Perish the thought.

Technology has changed the way we socialize and work in various ways. Cell phones and computers have given us faster communication, access to millions of sources and more. However, it is perhaps one of the biggest hindrances in education.

According to a 2016 survey of college students in 26 different states conducted by the University of Nebraska, undergraduates reported spending 21% of class time using digital devices for non-classroom purposes.

That survey was conducted nearly a decade ago, so just imagine how high the percentage is today. You can’t tell me it’s not worse after stepping into a college classroom. Pay close attention, and you’ll witness at least a quarter of the class hiding their phones behind their computer screens.

At the end of the day, whether

or not a student likes a class is up to them. But if your only purpose in the classroom is to distract everyone else, then don’t go to class. You’re an adult. Your parents aren’t going to force you to go to class, so don’t go.

Nobody deserves to be sitting near someone who’s watching TikTok without earbuds in or playing Wordle on their computer. It simply

disturbs the people who care about learning.

In essence, if you don’t want to go to class, here’s a wonderful idea: don’t come to class and be a hindrance to everyone else’s education.

PHOTO

A classroom sits empty Feb. 21 inside the Journalism Building on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.