The Reveille 4-19-21

Vo lum e 129 · N o. 91

E s t. 18 87

Mond ay, A p r i l 19, 2 021 ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU’s spring game offers a glimpse into the program’s new roster and coaching staff

Read on

page 2 NEWS

p ag e 3

Student Government members plan to create a more representative mural in Allen hall across from the existing mural.

ENTERTAINMENT

p ag e 5

Find out what childhood TV channel the entertainment section crowns the best in the battle of the stations.

SPORTS

p ag e 9

LSU gymnastics gets bounced before NCAA championship for first time since 2015, finishes sixth overall.

OPINION

p ag e 11

‘I urge the Louisiana Senate to look into using subpoena powers to get answers out of University officials.’

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

page 2

‘JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE’

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

A lot of unknowns, potential and excitement displayed in spring game

BY HENRY HUBER @HenryHuber_ There were many questions surrounding the LSU football team heading into the spring game: some that were answered, and some that weren’t. These included questions regarding quarterback competition, defensive improvement and offensive weapons other than wide receiver Kayshon Boutte.

In terms of quarterback play, it seems like two quarterbacks, Myles Brennan and Max Johnson, currently lead the charge to take the starter job in terms of statistics and efficiency.

Both quarterbacks had strong performances with similar statlines, but Johnson ultimately edged out the veteran statistically, amassing 180 yards and two touchdowns on 64.7% completion percentage (largely carried by his second-half performance) compared to Brennan’s 125 yards and one touchdown on 60% completion percentage.

It’s hard to tell based on the numbers, but each quarterback displayed a lot of potential and smarts, rarely making mistakes.

Boutte had a lot of praise for his quarterbacks, calling the room the best quarterback room in the country and citing chemistry as a reason for it.

“All of them are getting better at times, we all are working on things, running off everything together,” Boutte said.

“We’re all together. I think they played good as a quarterback room.”

The other question LSU fans had related to their offensive attack was whether or not Boutte would have to carry the majority of the load for the squad. Boutte might have talent comparable to Ja’Marr Chase, but that 2019 team would not have been on

the same level without Justin Jefferson or Terrace Marshall Jr. All that needs to be said is that it appears he won’t need to have 300-yard games for this team to win.

Boutte still had an incredible game (11 catches for 162 yards and one touchdown), but senior Jontre Kirklin actually outpaced him by a pretty modest margin.

2019 team from the current one, he responded with a confident “most definitely.”

“You see the long passes, you see the big runs and you see the energetic, fun offense that everyone grew to know and love in the 2019 season,” Deculus said.

“We aren’t going to show everybody the little tools we’ve got up our sleeve right now. We’re

We aren’t going to show everybody the little tools we’ve got up our sleeve right now.

AUSTIN DECULUS

LSU Tigers left tackle

He had an insane 16 receptions, 209 yards and two touchdowns − a breath of fresh air for LSU fans everywhere.

It appears LSU has a solid one-two punch at wide receiver and Boutte agrees, believing his teammate to be underrated.

“He always did play how he did today,” Boutte said. “I honestly think he was slept on. He stepped up and showed that he could be a big wide receiver.”

With a strong quarterback room that contains clear startercaliber players, solid weapons at the receiver and running back positions and an experienced offensive line, this offense has the potential to be a nightmare for defenses everywhere.

The question on everyone’s mind after seeing what the team did at the spring game is: how will it compare to the 2019 team?

Left tackle Austin Deculus believes they are on the same level already. When asked whether or not he’s seen reminders of the

just scratching the surface.”

We did see flashes of that last season, particularly in the last two games, but something that was not replicated last season that the team had the season before was the dominant defense that held Texas A&M to seven points and Georgia to 10 in 2019. But it was a completely different story on Saturday.

The final score was 23-14, which was much lower than most people expected. This was due to LSU’s defense forcing the offense into a lot of mistakes and at the end of the day; they amassed a total of six turnovers and eight sacks.

There are two huge differences between this defense and last year’s defense. One: the defense is a lot more experienced, with a vast number of the underclassmen who played last year having a year of experience and training under their belts.

Two: they have a new leader at the helm, defensive coordinator

Daronte Jones.

It was clear that things were much different during the spring game. The offense was able to pull off big plays, but coverage was incredibly tight throughout and the defensive line and outside linebackers made it into the backfield many times against a very experienced offensive line.

Ed Orgeron gave a lot of credit to Jones, calling him a very talented coach. He also mentioned a defensive back that has flown under the radar, Dwight McGlothern, and stated that their secondary was the most improved aspect of the spring.

McGlothern took Eli Ricks’ position due to Ricks being injured and had a solid game, outpacing every defensive back on the field in pass breakups with four. Once Ricks returns, this secondary will be lethal, sporting Derek Stingley Jr., Ricks, McGlothern, Jay Ward and Todd Harris Jr. at safety.

Couple that with some solid inside and outside linebackers, a strong, experienced defensive line and a solid defensive coordinator, and you’ve got the potential for one of the best defenses in the country.

There are a lot of unknowns that won’t be answered until the regular season begins, but Orgeron has put a lot of work into improving this team and the players have done their part. There is still a lot of time to train and a lot of work to be done. This team has the potential to erase the rough memories that amassed over the last season, but only time will tell.

See more pictures from the spring game on page s 6-7

WHO STOOD OUT IN THE 2021 SPRING GAME? CO

CO

CO

U

L E TI C S

AT H

LS

LS

LS

AT H

U R TE SY O F

U R TE SY O F

U R TE SY O F

U

U

L E TI C S

AT H

NEWSROOM (225) 578-4811

Editor in Chief BAILEY CHAUVIN Managing Editor LARA NICHOLSON Digital Editor BROCK SANDERS News Editor KATHERINE MANUEL Deputy News Editor NICK FREWIN Sports Editor NATASHA MALONE Deputy Sports Editor REED DARCEY Entertainment Editor ENJANAE’ TAYLOR Opinion Editor GRACE PULLIAM Production Editor JENNIE DELATTE Multimedia Editor ABBY KIBLER

ADVERTISING (225) 578-6090

Layout /Ad Design SARAH FRANCIONI Layout/Ad Design EMILY POOLE Layout/Ad Design SAMIRA AWAD

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsureveille.com.

ABOUT THE REVEILLE L E TI C S

Max Johnson (14)

Kayshon Boutte (1)

Jontre Kirklin (13)

-Freshman quarterback

-Freshman wide receiver

-Senior wide receiver

-180 yards

-162 yards

-209 yards

-Two touchdowns

-One touchdown

-Two touchdowns

-64.7 completion percentage

-11 receptions

-16 receptions

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 CHANGED CULTURE

SG members work to create a more representative art featured in Allen Hall

BY JOSH ARCHOTE @JArchote

Members of LSU Student Government want to paint a more representative mural in Allen Hall across from the existing one, which depicts Louisiana industries and academics in the 1930s, but excludes African Americans, only showing them working in manual labor positions.

The first thing you’ll notice when walking into Allen Hall is the large mural lining the interior of the hallway. Those paintings, also called frescos, were completed by LSU art students in the 1930s.

The paintings depict various scenes of Louisiana’s agrarian landscape, industries and academics at LSU. Images of student workers in cane fields chronicle the strides the University made in the ‘20s and ‘30s in sugar research and cultivation. Another section by the staircase shows an all-white team of scientists working in a science lab.

African Americans are shown only working the fields, driving carts, packing cotton and dragging fishnets. LSU did not admit African American students until the 1950s.

page 3 ADMINISTRATION

LSU President gives Title IX updates

BY MADELYN CUTRONE & KATHERINE MANUEL @madelyncutrone & @kmanuel_2

ture and history, the only demographics that would be participating in those fields were white Americans,” du Plooy said. “So it makes sense why it was painted that way. But it needs addressal.”

Interim President Thomas Galligan gave an update on the University’s progress on reforming Title IX procedures Thursday, and answered other questions students have raised on campus.

“We have to train, train, train,” Galligan said. “Because empathy, culture shift, increased sensitivity, is going to come from awareness and knowledge.”

Galligan said since the Husch Blackwell report was released, the University has looked at the 18 recommendations and plans to implement all of them.

“We now have the 18 recommendations and an action plan that has 47 action items on it and we’re through a third of them,” Galligan said.

As for further sanctions against employees mentioned in the Husch Blackwell report, Galligan said there are “people who are definitely being looked at.”

“Our primary focus is probably on whether or not there ought

see MURAL, page 4

see GALLIGAN, page 4

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

A painting shows many people working in a scientific lab in an April 14, photo inside LSU’s Allen Hall.

An SG team wants to paint a new mural on the blank side of the wall across from the existing ones that would be more representative of Louisiana and the University’s demographics today, including contributions to the state and University by Black stu-

dents and other historically underrepresented groups.

Chemistry and biology senior Xander du Plooy understands why the mural was painted the way it was, but said times have changed since.

“At that time in Louisiana cul-

ENVIRONMENT

Pair of bald eagles found nesting by the levee near campus

BY HENRY WELDON @HankWeldon3 A pair of bald eagles are nesting along the Levee Bike Path, south of campus near River Road and Brightside Drive.

Greg Johnson, a photographer and birdwatcher, spends a lot of time observing the eagles when they make their way to Baton Rouge.

“I’ve run into a couple other photographers and I heard that somewhere along the levee, there’s a bald eagle’s nest,” Johnson said. “I pulled into an area to park my car near the path and I saw some people and said ‘I’m looking for an eagle’s nest.”

The nest is visible from the path and is supporting both a male and female eagle along with their eggs.

The bird was one of the first species placed on the Endangered Species List in 1973 before being removed from the list in 2007.

“The eagles have been coming back to the area for about 10 years now,” Johnson said. “The pair will come back and build a similar sized nest each year.

Around the beginning of Decem-

ber, they come back into town from the north. They don’t like hot weather.”

Bald eagles normally search for a mate and then stick together with their significant other for the rest of their lives. After building a nest, they’ll usually return each year, adding more material to it.

Throughout the process, their nests can become large. It’s not uncommon for some nests to grow five feet across, as bald eagles build the largest bird nests in North America.

“They’ll introduce their chicks to the world usually around Christmas or New Years,” Johnson said. “It’s a really great present for people who are into that thing.”

The massive nests that bald eagles are known for don’t always remain in the same spot each year. Johnson said that this pair of eagles originally built a nest near Farr Park but then decided to move even closer to the river, likely for better hunting and fishing, he pointed out.

“I have pictures of them carrying raccoons, catfish and ducks,” COURTESY OF GREG JOHNSON

see EAGLES, page 4

Two bald eagles have been seen nesting near campus.

Monday, April 19, 2021

page 4 MURAL, from page 3 Du Plooy is a senator for the College of Science and director of development in Student Government. Du Plooy and his team have been working to add a new mural in Allen since last summer.

“The new murals are going to be a testament to the culture and lifestyle of Louisiana and LSU today,” du Plooy said. “The ultimate goal that I proposed to everyone is that every student here at LSU can look up at that mural, find a piece of themselves and feel as equal partners at LSU. We want to show how the culture has changed.”

Du Plooy said the team is also considering adding plaques under the existing murals that would give historical context to the paintings, like that sharecropping and discriminatory laws were still prevalent in Louisiana in the 1930s.

Architecture sophomore and member of SG’s Art and Design Council Francis Dinh drafted the original proposal for renovations to the paintings in June 2020, which he shared with Student Government and University administration. He tweeted that he would have something done about the paintings before he graduates.

Although Dinh’s original proposal included completely remov-

ing the frescos, that option is no longer being explored, as it would cost close to $250,000 and would be difficult to get University approval for.

“Because LSU is an educational institution, and the murals are in a building at LSU, the idea of filling the empty space next to the existing murals to continue the narration, we agreed was more important and educational,” Dinh said.

Dinh also said that this is only phase one of the project, which will eventually include making more renovations to Allen Hall.

Progress to get funding has slowed down since the University’s recent Title IX scandals, Dinh said.

“The admin didn’t say no, but because they have so many things on hand, they probably won’t be able to process it right now,” Dinh said. “Once the admin has a chance to breathe, we can present that to them.”

In the meantime, Dinh and du Plooy are looking to get as much student feedback as possible on what the new mural should look like.

“This is a student project,” du Plooy said. “We want students to feel that they were integral in the process of creating these murals.”

They want to have the design plans in place by the end of the semester and begin working on

the project during the summer.

Dinh said there are three general design ideas right now: one would depict each college at LSU with notable figures from each.

Another would depict five notable alumni on each panel, with a procession of students behind them, similar to the Julian White mural in the Art and Design Building.

The last idea was to have the paintings depict some of Louisiana’s major problems today, and how students are contributing to solving them.

“This is our first step in hoping to prove that Student Government sees the issues in the murals and is fighting to address them,” Dinh said.

Former SG Vice President Hannah Barrios has also been talking to University administration about the project.

“I think it is so important that LSU becomes reflective of what our wonderfully diverse campus looks like today, and projects like these help create that,” Barrios said. “Students should feel comfortable and represented in all spaces on campus, and I hope that this addition can achieve that.”

Students who have suggestions or ideas about how the new murals can best represent the University student body today can contact du Plooy by emailing him at aduplo1@lsu.edu.

EAGLES, from page 3 he said. “A plethora of all kinds of creatures. They’ll take those creatures up there to feed their chicks.”

Johnson said he tries to get out and observe the eagles whenever he can. Considering how rare it is to see the birds, Johnson said he is glad that he gets the opportunity.

“You have to take a minute to stop and smell the roses,” Johnson said. “You’ve got to appreciate nature and all the things it has to offer.”

He said over time, the eagles have become more trusting and aren’t as hesitant to humans as they once were.

“I have a real strong connection with them,” he said. “They have a lot of pride and glory. I have a lot of respect for them.”

Although seeing the eagles can be exciting, Johnson said it requires a lot of patience. The birds operate on their own schedule and sometimes won’t come out of their nest, even if there’s a crowd to see them, he said.

“I got deemed as the eagle keeper,” Johnson said. “I make time for them. I appreciate the birds that much.”

While this spring has been quite the time for observing the eagles, last year was much different. Johnsons said the birds

GALLIGAN, from page 3 to be a shift of responsibility or a reallocation of work or moving someone to a different position,” he said. “And I think some of that is going to happen, and while that review goes on, I would expect that those people probably won’t be doing what they were doing before.”

Following the release of the Husch Blackwell report, the University suspended Executive Athletic Director Verge Ausberry for 30 days without pay and Senior Athletics Director Miriam Segar for 21 days without pay. No other sanctions were doled out following the report. Ausberry and Segar have already finished their suspensions and returned to their positions.

Both employees were supposed to undergo sexual assault training during their suspension. According to LSU Executive Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Rempe, Segar is working directly with the CEO of STAR (Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response) for weekly one-on-one sessions.

Rempe said Ausberry is working directly with the CEO of A Call to Men for weekly one-onone sessions. According to its website, A Call to Men is an organization that provides education and resources about “healthy manhood” and sexual violence.

Rempe said both employees will participate in Dynamics of Sexual Violence training through STAR and follow-up training recommended by STAR. “General counsel consulted with Husch Blackwell and looked

KRISTEN YOUNG / The Reveille

Interim President Tom Galligan discusses future of coronavirus testing for students and staff Sept. 23, 2020 in the LSU Foundation Center. at a bunch of training options before recommending the precise training,” Galligan said.

Galligan said the University will be looking at other schools’ examples of sanctions for noncompliance with Title IX. He said administration will look at the sanctions within the current Student Code of Conduct and see if any changes need to be made.

He said the administration has met with Tigers Against Sexual Assault, and he suspects that STAR will meet with students to discuss the parameters of updated Title IX training.

“We need you to help us solve this problem,” Galligan said.

“Students and the campus and our community, legislators, can’t help us solve the problem if they don’t know what happened.”

Members of the LSU Board of Supervisors have recently criti-

cized the Baton Rouge law firm Taylor Porter and called for the University to cut ties with the firm.

“Taylor Porter should be let go and never hired again,” Board Member Lee Mallett told the Advocate.

Galligan said Taylor Porter law firm has “several open files” with LSU still, including a “few litigation matters” and NCAA work.

“We are considering what our relationship will be going forward,” Galligan said.

The Department of Education opened two investigations into the University’s Title IX processes following the Husch Blackwell investigation. Galligan said the University is taking those investigations “very seriously.”

“We’re going to fully comply with any requests that they make,” Galligan said. “We are

complying with any requests that they make to make ourselves available and to make any documents available.”

Last fall, Galligan told the Reveille that he was interested and planned to apply for the position of permanent president. He said Thursday that he is still interested.

“Yeah, I’m thinking about it,” Galligan said.

LSU recently announced the Title IX office would be revamped and combined with Civil Rights to create a new office. Galligan said oftentimes civil rights, Title IX and ADA issues overlap, so merging them into a centralized office reduces confusion about where students should go to report those issues.

In a recent Board of Supervisors meeting, Interim Vice President for the Office of Civil Rights

never returned to their nest and he wasn’t sure when they would come back until he finally saw them again.

“It’s kind of a long story but another eagle came in and a big fight broke out,” he said. “The male eagle took off and never came back. He left the female by herself and she had to endure frigid temperatures. She was sitting on eggs and she couldn’t feed herself. I was heartbroken.”

Now, as the summer heat quickly approaches, Johnson said the eagles will soon head north again.

In the meantime, those who are interested in seeing them have just a few more weeks.

“The newborns are getting their hunting skills down now,” Johnson said. “They’ve been going down to the river’s edge and scavenging for food.”

He’s learned a lot of interesting facts about the eagles since he found an interest in them. He said bald eagles don’t get their white heads until they’re 5 years old.

Through his years of observing the birds, he’s gotten to see quite the show as well.

“I love it when mom or dad comes in with a fish and the youngins are out on a branch somewhere,” Johnson said. “They come in like a missile trying to get their share. I could sit there all day long and watch them.” and Title IX Jane Cassidy said LSUPD will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Title IX office. Galligan explained this requires any report of sexual assault submitted to LSUPD to be transferred to the Title IX office.

“It’s really less a memorandum of understanding as much as it is a directive,” Galligan said.

Since LSUPD officers are technically LSU employees, they are required to report any instance of sexual assault that they are made aware of to the Title IX office.

Previously there was confusion about this procedure because of an obscure Louisiana statute, but the MOU formally clarifies the reporting process. Galligan said he expects LSUPD to officially sign the MOU shortly, although it has already verbally agreed to do so.

LSU previously announced that the fall 2021 semester will likely return to pre-COVID-19 operations. It is unclear at this time what COVID-19 restrictions will remain in place during the in-person classes.

“I’m hoping that we are back in class, that we are face to face,” Galligan said. “Depending on where we are with the vaccination and what the CDC says, maybe we’ll have masks on. I think hopefully the fire marshall, the state and the CDC will allow us to be physically closer than we can be now. To everyone: get vaccinated. That’s the key.”

Galligan said over 5,000 students have already been vaccinated.

“That’s our ticket to getting back in the classroom, which we plan on, and getting faculty out from behind plexiglass,” Galligan said.

ENTERTAINMENT

page 5

BATTLE OF THE STATIONS GRAPHIC BY SOPHIE VAGIANOS

Nostalgia TV: Is Disney, Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network superior?

BY ENJANAE’ TAYLOR | @enjanae_t

BY ARIEL BAISE | @arielbiancaa Nothing was better than the shows and movies we got to watch as kids. For years many have asked; which station is the best? We’re here to answer that pressing question. This is the battle of the childhood stations: The 2000s was a renaissance for children and teen television shows on cable network channels, such as Cartoon Network, Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. This decade gave the world a plethora of new talent and iconic pop culture moments.

During the ‘90s, Nickelodeon produced iconic live action sitcoms and cartoons that defined a generation. Most of its shows from the ‘90s continued to air during the 2000s, which helped Nickelodeon’s success grow. Shows such as “Rugrats,” “Spongebob” and “The Fairly OddParents” further pushed Nickelodeon as a powerhouse. The network channel also produced several popular live action shows, such as “iCarly,” “Victorious,” “The Amanda Show” and “Drake & Josh.”

In the 2000s Disney Channel produced various impactful children’s shows, such as “Hannah Montana,” “Lizzie McGuire,” “Wizards of Waverly Place,” “The Suite Life of Zack of Cody” and “Phineas and Ferb.” Disney Channel took advantage of its popularity and often did crossovers, which resulted in high ratings.

These shows also produced several opportunities for merchandise, Disney World attractions and large budget movies.

From 1992-2004 Boomerang was a kid’s dream. The channel had iconic shows like “Tom and Jerry,” “Scooby-Doo Where Are You?,” “Looney Tunes” and so many more. Cartoon Network later showed iconic shows like “Codename: Kids Next Door” and “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends,” then later moved on to shows like “Adventure Time,” “Regular Show” and “Steven Uni-

verse.”

We can’t talk about Cartoon Network without mentioning Adult Swim. Kids all over the world were staying up and sneaking around to watch shows like “Family Guy” and “American Dad.” These shows may be leaving the network, but its most recent successful addition was the popular show “Rick and Morty.”

Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOM) were one of the major factors to why the television channel exploded in popularity.

“High School Musical” catapulted the channel’s popularity, with its sequel setting a record for the highest-rated premiere with 17.2 million viewers. Disney Channel branched out into more successful franchises such as “Camp Rock,” “The Cheetah Girls” and “Halloweentown.” Outside of the franchises, stand-alone movies also brought in several million viewers.

Hitting the ball out of the park in the ‘90s, Nickelodeon remained a top player. Unlike its competition, Disney Channel, Nick focused less on original television movies and leaned more on 60-minute specials for its cartoons and live action shows. “Rugrats: All Growed-Up” was so popular that it prompted the channel to produce a spin off, “All Grown Up!” Few shows had full movies like “Drake and Josh: Go To Hollywood” and “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.”

Though it’s a very close race, Disney wins for shows and movies based off of its success of its original movies and influential shows like “Hannah Montana” and “That’s So Raven.”

Legacy is important for TV stations. Let’s discuss some of the iconic moments that added to the success of these networks.

Nickelodeon’s legacy relies heavily on its iconic show, “SpongeBob.” Without a doubt, the name “SpongeBob” is familiar to most people with a television or phone. The SpongeBob Squarepants franchise is the

fifth-longest-running American animated series and has generated $13 billion for Nickelodeon.

Meanwhile, Nickelodeon is attempting to launch another relaunch of the “Avatar: The Last Airbender” franchise.

Obviously, Disney Channel has the most successful ex-acts.

Its 2000s stars have numerous opportunities to continue their careers in the entertainment industry. Thanks to “High School Musical,” “The Cheetah Girls” and “Hannah Montana,” Disney (and its competitors) created a blueprint for musical careers.

Of course, the stars of each network play a huge part in their legacies. Nick can forever claim Ariana Grande, and Disney has a long list of stars with great careers like Zendaya, Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers, just to name a few.

Cartoon Network is known for being the channel with shows either highly inappropriate or emotionally scarring, but of course, we have to give the channel credit for airing great cartoons, being that it is Cartoon Network.

Even though shows like “Spongebob,’’ “iCarly” and “Drake and Josh” are indeed iconic, Disney wins again for having the setup for success for many child stars.

Along with these popular networks being known for their great shows, they unfortunately have dark sides as well. Controversies play a part of a brands’ legacy, and these three have their fair share of them.

Along with speculation of inappropriate behavior from former producer Dan Schneider, who Nickelodeon cut ties with in 2018, childhood actors like Jeannete McCurdy have come forward to share their bad experiences working on the network. McCurdy discussed struggling with her eating disorder in an article she wrote for HuffPost and has recently confirmed she’s quitting acting for good on her podcast “Empty Inside,” resenting a lot of

her career.

Disney is known for being anything but “The Happiest Place On Earth.” Plagued with scandals, the network has also had many stars come forward to talk about their negative experiences.

Demi Lovato talked about how she dealt with her drug addiction also working at Disney as a teenager in her documentary “Simply Complicated.” She also explained how she felt “overworked” while filming “Sonny With A Chance” during the cast’s reunion.

Cartoon Network is no stranger to controversies as well. Just last year, Independent reported CN’s streaming service removed multiple episodes from shows like “The Boondocks” and “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” because of their “cultural sensitivities.” This probably comes as no shock to anyone who has ever seen any CN show.

No one really wins here, but the biggest losses suffered are by the child stars who had to endure these awful traumas.

Longevity and consistency are important to keep a network going and the brand’s repetition intact. To finish off this battle of the childhood stations, let’s take a look at where these channels are now.

Disney Channel is not as popular as it was in its heyday, but the channel is still creating original shows and producing stars.

Due to the variety of media and the emergence of social media, Disney Channel is clinging onto nostalgia of shows like “Hannah Montana” and pushing out new shows, such as “High School Musical: The Series.” Disney’s launch of Disney+ has helped the channel stay relevant to its former audience and to a new one.

Nickelodeon is currently grasping onto its hit show “Spongebob” and is not looking to end considering its two spinoff series in the works based on the other two main characters, Squidward Tentacles and Patrick Star. Similar to other channels

owned by Viacom, Nickelodeon replays episodes of its top shows without adding that much new content compared to the 2000s.

The channel still hosts the Kids’ Choice Awards. Nickelodeon is most likely either undergoing serious rebranding or relying heavily on its older shows on streaming platforms, such as Netflix and Paramount Plus.

Cartoon Network is now trying to hold on with reboots of popular shows like “Teen Titans Go!” and “Tiny Toons Looniversity,” even though fans of the original products strongly dislike them. It attempted a Boomerang subscription service, but that’s had a lack of popularity compared to Disney+. Adult Swim will mostly be the channel’s saving grace from here on out.

We talked to the rest of the entertainment staff and ran an Instagram poll to get more opinions on the big battle, here’s what people had to say.

Movie connaisseur Connor McLaughlin stated he chose Nickelodeon because it is the “home of Spongebob, iCarly, Fairly Oddparents, etc.” Pop culture expert Emma Jackimowicz said, “Disney Channel original movies were my favorite growing up. Nothing can beat that,” when explaining why she chose Disney as the best. Food finds founder Gideon Fortune supported Cartoon Network by simply stating, “Dragon Ball Z.” When asking followers what the best childhood network was on our Instagram stories, Disney and Nickelodeon were neck and neck, but they chose Nickelodeon as the superior station.

In the end, Disney is our winner because of its undeniably successful shows, original movies and long-lasting impact on the entertainment industry. Even today, Disney continues to produce musical stars and trending movies. Though all three channels hold a special place in our hearts, Disney wins the battle of the childhood stations.

Monday, April 19, 2021

page 6

Monday, April 19, 2021

SPRING GAME 2021

page 7

PHOTOS BY ABBY KIBLER

The LSU football white team defeated the purple team 23-14 during the 2021 spring game on April 17 at Tiger Stadium.

LSU football freshman quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (5) catches a ball.

LSU football head coach Ed Orgeron walks down Victory Hill with his team.

LSU football sophomore wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (1) looks at his team before the start of the game.

LSU football sophomore offensive lineman Kardell Thomas tackles senior wide receiver Jontre Kirklin (13) with junior running back Tyrion Davis-Price (3) by his side.

LSU football junior placekicker Cade York (36) kicks a field goal.

LSU football defensive coordinator Daronte Jones coaches his team during halftime.

LSU football fans fill up the stands.

LSU football junior cornerback Derek Stingley (24) looks in the crowd.

LSU football junior running back Tyrion Davis-Price (3) dodges his opponents while running the ball.

LSU football junior wide receiver Devonta Lee (16) tackles sophomore cornerback Raydarious Jones (29).

Classifieds

Monday, April 19, 2021

page 8

and click Submit an Ad

Now twice a week. To place your ad, visit www.lsureveille.com/c Costs: $0.34 per word per day. Minimum $3.75 per day.

Deadline: 12 p.m., three school days prior to the print publication date FOR RELEASE APRIL 19, 2021

Help Wanted

REEL IN SOME

business!

“I’ll get your feet back on the street !!” 225-308-1250 Easye123.com NOW HIRING - PROSHOP ATTENDANT Send resumes to proshop@bocagerc.org or apply at www.bocagerc.org/employment

make a

splash with

Boil Up

Some Interest!

YOUR

place a classified

business!

at

LsuReveille.com!

place a classified at

LsuReveille.com!

our classifieds are

TEA-RIFFIC! Place a classified at LSUReveille.com

Place a Classified today!

LSUReveille.com

smawe’re the rte st

Place your

classified

{ { HE RE

Place a classified at LSUReveille.com

Place a classified at LSUReveille.com

THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 Keep a stiff upper __; be brave 4 Hidden supply 9 Gregory Peck’s “Moby Dick” role 13 S.A. capital city 14 Going rate 15 Saga 16 Get a glimpse of 17 Workaholic’s need 19 Word attached to drums or phones 20 “Beauty and the __” 21 Ethel __; “I Love Lucy” role 22 Rowed 24 __ Jose, CA 25 Animals with stripes 27 Knowledge 30 Wax-coated cheeses 31 National symbols 33 Moving truck 35 Bart & Lisa, to Maggie 36 Unadorned 37 Rescuer 38 __ Aviv, Israel 39 Have confidence in 40 Russia’s Yeltsin 41 World __; October event 43 Lose temporarily 44 Certain core muscles, familiarly 45 “Same for me!”

46 Loosen 49 T-Mobile store purchase 51 Unusual 54 Apply skin lotion 56 __ row; unsavory district 57 Sickly-looking 58 Coronavirus symptom 59 __ in; surrounds 60 Get rid of 61 Uncovers 62 Football field divs.

DOWN 1 __ Marie Presley 2 Unlikely

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews

3 __ for; buy 4 Flings 5 Walk heavily 6 Isn’t well 7 “Take a hike!”

8 Witch’s spell 9 Be present at 10 Locks 11 “__ Like Love”; Ashton Kutcher film 12 Mercedes-__ 13 Director Spike 18 Collect & keep 20 Undergarments 23 Provides with weapons 24 Omen 25 Oomph 26 Adams & Falco 27 Word to the impatient 28 Failed to see 29 Shriver, for one 31 Respiratory bugs 32 __ Vegas 34 Prying 36 Harding or Hoover: abbr.

37 Party-giver

4/19/21

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

39 Region of China 40 Fisherman’s hope 42 Elevated 43 Ore seekers 45 Twelve 46 Men in striped shirts 47 Wordsmith Webster

4/19/21

48 Scrabble piece 49 Get ready for surgery, for short 50 Honey factory 52 Turns the light down 53 Dentist’s letters 55 Eerie saucer 56 Bashful

SPORTS

page 9

TIGERS TUMBLE

LSU gym faces frustrating loss in NCAA Semifinals

The LSU gymnastics team endured a bitter loss in the second session of the semifinals on Friday night in Fort Worth, Texas.

The team finished sixth overall in the championships and fourth at semifinals in Jay Clark’s first year as head coach after D-D Breaux left the program following 43 seasons. The Tigers put up an overall score of 197.5625, losing at a .525 deficit to top-scoring team Oklahoma. This will be the first time that the Tigers have not advanced to the championship round since 2015.

“That was a hard one to take,” Clark said. “It is obviously really disappointing, and the girls are

siderio started the event with a career-high 9.90. Freshman Sierra Ballard followed with the same score in her lone performance of the night, while Sarah Edwards kept the pace with another 9.90.

Bryant scored an underwhelming 9.875, which was thrown out in the end. Kiya Johnson anchored the event with a score of 9.125, her personal lowest floor score of the season.

The team then made its way to its strongest event, vault, for the second rotation. The Tigers had some great performances but somehow struggled to get bigger numbers on the board. However, they still pulled off a 49.5125 at the end of the event. SEC Vault Champion Elena Arenas could only manage a 9.8125, while

BY HENRY HUBER @HenryHuber_

Shchennikova scored a mediocre 9.8375. Notable scores came from Sami Durante, the sophomore Johnson, and of course, Bryant.

The senior pulled a 9.875 for the team, while Johnson matched a season-high 9.95. The vault anchor finished the event with her fourth 9.95 to win the title.

The Tigers made a switch to bars, leading the other three teams with a half score of 99.0125. Nevertheless, fans did not rest easy as the Tigers headed into their two weaker events, bars and balance beam. All-arounder Johnson opened up bars with 9.85 with freshman Chase Brock leading up with her career-high 9.875. Freshman Olivia Dunne and Shchen-

see GYMNASTICS, page 10

see TENNIS, page 10

LSU gymnastics sophomore all-around Kiya Johnson performs her balance 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.

hurting. We are all hurting. It will sting for a long time, but the future of this program is so bright, and we will use it as fuel to get better. This was a great team that did some special things. I would not want to be with anyone else on that floor tonight.”

Although LSU fans were disappointed with the loss, Haleigh Bryant’s vault title win gave them hope for the future of the program. The gymnast is only the second freshman in school history to earn an NCAA title and the seventh time that LSU has won the vault title, all under assistant coach Bob Moore, who has spent 22 seasons at LSU. LSU opened the night with a stellar rotation on floor, finishing at 49.500. Senior Christina De-

LSU men’s tennis has best performance of season No. 39 LSU men’s tennis (1211) faced its fourth top-25 team in a row and 12th of the season, competing against No. 18 Alabama (14-9) in its regular-season finale.

With this match being its last of the regular season, it was important. After struggling against some of the best teams the Southeastern Conference has to offer, a win here would help reestablish momentum heading into the SEC Tournament.

And with the way the Tigers played on Thursday, it would not be surprising if they made a splash in it.

“When you start four freshmen, it takes them a while to learn,” Coach Chris Brandi said, “and they finally learned their lesson today. A lot of them came up big. They did a great job at singles and doubles, and the guys that weren’t on the court did a great job.”

The Tigers started the match off well, serving the Crimson Tide with a blank in doubles and taking Courts One and Three with strong performances by their two ranked duos. No. 39 Ronnie Hohmann and Rafael

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

BY MORGAN ROGERS @morgan_rogers

MEN’S TENNIS

WOMEN’S GOLF

LSU women’s golf suffers heart-breaker in SEC quarterfinals

BY JOE KEHRLI @joekehrli9 Following a week full of record-breaking performances, LSU women’s golf fell to Mississippi State in the semifinals of the SEC Championship on Saturday.

During the quarterfinals that took place Saturday morning, the purple and gold were playing comfortably, hitting their targets and making their putts. They simply out-played No. 8 seeded Arkansas.

“I am extremely proud of the way these ladies played this week,” said LSU Head Coach Garrett Runion. “They fought until the very end. They did some pretty incredible things and broke some very impressive records.”

Later in the day, LSU was matched up against the No. 5 seeded Mississippi State who

dealt the team its final blow. All of the matches were close. LSU only recorded one win from junior Alden Wallace and one tie from sophomore Ingrid Lindblad.

Freshman Carla Tejedo Mulet and sophomore Latanna Stone lost their matches on 17. Senior Kendall Griffin lost her match on 18.

Although the Tigers ride at SECs has concluded earlier than hoped for, they will return to Baton Rouge and prepare for NCAA Regionals. The three-day regional event will be hosted by LSU at the University Club on May 10-12.

“Obviously, we’re disappointed we’re not playing in the final match tomorrow,” Runion said.

“But we still have two very important tournaments left in our season, and will use this as motivation to play well in regionals and nationals.”

JALEN HINTON / The Reveille

LSU women’s golf senior Kendall Griffin swings on April 7 during the LSU Classic Day at the University Club on Memorial Tower Drive in Baton Rouge, La.

page 10

Monday, April 19, 2021

GYMNASTICS, from page 9

TENNIS, from page 9

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU gymnastics senior uneven bars, balance beam and floor Bridget Dean looks down Jan. 8 during No. 3 LSU gymnastics’ 196.550-196.350 win against No. 15 Arkansas in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on N. Stadium Drive in Baton Rouge, La. realization that their 197.5625 score would have been more than enough in Semifinal I to allow the team to advance to Saturday for a final chance at an NCAA title.

“Obviously, this stings,” said the sophomore All-American Johnson. “This isn’t how we wanted our season to end. We tried our best. We fought to the end.

I’m just grateful we were able to get this far after having last year taken away.”

Wagner defeated No. 21 Patrick Kaukovalta and Riccardo Roberto 6-4. No. 83 Joey Thomas and Joao Graca would continue their impressive play as of late with a win to clinch the doubles point.

That success would carry over into doubles, where the Tigers had their best performances in the last few matches (possibly the season). Three courts held leads heading into the second sets, and other courts that had lost the first set would take the second.

No. 48 Ronnie Hohmann was the first on the board at Court One after a dominant performance against No. 47 Edson Ortiz. After going down in a game in what appeared to be an even match, Hohmann got emotional.

“I think his win today may have put him in the [NCAA] tournament,” Brandi said. “He beat a fifth-year senior who’s extremely experienced. After the second set, he killed him.”

However, he effectively attributed that emotion into his play and did not lose a game for the rest of the match. He ultimately won the match by a score of 6-3, 6-0.

LSU would quickly follow that with another singles point, with first-year Ben Koch having a robust performance on Court Six and winning 6-3, 6-1. Alabama

would avoid the sweep, however, with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Joao Graca.

With the score at 3-1, the last point the Tigers needed would come down to a three-set match.

Rafael Wagner, Benjamin Ambrosio and Boris Kozlov were all in a position to clinch the match for the Tigers.

Kozlov would be the decider, and halfway through the third set, it was difficult to imagine him losing. He won 12 of his last 13 games to earn the win for LSU. “They’re one of the best in the nation,” Kozlov stated referring to Alabama. “The fact that we were able to get the win at home against them means a lot.”

Brandi argues that this LSU team would be a top-25 program this season had it not been for its brutal schedule. He is proud that they were finally able to prove themselves, knocking off a strong SEC team.

“I knew we would knock off somebody,” Brandi said. “We’ve had chances all year against a lot of good teams, but we haven’t been able to close them out.”

“We’re a top-25 team, no doubt in my mind. But our schedule hasn’t allowed us to play at that type of level. We were just playing top-10 teams every week and in our sport, there aren’t a lot of upsets. It was a good day for the Tigers, for sure.”

E

I N V I G L G G U N I I D R P

S

nikova had stellar performances, both earning 9.90s.

True heartbreak occurred during bars anchor Durante’s final performance. The senior opened the routine strong but struggled to make her second connection to the low bar halfway through the routine.

“She’s hurting pretty bad, coupled with the emotional hurt.”

Clark said, “She did a pak salto, and from her second release from the high to the low bar, one hand slipped as she slid down the bar, caught her elbow, and smashed it pretty hard. I didn’t think she could finish, but she did.”

Durante took a moment to prepare herself to wrap up the routine. She finished with a half-in, half-out to stick a flawless landing and garner a 9.2500. The anchor has never recorded a score lower than 9.7 in her four years at LSU. The shock not only caused some emotional turmoil for the senior, but for the rest of the team as well. The energy and confidence from the Tigers seemed to drop as they headed into their final rotation of the night on beam.

“Sami doesn’t normally fall on bars,” Johnson said. “It was scary, and it rattled some people. I thought we got back in the zone, but I’m not so sure.”

Senior Desiderio kicked off the event with a low 9.725, her

lowest beam score of the season by far. Bryant stepped in last minute for Durante, who was too injured from her bars performance to compete again.

As Bryant unexpectedly stepped into the all-around division, the North Carolina native pulled off a whopping 9.925, garnering LSU’s highest beam score of the night. Sophomore Schennikova, who wasn’t having the best night, continuously stumbled on the beam without managing to completely fall. Her score was later thrown out at 9.4375.

Bridget Dean scored her nearlowest beam score of the season at 9.8625. Refusing to crack under pressure, senior Reagan Campbell anchored the event with a steady and controlled performance but only received a 9.7750. The purple and gold closed out the meet with their lowest rotation score, a 49.1750.

As for the all-around division, Bryant finished in third place at 39.625, while Johnson came in sixth with a score of 39.600. The freshman claimed a new careerhigh on beam at 9.925.

“It’s definitely an honor,” Bryant said. “In the back of my head, I wanted to win at nationals, though we focused on wanting to win a national championship as a team. I just wanted to do what I needed to do for the team.”

Frustration settled on top of the Tigers’ suffering due to the

OPINION

page 11

University officials shouldn’t have covered for Les Miles SULLY’S SCOOP CLAIRE SULLIVAN @sulliclaire Last week, Associate Athletic Director Sharon Lewis announced a $50 million lawsuit against the University. The list of defendants includes the LSU Board of Supervisors, F. King Alexander, Joe Alleva, Verge Ausberry, Les Miles and Miriam Segar, among others.

Lewis alleges that the University athletic department and Taylor Porter — the law firm hired to investigate sexual harassment claims against former Head Football Coach Les Miles — “entered into a conspiracy to hide Les Miles’ sexual harassment investigation from federal officials and the public and to retaliate against Ms. Lewis.”

In a recent interview with USA TODAY, Lewis chronicled Miles’ behavior and the alleged retaliation she received for not giving in to his gross demands.

According to Lewis, Miles told her she was hiring “too many fat girls, Black girls and ugly girls” in the athletics office and pressured her to start hiring women he saw as more attractive or even to allow him to be directly involved in the hiring process.

When she refused, Miles became aggressive to the point that Lewis would hide under her desk to avoid him.

During this time, multiple sexual harassment allegations were made against Miles by women working in the athletics department.

One woman came to Lewis “very upset about something that had happened when she was alone with Coach Miles.” Other employees recalled that the woman looked “completely traumatized.”

Lewis immediately reported this to Senior Associate Athletic Director Miriam Segar, but athletics employees told Husch Blackwell that “the University never did anything about it.” The woman in question soon “fell off the face of the Earth,” Lewis said.

Husch Blackwell determined that these claims were handled inappropriately and expressed concern at the lack of evidence that the women who brought allegations against Miles were ever informed of their rights or given proper resources or support.

As noted in the Husch Black-

well report, Lewis said she “repeatedly expressed her concerns [about Miles’ behavior] to various athletics administrators and she felt those reports ‘went nowhere.’”

Lewis also alleges that when she told her fellow athletics employees about the harassment from Miles, she was told she should either do what he wanted or find a job at a different university. She describes feeling isolated and humiliated and explains that the culmination of these stressors ultimately caused her to have a mental breakdown.

Husch Blackwell noted that the University never investigated Lewis’ allegations. In fact, Lewis was the only athletics employee ever subject to a Title IX investigation, something Husch Blackwell called “ironic.”

Lewis’ claims build upon a point made in the Husch Blackwell report: the University went to great efforts to bury the Les Miles harassment cases.

“Again, there was no file of this matter at the University,” the report reads. “Instead, the report regarding the investigation was intentionally stored offsite at LSU’s outside counsel’s office and with Miles’ attorneys.”

The University’s files — both in the HR department and in the Title IX Office — contain no documentation of the serious accusations made against Miles.

The fact that the University went to such lengths to ensure that its own Title IX Office did not have any record of allegations made against one of the most powerful figures on campus is deeply troubling.

Lewis’ allegations are consistent with a culture in the athletics department that would go to the ends of the Earth to shield the reputation of the University and its head football coach, damning the women who were harassed and intimidated in the process.

Together, the findings of the Husch Blackwell report and the claims made by Lewis lead to a disappointing yet unsurprising conclusion: the University places little value on the well-being of women on campus.

Interim President Tom Galligan can point to the new action plan all he wants, but the University still fails to address some of the most stomach-churning revelations of the past few months. It seems the only major failing the University is willing to grapple with is the severe

BROCK SANDERS / The Reveille

The legal team representing LSU Associate Athletic Director Sharon Lewis in her $50 million lawsuit against the University hosts a press conference on April 7, in front of the 19th District Court. underfunding and understaffing of the Title IX Office, as well as the poor wording of the Title IX mandatory reporting policy.

However, neither of those issues — as important as they are — explain the disgusting shortcomings of the University in regard to Miles. I would also be hesitant to even categorize those particular issues with the Title IX Office as recent revelations, as the University has, in fact, known about and ignored them for years — that is, until a PR nightmare came to town.

I am sick of the University pretending that those issues — understaffing, underfunding and poor policy wording — are where this problem starts and ends.

The University covered up sexual harassment allegations against its head football coach for years, and now Lewis alleges retaliation against her for refusing to fall in line with the inaction and passive acceptance of Miles’ behavior that categorized much of the rest of the athletics department.

Those who were both complicit and actively involved in these profoundly unethical acts remain at this institution. The job

security enjoyed by University officials who multiplied the pain of survivors, disregarded moral and legal boundaries and ignored disturbing allegations truly boggles the mind.

The University responded to Lewis’ lawsuit coldly: “Following the press conference by her counsel, we believe that this lawsuit is an attempt to take advantage of the situation for personal benefit. We intend to defend these claims vigorously and not let it distract us from our true goals of improving our university.”

What the University fails to acknowledge is that recognizing the merits of Lewis’ claims is an essential step to “improving“ our University. In fact, there is no moving forward at all until these claims are addressed and thoroughly investigated. The fact that the University sees uncovering the truth as incompatible with resolving the historical Title IX failures on this campus is extremely telling.

Instead of taking Lewis’ allegations seriously, the University is capitalizing on them.

After numerous University officials already declined to come to

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Bailey Chauvin Lara Nicholson Katherine Manuel Nick Frewin Grace Pulliam

Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor Opinion Editor

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com 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.

the Louisiana Senate Select Committee on Women and Children hearing, the University had the audacity to claim that no one from the school was going to testify because of the Lewis lawsuit.

It’s clear the University intends to use the Lewis lawsuit as a shield from future public testimony. Frankly, it looks like the administration was ready to abandon its “commitment to transparency” at the first available opportunity.

Since we can’t do it the easy way, I urge the Louisiana Senate to look into using subpoena powers to get answers out of University officials. The facts are immutable, and this lawsuit should not prevent employees from testifying.

The University is eagerly waiting for the dust of the past few months to settle, for the news cycle to turn over and for the public to move on. Well, it can keep waiting, because there will be no peace for this admin istration until there is accountability.

Claire Sullivan is an 18-year-old coastal environmental science freshman from Southbury, CT.

Quote of the Week “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

J. R. R. Tolkien Author 1892 — 1973

Monday, April 19, 2021

page 12

Tips on living in freshman housing from a real RA SAUCE BOSS CÉCILE CÉCILE GIRARD @_cegi_ By night I may be an impossibly cool opinion columnist, but by day I am merely a resident assistant in a freshman residence hall.

As an RA, I know what goes into making Residential Life tick, and I’ve seen what residents can do to take full advantage of their year in freshman housing.

However, as someone who was also a painfully shy and anxious freshman, I know what stumbling blocks prevent first-year college students from engaging with their building communities. So, speaking as both an RA and someone constantly convinced that I am just one wrong move away from ridicule, here are four tips that may reassure anyone moving into on-campus housing next year.

First, do not be afraid to overshare with your RA. Seriously. At the risk of revealing too many industry secrets, I will say that RAs submit monthly logs of their interactions with residents and weekly reports of trends on their floor.

Your RA would much rather be approached by you than have to hunt you down for a conversation, and talking through an issue

or experience with them will only benefit you. They can connect you with resources and people you may not even be aware exist, or they can just serve as a good sounding board for your emotions and anxieties.

Second, keep an eye on programs happening in your building, college or in the wider campus community. It feels cliché to say “put yourself out there”, and I know how intimidating it can be to go to events alone.

However, I promise you that no one will see you at a program and tell everyone later about what a loser you are. If it helps, pretend instead that everyone is obsessed with your aura of mystery.

Once again, RAs are desperate to attract residents to their programs, so even if you show up briefly, you will be making an RA happy.

Third, if making friends at programs is too big of a jump for you, start by studying in public spaces and study rooms within your building. It will passively invite more outgoing people to talk to you and strike up friendships.

My freshman year, I was writing a paper alone in a Laville Hall study room when a beautiful oceanography major and his friend stopped in to ask if they could use the space too. I acquiesced, and we later had a wonderful conversation about deep-sea

CARTOON BY MADISON CARLSON

fish (swoon.) This could be you!

Lastly, if all else fails, don’t beat yourself up for spending time alone. One Harvard study showed that over half of college freshmen assume they have fewer friends and are having less fun than their peers, proving that a healthy amount of college loneliness is due to skewed perceptions and not your social dysfunction.

It may seem like everyone else in your building has an entourage of friends, but remember that these are just the most visible people — there are countless freshmen out of sight, watching a movie in their rooms, studying at a coffee shop off campus.

Worrying that you’re not having enough fun isn’t productive, but learning about your interests while you’re alone is.

Transitioning to college can be difficult, and living in communal housing can be even more so. When it becomes too daunting, just remember that you’re the main character on campus, and everyone else is just an extra in your coming-ofage movie.

Cécile Girard is a 21-year-old psychology junior from Lake Charles.

Campus is unsafe for students, LSU officials do not care SPILL THE TEA WITH MARIE MARIE PLUNKETT @MarieC_214 The past year has been brutal.

There are only so many disasters that we can take, and between the pandemic, police brutality, mass shootings, hurricanes and the Husch Blackwell report, I really thought the residents of Baton Rouge had gotten through the worst of it — but then this next wave hit.

Our students, it seems, are suddenly in grave danger. Local news outlets are currently overflowing with reports of students dying or being attacked or assaulted. One student was stabbed at Southeastern, another student had her door kicked down by her Uber driver, a third student was stabbed and bitten by another student in an attempted carjacking.

While the perpetrators have been arrested in all three of these cases, the atmosphere of fear on campus remains at large.

The tragic news of the deaths of Kori Gauthier and Layne Gravois hit our community hard— especially amid the onslaught of violence terrorizing our campus, which prevented many students from having the time or mental capacity to process the grief.

As if this sudden terror wasn’t

bad enough, a rumor has started circling campus of a serial killer targeting young women. BRPD since released a statement advising the public to look to official sources and not social media for details about crimes and criminal activity, assuring the public that the previous cases are unrelated.

Regardless of if the alleged serial killer is real or not, it can’t come as a surprise to anyone that students are suddenly on edge and looking for danger everywhere they turn. Given the administration’s poor response to sexual assault and abuse allegations, most of us don’t exactly have high expectations of campus safety.

The University has proven that it does not genuinely care about the safety of its students. It cares about its reputation and public image, but not about bringing justice for those who have been wronged or even about preventing future tragedies.

After the crazy few weeks we’ve had, the University still hasn’t said anything about increasing security on campus, putting in place new policies or creating new resources for students in danger. While I understand those things take time to begin and feel that the stated intention to do so is still a major step towards healing the relationship between the University and its students, officials have not yet made a good faith attempt to even begin imple-

menting new safety measures.

Scrolling through the University’s official Twitter account, it’s hard to imagine that anything could be out of the ordinary. Posts about a summer tuition discount and alumni statistics disguise the retweet from Tom Galligan about Kori’s death and the post containing a link to WBRZ’s article on the rumors going around campus.

The University has proven not only that it is an increasingly unsafe place for students to live, work and exist, but also that it doesn’t care. No amount of discounts on summer sessions is going to make the University any safer or make students any more willing to risk their lives to live or work on campus.

It’s time for the University to actually make some changes. We

have seen too many cop-outs this semester alone and we need to see some real changes. LSU, when are you going to step up to protect your students? We are being attacked on your campus and you are failing to do anything. You’re failing us. Do better.

Marie Plunkett is a 22-year-old classical studies senior from New Orleans.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

An LSU student saunters through the Quad during a charming morning in front of Coates Hall on March 3.