The Reveille 1-27-2020

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CAMERA CONUNDRUM LSU officials say students’ discovery of malfunctioning security cameras “not accurate,” LSUPD boasts success of cameras on campus.

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page 2 NEWS

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Several West Laville Hall residents discovered ants inside their rooms, but received varying assistance from Residential Life.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Digital advertising junior Grace Owen uses her art to inspire others to look at things in a different perspective.

SPORTS

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“Opposites attract.” That same thing can be said for the dynamic duo that is JuVaughn Harrison and Rayvon Grey.

OPINION

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“Celebrity pregnancy speculations are harmful and unnecessarily damaging to women in media.”

L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le

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‘Blatant disregard for student safety:’ Security cameras on campus broken, LSU denies claim

BY KATHERINE MANUEL & LARA NICHOLSON @kmanuel_2 & @laranicholson_ A University student who was stalked last semester was told by an LSUPD detective that several security cameras around campus are malfunctioning.

The police chief and other University officials denied these claims. The truth is lost in the back-and-forth.

English junior Sidney Slater met her stalker in the fall of 2019 through the LSU Student Abroad Scholarship program. His advances gradually became more and more aggressive, once sending dozens of long, threatening text messages in the span of minutes.

Slater obtained a restraining order against him, and for a while her nightmare was over.

Eventually, the stalking resumed, with calls coming in every 12 hours for days in a row.

Slater’s roommate even saw the stalker outside their residence at East Campus Apartments.

Though Slater filed a police report, ECA’s faulty security cameras showed no evidence the alleged stalker was there.

Slater said she later met with LSUPD Detective Sarah Drake, who told her the camera’s image quality was so low, especially during nighttime, that its footage was rendered useless.

However, University officials say the cameras are working and rumors surrounding their maintenance are false.

The Reveille contacted Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard, who questioned the accuracy of Slater’s claims.

“I’m curious as to where the rumor that cameras are broken is coming from as that is not accurate,” Ballard said in a Jan. 8 text.

LSUPD Chief Bart Thompson echoed Ballard’s statement.

“An incident doesn’t go by that we don’t capture something

on the camera,” Thompson said.

“Sometimes, cameras capture things that victims say happened that didn’t happen.”

Thompson said there are 14,000 cameras across campus, located at bus stops, the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, the Quad and each specific college.

Each college pays for its own cameras through a maintenance fee, but LSUPD recommends where cameras should go in each college and building, Thompson said.

“We pay for the Quad, we pay for maintenance to the Quad, maintenance of the bus stops,” Thompson said. “We pay obviously for our cameras here in public safety, but each college is responsible for their cameras.”

Thompson said storage space is always an issue with camera usage. Five computer servers across campus store the cameras’ footage. Cameras save their videos into storage for different periods of time, depending on where the cameras are located and what they are capturing.

LSUPD is working to replace older security cameras that need maintenance or new technology.

Thompson said LSUPD is moving toward camera technology that allows for one camera to capture four viewpoints at once.

“There’s not funding available to replace every camera,” Thompson said. “But as cameras slowly lose their technology, we’ll replace them.”

Thompson said the camera in question outside ECA may not have been broken, as Drake had told Slater.

“Well, it’s not necessarily that one’s broken,” Thompson said. “It could be in rotation. It could be in patrol.”

On Jan. 7, The Reveille scheduled a joint interview with Facility Services Director of Energy Services Bryan Andries and Executive Director of Facility and

Property Oversight Tammy Millican for Jan. 10. However, Andries canceled the meeting on Jan. 8.

“I need to cancel this meeting,” Andries wrote in an email. “I’ve learned that the security cameras involve other departments as well as Facility Services. All groups are working to pull information together. Once that is complete, Tammy Millican will reschedule the meeting.”

No meeting was rescheduled between The Reveille and Millican or Andries.

The Reveille filed a public records request on Jan. 4 seeking to obtain locations and statuses of all security cameras on campus, but it has yet to be fulfilled

by LSU Legal Affairs and General Counsel.

Drake also reportedly told Slater that Student Government allocates very little funding toward the cameras’ maintenance.

The cameras act as a deterrent rather than a surveillance device, according to Drake.

SG President William Jewell dismissed that claim.

“The vast majority of these cameras are out of the domain of Student Government, so I’m not sure where that got turned around,” Jewell said.

SG did approve an initiative to pay for new cameras in the Quad, but the organization does not pay for the installation of any other cameras on campus, nor does it pay for recurring expenses like camera maintenance, according to Jewell.

SG would be interested in helping to solve the University’s security camera issue, Jewell said, if more input is given from the student body to ensure that Slater’s experience is not an isolated incident.

Other Student Government officials confirmed Jewell was in communication with Millican, Ballard and LSUPD regarding the security camera issue.

COLLIN JENKINS / The Reveille

LSU security cameras monitor campus on North Stadium Drive on Friday, January 10, 2020.

“I and my department are currently in contact with LSUPD and Facility Services regarding security camera maintenance,” SG Director of Campus Affairs and Sustainability Taylor Goss said in an email.

The University should take responsibility for its students’ safety as the state’s flagship institution, Slater said.

“We are paying this institution to educate us,” Slater said.

“If you’re living on campus, then there should be some obligation on LSU’s part to keep the students safe.”

Though Drake showed she cared about the case, Slater said, other meetings with University officials -particularly Residential Life- went poorly.

“Detective Drake was incredibly sincere,” Slater said. “My meeting with the president of Res Life, I don’t feel was as productive. I don’t feel like I was heard; I felt like I was trying to be placated.”

The Reveille attempted to contact Drake for a Jan. 22 story about a Baton Rouge man arrested in 2018 on suspicion of posting an Instagram bomb threat who is now suing LSU after being cleared of all charges. However, Ballard said Drake wouldn’t be able to comment due to pending litigation against her. In light of this, The Reveille did not contact Drake for this story.

Evan James is currently suing the University and Drake for libel, false imprisonment and other charges. The petition for damages in the lawsuit stated that LSUPD, and Detective Drake specifically, did not investigate the validity of the bomb threats posted from James’ phone before arresting him.

Though the University’s security cameras have generally proved useful in keeping the campus safe, Thompson said, the department is looking to improve its technology and see what else is available.

LSUPD is aiming to make the use of security cameras more proactive instead of reactive, Thompson said. LSUPD looks at the cameras when a crime occurs. To be more proactive, Thompson said, LSUPD will have officers assigned to monitor the cameras, who will then communicate information to officers assigned to particular incidents.

“Proactive in a security camera is, when something happens-it could be a major wreck, it could be a crime, it could be anything-that officer can pull up that camera and actually communicate with the officer that’s heading to the incident in real time,” Thompson said.

Thompson said this initiative should be running by the end of the semester.

“We have a big project of trying to move the cameras to the next level, just got to give it a chance to get there,” Thompson said.

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsureveille.com.

ABOUT THE REVEILLE The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free. To purchase additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring, and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. Second-class copies postage paid at Baton Rouge, LA, 70803. Annual biweekly mailed subscriptions are $125, semester biweekly mailed subscriptions are $75. Non-mailed student rates are $4 each regular semester, $2 during the summer; one copy per person, additional copies 25 cents each. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Reveille, B-39 Hodges Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.

NEWS

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SMARTY PANTS, SMARTY ANTS LSU students discover common ant problem inside Laville Hall

FACULTY

AVP, Dean of Students Mari Fuentes-Martin leaving LSU

BY KATHERINE MANUEL @kmanuel_2

confident that he knew the solution to keep the ants out for good.

The first step he took was to buy caulking to seal his windows in order to prevent the ants from coming in.

“I had to buy caulking to seal the windows so that the ants would stop coming into my room,” Chatelain said. “I then went to Home Depot and bought ant poison.”

Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Mari FuentesMartin left the University on Friday after four years at LSU. Assistant to the Dean of Students Arlette Henderson confirmed Fuentes-Martin was leaving and said Fuentes-Martin accepted the Vice President for Student Success and Engagement position at Texas A&M - University San Antonio.

“We are currently doing a national search for an AVP & DOS position here in Student Affairs,” Henderson said in an email.

LSU Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard said Vice President for Student Affairs Jeremiah Shinn will take on the duties of the dean of students while the University conducts a search to replace Fuentes-Martin. Shinn became the University’s vice president of student affairs in April 2019, according to the LSU Media Center.

While at LSU, Fuentes-Martin was second-in-command to the vice president of student life and enrollment. Part of her role was to oversee Campus Life, Greek Life, Student Advocacy and Accountability and Disability Services and serve as an adviser to Student Government.

In early 2019, the University parted ways with then Vice President of Student Affairs Kurt Keppler, who had served in the position

see ANTS, page 4

see DEAN, page 4

BEN CAPLAN / The Reveille

An ant hill sits near a tree outside Laville Hall on January 21. Residents have noticed a problem with the pests since the beginning of the semester.

BY TAYLOR LANDRY @taylor.landry LSU has required incoming freshmen to live on campus since fall 2018. However, many Laville Hall residents were unaware that ants get to live in the same dorm free of cost.

Since the beginning of last semester, Laville residents have been noticing the unwanted guests in their rooms. Some have resorted to creative methods to eliminate

the pests.

Biochemistry freshman Farrell Chatelain, who lives in West Laville Hall, noticed that ants were frequently finding a way into his room. Chatelain linked the issue to the many ant piles surrounding the stairwells and entrances of the building.

“On the bottoms of the windowsills, there is a wood molding,” Chatelain said. “When the building moves over time, the seal of the window shifts and breaks,

giving the ants a perfect entryway into the dorms.”

Chatelain contacted Res Life about the problem, but said the help provided wasn’t enough to stop the ants.

“My mom called and told the staff about the ants. After that, a woman came to my dorm and handed me a bottle of ant poison,” Chatelain said. “That was the solution.”

Chatelain then took matters into his own hands, as he was

STUDENT LIFE

LSU students, faculty react to NYT editor’s criticism

BY CATHERINE ZEILMAN @caitiezeilman LSU students, faculty and staff defended the University’s decision to cancel classes on for the National Championship game following a series of critical tweets from a New York Times editor.

Binyamin Appelbaum, a member of the Times’ Editorial Board, expressed his disapproval of the University’s class cancellations in Jan. 13. in a Twitter thread. Appelbaum tweeted in response to an article published by the Reveille about the cancellation of classes.

“LSU cancelled all classes, for everyone, for two days, because its football team is playing for the national championship,”

Appelbaum tweeted. “Obviously LSU’s professional football players aren’t there for the classes, but this is some next-level stuff.”

Many LSU students, faculty and fans commented on Applebaum’s thread and defended the University’s decision, including Jonathan Earle, the dean of the Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College.

“LSU dean here: we’ll make sure we make up the class time,” Earle wrote. “And in the meantime, those Tigers sure look good :-).”

The decision made by the LSU Board of Supervisors gained national media attention. Major media outlets including Fox News, TMZ and Yahoo Sports featured stories on the cancellation.

Mass Communication Professor and political commentator James Carville spoke to his upper-level political communication class on Jan. 21 about Appelbaum’s tweets. The LSU alumnus and former political campaign manager read the Twitter thread to his class of 35 students.

Carville asked the class if it felt emotion provoked by Appelbaum’s words. One of the main objectives of the class is to learn how to use emotion to advance a social or political cause, he said.

Carville described the tweets as “arrogant and sloppy.” He said Appelbaum failed to do a simple fact-check and find that classes were later rescheduled.

Carville contacted Appelbaum to arrange a Skype call

but received no response. Carville said he would be happy to give Applebaum the opportunity to set the record straight.

“Frankly, he thinks he’s smarter than everyone else and can do whatever he wants,” Carvillle said. “Words matter.”

Appelbaum continued to criticize the University in another tweet on Jan. 13.

“Do the Warren/Sanders ‘free public college’ proposals include LSU, or would it only apply to actual schools?” he wrote.

Political science and political communication senior Andrew Searles said he felt comfortable missing one session of class in celebration of the National Championship game and did not understand Appelbaum’s frustration with the Board of Super-

visors’ decision.

“I think it was pretty justified,” Searles said. “Most people miss, what, one session of the course? They took steps to make up those classes. Missing one syllabus day is not going to affect anything in the long run.”

Public relations senior Mason Ramagos believes it may be difficult for Appelbaum and others outside of LSU to understand why the decision was made.

“I feel like anyone who’s on the outside just isn’t going to get it,” Ramagos said. “How often do you have your school undefeated, going to the national championship and it just happens to be down the road?”

The University announced students will make-up the missed class days.

Monday, January 27, 2020

page 4 STUDENT LIFE

LSU alumnus earns degree for every year Tigers win nationals help me understand the urban poverty perspective, and how to build relationships with those kids.”

Whitfield earned her master’s degree in education in 2007, again graduating the same year that the Tigers won the national championship, this time against the Ohio State Buckeyes under former coach Les Miles.

Following her master’s degree, Whitfield grew more comfortable teaching her classes and building relationships with her students.

She applied for grants wherever she could in order to give her students opportunities that they couldn’t afford.

The changes she made in her community led her to receive a promotion as the assistant principal of her school and subsequently pursue a Ph.D in order to obtain higher leadership positions in the future and perform research that could help her community as it grows and changes.

Whitfield said many people ask her why she went to LSU for her Ph.D. since it blocks her from being able to teach at the University

in the future. She said it did not even cross her mind since she never saw herself teaching at a university.

“I always wanted to work with kids, so I never thought about it,” she said.

Whitfield just earned her final degree this past year-- the same year in which Coach Ed Orgeron led the Tigers to beat Clemson University in the national championship game. She said it was the first championship game that she did not attend in-person since it was too expensive.

Though her friends and family are nervous now that she is out of degrees to earn, Whitfield has no concern that the Tigers can win another national championship without her.

“I’m not worried at all,” she said. “I just thought I was lucky to have that happen. I think that we are going to be fine; maybe we will get another one next year.”

She is continuing her education career as assistant principal at Iberville Charter Academy in West Baton Rouge.

ANTS, from page 3

DEAN, from page 3

When biological engineering freshman Sydney Corbin, also a resident of West Laville Hall, put in a work order regarding ants in her dorm room, she received a much different solution than Chatelain’s with longer-lasting results.

“It took a couple of days for the people [completing the work order] to actually get to our room, but the ants have not come back since,” Corbin said.

Mechanical engineering freshman William Braham lives on the third floor of West Laville Hall.

Braham also noticed ants coming into his dorm through the unsealed windows but did not know why the ants were choosing to come into the building and rooms.

“It was odd because we had no food laid out anywhere in our room,” Braham said. “All of our food was sealed.”

Associate Director of Communications & Development Catherine David said students are encouraged to submit a work order

since 2010. The University appointed Fuentes-Martin as interim vice president of student affairs for six months during the search for a new vice president of student affairs.

“While this is a personal matter and we cannot comment on specifics, it is not uncommon to see administrative changes at a university, especially when new leadership comes in such as a new president or provost,” Ballard said at the time.

The announcement of FuentesMartin’s move to Texas A&M-San Antonio comes over a month after the University announced that former President F. King Alexander accepted a position as president of Oregon State University. Thomas Galligan, dean of the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, will serve as interim president while the LSU Board of Supervisors conducts the search for Alexander’s replacement.

When she first accepted her position at the University, FuentesMartin said one of her main goals

as dean of students was to increase student involvement. She said that the University already had an excellent student experience, but it is her job to help it grow.

Fuentes-Martin’s other priorities at the University included increasing campus safety and student diversity.

During her time at LSU, FuentesMartin created a Week of Reflection following the death of Max Gruver in 2017 and a Greek Task Force on Greek Life aimed to examine campus culture. She also participated in a prayer vigil last semester when three University students died.

Fuentes-Martin has served as a dean of students for over 15 years and has more than 24 years of experience in higher education.

Before coming to LSU, FuentesMartin served at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley as vice president of student life and dean of students.

Fuentes-Martin earned her doctorate in education from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and her twins attended Texas A&M as well.

BY LARA NICHOLSON @laranicholson_ Everyone knows that one sports fan who has a strange superstition. Some fans have to wear the same clothing for every game.

Others have to follow a ritual on game day for when they shower or what they eat.

One LSU fan’s ritual is that she earns a degree from the University every year that the Tigers win a national championship.

Earlisha Whitfield, Ph.D, has earned a degree the same year as the last three national championships won by LSU: her bachelor’s degree in 2003, her master’s degree in 2007 and most recently her Ph.D during the 2019 season.

She knows every song the band plays and every cheer that goes along with them. As a student, she would attend football and basketball games whenever she could.

Whitfield originally grew up in poverty in Bastrop, Louisiana. She said she was highly charismatic in high school, and would participate in every club she could so she

could travel to state conventions.

For her, those trips were her only vacations.

Whitfield’s love for LSU began when she took a field trip to Baton Rouge for a Beta Club convention.

She said it was the first time she saw real light before.

“You know what lights they were? The lights of the [Mississippi River] bridge,” Whitfield said. “I had only ever read about lights like that in books. I could cry now thinking about it. I knew Baton Rouge would be my home.”

Originally her family expected her to attend University of Louisiana Monroe or Grambling University. She said everyone advised her not to go to LSU because students there were racist and would treat her differently, but she did not apply anywhere else.

“Every person treated me like family,” Whitfield said. “I loved my professors, and my professors loved me. I never, ever, ever had one person treat me like I didn’t belong there. I never had any instance of racism.”

Whitfield graduated from the

University with a bachelor’s degree in 2003, the same year that the Tigers beat the Oklahoma Sooners in the Sugar Bowl under Nick Saban.

She started a career in education upon graduation, hoping to teach impoverished children in urban areas. She soon realized she was not as well-equipped to teach urban students as she once thought, and returned to the University in order to receive a graduate degree in education.

“I wasn’t prepared to teach kids that were so far behind with behavioral problems,” Whitfield said.

“I grew up poor, but I’m from the rural area, so I didn’t really know about urban kids. That’s a whole other degree.”

She said that she could not have earned her degree without the help of her mentor, Professor Mary-Marget Sulentic Dowell, who specializes in urban education and still teaches at the University today. “[Dowell] helped me through this process all the way through my Ph.D,” she said. “She had to

BEN CAPLAN / The Reveille

An ant hill grows outside Laville Honors House on January 21. for situations like this so that the staff can investigate where the ant problem is coming from.

“We do quarterly pest control on our facilities, but we also have our pest control partners on hand as well if we need them to come in and spray a particular room or area,” David said. “Our team will enter the space where the report is made and look for ants, signs

of ants, possible entry points and things that attract ants such as crumbs, food and trash so that it can be treated.”

David said if the staff does not know about the problem, they cannot fix the problem. Work orders can be submitted at the front desk, through students’ residence life coordinator or through the MyLSU housing portal.

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Any of LSU’s 330 academic programs can be paired with our BS in Entrepreneurship.

Visit lsu.edu/business/opportunity to learn more.

ENTERTAINMENT STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

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Digital advertising junior Grace Owen, uses art to give viewers a fresh new perspective

BY CAROLINE HEBERT @sister_carols Digital advertising junior Grace Owen has always been intrigued by creating art. As a child, she would take several art classes outside of school. As a freshman, her ambitions were high. She dove into her digital advertising major and minor of visual communications.

With her major and minor, Owen is confident the University can grow her techniques as an artist and assist the business side of branding along with how to run advertising agencies.

Owen’s is a deep believer that her art should speak to people through the expressions in her art.

“I want people to be able to look at my art, and then look at the world differently after [seeing my art], and be able to see the beauty in other things,” Owen said.

The passion that keeps her going is the ability to change

BY CAROLINE HEBERT @sister_carols

perspectives. Her abstract art have different perspectives depending on the way you look at it. This is Owen’s attempt to reflect life and all the different views it encounters.

“If you turn the poster you can see it a different way, and I think this is a way to teach a lesson that if you change your perspective or shift how you are looking at something it can really change the whole picture,” Owen said.

Owen’s favorite projects right now are posters she is able to design and draw on her iPad. To get her name and work publicized, Owen is hosting pop-up shops at sorority events, art galleries, White Light Night to feature her work.

With other connections, she was able to take part in an art collective called “Pink Door Collective.” This organization has helped her manage her brand, sales and gallery appearance.

The Lake Charles native knew that her hometown needs

more art scenes, so she took her art back home and had a huge showcase. Since then, Owen’s art career has blossomed and many opportunities have appeared.

Her goals are still great after college and she hopes to still be able to do freelance art alongside a job that allows her to still do graphic design. Her approach to furthering her career has already started by helping companies design logos and other important branding needs.

Grace Owen is beyond grateful for the possibilities that have been opened up for her but is also thankful for the simple fact that her art is loved.

To see her art in person, her next popup will be at Delta Delta Delta sorority event, “Sincerely yours” on February 19th. Her art will include stickers, t-shirts and other creative content.

To see her work check out Grace Owen’s art Instagram page @stuffgracemade.

COURTESY OF GRACE OWEN

Digital advertising junior Grace Owens enjoys creating artwork that allows viewers to see it in multiple perspectives.

THIS WEEK IN BR

Wine Walk: Winter Opener On Wednesday, you and your friends can have a fun night by walking the Downtown bars of Baton Rouge. Starting at 5:30 p.m., you can visit four to five bars and try two wines at each for just ten dollars a person. If 5:30 is too early for you, don’t fret, you can hop on the tour at any time since this party doesn’t end till 12 am. To buy your tickets to the Wine Walk visit Eventbrite.

Baton Rouge Art Scene On Saturday, the Baton Rouge Art Market is hosting its annual showcase. In downtown Baton Rouge on North Boulevard, the community can find art from local and out of state artists that consist of pottery, jewelry, woodwork, textiles, photographs, glass, paintings, sculpture, hand-made soaps, and much more.

Another art show on Saturday is in the Old Bogan Firehouse at 427 Laurel St, Baton Rouge. With fine arts and crafts created by locals, everyone is sure to find something they like. If you are an artist seeking to show or sell your work visit Baton Rouge Art Consortium Facebook page to sign up.

Caliente Sunday special The Mexican restaurant Caliente, located at 1072 W Lee Drive, is now offering $10 bottomless mimosas every Sunday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Alongside the mimosas, one can get the unlimited brunch buffet for just $12.99. If you’re looking to brighten your Sunday morning, make sure you and the girls hit up Caliente for good food, drink and laughs.

DIG Restaurant week From now until Saturday, DIG Magazine is hosting “Restaurant Week” in Baton Rouge. More than 50 locations are participating by allowing customers to enjoy a threecourse meal between $15-$40 dollars per diner. These restaurants range from classic American food to sushi, to pizza and seafood. For a list of participating restaurants with prices check out EatBR.

Varsity Theatre The Varsity Theatre is the place to be if you enjoy live performances. Located at 3353 Highland Rd, everyone can enjoy the great atmosphere of the theatre. On Friday, Flow Tribe will be performing at 9 pm, and on Saturday, James Mccann and the Northbound Drifters will be performing at 8 pm. Admission for tickets will range between $12 and 15. To find out who else is performing at Varsity Theatre soon, visit Varsity Theatre.com.

Monday, January 27, 2020

Monday, January 27, 2020

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VIBRANT VARSITY

Chicago duo, Win and Woo perform to a crowd of fans on Jan. 22 as the opening act of the Camp Superdope tour.

Win and Woo, Two Friends and Matoma performed on Jan. 22 on the Camp Superdope tour at The Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge.

Two Friends bring out a saxophone player during their set on Jan. 22 for their show with Matoma at The Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge.

PHOTOS BY BEN CAPLAN

Smoke and other visual effects burst out around Norwegian DJ Matoma as he fires up the crowd for his show on Jan. 22 on the Camp Superdope tour at The Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge.

LA duo, Two Friends party and spray the crowd with water guns on Jan. 22 for their show at the Varsity Theatre on their Camp Superdope tour with Matoma in Baton Rouge.

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Monday, January 27, 2020

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37 Actor Annable 39 Like umbrella weather 40 Store event 42 Aromas 43 Shaving cream 45 Unclear; obscure 46 Diminishes

1/27/20

47 Actor Bridges 48 __ down; diet successfully 49 Calcutta dress 50 Pulls hard 52 U.S. flag color 53 So-so grade 55 Regulation 56 Part of a play

SPORTS LIKE BROTHERS Inside the Duo of JuVaughn Harrison and Rayvon Grey

BY JARED BRODTMANN @_therealjarbear Natural law is defined by the simplified concept of “opposites attract.”

Positively charged protons and negatively charged electrons hold together the building blocks of physical matter in the universe. Humans require oxygen, while plants require carbon dioxide, and the two are dependent on the opposites’ products generated from their process of energy consumption.

Yet, any human being will tell you the key to forming relationships is to find common interests and then build off those interests to develop stronger bonds.

What happens when nature’s decree of opposites and man’s rules of connecting over similarities are combined?

Relationships grow beyond the human capacity to truly understand their strength and longevity.

Enter JuVaughn Harrison and Rayvon Grey.

While the duo is revered at the top of the NCAA and lead a Men’s LSU Track & Field team that is currently ranked second in Division 1, according to the USTFCCCA. The two individuals came from different paths to arrive to this point today.

“It’s always been something that was done in my family,” Harrison a native of Huntsville, Alambama, said. “My mom did

it. My dad did it. All of them did it, so track was just something that everybody did. As far as jumping, that was something I was good at, so I took the jumping route instead of doing running things.”

In true opposite fashion, Grey hails from Beacon, NY, which is a two-hour drive from Manhattan. He did not have the legacy in his family that grew his love for the sport.

“When I started doing track, no one really did it in my family,” Grey said. “Everyone played football in my family. One day, I just went out for the team, and I was actually pretty fast. They put me in a long jump competition, and I think I hit like 21 feet my first time ever. Kinda stuck with it ever since.”

The list of accolades built up since Harrison joined Grey at LSU in 2018 is impressive.

The duo has combined for two First-Team All-SEC acknowledgements, five All-American acknowledgements, three SEC championships, and three NCAA championships. Harrison and Grey were the first duo from the same university to sweep the indoor (Grey) and outdoor (Harrison) long jump championships since 1972, per LSUSports.net.

When asked about their success last season, Grey showed his confidence the team’s abilities and noted the skills of last season’s key pole vaulter Mondo

Duplantis, who chose to forgo his college eligibility and begin competing professionally.

“Coming into the preseason, we knew what we could do, especially with Mondo,” Grey said. “I remember coming into the season and thinking, like, yeah, we could dominate in all the jumps: triple to long, pole vault, high.”

“I went out a little early indoors,” Harrison said. “I wanted to help contribute a little bit more points, but I mean,

he (Grey) picked up the slack.

Sometimes you have good me, and sometimes you don’t, and it’s good to have teammates there to pick up the slack.”

When outdoors came in, there was no shortage of good JuVaughn Harrison. He became the first male collegiate athlete to sweep the high jump and long jump championships in NCAA outdoor history and was

see BROTHERS, page 10

AURIANNA CORDERO / The Reveille

LSU jumper Rayvon Grey walks to begin the tripple jump during the Bayou Bengal Invitational on Feb. 2, 2018 in the Carl Maddox Field House.

page 9 FOOTBALL & BASEBALL

Mo Hampton: Onto the next season

BY NATASHA MALONE @malone_natasha It was just two weeks ago that LSU defeated Clemson to claim its first national title in football in over a decade. The whole state of Louisiana was shutdown in celebration of the Tigers’ victory. For most players and staff, this is a period of celebration and to take in what they have accomplished, except for one member of the team.

As the saying goes, as one door closes, another one opens.

In this case, as one season comes to a close, another one begins.

For freshman Maurice Hampton, he has taken a 180-degree turn.

There was no time off taken between the two sports for the freshman outfielder and defensive back. No matter the sport, Hampton has shown nothing but dedication to each of the two sports and it is why LSU Baseball coach Paul Mainieri praised him so much.

“My understanding is he interacted with the baseball players frequently on campus,” Mainieri said. “It’s really refreshing to me to see a youngster that is that committed and dedicated and loves the game that much.”

see HAMPTON, page 10

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

All Bought In: LSU Beach Volleyball readies for the season

BY JARED BRODTMANN @_therealjarbear One of LSU Athletics’ most competitive and consistent teams t is one you’ve probably never heard of. And guess what?

They’re okay with that because it’s the LSU Beach Volleyball team’s job to make you know just who they are.

Coach Russell Brock, who is entering his fourth season, has no concerns about his Lady Tigers’ being overlooked and overshadowed. His team’s focus is on more than just a reputation.

“In our mind, every year, our mentality is we’ve got to prove people wrong,” Brock said. “So they don’t think we’re number one, then we’ve still got work to do. The perception is that this is the best team that we’ve ever had. But our perception is that

we’re still just not good enough, and we’ve got to figure out how to get a little bit better. So every day we step in the sand, every time we compete with somebody across the net, our job is to be better than we were, and to do something we’ve never done before.”

Despite a program-record 31wins and finishing in the final eight in Gulf Shores, Al. for the National Championships for the third year in a row last season, the team is indifferent to how outsiders view it. The secondranked Lady Tigers, according to DiG Magazine, want something to show for all of their work: a championship.

“The funny thing is that [the ranking] came out on football’s national championship day, so it was like totally under the radar,” Brock said with a laugh.

“At the end of the day, it’s really

not that meaningful, because it doesn’t put a trophy in our lobby, it doesn’t put rings on our fingers, and it doesn’t allow us to join that group of elite teams that have done something truly special.”

And perhaps there is no better chance to accomplish that goal than with the team’s top-duo returning for their senior seasons, Claire Coppola and Kristen Nuss.

The two have played together their entire collegiate careers and hold the program record for 91 individual wins. But, like the rest of the team, the two veterans are not focused on what’s already been accomplished, but rather, what they can do to further cement their historic careers into LSU’s proud athletic history.

“I’m super excited honestly, to get into the season,” Nuss said.

see VOLLEYBALL, page 10

KRISTIN SELLE / The Reveille

LSU junior, Kristen Nuss (13) and junior, Claire Coppola (14) celebrate during the Tigers’ match against USM at the LSU Beach Volleyball Stadium on March 23, 2019.

page 10

Monday, January 27, 2020

BROTHERS, from page 9 awarded the 2019 USTFCCCA Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year. He was also named a 2019 Bowerman Semifinalist, which is awarded to the top athletes in men’s and women’s track and field. This season, Harrison has been named to the Bowerman watch list yet again.

Harrison’s vision is on bigger dreams, however.

HAMPTON, from page 9 For the dual-sport athlete Hampton, it was never a question of is it going to be baseball or is it going to be football. Hampton had his mind set that for the getgo that he was going to play both at the collegiate level.

“LSU was always a dream school of mine,” Hampton emphasized. “For me, I made it known that for whatever school decided

VOLLEYBALL, from page 9 “We’ve worked so hard, and we’re just ready to start competing.”

“I feel like we’re just cherishing every practice, every minute we have out here, because we’re almost done, and it’s weird to think about that,” Coppola added.

When asked about the best attributes of his two senior captains, Brock without hesitation

“I’ll take it as a good accomplishment because I did get on the Bowerman list last year, but I didn’t make it all the way through, so to be on the watch list for this season is a great accomplishment, but I’m not really focused on the Bowerman.

That’s more of an after-season thing. I’m just focused on winning my rings and helping my team win. We have the potential to win nationals and poten-

tial to win SEC, so everybody just has to buckle down and do what they gotta do.”

Grey emphasized the biggest difference this year is even more spotlight on the veteran leaders, like Harrison and himself.

“I want to say pressure, but we really don’t feel pressure, in a sense. Now it’s, like, really focused on us.” He acknowledged the losses of key scorers Duplantis and Jaron Flournoy, but

he also highlighted how much the team has grown. “Everyone’s a lot better than where they were last year. I’m really excited to see what we can do.”

Despite their differences, the two, roommates on the road, showed a visible bond, one that can only be cultivated through hours of time with each other and endless support for one another. A bigger common attribute unites them beyond na-

ture’s will to keep them as opposites: a passion to compete and to win.

“We’re like brothers.” Grey smiled. “When he first got here, I was his host brother. He came on the team, beat me one year, and I was like ‘Damn, the kid I hosted beat me?’ We’re real close, real competitive.”

Harrison, with a satisfied look to his brother, added, “But it’s always love.”

to recruit me that I am a twoway deal, and LSU is the perfect school for that.”

Despite its fairy tale start, LSU was not always certain. Coming out of high school, the Tennessee native was tempted to forgo his collegiate career, including football as a whole, and start his journey to the major leagues with an outstanding offer of 1.8 million dollars.

“Mo (Hampton) loves base-

ball. He turned down a large signing bonus to come to LSU. He was constantly coming over in the fall to hit in the cages on his own time,” said Mainieri.

As the wear-and-tear of football season took its toll, the highly talented defensive back started seeing the playing field a lot more often which limited the time that he was available for baseball.

“I always got in the cages on Sunday’s,” Hampton said. “Dur-

ing football season, I’m focusing on football and the same goes for baseball. It’s just how it has to be, but I make up for the time when I can.”

Although both are sports, football and baseball both provide the two-way athlete with different life experiences.

“Failure, I mean you fail a lot over here with baseball and I feel like that keeps me motivated to keep working hard and

doing it over and over again,” Hampton said.

As the baseball season quickly approaches, Hampton looks to take advantage of the time in front of him before the season starts in hope to solidify his spot in this young but talented Tigers team.

“I definitely have a lot of ground to make up for,” Hampton said. “I’m going to do what it takes to be out there on opening day.”

referred to their leadership.

“That wasn’t always the case, that really is something that they’ve grown into, and it’s super impressive to see, from where they came in to where they are now,” Brock said. “There was years of discomfort, and I think that when you put yourself in a position to be uncomfortable, you’re going to either grow or you’re going to fold, and neither one of their insides are going to

allow them to fold, so they’ve grown leaps and bounds, every single year because they refused to be comfortable.” “Their motivation isn’t how good am I, it’s how good can I be, and that attitude, that mentality is great when your leaders are doing that.”

With their first competitive tournament coming up on Feb. 22-23 in Honolulu the team is making its final preparations to their game plans, their condi-

tioning and most importantly, their focus.

“There’s a different feel going into this season.” Nuss said confidently. “We can only affect ourselves. Just collectively as a team.

I think that will be the only thing that will hold us back, and I do not foresee that happening at all. I think we will control our own destiny.”

“I feel like since the minute the last ball hit the sand last May,

everyone has been like okay, like we’re all bought in, like we’re ready to go. And you can feel like it has been a different energy vibe out her for sure,” Coppola concurred. “Everyone’s bought in. It’s exciting to be a part of.”

When May comes again and people start to ask, “Who are these girls?” Coppola and Nuss, the Lady Tigers, will probably just give a sly smirk; they know exactly who they are.

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OPINION

page 11

In his second term, Gov. Edwards will have to change position YOUR BEST BRETT BRETT LANDRY @bmlandry3 On Jan. 13, 2020, Louisiana re-inaugurated Gov. John Bel Edwards to his second term.

With this inauguration, Louisiana witnessed the end of Gov. Edwards’ status as a “Blue Dog” Democrat and the birth of something inevitably partisan.

Across Louisiana, voters filled the state legislature with a super majority of conservative Republicans. In the Senate, there are 27 Republicans and only 12 Democrats. In the House of Representatives, 68 Republicans outnumber 35 Democrats, with only two Independents.

The leadership in both houses of the legislature represent the conservative values of the people of Louisiana, as the Senate is now led by President Patrick

“Page” Cortez and President Pro-Tempore Beth Mizell. Both career-long Republicans with a strong conservative voting record. Additionally, the House of Representatives is now led by Speaker Clay Schexnayder and Speaker Pro Tempore Tanner Magee.

The current state of the Louisiana legislature allows for an easy conclusion to be drawn: conservative legislation will be written, debated, passed and put on the governor’s desk. This does not mean the Republicans in the legislature will not work with Democrats, but in the end, the legislators were elected to represent their constituents.

Democrats will be the ones having to make compromises.

What does this exactly mean for Gov. Edwards?

The governor now has reached a partisan fork in the road; a road he has been walking for the past four years. Ed-

wards must now either become more politically conservative to make the government process work easier, or skew more liberal to compensate for the drowned-out Democratic voices in the legislature.

If Edwards chooses to lean politically right, there will be little change to many of his previously-held political stances, most of which are conservative. The only major compromises he would have to make would be in his stances on raising taxes and expanding Medicaid. These changes would also represent a greater range of Louisiana voters, as most of Louisiana is conservative.

If Edwards were to lean politically left in the upcoming years, he would be standing up for the lost Democratic voice in the legislature. This stance would pay homage to those who got Edwards elected, particularly Orleans Parish, who had

an outstanding turnout of 127,853 votes, 90% of which went to Edwards.

While this may seem like a noble burden, the result would be bitter partisan clashes within the Louisiana government, a severe drop in productivity numerous special sessions and overall, embarrassment to the state’s reputation.

Edwards can no longer be a middle-of-the-road governor. Republicans only need two swing votes in the House of Representatives to override any governor veto. There are currently two members in the House who have no party affiliation and can act as the needed wild card votes.

If Edwards vetoes something, the legislature does not have to care. This is possibly the least amount of power a Louisiana governor has ever had, excluding those controlled

by Huey P. Long.

In the end, Gov. Edwards might surprise us all and dance the line between southern Democrats and mainstream conservatives for another four years, leaving the executive office with some resemblance of a blue dog.

However, the Republicans will have a contingency plan for all their potentially failed legislation these next four years, and they are about as heated up and red as a pot of hot boiled crawfish on Good Friday.

Edwards is going to have to face another learning curve.

The Republican in me hopes he shifts, becoming more politically conservative, but as Louisianians, all of us should hope that our government does a good job.

Brett Landry is a 21-yearold political communications senior from Bayou Petit Caillou, Louisiana.

We need to stop romanticizing toxic relationships, like “You” CARIN’ LIKE ERIN ERIN STEPHENS @epstphns College is the site of many fateful romances and budding relationships, where couples meet in class and go on to live happily ever after.But now there’s a bevy of people engaged in the wacky love lives of psychopaths, as portrayed in various TV series.

Over the past few years, there has been an uptake in psychopathic romances in pop culture. Most recently, “You,” a popular Netflix series, depicts the lengths a psychopath will go to woo the apple of his eye. For Joe Goldberg, the main character, murder is a viable option to remove any barriers standing in the way of his romance.

This series has garnered great attention from the younger viewing audience. Scenes and pictures from the show are used for Twitter memes and satire. This is all fun and games, but this series hasn’t contributed to a serious conversation about toxic relationships or dealing with psychopathic tendencies.

There is nothing healthy or

attractive about a person who is literally crazy about their partner. There is a common notion that the more someone is willing to do for you, the more they love you. If murdering your friends and family qualifies, perhaps you should consider the mental health of your partner.

Popular series like “You” depict romantic relationships that are toxic. In one sense, these shows are portraying the unadulterated reality of many relationships, but writers must remain cognizant of their influence. Many young people watch these shows and begin to resonate with the questionable behavior rather than question the conventions of toxic relationships.

This fascination with psychopathic tendencies in relationships isn’t limited to television;.

It has crossed into the domain of documentaries. There are many documentaries about serial killers in which their motives and actions are analyzed. Recently, Ted Bundy has become known for his looks more than his murderous deeds.

Seduction is a common technique for many serial killers. Bundy’s charm was a part

of his act, but it should be delivered as a fact rather than a catalyst to begin debating his attractiveness.

There are hundreds of women in online forums chatting about how attractive Ted Bundy is. Richard Ramirez, a serial killer who terrorized Los Angeles and San Francisco in the mid-80’s, is also complimented for his looks. A good-looking man is a good-looking man, but a murderous past should be a turn off.

Serial killers are an extreme example, but there are multiple examples of beloved toxic relationships in pop culture. Ross and Rachel from “Friends” is the bestknown example of this. Kelly and Ryan from “The Office’ also exhibited unhealthy practices such as infidelity and excessive clinginess.

Carrie Bradshaw from “Sex & the City” ended up in a rocky relationship, as did Betty and Don Draper from “Mad Men.” These shows are enjoyed by many for their interesting story lines, but the drama brought on by the relationships played large roles in the audience’s interest.

Notions about these relationships must be reframed. Instead of becoming engrossed in the “undying love” of psychopaths like Joe Goldberg, we should use

courtesy of NETFLIX

shows like this to challenge negative social norms we have about relationships.

As a society, we should question the ideas that this type of media tries to instill in us. Toxic relationships portraying people who are madly in love despite all this damage should not be the love we look up to.

Writers should create con-

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Caleb Greene Brittany Forbes Baily Chauvin Anna Jones Rachel Mipro

Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor Opinion Editor

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

tent that features healthy relationships. No relationship is without faults, but in a world of constant uncertainty and disappointment, we should strive for solid relationships with non-psychopaths.

Erin Stephens is a 19-year-old journalism sophomore from Brusly, Louisiana.

Quote of the Week “The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whataver they want to do.”

Kobe Bryant

Professional basketball player 1978 — 2020

page 12

Monday, January 27, 2020

Pregnancy speculation is disgusting, causes damage to celebs GABBING WITH GABBY GABRIELLE MARTINEZ @gobbymatinez There is something inherently disgusting about the media monitoring of women’s bodies. It seems as if entertainment journalists and self-proclaimed “fans” thrive off of speculating which celebrity is going to pop out a kid next.

While some defend these pregnancy speculations as a painless act with no intended illwill, this aspect of “fan culture” is still anything but harmless.

Recently, Kourtney Kardashian took to Instagram to post a ring-lit selfie in an orange onepiece sweater. This picture prompted self-declared fans to enter the comments with questions as blatantly as “Are you pregnant?” to which Kourtney responded, “No, I wish.”

And the award for most depressing celeb-fan interaction goes to Karsashian by a landslide. Her sad response is a im-

portant lesson; although she’s a celebrity, Kourtney is just as human as the rest of us.

Women in the spotlight are still women who face the risks of miscarriages, body dysmorphia and postpartum depression.

These women could even have faced the difficulties of abortion before and could potentially be sensitive to any pregnancyrelated discussion.

Real fans should have the awareness to realize how unnecessary and inconsiderate this type of speculation really is. Being able to empathize with the person behind the screen should be commonplace knowledge, especially now in the age of social media.

Pregnancy speculation goes hand in hand with the internet culture of body shaming. Unflattering angles or posture gives the stomach a round appearance, and all of a sudden you’re having twins.

You would think out of all places, that the internet would be more progressive and against this sort of body shaming, right?

Nope. Only last month, singer Lizzo had to end her presence on Twitter because of the harsh memes circulating about her weight.

Why must both younger and older women always be shown as mothers in the media? Motherhood is not the end game for every woman, especially those who would rather spend years honing their craft and success.

A perfect example of this is the constant gossip around Jennifer Anniston’s ticking biological clock. In a 2016 essay for the Huffington Post, Anniston wrote “The sheer amount of resources being spent right now by the press trying to simply uncover whether or not I am pregnant points to the perpetuation of this notion that women are somehow incomplete, unsuccessful, or unhappy if they’re not married with children.”

Women are not selfish for not wanting to have children, and absolutely no one has the right to make them feel guilty with their own decision.

This begs the question, what

cartoon by ETHAN GILBERTI / The Reveille

does someone gain from being right in their assumption? Maybe temporary satisfaction is the desired outcome, but it’ll never stack up to the amount of harm their hypothesizing causes.

Women have a right to pri-

vacy when it comes to their own bodies, no matter how public their life may be.

Gabrielle Martinez is an 18-yearold mass communication freshman from Gonzales, Louisiana.

Sussex abdication unnecessarily sensationalized by press GRACE UNDER FIRE GRACE PULLIAM @gcpulli It was early in the new year when Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, publicly announced plans to “step back” from their official roles as Duke and Duchess of Sussex in order to pursue financial independence elsewhere.

By the next day, it seemed every media outlet had a sensational headline to pitch. “They didn’t even tell the Queen,” read the now-infamous headline from The Daily Mirror on the morning following the couple’s statement. On the same day, The Sun termed the situation potential for “civil war.”

It appears that for many Britons, the abdication comes as the latest and most damnable offense in a series of perceived scandals involving the country’s most divisive power couple.

Unlike media darlings William and Kate Cambridge, the Sussexes have suffered a largely negative reception from the British public since their relationship began in 2016. The couple has been the constant subject of rumor and unflattering comparisons. With this turbulent background, it was certainly no surprise when the Sussexes’ announcement was met with immediate backlash.

For much of the U.K., Harry and Meghan’s apparent renunciation of the royal life — a phenomenon referred to disparagingly as “Megxit” by a number of triggerhappy tabloids — represents an affront to the esteemed monar-

chy, and perhaps even a threat to the integrity of the Crown. The most extreme narratives paint the Sussexes as outright traitors, with a majority placing the blame almost entirely on Meghan Markle.

Though the basis of such widespread disdain remains a highly contested subject, one truth is abundantly clear: for years, Markle, as a mixed-race American, has been the repeated target of thinly-veiled racial denigration from the British press.

In one particularly egregious incident, the Daily Mail even referred to the former Duchess as “(almost) straight outta Compton,” alluding to crime demographics in her hometown of Los Angeles.

Now, if you’re like me — and the rest of America — it’s probably safe to assume that until fairly recently, you weren’t even aware of Prince Harry’s official job title, let alone the fact that he actually had one. Personally, I had always assumed that the younger of the Queen’s grandsons more or less made his living gallivanting around Europe and generally being the distinguished humanitarian of the royal family à la the late Princess Diana.

This turned out to be a fairly close approximation of the truth.

In truth, Harry was only formally appointed Duke of Sussex (aka Earl of Dumbarton, aka Baron Kilkeel) in May of 2018, an apparent wedding gift from Elizabeth II. According to royal.uk, a website dedicated to the painstaking archival of the comings and goings of the British monarchy, Harry’s responsibilities included, until very recently,

MATT DUNHAM/ The Associated Press

In this Monday Nov. 27, 2017 file photo, Britain’s Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle pose for photographers during a photocall in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London. such ill-defined offices as “supporting a number of charitable activities” and “carrying out public duties in support of the Queen.”

An interesting coincidence, considering that the Prince had been championing such projects for nearly two decades before superfluously acquiring the dukedom. Equally interesting to note is the fact that, on their official website, the Sussexes maintain

that they intend to continue to fully support the Crown (albeit from a distance).

In light of this, I imagine that the centuries-old foundations of the British monarchy aren’t in any danger, with or without active participation from the former Duke and Duchess. As for Harry and Meghan themselves, the couple simply appears to be doing what is best for them, and frankly, I find that admirable.

In any case, the Sussex scandal will eventually die down for the most part. Inevitably something new will rise in its place.

Perhaps by then the sensationalist media will have learned to stop needlessly scapegoating women and minorities.

Perhaps not.

Grace Pulliam is an 18-yearold creative writing junior from Zachary, Louisiana.