The Reveille 1-24-22

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‘RAINS INSIDE’ RNR building has been experiencing some infrastructure problems since at least 2008, students and faculty say.

Read on

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

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Buckets lay throughout the woodshop floor Jan. 13, at Renewable Natural Resources building on AgCenter Lane in Baton Rouge, La.

NEWS

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An LSU professor is assisting city efforts to track plastic pollution in the Mississippi River.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Project Innovate Studios, a new art collective, is gearing up to have an actionpacked year focused on various mediums.

SPORTS

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LSU Men’s Hoops is coming off its third straight loss. Read about three takeaways from the losing streak.

OPINION

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“The mask mandate on campus is a joke.

Most classrooms are packed to the brim, making social distancing impossible.”

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

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FALLING APART

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

Leaks, mold and outdated infrastructure plague RNR building

BY DOMENIC PURDY @tigerdom16 Note: Louisiana legislators will decide what to do with a significant surplus of cash available to the state in the next legislative session in March. Ahead of the session, The Reveille is dedicating a string of stories looking at LSU’s infrastructure. This story is the first in the ongoing series.

Since he began studying natural resource ecology and management at LSU in 2019, Jackson Martingayle has encountered a multitude of maintenance problems in the Renewable Natural Resources building.

In a Jan. 8 tweet, Martingayle photographed one of the building’s hallways, where the ceiling is covered in tarps collecting water that is then funneled into multiple trash cans.

“It’s been like this the whole three years,” Martingayle said.

Another student, natural resource ecology and management senior Grace Rosseau, said the tarps, water collection buckets and other problems related to the leaking ceiling have been there for even longer, dating back to her freshman year.

“When it rains outside of the building, it also rains inside,” Rosseau said.

Built in 1986, the building sits on Tower Drive on the south side of campus — a four-minute walk from Patrick F. Taylor Hall, one of the largest free-standing academic engineering buildings in the country.

Michael Kaller, coordinator

of undergraduate studies at the School of Renewable Natural Resources, said that he has been experiencing trouble in the building since 2008 when Hurricane Gustav — one of the worst storms to hit Baton Rouge — caused at least $12 million in damage across campus.

Things only got worse from there, Kaller said.

Around that time, some offices directly below the roof on the first and third floors were abandoned, Kaller said. Classrooms are still at risk of leaks.

“It’s very frustrating as a faculty member that our main classroom we use the most is leaking,” he said. “Fortunately it doesn’t leak directly on students, we moved the seats that way, but it is still frustrating. It’s also frustrating that my colleagues can’t be in the building.”

Peeling paint, spotty internet connection and instances of what seems to be mold inside the air vents have also plagued the building for years, students and faculty said.

The building’s exterior fares no better, showing signs of deterioration in its foundation and a warped PVC pipe holding up another piece of collapsing roof, under which sit unusable bike racks.

Despite the laundry list of problems expressed by both professors and students, the only listed deferred maintenance for the building is for the cracked foundation and exterior walls, which is set to cost $2.6 million, according to LSU’s deferred maintenance list.

The list of deferred maintenance needs at LSU totals over

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Editor-in-Chief LARA NICHOLSON Managing Editor ENJANAE’ TAYLOR Digital Editor JAYDEN NGUYEN News Editor JOSH ARCHOTE Deputy News Editor BELLA DARDANO Sports Editor JOE KEHRLI SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

The entrance of the Renewable Natural Resources building shows molding on the air vent Jan. 13 on AgCenter Lane in Baton Rouge, La. $630 million.

Bryan Andries, executive director of Facility Services, said that the state has allocated $5 million to addressing the issues within the building, including repairing the roof and updating the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

The plan also includes renovations like a new lighting system, something that would fix the “dingey” atmosphere that Rosseau feels the building currently has.

LSU Planning, Design and Construction is set to oversee the project.

The updates to the building are scheduled to begin in May and be completed by December, Roger Husser, assistant vice president of LSU Planning, Design and Construction said.

“This is a state-funded and state-contracted project, and the schedule could be delayed,” Husser said.

In the years she has spent in

the building, Rosseau said she noticed how outdated the building is, with some of the last blackboards on campus, a 1960s feel and a “might-fall-on-her-at-anygiven-moment personality.”

The goal of the plan to renovate the building aims to address this by bringing the building up to date and repairing the systems “that are beyond life,” Andries said.

Still, despite the changes planned for the building, the department’s professors and students are longing for more to bring the headquarters of their program into the present day.

Kaller said it’s a necessity to have safe and reliable parking for their trucks and boats used for field work, as well as modern lab equipment for students, who he feels are getting a subpar educational experience at the moment.

“It’s a matter of making a great program phenomenal,” Kaller said.

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The 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

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

The hallways throughout the renewable natural resources building have tarps covering the ceiling to catch the water to pour in the buckets Jan. 13, on Ag Center Lane in Baton Rouge, La.

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

The outside of the Renewable Natural Resources building walkway is being held up with a piece of wood and PVC pipe Jan. 13, on AgCenter Lane in Baton Rouge, La.

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 MLK week PLASTIC POLLUTION upwraps with

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DIVERSITY

Researcher assists efforts to reduce pollution along Mississippi River

BY CORBIN ROSS @CorbinRoss5

Baton Rouge has a trash problem.

Researchers from the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative found in September that the amount of trash detected along the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge during a month-long survey would add up to about 61 pieces of trash if placed along one city block.

Raising Canes and Sonic food wrappings, foam Smoothie King cups and plastic cups were among the most common sources of pollution along the river.

In collaboration with the MRCTI, LSU College of Coast and Environment professor Mark Benfield is researching the flow of plastic waste down the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico using GPS trackers, trash accumulation data and testing the water for microplastics.

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic. They can range from the size of a grain of rice to the microscopic. This allows them to be ingested by a variety of animals and humans. Scientists’ understanding of the effects of microplastics on human health is still developing, but research on the ecological impacts so far are worrying.

A 2008 study in the journal of Environmental Science and Technology was one of the first to find that these tiny pieces of plastic

speaker

BY MADDIE SCOTT @madscottyy

CHYNNA MCCLINTON/ The Reveille

The Mississippi River flows Jan. 16, 2021, at a viewpoint from on River Road in Baton Rouge, La. don’t harmlessly pass through the body.

The high concentration of plastic pollution along the Mississippi is leading to a number of ecological issues, Benfield said.

Microplastics can bind with other pollutants, becoming a sponge of organic pollutants which attract microbes that give them the taste and smell of natural food, leading to small marine life consuming them.

This can disrupt reproductive systems, stunt growth and cause liver or tissue damage.

Much of the plastic pollution

in Baton Rouge found is singleuse plastics, like water bottles and bags. These larger plastics can then degrade over time and leave microplastics in the water and air, eventually making their way to the Gulf of Mexico.

Benfield’s research began in 2015 when he took measurements of the amount of microplastics in the Gulf of Mexico.

“We found just tons of microplastics,” Benfield said. “That part of the coast doesn’t have a high population density, so the likelihood they were originating from Louisiana was pretty re-

mote. We realized we were in the plume of the Mississippi River, and so that was the logical candidate.”

Benfield published a paper based on this research and received funding from Louisiana Sea grant to do a one-year study looking at microplastics in the Mississippi river between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Their results? Very high concentrations of plastics, which increased the further downriver they went.

see POLLUTION, page 4

LSU students, faculty and staff wrapped up this year’s commemorative celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Jan. 18 with a guest speaker event and day of service.

The celebration ended early this year with multiple event cancellations due to COVID-19 concerns.

Hundreds of Baton Rouge volunteers, LSU students and staff picked up trash, cleaned churches and more on Jan. 17, part of volunteers’ and the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ efforts to make the civil rights leader’s celebration a “day on, not off.”

Members of LSU’s Black Male Leadership Initiative and the Nu Iota chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity shoveled gravel and painted the House of Refuge building on Plank Road.

Students and faculty gathered in the Student Union Theater Jan. 18 to listen to a presentation from David Dennis Sr., a civil rights activist best known for his participation in the first Freedom Ride from Montgomery, Alabama, to Jackson, Mississippi, in 1961.

As a freshman at Dillard University, Dennis stumbled upon a rally organized by the Congress of

see MLK, page 4

STUDENT LIFE

After stressful fall semester, LSU psychologist gives advice

BY JOHN BUZBEE @thebuzzbuzz During the fall semester, digital advertising freshman Colin Falcon would wake up, climb down his dorm bed’s ladder, and struggle to stay awake as he “went to class” by joining a Zoom lecture.

Attending classes in his dorm blurred the lines between schoolwork and leisure time. It also resulted in him feeling unattached to assignments that felt like an increasingly unmanageable workload over time.

“The surefire sign is that I stop hitting the 9 a.m.’s,” Falcon said. “If I’m not getting my couple hours of non-work-related stuff, I’m only going to burn out faster.”

Falcon’s experience wasn’t unique. Many students across campus reported experiencing heavier stress and burnout sooner in the fall.

According to Arielle Brown, a Student Health Center psychologist, there was a noticeable in-

crease in the number of students seen at the Student Health Center for mental health issues.

“We experienced more students experiencing a lack of motivation and also feeling burnt out,” Brown said. “Their work threshold was lower, and this led to some self-criticism.”

The mix of virtual and in-person classes as well as the experiences last semester culminated in “normalized burnout,” according to Brown.

Her clients were experiencing burnout sooner than normal, and work stamina had significantly decreased.

She equates much of the stress coming from students having to once again shift from online learning to in-person classes.

“It’s almost like we have two freshman classes,” Brown said, referring to younger students who have only ever known online learning and were thrown into the full college experience later than normal before the COVID-19

pandemic.

Graphic design freshman Mason Wulff is studying what he loves: Art. However, he was unable to find satisfaction in his artwork last semester, given the stress and “lack of engagement” he described on campus.

“You have to have an outlet,” Wulff said, “something that isn’t really related to what you’re working on.”

Wulff found his by relaxing with music and taking long drives to clear his mind.

Finding and maintaining an outlet is one of the many pieces of advice given by Brown. On top of hobbies outside of school and work, Brown shared the following pieces of advice: •Don’t overdo it. Be realistic about what workload you can handle in a semester. Plan so that it’s manageable the entire semester, not just until midterms—after which everything goes downhill

see ADVICE, page 4

DYLAN BOREL / The Reveille

LSU nutritional sciences freshman Bella Riley works on her computer Jan. 18 at LSU Student Union in Baton Rouge, La.

Monday, January 24, 2022

page 4 MLK, from page 3 Racial Equality Corps, established in 1942 to protest segregation in public settings.

Though he initially wasn’t interested, Dennis eventually became infatuated with the movement, participating in sit-ins and most famously, the Freedom Rides— long bus rides white and Black civil rights activists took across the South.

To prepare for the Freedom Rides, Dennis rode to Montgom-

ADVICE, from page 3 for many students.

•Have self-compassion. Avoid being overly harsh on yourself.

You are, after all, trying to get a degree in the third year of a global pandemic.

•Create a system that works for you, not one you think should work for you.

•Plan on giving yourself some breaks. Sit down and focus on your breathing, surroundings or how you feel. Try and make sure you constantly feel refreshed.

•Don’t forget your social side.

Sitting next to people in class doesn’t count. Healthy relationships with family and friends are important.

•Consider integrating instead of balancing aspects of a schedule. Only being able to “balance” a schedule could be symptom of a

POLLUTION, from page 3 “We have to reduce our utilization of plastics,” said Benfield.

“The majority of plastics that we interact with are used for very transient activities. So, a water bottle that is gonna last 1,000 years potentially we use for five minutes or 10 minutes.”

Since 2018, MRCTI has been partnered with cities along the Mississippi River to reduce waste accumulation along the river. Baton Rouge is one of three cities that are piloting a new initiative

ery, Alabama, where he met civil rights leaders, including King. Arrested over 30 times for protesting for equality, Dennis dedicated a lifetime to fighting for civil rights in the South, especially in Louisiana and Mississippi.

“Young people—some of them your age sitting out here—were saying ‘If we gotta die, this is worth dying for, because we can’t stop now,’” Dennis said.

Michelle Carter, executive director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, also spoke.

“Today, we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, but also all other freedom fighters whose names we will never know,” Carter said. “He coupled faith and action to fight for those who often felt voiceless.”

Jane Cassidy, interim vice president of Civil Rights & Title IX, shared a quote from King and said she wants to “change the narrative to create a culture of respect” at LSU. “It’s foolish and dishonest to pretend that racism doesn’t exist or that we do not judge others by

dysfunctional schedule.

•Get outside and exercise.

The UREC has a great facility to accomplish this. Working out is proven to help with feelings of stress.

•Prioritize personal needs first, then school. Build a personal schedule or calendar that allots personal time for yourself.

•Seek help if you feel yourself beginning to burn out. Every student has a different threshold, or breaking point. The Student Health Center offers counseling and therapy appointments for students. The Center of Academic Success also offers resources to students with heavy workloads.

LSU’s Student Health Center offers free therapy for full-time students. LSU’s Psychological Services Center also offers individual and group therapy; their services are not free.

LSU kinesiology freshman Madison Pitts sits in a zoom class Oct. 15 at the LSU Student Union.

that involves data collection. The other cities are St. Louis, Missouri and St. Paul, Minnesota.

Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced in April that Baton Rouge would be one of the first cities to partner with MRCTI to investigate pollution flow along the river. “[Benfield] took me around Baton Rouge and showed me some canals where booms were set up and all the plastic that was collecting there,” said Jenny Wendt, plastic waste reduction

CHYNNA MCCLINTON / The Reveille

The Mississippi River flows Jan. 16, 2021, at a viewpoint from River Road in Baton Rouge, La.

the color of their skin,” she said.

There was a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and the event wrapped up with Dennis answering questions from the audience. Afterwards, five students from the audience were chosen to have “fireside chat” with the civil rights activist.

LSU also awarded performance studies graduate student Johanna Middleton the Unsung Hero award for her work toward social justice through art. Middleton’s efforts were recognized through her work

on “Resilient Body,” a performance bringing awareness to the toxicity of rape culture.

The performance takes place from March 9-13 in the Hopkins Black Box Theater.

“I think it’s so important to remember that it’s not just the folks we’re constantly hearing about like MLK, who obviously did amazing work, but it’s the folks who, like Dennis said, are behind the scenes, who are tirelessly showing up day after day to organize and support these movements,” Middleton said.

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

campaign manager for MRCTI. “I had never seen anything like it before.”

Using GPS devices inside water bottles, researchers were able to gauge how trash entered local watersheds.

Community members also participated in collecting data by standing on the bank of the river and using Debris Tracker, an online application developed for the MRCTI initiative by experts with the United Nations Environment Programme, National Geographic Society and University of Georgia.

Stormwater surges bring this plastic waste into the areas around the river too, a problem that led city-parish leaders to promote a $15-million stormwater division that would work to manage this issue, if created.

Around LSU these surges result in plastic waste ending up in the LSU Campus Lakes.

LSU AgCenter professor Jeff Kuehny, who leads the Burden Museum and Gardens program, is working with the coalition to raise awareness. He has placed booms in three different water systems around Baton Rouge.

These booms act as nets, collecting any plastics that float into them. By collecting this plastic, he is able to measure the amount brought in by stormwater.

“This is a problem that can be solved but it’s going to take everybody working together – public and private sectors to remediate the litter and the flooding and especially through stormwater management programs,” Kuehny said.

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

The Mississippi River sits on Oct. 5 in Baton Rouge, La.

ENTERTAINMENT

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THIS WEEK IN BR

Want to see your event in The Reveille?

Email information to editor@lsu.edu.

MONDAY AT 5:30

BY EMMA JACKIMOWICZ @emmajackimowicz

JANUARY

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Yoga & Meditation International Cultural Center

Spend your Monday evening relaxing with Yoga & Meditation at the International Cultural Center, at 3365 Dalrymple Drive on Jan. 24. The class will be led by instructor Graciana Helm and starts at 5;30 p.m.

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Drag Show and Wine Sipping Special Red Stick Social Sip on some wine or champagne Wednesday Jan. 26 and watch local drag queens strut at Red Stick Social. The event starts at 10 p.m. and ends at midnight.

WEDNESDAY AT 10

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JANUARY

THURSDAY AT 5

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JANUARY

27

Ongoing Event

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LSU Annual Blood Drive | LSU SHC Go to Tower Drive next to Free Speech Alley on campus to participate in the LSU Annual Blood Drive. This weeklong blood drive is sponsored by various companies in order to raise money in support of Louisiana local hospitals and students in need.

Strike Out ALS with Aaron & Austin Nola Red Stick Social Go to Red Stick Social on Thursday, Jan. 27 and spend your night bowling for a cause. The ALS Association Louisiana-Mississippi has partnered with former LSU Baseball and current MLB players Aaron and Austin Nola to have a fun-filled evening filled with food, drinks, bowling and fundraising from 5 p.m.

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Monday, January 24, 2022

page 6 ART

Project Innovate ready to make campus more creative

BY KATY-ANN MCDONALD @twitter Creative minds that reside on LSU’s campus have a new organization dedicated to promoting and celebrating their work.

Project Innovate Studios is an art collective formed by a group of LSU students eager to highlight the creative talent on campus. Founded and directed by construction management sophomore Zahir Muhammad, the team is determined to make a creative impact on LSU’s campus that will remain long after they graduate.

“I feel like we have a lot of creativity at LSU, but we don’t have an organization that binds it all together,” Muhammad said. “LSU has done a good job at housing creatives, giving us a space to meet and connect, which is essential to be able to develop ideas into something tangible. But I think it can do a bit better in terms of giving a platform to portray creativity on a wider scale.”

Muhammad and four other initial committee members formed Project Innovate Studios to become the space and blueprint that creatives at LSU can look to.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Project Innovate Studios Committee Members pose as photographers snap photos on Jan. 21 at Achroma Studio at 1509 Government Street in Baton Rouge, La. “We want them to see Project Innovate Studios as a tangible

option that students can be a part of for years to come,” Mu-

hammad expressed.

On Friday, the committee held a photoshoot that will serve as the face of Project Innovate Studios. The shoot will be released as a magazine during the first week of February, in preparation for the Project Innovate Fashion Experience that will take place on March 27.

“The Fashion Experience is really going to be the big boom of this all,” Muhammad said.

“The point of it being called an experience and not a show is because art can be portrayed in a variety of ways. Whether that’s through music, clothes or poetry, we want to make it an experience and not necessarily a traditional fashion show.”

There are currently 14 committee members, 12 of which are current or past LSU students.

“Our committee members come from different backgrounds,” Muhammad said. “We all have individual styles, but we are one community. We wanted to portray that in today’s shoot.”

Kennedy Cook, a nursing major, was one of the founding members of Project Innovate Studios.

“Zahir and I are both sophomores, so it’s really empowering being younger than others and

taking on this incredible task,” Cook said. “It’s been amazing learning from everyone on the committee and seeing all the creativity LSU students have to offer.”

Ugo Njoku, a psychology and sociology senior and Project Innovate committee member, is also ready to inspire younger LSU students—something he feels he missed out on.

“When I first got to LSU, the creative bubble that there is now didn’t exist,” he reflected.

“Which is why I’m so delighted to have Project Innovate Studios and The Social Boot. I always say we are on this earth for two reasons: To create and to experience. So it’s great to see my motivation in life come to fruition.”

The first set of limited tickets for the Project Innovate Fashion Experience will be released at the end of next week at a discounted price. The large-ticket drop will coincide with the magazine release date during the first week of February. VIP tickets will be available for purchase.

The Project Innovate Fashion Experience will be on March 27 at Digital FX Studios on Perkins Road. Doors open 5 p.m.

Monday, January 24, 2022

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LIFESTYLE

Getting back into the swing of things for the new semester

BY MADELON DAVIS @MadelonDavis Winter breaks provide just a brief glimpse of summer joys— long days with nothing to do, movie nights with friends or just binging the newest Netflix series by yourself.

Then, after one measly month, break is gone and classes start once again. After such a small taste of freedom, returning to hours-long grinds in libraries and coffee shops.

“I was excited to come back to see all my friends and to start learning, but I was sad leaving my family and dogs at home,” said accounting freshmen Abby Fayard.

“I am also trying to get back into a routine of balancing friends and school because over break it was friends and family, but now, I have to make time for school, work and classes.”

Setting alarms is a simple start to reigniting your routine.

Even though waking up early is a dreadful part of school being back in session, it’s a great way to get back into a routine. Set the alarm one to two hours before your first class. The time can be

used to finish homework, make a big breakfast or even catch up on your favorite TV shows. Setting alarms this early will also

help students avoid showing up late to class—or missing them altogether.

Another way to start the se-

mester strong is the classic technique of using a planner. Having a planner makes remembering the most minor details much

easier. You can have your school schedule, to-do list and homework all in front of you. You can whip out your planner and write down your assignment as the professor is saying it every class.

Junior apparel design major, Mary Humphrey, said completing assignments as soon as possible instead of stressing about it later is a good way to relieve stress.

“To get back into the swing of things, I make a day by day schedule that helps me stay on track and stay motivated,” Humphrey said.

Lastly, remembering to rest is the best thing any student can do. Every college student forgets to rest because life gets to be too much. Students get into ruts where they feel as though they’re being lazy if they take a break.

The opposite is true.

Taking a break and giving yourself time to breathe lets you return to whatever you need to get done with a fresh mindset.

And don’t forget—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends seven or more hours of sleep for anyone 18 years or older.

VIDEO GAMES

Everything to know about Microsoft’s purchase of Activision

BY EDDY HAGE @hage_eddy Microsoft announced its plans to purchase Activision Blizzard on Jan. 18, the enormous video game company behind “Call of Duty,” “World of Warcraft,” “Diablo,” “Candy Crush” and more.

The $68 billion purchase will make Microsoft the third largest video game company behind Tencent and Sony, pushing their Xbox brand to the top of a $175 billion industry.

Xbox CEO Phil Spencer announced that the acquisition is part of Microsoft’s larger foray into the metaverse since “gaming will be at the forefront of making that mainstream.” The metaverse is an experiential, virtual-reality world seen by some tech companies as the future of the Internet.

For now, Activision Blizzard will transform Xbox into a force of mobile gaming while also strengthening its grip on console and PC gaming. Microsoft’s takeover gives them access to over 30 gaming studios, heavily beefing up their content production.

Specifically, Xbox now owns the best-selling shooter franchise of all time with “Call of Duty,” which is historically the rival of Xbox’s flagship franchise, “Halo.”

Along with those two shooters, Xbox also owns “Overwatch,” “Doom,” “Wolfenstein,” “Gears of War” and “Quake,” making them the definitive home of videogame shooters.

Xbox has announced that as many Activision Blizzard games as possible will be included with

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their Xbox Game Pass subscription, making the $10-to-$15 per month service even more attractive for gamers on a budget. The service currently grants access to stream over 100 games for Xbox or PC. Phil Spencer has announced his intentions to make Game Pass the key to Xbox’s future, and the addition of billiondollar franchises like “Call of Duty” and “Starcraft” could bring those goals closer to fruition.

Xbox has also announced that though some Activision Blizzard games will become exclusive to Xbox and PC, some games will

also remain available to other platforms. However, they did not say which games would become exclusive. Microsoft announced the same with their purchase of Bethesda in September 2020 for $7.5 billion. “Redfall” and “Starfield” were changed to exclusive releases, with Phil Spencer saying that games would be sold elsewhere on a case-by-case basis.

Starting in July, Activision Blizzard has since been embroiled with controversy over accusations of sexual harassment and discrimination following a

suit by the California government. Male employees and senior executives routinely harassed female employees while ignoring their complaints. The aftermath led to severe mental trauma for many victims, while critics of Microsoft’s purchase now see the acquisition as a golden parachute for Activision Blizzard executives who are now reaping millions from their discriminatory practices.

One question many fans are wondering is if Microsoft is approaching monopoly status, and whether Activision Blizzard is

too large of a purchase for the government to allow. Microsoft is currently only behind Apple as the second-highest valued company in the world at $2.3 trillion.

The combination of Xbox, Windows, Bethesda and Activision Blizzard gives Microsoft access to billions of players on every video game platform. However, for Microsoft to be a monopoly worthy of being broken up, the U.S. government would also need to investigate Sony, Apple, Disney and many other conglomerates for the same reasons, which seems rather unlikely.

SPORTS THREE TAKEAWAYS Three takeaways from LSU men’s hoops’ third straight loss

BY PETER RAUTERKUS @peter_rauterkus LSU has now lost three games in a row after a demoralizing 6450 loss on the road against Tennessee. After the game, Head Coach Will Wade said it was the worst his team had played all season. Fortunately for LSU, the next stretch of games will not be nearly as challenging, and the Tigers will have time to get healthy ahead of the coming months. With all of that said, here are three takeaways following LSU’s third loss in a row.

This team needs Xavier Pinson back.

This game marked the fourth game in a row that point guard Xavier Pinson has missed following a knee injury, and LSU is now 1-3 in those games. When watching this team on offense, it is easy to tell that something is missing when Pinson is not on the floor.

LSU’s offense had already had its struggles with Pinson, and now with him out, there is no real facilitator and floor general. Eric Gaines hasn’t done a bad job filling in for Pinson in the starting lineup, but he lacks the offensive instincts and scoring ability that Pinson provided this offense. Having Pinson back will by no means fix all of the problems on offense, but his return would give the offense the calming and steady pres-

CHYNNA MCCLINTON / The Reveille

LSU men’s basketball Head Coach Will Wade coaches players on the court Jan. 15, during LSU’s 65-58 loss against Arkansas in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on North Stadium Drive in Baton Rouge, La. ence that it needs. Fortunately, it appears that Pinson is not too far from being healthy again, and he will be much needed as LSU goes down the stretch in SEC play.

The turnovers are a serious issue.

This ties back into Pinson being out, but one of the biggest

things that has hindered LSU these last three games is the constant live-ball turnovers. LSU turned the ball over 14 times against Tennessee, and for an offense that already struggles to score, this makes it almost impossible to compete on the offensive end. Having live-ball turnovers especially, are

killer for any team because they lead to easy baskets on the other end. These turnovers have been a big reason for LSU getting in early holes in games, and not being able to sustain momentum when the offense does heat up. LSU’s defense is very good, but it is hard

see BASKETBALL, page 9

page 8 MEN’S TENNIS

LSU men’s tennis kicks off season

BY HENRY HUBER @HenryHuber_ After finishing last season 1214 and making the NCAA tournament, the Tigers are looking to build on a season filled with ups and downs. They added three graduate transfers, two that played in the fall in Vlad Lobak and Gabriel Diaz Freire, and one that made his LSU debut on Saturday in University of California transfer Kent Hunter.

The team is also returning most of the cast from last season, such as Ronnie Hohmann, Boris Kozlov, Nick Watson, Joao Graca, Ben Koch and Benjamin Ambrosio, players that spent much of the season on Courts 1-6 in singles. The team was without its standout in Hohmann today though, who will miss a few weeks due to a surgery.

That opened the door for the team to test out more of their talent, and the results were mixed.

The first match went the Tigers’ way, but it was closer than expected. LSU cleaned house in doubles, but singles were a bit more interesting, with the team going 4-2 in those matches. It was still a decisive 5-2 victory, but in a match they were expected to sweep.

see TENNIS, page 9

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

LSU women’s basketball falls to Florida by one in nail biter

BY DYLAN SANDERS @DillySanders In a true nail biter of a college basketball game, LSU women’s hoops fell just short against Florida, 72-73, despite a career night from Khayla Pointer. Additionally, Head Coach Kim Mulkey had a strengthened squad as Autumn Newby returned from a recent foot injury.

“We can beat anyone in this league, we can also lose to anyone in this league,” Mulkey said earlier this season. That held true today as Khalya Pointer’s career high 35 points was not enough to hold off the unranked, but red-hot Florida Gators. This will cap off a week to forget for LSU basketball as the Men’s and Women’s teams will combine for an 0-3 record in SEC play.

They say offense doesn’t travel well in basketball, and despite Pointer’s performance, you can look to that saying to explain how the Tigers weren’t

able to walk away with this one.

“I thought Khayla Pointer almost single handedly won the game for us,” Coach Mulkey said after the game. Pointer’s buzzerbeater three-point attempt was the only make in nine tries on the day. Mulkey has made it known that not having threepoint shooters will not be an excuse, however, as she is confident they can get points without the shot. Pointer was also the only Tiger to reach double digits in scoring. Fellow bucket getter Alexis Morris had an uncharacteristically off day for LSU. The day was sort of summed up toward the last possession as the Tigers, down four, had to take 22 seconds off the clock to settle for a two-point bucket.

The other side of the ball wasn’t up to the Tigers’ expectation either, as 73 points is the most given up this year in a loss and second most given up in all. Florida’s Kiara Smith took over and constantly drew fouls, getting 10 points off of her 13

free throw attempts. LSU has to be better about not allowing these guards to draw contact and force the defense into compromising positions. LSU could look at the physicality brought

by Florida and learn from how the Gators guarded Payne and Morris all game. The SEC is full of great guards and the Tigers need to take any example they can get on shutting down great scorers.

The out of character performances are ultimately why this game doesn’t scare me much in the grand scheme of things.

They played on the road against a team with a lot of confidence right now, and despite their mistakes only lost by one. I hate to be cliche, but this should be a good learning game for LSU as they prepare for their second straight road game on Thursday against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Mulkey herself reinforced that thought postgame saying, “I hope we learn from this.”

CHYNNA MCCLINTON / The Reveille

LSU women’s basketball graduate student guard Khayla Pointer (3) rises up for a layup Jan. 13, during LSU’s 87-85 overtime win against Missouri in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on North Stadium Drive in Baton Rouge, La.

Monday, January 24, 2022

page 9

BASKETBALL, from page 8

TENNIS, from page 8

to constantly play transition defense, and be successful because the ball is constantly being turned over. This will likely show some improvement when Pinson is back healthy, but either way this is an issue that must be fixed heading into the business end of the season.

There is still no need to panic just yet.

The biggest thing that comes to mind with this LSU team, is that this recent stretch of results doesn’t necessarily define who this team is. LSU started conference play with an extremely challenging seven-game stretch, and despite coming out 3-4, there still seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.

The Tigers still put together two quality wins against Kentucky and Tennessee earlier in conference play, and have shown plenty of fight and resilience in the losses as well.

Another item to note is that LSU has yet to lose a game this season when everyone was healthy. Pinson has missed the last four games and shooting guard Brandon Murray was out in the loss against Auburn. LSU will get a more favorable stretch of games coming up and this gives the team a perfect chance to get healthy and find a rhythm again heading into March.

The second match started off the same way, with two Tiger duos clinching the doubles point early and the third finishing out their match victorious. The difference was singles, which started incredibly well.

Courts five and six were dominated by the Tigers, with Ambrosio and Diaz Freire each having quick victories of 6-4, 6-1 and 6-2, 6-2, respectively. Hunter would follow those with a win of his own to clinch the match.

After starting his match slowly and trading wins, Hunter seemed to find his footing, picking up steam in the middle of the first set. He would clutch that set out with a dominant tiebreaker performance, before sweeping the second set to finish his match 7-6 and 6-0.

In his LSU debut, he had a perfect day, concluding with two victories in both singles and doubles. He was excited about his debut performance with the team, stating that this was the first time he had competed in about nine months. “[There was] definitely a little bit of shaking off the rust,” Hunter said regarding the change in his performance through the second match. “I changed my mind set a little bit, just realized that I can’t overpower every ball and I have to slow down sometimes.

The second match was a slight improvement overall, with the team winning 6-1. Still not perfect, but it is evident that there is some rust there.

Diaz Freire, who had a similar performance to Hunter in both matches, stated that he was proud of the way his team played and mentioned that losing

Hohmann before the first match was rough.

“Overall, our performance was good for the first match,” Diaz Freire said. “We’ve been working hard for these past three weeks, plus the fall.”

“We were unlucky with Ronnie [Hohmann’s] injury, that wasn’t the ideal situation that we

want to start the season with.”

With Hohmann out for the first few weeks of the season, the team will likely have a hard time, but it should be a good opportunity for some of the depth to build their skills. Their next action comes against South Carolina next weekend at the ITA Kickoff tournament.

JULIAN COOPER / The Reveille

LSU graduate student Vlad Lobak serves the ball Jan. 22, during the Tigers’ 6-1 victory against Incarnate Word at the LSU tennis complex on Gourrier Avenue in Baton Rouge, La.

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THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 Run for exercise 4 Land of pyramids 9 TV psychologist 13 Stare openmouthed 14 Elevator stop 15 Hard to find 16 Hotpoint appliance 17 Short sleep 19 Sautéing necessity 20 Tedious speakers 21 Feeling of anxiety 22 Get hitched 24 Paris’ __ de Triomphe 25 Faucet 27 Most ill-mannered 30 Lovers’ __; secluded spots 31 “God __ America” 33 Hovel 35 Probability 36 “Jack and the Beanstalk” ogre 37 Hoopla 38 Prefix for heat or occupied 39 Got some shut-eye 40 British peer 41 Magazine bigwig 43 Measly 44 “Stat!”

45 Brass instrument 46 Wide gulf 49 Deceitful folks 51 Dundee denial 54 Beneficiaries 56 Skinny-__; swims au naturel 57 Carney & others 58 Cubbyhole 59 College credit 60 “Father Knows __” 61 “…to __, dust to dust…”

62 “Last one in’s a rotten __!”

DOWN 1 Coffee 2 Receptive to new ideas 3 DDE’s WWII title 4 Elbow grease 5 “No guts, no __”

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews

6 Days of old 7 Cookware items 8 Endeavor 9 William, George or Louis 10 Get the __ of; learn to do 11 Maddens 12 In case 13 Harding’s party, for short 18 Multi-bed hospital rooms 20 Male sibs 23 Loses one’s youthfulness 24 Smallest continent: abbr.

25 Hog’s meal 26 Military chaplain 27 Landlord’s income 28 Crisco product 29 King Henry VIII’s royal house 31 Casket stand 32 Drink like Fido 34 Dow or Danza 36 Shine 37 Over six feet 39 Pound one’s foot down

1/24/22

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

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40 Grocery holders 42 __ on; demand 43 Women’s accessories 45 Get clean 46 Grump 47 In this place 48 Performances 49 Luau souvenirs

1/24/22

50 Linear measure 52 “…that farm there was __, E-I-E-I-O…” 53 Suffix for long or strong 55 Once __ blue moon 56 __ date; invoice phrase

OPINION

page 11

Head

to

Head

COVID-19 safeguards largely unenforced, need improvements KACEYING THE STORY KACEY BUERCKLIN

@0kacey1

COVID-19 safeguards boasted by the university include the mask mandate, the monthly testing of unvaccinated students, the daily symptom tracker, the vaccine mandate and the millions of dollars invested into HEPA air filters.

This may sound like a good foundation for pandemic safety, but almost none of these precautions are not properly enforced.

The mask mandate on campus is a joke. Most classrooms are packed to the brim, making social distancing impossible.

Not only are spaces overcrowded, but depending on the professor, masks may be optional altogether despite requirements that classes be in person.

“There are students who do not wear face masks in class even during a COVID-19 spike,” said physical therapy senior Chloe Mendy.

Mendy said most of her classes have barely any empty seats. Even with more COVID-19 cases than ever, some professors refused to offer a Zoom option, and Mendy noticed peers still failing to wear masks in class.

“It concerns me, and it definitely makes me uncomfortable,” Mendy said. “The space is so tiny in one of my classes, and it’s packed.

I have no idea how it’s allowed to have that many students in such a small room with professors giving no option to do class virtually.”

It is also important to note that not all on-campus events require facial coverings. This season, the university’s basketball team has done well, and the Pete Maravich Assembly Center can be packed to the brim with basketball fans. Still, the university has only encouraged facial coverings, rather than requiring them. Not only is there no mask mandate, but COVID-19 test is required. Even though Louisiana has hit a million COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, the university is still having basketball games open to the public with no restrictions.

The symptom tracker is another poor excuse of a COVID-19 safe-

guard. I have never been required to fill out the symptom tracker to access campus, and a majority of students say the same. The Reveille recently reported that only about 8% of faculty and students filled out the symptom tracker on average last semester.

The symptom tracker is supposed to prohibit students from campus if they have any symptoms of COVID-19 and therefore giving them a legitimate excuse to miss class. However, failing the symptom checker is often not considered an excuse for absence by professors, in my personal experience.

Last semester, I visited the LSU Student Health Center because I had COVID-19 symptoms. The nurse told me to fill out the symptom tracker and send a screenshot of the results to my professors as an excuse of absence until my test results returned. The SHC is not allowed to give out excuses for class, but the nurse told me the symptom tracker result was sufficient.

This was not the case.

Some of my professors would not allow me to miss class, despite the fact that my symptom tracker result barred me from campus. I even had one professor threaten to give me a zero for an in-class activity that I missed because I was waiting on my COVID-19 test results.

Requiring the COVID-19 vaccine is one step in the right direction, and the university is, to its

credit, one of the only Southeastern Conference schools to require the vaccine. However, the university fails to consider the importance of booster shots.

I got vaccinated in July, meaning my immunity to the virus has faded significantly. Despite this, the university never asked for an update on my vaccination status in regards to a booster shot. Students could be attending classes with expired COVID-19 vaccines but not be required to get monthly COVID-19 tests, an oversight in the university’s policy.

All classrooms have expensive HEPA air filters that help get rid of airborne viruses. However, the Reveille reported last semester that the HEPA air filters were frequently unplugged by students and professors because they were too loud. What is the point of having expensive air filters if the university isn’t ensuring that all classes are using them?

While the university may surpass our SEC peers in COVID-19 mitigation efforts, that doesn’t mean that the university is doing enough to keep faculty and students safe.

The university needs to enforce its existing coronavirus protocols and implement a Zoom option for classes amid the latest surge before we have a repeat of March 2020.

Kacey Buercklin is a 20-year-old political communications senior from Gainesville, Georgia.

University sets example for state CHARLIE’S ANGLES CHARLIE STEPHENS

@charliestephns Everything is relative, including the strength of COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Viewed in that lens, the university has pushed the edge of what the community is willing to embrace in terms of coronavirus restrictions.

The first example of the university leading its peers in COVID-19 mitigation was the decision to require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to enter Tiger Stadium. The university was the only one within the Southeastern Conference to impose a broad vaccine mandate to enter its football stadium.

“While we are aware of the diverse perspectives across the nation regarding masks and vaccinations, we must take all reasonable measures to protect our campus and community, not only on gamedays, but long after guests have left Tiger Stadium,” President William F. Tate IV said when announcing the updated Tiger Stadium requirements.

The university faced criticism for lackluster enforcement of its gameday vaccine mandate, but it was one of only a handful in the sport to even attempt it. That de-

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Banners reading “COVID-19 Vaccine Site” move in the wind on Sept. 27, 2021, outside of the LSU Union Theater.

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Lara Nicholson

Editor in Chief

Enjanae’ Taylor

Managing Editor

Josh Archote

News Editor

Bella Dardano

Deputy News Editor

Claire Sullivan

Opinion Editor

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University.

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

serves commendation, especially considering the potential political consequences of the decision from Louisiana Republicans.

The vaccine mandate inside Tiger Stadium was ultimately shortlived due to the enforcement difficulty, which is another sign of a weary and hostile public.

Fans attending games inside Tiger Stadium were not the only ones protected by university’s vaccination mandates. The day after the FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine, the university announced it would be requiring the life-saving shots for all students and employees.

Political concerns pushed the university to widely publicize a broad vaccine opt-out granted by state law, hampering the administration’s enforcement efforts. But even with this opt-out clause, the vaccine mandate greatly improved vaccination numbers at the university.

“If you juxtapose LSU’s vaccination rates with the surrounding community or the state of Louisiana or other SEC schools, LSU finds itself at the top in terms of vaccination rates,” Tate said at a White House roundtable on COVID-19 mitigation measures last semester.

The university has been consistently more aggressive on COVID-19 mitigation than it can logistically and politically enforce—an unfortunate reality in a state where barely over half of the population is fully inoculated.

The university’s vaccination rates are far higher than the the grim statewide statistic, which can be directly attributed to Tate’s vaccine mandate.

President Joe Biden cited the sharp increase in vaccinations at the university as a model for improving vaccination rates across the country, noting that the university “went from 63% to 81% of students vaccinated, in weeks.”

The university leads the state’s public institutions in COVID-19 protocols and sets a strong example as the flagship university of Louisiana.

Everything is relative—and relatively speaking, we are leading the way.

Charlie Stephens is 21-year-old political communication junior from Baton Rouge.

Quote of the Week “I never want to be anything more than I am; what I don’t have, I don’t need.”

Louis Armstrong trumpeter and vocalist 1901 — 1971

Monday, January 24, 2022

page 12

Cartoon weapons the final frontier of U.S. military SERIOUSLY KIDDING FRANK KIDD @FK446852315 Americans need to understand that improvements to healthcare, social programs and other piein-the-sky nonsense are simply impossible. Instead, we should be realistic and demand that our taxpayer dollars go to creating stronger, more unique weapons, like those from cartoons.

I can already hear the typing of comments from the communists who think we should spend our money “helping our most vulnerable” instead of “destroying other countries.” These same critics say that the recently passed $778-billion military budget was excessive, especially after withdrawing our troops from Afghanistan.

These criticisms are foolhardy and childish.

The U.S. is running out of more traditional avenues for military spending. That’s why our leaders need to draw inspiration from the true military masterminds of our time: cartoon characters.

For example, Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, the evil scientist character from the cartoon “Phineas and Ferb,” invented the “bread-inator,” a laser with the capability to turn anything it hits into bread.

Making this dream a reality should be a no-brainer for the armed forces. This invention could be used to transform all of the food at an enemy base camp into bread. Imagine the destruction it would cause to enemy soldiers’ diets, especially those with gluten allergies.

Notorious weapons expert Wile E. Coyote from “The Looney Tunes” has shown the world the future of warfare. Though the

BY EMILY TRAN running theme of his segment is that his plans never work, the outline for a successful strategy is evident.

If the U.S. were ever invaded, one could easily imagine a scenario in which the American

military lures its rivals into the Arizona desert and drops an anvil the size of Rhode Island on their heads. The fact that this defense plan isn’t already in place is baffling.

America could also take in-

spiration from the popular sci-fi comedy “Rick and Morty.” In the show, Rick Sanchez invents a portal gun, a device with the ability to teleport people and objects through to other locations.

If the invention was ever ac-

tualized, the military could use it to create a portal under the enemy’s feet and set the destination to 100 feet deep in the ocean. Every battle would be that easy if the American military got serious about weapons development.

Detractors may point to the historical failures of massive military investments to refute my proposals, the most famous example being the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, a fighter jet that was meant to revolutionize combat but was ultimately never able to achieve its goals due to many hang-ups. The plane had issues with reliability, landing on aircraft carriers and vulnerability to lightning strikes. Unpatriotic Americans say that $1.5 trillion was too much to spend on this project.

I’m sure these cynical opponents have never imagined the possibility that the military was using these fighters for classified missions in which getting a plane struck down would be a useful tool for distraction. Alternatively, the jet could’ve been used to conduct experiments on electricity.

Would critics have similar opinions on the famed electrical experiments of Benjamin Franklin?

I think not.

Even with the obvious usefulness of the project, some believe the money would have been better spent on social programs.

What these people fail to realize is that the most vulnerable among us should simply make more money. Pull yourselves up by your bootstraps.

President Joe Biden, if you’re reading this, please act on my urgent proposal and make childhood cartoon weapons a reality for us all.

Frank Kidd is a 20-year-old mass communication junior from Springfield.

Letter to the Editor:COVID-19 mitigation crucial today

BY DANIEL O’LEARY The COVID-19 Omicron variant is tormenting its way through our nation rapidly, but you’re probably tired of hearing about it. Unfortunately, we are still in a global pandemic. This virus is not endemic yet like other viruses.

The number of infections in the U.S. is astronomical. We cannot afford to become complacent.

Because of the large number of mutations exhibited by the Omicron variant, the coronavirus is spreading at a more accelerated rate. With a lack of mitigation efforts, this variant is engulfing our nation once again.

While it may cause less severe symptoms, we should not dismiss it as less severe for everyone, as all variants can result in severe symptoms, long-term health effects or death.

As we continue to allow the coronavirus to circulate, it is

given more opportunities to mutate; this is exactly what led to the Omicron variant.

If we want to end this pandemic, vaccination is the best public health tool we have. Yes, breakthrough infections occur.

Despite that, the COVID-19 vaccine does exactly what it is supposed to, and it does it well: It is highly effective at preventing hospitalization, severe disease and death.

The COVID-19 vaccine is not 100% effective, but nothing is.

Seat belts don’t guarantee living in a car accident. No medication is perfect, and every medication causes side effects. Even with the chance of side effects, there are serious long-term risks associated with COVID-19 infection that are much worse compared to any potential rare side effect caused by the vaccine.

Throughout history, scientists have developed excellent vaccines -- many requiring boosters. The idea of boosting is

not new. For example, a tetanus shot is recommended every ten years to help stimulate the immune system.

Over time, immunity can lessen. A COVID-19 booster is intended to strengthen your immunity and extend your protection. Due to the emergence of the Omicron variant, booster shots are more vital now than ever. Widespread boosting of those who are fully vaccinated, as well the vaccination of those who haven’t been vaccinated, is crucial to minimize spread and prevent overwhelming our already inundated healthcare system.

While vaccines are the best tool out there, the Omicron variant has the potential to be so infectious, other mitigation efforts must be implemented.

Masks have been recommended as a public health mitigation tool since the plague of the 14th century. Masks offer protection against all COVID-19 variants,

as well as other viruses and germs that may cause infection this winter.

Mask wearing is a low-risk measure; it will not increase the levels of carbon dioxide you breathe in. Masks provide a vital barrier against infectious aerosols released upon breathing, talking or coughing, particularly when designed properly and worn correctly – meaning it covers both your nose and mouth.

Due to the massive potential for infection with Omicron, double masking can provide much better protection than just a single cloth or disposable mask.

However, respirators are the best route you can go, including N95s and KN95s. Individuals should wear masks indoors during this time, regardless of vaccination status. A mask is better than no mask, just like wearing a helmet on a bike or motorcycle is safer than not.

Public health is a team sport, and it is up to all of us to get this

virus under control. Remember that those around you may be more susceptible to severe infection. Although you may be healthy and have no comorbidities, plenty of those around you may be more at risk. Having comorbidities do not label someone as expendable.

Getting vaccinated or boosted, as well as practicing various mitigation strategies like maskwearing and hand washing, are necessary to protect all of us.

Wouldn’t you rather save someone’s life rather than infect them with a potentially life-threatening disease?

The choice is simple.

For more information about getting your COVID-19 vaccine or booster, visit LSU’s COVID-19 Roadmap.

Daniel O’Leary is a biological sciences junior and executive board member for Alpha Epsilon Delta and the LSU Disability Advocacy Council.