Issuu

MARCH 15, 2016 VOLUME 87, ISSUE 22

’ THE LION S ROAR S O U T H E A S T E R N L O U I S IA NA U N I V E R S I T Y

A Student Publication

Campus Life Page 2

Opinions Page 3

Arts & Entertainment Page 4

Sports Page 6

News Page 8

LionsRoarNews.com

Flooding leaves minimal damage to campus Chefs Evening raises

University Center alone in damage after rainstorm

funds for scholarships BY WILLIAM SCHMIDT Assistant Editor

The Lion’s Roar / Megan Ferrando

Water rises feet above ground as severe weather rocks Louisiana. Water rose highest on North Campus, flooding the University Center basketball court, while most buildings remained dry indoors.

For 32 years, Chefs Evening has been bringing in proceeds for university academics and scholarships. Chefs Evening took place on Mar. 13 from 5 to 8:00 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom and included restaurants and vendors, a live and silent auction, the ultimate wine raffle and Corks & Kegs raffle along with support from various patrons and volunteers. Benefits will go towards areas of academics and scholarships that are in most need. Jacmel Inn has been a vendor for Chefs Evening since its conception. The restaurant attends each year to support the students as well as the city of Hammond. “Southeastern is very vital to our community,” said general manager for Jacmel Inn Chanc Kinchen. “The students are really essential to the business atmosphere here and of the restaurant community. They are our support class. They help fill our employee positions. The one thing about Chefs Evening is all the chefs come together. All the restaurants come together. Everybody works together as a team to showcase what Hammond has to offer.” Some attendees for Chefs Evening make it each year. They continue to come and support the campus’ students.” “I’ve been to every Chefs Evening since the beginning, my wife and I,” said Columbia Theatre Director Roy Blackwood. “It is very, very important in these times to support the university, especially the academic programs. Sometimes

see CHEF pg. 10

see pg. 10

Severe weather conditions halt Greek Week celebrations

The Lion’s Roar / Kelonda Dixon

BY MORGAN LEDET Staff Reporter

The Lion’s Roar / Larshell Green

Greek Week held Sunday, Mar. 6 through Thursday, Mar. 10 consisted of various activities throughout the week to involving Greek organizations. Activities included the Tug-O-War competition (above), the annual Greek picture (above right) and Golden silence, a memorial service (right) hosted by the Alumni Association.

The flooding of the University Center floor due to the several inches of rain put a halt to Greek Week festivities. Last Thursday afternoon, Greek Week was planned to end with the annual Stepshow competition, however the event was postponed due to severe weather that moved throughout the Hammond area. “Order of Omega and Office of Student Engagement are actively working to reschedule pending a new location and time,” said Assistant Director of Office of Student Engagement Kyle Gallagher. “We are looking into possibly holding the event next week. We are hoping to hold the event before Spring Break. Other venues we could possibly use are Strawberry Stadium and Pottle Auditorium.” According to Gallagher, in years past, Stepshow took place on the 50-yard line of Strawberry Stadium before the competition was moved to the more familiar location of the University Center.

When rescheduled, the rules of the competition will remain the same. The sororities and fraternities will follow the theme as they step through the decades. The Greek Week awards will be presented at a ceremony following the competition announcing the Stepshow and overall Greek Week winners. Gallagher hopes to have definite answers by the end of the week.

The Lion’s Roar /Ian Fischer

Universities expected to see budget changes, details unknown BY IAN FISCHER Staff Reporter

The state legislature’s decisions in the special session to address the budget shortfall last Wednesday will impact higher education, but the details are still unknown. The shortfall, which Governor John Bel Edwards referred to as the “largest in the history of the state” started off at an estimated $900-$950 million and ended at an estimated $30 million after the special legislative session ended. Lawmakers agreed to new taxes and budget cuts in the final eight minutes of the session to reduce it to its new number.

Commissioner of Higher Education Joseph C. Rallo’s official statement on the Wednesday night conclusion sheds light on the how the state government’s higher education experts expect public universities in Louisiana will be affected. “We knew that tough decisions were going to have to be made during this special session,” said Rallo. “Today’s actions have far-reaching implications on higher education’s budget for both the current and upcoming fiscal year.” What those “far-reaching” implications mean for the university remains unclear right now. Vice President for Administration and Finance Sam Domiano said any information at

Follow the Roar Stay connected. Like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @lionsroarnews.

this time would be speculative. Severe weather and flooding cancelled school from Thursday afternoon until the following Monday delaying university budget officials. President John L. Crain said in a mass email to the university the outcome is “mixed.” For the purpose of putting the numbers in perspective, the average national tuition for a public four-year college is $9,139 according to the College Board, a non-profit for college students. The U.S. Department of Labor puts the national average of a full-time professor’s yearly income at $98,974. Rounding up to the nearest whole number, $30 million is equal to of 3283 students or 303 professors.

Weather Tuesday H 85 L 63

According to the university’s website, 14,498 students and 277 full-time faculty were at the Southeastern for the Fall 2014 semester. The $900 million would have equaled 98,479 students or almost seven times the amount of students at the university. It would have equaled 9,032 professors or almost 33 times the full-time faculty at the university. Lawmakers did not correct the problem for next fiscal year. It will have a projected $800 million shortfall which was projected to be $2 billion before the special session. Edwards was

see BUDGET pg. 9

Reminders Wednesday H 81 L 64

The Student Union is now offering lockers for rent for registered student organizations.

CAMPUS LIFE

PAGE 2 MARCH 15, 2016

THE LION’S ROAR

An impromptu yet succesful dodgeball tournament BY KARSON SHARP Staff Reporter

Many cheering students, dozens of hard rubber balls whizzing through the air and a few athletic teams doing their best to beat one another was the atmosphere of the Greek Week dodgeball tournament. The game was scheduled to begin on Tuesday, Mar.

8 at 5:00 p.m., and by this time, hundreds of students had gathered. However, the participating dodgeball teams did not begin immediately. Teams began hurling dodgeballs at one another until 5:30 p.m. to perfect their catching and throwing skills before tournament play began. Then, for the first of many times, the referee’s whistle

The Lion’s Roar / Karson Sharp

Delta Tau Delta fraternity member Marc Gremillion prepares to throw the dodgeball in hopes of getting an opponent out.

blew, and the game began. Teams were made of respected fraternity and sorority members from each pre-determined Greek Week groups, and each group could enter up to two teams to compete. Members of the different teams raced towards the dodgeballs seeking to gain an early advantage. According to Assistant Director for the Office of Student Engagement Kyle Gallagher, the tournament was a single elimination tournament. The overall winner was a team comprised of Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Alpha, Pi Kappa Alpha and Theta Phi Alpha members. In second and third place were both teams made by Zeta Phi Beta, Phi Mu and Theta Xi. According to senior business management major Bradley Watson, a student who attended the game, strict guidelines were in place for the teams, and this led to some problems during the tournament. The teams had to be an even mix of males and females. Two teams were disqualified for violating this rule. “One team signed on a player named Mal,” said Watson. “Officials assumed this meant Mallory, but when the team began to play, they saw the mistake. The second team disqualified just didn’t

The Lion’s Roar / Karson Sharp

On Tuesday, Mar. 8, teams consisting of sororities and fraternities met at the Pennington Student Activity Center to compete in the Greek Week dodgeball tournament. Order of Omega had originally planned to host a kickball tournament. However, due to approaching severe weather, the event was changed. have enough players.” The dodgeball tournament was a new event this year, replacing a normally scheduled kickball tournament. This is because the kickball tournament was threatened by inclement bad weather. Although dodgeball was not initially planned, Gallagher hailed the tournament a success. “The Greek Week dodgeball

tournament was a new and engaging event during this year’s Greek Week,” said Gallagher. “Based off feedback from both spectators and participants, I believe that Order of Omega will make this an annual event in future Greek Weeks.” According to Gallagher, Order of Omega hosted Greek Week and the dodgeball tournament, as well as worked

to provide trained referees for the event. And whether referees were present or not, all teams played fairly. “Overall, there was great sportsmanship during the game, and I believe that everyone who came to the event enjoyed themselves,” said Gallagher. For more information about Greek Week or fraternity and sorority events, visit the university’s home page.

Community gather to honor those who have passed BY IAN FISCHER Staff Reporter

University family gathered outside in the Pottle Performance Circle on Monday evening to honor members of alumni, students, faculty and staff who died in the last year. The annual gathering is called Golden Silence, and according to Director of the Alumni Association Kathy L. Pittman it has been a university tradition for 19 years. The evening’s memorial event began with Pittman and other members of the Alumni Association giving their remarks. After, the Alumni Association read out the names of the deceased followed by a moment of silence with the participants holding up candles in honor of the dead. According to Pittman, about 350 people attended the ceremony. “All who have passed left some contribution to the university, even if in a small way,” Pittman

said during her remarks. Two prominent members of the alumni were among the honored. Founding member of the Hammond Regional Arts Center and Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts, Marjorie Morrison died in January. According to a press release from the Public Information Office, the former captain of the 1977 football team William Keen Jackson, III, died earlier in the year. Jackson’s wife, Sherry Jackson, is an alumna and his son currently a student at the university. Pittman said Golden Silence started in 1998 when three students were killed in a car accident. They came up with Golden Silence to remember to give the students closure. They included every member of the university family who died that year. It turned into a university tradition from then on. “One of our core values is caring so that ties into what we are doing,” said Pittman. “The greeks

come and we teach them about our tradition and about our caring.” Members of Greek organizations participating in Greek Week were present at the memorial event and gave their respects to the deceased. “I think it’s a really good way to kick off Greek Week because Greek Week is all about collaboration and coming together as a greek community,” Senior psychology major Faith Allen of Phi Mu. “I think it’s good to have new and the old to remember our past members. That’s what Greek Week is about: celebrating Greek life and celebrating who we are as Greeks. Assistant Director of the Alumni Association Julie Perise concluded Golden Silence by singing the Alma Mater while the color guard honored the colors of the country and the university. All deceased members of the university alumni can be found on the Alumni Association’s “Eternal Chapter” on their section of the university website.

The Lion’s Roar / Ian Fischer

Alumni, organizations and other community members attended Golden Silence on Monday, Mar. 6. The event is an annual memorial ceremony.

Greeks battle amidst rain Organizational News is due on the Friday before publication by 10 a.m., with a limit of 150 words.

AST The ladies of Alpha Sigma Tau held our annual Project Prom event on

March 14th. Our parlor was transformed into a dress boutique for girls to pick out the perfect dress for their memorable night. We would like to thank Claire Dufrene for organizing such a great event. We appreciate all that you do. We hope everyone has a TAUsome week. The Lion’s Roar / Larshell Green

After rain threats subsided, Greek organizations got their head in the game and competed in nail biting brief battles of rope burn, rivalry and weather. The Tug-O-War compeition is an annual event held during Greek Week. Zeta Phi Beta, Phi Mu and Theta Xi (above) placed third in the competition.

BY LARSHELL GREEN Staff Reporter

Although looming clouds hovered over Strawberry Stadium, the Greek Games went on without a hitch. On Wednesday, Mar. 9 at 5:30 p.m., the annual Greek photo was scheduled to be taken, along with Tug-O-War following after. After the Greek photo was taken, amid light drizzling, the Tug-O-War competition began. Both females and males of Greek organizations competed in teeth gritting, brief battles. The participating teams went against each other in groups of two, in several rounds of back and forth duels. After every Greek organization participated

once, intense elimination rounds were held to determine winners. Three teams obtained victory during the ‘Decades’ themed Greek Week. The first place winners of this year’s Tug-O-War competition were Theta Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha, Pi Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta (‘90s). Alpha Omicron Pi and Theta Chi (‘70s) placed second. The third place winners were Phi Mu, Theta Xi and Zeta Phi Beta (‘80s). Junior history major and Theta Phi Alpha sorority member Danielle Savoie experienced her first Tug-O-War competition after being chosen by members of her chapter to participate.

“I just kind of got into the zone,” said Savoie. “We’re really excited. We don’t win a lot, so when we do win, we kind of treasure it.” Junior social studies education major and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity member Riley Trisler mentioned how his physique and mental preparation helped him excel in the challenge. “I’m the biggest guy in Pi Kappa Alpha, so they thought that I would do quite well,” said Trisler. “I got into the mindset of winning, so that’s half the battle right there.” Trisler remained excited about the current victory, as well

see TUG-O-WAR pg. 8

SSA

The Southeastern Sociological Association will be holding a clothing, food and supply drive for Ponchatoula’s Serenity Homeless shelter on March 25 and 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the East Lounge of the Student Union. We ask our fellow students to help donate nonperishable food

items, clothing, backpacks, cleaning supplies (including laundry detergent), blankets and/ or misc bedding items and hygiene products (soaps, toothpaste and brushes, etc). Monetary donations will also be accepted for the shelter to use at their own discretion. Please help us help the Serenity Homeless shelter.

QFA

The ladies of Theta Phi Alpha would like to congratulate our Angels of the week-Lauren Heuer and Sky Sullivan, Scholar-Marissa Munn, Pearls-Mary Takewell, Laura Pevey and Jennifer Jarreau, FacultyCharles Elliot, Friend-Lacey Monét and New Member-Anna Gamblin.Finally, we are looking forward to a successful and lively Greek Week. We hope everyone has a wonderful week.

OPINIONS

THE LION’S ROAR

MONTH 15, 2016 PAGE 3

Colleges are beginning to give gaming scholarships through athletics eSports should give out awards WIlliam Schmidt Assistant Editor Robert Morris University in Illinois recently became the first varsity eSports squad to offer video game program with Associate Athletic Director Kurt Melcher in charge of the curriculum. According to “Forbes,” “a second college has followed suit, the University of Pikeville in Kentucky, a small liberal arts school which will offer a similar program.” When The Lion’s Roar staff first heard about these scholarships becoming available, a majority of staff were on the side that it is absurd. But, I am in favor and not because I am a hardcore gamer. With being in graduate school, the last time I played a video game was in May 2015 when I was trying to de-stress from finals. One of the main reasons for this is because our athletic program, as of now, will not be having any budget cuts even though a budget crisis is underway. Some of these athletes may further their careers professionally and make more money than a doctor will; all because athletic scholarships were offered to them, allowing them to attend the university. According to “Business Insider,” salaries of doctors will vary on region and location. But on average, pediatrics average 189,000 dollars and orthopedics average 421,000 dollars. This may seem like a large sum of money, especially if you are a broke college student like myself, but compared to some of the highest paid athletes, it’s chump change. According to “CBS Sports,” “Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the NFL’s highest-paid player at 22 million dollars per year by average yearly salary. He isn’t close to being the highestpaid NFL player in 2015 with an 11.6-million-dollar salary before taxes, because his contract, which was signed in 2013, contained a 35 million dollar signing bonus.” I don’t know much about Aaron Rodgers, but many of our student athletes are given scholarships that basically make college as affordable as possible, especially if their room and board is paid for. I am not knocking athletics and their scholarships. I believe we need sports to help the economy and the overall emotional state of some university students as well as the alumni. I mean, America does love football. According to “statista,” a site which has compiled the Super Bowl viewership since 1990, 111.9 million people watched the Super Bowl this year alone. All these statistics being said, if a student athlete has the right to gain scholarships in order to attend a university that may lead them to a professional career that will not only lead them to the possibility of making more money than a doctor as well as the President of the United States, who according to “Visual Economics” only makes 400,000 dollars a year, why shouldn’t a university offer scholarships for gamers to be admitted into a gaming eSports squad? I mean, there is a League of Legends world tournament where the winner makes two million dollars. That is not nearly as much as the highest paid NFL players, but it is still a huge chunk of change. I am all in favor of having scholarships for gamers who seek to make a future in the field of gaming. Why shouldn’t what people enjoy to do in life stop them from following their passion into not only college, but pave the path for their future as well?

Scholarships should not be given out for computer gaming Alex Brainard Staff Reporter Being an average gamer, I can understand why today’s age contains universities that offer rewards as scholarships to their fellow student gamers. A perfect example would be Robert Morris University located in Chicago which will offer League of Legends scholarships to their students under their athletic program. As much as I love gaming, and realize in today’s modern age some are considering certain games to be equivalent to a sport, I cannot say I agree with scholarships being given to gamers. My first reason would have to deal with the money that is provided for these scholarships. Many universities around the nation struggle with funding and have to decide what programs and organizations to cut from their programs in order to maintain a budget. I can’t imagine the stress of being a president of a university or even a member of a board of people who has to make these decisions. Just think, after cutting major programs and faculty members, they

sleep at night knowing there are other universities who are throwing out money for scholarships for people who just play video games. My second reason would have to revolve around the fact that people are considering League of Legends a sport. League is the most common example used for of these scholarships. While other competitive games have rose up over the years, such as Smite, Defense of the Ancients 2 and Heroes of the Storm, they’re all considered Multiplayer Online Battle Arena games, MOBA for short. Players can sit in these games for hours upon hours training as hard as an athlete to understand the game. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it should be treated as a sport. They are competitive, and I can understand why universities would create teams and tournaments for these games. Yet my only concern here is whether it’s really worth that much time and effort or not. People can train and play as hard and as long as they want, they can even study their opponents, but at the end of the day it’s just people sitting in their chairs playing a game. No matter how hard people train for League, or any other type of game, at the end of the day it’s always the same: it’s just a video game. My third problem, the effort put into

these scholarships. Gamers put tons of hours into what they do, but there’s a difference in what the effort is put in. If someone received a scholarship for engineering, that student put endless amounts of time into their studies, their grades and focused on achieving a certain grade point average to make sure they could have earned that scholarship. While one student received the same recognition and reward for a mere video game, whether it be League of Legends, DotA 2 or even Smite, it is nothing compared to what other students strive for. This just means these particular gaming students put more focus into their free time hobby than what was actually important. It would have to be a horrible experience of watching everyone work hard and knowing a particular student put effort into their work and studies and didn’t receive any reward. No matter how much effort someone puts into it, no matter how hard they “worked” to get that scholarship, at the end of the day it’s all the same and I find it hard to really process this scenario, knowing that there are more important things to fund in any university and yet here we are in the twenty first century where people can now receive money for just playing games. It’s scary to know that’s what we have come to.

Managing the acrobatics of What is your favorite Greek Week activity and why? Greek Week in school

SPEAK OUT

Stepshow because the different routines always show a different aspect of creativity. Cameron Pigeon Sophomore, Nursing

My favorite Greek Week activity is Tug-o-War because it’s competitive. Nick Williams Senior, Kinesiology

Taking the Greek picture because everyone in the whole Greek family gets together and takes a picture.

Volleyball, it’s good to see a sorority and a fraternity come together for a good purpose.

Anna Watkins Freshman, Biology

Courtney Rutledge Junior, Psychology

The Pie Eating Contest because I really like sports, and I like seeing everyone get competitive.

Stepshow because all the sororities and fraternities put a lot of work into it, and it’s nice to see how it turns out.

Milan Love Sophomore, Engineering technology

Madison Quick Junior, Nursing

Volleyball Tournament because everyone comes together in the backyard, and it’s an all-day fun affair.

The Pie Eating Contest was fun seeing everyone get down and dirty, eat some pie and win for their organization.

Rachael Younger Senior, Marketing

Walter Ladner Sophomore, Kinesiology

Megan McCormick Campus Life Editor It is inevitable. It seems as though Greek Week always falls during midterms. If not during midterms, the week before which is filled with assignments and projects. Yes, it is a true struggle to balance the activities and games on top of meetings and studying, but we can’t blame our superiors for what some may call “poor planning.” It seems as though my spring semesters always fly by. Yesterday, I was registering for classes and within a blink of an eye, I am packing up my room to move home for the summer. With this being said, I would much prefer to have Greek Week during midterms than planning for it after Spring Break. Most students know returning from Spring Break is serious crunch time for teachers to pile on any additional exams, projects or miscellaneous grades that must be done in time for finals. Because of this, I think midterms are the best option for Greek Week. In college, we learn there is a give and take. This is a perfect example of such cliché saying. However, no matter if Greek Week is planned for your busiest week of the semester or your “off week” where no such assignments are due, I encourage everyone to get involved and see what the hype is about. Yes, we are here for school first. But if we spend hours isolated in the library, we will never know what all we missed out on. Greek Week to me is about getting the full college experience. Even though this is only my second Greek Week, I’ve looked forward to this event ever since the last one. My favorite part of the

see GET INVOLVED pg. 8

THE LION ’S ROAR - STAFF

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES The Lion’s Roar is the official newspaper of the students of Southeastern Louisiana University. It has been in continuous publication since 1937. Submissions and letters to the editor are welcomed, but the editor of The Lion’s Roar reserves the right to edit all submissions for grammar, libel and available space or refuse publication without notification. Submissions must include the author’s full name and either phone number, e-mail or other contact information (not to be published). Faculty and staff members should include their title and department. Students should include their classification and major. By submitting an article for publication, the author understands that the submission will be edited.

Organizational News space is provided at no charge as a courtesy for university recognized Greek and Student Organizations. The space of such articles is limited to 150 words. Submissions of this Organizational News must adhere to the same polices as other submissions or letters to the editor, but must also include the name of the organization. All views expressed in The Lion’s Roar are those of the author or, if unsigned, those of the staff of The Lion’s Roar. These views should not be interpreted as the views of the administration, faculty or students of Southeastern Louisiana University. A single issue of The Lion’s Roar is free. Additional copies may be purchased for 50 cents

in the Old Student Union 1303 (Student Union West 1303). Annual mail subscriptions are $35 within the continental U.S. The Lion’s Roar, in its print form, associated Web sites and CD/DVD versions are designated public forums. Student editors have the authority to make content decisions without censorship or prior approval. The Lion’s Roar also defends the rights of student journalists relative to freedom of speech and press as stated in Amendment I of the Constitution of the United States of America. The Lion’s Roar is published through the Office of Student Publications, part of the Division for Student Affairs. It is published weekly during regular semesters and monthly during the summer semester.

Editor in Chief Assistant Editor Campus Life Editor Sports Editor

Megan Ferrando William Schmidt Megan McCormick Heather Jewell

Distribution Jake Treadway Advertising Assistant Nicholas Walsh

Administrative Assistant Heather Collins Coordinator Lorraine F. Peppo Director Lee E. Lind

CONTACT General Offices Old Student Union 1303 Mailing Address The Lion’s Roar SLU 10877 Hammond, LA 70402 E-mail lionsroar@selu.edu Telephone Numbers 985-549-3527 (newsroom) 985-549-3842 (fax) 985-549-3748 (advertising) 985-549-3731 (Student Publications) www.lionsroarnews.com www.selu.edu/lionsroar

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 4 MARCH 15, 2016

THE LION’S ROAR

Despite flooding, Hull rocks Columbia

The Lion’s Roar / Kelli Meynard

Sierra Hull (left, above) sings while playing the Mandolin. Justin Moses (above) joins Hull to perform a duet. The two were also joined with bass player Ethan Jodziewicz. They played a variety of bluegrass instruments throughout the evening.

BY KELLI MEYNARD Staff Reporter

Singer and mandolinist Sierra Hull became the first bluegrass musician to receive the Presidential Scholarship to Berklee College of Music. She signed with Rounder Records at age 13 and has recently released her newest album for the first time in five years. Her new album is called “Weighted Mind” and can be purchased on iTunes as well as listened to on Spotify. On Thursday, Mar. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Sierra Hull performed live at the Columbia Theatre. Despite the storming rain and flooding, fans still showed and found her music to be quite a treat with all the rain.

“I thought it was surprisingly soothing,” said Alex Sherrod. “It was really nice with the weather being so horrible outside. It was nice to come inside and get treated to such a peaceful environment. The music gave me goose bumps. The way they played the mandolin duo together, it was wonderful. I really enjoyed it.” Sierra was accompanied by bass player Ethan Jodziewicz and Justin Moses who played a variety of bluegrass instruments. “Her lyrics are fresh, original and really poignant,” said Columbia Theatre executive director Roy Blackwood. “Her quality of playing is not only very good, but she has a unique style, and I think it is very fresh and exciting. I knew the first time I heard them, I wanted to bring

Playwright witnesses ‘Encore, Encore’ premiere BY IAN FISCHER Staff Reporter

“Encore, Encore” playwright Colin Crowley witnessed the Department of Fine and Performing Arts bring his play to life for the first time in the Vonnie Borden Theatre. The play opened last Tuesday and was supposed to run until Friday, but Thursday and Friday night’s performances were cancelled due to inclement weather. An additional performance was made on Saturday. Admission was free for students with a university I.D. Jeff Polito directed the play which was written by 2015 SLU Inkslinger Playwriting Contest winner Crowley, who flew from Connecticut to view the university’s production of his work on Wednesday night. The play was about the life of the Dorothy Parker during her rise to fame and her struggle with her first marriage with World War I veteran, Edwin Pond Parker II. Dorothy Parker became a founding member of an elite group of writers called the Algonquin Round Table. In the while, her husband dealt with his experience of the war with drugs and alcohol. Junior general studies major Angela Griffitt played the role of Dorothy Parker and sophomore marketing major Matthew Dale Carona played the role of Edwin Pond Parker. Although the play dealt with serious issues, it kept the audience laughing with wit. “Initially, I was inspired by the way Colin wrote the play,” said Polito “As I was reading it the first time, I was struck by how witty it was. Then the more research I did on Dorothy

Parker I realized that’s what she was famous for: her wit.” Polito said he had fun with the casting process. “We had so many people show up to the auditions and so many good ones,” said Polito. “It was a beautiful problem to have because there was so much talent in the Southeastern theatre program.” Members of the opposite sex played characters and ‘broke the fourth wall’ frequently throughout the play, and two characters’ genders. The tall, male actor, junior business management major, Neal Eli played the role of fellow female Algonquin Round Table member, Ruth Hale. Her entrance on stage generated laughter from the audience. After the play, Department of theatre and performing art students, instructors and other interested attendees had the opportunity to ask the playwright questions. During this, Crowley spoke about how he could relate his personal life to the story, how the characters in the story developed and the reasons why he wrote the play the way he did.

“I liked that idea of the dissonance between the comedy and the tragedy,” said Crowley. “And that’s what makes it even funnier than it would be at certain points.” Crowley enjoyed the university’s production. He said he was impressed by the actors’ ability to take on the difficult roles and the way the stage was run with the difficult scene changes. “Thanks to all of you and thanks to Jeff too for doing such a great job with things,” said Crowley. “I really, really appreciate it.” After Crowley gave thanks, Polito said: “Thank God you liked it.” Those who participated in the question and answering erupted in laughter. Crowley also said it was his first time in Louisiana and he was enjoying his time in the state. The play opened last Tuesday and was supposed to run until Friday, but Thursday and Friday performances were cancelled due to inclement weather. An additional performance took place on Saturday.

O.E.C. JAPANESE

Express

CALL IN • TAKE OUT • DINING IN FAST | FILLING | HEALTHY | DELICIOUS

HIBACHI • SUSHI ROLLS • FRIED RICE • APPETIZERS FAMOUS “PINK SAUCE” MADE FAMOUS IN MISSISSIPPI

10% OFF FOR ALL SLU STUDENTS! S T U D E N T S M U S T S H O W A VA L I D I D

1816 W Thomas St. Suite C Hammond, LA 70401 Tel: 985-350-9996 • Fax: 985-350-9923 www.OECLA.com

NOW OPEN! SUN-THURS: 11 AM-9:30PM FRI & SAT: 11AM -10PM

them here.” Hull is best known for her mandolin playing. She is a composer as well as a lyricist. “I thought the performance was fabulous,” said Blackwood. “I thought all three of the musicians were absolutely excellent. The bass player, Ethan, has a very nice fresh style, not just old, tired type of rhythms; he has his own kind of style. The Dobro player was absolutely amazing. All three of them were really good musicians.” People seemed to really enjoy the equally distributed talent among the three musicians. Most people were glad that they ventured out downtown to see Hull’s performance. “It was awesome,” said Gabby Acosta. “We

are so glad we came. The music was great. All the musicians were great.” For those who do not usually listen to bluegrass, they found it intriguing and diverse. “It was interesting to see the different types of instruments played,” said Rob Van Vrancken. “I haven’t seen this type of music too much, but it was interesting to see.” Hull is currently on tour with Jodziewicz and Moses, making stops in Texas, Tennessee, Colorado and more. For information on when her next show is search sierrahull.com. To learn about upcoming shows at the Columbia Theatre’s next show is, search their website at columbiatheatre.org.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE LION’S ROAR

MARCH 15, 2016 PAGE 5

Students film feature length original film on campus BY MEGAN FERRANDO Editor in Chief

While the cafeteria is used for eating, the library for studying and other parts of campus for various activities, all locations are also perfect backgrounds for a feature length film made by two college students. Sophomore education major Scott Jarreau and sophomore marketing major Chase Cangelosi used the campus of Southeastern for their first movie, “Abracadabra,” which is a mockumentary recording the events of Jarreau and Cangelosi as they experience life as a college student, and encounter a mystery regarding President John L. Crain. “The whole premise of the movie is pretty much that we heard about this mysterious president we have to find and meet,” said Jarreau. The film plays on fact and fiction as Jarreau and Cangelosi record themselves encountering another student on campus who tells them about the mysterious university president who walks around campus every night. “As we started writing out the scenes he [Crain] just became more and more involved,” said Cangelosi. “We mention multiple times, even in the disclosure at the end of the film, that nothing’s been approved and we spell his name differently in the film. If he had seen the film, I don’t think he’d be disappointed with it.” About 13 actors took part in the film besides Jarreau and Cangelosi, all of whom are Southeastern students. Jarreau and Cangelosi interviewed about 64 students outside Starbucks for one portion of the film, although only about 10 of the shots were used. “This is an hour and a half long movie and there are millions of shots of us interacting around the school, and not a single person was like, ‘yeah dude!’ in the background,” said Jarreau. “The part where we interview people was during exam week, and people were actually participating.” The filming took place in a sixweek period during Fall 2015 and was shot in many locations around campus including the library, cafeteria, classrooms and the parking garage. It

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) With change dominant this week, don’t be surprised to find new facts emerging that could put another slant on a situation and offer you another choice. Think it through before you decide. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) There could be some lingering problems from a previous matter that involved a decision you felt you had to make. Resolve the situation with your strong Taurean no-nonsense approach. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) The Gemini’s carefully made plans could be undone by someone’s unexpected decision. Getting the full story behind that surprise move can help you decide how to deal with the matter. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Recently uncovered information might put a new light on a situation you thought had been resolved. Keep an open mind about possible changes that you might have to consider. LEO (July 23 to August 22) With a potential revision of an old agreement, you can’t beat the Big Cat for knowing how to sharpen a “clause” to the best advantage. Someone close could have the news you’ve been waiting for. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Certain issues in the workplace could put you in the middle of a dispute you’d rather not deal with. Express your honest feelings before the pressure to take sides builds up. LIBRA (September 23 to

was also primarily done on an iPhone. Jarreau began working with a camera back in the fifth grade, and has made short videos no more than 14 minutes long in the past. Cangelosi, however, has dabbled little in film or acting before “Abracadabra.” “I was the director for most portions of the film. Gradually we got really good at doing it,” said Jarreau. “He [Cangelosi] has never done anything in the acting thing before. As a kid, I would do plays and stuff, but he really let it work, by the end, he was doing a fantastic.” “Abracadabra” originated as Jarreau and Cangelosi began coming up with ideas for short YouTube videos one day, soon realizing their ideas could become a movie. “Abracadabra means to speak into existence,” said Cangelosi. “We kind of just started talking about this movie so much that it just spoke itself into existence.” The movie came together over the period of about six months, including writings, filming and editing. “My real idea going into the film was to test my cinematography skills and to see if I could do it,” said Jarreau. “I really do glorify this campus. The things I did with the camera really made this campus shine, especially in the first sequence of the film when it shows the intro tune and shows the scenery of the campus and driving down University Avenue.” Filming on campus has allowed both Jarreau and Cangelosi to view Southeastern differently. So much time was spent viewing shots of campus and fitting music to the film, that the two grew in skill and appreciation of what is around them. “I learned a lot about computer everything,” said Jarreau. “That was the hardest part. I had so much frustration with just trying to get this thing to work out. There’s a trailer where I lined up the beat of every certain thing with the changing of clips. For me, I felt like I’ve grown a lot in how I view a certain rooms or certain parts of this campus. I’m really weird about symmetry now. Before I was okay with weird kind of obscure angles. I like to look more than I use to.”

October 22) You might feel uneasy disagreeing with someone you’ve been close to. But your relationship should be able to withstand and even thrive when confronted with your true feelings. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A romantic situation seems to be creating more confusion than you can handle. If so, own up to your feelings. The sooner you do, the better your chances are for working things out. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) With change directing the Archer’s aim, consider a second look at your plans and see where they might benefit from a revision. A workplace matter is close to a resolution. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) New contacts help you learn some important information about upcoming developments. The week calls for the Sea Goat to be more flexible than usual in a number of matters. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) With both change and uncertainty in your aspect, you might feel less confident in a previous decision. That’s OK. Check it out and see where it could be modified, if necessary. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Old relationships that seemed to be sinking are buoyant again, and new relationships are benefiting from Cupid’s loving care. This could be a good time to make a major move. BORN THIS WEEK: While you prefer to tread your own path, you’ll go out of your way to help someone in need. (c) 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.

Sponsored By

THURSDAY, FRIDAY, & SATURDAY

$1 Tacos After 10 p.m. 201 E. Thomas St. Hammond, LA 70401 (985) 542-7430

header to close out the threegame series. In the first game of the doubleheader, the Lady Lions started off on top in the second inning. Lacour walked, allowing freshman outfielder and utility player Jaquelyn Ramon to advance to second, senior outfielder Amanda Livaudais to advance to third and Truxillo to score, putting them up (10). The Lady Lions advanced by two more points before the inning was over, (3-0), with Livaudais and Ramon making it to the plate. The team stayed ahead of the Wildcats until the top of the fifth inning when ACU made six continuous runs, (3-6). In the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Lions made a nearly

you’re ahead it’s a lot harder for them because there’s a lot more you could do.” Both Riser and Cedotal acknowledged the talent of the Incarnate Word Cardinals, however and recognized the team’s own talent shown throughout the weekend. “It’s a younger club; [and] those guys competed well,” said Riser. “For us, I think we competed well. We did a good job of jumping on early and finishing late. I thought we did a better job this weekend of dominating our fast balls. We got fast ball counts, took better swings, and started driving some baseballs. The wind was blowing out, but I thought the guys would hit them with no doubters.” The Lions made a couple home runs throughout the series, including senior catcher and infielder Jameson Fisher’s fifth homerun of the season. “Our hitters are there,” said Cedotal. “They are always going to be there, it’s just a matter of time before everything catches fire or not. This weekend I feel like everybody was on fire.” The Lions’ next game will be today, Mar. 15 at the Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field at 6:00 p.m. against South Alabama. Southeastern Athletics will host Local Heroes Night. All first responders will receive free admission if they attend in uniform or present a valid ID.

victorious comeback with two runs, but it was not enough to carry them through to the end, finishing at 5-6 after allowing six unearned runs in the fifth inning. In the series finale, the team made two runs in the bottom of the first inning with Truxillo doubling to left field and sophomore middle Infielder and utility player Grace DeLee making it to home, (2-0), but from there, ACU only continued to advance past the Lady Lions, finishing at 2-13. Truxillo felt that the team’s stronger start in the series finale would create a change in the losing slump, but things didn’t play out quite as the team had hoped.

“I was hoping it would get us going and give us some spark that we needed to pull one of these games out and get a win, but things just weren’t going our way,” said Truxillo. “It turns back to offense and hitting the ball. We just need to do that more.” In addition, Ramon stole three bases on Sunday giving the Lady Lions 62 for the season, tying the school singleseason record set in 1986. Fremin was ultimately disappointed in the overall performance of the threegame series and wanted the team to meet its usual level of expectations. “Our players are having trouble finding themselves right

now as a team,” said Fremin. “I feel like our team identity has been lost from how we kind of started the season, and we’re having trouble finding that right now across the board. We very easily could have taken two of the three games; however, we have to play softball and raise our level of playing and these players have to develop as the season goes on and everyone has to do a better job.” The Lady Lions’ next game will be a doubleheader against Southeast Missouri on Wednesday Mar. 16 at 3:00 p.m. at North Oak Park. Wednesday will be Local Heroes Night, and first responders will receive free admission if they show up in uniform or with valid ID.

NEWS

PAGE 8 MARCH 15, 2016

THE LION’S ROAR

Grad Fair opens to serve graduating seniors of 2016

The Lion’s Roar / Kelli Meynard

Graduating seniors fill out paper work for their senior ring and take their senior portrait for Southeastern’s yearbook at Grad Fair. There were also other booths and tables set up to help seniors succeed on graduation day.

BY KELLI MEYNARD Staff Reporter

Grad Fair is important for graduating seniors to attend if they are interested in purchasing a senior ring, picking up cap and gowns and/or taking graduate pictures. That is not all that goes on at Grad Fair. Students can also sign up for the Alumni Association Chapter, get on the list for SLU football tickets, check on student loans, get information on Grad school and more. Last Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Southeastern held Grad Fair at the Alumni Center. Student workers and faculty helped seniors get what

they needed to be prepared graduates. “I believe the Grad Fair is important for seniors to attend because it helps them get a jump start on the graduation process and get all of the information that they need, so that they can be ready and successful on graduation day,” said Student Support Service Advisor LaConga Scott. The Alumni Association wants to help students make the transition from being a student to having a career. Grad Fair offers students a chance to talk with Alumni members and professors about what to do after graduating. The career service helps students find jobs after graduating by looking over their resume and giving them options.

Grad Fair is very similar every year. Students enjoy music, food, drinks and pose for their cap and gown picture for the yearbook. “It’s different graduates every year so the consistency of having the graduate fair be the same is really good for students to continue to have the same experience,” said Liberty Mutual sales representative Jennifer Jarreau. Most students seemed to enjoy themselves and getting everything they needed. “Grad Fair was great,” said senior criminal justice major Bryan Covington. “It was quick and organized very well and I’m excited to graduate.” There is a Grad Fair every semester at the Alumni Center for those students who graduate

at different times. The Alumni Association can be beneficial for students trying to network and discover job opportunities. Another perk of joining the Alumni Center the year you graduate is that it is free up to a year after you graduate. This means you get all the benefits of a regular Alumni member, which includes access to campus recreational facilities such as the Pennington Center, swimming pool, weight room and gym. For any graduate students or future graduating students looking to become a part of the Alumni Association at Southeastern, check out their website at southeastern.edu/alumni_ donors/alumni_assoc/ or join fellow graduates at Grad Fair next year.

TOPS to stay for Spring 2016, for now BY KELLI MEYNARD Staff Reporter

The Louisiana budget crisis continues to make most students wonder what will happen to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS). In February, the House and Senate began a Special Legislative Session. “The special session was called to address the budget shortfall that the state faces for both the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 fiscal years,” said Vice President of Administration and Finance Sam Domiano. There were no bills that have been passed during this session, but the Department of Legislative Reference has drafted bills. “There were no bills during the special session that made changes to the TOPS program specifically,” said Domiano. “There are, however, bills that have been prefiled for the 2016 Regular Session that could result in changes to the program.” The state of Louisiana is honoring the TOPS scholarship this semester, however the state will not be covering

the entire amount, which means universities themselves will be covering the left over amount for this year. In result, this will cause a tremendous loss of money for Southeastern. “Due to the states’ budget shortfall, the state will not be fully paying the amount owed to universities for the reimbursement of TOPS scholarships awarded to students for the Spring 2016 semester,” said Domiano. “Even though the awards to students were honored, the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance, the agency that administers the program, will only pay approximately 80 percent of what is owed to the universities. This results in a $2.1 million cut to Southeastern in the current fiscal year.” More information on TOPS has yet to be released. “As the 2016 Regular Session gets underway, we will begin to learn more about proposed TOPS legislation and how it may impact students, future students and universities,” said Domiano. “A listing of all prefiled bills can be found on the Louisiana Legislature website by clicking on ‘House Prefiled Bills for the 2016 Regular Session’ and ‘Senate Prefiled Bills for the 2016 Regular Session’.” For more information go to legis.la.gov/legis/home.aspx.

APO’s third annual High School Day rained out BY ELIZABETH BROWN Staff Reporter

This past Friday, Southeastern’s National Honorary Theatre Society, Alpha Psi Omega was to hold its third annual High School Day, but due to inclement weather, the event was cancelled, and is yet to be determined if it will be rescheduled. According to Alpha Psi Omega President Emily Nodine, the event began three years ago as a way for Southeastern students to pass on their knowledge to high school students. “APO’s High School Day started

three years ago,” said Nodine. “Our members wanted a way to reach out to local high schools’ theatre students. As college students, we have learned so much at Southeastern that we can share. The theatre design and acting classes at Southeastern are phenomenal.” Nodine thanks faculty members for giving university students the ability to pass on what they know to others. “The faculty here is so talented,” said Nodine. “They have taught our members, and we wanted to teach others. We invited local school to

to begin with a check-in followed by an introduction and performed monologues in the Vonnie Borden Theatre. From there, the day was to be filled by a series of theatre workshops on makeup, directing and acting, to name a few. A performance of a “Cabin Fever” show was going to close the night. Although the event was cancelled, Nodine remains hopeful. “This year, we had some scheduling conflicts and only one school could attend, but we were determined to make the experience great for them,” said Nodine. “However, the weather

come to SELU for a day of theatre workshops.” Even though the event started off small, it gave APO hopes for the future. “Our first year, only one school was able to come,” said Nodine. “However, the students loved the event so much that we [APO] decided to try again the next year. Last year we had three high schools attend with a total of 90 students. We added workshops like Musical Theatre.” According to Alpha Psi Omega Treasurer Anthony Gary, for this year’s High School Day, the day was

got the better of us. We do not have a plan as of now whether we will reschedule or not. When dealing with high schools, you have to take into consideration their testing weeks in the spring.” The “Cabin Fever” show will still be performed at a later date. “APO will be performing the one act intended for the event [High School Day] later this semester on campus for students and the public to see,” said Nodine. “The show is called ‘Cabin Fever’ and it was written by a past president of APO whom is now living in NYC.”

Our Checking SAVE MONEY with no monthly service charge*

Visa Check Card • Online Account Access

The Lion’s Roar / Larshell Green

see TUG-O-WAR pg. 2 as the success that his team has been experiencing throughout Greek Week. “I’m stoked,” said Trisler. “I’m pretty excited. We’re doing well in Greek Week, so that’s one more to top it off.” Senior accounting major Michelle Doescher and Theta Phi Alpha sorority member described how she enjoyed her team’s victory during her third Greek Week. “I’m so excited,” said Doescher. “That was so much fun watching and cheering them on.”

According to Order of Omega President Harli Manuel, the change in venue for Tug-O-War proved to be better for the competition. “It helped a lot to have the Rec center referee it,” said Manuel. “It works a lot better having it on the field in Strawberry Stadium than in Greek Village, so I’m glad Order of Omega made that switch this year.” Although the events went as planned, Manuel remained both curious and optimistic about the weather’s influence on the remainder of the Greek events. “We did a little rain dance and the rain held out on us, so hopefully, things go well the rest of the week,” said Manuel.

24 Hour La Cap ATM • Mobile Access Remote Deposit • Email Alerts for Low Balance Nationwide Access Through CO-OP Shared Branches

OPAECNCOUNT

YOUR DAY TO

Check out our Mobile Banking App!

1004 North Oak St, Hammond

800.522.2748 • lacapfcu.org

*Opening deposit - $50.00. No minimum balance required. Must maintain Direct Deposit or 10 Debit Card transactions per month (non-ATM) required.

Federally Insured by NCUA

01/16

NEWS

THE LION’S ROAR

MARCH 15, 2016 PAGE 9

La Carreta participates in Greek Week and gives back BY WILIIAM SCHIMDT Assistant Editor

Though the end of Greek Week was washed out due to severe weather conditions, benefits from the “Give Back” day and night event held at La Carreta of Hammond brought in $400 for the university’s food pantry. On Monday, Mar. 7, a percentage of La Carreta’s profit was donated to the campus’ food pantry if patrons mentioned they were supporting Greek Week’s “Give Back.” This was a first time event for Greek Week. “The Greeks and Student Engagement came up with this event because they are aware that there are always some things the pantry needs,” said Coordinator for Multicultural and International Student Affairs Brendan Daigle. Some who have been a part of Greek Life since freshman year were excited for this opportunity. “I came because it is the ‘Give Back’ for Greek Week,” said senior elementary education major Mollie Norton. “This is my fourth year in my sorority and I think this is the best thing we’ve done philanthropy wise in the last four years for Greek life.” Social media was one of the ways in which “Give Back” was able to have a successful day. “We are supporting the Order of Omega and the Greek Community during Greek Week,” said senior marketing major Kayren Vicknair. “We are

raising money for the food pantry at Southeastern. I heard about it on Instagram. One of our Phi Mu sisters posted a picture promoting the event tonight.” The food pantry does not know specifically what the donations from the “Give Back” event will go towards as of yet, but some of the donations will most likely go towards low supplies. “We haven’t spoken in detail about what we plan to use the funds for, but most likely we will use at least some of it to purchase food items that the pantry is out of or low on,” said Daigle. “Getting donations of any sort is beneficial to the pantry, because it is not a department and is not funded through the university, but entirely through donations. This event is especially helpful because receiving monetary donations allows us to purchase specific items or even supplies or equipment that the pantry may need.” Attendees of “Give Back” hope that the food pantry is able to use the money received to help the less fortunate on campus. “I hope we do get a lot of money for the food pantry because there are a lot of people on campus who can’t afford to go get food themselves and pay for school all by themselves,” said Norton. “This is really good for them.” If you would like to donate or find ways in which you can help Southeastern’s food pantry, visit their page found through the university’s website.

The Lion’s Roar / William Schimdt

Alexis Quakenbush and Bradley Watson enjoy a meal at La Carreta of Hammond. If patrons mentioned that they were participating in Greek Week’s Give Back event, a portion of the profit from their check would be donated to the university’s food pantry.

Residential life students participate in success banquet BY TIFFANY NESBIT Staff Reporter

Freshman college students were recognized by the Southeastern Hall Council at the Residential Academic Success Banquet for being an on campus resident of Southeastern. Students at this event must meet the requirement of having a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. This banquet was held in the Student Union Ballroom this past Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. Area Coordinator and Hall Council Advisor Blake Thomas, along with a team of Residential Assistants worked together in order to provide a special evening for the honored freshman. Keynote Speaker Dr. Karen Fontenot announced the importance of living on campus and its effect on a student’s academic career. She indicated that living on campus provides an opportunity for students to be more engaged with school activities and pay more attention to their studies. “A university is like a small town, there is so much opportunity to create a successful academic career,” said Fontenot. Campus residents are most likely to graduate with a higher GPA than students living off campus. Another leader of

The Lion’s Roar / Tiffany Nesbit

The Southeastern Hall Council recognized freshman who received a grade point average of 3.5 or higher at the Residential Academic Success Banquet. Resident Assistants helped make the event possible as they rewarded freshmen. this event, Vice President of Involvement and a senior communication major Jamie Dearman also agreed with Dr. Fontenot. “It is a great opportunity for the freshman,” said Dearman.

“If you start out with a good grade point average, the rest of your academic career should be successful. It is a great advantage to live on campus.” The Hall Council congratulated many freshmen

with an academic certificate along with a picture and a delicious meal. The presentation included a video of remembrance that portrayed many freshman events that had taken place in the past year.

The video included events such as musical performances, talent shows and other examples of freshman residential life. The students were excited to share their accomplishment with their fellow classmates.

Chemistry major Erika Mizell and pre-med integrated biology majors Justin Fernandez and Rebecca Nuss were some of those excited freshmen. “We feel honored to be a part of a great school and be a part of an on campus life,” said Mizell. “This banquet made us feel like our first year of hard work is paying off and is encouraging us not to give up on our long road to success.” It appeared many students enjoyed their time and moments of recognition and many members of the Hall Council were just as proud. “I took a lot of pride in this event because it is a great celebration of our residence and their academic success,” said a Hall Council member Caitlin Bueche. “I was also very proud of my council members and all the hard work they do for us.” Hall Council is always looking for new members. It is a student led organization that encourages on site residents to play an active role on campus by participating in educational and social programming. You can find out more information on becoming a member by contacting them at southeasternhallcouncil@ gmail.com or by checking out their website southeastern.edu/ admin/housing/hall-council.

see BUDGET pg. 1 disappointed this hole was not plugged as well. “We didn’t do a very good job over the last three weeks,” said Edwards in a press conference following Wednesday night’s conclusion. “Thank goodness I gave them an extra four days because it seems like they needed every single minute to get where we are.” The state legislature met again on Monday for their regular session, which runs until Jun. 6. The state Constitution forbids any new taxes from being raised during a regular session, but Crain expects lawmakers to work on next year’s projected budget shortfall. “Nevertheless, during the Regular Session, the Legislature must craft a balanced budget, originating from the Executive Budget proposed by the Governor,” said Crain. “It will not be a pretty sight, given that the proposed budget is expected to reflect nearly $800 million in reductions.” The $30 million budget deficit expected for this year still could only be speculative as well. The Advocate said some officials are estimating it could be as much as $50 million. The Lion’s Roar will be continuing its coverage of the effects of budget cuts on the university. Later editions will have more details about the story as officials make final

The Lion’s Roar / Heather Jewell

Multiple state officials gathered in the Louisiana State Capital to discuss the options they had to avoid the $900 billion budget shortfall which threatened state programs such as higher education and health services. decisions. Aside from the impact on the university, new taxes have been levied in the state. According to the Associated Press, House Bill 61 passed increased the 4-cent sales tax by one penny by every dollar spent. It also

closed many of the exemptions to the sales tax. Lawmakers agreed to other taxes such as a raise in alcohol and cigarette taxes as well as taxes on rental cars and hotel rooms booked through Airbnb.

PAGE 10 MARCH 15, 2016

NEWS

THE LION’S ROAR

Chefs Evening celebrates 32 years see CHEF pg. 1 they have easier times getting money for athletics. But to get money for the academics, it is a very important thing.” Others in attendance came out to show their support in raising money for the university. “I’m here tonight to represent Southeastern as Miss Southeastern,” said Miss Southeastern 2016 and senior kinesiology major Alexis LaPlante. “I really hope that we can raise a lot of money for the school and support Southeastern as a whole. As Miss Southeastern, I am required to be here but I am very excited to be here.” Another goal for some of the restaurants serving at Chefs Evening was to show what all Hammond could offer. “There are people who don’t live in the city of Hammond that come to these events,” said Kinchen. “They are alumni from the past and

they get to see what we have to offer; that we can compete with the big cities like New Orleans or the other big food destinations. We have some very talented chefs in our community that deserve some recognition.” The crowd for Chefs Evening were pleased with the support of Southeastern leaders to help host events such as Chefs Evening along with the evolution of the event over the years. “We are in a very difficult financial time right now and we need everything we can to support the university,” said Blackwood. “In the beginning, we were over in Twelve Oaks Cafeteria which is not even used anymore. It grew and it got very popular and it got really crowded, really fast. They moved it to the university center and several years it was there. For a few years we were at the Pennington Student Activity Center.” With Chefs Evening taking place in the ballroom, it gave

The Lion’s Roar / Heather Jewell

Various restaurants and vendors participate in Chefs Evening. The benefits for the night will go towards university scholarships and academics. for an elegant setting with fine cuisine. “It is gorgeous outside and the food is superb,” said Blackwood. “And that is another thing that I think is

very important to understand; the quality of the restaurants. If people have a good time, they open their pocket books and support the university. That is very critical.”

Flood waters rise on North Campus

The Lion’s Roar / Megan Ferrando

Freshman biology major Raven Davis, junior athletic training major Julian Maze and senior computer science major Vantrayl Sanders hit the dab outside the University Center as they journey to play in the flooded tunnel. Many students journeyed to the tunnel throughout the day as they ventured into knee deep water.

AROUND

THE

NATION

INTELLIGENCE ADVICE FOR NEXT PRESIDENT: ROCKY ROAD AHEAD WASHINGTON (AP) — A new, gloomy intelligence report released Monday forecasts a sluggish world economy, political unrest and disillusionment with the status quo across the globe during the next five years and beyond. Insecurity will deepen rifts among social classes and religious groups and extremists will consolidate into large-scale networks across Africa, the Arab world and parts of Asia, according to the global trends report written by the National Intelligence Council. The report said slow growth in China will weigh down economic growth in the rest of the world. Competition among the U.S, China and Russia will heat up, raising the risk of future confrontations. And technological advances will force governments and their citizens to wrestle with securing data, privacy, intellectual property and jobs lost to high-tech innovations. The council, part of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, serves as a bridge between intelligence agencies and policymakers. Its global trends report is compiled every four years so it can be handed to an incoming president or to the incumbent. A summary of a draft of its latest findings was released Monday to coincide with a panel discussion at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. These trends follow 20 years of unprecedented reductions in poverty and increased access to education and information, which have empowered citizens around the world. Suzanne Fry, director of the council’s Strategic Future Group, and about 10 of her colleagues visited 30 countries since September 2014 to talk about the future with an estimated 1,800 people from all walks of life. “Really for the first time in human history, people as individuals really, really matter,” Fry said in an interview. She recalled Mohammed Bouazizi, a fruit seller who killed himself in 2010 to protest police actions in Tunisia. His death sparked an uprising that led to the ouster of Tunisia’s dictator and inspired Arab Spring protests against authoritarian rule across the region. In America, public discontent is evidenced by the rise of

TRUMP TURNS EYES TOWARD PIVOTAL PRIMARIES

HANOVERTON, Ohio (AP) — GOP front-runner Donald Trump tried to prove over the weekend that no perceived misstep can derail his march to the Republican presidential nomination. Trump enjoyed a relatively controversy free multi-state tour Sunday ahead of primaries that could determine whether he wins the GOP nomination without a contested summer convention. Perhaps most critical to that equation is Tuesday’s winnertake-all contest in Ohio, where the real estate mogul and the The Lion’s Roar / Jonathan Rhodes

The Lion’s Roar / Megan Ferrando

BY JONATHAN RHODES Staff Reporter

Heavy rain this past Thursday caused flash flooding over the weekend in many parts of Louisiana, damaging nearly 5,000 homes. According to Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller, about 200 people in Hammond had to be rescued by boat early Friday morning. A curfew was put into place on Friday starting at 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on Saturday in order for emergency responders to get the resources they needed to do their job overnight. The university shut down the campus Thursday through Friday in preparation for the storm and postponed most events scheduled for Saturday such as The Big Event and the Rotary 10-K Shamrock Run. Almost all flooding on campus occurred near North Campus in

the commuter parking lot, in the tunnel under the bridge and inside the University Center. “This seems to be related to city drainage issues in the area, with rainwater getting into the sewage system and causing it to back up into the University Center,” said Director of Public Relations for Southeastern Rene Abadie in a press release on Friday. “City Crews have been working to fix the drainage problem.” Most students who live in the apartments in the back of North Campus decided to go examine the flooding up close. “I woke up this morning and I saw the pictures and I wanted to see if it was still that bad and it is still that bad,” said sophomore business administration major and member of Alpha Omicron Pi Anna Leader. “It kinda sucks for everyone whose house got flooded and that our basketball

court got flooded. You can’t move your car, so you’re stranded.” Students did not look at the water outside their apartments as an obstacle, but also saw it as an opportunity to have fun and enjoy some water sports. “It’s easy enough to just cross the street, but that’s no fun,” said sophomore history major Trey Capello. “They had some other people who were out here jumping into the water. We were just having fun skim boarding and whatnot.” The flooding unfortunately got into the University Center and reached the area surrounding the basketball court doing damage to the hardwood. The water had to be pumped out over night on Saturday. “The water, almost like a river, just poured into the arena onto the floor so the floor is ruined,” said Head basketball Coach Jay Ladner. “Anytime a basketball

court gets that much sitting water it’s going to buckle that wood, so that’s going to be a problem for us. It will probably take awhile to order a new floor.” The basketball team as well as the rest of the school will have to find another venue until the University Center can be repaired. “We were going to have the Stepshow in the University Center yesterday (Mar. 10), but it was cancelled and then someone in the group that we are in sent us a picture of the court flooded,” said junior English major Eddie Cooper. The campus opened back to its regular schedule on Monday as portions of the state remain under water. Southeastern Louisiana University continues to monitor the weather. Visit the school website southeastern.edu for information on cancellations due to dangerous weather.

two presidential candidates — Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders — whose anti-establishment messages play to anger among the general electorate, Fry said. “They’re channeling something that we’re observing in a lot of countries, not just the United States, which is this real dissatisfaction with the existing social bargains or compacts in societies,” Fry said. The report suggests that this type of populism being seen in industrial nations will percolate in the developing world as those affected by a slow to zero rise in wages and a hollowing out of the middle class start questioning the effectiveness of traditional policies. The council’s final report is expected to be released between Election Day, Nov. 1, and the inauguration of the next president, on Jan. 20, 2017. The aim is to provide information about emerging trends to guide decisions that could alter the way the world is expected to evolve during the next 20 years. A significant trend cited in the report is a slowdown of China’s economy, which has reduced demand for commodities, especially in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. Also on the economic front, the report highlights a concern about increased concentration of wealth among a small number of people. “We have seen lots of poverty reduction in recent years and people flowing into the middle class, but how do you keep this movie going? It’s not clear that the political and economic reforms can keep it going,” Fry said. “We’ve got brand new entrances to the middle class in the developing world. Their expectations are enormous and they are about to be crushed.” The report predicts increased competition and a “desire for status” by emerging and fading powers. This will play out as transnational terrorism, conducted by groups such as the Islamic State, al-Qaida and Boko Haram, and sectarian violence continue to threaten stability in the Middle East, Asia and parts of Africa. “Multiple power centers are possible if regional aggression and flouting of international norms go unchecked,” the report says.

popular governor, John Kasich, have intensified their focus on one another — Trump calling his rival “a baby” and Kasich suggesting Trump and the violence at some of his rallies represent a “dark side” of American society. Besides Ohio, candidates are readying their closing arguments in Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina and Florida, with the total number of delegates at stake Tuesday accounting for more than a quarter of the 1,237 necessary for nomination.

FOSSIL FIND SHEDS LIGHT ON HOW EVOLUTION PRODUCED T. REX NEW YORK (AP) — How did evolution produce a monstrous killer like T. rex? A fossil find in Central Asia is giving scientists a glimpse of the process. T. rex and other tyrannosaurs were huge, dominant predators, but they evolved from much smaller ancestors. The new discovery from Uzbekistan indicates that this supersizing happened quickly, and only after the appearance of some

anatomical features that may have helped the monster tyrannosaurs hunt so effectively. The finding was reported Monday by Hans-Dieter Sues of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, Stephen Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, and others in a paper released by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Susan Walsh/Courtesy of AP

Hans-Dieter Sues, chair of the Department of Paleobiology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, unveils a new dinosaur, Timurlengia euotica, during a news conference in Washington, Monday, Mar.14, 2016.