1/23/23

No events scheduled.

Tuesday, January

SGA meeting, 7 p.m., CNSB 100.

Wednesday, January

a.m., Warhawk Circle.

Thursday, January

Women’s Basketball vs. Marshall, 6:30 p.m., Fant-Ewing Coliseum.

Monday, January Friday, January

Saturday, January

Women’s Basketball vs. South Alabama, 2 p.m., Fant-Ewing Coliseum.

Sunday, January

No events scheduled.

KLFY- Police say a 5-year-old killed in their home in Jennings was shot in the chest by a 6-year-old playing with an unattended gun.

The victim, Adaun Gaines, was one of five children, ranging in age from 3-6 years old, who were left alone with a gun in the house.

Police said the person who was supposed to be watching the children, Desome T. Lee Daniels, 26, was gone at the time of the shooting.

Police said the unattended children found the 9mm gun in a bedroom and were playing with it when it discharged, shooting Gaines in the chest.

Illinois

AP- An Illinois judge ruled Friday that two emergency medical professionals should face first-degree murder charges after a patient they strapped facedown to a stretcher suffocated.

Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Raylene Grischow bound Peggy Finley and Peter Cadigan over for trial following a 3 1/2-hour preliminary hearing rife with defense objections and ridicule of the state’s claims. Prosecutors charged the pair on Jan. 9 in the death of 35-year-old Earl Moore.

An autopsy revealed that Moore died of “positional asphyxiation” and that he had two broken ribs.

AP- U.S. home sales tumbled to the slowest pace in nearly a decade as soaring mortgage rates and sky high prices in 2022 pushed homeownership out of reach for many Americans.

The National Association of Realtors said Friday that existing U.S. home sales totaled $5.03 million last year, a 17.8% decline from 2021. That is the weakest year for home sales since 2014 and the biggest annual decline since 2008, during the housing crisis of the late 2000s.

The median national home price for all of last year jumped 10.2% to $386,300, the NAR said, and it’s up 42% from 2019.

AP- Thousands of protesters demanding the ouster of President Dina Boluarte poured into Peru’s capital, clashing with police who fired tear gas. Many came from remote regions, where dozens have died in unrest that has gripped the country since Peru’s first leader from a rural Andean background was removed from office last month.

The protests have been marked by Peru’s worst political violence in more than two decades and highlighted deep divisions between the country’s urban elite, largely concentrated in Lima, and poor rural areas.

TODAY IN HISTORY

January 23

1964: The U.S. ratifies the 24th Amendment to outlaw poll taxes.

1986: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts its inaugural class, which included Elvis Presley, Fats Domino and Chuck Berry.

1997: The first-ever female secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, is sworn in.

2005: Johnny Carson, who set the standard for television chat shows, died at 79 years old.

2 medics charged with murder in patient’s killing

Louisiana 2 caretakers arrested after 5-year-old shot by 6-year-old

US 2022 was worst year for home sales in 8 years

Peru Protests met with tear gas in nation’s capital

Sophomore forward Amaya Ford pulls near the basket to score against Texas State.

OVER THE DEFENDER

photo by Shubrat Simkhada

Maggie Eubanks

“Live your life, live it right. Be different, do different things.”

Kendrick Lamar, artist

Medical Laboratory Science Society Blood Drive, 10

Competition

Pelican Cup accepting applications for 2023

Time is drawing close for the entrepreneurially inclined to stand out. Applications for the second-annual Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup are now being accepted for students to take their shot at cash prizes. The competition is open to full-time and part-time students of all majors.

ULM students will compete against other universities in northern Louisiana, such as Centenary, LSU-Shreveport, Louisiana Tech, Grambling State and Northwestern State. The first-place team will bring home $25,000, the second-place team will receive $15,000 and the third-place team will get $10,000. Faculty advisors for all top-three teams will receive

$3,000. According to the organization, the Pelican Cup offers one of the largest prize pools in the nation for collegiate business competitions.

Applications can be submitted online at www.ulm.edu/pelicancup. These applications are due Feb. 26, and there is no cost to enter.

The competition’s goal is to give students the opportunity to practice skills that are important to business owners. It also allows students to research and develop ideas that can be turned into potential businesses.

The award luncheon is set for April 21 at Bayou Pointe. During the luncheon, a delegate from each team can also present an elevator pitch for a $2,000 prize.

Showcase

Bry Art Gallery displays “Wrld Keeps Turnin”

The Bry Art Gallery is currently showcasing artwork created by one of north Louisiana’s own.

The exhibit created by Minden artist Keldrick Dunn is named “Wrld Keeps Turnin.” It went on display Wednesday and will be on display until Feb. 15. On the last day of the display, Dunn will give an artist’s talk at 2 p.m. in Sandel 236, and a reception in Bry will follow.

Dunn is an award-winning artist. In 2020, he received the Director’s Award for Achievement from Louisiana Tech’s Visual Arts Program.

His work shows cartoon characters to “explore the feeling of cultural isolation.”

“Cartoons can express intense

emotions while being removed enough from reality to still be palatable to different audiences,” Dunn said.

Dunn also said that the work showcases some of his personal experiences.

“The work is largely autobiographical, yearning for community while retreating to a distorted version of the past in search of a familiar comfort,” Dunn said.

This exhibit is one of three currently showcasing his work. The other two are both in Ruston, with one being displayed at Creative Exchange Gallery and the other at Ruston Artisans.

graphic courtesy Marketing and Communications

OPINION

Schulze cafeteria needs longer meal hours Campus

uncommon to see people rushing across campus just to use their meal swipes—meal swipes included in their expensive meal plan.

Dinner isn’t safe from criticism either. For me, the ideal dinner time is in the late evening around 8 p.m. The only problem is Schulze closes at 7 p.m. on Fridays and weekends, then at 8 p.m. on weekdays. Evening courses and labs occur during many of Schulze’s dinner hours.

Time and time again I find myself curbing my hunger in the same place: the cafeteria. I love Schulze, but I do have a problem with its hours of operation. It’s not always schedule-friendly.

Last semester, I had a few classes until noon. Then I had to walk 10 minutes to the cafeteria while having another class at 1 p.m. Although one hour seems like plenty of time to eat lunch, the lines on Fried Chicken Wednesday make you think otherwise.

Don’t forget lunch ends at 2 p.m., so make sure you pack your running shoes if you’re pressed for time. Many students are on the same time crunch for lunch as I was. It’s not

If a student is involved in any RSO, Schulze’s mealtimes most likely fall during meetings. People who already bought a meal plan must choose between eating dinner very early or spending even more money on fast food.

Students should not have to choose between eating a meal or going to class. By forcing students to miss meals, ULM promotes unhealthy eating habits.

According to a survey by Insider, while most American dinner times fall between 6 and 7 p.m., they can vary widely, even going past 9 p.m. For international students, a late dinner may feel more natural.

Literature

For example, dinner begins at 10 p.m. in Spain., according to a study abroad blog by the University of Delaware. It makes sense to cater to the habits and customs of international students, given their large demographic at ULM. The best solution for students would be to extend the operation hours and eliminate the two-hour dead zone. However, that would mean more work for the Schulze staff. If you add more self-serve stations like the salad bar, then the problem disappears. Although staff would still have to ensure stations had food during extended hours, students would just serve themselves mid-afternoon lunches and late-night snacks.

I know it’s difficult to plan for everyone, but only three to four available hours of dinner is too brief. If students could serve themselves during later hours of the evening, Schulze would be the perfect dining spot.

contact Beau Benoit at benoitbb@warhawks.ulm.edu

Abuse should not be used as plot devices

sudden embraces and overbearing phone calls from your partner. These sound like the elements of any young adult novel; however, these so-called loving gestures cross the line into abusive behaviors like controlling a partner’s decisions and even violence.

10 million men and women have suffered from domestic violence. While novels can bring awareness to the rise in domestic violence, many authors portray abuse in a positive light.

romance. Hoover’s abusive romance “It Ends with Us” sat atop the New York Times Bestseller List for weeks.

Imagine falling in love. You and your partner mark every relationship milestone from anniversaries to meeting each other’s parents. Everything feels great—that is until the romance fades into jealous altercations,

Of all things romanticized in fiction, abuse and unhealthy relationships are unfortunately the most popular. Many writers believe that their stories can’t affect anyone because they are just fiction. This statement could not be further from the truth. Abuse is abuse, no matter how you put it.

According to the CDC, more than

These damaging stories glorifying physical, verbal and emotional abuse teach young readers to ignore the obvious red flags in people. Oftentimes authors paint the unpredictable, possessive behaviors of abusers as desirable or sexy. Authors like Colleen Hoover are teaching a generation to desire abusive relationships. Due to the popularity of these authors, abuse has become commonplace in young adult

At the end of the novel, we see Lily and Ryle divorced and coparenting their daughter. Ryle, a violent sex offender, arrives to spend time with his daughter. Despite recounting Ryle’s abusive behavior toward Lily, Hoover encourages readers to sympathize with his character.

Lily’s decision to co-parent with Ryle is not redemptive. It is a blatant avoidance of the responsibility to protect your child.

The reason why abuse is so prevalent in literature is because

readers keep buying these books. To fix this issue, readers should boycott authors who romanticize abusive relationships in their writings and stop buying their books altogether. The issue will be solved when we stop promoting this style of writing.

Young adults will not be able to tell the difference between love and abuse with all the lies novels preach about toxic relationships. Abuse is not love, and it never will be. If you truly believe that it is, then that is a delusion that will hurt you in the end.

contact Alayna Pellegrin at pellegrinap@warhawks.ulm.edu

Beau Benoit

photo by Beau Benoit

Alayna Pellegrin

Louisiana porn law breaches internet privacy

of in-party fighting forgotten, Louisiana legislators justified Act 440 by claiming pornography causes devastating harm to minors.

“Online pornography is extreme and graphic and only one click away from our children,” Rep. Laurie Schlegel, the creator of the new law, said. “And if pornography companies refuse to be responsible, then we must hold them accountable.”

and Research, over 40 million Americans in 2022 experienced some form of identity theft.

No longer will your credit card information, computer passwords or security questions be secured safely on your computer’s hard drive. Now it could be broadcast across the internet.

Viewer discretion is advised—not mandatory. Whether you watch pornography or attend an R-rated movie showing, the government should not limit your interests. The passage of Louisiana’s newest law acts as the latest example of the government overstepping this right to privacy.

Louisiana’s Act 440 requires adults to verify their age before accessing pornographic content. Now websites like Pornhub and Brazzers demand viewers submit evidence of a government-issued ID. According to the new law, any website that shows at least 33% pornography must verify users’ ages or face legal action.

Yet Act 440 never explicitly defines what qualifies as pornography. Is pornography limited to sex? Lawmakers will decide using a 50-year-old Supreme Court case. The Miller Test established guidelines for determining the appropriateness of explicit content. But justices created the Miller Test before the rise of pornographic websites.

The lack of clarification in the new porn law threatens all websites that fail to promote only child-friendly content. Users in Louisiana could eventually no longer have access to social media giants like TikTok and Twitter.

Say goodbye to the land of the free and the home of the brave. Louisiana is now a surveillance state.

A coalition of Republican and Democrat lawmakers supported this offensive legislation. With decades

Protecting minors must not come at the cost of public privacy.

While I agree minors should not view pornography, parents can simply monitor their child’s access to certain websites through Google and Safari. Search engines established parental controls to restrict adult content. Parents can even block their children from viewing adult content by clicking a few buttons. The government was not structured to parent children but to protect the rights of the American people—the right to privacy included.

By infringing on a citizen’s right to privacy, Louisiana’s new law affects the safety of internet users. Rumors of data pillaging and identity theft plagued legislators as the law went into effect on Jan. 1.

“There is the explicit intention in the law that verifiers and websites that are using age verification should not retain [your information],” Jason Kelley, the associate director of Electronic Frontier Foundation said. “But users don’t have a lot of guarantees that it will happen, and the data will be removed or deleted and shared or used in other ways.”

Adults wanting to watch pornography first must sacrifice private data. The new law granted porn sites access to personal information like driver’s license numbers, birth dates and physical identifiers. Websites like Pornhub and RedTube may later sell this information to the highest bidder, resulting in a massive increase in identity theft and stolen data.

According to Javelin Strategy

As a result, Louisianans must be concerned about the ramifications of the new law. The right to privacy does not just encompass a viewer’s ability to watch porn but also the protection of data.

The passage of Act 440 in Louisiana demonstrates the boundaries the government willingly crosses in favor of protecting its citizens. It is a dire foreshadowing of what is to come for the United States. Pornography was never the problem. Rather it acted as a stepping stone for government censorship.

Louisiana may be the first state to require age verification to view adult content, but it will not be the last. During the latest congressional session, Congressman Mike Lee introduced the Shielding Children’s Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net (SCREEN). This national law would drastically increase the risk of data leakage and identity theft.

Legislators must amend the porn law if they value the rights of Louisiana citizens. In an ideal world, the state fashions an amendment to Act 440 that secures data protection on pornographic websites. An altered state law would protect the innocence of children and the liberties of adults. The immense bipartisan support for Act 440 makes the possibility of an amendment slim to none.

Get ready to keep your driver’s license handy as you log into Pornhub. Act 440 shows Louisiana lawmakers do not prioritize the freedoms of their citizens. Instead, we lack control over something as simple as porn.

contact

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The opinions expressed in personal columns are the opinions of the author and not necessarily the opinions of the editors, staff, adviser or the university. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of The Hawkeye’s editorial board, but not necessarily the opinions of the adviser or the university.

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photo courtesy Pixabay

New grant brings millions to ULM programs

by Malorie West

In early January, ULM received over $2.5 million in grant funding for various projects on campus. The grant is funded by the Fiscal Year Omnibus Appropriations Bill, which was passed in the U.S. House and Senate. $2 million of the grant was sponsored by Julia Letlow, a U.S. Representative and ULM alumna. The other $500,000 was sponsored by U.S. Sen. Dr. Bill Cassidy.

The $2 million project will be going toward the ULM atmospheric science program to install mesonets as part of the Mesonet Network Project. Mesonets are interconnected networks of instrumented monitoring stations across an entire state or region that

measure temperature, humidity, pressure, solar radiation, wind speed and direction, precipitation and soil conditions.

The new technology and its data will be used for weather and climate monitoring that will affect many aspects of the community.

Letlow shared her excitement and passion for the program.

“Our universities are the economic engines of our region, and I was proud to help secure this substantial federal investment for the University of Louisiana Monroe,” Letlow said. “This project at ULM will provide critical information to our farmers, small business owners and community leaders so they can better plan and respond to weather events.”

ULM’s atmospheric science pro-

gram will heavily benefit from this grant, opening up new opportunities to track and understand weather on a more thorough level. Isaiah Montgomery, a junior atmospheric science major, was eager to share his excitement about the Mesonet Network Project.

“We would have the densest observation network of any Gulf Coast state, which is very exciting as far as data is concerned,” Montgomery said. “Everyone is benefited with better forecasts, but for students in the atmospheric science department, both current and future, there are a lot of possibilities.”

The other $500,000 will be going toward a program called Mobilized Aid and Disaster Relief for Emergencies, or MADRE. The project

will support evacuation shelters in northeast Louisiana during natural disasters, such as tornadoes and hurricanes.

MADRE got its start from an interprofessional group of students and faculty from the ULM College of Health Sciences and the ULM College of Pharmacy.

Cassidy shared the importance of programs like this for northeast Louisiana.

“The MADRE project will help northeast Louisiana build healthier and safer communities,” Cassidy said. “It serves Louisiana families with a double purpose, both of which are focused on saving lives.”

The MADRE project will have a mobile pharmacy unit that will be used when people are displaced from their homes due to natural

disasters.

During times of non-emergency, the unit will provide support in rural and medically underserved communities to provide access to prescriptions, vaccinations and health screenings.

Both of these projects will heavily benefit atmospheric and health science students. They will not only have a hands-on opportunity to learn about different aspects of their desired fields of study but also gain a better connection with northeast Louisiana’s community.

This grant will allow ULM students to flourish and will greatly help communities in our region and beyond.

contact Malorie West at westmp@warhawks.ulm.edu

LET THE MONEY TALK: Julia Letlow (right) speaks at the Monroe Chamber of Commerce about the new funding that will bring $2.5 million to the Bayou.

photo courtesy Julia Letlow

graphic by Maggie Eubanks

Legislation

Louisiana law invokes mixed reactions

by Nicholas Soirez

When the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1, Louisiana gained new restrictions on porn access. Louisiana Act 440, passed last year by the Louisiana state legislature, requires any website with at least a third of its “material harmful to minors” to provide an age verification check. The law also requires these checks with anything that “lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value for minors.”

A few sites, such as Pornhub and RedTube, have complied with the law, putting up an age verification check for users to visit their page. Most other sites, however, have not yet complied with the demands of Act 440. Additionally, many users have found ways to bypass the age verification checks by using their data rather than a Wi-Fi connection.

Across campus, reactions to this law vary. Many oppose the law, believing it represents a breach of internet privacy. Ronnie Clark, a

Politics

freshman computer science major, said the law is “free blackmail” for other people to use against viewers of the sites. “I’m sorry, but I’m never going to touch that site,” Clark said.

Another student, freshman pre-pharmacy major Emileigh Kavanagh, said that she doesn’t support the law, not only because she is concerned about the sites’ access to users’ personal information but also because the law may set a precedent for other states to follow. “It’s only opening a gateway for other laws to be put in place and other states also implementing this restriction on their internet,” Kavanagh said.

Despite the backlash Act 440 has received, some students support the law and what it tries to achieve. George Khawas, a freshman computer science major, says that pornography is “destructive media that damages our youth’s brains.” Though he said he recognizes that privacy is an important element of concern, he doesn’t see any other way to

approach the issue at hand.

Both sides of the argument have genuine concerns, whether it be child safety online or internet privacy. Act 440 attempts to solve the problem of unsafe media for minors while possibly raising the issue of invasion

of privacy. Regardless of their opinion on the issue, Louisiana residents will have to comply with the age checks or find their adult content elsewhere.

contact Nicholas Soirez at soirezna@warhawks.ulm.edu

Biden under fire for documents

by Maggie Eubanks

After President Joe Biden’s lawyers found a series of classified documents from Biden’s time as vice president, the Department of Justice will hold a formal investigation as to how these documents got there and why they were not turned in earlier.

This investigation comes after another investigation began looking into former President Donald Trump and classified documents found in his Mar-a-Lago residence.

ber when more documents had been found.

When there is a transition of power in the White House, every confidential document is gathered up and brought to the National Archives where they are stored. But these documents found by Biden’s team were never given over to the Archives after former President Barack Obama’s terms in office.

documents were found, “Where’s the raid on Biden’s garage?” Scalise is referencing the FBI search that took place at Mar-a-Lago in August.

NO REGRETS: Biden told reporters he has “no regrets” about how he has handled finding classified documents in his residence.

According to National Public Radio, the problem with these documents is how long it took Biden to alert the Justice Department to their presence. The first set of classified materials was found on Nov. 2, days before the midterm elections. But the Department of Justice was not notified about this until late Decem-

Biden claims that he and his team have done nothing wrong, and he has “no regrets” about the way he has handled the situation. But there are many Republicans that are comparing the way Biden’s case is being treated by the media and the way Trump’s case was handled.

One of Louisiana’s U.S. Representatives, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, tweeted at the FBI after the

But Scalise is not the only congressman expressing his outrage. Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon said on ABC, “It just reminds me of that old adage, ‘If you live in a glass house, don’t throw stones.’ And I think President Biden was caught throwing stones.”

The DOJ has announced a special counsel to investigate the existence of the documents. Both Biden’s and Trump’s investigations have the American public asking questions, but nothing can be known for sure until the DOJ comes to a conclusion.

contact Maggie Eubanks at eubanksml@warhawks.ulm.edu

NOT OLD ENOUGH: A new law restricts access to adult content in Louisiana for minors.

graphic by Maggie Eubanks

photo courtesy AP News

Community Involvement

Students honor MLK through day of service

by

Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated his life to advocating for civil rights and serving the communities of the U.S. Since his death in 1968, people have gathered to honor his legacy by dedicating a day of service in his name.

Though Congress designated MLK Day a national “Day of Service” in 1986, the movement has only gained traction on the Bayou in recent years. This year, ULM students met at the Activity Center for a project aimed at helping the Salvation Army.

Students had the option of donating clothes, food or sanitary items to the Salvation Army. Then each donation was sorted and packed into boxes to be taken to the Salvation Army. Each student who participated received a shirt to commemorate the day and the partnership with the Monroe community.

Pamela Saulsberry, director of the ULM Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, organized the project for students the past few years. Saulsberry believed the Salvation Army was a great choice for the MLK Day of Service because of the need for donations after the holiday season.

“Each year, the goal is to provide an opportunity to make the community better,” Saulsberry said. “The Salvation Army does that all year round, but we knew with the holiday season ending that their resources were deplenished.”

Helping the community in this way is central to the mission of the MLK Day of Service. According to AmeriCorps, the MLK Day of Service is the only national holiday in the U.S. dedicated as a day of service. The goal is to engage

with the community by acting on King’s legacy of social justice. Students on the Bayou helped ULM meet these goals with their donations and service.

Saulsberry also said her “heart leaps up” at the number of students that were willing to give up their day off school to come serve. She sees MLK Day as “a day on, not a day off.”

Many of the students said they enjoyed the project and shared in Saulsberry’s joy about the turnout.

“We had a lot more people come out,” graduate student and member of Alpha Kappa Psi Adrian Harris said.

“When we do stuff like this, it makes it seem like the campus cares about the community that we’re in.”

Harris, like many of the volunteers, served with his fraternity. Greek Life at ULM made sure to show up to support Monroe during the day of service. Alivia Simmons, a senior health studies major, emphasized how crucial it is for ULM to serve the Monroe community.

“The community surrounds our campus,” Simmons said.

“If the community’s not happy, not safe, not provided for, campus won’t be as safe, so it kind of goes hand in hand.”

Though Warhawks who donated during the service project may not realize the impact they had on those in need, Saulsberry said she believes these small items can be life-changing.

“[Students] don’t think these small items they have an abundance of can make such a difference in someone’s life, but it absolutely can,” Saulsberry said.

contact Maggie Eubanks at eubanksml@warhawks.ulm.edu

Maggie Eubanks

UNITED WE SERVE: Students join together at the Activity Center on Monday for MLK Day of Service.

photos by Shubrat Simkhada

Legal Education Occupational Therapy

Program receives new accreditation

by Mallory Kaul

ULM’s Master of Occupational Therapy Program is showing the campus that the best truly is on the bayou with their most recent accomplishment—a full 10-year accreditation of their program. This achievement is the result of exceptional work by staff and students alike, as both sides must be in excellent standing to fulfill the strict accreditation standards.

Attorneys partner with students for training

by Maggie Eubanks

Getting a notice of jury duty in the mail is most people’s worst nightmare. But some ULM students volunteered to serve on jury duty Friday when ULM mock trial coach Bob Noel held a jury selection training for Louisiana public defenders.

The training on Friday was the second installment of trainings for public defenders that will be held on ULM’s campus as part of a partnership between ULM and the Louisiana Public Defender Board. Students that participated in the training flaunted their acting skills by serving as prospective jurors for the defenders to train in the process of a voir dire.

A voir dire is the legal term for jury selection where law-

yers from both sides of a case get the chance to question members of the community to decide who will be chosen for the final jury.

Noel said the partnership between ULM and Louisiana public defenders will help to integrate the university into all facets of the community and help make the court system more efficient.

“This partnership is going to transform the way in which services are provided to the public and will go along towards improving the quality of their work and the court system itself,” Noel said. “In the long run, it will also save a tremendous amount of money as we’re becoming more efficient.”

Freshman criminal justice major and member of the mock

trial team Elizabeth Poydras said the training made her a “better witness” for the team and allowed her to “get into the mind” of attorneys.

“It was a good learning tool to see what all the real lawyers do and how they pick the juries,” Poydras said.

Each student in attendance had the chance to play a juror during the session, and some students got to try their hand at a voir dire.

Senior political science major Owen Reppond said the training was beneficial for him as he prepares for law school. “I feel like as someone who wants to be an attorney, it’s essential I learn about the process of jury selection,” Reppond said.

contact Maggie Eubanks at eubanksml@warhawks.ulm.edu

The 10-year title indicates that ULM’s program is in stellar academic condition, marked by successful students, an excellent curriculum and tip-top educational quality.

Patti Calk, the Master of Occupational Therapy program director, shared a little bit of what it was like to see this exciting success unfold. “This is about a two-year process,” Calk said. “But it means our students can be assured of receiving a quality education and having the skills and knowledge to prepare them to be occupational therapists.”

For two intense days in August, the Accreditation Council on Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) conducted an on-campus review of ULM

faculty, students, administrators and community partners. Calk also said that a proposal has been submitted to reduce the program from two-and-ahalf years to just two to help reduce the pressure of student debt and completion time.

Not only a dedicated faculty contributed to this achievement, but a student body of hard-working master of occupational therapy students are to be congratulated as well. Students remain a part of the evaluation process by successfully proving their knowledge and skills after graduation. A thriving student population is the most visible hallmark of a well-run program.

Macie Hunt, an OTA to MOT student, shared that she felt proud to be a part of a program that was able to attain such a high standing and thankful to all of the hard-working faculty that made it possible.

“It assures me that the MOT faculty members have a passion for occupational therapy,” Hunt said. “They are dedicated to passing along their knowledge to the students.”

contact Mallory Kaul at kaulmc@warhawks.ulm.edu

photo by Maggie Eubanks

MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT: Students sit as prospective jurors in front of a Louisiana public defender.

VAPA hosts 1st annual Louisiana Horn Day

by Mallory Kaul

ULM’s visual and performing arts program brought the best in brass for Louisiana Horn Day. French horn connoisseurs from both near and far came together to astound and educate with the power of music.

Emy-Lou Biedenharn could be found filled to the brim Saturday with a variety of French horn wonders, featuring classics and contemporary pieces alike, all utilizing different forms of accompaniment.

The festivities of Louisiana Horn Day started at 9 a.m. and didn’t wind down until 5 p.m.—a schedule packed with performances, exhibits and educational seminars for any interested participants.

Houghton Horns, a brass instrument shop from Keller, Texas,

helped kick off the excitement. They appeared with an exhibit of new French horns, sheet music, and equipment for students to try out and purchase.

Attendees were able to experience an educational mouthpiece fitting session with Houghton Horns. Students found their ideal mouthpiece—an integral detail in the world of brass playing.

Local brass musicians appeared for the Contributing Artists Recital, featuring French horn legends such as Brent Shires, Alexis Sczepanik, Catherine Roche-Wallace, Joshua Waldrop and ULM’s James Boldin.

Boldin, interim director of VAPA, helped to organize the event, hoping to promote the beauty of the horn to Louisiana and the local region.

Due to the event being originally

planned to begin annually in 2020, Boldin expressed great thankfulness that the event was able to resume as planned—even if three years later.

“My music students have gotten to see some amazing artists perform today and had the opportunity to work with a major orchestral professional,” Boldin said. “We are so fortunate.”

The major orchestral professional in question is none other than Brett Hodge, the principal horn player for the Omaha Symphony, having performed with three of the country’s top orchestras.

Students had the rare chance to hear Hodge perform in person and then work with him in a guest masterclass. They had the chance to play for Hodge one-on-one to receive invaluable feedback.

“This is a landmark event,” Hodge

said. “This brings in people from all over, and it’s an amazing opportunity for the students. The fact that it’s here is a big deal.”

Douglas Flores, a music performance major, had been looking forward to Louisiana Horn Day and thought his experiences from

it were irreplaceable.

“This is a great day for us horn players,” Flores said. “Getting to see Brett Hodge and the others perform, it’s very motivating to be better—to be like them.”

contact Mallory Kaul at kaulmc@warhawks.ulm.edu

JOYFUL NOISE: Professional musicians showcase the intricacies of the French horn.

photos by Shubrat Simkhada

BE BOLD: ULM professor of horn and music history James Boldin performs for all participants at Louisiana Horn Day.

Jay Pappa’s presents flavorful southern dining

by Hanna Flynn

Exquisite southern dining combined with historical family heritage is what you can expect from Monroe’s newest riverside restaurant Jay Pappa’s. Located on the banks of the Bayou Desiard, this outwardly elegant eatery has an equally impressive menu. With seafood, steaks, pastas and pizzas, the menu has enough options to keep me teetering on my decision until the last moment. I finally decided on the shrimp tacos with a side of rice and gravy.

We ordered a few appetizers for the table, including fried green tomatoes, cheese fries and duck wraps. Having never eaten a fried green tomato before, I was excited to give it a try. Surely the best way to eat a tomato is fried with lump crab on top.

Cheese fries sprinkled with bacon were

best enjoyed dipped in sour cream. The pepper and cream cheese stuffed duck wraps, wrapped in bacon and honey glaze, were a true delicacy.

While waiting for my main dish, I found myself admiring the interior design. The black-and-white color scheme, along with the dark wooden floors, brought a sense of modernity mixed with traditional style. Black-and-white family photographs lined the walls, giving it a personal feel.

The service matched the restaurant itself, with warm and inviting staff regularly checking in on us and making us feel welcome. We had a delightful time chatting with our waitress about the history of the family.

In a short time, I received the most delicious plate of seafood tacos with perfectly seasoned and blackened shrimp. Sprinkled with pico de gallo and parmesan cheese,

every bite was the perfect blend of sweet, savory and spicy. My side salad and rice and gravy rounded out the perfect meal. Jay Pappa’s food held a delicious combination of flavors with a southern flair. Paired with a kind and charismatic staff and a beautiful interior environment, the ex-

perience was one I could see all students enjoying as well.

For upscale dining at a college-friendly price, try out the shrimp tacos or many other options at Jay Pappa’s.

contact Hanna Flynn at flynnhl@warhawks.ulm.edu

History 5 Monroe museums to visit this semester

ULM Museum of Natural History

Are you looking for a fun way to spend your extra time between classes? Check out ULM’s Museum of Natural History. Found on the first floor of Hanna Hall, the museum displays a wide range of fossils, animal mounts and insects. Right when you think you’ve seen all the museum has to offer, another exhibit seems to pop up out of nowhere. They even have large aquariums where fish are kept.

Masur Museum of Art

The Masur Museum of Art is one of the largest visual arts museums in northeast Louisiana, containing a permanent collection that holds approximately 500 different pieces of artwork. Many temporary exhibits are set up as well. The museum is currently showing “Art on Purpose: Creating a Lasting Legacy.”

Masur Museum also often hosts events and provides educational programs like classes and artist talks.

Chennault Aviation & Military Museum

The Chennault Aviation & Military Museum is a perfect visit for any history buff. The museum honors northeast Louisianans who fought in World War II and other conflicts. Discover Gen. Claire Chennault and the Flying Tigers’ story, and follow the impact they left on aviation. Artifacts from World War II can be found throughout the museum, telling the stories of heroic people who served our country.

Biedenharn Museum & Gardens

The grounds of the Biedenharn Museum & Gardens have many main attractions, including the Coke Museum, Bible Museum, ELSong Gardens and the historic Biedenharn home. The Coke Museum takes you down a historical journey about Coca-Cola and its relation to Monroe. Religious artwork and a number of different Bible translations are on display at the Bible Museum.

NELA Delta African American Heritage Museum

The Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum showcases many exhibits and art that identify with African American culture. Although the museum focuses on art preservation, history is carried throughout the institution. It houses historical documents and educate visitors to become culturally aware. The museum also promotes local artists, and its displays change frequently.

Jackson Culp releases new EP ‘THE LAGOON’

by Carley Nail

Sometimes romantic partners get annoyed and jokingly threaten to kill each other, but what if you actually hated your partner? You are done with the relationship and are filled with anger.

You both decide to take a trip to a faraway island. Once on the beach, you plan to kill your significant other. This is the storyline that follows through Jackson Culp’s new EP “THE LAGOON.”

Jackson Culp is a Monroe native who grew up with an early interest in music. Culp started making his own music at 18 and released his first song within the next year. Since then, he has released nine songs and two music videos. Culp also graduated from Louisiana Tech University and held many acting

roles while he was there.

“THE LAGOON” was written, produced and mastered all by Culp in his local studio.

The EP features three songs, with “I THINK SHE’S GONNA KILL ME” acting as the lead single. His instrument of choice is the ukulele, and he said it was used heavily to find what sound he wanted in “THE LAGOON.”

Culp said that the songs and concept never felt forced, which meant to him that they were true and honest.

“It was an intricate process, but it came easily,” Culp said.

With its “Halloween at the beach” sound, Culp has created a distinct work that cultivates a specific unique atmosphere. The listener is bound to think about themselves in this loveturned-into-hate situation.

“It creates an atmosphere that makes you feel like you are there,” Culp said.

“THE LAGOON” has an underlying spooky tone set off by its lyrics, while the melodies behind the words keep an upbeat sound. They seem to bring balance to each other.

Culp described this relationship perfectly when he said, “I wanted the music to be beautiful but the lyrics to be like ‘Could you shut up?’”

The EP has a ghostly and mysterious mood but strongly pulls from rock influences.

Culp said that he takes inspiration from Paul McCartney and the Arctic Monkeys and tries to incorporate raw elements from the rock genre into his music.

Carley Nail at nailcn@warhawks.ulm.edu

Film Upcoming movies to look forward to in 2023

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3’

Marvel fans’ favorite group of misfits is returning to the big screen this summer in “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.” The characters have been through a lot in the past two films, but their story is not over yet. This will be the franchise’s final installment, so don’t miss out on watching how Star-Lord will lead his team in defending the universe once more.

‘Barbie’

If the beloved Barbie dolls or animated films were a childhood staple for you, clear your schedules for July 21st. The first-ever live-action Barbie movie will be a fun and comedic adaptation of Barbie’s story. The detailed costumes and sets in this film truly bring the beautiful pink world of Barbie to life. “Barbie” will trace the doll’s journey from perfect Barbie Land to the real world as she seeks happiness.

‘Scream VI’

A classic slasher always makes a good horror film. “Scream VI” will come to theaters this March, starring returning cast members Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera. Fans will now have the chance to see how the characters are holding up after the horrors they experienced in the previous film. The survivors will have to face a whole new Ghostface that seems even more evil than the last.

‘The Little Mermaid’

The upcoming adaptation of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” will give the classic story a much-needed modernity. One of Disney’s most adored princesses will be shown in a new light, with Halle Bailey starring as Ariel. The movie will keep the storyline we all adore while making sure to keep things new and interesting. But Bailey’s beautiful vocals will surely steal the spotlight in this groundbreaking film.

‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’

The famous tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons will be brought to life this March in “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.” The fantasy once only imaginable will now be displayed on the big screen in all its cinematic glory. This movie will be packed with action and adventure, making it a good watch even if you are unfamiliar with D&D.

contact

Hot takes on college life

but today I’m using the phrase as advice.

I love reading and crocheting, which I know makes me sound like I have the personality of an elderly woman. When I got to college, I became so busy that I forgot about these hobbies I used to do during my spare time.

Now instead of scrolling through social media every time I get home, I try to set aside some time to read. Putting your time towards something specific can be beneficial.

Get a hobby.

After dealing with classes and work, it’s usually hard for me to divide up my time well. I come home from a class and will insist that I am so tired. Spending an hour on TikTok or binge-watching a new TV show is a way to be still and take a breather.

But it’s also a waste of time. This is something I struggled with last semester. I could never find the balance between being unproductive and taking a brain break.

I needed to find a way to relax while not being lazy, so I made my goal this semester to invest in hobbies.

I’ve heard “get a hobby” be used as an insult,

My time management is better, and I feel more accomplished. I don’t feel guilty for wasting my day away, and it seems to improve my mental health.

Having a hobby might seem like work, but the whole point of hobbies is that they are fun. Pick an activity that comes easy to you.

Read a book. Play basketball. Go for a jog. Create music. Make art. Whatever your hobbies are, I recommend that you invest more time into them this year.

You don’t have to put every spare moment toward your hobbies, but a little time can go a long way.

If you have a topic or question that you would like to see in Carley’s Corner, email me at nailcn@warhawks.ulm.edu.

Women’s Basketball

Tough losses extend Warhawks’ losing streak

quarter. The score was tied 28-28 at halftime.

It’s not how you start but how you finish, and the Warhawks failed to do just that.

ULM Women’s Basketball (6-13; 2-6) hosted a pair of conference games this past week. After starting conference play 2-2, the Warhawks lost two-straight games going into the home stand.

Breaking the streak was vital in keeping the season in stable condition.

The first matchup featured Texas State (13-6; 5-3), with a two-game winning streak heading into the matchup.

The first quarter featured dominant defense by the Warhawks, holding the Bobcats to just 10 points. ULM finished the quarter with a 10-4 run, making the score 16-10.

The Warhawks extended their lead to nine halfway through the second quarter and had control of the game.

The Bobcats turned on the burners and outscored ULM 15-6 to finish the

“The second quarter was a big test for us,” head coach Brooks Donald Williams said. “We played extended minutes without Emma Merriweather, Bre Sutton and Myca Trail, who all picked up their second foul.”

The third quarter saw a back-and-forth battle, resulting in Texas State with a three-point edge at the end. The game was still within reach for the Warhawks.

The Bobcats caught fire at the start of the fourth quarter, outscoring ULM 13-2 within the first four minutes. Despite its best effort, ULM failed to overcome the deficit and lost 64-57.

Williams still had optimism for the team’s performance following the loss.

“We just battled one of the top teams in the league down to the wire,” Williams said. “Our team competed and did some really good things tonight.”

Katlyn Manuel led the team in scoring with 15 points and had seven rebounds.

Merriweather scored 11 points and produced 11 rebounds and seven blocks.

Saturday’s game saw ULM host a Georgia Southern team (13-4; 5-3), that recently broke its two-game losing streak with a win Thursday night.

The Warhawks once again started hot with a 10-4 lead. Instead of losing the lead in the second half, ULM chose to lose it in the first quarter and let the Eagles catch up and retain a one-point lead.

The Warhawks never re-took the lead for the rest of the game with Georgia Southern being in complete control.

The Eagles outscored ULM 26-17 in the second quarter, extending their lead at the half to 10. Despite playing close in the second half, the Warhawks couldn’t overcome the early hole and lost 86-72.

ULM has lost four in a row, and it’ll look to turn its season around next week versus Marshall (10-9; 3-5) at home.

contact Jonah Bostick at bostickjm@warhawks.ulm.edu

Graduate transfer center Emma Merriweather (left) attempts a free throw. Freshman guard Myca Trail (right) sees an opening toward the basket.

photos by Shubrat Simkhada

SHARING THE WEALTH: Sophomore guard Bre Sutton passes to her teammate while on the move.

NCAA Transfer portal controlled with new rule

After an uncontrollable two years, the NCAA transfer portal finally has a limit placed.

The NCAA has recently placed a new rule on the transfer portal limiting how many times an athlete can transfer schools. Athletes can now only transfer freely one time in their college career.

If an athlete wants to transfer a second time, they will have to meet certain conditions to do so. Approved exceptions to transfer include physical and mental health problems and urgent circumstances, including abuse or sexual assault. An athlete wishing to transfer due to playing time can no longer do so after their first transfer.

The new regulation on the transfer portal is meant to limit the number of players entering the portal, which has become a problem of sorts for the

NCAA. According to FanNation, the portal saw over 2,000 entries within the first window.

“I think everybody across any sport within the NCAA wanted more parameters around the transfer portal,” Interim Athletic Director Seth Hall said. “I would say I’d have to agree with that.”

ULM has seen both the positives and negatives of the transfer portal. Many players have come from bigger schools to play at ULM, but ULM consistently loses production every year to the transfer portal.

Wide receiver Tyrone Howell, the leading receiver for ULM football last season, was a transfer from Kansas State.

“It helped me get to ULM, so I was excited about it at first,” Howell said.

“It also hurt us because we lost a lot of veterans on the team.”

ULM can now worry less about new transfers leaving just a year after coming to Monroe. However, the ability to recruit high school players becomes more important for the quality of the program.

“I think it’s going to have a big impact on recruiting,” Hall said. “Now student-athletes have to be very careful before they hop in that portal and go somewhere.”

Athletes will now be more hesitant to enter the portal at all. They will need to make sure that transferring in the first place will be worth it because they only have one free pass.

Though the portal still offers much to be improved, there is at least a limit on the unpredictability of the portal.

contact Jonah Bostick at bostickjm@warhawks.ulm.edu

Ceremony

Coach St. Amant honored with renamed baseball field

by Kalie Nolan

The Warhawk baseball team, alumni and fans gathered at Bayou Pointe on Friday to celebrate the renaming of the baseball field in honor of former coach Lou St. Amant.

During his 18 years at NLU, St. Amant earned 414 career wins, won the 1982 Atlantic Sun Conference West Division Championship and led the Indians to their first Southland Conference title in 1983. He was vital in the construction of the baseball facility.

St. Amant also served the university as a football color analyst for 25 years after he left the baseball program. He received a Warhawk Ambassador Award in May of 2022.

“Coach [St. Amant] is way more

than a coach to me,” former player Mickey Parenton said.

St. Amant’s legacy goes much deeper than just his baseball career. He spoke life into his players and gave them a lasting home away from home here in Monroe.

“It doesn’t matter what his record was. There was something more valuable than the win part,” former player Allen Randle Sr. said. “I’m a winner today because of Lou St. Amant.”

The innovations that St. Amant made to the baseball program still have an impact to this day, and current head coach Michael Federico strives to continue his legacy.

Toward the end of the night, Federico gave a look into some of the things he has done for the

baseball program since being hired in 2017.

In just six short years, Federico has installed a state-of-the-art weight room, added a team room, put in a locker room and laid turf onto the baseball field. Federico also gave an insight into the future of the program.

He is hoping to add a ticket office, transform the visitors’ locker room into a suite and get new netting to improve the safety of the fans who attend games.

“Growth in the next 40 years is important,” Federico said.

“We cannot continue to stay the same.”

Lou St. Amant field will host its first game under the new name on Feb. 17 against Bradley.

contact Kalie Nolan at nolankr@warhawks.ulm.edu

photo by Kalie Nolan

photo courtesy Hawkeye Archive

LEAVING HIS MARK: Coach St. Amant reflects on his time at ULM and the legacy he built.

by Jonah Bostick

BIDDING FAREWELL: ULM had 18 players enter the transfer portal this past offseason.

Richard earns 300th win in weekend split

years prior by 28 points.

Men’s basketball head coach Keith Richard cemented his 300th career win on Thursday, defeating Georgia Southern (12-9; 5-3) 7259 to claim ULM’s third-straight Sun Belt Conference win of the season and remain tied for first place in the conference standings. But juxtaposed against that career milestone stood a 77-53 blowout loss to the Troy Trojans (12-9; 5-3) on Saturday that dropped the Warhawks (9-12; 5-3) down to a three-way tie for second place.

For the Trojans, Saturday’s win marked an important stat. It was their largest margin of victory since they defeated ULM exactly nine

Just two days earlier, ULM sat in the driver’s seat against Georgia Southern. With 5:10 left in the second half, ULM held a 20-point lead over the Eagles and a doubledigit win just minutes away.

Four players scored at least 10 points for ULM, including a teambest 19 points from junior guard Tyreke Locure on 5-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc. One of the key contributions came by way of graduate transfer Victor Bafutto who set a school record with 10 offensive rebounds.

As the 6-10 forward grew fatigued battling in the paint, his coach had his back when some of his shots didn’t connect.

“At halftime, I told the team I don’t want to hear anybody getting on Victor about points around the paint when we throw it to him,” Richard said.

Up to that point, Bafutto snagged 11 boards for the Warhawks. He finished with 15 total rebounds. ULM’s success came from its strong shooting performance. The Warhawks sank 48% of their shots and made 11-of-20 three-pointers.

Against Troy two days later, the fortunate shooting favored the Trojans.

What was a one-score game nearly 12 minutes into the first half soon spiraled away from the Warhawks. Locure’s fast break put ULM up by one but signaled the

final make for the next 11 shots for ULM. Troy took full advantage of the miscues and closed the half on an 11-2 run.

ULM came out of the half and quickly tied the game at 32-32 with a three-ball from sophomore guard Savion Gallion.

But Troy showed an incredible ability to go on a scoring run and, more importantly, play stellar defense. The Trojans put up 12-straight points late in the second half, and they turned the contest from a close home win into a statement performance.

Richard said one player he was counting on to make an impact was junior guard Langston Powell. But Powell was on the

court for just six minutes after earning four quick fouls. He said a “no turnovers guy” like Powell would have been a major asset to downing “the best defensive team in the league.”

To get back in the win column, ULM will have to do so against teams where there is no precedent. This week, ULM has two matchups for the first time in school history against first-year Sun Belt members on the road. The Warhawks face Marshall (17-4; 6-2) on Thursday and James Madison (13-8; 4-4) on Saturday to conclude a four-game road trip.

photos courtesy ULM Athletics