The Lion's Roar 03/30/2021

Hammond, LA

March 30, 2021

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

D Vickers Hall to undergo renovations

D Vickers Hall, an academic classroom and office building on campus, houses the departments within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Built in the early 1970s, the building is currently under the planning process for renovations to be done within the next few semesters. Brynn Lundy/The Lion’s Roar AUSTIN DEWEASE Staff Reporter

The long-awaited renovations to D Vickers Hall entered into the planning stages last year and are progressing quickly.

Over the course of 18 months, the university’s Facility Planning Department will modernize the building, which was first built in the early 1970s. Although not a complete rebuild, the renovations will expand the building’s footprint,

which will not be open during construction.

Since the spring 2021 semester, the project’s design development phase was completed and is now set to move into the construction document phase, which is to be

completed this fall.

Kenneth Howe, director of facility planning, said he is satisfied with the progress made since the design development phase.

He said, “The Design Development phase went very

well. We met and planned with multiple departments that will be directly affected by the project. The project has now been approved by the State Facility Planning and Control to move into the project’s construction document phase.

These are the documents that fully detail the drawings and prepare it to be bid out to general contractors for construction.”

One of the project’s main focuses will be the addition of studios and labs for students majoring in Communication and Media Studies. Department Head James O’Connor detailed what will be added in regards to communication students.

“Particularly for communication students, they will add several studios, which will be used in teaching for our television and multimedia journalism track. Also, there will be several more labs for video editing classes and a variety of other software that will be used for strategic communication,” O’Connor said.

Another goal of the renovation, according to O’Connor, will be to make the building more central to the university culture and life.

Windows are being added to most of the building for students to see the campus and the everyday life of campus. In the general area where students can sit and gather, there will be televisions that show the studios of communication students working and producing content, O’Connor noted.

Currently, there is no decision as to where classes and activities normally held in D Vickers will be relocated to during the renovation.

According to Howe, the project’s biggest challenge is renovating a building that has such a broad reach of use by almost every student who attends Southeastern. However,

see D VICKERS, pg. 4

Revived social justice organization plans for the semester BRYNN LUNDY Staff Reporter

The spring 2021 semester is seeing a revival of the campus organization Justice4All, a group dedicated to discussing and advocating for social justice issues.

It was established on campus in the fall of 2018 as a club that focused on criminal justice affairs. This semester, the club has been revitalized as a group that addresses any social justice topics brought to the forefront by students. J4A is currently planning for two projects: a police brutality awareness tabling event and a college major advising initiative.

J4A President Michaela Thorpe, a graduate student in the applied sociology program, described how the organization is transforming its goals this semester.

“The club is now moving forward with expanding the narrative from incarcerated citizens as well as other people who feel that justice has not been served for them,” she said.

Thorpe has been a member of the organization since its first year. She said former sociology instructor and club founder, the late Rebecca Hansley, encouraged her to join. Thorpe held down the roles of secretary and vice president before assuming the role of president this semester.

“One of the reasons I wanted to be president was just to get the club started and get it going again because, with the founder passing, I almost felt responsible to make sure that this club continues,” Thorpe said.

Sociology professor Rebecca Tuxhorn, one of the faculty advisors for J4A, said the pandemic restrictions have been an additional obstacle in attempting to get the club up and running again. Other issues revolved around paperwork for becoming reapproved as an organization on campus.

“In the beginning, we only had a few students left over from the original Justice4All group that had come back and were willing to try it again, so we had to start all over with the documents, and the paperwork and the application packet to be a student organization,” Tuxhorn said.

J4A Vice President Lynzeryus Railey, also a graduate student in the applied sociology program, took on a leadership role for the police brutality project committee. The group is planning a tabling event for the project on April 27.

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Justice4All President Michaela Thorpe (right), a graduate student, leads the organization’s meeting on March 24 in Fayard Hall. Senior Samantha Read, J4A secretary (left) , and the other members of J4A listen, take notes and participate in the discussion as Thorpe goes through the meeting’s agenda. Brynn Lundy/The Lion’s Roar “Just getting information out to the students, clearing up attacking police officers, and I think a lot of us want to clear up misconceptions about police brutality. A lot of people have that misconception,” he said. see SOCIAL JUSTICE, pg. 4 the idea that by raising awareness about police brutality, we’re Index

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Campus Life.................................2 Opinions.....................................3

Sports & Fitness...........................4

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Volume 92, Issue 21 A Student Publication www.lionsroarnews.com lionsroar@southeastern.edu

Page 2 | March 30, 2021

The Lion’s Roar | Campus Life

Computer science: A field for any gender HANNAH JUNEAU Staff Reporter

“Computer science is a man’s field.” This is a statement commonly heard in the world of computer science.

According to computerscience.org, women have only accounted for 13.6 percent of bachelor’s degrees in computer science. Researchers say that this percentage is due to the stigma behind women’s involvement in science departments, but women are working to break the stereotype.

Freshman Christina Hoover said she does not care that people think STEM is for males.

“I get men do it, but do I care? No. Nothing is stopping me from pursuing my interests.

All science is seen as a man’s field, and I like science, so I follow my dreams no matter what,” she noted.

When discussing the misconception that computer science is a “man’s field,” freshman Zoe Klein explained she completely disagrees.

She commented, “I don’t think it’s true that computer science is only for men. I think anybody can do anything, and when I hear people say that, it just makes me more determined.

Like, no, women can do this,

too. It’s not based on gender.

In fact, I think the women in computer science do better than the men.”

As a woman in computer science, Klein explained that she does not feel intimidated, but she said she understands how being the only woman in the class can be scary.

She shared, “It’s not ‘intimidating,’ but it’s definitely an eye opener when you go into a classroom and there’s five men, then it’s just you. I’m not intimidated because I know where I stand. To others, I think that it can very well be. At first, like when I came here, I was kind of worried that I was going to be the only girl in the class.

I found out I wasn’t, so I was happy.”

Klein shared that she became interested in computer science after her mom’s boyfriend encouraged her to pursue a degree in the field.

“I’ve always been interested in technology. I like math. My mom’s boyfriend would try to get me interested in it, and I never did until college started and I was like, ‘You know, I really don’t like these other things. I think I would really enjoy this.’ But for some reason, I wasn’t going for it. I decided to go for it because I want to make

video games,” she said.

Women in computer science have also become involved in organizations on campus.

Computing Machinery (ACM) President Lauren Pace shared details of her club and how it is different from the ACMW. She said, “There’s ACM, which is the Association of Computing Machinery and then there’s ACMW. We’re a chapter, and there’s a whole head branch.

It’s a student organization, so there’s student chapters. ACMW is for women, and ACM is for both.”

Not affected by the low percentage of women in computer science, Pace said she has never felt called out or awkward and does not mind being the only girl.

She said, “I never felt any singling out for my gender.

There are times where I am the only girl in the class, but I’ve never had that affect me. I’ve never had comments made about my gender. In my experience, I am not treated any different than my male peers.”

With her degree, Pace said she wants to become a teacher. She said she loves the atmosphere of teaching and wants more people to learn about the field

Zoe Klien, a freshman computer science major, is coding during class. According to computerscience.org, women have only accounted for 13.6 percent of bachelor’s degrees in computer science. Hannah Juneau/The Lion’s Roar she adores. program, so I want to teach or involved – even like running “I want to get my Ph.D. I research or both. I like the idea of ACM or sometimes giving talks. got accepted to the LSU PhD. teaching. I like the idea of being I like the interaction,” she said.

Percussion instructor to be featured on upcoming album

Phill Fest (right) rehearses with the University Jazz Ensemble on March 8, the day before their first concert of the semester, as jazz studies instructor Michael Brothers directs. Fest joined the ensemble as a guest artist for the concert. Brothers is featured on drums on Fest’s upcoming album “Cafe Fon Fon.” Brynn Lundy/The Lion’s Roar BRYNN LUNDY Staff Reporter

A member of the music faculty is featured on the upcoming album of jazz guitarist and vocalist Phill Fest.

Michael Brothers, director of jazz and percussion studies, plays the drums on Fest’s fifth album “Cafe Fon Fon,” set to be released mid-April.

Fest, son of Brazilian piano

legend Manfredo Fest, joined the University Jazz Ensemble for their first concert of the semester last week as a guest artist.

The percussion instructor said he met Fest around 2014 while doing shows at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre in Florida, Fest’s home state. In Dec. 2019, Fest reached out to Brothers when he was back in South Florida to invite him to join in

on the album’s production.

He said, “I was working on another project down there, and while I was going to be down there, Phill asked if I had time to stick around for a couple of extra days, that he was laying out the project for his new album and would I have time to do the recording sessions for him. I said of course.”

According to Brothers, Fest had never produced a

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Because SNAP is our nation’s largest and most effective source of food aid, that’s a big problem. Thankfully, in January, Congress made it easier for the millions of students across America to use SNAP while they’re in school. This is particularly important now, as record numbers of students struggle to make ends meet.

Recent changes boosted SNAP benefits in response to the pandemic, to $234 per month for a single-person household, and $430 per month for a two-person household, with higher benefits for larger households — more help than ever before.

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Brazilian-centric album despite his family’s Brazilian musical background. Fest described how that has influenced the creation of this upcoming album.

Fest said, “It’s inspired by all the infectious rhythms and melodies that are inherent to Brazilian music and, of course, some American jazz as well. I couldn’t really give one particular artist in general because I’ve been doing this for

a while and I just feel like it’s my own version of it.”

Fest commended Brothers’ skills as a drummer, a primary reason he offered him the invitation to record for his album.

“The timing was right, and we struck up a friendship.

He had invested knowledge and interest in the Brazilian genre, the type of music that I was recording, so it just made

sense,” Fest said.

On a similar note, Brothers said one of the reasons he accepted the offer was because of his appreciation for Fest’s skills as a guitarist. Brothers was also honored to have the chance to work with music written and recorded by Fest’s father.

“I enjoy working with him, not only on a musical level but on a personal level. And also that this particular album is going to be a Brazilian-centric album. Especially, the big attraction to me was a couple of the tunes were tunes that were written by his father,” Brothers said.

Fest said the album’s title is inspired by the name of a jazz club in Porto Alegre, Brazil, at which he has played many times over the past five years.

He said, “I’ve become good friends with the people that own the place and a lot of great things happened there for me, so it’s kind of paying a little tribute to them.”

Junior Chasidy Miller, a music major with a concentration in jazz studies, described Brothers as a oneof-a-kind teacher and said her experience as his student has been rewarding. She said he always encourages his students to go out and make connections.

She said, “The fact that he’s being featured on Mr. Phil Fest’s album is not at all a surprise.

He is so deserving to have been given that opportunity. He is already a wonderful teacher and instructor and so it is so cool to see him flourish in his gifts and talents. To say I’m proud to know him is a definite understatement.”

to participate in state or federally financed work study during the regular school year, as determined by the institution of higher education, or two, have an expected family contribution (EFC) of $0 in the current academic year, as indicated on their student aid report. These changes are irrelevant unless college students know about them, and unless they know how to access SNAP. You can find your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) on your Student Aid Report, available at studentaid. gov. If you have questions, contact your school’s financial aid office.

You also have easier access to SNAP if you are eligible for work study—even if you don’t currently have a work-study position. Students should contact their financial aid office to confirm your eligibility for work study.

Louisiana residents can apply for SNAP online, at www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/cafe and by mailing or faxing an application to the Department of Children and Family Services. You can learn more at www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/ snap-how-to-apply. College administrators and student groups have critical roles to play in getting the word out about SNAP access.

Financial aid offices can reach out to students who might be eligible for SNAP based on information in their files. Student groups can spread the word about SNAP to their peers.

In the future, Louisiana can also join the growing list of states that streamline SNAP access for students through hunger-free campus legislation. In the meantime, it’s critical that campuses help students now. Hunger cannot wait.

Daniel Mintz Policy Advocate Director of Safety Net Policy, Louisiana Budget Project

Opinions | The Lion’s Roar

March 30, 2021 | Page 3

Humanize their stories: Asian grievances matter On March 16, a gunman’s rampage resulted in eight people’s deaths across three different spa locations in metro Atlanta.

Six of the victims were women of Symiah Dorsey Asian descent, Staff Reporter leading many people to believe the attacks are linked to the global rise of anti-Asian hate crimes. While the evidence does not currently conclude the attacks were racially motivated, this tragedy’s impact is undeniable. I understand why Asian Americans are concerned; they have every right to be.

As I see headlines such as “Anti-Asian racism is leftist media’s latest lie” surface, one thing becomes abundantly clear to me: far too often, we overlook and over-politicize the grievances of Asian Americans.

The media tends to turn human suffering into a political sparring match, but we must not forget these incidents involve real people. Behind every statistic and breaking news story, there are real people whose lives are impacted by the rising chaos.

One of these people happens to be someone very close to me; her name is Jing “Annie” Wang.

Annie and her family immigrated to the United States when she was four years old. We met in high school, and not only is she my best friend, but she is the most resilient person I have

ever known.

Ever since Annie moved to New York for college, we’ve had some interesting phone calls.

“My parents fear that maybe I’ll be the next target because you just never know. You could walk into the city just doing your usual stuff, and all of a sudden you could get attacked or be

called all these names and labels.

It’s always in the back of your mind because you really never know,” she said.

According to a report by Stop AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Hate, 68% of 3,795 incidents reported to the center in the past year were incidents of verbal harassment.

Annie revealed to me that she is no stranger to unwarranted comments on her ethnicity.

She said, “When we were back in high school, I was definitely made fun of more than I talked about. They would jokingly say ‘you’re Chinese, you eat dogs and cats,’ and they would comment about my appearance a

lot. [A former classmate] would comment on my squinty eyes.

They premised things by saying ‘not to be racist,’ but it was definitely racist. There’s so many things a lot of people said.”

My friend Sori Lim, an exchange student from South Korea, also became the victim of verbal harassment.

While shopping at the Target in Hammond Square, Sori encountered racially-charged harassment for the first time.

“Last year, when COVID first started, there was a guy around 60 years old who stopped when he saw me and kept saying ‘China’ to me. It feels terrible because first of all, I’m from South Korea, and second, it makes the rest of my day so bad.

It’s overwhelming sometimes,” she said.

My friends’ experiences might not seem like a big deal to some people, and that is probably because we have become so desensitized to racism against the Asian community. The more we normalize stereotypes against Asian Americans, the more vulnerable they become to racially-charged crimes.

Every crime may not be racially charged, but if Asian Americans say they are experiencing an increased threat to their safety, who are we to minimize their grievances?

The victims who lost their lives in Atlanta were: Delaina Ashley Yaun, 33; Xiaojie Tan, 49; Daoyou Fen. 44; Paul Andre Michels, 54; Hyun Jung Grant, 51; Soon Chung Park, 73; Suncha Kim, 69; and Yong Ae Yue, 63.

Before we brush these tragedies under the rug of a political agenda, let’s remember these are real people with horrified families. It’s time to stop belittling their suffering.

Humanize their stories, and stop Asian hate.

United States border crisis: Save the children Foil blankets, metal fences, horrid smells and overstuffed rooms–sounds like a fun getaway summer camp, right? Wrong, this is the current condition of immigration housing for children at the United States and Mexico border.

After weeks of a historic influx of immigrants trying to enter the U.S.-Mexico border, the media has finally divulged the spotlight on one of America’s top problems.

Children are being taken away from their families as the rest of them are sent back home, Gerard Borne they are huddling under foil blankets and being Editor-in-Chief held in housing units in Texas crammed to the hundreds.

By no means necessary should any human being have to live this way, whether they be black, Hispanic, white or even blue or red.

The way that these children are being taken care of is animalistic and barbaric. Regardless of who or what is coming across American lines, they should not be treated in such a fashion.

Pictures of the current living conditions look identical to

those of a dog pound: cold, wretched and inhumane. Children should be worrying about whether they can play outside with their friends or if they should ride their bikes to the snowball stand, not worrying about when they will get their next meal or see their family again.

To even make things worse, President Biden and Vice President Harris are simply mishandling the crisis. When asked if she plans to visit the border, Harris laughed and said, “Not today, but I’m sure I will.” Being someone who loves to laugh and makes jokes, I’m still wondering what was funny about the question?

On top of the VP laughing at the “funny” situation, President Biden still does not claim that the current state of the U.S.-Mexico border is not a crisis. Biden said in a recent press conference that “nothing had changed” regarding the border. I am also trying to figure out how 15,000 children being stuffed in immigration shelters across Texas is not a crisis either. Any help anyone?

In addition to dropping the ball and trying to fix or moderate the current conditions of the U.S.-Mexico border, the American media did an even more laughable job at bringing the spotlight to the crisis. One may wonder “why is that?” The answer is simple, Donald Trump is not our president anymore, so situations like

these are not seen or heard of as often, but yes, they still exist.

Personally, I am not against immigration as long as they come to America legally. In all honesty, most Americans are derived from some form of immigration by their ancestors. What I am not for is separating families at the border and making innocent children suffer the repercussions.

Whichever side of the political spectrum you are on, we can all agree that what is happening at the border is unacceptable and needs to be fixed.

The politicians in D.C. need to combine efforts in trying to fix the issue. These are children, not animals, so let’s stop treating them as such.

As I sit here and watch countless news stories go by about these poor children, I can’t help to think to myself, “What if that was my family?” This problem needs to be fixed and it needs to be done so accordingly. Children are innocent and should not have to pay the price for poor handling of the situation by the government.

The way the current crisis is being handled is a disgrace and proof of how much change is still needed in our government, regardless of which party is in power.

Women’s History Month: Honoring my homegrown inspiration As a kid, when asked, “who do you want to be like when you grow up?” or “who inspires you?” most kids would say a celebrity or even their parents, but for me, it was always my sister.

My sister, Treasure Brown, has always been an inspiration to me and is one of the first women to help me understand what it takes to be successful.

Growing up in the same home five years apart has made it very easy for me to let her lead by example. I watched her through all her trials and tribulations, as well as her achievements.

Treasure has always carried me through each of my problems, even when she dealt with her own. She was transparent when she made a mistake and never created a false sense of hope for any of her dreams.

Trinity Brown This, in turn, always caused me to look within my own dreams and reality to Staff Reporter know the difference and figure out how to navigate between the two. Because of her, I know it is okay to fail or get hurt because sometimes that will happen. But I also know I must be willing to push harder and try again no matter the fear I may have.

She graduated from one of the top high schools in the state, Baton Rouge Magnet High School, with a pristine academic record. She went on to obtain her bachelor’s degree in biology from Louisiana State University on multiple scholarships.

Once she decided on a career in dentistry, Treasure was accepted into Meharry Medical College in Tennessee. She is participating in the F. Edward Hébert Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program. Students who receive this scholarship have their medical school paid for but must serve in the military after graduation.

As you can see, my sister has set the bar pretty high, and I think that in itself is every reason to use her as an inspiration to anyone who knows her credentials.

She is a kind and hard worker, but most of all, she has taught me to be resilient and passionate about all the endeavors I choose to pursue while she has cheered me on in the stands.

Even when I fall, I never have to worry about falling too low because I know my sister will be there to uplift me.

There is a phrase that Hallmark cards and sweet Instagram posts use all the time that usually says, “Sisters by chance, best friends by choice,” but in this case, we definitely never had a choice Treasure Brown poses at her white coat ceremony at Meharry Medical College. For Trinity, her bond with her sister has uplifted and inspired her. Trinity Brown/The Lion’s Roar because I always knew we were destined to be both.

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Page 4 | March 30, 2021

The Lion’s Roar | Sports

Last Week in Sports: March 23-March 30 GERARD BORNE Editor-in-Chief

During the week of March 22-29, the track and field squad continued to break records, with Jonathon Sawyer breaking the university record for the 400-meter race. The senior broke James Benson’s record, running a time of 45.35 which was set two days prior, as Benson set the record with a time of 46.05 in Austin, Texas on Thursday.

Track and field head coach Corey Mistretta talked about Sawyer and Benson’s performances over the weekend.

“It’s amazing how well Johnathon ran. That was his third 400 of the weekend, so for him to put that kind of performance together this early in the season is remarkable.

And James was fantastic as well coming back and repeating his performance from Thursday, so it’s exciting to see what our 400 guys can do as the season,” he said.

The indoor women’s volleyball team secured the No. 3 seed in the Southland Conference Tournament over the weekend and finished with an 11-4 overall record in the shortened 2021 season. The Lady Lions’ next matchup will

be on Thursday, April 1 against sixth-seeded Central Arkansas University or the seventh seed Abilene Christian.

Along with the successes of the track and field team, Lions baseball got back to their winning ways as they swept Southland foe Lamar University in a four-game series.

After dropping their second Southland series to Incarnate Word University, the Lions improved to 16-8 in the 2021 season.

As of March 30, the Lions are sitting at the top of the Southland Conference and will have an eight-game homestand versus McNeese State and Abilene Christian University.

After a 14-day break, the Lady Lions soccer team was back in action, facing off against Incarnate Word and Abilene Christian on the road in Texas. Both matches resulted in a 0-0 tie as the Lady Lions continued their unbeaten streak to five matches.

The Lady Lions’ next matchup will be at home against Houston Baptist University on April Fool’s Day, in which the Lady Lions hope to earn their fourth win of the season.

Along with the baseball team, the Lady Lions softball team knocked off Southland

rival Abilene Christian in a three-game series at home in North Oak Park.

Like clockwork, junior infielder Lindsey Rizzo led the Lady Lions with a pair of RBI’s in the final matchup against the Wildcats. As of March 30, Rizzo’s batting average sits high at .402 with seven RBI’s and 37 hits.

Pitcher Heather Zumo pitched a complete-game onehitter in the series finale on Saturday as the Lady Lions pushed to 17-13 on the season.

Zumo currently holds a 2.12 earned run average with 89 strikeouts and a 10-2 record.

After dropping a road game to Incarnate Word University in San Antonio, the Lions football team had a bye week as they prepare for their next game at home against Lamar University.

At 2-2, the Lions merely made the FCS Stats Top 25 squeaking in at No. 23 before their matchup against the Cardinals. Lamar is coming off of a 31-23 victory over Northwestern State University and will look to spoil the Lions spring playoff hopes.

Senior transfer quarterback Cole Kelley currently sits at fifth in the nation with a total of 1,532 passing yards in Frank Scelfo’s air raid style of Over the weekend James Benson II and Jonathon Sawyer both broke university records in the 400 meter race. The Lions’ track and field sqaud will be back in action on April 1 in Gainesville, Fla. Symiah Dorsey/The Lion’s Roar offense.

Lady Lions look to earn first ever Southland Tourney victory Lady Lions to their first ever Southland Conference Tournament Victory.

White shared what led the Lady Lions to their historic season after finishing with a 14-17 record in 2019.

“It was simple; players bought into our system early. They understood that the team needed to be built around defense. The girls understood what needed to be done and trusted the coaching staff,” White said.

The Vidor, Texas native shared who some of the team leaders were throughout the regular season.

“Arianna Hebert was a big contributor to our success this season. Crispin Adams was a big help this season as well at middle blocker. She was great on the defensive side of the ball.

Kailin Newsome was also an amazing offensive asset to our team. She was a great addition as a freshman,” White shared.

With no season during 2020, White explained how the elongated off-season helped prepare the Lady Lions for 2021.

“It helped our underclassmen tremendously to say the least. It gave them more time to understand our defensive and offensive schemes and helped give them time to learn everything,” White shared.

White was brought into Southeastern in 2019 from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and was tasked with turning the program around, a feat in which he accomplished in his second season by guiding the Lady Lions to their highest winning percentage in school history.

White guided the Lady Lions to an eight-game winning streak on the season, a feat which was also a school record.

“We were sound defensively and did a great job holding down opponents. We are not the most popping team offensively, but defense is our main scheme,” White explained.

As the No. 3 seed in the Southland Conference Tournament, Southeastern will face the winner between Central Arkansas University and Abilene Christian University.

White shared what the team needs to do in order to win the The Lady Lions volleyball team huddles up before their game against Sam Houston State University. On April 1, Southeastern will be back in action in the Southland tournament.

Conference Tournament. Maggie Tregre/The Lion’s Roar “We can’t come out flat like we did against Central Arkansas on Saturday. We need to do a good job of siding out the first ball because that will limit their chances of scoring,” White said.

GERARD BORNE historic 2021 season on Saturday, finishing with an 11-4 overall Tune into ESPN+ on April 1 to watch the Lady Lions in action Editor--in-Chief record. as they will try to earn their first ever tournament win in Corpus Second year Head Coach Jeremy White led Southeastern to Christi, Texas.

The Lady Lions indoor volleyball team wrapped up their its best record in program history and will also look to guide the For the advising initiative, Thorpe said they are in the process of developing and editing a survey as well as contacting people on campus that can help distribute the survey to Southeastern students. The initiative is aimed at helping students who struggle with choosing a major.

“I think some students have said that they’ve had a hard time deciding what they want to do, and once they’ve selected their major, they felt almost pressured to keep that without switching. We want to tackle policies about saying a student necessarily has to declare a major by the end of their first year and seeing about maybe a policy change,” Thorpe said.

Railey said the organization gives individuals and smaller groups on campus an opportunity to express their concerns, one reason he encouraged students to join J4A. “Everyone has different things that affect them, and I see Justice4All as a way to let everybody have a say. We don’t just take one person’s idea and run with it like other clubs and organizations might. We like to branch out,” he said.

Thorpe said, in addition to providing a space for important conversations among students and bringing awareness to issues of social justice, J4A shines a light on academic areas in social science.

She said, “I think some people think that it’s not a real science, that it’s not as important as a concrete science, but I think having these discussions and understanding where we’re coming from as social scientists is important to me as a person and I think the organization will be an important place to have those discussions.”

Those interested in joining J4A or finding out more about the organization can contact Thorpe at michaela.thorpe@selu.edu or find them in Fayard Hall Room 207 every Wednesday at 5 p.m.

SOCIAL JUSTICE

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D VICKERS

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Howe is excited to see how exactly these improvements will help students.

“It is especially exciting to know how the improvements to the building will not only improve the student experience but help transform the SGA Drive entrance dynamic much like the science and technology building enhanced the SE corner of campus,” Howe said.

On the topic of improving student life, Howe gave his thoughts on how this project will benefit students once it is finished.

He said, “The project will provide students and faculty with updated areas specifically laid out, furnished and equipped for the targeted learning experience. The facility will be completely remodeled, along with an addition to expand for much needed studios and classrooms.”