APRIL 26, 2016 VOLUME 87, ISSUE 26
’ 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
Sun shines for Big Event Services bring students and community together BY COLLIN GUEDON Staff Reporter
The Big Event was originally scheduled for Mar. 12, but due to the inclement weather that hit southeast Louisiana, The Big Event was rescheduled for this past Saturday, Apr 23. In contrast to Mar. 12, Apr. 23 was a beautiful day without a cloud in sight and university students took advantage of every second of it, serving the Hammond community by doing everything from free car washes to planting trees. “Its such an honor to work in the Hammond community and to be able to serve the community in which I go to school,” said senior social work
major and Associate Chief Justice of Student Government Association Jasmine Wilson. Wilson was not the only Southeastern student excited to serve the community. “My favorite part of the Big Event is definitely being able to help the community that has helped me so much,” said senior general studies major and SGA Public Relations cabinet member Myranda Triche. Another great thing about The Big Event is that it brings students together. “It’s definitely interesting whenever you put different groups with each other who don’t normally interact,” said
see BIG EVENT pg. 8
The Lion’s Roar / Collin Guedon
Sophomore nursing major Madeline DeLeon (top) washes a fire truck. Senior accounting major Brinely Giluso and senior phsychology major Lauren Snowdy hold signs for free car washes (right). Junior management major Brittani Leblanc (bottom, left) digs while senior spanish education major Micaela Lanus (bottom, middle) and sophomore biology major Brandi Baumy (bottom, right) plants a tree.
Bars now open TOPS funding requires raise in taxes on Sundays BY MORGAN LEDET Staff Reporter
The TOPS budget is still causing concerns for the university and its students. The proposed budget will go into effect Jul. 1. This budget would be cutting TOPS by 66 percent if it is passed. According to Governor John Bel Edwards, a $750 million shortfall in the budget has meant that he cannot fully fund TOPS. If the Legislature agrees to raise taxes this summer, then TOPS can get the funding it needs for scholarships. A fully funded program is expected to cost about $298 million. Edwards’ proposal could cut the scholarship by $183.2 million next fall and spring. After the cuts, it would only leave around $110 million for the program. Another concern is about the TOPS law. It states that the ACT
score required for the scholarship will automatically go up if there is a funding shortfall. If the cuts go into effect, the ACT score to receive the scholarship will be raised to a 26. This also means the number of students qualifying for TOPS would drop to around 17,400 students. Under this new proposal, no community college students would receive the award. More than half of the funding would come from tobacco settlement dollars. On the other hand, the state budget would have to pay $50 million to the program’s costs. Edwards describes the cuts as “very nasty” and is pushing lawmakers to raise the revenue in a second special session. According to Edwards, he is looking to a newly formed task force to craft more long-range solutions. The plan he has most recently discussed had to be balanced on the projected revenue available.
see BUDGET pg. 8
Opportunies provided at part-time job fair The Lion’s Roar / Jonathan Rhodes
Bar and Liquor stores like Crescent Bar and Red White & Brew (above) have been in Hammond for years and will now be allowed to sell on Sunday.
BY JONATHAN RHODES Staff Reporter
The Hammond City Council voted on Mar. 22, 3 to 2 in favor of allowing bars to be open on Sundays. This issue was brought to a vote last year in July and was voted down by the Council 3 to 2. “We are super excited about it and it is very long overdue,” said owner of Red White & Brew Todd Delanne. “I think it is the next logical step in progression for the city of Hammond and it is also an increase in the tax base which makes a lot of sense for the city and the state considering that we have so much trouble with our tax deposit.” Not a lot of business comes to the bars in Hammond on Sunday in comparison with other days, but having the option makes things a lot easier for bars. “Look at it this way, even if we do not do a huge amount of sales on Sunday, I still have to pay my light bill on Sunday, I still have to run coolers and all the other things are still expensive,” said Delanne. “On Sunday, I was just not allowed to generate any revenue to pay for those things. They expected me to earn it six days instead of seven and that is not fair for any business.” The main reason why the Council changed their mind on this law was in the interest of fairness. Restaurants, grocery stores and gas stations could sell alcohol on any day, while bars had to remain closed specifically on Sunday. “I like the idea that we have a choice to be open,” said Crescent Bar bartender Carl Hooks. “We want to be open the same as the restaurants and everyone else. We partially will not be open on Sundays unless it is a rare occasion, but we like the option.” Slowly Blue Law, a law preventing activities on Sunday, in Hammond has been decreasing and in this case, bar owners wonder what the purpose of this law was. “Hammond is commonly known as a family area,” said owner of Blackened Brew Avery Donze. “I do not quite know why they would allow a restaurant to sell alcohol and not a bar.
see BARS pg. 8
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BY IAN FISCHER Staff Reporter
After the end of semester, Lions will start spending their time working to save up money for the costs of the upcoming school year. Last Thursday, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the Office of Campus Career Services hosted the summer part-time job fair in the Student Union Mall in order to connect employers with these students who will be looking for work over the summer. According to the Assistant Director of Student Employment at the Office of Career Services, Brittany Bacques, the part-time job fair gives students an advantage they would not have had if they just applied online. “You get to meet with employers face-to-face and it’s sort of like a mini-interview at first,” said Bacques. “They’ll offer you a job application on the spot and you can fill it out right there. They’ve already met you. They’ve already done that screening process.” The summer part-time job fair is the second part-time job fair the Office of Career Services offers. The other one happens during August for students looking for a job to help them pay for the Fall semester. Freshman psychology major Erik Malick said the career fair was helpful in his search for a part-time employer. “Seeing everything out in plain view where I can just go to who I want,” said Malick. “No hassle.” Malick said he saw interesting employers, but he wasn’t finished exploring all of the options at the fair. According to Bacques, there were some new opportunities for student part-
The Lion’s Roar / Ian Fischer
Students and employers from the region connect at the summer part-time job fair held in the student union breezway. Movie Tavern employer (above) speaks to interested student. time employment at this summer parttime job fair. “We have two athletic clubs that have never come here before: Franco’s athletic club and Stone Creek,” said Bacques. “Both in St. Tammany Parish.” In and Out Phone Repair, the Movie Tavern of Covington and Triple B’s Cajun Corner, a New Orleans restaurant, are also among the new employers who participated in the part-time job fair. Bacques said there usually are between 30 to 40 employers at the fair and most return because of their interest in students the university has to offer to them. “Southeastern’s got great students, we’re looking for really bright vibrant
Weather Tuesday H 85 L 68
people to come out at Global and we definitely found a lot out here,” said the representative of Global Wildlife Center Amber Breaux. The Global Wildlife Center is a Wildlife refuge in Folsom for exotic animals such as zebras and kangaroos. Most of the employers were from areas where the university has potential students. They set up booths to engage the students who would be potential employees. Breaux’s booth had a photo album and antlers from animals at the Global Wildlife Center. To find out more about how the university can connect you to employers for the summer, contact the Office of Career Services at 985-549-2121.
Reminders Wednesday H 86L 69
Thursday, Apr. 28 is the last day to withdraw from term two classes. Deadline is at 5 p.m.