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Warhawks lose undefeated streak
Students unsure about SNAP’s future P 7
P 16
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
VOLUME 96 ISSUE 16
www.ulmhawkeyeonline.com
January 28, 2019
Opinion: Student should help with campus maintenance P 5
Activity Center sticks to extended hours P 9
Empty Bowls: Art against hunger P 8
Johns creates digital art empire P 10
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
PAGE 2
January 28, 2019
BRIEFS d
CALENDAR Monday, January
28
RSO Mandatory Spring Meeting, 3 p.m., Student Center 170
Tuesday, January
29
RSO Mandatory Spring Meeting, 1 p.m., Student Center 170
Wednesday, January 30 Monroe No events planned
Thursday, January
31
ULM's Got Talent, 7 p.m., Brown Auditorium Men's basketball, 6 p.m., @ Coastal Carolina Women's basketball Vs Coastal Carolina, 6:30 p.m., Fant-Ewing Coliseum
Friday, January
1
Track and Field @LSU
Saturday, January
2
Men's basketball, 1 p.m. @ Appalachian State Women's basketball Vs Appalachian State, 2 p.m., FantEwing Coliseum
Sunday, January No events planned
3
California
China
According to KNOE, 11-year-old Tia McFarland was found safe by Monroe police on Thursday. McFarland was found on Jason Drive after she asked to use someone's phone who recognized her from news reports. The person then called Monroe Police. McFarland went missing on Tuesday after she reportedly ran away from her legal guardians in the Booker T. Washington neighborhood and rode her bicycle to the Parkview or Trishell Apartments where some of her relatives live. Louisiana State Police had issued a Level II Endangered/Missing Child Media Advisory on behalf of the Monroe Police Department for McFarland. According to Executive Officer Reggie Brown, McFarland appears to be in good health and detectives will continue to investigate the situation.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that the state was suing Huntington Beach for failing to allow enough new home-building to accommodate a growing population. The lawsuit accuses Huntington Beach of defying a state law that requires cities and counties to set aside sufficient land for housing development. According to Newsom, the suite was needed to address rising housing costs that threaten economic growth and deepen inequality. For more than three years, Huntington Beach has ignored the state law aimed at encouraging housing production. Newsom threatened to withhold state transportation dollars from cities and counties that reject development. His budget proposal also allocates $1.3 billion incentive for local governments to accommodate growth and homeless services.
Australian writer and blogger Yang Hengjun was arrested on Thursday in China on suspicion of endangering national security. The arrest came after Australia criticized China for detaining two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying confirmed the arrest but said she had no further information. Rory Medcalf, a former Australian diplomat, described Yang's arrest as "hostage diplomacy" and linked it to the arrests of the two Canadians. The arrests came after Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, was detained in Canada at the request of the U.S. Meng was arrested on charges of committing fraud by misleading banks about Huawei's business dealings in Iran.
Flights delay due to Missing kid found State to sue local Journalist arrested as national threat TSA agent shortage safe after 2 days government Three flights were affected due to a shortage of TSA agents on Friday at the Monroe Regional Airport (MLU). Following the flight delays, the TSA released a statement saying that the checkpoints were delayed "in order to maintain our rigorous security.” Backup officers from TSA operations in Shreveport were expected to come and resume operation at the airport. Mayor Jamie Mayo also released a statement regarding the government shutdown’s effects on flights at MLU. According to mayor Mayo, Friday’s flight delays and cancellation was “one of many examples where business and leisure travelers in many cities across the country are being inconvenienced due to the federal government shutdown.”
d
QUOTE
Monroe
WELCOME TO THE CRIB
"We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced."
January 28
Malala Yousafzai Female education activist
Front page credits: Main photo: Miles Jordan Top sidebar photo: Miles Jordan Bottom sidebar photo: Miles Jordan Top left photo: Miles Jordan Top right graphic: Prajal Prasai
TODAY IN HISTORY
photo by Miles Jordan
Junior infielder Tori Fugatt (left) talks with fellow softball teammates at the new VLP Team Lounge. The lounge was named after Vic L. Pisano, Sr. whose son funded the project.
1981: Olympic Glory tanker at Galveston Bay, Texas, spills 1 million gallons of oil in a ship collision. 1986: Space Shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral with all seven crew members killed, including Christa McAuliffe who was to be the first teacher in space. 1988: Canada's Supreme court declares anti-abortion law unconstitutional. 2011: Hundreds of thousands of protesters fill the Egyptian's streets against the Hosni Mubarak's regime in demonstrations referred to as the "Friday of Anger." 2013: Iran’s Pishgam rocket successfully completes a return trip of sending a monkey into space. 2017:President Donald Trump and Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull have a contentious phone call over a deal for the U.S. to take 1,250 refugees.
January 28, 2019
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
PAGE 3
BRIEFS
Program receives grant SGA prepares to support student-parents for Mardi Gras Student Government Association
The ULM TRIO program recently received a federal grant of $122,626 to fund its Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program. According to Catherine Estis, the executive director of ULM TRIO programs, the grant will help eligible students with childcare costs and eventually establish a childcare facility for student-parents on campus. The grant was written over the summer by the TRIO program. ULM was the only CCAMPIS in the state of Louisiana to receive the grant. As per the grant’s regulations, a student has to be Pell eligible, have a financial need and must be the legal guardian of the child in order to receive assistance from the CCAMPIS fund. Depending on the student’s qualification, the grant can fund up to 90 percent of tuition along with providing childcare services. The program is currently looking for around 40 applications.
Along with providing feasible childcare and reduced tuition, the program also aims to offer facilities like parenting aids, healthy eating courses and financial education to help the student-parents succeed. The new child care facility will be on Bon Aire Drive, where the old soccer house used to be. However, the federal fund can only be used to run the childcare and not actually build or renovate the facility. Estis and her team are looking for ways to bring in funds to renovate the old soccer house into a childcare center that meets federal regulations. On average, childcare facilities can cost anywhere from $9000 to $12000 annually. Many childcare centers around Monroe, including the one on campus, require a year-long contract and around 40 hours of childcare. The child care center on campus serves staff, faculty, alumni and the Monroe community but has rates that are ex-
pensive for an average college student, according to Estis. The new child care center for studentparents will have “emergency drop-off” services and flexible hours to help during times like final exams. According to Estis, the grant will help with both the graduation and the retention rate. The program also plans to get more fathers involved with parenting, not just mothers. “A lot of times we think of studentparent as a mother. You would be amazed at how many student parents that come through this door that are fathers,” Estis said. CCAMPIS is one of the three TRIO programs aimed to support students at ULM. The ULM TRIO program also runs Educational Talent Search and Student Support Services, both of which help with higher education.
The Student Government Association (SGA) held its weekly meeting on Tuesday. SGA senators went over various campus-related activities like the upcoming Mardi Gras court elections on Jan. 30 and 31. As per the meeting, the annual Mardi Gras Ball has been set for Feb. 28. Next week, SGA President Joey Walker will be visiting Washington D.C. to talk to Congressmen about higher education. Also mentioned in the meeting, ULM students qualify for a 15 percent discount at Bayou Brew House located at 7129 Desiard Street. The coffee shop near campus is ran by a ULM alumni.
Budget: $91,477
Plan begins for student Sinconolfi to serve as Interim food co-op VP for academic affairs
photo courtesy Mansfield University
ULM recently hired an Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs. According to an email sent out by Dr. Nick Bruno, Dr. Steven Sinconolfi will be arriving on Feb. 5 at ULM. Sinconolfi will be taking over Dr. Eric Pani’s role after Pani’s retirement on Feb. 28. Sinconolfi received his undergraduate degree in physical education from Spring Field College, where he also received his Master’s degree in exercise physiology. He then moved to Kent State University to receive a doctorate in exercise physiology. Sinconolfi was the senior vice president
The Office of Student Life and Leadership along with the Student Government Association is planning to setup a student “food co-op” on campus. A student “food co-op” is a cooperatively-run food enterprise on campus that provides students with access to affordable meals. According to Emily Essex, the director of Student Life and Leadership, both her office and the SGA are researching on the idea to try to find a “food co-op” suitable for ULM. Since the plan is still in its developmental stage, the team doesn’t have an exact figure on the number of students affected by food insecurity on campus. The proposed student “food co-op” could be operated in two different ways. In case of a traditional “food co-op,” students would be taught to maintain a vegetable garden somewhere on campus which Essex says will also teach them life skills. The other approach is a food pantry that would provide students with non-perishable items like canned food and basic necessities. Essex hopes the “food co-op” will bring together both the ULM and Monroe community. According to Essex, students not being able to afford food is an issue that the “food co-op” aims to tackle. Currently, the team is looking for Registered Student cell cycle progression and angiogenesis in Organizations (RSO) that would like to help with the idea. It was lung cancer cells in vitro.” also mentioned in the mandatory RSO meetings by Megan Lee, According to LBRN’s website, the the coordinator for Student Life. annual meeting allows LBRN program Essex hopes to set up the “food co-op” beginning next participants, committee members and semester. administrators meet to review individual The idea of an on-campus food pantry is currently being research accomplishments and to discuss implemented in schools like Louisiana State University and the overall program activity. Louisiana Tech University.
and provost from June 2015 to Oct. 2017 at Mansfield University. He is also the president of Sinconolfi Academic Consulting which provides advise and tools for academics and enrollment. Sinconolfi was a research physiologist from 1988 to 1997 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. He also has a patent for his inventions like a soft-sided air displacement body volumometer and a body fluids monitor. As per Bruno’s email, Sinconolfi believes there is a “good fit between the immediate needs of ULM” and his “knowledge, skills and experiences.”
Students place at annual meeting in Baton Rouge The College of Pharmacy brought back trophies after their recent attendance at the 17th annual Louisiana Biomedical Research Network (LBRN) meeting. The two-day event took place on Jan 18 and 19 in Baton Rouge. Toxicology senior Alexis Alexander placed third for her undergraduate poster presentation.
Achyut Dahal, a graduate student in pharmacy, won first place for his poster, “Physicochemical characterization of HER2 targeted modified peptidomimetics.” A.K.M. Nawshad Hossain, a graduate student in pharmacy, placed second for his poster, “miR-143 and miR-506 combinatorial treatment: inhibitors of
PAGE 4
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
January 28, 2019
OPINION OPINION
HAWKEYE P.O.V.
Vision 2031: Great plan, bad execution The university is in search of new ways to bring in money. Recently, a new campaign called “Vision 2031” was proposed. “Vision 2031,” is a property millage tax that the Ouachita Parish Police Jury was to vote on Tuesday, but it was pulled from the ballot. The tax proposal, introduced by ULM, highlighted the economic impact the university has had in the area. The proposal’s mission involved increased job creation and economic impact in Ouachita Parish. We, The Hawkeye, support the proposal and its plan of not only helping better the university but also of bettering the surrounding community. The proposal, if approved, planned to establish the region as a “premier medical and research community.” The property tax would vary by property value and range from $5 to $213 annually. George Schaeffer, who helped with the development of “Vision 2031,” asked for
the proposal to be withdrawn citing an “enormous amount of misinformation being spread on social media about the plan.” Schaeffer also said other concerns regarding the proposal had to be addressed before ULM could move forward with the proposal. According to Schaeffer’s email, ULM president Nick Bruno also agreed that there was not enough time to address all the concerns regarding the proposal before it was brought up to the jury. We, The Hawkeye, agree with ULM’s decision to pull the “Vision 2031” proposal until further notice. ULM and Ouachita Parish depend on one another. ULM has had an enormous economic impact in the area. According to the study conducted by Economic Modelling Specialists International, ULM contributed $566.8 million to the northeast Louisiana economy in fiscal year 2017-18. In order to take the next step forward, ULM needs help
from the public which can be established only through better communication. We agree with the statement of needing enough time to adequately address the concerns the public has about the proposal. Hopefully, ULM continues to have an open line of communication with the public and doesn’t just wait until everyone forgets about the proposal to bring it back up. The school’s marketing team needs to figure out a way to win over Ouachita Parish citizens before the proposal is brought forward again. Options are currently limited for funding and nobody knows that better than ULM who has struggled in recent years due to statewide budget cuts to higher education. While we hope ULM continues seeking different avenues for additional funding, we believe “Vision 2031” is still not down for the count and look forward to seeing it brought up again.
Stubbs 131 700 University Avenue Monroe, LA 71209 Editor in chief - Sisam Shrestha Co-managing editor design - Prajal Prasai Co-managing editor news - Ethan Dennis Opinion editor - Alfonzo Galvan Freestyle editor - Kaitlin Maness Multimedia editor - Samrat Dhakal Photo editor - Miles Jordan
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. The Hawkeye (USPS #440-700) is published weekly except vacation, exam & holiday periods by The University of Louisiana at Monroe, 700 University Avenue, Monroe, LA 71209. Annual subscription price is $15.00. Periodicals Postage Paid at Monroe, LA 71203. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Hawkeye, 700 University Ave., Stubbs 131, Monroe, LA 71209-8832.
Sports editor - Nate Nasworthy Copy editor - Ashlyn Dupree Circulation director - Emerald Singh 318-342-5453 ulmhawkeyead@gmail.com Faculty adviser Dr. Christopher Mapp 318 342 5454 mapp@ulm.edu Assistant director Kristin Nieman 318 342 5450 nieman@ulm.edu Feedback 318 342 5453 newsroom 318 342 5452 fax ulmhawkeye@gmail.com
Don’t agree? Let us know! Contact the writers or the editor at galvana@warhawks.ulm.edu
No excuses for pedophilia Dallon Lewis Pedophilia is a sick disease, no questions about it. It is described as a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children. Although girls typically begin the process of puberty at age 10 or 11 and boys at age 11 or 12, criteria for pedophilia extend the cut-off point for prepubescent to age 13. A person who is diagnosed with pedophilia must be at least 16 years old, and at least five years older than the immature child for the attraction to be diagnosed as pedophilia. The surge of voices taking part in the #MeToo movement has allowed women and
men alike to open up emotionally on ignored sexual abuse cases which include pedophilic actions. The majority of sexual abuse cases are not reported to the police. Only 280 out of 1,000 cases are reported to the police every year, as per the Rape, Assault and Incest National Network official website. Of the sexual violence crimes not reported to the police from 2005-2010, victims gave many reasons as to why they were against reporting their traumatic experiences. Some victims try to negate the exposure of the offender to protect their household from a repeat incident. Others fear the sound of their cries may fall on deaf ears as cases such as the Brock Turner trial placed a sour taste in the mouths of onlookers. Brock Turner known as the “Stanford Rapist” was sentenced to six months of jail for raping an unconscious girl. That feeling of helplessness resonates deep within people all over the country. Pedophilia can affect young people. Trust is manipulated to take advantage of a person unable to make proper decisions because of age. This puts the victim in a state of conflict between right and wrong. Abusive experiences suffered before adolescence are known to either repress or make themselves known well into adult life.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, flashbacks and depression are also all effects caused by sexual misconduct, according to RAIN. Women will remain the primary victims in terms to pedophilic acts, but the cases when attributed to the opposite sex are just as apparent. The biggest face in sexual abuse debacles right now is Robert R. Kelly, stage name plainly R. Kelly. A six-part Lifetime documentary titled “Surviving R. Kelly” has syndicated confessions from victims subjected to Kelly’s lustful whims. Numerous survivors reporting mental abuse that has been built up until they were given an opportunity to step forward. Kelly is reportedly accused of holding women and underage girls alike captive in a dungeon of indecent acts. Robert Kelly has a tide of courtroom accusations mounting coming off the spark of the aforementioned documentary. But while Kelly is obscenely twisted up in some phantasmal world he enjoys to indulge in, there is a point to make that he himself is a victim of abuse too. Only, he absorbed the encounters in a way he could perceive them. Carey Kelly, brother of R. Kelly, has admitted that both he and his brother were victims of molestation at a young age. Carey has gone on record to say
that, “ just know that he has a problem with control. I love my brother, but he do have a problem. And if anybody out there love him, they should want to see him get help.” This begs the question of does the lack of self control and experiences one may suffer allow them to steal a child’s innocence away from them? Judging morality is not my sport of choice and surely far from a hill to die on. However, there is not a world where the answer to that question is yes. The answer is no. I have a younger sister who could have easily been one of the young black girls in Lifetime’s documentary. According to RAIN, every year, 60,000 children are victims of “substantiated or indicated” sexual abuse. While the rate of conviction is high, arrests are made in only 29 percent of child sexual abuse cases and are 32 percent more likely to be made in incidents involving older children. For children under six, only 19 percent of sexual abuse incidents result in arrest. The treatment to this poisonous behavior is deciding to treat sexual abuse like the actual crime it imposes itself to be in-stead of treading the line with tedious legislation. contact Dallon Lewis at lewisdt@warhawks.ulm.edu
January 28, 2019
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
LETTER TO THE EDITOR by Christian Amy [Letter was submitted before end of shutdown] Every second the government shutdown over President Trump’s border wall continues, the political tension in our country intensifies. In this climate, it can be hard to distinguish political banter from the facts. The shutdown has inspired countless falsehoods and many on the left have disregarded the president’s position. The reality is that Trump is not acting out of political necessity (as some will have you believe), but out of a genuine concern for the safety of the American people. “Why is the shutdown still ongoing?” you may ask. Because Trump has made the security of this country a priority over political maneuvering and the Democratic Party has not. In 2006, a bill was introduced to Congress that allocated $1.4 billion to construct a physical barrier on America’s southern border. Moreover, Congress was notified of the eventual $50 billion cost over several years. Supporters of the bill included past senators Obama and Clinton and current Senate minority leader Schumer. So why, then, are Democrats forcing a shutdown over Trump’s request for $5.7 billion to ensure border security? The answer lies in the question: Donald Trump. It is a fact that one of Trump’s key
campaign pledges was to increase border security by building a wall. With his landslide election in 2016, Trump seems to be fulfilling almost all of his campaign promises. In addition to decreasing unemployment, invigorating the steel industry, lowering taxes, hastening deregulation, strengthening the armed forces and negotiating a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, Democrats in Congress are afraid of letting Trump fulfill another campaign pledge. Since the shutdown commenced, the president has met with the House leadership twice to no avail. Additionally, House leaders have rejected the president’s compromise of granting extended protection for undocumented children and others here illegally in return for border security funding. Trump is obviously the only one acting in the spirit of bipartisanship. While shutdowns are “problematic,” let us not forget that they serve a purpose and are sometimes necessary. The fact is that while one can cite one poll after another, Trump’s landslide electoral victory (note: the U.S. does not elect its leaders by popular vote) was a clear mandate for his vision for border security. Furthermore, while the shutdown has affected many Americans, the human toll of inadequate border security is far more catastrophic. What Speaker Pelosi
and Senator Schumer call “a manufactured crisis”, others call a tragedy. In addition to the negative impact illegal immigrants have on job availability, over three hundred Americans are killed each week due to drugs smuggled across our unprotected borders. For the families of Robert Page of Georgia and Officer Singh of California, this crisis is not manufactured. Both of these men were brutally murdered by illegal immigrants who gained access to the U.S. through our southern border. Many more stories like these exist and will continue to exist until the Democrats swallow their pride and finally support the president in ensuring our borders are secure. The Democrats must embrace bipartisanship, stop obsessing about the political ramifications of handing Trump another victory and give the American people a border they can have confidence in. Lastly, I have read that one of my fellow students called into question the president’s character over this shutdown. The bottom line is that your security, the security of your family and the security of our Republic is worth shutting down the government for. If trying to ensure the protection of the American people constitutes a stain on a man’s character, I will gladly boast of a stain on mine. contact Christian Amy at amycp@warhawks.ulm.edu
PAGE 5 OPINION
Time for break from social media
Chelsea Terrell Social media, such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc. has become an outlet for people to present their “life” to the public. However, many people make their lives look as if it is perfect, but in reality no one’s life is as perfect as they make it out to be on social media. People of all ages spend hours posting or scrolling through their various social media pages and accounts. In fact, I find myself guilty of doing this often. Spending most of your day scrolling through other’s pages, their edits and filters can make one jealous of others and the life they portray through social media. Eventually, jealousy can lead to many striving to be like others and being self-conscious. When we see people’s images, we feel compelled to create an unrealistic image of ourselves on our social media accounts. Also, taking a break from social media can better any anxiety or depression we
may have. When we don’t feel a burden to be perfect, anxiety and depression are lessened. Occasionally taking a social media break is good for someone who finds themselves spending excess amount of time on social media accounts comparing themselves to others. One positive trend that many should follow is taking a break from social media, an act known as the “Social Media Detox”. Many have tried this trend and the results have only been positive reactions as to what occurred after they cut social media out of their daily lives. For example, many stars such as Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian, Cardi B and Ed Sheeran have tried the “Social Media Detox” and have all spoke publicly about the positive results. It doesn’t matter how much time you spend away from social media; the important part is what happens while you are away from social media. Spending time away from your Facebook or Instagram feed can make your time more productive. Silencing your social media account notifications can prevent you from getting distracted. By getting rid of social media for an allotted amount of time, you are able to do more constructive things with your spare time. By getting off of social media, you can better your productivity, your time and your selfconfidence. contact Chelsea Terrell at terrelcl@warhawks.ulm.edu
Utilize university resources more Suprabha Pudasainy Let’s utilize university resources, like Bayou Park, more. One of the best spots to hang out at ULM is Bayou Park which is located between the two bridges and provides a beautiful view of the water, especially during the sunset. Despite the park’s prospect of being a perfect place to spend some leisure time, alone or with friends, it often remains unoccupied. The lack of adequate seating space and the swampy grounds of the park has contributed to the
students’ ignorance when it comes to this park. The park also lacks other recreational activities that students could get involved in. The college website describes this park as a spot for college organizations to conduct their events. However, with proper care and effort from the student body and the administration, it could be made into much more by utilizing its recreational value. Another example of a university resource that is being neglected is the big grill that we have across the library. What could be an awesome barbecue spot is something that often goes ignored and unused because of its unkempt state. Many freshmen don’t even know of its existence because it is used so rarely by those who know about it. When I first arrived at ULM, the idea of a park overlooking the bayou was something that I had wanted to explore more. However, its unclean state that clearly represents the negligence has
made spots like Starbucks a better option to spend time at. While the trees’ shade outside Starbucks has its own charm, it cannot compete with the uniqueness of the space surrounding the bayou. Many students can understand this choice to spend free time in a cleaner and more happening spot. The grill not being used is also completely understandable considering its deteriorating state. This doesn’t mean that it’s okay to ignore this issue of university resources being neglected. Merely complaining about it will not improve anything. Instead, all of us should recognize their importance as properties of the university as well as resources that we could all enjoy. The office of Student Life and Leadership does schedule events at the park. While it should be responsible for cleaning and maintaining the condition of the park, this shouldn’t be an excuse for the student body to ignore
it. More importantly, various Registered Student Organizations in the university should utilize the volunteering ethics and dedication of their members to help clean the park. Not only will this create a clean and safe space for all the students, but it will also provide the organizations a better venue for their outdoor events. For this, all of us who are a part of any RSO could raise the proposal of cleaning the park on certain scheduled dates so that all of us are working together to help protect the university resources. By introducing incentives such as rewards and benefits for those with the most contributions, everyone could be encouraged to get involved in this. We could start by removing the debris of leaves collected at the sidelines of the bayou which often starts to smell if left uncleaned, especially during the rain. Noticing the student body take an
initiative to clean the university property like that could also veer the administration to contribute towards such endeavors. With the help of the administration, the addition of more benches and chairs for people to sit in could also attract students to spend their time in the park. Considering how there is a very limited seating space in the park, spending spare time standing in an empty park doesn’t really sound that appealing. Within a semester, we could bring a significant change in the space surrounding the bayou to welcome the freshmen in the fall with a beautiful and clean park, a tolerable grill for those who would enjoy it and other resources within the university which we could improve by collaborative efforts among the students and the university.
contact Suprabha Pudasainy at pudasas1@warhawks.ulm.edu
photos by Ethan Dennis
PAGE 6
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
NEWS
January 28, 2019
Lights out
on the bayou
Power outage concerns students by Ethan Dennis Students on the west side of Bayou DeSiard were a little stunned when the power cut off around noon on Saturday. Wi-Fi on campus and power in the residential halls continued, but photos by Miles Jordan
BRIGHT STUDENTS, NO LIGHTS: Students study in the dark and on laptops after the power goes out in the ULM library.
the university library went without power for a few hours. Heather Pilcher, the library’s coordinator of special collections, immediately went into action to check if students were okay when the power went out. “It wasn’t planned, and it was unexpected. I went and checked all the floors, and everyone was fine up there. The elevators work, so nobody was stuck on the elevators. That was my main thing- making sure everyone was okay,” said Pilcher. Some students were even working in the new InfoCommons Lab on the library’s second floor. Pilcher said, “They [the computers] should come back on. There were some students taking a timed test, but I gave them my contact information, so their professors can email me.” Pre-nursing junior Allison Comeaux was working online in the second floor computer lab. “I’m a little bit annoyed, and I was almost done when the computer cut out,” Comeaux said. Sophomore pre-dental hygiene Anna Seal was also annoyed. “I wasn’t doing anything online, but it is a bit annoying, because it’s very dark since not all the lights are on,” Seal said. As of Saturday night, the cause of the power outage was unknown. ULM has yet to inform students and faculty of possible causes behind the outage. contact Ethan Dennis at dennisec@warhawks.ulm.edu
ULM offers new PharmDMBA dual degree program by Cameron Ott For several years now, ULM’s pharmacy school has been recognized nationally as a topnotch program. It has produced a large number of successful pharmacists working in countless hospitals or starting their own private businesses. In fact, the pharmacy track at ULM is one of our most popular programs and has drawn in students from not only Louisiana, but the rest of the country as well. These are some of the main reasons ULM
Pharmacy has continually grown throughout the years, which has created more and more opportunities for students like a new doctorate of pharmacy (PharmD)/master of business administration (MBA) dual-degree program. This new dual-degree program is designed to prepare students to become pharmacists but also run their own pharmacy business. Junior pre-pharmacy major, Tiona Harris, says it has always been a dream of hers to open and run her own pharmacy.
The idea for this “unconventional” degree plan came from a high demand in leadership positions at Louisiana hospitals and healthcare agencies for graduates with both a Phar- Harris mD and an MBA. According to a ULM press release, President Nick Bruno said: “Health care is a business and a system of healing the sick. PharmD and MBA as a dual program is very progressive. It demonstrates ULM’s foresight to plan for the future needs of Northeast Louisiana and have the ability to deliver the workforce with the expertise to meet those needs.” Although this program seems to be an amazing opportunity, it has many students wondering just how much work it will be to finish with both a doctorate and master’s degree. A tentative curriculum has been posted on
ULM’s website that shows a heavy course load in undergrad business, graduate business and pharmacy classes alike. “Pharmacy school will already be demanding and trying to do a dual degree would just be a lot of work,” Harris said. Thankfully, if a student opts to do the program, they can complete the degrees together or complete the MBA portion online after graduating with their PharmD. Students who get both degrees will be in high demand for leadership positions in retail and hospital pharmacy operation jobs among others. For more information about the program, go to the webpage: ulm.edu/pharmacy/pharmdmba or contact either Laurel Sampognaro, the director of Student Success, or Michael Cockerham, the associate dean for Academic Affairs. contact Cameron Ott at ottcw@warhawks.ulm.edu
January 28, 2019
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
PAGE 7
NEWS
3 SNAP Quick Facts 1. SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
2. It began as a temporary relief during the Great Depression.
3. It may not be used to buy beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, tobacco or nonfood items. graphic by Ethan Dennis
Government shutdown
could cause hungry students by Ashlyn Dupree When the government shutdown recently ended, President Donald Trump shared that the government would be running for three weeks. What will happen after this time? Many are unsure, but there is a possibility that another shutdown could occur. If another shutdown were to occur, many benefits could be lost again. One of these benefits is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP, formerly food stamps, helps keep 4.7 million households out of poverty. Most people who use SNAP are children and older people. 45 percent of those who receive SNAP were under the age of 18 years old. Forty percent of those who use SNAP have a job. Even with a job, there are students on campus who depend on SNAP to provide enough food each month. Tatianna Strong, a senior psychology major, shared that she uses food stamps and was angry that SNAP
may not be available again in March. “Some people truly depend on these services so it is upsetting. Turner Trump is withholding government services and aid that people live off of for his own selfish needs just because ‘he feels it’s good for this country’,” Strong said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking steps to help SNAP be available through February The U.S.D.A. is helping the states fund SNAP to low-income households; they expect to see repayment within 30 days of the government being reopened. Laura Boone, a ULM alumna and worker for the department of child welfare, said, “The benefits for February were released early which means students have to maintain a tight budget.” While the government shutdown is over, it is important to keep a tight
budget just in case the government shuts down again in three weeks. Although this takes care of households for this month, what will happen if the government shuts down again in three weeks? While many are still unsure what will occur after these next three weeks, it is important to be mindful on how the food stamps are spent So, what precautions should be taken for students for the next three weeks?Boone shared it is important to be smart about what you food you buy during this time. Without food stamps, child poverty would rise by three percent, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. While many students may struggle in silence to figure out what will happen after these next three weeks, Strong made her viewpoint on the matter very clear. “We, as citizens of this country, should have all rights and privileges to the aid we require” Strong said. contact Ashlyn Dupree at dupreeaf@warhawks.ulm.edu
courtesy ULM School of Visual and Performing Arts
What’s VAPA-ning? Here is what’s happening with art, dance, music and theater at ULM: The Air Force Brass Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 29, in Brown Auditorium. This event is free and open to the public. VAPA will be hosting fourth, fifth and sixth grade honor choirs this weekend. Over 200 young singers will present a free concert at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2, in Brown Auditorium. On Friday, Feb. 8, the ULM School of Visual and Performing Arts will host their annual Brass Day, a free educational clinic for all brass players. Admission to all events is free. Brass Day activities will include performances and clinics by the following ULM brass faculty and guest artist, Quintasonic Brass: Vince DiMartino, international soloist; Jason Dovel, University of Kentucky faculty; Matthew Haislip, Mississippi State University faculty; Alex
Van Duuren, University of Tennessee faculty; Alex Lapins, University of Tennessee faculty; Exhibits and Horn Pedagogy Clinic by Houghton Horns, a music store in Keller, Texas; group warm- ‐up sessions; master classes and both brass choir and small ensemble rehearsals and performances. Registration for Brass Day begins at 12 p.m. in the lobby of Emy‐Lou Biedenharn Recital Hall. Quintasonic Brass will present their recital at 1 p.m. in Emy‐Lou Biedenharn Recital Hall, and the finale concert featuring participant ensembles is at 7 p.m. in Brown Auditorium. For online registration and a full schedule, visit http://ulm.edu/music/brassday. html. Other upcoming events include a “Unity in the Community” event at 6 p.m.on Feb. 23 at New Greater Antioch Church and the spring musical. The musical will be “Phantom of the Opera” and runs March 21 to 24.
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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
FREESTYLE
January 28, 2019
3 quick meals for students by Erika Guerrero
A college student’s life is busy. From trying to cram in one last study session before an exam to rushing to class with only 15 minutes to spare, there’s not always time to wait in line for food. Here are three quick and easy on-the-go meals for busy college students to try:
photos by Miles Jordan
GOOD FOOD: Attendees got the chance to try foods from a variety of places.
Empty Bowls fills empty bellies
Make-ahead parfait: For breakfast, stay ahead of the hunger with make-ahead parfaits. All you need is a reusable container, yogurt, fruit, granola and five minutes to spare on Sunday night. Then, you will have breakfast for the rest of the week.
by Ashlyn Dupree The third annual Empty Bowls, a fun event for everyone in the community, occurred this past Saturday in downtown Monroe. At Empty Bowls, attendees bought $40 ticket to get a decorated bowl and an entry to eat food from different vendors. With a designed bowl, attendees could taste food from multiple vendors like Newk’s, Taste of India and Willie’s Food Truck. Attendees also had the option of paying a $20 admission fee and eating from small cups provided by the vendors. However, these decorated bowls were special; they were designed by ULM art students and local artists. The bowls were all different shapes, sizes and colors. There were around 325 bowls made by ULM art students and local artists. Sarah Hoffman, the external communications officer for the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, shared that many different artists around the community created a variety of Hoffman bowls. There were ceramic bowls, wooden bowls and even bowls made out of vinyl records. Alyssa Guidry, a local artist and ULM alumna, shared that she was asked to demonstrate how to make ceramic bowls at the first Empty Bowls event. Guidry loved participating in the event and has demonstrated at Empty Bowls ever since. While these bowls are an important part of the Empty Bowls event, the main point is to help the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana. “This event was created by artists to use
Pizza bagel: College students love pizza and bagels. So, why not combine the two and make pizza bagels for lunch? You will need bagels, tomato sauce, cheese, any toppings and a microwave. Lay the bagels on a plate and slap on some tomato sauce. Then, cover them with cheese and pop them in the microwave for 45 seconds. Put them in a zip lock bag, throw them in your backpack and voilà! Lunch is served.
EMPTY BOWLS: Attendees got to take home ceramic bowls designed by ULM students and artists.
their skills to help raise awareness and funds to fight hunger,” Hoffman said. Ray Fussell, a ULM alumnus, shared that he was a big supporter of local charities like the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana. He said this event was a good way to support them while having a great time. Fussell Not only did Empty Bowls have food, but also live music, face paint, a live painter, a photo booth, games and an auction. There was something fun for everyone he attended the event. Fussell shared that his favorite part of the event was the live music.
local
Events like Empty Bowls also help those who don’t usually venture outside of ULM campus understand that Monroe is a great community with even better people. “[Empty Bowls] is a great way to get a taste for different elements of Monroe… It’s a great way to network with people in the community,” said Vanelis Rivera, a ULM English instructor. If you missed out on Empty Bowls this year, don’t worry. Empty Bowls is going to be an annual event held by The Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, according to Hoffman. “Look forward to next year. It’s gonna be even bigger and better,” Hoffman said. contact Ashlyn Dupree at dupreeaf@warhawks.ulm.edu
Quesadillas: Finish up the day with quesadillas for dinner. All you need is tortillas, an oil of your choice, cheese, spices and sour cream. You can also add pre-cooked chicken or beef. First, oil both sides of the tortillas. Add seasoning cheese and any extras you may want to a tortilla. Place a second tortilla on top and put it in the microwave for 45 seconds. Dollop some sour cream on top, grab a bag of chips, dab some salsa and enjoy! contact Erika Guerrero at guerreec@warhawks.ulm.edu
January 28, 2019
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
photos by Miles Jordan
PLAY BALL: Students play basketball and kick around a soccer ball during the Activity Center's extended, evening hours.
Activity Center plans to keep extended hours by Miles Jordan
The Activity Center's hours are again extended as the completed trial run in fall 2018 was successful. “I really truly believe this place is built by the students many moons ago, and I think we should do everything we can to capture as much student usage as we can,” said Brandon Bruscato, the director of recreational services. Bruscato was talking of the Activity Center’s (AC) temporarily extended fall hours at the time. The AC’s extended hours are Monday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. The trial run that the AC held over the final weeks of the fall semester came from conversations with the Student Government Association. The recreational center decided to continue with the extended hours because the number of people coming increased. “It was pretty significant. The total headcount is a big number for us,” Bruscato said.
The AC quantifies the number of people coming by graduate assistants going around physically counting the number of people in the AC every 15 minutes. The extension will Ingram last indefinitely as long as the headcount remains. The simplistic system is in place because of the difficulty in trying to count how many people come in from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. “The check-ins don’t really do justice for our headcount, because it’s that two hour period of when people check-in,” saidColton Bernstein, the facility coordinator. The check-ins also don’t do justice, because people stay in the AC. “We have those holdovers who have been on the court. Well now, they can come at 8 p.m. and stay here until 10 p.m. ,” Bernstein said. The extended hours are a blessing for students who go to the gym consistently.
This is a reality both students and the AC staff can see. “Now, we may have 45, but it’s spread out over two additional hours. We’re not having any less people. We’re having the same amount of people, but at different times. It’s working,” Bruscato said. For senior finance major Matt Ingram, the extended hours have allowed him to relax and not stress about “intruding upon the people closing up.” For junior music major Nishant Shrestha, the hours have been a blessing. “Sometimes, I have rehearsals or concerts I have to attend, and it’s usually over around 9. Before, I couldn’t go workout, since it would be closed, but now, I can go workout even after rehearsals and concerts,” Shrestha said. For people like Shrestha and others, the dream of larger student usage has been achieved due to the hour extension. contact Miles Jordan at jordanm1@warhawks.ulm.edu
PAGE 9 NEWS
PAGE 10
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
January 28, 2019
FREESTYLE
STROKE OF GENIUS: Madeline Johns using a tablet to draw an original character. Johns runs an Instagram page, “coseamic” which has around 2600 followers.
photo by Miles Jordan
Artist creates her own future by Kaitlin Maness
Being an artist has never been a choice for Madeline Johns; it’s her only option. For as long as she can remember, she has been creating. “I know that’s kind of the basic answer, but I feel like this is what I’m meant to do,” Johns said. One night when she was 10 years old tucked neatly in bed, fast asleep, she jolted awake. The urge to draw had overtaken her in her sleep. She got out of bed and fumbled for a pencil and sheet of paper. Johns’ mind would not stop racing until she sketched the idea swirling around her head. As the drawing in her mind became a reality, something stirred inside her. She had never felt such joy before. Despite the drawing just being a silly cartoon character, this experience sparked a fire within Johns that had yet to have been put out. It was in that moment she knew creating characters was her calling. Young Johns wasn’t quite sure what that meant yet, but she would in a few years. During the summer of 2018, Johns’ Instagram account was beginning to gain traction. She had roughly 600 followers at that time. Johns got to this point by interacting with other accounts. She was inspired by them. Johns often gave her art as “gifts” to her favorite Instagram artists. She drew their characters in different outfits or comical situations because she genuinely loved the people these artists created. The artists often shared the “gifts” drawn by Johns’ on their Instagram stories. Then, people who liked her art style would follow her account. The idea of growing a so- Mckane cial media presence never even crossed Johns’ mind. Instagram was just a place to share her original characters and fan art with others. Miette Mckane, Johns’ best friend, was
scrolling through Instagram’s “Explore” Page when she noticed a piece of art that looked familiar. It was a comic based off the popular Cartoon Network series, “Steven Universe.” Mckane swore it was drawn by Johns, but it had been posted on a different account. She immediately sent a screenshot to Johns. The account that reposted Johns’ “Steven Universe” art had a large following. After asking to be credited, her account’s traffic skyrocketed. “Annoying as it was, my art was the most liked post on their page. It got around 36,000 likes,” Johns said. In the span of three months, her follower count quadrupled. Johns couldn’t have imagined her art resonating with the amount of people it does now. At one point she was gaining 100 followers each day. Turns out, having her art stolen wasn’t so bad after all. A close friend of Johns’, Andrea Smith, believes that Johns’ popularity stems from the uniqueness of her content. Johns draws original characters with intricate backstories. She also dabbles in drawing characters from a variety of TV shows. What makes Johns unique is she sometimes allows her original characters to become part of the worlds created by other people. Persephone Adom, one of Johns’ most popular characters, is the love interest of Jack Spicer from the 2003 cartoon “Xiaolin Showdown.” Their relationship isn’t officially a part of the series, but it is something Johns’ followers enjoy seeing. Her followers comment on everything she posts. They send questions about her characters’ lives and Johns’ art style. There is no denying that the people who follow “coseamic” on Instagram are invested in the content she creates. “It’s a little bit overwhelming, but I’m really grateful for my followers,” Johns said. Another reason Johns’ has been successful on Instagram is the connection she has with her followers. She answers their ques-
art by Madeline Johns
IDEAS COME TO LIFE: Madeline Johns’ original character Persephone Adom (left) holds her boyfriend Jack Spicer from “Xaiolin Showdown” (right) in a caring embrace.
tions, replies to as many comments as possible and posts fan art drawn by them on her Instagram story. Johns even receives messages from followers who are inspired by her art. They see the content she is creating and want to make art of their own. “I’m happy to inspire people. Just to be recognized for that feels good,” Johns said. She has been inspiring people years before gaining a significant Instagram following, but this was unknown to her. During middle school, Johns took an art class outside of school. Mckane was taking the same art class, but at a separate time. “Just by seeing her art, I was interested in her,” Mckane said. Mckane spotted a drawing so compel-
ling she had to know the artist; it was her only option. After class, she approached the teacher to find out whose piece it was. The two have been inseparable ever since. “Madeline is honestly the only reason that I still draw,” Mckane said. Without realizing it, Johns is what her favorite artists used to be to her. Her account has become a place that inspires young artists and serves as a gateway for them to gain followers. Johns hopes to work in animation after graduating ULM’s art program, but her dreams don’t stop there. “I would also love to work on a graphic novel or web comic,” Johns said. contact Kaitlin Maness at manessk@warhawks.ulm.edu
January 28, 2019
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
PAGE 11
NEWS
'Green space' to be furnished photo by Miles Jordan
MASTER PLAN: The "green space" was built to replace Garrett Hall which was completed in 1962 and names after Franklin Garrett.
by Dallon Lewis
The green space, a part of ULM’s master renovation plan, is presented as an area on campus where students can enjoy the university’s environment. Currently, the exposed land is empty, except for stretches of greenery that can be considered Sandel Hall’s backyard. The plan details the green space as an “orientational plaza supporting the reconfiguration of Sandel Hall.” The proposal is supposed to create a “front door” corner plaza on the Garrett site to help Sandel be recognized as a central orientation point and student services facility. In President Nick Bruno’s message about the ULM Master Plan, he said,
“We are striving for a smaller, more technically efficient physical manifestation of our institution, while always maintaining the identity and the beauty of our campus.” The Master Plan identifies intervention zones for proposed improvements, and Northeast Drive Gateway and Garrett Plaza is one of those zones. Northeast Drive and University Avenue are key entrance points to the university. The Master Plan called for enhancements to the area which included the demolition of Garrett Hall. Garrett Hall was chosen for demolition because of its age, spatial redundancy and its location as a key entrance point to the university. What was once Garrett Hall is now a conceptual art project that will be
outfitted at some point with walkways, trees and a fountain. The walkways will reinforce foot traffic in this area, and Turner the trees will extend along Northeast Drive, out to the campus edge at Highway 165. While this architectural endeavor may liven up the external appearance of the university, the practical use and student application for the green space needs to be taken into account. “I’ve got high hopes for what the green space could be ,”said Darin Turner, a sophomore social work major. “It already sets itself apart from other spots on campus just based on
appearance alone,” Turner said. Perception of the aesthetically appealing green space by students ranges from a trivial afterthought to outright disagreement. Students who commute to the campus daily are dumbfounded the fresh landmark was not immediately stamped into a new parking lot. The increasing enrollment rate of students and lack of proper parking should not become a coinciding issue. “I am not a fan of the green space by Sandel. I’m a commuter. It would make sense for a parking lot to be placed there, so the students would not have to walk through the freezing cold just to go to class” said Ethan Poland, a junior communication advocacy major.
Construction of Garrett Hall began in 1961 and was completed in 1962. The hall was named for Franklin Garrett who was considered the father of the modern parish school system. Although Garrett Hall no longer stands, Franklin Garrett’s dedication to learning goes on as ULM continues to grow and thrive. Universities must maintain certain areas where there is visible, healthy greenery to brighten up the institution’s appeal. So, while there are students that argue for a potential parking lot, the fact remains that the green space has its administrative foundation and will have additions added on. contact Dallon Lewis at lewisdt@warhawks.ulm.edu
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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
January 28, 2019
FREESTYLE
Dodie reminds us what it means to be “Human” by Kaitlin Maness The message behind Dodie’s EP is all in its title, “Human.” With only seven tracks, she somehow finds a way to honestly depict raw human emotion. Her career began on YouTube where she uploaded her first video to the channel “doddleoddle” in 2011. It was a performance of an original song, “Rain.” People from all over the world instantly connected with her music. In a few short years, she quickly rose to fame. Her EP opens with a bittersweet acapella song, “Arms Unfolding.” The song’s lyrics were inspired by two of her close friends attempting to fall in love again after a breakup. Dodie sings softly over the sound of a single hum. That hum is sustained through the entire song. Her vocals sound awkward at times mirroring how it can feel to start over with an exlover. The next song, “Monster,” is about the moment you know a person, who once loved you, no longer does. Instead, their passion is transformed into hatred. “Monster” is a fast-paced song. Rhythmic clapping and choruses of vocals add an uplifting
effect to the song’s sound. It stands out among the rest of the EP which mostly consists of a sorrowful sound. The song, “Human,” from which the EP get its name, was originally uploaded to “doddleoddle” in 2016. It featured fellow YouTuber and friend of Dodie’s, Jon Cozart. For the EP, “Human” was renovated. Now, Tom Walker accompanies her instead. Walker harmonizes with Dodie as she sings about the desperation and obsession that comes along with a new crush. String instruments play gently in the background. This enhances the feeling of co-dependency Dodie is singing about. “If I’m Being Honest” is the longest song on the album and the best, in my opinion. Dodie sings about having high expectations for a relationship and the pressure those expectations can bring. Like “Monster,” it takes a more upbeat approach. As the song progresses, it sounds orchestral. Her vocals are strongest at this point on the EP. For the days you feel like a “Monster,” listen to Dodie’s EP to remind you what it means to be “Human.” contact Kaitlin Maness at manessk@warhawks.ulm.edu
“Glass” expectations not fulfilled by Chelsea Terrell As a huge fan of the movie “Split,” I have been looking forward to the somewhat sequel “Glass” for months. However, I became quite disappointed as the movie progressed. “Glass” is directed by M. Night Shyamalan, who also directed the movie, “Unbreakable.” Shyamalan brought the main characters from two movies he previously directed, Kevin Crumb, played by James McAvoy, and David Dunn, played by Bruce Willis, and created an unsuccessful mashup, in my opinion. “Glass” mostly takes place in The Raven Hill Memorial Psychiatric Hospital. Two main characters are both held in the same psych ward by their new doctor, Dr. Ellie Staple played by Sarah Paulson. In this ward, they encounter Mr. Glass, played by Samuel L. Jackson, another psych patient that has been contained for decades. Kevin Crumb, a mentally ill patient suffering from uncontrollable Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), and
David Dunn, the survivor of a train crash who inherited super-human abilities, are believed to be “superheroes” by Mr. Glass. Throughout the movie, Dr. Ellie Staple is determined to make all three patients, Mr. Glass, Kevin Crumb, and David Dunn, believe that superhuman powers do not exist. However, the scenes in the psychiatric hospital are too dugout and the same statements about the three psych patients are steadily repeated. Seventy-five percent of “Glass” is Dr. Ellie Staple constantly trying to prove her point to the patients and their loved ones. The other 25 percent consist of Kevin Crumb constantly changing into his various personalities and
particularly turning into his vicious, man-eating personality, the Beast. Yet in this movie, Crumb gained more personalities and turns into his superhuman personality more often than the character did in his first movie, “Split.” This was a disappointment to me. Somehow the characters Kevin Crumb and David Dunn become rivals and strongly dislike each other throughout the movie. As the movie reaches its end, the characters show their true colors and powers. However, to my surprise, Dr. Ellie Staple also proves to be a different character than I originally thought. When this somewhat plot twist occurs, the movie becomes confusing. Shyamalan also attempts to make all the characters connect which also becomes very random and confusing. M. Night Shyamalan’s movie, “Split,” is one of my favorite movies, but I will not watch “Glass” again. contact Chelsea Terrell at terelcl @warhawks.ulm.edu
January 28, 2019
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE Crossword
Horoscope Aries Consider long-term financial goals, and measure current progress. What you may notice first is wherever it’s lacking. Plug budgetary leaks. Find clever ways to save.
Taurus Collaborate to surpass an obstacle with a shared objective. Save more than you spend. Contribute your time and talents. Listen, and provide support.
Gemini Listen to suggestions to raise physical performance. Slow to navigate changing conditions. Nurture your health and energy. Avoid overindulging. Enjoy extra rest. Across 1 Take it easy 5 Cabo’s peninsula 9 Sheepish smile 13 Cabinet dept. with an oil derrick on its seal 14 Immortal racehorse Man __ 15 What kneaded dough should do 16 “360˚” CNN anchor 19 Bud 20 “How disgusting!” 21 Gave medicine to 22 “Uncle Vanya” playwright 27 Yoga posture 28 Krypton or xenon 32 Semester 34 Pea surrounder 35 One of about 268,600 in Tex. 36 You, to Yves 38 Hipster, and based on their initials, what each of 16-, 22-, 52and 61-Across is? 41 Blender setting 42 Hubbubs
44 Like Letterman’s humor 45 “See ya later” 47 Dugout seats 49 Put together, as equipment 52 “Appalachian Spring” composer 56 Lustrous bit of wisdom 59 Tokyo’s former name 60 When repeated, a Gabor 61 19th-century steel industry philanthropist who built an eponymous concert hall 66 Nod off 67 Prefix with correct 68 Dunham of “Girls” 69 Snow transport 70 H.S. math subject 71 Clog fillers Down 1 Becomes aware of 2 Explanatory comment written in the margin, say
3 British alphabet ender 4 Bard’s “before” 5 Title cop played by Titus Welliver 6 Came to 7 First mo. 8 Rainbow shape 9 Slots cut with a chisel 10 Fabric flaws 11 “Got it” 12 Bookish type 17 Rock’s Ocasek 18 Dumpster emanation 19 Sheep bleat 23 Half and half 24 Agent on a bust 25 McDonald’s founder Ray 26 Dove into vigorously, as work 29 Stylish men’s monthly 30 Parisian pal 31 Common dinner hour 33 Grass cutter 34 Two-__ tissue 36 Restaurant bill 37 Poem of praise 39 Approximately 40 Baseball rain delay
cover 43 Like Capone’s face 46 Up to, informally 48 Partner of hearty 50 Vote out of office 51 Kiss in a busy store, for short 53 “Sweet!” 54 PC drive insert 55 Buff suffix 56 Footballer’s shoulder protection 57 Hydroxyl compound 58 Axe relative 62 Happy tail movement 63 Billiards stick 64 Legendary seasonal helper 65 “Holy cow”
Mobile Access
FREESTYLE Courtesy of MCT Campus
Libra Juggle income and expenses for a positive balance. Shipping delays or traffic could put a kink in your plans. Stay in communication to manage the flow.
Scorpio You’re especially strong and creative. Enjoy some personal focus time to pursue your heart’s desire. Learn and develop. Grow skills and talents. Draw upon hidden resources.
Sagittarius Rest and recuperate. Allow yourself private time for thinking and planning. Imagine how you’d like an upcoming event to go down. Make preparations. Give thanks.
Capricorn Relax, and focus on immediate needs. Prioritize rest and fun with people you love. Relax to recharge. Romance can spark when least expected.
Share ideas and resources with your team. You don’t need to start from scratch. Your friends are there for you. Someone has the perfect connection.
Leo
Aquarius
Take care of family necessities. Support each other through a change. Pamper your crew with delicious flavors and fragrances. Popcorn and a movie would be nice.
Professional opportunities tempt. Crazy dreams seem possible. Investigate to find out the bottom line. The truth gets revealed. Determine your best option.
Virgo Connect with your networks. Sample a diverse view of news sources. Write, express and share your own perspective. Reveal what’s underneath. Invite participation. Offer support.
Say Hello to Checking That Changes Everything Visa Debit Card
PAGE 13
Remote Deposit
University Commons II • 2600 Ferrand St. • HelloLaCap.com • 800-219-3658 Monthly service fee and low balance fee are waived on Simple and Simple Plus accounts owned by members age 24 and under.
Pisces Far horizons entice you out of your comfort zone. Study the latest techniques and ideas. Schedule carefully, and allow extra time for traffic.
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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
January 28, 2019
SPORTS
Charge up VLP players’ lounge by Miles Jordan
“On the front cover, there was a picture of him and his dad and it said ‘VLP Team Lounge.’ Right away he starts crying,” said Molly Fichtner, ULM’s head softball coach. The Vic L. Pisano, Sr. player’s lounge is the newest facility improvement for ULM athletics. The lounge, named after the late father of one of coach Fichtner’s best friends is a foundation piece for a softball team that is entering a new and exciting chapter of its history. The VLP, named for the former founder of Ramano’s Macaroni Grill and Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Que, opened its doors to the players on Jan. 19. The lounge is one of friendship and love. Molly Fichtner got to know Victor Pisano during her time playing softball at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Their friendship began due to celiacs, a disease both Fichtner and Pisano’s two girls have. “Back then you couldn’t just order glutenfree anything and all of Molly’s snack bags were gluten-free and she thought it was the coolest thing,” Pisano said. As Fichtner transferred to the University of Alabama after her sophomore year as well as her various coaching stops before landing at ULM, Pisano and Fichtner stayed close. The opportunity presented itself for Fichtner to show her appreciation for her friend earlier this semester. Thanks to Coach Melanie Coyne, that appreciation came through the player’s lounge. “I wanted it to mean something. Coach Coyne was actually the one that said, ‘Our girls love Victor. Why don’t we name the lounge after his dad,’” Fichtner said. During Thanksgiving break, Fichtner went home to Texas with a portfolio in hand with the
plans to dedicate the lounge to Victor’s father. “Not even 20 minutes down the road, he calls me and says, ‘Can we please do this?” Fichtner said. Pisano funded the project and the Monday after Thanksgiving the ball got rolling. “Before, it was just a locker room with some shower walls that we had to break down. We had to paint, get the graphics and we wanted it to be a surprise because he was going to be our MC for Trivia Night,” Fichtner said. The question for the coaching staff was how to keep it a secret. The whole operation almost fell apart the day before the ribbon cutting when the graphics were being drilled in and a player asked when the lounge would be done, so Fichtner had no choice but to lie. “I said, ‘I don’t know, but I think there’s a problem with the plumbing.’ And they bought it which I hate because I hate lying to them, but it was so worth it,” Fichtner said. The next day the lounge was opened under the disguise of a practice. The lounge was decked out with Hall of Fame plaques for former players, couches, chairs, books and snacks galore and a new rallying call: S.H.I.P. that stands for selfless, hardworking, impactful and positive. “My father would have appreciated this more than if I had done this for a huge university that has all the resources. Do it for somebody that deserves it. Do it for somebody that otherwise might not have a player’s lounge. This is exactly how my dad would have wanted it,” Pisano said. The beauty of the lounge and its story comes down to the coach, a coach that Pisano describes well. “She’s incredible,” Pisano said. contact Miles Jordan at jordanm1@warhawks.ulm.edu
photos by Miles Jordan
LOUNGING AROUND: Rylee Lara (left) and Madison Morrison (right) enjoy the new VLP Team
Lounge. The new lounge contains a Hall of Fame for past players and new furniture for the softball
Track and Field runs with purpose Warhawk men, women have respectable outing at Texas Tech by Nate Nasworthy
Over a three-day period, the ULM track and field indoor team competed in Lubbock, Texas at the Texas Tech invitational. The competition hosted numerous schools from across the country to find the best individuals in their respective events. Freshman Jakob Fudge had the highest outcome of all Warhawks, finishing fourth in the men’s weight throw B section with a throw of 15.48m. The field section of the invitational was especially promising for ULM as senior Micah Dye finished sixth in the men’s shot put A section and freshman Ray Dixon also finished sixth in the men’s shot put B section. Finishing up on the men’s side, senior Levaughn Battick fin-
ished sixth in the men’s 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.16 seconds. Men weren’t the only ones that showed the Warhawk spirit as freshman Jadyn Walden finished eighth in the women’s weight throw B section with a throw of 14.05m. The Warhawks will travel in-state on Feb. 1 to Baton Rouge for the LSU Bayou Bengal. The invitational showed that this team is in good hands for the future. Fudge, a native of St. Francisville, earned multiple district and regional titles in high school and also earned a state championship. Dixon, who comes to ULM from Llano, Texas, earned area and district championships throughout his high school career. Walden, who is from Conroe, Texas, garnered field MVP, first team all-state, first team all-district, and first team all-area honors in shot put as a senior in high school. Sharon Jerono, a freshman from Kitale, Kenya, finished 13th in the women’s one-mile with a time of 5:27.57. contact Nate Nasworthy at nasworna@warhawks.ulm.edu
photo courtesy ULM Athletics
RUNNING MAN: Senior hurdler Levaughn Battick runs the hurdles.
January 28, 2019
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
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SPORTS
Softball returners to watch for
Sydney McKay-OF
Jayden Mount-INF
Jessie Watts-INF/P
ULM’s batting average leader from a year ago, senior outfielder Sydney McKay is the name of the game for the Warhawks. McKay batted a robust .385. She also led the Sun Belt in both runs scored and hits with 47 and 75, respectively. She was in the top 25 of all of Division I in both hits and runs-per-game. McKay also added on 19 steals and a team leading 34 RBIs. McKay was not just a good batter, though. She excelled in the field with a .980 fielding percentage. She committed only two errors all year. Her dominant junior year granted her a place on the FirstTeam All-Sun Belt.
ULM legacy and junior shortstop, Jayden Mount, is a Warhawk to watch keenly. As a freshman, Mount started in all 57 games she appeared in. She flew over expectations with a .355 batting average. That average ranked 11th in the Sun Belt Conference. After such a successful freshman year, Mount came back with a dominant year. She soared above even her own lofty standards. Mount’s batting average rose to .379. As impressive of a number as her batting average was, her on-base percentage was better at .561. Mount lead the Sun Belt. These impressive stats placed Mount on the Second All-Sun Belt team.
The Gonzalez native rising junior, Jessie Watts, is both a position player and a pitcher. She’s one of the most unique players on the roster. In her two seasons, Watts has pitched in over 120 innings. Her sophomore year, Watts was a part of three complete games. Watts has nine wins and five saves in that time as well. As a batter, Watts has seen situational appearances. As a freshman, she was played in 58 games and started in 51. Over the two years, she has 40 hits including nine doubles within the two years.
What to look for this season: McKay has led the Warhawks in hits two years in a row and there is no reason why she wouldn’t another year. Don’t forget she’s got speed as well with 86 career stolen bases.
What to look for this season: Mount is nearing a ULM record. The junior shortstop has been hit by 25 pitches, putting her within reach of ULM’s all-time record of 38.
What to look for this season: More two way play. Watts will be important in mentoring the freshman pitchers on roster. Watts’ experience both on the mound and batting will be an invaluable asset to have for the team.
Wa rhawks fa l l f lat on road aga in ULM falls into 4-game losing streak by Nate Nasworthy
photo courtesy Troy Athletics
DEFENSE: Destini Lunsford (right) and Whitney Goins defend a Troy player at the game on Thursday. ULM lost 78-56.
The ULM Warhawks (7-9, 1-4 SBC) concluded its three-game road streak losing to the Troy Trojans 78-56 on Thursday followed by a loss to South Alabama 77-49 on Saturday. ULM is now on a four-game losing streak. The Warhawks fell behind early in the first quarter to Troy 22-9. They were never able to catch back up and never held a lead in the game. Sophomore guard Arsula Clark recorded 20 points and nine rebounds. No other player on the team scored in the double digits. Sophomore center Diamond Brooks hauled in 11 rebounds and junior guard Amber Thompson recorded five steals. “I thought the effort, the competitiveness, that was all there,” head coach Jeff Dow said. The team shot 32 percent on field goals and 18 percent on 3-pointers. However, the Warhawks also forced 17 turnovers. “We forced some turnovers, that hasn’t been a strength of late,” Dow added. On Saturday, the Warhawks took on South Alabama and started out strong, even leading at the end of the first half 31-28. ULM even held an 11-point lead in the
third quarter. South Alabama rallied and went on a 28-3 run in the last seven minutes and held the Warhawks scoreless in the last four minutes. Clark once again led the team with 16 points and seven rebounds. No other player reached double digits in scoring. “What’s hurt us these last couple of games is some cases one bad quarter, or some cases two,” Dow said. ULM finished the night shooting 33 percent in both field goals and 3-pointers. The Warhawks are now averaging 56 points per game with Clark leading the way, boasting an incredible 218 points. “It’s no secret what her game is,” Dow said. “A lot of what we try to do offensively, when other people aren’t making shots, we pretty much have to resort to put it in Arsula’s hands and try and get in the paint and draw a foul or try to get all the way to the rim.” ULM is shooting 35 percent on field goals, 27 percent on 3-pointers and 68 percent on free throws. The Warhawks are now 7-11 on the season and 1-6 in the conference. They will return to Monroe at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 at Fant-Ewing to take on Coastal Carolina.
contact Nate Nasworthy at nasworna@warhawks.ulm.edu
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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
January 28, 2019
SPORTS
photos by Miles Jordan
DRAIN IT: (Top) Brandon Newman passes the ball in the game on Saturday against South Alabama. ULM lost the game 78-72. (Left) Travis Munnings completes his shot in the game on Thursday against Troy. ULM won the game 75-69.
ULM splits pair of home games Warhawks lose undefeated streak against South Alabama 78-72 by Dallon Lewis The Warhawks stood firm as ULM endured Troy 75-69 last Thursday in its ninth home win of the season (Jan. 24). The last four meetings in this series have been decided by six points or less. However, ULM stumbled on its home court Saturday for the first time this season in a 78-72 loss to South Alabama. This ended its home court streak. Daishon Smith led ULM with 19 points, Travis Munnings scored 15 and Brandon Newman scored 10 off the bench. ULM won its first nine home games before facing the Jaguars with a season-high home crowd of 5,206. There were four ties and three lead changes in the first half. Troy jumped out to an 8-2 lead on Javan Johnson’s layup with 15:16 left in the opening half. The Warhawks pulled even at 13-13 on backto-back layups from Smith. Michael Ertel’s left-handed layup, high off the glass over Jordon Varnado, gave ULM its first lead at 20-19 with 6:10 to play.
The Warhawks outscored the Trojans 7-3 over the final three minutes of the first half, and Smith’s 3-pointer from the left corner with less than a second left gave ULM a 31-27 lead at the intermission. ULM shot 39 percent (12-of-31) from the field in the first half, including just 1-of-11 from behind the 3-point arc. The Warhawks converted Troy’s 10 first-half turnovers into 13 points and outscored the Trojans 6-0 from the free-throw line. “Troy has a really good team,” ULM head coach Keith Richard said. “That team is just the opposite of ours in a lot of ways. They’re really big on the front line. They’ve got some brute force down low, and they showed it. I was worried about the outcome if we got into a half- court game against Troy. If it became a grind game, I thought we’d be in trouble because of their size, but to my surprise, our guys fought a good fight in the half-court battle.” In the game against South Alabama, the Warhawks were 44.8 percent (13-of-29) from the floor and just 27.8 percent (5-of-
18) on 3-pointers. Munnings and Newman led ULM in first-half scoring with seven points each. Newman led the bench brigade with his 3-of-3 shooting, including a 3-pointer in seven minutes. With Munnings and JD Williams limited with two fouls, ULM’s bench outscored South Alabama 12-2 in the opening half. “The story of the game in the second half was their ability to score in the paint, either off the drive or off a turnover or in the post,” Richard said. “And really, our inability to do it on this end.” South Alabama exploited ULM inside and outscored the Warhawks 42-22 in the paint. On a day when ULM made 11-of-33 3-pointers and shot 41 percent (23-of-56) from the floor, it was too much to overcome. “It was still a tie game with a couple of minutes to go,” Richard said. “Lo and behold, they scored inside or got fouled and we missed a couple of 3s. That’s it. While the 3-ball is nice and we’ve shot it well at times this season, I think our inability in this particular game to defend the two and to score the two was the difference in the game.” The Warhawks are now 11-8 on the season and 4-3 in the Sun Belt conference. ULM will travel to Carolina for a 6 p.m. tip-off on Jan. 31 for a contest with Coastal Carolina. contact Dallon Lewis at lewisdt@warhawks.ulm.edu