OPINION: School shootings could be prevented with early detection, p. 9
BASKETBALL: Tiger’s success directly correlates to turnover margin, p. 5
Reveille The Daily
VOLUME 118, ISSUE 77
thedailyreveille
SAFE SPRINTING
@lsureveille
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lsureveille.com
MAP KEY SUGGESTED SAFE ROUTE WATER FOUNTAIN
City Park Golf Course
*information courtesy of VARSITY SPORTS
Running the LSU Lakes can be safe with the right precautions
LAKE SAFETY, see page 11
City Park Lake
Campus prepares for snow flurries Quint Forgey Contributing Writer
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University Lake
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· Wear reflective materials and remain well-lit at night. · Keep an eye out for loose, broken pavement. · Avoid dimly lit paths and hidden obstacles.
WEATHER
Half an inch of snow forecasted
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The area surrounding the Baton Rouge lakes is a beautiful place to relax, rife with students and residents enjoying exercise or down time. Scenic as the lakes may be, accidents and incidents are always a possibility. Since 2011, there have been 55 traffic crashes handled by LSU Police Department involving a bicycle or pedestrian, said LSUPD spokesman Capt. Cory Lalonde. Logan Pearce, University of Louisiana Lafayette cross country athlete, said he always runs the lakes when visiting his uncle in the area. “It’s beautiful out here,” he said. Nearly every evening, the area flourishes with runners, walkers and cyclists, students and non-students. Varsity Sports owner Jenni Peters said the lakes contain
routes of various distances. University Lake, the larger of the two lakes, has a four-mile-long circuit, while running around both the University Lake and City Park lakes will exceed six miles in distance, Peters said. Some believe running the lakes can be dangerous because of traffic, and Pearce said the abundance of cars whizzing past and bicycles unexpectedly appearing from behind intimidate him on occasion. “It can get very tight back in the neighborhoods,” he said. Peters said safety is paramount when running or cycling anywhere. “Runners should always go toward traffic,” Peters said. Gary Graham, director of Parking, Traffic and Transportation, said in most of the reported instances, the bicyclist is at fault. Traffic crashes often result from cyclists riding in the
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Contributing Writer
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Lyle Manion
Friday, January 24, 2014
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Despite students’ hopes for a snow day, University administrators said Thursday evening that all classes and activities scheduled for Friday would continue as planned, according to University director of Media Relations Ernie Ballard in an email. Ballard said when the question of cancelling classes comes up, the decision falls upon LSU President F. King Alexander and the LSU Emergency Operations Center, which will “make the best possible decision based on the latest weather reports with the safety of our campus community as the top priority.” If University classes are ever SNOW, see page 11
EVENT
Hip-hop, R&B genres empower African-American mothers Professor, student research phenomenon Alexis Rebennack Contributing Writer
When a University professor and psychology student team up to explore the underlying themes of black motherhood in hip-hop and R&B music, the results are empowering. Cassandra Chaney, associate professor of Child and Family Studies and Arielle Brown, psychology senior, submitted national research regarding these issues and will be hosting a panel entitled “Is Black Motherhood a Marker of Oppression or Empowerment? Hip-hop and R&B Lessons about ‘Mama’” on Feb. 25 at the LSU Women’s Center.
Chaney and Brown recently partnered with each other through LSU’s Ronald E. McNair Research Scholars to embark on the study of two music genres that continue to define generations. Chaney said prior to beginning this project, she was already researching how African-American families are represented in the media. However, as the project developed, the focus shifted specifically to black motherhood and its presence in hip-hop and R&B songs. “I find it amazing how this project defied many stereotypes, as far as mothers and hip-hop, because a lot of people see it [hiphop] as super violent.” Brown said. “It’s surprising, when you peel off the surface and look underneath, what great messages these artists have of their mothers.” The majority of her research with Brown showed black
motherhood is a symbol of empowerment and not oppression, Chaney said. “Internally, there is a lot of strength related to their decision to become mothers,” Chaney said. At its core, hip-hop is more racially and socially conscious, while R&B has more of an emotional sensitivity to it, focusing on love and romance, according to Chaney. While taking a hip-hop and religion class, Brown said she learned about the music genre and the platform it became for many African-Americans to talk about racial issues. She also said hip-hop songs from different decades highlight the different aspects of life within the African-American community at that time. The duo examined 59 songs, MOTHERHOOD, see page 11
photo courtesy of EDDY PEREZ / The Daily Reveille
Cassandra Chaney (left), associate professor of Child and Family Studies, and Arielle Brown (right), psychology senior will host a panel regarding black motherhood in hip-hop and R&B music on Feb. 25 at the LSU Women’s Center.