Volume 123 · No. 5
Thursday, February 9, 2017
EST. 1887
lsunow.com OPINION
Advocate editorial belittles student activism
@lsureveille
thedailyreveille
dailyreveille
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Faculty members petition LSU ‘Master for international student support Plan’ to be CONSTRUCTION
presented next week
BY TAYLOR DELPIDIO @TD_Reveille
JAY TALKING JAY CRANFORD @hjcranford On Feb. 3, The Advocate published an editorial entitled “Our Views: Skipping class at LSU to thumb noses at Trump looks too much like caricature of liberal loons.” The editorial is not only an insult to college students and college activism, but it also involves the degradation of a credible news organization to hurling schoolyard insults toward a legitimate protest — the journalistic equivalent of yelling at kids to get off its lawn. The most insulting assumption by The Advocate editorial board is its gall in stating the protesting students were simply playing hooky. “Maybe gathering in the evening or on a weekend, when most students are out of class,” the editorial states, “would have revealed how many of the participants were willing to sacrifice their social lives, rather than an instructional session.” I’m not sure where The Advocate editorial board got the idea that all University students are Van Wilders, looking for any
see ACTIVISM, page 12
RYAN MCCARBLE / The Daily Reveille
Professors take action in response to immigration executive order BY KATIE GAGLIANO @katie_gagliano A group of University professors is advocating concrete administrative action in the face of President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. Assistant history professor Brendan Karch, associate English professor Pallavi Rastogi, assistant women’s and gender studies and history professor Catherine Jacquet and assistant anthropology professor Micha Rahder authored a faculty petition calling on the University to take proactive steps to support its international students and faculty. The petition isn’t meant as an abstract request, as an incoming University student in Iran has already been affected by the travel ban, Karch said. Fatemeh*, a comparative literature Ph.D. candidate, and her husband were expected to arrive at the University before Feb. 1, but were delayed suddenly after the travel ban was announced, Karch said.
see PETITION, page 12
FROM THE PETITION FOR LSU TO PUBLICLY SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS IMPACTED BY RECENT PRESIDENTIAL EXECUTIVE ORDERS ON IMMIGRATION:
“We call on President F. King Alexander and the LSU administration to issue an immediate statement in full support of all international students, faculty, and staff — especially those targeted by recent executive orders.” “We urge the University to provide immediate assistance, such as legal advice, housing for those unable to leave the country, or reimbursement for lost tuition or other expenses.” “International students and faculty should also be advised of a central contact point at LSU where they can safely and confidentially have their concerns addressed.”
Over the past year, the University has partnered with the NBBJ planning firm to produce the Comprehensive and Strategic Master Plan for campus development. Beginning Feb. 13, a draft of the master plan will be presented to University leadership and the broader community for feedback. “From the beginning of this effort to create a comprehensive and strategic master plan, it has been extremely important to us for the process to be transparent, and to engage our internal and external key stakeholders. NBBJ, our master planners, have made more than 10 visits to campus and held approximately 100 meetings with students, faculty, staff and leadership to gather data and seek feedback on master plan options,” said Tammy Millican, executive director of Facility and Property Oversight. In January 2016, the University and NBBJ began a process designed to guide the University’s development and capital investment over the next 10 years. The planning process is in the third and final phase and is scheduled to be completed by April of this year. The plan is designed to address issues and needs for the campus itself, such as reduced surface parking in the core of campus,
see MASTER PLAN, page 12
RESEARCH
Researchers bring ancient avians to life with computer models BY CHRIS CLARKE @christophclarke Thanks to techniques being developed in the Department of Biological Sciences, scientists may soon see extinct birds walking and moving like they did in prehistoric times. Dominique Homberger, a University honors professor and Andrei Zinoviev, a Fulbright scholar who works in Homberger’s lab have developed a pioneering approach for creating computer models of animals based on CT scans and x-rays, allowing for complex 3-D models and animations that provide vastly more information than drawings or traditional physical objects. Computer models are advantageous because researchers
can animate the movements and actions of the subject, such as the flap of a bird’s wing, and are able to study the structures of animals in action as opposed to a static picture or plastic model. For this reason, computer models are being touted as the next step in a number of fields, including anatomy, physiology and morphology. Zinoviev came to the University to study these techniques within the context of ancient species of birds. Using a combination of paleontology, medical imaging and computer modeling, Zinoviev is able to rebuild ancient animals bone by bone. Using fossils of ancient birds, 3-D models of the bones are created and modified in Avizo, a
see BIRD MODELS, page 12
courtesy of ANDREI ZINOVIEV
Researchers in the Department of Biological Sciences have developed a way to create 3-D computer models and animations of animals based on CT scans and x-rays.