The Reveille 1-20-22

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BALCONY BENGALS How six LSU students revitalized the basketball student section

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NEWS

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Less than one-fifth of professors opted to teach courses online for the first two weeks of the semester amid the Omicron surge.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Baton Rouge Gallery’s 14th installation of Surreal Salon features surreal and low brow art from international and nationwide artists.

SPORTS

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As Jay Johnson takes over the role of head coach, read about the five biggest questions entering his first season.

OPINION

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“We should honor the contributions of women and men equally here at the university, because, ‘Why not?’”

St. Alban's Chapel at the corner of Highland and Dalrymple

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

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‘IT’S LIKE WE’VE GOT AN ARMY’

B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803

The energy these students bring is changing the culture at the PMAC

BY JOE KEHRLI @joekehrli9 A group of six LSU students has united to take on the historical task of bringing the cheers and hype back to LSU sporting events, an effort noticed and supported. They are the Balcony Bengals.

It is more than a balcony. It is a movement.

What was once mere patio gatherings with friends during football season have brought the Balcony Bengals a recent bout of fandom; ironically the self-proclaimed superfans have a following of their own, so much so that men’s basketball Head Coach Will Wade knows them and acknowledges their support.

The apartment balcony where they gather is like a lighthouse, cast in the busy city port that is LSU; its light shines from the closest southern gate of campus and overlooks the traffic of Highland Road. Passersby can see the intrinsic fandom this particular balcony has on any given day−not just game days.

The balcony is draped with a massive white banner reading: “@ BalconyBengals” with two notable local brands, Fred’s bar and One Team One Podcast, on its peripherals.

Brandon Barrient, a sports administration junior, always has been a fan of LSU, and now he has taken it into his hands to ensure LSU fans continue to possess the same sense of pride that he was indoctrinated with. Barrient is accompanied on his mission with five other students: Gant Gautreaux, Eli Coleman, Myles Diez, Dean Compton and ‘Goat Man,’ who all share the same passion.

“We all love LSU sports and know what our fans are capable of, but it is really on us to strengthen the student section,” Barrient said.

“We are trying to create an impact on LSU’s campus.”

One particular member of the group, going by the pseudonym ‘Goat Man,’ has been draping a goat’s head mask over his face for the duration of the basketball season, and has no plans to remove it.

He says that when he puts on the goat mask, with its dual horns, it is almost like becoming a different person, and that ‘Goat Man’ is instrumental to bringing the hype to the student section at sporting events.

Inside Barrient’s two-bedroom apartment, all are welcomed and promptly directed to their bar, which is situated a mere three steps from the loudest balcony in all of Baton Rouge. Throughout their living accommodations, there are several indicators that their movement, which began less than a year ago, has rallied tremendous communal support, as Fred’s Moose flags are hung throughout and Jordy Culotta Show koozies decorate an ever-lit Christmas tree.

“This is an awesome thing we have created to share in with other students,” Barrient said. “It is all so

surreal. Thank you to all of our supporters.”

It Takes a Village Co-owner of Fred’s, Jason Nay, said that the relationships and support from the Balcony Bengals have an immeasurable impact on his college bar. Nay, who also runs promotional marketing for the bar, mentioned that the attention garnered from the Balcony Bengals shows that students are energized again for LSU’s basketball program, which has created success for the bar – Fred’s is now open during basketball games, offering an environment for students to continue their excitement during and after games and to create a culture around gamedays.

are the face of the movement.”

Fellow students have answered the call as well. Senior Evan Fontenot said basketball games are now “as fun as football games,” and that seeing the student’s support in the PMAC has convinced him to attend more games, more regularly.

Grassroots to Fruition In 2017, right after Wade was brought into the men’s basketball program, fellow Director of Operations at Virginia Commonwealth University Nelson Hernandez started knocking on doors.

He asked the community, “Hey, what is it going to take for you to come to basketball games?” and followed with, “We will provide food.”

Rouge was going to be a challenge.

“One of the biggest things that we wanted to accomplish going into this season was to build a student section,” Hernandez said. “It really is the difference.”

The women’s basketball program has also tapped into the Balcony Bengals’ mission. Under new Head Coach Kim Mulkey, the team is nationally ranked No. 13, with plenty of excitement. After Thursday’s overtime win over Missouri, Joe Schwartz, director of operations for the program, joyfully paraded over to the student section and thanked the Balcony Bengals for bringing the noise and hype.

His message was clear: “I let them know that there’s a high level

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One of the six Balcony bengals, ‘Goat Man,’ holds up “L’s” to show support for LSU. Nay was initially introduced to the Balcony Bengals by local sports media personality Matt Anderson, owner of the One Team One Podcast. Together, they have supported the student group by providing tshirts and the iconic banner.

“They [The Balcony Bengals] have had great success with other college students, and we noticed that,” Anderson said. “Students don’t know what it looked like in the Shaq [O’Neal] days. They may have seen clips, but they weren’t there, and they don’t know what that would be like, so I love it that it’s a whole new generation.”

The communal support has expanded since the Balcony Bengal’s initial launch late last year. The Jordy Culotta Show has also tapped into the student’s movement to capitalize and mobilize the student demographic of LSU to attend sporting events. Culotta said that he believes what the Balcony Bengals is doing with the student section is making a lasting impact on LSU’s culture.

“We just really wanted to be a part of what they [Balcony Bengals] had going on,” Culotta said. “They

Going from door to door along Dalrymple Drive, Hernandez would not find immediate success. In 2020, while in a meeting with Basketball 365, an LSU team of marketing and creative workers, their complex theories and late-night thoughts would slowly come to a halt.

Enter the Balcony Bengals.

The day prior to the meeting, Barrient and his friends attended an open practice hosted by the men’s team, holding a white bed sheet with their message on it in the purple seats of the student section, and they were loud — so loud they caught Hernandez’s attention.

“Who are those kids up there?” and “We need to find those dudes and connect with them” were the two thoughts Hernandez brought to the next Basketball 365 meeting.

Hernandez and his team found them. Now there are seats in the PMAC reserved for the boisterous group, complete with a large General Wade cutout.

Hernandez served in a similar capacity at VCU under Wade, but he quickly realized that creating a strong student section in Baton

of appreciation for them, one, for showing interest in our program and two, for being there. I definitely appreciate it, and we just love the support. It’s like we’ve got an army.”

The alignment of missions between LSU Basketball, Basketball 365 and the Balcony Bengals has meshed seamlessly with one coherent philosophy: Culture change within the student section at LSU. Schwartz included that support from other teams on campus is a “huge momentum boost” to the program. With both the men’s and women’s teams nationally ranked in the top-15 and finding success so far throughout conference play, expect support for this movement to increase.

“The team and the whole crowd feed off the student section, especially when it’s been rocking like it has been,” Coach Wade said. “Really what the Balcony Bengals and other folks have done is they’ve provided some leadership in the student section, which is really what we’ve needed. Give those guys a lot of credit.”

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 Daily Reveille.

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

ABOUT THE REVEILLE 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.

NEWS HYBRID LEARNING Just 18% of professors holding classes online during first two weeks

BY PIPER HUTCHINSON @PiperHutchBR For the second semester in a row, LSU students are returning to campus amid the largest surge in COVID-19 cases to hit Louisiana.

With another university mask mandate, mix of in-person and online classes and HEPA filters in classrooms, hopes of a normal semester have again been thwarted by record cases, this time fueled by the more infectious Omicron variant.

About 18% of professors chose to teach their courses either completely online or in hybrid format for the first two weeks of the spring semester, according to university spokesperson Ernie Ballard. Fourteen percent chose to teach completely online, the rest picking a hybrid method.

LSU gave professors teaching in-person courses the option to hold classes away from campus until Jan. 31 as the Omicron variant rages. If the campus positivity rate is below 10% after two weeks, those classes will be back in person.

Face-to-face courses will make up 93% of classes if LSU reverts to original delivery of courses at the end of the month, according to Ballard.

However, since the university determines the positivity rate by students and faculty self-reporting through the daily symptom checker and positive tests on

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille

An LSU student works Jan. 19, in the LSU Library. campus, LSU’s reported positivity rate may be much higher than the COVID-19 dashboard claims.

Only 8% of LSU students and employees used the daily symptom checker last semester, records obtained by The Reveille show.

Health officials say actual case counts are likely two to three times higher than official numbers reported by the state, in part due to testing shortages and unreported home tests.

The Omicron variant surge has far surpassed the number of positive cases the state expe-

rienced during the Delta surge that hit the state in August, at the beginning of the fall 2021 semester. Louisiana is currently reporting about 12,000 new COVID-19 cases per day. At the highest of the Delta surge in August, the state was clocking almost 6,000 per day.

The highly transmissible Omicron variant was first detected in Louisiana on Dec. 5. Over one month later, it’s responsible for about 97% of all COVID-19 cases in the state, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

page 3 COVID-19

Only 8% of LSU students, employees used DSC

Despite the variant being less virulent than previous variants, hospitals in Louisiana are still stretched to capacity, according to health officials. There are currently 2,183 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Louisiana, 142 of which are on ventilators, according to the health department.

Roxanne Dill, a mass communication professor, is choosing to continue teaching in person. She felt that since she mostly teaches first year students in the residential colleges, it’s better for the students to physically attend class.

“I find the first-year students do better academically, socially, emotionally and mentally if they can be in the in-person environment,” Dill said.

Dill said that she appreciated being given the option to teach online or in-person.

“The plan is a good one because it allows faculty and students some flexibility, especially if they have underlying health concerns,” Dill said. “I prefer this two-week approach because it allows administrators to assess where we are and adjust as we move through the semester.”

Meredith Veldman, a history professor, is opting to hold one hybrid class and one online. She said she is fortunate to be able to do this safely, as she is holding small seminar classes.

“I chose [hybrid] because with 10 students we can socially dis-

About 8% of LSU students, faculty and staff completed the university’s daily symptom checker on class days during the fall 2021 semester, records obtained by The Reveille show.

Use of the symptom checker also steadily declined as the fall semester dragged on. Over 10,000 LSU personnel used the checker on the first day of class, Aug. 23 – that number rarely surpassed 3,000 past the midpoint of the semester, in October.

Excluding weekends, holidays, campus closures and makeup days, about an average of 3,314 LSU students and employees used the symptom checker – just 8% of the university’s 39,000 students, faculty and staff.

The university relies partially on the daily symptom tracker to COVID-19 cases on campus.

Students and employees weren’t required to complete the survey each day last semester, unless they received a positive COVID-19 test off campus.

Students and employees were prompted to complete the

see CLASSES, page 4

see TESTING, page 4

BY PIPER HUTCHINSON @PiperHutchBR

CONSTRUCTION

LSU committee drafts $4-million plan for Indian Mounds

BY CORBIN ROSS @CorbinRoss5 An LSU committee is seeking to preserve LSU’s Indian Mounds from further vandalism by erecting a large, permanent barrier around the historic site. The current plans, which haven’t been finalized, would require the removal of the parking lot in front of the mounds and the rerouting of the roads around them to reduce traffic.

The plans are currently estimated to cost $4 million, but haven’t been approved by tribal leaders or LSU administration. The Indian Mounds Education and Protection Committee will meet for the first time Friday since November to discuss the plans further.

The committee is also considering a viewing platform overlooking the mounds containing educational material explaining their history and significance for Native Americans.

After numerous incidents of

vandalism, LSU built a chain link fence around the historic site to keep students and visitors from further damaging the structure last spring.

The committee was formed in the fall to find ways to preserve the mounds from further harm while keeping the historic site attractive for viewers. The committee is composed of LSU faculty, campus planning, athletics, the LSU foundation and representatives from tribal groups and LSU’s Native American Student Organization.

“All the Native American students want protection, but we can’t get any progress,” said Leigh-Anne Thompson, president of NASO. “If they knew the historical part of it and how old they actually were and the damage that they could be doing, I think they would show a lot more respect.”

In 2010, a “Save the Mounds” campaign resulted in a temporary fence, but was eventually removed.

In February 2021, a group of LSU

students used the Indian Mounds as a makeshift platform for sledding after a winter storm.

Members of the committee hope their plans will result in a permanent solution that prevents further vandalism. A small subset of the committee is devoted to fundraising and applying for targeted grants to fund a new barrier for the site.

Sibel Bargu Ates, chair of the committee and associate dean at the College of the Coast and Environment, said a major component of the mound’s preservation is educating the public on the mounds’ history and significance.

The mounds are one of the oldest man-made structures in North America, dated to be over 8,200 years old, according to Brooks Ellwood, an LSU archeologist.

The two mounds, labeled mound A and mound B, have both been damaged from trespassing.

see MOUNDS, page 4

CHYNNA MCCLINTON / The Reveille

The Indian Mounds Lot sits Jan. 16 on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.

Thursday, January 20, 2022

page 4 MOUNDS, from page 3 Mound A is composed of a mushier sort of soil filled with water. As pressure is exerted on the mound it begins to cave inward, causing the mound to become lumpy and deformed on the surface.

Mound A has already been significantly deformed from students trespassing and LSU mowing the grass on it.

“You have a crowd of folks up there, or a truck driving over it and it jiggles the mound,” Ellwood said.

Mound B has suffered less damage since it’s made of more secure soil, but is still subject to erosion

as students walk and slide down it.

According to LSU archeologist Rebecca Saunders, the mounds likely served a religious and social function for the Native Americans who built them – potentially a meeting place where rituals and other activities were held.

Microscopic bone particles identified as belonging to large mammals have been found in both mounds, leading Ellwood and others to believe the mounds are filled with cremated human remains. DNA samples haven’t been allowed to confirm this, however, due to tribal restrictions.

CHYNNA MCCLINTON / The Reveille

The Indian Mounds Lot sits Jan. 16 on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.

TESTING, from page 3 checker every day via email or text message. It asks participants if they’re experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and then provides feedback on whether they should come to campus.

In previous semesters, LSU placed staff at the entrances of high-traffic buildings, like the Union and library, to check students’ QR codes included in the daily symptom checker. That practice was abandoned last semester due to the school’s high vaccination rate, said LSU spokesperson Ernie Ballard.

“The purpose of the DSC during the 2021-22 academic year is to help students and employees monitor their symptoms, allow individuals to report test results and to initiate the contact tracing process,” wrote LSU when responding to a records request.

“In addition, the DSC provides detailed instructions to individuals who test positive or who have come in close contact with someone who has tested positive.”

Completion of the checker won’t be required this semester, raising concerns about the accuracy of case counts on campus. Self-reporting through the survey is one of two ways LSU tracks positive cases within the community, the other method being positive tests at on-campus testing sites like the Student Health Center and Student Union.

If students test positive off campus or complete an at-home rapid test, there’s no guarantee

they’ll report it to the university, and the positivity rate could be much higher than LSU’s COVID-19 dashboard suggests. LSU will use the positivity rate to de-

CLASSES, from page 3 tance, yet still hear each other,” Veldman said. “It’s also a little less intimidating for students to speak in front of a smaller group for the first in-person meeting.

Veldman also appreciated LSU’s plan, calling it “sensible and humane.”

Richard Godden, an English professor, has been teaching online since the beginning of the pandemic, an accommodation the university provides due to his disability. He said there’s no onesize-fits-all solution to teaching in the pandemic.

“I am very glad that LSU is giving instructors a choice about what to do over the next few weeks,” Godden said. “Many, such as myself, qualify for disability accommodation, but others have just as much need to teach remotely but may not necessarily qualify under current accommodation guidelines.”

Godden called on LSU to allow faculty to choose how to hold their courses for the entirety of the semester, not just the first two weeks.

Last semester, LSU faculty pleaded with administration to allow them to teach online as the Delta surge put Louisiana hospitals past their breaking points.

Their complaints were largely ignored at Board of Supervisor meetings, and the university relied on masking and HEPA filters cron spreads through Louisiana.

Health officials have said that there are likely two to three more times as many COVID-19 cases in the state than are officially re-

to keep students and faculty safe before implementing a vaccine mandate.

Students have mixed feelings on COVID-19 protocols. Some understand the university’s reimplementation of last semester’s

FRANCIS DIHN / The Reveille

LSU history junior Francis Doan attends a zoom class Jan. 19 in the LSU Library. measures, while others are disappointed by more masking and online courses.

Carly Shaelon, a freshman accounting major, was upset that LSU had reinstated the mask mandate.

“I think it’s sad, because we went the last month without havto an in-person format.

Ballard stressed that the symptom checker is one of many ways the university is seeking to control the spread of the virus.

DYLAN BOREL / The Reveille

LSU French secondary education junior Olivia Stearns and history secondary education senior John Fleming work together Jan. 18 at LSU Library in Baton Rouge, La. termine whether classes will be held in their original in-person format in two weeks, or remain online for professors who chose to move to virtual while Omi-

ported, due in part to home tests and testing shortages.

If the campus positivity rate is below 10% on Feb. 1, professors teaching online will revert

“The LSU Tigercheck system is one of many tools, along with entry testing, wastewater testing, monthly testing for the unvaccinated, mask wearing, that

ing to wear masks, and there are less restrictions,” Shaelon said.

“It’s kind of hard to get back into it.”

She also expressed frustration that some of her classes are now being held online, as she learns better in person.

Henrik Wold, a mechanical engineering sophomore, said he felt indifferent about LSU’s plans.

“I’m a sophomore, so all I’ve known at LSU is pandemic semesters,” Wold said. “I feel relatively indifferent about it, I’ve sort of become accustomed to it at this point.”

Wold also expressed frustration at LSU’s inconsistencies, pointing out that masks are required in classes but not in the PMAC, where basketball games are being held at full-capacity, as well as the school’s slowness in communication.

“Over break, I’d see all these schools making decisions about class format but I feel like LSU is always late to announce those things,” Wold said.

Other students, like Samyja Nash, a freshman marketing major, appreciate what LSU is doing.

Nash said she prefers attending classes online and is glad the school reinstated the mask mandate.

“I’m happy it’s back because I have a little sister,” she said. “And even though she’s the age to be vaccinated, we’re not really sure yet because she’s still so young.” the university has in place to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” Ballard said. “The LSU Tigercheck system is used for more than just symptom monitoring. It is a comprehensive system that helps the university mitigate the spread of COVID.” Jen Cook, a leadership and human resource development freshman, is one of the few students who uses the daily symptom checker regularly. She said she uses it everyday when she leaves her dorm room.

“It’s really short and I feel like it helps reflect how many people are sick,” she said. “The more data that the university has, the more informed the decisions about public safety are. It’s a small addition to my morning walk to class that can help others.”

Other students are not so sure. Lupe Estrada, a sociology and criminology sophomore, said she never uses it.

“If it’s based off how I’m feeling everyday, I wouldn’t have a day of class,” she said.

Even when LSU required the daily symptom checker, enforcement was loose.

“I didn’t fill out the form for over a week and literally nothing happened,” Anna Moody, an LSU graduate student, told the Reveille in fall 2020. “It’s unfortunate knowing there’s no consequences.”

Gretchen Stein, an associate dean in the College of Science, said that she uses it everyday “just to be a good university citizen,” but said that she never understood the point of it.

ENTERTAINMENT

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THIS WEEKEND IN BR

Want to see your event in The Reveille?

Email information to editor@lsu.edu.

FRIDAY AT 9

BY EMMA JACKIMOWICZ @emmajackimowicz

JANUARY

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RIAROSA EP Release Show | Chelsea’s Live Baton Rouge-based indie band RIAROSA will be debuting their first EP at Chelsea’s Live, 1010 Nicholson Dr., alongside musical guests Slomile Swift and Sleep Habits.

Enjoy lively new music from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. at this newly opened music venue. Doors open at 8 p.m., and tickets can be purchased on Ticketweb for $15 each.

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

Flow Tribe | Chelsea’s Live

JANUARY

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MidCity Makers Market | Electric Depot

SATURDAY

New Orleans-based funk-rock band Flow Tribe performs at Chelsea’s Live on Saturday, Jan. 22. The band, which was featured on MTV’s The Real World: New Orleans back in 2010, is bound to bring a fun and eclectic show to this new music venue from 9 p.m.11 p.m. The doors open at 8 p.m., and general admission tickets can be purchased through ticketweb for $15.

COURTESY OF 225 MAGAZINE

SUNDAY AT 4

Visit this local holiday trunk show located at Electric Depot on 1857 Government St. to enjoy food and music while shopping with local artists, makers and creators. Whether it’s jewelry, paintings or even homemade cocktails, the MidCity Makers Market is bound to please people of all ages.

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Paint Pour | Painting With a Twist Discover the fun behind paint pouring at Painting With a Twist, 711 Jefferson Hwy. 3A, from 4 p.m.-6 p.m., instructed by recent LSU graduate Meredyth Yorek. While learning how to pour paint and put your artistic spin on a blank canvas, you can also bring your own food and drink while you find your creative side.

COURTESY OF VISIT BATON ROUGE

Thursday, January 20, 2022

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SURREAL SALON 14

BATON ROUGE GALLERY SHOWCASES 14TH YEAR OF ITS BIZARRE VIEWING EXPERIENCE

BY GIDEON FORTUNE @gidfortune A burning house with windows filled with skulls, starving kids and tense protests depicted next to Greta Thunberg.

A hanging tapestry illustrating the birth of a penguin-raised love-child of Medusa and a yeti.

A collage featuring two figures, one with a respiratory mask and another with the face of a bird juxtaposed.

These pieces are among the unconventional artworks featured in this year’s Surreal Salon 14, a free-to-view exhibition at the Baton Rouge Gallery, on display until Jan. 27.

The annual exhibition, which

of visionary art applicants this year, and also mentioned surreal art’s “greater capacity for humor.”

“Being able to have the technical ability...to make something

arns’ tapestry “The Origin of Yedusa” references compatibility and parenting, telling the story of how Medusa and a yeti birthed a child forcibly sent to Antarctica. The piece encapsu-

the pandemic and the climate crisis.

“Precipice” by Matthew Bailey features a poster that reads, “Our house is on fire,” perched next to Thunberg. Large smoke-

COURTESY OF HEATHER MCCLELLAND

“Run! II” by Joni Wildman

COURTESY OF HEATHER MCCLELLAND

“The Origin of Yedusa” by Cara Kearns is in its 14th year, features more than 50 artists from six countries including the U.S., selected

by Carrie Ann Baade, a Louisiana native and special guest juror. Baade participated in Surreal Salon back in 2018 as an artist in collaboration with her brother.

“It’s a great opportunity to bring this art to the south,” Baade said. “There’s also this opportunity to explore materials so that it’s not tied directly to representational painting, there was some really interesting sculpture and fiber art.”

Baade saw a bigger impact of festival and psychedelic culture manifest itself in the increase

COURTESY OF HEATHER MCCLELLAND

“Kermit Devouring Piggy” by Jake Mesinger

COURTESY OF HEATHER MCCLELLAND

“Next World Voyager” by Moira Crone believable and then make it strange or uncanny.”

Though the main subjects are often unrealistic and rooted in fantasy, the emotion and message behind each work are recognizable to any viewer.

Baton Rouge artist Cara Ke-

lates the nature of the exhibition, focusing on the dichotomy between reality and fantasy.

Artists utilize surrealist depictions to comment on the government, the corporate world and religion. Relevant topics featured in this exhibition include

stacks, a sight well known by Louisianians, are worked into the background. A singular leaf hangs on the tree in the yard, alluding that we are on the brink of complete catastrophe.

Not all the contemporary art has modern inspiration. “Hyena of Austria” by Cassandra Kim calls back to medieval portraiture with an unrealistic twist of a hyena as the main subject.

More art with historical roots is seen in two very different

pieces referencing the religious iconography of the last supper.

“The Last Suffer” by Tau Taeolii has the attendees’ faces replaced with a squid’s head and appendages, along with many more random objects, while “Last Ducky Supper” by Andrew Lawson places the well-known religious event in a grocery store with rubber ducks at the table.

One unique feature of this year’s salon is the increase in mixed media art and sculptures.

With some works requiring UV light or support from the gallery walls, there is interaction with external components that intertwine the artwork and the gallery space. Sculptures are set up throughout the center of the rooms and make for a seamless viewing experience.

Simply being fun to gaze at regardless of underlying meanings, is a trait that all the art in this exhibition shares. “Candy For The Eyes” by Olga Spiegel presents beaded colorful bursts, and “Cat Island Adventure” by Jane Tardo is a cat lover’s dream with multiple cat heads pasted in a fantastical setting.

Whether abstract or realistic, fans of darker imagery will also find pleasure in Surreal Salon.

“Kermit Devouring Piggy” by Jake Mesinger surely will provide nightmare fuel to some and a laugh to others.

“Daemon” by Nathan Perry and the sculpted “Circle of Lunacy” by Tony Debartolis are pieces whose attractiveness lies in their bizarre nature. The inhuman subjects that occupy these artworks are unnatural to the eye.

My personal favorite, “Run! II” by Joni Wildman, is hung on the wall but the colorful rabbit cutout is not bound by the traditional canvas shape.

“The body of work is about running toward change–surviving by constantly moving, hurrying toward a new life and new goals in a fever, and not caring about risks along the way,” Wildman said about her “Run!” series.

“As a cutout, he can be anywhere and everywhere,” she explained.

Wildman’s painting process composed of multiple layers, including an intricate Scarfito step. Wet oil paint is scratched away to reveal the neon lines in the layer below. This piece embodies the amount of work necessary to create surreal art.

Baton Rouge Gallery visitors can expect an unordinary yet fascinating viewing experience at Surreal Salon 14.

“It’s more timely to look at art that you enjoy or takes you out of the every day, we need something uplifting right now,” Baade said.

Thursday, January 20, 2022

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Whataburger opens new location near Burbank Drive

BY EDDY HAGE @hage_eddy On Jan. 17 was the arrival of a new Whataburger near campus. The San Antonio-based burger joint was founded in 1950 in Corpus Christi, Texas, and its reputation for having higher-quality fast food has students excited for its opening.

“I’m through the roof about the new Whataburger opening up,” said history junior Beau Saucier. “It’s so close and so convenient.”

The 5851 Creek Center Dr. location is open 24 hours and has attracted long lines of cars since its opening.

“That’s not gonna stop me though,” Saucier said. “Whataburger is my favorite fast food place. I’m gonna fight tooth and limb for those patties.”

“I had a pretty good experience because I didn’t have to wait that long in line. The 2-lane drive-thru helped a lot,” law student Britney Young said.

“It was very efficient and fast, so I hope they keep that up.”

Besides the typical burger and fries combo, the chain is also known for its patty melts,

shakes, chicken sandwiches, and special sauces. The patty melts feature the regular burger ingredients sandwiched between two large pieces of Texas toast instead of buns.

“Those burgers are big as hell. They’re like 5 inches in diameter,” Saucier said. “But the patty melt is my go-to. The sauce they put on the patty melts goes hard. I actually own a bottle of that sauce.”

“I ordered a patty melt with fries and a strawberry milkshake,” Young said. “The food was amazing, but I think that’s expected.”

Whataburger’s current shakes and malts include chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and Dr. Pepper for a limited time. Their chicken options feature a limited-time Buffalo Ranch Chicken Strip Sandwich and their normal chicken breast and strip sandwich options.

“I ordered the honey bbq sandwich with a strawberry milkshake,” said geography senior Preston White. “My experience was amazing.”

“I got the Dr. Pepper shake at a different location recently,” Saucier said. “It sounds like it

wouldn’t be good. I was like, ‘Dr. Pepper? That’s a soda. Why would that be good as a shake?’ but it’s surprisingly great. The

The new building is a chic blend of modern and retro burger bistro styles. Whataburger’s iconic orange and white stripes

PETER NGUYEN / The Reveille

A balloon arch hangs over the entrance Jan. 18 at Whataburger on 5851 Creek Centre Dr. in Baton Rouge, La. milkshake is like vanilla with a hint of Dr. Pepper, like the perfect mixture.”

are featured among huge windows and a double-lane drivethru while the inside has an

Americana diner vibe along with Louisiana-themed wall art.

“The workers were attentive and the service was quick,” White said. “The overall atmosphere of the new restaurant was very modern and homey!”

The new Whataburger has some students questioning the viability of so many fast food places directly next to each other. Chick-fil-A and Atomic Burger are already located on Creek Center Drive, and are to be joined by a relocated McDonald’s in the future.

“I think the other restaurants are in deep trouble right now,” Saucier said. “Me and the boys are only going to Whataburger from now on. McDonald’s?

That’s old news. Corporate needs to rethink their strategy.”

Saucier found the new Whataburger as somewhat of an invasion by Texas onto LSU’s culture, saying, “I’m not gonna lie. They think they’re cooler than us. But, Texas-based burger chains? Those specifically go hard.”

Saucier concluded his thoughts on Whataburger with gratitude over the availability of good, cheap food nearby.

Chelsea’s Live opens as the newest local live music venue in BR

BY CONNOR MCLAUGHLIN @connor_mcla The music scene of Baton Rouge has a new, neon-laden update to it.

As of Friday the latest music venue, Chelsea’s Live, is officially open for business. Replacing the restaurant formerly known as Chelsea’s Café, the Chelsea’s brand is being kept alive in order to keep the spirit of the name intact, but also to differentiate it from its eatery roots.

Co-owner and co-manager Aaron Scuggs said, “it feels great” to be open, especially after a few setbacks caused by COVID-19. Safety will undoubtedly remain an important factor for the venue. The owners ensured that they wanted the crowd to feel safe inside since there still is an ongoing pandemic.

With Chelsea’s Live now up and running, Baton Rouge residents should expect to see an eclectic assortment of talent coming to the Red Stick.

Located on 1010 Nicholson Dr., right down the road from campus, musical talent ranging from blues to hip-hop to rock are only a taste of what’s to come for Chelsea’s Live. The venue featured New Orleansbased band and headliner The Iceman Special on Friday. The performers for Saturday included headliner Soul Rebels with THE FRESHBROS, and _thesmoothcat & The 9th Life. Baton Rouge band, Karma and the Killjoys, are set to headline later this month.

While seating is sparse, the

JULIAN COOPER / The Reveille

The Chelsea’s logo sign sits Jan. 15 at Chelsea’s Live Cafe on Nicholson Drive in Baton Rouge, La.

JULIAN COOPER / The Reveille

The Smooth Cat and the 9th Life performs their third song Jan. 15 at Chelsea’s Live Cafe on Nicholson Drive in Baton Rouge, La. new music venue provides a huge open space that is perfect for dancing with friends on the floor. It’s only one floor, but there are two sprawling bar spaces, conveniently located in the back and on the side near the entrance. Although food isn’t an option, sustenance comes in the form of live music performed directly in front of the audience.

Able to comfortably fit at least 200 people, the atmosphere of Chelsea’s Live is fully alive and inviting when music is playing.

Baton Rouge resident Jane Lynam felt the venue “didn’t have a lot to offer before the show began, but once the music actually started it was pretty cool and awesome.”

The capital area of Baton Rouge lost much of its live music to the pandemic, so it is absolutely evident that Chelsea’s Live is sure to change the scene for good by bringing in local and national talent alike.

Dates for future shows can be found on the Chelsea’s Live website.

JULIAN COOPER / The Reveille

The Chelsea’s logo sign sits outside Jan. 15 at Chelsea’s Live Cafe on Nicholson Drive in Baton Rouge, La.

SPORTS COACH QUESTIONS Five big questions as LSU Baseball enters year one of Johnson Era

BY MACKAY SUIRE & JARED BRODTMANN @macthetiger & @_therealjarbear We are just under a month away from the start of another LSU baseball season, with plenty of preseason coverage to come.

For now, in this first season of new head coach Jay Johnson’s tenure, a season that will shape the future of LSU baseball, here are five big questions that will predicate LSU’s potential to make a run to Omaha, Nebraska and to a national championship.

1. What could the pitching staff look like?

With a new coaching staff in place, fans would be wise to set new expectations from what former Head Coach Paul Mainieri had in place. Johnson was quick to alert followers of the program that the LSU standard of three starting pitchers for the weekend rotation would most likely not be continuing. Instead, he may be adapting modern baseball philosophies of pitching five to six of his players out of the bullpen – akin to that of some major league teams using an opener to start the game and following him with a plethora of bullpen options.

“I’ve always been an allhands-on-deck and then when game one is over, game one is over,” Johnson said of the prospect of multiple starters early on.

“And then we figure out game

page 8 OPINION

Column: “Deaf Dome” revival?

HENRY HUBER @HenryHuber_

the best in their conference. How Johnson will navigate playing them remains to be seen however, and it should be LSU fans’ primary focus in the early season.

2. Who will start on the infield?

The LSU infield has a history of producing talented prospects, and this season will be no different despite the new Tiger manager. There will be at least one certainty, and that is sophomore Tre’ Morgan’s presence at first base. The product of Brother

It is common for a college football team, or any team for that matter, to have a nickname for its stadium. What is less common is having one that is renowned across respective conferences, or even the entire country.

In college football, it is Florida’s “The Swamp,” Michigan’s “The Big House” and of course, LSU and Clemson’s argument over the rightful naming of “Death Valley” that ring a bell.

The basketball side includes the likes of Gonzaga’s “The Kennel,” Minnesota’s “The Barn” and Kansas’s “The Phog.”

But the most interesting basketball court nickname, in my opinion, is LSU’s “Deaf Dome.”

While the aforementioned facility nicknames are based around the mascot or the setting of the stadium, the Deaf Dome is based around something entirely different: Crowd noise.

LSU’s PMAC was originally coined the “Deaf Dome” by Dick Vitale, who said, “you don’t get the feel for college basketball at other places the way you do at

see BASEBALL, page 9

see DOME, page 9

REVEILLE ARCHIVES

LSU baseball Head Coach Jay Johnson gazes up at the Alex Box Stadium scoreboard at his introduction on June 28. two, so that’s probably a certainty. That’s going to go that way.”

With the talent this staff has, it is easy to see why. LSU returned 10 pitchers from last year’s staff, including seniors Devin Fontenot, Ma’Khail Hilliard and Trent Vietmeier. Sophomores Ty Floyd, Garrett Edwards, Will Hellmers, Blake Money, Jacob Hasty, Michael Fowler and Javen Coleman contributed to LSU’s super regional run often last season, and they will surely be used often with a season’s worth of experience under their belts. Coleman and Floyd were named to Perfect

Game’s Top 100 Sophomores for the season.

On top of the program’s veterans, there are a number of newcomers who will be involved as well. San Francisco transfer Eric Reyzelman, who was named to Perfect Game’s Top 100 Juniors, will fit into Johnson’s staff right away. A couple of Johnson’s players from Arizona followed him to LSU, and the two, Bryce Collins and Riley Cooper are expected to contribute as well. With JUCO transfers and freshmen behind them for support, the pitching has all the makings to be one of

CHEERLEADING

LSU Tiger Girls take gold Hip Hop National Championship

BY JOE KEHRLI @joekehrli9 LSU Tiger Girls are National Champions after receiving a near perfect score for their hip hop routine, “Like a Boy” at the Universal Dance Associated Championship in Orlando, Florida on Sunday.

It has been over a decade since the Hip Hop National Championship title returned to Baton Rouge, with the team’s last topscore in 2010. After a year of the COVID-19 pandemic, while other university sports programs were allowed to participate in their regular season, the Tiger Girls could not. Pauline Zernott, the Tiger Girls director of operations, said that last year’s absence from competition only made the squad “more hungry” for this year’s title.

Shortly after the scorers gave the Tiger Girls their score and the trophy was hoisted, their hip hop routine would go viral on social media platforms, showing that it

was more than a dance, it was a statement from an all-girl team who can not only compete with but beat co-ed teams. “’Like a Boy’ was curated and choreographed specifically for this team and all other female athletes who have been neglected in relation to their male counterparts,” Tiger Girls Assistant Coach Payton Ibos said. “Our choreographers, Carson Rowe and Sammy McFadden, were passionate about creating this routine for the positive message behind the empowerment of the female athletes in the dance industry, as well as for the recognition of dance as a collegiate sport with deserving student athletes.”

Chloe Tourelle, in her third year with the squad, knew that they had what it took for them to win. She said that the team has been training and dreaming of this position since auditions were held in April and since then they knew they had something special.

Further, Tourelle noted that the team’s choice in costume for the “Like a Boy” routine was deliberately subtle, not to detract from the dance’s message.

“We did not have too many rhinestones because the storyline was such a strong storyline in itself that the costume didn’t need to override that,” Tourelle said. “We just had to repeat what we did in the semi-finals, and we did.”

After what Tourelle described as countless hours of preparation for the National Championship alone, the LSU Tiger Girls are National Champions for the Hip Hop Division. The Tiger Girls also posted an eighth place finish in the Jazz division and a sixth place in cheer.

“It feels very good,” Tourelle said. “We were very humbled. It was a long time coming.”

“Such a journey for sure, but we did it,” Head Coach Kandace Hale said. “I still can’t believe it.”

COURTESY OF CHLOE TOURELLE

The LSU Tiger Girls pose around the National Championship trophy.

Thursday, January 20, 2022 DOME, from page 8 the Deaf Dome.”

That is high praise coming from such a renowned name in college basketball, and for a time, it was true.

At the time of the coining, LSU was becoming a powerhouse. The program defeated No. 1 Kentucky in 1978 before winning three SEC titles in the next three seasons (two regularseason, one tournament). The Tigers were also given high seeds in the NCAA tournament, being named a third seed after their first SEC title before topping the Midwest Region for two straight years.

In the last year of that successful run, they would make their first Final Four appearance in almost 30 years.

With more success comes more fans. And with more fans comes more noise. LSU had gained a massive amount of recognition, and its attendance numbers showed it.

LSU went from not being in the top-25 in attendance to cracking the top-15 in four straight seasons, peaking at No. 9 in 1982 before its evident drop-off in success caused their attendance to dwindle a bit. LSU would only drop out of the top-25 in 1987 though, and its numbers would jump back to where they were with the emergence of Shaquille O’Neal.

With O’Neal drawing loads of attention, LSU had three seasons in which it averaged more than 15,000 attendees per game, taking the No. 9 spot two more times in 1990 and 1992. But 1992 would be the last year in which the Tigers finished in the top-25 in attendance.

Considering the fact that the usual range for the top 25 is between 12,000 and 25,000 and

page 9 has not changed at all between now and then, it is clear that this occurred due to LSU’s failures after O’Neal left the team.

Four straight losing seasons were enough to conclude the golden age of the Deaf Dome, and even with strong individual seasons in the mid-2000s, it was not enough to revive it. That is, until now.

Though it has not quite reached the levels of attendance they had in the 80s and 90s, if Will Wade’s team continues to improve, it will get there. The 2018-19 season featured multiple home games with over 13,000 attendees, and this season has featured similar numbers despite COVID-19, with a current peak of 12,881 at their game against Tennessee.

Consistent numbers like that would allow LSU to crack the top-25 in average attendance for the first time in 30 years, but it is not just about attendance.

Another reason for obtaining the “Deaf Dome” nickname was a rowdy student section. In the early 1980s, a group known as the “Front Row Lunatics” led a disruptive student section.

Thunderous, excited student sections often motivate the rest of the crowd to get loud, leading to an overall jump in decibels.

And LSU’s student section seems to have been revived due mostly to the unfolding of a new group of student section leaders in the Balcony Bengals.

The checklist for a Deaf Dome revival features on-the-court success, a rowdy student section and large attendance numbers, and with continued success and a slight jump in attendance, all the boxes will be checked.

Fans online have already been preaching the reemergence of the Deaf Dome and if it’s true, I wish LSU’s away opponents the best of luck.

CHYNNA MCCLINTON / The Reveille

The LSU student section stands in support of the LSU men’s basketball team Jan. 15, during LSU’s 65-58 loss against Arkansas in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on North Stadium Drive in Baton Rouge, La.

BASEBALL, from page 8

may give us an indication as to how this will shake out.

Martin High School in New Orleans set the conference on fire with his phenomenal hitting and even more spectacular defense.

Morgan slashed .357/.441/.526 in his stellar freshman season.

“Tre’ Morgan texted me to make sure the lights are on at the field to come out here and work on his own,” Johnson said in December. “I’ve been really, really pleased with that. I don’t think you can have a winning program in any sport if you don’t have self-motivated people.”

The rest of the infield seems to have some shape, but exact positions are unclear as of now.

Uber-talented players in junior Cade Doughty and Arizona transfer sophomore Jacob Berry will be daily fixtures, but whether Doughty will retain his former spot at third base or if Berry will take over there and Doughty will move to second base is something to watch for. At shortstop, sophomore Jordan Thompson will have the lead on his teammates for playing time, but it will fluctuate throughout the season with sophomore defensive stud Collier Cranford and high energy sophomore Will Safford on his tail.

Behind the plate there may be a full-on position battle. Alex Milazzo is an established player with one of the best arms to catch runners stealing LSU has had in quite a while. However, his bat has struggled in both seasons he has played in Baton Rouge, hitting just .135 last year.

He is being closely followed by Hayden Travinski, a powerful bat who hasn’t had the opportunities due to injury, and the superb transfer Tyler McManus, a consistent force in fall baseball. The balance of Milazzo’s defense versus his teammates’ bats will be something Johnson will have to evaluate throughout the year.

4. Where could freshmen make an impact?

It is undeniable that this season’s roster contains a fountain of talent. With such a large number of irreplaceable veterans returning alongside a recruiting class ranked No. 6 in Collegiate Baseball magazine, deciphering the players that will make the starting nine is nearly impossible. A few transfers have also made their way to LSU, and they too have also proven that they are deserving of a spot in The Box. Because of this, it is undeniable that Johnson is considering a true freshmen’s place on the starting lineup.

Among these freshmen are standouts such as Grant Fontenot, a right-handed pitcher from Lafayette. Fontenot was ranked first in the state for that position and 161st in the nation’s top 500 ranking. His fast ball has clocked in at around 94 mph, which is comparable to a lot of LSU’s front running pitchers.

Another standout is Josh Pearson, an outfielder from West Monroe. Pearson was ranked by Perfect Game as second in the state and 36th in the nation as an outfielder. He bats as a lefty and is speedy around the base paths, but his sturdy build gives his hits a ton of pop upon impact.

Joshua Stevenson is a Louisiana native that attended St. Thomas Moore High School, which has a baseball program known to produce quality D1 athletes. Stevenson is an outfielder and occasional left-handed pitcher with a lot of consistency behind the plate. Stevenson is the younger brother of Andrew Stevenson, a phenomenal starting centerfielder for the Tigers from 2013 to 2015. Andrew now plays for the Washington Nationals.

3. How could the outfield logjam resolve itself?

LSU fans who have followed the team in the past are familiar with clusters in the outfield.

With only three spots and so many players capable of playing the position, there is often a bottleneck for playing time. LSU has generational talent in Dylan Crews and one of the best veteran bats in the country in Gavin Dugas, which narrows this congestion for starter status further.

Crews and Dugas led the team in OPS last season with respective stat lines of 1.116 and 1.048.

Dugas was also awarded LSU’s coveted No. 8 jersey, given to the senior leader of the team.

This leaves one spot for normal playing time and so many deserving candidates to earn it.

Johnson could opt for the speedy redshirt junior Giovanni DiGiacomo, the talented young bat of sophomore Brody Drost, veteran presences of redshirt juniors Drew Bianco and Cade Beloso, or the incoming gifted players like transfer Brayden Jobert or freshmen Josh Pearson and Josh Stevenson. How Johnson decides to fill out his lineup card early on

5. How will the coaching dynamics change from Paul Mainieri’s tenure?

Stepping into the shoes of the ‘Louisiana Legend’ that is Paul Mainieri, is Jay Johnson, the head coach that led Arizona to a conference championship in 2021 and was later deemed the Pac-12 Baseball Coach of the Year. Johnson’s impact on other programs is what spiked the interest of Athletic Director Scott Woodward when deciding who would be the next one to lead LSU’s baseball program in a successful direction.

“Ultimately, Jay’s track record of postseason success, explosive lineups, and highly-ranked recruiting classes set him apart from the field,” Woodward explained. “He’s made an immediate impact on every program he’s led, and he’s one of the most energetic, innovative, and focused coaches in America.”

Walking into The Box and succeeding such an iconic baseball figure has to accompany an immense amount of pressure, but Johnson seems to be settling in nicely.

They say it takes a village,

and this is exactly what Johnson has brought with him to the program. The new coaching staff is overflowing with experience and success, and Johnson has an incredible amount of confidence in their abilities to bring our tigers to the next level.

As his right-hand man, Johnson brought with him Marc Wanaka. Wanaka has been a part of Johnson’s coaching staff since 2014 and in his career has played a role in producing 12 All-American position players and 19 MLB Draft picks, 12 of which were selected in the first 10 rounds.

“Marc has been a huge part of our success,” Johnson said.

“Marc is unmatched in terms of time commitment and work ethic to make each player the best that he can be.”

For the mound, Johnson wanted Jason Kelly. Deemed the 2018 National Assistant Coach of the Year in college baseball, Kelly helped the Arizona State Sun Devils lower their team ERA from a 4.93 to a 3.56. If not for the pandemic shortening the 2020 season, the team would have most likely finished in the nation’s Top 100 in ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per nine innings, strikeouts/walks ratio and hits per nine innings.

“I was trying to picture myself standing in the dugout and it’s three to three in the sixth inning against Arkansas,” Johnson described. “Who do I trust to have done the work on the preparation side of it to be prepared to call a good game that is going to help the pitcher be successful?

Who can walk out to the mound and have great poise, great communication skills, and look that pitcher in their eyes to get him focused on what he needs to do?

When I started thinking of it that way, I mean, [Kelly] was an easy, easy choice.”

Every team needs someone who is able to form a solid connection with future prospects.

That’s why Johnson wanted Dan Fitzgerald, LSU Baseball’s recruiting coordinator and assistant coach. Fitzgerald was a top recruiter at the perennial tournament team Dallas Baptist. He ultimately left his position there to find a role similar to this under Johnson.

“Dan is one of the top assistant coaches in the country, and he will have a huge impact on our program for years to come,” Johnson stated. “He is one of the elite recruiters in the country, and his ability to find and evaluate elite talent will serve future Tiger teams very well.”

Before Johnson’s staff took over, Manieri’s staff was heavily involved in the development of these athletes. Coaches like Javi Sanchez, Eddie Smith, Alan Dunn and Nolan Cain each contributed to the team’s success in hitting, pitching and recruiting.

Based on the resumes, it is reasonable to assume that Johnson and his hand-picked staff will be equally as engaged, if not more.

Until the season officially starts, the chemistry and success of the coaching staff remains unseen but certainly gives fans something to watch for.

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OPINION

page 11

Mulkey right to ask university to honor women equally CHARLIE’S ANGLES CHARLIE STEPHENS

@CharlieStephns

“Why not?” LSU Women’s Basketball coach Kim Mulkey asked at a Jan. 5 press conference.

Why not honor legendary LSU Women’s Basketball players Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles with statues of their own next to Shaquille O’Neal’s bronze monument?

“That’s how much I think of those two young ladies, what they did for this university and what they did for women’s basketball,” Mulkey said.

LSU Board of Supervisors member Mary Leach Werner had similar thoughts during the Board’s debate on whether to name the Pete Maravich Assembly Center’s basketball court after former men’s coach Dale Brown.

“It’s been told to me by Dale Brown supporters how much he supported women’s athletics,” Werner said. “Yet not one female

basketball player or studentathlete appeared today to affirm that story.”

Werner cited the unwillingness to name the court after both Brown and former women’s coach Sue Gunter as just another way the university places women in a secondary class.

The significance of a statue honoring someone on campus cannot be understated. It is an honor reserved for a small group of people who have made enormous contributions to the university and its recognition across the world.

O’Neal recognized this profound and rare distinction during the unveiling of his bronze lookalike in 2011.

“I am very humbled and honored,” O’Neal said. “I am going to say this a million times, but there could have been a lot of other guys that LSU could have made a statue of. I am just blessed and honored that they chose me.”

Mulkey and Werner share the desire to honor the contributions of women here at the university.

Both women contend that the honorifics on campus are not representative of the entire campus demographic who make the university the amazing place that it is.

LSU-Alexandria Student Body President Monica Aguilera, who serves as the student representative on the Board of Supervisors, aimed to remedy this inequity by recommending that the PMAC court be named the “GunterBrown Court.”

Her motion was defeated 12 to three by a 75% male-majority board. The same board that has been tight-lipped throughout the flagship’s Title IX problems. The same board that didn’t consider a single woman as a finalist for university president.

Mulkey, Werner and Aguilera are right. We should honor the contributions of women and men equally here at the university, because, “Why not?”

Why not, LSU? Charlie Stephens is a 21-year-old political communication junior from Baton Rouge.

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

A statue of Shaquille O’Neal stands on Feb. 26 outside of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Online classes should be mandatory for first two weeks EMILY ON CAMPUS EMILY DAVISON @ichigoemily Whether you’re excited, terrified or somewhere in between, school time is rolling around once again.

This semester is gearing up to be the strangest—and possibly most exhausting—of our college years.

Attending classes in the age of COVID-19 has always been strange. From our fully online semester that drove many to the brink of cabin fever, to returning to a campus that lost much of its fervor, we’ve been through a lot.

But now, the university has outdone itself by making things somehow even more stressful. An impressive feat if you ask me.

To clarify, I’m talking about the decision to allow professors to choose between remote and in-person classes for the first two weeks of school.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m all for professors having more freedoms in the classroom and making decisions based on their com-

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

Sports administration sophomore Kenneth Remedies does his online Zoom class on Jan. 25 in the Student Union. fort level. The level of agency over classes and faculty quite possibly should have been granted long ago.

That being said, I can’t be the only one whose schedule is a little chaotic because of this arrangement.

At this point, I would rather

solely have online classes rather than my current situation of running across campus to make backto-back online and in-person meetings.

While it’s important to allow professors to make their own decisions about classes, our worsening COVID-19 scenario was not

the best backdrop to gear up individual liberties.

The omicron variant has people worrying for a multitude of reasons: the uncertainty of its severity, the unknowns of its transmissibility, the effects on the immunocompromised and more.

If it wasn’t for the massive,

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worldwide surge in cases, I wouldn’t be so frustrated. But at this point, I can’t help being worried about close social gatherings of any kind. I’ve been conditioned to stray away from that kind of thing as we approach year three of pandemic life.

Complaining about the pandemic and harping on regulations can seem almost trivial at this point, but I’m surprised the university still doesn’t have its act together after all these months.

I was almost convinced people learned staying home slows the spread of a communicable disease, but my faith unraveled after seeing the general apathy toward omicron.

Virtual learning isn’t always ideal, but it’s proven to be the safest option nonetheless.

Regardless, while I know nothing I’ve said will change the minds of university administrators to hold (at least) the first two weeks of classes remotely, I still stand behind the belief that our current setup is not the best idea.

Emily Davison is a 20-year-old anthropology and English junior from Denham Springs.

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*Free resources available in the Office of Wellness and Health Promotion

• www.lsu.edu/shc • @lsuhealthcenter

The LSU Student Health Center is in-network with most major health insurance plans.

Students have the convenience of using their health insurance on campus.* Upload your health insurance card to support a seamless billing process, lsu.edu/shcportal.

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The Student Health Fee will continue to supplement medical care and to cover wellness and mental health programs, services and events: Telephone triage Physical rehabilitation Immunization processing and compliance verification Public health initiatives essential for personal or campus community health and safety

Health and wellbeing strategic initiatives

Nutrition counseling

Counseling services including crisis intervention, individual and group therapy

Referral coordination and case management services

Wellness coaching, programming and outreach

The Lighthouse Program services

Facilities maintenance, repair, and enhancement Administrative support

* The Student Health Center is in-network with most major US health insurance plans and bills for medical, gynecology, and psychiatry appointments, as well as lab and X-ray services.