The Reveille 4-1-21

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JALEN HILTON / The Reveille

Mass communication senior Mia LeJune displays a sign while blockading entrance on March 8 during the Tigers Against Sexual Assault sit-in at the Football Operations Center on Skip Bertman Drive.

NEWS

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ENTERTAINMENT

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SPORTS

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OPINION

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S L O O F APRIL Some LSU students report experiencing burnout and exhaustion amid fighting for Title IX reform.

Celebrate April Fool’s Day by learning about the history of the holiday along with some funny pranks.

LSU gymnastics is heading into the 2021 NCAA Championships with confidence despite an end of the season drop-off.

“That is why we need student leaders, because empowerment is a well you never want to run dry.”

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

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‘CHANGE IS COMING’ Advocates explain methods to prevent sexual assault, promote a culture shift

BY MADELYN CUTRONE @madelyncutrone The Husch Blackwell report commissioned by LSU to investigate Title IX issues on campus resulted in a list of 18 recommendations to improve the University’s sexual assault procedures. None of the recommendations focused on the prevention of sexual assault, but the new Title IX Office is implementing several steps to address the root cause of these issues: campus culture.

Jane Cassidy was appointed as Interim Vice President of the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX on March 15, which was created in response to one of Husch Blackwell’s recommendations. Cassidy said her goal is to rebuild trust in the Title IX office and ensure that students feel safe and supported coming forward to report instances of sexual assault.

“The long term goal is to change the culture on campus,” Cassidy said. “We are no different at LSU than in Baton Rouge, than in Louisiana, than in the nation.

Everyone has problems with this.

It’s going to take a long time to change the culture.”

Cassidy said the Athletics Department has contracted with Sexual Trauma Awareness Response (STAR) to provide sexual assault training for athletes and coaches.

One training session was already conducted. The University has a separate contract with STAR for training related to the overall student body. Athletics also commissioned A Call to Men, a national violence prevention organization which provides training and education for men. This organization frequently works with NFL teams.

Cassidy said these training sessions are not about “checking the box” or public appearance. In-

stead, they are focused on changing the culture within athletics.

In addition to this, the Title IX website will be updated and communication with students will be streamlined. STAR will evaluate all current sexual assault trainings that students undergo, such as MyStudentBody, and make recommendations to LSU about altering these programs by June 2021.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Cassidy said athletes will wear teal wristbands at their competitions. Announcements will be made to raise public awareness about issues of sexual assault.

“We’re doing blitz work here,” Cassidy said.

President and CEO of STAR Racheal Hebert said that statistics show college campuses are breeding grounds for sexual assault, that it is ingrained in the culture. Hebert said there is an issue beyond Title IX at the University that needs to be adequately addressed.

“I think that, in a lot of ways, the culture of LSU and a lot of universities doesn’t do enough to outline things like consent or the complexities of drinking and having sex, or doing drugs and having sex,” Hebert said. “Certainly at LSU, a big football college, a big party college, there’s definitely going to be more implications.”

Hebert said the idea of prevention is often misunderstood to be risk reduction. Institutions usually promote women taking self defense classes or carrying pepper spray in order to avoid situations where they could be sexually assaulted. This is not prevention, Hebert said, it is risk reduction.

“A lot of the ways we talk about prevention is really targeted at victim-prevention, which we know doesn’t really prevent any-

thing,” Hebert said. “We definitely want to support people protecting themselves and being smart.

But we know that’s not preventing rape from happening. If we really want to end sexual assault we have to prevent perpetration.

We need to be reaching potential perpetrators.”

The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network cites that eight out of 10 rapes are committed by someone known to the victim — an acquaintance, a friend, a partner or a family member. Random assaults committed by someone unknown to the victim account for about one-fifth of rapes.

Hebert said more should be done to educate women about the dangers of automatically trusting everyone they know, and even those they are in relationships with.

“For so long we’re trained as kids, you know, ‘stranger danger,’ and then when we grow up we have a sense of comfort around our friends or acquaintances or even people we meet tailgating or going to a game with,” Hebert said. “We have this feeling that ‘oh, we know each other, nothing’s going to happen.’ But we actually know that the majority of these assaults are happening with people we know and these acquaintance-type situations.”

Hebert said a good first prevention step would be to educate students on recognizing predatorlike behavior that could occur in normal college situations, such as a man cornering a woman at a party, trying to get her to drink excess alcohol or take drugs, offering to drive her home or getting her alone in some way. She also said more training focused on healthy sexuality and relationships should be conducted.

“Culture is everywhere, it’s

like water,” Hebert said.

Lighthouse Program Coordinator Susan Bareis agreed that training is an essential part of sexual assault prevention and culture change at LSU. “Culture change is a long process,” Bareis said. “But it comes from all levels. In my role at this university, I work for the students. I think their voices are really important. But that change from administration is really important too.”

Bareis said after having several meetings with LSU administration, she would describe their demeanor towards changing campus culture as “proactive.”

“It’s important to recognize there’s a lot of mistrust with administration,” Bareis said. “That’s going to take a lot of time to repair when it comes to students and among faculty and staff who feel that mistrust as well.”

Political communication sophomore Kimsey Stewart said she believes changing LSU’s culture relies on a partnership between the student body and administration.

“Social pressure can only do so much,” Stewart said. “It needs to be a combination of social change amongst the student body and administration taking punitive actions against people who assault women.”

Stewart has fought alongside survivors to enact change within the student body and Title IX office, but has seen few decisive actions taken from administration on that front, she said.

“Change is coming,” Stewart said. “It’s coming very slowly, and it’s not coming in the way we want it to or need it to. But every incremental change I’m thankful for, even as I’m pushing for more to happen.”

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ABOUT THE REVEILLE

JALEN HINTON / The Reveille

LSU architecture senior Harris Quadir holds a sign while blockading exit on March 8 during the Tigers Against Sexual Assault sit-in at the Football Operations Center on Skip Bertman Drive.

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

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DRAINING’’ ‘IT IS DRAINING

STUDENT LIFE

LSU Mock Trial team competes regionally

BY BRYANT RANDALL @bryant_randall5

Some LSU students experience burnout from fighting for Title IX reform JALEN HINTON/ The Reveille

Mass communication senior Mia LeJeune speaks with media on March 8 shortly before the Tigers Against Sexual Assault sit-in at the Football Operations Center on Skip Bertman Drive.

BY MADELYN CUTRONE @madelyncutrone Students and advocacy groups have worked to seek justice on behalf of survivors following the release of a USA Today report which detailed LSU’s alleged mishandling of sexual assault cases. In the months since, many have expressed feeling symptoms of burnout and overall exhaustion from advocating without seeing the desired results.

Tigers Against Sexual Assault (TASA) is one of the largest survivor advocacy student organizations on LSU’s campus.

Shortly after the USA Today article was released, the group organized a protest at Tiger Stadium where nearly 300 survivors and allies gathered to demand change. Since then, they have

worked with administration, the law firm Husch Blackwell and Student Government to form solutions for the sexual assault problems that exist on campus.

Angelina Cantelli, co-president of TASA, testified at a Senate committee meeting March 10 and said that she and her fellow student leaders have been made to feel powerless to enact change on campus.

“So many people have been asking us to organize other protests and other demonstrations demanding that people are fired, and I personally do not know if I can do it again,” Cantelli said in tears. “I don’t know if I have the strength to continue fighting. It is draining. I’m tired of having to do this.”

Cantelli said student leaders often feel they are the ones who

have to push for change, when it should be administration and the legislature taking action.

The legal director of STAR, a local non-profit created to help sexual assault survivors, Morgan Lamandre expressed similar feelings of burnout during the legislative hearing.

“Every day of my life I talk to people who have been sexually abused,” Lamandre said. “And it’s hard. But what’s harder is when you’re constantly going to the system and they let you down. It’s the second rape.”

Lamandre said Louisiana is one of the few states that does not fund sexual assault services for victims and that LSU’s culture of negligence stems directly from the state’s.

Mass communication sophomore Kimsey Stewart said she has worked tirelessly over the

past year in TASA and Greek Life to support survivors. She said at times it’s difficult to continue fighting.

“I go back and forth from feeling burned out and feeling like I can’t stop,” Stewart said.

Stewart said she often thinks of her 16-year-old sister, who is starting to tour colleges, and the world she wants her to go into, as well as the college culture she wants her to experience. Stewart said she fights for survivors because she wants her sister and every woman on campus to feel safe, and to know their university will support them above all else.

“I just keep thinking, I wish someone had done this for me,” Stewart said. “So I have to keep going, I have to keep being that advocate.”

LSU’s Mock Trial team recently competed in the 2021 regional tournament and performed their plaintiff and defense cases in chief in this year’s civil trial.

The mock trial team operates by analyzing either a mock criminal or civil case provided to them by the American Mock Trial Association. The team crafts a defense and prosecution argument surrounding the case, and these arguments are executed in a trial setting. The regional tournament, hosted by the University of Washington, was conducted virtually by Zoom this year for COVID-19 precautions.

Tucker Guilbeaux, the team president, said that while it may not be the same as in-person tournaments, there are plenty of genuine mock trial elements that are still prevalent.

“I still feel like students are getting their fundamental trial,” Guilbeaux said. “You’re still getting your objections, obviously something you’re not planning for, you’re still getting that cross examination that’s not planned for, that closing argument, you know things like that still have that same element of surprise that really determine who is the best mock trial team.”

The mock trial team had an A-team and a B-team competing in the tournament which

see MOCK TRIAL, page 4

DIVERSITY

Spike in anti-Asian hate crimes prompts Biden administration action

BY HENRY WELDON @HankWeldon3

A recent spike in hate crimes committed against members of the Asian and Asian American community have many people feeling uneasy and alarmed.

According to the Associated Press, there has been a recent increase in anti-Asian hate crimes, including a mass shooting in Atlanta that left eight people dead, six of Asian descent.

The Biden administration announced on Tuesday that there will be new steps taken to combat anti-Asian violence and discrimination, but there is still more work that lies ahead. The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism found that hate crimes against Asian Americans increased 149%

from 2019 to 2020, drawing a correlation between the rise of hate crimes with the rise of COVID-19 cases.

“A recent spike in hate crimes committed against members of the Asian American community have some people feeling uneasy and alarmed,” Biden said Tuesday.

“They’ve been attacked, blamed, scapegoated and harassed.

Biden said his administration had a conversation with Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders about the rise in hate crimes. He said the leaders said that hate and violence “often hide in plain sight.”

“We cannot be complicit,” Biden said. “We have to speak out. We have to act.”

Marisa Terry, interim vice

president for Asian American Ambassadors (AAA), said that it continues to be a difficult process ensuring that all Asian Americans feel safe and respected.

“It’s always difficult to formulate a response when a vulnerable community comes under attack,” Terry said. “For some people, their first instinct is to lie low and avoid becoming a target of violence themselves. That is a valid response.”

AAA is an organization at LSU that was established for the purpose of building a community of students who have an interest in the cultures, traditions and histories of Asian and Asian American culture, Terry said.

“We are an organization that aims to create a voice for Asian

Americans in today’s society,” Terry said. “Our mission is to spread awareness and educate others on Asian and Asian American culture. We accomplish this goal by hosting events where we teach members of the LSU community about various Asian traditions and encourage participant observation.”

AAA helps to provide a sense of community for Asian Americans at LSU. It’s a spot where students can go to feel safe and accepted. Although there have been no reports of hate crimes reported against Asian Americans at LSU recently, this spike in crime across the country is still leaving some members of the LSU community concerned.

“It’s terrifying to know that

there are people out there who would hurt you just because of the color of your skin and the country your family once came from,” Terry said.

AAA is currently planning to host an Asian cultural showcase with the help of the LSU Japanese Animation and Culture Society to help encourage pride in Asian culture and heritage and to combat the fear and hatred that is seen today, according to Terry.

She said members of AAA are also encouraging students who attend the showcase to donate to the Asian Community Relief fundraiser, which helps assist the local Asian community as well as the families of the victims in Atlanta.

see HATE CRIMES, page 4

Thursday, April 1, 2021

page 4 MOCK TRIAL, from page 3 consisted of nearly 650 A and B-teams from various universities such as Boston University, Boston College and University of Missouri-Kansas City.

This year’s mock trial team consisted of many freshmen with limited mock trial experience. Guilbeaux said it was crucial to ensure younger members of the team were adequately prepared in understanding rules of evidence, how to make proper objections, how to present their case adequately and then apply those skills to an online format.

Members of the mock trial team have opportunities to serve as witnesses or attorneys in the organization. The role of the attorney is to effectively present a defense or prosecution’s case, while it is the duty of the witness to answer the attorneys’ questions properly in order to help the attorneys build their case.

Rhea Chempakasseril is an executive assistant for the organization as well as a competing member who served as a witness this year. For this specific case, she acted the part of both a wedding planner and a medical doctor.

Chempakasseril said witnesses for the team can either be lay witnesses or expert witnesses. The lay witness she played was the wedding planner who could only testify to

HATE CRIMES, from page 3 She said that although recent acts of hate have risen since the onset of the pandemic, this problem has been going on for much longer than most people think.

“There is a long history of racism in this country,” Terry said.

“While it’s true that the political climate and pandemic have bred fear and xenophobia, these sentiments are not exclusive to our current time period.”

Terry said that certain ethnic groups facing oppression is nothing new. She hopes that people can find it in themselves to resolve their racist views and eliminate any stereotypes that they may have.

“A pot of hot water that just started boiling won’t suddenly stop being hot as soon as it’s taken off the fire,” she said. “What I do hope is that this boiling point will open people’s eyes to the racism that Asians face.”

The University aims at making everyone feel included and respected. Terry said that it’s the little things that can help make Asian Americans feel more at home at LSU. “LSU has recently made a few changes to its Title IX policies and procedures,” she said. “Perhaps it is a good time to re-examine and update how it would handle potential racially motivated attacks or harassment.”

She said it’s people’s actions that make the most impact.

Donating to local organizations that fight racism and calling out people who say racist things

specific things she was present for in the case. She played an expert witness as the medical doctor, as she was required to know medical terminology and give expert medical opinions about the case.

“Your job as an expert witness is to help someone else understand what you are trying to say as quickly and as efficiently as possible,” Chempakasseril said. “As a lay witness you kind of have to create more of a character. You are also giving sufficient information, but it’s more so how well you can keep your composure in a courtroom.”

Chempakasseril said that while lay witnesses do have more freedom than expert witnesses to give more colorful performances, there needs to be a healthy balance between their performance and effectively giving out the right information.

“You have to display as much character as you can to be a likeable witness for your side, but you also can’t be uninformative,” Chempakasseril said.

Guilbeaux said that he highly recommends students to join the mock trial team and work their way up to becoming an attorney for the team. As an attorney for the team, Guilbeaux said that arguing a case in a public manner provides significant real world benefits in areas regarding public speaking.

“You’re the star of the show, you’re the one who’s in charge

of that moment” Guilbeaux said. “That’s what mock trial gives you. Mock trial gives you that confidence to be able to go out there and do that.”

Guilbeaux said the club is not just for people who want to be a lawyer for their intended career. He said the skills regarding public speaking and thinking on your feet are skills neces-

is a step in the right direction, she said.

“Social media posts in solidarity are easy and might make a small difference, but they are largely performative and don’t necessarily help to change the

“In the second half of the 19th century on the West Coast and especially in California, anti-Asian animosity centered around the belief that Asian immigrants were not only taking jobs away from white Americans, but that Asian

sary to excel at any profession.

“Any career path that you take from a doctor, a lawyer or even a construction worker, they’re going to have to adequately think on their feet and that is definitely something that mock trial teaches,” Guilbeaux said.

While the mock trial team had a strong showing in the

COURTESY OF LSU MOCK TRIAL

LSU’s Mock Trial team competed in the 2021 regional tournament.

“Most western states had Alien Land laws, as well as miscegenation laws, forbidding the marriage of Asians and white people,” Shindo said.

He said attacks on Asian Americans are unprecedented these

COURTESY OF AP

President Joe Biden speaks during a news conference in the East Room of the White House on March 25 in Washington. structural forces that contribute to racist violence,” Terry said. “If you want to be an ally for any vulnerable community, check in with friends and neighbors who are a part of that community and ask if they need anything.”

Charles Shindo, a professor of American history who also teaches Asian American courses, said that the oppression and racism that Asian Americans are currently facing is nothing new.

regional tournament, the team was not able to qualify for the subsequent tournaments.

Right now, the team is making preparations for next season by conducting officer elections, recruiting new members and discussing strategies so that the team will be fired up and ready to begin tournaments again next fall.

immigrants were also lowering the standard of living in America since employers paid Asian workers less than white workers,” Shindo said.

Shindo said that this led to a plethora of laws that oppressed Asian Americans and made life tougher for them.

He also said that some of the laws in the past took advantage of the already vulnerable Asian American community.

days due to high populations of that community across the nation.

In the past years, Asian Americans have been moving to different parts of the U.S., where they didn’t live before, which could be a contributing factor to the racism and animosity that some of them face, according to Shindo.

“This time, the anti-Asian attacks have been more widespread, in part because the virus is everywhere, but also, the Asian

population is more dispersed than ever before,” Shindo said.

Shindo said that the nature of these acts likely exist because people want to blame others for whatever problems exist.

“Calling out these attacks and acts is necessary, but so is leadership who make it clear that scapegoating a group of people for something they are not responsible for will not be tolerated,” Shindosaid. “The Biden administration has made that statement, often, but the Trump administration only added fuel to the fire by referring to COVID as the ‘China virus’ or ‘kung flu.’”

When it comes to this country’s racist past being fixed, Shindo says it’s more complicated than it seems.

“The attacks will lessen, but they won’t end,” Shindo said.

“They just won’t get the attention that they are getting right now.

As long as people continue to think that white people are ‘more’ American than people of color, this issue, along with America’s other racial issues, will continue.”

For many people, the mass shooting in Atlanta against Asian Americans and other acts of racism surprised them. For Shindo, the increase in hate crimes was no surprise.

“I was not at all surprised to see this rise in hate crimes, having studied and teaching Asian American history,” Shindo said.

“I have not experienced any hate directed toward me during this pandemic, but I also haven’t been going out much because of COVID.”

ENTERTAINMENT

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NUF YAD S’LOOF LIRPA All jokes aside, April Fool’s origin is a mystery but rich in history

BY AVA BORSKEY @iamavab No fooling. No one really knows the exact and utter history of April Fool’s Day. Some believe the day is connected to the change of the calendar year.

Until the mid-16th century, France officially recognized the start of the new year as the last week of March, with celebrations culminating on April 1. It wasn’t until the country switched from the Julian calendar to the standard Gregorian calendar that the new year began on Jan. 1 as it does today. Thus, the term “April Fool” was purportedly a phrase used to mock those who were unaware of or chose not to follow the change.

Others draw parallels between April Fool’s and the Ancient Ro-

man festival Hilaria.

Still, others say it’s because April’s unpredictable spring season weather can catch anyone unprepared, causing people to look like fools. This idea makes perfect sense for us in Louisiana, especially when you’re trying to dress for rain, shine and all four seasons in a single day.

Another idea comes from the mock-heroic “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” published in Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” in 1392. Though some believe it was a typo or even just a reader miscomprehension, the tale mentions a “March 32,” or what we would call April 1.

With several other “April Fool’s” references in stories and poems across time and settings, perhaps it’s just human nature to let loose with a good prank from time to time. April Fool’s Day

is celebrated across the world, and though traditions vary with each culture, all share a common theme of tomfoolery.

In France, the holiday is known as “Poisson d’Avril.” Gullible guppies beware, the traditional prank is to stick colorful paper fish on other people’s backs.

Scotland loves the holiday so much they have two days of celebrations. April 2 is known as “Taily Day.” As the name suggests, its main focus is on the rear end, as people tape “Kick me” signs to others’ backs.

The Ukraine hosts “Humorina,” a full-out festival in Odessa with a parade and performances from comedians and clowns.

According to English tradition, April Fool’s jokes are technically only valid before noon, but that didn’t stop the BBC from

orchestrating one of the most hilarious April Fool’s pranks of all time.

On April 1, 1957, the BBC’s Panorama investigative series produced a documentary giving viewers a first-hand look into the “spaghetti farms of Switzerland.”

Boiled spaghetti noodles hung from the branches of trees, as a serious, yet ridiculous voiceover described the actions of the “spaghetti farmers” as they gathered their crop.

It’s said the BBC received hundreds of calls from viewers, eager to know how they could start growing their own spaghetti trees.

It’s not unusual for the media, celebrities and other big-name companies to get involved in the fun.

On April 1, 1997, Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak switched places.

Viewers tuning into the gameshows found Trebek hosting a special charity version of “Wheel of Fortune” and Sajak hosting an episode of “Jeopardy.”

Businesses have been known to use the date to promote sales and real-time marketing. With Twitter, it’s easier than ever for the ridiculousness to gain traction and trend.

In 2015, Honda created a satirical advertisement announcing the HR-V Selfie Edition, which boasted ten cameras to allow drivers to snap selfies while parked. It was all just a goofy gimmick to promote the new line of vehicles.

So, on this Thursday, I leave you with a word of caution: if it seems utterly ridiculous, it probably is. It’s all in the good fun of this happy April Fool’s.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Jordan Scroggins and The Cominos bring music to their neighborhood

BY CONNOR MCLAUGHLIN @connor_mcla For the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a lasting impact on the music industry. Concerts were postponed or cancelled. Venues were forced to close. Thus, musicians had to resort to staging virtual concerts and working from home.

The experience of seeing music live had never seemed more lost.

However, sophomore Jordan Scroggins and her garage band “The Cominos” (cumin in Spanish) put their foot down on that lost experience. They decided to bring it back. With the help of friends and family, the band was able to put on their own socially distanced, neighborhood blowout last August.

Growing up in Austin, Texas, Scroggins always had an interest in music. Her first love for the art form stemmed from musical icons Demi Lovato and The White Stripes.

She began taking piano lessons at an early age before teaching herself how to play guitar.

Additionally, she was a member of her high school band until her junior year. Oh, and did I mention

INS N SCROGG OF JORDA Y S E T S R O U CO OMIN AND THE C that she has a wonderful singing voice?

For Scroggins, she can do it all. She’s self-taught, unbelievably talented and impeccably committed to sharing her love of

music with others.

It was only a matter of time before she began her own musical endeavors.

It first began when she simply asked her friend and drummer,

Donovan Lewis, “why don’t we just do something together?” And so they did.

On Aug. 9, The Cominos gave their first live performance to an audience of around 30 people.

With Scroggins on vocals and Lewis on drums, the band was rounded out by Bryant Richardson on bass and Jason Smith on guitar.

They staged their show outside of her garage for friends, family and neighbors to enjoy.

Together, they ensured that social distancing protocols were in place and food and drinks were safely served.

The band performed covers of songs by The White Stripes, The Clash and even music from the hit film “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.”

For their last song, they did an awesome cover of “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash.

Needless to say, The Cominos’ first show was a hit.

Since then, the band members have been keeping themselves busy with school at their respective colleges, but they remain “very excited for the future.”

When not performing, Jordan Scroggins attends LSU as an English major. According to Scroggins, the past year has been “all about prep,” so the band plans to put on more shows this summer and release their own original music as the world begins to slowly open back up.

Thursday, April 1, 2021

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Thursday, April 1, 2021

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BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY

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REV R ANKS

LSU alumna starts online thrifting business on Instagram

BY OLIVIA DEFFES @liv_deffes Out with the old and in with the new, or should I say out with the new and in with the old. A growing number of young adults and teens are embracing a new way of shopping on Instagram that is giving secondhand clothing an upper hand in the world of fashion.

Buying secondhand has become increasingly popular, especially since the pandemic started.

Since some people do not want to go out to do their shopping, why not have someone else do it for them? That is exactly what Instagram thrift shops do for other people who share a love for secondhand clothing but do not want to go digging through racks at the local Goodwill. Usually, these accounts or “shops” are run by young adults who go out and thrift as a hobby.

LSU alumna Haley Miller is the owner of one of those Instagram shops. Her account, 225thrift, allows people in Baton Rouge to find unique pieces without having to make a trip to the thrift store.

Miller said that she started her

online secondhand store after her love of thrifting turned her closet into an overcrowded mess of old, mismatched clothing and accessories.

“I would go and buy things

I wasn’t going to wear them. I wanted to give people the opportunity to own cool clothing pieces that they didn’t have to go out and find themselves.”

This idea started when Miller’s

minded her of her friends and send them pictures of fun pieces and eclectic items to see if they wanted her to purchase clothes for them. After more and more friends began contacting her to

COURTESY OF 225THRIFT

I thought were cute, but then I’d only wear them once or not wear them at all,” Miller said.

“The items I was buying were so unique that I thought someone should have these pieces if

friends would opt out of thrifting trips. She said her pals didn’t want to spend all day in thrift stores or go through countless racks to find good gems. Miller would still find things that re-

hunt for specific items, Miller said she turned to Instagram so that she could showcase all the pieces she liked so that others could have their pick.

What started as a small busi-

ness venture for Miller has turned into an account with over 600 followers. Miller said she never expected to gain as many followers as she had and even joked that her husband thought her account might get 30 followers at the most.

“It’s grown a lot recently,” Miller commented. “I think people are super into thrifting, but they don’t want to do it themselves.

So, I said, ‘Hey, I’ll do it for you!’”

Miller’s page allows her to justify spending a lot on her hobby of thrifting, but she says she is not in it for the profit.

With comment sections dedicated to bidding on clothes, the price is really up to the customers.

Miller said she tries to start out her pieces at an affordable price of around $5 or $6 so that people can decide how much they want to spend or how much a piece is worth. Miller said she is just happy to have satisfied customers rocking the pieces she found on her thrifting adventures.

If you’re one of those people who doesn’t want to go out looking for thrifted items or vintage clothes, 225thrift on Instagram might be your new favorite (virtual) thrift store.

MOVIES & TV

The Powerpuff Girls will be live and in action in new CW series

BY ASHLEY LATCHA @ashleylatcha In early March, the world got the news that everyone’s favorite crime-fighting cartoon trio, The Powerpuff Girls, would be joining the live-action wave in a brandnew CW remake series titled “Powerpuff Girls.”

The original series ran for seven years on Cartoon Network and won a multitude of television awards (and hearts). Everyone knows the triplets were created from sugar, spice and everything nice, but apparently the live action will get a lot darker than that.

According to Deadline, the story will follow Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup into their 20s as they face disappointment from spending their entire childhoods devoted to fighting instead of, you know, being kids.

The characters are definitely more mature and facing their own struggles in getting back into the crime-fighting lifestyle. The main question arises, which is basically the plot for almost every superhero storyline, which is: “will they go back to being superheroes when the world needs them the most?”

Celeb Magazine reports that Blossom, our favorite red-clad leader who is known for her obvious leadership role as well as her go-get-em attitude, now has “repressed kiddie-superhero trau-

ma,” which has taken quite a toll on her personality. Her toughness is still intact though; she just wants to take matters into her own (adult) hands now. Will this include getting her sisters back together again?

Bubbles, America’s original blonde sweetheart, is apparently still the same (which I love). She is still cute on the outside, and tough on the inside as always.

Her superhero traits do not fade into adulthood; however, she is said to be more interested in rebuilding her fame instead of saving the world. Does this mean they turned Bubbles into a stereotypical egotistical blonde? We’ll have to see.

Buttercup, the defiant rebel (and my personal favorite Powerpuff Girl), is said to be a lot more sensitive now as she’s grown up. She apparently does not want anything to do with the superhero brand and spends her adulthood trying to get rid of her identity by living anonymously.

So, let’s meet the real-life Powerpuff Girls.

The CW casted Disney channel star Dove Cameron, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D’s Chloe Bennet and Broadway icon Yana Perrault to play Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup.

Cameron is known for her roles in shows such as “Liv & Maddie” as well as in the “Descendants” series. Her role as

COURTESY OF GAMERS GRADE

“Chemtrails Over the Country Club” by Lana Del Ray The Netflix series “Ginny & Georgia” was right when the main character Georgia said that Lana Del Rey was the “goddess of sadness.”

“Chemtrails Over the Country Club” is Lana Del Rey’s seventh studio album. The album came out March 19, only a year and a half after her sixth studio album “Norman F***ing Rockwell!” was released. Del Ray and her music have been a part of my life for almost a decade, and “Chemtrails” has to be one of my favorite albums by the artist thus far.

Part of the reason I loved this album so much is because of the sense of wanderlust I felt listening to each song, which is a similar reaction I had when I first listened to her 2012 song “Ride” from her “Paradise” project. Del Rey sings about her yearning to escape her old life by living in the moment with this song, yet “Chemtrails” seems to make it go full circle when the Americana singer takes us into her past, starting with the first track “White Dress.”

It only took a minute for the song to deeply resonate with me and become my favorite track. The song’s narrative is captivating, alongside haunting vocals and beautiful lyricism. She sings about wishing she had the opportunity to go back to her life before fame changed everything, singing that it “made [her] feel like a god” in her teenage years. The

lyrics “I was a waitress, wearing a white dress / Look how I do this, look how I got this,” paints an innocent Del Rey in her teen years before she became famous, using a white dress to symbolize her purity at the time.

Another song that made me fall in love with “Chemtrails” was the sixth track “Dark But Just a Game,” which illustrates the darker side of Hollywood fame and notoriety. Del Rey explained in an interview with MOJO Magazine that the song’s title, and story was inspired by the 2020 Oscars afterparty where she had an encounter with an unnamed musician that made her realize she never wanted to change in the name of fame. The switchup in the middle of the first verse is bound to have anyone hooked to Del Rey’s emotional and enchanting voice.

Undoubtedly, “Chemtrails” is one of Del Rey’s most experimentally introspective albums. The album’s producer, Jack Antonoff, truly encapsulated her identity in each song.

The album has received a great deal of positive reviews from music critics and fans alike, but some fans became sick of the wait Del Rey put us through and did not think it was up to par with her past albums.

In my opinion, it was worth the wait.

“Chemtrails Over the Country Club” is an immediate classic with somber melodies and heart-wrenching lyrics filled with sentimentality.

Gone are the days of East Coast Lana Del Ray — now there’s only West Coast Del Ray and her ballads. “Chemtrails Over The Country Club” is a melting pot of poetry and simple acoustic melodies. Sadly, there is no longer “Gangster Nancy Sinatra” or “Coney Island Queen” Del Ray, at least not on this great American record.

I’m not going to lie: I’ve been waiting for this album for God knows how long. I lost interest, especially with Del Rey’s typewriter posts on Instagram and other delays. Maybe it was the months of waiting, but this album doesn’t really live up to the hype.

“White Dress” opens the album with Del Rey’s higher register, reminiscing on her days as a waitress at 19. The title track, “Chemtrails Over the Country Club,” has one of the best outros on the album. Del Rey also mentions her astrology signs in between the verses of nostalgia.

“Let Me Love You Like a Woman” was the lead single for the album and fits the Americana aesthetic very well. However, the song was slow and did not stand out enough. Again fitting the Americana sound, “Wild at Heart” showcases Del Rey’s vocal ability as she sings of freedom and fame. It sounds like the stepsister to “How To Disappear” from “Norman F*cking Rockwell!”

The closest thing we get to a turning point in the album is “Dark But Just A Game.” It also

has a little hint of Del Rey’s third studio album “Ultraviolence,” but the main theme is fame and the darkness of it. “Not All Who Wander Are Lost” has great lyrics but is another slow song that might get lost amongst the others on the album. Ironically, it continues the theme of wanderlust.

“Chemtrails” feels like running through the Great Plains, or if the heart of America could sing. It is the sound of a typical American in the most average American way. Del Rey also talked about issues regarding her fame and the authenticity of her image and music.

“Chemtrails Over The Country Club” is gentle and ethereal. Lyrically, the album is about the same as “Norman F*cking Rockwell!” This is Del Rey’s most melodic album, giving listeners some of her best melodies. I was expecting a major musical shift between the albums since Del Rey’s discography is so versatile. I love ballads, but some of the songs are too similar. This is an album that will grow with each listen. The songs will eventually stand out. However, the strong lyricism is lost among the identical production.

Even though “Norman F*cking Rockwell!” had a rocky rollout, there was tons of variety musically. “Chemtrails” lives in the shadow of its predecessor. It is her quietest album and gives the best of her songwriting skills. Its simplicity and comforting sound is a great addition to Del Rey’s multifaceted discography.

Emma Jackimowicz | @emmajackimowicz

Ariel Baise | @arielbiancaa

All five One Direction albums ranked

Bubbles seems very fitting and something she actually tweeted about back in 2013.

“I just really want to play Bubbles in a live-action Powerpuff Girls movie.” Now she finally is.

Cameron tweeted about the script being her “true fantasy” as a fan of the original show.

Bennet also tweeted out her excitement and revealed her role as Blossom with a cute GIF. Perrault shared her good news through Instagram with a hilarious statement of “bag secured,” which is honestly what I imagine Buttercup would say in real

life. This show is Perrault’s first on-screen role, as she mainly performs on stage. She was even supposed to be in the cast of “Hamilton” until the pandemic put the production on hold.

Now, this is a live-action adaptation, which is one of the most infamous genres that has been introduced to this generation. The stigma that is already attached to “Powerpuff Girls” mainly comes from the older fans that grew up on the Cartoon Network series.

It’s easy to assume that the show will lose its appeal and originality because so many (if not all)

great animated movies and series have been ruined with live-action remakes.

A lot of discourse stems from the fact that our childhood memories are at stake with these live-action remakes since a lot of studios completely change the storylines of the original shows and movies.

Even the idea of them being adults takes away from the original concept of the show.

Some classics just need to be left alone, but will The CW do justice to our beloved Powerpuff Girls? One can only hope.

No. 1

“Take Me Home” (2012) This album solidified One Direction as the boy band of the 2010s. If you were a young person during this period, you’d want to be in any One Direction music video or be the subject of their songs.

This is where the band found its sound. It is boy band perfection.

Their live performances are some of the best (e.g. Zayn Malik singing like rent is due meme). This album’s cover is also the most memorable out of all five albums with the boys in a phone booth. What I loved about “Take Me Home” the most is that this is where I fell in love with their music as a teenager. I believe this album maybe the future imprint of future Western boy bands.

“Midnight Memories” (2013) I may be a little partial to this album because I really got into One Direction shortly after its release. This is the One Direction era to end all One Direction eras. It was edgy and cool. By this time the boys completely changed their styles from cute heartthrobs to adorable bad boy wannabes, and I was so there for it. I feel like this was the album that made their careers shift. I think they finally found their voices on this album, and you can tell the boys had more of an influence on the music they were making. I love love love this album.

Hit: “Happily” | Miss: “Don’t Forget Where You Belong”

Hit: “Over Again” | Miss: “Irresistible”

2. “Take Me Home” (2012) 2. “FOUR” (2014)

3. “FOUR” (2014)

3. “Midnight Memories” (2013)

4. “Made In The A.M.” (2015)

4. “Made In The A.M.” (2015)

5. “Up All Night” (2011)

5. “Up All Night” (2011) COURTESY OF TEEN VOGUE

Ariel Baise | @arielbiancaa

ONE DIRECTION

ALBUMS

Read the full reviews online at lsunow.com/entertainment

Olivia Deffes | @liv_deffes

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SPORTS

page 9 TRACK & FIELD

VAULTING AHEAD

LSU men, women ranked No. 1 again

BY TJ POLK @thetjpolk

Haleigh Bryant and Elena Arenas each scoring an impressive 9.95 on vault to bring home the 13th and 14th-best vault titles in school history. This was the first SEC Championships meet for Johnson, Bryant and Arenas, and they showed fans that the future is bright.

Another positive from the meet was that LSU scored the highest vault score at an SEC Championships meet in school history. The Tigers posted an outstanding 49.625 score led by the two 9.95 scores from Bryant and Arenas to go with a 9.90 each from Sami Durante and Sarah Edwards and a

Following their strong outdoor performance at the 93rd annual Texas Relays, the LSU women’s and men’s track and field teams are both ranked first in the USTFCCCA rankings.

Six Tigers secured an event title, and LSU has a leading 25 top-10 national marks within the first two weeks of outdoor competition.

Terrance Laird ran a stunning 200-meter dash with a time of 19.81 seconds, making it the fastest time ever ran at the Texas Relays. With this performance, Laird left Austin with the Men’s Performer of the Meet and the second fastest time run in LSU history.

It was announced by USTFCCCA on Tuesday that Laird is the National Athlete of the Week.

Tonea Marshall won her second consecutive Texas Relay in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.75 seconds. Joining her on the charts was Alia Armstrong in second with a time of 12.85, Milan Young in fourth with a 13.06 mark and Brittley Humprhrey secured eighth place with a 13.41.

Damion Thomas ran a 13.22 in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, making it his personal best and his second career title at the Texas Relays. Thomas also broke the

see GYMNASTICS, page 10

see TRACK, page 10

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU gymnastics team throws up 10 fingers after senior all-around Haleigh Bryant’s perfect vault routine March 3, during LSU’s 197.875-196.175 win over Missouri in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on N. Stadium Drive in Baton Rouge, La.

LSU gymnastics heads into NCAA Championships with confidence

BY PETER RAUTERKUS @peter_rauterkus It is officially time for the NCAA Championships for LSU gymnastics.

The Tigers will travel to Utah next week for the regional rounds.

Coming off a runner-up finish in the SEC Championships, the Tigers enter the NCAA Championships as a No. 1 seed, with no shortage of confidence.

“I think we’re on an upward trajectory and they do too, they want it, they’re verbalizing that without being prompted and that’s a good sign,” said Head Coach Jay Clark during his weekly media

session.

After a season like no other for LSU, the Tigers can now shift all their focus towards achieving the ultimate goal: a national championship. Despite an abnormal season, the Tigers still put together many impressive meets and finished the season ranked inside the top four, securing them a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Championships. Apart from this giving LSU an advantage on the floor in the competition, Clark believes that it is a major confidence boost for his team.

“Any time you can be a one seed,” he said, “from a confidence building standpoint, it’s a great thing.”

LSU finished runner-up in the SEC after coming just one-tenth of a point behind SEC Champion Alabama. The loss was obviously disappointing for the team, but the Tigers were able to put some great routines together, giving them plenty of momentum heading into the NCAA Championships.

Kiya Johnson highlighted LSU’s best performances of the competition, scoring a perfect 10 on floor.

Her 10 makes her just the third LSU gymnast to score perfectly at the SEC Championships and marked the tenth ever perfect score by anyone at that competition.

The young talent overall was the story of LSU in the meet, with

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

LSU beach volleyball senior duo Nuss, Kloth are top pair in country

BY LILLIAN O’CONNELL @lillyoconnell1 The LSU beach volleyball team might have an unbeatable pair this season.

The elite senior pair of Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth can dig, spike and block like no other. They already won the AVCA National Beach Pair of the week this season. They will continue to try to outpace other teams for the remainder of the season.

They have both won AVCA National Beach Pair before, but with other partners. Nuss won with Claire Coppola in 2018, becoming LSU’s first pair to win the award. They won it again in 2019. Kloth and Kelli Greene-Agnew won last season together after being undefeated in Hawaii during the opening weekend.

“I think it’s quite the honor,” Kloth said. “The bigger thought I guess is probably what we’re working towards and that is winning a national championship.”

According to CBVB.com, Kloth and Nuss are considered the top pair on the top court in the country. They both have a 54.7 MoVR ranking. This is a rating system that relies on probabilities of beating opponents.

Even though the pair is undefeated, they still have many goals to achieve. They always give it their all in every match and set. They want to remain undefeated to help give the LSU team the guarantee they will always bring home a win. As a team, they want to win a national championship and a conference championship.

“A big strength for us as a pair is the trust we have in each other on and off the court,” Nuss said. “We genuinely just trust the other person.”

The pair has a great deal of confidence in each other. They both personally have their own goals they want to work on, but for now, they are happy with the way they have been playing together. The elite pair always hype each other up and give kudos to their strengths both on and off the court.

“We basically have a coach on the court and that is Kristen,” Kloth said. “Her beach volleyball IQ is unbelievable.”

When they first heard Head Coach Russell Brock would put them together as a pair, they were shocked. They had no idea what the lineup would be this year, but Kloth and Nuss will

both go and play where they are told to. They played together often during the pandemic and were really successful during that time.

They developed a deep trust already this season from both their time together during the

see TOP DUO, page 10

JALEN HINTON / The Reveille

LSU beach volleyball senior Taryn Kloth (12) hits the ball over the net during LSU’s 5-0 victory against Texas A&M Corpus Christi on March 20 at the Beach Volleyball Complex.

page 10 TRACK, from page 9 previous school record of 13.32 with his mark.

Jurnee Woodward won her second consecutive Texas Relay title with a personal best of 56.64. Woodward was followed by her teammate, Milan Young, who ran a 56.94, placing second.

The women’s 4x100 (Tonea Marshall, Favour Ofili, Symone Mason, and Thelma Davies) meter relay secured a title with a time of 42.87.

Katy-Ann McDonald became the first LSU woman to ever win the 800-meter at the Texas Relay.

McDonald made history with a time of 2:06:84.

Brittley Humphrey placed fourth with a time of 57.54 while

Thursday, April 1, 2021 freshman Leah Phillips ran a personal best of 58.19 during her Texas Relay debut.

Lisa Gunnarson set the school record in the women’s pole vault with a jump of 14-feet-9-inches.

Although Gunnarsson made history, she finished third overall.

Other notable performance over the course of the Tigers three-day trip to Austin include Thelma Davies placing third in the 200-meter (22.89) and the men’s 4x100-meter relay placing second with a time of 38.70. Jake Norris also secured second place with a throw of 227 feet and 1 inch in shotput.

The Tigers return to action at Bernie Moore Track Stadium April 3 in the Battle on the Bayou.

COURTESY OF LSU ATHLETICS

Terrance Laird crosses the finish line after making Texas Relay history in the 200-meter dash on March 28 in Austin, Texas.

TOP DUO, from page 9 pandemic and constantly playing with each other during practice. Sometimes they ask each other where they should be on the court, but the other always

responds by moving to where the other is not.

This intuition is what separates them from most pairs.

They don’t have to worry about being in a certain part of the court. Instead, they will just ad-

just to their partner.

“It is kind of like an understood language, like, ‘oh this is my ball,’” Nuss said. “We may not even be communicating all the time on the court, but we are sort of communicating.”

GYMNASTICS, from page 9 9.925 from Alyona Shchennikova.

Despite losing the meet overall, the vault title and Johnson’s perfect 10 on floor were among many positives taken away from the meet. From these successes comes confidence, a huge key for the Tigers heading into the most important meets of the season. Clark was adamant that the SEC Championships were a positive experience, and an experience that his team learned a lot from.

“We’re in a good place overall,” Clark said. “We came up a tenth short last weekend, but so many good things happened. I think we learned a lot.”

The Tigers get a week’s rest between the SEC Championships and the NCAA regional round to prepare and recover. During this time, Clark is putting an emphasis on togetherness and doing everything possible to keep his team engaged in everything they do.

“I think this time of year the key is to keep everybody engaged and focused on everything we’re doing together,” he said.

The team has shown at points throughout this season that it has

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU gymnastics senior balance beam and floor Christina Desiderio celebrates after her beam routine March 3, during LSU’s 197.875-196.175 win over Missouri in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on N. Stadium Drive in Baton Rouge, La. the ability to improve from week to week and can beat anyone when at its best. The team definitely seems to be peaking at the right time both on and off the floor, which is important this time of year. Apart from just improvement on the floor, Clark believes that this team is at its best attitude-wise.

LSU fans should have plenty of confidence in this team going into the NCAA Championships, as it has proved on multiple occasions what it is capable of when at its best. With an extra week to rest

and prepare, the Tigers will have a completely healthy and rested squad, and fans should have every reason to expect the best from this group. LSU will begin its quest for a national championship April 2 when they travel to Utah for the regional rounds.

“When a team can kind of take over their own mission and have a good understanding of where they’re trying to go and you’re not having to say a whole lot,” Clark said, “that’s a good feeling as a coach.”

OPINION

page 11

Student leaders crucial to University health during pandemic

BY VICTOR CASTELLON Guest Column The author of this article, Victor Castellon, currently serves as the president of the LSU Student Philanthropy Council.

If I told you this past year has been tough, I would not be telling you anything you did not already know.

What seems to save us through these times is our peers. Every day you encounter these people and, although you may know their names, you may not know who they are.

Who they are transcends the classroom (or the Zoom room.) It lies at the heart of the person.

When I first came to the University, I did not know who I wanted to be (and still don’t), but I knew where I wanted to end up — sort of.

I think giving yourself up to service is the greatest gift you can give anyone or your community.

Student leadership is where I found my passion, but it did not come fast or easy. I knew I wanted to better my community, but founding a student organization and serving two terms as president was not in my initial plans.

Frankly, if you had approached

me with that idea all those years ago, I would have said it sounded exhausting.

In my journey, I did not see it at first. I am glad I didn’t. It took someone taking a chance on me to realize that this need for service was bigger than myself, and I needed a strong group of leaders around me to make the impact I wanted.

That is where my desire to lead was born and has resided ever since — but it hasn’t always been that straightforward.

This past year has been the most I have ever been tested as a student leader. As soon as the pandemic rolled in last spring, I felt an immense sense of duty to ensure my members were having a good experience. Now, a year later, that has not dwindled.

When the world had so little to offer in any sense of hope, I wanted us to be that place where people can go to feel grounded and purposeful. In a time when students feel disconnected from their campus, I wanted the work we do to be the thing that helps them plug back into what matters most to them.

With everything going on, it is easy for someone to say, “this is not what I signed up for.”

But it is.

What you thought you signed up for was what you had seen in the past, but the present is right now. You signed up to be here — period. It is not what you imagined, but does it truly ever end up that way?

Student leaders have pushed through this year in remarkable ways, like overcoming COVID-19 restrictions to continue meetings and even rising up to plan fundraisers and protests, never shying away from empowering those around them to better their community.

That is why we need student leaders, because empowerment is a well you never want to run dry. You can ask any student leader and they will say that the title is just that — a title. The real commitment lies in the sacrifice that is sometimes hidden behind closed doors.

If you are reading this and you are a student leader, thank you. If you are not a student leader and are contemplating student leadership, you can and should do it. The most important part of a university is the students who fill it, and your tenacity could be just the thing that helps someone cross the stage.

Victor Castellon is a 22-year-old marketing senior from New Orleans.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

An LSU student walks through in front of Coates Hall on Mar. 3, in LSU’s Quad.

Who’s going to step up for the University in these hard times?

BUI WAS HERE ANTHONY BUI @da_bui_ I respect Interim President Tom Galligan and how he has stepped up after the departure of former University President F. King Alexander. He has, to the best of his abilities, done what is expected of someone in his position.

I do wonder, though, when this position will be filled permanently — and what exactly is slowing down the process.

Since Alexander left office in late 2019 and Galligan replaced him, the University has been experiencing anything but stability.

Hurricanes and ice storms ravaged our campus, causing it to repeatedly shut down for days at a time. The pandemic caused a huge shift in health and safety procedures and changed the way classes, organizations and events operate both on and off-campus.

Tiger Stadium, once filled to the brim with purple-and-goldblooded LSU fans, now lays fairly empty on game days. Classes that were once a melting pot of students from all sorts of backgrounds and experiences have now been reduced to names scattered across a screen with cameras off and microphones muted.

Lately, the University has made headlines again, but for the wrong reasons. Students are angry at how the administration has handled sexual assault allegations on campus. They seek true accountability and changes to the culture here at the University.

Some stability would be nice.

In the midst of all this, Tom Galligan has done his best to inform students of everything going on. As interim president, he could have easily taken a back seat approach to the whole thing and pawned it off on the next person in office.

Full disclosure: I have no idea what it takes to run a University. I

barely know how to properly use my toaster oven without turning my bread into two lumps of coal.

I have confidence in campus leaders and trust their authority. I have faith that they will keep proper watch over me and my peers.

But right now, we just don’t have that one person who will stand for us.

We lack the stability that a fulltime University president would give us. As interim president, Galligan has done all he can, but we can’t blame him for the current state of the University or expect him to do any more than he already has.

Any policy he sets is temporary. Any real changes can potentially be undone immediately after the permanent position is filled.

Any problem he chooses to attack will be a process that can be interrupted at any time.

We need a leader who will step up and take control now, not someone who will sit back and wait for all the allegations to go away and

things to go back to normal. We need someone who is willing to step in and face all of these problems head-on. Someone who will listen and come up with solutions.

Someone who wants the responsibilities and not just the title.

A true leader steps up when they are needed the most. The question is: who is going to step up for this university right now?

To my knowledge, there isn’t really a University president transfer portal like there is in sports. There isn’t a line of people knocking on Mike the Tiger’s glass asking for his blessing to run the University.

But I personally believe in giving Tom Galligan a shot.

He has been with the University since things started going downhill. I know little of his previous positions and accomplishments but I do know that he hasn’t abandoned us yet, despite everything.

I feel it is only fair. Give him the keys to this University, because only then, with the president position permanently filled, can we

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move forward as a student body and fix what needs to be fixed.

Anthony Bui is a 21-year-old English junior from Opelousas

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

A gavel lays on a coffee table in the LSU President’s Office on Feb. 3, 2020, during an interview. with

Quote of the Week “The first day of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year.”

Mark Twain Author 1835 — 1910

Thursday, April 1, 2021

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D E T T I M M O WE’RE C LSU IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING SEXUAL VIOLENCE SURVIVORS BY PROVIDING ROBUST RESOURCES AND SERVICES TO MEET THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. It’s our shared responsibility to create and maintain a campus environment in which sexual violence against people is not tolerated and to intervene in a safe way when we see a risky situation unfolding. It could be something as simple as asking for the time to divert attention. Standing up to intervene not only helps foster safety, but sends the message that this kind of behavior is not acceptable in our community. Being an active bystander helps to shape our campus community into one where respect, consent and responsibility are valued. Talk to your friends, practice ways to intervene because it’s everyone’s responsibility.

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