NEWS
black votes could hold key
SPORTS
VIEWPOINTS
Potent JSU offense awaits Jags. pG. 5
EGO EIC asks after shooting. pG. 7
when is enough ... enough?
Jsu game must-win for su
Mid-term races could be impacted. pG. 4
estABLished in 1928
WWW.SOUTHERNDIGEST.COM
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2010
VOL. 56, ISSUE 10
“We’ve got to have it” Mason discusses improving academic success among black males by norMan J. Dotson Jr. DiGeSt eDitOr-iN-cHieF
“Louisiana is the worst state in the country for black men,” according to a survey done by the Louisiana state Legislature. Southern University System President Ronald Mason Jr. was just recently appointed to the position of Chairman of the White House Initiative Committee on the Black Male. He and his team are in the development stages of a demonstrational project for what he called the “in-between students” simply entitled the Black Male. The Black Male initiative will be the first attempt made by a public institution to address the issue of the black male in education directly. “We’ve got to have it,” Mason stressed about the importance of getting an education for black men. During this stage of development Mason asks that everyone supports him and his efforts to get through the year and keep the school headed in the right direction. “(The Black Male program)
with primarily single-parent households; rethinking the Southern Laboratory School so that they can focus on black male issues starting with prekindergarten up to 12th grade, and a special college level program where young people who come in and need five years to graduate can be put in a position to do so and be better than anyone else in the country. When asked about his thoughts on the morale around getting a higher education Mason stated that it starts before a child is born. “When you have mothers who are third generation poor, often times very young, uneducated themselves, underprepared and you put that there and then you have children who start off photo by roGelio V. solis/ap file photo kindergarten reading below that Southern University System President ronald Mason Jr. proposes creating programs to help increase level and are moved on until academic success rates among black males. they make it to the fourth grade, but by that time the child is too far behind,” Mason said. is basically (for) those students attitude recently towards higher campuses,” Mason stated. Mason went on to say that With devastating cuts and who can do better than a two- education. Louisiana tax revenue year degree but can’t necessarily fell this year, which caused a the study done by the state’s people talk about the 60 percent make a 20 on the ACT but surprise midyear budget cut to own legislature deeming itself drop out rate in high school but are bright and willing to work higher education of about $34.7 the worst state for black men, that only covers the percent that hard,” said Mason. “I think that million and SU’s cut is roughly it seems as though the state is even go to high school, “this intent on staying at the bottom trait is not just a black problem we can educate those students $2 million. but an American one, especially “Louisiana seems to be of the fray. at a higher graduation rate than Although the Black among the poor.” those that get in through the consigning itself to staying “I hope that by the end of this number 50 out of the 50 states Male initiative is still in normal process.” Mason wants to use SUS as a in education. These cuts will the developmental stages, year we can have a design that national model. He has issues, more or less affect the system Mason’s ideas consist of family could be open for discussion,” however, with Louisiana’s office and not the individual intervention center to deal Mason concluded.
Commuting cat-and-mouse game by eriCa s. Johnson DiGeSt StaFF writer
Parking on Southern University’s campus has always been difficult. For commuter students, the troubles with a designated parking space are far more complex. The university provides space for the largest number of parked cars at the farthest distance from the most accessed area of the campus. According to SU’s 2010-11 Traffic and Parking Regulations pamphlet, F.G. Clark Activity Center or Mini Dome, located on the lower east side of campus, provides the largest capacity for commuter parking. It is also more than 1,500 feet away from Elton Harrison Drive. This drive, or “strip” as students refer to it, houses the six main buildings that undergraduates utilize. “Unless you have nursing classes, the
SUNNY HIGH
Mini Dome parking is not convenient to the central area of campus.” Patrick Daniels, a junior art major, said. Students who travel to SU’s campus are assigned red commuter parking passes and are then restricted to red parking areas. “Approximately 4,000 commuter decals were issued for Fall 2009 and Spring 2010,” Charles Herbert, parking and traffic director, said. Commuter parkers can choose between three locations for legal parking along the east side of campus. The largest, and furthest away, being F.G. Clark Activity Center. A.W. Mumford Stadium’s parking lot on the stadium’s east side houses the next, most soughtafter parking spaces. Finally across the street from the SUBR Police station, a smaller, less accessible parking lot is designated. The police station also houses the parking and traffic offices.
84° | 50° LOW
INSIDE S O U T H E R N
Each and every car parked on Southern’s campus must display the proper decal or hangtag and park in the appointed area or risk being fined $30 to $60 per offense. The ideal parking area for commuters is located nearly 900 feet from the strip on Mumford’s west side. The lot, otherwise used for parking during home football games, is extended during school hours onto grass banks that surround the pavement. Despite the unofficial extension of the stadium parking, this lot is quickly packed and often riddled with cars that are stalking pedestrians for upcoming spaces. “Parking at the stadium creates the least amount of hassle for me, as far as walking is concerned,” Dawna photo by norMan J. Dotson Jr./DiGest Hamilton, a junior theatre major said. “Sometimes I’ll wait 20 minutes for a commuters dodge restricted areas daily, searching for coveted parking spots on campus. spot.”
CAMPUS BRIEFS...............2 SPORTS.....................5 VIEWPOINTS......................7 NEWS.............................4 DIVERSIONS............6 U N I V E R S I T Y ,
B A T O N
R O U G E ,
L A .