Hammond, LA
October 15, 2019
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
STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION, pg. 2
TYLER MORRISON, pg. 6
HOMECOMING WEEK, pg. 8
Austin and Magee crowned king and queen MAGGIE TREGRE Staff Reporter
The 2019 Homecoming Queen and King winners were announced during halftime at the Homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 12. Aesha Magee,a senior health systems management major, was crowned the 2019 Homecoming Queen and Keenan Austin, a senior biological sciences major, was crowned the 2019 Homecoming King. Magee has been involved in several organizations during her time on campus, such as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and NAACP. She explained that her preparations began well before Homecoming. “I have been preparing for Homecoming Court for a while,” said Magee. “I wanted to make sure that I presented myself in the most professional way possible.” Magee described what she
thought in the moments before the winners were announced. “Before I was crowned, I prayed to myself and reminded myself that the results, no matter what they were, did not define me in any way,” shared Magee. “I was prepared to be happy for any young woman that got the title. When I was announced, I was so overjoyed and could not believe it. I began to get emotional because it was such a huge honor.” Now that she has been crowned, Magee commented on how the title will affect her collegiate career and what she plans to do with it. “Winning this title affects my college career because it allows me to accomplish a huge milestone during my time here and it allows me to have a title that I will remember for years to come, even once I’ve graduated,” explained Magee. “It is a memory and honor that Left, Aesha Magee and Keenan Austin pose for a picture after being announced Homecoming Queen and King. Top right, Austin celebrates his announcement with Cedric Dent Jr., Homecoming King 2018-2019. Bottom right, Magee is greeted as she hears that she has been crowned Homecoming Queen. Maggie Tregre, Jacob Summerville/
see KING AND QUEEN, pg. 5
The Lion’s Roar
1 dead, 3 missing after hotel University earns social mobility ranking collapse in New Orleans GERARD BORNE Staff Reporter
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Hard Rock Hotel under construction at the edge of New Orleans’ historic French Quarter collapsed Saturday morning, leaving at least one person dead and three unaccounted for, authorities said. City officials and Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards confirmed the death. The building was under construction at the corner of Rampart Street and Canal Street, a broad boulevard just outside the Quarter, lined with restaurants hotels and retailers. Canal, which carries six lanes of traffic divided by a wide median where streetcars roll, separates the Quarter from the city’s main business district. WWL-TV aired and tweeted a viewer’s dramatic video of the collapse, showing upper floors falling on top of each other before one side of the building toppled to the ground. Another video on social media was taken by someone aboard one of the city’s famous streetcars as it approached the site while the building was collapsing. It showed what looked like a metal structure — part of the building or a piece of construction equipment — tumbling to the ground and people running from the scene as clouds of dust billowed up and around the streetcar, obscuring the view like a thick fog. Authorities say 18 people were taken to a hospital for treatment. All were considered stable. Edwards urged people to stay away from the area, which was still considered unstable. An unsupported crane listed away from the building site. As dust settled following the morning collapse, twisted metal, concrete pilings and other wreckage covered part of Rampart Street. “It was a deep rumbling sound,” Matt Worges, who saw the collapse from a nearby building, told The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate. “Like an airplane maybe. It drew my head immediately.”
Debris hangs on the side of the building after a large portion of a hotel under construction suddenly collapsed in New Orleans on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. Several construction workers had to run to safety as the Hard Rock Hotel, which has been under construction for the last several months, came crashing down. It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse or if anyone was injured. Scott Threlkeld/The Advocate via AP
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The university was recently ranked 108 out of 1400 universities in U.S. for its prominence in social mobility. The ranking was published in the article “Top Performers on Social Mobility” compiled by U.S. News and World Report. The university was distinguished as a top 125 school in the southern region of the U.S. The ranking evaluates schools that support students who have a financial underrepresentation and first generation college graduates. “Economically disadvantaged students are less likely than others to finish college, even when controlling for other characteristics,” said U.S. News. “But some colleges are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants. The vast majority of these federal grants are awarded to students whose adjusted gross family incomes are under $50,000.” Anthony Ranatza, director of admissions, explained how students with less support are
affected in college. “Everything in a student’s life can affect their studies,” commented Ranatza. “Just like a job, going to college is not easy and takes a lot of work. We encourage all of our students to find their balance in school and life. When students are struggling, reach out and seek help - from counseling to advising, tutoring to mentoring. Our faculty and staff are all here to help every student.” Ranatza was not surprised by the university ranking. “I think it is time we show our excellence to the country and be recognized for our success,” stated Ranatza. “As Louisiana’s third-largest university, our programs are constantly receiving national attention. Take a look at the number of rankings posted on the banners around campus. Our recipe for success is our core values: excellence and caring.” Ranking affects future enrollment at the university. “We take a lot of pride in great rankings,” commented Ranatza. “Future students want to attend a great university at an affordable price and these rankings showcase our success and commitment to our students. Being in
Real ID required to fly starting October 2020 DYLAN MECHE Staff Reporter
Airplane travelers will soon be required to have additional identification. Starting Oct. 1, 2020, travelers who wish to fly on any airliner in the U.S. will require an identification called “REAL ID compliant.” According to the Transportation Security Administration, a REAL ID compliant ID is any form of state issued identification that has been enhanced with REAL ID verification. The “REAL ID Act” was passed by congress in 2005 after the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, recommended that the federal government set clear standards for issuing forms of identification such as driver’s licenses, passports or military identification. The legislation prohibited federal agencies from accepting any form of identification
that does not meet the standards set in place by the Department of Homeland Security. According to the Department of Homeland Security website, the enforcement of the legislation took place in four phases since President George W. Bush signed the act into law in 2005. Ensuring that all U.S. citizens that board a federally regulated commercial aircraft have a REAL ID compliant form of identification is the final phase of enforcement. According to the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, identification that is REAL ID compliant are indicated by a yellow star at the top right corner of the driver’s license. In the state of Louisiana, every state issued driver’s license is automatically REAL ID compliant. Lori Ostarly-Ulfers, instructor of history, explained what the government is trying to accomplish by requiring REAL ID for air travel. “Some feel the government is trying to
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the top 10% of all colleges and universities is outstanding. Our job in admissions is to ensure more students learn about all of the amazing programs and opportunities which await our future students.” Ranatza believes that a student’s background should not affect their education and college experience. “All of our staff in admissions are here to help all students,” commented Ranatza. “Regardless if you are from a small town or big city, with persistence and dedication. I believe students can achieve their goals. Our job in admissions is to provide admission to qualified students regardless of social mobility. We want to see more students be successful and enrolled.” Other Louisiana universities that were recognized by U.S. News and World Report for being a social mobility school were Xavier University of Louisiana, Grambling State University and Northwestern State University of Louisiana. The list of schools ranked for social mobility can be viewed in the U.S. News and World Report website.
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set up a national database, but I have my suspicions,” shared Ostarly-Ulfers. “Maybe it won’t create one big database - just a bunch of smaller ones linked together to act like one big database. Those linked databases contain the amassed details of millions of identification documents necessary for air travel and access to government facilities.” Ostarly-Ulfers feels that nationally, the public will likely be overwhelmed by the need of new identification. “The American public is going to be confused by the issuance of this new identification,” said Ostarly-Ulfers. “Here in Louisiana, you do not have to worry about getting a brand new form of ID, but I cannot say the same for other states. Many may feel as if the government is taking control of more aspects of their life because of these new requirements.” Ostarly-Ulfers has also expressed concern
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