Men’s Basketball: Tigers fall to the Crimson Tide, 67-56, p. 5
Grad School: GRE content, format to change in August, p. 3
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Baseball: Tigers open season today against Wake Forest, p. 5 Friday, Feb. 18, 2011 • Volume 115, Issue 92
University professor Gregory Stone dies Matthew Albright Staff Writer
photo courtesy of JIM ZIETZ / LSU University Relations
University professor and coastal expert Gregory Stone died Thursday morning.
University professor and coastal expert Gregory Stone died Thursday morning, according to close friends. Stone, a Coastal Sciences professor and director of the Coastal Studies Institute, passed away around 9 a.m., according to family friend Rick Gregg. “Greg and his family were like my family,” Gregg said. “It’s a real loss for all of us.” Details about Stone’s cause of death were not available by press time.
Stone is survived by his wife, Anne, and his 16-year-old son, Carter. Stone’s research at the University focused on the effects of waves, tides and other processes on the coast, including coastal erosion. The Coastal Studies Institute earned millions of dollars in grants from a host of government agencies, including NASA, the Department of Defense and the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. When the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in April 2010, Stone was an oft-quoted expert
concerning the damage the leaked oil might cause to the coast. He was among the chorus of experts that warned oil visible on the surface was only part of the problem — oil further down in the water column existed, as well. Stone continued to be regularly consulted in the spill’s wake concerning the clean up and response efforts.
Contact Matthew Albright at malbright@lsureveille.com
HUMANITIES/SOC. SCIENCES
College to defend grad programs Editor’s Note: This is the fifth in a series of stories looking at 34 University programs under scrutiny. The Board of Regents, the body that oversees the state’s higher education system, labeled those programs “under-performing” Jan. 26. Matthew Albright Staff Writer
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences plans to challenge the six master’s programs and one doctoral program that were labeled “low completers” by the Board of Regents. “We consider these very important programs,” said Gaines Foster, the college’s dean. The programs are among the 34 at the University that appeared on a statewide list compiled by the Regents, which oversees the state’s higher education system. To escape the low-completer label, master’s programs must routinely produce five or more graduates a year. Doctoral programs must graduate two annually. Master’s programs up for review in the college include communication studies, French, Hispanic studies, philosophy, sociology and geography. “It’s devastating news to hear that these programs are being reviewed,” Foster said. Universities must submit proposals to the Regents by Feb. 28 detailing either how the programs can be consolidated or defending why they should HUMANITIES, see page 11
ADAM VACCARELLA / The Daily Reveille
Student Government President J Hudson discusses the state of the University on Thursday in the Holliday Forum. Watch a video of the address at lsureveille.com
Hudson, Borel focus on SG’s, University’s progress in town hall event Andrea Gallo Staff Writer
Student Government President J Hudson underscored the need for the University to live up to its flagship status by offering a multitude of programs at his “State of the University” address Thursday night in the Journalism Building’s Holliday Forum. “We are a flagship institution, and if you’re going to have a major, it needs to be at this one,” Hudson said. Hudson emphasized the need for students to join with him and SG to fight budget cuts and promote the University at the Capitol. “Student Government has no power if it doesn’t have students behind it,” Hudson said. “Your [local] legislator cares more about you than he does about me.”
Report Card SG Vice President Dani Borel said SG’s strength in fighting the cuts is its availability to administrators and its ability to represent different students and different perspectives. SG has “a lot of power,” according to Borel. Along with joining students together, Hudson stressed the importance of bridging the community gaps with other universities to support higher education amid the current budget crisis in the state. “It’s simple — we use our words,” he said. “A simple phone call can help legislators start thinking about higher education. We must gather together as a community of colleges and universities.” Hudson said he was frustrated with what he called the “number games” administrators play with the figures they use to represent cuts to LSU’s budget. Estimates have fluctuated from 23
percent to 35 percent, then to 32 percent and are now projected to be about 10 percent. Hudson and Borel said SG has worked to ensure transparency between administrators and students. “Our dedication to decreasing budget cuts is unwavering,” Borel said. Borel listed ways SG has worked to mitigate the budget cuts, referencing SG’s movement to create a committee to evaluate student recommended fees and assess the fee bill. Hudson and Borel expressed their views in favor of raising tuition as a way to supplement the budget cuts. Hudson said he’s in favor of the tuition increases if they will go toward making the University more nationally competitive, but if they are used to fill “budget holes,” SG won’t advocate their efficacy. BUDGET, see page 11