Nicholls Worth The
Volume 59 Issue 2 Aug. 29, 2013
The Home Stretch
Should College Athletes Get Paid? Page 10 The Nicholls App Makeover
Page 13
Is Edgy Entertainment the Way to Go?
Page 17
Campus
Briefs
Online Elections for Homecoming Court
Elections will be held September 8 to 11, 2013. Nominations are due to the SGA office by August 27, 2013. Nomination packets are available for pick up in the SGA office.
Nicholls histories on Sale for $10 Each in Talbot Hall Newcomers and anyone interested in the history of Nicholls can buy one or both volumes of Nicholls history written by Professor Emeritus Alfred Delahaye. “The Elkins Galliano Years” and “The Ayo Years” are both available in Talbot Hall, each for $10. Books are available in the Office of Mass Communication.
New SGA Scholarship Offered SGA is offering the SGA Leadership Graduate Scholarship. Fifteen scholarships valued at $200 each will be awarded to graduate students enrolled at Nicholls. The recipient must maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA and must submit a resume or co-curricular form indicating past involvement in at least one university sanctioned campus organization. The student does not have to be a full time student to receive the scholarship but can receive the award only once. Contact the Office of Financial Aid to apply.
On The Cover:
Photo By Erin Whiteside University President canidates mingle with student organization representatives in the Harold J. Callais Memorial Recreation Center Lobby on Monday, August 26th.
Weekly Calendar Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
29 30 31 01
* Welcome Back Day * International Film 10:30 am - 1:30 pm Club presents Best in the Quad Exotic Marigold Hotel - 6:30 pm Peltier Auditorium
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
02 03 04 05
* Labor Day Holiday - University closed
* Fall Classes Resume
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Aug 23
A student reported that on the previous night, a male subject knocked on her apartment door twice; both times making lewd comments to her. The suspect was located then interviewed. The subject verified the victim’s claims and confessed. He was issued a misdemeanor summons for stalking and disturbing the peace and he was given a disciplinary summons for violating the student code of conduct. The suspect was also banned from campus pending a review by the judicial affairs officer. Aug 23
A student reported finding a small pocked screwdriver wedged in her car door. There were no signs that entry was made into the vehicle, which was parked on Ellendale Dr. There are no witnesses or suspects at this time. Aug 24
Residents reported a noise complaint in the Brady Residential Complex. Upon police arrival, it was discovered that there were also violations of the NSU alcohol policy. The guilty parties were issued disciplinary summons for disturbing the peace and alcohol possession. Aug 25
Two males were observed jumping the rear fence to gain access to an apartment in Calecas Hall. The subjects were escorted out and issued a disciplinary summons.
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Photo By Julianna Pennison
Members of The Nicholls State University Presidential Search Committee spent the week interviewing the six remaining candidates for University President in open sessions in the Donald G. Bollinger Student Union Cotollion Ballroom.
The Final Countdown
Presidential candidates take over Nicholls for a week Trey Acosta Reporter The six candidates who remain in the running for Nicholls’ new president began the interviewing process on campus Monday and continued through Wednesday. The Nicholls State University Presidential Search Committee interviewed two semifinalists per day in the Donald G. Bollinger Student Union Cotillion Ballroom. The fo-
rum was open to the public. The search committee met for three consecutive days, conducting interviews by questioning candidates on qualifications specific to the university’s needs. No executive decisions were made. Voting members of the committee are System Board Members Andrea Coudrain and David Guidry, Board Vice Chair E. Gerald Hebert, Lafourche parish community member, Jimmie Marin, Jr., Board Chair Wayne Parker,
Robert Shreve of Baton Rouge, Gary Solomon of New Orleans and Winfred Sibile of Sunset. There is one candidate from the university voting with the committee, history professor and Nicholls Faculty Senate President, Stephen Michot. The only student on the voting committee is Student Board Member, Davante Lewis. He is a political science major at McNeese State University and the president
of their Student Government Association. Lewis was also in attendance at the Presidential Search Breakfast listening to questions and concerns Nicholls students raised. “I’m here to represent the student body of not only Nicholls but of the community,” Lewis said, introducing himself to the other student leaders. “Your voice is my vote.” The board interviewed candidate Mirta Martin, the current dean and professor of management at Virginia State
University, first on Monday morning at 10:15 a.m. One of Martin’s goals is to help advance technology. “I believe in using 21st century techology to educate a 21st century workforce,” Martin said. “An educated workforce is the future of this country.” Candidate Allayne “Laynie” Barrilleaux, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Nicholls, was interviewed at 1:30 p.m. Monday afternoon. The only remaining inside hire in the
race for Nicholls President reassured her loyalty with the university. “Nicholls is my passion, and I am truly committed to this university,” Barrilleaux said. The board interviewed candidate James Limbaugh, Chancellor of Montana State University-Northern, at 10:50 Tuesday morning where Limbaugh explained why he chose to apply at Nicholls. “What sold me on Nich-
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Nicholls graduates its highest number of students at once Javier Davison Reporter Nicholls graduated 1,342 students in the spring of 2013, breaking the record for the highest number of graduates from Nicholls at one time. The class of 2013 distinguished 79 more graduates than the class of 2012, graduating 1,263 students. Since the class of 2008, Nicholls’ graduation rates increases every year, but the record has been broken by the class of 2013. “We have higher quality students, and we are seeing them progress quicker, meaning our graduate rates are increasing,” Leslie Dishman, Institutional Research Director, said when asked what this means to Nicholls. Interdisciplinary Stud-
ies graduated 248 students, which is the highest number of individuals in one program that graduated in the class of 2013. Associate Degrees is another program that exceeded the number of graduates in 2013. Nicholls offers Associate Degrees in Culinary Arts, Petroleum Services, Safety Technology and Child Development & Preschool Management, in which students graduate in two years. The class of 2013, graduated 98 more students than in 2012, leaving 2013 the highest number of students to ever graduate from Nicholls with an Associates Degree. Some students come to Nicholls for a semester or a year, and then transfer to another university because Nicholls does not offer their degree. Degrees Nicholls
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does not offer for students are International Relations, Fashion & Design, Photo Journalism, Architecture, Religious Studies, etc. It may be speculated that students transferring is why our graduation numbers have not increased tremendously. The transfer rate is around 25 percent for the last four years. The same number of students are transferring, but with the higher amount of graduates means more students are attending Nicholls overall. “I see that Nicholls will continue to evolve to meet the needs of the students”, said Melanie Collins, Associate Director of Institutional Research, when asked if she saw Nicholls adding more degrees to get more students to stay at our university.
Photo By Maryna Leboef
Sarah Baudoin, mass communication graduate and former managing editor of The Nicholls Worth, accepts her diploma from former University President Stephen Hulbert at the Spring 2013 commencement ceremony.
MOOCS offer free online courses open to everyone Sheyla Sicily Reporter Several universities are offering MOOCs, or Massive Open Online Courses, in the hopes of bringing free higher education to the masses. Sites like Coursera, Udacity, Khan Academy, and edX have partnered with professors from universities like Stanford, Duke and Harvard to offer quality education to anyone with an Internet connection. Nicholls State University is even incorporating MOOClike courses into regular curriculum. Dr. Ianna West has developed a math MOOC that will be geared towards students in this region. “Students struggle so much with math and they take it over and over again,” West said. The MOOC revolution
began in 2005 when various sites began to offer MOOC courses. Sebastian Thrun, a professor at Stanford, led this craze when he offered a free artificial intelligence course. 160,000 students signed up in over 190 different nations. MOOCs seem to offer liberties that regular courses cannot afford. There is no oversight and students do not need to cover every topic that is included. Although MOOCs require more discipline from participants than a regular class, they are quickly gaining traction. Coursera, one of the first sites to offer MOOCs, averages 70,000 new students a week. “I am impressed with the opportunities it has to offer students success as well as access,” Nicholls’ Vice Presi-
dent of Academic Affairs Allayne “Laynie” Barrilleaux said. The American Council on Education (ACE) certified four courses offered by Coursera for college credit. This does not mean that schools have to accept these credits. Schools like Duke University and The University of Pennsylvania, which offers MOOCs, do not plan on offering credit for those classes. MOOCs have a dropout rate of about 90%. Duke University’s introduction to astronomy course, which was offered through Coursera, had 60,000 students enrolled, with only 3.5% of student completing the course. An average MOOC costs a university between $15,000 to $50,000. Even if this high
cost can be avoided, professors average 100 hours to simply build a MOOC. Teaching a MOOC can cost a professor anywhere between 8 to 10 hours a week. Although these courses are free, people who invested up to $40 million dollars
of venture capital in sites like Coursera are eager to find ways to monetize this educational resource. Some sites have already begun to offer certification, for a certain price, at the completion of a course. The possibility of licensing
materials and selling packaged courses to universities is even being considered. Others hope that offering advertising on these sites will be enough to avoid charging for educational information that some think should be available to everyone.
Lift Off!
Photo By Erin Whiteside
The football team practices an onside kick during practice in Guidry Stadium.
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Nicholls Online offers affordable and convenient education Nicholls Online started in January of 2013 with the goal of giving students that have previously dropped out of college a second chance at getting a higher education. Since the launch of Nicholls Online, the number of enrolled students has doubled. 170 students are now enrolled in the program from all walks of life with a variety of different majors. One of five students enrolled in the program was in a traditional college before. Allayne Barrilleaux, vice president of Academic Affairs, has been actively involved in the forming and progression of Nich-
olls Online and is very pleased with the feedback that she is getting from students enrolled in the program. According to Barrilleaux, there are many benefits to this new online learning program. “ This gives people who are sick, or have dropped out of school for various reasons with some college credit the ability to return to school without leaving the privacy of their homes,” Barrilleaux said, “Most people would have left school altogether if it had not been for this program.” Students have already graduated from Nicholls online and have had the opportunity to advance in their careers. According to Barril-
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leaux, Nicholls is currently working on a marketing project to promote Nicholls Online to Louisiana residents. “We are putting an ad in the Saints game programs that will be given out to all spec-
“
Barrilleaux claims that Nicholls Online is beneficial to students that haven’t been to school in a long time because instead of eighteen-week semester intervals, Nicholls Online has eight-week
Taking classes through Nicholls Online is easy to access and affordable to students. - Allayne Barrilleaux
tators.” Barrilleaux also presented Nicholls Online to the Rotary Club in Thibodaux, and a local family business owner has generously donated money to help with the marketing efforts.
“
Melanie Cowan Reporter
sessions to make it more manageable for students to get through the course and succeed, even in the midst of a busy schedule. “Nicholls Online is set up differently than traditional Nicholls State
University,” Barrilleaux said. “Students cannot be enrolled in both Nicholls Online and traditional Nicholls State University.” Freshmen are not recommended to take online courses through Nicholls Online. According to Barrilleaux, students that want to enroll in Nicholls Online need to be self-disciplined and self-motivated. “Nicholls Online is also a benefit to the professors of the University,” Barrilleaux said. “It gives professors the opportunity to make some extra money by teaching these classes, and it also allows the teachers to let their creativity flow with how they want to run thier class online,” Barrilleaux said. “Taking classes
through Nicholls Online is also easy to access and affordable to students.” The cost per course on Nicholls Online is $250 per credit hour as an undergraduate student and $350 per credit hour as a graduate student. Nicholls Online is also starting a business administration curriculum next fall. Nicholls is in the process of enhancing the program, however, Barrilleaux doesn’t want cutting technology involved with the program. “It would be way too expensive for students to access this high tech program, and it would also be harder for students to get access to a good computer, in some cases, that could support a very technological program.”
SEARCH Continued from Page 3 olls was the students,” Limbaugh said. “Have you seen the ‘Hello’ video that they’ve done? Was that cool or what?” Candidate Carlisle “Bix” Rathburn III, a special assistant to the vice chancellor for academic affairs for the Texas A&M University System and former president and CEO of Texas A&M UniversityTexarka, interviewed Tuesday afternoon at 1:30. In reference to budget cuts, Rathburn said, “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” Yesterday morning at 10:15, candidate Bruce Murphy, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Air University, talked about his legacy after his time at Nicholls.
“I have a background in scouting, so I believe you leave the campsite better than you found it,” Murphy said. “I try to do that every place I’ve been.” Candidate Karla Hughes, provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor at Morehead State University, was the final candidate to be interviewed. She talked about her desire to connect with students personally. “Chocolate is my hallmark,” Hughes said. “Students know if they need a chocolate fix my office is the place to come. That gives me a chance to mentor.” Prior to their respective public interviews, the candidates met with selected student leaders representing the various organizations,
curricular communities and extra curricular communities affiliated with Nicholls State University. 29 students responded to invitations to the breakfast in the Plantation Suite adjacent to the union ballroom. All students were in attendance throughout the week. “It was an amazing experience for students, faculty and members of the community that Nicholls provided for us,” Anthony Naquin, biology junior from Thibodaux, said. “The breakfasts, public forums where students were allowed to ask questions and social opportunities presented to us really allowed us to connect with the candidates and ask them questions directly.” Non-voting members of
the committee that were present for the breakfast were Nicholls SGA president. Melissa Cloutet and former president, Matthew Jewel. Non-voting members participating in public interviews were Nicholls Director Emeritus of Alumni Affairs, Deborah Raziano, and search committee chair, Sandra Woodley. Woodley is also president of the University of Louisiana System. The committee continues to delegate and will announce the two prevailing candidates today at 10 a.m. The full board will meet once more on Sept. 9 to conduct the end of the search process by interviewing the finalists and selecting President of Nicholls State University.
Visit www.thenichollsworth.com now to see who the final two candidates are!
Photo By Julianna Pennison
Allayne “Laynie” Barrilleaux discusses with students the changes and improvements she would make to Nicholls campus if she were to become President.
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Th e
Nicholls Worth
Sports
Photo By Erin Whiteside
Tight End Coach Brandon Nowlin huddles with his players at practice.
Nicholls Football recruits an army of tight ends Sean Ellis Reporter The Colonel football team will have “an army of tight ends” when they take the field this season. Tight ends coach, Brandon Nowlin, from Baton Rouge, La., is beginning his first season as a coach at Nicholls after spending three seasons as head football coach and athletic director at Morgan City High School and with him comes an added emphasis on the tight end position for the Colonels. “When I interviewed
with Coach Stubbs in the spring before taking the job, he said he wanted to make [tight ends] a little more of a focus,” Nowlin said. “We signed two kids out of the high school ranks to come in as freshmen and then kind of acquired a few through borrowing, stealing and trading amongst the other positions.” Redshirt sophomore, Hayden Cardiff, a native of Richmond Hill, Ga., is one of the players making the move to tight end this fall. Cardiff took snaps at quarterback last season as a red-
shirt freshman. “The transition’s been really good. As a quarterback, you know the offense. Especially in the passing game, it’s gone really well,” Cardiff said. Cardiff has a good role model to learn the position from, redshirt junior Nick Scelfo. Scelfo, from Baton Rouge, La., was selected second team All-Southland Conference and first team All-Louisiana last season, but the new competition at the position doesn’t bother him. “[The competition] is definitely a good thing. Coach
Stubbs always says competition breeds success. The more guys we have out here, the more competition, the more it pushes us to get better as players all over, so I think the competition brings out the best in all of us,” Scelfo said. Nowlin referenced the power running scheme used by teams such as the New England Patriots, Alabama Crimson Tide and the Stanford Cardinal as what tight ends can bring to an offense. “I’ve always thought tight ends bring versatility to an offense. When you
start changing things on the edges, you can run a lot of the same type of stuff, but [it] just makes one or two things look different about how you line up a tight end or motion a guy,” Nowlin said. “Interior-wise it’s really the same stuff, but it just looks a little different to the defense. Some people like to call it smoke and mirrors and things like that.” According to Nowlin, defenses have problems with defending versatile tight ends whether it is because of their physicality or because of their athleticism.
Nowlin also believes that adding more tight ends to the fold will elevate the play of the entire group. “You know, every time we move a guy in, it makes it very, very hard for guys to say, ‘Well, I’m losing reps here. How am I going to get those back?’ Because there’s only so many to go around at a given practice and those guys realize that,” Nowlin said. The Colonels open their season on Aug. 31 against the nationally third-ranked Oregon Ducks in Eugune, Ore.
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College athletes: to pay or not to pay? Michael Hotard Sports Editor The NCAA bans universities, boosters and other affiliates of the school from paying or endorsing student athletes; although it’s banned, athletes and universities are breaking the rules. The question remains whether or not student athletes should be compensated in the form of paychecks. Some people feel there is a distinct difference between being a student athlete and being a professional. Math Instructor, Sherill Dupre, said, “I think that the time that they are students and they are in school, they should not be considered professional, and once you are paid, that turns you into a professional.” Nicholls Defensive Coordinator, Jeremy Atwell, feels if student athletes are paid “you are opening up Pandora’s box
because of budget differences between universities. It would monopolize the sport.” Student athletes may not receive paychecks, but they do receive food and housing which sometimes is covered through scholarships. They also get team gear such as shirts, shorts, pants, hats and other clothing. Junior football and baseball player, Byron Cobb, said “As athletes we get treated as first class and travel first class.” Student athletes get the essentials they need to live comfortably. Senior Volleyball player, Brooke Hopper, said, “I don’t think athletes should be paid; the school already pays us to play for them and be part of the university and program. The school shouldn’t have to give us an annual check because they already give us what we need.” Some people believe that being a student athlete means
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you have restrictions with your time. Student athletes are not always able to get part-time jobs to earn some spending money. Mass communication student, Lee Harris, feels that athletes should get paychecks because of these limitations. Greg Greely played football for the Colonels in the 80’s and has returned to pursue a degree. He feels that the scholarships are not the same as they were during his time at Nicholls. “Back in my day, that scholarship helped me out a lot. Now, when someone says a football scholarship, it is not a whole lot of money.” There have been many cases where athletes have abused the system. NFL Running Back Reggie Bush violated NCAA protocol by accepting gifts illegally, and his 2005 Heisman Trophy was stripped from him. Many of the athletes who have been at the forefront of viola-
tions have received negative reactions from certain people. The most recent is Texas A&M Heisman winning Quarterback, Johnny Manziel. He was recently accused for allegedly signing sports memorabilia and then selling it for money. Atwell said, “I don’t think it is right for the NCAA to come in and say ‘I own your name.’ I own my name. If I can sign a dotted line for a student loan or to buy a car, I should be able to sign my name and sell it.” Texas A&M and the NCAA came to the conclusion that there was no evidence against Manziel, but that he will be suspended for the first half of Rice in the season opener. He has been in the limelight of controversy this offseason. He tweeted saying he “can’t wait to leave College Station.” He was sent home early from the Manning Passing Academy, and now he is being investigated for
receiving compensation for his autograph. “I think people need to look more at the person instead of the player,” Cobb said. “You have to realize that he is in college, which is where most people will make mistakes and you can grow and learn from them.” Hopper had a different opinion, saying, “The guidelines the NCAA has in place keeps students honest, or at least try to. I like it that way because everyone knows what they can or can’t do, so it becomes up to them to decide.” This goes beyond players as some athletic programs have been on the receiving end of sanctions. Most recently, the University of Oregon received scholarship losses due to recruiting violations. In 2010, the University of Southern California was placed on a two-year bowl ban and loss of scholar-
ships. The death penalty has been ruled out for such violations. The death penalty means no competition in that particular sport for an entire year. Only five programs have received the death penalty: Kentucky Basketball, Southern Methodist University Football, Southwest Louisiana Basketball (now Louisiana-Lafayette), Morehouse College Soccer and MacMurray College Tennis. Government Instructor David Whitney said, “Some of the NCAA guidelines are really stringent. I worked as a tutor when I was an undergrad for student athletes, and I had to be careful about certain things, like I couldn’t buy them a coke and had to be careful if I wanted to give them a ride back to their dorm. Things like that could be potential violations. The NCAA is somewhat of an authoritarian government set up.”
Nicholls Volleyball expects big year with young team Sarah Pressley Sports Writer A young group and new coaching staff put the Nicholls volleyball team in a position to grow together while exceeding expectations for the upcoming season. After losing ten players following the 2012 season, the Lady Colonels have three upperclassmen left. Seniors Brooke Hopper and Carley McInnis along with junior Kaylnn Egea will lead the team during the upcoming 2013 season. Brooke Hopper, a Texas native, is looking forward to the team’s new beginnings: “With all of the new girls, there is a fresh feel to the team. We are a young team, but I think that will work to our advantage be-
cause everyone that has come in is doing great so far.” With a team consisting of five freshmen and five sophomores, there is added pressure on the upperclassmen to be positive role models and authority figures to their younger peers. But Hopper does not mind the task. “I feel as seniors we should be the leaders and guide the freshmen because they’ve never been around this scene,” she said. After suffering a major injury during her junior season, Hopper’s goal for her last year at Nicholls is to continue coming together as a team and make it to the conference tournament. In addition to the new players on the court, Nich-
olls welcomes head coach Tommy Harold and assistant coach Ashley Allen to Thibodaux this fall. Harold, born and raised in New Orleans, coached at Loyola University. Allen joined the staff after three seasons of coaching at Jackson High School in Washington. Harold is looking forward to all of the potential this season holds for the Colonels. “With a new coaching staff and a new group, we’ve got everybody on the same page. We are all starting at the same spot which is a good foundation for the future,” he said. He describes his coaching style as intellectual, explaining to his players why they are doing what they are doing in every aspect of the game. Alyse Barclay, sopho-
more from New Zealand, raves about her coach’s methods of teaching: “He’s a perfectionist so everything has to be done perfectly, down to how we put the nets up. I can see if we keep improving with his coaching skills; we will do well this season.” The Lady Colonels are looking to improve upon their 2012 season record of 11-19 and 6-12 in conference. The Southland Conference recently released its 2013 preseason polls for the upcoming volleyball season. Polls, based on votes from the leagues’ coaches, place Nicholls in 11th place above the University of New Orleans. Harold remains confident that his team will exceed the expectations of
Photo By Juliana Pennison
Volleyball players practicing on Friday night.
the preseason predictions. “If we can make progress throughout the year, month to month, week to week, practice to practice, then the results will take care of themselves,” he said. The Colonels will start their 2013 season on Aug. 30 at the Kathy Trosclair Memorial tournament hosted by Tulane. They are scheduled to compete
against Mississippi Valley and Rider University on Friday and Tulane on Saturday. Their schedule this season is a challenging one with 3 tournaments and 18 matches, 9 of which will be held in Stopher gym in Thibodaux. The Colonels’ first home match is scheduled for Sept. 19 against Sam Houston.
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Th e
Nicholls Worth Lagniappe
Nicholls smartphone application receives a makeover Before Tiffany Willaims Lagniappe Editor
The newly designed Nicholls smartphone application offers students and faculty an easier way to navigate the campus’s virtual world. The third version of the Nicholls phone app, which was released on Aug. 19, now offers several new features that allow the Nicholls community to take full advantage of the many websites students and faculty need on a daily basis in the palms of their hands. The “My Nicholls” tab of the app includes a course information, access of grades and university numbers, faculty information and a campus map. Other features include the “Social” tab, which includes all of the major social media pages associated with the University. Christopher Usey, senior systems programmer and spring 2006 computer information systems graduate, was the sole developer of the 3.0 version of the app. Usey said that the University was practically forced into redesign because certain functions within the 2.0 app were beginning to fail. The first app was released on June 3, 2010, and was developed by Tim Authement, computer services computer specialist
and spring 2010 computer science graduate, when he was still a student here. Authement suggested the idea of iPhone development to his instructor, Dr. Kent White, while taking CMPS 410, a special topics course. Authement expressed his approval of the new app by saying the changes that were made are great: “Chris Usey has been able to add deeper integration of online services like Banner and Moodle which I didn’t have access to as a student. The design has also changed a lot and reflects some of the current design trends in mobile app development.” Beginning with the design of 2.0, Usey wanted to make sure the design for Nicholls app was not a “cookie-cutter” or template design that most university applications tend to have since they are provided by companies such as Blackboard. “I really did not care for the look or the feel which is why we went with our own design and our own way of making 2.0,” Usey said. Usey favors the courses feature of the new design because students now have their entire course schedule available to them at all times which is something Usey appreciates understanding how hard it is to find classes during the first days of school as
a freshman at Nicholls. “I really wish we would have had something like this when I was a student because I was carrying around papers and had to print out my schedule,” Usey said. Usey added that having a map that can guide you to your classes at your convenience also helps incoming students learn their way around campus and brings the app all together. “The overall reaction of the newly designed app has been great across the board,” Usey said. The only suggestions that have been brought to him so far regarding improvements include adding a dining menu, which Usey said is in the works. Also, a rotation feature is also being worked on and should be added to the app in the coming weeks. As for errors, students do not have anything to worry about. Faculty, however, may have trouble accessing the courses feature at times. Usey said the app may fail on faculty members who try to access this feature. Usey said he is working to fix this problem as soon as possible. The Office of Information Technology uses Google Analytics to calculate exactly how many people are using the app actively and what features they are accessing. As of
Aug. 22, the app had about 15,000 sessions total. Also, in between classes 105 students were actively using the app. The majority of those students, 47 total, were viewing their schedules. Usey said about 90 percent of app users are using the iOS devices while the rest are Android devices. With the development of the 3.0 app, both iOS devices and Android devices operate on two different platforms. This means that the app functions properly for both operating systems without trying to adapt to both on one platform. On the 2.0 app, Usey said that the iOS devices functioned more properly than Android devices. However, with the development of two separate platforms, Android devices now functions just as well as iOS devices. Usey plans to update the app either monthly or at least once per semester. One feature he hopes to develop is for students to begin the registration process from the app. This feature is looking to be added by the end of the year or next year. To send suggestions regarding the app to the Office of Information Technology, look under the Resources tab of the app to find the “App Feedback” feature and fill out the form.
After
Courtesy of Tim Authement
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Sororities Unite
Photo By Erin Whiteside
Phi Mu Fraternity, Delta Zeta and Sigma Sigma Sigma sororities come together to welcome their new members on Bid Day last Thursday.
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Herbalife nutrition program proves successful for alumnus Melanie Cowan Reporter Nicholls alumnus inspires students to lose weight through his weight loss journey with the help of the Herbalife brand. Herbalife is a line of nutritional products dedicated to helping people maintain a healthy lifestyle. Errol Monget is a distributer of the product and has seen results himself as well as in other students who have bought the products. The products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration so there are some speculations as to how safe the products really are and has people thinking, “Is this too good to be true?” Monget has experienced positive results using Herbalife tea and shakes. He started out weighing around 350 pounds, and he now weighs 206
pounds after using Herbalife. Monget is now a distributer of the product as well as a wellness coach, in which he helps his clients meet their weight loss goals. Monget states that when he started Herbalife, he was very limited on how much exercise he could do. He had just undergone knee surgery, and the doctor put him on strict orders to limit his mobility. He found out about Herbalife by going to Colonel Nutrition and looking for a weight loss product that was safe to use and was guaranteed to show results. Monget lost eight pounds in the first two weeks without doing any workouts. Since starting Herbalife this past January, he has lost a total of 49 pounds and said he has felt better than he ever has. When asked if the product was safe or not, Monget said,
“It’s all the stuff we should put in our bodies. Herbalife is plant based and all natural. It is absolutely safe for people to use.” Herbalife is not just weight loss supplements. The products extend to digestive, cardiac and skin health, but the most popular product is the weight loss shakes and tea. “It shouldn’t be called a weight loss company; it is basically a nutrition company dedicated to the health of its customers,” Monget said. Herbalife is not FDA approved because, according to Monget, it is very hard for a food or drug of any kind to be approved by the FDA. “They have set very strict guidelines and most of the food that people put in their bodies on a regular basis is not FDA approved,” Monget said. The only known side ef-
fect of Herbalife occurs if the person taking the supplement suddenly changes his/her diet. Some of these people have complained of feeling sick after their first week of trying the product. “The body is detoxing itself of all of these fattening foods,” Monget said. “If your diet is pretty good, you shouldn’t have any problems on the first week. This side effect is pretty rare.” In Thibodaux, Herbalife can only be purchased through a distributer or at Colonel Nutrition. This is put in place to ensure that there is a customer- distributer relationship with the product. “I often call my clients just to see how they are doing,” Monget said. “I really care about whether or not they meet or exceed their weight loss goals.”
Photo By Juliana Pennsion
Errol Monget talks about Herbalife on Thursday, Aug. 22.
When a person goes to a general nutrition store, according to Monget, the employees don’t care about the person’s results. He said that because Herbalife worked for him, he knows it will work for his clients as well, and that he genuinely cares about them. Monget said that Herbalife saved his life and it is the best thing that has ever happened
to him. “I love being able to tell my story so that other people do not have to go through what I went through,” Monet said, “I hope to be an example for all people that don’t think that they can lose weight. It worked for me and it can work for anyone.”
The Nicholls Worth | 08.29.13 | Page 15
The
Nicholls Worth
Editorial
Miley Cyrus has aged but not matured
“
Music Awards are all about!” Well it is no surprise that she is impressed with her misguided display of raunchiness, despite the national outrage that has resulted from her poor interpretation of entertainment. She is not the first to attempt such drastic ploys for publicity in the music industry. Madonna was infamous for her implementation of sex appeal into
superfluous actions of these attentiondeprived divas: less is more. These words of wisdom can be applied to hairspray, overly altered vocals, and bare skin. Our generation has supplemented theatrics for talent, and obscenity for modesty. These revisions have lowered our standards and enabled the American youth to witness such bizarre be-
One simple adage could correct the superfluous actions of these attention-deprived divas: less is more.
watch the former child star with the alias of “Hannah Montana” transform an innocent foam finger into a thrusting, crotch-propelled shaft. Her insistence on pushing the envelope has had a tremendous backlash on the former childhood star. After her performance, Cyrus took the time to tell Rolling Stone Magazine, “Miley was the one star in the room who truly understood what the MTV Video
her performances and videos, which catapulted her into stardom. Cyrus has joined Lady Gaga, Brittney Spears, Nicki Minaj, and the underachieving Ke$ha as part of this generation’s flagrant performers who are always looking for publicity, whether good or bad. Their popularity stems from our culture’s acceptance of such outlandish behavior. One simple adage could correct the
“
Twerking and teddy bears were key ingredients in a shocking, childhoodruining performance at the VMA’s this past Sunday night. Former Disney Channel prodigy, Miley Cyrus, has outdone herself and made her outrageously inappropriate “We Can’t Stop” video look as innocent as a clip of a kitten frolicking in a flower bed. 10.1 million viewers tuned in to
havior. Due to the immense success of artists such as Taylor Swift and Adele, it is definitely possible to garner such recognition and fame for being modest and well mannered. Dresses adorned with meat and shimmying routines topped with pythons are not needed to stun crowds. Unless, of course, there is a deficiency in talent that must be compensated for.
The Nicholls Worth Staff Editor Ross Landry Managing Editor Stuart Percle Sports Editor Michael Hotard Lagniappe Editor Tiffany Williams Design and Layout Editor Alexis Cannon Design and Layout Editor Lexi Marcell Social Media Manager Caroline Callais Copy Editor Emily Hubbell Copy Editor Asia Ashley Reporter Trey Acosta Reporter Melanie Cowan Reporter Javier Davison Reporter Sean Ellis Reporter Sarah Pressley Reporter Sheyla Sicily
Photo Editor Alex Grezaffi Photographer Taylor Juneau Photographer Juliana Pennison Photographer Alexis Voisin Photographer Erin Whiteside Video Editor Caitlin Cowen Videographer Heath Lundy Videographer Tiffani McCorkle Advertising Manager Laura Stevens Advertising Sales Rep Marki Martin Advertising Sales Rep Britney Mollere Advertising Sales Rep Hannah Rivere Circulation Manager Trey Acosta Business Manager Rhonda Zeringue Adviser Nicki Boudreaux
Opinion Policy
Editorials are based on the majority opinion of a seven-member board. Opinions expressed in letters and columns are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Nicholls Worth. Letters to the editor are encouraged and accepted at the discretion of the editor. Letters should be fewer than 300 words, typed and should include author’s name, classification, major and telephone number. Faculty and staff should include their title and department. Longer letters may be accepted as guest columns. Anonymous letters will not be printed. The Nicholls Worth reserves the right to edit all letters for grammar, obscenity, accuracy, and poor taste. Letters are due at 4 p.m. Monday, the week of publication. Letters can be delivered to the Student Publications building, emailed to nw@nicholls.edu, or sent to: The Nicholls Worth Editor, Student Publications, P.O. Box 2010, Thibodaux, LA, 70310
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Telephone Directory editor (985) 448-4258 managing editor (985) 448-4256 newsroom (985) 448-4266 advertising (985) 448-4257 adviser’s office (985) 448-4261 The Nicholls Worth | 08.29.13 | Page 17
Nicholls Worth Staff The
Meet The
Ross Landry
Editor
Q: What is your biggest pet peeve?
“COMIC SAAAAAAAAAAAANS!!!!!!!”
Stuart Percle
Managing Editor Q: What is a guilty pleasure of yours?
“I love taking a big whiff of a freshly opened can of tennis balls.”
Michael Hotard
Sports Editor Q: If you could have one super power, what would it be?
“Screw super powers. Give me the Dolorian.”
Tiffany Lagniappe Editor Williams Q: What is your spirit animal? “Grandmother Willow from Pocahontas... yes a tree is an animal.”
Page 18 | 08.29.13 | The Nicholls Worth
Alexis Cannon
Design & Layout
Q: If you could watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
“Lord of the Rings. Any one.”
Design & Layout Lexi you could spend a Marcell Q:dayIfwith anyone living “Jane Austen. I would ask her what inspired her work.”
or dead, who would it be, and what would you do?
Media Manager Caroline Q:Social You can have one and one item only Callais item to use as a weapon for “Video fottage of Miley Cyrus at the VMAs. It would do a lot of damage.”
the zombie apocalypse, what is it?
Editor Emily Q: You can Copy have one item and one item only Hubbell to use as a weapon for the zombie apocalypse, what is it?
“Lady Gaga. She’d scare them away.”
Asia Ashley
Copy Editor Q: What is a guilty pleasure of yours?
“I saw Nickleback live once. I feel very guilty, but it wasn’t a pleasure.”
Trey Acosta
Reporter Q: If you could spend a day with anyone living or dead, who would it be, and what would you do?
“Swim in a pool full of champagne with Ke$ha...NAKED.”
Melanie is your bigCowan Q:gestWhat pet peeve?
Reporter
“When people read my text but don’t reply. Who does that?!”
Javier Davison
Reporter Q: What is your biggest pet peeve?
Sean Ellis
Reporter Q: The villain of the last movie you watched has a vendetta against you. How in trouble are you?
“Doesn’t matter, I’m Batman.”
Reporter Sarah Q: If you were a charin any show, Pressley acter movie, video game or
“Olivia Benson from Law and Order. I can only dream of being a tough female like her.”
book, who would you be?
Reporter Sheyla Sicily Q: You can have one item and one item only to use as a weapon for the zombie apocalypse, what is it?
“Tennis racket.”
“When I receive text messages when I am sleeping.”
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