Hammond, LA
May 4, 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
On-air or online: The future of KSLU radio
Troy Granger, a sophomore communication major, is a studnet worker at the KSLU radio station. With renovations scheduled for D Vickers Hall, questions have arisen regarding the future of KSLU’s radio operations. Symiah Dorsey/The Lion’s Roar SYMIAH DORSEY Staff Reporter
While the renovations of D Vickers Hall have posed a promising future for the Department of Communication and Media Studies, the transition period has left many programs in a stage of limbo. KSLU, the university’s FM
radio station, is among those that will be directly impacted by D Vickers’ renovations. With the construction period ahead, the department must consider how to handle the satellite and terrestrial equipment needed to keep the station on-air. Department Head James O’Connor, PhD, said there are three main possibilities
for KSLU during and after construction. “They can either build around it, move it or transition to internet radio. Maintaining it while construction is going on--it could be anywhere from $25-80,000. When you’re talking about a 20 million dollar building, that’s really not that big. But, that’s not the
major consideration. The major consideration is the logistics of doing it. Is this a viable way of doing it?,” O’Connor said. In order to continue terrestrial radio operations, KSLU must also maintain its Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) licensing. O’Connor said the likelihood of maintaining the license
during construction is another area of consideration. “They would have to maintain operations. What we could also do is request permission from the FCC to power down during the transition phase, but we’re not sure how long construction would take. There are limits on how long you could do it,”
O’Connor said. Keeping student listenership in mind, O’Connor said the transition to an online format could be a viable option. He said, “It’s being looked at. The idea is that communication is moving digitally to internet delivery. The question would be ‘Can you build an audience with an internet radio station?’, and there’s a lot of college stations that have gone that direction. So, that is also an option. Terrestrial radio is a medium that’s on the wane right now, and that’s something people have to look at.” O’Connor said there are both pros and cons to KSLU operating entirely online. “The pro of online formatting is that you don’t have the expense of operation; it’s a significantly lower expense. But, the con of going online is that some people feel traditional radio is essential to the community and to the university because it’s been around for years now,” O’Connor said. Professor Amber Narro, PhD, is among those using radio to connect with the community. As the host of the KSLU community interest show Point of View, Narro said she believes terrestrial and internet radio can continue to coexist at the university. “I think there is room for both. We would be irresponsible if we didn’t try to enter the world of streaming, and obviously I support that
see KSLU, pg. 3
“Dark Skinned Pavement” shines light on police brutality
“Dark Skinned Pavement,” which was presented at the Vonnie Borden Theatre April 27-30, provides an inslight look into the lives of a Black American family who lost their son to police brutality. Written by TJ Young, the play features an all-Black cast. Kloe Andrews/The Lion’s Roar TRINITY BROWN Staff Reporter
Last week, “Dark Skinned Pavement’’ made its way to the Vonnie Borden Theatre stage, reflecting similar incidents from the past few months involving police brutality and protests. The play premiered from April 27-30 at 7:30 p.m. Written by TJ Young, the winner of the Inkslinger Playwriting Competition, the play highlights the grievances of a Black American family who lost their son to police brutality. Faculty member and director Anne-Liese Fox works for the theatre department and was pleased with the topic and attention that the play drew in on campus. “I just felt it really spoke to the times because we have been having a lot of incidents lately that deserve to be talked about, and his play really brought that out. It was so well written,” said Fox. At the performance on April 28, Fox invited the University Counseling Center and Justice 4 All, a campus organization that advocates for citizens regarding these types of issues in society. The panel of UCC workers sat in front of the stage next to two Justice 4 All members and explained how a person could cope with the feelings of fear and mourning. They encouraged people to stay aware of how they are feeling and to seek help as soon as they can. Sophomore management major Isaiah Smith played the character of Martell, the deceased son Weather
Tuesday H 84 L 70
who was shot by police. Smith shared how he felt trying to embody the character, saying he was, “Excited, but mainly nervous because I wanted to be a symbol that represents Martell because he is the representative of the people the police tend to kill. I even did research on multiple incidents.” Smith said he believes the play needed to be shown and thought it was an honor to be a part of such a movement. “The main thing that popped out to me was the Black cast and the police brutality, and that was a big thing that’s in society and it just resonates with me. I also wanted to portray that type of character because it looked like a very important challenge that I believed would really help me as an actor,” he said. Janai Stevens, a freshman English major, played the role of Shay, a cousin of Martell’s parents. Stevens agreed with Smith on how important the story seemed. She also felt it resonated with the audience and what society has been going through which is why she was excited to audition for the part. Stevens said, “I had honestly looked at the flyer and looked up what it was about and seen a little synopsis and bio. It just was such a very powerful story and resonates so well with all of us today. I wanted to be a part of something that was this big and this important.”
Index
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Campus Life.................................2 Opinions.....................................3 Sports.........................................4
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Volume 92, Issue 23 A Student Publication www.lionsroarnews.com lionsroar@southeastern.edu
Page 2 | May 4, 2021
The Lion’s Roar | Campus Life
BSU and NAACP reflect on the Derek Chauvin trial
Lonae Bowers and Brent Webb stand outside the Vonnie Borden Theater after the closing night of “Dark Skin Pavement.” Bowers and Webb are members of the BSU who took time to see the play and stay afterwards for the panel to share their thoughts. Chloe Williams/The Lion’s Roar CHLOE WILLIAMS Staff Reporter
The announcement of Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict on April 20 was believed by many to be a step in the right direction.
Members of Southeastern’s chapters of NAACP and Black Student Union have shared their thoughts on not only the guilty verdict, but what people can do moving forward. While this verdict showed that accountability can be
achieved there are many other cases similar to this where accountability could be taken. NAACP member and freshman computer science major Irvin Ussin took some time to discuss his reaction to the verdict.
“I was glad that we were able to get some accountability, but there is still work to be done,” said Ussin. When it comes to taking the next step, Ussin goes on to state that people need to take what they saw was done
with this case and put it all across the board to other cases that can have even worse circumstances. “I personally feel like the reaction to the Breonna Taylor case wasn’t executed correctly, because I didn’t understand how they can pass a law to ban no-knock-warrants but won’t arrest the cops that committed the crime,” Ussin shared when thinking of cases that deserve the same energy. Another name that was at the forefront of the Black Lives Matter movement was the name Breonna Taylor. Taylor, a 26-year-old Black American woman, was shot by police in Louisville, Ky. in her own home due to the police conducting a no-knock warrant. None of the cops involved in this have been charged for Taylor’s death. Along with her name there are the names of recently deceased Daunte Wright and Ma’Khia Bryant who both lost their lives at the hands of police officers. BSU members Brent Webb, sophomore sports management major and Lonae Bowers, a junior accounting major, also shared their thoughts on what people should do moving forward from this verdict on the closing night of SELU’s recent
play “Dark Skin Pavement.” “I think that people need to hear more about this problem and understand it. I feel like a lot of people could understand, but they choose not to,” Bowers said when reflecting on what to do moving forward. “Dark Skin Pavement” is a new play by TJ Young that focuses on the effect of police brutality on a black family that premiered on Southeastern’s campus on April 27. With recent events in mind, school organizations such as the Counseling Center, the BSU and the NAACP were invited to watch and also share their thoughts on the play. Webb, Bowers and Ussin saw the play on April 30. Webb expressed his thoughts on the play in correlation with real life events. “Overall I just enjoyed the depth of the story and I could definitely tell that it was well thought out. More plays like these deserve more social traction, things like this need to increase on campus because we need to see things like this. Everyone feels something,” Webb said. For more information on the BSU and chapter of NAACP on campus, follow them on Instagram and check out these links.
Student published in academic journal
Bourdier co-published “An Investigation of Student Enrollment Trends and De Facto Segregation in Louisiana Humanities 401 class. Bourdier explained that Parker shared a K-12 Public Education”. Courtesy of Whitney Bourdier/The Lion’s Roar publishing opportunity with DYLAN MECHE one of her class papers into a K-12 Public Education” in the class. Staff Reporter scholarly article published in a the journal Research Issues “For almost a year, he peer reviewed journal. in Contemporary Education mentored me. We met regularly With the help of her Bourdier co-published along with French and Spanish and he provided line by line Humanities professor, senior “An Investigation of Student instructor Dr. Jerry Parker. edits, encouragement, and world languages major Enrollment Trends and De The article was initially guidance on how to strengthen Whitney Bourdier transformed Facto Segregation in Louisiana written as a paper for Parker’s the article to move it from
a class paper to a scholarly research article, the norms of conducting research, and what it means to be an active researcher,” she said. Bourdier and Parker submitted the article in August of 2020. She shared that a lot of research, writing and revisions went into publishing the article. “Once it was accepted conditionally, we went through two rounds of revisions with around 3 or 4 different reviewers. Then, we were given a formatted preview prior to publication where we went through again to provide further revisions before it was then published towards the beginning of April,” Bourdier explained. Through her research, Bourdier found that instances of de facto segregation existed within the East Baton Rouge Parish school system and other bordering school systems. Bourdier explained that she first became aware of this topic because of her own experience with these issues when she grew up. “Our building was old, resources were limited, teachers left frequently, and there was little racial diversity present. I wrote this article to spread awareness towards this issue to help students who are impacted by this throughout Louisiana,” she shared. She also described the methods she used to conduct research for the article. “I had to create a brief recount of the historical dialogue surrounding
desegregation in the three metropolitan areas of Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans and throughout the country. In addition, we also gathered, analyzed and summarized a data set regarding 75 secondary public schools in 14 parishes within Louisiana,” Bourdier said. For Bourdier, the biggest challenge when writing her article was confidence and motivation. She previously believed that only instructors could publish in academic journals and feared she had no authority to make definitive statements. “My motivation was also a challenge because I had to work for months with little to no free time to work on this article. Thankfully, I had Dr. Parker to continually remind me of the bigger picture and that this could be done. I am very grateful to have him as a mentor,” she shared. Bourdier hopes her article will help current educational leaders throughout the state create more targeted legislation to encourage racial equity. “I hope it inspires other undergraduates to get involved in their community and work with their professor to change society for the better. As a World Languages major, many people believe such issues have no relevance to me. But, our degrees are only a tool for us. It is up to the individual to use the skills learned from all of their courses to make a difference,” she concluded.
Summer fashion trends: No sweat when you are in style HANNAH “AJ” JUNEAU Staff Reporter
Fashion is constantly evolving, and with summer right around the corner, now is the time to start deciding what works and what does not. University students shared their advice on summer fashion trends and how they will stay in style while remaining cool in the summer sun. Shelby Durel, a freshman art major, explained what some popular fashion trends are at the moment. “The most popular fashion trends at the moment are flowy dresses for more of a cottage core style, and shorts seem to be going
back to mid-rise. Crop tops and bodysuits are still in, but it’s for more a soft look,” she said. Freshman psychology major Madison Wise said she believes skirts are more popular right now. She said, “I think halter style tops, tennis skirts, maxi skirts and backless or mesh tops are in style now. I’ve always had a soft spot for skirts and definitely halter tops. I already own so many, so it’d be dumb not to. I’ll probably wear mesh for the music festivals.” Freshman political science and history major Fajr Fayed discussed the popularity of thrifted clothes this season. “I think there’s a lot of thrifted styles, which are pretty cool. Different aesthetics, such as
cottage core for example, have had an influence, too. You see styles that incorporate different elements. Overall, I think the pandemic has inspired people to be more creative with their outfits,” she said. Wise shared that low rise pants should stay in the spring, and Logan Zimmerman, a freshman art major, agrees while adding that scarves should not flow into the summer. “Scarves aren’t really a summer thing, but you can get away with it in the spring,” he said. Over the summer, Wise plans on traveling out of state to music festivals and beaches. She discussed the type of clothing she will wear for these occasions.
Wise said, “I’m going to Rolling Loud and probably Texas a couple of times. For Rolling Loud, I honestly have no clue, but I’ll probably wear bra/mesh tops and shorts. In Texas, I’ll probably wear the big pants, little top combo.” Zimmerman will also be going to Texas this summer to attend a Pride event and explained his fashion agenda. “I plan on going to Texas for a Pride thing with my boyfriend, and I’ll probably wear something simple since it’ll be hot. I’ll definitely bring a pair of sunglasses so I don’t go blind,” he said. Pride fashion varies from year to year. One particular clothing
brand has made an influence in the LGBTQ+ community: ASOS. According to themanual. com, ASOS has teamed up with GLAAD, an LGBTQ+ media source, for the fourth consecutive year to create a Pride clothing collection. ASOS will donate all of its proceeds raised in support of GLAAD and the LGBTQ+ community. Going into the summer, Durel plans to follow some trends, but not all of them. “It’s more of a neutral summer with how high fashion is going, so I guess yes in some areas. However, not all of them because it does not fit my body type,” she shared. Like Durel, Fayed enjoys
the creativity and styles of loose clothing, but she may not follow all trends either. Because of Fayed’s Islamic faith, there are certain requirements she has to follow. She said, “The headscarf is called a hijab, and when wearing the hijab, you dress in loose, modest clothing that covers your whole body. Flowy cotton dresses are great for the summer when wearing the hijab because cotton is a breathable material that is lightweight and keeps you cool in the heat. They’re one of the styles I love for the summer. Skirts are also a good option, but sometimes finding a matching long sleeve shirt can be a challenge.”
May 4, 2021 | Page 3
| The Lion’s Roar
Assignments during dead week are overwhelming We are now in the midst of what is known as “dead week,” which despite its name is the busiest week of the entire semester. Not only are you studying for finals, you are most likely Dylan Meche working on Staff Reporter a myriad of final papers or assignments for your classes. Almost every single semester of my college career, most of the work that I have done during dead week and even during finals week has been completing these final assignments. It always gets to a point where I have to compromise my study time in order to complete these assignments, and I find it extremely overwhelming to deal with these assignments in addition to preparing for finals. Finals in and of themselves are extremely stressful. A lot of time and energy is required in order to properly prepare for them. Adding these assignments on top of all of that stress can turn the last few weeks of the semester into a seemingly unending nightmare. Taking these assignments
into account during finals week also makes time management much harder. College students only have so much time in the day. Many of us have jobs, internships, extracurriculars, relationships or other obligations of importance. Personally, I’ve got a lot on my plate. To be fair, some of these obligations are by choice. Regardless, my schedule is jampacked, and the insane amount of assignments I usually have during finals are very hard to make time for. Normally, I am able to manage my time just fine but factoring in studying for finals complicates things greatly. I am not one to complain about schoolwork, because my mother taught me never to do that. However, there is such a thing as too much work, and it feels like professors forget this at times. At the end of the day, being a student is my primary duty. I will complete anything that is assigned to me, regardless of my thoughts on the assignments in question. If any of my professors happen to be reading this, don’t take this as a refusal to do my assignments. For one thing, my
parents would murder me if I decided to do that. I simply wish that professors would keep in mind the pressures that are on students
during finals week. With all this being said, I have had professors that have been extremely accommodating and helped stress less for my
assignments. I am very grateful for that. Remember, no matter how overwhelmed you are, or how many assignments you have
left to complete before the end of the semester, we’re in the homestretch, and the long deserved break will be here very soon.
What was the point, LeBron In this time in our country when everyone is divided in some way or reason, the most renowned athlete in American sports caused an even greater divide. LeBron James had previously tweeted “You’re next” with an hourglass emoji and a photo of the officer involved in the infamous Ma’Khia Bryant shooting. Social media quickly Gerard Borne flocked to James’ tweet and Editor-in-Chief raised much concern. My concern lies in the message that James was trying to convey. Was he telling the officer that he’s next to die, or was he referring to a trial? I and so many others were confused about the message. I have been a LeBron fan since I started watching the game of basketball at nine years old. I would watch his games, buy his jerseys and even claim that he was the G.O.A.T. over Michael Jordan. But with what has unfolded over the past few weeks, I hate to say I am no longer a fan of LeBron James. Like any sports fan, I am proud of his accomplishments of four rings, four-time Most Valuable Player Award, 17 time NBA All-Star and the opening of his “I Promise School.” However, I am appalled by his latest Twitter debacle. What happened in Columbus, Ohio was saddening as a 16-year-old girl did lose her life.
The officer was called to the scene and upon arrival saw a knife in Bryant’s hand swinging at another. Social media quickly flocked to the situation as the police officer’s practices were brought into question, and more people began to protest due to the events in Columbus. Regardless if you hate the cops, are a part of the “All Cops Are Bastards” movement or hold the belief that the police should be defunded, people should be respectful of Bryant and those grieving. Regardless of what James’ intentions were behind the tweet, it was, in my view, uncalled for. The same man that is striving for unity is causing more division from his tweets. It causes confusion between fans and stokes the fires of dissolution. Not only did the tweet cause discord and unrest from social media, but it also put James in a unique situation where the Los Angeles Police Department is calling for an investigation on his tweet. More details will come out within the next few days on James’ status with the NBA and LAPD. I am one who believes in second chances and letting people learn from those mistakes, but I also am one who supports our justice system. If the LAPD finds the NBA superstar guilty of any charges, then justice should be served, Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from regardless of the person’s celebrity status. consequences. consequences. Until then, let this be a lesson to everyone to Let this be a lesson to everyone to be be mindful of what they post on social media. mindful of what they post on social media.
Marketing program ranked second in state AUSTIN DEWEASE Staff Reporter
The university’s marketing program was recently ranked second in the state by Plexuss, an education technology company based in California. Plexuss connects millions of students globally with opportunities and research in higher education, according to their mission statement. In determining which universities in the state have the best marketing programs, Plexuss used data from the Department of Education to look at key factors such as graduation rates, admissions yield, program popularity and student retention rates. Associate Professor of marketing Tarà Lopez, who is responsible for many of the advances in the department during the past few years along with Assistant Professor of marketing April Kemp, shared what makes the marketing program at
Southeastern different from others across the state. “The faculty truly have an interest in student growth and success. Faculty advise every marketing major personally and have meetings with them twice a year. We work closely with each student to help them identify internship and job opportunities to match their strengths,” Lopez said. One of the main reasons why the program has reached this recognition, according to Lopez, is that the marketing faculty has made a deliberate effort over the past several years to create a curriculum that reflects the current needs of the industry and helps students actively build their skills in those areas while getting hands-on experience. For Lopez, she said it was very satisfying to see the work the program does being recognized. She said, “Being a faculty member in this department is incredibly rewarding, I get to work with wonderful, dedicated
colleagues and students who value the opportunities they are given.” Breanna Dominguez, a sophomore marketing major, said that her experience has been everything she has hoped for, and each class she takes reassures her that she chose the right major. “The professors are phenomenal. They really go above and beyond for their students, especially the past three semesters. They make sure everyone is on track while also genuinely caring for us,” Dominguez shared. For incoming students or even current students interested in majoring in marketing, Dominguez encouraged students to go for it. She said, “There are so many routes you can take with a marketing degree. If it is a thought in your mind, see what it is about. Ask your advisor about the program and research what it has to offer. You will not regret majoring in marketing.”
there is plenty of information that supports that radio is still relevant,” Narro said. Narro said that FM radio also fulfills areas that streaming services cannot. “I found that when it comes to just listening to music, streaming is winning; however, we still like the radio for information. The radio is important in times of emergency, and it’s important to the community. Training students to provide good information while training them to use the equipment is important. That’s what we do at KSLU,” Narro added. Although she is not prepared to let the radio go, Narro iterated she will continue to support her students regardless. She said, “It would break my heart if KSLU left the radio dial. I would be very sad about that, but I will support whatever we need to do for students’ progress. I will always operate in whatever decisions are made and do what is best for Southeastern, but I think there are a lot of reasons we should keep the radio at this time.” KSLU
continued from pg. 1
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Page 4 | May 4, 2021
The Lion’s Roar | Sports
Senior track runner sets new school record AUSTIN O’BRIEN Staff Reporter
As the spring 2021 semester winds down, many athletes are trying to push themselves to new heights. For one member of the track team, her goal to finish strong has become a reality. Sophie Daigle, a senior track runner for Southeastern, has recently hit her seventh school record in the sport. She set this new record in the 10k run event, coming in with a time of 35:33.90. She currently has the most records out of any single female track runner in university history. The 10k is Daigle’s longest event and her latest record in women’s track and field. She said, “It feels great to see my names next to those school records, and I couldn’t have done it without my coaches and teammates pushing me along the way. Being able to run for such a great school is an honor and it will always be a part of me. I am glad that I will be able to leave my mark on Southeastern and be a part of its history.” Daigle’s journey began at a very young age, beginning her time on the track in third grade. She has been working on her time ever since, and the hard work has paid off. Corey Mistretta, head coach of the track team, had positive remarks about Daigle as he was excited for her progression in life. Daigle’s greatest strength is her ability to run through pain thresholds in training, according to Mistretta. “As a distance runner, you are asked to do things to your body that aren’t very comfortable, and Sophie has a determination that allows her to push beyond normal limits. Her best quality, in my opinion, is her easygoing, welcoming nature. Sophie is very easy to get along with and has been a joy to have on our team,” Mistretta said. Daigle’s perspective on Mistretta was also positive. She said, “Coach Mistretta has been very a supportive help towards reaching my goals. He has shown me to never give up on reaching for each of my school records.” This is Daigle’s last semester at Southeastern. Once she graduates this summer, she will be attending ULL to earn a Master of Arts in teaching. She also plans to transfer to the ULL track team to continue her running career. “Sophie has been a major part of our distance team for the past four years. She will be greatly Sophie Daigle at practice trying to improve her times and form. She currently has the most records out of any single missed as she moves on to attend graduate school,” Mistretta said. female track runner in university history. Austin O’Brien/The Lion’s Roar
Southeastern sets records in conference tune-up
Damon Herod leaping off the board at the long jump event Saturday afternoon. The Lions hosted the event on campus at the Southeastern Track Complex. Teams from four states participated, including Southeastern, LouisianaLafayette, Nicholls State, Abilene Christian (Texas), Central Arkansas and South Alabama. Chase Gispert/The Lion’s Roar CHASE GISPERT Staff Reporter
Track and field set several individual and stadium records in a pre-conference tournament meet. The Lions hosted the event on campus at the Southeastern Track Complex. Teams from four states participated, including Southeastern, Louisiana-Lafayette, Nicholls State, Abilene Christian (Texas), Central Arkansas and South Alabama. The competition served as preparation for the upcoming championships. Each school was represented well by their fanbases. “We are extremely proud of both the men’s and women’s teams. Their consistent work throughout the year has positioned themselves to do well in a couple of weeks at the conference championships. They continue to inspire and make us proud for the way they approach their craft,” said track and field head
coach Corey Mistretta. Mistretta is a 30-year coaching veteran who hasn’t been a stranger to success, winning numerous titles from the high school level up to the collegiate ranks. Most recently with Southeastern, he won the 2020 men’s indoor Southland Conference Tournament catapulting him to coach of the year status. At this past weekend’s Tune-Up meet, the Lions put on a show. In a season of overcoming, the record books were rewritten. In the javelin events, Charlotte Wissing threw 160 feet, 0.5 inches (48.78m) breaking the women’s school record and putting her at the top of the Southland Conference for 2021. Franck DiSanza threw 248 feet, 8.25 inches (75.80m) to break the men’s facility record. The throw was fifth in the nation and the best in the Southland conference since 2017. In the men’s 4x100, D.J. Ruffin, Donovan Storr, James Benson II and Johnathon Sawyer posted the top time in school history since 2000 with a time of 40.02 seconds. This bested
Sam Houston’s facility record from the 2015 Southland Outdoor Championships. The Lion’s men and women teams showed out, which was well received by the coaching staff who said they were pleased with the performance. It didn’t come as a surprise to them, as they said they felt confident the players were primed for success. Coach Mistretta said, “When we recruit athletes to Southeastern, we promise their parents we will do everything we can to help them to become not only better athletes, but better citizens as well. We take this promise very seriously, so my final words would be for them to go forth with the same determination they approached their track career and be a positive influence in their life away from track.” SLU will recharge before heading to the Southland Outdoor Championships which will take place in Houston May 14-16.
In the men’s 4x100, D.J. Ruffin, Donovan Storr, James Benson II and Johnathon Sawyer posted the top time in school history since 2000 with a time of 40.02 seconds. This bested Sam Houston’s facility record from the 2015 Southland Outdoor Championships. Elana Guillory/The Lion’s Roar