The Daily Reveille - September 24, 2014

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Reveille

FOOTBALL Hilliard, Williams adjust to fullback position page 5

The Daily

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014 Administration

lsureveille.com

thedailyreveille

opinion Why the media portray Hispanic culture all wrong page 8 @lsureveille

thedailyreveille

Volume 119 · No. 22

New communications VP named in discrimination lawsuit staff reports news@lsureveille.com Linda Bonnin, named the University’s vice president of strategic communications on Sept. 2, is mentioned in a lawsuit alleging she discriminated against a former employee prior to his termination. The employee, Charles “Curt” Guenther, filed the lawsuit in Shelby County, Tennessee, District Court on April 21 against the University of Memphis — where Bonnin most recently served as vice president for communications, public relations and marketing — claiming age and

sex discrimination under the gence in the hiring process and Tennessee Human Rights Act. stands by its decision.” According to a University The lawsuit, obtained by The news release, Bonnin’s new posi- Daily Reveille, alleges Bonnin, tion will consolidate chief com- 55, made remarks about Guenmunications jobs for the ther’s age to coworkers Baton Rouge campus and before terminating him the LSU System, pendon April 23, 2013. Guening approval by the LSU ther, now 66, was 64 at Board of Supervisors. the time he was fired. She will report directly “My communications to LSU President F. King director is 64 years old,” Alexander. the suit alleges Bonnin “We won’t be able to said. “What do you think BONNIN comment on this litigathe chances are that he is tion,” Ernie Ballard, University going to do any social networkmedia relations director, told ing?” The Daily Reveille in a stateTwo days later, according to ment. “But LSU did its due dili- the suit, Bonnin told a student in-

NO STRINGS

ATTACHED

Communication studies class delves into theories and philosophies with puppetry BY kaci cazenave · kcazenave@lsureveille.com Students are acting to fulfill their degree requirements via elective courses — even ones with no strings attached. University professor John LeBret said such students are those enrolled in his Puppets and Props class, CMST 3900. According to LeBret’s syllabus, the class is designed to teach communication theories and

philosophies via puppet manipulation rather than how to perform with puppets in hand. “Puppets are not the point,” LeBret said. “This class isn’t designed to turn students into puppeteers, which is why it is not part of the theatre department.” LeBret said most students who

see puppets, page 11

tern of her plans to replace Guenther. “I have just fired Curt Guenther as Director of Communications Services, and I want to replace him with somebody younger and female,” the suit alleges Bonnin said. According to the suit, after Guenther was terminated, most of his work was reassigned to Gabrielle Maxey, the communications coordinator for the University of Memphis, a female who is 10 years younger than Guenther. The suit alleges Bonnin was “motivated by [Guenther]’s age and/or his gender and not his abilities and work performance”

in terminating Guenther. Bonnin was named by the University on Sept. 2 to “lead LSU’s public relations, marketing, media relations, web, social media and related communications functions, as well as overseeing multi- institutional branding,” according to a University news release. She was introduced at the Sept. 12 Board of Supervisors meeting. Bonnin had worked at Memphis since 1997, where she served as its associate vice president for 12 years before being promoted to vice president for communications, public relations and marketing in 2012.

[Far right] Interdisciplinary studies senior Jason Duhe’ poses with his puppet, Beau the Beer Scout. [Directly right] John LeBret teaches CMST 3900 in the HopKins Black Box Theatre, where students build their own puppets and discuss puppet theory. EMILY BRAUNER /

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