The Lion's Roar 03/17/2020

Hammond, LA

March 17, 2020

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

Q&A with Dean of Students SYMIAH DORSEY Staff Reporter

COVID-19

A woman wearing a mask gathers items at Walmart, Monday, March 16, 2020, in Hammond. Toilet paper has become one of the much sought after items as many prepare for an exteneded “quarantine” at home. Maiah Woodring/Le Souvenir

Coronavirus halts in-person classes, changes daily life in Louisiana and around the globe STAFF REPORTS With the recent outbreak of coronavirus, the university took precautionary measures to transition face-to-face classes to online classes.

Following President John L. Crain’s mass email regarding the decision on Thursday, March 12 to move towards remote learning, there have been several operational changes in the university.

In a message sent to the university on Friday, March 13, Crain announced that campus events and activities previously scheduled through April 13 are cancelled.

Events cancelled by the Office of Student Engagement include: Lions LEAD Retreat (March 20, 2020), The Big Event (March 28, 2020), The Big Event

Rain Date (April 4, 2020), Mulan Movie Bus Trip (March 31, 2020), All Greek Week Events and Activities (March 29, 2020 to April 3, 2020), Strawberry Jubilee (April 8, 2020), International Student’s Walmart Bus Trip (April 9, 2020), The MISA Banquet (April 21, 2020) and Leadership Luncheons (March 26, 2020 and April 22, 2020).

Karley Bordelon, president of Student Government Association, shared that The Big Event will be held next semester and promoted over summer.

“Our Big Event is actually going to be cancelled, so our Big Event and our Big Event rain date,” shared Bordelon.

“We’re really upset about it, but we know that students are going to be ready to serve in

the community next semester, over the summer, and we’re just going to encourage everyone to go volunteer and help out around the community whenever they can after this has passed.”

Bordelon shared that SGA was involved in the decision the university took.

“The administration’s been involving us in the decisions,” said Bordelon. “It’s been a little back and forth because it is so sudden and it’s so hard to predict what’s going to happen, so the decision was obviously where everyone wasn’t really completely prepared for it, but we have been involved and the administration’s been updating me on what’s going on and we’ve been discussing how we can help with future communication to make sure students are

completely aware of the resources that we still have and how we’re going to function.”

Southland Conference tournaments have also been cancelled for the spring and the Harlem Globetrotters event scheduled for March 13 was also cancelled.

Kemmler Chapple, assistant associate director of sports information, informed that the university is going to follow the decision made by Southland Conference.

“Our Southland Conference has decided to shut down all athletic non-conference and conference contests through March 30,” informed Chapple.

“That is all we have to report as of now. Just using an abundance

How will the university accommodate students who don’t have internet connection?

“At the moment, we do recognize that every student won’t have a laptop or access to Wi-Fi. On campus, there will be labs open. I know Fayard will remain open, the library will remain open. There’s conversations about other spaces also being open as well. Regarding residents, I think housing has sent out information— just collecting certain information to see who does not have access to a laptop, to just determine what type of lab space will be needed to be open on campus.”

“In regards to students who do Dr. Gabe Willis not live in campus and have Wi-Fi Dean of Students concerns. I believe we’re gonna ask those students to communicate that to their faculty members—any challenges they might have, and then they’ll kind of have to work that out between their instructor and the student at the moment.”

Will there be any sort of refunds?

“Unfortunately, I don’t have the answers to questions related to refunds. You know, certain fees such as intramurals—those are good questions that we would have to consider. The thing about moving into an emergency type of plan is that you may not have every answer going into it. So, the thing that we have to remember is that we’re all anticipating the questions that are coming out.”

“You all are actually doing us a huge favor by posing these questions that we may have not considered fully because it’s new. It’s challenging to see the questions, but it’s also great to hear them because it allows us to work through the issues that we need to, so keep them coming.

We’re going to work through them as quickly as we can with the information that’s available.”

What advice do you have for students and faculty?

“I would advise to keep an open mind. Realize that the university is making the most calculated decisions with the information that we have. Believe that we’re operating with their best interest in mind and that we are working to transition the courses as quickly as we can. But also, be open minded about it. I know there’s a lot of unknown, but try to remain as positive as we can. Continue to ask the questions but also be patient at the same time” Additional statement: “Just know that I promise we’re acting with your best interest to certain decisions that are made. We’re doing it with the information that we have available, and we’re trying to be as calculated as we can. We’re working on getting information out as quickly as we can to decrease that anxiety. We’re working very hard to do that.”

Louisiana Update:

On Monday evening, March 16, Governor John Bel Edwards gave the following information regarding coronavirus during the press conference:

Cases: 136 Deaths: 3

Parishes where infections are seen: Caddo, Bossier, Ascension, St. Tammany, St. John the Baptist, St. Charles, Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, Lafourche and Terrebonne.

see CAMPUS EFFECTS, pg. 7

Pandemic causing concerns for Korean exchange students

Freshman Sori Lim shared her concerns as a Korean international student on the campus closures and transition to online classes. Symiah Dorsey/The Lion’s Roar SYMIAH DORSEY

that their visas and education will be compromised.

The university is home to two Korean With the national transition to online exchange students who are studying in classes due to the coronavirus pandemic, the United States under the J-1 Exchange exchange students have expressed fears Visitor program. Students with a J-1 visa Staff Reporter

Weather

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are registered for a “full course of study,” which does not allow online classes to count towards full-time enrollment.

According to the University of Washington’s summary of the visa’s regulations, part-time studies can jeopardize a student’s stay in the United States and make him or her ineligible for J-1 student benefits.

Sori Lim, a standing freshman exchange student and English major, expressed her concerns when she first heard about the disbandment of face-toface classes.

“I’m supposed to study here for a year, but if coronavirus doesn’t disappear, I might have to go back because of my visa,” said Lim. “Online classes, I can’t issue my visa. It is only face-to-face.”

Although Lim is hoping to receive exceptions to the full-time enrollment requirement, the period of uncertainty has caused worry among her family.

“Life is unexpected,” said Lim. “My family is really worried about me.”

Lim also shared concerns that her campus experience will not compensate

for the money she paid.

“I spent a lot of money to get here,” explained Lim. “My airplane was $2,000 roundtrip, and I paid $5,500 for my meal plan and dormitory, and my insurance was $600. It cost $600 to issue my visa.

So, I spent more than $8,000, and now it’s online classes.”

Even with the possibility of accomodations, Lim shared how the pandemic will affect her learning and living experience on campus.

“I’m really sad because I really want to learn English face-to-face,” said Lim. “I wanted to travel. Actually, I was supposed to go to Chicago over spring break, but now I can’t. I usually go to the gym every weekend or at least three times a week, but it’s closed. So, I have nothing to do.”

Hyunseok Cho, a foreign exchange student and standing freshman engineering major, shared similar grievances about how the pandemic has impacted his exchange student experience.

“It took everything—my friends, my studies,” said Cho. “The gym and the swimming pool—a lot of things are

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News..........................................2 Campus Life.................................3 Campus Life.................................4

Opinions.....................................5 Sports & Fitness...........................6 News..........................................8

closed because of the pandemic.”

Cho shared what his options were if he chose to return to South Korea.

“When this situation broke out, my coordinator in South Korea at my university, she sent me an email saying that it’s not yet mandatory for me to come back to South Korea, but if you want, and if you worry about pandemic, you can come back,” explained Cho. “But for me, for my program, if I chose to go back to South Korea, I have to do more things.”

On March 16, Lim visited the International Services Office to discuss her J-1 visa.

“They extended my visa date until January,” said Lim. “Because I applied before coronavirus started, my visa application was already going on before the online classes started. So, I can remain here, but students who want to extend their visa now, they might not be able to.”

Any international students concerned with their visa or quality of campus life are encouraged to visit the International Services Office in North Campus Main Building Room 113.

Stay Connected With Us! Like and follow @lionsroarnews.

Volume 91, Issue 24 A Student Publication www.lionsroarnews.com lionsroar@southeastern.edu

PAGE 2 | MARCH 17 , 2020

The Lionʼs Roar | CAMPUS LIFE

Library remains open but events are cancelled MAGGIE TREGRE STAFF REPORTER

Several events related to the Sims Memorial Library have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Women’s Suffrage Centennial Exhibition Opening at the library on March 16 and the “Let’s Talk Art” lecture presented by Anna Dow at the Contemporary Art Gallery on March 18 have both been cancelled.

Neither event has been rescheduled yet.

The Friends of Sims Library also had to cancel their annual Members’ Tea, which was set to take place on March 14.

Eric Johnson, director of Sims Library, released a statement addressing the cancellations.

“Following the example of many other universities as well as museums, Broadway theaters, music festivals and any places and events where sizable crowds would gather with people in close proximity, for the time being Southeastern is curtailing those events that could promulgate the spread of the coronavirus,” said Johnson.

“We’ll watch and see when it would be safer to hold our Tea or another similar event at some point in the future.”

The Sims Memorial Library will remain open and continue to offer computer lab services, book checkouts and non-event Despite these cancellations, the library will remain open and available to students during its usual hours. of related services. PRAKRITI ADHIKARI/THE LION’S ROAR operation.

Affordable professional headshots available for students JACOB LOFTON STAFF REPORTER

like that can really get you off to a good start.”

While Alford had the idea that headshots would be useful to students, it was not until he pitched the idea to a photographer that he thought the idea was feasible.

“I pitched it to a friend, Catherine Masters,” said Alford.

“She’s a local photographer. She loved the idea. Part of her passion of photography is having someone see themselves in a photo, like Matthew Alford. COURTESY OF ALFORD a really nice photo for the can do to kind of separate first time, so she was really yourself because, you know, passionate about that part of it. the job market is tough. It’s hard to stand out when so many people have degrees and so many people have similar job experience. Just one little thing

C RIME Log

“Especially something like LinkedIn, a place where professional - I guess it’s not social media, but a professional networking site platform,” said Alford. “I’ve seen students use it for things like portfolios and things that they’re working on, especially students that are in more creative classes and majors where they have to submit works like that.”

For interested students, Alford’s team uses an online sign-up to reserve sessions.

The university’s Phi Beta

Organizational CATHOLIC STUDENT ASSOCIATION – All CSA meetings and events have been postponed until in-person classes resume.

Date/Time, Locations, and Nature of the Incident for the Crime Log are compiled by The Lion’s Roar from the Daily Crime and Fire Report provided by the University Police Department 2/23/2020 �� 11:00 PM - O��-C����� - S����� A������ 3/2/2020 �� 6:05 PM - C����� L�� - V������ B������� 3/3/2020 �� 9:03 PM - N���� O�� S����� P��������� �� M�������� 3/3/2020 �� 9:40 PM - T��������� H��� L�� P��������� �� M�������� 3/3/2020 �� 1:57 PM - M�C������ H��� L�� V������ B������� 3/3/2020 �� 10:50 PM - C����� L�� - V������ B������� 3/4/2020 �� 3:05 PM - V������ L�������� H��������� 3/4/2020 �� 3:05 PM - V������ L�������� H��������� 3/4/2020 �� 11:35 PM - C������� N����� H��� R�������� A���� F�������� 3/5/2020 �� 10:27 AM - SGA C������ L�� T������ C���� 3/5/2020 �� 2:15 PM - P���� H��� L�� - T������ C����

I liked it for the professional development part, and she said, ‘Yeah, let’s try it.’”

The project took off larger than Alford had anticipated, and it has evolved into a service he provides every semester.

“We filled up, I think, the first semester I think we did 40 or 50 little mini sessions, like a 10 or 15 minute session, and as soon as I got back to campus the next semester, they said, ‘Hey, are you doing it again?’” shared Alford.

Alford shared that the photos are useful for more than just job applications.

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see ALFORD, pg. 7

News

An economics professor has been providing students an opportunity to get professional headshots for $20.

Since the spring of 2016, Matthew Alford, instructor in the College of Business and Management, has been teaming up with local photographers Catherine Masters and Katie Charbonnet to provide affordable headshots for students and faculty.

The idea for the project arose when Alford was grading assignments that required students to give information about themselves. One of the assignments had a professional headshot attached to it, which

caught Alford’s eye.

“I kept thinking about it and I thought, ‘You know, if a really nice picture made me give this person a second look, if it got my attention, maybe that could work for a student,’” said Alford. “Somebody that’s on the job market, somebody that’s not established and maybe doesn’t have a reputation or a big network built.”

Alford emphasized the importance of a first impression and how often a picture can play a larger role in the job application process than many would expect.

“Visuals are important,” said Alford. “Make sure it’s a nice photo that you have because it does matter. That’s just one little thing that you

Arts & Entertainment | The Lion’s Roar

March 17, 2020 | Page 3

Sims Library director retires after 23 years ELANA GUILLORY Staff Reporter

After overseeing Sims Memorial Library for over two decades, the director is preparing to pass the torch.

Eric Johnson, director of Sims Memorial Library, is retiring this semester after 23 years at the university.

The Connecticut native decided that after 55 years of working in libraries, he is ready for a change in atmosphere. Johnson said he is satisfied with his time spent at Sims.

“I’m happy with what I’ve done over the years,” said Johnson. “I’m convinced that we provide the best academic library in the state, and I think it will go on very nicely with the new director. I’ve done my part.”

Johnson’s interest in libraries began when he started working at his high school library.

While working toward his bachelor’s degree in English education at Southern Connecticut State University, Johnson filled in for library workers at Yale University.

“There were 14 floors of books, and every other floor had a person who would get books for people that they wanted and send them down on a dumbwaiter,” described Johnson. “I would fill in for people who went on vacation.”

At the time that Johnson obtained his bachelor’s in English education, English teachers were not in high demand, and he had trouble landing a teaching job.

Johnson then decided to get a job at the Yale Arts and Architecture Library.

“At that time, a friend of mine, who had been in the same situation as me, said, ‘You know, we’ve worked at the library for a number of years,’” reflected Johnson. “‘Maybe we should get a library degree.’ It’s like a light bulb went on.”

Johnson then went on to attain a Master of Library Science and build his resume of library positions, including reference librarian at the University of New

“I’d never been to Louisiana before, do I really want to do this?” said Johnson. “And then I thought, ‘Who knows? Maybe I’ll like the area.’ So, I came down here for two and a half days, and on the way back, I said, ‘I want that job.’ I loved this library. I loved the people that were working here at the time. I loved the person who I would be working for.”

Johnson began working as assistant director of Sims in 1996 and became director in 2003. He described his duties as library director.

“What I do is manage a group of people who manage smaller sections of the library, so I don’t need to be an expert on what that area is, but I need to be able to hire someone who is an expert on that area,” shared Johnson. “Budgeting, personnel issues, setting policies, determining collections.”

Johnson noted many changes in the library involving the increase in technology use and the ways students conduct research.

“It’s a lot more self-driven,” said Johnson. “You use Google, databases - you use the librarian now to help you pick out databases or show you how to use them.”

The director described his plans upon retiring.

“Travel more, international travel - once this coronavirus is done,” stated Johnson. “London. I’d love to go places I’ve never been - Wales, Ireland, Paris again.”

Johnson shared his love of people and service as the reason he loved his job.

“I like helping people,” mentioned Johnson. “This was not only a mix of talking to people, but also helping them find things. It’s the service part that I like. I love when someone comes into the library Library director Eric Johnson is retiring this semester after 23 years at the university. “I’m happy with what I’ve done over and gets the information that they need. That’s why the years,” said Johnson. Elana Guillory/The Lion’s Roar libraries are here.”

According to Johnson, the job title has only Haven for 11 years and director of a smaller school in He received an invitation to apply for assistant recently been made available, and the university is Waterbury, Connecticut. director at Sims and was initially hesitant. now in search for another director.

How to ensure your FAFSA is filled out correctly DYLAN MECHE Staff Reporter

With the 2020 spring semester reaching its halfway point, several students are beginning to fill out the FAFSA. Students may find it difficult to fill out the correct information.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (better known as FAFSA) is a federal form in which students can apply for financial aid. The 2020-2021 FAFSA form has been available on studentaid.gov since Oct.1 of last year.

To receive any type of financial aid, students must fill out the FAFSA form for each academic year. Due to limited funds, the Office of Financial Aid

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A pesky health problem should clear up soon. Meanwhile, travel -- both for personal as well as for business reasons -- is strong in the Aries aspect this week, and well into the next.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Look for Bovines to be on the move this week, whether it’s traveling for fun or for business. Other “moves” include workplace adjustments and, for some, relationship changes.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Geminis who have just gone through a hectic period involving job and/or family matters might want to take some well-earned time out to relax and restore those drained energy levels.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A romantic situation seems to have stalled, just when the Moon Child was expecting it to go forward.

Could that be a bad case of miscommunication going on. Talk it over openly and honestly.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Showing a genuine interest in something that’s important to a friend, family member or colleague could open a communication line that had been pretty much shut down for a while.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Making a potentially lifechanging decision takes as much knowledge as you can gather, plus determination and patience. Take your time working it out. Don’t let anyone rush you.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22)

recommends students fill out the form as soon as possible.

Before filling out the FAFSA form, it is recommended that students create a Federal Student Aid ID. According to the Federal Student Aid website, creating an ID before filling out the form will make the process easier.

“While you can get your FSA ID as you’re completing the FAFSA form online, getting it ahead of time and using it to begin your FAFSA form on fafsa.gov or on the myStudentAid mobile app cuts down on errors and delays,” stated the website.

Students will need the following documents to fill out the form: social security card, driver’s license, W-2 forms, Federal Income Tax Returns, You should be back on schedule and heading in the right direction after clearing up a misunderstanding. But there could still be some setbacks. If so, correct them immediately.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A business matter keeps you pretty busy, but try to squeeze in time to be with family as well as close friends. You need the good vibrations you get from people who care for you.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Investing in an attractive prospect (business or personal) with little or no information can be risky. Avoid future problems by getting all the facts before you act.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Someone close to you might have an unexpected reaction to a decision you feel you’re prepared to make. Listen to his or her point of view. It could prove to be surprisingly helpful.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Don’t give up yet. That once warm, personal relationship that seems to be cooling off fast could recover with some tender, loving care, and who better than you to provide it?

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Career matters are strong this week.

You might want to enter a training program to enhance your skills. Also, consider getting professional help in preparing a brilliant resume.

BORN THIS WEEK: You have a way of respecting the feelings of others, which is one reason people feel comfortable having you in their lives. (c) 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

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records of any scholarships or grants or any bank statements and any mortgage information.

If the student is not a U.S. citizen, they will need to provide proof of permanent resident status.

Questions asked on the FAFSA form pertain to a student’s financial situation and are used to determine aid needed.

Oftentimes, students can encounter problems while answering these questions and filling out the form.

Katie Delaneuville, financial aid counselor, detailed some of the most common problems students encounter while filling out the FAFSA involve either misunderstanding what the form is asking or listing incorrect or incomplete information.

“For example, one problem I see often is that students put their parent’s income when asked for their income,” said Delaneuville.

“Some other issues are students completing the parent portion of the FAFSA and the parent wouldn’t sign the FAFSA. That’s a big issue to fix on our side because it can take a couple of days to fix.”

Studentaid.gov provides resources for students as they fill out their FAFSA forms. The Office of Financial Aid recommends that students fill out the form as soon as possible due to limited funds . Gerard Borne/The Lion’s Roar According to Delaneuville, the best way to ensure students are filling out the correct information on their FAFSA is to utilize the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. This service directly links tax returns to the FAFSA. “That saves a lot of time for them having to look on their tax returns and see what goes where.

It also saves a lot of time when the FAFSA gets to us, because

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students are less likely to be selected for verification from the Department of Education since the information is coming directly from the IRS,” explained Delaneuville.

With the abundance of information that must be put onto the form, Delaneuville advises students to enter the information carefully and be vigilant for any errors.

“Just double-check everything you are putting onto the form,” said Delaneuville. “You probably think I don’t see this often, but a lot of times, I see students’ forms that are just one number off their social and we never receive it and we have to troubleshoot what happened. Make sure all the information is correct.”

The 2020-2021 FAFSA form can be found on studentaid.gov.

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Page 4 | March 17, 2020

The Lion’s Roar | Campus Life

University Health Center is open for students MAGGIE TREGRE Staff Reporter

Following the university’s decision to move all classes from face-to-face to online, the University Health Center remains open and available to students.

Andrea Peevy, director of the UHC, stated that students with health concerns can still utilize the resources available to them.

“The University Health Center is open at this time,”

stated Peevy. “We do take walk-ins for upper respiratory symptoms. We ask that patients notify clinic front office staff if they have cough, fever, or body aches when entering the building. This is posted on the front door. If they have these symptoms we provide a mask and get them to an exam room as soon as possible. This is no different than during the flu season. We now have an additional screening tool to determine the patient’s risk for

exposure to COVID-19. We post accurate information from the Louisiana Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control on all our social media sites and our university site. We are not offering any new services.

This is a fluid situation and the UHC in contact with LDH and following recommendations and best practice per the LDH and the CDC.” The UHC remains open The UHC remains open and encourages students to notify the front desk workers if they have flu-like symptoms so they during its usual hours of can be treated more effectively. Symiah Dorsey/The Lion’s Roar operation.

Gracie United returns to downtown Hammond JACOB LOFTON Staff Reporter

A familiar business has returned to Hammond in replacement of the Anytime Fitness that closed down on Cate Street.

Gracie United, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gym, is moving downtown. Gracie United has previously kept a gym at two other locations in Hammond since 2003.

The owner of Gracie United, Rafael Ellwanger, recounted the gym’s history in Hammond.

“We were in the Hammond area for 14 years,” said Ellwanger. “We had our first location behind the Ra Shop across the street from the college, over there by the university. That was the first location in 2006. It was an 800 square foot location, and then we moved to the University Avenue right next to a place that used to be a kids’ party place in downtown Hammond.”

Ellwanger shared why the new downtown location is a good fit for a Jiu Jitsu gym.

“We’ve finally found a location right now, the

old Anytime Fitness,” said Ellwanger. “It’s big, kind of open, it was made for a gym, so it has the setup. It has bathrooms and it has showers, so it was an easy move for us to get a location that has all the setups for fitness.”

As of now, the university has a Judo club, but no martial arts student groups. Ellwanger described the kinds of difficulties there is marketing to university students with busy schedules.

“We tried several times to have a Jiu Jitsu club at Southeastern,” said Ellwanger. “We did have classes. Some of my students were there but you know how the kids, they are at the college, they’re in the first year stage, they have busy schedules.”

Difficulties also arise due to the type of students the university has. Ellwanger shared how the university’s status as a commuter college raises more problems with marketing businesses for students.

“Southeastern’s a commuter college,” shared Ellwanger. “A lot of the people who commute this way come from Slidell. One thing that we

noticed when we opened right across the street from Southeastern is that our classes are around 6:30, and kids are coming out of the college around 3:00 to 3:30 and they don’t want to stay and wait until the class starts at 6:30.”

According to Ellwanger, downtown tends to offer more traffic that would be marketable for the services of Gracie United. He elaborated on what made the downtown location suitable for his business.

“Downtown we can get the people that work downtown and having the possibility of having showers,” said Ellwanger. “We have a class at 6:30 in the morning and 11:00 in the morning, so people that go before work or during their lunchtime, they can exercise, take their shower and go back to work. I know that was a big plus.”

Ellwanger also shared that opening up in a smaller town like Hammond can be beneficial, as opposed to operating in a larger city like New Orleans.

“When you come to a small town, there’s not that many options, so people will choose free sports like football or high school things,

like football, track, those kinds of things and when you go to the private sector, you look at gymnastics, dance, karate and martial arts in general,” said Ellwanger. “So there’s a lot more to do. So I think there are benefits of being in a small town. People will choose something and there’s not a lot of options to choose from.”

Gracie United has a combined 30 locations between Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Ellwanger shared why he stays here in southeast Louisiana, although his status as a Black Belt World Champion allows him opportunities to leave.

“I have opportunities to leave,” said Ellwanger. “I have people asking me to go teach in Washington D.C., Dubai, Texas all the time, California, but Louisiana looks like home for me. I’m from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, and the people were nice like Louisiana, the weather is fantastic. I just wish we had beaches here. That’s the only thing that’s missing for me.”

Gracie United offers a free one-week trial for anyone interested in joining. The location is located at 117 S. Cate St. next to Music Express.

Humanities 401 to return for Summer 2020 JACOB LOFTON Staff Reporter

Students who need an additional humanities credit will have the opportunity to take Humanities 401 this summer.

The Department of World Languages and Cultures will be offering the course for the second time since its initial addition. The class will once again be taught by Jerry Parker, the undergraduate program coordinator/director of the Foreign Language Resource Center.

Parker explained what the course was like during its first semester in the fall of 2019.

“The last semester, it was about literally multicultural Louisiana,” said Parker. “So, what we did was we went through various themes in Louisiana history, culture, society and then we looked at those things through what has happened throughout our state. So, who are these individuals? How did they live?

How did they function? What are some aspects of their life?”

The class is also unique, as it is described as having a curriculum that will “change from semester to semester,” according to the university’s course catalogue.

Parker commented on what these changes might look like in the upcoming semester.

“Because it’s 100% online this time, I’m going to do virtual field trips,” stated Parker. “So with my other class, in lecture we did more conversation and we talked about certain things. In this class, they’re going to go to places online.”

Parker encourages all students who need humanities credits to consider the class, as it’s not just for foreign language majors.

He described the makeup of his last class and how he makes the class suitable for everyone.

“It’s everything honestly, across the university,” said Parker. “So it fills everybody’s need because what I do with it is there’s a research project in it, and I have the students geared towards their interests and their

Humanities 401 is offered by the Department of World Languages and Cultures. For the summer semester, the class will be 100% online. Students will do virtual field trips to places of cultural importance in Louisiana. Symiah Dorsey/The Lion’s Roar major. So, it’s kind of like an interdisciplinary criss-cross there.”

The course was created when the Department of World Languages and Cultures expanded their offerings with a new degree program. Since then, Parker has been the only

University responds to state-wide admissions changes MAGGIE TREGRE Staff Reporter

The Louisiana Board of Regents made changes to the minimum admission requirements for colleges and universities across the state.

On February 19, the board updated their minimum requirements after a request was made in 2019 for a full policy review.

The change was made in response to Louisiana State University admitting too many students that did not meet the admission requirements.

Anthony Ranatza, director of admissions, explained that the changes mostly affected nonresident students.

“The Louisiana Board of Regents did not make major changes to the admission criteria for resident students in the latest policy update released,” stated

Ranatza. “A few changes have been made to the International Admission requirements as for ways in which we can admit International students to Southeastern. Overall, our admission policies largely have not changed.”

Ranatza mentioned that the university will not see any major changes in its admissions requirements.

“The main changes include additional clarification and penalties for admission exceptions,” explained Ranatza.

“The effects of this policy change will be minimal to Southeastern as we have been consistently in compliance with our exceptions.”

According to the Board of Regents’ website, one of the changes that was made will allow students to be admitted to schools based on non-academic criteria.

“The policy changes include an opportunity for campuses to use demonstrated student success to petition for additional exceptions and penalties for Regents’ consideration if future violations occur,” the website states.

Ranatza explained how the university makes sure they are in compliance with the state’s requirements.

“Currently, Southeastern has increased admission standards above the BOR minimum standards,” said Ranatza.

“There are no current plans to decrease our admission standards. We are constantly reviewing data each year to make the admission criteria to ensure we are meeting our institutional mission to serve the students of this region.”

The Board of Regents’ updates will go into effect this coming fall.

instructor to teach the course.

Parker described his role in the course coming about creation.

“I had asked my department head, ‘Are we going to teach Humanities 401?’ because I’m also the program coordinator, so I was just curious about what was going to be scheduled,”

shared Parker. “She said ‘Well you do it’ and I was like ‘Cool.

Okay.’ That’s how it came about the first time.”

The class environment was described as less rigid than a standard classroom setting, with it being focused more on discussion, conversation and

research.

Parker noted what he liked about the unique nature of the class.

“As someone who does Louisiana studies, it was interesting for me because I got to pull obviously pieces of my dissertation out of it, some articles that I’ve written out of it as well, but also I was able to look at things that I myself had never studied,” explained Parker.

“I’d never just gotten the chance in graduate school to talk about them, or look at them. And then for my students, it was interesting to see them say ‘Wow, I didn’t know our state had so much.’”

Parker closed with a description of what he enjoyed most about the class.

“The chance to teach my students about their state,” said Parker. “Louisiana history’s a good course, and it does teach the history of our state, but this course is more than just a history course. I do talk a little bit about history, but I talk about everything.”

Opinions | The Lion’s Roar

March 17, 2020 | Page 5

It’s really no secret that COVID-19, more commonly referred to as the coronavirus, has caused economic concerns both domestically and overseas.

If you go Symiah Dorsey to any grocery Staff Reporter store, you might have a hard time finding the disinfecting products you’re looking for.

Rubbing alcohol? They don’t have it. Toilet paper? Depending on where you live, you might be out of luck. And don’t even bother purchasing hand sanitizer online, unless you want to pay over $25 for a bottle of Purell.

The coronavirus is having a direct impact on the economy, and the impact is so substantial that I begin to question what is actually causing people to strip the shelves bare.

According to Industry Leaders Magazine, in epidemics, 90% of economic loss comes from the fear of people being infected from the disease through contact.

Fear is driving the economic decline.

“Disney has said operating income could take a hit of $280 million after it was forced to close two theme parks,” stated

theguardian.com. “Ikea has closed all of its 30 stores in China, while McDonalds shut about 300 restaurants, 10 percent of its network in the country.”

People’s concerns are valid, considering that “between 291,000 and 646,000 people worldwide die from seasonal influenza-related respiratory illnesses each year,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, I can’t help but sympathize with the countries who are suffering from this economic impact the most, and trust me, it is not just America.

Shanghai Disneyland, the National Museum of China and even the Great Wall of China have all been closed indefinitely.

In the newspaper South China Morning Post, Jack Ezon, founder and managing partner of luxury travel agency Embark Beyond, shared that tourists are avoiding Asian countries that are relatively safe to visit.

“People are cancelling Sri Lanka and India just because it’s part of Asia,” said Ezon. “There haven’t even really been cases there, but so much is unknown that people are just staying away.”

Tourism is an economic backbone in many southern and eastern Asian countries, and the

livelihoods of many people will likely continue to suffer for the rest of year.

If you think the issues overseas will not translate over to the U.S. economy, you might want to think again.

“Over the next four years, it [Tourism Economics] predicted, the U.S. would lose more than $10 billion in spending from Chinese visitors,” according to travelweekly.com.

The economic impact of the coronavirus is an intertwined issue that will continue to affect the U.S. to some extent. Large American companies with global supply chains such as Apple and Walmart will inevitably be disrupted as factories continue to shut down.

Understandably, the nation is shifting their focus towards fighting off germs and bacteria, but I worry that their efforts are misguided.

Hand sanitizer is out of stock in pretty much every major retailer, and if you would like to buy some, your best bet is to purchase it from an individual seller who could charge you up to $150.

Excessively purchasing and using hand sanitizer will not eradicate the entire coronavirus pandemic. In fact, using too

Lojuanda Weary

Fear is more viral than the virus itself

much hand sanitizer can cause damage to the skin, making it more possible for germs to enter the body. Children are also more prone to weakened immune systems through the use of hand sanitizer.

I understand the abundant desire to be cautious, but when caution translates into excessive fear, we only create more problems for ourselves.

Teaching jobs are in jeopardy now that many schools have

Be careful what you put online As society continues to evolve, information is becoming more and more digitalized.

You might be one of many people worried about online search engines and/or social media keeping track of your data and using that information to filter advertisements that better suit you and your interests.

Brynn Lundy Maybe you aren’t too Staff Reporter worried about it, but you have still noticed how you get advertisements in your feed or on your computer screen about something that you searched up about a minute ago.

Don’t deny it. At one point or another, we have all waved/talked to the FBI agent on the other side of our phone cameras or put a sticker over our computer webcams.

Can you count how many times you entered

your email address, home address, phone number, credit card number, or even your Social Security number to a website, whether that be for online shopping or submitting a form of some sort?

I am not even close to being technologically savvy, which means I haven’t put much thought about being seriously concerned with this sort of thing. However, if search engines, social media platforms or data brokers are ever using my private information for any other purpose than increasing ad sales, then I feel that is definitely a problem.

In late 2019, DigitalGuardian.com formulated a history of data breaches, in which it presented statistics for trends in data breaches and exposed records from 2005 to 2014. Although numbers declined in 2009 and 2011, reports have increased before and in between those years and have been increasing

since. There have been hundreds of data breaches and millions of exposed records.

In a survey conducted by Pew Research Center, “91% of adults agree or strongly agree that consumers have lost control of how personal information is collected and used by companies.”

One reason why concern may not be as high as it should be is simply because people have much better things to worry about. Another reason may be that they do not truly realize that their personal information is being used by companies such as Google and Facebook, or how much of it is being collected.

There has been an incident where Google found a bug that released users’ information to the public, and Google neglected to share the issue.

see SEARCH ENGINES, pg. 7

Politicization of Supreme Court is a threat to Rebulic Throughout the past four decades, the decisions of the court have become the subject of increasing political debate.

Two rulings in particular, the 1973 Roe v.

Wade decision Dylan Meche and the 2010 Staff Reporter C i t i z e n s United v. FEC decision, have caused abortion and campaign finance laws to become huge political issues.

The problem with these rulings, besides the content of the opinions themselves, is that the court settled problems that should have been left to the legislative branch.

Article III, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution explains that the intent of the judicial branch is to settle controversies that arise between two or more states and between a state and its citizens.

It does not state that the courts should settle questions that have not been addressed by the constitution such as abortion and campaign finance.

Supreme Court decisions have now become de facto legislation rather than definitive answers to

constitutional controversies.

There is no better example of this than the current discourse surrounding abortion in our nation. The decision of Roe v.

Wade is the closet thing that this country has to a national abortion law. Because of this dynamic, those in the legislature wishing to change the law must manipulate the court to get their way.

Part of the reason that we have seen Supreme Court nominations become such political circuses is that politicians from both parties are fully aware of this dynamic.

On March 4, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke at an abortion rights rally hosted by the Center for Reproductive Rights outside of the Supreme Court building. Meanwhile, arguments for June Medical Services LLC v. Russo, a case that challenges a Louisiana law requiring doctors who perform abortions to have admission privileges, were being heard inside.

During the rally, Schumer commented that two Supreme Court Justices appointed by President Trump, Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, would “pay the price” if they ruled in favor of Louisiana.

I found that Schumer’s threat to two sitting justices was extremely inappropriate and improper, but unfortunately, his comments are just another example of the extreme politicization of the highest court in the land.

In 2016, the Republicancontrolled Senate refused to consider the nomination of Merrick Garland. In 2018, Senate Democrats tried to discredit the character of Brett Kavanaugh.

The political controversies and divisiveness surrounding both Supreme Court nominations have one underlying cause: abortion.

Regardless of your stance on abortion, this type of political maneuvering should raise concern.

When it comes to questions such as the legality of abortion, it is impossible for justices to be impartial on the matter.

This is why such questions are best left to the legislative branch, where an appropriate space is given for such debates to occur.

One needs to look no further than our current discussions surrounding abortion to see that our republic suffers when we grant the courts the power to make such decisions.

When a case regarding

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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.

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A single issue of The Lion’s Roar is free. Additional copies may be purchased for 50 cents in the Student Union suite 1303. Annual mail subscriptions are $35 within the continental U.S. The Lion’s Roar, in its print form, and associated online or digital 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.

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abortion is brought before the court, all objectivity is thrown out the window. The justices on the Supreme Court have basically become unaccountable lawmakers, undermining the role of our national Congress.

In theory, all three branches of the federal government should have checks and balances. The framers of our constitution did not intend for our Supreme Court to embrace judicial activism. The only possible way a decision that the court made can be overruled is if they do it themselves. Such a system was not indented for rulings that are treated the same as laws.

We as Americans have the responsibility to call on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment to restore impartiality within the Supreme Court.

Instead, people like Chuck Schumer are adding fuel to the fire by continuing this divisive rhetoric. For over 40 years, Congress has failed their constitutional duty to keep the court in check. As a result, the American people no longer have a say in what needs to be done concerning the most divisive political issues of our time.

Staff Editor-in-Chief - Jacob Summerville Copy Editor - Prakriti Adhikari Distribution - Samuel Townsend Office Assistant - Ashlyn Harris Graduate Assistant - Sean Haydel Administrative Assistant - Gemma Carter Coordinator - Lorraine Peppo Director - Dr. Lee E. Lind

closed down. People are less compelled to eat out, so smaller businesses and hospitality workers will suffer.

Reading this, you might find it counterproductive of me to present an economic problem without giving a solution, and I agree. I really do not have a direct solution to the economic crisis.

However, I can say this: do not let fear control the situation.

Do not spend all of your money stocking up for the next

Speak

apocalypse. The best thing we all can do is stay informed and take proper precautions to fight off bacteria.

It is okay to be cautious and to limit your social interactions, but we cannot stop living our lives, and we cannot continue shutting out our neighbors. We can take protective measures while also being informed.

If we want the economy to bounce back, we have to stop spreading fear.

Out

What are your thoughts on search engines storing personal information?

“It freaks me out honestly. Technology is just advancing so fast nowadays.”

Kennedi Jones Sophomore, Kinesiology

“It makes me paranoid when I think of food and a Chili’s ad is on my Instagram.”

Destiny Richardson Sophomore, Art

“I feel like it’s kind of inevitable at this point.

All of our information is online through social media and stuff. We can’t pick and choose anymore.”

Makayla McMichael Sophomore, Communication “I feel that it is an invasion of privacy and personal life.”

Makayla Taylor Junior, Biological Sciences

“I find it weird at times because it could make you feel like the government is watching me and my tendencies.”

Bruce Joseph Sophomore, Communication

“I can understand the mentality behind it, but it still seems like an invasion of privacy and a little predatory.”

Hunter Welch Sophomore, Art

General Offices Student Union 1303 Mailing Address The Lion’s Roar SLU 10877 Hammond, LA 70402

Telephone Numbers 985-549-3527 (newsroom) 985-549-3842 (fax) 985-549-3748 (advertising) 985-549-3731 (Student Publications)

Like and follow @lionsroarnews.

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Page 6 | March 17, 2020

The Lion’s Roar | Sports

NCAA Grants extra year of eligibility to seniors NEW YORK (AP) — The NCAA is planning to extend the eligibility of athletes on spring sports teams by one year to make up for the season lost to the new coronavirus.

The details of how the extra eligibility will work are still being ironed out.

All three NCAA divisions would potentially allow another year for athletes in the 14 spring sports, which include baseball, softball, lacrosse and golf. The decision comes after the NCAA announced Thursday that its winter and spring championships would be canceled as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus.

Some, but not all, conferences have announced that their spring sports teams would not continue their regular seasons.

“I think for the spring sports athletes, its a good idea. I like the idea of some kind of a makegood there and that’s the way to do it,” Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman said Friday.

The NCAA Division I Council Coordination Committee sent an email Friday notifying schools of its intention. The proposal is expected to pass.

“Details of eligibility relief will be finalized at a later time,” the NCAA said in a statement.

“Additional issues with NCAA rules must be addressed, and appropriate governance bodies will work through those in the coming days and weeks.”

Freshman Karlee Wilkerson defends an attempt against Texas A & M Corpus-Christi on March 7 at the New Orleans Beach Volleyball Invitational. This was the university’s first season having a beach volleyball team. The Beach Lions finished their first season 0-3 under first year head coach Jeremy White. Elana Guillory/The Lion’s Roar

The NCAA needs to figure out logistics including scholarship limits, roster size and a few other nuances.

The association also is trying to determine what — if anything — it could do for winter-sport athletes. In basketball, many of the top players will have headed to the pros already, so granting another year wouldn’t do much for them.

“I am appreciative that the NCAA is now considering the impact on student-athletes not having a postseason in women’s basketball,” Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said in a statement. “It is still my hope that if the current situation improves, the NCAA will make every effort to revive the championship this year. If not, I hope they give serious consideration for seniors to have

an additional year of eligibility.”

Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said he plans to push for legislation that would allow seniors to return to school and for roster exemptions that would help make it happen.

“I think any senior who had a championship opportunity taken away because of this should get another year,” he said Friday. “I don’t know if the NCAA will

take that up. But you have track athletes, you have gymnasts, you have swimmers and divers, and basketball, that what they worked for all year was taken away. I think we should give those kids another year. Whether that happens or not, I don’t know.

“Yeah, we’ll have that conversation,” he said. “That makes a lot of sense and it’s the humane, fair thing to do.”

North Carolina lacrosse attacker Katie Hoeg, who is a two-time All-American and the school’s all-time leading scorer, has a teaching and coaching job lined up after she graduates this spring. She said she will make arrangements to return for some grad courses and play lacrosse next year if she’s allowed.

“I’m choosing my passion,” Hoeg said. “I can’t imagine ending my lacrosse career the way this season is going. I was pretty hopeful this would be a possibility. I’m really excited this decision has been made. It’s such a weird circumstance. This has never happened before. It would be pretty unfair to have our careers or have this year taken away from us. I do agree with their decision because of the circumstances.”

The Ivy League, which hasn’t allowed athletes to pursue a fifth year at their schools in the past, said it is “working with our schools to identify and consider various issues, including those related to the ongoing eligibility of senior spring studentathletes.”

The NCAA also informed schools on Friday that a recruiting dead period is now in effect through April 15, banning all on-campus visits for recruits and off-campus recruiting travel for coaches.

AP Sports Writers Mark Long and Eric Olson contributed to this report.

COVID-19 cuts Lady Lions’ basketball championship run short DANIEL MCCLAIN Staff Reporter

As the women’s basketball team warmed up for the Southland Conference Tournament, word had been confirmed that the game would be postponed. Later on, the Lady Lions faced the hardship of having the tournament itself cancelled.

With the tournament cancelled, five of the Lady Lion’s careers were cut short.

Tyler Morrison, a senior guard, spoke on the emotions shared throughout the team once they learned about the cancellation.

“Honestly, hearing about the decision wasn’t something that was easy to take in,” commented Morrison. “It hurt, bad. To know my senior year was cut short after working so hard for four years to make it to the tournament was not something easy to swallow. No one took it lightly and it’s something that will stick with us forever. I am just super blessed to be a part of a team and fan base with strong bonds to where everyone was able to come together and get through it as best as we could.”

Many people have different views on the pandemic. Many fear it and want to take precautions, but others feel this is a bit over exaggerated.

Head coach Ayla Guzzardo shared her concerns about the outbreak.

“I can’t really speak on the virus itself,” said Guzzardo. “I’ve done research and talked to a lot of people about it, and it is scary to think about how easy it spreads.”

Caitlyn Williams, a junior forward, had a slightly different This season was the first year since 2012 that the Lady Lions made the Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Lady Lions finished with a 12-17 view of the outbreak. record which was just enough to get the team the eight seed. Pictured is senior guard Charliee Dugas who saw her final season get cut short due to the COVID-19 “I feel like the virus itself isn’t as serious as everybody has Virus outbreak. Dugas finished her career averaging 10 points, one assist, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals for the Lady Lions. Jacob Summerville/The Lion’s Roar been making it out to be,” said Williams.

There were also conflicting views on the cancellation of the Southland Conference Tournament.

“I don’t agree with the decision to cancel the tournament just because of all the players that it effects, and I personally don’t think taking such a huge precaution in the sports world will change the rate of those who get the coronavirus,” shared Williams.

Morrison also commented on the cancellations.

“I can’t say I agree or disagree completely,” said Morrison. “I understand the health risk that came about after other tournaments began to get cancelled. I just don’t agree with being given false hope and allowed to warm up and prepare just to be told we could not play the game.”

“I do agree because it’s for the well being of the general public and my team,” commented Guzzardo.

Jabari Cyrian With the future of these players and coaches in the hands of Sophomore, Occupational Safety, Health, and Envrionment the coronavirus, Guzzardo is leaving all decisions to the NCAA. “Our plans for the future are up in the air,” said Guzzardo.

“Our future depends mostly on what the NCAA says for our sport.”

Women’s basketball is not the only sport on campus that has been cancelled. All university sports have been postponed until March 30. Morrison and Williams did not see eye to eye with this decision either.

“I disagree with the decision to postpone campus sports won FREE Papa John’s pizza because it’s unfair to all student athletes,” expressed Williams. for being seen on campus reading “I agree with everything being postponed on campus,” said Morrison. “A college campus is a definite place for things to get spread, so I think the safe thing is to cancel events/classes and wait until we learn more about the virus to make decisions of returning to our normal lives.”

With new cases of the coronavirus being discovered daily and more precautions being taken, all university sports will be postponed and all university classes will begin online sessions starting Wednesday, March 18.

06/31/20 06/31/20

THE LION’S ROAR

This week in Sports EDITOR’S NOTE: All National Collegiate Athletic Association sporting events have been postponed due to the recent coronavirus outbreak.

Arts

and

Entertainment | The Lion’s Roar

March 17, 2020 | Page 7

Keeping up with Miss Southeastern 2020 Janine Hatcher JORDYN FRANKLIN Staff Reporter

On Nov. 22, Janine Hatcher was crowned Miss Southeastern Louisiana University 2020.

A tradition dating back to the 1970s, Miss Southeastern is an important fixture on campus.

She represents all things green and gold everywhere she goes.

Hatcher launched her reign as Miss SLU on Jan. 22 with the start of the spring semester.

Hatcher shared how her first semester has been going thus far.

“I’ve been doing a lot of work in my social initiative, mentorship and visiting schools,” said Hatcher. “Just interviews and doing events and fundraising. It’s been a lot of fun. I receive nothing but support from the community, so I’m appreciative of that. I’m just trying to do everything possible that I can to leave the mark that I want to leave here.”

Hatcher explained that, on top of her work as Miss SLU,

“I stay reenergized and remotivated and encouraged with the things that I’m doing everyday,” said Hatcher. “To push the agenda I’m trying to push, and just being in this role of leadership. It’s been a very rewarding experience.”

Hatcher shared what the most challenging aspect of being Miss SLU has been so far.

“The main thing that would probably be a challenge is— like I said, my schedule is really tight, so making sure that I’m managing my time and that I’m being efficient, being proactive, just doing things,” explained Hatcher. “You know, the night before, doing small things to get myself ready for events I have the next day, and still keeping in mind that studies are a priority.”

While time management and Janine Hatcher, Miss Southeastern 2020, is halfway through the first semester of her reign. Pictured is Hatcher with her juggling various commitments family backstage after being crowned at the pageant on Nov. 22. Brynn Lundy/The Lion’s Roar can be an issue, Hatcher has found the experience to be she is also enrolled in seven days consist of going to classes, visiting schools around the city gratifying. One thing she enjoys most is getting to talk courses at the university. Her interviews, mentorships, and much more.

to and encourage Hammond’s youth.

“I love going to the schools and getting to talk to the students and seeing their reactions and hearing things they have to say, getting to see the programs they put on as well,” said Hatcher. “I’m so young myself, but the youth— that’s our future. You have to encourage these students and help them realize that there’s a lot they can do—they have so much potential, and so it’s our job to encourage them and pull out that potential so they can recognize it themselves.”

Hatcher has also been preparing for the Miss Louisiana pageant that will be held in June. She is in the process of setting up mock interviews with different faculty members and practicing impromptu questions with her family.

“This is a lifelong journey,” said Hatcher. “I’m just being the best Janine I can be everyday.”

A new project will transform two downtown city blocks BRYNN LUNDY Staff Reporter

The Hammond Downtown Development District has been preparing for a new project that will seek volunteers to revitalize and transform two city blocks.

“Build a Better Block” was scheduled to take place over two days, Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21, but was postponed.

On the first day of the event, volunteers will help paint bike lanes and crosswalks, refurbish vacant lots and buildings, install a dog park, clean up the area around South Cypress Street and more. Day two’s festivities will

include a Block Party to celebrate the completed work.

Chelsea Tallo, executive director for Hammond’s DDD, shared that a former intern from the university, now a current employee, reached out with the idea of bringing this event to the city.

Tallo explained that the Better Block event is new to Hammond but is an existing project that other communities have completed before.

“Small towns around the country have installed Better Blocks, and we just felt like it was our time to make a difference,” said Tallo. “This is nothing like we’ve ever done, but we’ve seen small communities around the country have success with these types of events.

We’re excited to try something new.”

To plan for the project, the DDD has held four public meetings to discuss both short and long term goals for the community.

“Along with the temporary actions for the event, participants also came up with some long term goals like better sidewalks, lighting and drainage,” shared Tallo. “We need the community to come out on Friday to bring the place to life. We’ve got a lot to paint and a lot of yard work to do.”

According to Tallo, people of all ages can sign up to help out at the event.

Volunteers can bring equipment such as rakes, shovels, gloves and the like.

Tallo explained what volunteers

should expect from the experience whenever the event is rescheduled.

“Volunteers can expect on Friday to clean up the area, specifically the landscaping, install signs, install murals, paint concrete slabs, paint intersections and more,” explained Tallo. “Children can expect to help paint, make Downtown flags and more.

Volunteers should expect to really have a part in getting these blocks cleaned up.”

The Block Party will include all the work from the previous day on display, in addition to live music, vendors, food, a Chalk Walk for kids, the grand opening for Pedigo Furniture and other activities.

Tallo expressed her sentiments on how the Better Block event will impact the city and the community within.

“I think this event will show our community that we don’t need to wait for someone else to make a difference in our city,” shared Tallo. “We can greatly impact our community if we all do it together. All of the residents living in the Iowa District, the neighborhood southeast of Downtown, will have a cleaner and safer way to walk to Downtown thanks to what we’re doing for Better Block.”

Anyone interested in volunteering to “Build a Better Block” in Hammond can sign up at the link on Hammond DDD’s website.

Manchac Live will be replaced online by Manchac Writing Month GABRIELLE WOOD Staff Reporter Manchac Live will be replaced by Manchac Writing Month.

Each semester, students are able to showcase their talents of writing and singing through Manchac Live, a series of open mic events hosted by the university’s English department.

This year’s Manchac Live was scheduled for Thursday, March 19 in D Vickers Hall Room 210. However, as events on campus have been cancelled, there have been changes in plans. The Writing Center will be organizing a month-long writing challenge on social media to replace the event.

“In lieu of our traditional Manchac Live event, we will be hosting a month-long writing ALFORD

continued from pg. 2 Lambda chapter of Future Business Leaders of America, for which Alford is a sponsor for, shares the link on their social media, and the link will be shared through the College of Business’s social media as well.

Alford mentioned that the enjoyment for him comes from being able to see students enjoy

influence people to write, paint, draw, compose a song, or create using other mediums. This will, hopefully, be interactive with people sharing what they are working on and then we will share their posts to our Instagram and hopefully build a strong community through this process.”

Manchac Live was created as a platform for students to express themselves and practice performing for an audience.

“In past semesters, people have shared poetry, fiction related to the Common Read novel and music,” explained Devall. “Students have also read or performed pieces that inspire Students gather in the university’s Writing Center to share work and practice their skills. Some of their work is published their own art.”

The Manchac Review, in the Manchac Review and can be showcased at Manchac Live. File Photo/The Lion’s Roar previously known as The challenge on our Instagram page Writing Month,” shared Paige day, we will have a different Gambit, publishes a creative for the month of April: Manchac Devall, executive editor. “Every prompt for creativity. It can writing journal each year that their pictures and do something that might be out of their comfort zones.

“Doing something a little out of the box, getting to do something a little bit that you wouldn’t think about as being like a college type activity maybe, that’s fun too,” shared Alford. “But really, just when you see that little light bulb click, and they’re like ‘Wow.’ You get to see them have that experience, that’s the best for me.”

This Week’s Puzzle AnsWers

SEARCH ENGINES

continued from pg. 5

“Google exposed the private data of hundreds of thousands of users of the Google+ social network and then opted not to disclose the issue this past spring, in part because of fears that doing so would draw regulatory scrutiny and cause reputational damage,” according to the Wall Street Journal in an article written in Oct. 2018.

Around the same time in 2018, Facebook experienced a security breach in which an attack on its network exposed personal information of almost 50 million users. This was a result of flaws and vulnerabilities in the software, according to an article from the New York Times.

Obviously, no one will stop using Google nor Facebook altogether, but incidents like these are warning signs to be careful what you share and how much

CAMPUS EFFECTS

continued from pg. 1

of caution because of this coronavirus, the conference has made that decision for us, and we’re going to abide by it.”

Dr. Claire Procopio, shared her thoughts regarding the cancellation of honors conference to Mississippi that was scheduled for March 1921.

“We received an email today from SRHC that they have made the difficult decision to cancel the conference. Many other states and universities have issued their own travel bans in an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. The Honors students and I are understandably disappointed that they will not have this opportunity to present their research, but safety comes first. With sensible precautions in place, I am sure we will have other opportunities to travel as a group and showcase the research of these impressive young students.”

Bordelon shared that if classes will still be held online until midApril, SGA will have the elections as normal.

“We actually decided today that the packets are still going to be due March 27,” informed Bordelon. “You can either turn them in at OSE, or you can just submit them online, and email OSE@southeastern.edu.

features young authors and artists. Students are able to write about fiction, poetry and drama to be considered for publication.

The Manchac Review also published a web-based version titled “The Manchac Review Online” for readers to access these written works. Aside from stories, students are able to submit songs and short videos for online publication.

Students can submit their work year-round, and those who are accepted must meet with an editor to peer review for necessary revisions. Submission forms and guidelines for the Manchac Review can be found in the “call for submissions” page on the university’s website.

The English Department encourages all students to attend or participate in honor of National Youth Art Month.

you share on public and private platforms.

Digital crashes and bugs such as these are examples of things that can happen at any moment.

Do what you can to minimize the risks, such as using private mode on search engines, switching up which search engines you use (don’t rely heavily on Google only), use antivirus software, change passwords on social media frequently and the like.

Elections will take place the same week, April 6, 7 and 8. It’ll just be completely online and campaigning will completely be social media based, and then we’ll just announce it through social media as well.”

Eric Johnson, director of Sims Library shared events put by the library have been postponed as well.

“Following the example of many other universities as well as museums, Broadway theaters, music festivals and any places and events where sizable crowds would gather with people in close proximity, for the time being Southeastern is curtailing those events that could promulgate the spread of the coronavirus,” said Johnson. “We’ll watch and see when it would be safer to hold our Tea or another similar event at some point in the future.”

Bordelon shared that even though the decision was tough to make, she thinks the university is moving in the right direction.

“I think there’s a lot of different opinions about it, and it’s scary, and it’s kind of hard to plan everything around it, but I think what our university is doing is good,” said Bordelon. “I think we’re taking the right action steps that are needed to make sure our students are safe first.

And then obviously the community is doing different things, everyone is adapting to this to make sure everyone’s not spreading it or slowing down the rate that it could potentially affect more people.”

Page 8 | March 17, 2020

The Lion’s Roar | News

Coronavirus impacts day-to-day operations

Shelves of toilet paper are empty at the Walmart store on 2799 W Thomas St, Hammond. Shoppers have been buying extra supplies since the outbreak of the coronavirus. On campus, the Office of Student Engagement has stopped providing free coffee,water, tea and hot chocolate in their office. Students are encouraged to practice good hygiene by washing their hands and using hand sanitizer often. Computer labs in the library and the Student Technology Center in Fayard Hall remain open, but measures are in place to prevent the spread of germs by encouraging students to not sit right next to each other. Prakriti Adhikari and Maggie Tregre/The Lion’s Roar