The Reveille 4-29-24

LESS THAN 1%

That’s how many initial Title IX complaints at LSU end in the perpetrator being separated from campus.

UNRESOLVED

Most Title IX cases reported to LSU go nowhere

BY ASHLYNN BAILLIO & CROSS HARRIS

@ashlynnbaillio & @thecrossharris

The vast majority of reports filed to LSU’s Division of Engagement, Civil Rights and Title IX — which deals with issues like sexual assault, dating violence, workplace harassment and other allegations of sex-based discrimination — end without a formal resolution or disciplinary action, according to three years of data reviewed by the Reveille.

An initial report to the Title IX office doesn’t trigger an investigation in virtually all circumstances. For the Title IX coordinator to consider investigating an alleged violation, a second, “formal” complaint must be submitted to the office.

At LSU, less than 1% of initial reports evolved into hearings that ended with the perpetrator being removed from campus, according to a Reveille analysis of the publicly-available data. That’s largely because only 5% of those who first reported to the Title IX office took that second step.

Out of the 636 initial reports filed from June 2021 to September 2023, only 11 evolved into formal complaints that ended in a panel hearing that ruled whether the alleged perpetrator was “responsible” or “not responsible” for the reported violations. That’s less than 2% of total reports.

The investigation period for a formal complaint “can take 4560 business days, and sometimes longer depending on caseload and academic year timing,” according to the Title IX website. In data from the office, one formal complaint took 158 days to close. Another took only 28.

The Reveille also found LSU’s Title IX office recently used a disciplinary measure that was removed last year from the LSU Code of Student Conduct because of its leniency toward perpetrators of sexual assault.

A 2021 USA Today report found three-of-five students found to have committed a Title IX offense were allowed to continue their work at LSU without interruption because

they were issued a “deferred suspension.”

Under a deferred suspension, a student found responsible for sexual assault isn’t removed from campus unless they’re found responsible for another Title IX violation within a designated time period, typically two years.

In January 2023, the LSU’s Division of Student Affairs removed deferred suspension as an outcome for violating the Code of Student Conduct, the Reveille found using the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.

But just a few months later, in April 2023, LSU’s Office of Title IX issued a deferred suspension to a defendant found guilty of sexual assault, specifically “forcible fondling,” according to the office’s most recent data.

The Reveille contacted Joshua Jones, LSU’s associate vice president for civil rights and Title IX coordinator, by email to clarify why the office had issued a deferred suspension after the outcome was removed, but he didn’t respond.

In an earlier email exchange, however, Jones acknowledged the removal of deferred suspension as an outcome in the LSU Code of Student Conduct, writing that the office wouldn’t use deferred suspensions. And yet, according to the office’s Fall 2023 data report, it did.

Jones indicated by email that there was a second finding of responsibility where the perpetrator wasn’t removed from campus, but he didn’t specify whether this was a deferred suspension.

Understanding the Title IX office

The stated goal of LSU’s Title IX office is to strive for a campus “free from discrimination based on sex including all forms of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating and domestic violence, stalking, power-based violence, and retaliation.”

To those ends, the office has three main functions: to offer preventative education on sexual discrimination and violence, to receive reports of sexual discrimination and violence and seek resolutions for those reports, according to its website.

The university receives about 280 reports involving sexual discrimination, harassment, assault and power-based violence each year, according to the Title IX office’s twice yearly data reports.

Many of those reports are for serious violations.

From June 2021 to September 2023, 28% of reports were for “forcible rape.” Another 16% of reports were for dating violence, and 13% were for stalking.

A large share of those who file initial complaints don’t respond when the Title IX office follows up with them. In the most recent Title IX data report, over half of reporters were unresponsive, but the report is unclear on how exactly the office reaches out to students who make reports.

The second largest share of reporters in the most recent report, 21%, asked the office for supportive measures rather than a formal resolution. Most of that support was academic in nature, according to the most recent review, providing accommodations such as excused absences and extended deadlines.

Other reports ended for clerical reasons: if it turns out LSU doesn’t have jurisdiction over the report — such as in instances where the violation occurred off campus — or if the survivor reported anonymously, for instance.

For survivors who pursue a resolution, Title IX offers two main pathways: formal and informal.

Formal resolutions, according to LSU’s Title IX website, are reviewed by the Title IX coordinator and assigned an investigator. They pass through a two-step process involv-

B-16 Hodges Hall

State University

Rouge, La. 70803

ing, first, an investigation where both parties gather evidence and, second, an adjudication.

Both sides present their evidence to a three-member hearing panel, chosen from faculty and staff or administrative law judges. Both parties are questioned by their own representative — often a lawyer — and the opposing side’s representative.

“The Title IX regulations dictate that we have to have a live hearing where a complainant has to face the respondent,” said Asha Murphy, deputy Title IX coordinator for response and resolution.

This daunting prospect, coupled with only a chance of the desired outcome in a formal investigation, often steers students away from pursuing that option.

Following a hearing, the panel members decide whether the alleged perpetrator is “responsible” or “not responsible.” They use a preponderance of evidence standard, meaning they must decide whether it is more likely than not that the person committed the violations.

These panels also determine the consequences if they find a violation of the Title IX policy has occurred. Both the decision of responsibility and the sanctions can be appealed by either side.

Of the 11 formal complaints that went to a hearing through LSU’s Title IX office since July 2021, eight respondents were found responsible and three were found not responsible, according to data provided to the Reveille by Jones.

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 Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu.

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS ABOUT THE

The Reveille 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 from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.

Students march on Capitol protesting Landry administration

BY AIDAN ANTHAUME @aidanth04

Student groups marched on the Louisiana State Capitol Monday, demanding action from Gov. Jeff Landry administration on a number of recent social justice issues.

Led by Loyola University’s chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, the protestors raised their voices to bring attention to LGBTQ+ rights, community control of the police, funding for schools and welfare and what they see as the government’s increasingly anti-Palestine posture.

“The racist, transphobic, antiPalestinian agenda that the legislation is pushing is not what the people want,” said Lucas Harrell, a representative for New Orleans’ Queer and Trans Community Action Project.

About 50 students and community members gathered for the march.

Reflecting on recent legislative trends throughout the country’s more conservative states, the pro -

POLITICS

testors shared their thoughts on several fronts.

Landry’s anti-LGBTQ+ and tough-on-crime policies drew criticism from the students.

They pointed to House bills 121 and 122, popularly known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bills, as a direct threat to LGBTQ+ rights.

The students called for in-

creased funding for schools and welfare programs and the prioritization of domestic needs over foreign conflicts.

They criticized the U.S. government’s attitude toward Israeli strikes in Gaza following Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, saying policy was advancing a “genocide of Palestinian people.” The protestors also expressed concern over expanding prison systems and crackdowns on protests against war funding.

Members of LSU’s Students for a Democratic Society joined the march.

“We have the power to make some noise,” said Ryan Spalts, a biochemistry junior from LSU SDS. “...People from around the state have showed up to tell Landry just how unpopular these bills are.”

Spalt pointed to LSU’s removal of its diversity, equity and inclusion statement from online spaces shortly after the election of Gov. Landry.

“LSU is not just a university; it is a business,” Spalt said. “What’s

best for LSU’s business and what’s best for students will always be on opposing sides... this is why we saw LSU delete their DEI statements from their websites right before Landry’s inauguration.”

Blu DiMarco, a sophomore history major at Loyola, condemned the state government’s allegiance to corporations.

“The Louisiana government does not stand with the people,” DiMarco said. “Instead, they serve only corporate interests. They are making moves to perpetuate the vicious poverty cycle, keeping us sick, keeping us hungry. That is what Jeff Landry wants.”

The students marched down Capitol Lake Drive to protest in front of the Governor’s Mansion, where they concluded the event with a thesis of summary — that the people of Louisiana deserve better.

“I refuse to be silenced,” DiMarco said in a speech. “I refuse to be squashed out of existence. We must not change ourselves to become appealable to them.”

Students ‘Die-in for Gaza’ to encourage withdrawl support of Israel

BY AIDAN ANTHAUME @aidanth04

Student organization Students for Justice in Palestine at LSU held a “die-in” protest Thursday on the steps of the LSU Student Union in support of Gaza and demanded the university and state divest from corporations they deemed “pro-Israel.”

A die-in is a form of protest where participants lie on the ground as if they were dead to raise awareness of those who’ve died.

By 11 a.m., the crowd’s chants of “free Palestine” grew loud.

Will Quinlin, an English junior

TITLE IX, from page 2

the eight found responsible, six were removed from campus, and two were not.

An informal resolution, on the other hand, is a voluntary process agreed on by both parties that takes on a much more organic form, changing from case to case.

According to the Title IX office, some students choose the informal process because it gives them more control, can be finished quicker and doesn’t require survivors to rehash the details of their experience to the same extent that a formal resolution would.

According to Jones, 11 formal complaints have been resolved through an informal resolution process since June 2021.

“It’s a little bit more restorative based, but it’s also something where the complainant kind of has a little bit of control,” said Kristen

and the action coordinator for SJP at LSU, said they opted to do a die-in protest to “bring attention to the 34,000 dead so far. And the 15,000 children.”

The Palestinian death toll has risen to 34,000 as of April 25, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Two-thirds are women and children.

What began as a small protest of about 15 people quickly grew as more students stopped to watch and participate. Their chants got louder as the crowd grew to about 80.

“At the very least, we want to establish boycott, divestment and sanction of Israel on every college

Mathews, an LSU Title IX case manager.

Gaps in knowledge and trust remain since public revelations

In the past, LSU has struggled to uphold its responsibilities under Title IX, a federal rule banning sex-based discrimination in educational programs and activities.

A 2020 USA Today report detailing LSU’s mishandling of Title IX cases caught national attention and spurred campus protests — and was followed by a lawsuit by 10 former students that settled in March for $1.9 million.

Another report by The Advocate in 2021 revealed a former LSU graduate student had sexual assault allegations from seven women. Six of them filed a federal lawsuit against LSU saying that the university failed to investigate their reports.

The USA Today report — and subsequent calls to action on campus and from state leaders — re -

campus,” Quinlin said.

The members of SJP at LSU say that the violence in Gaza isn’t just a Middle East issue, but a local one as well.

“We are not just here to bring awareness. We’re here to tell the people that you can do something. You can resist change, especially at LSU,” said Ayah Hamdam, president of SJP at LSU and a kinesiology freshman.

All of Louisiana’s U.S. House representatives voted in favor of a bill authorizing $26 billion in aid to Israel, and the Louisiana Senate recently passed a bill voicing the state’s support of Israel.

The state also invested $5 mil-

sulted in LSU commissioning the law firm Husch Blackwell to study its Title IX handlings, which ended in a March 2021 report.

“The University did not handle various items identified in the USA Today article in a manner consistent with obligations under Title IX, widely recognized best practices and University policy,” the report read.

Among a list of 18 recommendations, the report also concluded that the LSU Title IX office was neither appropriately staffed nor provided with adequate resources to carry out its duties.

Thomas C. Galligan Jr., then LSU’s interim president, said the university had “betrayed the very people we are sworn to protect.”

In December 2021, the university contracted another law firm, Baker Tilly, to review what progress LSU had made toward addressing the recommendations

lion in Israeli bonds following the outbreak of the conflict in October.

Hamdam said Louisiana’s government should “fix our potholes first.”

Similar protests have broken out on college campuses across the country, calling for an end to support for Israel. Students at Columbia, University of Texas at Austin, Emerson and other universities have initiated protests, leading to mass arrests for trespassing.

When asked if an encampment was possible at LSU, Quinlin said, “It’s probably something we won’t replicate, ...but we stand with them.”

outlined in the Husch Blackwell report. It found the Title IX office had addressed 10, while eight still remained either in progress or unchanged. The Baker Tilly report concluded, namely, that the Title IX office needed to continue to assess its preventative training and education programs.

The report also found that, in two out of five LSU Title IX cases they reviewed, important documentation was missing from case files.

Through interviews, the Reveille found some LSU students aren’t familiar with the Title IX office or wouldn’t feel comfortable going to the office to report an incident.

Out of 10 students interviewed at random by the Reveille, four had no knowledge of the Title IX office or how it functioned. Other students, who had heard of Title IX, said they thought the office could improve its visibility and outreach

on campus.

Biology sophomore Melanie Suarez said she thought the office should make more of an effort to inform the LSU community about who they are and what they do, especially on social media.

Several other students interviewed by the Reveille also said they thought the office should have a stronger presence on campus.

“I don’t hear too much about it, and I’m not really sure … if it’d be handled in a good manner, that I’d be comfortable with my information being safe,” Suarez said.

Out of the 10 students the Reveille interviewed, four said they wouldn’t feel comfortable going to the office for help.

Nutrition pre-med sophomore Corinne Bosch was one of the students who knew what Title IX was and had a general understanding of

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

A banner reads “Down with Jeff Landry” April 22 during a protest outside the Governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge, La.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille Students hold protest signs April 25 during the Die-in for Gaza at LSU Student Union steps.

TITLE IX, from page 3 the kind of support the office offered. She said she wouldn’t feel safe reporting to the office.

“I feel like it would get back that I said something,” Bosch said.

Biology sophomore Maddie Gilley said she thought sexual discrimination, harassment and assault was an especially big problem in the South. Bad experiences with her high school counselors in Louisiana had made her weary of seeking help at school offices.

Architecture sophomore Kamu Pancholi was one of the students who was familiar with Title IX and the mission of LSU’s office. She said she’d feel comfortable contacting the office to report an incident, but she thought the office could improve their accessibility.

“One gripe that I do have with the Title IX office,” Pancholi said, “is they make it really hard to figure out the resources they have or what will happen if you go to them — like your options.”

Pancholi said she thought the office’s website was difficult to parse and overly focused on legal jargon that doesn’t really assist students who are seeking help.

“I think if they make it more straightforward, or try to get the word out more for what they can offer students and what certain actions would mean for them, it would be much more helpful to and accessible for students,” Pan-

choli said.

The LSU website for Title IX has information on resolution options, supportive measures for alleged perpetrators and victims, and opportunities for training and workshops. The office also has an Instagram page that posts regularly.

The Reveille contacted LSU’s Title IX office several times for this article, but the office was mostly unresponsive. A Reveille reporter contacted the Title IX office over the phone five times and went to the office in person twice. They were referred to contact Jones, the Title IX coordinator.

In total, Reveille staff emailed Jones more than 10 times, attempting to clarify data or meet Jones for an interview. Jones took more than a month to reply to questions about the data.

Changes to the office in recent years

A 2021 act passed by the Louisiana Legislature made it law that higher education institutions in Louisiana have to create twiceyearly reviews on power-based violence, including data that describes how many reports the school received and how those reports were closed. Because of that law, students now have access to the data used as the basis of this article.

Almost all LSU employees are mandatory reporters, meaning that they are required by law to file a report with the Title IX office if a student tells them about a potential

Title IX violation.

This role was clarified after the 2020 Title IX revelations, in which some employees who were required to make reports failed to do so.

Students confiding in professors, residential assistants or any designated mandatory reporter may not know they have an obligation to contact Title IX. For students who don’t want a report made, that can be problematic.

“It should be a confidential matter,” said Mendy Escudier, a sexual assault investigator at the East Baton Rouge coroner’s office, “but the introduction of the duty to report for the safety of the campus has blurred the lines.”

Confidential reporters, on the other hand, are trained to help students find resources and care, and they’re not required by law to file a report. Over the past years, the university has increased the number of confidential advisors on campus from 24 to 30.

LSU’s Lighthouse program provides the LSU community with a staff of confidential advisers and can help survivors with finding medical care, evidence collection, navigating Title IX or reporting to the police.

The university is also involved in a two-year program called the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators to address and prevent sexual violence on campus with student affairs

organizations. That partnership saw the creation of a new support group for survivors of interpersonal violence launched at LSU in late February, funded by the Title IX office and NASPA and in partnership with LSU Student Government and the LSU Psychological Services Center.

Sexual assault on college campuses

While the number of crimes on college campuses per 10,000 students has gradually decreased over the last decade, the number of sexual assaults per 10,000 students increased, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

The beginning of the year is crucial for freshman and transfer students who are navigating a different school, trying to make new friends. In a culture where entertainment and fun are closely tied to drinking, many sensitive concepts surrounding LSU nightlife often go overlooked.

A phenomenon known as the “red zone” describes the time of year that rates of sexual assault surge on campus: during the first few weeks of the fall semester. About half of all cases nationwide occur during this period, according to a peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of American College Health.

And while common conception of perpetrators often centers on roofies and back-alley attacks,

these stereotypes of sexual assault are less common in the real world.

“Everyone wants to talk about roofie drugs, but alcohol is the number one date rape drug,” Escudier said.

Another common misconception is that perpetrators of sexual assault are most typically strangers. The reality is that they often lurk within social circles.

“We know that sexual assaults occur between people who know one another in some way,” Murphy said.

For survivors

The East Baton Rouge coroner’s office provides supportive measures for survivors of sexual assault.

“You can choose to have a kit done,” Escudier said, “but you don’t have to report to law enforcement.”

The LSU Lighthouse Program and Baton Rouge nonprofit Sexual Trauma Awareness & Response also provide confidential services for survivors. STAR has a 24/7 hotline, which can be found on its website. LSU student organizations, like Tigers Against Sexual Assault, work to raise awareness about sexual violence on campus, too.

If you have had an experience with sexual violence or Title IX that you would like to discuss with the Reveille, you can reach us through our anonymous tipline, on our social media or at editor@lsu.edu.

Courtney Bell contributed reporting to this article.

ENTERTAINMENT

Ugandan folklore play dives into grief and womanhood

BY CATE EMMA WARREN @cateemmawarren

“Let me be: Grandma, Mama, and Me” is a show that delves into themes of grief, matriarchal relationships, death and Ugandan folklore. The show was written and directed by Sarah Nansubuga, a theater doctoral student. This show was based off another original one-woman show written by Nansubuga for her final thesis for her master of fine arts.

The show takes viewers through an emotional rollercoaster, from laughing at comedic lines to being brought to tears by the ending. It’s a story involving four women working to navigate life when losing a loved one and what it means to be a woman in a third-world country, what it means to leave and return, and what it means to be a daughter.

The inspiration came about to Nansubuga about four years before the one-woman show when her grandmother died. During this time, she described feeling growing pains with her own mother.

“I realized there’s a lot of things I don’t know about either

woman. And that’s, that’s what inspired [the show], she said. It came from a place of loss, grief, anger, just trying to understand why mothers behave the way that they do.”

The show highlighted Ugandan culture and folklore through storytelling. This enhanced the emotional impact of the performances and built the characters’ relationships.

“It’s not recorded in the academic way where it’s written down, it’s passed down. And because of just generational disconnect some of those linkages are being missed,” she said.

Nansubuga said that the stories told in her play are very different from the original source material.

“I’m interested in creating a blueprint, for how folklore changes when it’s translated into different mediums,” she said. “It’s something that I hope to continue to do, to just continue to include folklore in my general theatre practice.”

The entire company is passionate about their roles in bringing the show to life, and that translates to the performance.

One of the actresses, Simone Jackson is a film and TV junior who played Natasha, the daughter in the play.

“When preparing for the role, while this was something that Sarah wrote, at first I was a little bit apprehensive because I thought that she would spoonfeed us what she wanted,” Jackson said. “But she left that to us. It was something where I really could channel experiences that I’ve had with my mother and my grandmother, even things that I’ve witnessed other people have.”

Kayla Short, fifth-year theater major, portrays the role of Mama in the production. For Short, the key to playing her role was channeling her mother.

“It’s harder because I’m playing on the opposite side of the situation that’s familiar to me. A lot of the things that my character says my mom has actually said, almost verbatim, so instead of thinking how my mom made me feel, I think of exactly what she said and how I remember it and then that helps me become the character,” she said.

Theater senior Caitlyn Gilliam

said her experiences working as the stage manager for the production showed her how interesting original play development can be.

“I feel like with original shows there is something fun about being able to change things and having the potential to rewrite the show as you develop,” she said. “Who you’re working with is actually affecting what this show is. I think that’s been really cool.”

The play focuses on generational cycles and the ties between familial bonds and your identity. Part of the journey can help audience members to experience broader themes through the lives of the characters.

“What I’ve gained is trying to communicate, trying to understand where your mom is coming from for certain things,” Jackson said. “Everybody goes through these trials and tribulations with their mothers, with their daughters, with their grandmothers. It’s not just a normal friendship, you hold so much with your mom. And you’re half of her so I really hope that that has people looking back on their situations.”

Nansubuga said she hopes audiences can rediscover the joy of sitting down and listening to a story, and relating to the universal experience of relations to motherhood.

“It changes based on context, but I hope that when they watch it, they can see a woman that they’ve seen before. And hopefully this show can shed light on perhaps why that woman behaves the way she does,” she said.

COURTESY OF HEYJIN KWON Grandma speaks from Sarah Nansubuga’s “Let me be: Grandama, Mama, and Me.”

RYLEIGH ACHESON

INGRED GWENELLE JACOLBY ALEXANDRINO

ELIJAH ALFRED

BAILEY JOHNATHAN ALLEN

OLIVIA V. AMORANDO

PEYTON ANDRAS

ALIA ARMSTRONG

EVAN ARNAUD

HANNAH ATCHLEY

AUSTIN GREGORY AVANT

MADISON BAKER

MARY ANN BAKER LILY BEASLEY

JASON BECNEL

KAITLYN RENEE BEEMER

BELL BROOKE BELL

MICHAEL BELLU

JADYN BENFORD

JOANN BERZAS

ANDREA LA’NAE NICOLE BICKLEY

LE’JONNE BLACKMON

CHARLES BLANCHARD

ALYSSA BOB

SOPHIA ANN TERESA BOEHM

DEVIN BORDELON

EMMA BORDELON

DREW A. BOSKER

TYRA MICHELLE BOYD

CLAIRE MARIE BRADLEY

SOPHIE MAE BRADY

ELIJAH BRANCH

HAILEY GRACE BRIDGES

MITCHELL BROOKS

KAYLA JASMYN BROSS

IMANI NIA BROWN

JADA J BROWN

OLIVIA BUCKLES

HUNDLEY BURGER

AUSTIN BURKE

CAMERON BURKSTALLER

AUTUMN BUSH

CLAIRE BUTTON

GISELLE LIBERTAD CABRERA

KEVIN CAGNOLATTI

CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL CALLAIS

CLAIRE CALLAIS

PATRICK CAMPESI

KENLEY CARPENTER

BRENNAN ELIZABETH CASCIO

JAY CASEY

LEONEL CASTRO

MICAH CHAMPAGNE

LYNNDSIE ALEXIS DENÉ CHAMPAGNE

ASHLEIGH CHARLES

KITANNA ROSE CHRISTENSEN

TREASURE COLE

AVA COLLINS

JA’KOBE COLLINS

JENNIFER COOK

MALYNN COOPER TIYAH RENEE COURVILLE KENDALL CREVISTON

ELIZABETH CRUTCHFIELD

CUCINELLA

CAROLINE ROSE DAIGRE

TIERNAN A DAUTLE

BRYCE DAVIS

DELL VALERA DAVIS

DAVIS

DEES

DEICAZA

BRAVO DELEON

D’ELISA

DEMAIO

DEMPS

DESHOTEL

LUCIA DI CRISTINA

ROCCO DICARLO

SAMIYA DILLON

ANTHONY DILORENZO

DAVID DIMARCO

SYDNEY DOMBROWSKI

DELANEY DOUGLAS

COURTNEY MARIE DUBOIS

JESSICA CLAIRE DUFRENE

CONNOR DUNNAWAY

VICTORIA ALYSSE DUPRE

JEFFREY DUXBURY

HANNAH DYER

LAURAN EDINGTON

JACIA EDWARDS

SYMANTHA EHNES

LILEE CATHERINE ENGEN

SOPHIA ESPIE

ALLISON EVERETT

EMMA GRACE FARR

TRACE

MICHELANGELO FARRELL

SAVANNAH FELAN

CALVIN W. FELDT

EMILY FISHER

NIKO FISTONIC

MEGAN FITZGERALD

CRISTIAN FLOREZ

BEAU FONTENOT

KALLI FREEMAN

DR. KATE GANNON-CULLINAN

THOMIA JONIQUE’ GARNER

JADE GAUTHIER

EMMA GLASGOW

KATHERINE GOMEZ

BAILEY GONZALES

KHLOE M. GORMAN

SYDNEY GOTHAM

AUBREY LANE GRAY

MEGAN GREMILLION

KAITLYN A GURNSEY

LINDY HAAS

STEPHANIE HAILES

SIBONENI HALSTIED

JUSTIN HANAKI

COOPER THOMPSON HAND

JUSTIN HARDY

AMAYA HARRIS

MELANIE HASENKAMPF

KALAYA HAWKINS

MEGAN HERALD

A’MAYA LE’ANNA HILL

EMALI ROSE HODGES

EMILY HOLLER

KYLE ALEXANDER HOOTER

SIENNA HOPE

ALLISON HUDDLESTON

ZANDER HUE

SARAH MARIE HULBERT

BRYCE JACKSON

WILLIAM JACKSON

KALEB JENKINS

KAITLIN JINKINS

LAURYN JOHNSON

TRACE VON JOHNSON

ABIGAYLE ELIZABETH JOHNSTON

ALAYSHA JONES

BRIA JOSEPH

MATTHEW JUMPER

ARIEL JUPITER

CRISTINA KELLY

GRACE KELLY

MYLIYAH KING

CHLOE KLITUS

ALENA KNIEPER

JARED KNIGHTEN

IAN PATRICK KOT

RHYLIE NICOLE KRAHN

CHLOE LABURE

DIEGO ANDRÉS NEGRÍN LAGE

NICHOLAS MICHAEL LAMENDOLA

TALI LANDRY

ABIGAIL LARIOS

CATHERINE LEDBETTER

ALEXANDRA LILJEBERG

SERAPH LORENZ

CARLEA LOUSTALOT

GENEVIEVE MACALUSO

CASSANDRA ELLE MACKS

JOE RICK MADDEN

JAYDE ANGEL MAGEE

NATHAN MAHONY

ARABELLA MAITLAND

LYRIC LYZETTE MANDELL

SONNET SUZETTE MANDELL

TRINITY FAITH MANNING

SOFIA MANOCCHIO

ZACHARY MANUEL

NICOLE MARIE MARINO

SKYE MARTINDALE

DARREN MARTINO

CONNOR MASSETT

JOSEPHINE BEIBHINN MAU

EMMA MAY

KYLE MCDONALD

PAITLYN MCDONALD

MADISON MCDONOUGH

CHLOE MCGUCKIN

AUSTIN T. MCKNIGHT

KATHERINE CONNOLLY MCMAHON

AMIRACLE MCMILLIAN

SCOTT C. MEYERS

COLE MICHEL

KARLIE MIDDLETON

KAMBRI MIHATSCH

JULIAN MILLER

MEGAN GRACE MILLER

ABIGAIL MILLIMAN

KI’ANA MILTON

BAILEY MITCHELL

MOLLY ANN MITCHELL

ARIANA MOHAMMED

WILLIE MOORE

NICHOLAS MORRA-WYNN

SIERRA MULLEN

EMILY MUMOLA

JESSICA LYNN MURRELL

NATHAN MYLIE

JAEYOON NAM

JAYLA NELSON

KRISTEN NOLEN

THOMAS OWENS

JOSE DONALDO VILLATORO OYUELA

ALEXANDER PARKER

MACKENZIE PARSONS

MORGAN ALEXIS SCHOOLER PASQUIER

CALEB PASSMAN

JAMIE PEREZ

JAY PERKINS

JESSICA LAYNE PERRY

MALAJAH PETERS

TIYARA AIVANA PETERS

MASON PFEFFER

FRANCISCA PFEIFFER

MERRICK PIERSON

MADELYN MARIE PLAUCHE

ISABELLA CLAIRE PLEWS

BELLA ROSE PSCENICKA

CHANDLER REED

GRANT NICHOLAS REMBERT

JOSI TAITE REVIELLE

JENNIFER EMICELA LUGO REYES

ERNEST JAMES RILEY, JR.

ASHTON RIMER

LUKE RIPLEY

FAITH RISPONE

PEYTON JEANNE ROBICHEAUX

JOZLYN RODRIGUE

ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

SETH ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

KATHERINE ROEMERSHAUSER

ERIN ROGERS

CARRIE LAIKEN ROSS

DAVID ARTHUR ROUX III

CAROLINE ROWELL

CALLEY MARIE RUIZ

AUBREY HOPE RUSSELL

ALEXANDRA RYAN

DALTON SALASSI

LARISSA SALINAS

TY SAMS

MARY JULIANA SANDOVAL-SEQUERA

JAMES SANTOS

BETHANY SASSEN

ANGELINA SAYED

TYLER SCHILLING

CHARLES SCHIMMEL IV

MIA SCIACCHETANO

ANNA KATE SCRIBER

EMMA PAIGE SEAGLUND

STACEY SEARS

MATTHEW JOHN SECREST

ANDRUW SERKIZ

MEREDITH SHANLEY

JOHN COLBY SHANNON

JOHN-MICHAEL SHINER

KAITLYN ANNE SHIPLEY

LEA SHOWERS

ELI SIMONEAUX

PHEONIX MARIE-JOLIE SINGLETARY

ALEXA ISABEL SMITH

MADLYN SMITH

MAYA ELIZABETH SMITH

RUTH SMITH

TRENT E. SMITH

GREGORY SOFIELD

JULIE ROSE SOUTHERLAND

CONNOR SPROUSE

SHELBY RAE STEFANEK

NOLA AVERY STONE

JORDYN STUART

DEVON CLARE SUESS

LORNA SWEENEY

AALYRIANNA DENISE SWING

HOLDEN TALLEY

KĀLI GRACE TATE

MCKENZIE TEEMS

MADELINE TELFORD

LINDSAY SAWYER TEMPLE

LEE TERREBONNE

EMMA THEOBALD

ANIYA THOMAS

IRIS RENEE THOMAS

MADELYN THOMASSEE

SYDNEY TODD

TAYLOR TODD

NICHOLAS TOEPFER

ISABELLA TONCREY

KENNEDY TRAHAN

MADELINE TRAMMELL

SARAH JESSICA TRBOVICH

JACOB TUCKER

HAILIE TUMINELLO

KATIE TUMINELLO

AUBREY TURNER

JENNY UNDERWOOD

KARLEE SUE URSTA

ERIN VATLAND

SARAH VILLAR

CONNOR PAUL VOISIN

KIERA WALKER

SHELBY WARNER

KEARSTYN WEATHERMON

DAVID MICHAEL WELSH

ELIZABETH WHITE

MADELYNN WHITE

MEGAN WHITE

REESE WHITE

BRIJAYE WILLIAMS

CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS

KAYLA GABRIELLE WILLIAMS

KOBE WILLIAMS

LAILAH WILLIAMS

MATHEW WILLIAMS

GRACE WINGLE

JAKE WORCH

EVIE ALICE YOUNCE

KELLY ZACK

RUIZHUO ZHANG

SOPHIA ROSE ZOLLINGER

THE Daily Commuter Puzzle by

Stella Zawistowski

THE LSU SQUIRREL SHOW

Look at these squirrel edits!

Graphics by Jacob Chastant

Photos by Reagan Cotten

SPORTS FALLING SHORT

LSU baseball unable to sweep Auburn, falling 7-5 in Game 3 of series

BY PETER RAUTERKUS & MACKAY SUIRE

@peter_rauterkus & @macthetiger

LSU baseball had a chance to earn its first Southeastern Conference sweep of the season Sunday afternoon but fell 7-5 to Auburn.

The home Tigers got in a deep hole early, giving up five runs in the first inning and could never overcome that deficit. The offense did a better job hitting with runners on base, as a Steven Milam three-run home run in the fourth inning put LSU back in the game after a rough start.

Kade Anderson got the start on the mound for LSU, but only retired two batters before giving up five runs and exiting the game. Sunday’s game was Anderson’s first start in an SEC matchup. The pressure was on, and in the first inning, LSU couldn’t seem to catch a break.

Auburn had a runner on second with two outs, and just when it looked like LSU might escape the first inning, a few blooped singles ended in three Auburn runs.

After Will Hellmers finished the first inning, Griffin Herring started the second, getting the de facto start as he has the last few Sundays.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Herring had another solid outing, pitching 4.1 innings, giving up two earned runs on five hits while striking out four. He’s continued to prove himself as a reliable arm out of the bullpen.

LSU’s pitching in defense was largely impressive after the first inning, with Christian Little and

Justin Loer taking over after Herring exited. In his 1.2 innings, Little allowed one hit and struck out two. In his one inning, Loer allowed two hits and struck out two.

Junior Samuel Dutton was called in from the bullpen to close out the game. In his one inning,

the right-handed pitcher walked one and struck out three.

Despite the pitching remaining solid throughout the latter stages of the game, LSU once again failed to take advantage of opportunities at the plate. The home Tigers stranded runners in scoring position in both the seventh and eighth inning, two golden opportunities to steal the game.

The loss drops LSU to 7-14 in SEC play and has the Tigers tied for 12th just above the cut line to get into the SEC Tournament. A sweep against Auburn felt like a must given its 2-18 SEC record coming into the game.

It was an opportunity for LSU to move firmly into 11th place and retain some momentum before another tough series against Texas A&M next weekend.

Now with three SEC series left in the season, LSU would need to finish 6-3 to reach 13 wins, the number it would likely take to make the NCAA Tournament field.

Facing Texas A&M is going to be an uphill battle against the second-place team in the SEC West. Series against Ole Miss and Alabama feel more winnable for LSU, but after dropping a winnable game to Auburn, there’s less room for error than ever.

PRO FOOTBALL

5 LSU players starring in the NFL

BY LIZZIE FALCETTI @lizziefalcetti

They all once stood in Death Valley when it felt like the biggest stage of their careers.

But really, it was just the beginning of their storied journey into the pros.

These LSU icons traded Saturday nights in a roaring Tiger Stadium for Sundays in major cities with even bigger crowds.

They each heard their names called on a pivotal night in their careers. It was a reward for their college performances, but also the first step to something bigger.

Here are five current NFL stars who got their start as a Tiger and what they’ve done in the pros.

With the NFL draft here, one question still stirs. Who will be next?

First overall pick in 2020: Joe Burrow

He came to Baton Rouge in 2017 after struggling as an Ohio State backup quarterback. He left in 2020 with a national championship ring and a Heisman Trophy.

The potential new college football ‘Super League,’ explained

BY ETHAN STENGER @lsuwoj

A “Super League” may become inevitable with how college football is headed.

A college football super league has been a topic of conversation among fans, analysts and talking heads alike about the idea’s several pros and cons. Those conversations led to a proposal in September from Boise State associate athletic director Michael Walsh. Walsh proposed a 24-team conference of schools in the Western United States with three tiers. The best team in Tiers 2 and 3 moved up, while the worst in Tiers 1 and 2 moved down.

“Many, many folks are kicking around concepts of relegation/promotion, or mega-leagues,” Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez has said about Walsh’s proposal. “This is probably the first I’ve seen of someone really putting pen to paper, and looking at it comprehensively.”

Now that the season has ended, the NCAA is looking to improve its product: from a brand-new playoff format, a record-setting TV deal for the College Football Playoff and rule changes to optimize college

football better. One of those changes that’s finally being discussed is a potential CFB Super League.

A 20-member group of several school presidents dubbed “College Sports Tomorrow” has proposed how a two-tier CFB Super League would look.

“The current CST outline would create a system that would have the top 70 programs — all members of the five former major conferences, plus Notre Dame and new ACC member SMU — as permanent members and encompass all 130plus FBS universities,” The Athletic reported. “The perpetual members would be in seven 10-team divisions, joined by an eighth division of teams that would be promoted from the second tier.”

The winners of these eight divisions would be the top seeds in the proposed 16-team College Football Playoff, with the following eight best qualifying for a wild card berth.

But the CST proposal might be dead before it gets off the ground.

“The fact that people have interest in throwing ideas out, that’s up to them,” Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey said at the annual College Football Playoff spring meetings. “I spend

my time on what I have to do.” At the moment, there’s just too much change that would have to happen for a CFB Super League to come to fruition. ESPN just agreed to broadcast the brand-new 12-team College Football Playoff, while the SEC and Big Ten are still in the middle of their respective TV contracts. The NCAA isn’t ready to make that many seismic shifts in

its foundation just for a proposal with as many unknowns as the Super League.

“While the CST model would eliminate the longtime conference structure for football, it would create one entity to negotiate with a prospective union that would represent the players on NIL, transfer portal and salary structure rules,” Marchand and Mandel reported.

“This embrace of collective bargaining could allow it to avoid the antitrust issues that have limited the NCAA’s ability to enforce its own rules.”

While it remains to be seen whether the NCAA should follow the CST model and create a CFB Super League, one thing is for certain: it’s not happening anytime soon.

MADALYN CUNNINGHAM/ The Reveille

LSU football graduate student running back Josh Williams (27) protects the ball during the LSU Spring Football game on April 13 in Tiger Stadium.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

The LSU baseball team meets at the mound March 10 during LSU’s 2-1 loss to Xavier in Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.

Monday, April 29, 2024

NFLSU, from page 10

Joe Burrow had a collegiate career that LSU fans still reminisce on. He led the Tigers to a 15-0 season, throwing for 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns. Burrow has already gone down as an LSU icon.

However, the first overall pick in the NFL Draft is held to the highest standards. Would Burrow crack under the pressure back in his home state, playing for Cincinnati?

No, but sadly his leg did with the kind of offensive line the Bengals had in 2020. Burrow unfortunately was out for the season after tearing his ACL, MCL, PCL and meniscus.

But he came back fiercely in 2021 and led Cincinnati to a 2022 Super Bowl appearance, winning NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors.

Now, he’s the highest-paid player per year in the NF.

Fifth overall pick in 2021: Ja’Marr Chase

Alongside Burrow during the national championship run was wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. But their ride together didn’t end there.

Chase was selected fifth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals, and the quarterback-receiver duo stayed hot up North.

The Louisiana native received Offensive Rookie of the year in 2021 and is a three-time Pro Bowler.

In the 2021 playoffs, Chase had 368 postseason receiving yards to set a rookie record. He was the youngest NFL player with multiple 100-yard receiving games in a single postseason.

While at LSU, Chase led the FBS in receiving yards with 1,780 yards for the 2019 season. He still holds the record for most receiving yards in the College Football Playoff Championship game.

The Bengals recently extended his contract through 2025, and he’ll continue to put on a show on Sundays in Cincinnati.

22nd overall pick in 2020: Justin Jefferson

Wide receiver Justin “Jets” Jefferson was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2020 as the 22nd overall pick. He won NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 and is a three-time Pro Bowler.

In 2022, Jefferson led the NFL in receiving yards and receptions. Every season he adds to a lengthy highlight reel, consisting of his clutch catches, while outrunning defensive backs.

He’s Superman and the Flash rolled into one. But these accolades all started with his performances in college.

Jefferson had 111 catches for 1,540 yards in his final season with LSU. He caught 14 passes for 227 yards against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Peach Bowl. He set an all-time record for most firsthalf touchdowns in the CFP with four.

Jefferson is due for a contract extension with the Vikings, but trade rumors have sparked, put-

ting his future in question.

12th pick overall in 2014: Odell Beckham Jr.

As an LSU Tiger, this wide receiver won the Paul Hornung Award in 2013, which goes to the most versatile player in college football.

After his time at LSU, Odell Beckham Jr. made an immediate impact with the New York Giants. Beckham became the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2014.

His performance in the NFL earned him the Madden cover athlete in 2016.

In 2019, Beckham was traded to the Cleveland Browns where he suffered a torn ACL. After being released, he signed with the Los Angeles Rams, but injuries still hindered his consistency. He spent last season with the Ravens before being released.

Now, as a free agent, some clubs have shown interest, but no deals have been made.

Round 3, pick 69 in 2013:

Tyrann Mathieu

At LSU, Tyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu won the Chuck Bednarik Award for the best defensive player of the year. He was a Heisman trophy finalist as a safety in 2011.

Although released by the Tigers in 2012 for violating team rules, Mathieu didn’t let that stop him from dominating in the NFL.

He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round, but played like a first-round pick. He’s a three time first-team AllPro player and a three-time Pro Bowler.

Mathieu is now back in his home state playing for the New Orleans Saints.

Players like Devin White, Leonard Fournette, Jamal Adams, Patrick Queen and Patrick Peterson are also building historic careers in the NFL. While their journeys in the pros vary, they all have one thing in common.

They built their resumes in Tiger Stadium, playing for the purple and gold.

GYMNASTICS

LSU gymnastics continues victory lap at championship parade

BY ETHAN STENGER @lsuwoj

What a week it was LSU gymnastics.

Following its first-ever gymnastics national championship victory at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 20, the Tigers began their victory lap.

On Monday morning, LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne was invited to speak in front of a national audience on TODAY, NBC’s flagship morning news and talk show.

“You know what, it is still feeling just unreal,” Dunne said on the TODAY show. “I’m still trying to get my voice back from cheering so loud. It was an unforgettable experience, and I’ll probably be thinking about it for the rest of my life.”

While Dunne didn’t compete in Saturday’s national championship, she was there watching every moment of what became a championship-clinching beam routine from fellow Tiger gymnast Aleah Finnegan.

“It was probably one of the best

beam routines I’ve ever seen her do,” Dunne said about Finnegan. “Tears filled my eyes, tears filled Tigers fans eyes, tears filled her eyes — it was amazing.”

At Wednesday night’s national championship ceremony inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Finnegan recounted all the emotions, thoughts and feelings that raced through her head before the routine.

“I think I was most excited, which is kind of hard to believe I’m saying,” Finnegan said. “I looked at my team before I went. They had all the trust and all the confidence in the world in me, and so I was basically the best thing that I could possibly bring out into the beam routine.

In Baton Rouge, Raising Cane’s has become a popular celebration spot for recent champions.

On Tuesday morning, LSU gymnastics went to the original Raising Cane’s location on Highland Road in Baton Rouge to celebrate its championship with fans.

The Tigers worked a shift at the drive-thru on Wednesday, fol-

lowing the footsteps of other fellow athletes after winning a title, including 2023’s National Champion LSU baseball and women’s basketball teams.

With Wednesday came the championship parade. Five floats, loaded with purple and gold beads and T-shirts, lined up outside the LSU School of Music in the afternoon. LSU gymnasts mounted the floats as they descended the road before capping the night off with a national championship ceremony at the PMAC.

“Just like a front porch enhances the beauty of a home, the gymnastics team has enriched the fabric of our institution, drawing attention and admiration for LSU from around the world,” James Williams, athletics chairman at the LSU Board of Supervisors said.

One thing is still on the minds of Tiger fans across the country: Who will continue to wear the purple and gold next season?

“It definitely makes me want to come back, but I haven’t quite thought about it completely,” Dunne said on her TODAY ap -

pearance earlier in the week. “I’ve just been focused on the now and winning this national title, so I’ll definitely start thinking about it.”

While no LSU gymnasts have officially announced their status for next year, LSU head coach Jay Clark isn’t worried.

“We’re LSU Tigers, and we’re staying here. This is just getting started,” Clark said at the end of Wednesday’s ceremony. “We love the team this year, we love the team that’s coming back, and you guys stay with us. This is about to get crazy around here.”

ABBY KIBLER

/ The Reveille

LSU senior quarterback Joe Burrow (9) holds up the trophy on January 13, 2020 after LSU’s 42-25 win against Clemson at the National Championship in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille Members of the LSU gymnastics team throw beads from a float April 24 at the LSU gymnastics championship parade on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.

OPINION

JoJo Siwa’s current flop era proves that Karma is, in fact, a bitch

GARRETT’S GAVEL

GARRETT MCENTEE @9are_bear

Jojo the “Bowbow” Siwa, karma sure is a bitch isn’t it?

For the unaware, Siwa, the little girl from Dance Moms and artist behind the generation-defining song “Boomerang,” has gone bad. Indeed, take a moment to collect yourself; I know it’s world shattering news.

Indeed, the little blonde girl with the slickest pony and biggest bow you know went “bad.” Siwa debuted a new… look? She’s donned an emo-anime-rockerluchador appearance, draped in darker colors, dripping in rhinestones and missing her signature flat skull, trading it out for a mohawk (hopefully she has the receipt).

She may have made the most dramatic shift in appearance and

creed since Lucifer’s fall from the heavens.

Moving on from Siwa’s new bad girl appearance, let’s move onto the more egregious sins she’s recently committed: her musical sins.

Part of what made Siwa such an icon was her bubblegum pop music career, so to help establish her new wild-child brand, she of course needed to reinvent her sound. Gone are the days of “Kid in a Candy Store” and “D.R.E.A.M.”

Siwa released her song “Karma” earlier this month with an accompanying music video.

Watching the “Karma” music video for the first time produced a feeling in me that I can only assume has been shared with those who have stared down a nuclear weapon falling directly above their home.

The music video is a masterclass in making people uncomfortable. It takes place in a world I can only imagine is entirely

ocean, minus the small island Siwa has her sexcapades on.

The life-changing video begins with a glimpse of evil Siwa decked out in evil clothes. Then a woman wearing red (because evil vibes, duh) enters the scene. It’s implied that this oh-so-sinfully clad woman and Siwa had coitus.

The scene flips, and there’s a yacht. On it, Siwa in white with her half up half down ponytail dancing with a woman. There’s a terrible jumpcut at the one minute and two second timestamp, because Siwa can’t land her stunt in time. Disappointing.

If you’re curious, Abby Lee Miller, Siwa’s former dance instructor and arch nemesis, did react to the music video/snuff film.

Then Siwa goes back to her bad girl persona, and it’s all a blur to be honest, like some lovecraftian horror that damages my memory each time I watch it.

But I think the gist of the song is thus: Siwa made mistakes… or was cheated on… or cheated on

someone… or… something?

Besides the minimal effort put into this song and dance, there’s one more interesting thing about the “Karma” scenario. Siwa, the bad girl that she is, didn’t write the song. Siwa said the song was simply pitched to her, most likely by record execs and consultants. The song “Karma” has been floating around for years and has been taken to the recording studio by many different artists, two of which are Miley Cyrus and Brit Smith.

Smith didn’t release the track after she first recorded it, and years later, Siwa got her bad girl hands on it and released the song we’ve all come to know.

However, Smith recently released the song herself under the title, “Karma’s A Bitch.”

For some reason or another, Smith’s version has been very well received, beating Siwa’s charting on the Itunes store. Karma is a bitch, it would seem.

What exactly did Siwa do to

deserve this cosmically ironic karma? It’d be pretty easy to blame her strange and disrespectful behavior. Siwa proclaimed herself the “gaypop” progenitor, knowing damn well that Ethel Cain, Sophie, Slayyyter, Chappell Roan and RuPual have all done what she’s doing and 10 times better.

Unfortunately, those are just the gayest artists of the last decade or so. Siwa could go back decades upon decades and find herself facing the queer disco divas of the ‘70s or the understated gay folk songwriters of the ‘60s. Point is, thinking Siwa invented gay pop or gay music in general is delusional.

Siwa, if you’re reading this, you’re not a gay icon, you’re scary. Please stop this and act normal; the world doesn’t need bad girl Siwa right now.

The world needs glitter queen hair-bow Jojo Siwa back.

Garrett McEntee is an 18-year-old English freshman from Benton.

University priorities should include essential campus workers

NATE’S TAKES

NATHANIEL DELA PEÑA @NateDerDoner

As I say goodbye to the place that has been my home for four years, I’ve been reminiscing over the highlights of my time at LSU. For me, it was easy to remember the friends, parties and countless gamedays at Tiger Stadium. But as the semester passed, I realized that my success at LSU was carried on the shoulders of people unseen.

It’s hard to remember the people who work in open sight and the instructors with whom you took a gen-ed class, but their impact on all of campus deserves to be recognized. So as I leave this university, I take issue with the fact that LSU’s priorities for the next generation don’t take promoting the long-neglected interests of campus workers into account.

LSU’s Scholarship First agenda is a fine plan for the years to come. Its intent to address preserving our coast and financing scientific research in the fields of biomedicine and sustainable energy will arm this university with the tools needed to address the problems to come for this state.

Yet this university’s big plans for improving Louisiana must not triumph over the fair compensation of the true unsung heroes of this university: the dining workers, the custodians and the other countless variations of service workers who keep this place running.

If LSU is committed to elevating “Louisiana for the benefit of all,” then it should start with the workers that maintain the halls of this university.

I’ve truly valued speaking with

them. It’s refreshing to hear their human stories in the background of the monotonous chatter of my daily college life. I’ve heard their struggles and how they’ve overcome them. I’ve heard their dreams and how they’ve worked hard to support their family and kids.

They remind me of my parents who have sacrificed a lot to give me and my sister an education and a hopeful future.

Yet their dreams can’t be realized when they live paycheck to paycheck.

They’re not asking for things they want, but things they need. They’re asking for financial security in the face of rising grocery, gas and overall living costs. It’s not hard to give workers a fair wage and establish cost-of-living adjustments that give them raises tied to the rise in the rate of inflation.

There’s no question that LSU could give these workers a living wage. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

The issue of a living wage doesn’t stop at essential workers like custodians and food service workers, but the very individuals who teach at this university.

According to the LSU Office of Budget and Planning, instructors in 2021-2022 made an average of $50,494. Instructors at this university are well educated, with many having master’s and doctoral degrees.

Yet, for the professors who luckily managed to grab a position and make the salary expected for their position, there are more instructors who unfortunately have to live paycheck to paycheck and don’t receive the same compensation as professors. These instructors play a vital role in educating many of our students.

Editorial Policies and Procedures

Rauterkus

It’s disappointing how myopic LSU is towards the Scholarship First agenda while many instructors have the same workload as our professors and struggle to live.

There’s a group of students, graduate students and campus workers who are fighting to give a voice to every campus worker.

The United Campus Workers of Louisiana have a noble cause to raise the minimum wage of every campus worker to a living wage ($16.50 per hour or $34,320 annually) and give them a cost-of-living adjustment of either 2.5% per year or the annual inflation rate.

In the sea of silence, it’s a pity that the union is the only notable voice on campus that advocates for their interests.

To all the campus workers, whether academics or other essential workers that I’ve met, I appreciate the time you spent listening to my rambling and know that I’ll remember you years after I graduate. To those I never met, there’s no question that y’all keep the students and faculty running on our feet every day.

It’s time for the administration to acknowledge this reality.

Nathaniel Dela Peña is a 21-yearold political science and history senior from Alexandria.

of the Week

“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”

MADALYN CUNNINGHAM / The Reveille

The university administration building sits on April 7, 2023, on West Lakeshore Dr in Baton Rouge, La.