UNIVERSITY PRESS
The Newspaper of Lamar University Vol. 96, No. 1 September 12, 2019
Homecoming to kick off, Sept. 23 Tiana Johnson UP staff writer Lamar University’s Homecoming week will be full of activities, events, and competitions for Lamar students and the Beaumont community to enjoy. The week starts Sept. 23 with the official kick off. “Mayor Becky Ames and the city council present a proclamation proclaiming Homecoming week for Lamar and the city of Beaumont, then President Evans will respond,” Courtney Horton, assistant to President Evans, said. “We will have the Lamar band, dance team and cheer team out, and it will be a big celebration to kick off Homecoming week.” Canaan Daniels, associate director of programming and events, said the Royal Court candidates will be announced at the kick off. “The significance of the Royal Court is to highlight the best leaders of your organization,” Daniels said. “Whether those are people that are new to the university, or people that have been in the university for four years. Freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors have their own titles that they are competing for.” To become a royal court candidate, students must be nominated by their organization. A form for those will be posted on
Homecoming highlights Sept. 23 Homecoming Kickoff Setzer Student Center 5:30 p.m Sept. 25-26 Royal Court Voting Sept. 27 Pep Rally & Bonfire Spindletop Field 6:30 p.m.
UP file photo
Although last year’s Homecoming parade featured a rain storm, it didn’t dampen the Cardinal spirit. LU cheerleaders, band members and others from the Lamar community came to show their support for the football team before the game. Orgsync. “Once they are nominated, they will be put onto a ballot as long as they meet the requirements of GPA and other factors which will all be on the form,” Daniels said. “We will announce the candidates on that Monday at the kick off, then people will vote on them.” Voting begins on Sept. 25 and ends Sept. 26. Daniels said a voting link will be sent out to all students one on Orgsync or banner.”
“We will also have polling booths the week of Homecoming,” Daniels said. “Those will pop up around noon, at the Setzer Student Center, and then at our events as well, so people can go in and vote.” All winners except for the king and queen will be announced at the bonfire, Sept. 27. The bonfire will start at 6:30 p.m., weather permitting. The king and queen winners will be announced at halftime of the Homecoming football
game, Sept. 28. “They get the title, win sashes, crowns, and scepters that say Homecoming 2019 on them,” Daniels said. “We also always invite last year’s winners back to campus to announce the winners of the new king and queen.” Another tradition that has returned is the Pep Rally on Sept. 27. “Students can expect to hear and watch the dance team, the cheerleaders, the marching
Rising to the Challenge
Sept. 28 Cardinal FanFest Montagne Center Lot A-5, Noon to 5 p.m. Tailgating LU campus Noon to 5 p.m. Homecoming Parade 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. LU vs. Stephen F. Austin Provost Umphrey Stadium 6 p.m.
band and the football team,” Daniels said. Along with old traditions, students can expect to see new events, too. “In the past, they have had competitions here and there, See HOMECOMING, page 4
LU to celebrate Latinx Heritage Sierra Kondos UP staff writer
UP photos by Abigail Pennington
Brighton buses focus on easing accessibility Olivia Malick UP editor
See LATINX, page 8
Editor’s note: This is the first in an ongoing series on public transportation and accessibility in Brighton, England. These reports were compiled by Lamar University study abroad students. About a decade ago, Victoria Garcia was going through her daily life working in customer services at the Brighton & Hove bus company. Then, she was offered a role that no one in the U.K. bus industry had. “We were like every other company, we were offering customer services, help, and transport, but we weren’t being the best that we possibly could to help passengers that might require extra assistance,” she said. “And it’s not just passengers that need extra assistance — it applies to any passenger with an accessibility requirement.” Garcia said that she was made aware of some of the issues customers were having on the buses through her customer service role, but it wasn’t until her managing director gave her the job of accessibility and communities manager that she could start to make changes. Accessibility involves disabilities
Lamar University's first Latinx Heritage Month, honoring Latina/o, Latinx and Hispanic culture and heritage will be held Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. The celebration, organized by the Web Society, La Union Cultural de Estudiantes and Phi Iota Alpha, will feature events ranging from a Mariachi band and speakers to movie nights, and a history and culture empowerment class with tacos. “Latinx is a gender-neutral neologism, sometimes used instead of Latino or Latina, to refer to people of Latin American cultural or racial identity in the United States,” Miguel Chavez, associate history professor, said. “The ‘-x’ suffix replaces the standard ‘-o/-a’ ending of nouns and adjectives, typ-
McNair deadline set for Oct. 1 Tim Cohrs UP contributor
Victoria Garcia, top left, gives Lamar study abroad students a tour of a typical Brighton & Hove bus, showcasing its accessibility features. Every Brighton & Hove bus driver, above, goes through special training in order to assist customers. Each is required to know how to use the manual wheelchair ramp for their bus. as well as every day needs a person may have — i.e., parents with strollers, tourists, etc. — anything that makes riding public transportation easier. Garcia had firsthand experience with travelling on the buses with a disability. “What a lot of people don’t realize is that I have invisible disabilities,”
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she said. “I’ve got a rare heart condition that only 200 people in the U.K. have. I’ve got a heart machine — an ICD defibrillator implanted.” Sixteen years ago, Garcia was running a construction company when she had an accident. “I was climbing some steps and See ACCESSIBILITY, page 3
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The application deadline for the McNair Scholars Program is Oct. 1. This year, the program is pursuing first generation, low income juniors and seniors whose field of graduate study is underrepresented, director Pamela Comer said. The U.S. Department of Education created the McNair Scholars Program in 1986. It is named for Ronald McNair, who died in the Challenger space shuttle explosion, with the purpose of helping students pursue graduate degrees by providing research and mentorship opportunities. “One of the goals of the program is to adequately prepare (students) for graduate See McNAIR, page 2
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