The Reveille 10-28-21

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TO MASK OR NOT TO MASK?

Vaccinated students are fed up with masks.

Experts, though, warn against removing the mandate.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

The LSU students in the Honors Course on rape and consent sit in their desks on Aug. 26 during class in room 202 of Coates Hall.

NEWS

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Improper mask disposal on campus is just as harmful as throwing plastic water bottles on ground, LSU professors say.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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NBA YoungBoy was released on bail Tuesday after spending 7 months in prison, and fans are raving for his return.

SPORTS

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Ashton Hicks, the “most impressive sprinter in the country,” is adjusting to his new life at LSU.

OPINION

Read on

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“[GOD GUN!]...a brilliant model for talented students looking to capture the attention of our largely philistine campus.”

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

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EMPATHY GAP Some are tired of masks, others vitally need them Masking works best when everybody in a room wears a mask. While wearing a mask can help reduce that individual’s risk of contracting COVID-19, more than anything, it helps reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

If an individual has COVID-19, even if they are vaccinated or asymptomatic, the

someone who can get it,” Loup

BY PIPER HUTCHINSON said. & JARED SAUCIER Don Zhang, a psychology @PiperHutchBR @jared_saucier professor at LSU, said that a Some students are growing number of factors create a pertired of COVID-19 mitigation effect storm for college students forts, but that may be a problem ready to be rid of COVID prefor high-risk individuals. cautions.

LSU made it a priority to re“If you combine everything, turn to campus this fall with as the age aspect of it, they’re almuch normalcy as possible. The ready kind of prone to taking university is requiring COVrisks, but then you add on top of ID-19 vaccinations, masking and things like being stuck at home has put a HEPA filter in every for a whole year, not seeing their classroom. friends, not socializing during a Despite this, some students period where socializing is refeel that COVID-19 is no longer ally important,” Zhang said. a threat and want to return to Recent research has shown pre-pandemic policies. Some that for those who do not perbelieve that because college stuceive themselves to be at risk, a dents are young and healthy, it community-safety or pro-social isn’t necessary to worry about framing can help encourage the virus. These students are mask-wearing. weary of the COVID-19 mitiga“So instead of saying, ‘Hey, tion policies they say are makyou know, you should wear ing their college experience less masks because it will help you,’ enjoyable. making it about being helpful for Kinesiology freshmen Cross other people around you, make Tally believes that COVID-19 it about you’re doing a service isn’t a concern for most young for other people who do need people, so mandates that enthe protection,” Zhang said. force guidelines on all students Zhang said pivoting from shouldn’t exist. a frame about personal risk, “Most of us around here are which is relatively low for colpretty young, our immune syslege students generally, to one tems can handle it,” Tally said. about how that affects those Philosophy senior Michael around you, could help encourCedeno said he wouldn’t perage resistors to adhere to COVsonally care if restrictions were ID-19 mitigation policies. loosened at LSU. “So making it less about the “I’m vaccinated, so I really individual and more about the JALEN HILTON / The Reveille don’t think I would necessarily benefit for society,” Zhang said.

Computer engineering sophomore Bernardo Espinoza works on his lapcare that much,” Cedeno said.

Erica Leonard, an underCedeno’s sentiment was top on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2021 at Patrick F. Taylor Hall on LSU’s campus in graduate researcher, studies echoed by Peter Allen, a foreign Baton Rouge, La. how COVID-19 misinformation exchange student from Sussex affects people’s vaccination beUniversity studying American droplets and aerosols that they understand the risks. haviors. history at LSU. “The majority of college stuproduce can spread the virus.

“I don’t know that people in “I’d be completely comfort- Aerosols can even spread CO- general aren’t aware of how the dents feel like that age is the able if there were no masks on VID-19 from a greater distance virus is spread, I think they still healthiest, so they can’t undercampus at all,” Allen shared. than six feet. Masks catch most don’t believe it will hurt them,” stand someone else their age Not all college students are of the droplets and much of the Christofferson said. “Mortality being scared or having a higher perfectly healthy, however. aerosols an individual produces, is one thing, but some of the risk for that,” Leonard said, “beMany on campus with underly- which is why health officials say people who leave the hospital cause they themselves are kind ing health conditions are at an it is important for everyone to recovered have ongoing reduced of content and calm with the increased risk of serious COV- wear a mask and have increased respiratory function and there idea that it wouldn’t affect them ID-19 symptoms, death or long- airflow in rooms to reduce the is a lasting effect from COVID. as much as someone else.” term COVID-19 Leonard said that spread of aerosols. And it isn’t complications. she understands why Some people n e c e s s a r “None of us really students don’t want to “You aswith high-risk con- ily the risk sume a normal ditions are unable to any one “I’d be completely wants to wear a mask wear a mask. “Not any 20-year-old is to get the vaccine person, but one of us really wants pretty healthy comfortable if there or may have harsh- the risk that anymore. [...] But it is to wear a mask anyand has a good were no masks on er side effects one person proven that it reduces more. Wearing a mask immune system, from it. Although who is fine eight plus hours campus at all.” the risk of [COVID] for but you forget to a lesser degree, transmits it does get rather tiring,” that sometimes spreading.” vaccinated individ- to someone Leonard said, “But it is people do have uals are still at risk who proven that it reduces will these things that of contracting the the risk of it spreading.” not be.”

PETER ALLEN ERICA LEONARD keep them from virus. Only about Ultimately, Zhang Business having a normal 1% of COVID-19 sophomore said that it’s important Foreign exchange student Undergraduate researcher immune syscases are in vacci- C a r s o n for students to think of tem, which then nated individuals. Loup said others when it comes makes COVID A student at the s t u d e n t s to COVID-19 mitigation more deadly to them,” said mu- University of Georgia died Oct. should think beyond them- policies. sic senior Logan Berthelot.

11 of COVID-19-related compli- selves.

“I think it’s important for According to the CDC, young cations, despite being fully vac“For these underlying condi- students to realize that their beadults with medical complexi- cinated. tions that people have, you need haviors are not just about themties, such as genetic, neurologic, “One of my childhood friends to take more precautions to pre- selves, and certainly, to think metabolic conditions or any con- has Crohn’s disease, and they vent them from getting it. Just about the teachers who might dition that causes immunosup- got the booster shot last week,” because you’re vaccinated and have a health condition to think pression can be at higher risk if Berthelot said. “After they got are less likely to get it doesn’t about the older employees on exposed to COVID-19. the shot, they were out of school mean you won’t transmit it to campus,” Zhang said. for a whole week, because that’s how hard people with these underlying conditions can get hit

by COVID. It’s going to be more deadly for them.”

Rebecca Christofferson, a pathobiological sciences professor and member of LSU’s Health and Medical Advisory Committee, said that students should

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NEWS DISPOSABLE DANGER

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Governor Edwards lifts mask mandate

BY PIPER HUTCHINSON @PiperHutchBR

‘Disposable doesn’t mean it can be disposed anywhere’: LSU professors explain dangers of mask pollution

CHYNNA MCCLINTON / The Reveille

A white mask lays in the grass Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021 behind LSU Library on LSU’s campus.

BY DOMENIC PURDY @tigerdom16 Despite the convenience and affordability of disposable masks, experts express concerns with the waste they produce from improper disposal.

If left under the sun, the common blue disposable masks, made of polypropylene plastic fibers, begin to break down due to exposure to ultraviolet light, becoming brittle and eventually breaking down into microplastics, said Mark Benfield, professor of oceanography and coastal

studies.

“Ultimately,, a single mask can produce millions of microplastic fibers,” Benfield, who specializes in plastic pollution, said.

If these tiny fibers enter water supplies, they begin to attract organic molecules like herbicides, pesticides and other harmful chemicals. These microplastics become “an Uber for all these toxic chemicals,” Benfield said.

The organic fibers that become incorporated into water supplies, including marine ecosystems, are eventually colo-

nized by microbes. These microbes produce a taste and smell attractive to organisms at the bottom of the food chain. This, paired with their similar size and shapes to their natural food, introduces these microplastics into small fish.

The toxic effects eventually make their way up the food chain, Benfield explained, through a process called biomagnification.

Some other results of improperly disposed masks are more long term, like decreased growth rates among marine organisms

and an “eyesore” that will last years as masks decompose.

“They’ll be around when our freshmen are grandparents,” Benfield said. “We’re talking about very long periods of time.”

Wayne Newhauser, professor and director of medical and health physics, warns that how one removes and disposes of a face mask can affect the spread of Covid-19. “[The virus] can be transmitted by inhalation and surface contact. For example, if you’re

see DISPOSABLES, page 4

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

‘We come to LSU to be students first’: SG says

BY HENRY WELDON @HankWeldon3 Student Government President Javin Bowman and Vice President Abbie Grace Milligan sat down with President William Tate IV and Interim Provost Matt Lee for a meeting packed with an array of topics ranging from sexual assault awareness to COVID-19 protocols on Oct. 11.

The purpose of the meeting was for Tate and Lee to receive updates on the status of campus while ensuring student concerns are being met.

Milligan said she is looking forward to working with Tate and hopes his administration enacts change on LSU’s campus. She said she expects to see more leadership from Tate than prior administrations.

“My biggest issue has always been addressing sexual assault,” Milligan said. “We are still having protests about this issue and seeing the repercussions of the things that happened before Tate’s administration.

So I would like to see his administration address this issue and I plan to hold members ac-

countable if problems go unaddressed.”

The sexual assault allegations against former French graduate student Edouard d’Espalungue d’Arros were not discussed during the meeting, Milligan said.

Tate previously said in a statement that he cannot comment on the situation due to the ongoing lawsuit involving the university.

Milligan said she hopes the new administration won’t make the same mistakes that were made in the past regarding Title IX.

“All of this neglect from so many different levels of this university is just really unacceptable,” Milligan said. “A lot of people, in my opinion, were not given the repercussions that they deserved. What we really need to be addressing is the culture that was allowed to continue by those who were in power.”

Next steps for the Building Renaming Committee were also discussed in the meeting.

The 16-member commit-

see SG, page 4

Gov. John Bel Edwards announced at a press conference Tuesday that he is ending the statewide mask mandate except for some K-12 schools.

Edwards said that this is possible thanks to the decline in COVID-19 cases in the state.

“I stand here today optimistic, relieved that the worst of the fourth surge is behind us now,” Edwards said. “We have made tremendous progress, and I have no doubt that reinstating the mask mandate was key to this.”

Edwards emphasized that it is important for the measure to stay in place for schools because it isn’t optional for children to attend school, whereas extracurriculars where masks won’t be required are.

“You can choose whether you take your children to the grocery store or Tiger Stadium, but they have to be in school,” Edwards said.

The executive order, which takes effect Oct. 27, allows schools to opt-out of the mask mandate if they follow CDC quarantine guidance.

“I wanted to give school districts some flexibility on the matter, some additional autonomy, to reflect the improving numbers,” Edwards said.

Louisiana’s COVID-19 cases peaked in mid-August, at the height of the Delta variant’s surge, just days after the governor reissued the mask mandate that was repealed over the summer. Currently, Louisiana’s COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are at one of the lowest points of the entire pandemic.

Dr. Joe Kanter, the state health officer, announced at the press conference that the statewide positivity rate is at 3%, down from a high of 15%.

Edwards emphasized that this action does not mean the pandemic is over. He encouraged residents to continue to wear masks and to get vaccinated if they have not done so already. Louisiana continues to have one of the lowest vaccination rates out of any U.S. state despite numerous vaccine incentive programs, such as the “Shot For 100” campaign, which gives $100 visa gift cards to Louisiana college students if they receive the vaccine.

Kanter echoed the governor’s encouragement to follow basic COVID-19 mitigation.

“We remain mindful of our profound loss as a result of the last surge and cognizant that we will remain vulnerable to an equally

see MANDATE, page 4

Thursday, October 28, 2021

page 4 DISPOSABLES, from page 3 infected, you touch your mask, then touch a doorknob and someone else touches the doorknob, touches their eyes or their mouth, infection can occur that way,” Newhauser said. “A mask that is no longer in use is a contact pathway.”

He said that in order to ensure that a mask doesn’t become a contact hazard after use, make sure it’s disposed of in a “decent trash container.”

“We should not litter [masks].

Eventually someone’s going to have to pick these up and risk infection,” Newhauser said. “In most settings, throwing them in a trash can is probably fine. But if someone is infected or may be infected, it’s probably not a good idea to dispose of masks [this way].”

One solution is to recycle the

masks in the blue cans around campus.

“There’s a huge number of these disposable masks that get thrown out. And they’re energy-intensive products, meaning there’s a lot of energy and materials going into them,” Newhauser said. “[This energy and material] can be recovered and turned into a biofuel, at least N-95 masks can be.”

Organizations like ReWorked and TerraCycle provide PPE recycling to universities and other institutions that safely dispose of and repurpose masks into new materials for furniture and retail, according to ReWorked’s website.

The university has already begun looking at ways to recycle masks that coincides with Benfield’s advice to “make a plan to wear and discard masks responsibly.”

“The university has PPE recycling boxes in various locations on campus to collect the disposable masks,” LSU spokesmanErnie Ballard said.

The boxes, provided by TerraCycle, are located in the Student Union, the LSU Library, the UREC and the BEC lobby.

Benfield hopes that the university’s recycling efforts and other precautions taken to dispose of masks properly will help create thoughtful conversations about environmental health.

“There’s definitely a need for education that the word disposable doesn’t mean it can be disposed of anywhere. You should take the same precautions with this mask that you do with a plastic water bottle,” Benfield said. “Every one of these masks on the ground is really just one rainfall away from starting its journey to the ocean.”

MANDATE, from page 3 damaging surge unless more of our friends, family and neighbors choose to get vaccinated,” Kanter said.

While the executive order means that universities are no longer required to have mask mandates, it does not prevent them from independently implementing them.

Such “mandates against mandates,” which bar institutions from requiring masks, have been seen in other states, like Texas. For the time being, this is not the case in Louisiana.

LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard tweeted Tuesday afternoon that LSU’s mask mandate will remain in place through at least the end of the semester. Ballard said the policy will be reassessed before the spring semester, and any changes will be announced on the COVID-19 Roadmap website.

Private businesses and local

governments are free to implement their own mask mandates. Certain locations, like public transit, airports and hospitals, will still require masks due to federal regulation.

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards speaks on July 14, 2020 during the press conference with Vice President Mike Pence and other local officials at Tiger Stadium.

CONSTRUCTION

New off-campus student housing planned for fall 2023

BY AIDAN PRIMEAUX @acprimeaux A construction firm has announced plans to demolish the existing University View apartments to pave the way for The Vue on Parker, the first offcampus student housing project since 2018.

Dallas-based Foundation Residential Partners plans to build the 132-unit development at the corner of West Parker Avenue and Gourrier Avenue on a triangular lot.

Foundation Residential Partners Vice President Trevor Tollett said the firm has been interested in the LSU market for several years due to increased enrollment and a lack of other upcoming projects.

“A lot of projects are big, 700-800 bed projects,” Tollett said. “What we like about The Vue on Parker is its boutique nature. It’s just under 300 beds.”

The Vue on Parker is the

SG, from page 3 tee, made up of faculty, staff, students and alumni, is in the process of evaluating the buildings on campus named after racst historical leaders and deciding whether any need to be changed.

The committee, which was formed before Tate took office, singled out all the buildings that might have a controversial background.

“Members of the committee started brainstorming ideas and they were making a lot of progress,” Milligan said. “But since [former LSU president Thomas Galligan] left, there hasn’t been a chair for the committee which has limited further progress.”

Because there was so much pushback from Middleton Library’s renaming, some university officials fear that state legislators could cut funding, ac-

only student housing project in development at this time, and Tollett said the expected delivery date in fall 2023 will help to meet an increased demand for LSU student residencies.

Tollett said the location was prime for development because of its proximity to campus and other restaurants and stores, as well as the Touchdown Village tailgating lot.

The complex will predominantly feature fully furnished, one-bedroom studio apartments and five-bedroom apartments.

Tollett said there will also be a smaller number of two-bedroom and four-bedroom options.

Each unit will have granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, a washer and dryer and a WiFi-enabled TV. Amenities will include a pool, clubhouse, exercise center and study rooms. The complex will also have a parking garage for residents.

Fountain Residential Partners plans to create a boutique apartment complex for students after the University View Apartments are demolished at 324 West Parker Boulevard in Baton Rouge, La.

cording to Milligan.

In order to circumvent these issues, Tate suggested that each building that was singled out by the renaming committee should have a sign or plaque which would acknowledge the history behind the name.

“Instead of going through the process that we went through with the library, the university can do something that a lot of other schools did and add an acknowledgement to highlight the history,” Milligan said.

The group also talked about Tate’s “Scholarship First” initiative and what it means for LSU in the future. Milligan said it’s a five-to-10 year plan which aims to boost the university’s academic standing.

“I’m so excited about this,” Milligan said. “Everybody is well aware that LSU academically doesn’t really compare to most other SEC schools. So, I

think it’s a really great way to rebrand our campus, because it will create a new goal that everyone works toward.”

Colin Raby, an SG senator representing the College of Engineering, said that he is looking forward to Tate’s “Scholarship First” approach.

“I think it is a great initiative,” Raby said. “I think it is often misinterpreted because people say, ‘Oh scholarship first, so we are not going to have football or anything,’ but it is pretty much saying that there is room for improvement academically so we should try to improve.”

He added that he is glad that Tate is willing to put more focus on academics over other aspects of the university.

“We come to LSU to be students first,” Raby said. “I’m happy with Tate’s initiative to help raise the university in the national rankings.”

PROVIDED BY FOUNTAIN RESIDENTIAL PARTNERS / The Reveille

COURTESY BOWMAN-MILLIGAN / The Reveille

LSU student government leaders Javin Bowman and Abbie Grace Milligan pose for their campaign photos in spring 2021 on LSU’s campus.

ENTERTAINMENT

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THIS WEEKEND IN BR Want to see your event in the Reveille?

Email information to editor@lsu.edu.

BY AVA BORSKEY @iamavab

LSUnity Block Party

FRIDAY

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Clarence L. Barney, Jr. African American Cultural Center

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Tech or Treat

L’Auberge Casino and Hotel The first annual tech or treat demonstration and networking event will be held on Friday, Oct. 29, from 2 p.m.-7 p.m. Enjoy a costume contest, food, drinks and live music from Box Office Giants as you gather swag from vendors and see demos from tech leaders like Eaton, Rubrik and more.

Join the LSU Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for music, food, games, prizes and more. Wear your best Halloween costume for a chance to win a gift card. Judging for the costume contest starts at 1 p.m. The Block Party’s festivities last from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

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The Clarence L. Barney, Jr. African American Cultural Center stands on Feb. 26, 2018, on Veterans Drive.

Phat Hat

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Red Stick Social

Manship Theatre

Get funky with Baton Rouge’s soul band Phat Cat. Dance to hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s when Phat Hat covers everyone from Michael Jackson to KC and the Sunshine Band at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 on Eventbrite.

Can’t get enough of this cult classic? The Manship Theatre will be screening the 1975 film “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” on Friday, Oct. 29, at 10:30 p.m. Bring your flashlights, toilet paper, noisemakers and rice for an interactive movie night.

Tickets are $14.

Makers Day Market Celebrate spooky season with a Halloween Bazaar. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the October Market offers fun for all ages with music, food, vendors and tent trick or treat.

COURTESY OF GRETA JINES

SUNDAY

COURTESY OF BOX OFFICE GIANTS

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Intro to Aerial Refuge Aerial

If you’ve never taken an aerial class before but always thought it would be interesting to try, here’s your chance. Lily Snow will be teaching an Intro to Aerial class at Refuge Aerial. The 75-minute class includes a warm-up, conditioning and introduction to silks and hammock. No prior experience is required. Class starts at 2 p.m. You can sign up for $20.

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Twelve-year-old Zeppelynne Ray-Wells performs with AirSeekers using aerial silks outside Cinemark Perkins Rowe during the 8th Annual Arts Festival on Sept. 17, 2017.

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SATURDAY

Electric Depot

Thursday, October 28, 2021

page 6 MUSIC

NBA YoungBoy, Baton Rouge’s biggest rapper, released on bail

BY GIDEON FORTUNE @asapfortunate NBA YoungBoy was released on bail on Oct. 27, 2021, the fifth anniversary of his breakthrough mixtape “38 Baby.”

Kentrell Gaulden, also known as NBA YoungBoy, was indicted on a firearms charge in March 2021 and spent the past seven months in prison in St. Martin Parish. He will now serve pre-

trial house arrest at his Utah residence. For now, he has evaded a case that lawyers allege the FBI called “Never Free Again.”

YoungBoy is the GOAT from LSU’s backyard. Millions of teenagers are online flooding comment sections with “yb better” at any given time.

Now the creator of over 20 musical projects, the college-aged rapper has done a lot in his 22 years. Rapping since the age of 14

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and amassing a large fanbase at 17, few rappers match his level of success at such a young age.

The mixtape “38 Baby” shot YoungBoy to the top in Baton Rouge, gaining attention from the local legends as well as getting plays nationwide. YoungBoy has entranced the young male audience of all races across the country, being comparable to only a few other artists recently.

Still, it is hard to mention any recent young rapper in the same breath as the BR native. After “Sincerely, Kentrell” knocked Drake’s latest album from the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200, YoungBoy joined Taylor Swift as the only artist to have an album go No. 1 in each of the past three years.

One area in which YoungBoy has supreme reign is YouTube.

With none of the high-budget video shoots or album rollouts, he still manages to constantly sit atop the YouTube music charts.

Other artists have their turn, but YoungBoy is the apparent Nick Saban of YouTube views.

At this moment, YoungBoy also wears the crown for Louisiana rap. With the city producing no stars comparable to YoungBoy in the past few years, he is keeping Louisiana on the map of impactful rap-producing states.

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His reach alone puts this city and state above many other places with multiple popular rappers.

YoungBoy fans are thrilled that he is no longer in prison, but his legal troubles are from over.

Whether free or locked up, NBA YoungBoy releases hits so his

fans will always have music to rap word-for-word while watching his YouTube videos. His legacy will continue to grow with each song. The “yb better” comments will only become harder to argue with, whether they are relevant to the context or not.

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HALLOWEEN

Easy ensemble Halloween costumes for women and groups

BY MADELON DAVIS @MadelonDavis Halloween is practically at arm’s length, regardless of whether you’ve put a costume together yet or not. If you’ve procrastinated, though, there are easy solutions to still go to your next costume party in style.

TikTok has been a place where young people gather outfit inspiration and the app has an abundance of ideas on what to wear for Halloween. Here are some of the best costume trends on TikTok. Lava Girl is a nostalgic for Halloween. All of the items for this costume can be easily found. You can wear a pink dress with kneehigh pink boots. To truly get the desired look, you can purchase a pink wig and some light pink flame glasses. If you have someone to dress up with, they can be Shark Boy. For that costume, you can purchase grey shorts and a shark t-shirt. There are a lot of choices when it comes to accessories for this outfit, but a simple shark fin completes this outfit.

Another big theme on TikTok is fairies. This costume idea is ethereal. The No. 1 thing you need for this outfit is wings, but you can’t just buy any pair of wings. You need a pair that will

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Fairy wings, butterfly wings and more on Oct. 23, 2016 at Halloween Express near the Mall of Louisiana. add to the fairytale feel this costume brings. Wings that are shimmering, sheer and iridescent will be a sure stand-out. Pointy fairy ears are another addition to this costume that will make anyone

look like a fairy tale character.

Since the movie “Cruella” recently came out on Disney+, it would be a timely option for this Halloween. Wearing a red dress would be a fun take on dress-

ing up like Emma Stone’s Cruella de Vil.. You can buy a black and white wig to make the costume easily recognizable. If wearing a red ball gown dress to Halloween parties feels over the top, any red

dress will do. To take a more traditional route of dressing up like Cruella, you can take it back to the original movie—while still wearing the black and white wig, wear a black slip dress with a white fur coat. As long as you have the wig, people will understand who you are.

If you’re looking for a lastminute group costume, take a page from Netflix’s famous teen drama, “Outer Banks.” This one includes costumes for guys and girls, so it’s best fit for larger groups of friends. Even your local Goodwill is a great place to find those beachy outfits so you can dress up as the main characters. You can add in the other cast members if you have a larger group than just one girl and three guys. When looking for an outfit to dress up like Sarah Cameron, played by Madelyn Cline, Free People is the best place to find the perfect pieces. Outfits for Topper and Rafe Cameron, played

by Austin North and Drew Starkey, can be found at Dicks Sporting Goods or the men’s section in Dillard’s. You could purchase a golf shirt or plaid button-down to pair with khaki pants or shorts.

And don’t forget, cutting eye holes out of a bed sheet to be a ghost is always a surefire costume if all else fails Oct. 31.

Brewing...

SOMETHING’S

11.3.21

SPORTS ASHTON HICKS

LSU transfer sprinter impresses in fall: ‘He does the little things’

BY MACKAY SUIRE @macthetiger Walking into the dominating program that is LSU Track & Field must be a daunting task.

For Oklahoma State transfer Ashton Hicks, though, walking into Bernie Moore Track Stadium was like finally arriving home. Originally a Texas native, Hicks was drawn to an immense support, accompanied by a love and school spirit that LSU fans contain. Mix this spirit with the deep-rooted Louisiana culture found in the heart of Baton Rouge, and he was sold.

“The culture and family atmosphere is what I like the most down here for sure,” Hicks said. “I was able to attend the first game back in Death Valley against McNeese State, and the fans were just unmatched. Even when announcing my transfer on social media, the fans were and have been so supportive.”

At what appeared to be the peak of his track career at Oklahoma State, Hicks dominated the Big 12. Dubbed “most impressive sprinter in the country,” Hicks held the record for fastest time in the conference for both the 400-meter and 600yard events at the 2021 Big 12 Indoor Championship. Here, his mark of 46.02 was second in Oklahoma State’s school record only to his 45.60 mark from the 2019 Big 12 Indoor Championship. His three years at Oklahoma State included competing at the NCAA Championships three separate times: twice outdoors and once indoors. Hicks also

went on to earn Second Team All-American honors at the 2019 Indoor Big 12 Championships, as well as two-time outdoor NCAA All-American Honorable Mention athlete.

would better nurture his hunger to excel.

“Something just wasn’t clicking there,” Hicks said. “I just felt like I needed a different environment. I saw LSU as the per-

COURTESY OF OKLAHOMA STATE ATHLETICS

LSU junior transfer sprinter Ashton Hicks prepares to receive the baton in a relay race for Oklahoma State.

After three years in the Sooner State the now red-shirted junior craved change. Hicks desired an environment that

fect opportunity and felt they were headed in the right direction. I had a talk with Coach Bennie (Brazell), and the rest is

history.”

LSU Track & Field Assistant Coach Bennie Brazell believed from the very beginning that Hicks would be a perfect fit into LSU’s program. He trusted that the grueling and competitive nature that sets LSU Track & Field apart from other programs would effectively cultivate the skills that Hicks brings to the table. Brazell did explain to Hicks, though, that the transition was not going to be easy.

“We have dogs on our men’s side,” Brazell said. “You come over here and really start training with them and then you really see what we are all about.

We showed Ashton from the very beginning what the expectations and standards are, and so far he’s done great.”

The most enjoyable aspect of his time working at LSU thus far, in fact, has been his training. Hicks appreciates that he is pushed to continuously strive past his boundaries. He revealed that the most exciting part of preseason to him is being encouraged to dive deeper into his craft, in preparation for the season. He constantly reminds himself that the end result is what will make these countless hours of training worth it.

“Most guys don’t want to go the extra mile,” Brazell said, “but he really stays on top of things and he’s working his ass off. He does the little things, which I love. You can’t coach an athlete on how to do the little things.”

see HICKS, page 9

page 8

Depth and Defense: LSU hoops exhibition takeaways

BY PETER RAUTERKUS @peter_rauterkus On Oct. 23, the LSU men’s basketball team traveled down to Thibodaux to take on Nicholls State in an exhibition game that raised money for Hurricane Ida relief in Thibodaux and throughout South Louisiana.

LSU played in an event similar to this two years ago, when the team traveled to Ruston to play LA Tech to raise money for tornado relief. The game with Nicholls State was a massive success in raising money and a great event for both the schools and the people of Louisiana.

On the court, it was the first opportunity for this new group of players to play together in a competitive setting. LSU was missing multiple key players with Darius Days, Xavier Pinson, Efton Reid and Shareef O’Neal all out with minor injuries. Days, Pinson and Reid are all expected to start for LSU when the regular season comes, so the matchup with Nicholls State was a good opportunity to see what kind of depth LSU has off the bench.

The answer to this question was a promising one, with Tari Eason, Eric Gaines and Brandon Murray all stepping up and playing quality minutes for the Tigers in what ended as a 74-62

see DEFENSE, page 9

LSU soccer’s loss: SEC Tournament hanging in the balance

BY MORGAN ROGERS @__morganrogers On Sunday, the No. 9 LSU soccer team fell 4-0 to Florida at the Donald R. Dizney Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. A loss at the hands of the Gators, who are No. 12 in SEC standings, will likely have a detrimental effect on the Tigers’ ticket to the 2021 SEC Tournament.

The stats were stacked against Florida prior to their Senior Day game. Though the teams had identical SEC records of 3-5-0, LSU boasted seven more wins than the Gators overall. Also, the Tigers have registered 35 goals this season, while Florida has only made 13.

Even though LSU kept possession of the ball for the majority of the match, and goalkeeper Mollee Swift made 5 solid saves, the

team endured a shutout from the Gators, who now sit at the bottom of the top-10 SEC standings.

The surprising blowout could be blamed on the Tigers’ accuracy and ability to finish on target.

The Purple and Gold outshot Florida 10 to 9 and took double the number of corners. However, the team couldn’t capitalize on any of those chances for the duration of the match. The Gators were putting everything they could into the net. Florida made a total of nine shots that were all on goal. Only half of LSU’s shots were on goal.

On the defensive side, the keeper Swift still made five saves in the match despite the four goals she allowed. She has registered 61 saves on the season, putting her at No. 6 in the NCAA rankings for saves. In addition, she sits in the No. 4 spot for saves

per game.

The Gators’ first goal came in the 15th minute after Swift lost her grip on a catch and allowed an attacker to easily knock it in. The team scored again in

the second with a ground shot in the box. Both goals came from assists by Florida’s Kit Loferski.

Their last two goals of the match came off a corner kick, which was redirected by a header into

CHYNNA MCCLINTON / The Reveille

The LSU soccer team huddles up Oct. 21, 2021 after LSU’s 4-0 win against South Carolina at the LSU Soccer Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.

the goal, and a penalty kick, respectively.

The Tigers fought the whole way through, despite the massive gap reflected on the LED jumbotron at the Dizney Stadium.

Meghan Johnson made an on-goal shot after beating Florida’s goalkeeper for a free net. Unfortunately, her shot was still thwarted by one of the defenders. Several other chances were squandered, with shots flying over the net and wide to the left and the right.

LSU soccer will return home for the final match of their season, against Arkansas on Thursday night. The Razorbacks are No. 1 in the league and currently undefeated in the conference.

Prior to the ball dropping at 7 p.m. CT, the group of seniors will be honored at the LSU Soccer Stadium as part of LSU’s senior night.

Thursday, October 28, 2021

page 9

Women’s golf wins the inaugural Jackson T. Stephens Cup

BY MICHAEL SANCHEZ @MikeSanchez525 On Wednesday, the women’s golf squad finished in sixth place at The Ally Tournament hosted at Old Waverly in West Point, Mississippi. Out of the 12 teams that competed, LSU finished 4-over par, 26 strokes off the victor, Alabama, and 54 strokes ahead of last place, Missouri.

The team’s 4-over par, 868 total, was fueled by another strong performance from junior gun Ingrid Lindbald. Lindblad finished tied for sixth, with a score of 7-under par. This marked her fourth consecutive tournament in which she has placed in the top-10; Tied for 10th at the Annika Invitational, tied for third at the Illini Invitational and first place at last weeks’ Jackson T. Stephens Cup. The LSU women’s golf team is the first ever collegiate team to hoist the trophy and drape the individual honors medal at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup. Oct. 20 the squad defeated South Carolina in the championship match at the Alotian Club in Roland, Arkansas.

In the first-ever playing of this event, the six teams who competed had their golf skills put to the test, as not only did they play a tough course, but also played three days of a unique format, which is not common for the fall portion of the schedule. Fifty-four holes of stroke play to determine rankings for the final round 18 holes of match play. This style of

HICKS, from page 8 This type of fire is exactly what Brazell and the rest of the Track & Field staff is looking for in their athletes.

“We’re defending champs, so I want these guys to come here ready to work,” Brazell said.

“That’s the mindset we gotta have. Let’s step up, let’s compete, and let’s go be great.”

Hicks has also found great comfort in the camaraderie of his teammates. The chemistry of

The colors of purple and gold were flown as the women’s squad was the last team standing.

“We have a really good team and today [Wednesday] we proved we can play match play as well,”

match play as well.”

Lindblad put together a spectacular performance, proving to be the backbone of this LSU squad. She compiled two impressive rounds, saving her best for

round of stroke play with an undeniable will to win. She capped off the tournament shooting twounder par in her pursuit toward victory.

The Jackson T. Stephens Cup

the team is extremely apparent, even when putting in the work that fans do not get to witness.

The overflowing support for one another has been pushing Hicks to grow more into the competitive nature that is required to compete within the SEC. The jump from the Big 12 to the SEC would be stressful for anyone, especially as a Big 12 athlete with such a successful career. Although Hicks feels this pressure, he explained that this aspect is where mental tough-

ness comes most into play. He strongly believes that staying grounded in who he is as a person, as well as an athlete, is how he will come out on top.

“If I truly underst remind myself of how I have gotten here in the first place, I believe that this pressure will dim down,” Hicks said. “Continuously checking in on my mental health and making sure it stays solid will help me the rest of the way.”

Brazell also said that although the season has not start-

ed yet, he undoubtedly believes that Hicks is built to handle this change. The coach explained that he will not be surprised at all when Hicks does well in the upcoming season, as he will have seen the athlete’s success in the fall. Brazell looks forward to watching Hicks’ hard work come full circle.

In a few months, fans can definitely expect to see a lot out of the Oklahoma State transfer who now reps purple and gold.

Hicks is eager to represent ev-

erything it means personally to be an LSU Tiger.

“As an athlete, you are always representing more than yourself.

You represent your family, your hometown and everyone that is backing you. This opportunity, though, is definitely a privilege,” Hicks said. “I think about how far I have come and I am proud of where I am now. Not everyone gets to rep the purple and gold on a daily basis, so it’s an honor. It’s truly an honor and a privilege to be a Tiger.”

I’ve seen a player play here in a long time,” Wade said. “He was all over the place and played extremely hard.”

Wilkinson is a returning player who is expected to step into a much bigger role in the 2021-22 season. He has improved massively as a shooter during the offseason and is expected to be a major contributor on both ends of the floor.

Another huge concern going into this game, and the season, was how the Tigers would look defensively. Defense and rebounding were two of LSU’s biggest weaknesses last season, but against Nicholls State, there was progress despite missing multiple key players. LSU held Nicholls State to just 62 points and 36.1% shooting from the field. On the glass, LSU outrebounded Nicholls 44 to 29

and held them to just seven offensive rebounds. This was a point of emphasis for Wade and was something that he was very satisfied with after the game.

“We weren’t as crisp as we wanted to be but we were better,” Wade said. “The defensive rebounding was better, we gave up 17 offensive rebounds to them last year, we gave up seven this year, so I thought those areas were improved, but we’ve got to get much better as we get ready for SEC play.”

Overall, the game was a great event for everyone involved and was an opportunity for LSU’s overhauled roster to begin to get used to playing together. The Tigers tipoff the regular season in just under two weeks when they return to Baton Rouge to play LouisianaMonroe.

said Lindblad. “We know we can play stroke play, but we don’t have as many match play events. This was a great opportunity for us to play some match play and win the

JALEN HINTON / The Reveille

LSU women’s golf sophomore Ingrid Lindblad tees off on April 7, 2021 during the LSU Classic Day at the University Club on Memorial Tower Drive in Baton Rouge, La.

DEFENSE, from page 8 win. Eason led the way for LSU with 22 points and 13 rebounds, showing his versatility on the offensive end. Gaines was LSU’s second leading scorer, adding 15 points to go along with nine assists. Murray was also solid.

He put up 10 points and proved that he can play quality minutes for the Tigers as a freshman.

Head Coach Will Wade spoke about what he took away from the game while talking to radio show host Jordy Culotta on Monday.

“My biggest takeaway was that our guys played extremely hard,” Wade said.

Wade immediately took time to talk highly of sophomore forward Mwani Wilkinson, who had 12 points in the win.

Wilkinson began the 2020-2021

last. After round one, Lindblad shot two-over par, and cleaned up her score sheet in the second round finishing one-over par.

Lindblad came out on the final

will become a regularly slated golf tournament for the Tigers. This tournament is special to the golf world, as it honors the late Augusta National Chairman, Jackson T. Stephens. In 2022, the Cup is tilted to be held at the Seminole Club in Juno Beach, Florida.

“I think (having match play) is great,” said Coach Coarett Runion in his post-match interview.

“The last time was in the SEC Championship when it went to match play, so we got a little bit of practice there. Unfortunately, in the NCAAs we missed match play by one shot. They [the players] weren’t too happy about that. They were motivated over the summer and this was great practice for the SEC Championship and hopefully the national championship.”

The Tigers put on a clinic in this tournament, compiling together three top-three finishes and four total wins in match play.

Lindblad and Carla Tejedo tied for first place, shooting an impressive one-under par through the stroke play portion of the tournament, totaling 217 strokes. Mulet and Lindblad will both be credited with a collegiate title victory despite Tejedo’s playoff loss to her teammate.

“I didn’t know that was a win for me,” Mulet told The Golf Channel in the post-match interview when told of the rules on college wins. “I’m very happy to have it.

About the match play, it was pretty tough. I was really happy with how I handled it. I’m really proud of the team.”

tournament is long and treacherous, that separates the field from the good to best, and is commonly seen in the SEC and NCAA championship.

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

The LSU men’s basketball starters group together on the court Jan. 16, 2021 during LSU’s 85-80 win against South Carolina at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on N Stadium Drive in Baton Rouge, La. season as a starter but received less playing time as the season went on; however, Wade talked

during the offseason about how much he had improved.

“Wilkinson played as hard as

OPINION

page 11

Student show “GOD GUN!” reminder of talent on campus EVAN ON EARTH EVAN LEONHARD @evan_leonhard A dead horse that I have and will continue to relentlessly kick is that the arts and humanities are owed much more of our time and attention than we presently give them.

While our university’s love for sports is unparalleled, and our administration never neglects a chance to boast about the university’s latest accomplishments from the world of STEM or business, the arts and humanities must contend with scraps of tepid acknowledgement.

It is certainly not the case that there is nothing of value happening in the arts on campus—countless students and faculty from a variety of disciplines are doing spectacular artistic work.

In fact, we received a muchappreciated reminder of this just the other week.

Theatre performance senior Sophia Brazda wrote and directed a dazzling Honors thesis in the form of a play entitled “GOD GUN!” Under the formal supervision of theater professor John Fletcher, Brazda rounded up a team of undergraduates, graduate students and alumni to build a full-length production from the ground up.

The show follows the staff of The Columbus Post—presumably a national newspaper

COURTESY TRENT MASSENGALE AND SOPHIA BRAZDA

comparable to The Washington Post—as the world trembles in the grips of cataclysmic occurrences some have confidently deemed “the end times.”

However, columnist and exseminarian Scott Butler, played by senior Nicholas Russo, is not convinced. In an column titled “Opinion: Global Phenomena Born of Natural Causes,” he dismisses the public’s hysteria as mere superstition.

Naturally, in a scene that any experienced columnist knows well, Butler is flooded with hate mail from across the country.

Things crank up a notch near the end of the first act when Jean, the office head of HR,

played by Ardan Forrand, brings Butler a special package from God Himself. Needless to say, the play spirals into hilarious absurdity from there.

There isn’t much I can say by way of summary after the first act. In an experimental twist, the entire second act was completely improvised, inevitably meaning that the ending of every performance, and ultimately the way in which one experienced every performance, was entirely unique.

This was undoubtedly the show’s most impressive feat.

Brazda, whom I was lucky enough to chat with after viewing the show, plans on synthe-

sizing the various second acts into a fully cohesive “mega-act,” as she terms it, that would take the best points from every performance.

The set design was effectively minimal. The entirety of the show takes place in and around an office cubicle, furnished solely by an empty desk, chair, office phone and, occasionally, an outdated MacBook.

Interestingly, the famously sterile setting of a corporate office evokes heightened feelings of both foreboding and comedy that play off one another quite well throughout the show.

The fact that the show presents us with, in one sense at

least, a vision of the apocalypse as seen from a cubicle is quite funny. One cannot help but laugh as the mundane world of HR and op-eds collides with the world of divine destiny and celestial beings. It is the sort of absurdity that might arise from a crossover between “The Office” and Dante’s “Divine Comedy.”

However, there is also something unsettling about this juxtaposition of the ordinary and supernatural. It quietly invites a reflection on modern life and its divorce from the spiritual.

Brazda acknowledged this thematic exploration by describing the play as “a love-letter to the recovering Catholic, kids who grew up very religious and find themselves adrift as adults.”

Overall, the show was a refreshing and much-needed reminder of the artistic talent present on campus. The university may not have widely publicized the ingenious play, but luckily Brazda and the cast of “GOD GUN!” did not need much help from the university to get their show to the masses. The student-run production managed to sell out all five of their shows.

Perhaps I am underselling the show’s potential as a mere “reminder” of the artistic talent present on campus. It is also a brilliant model for talented students looking to capture the attention of our largely philistine campus.

Evan Leonhard is a 21-year-old English and philosophy junior from New Orleans.

Student Government is in desperate need of transparency CHARLIE’S ANGLES CHARLIE STEPHENS

@charliestephns

Student Government’s mission is to “advocate tirelessly the interests of LSU students by enhancing the student experience, promoting the image of the university and supporting student achievement on the campus and in the community.”

Based on a budget distributed by email to the Student Senate on April 20, SG either directly or indirectly controls nearly $300,000 in various student fees meant to advance this mission.

Does the everyday student know how they spend even a tenth of this sum? How would they figure it out? Does hiding their spending align with the mission to “advocate tirelessly for the interests of LSU students?”

The home page of SG’s website showcases large banners featuring results from an election that happened a year ago, an expired survey focusing on academics and a Lyft coupon only valid on Nov. 3, 2020.

The Senate has not published its meeting minutes since September of 2020. This is the main legislative body representing students at the university, and yet their agendas and minutes are not read-

ily available to students.

It obviously has not prioritized distributing up-to-date information to the student body. Access to updated information on governmental proceedings is central to the democratic ideals SG purports to uphold.

Maybe the lackluster attempt at transparency is what leads to such significant voter apathy in SG elections at the university—in the fall 2020 election, just 1,228 students voted.

It’s also probably why students decided to stop paying members of the executive and Senate staff— they realized that SG was not working to advance their interests, and accordingly stopped paying

them.

After all, the executive staff includes over 80 positions, with many of these only displaying sporadic activity in SG proceedings.

“Promoting the image of the university” is part of SG’s mission—and thankfully so, because otherwise it would be difficult to understand their consistent inability to challenge the university’s administration.

A glaring example of this unwillingness to challenge the administration came last fall when the Senate “urged and requested” that the administration of the university rename 13 university buildings. Their request was ignored, and they have been silent ever

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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.

since.

Where was the outrage from SG’s press shop? Why didn’t the SG president demand to meet with the university president?

SG is surely no check on the power of the administration here at the university. Their spinelessness is not only an embarrassment but an affront to what the students and broader university community deserve.

Perhaps a little bit of transparency in their operations would go a long way in improving SG’s effectiveness.

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

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