With recent bomb threats plaguing universities all across the country, Southern University addresses its plans when it comes to dealing with such threats.

“Of course the University will release info to students and staff before we start making statements to the public.” Edward Pratt, Assistant to the Chancellor for Media Relations said.

According to the Southern University Emergency Response Plan, in the event that a bomb threat is received during normal business hours, University police will be immediately notified in which an immediate evacuation of the campus would ensue.

Ronald Stevens, chief of the Southern University Police Department, said “Within five minutes of receiving news of a bomb threat, a first call alert will be issued followed by officers going to classes to alert faculty all around campus.”

Launched back in 2008, the FIRSTCALL system is 24-hour telephone warning system that will alert the Southern University family about critical information, warnings

and advisories concerning emergencies on campus.

“As soon as a threat is received, the info would go out immediately through all the campus media we use, text, email, etc…” SUBR Chancellor James Llorens said.

In regards to evacuation procedures the campus Emergency Response Plan includes routes with the primary route being Harding Boulevard, the secondary route being Swan Street

North of Harding, and the alternate route being Mills Avenue, which is the only street on the North side of campus.

“For students that live off campus, they would be evacuated through the campus buses, Llorens said.

With LSU having to perform a campus-wide evacuation for a bomb threat they received on the seventeenth of this month, many students on campus wonder if Southern could be next.

Justin Thompson, a freshman Business major from Baton Rouge said, “The only emergencies I’m used to on campus is hurricanes, I don’t know what would happen if the University received a bomb threat.”

LSU wasn’t the only university targeted as three other institutions; Hiram College, North Dakota State University and the University of Texas at Austin were also forced to evacuate their campuses due to bomb threats recently.

Tasha Henderson, a junior Accounting major from Baton Rouge said, “I’ve heard about bomb threats at places that are really close to Southern, I just pray that we don’t get any because we missed enough class

Southern University’s Financial Aid office is planning an upcoming relocation to better suit students needs after relocating to A.W. Mumford’s field house due to a campus blackout.

They will relocate the office near other student service outlets for a shorter stop to correct the customer service problems.

Ursula Shorty, Director of Financial Aid for six years, told of their recent return to the right office.

“It feels great, we were only out of office one day at the field house,” Shorty said.

She mentioned the reason for movement was because of a loss of electricity.

Darian Singleton, sophomore, nursing major from Baton Rouge, spoke on the new planned Financial Aid facility.

“It will be kind of better,” Singleton said.

He said it would be a good

move.Meoni Amaya, a sophomore,

business administration major from Los Angeles, acknowledged the location change of Financial Aid office.

“I think it will be awesome,” Amaya said.

Cache’ Carry-DeCuir, a sophomore, apparel merchandising major, thought the new facility would benefit the freshmen most.

“That’s going to make everything a lot easier for Freshmen,” Carry-DeCuir said.

She said it would avoid the run around that normally takes place for student services.

Shorty is looking forward to the new facility.

“We’re excited, and we have looked at and participated in planning of the structure,” Shorty said.

She told of how it will be closer to other student service offices and Admissions as well as how they are eager for move.

Singleton spoke of some improvements he would want

to see inside the new facility.“Just somebody there to

answer a few more questions,” said Singleton. He said he would like to see more tips and pamphlets on how to manage money as well inside of the new facility.

Amaya told of new physical aspects she would want to see in the new facility.

“Better waiting areas,”

Amaya said. She said her past

experiences sitting in rooms with random material in them was uncomfortable..

Carry-DeCuir said the new facility should provide better communication because of technology.

“My last problem was not being notified early enough when there were issues,”

Carry-DeCuir said. She said she hopes new

technology in the facility will provide immediate assistance in communication.

Shorty expressed her appreciation for the student patience in old facility.

“I want to thank students for cooperation and making a smooth transition during the blackout time,” Shorty said.

Exclusive content @

thE official studEnt nEwspapEr of southErn univErsity and a&m collEgE, baton rougE, louisiana

today wednesday thursday friday

90/65 89/66 89/67 88/67

Tuesday, sepTember 25, 2012 www.southerndigest.com

Obama: Libya attacks not mob actionsee State & Nation, Page 4

SU track coach to see familiar face at meetsee Sports, Page 5

What happened to real music?see Commentary, Page 7

Volume 59, Issue 8

“Within five minutes of receiving news of a bomb threat, a first call alert will be issued followed by officers going to classes to alert faculty all around campus.”

Ronald StevensChief, Southern University Police Department

See bomb ThreaT page 3

Students wait in line in A.W. Mumford Field House on the third floor after the Financial Aid Office was moved to the field house due to power outages. Financial Aid looks to a relocation of their office to better serve Southern University students.

photo by AriAnA triggs/digest

Charles hawkins iiThe Southern Digest

Financial Aid seeks to upgrade

Southern systems ready for threatsMarCus Green

The Southern Digest

sU-rAcetrAc pAtrnershipGood day all you Southern

Fans, We have an exciting partnership with RaceTrac that extends beyond the field this season. From today until the end of the calendar year RaceTrac will be partnering with Southern University to help provide funds for the university. The RaceTrac location down the street across from the airport at 3730 Harding Blvd. will be 5 percent back to Southern University on all (non-fuel) inside sales. Just let the store associates know that you want your purchase to go towards Southern. They will take care of the rest. Let’s help fuel Southern Programs.

Here is how the program works:

·Location of Store is 3730 Harding Blvd.

·Barcodes are located at the store that will be scanned with each qualifying purchase

·All non-fuel inside sales will post a 5% return to Southern

·Program dates: Saturday 9/22 until 12/31

·Patrons will need to state that they would like their purchases to count towards Southern in order to be scanned

·Scan will flag the purchase as a Southern Qualifier. That is how we track ring counts and purchase amounts.

MArie broWn schoLArshipThe Southern Digest/Mass

Communication Alumni Association is looking to award a deserving mass communication major with $500 to help toward their education.

Applicants must be currently enrolled mass communication majors, and must provide an official copy of his/her transcript to show he/she is in good academic standing with the university. Applicants must also write a 500-word essay explaining to the scholarship committee how he/she would use the money, why the scholarship is important and

how it would enhance his/her education.

All materials may be e-mailed to fredrick_batiste@subr.edu or hand-delivered to Fredrick Batiste in the Office of Student Media, located in 1064 Harris Hall. The deadline for applications is Oct. 5 at noon.

The winner will be presented the scholarship Friday, Oct. 12.

For more information, call 225.771.5812.

cAMpUs pArKingAttention: all student

vehicles operated on the Southern University campus must be registered and parked in their designated areas as follows: commuter students: east and west side of Mumford Stadium (excluding the field house). Ballentine RV lot, Rows 2, 3 and 4 (between School of Nursing and Laboratory School). Zone 110, northeast corner of B.A. Little and Jesse N. Stone Avenue. North campus residential area (beyond north checkpoint). This is temporary parking only, until the activity center parking lot opens.Law School school students: must park in lot next to the SU museum and ROTC. residential students: must park in the area of their residence hall.

stUdent Union ActiVities

The Smith-Brown Memorial Union is open on Friday in the game room with bowling alley and Burking King. Note: half price game room and bowling alley.

JUnior sUrVeyTired of being left out. Want

your opinion heard… want your junior year to be the best. Go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/x9mlwyh and fill out a quick five-minute survey. Juniors only please!

css pAper serViceThe center for student

success is excited to announce our paper review service! free service 24 hour turn-around period feedback provided we

check: sentence structure, clarity, thesis statements, spelling, etc. call or stop by the center for student success for more info. Stewart hall Rm 107 Call for more info (225)771-4312

FArrAKhAn coMes to sUCome and hear the Honorable

Minister Louis Farrakhan on Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. at F.G. Clark Activity Center. The doors open at 5 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Sponsored by The Nation of Islam Student Association Southern chapter. For more info call 225.357.3079.

page 2 - Tuesday, sepTember 25, 2012

Campus lIfeThe senTInel of an enlIghTened sTudenT body sInCe 1926

classifiEdthe southern digEst is not responsible for the contents, promises, nor statements made in any classified and reserve the right to reject any ad request with explanation. No classified ads will be accepted or processed over the telephone and must accept the type font sizes of the digEst.

all classifiEd must bE paid in advancE by cashiErs chEcK or monEy ordEr. no pErsonal chEcKs accEptEd. students must have proper id and phone numbers to get student advertising rates.

rates do not apply to students who are representatives & employees of the com-pany. in the event an error is made in a classified ad, immediate claims and notice must be given within 15 days. the digEst is only responsible for onE replacement or run in the next publication. Classified are due ONE wEEK prior to run date.

paid classified can be ordered by contacting the student media advertising manager at 225.771.5833.

pagE 2 / campus briEfsall submissions must be received by 3 p.m. each friday prior to tuesday’s issue and by 3 p.m. each monday prior to thursday’s issue.

PAGE 2 is only available to officially registered campus organizations, southern university departments. all briefs should include a date, time, contact name & number.

submit announcements to:the southern digEst - suite 1064 harris

hall, attn: pagE 2

corrEctionsFact and accuracy is our goal and our job. As the voice of the southern university student body we are committed to ensuring to most fair, truthful and accurate accounts of our work. in the event of an error we will make all corrections on page 2.

bring corrections to the southern digEst office located in Suite 1064, Harris Hall.

ISSN: 1540-7276. Copyright 2012 by The Southern University Office of Student Media Services. The Southern DIGEST is written, edited and published by members of the student body at Southern University and A&M College.

All articles, photographs and graphics are property of The Southern DIGEST and its contents may not be reproduced or republished without the written permission from the Editor in Chief and Director of Student Media Services. The Southern DIGEST is published twice-weekly (Tuesday & Thursday) with a run count of 5,000 copies per issue during the Southern University - Baton Rouge campus fall, spring semesters.

The paper is free to students, staff, faculty and general public every Tuesday & Friday morning on the SUBR campus. The Southern DIGEST student offices are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. The offices are located on the first floor of T.H. Harris Hall, Suite 1064.

The Southern DIGEST is the official student newspaper of Southern University and A&M College located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Articles, features, opinions, speak out and editorials do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the administration and its policies. Signed articles, feedback, commentaries and features do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors, staff or student body.

Southern University and A&M College at Baton Rouge is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, telephone (404) 679-4500, Website: www.sacscoc.org.

MISSION STATEMENTThe mission of Southern University and A&M College, an Historically Black, 1890 land-grant institution, is to provide opportunities for a diverse student population to achieve a high-quality, global educational experience, to engage in scholarly, research, and creative activities, and to give meaningful public service to the community, the state, the nation, and the world so that Southern University graduates are competent, informed, and productive citizens. Website: www.subr.edu.

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who’s speaking out?

“I think Southern’s football team will do great with the new coach. Change is for the better.”

“We’ve won an important game already, so I see progress.”

“I think with the talent we have and the new coach the sky is the limit.”

“I think the football team will be great with a better coach.”

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MARINA, Calif. — In the Central California coastal town of Marina, a $7 million desalination plant that can turn salty ocean waves into fresh drinking water sits idle behind rusty, locked doors, shuttered by water officials because rising energy costs made the plant too expensive.

Far to the north in well-heeled Marin County, plans were scrapped for a desalination facility despite two decades of planning and millions of dollars spent on a pilot plant.

Squeezing salt from the ocean to make clean drinking water is a worldwide phenomenon that has been embraced in thirsty California, with its cycles of drought and growing population. There are currently 17 desalination proposals in the state, concentrated along the Pacific where people are plentiful and fresh water is not.

But many projects have been stymied by skyrocketing construction costs, huge energy requirements for running plants, regulatory delays and legal challenges over environmental impacts on marine life. Only one small plant along Monterey Bay is pumping out any drinking water.

From Marin County to San Diego, some water districts are asking themselves: How much are we willing to pay for this new water?

“We found that our demand for water had dropped so much since the time we started exploring desalination, we didn’t need the water,” said Libby Pischel, a spokeswoman for the Marin Municipal Water District. “Right now, conservation costs less than desalination.”

Desalination plants can take water from the ocean or drill down and grab the less salty,

brackish water from seaside aquifers. Because of their potential impacts to marine life, the California Coastal Commission reviews each project case-by-case.

There was great fanfare in 2009 when the last regulatory hurdle was cleared to build the Western Hemisphere’s largest desalination plant in Carlsbad, north of San Diego.

At the time, it was proposed that the $320 million project would suck in 100 million gallons of seawater and be capable of producing 50 million gallons of drinking water a day. It was expected to come online by this year.

Since then, the plant owner, Poseidon Resources LLC, has been negotiating a water purchase agreement and is close to clinching a 30-year deal with the San Diego County Water Authority, a wholesaler to cities and agencies that provide water to 3.1 million people.

The compact is essential for Poseidon to obtain financing to build what has become a $900 million project, which includes the seaside plant and a 10-mile pipeline. The San Diego agency hopes the plant opens in 2016 and anticipates desalination will account for 7 percent of the region’s supply in 2020. It estimates the cost is comparable to other new, local sources of drinking water, such as treated toilet water or briny groundwater.

Interest is still high, but “people are realizing that desalination isn’t a magic fix to the state’s water issues,” said coastal commission water expert Tom Luster.

Water can be de-salted in different ways. Poseidon’s project will use reverse osmosis to separate salt from water. Other plants shoot ocean or brackish water at high pressure through salt-removing

membrane filters. Because pumps must be used constantly to move massive amounts of water through filters, these facilities are extremely energy intensive.

Also, in many cases, desalinated water is pricier than importing water the old-fashioned way — through pipes and tunnels. And it is cheaper to focus on conservation when possible: new technologies like low-flow toilets and stricter zoning laws that require less water-intensive landscaping have helped curb demand in communities throughout the state.

Desalination has been around for years in Saudi Arabia, other Arab Gulf states and Israel, which last year approved the construction of a fifth desalination plant. The hope is that the five plants together will supply 75 percent of the country’s drinking water by 2013.

The process also has helped ease thirst in places such as Australia, Spain and Singapore. Experts say it has been slower to catch on in the United States, mainly because companies face tougher rules on where they can build plants and must endure longer environmental reviews. Poseidon, for example, is facing opposition by environmental groups over its proposed plans to build another facility in Huntington Beach. The company has received several permits for the Orange County project, but still needs approval from the coastal commission.

About six miles south of the ghost desalination plant in Marina, the mechanical whir coming from a nondescript cinderblock building in a Sand City industrial park is the only evidence that the state’s sole operating municipal desalination plant is at work.

The $14 million facility

has the ability to produce up to 600,000 gallons a day of drinkable water for the town of about 340 people. Sand City’s plant now produces half that amount each day; a third is used by the city with the rest sent elsewhere in Monterey County.

City leaders hoped to develop the former military town into an artsy, Bohemian beachside destination. With no other possible water options, they turned to desalination. “We’re just like Saudi Arabia. There’s nowhere else to get water and we want to develop,” said Richard Simonitch, the city’s civil engineer.

It’s not that easy in Monterey Peninsula, where regional water use from development has exceeded its yearly rainfall replenishment and desalination is one of the only options available.

Proposals have been fraught with mistakes, political infighting and scandal, and have cost Monterey area ratepayers

tens of millions of dollars.Earlier this year, state

utilities regulators rejected Monterey County’s desalination plan, citing problems with environmental review. The plan was also mired in alleged corruption by a county water official, who now faces criminal charges.

Still, desalination will be an important part of the Central Coast’s future: the state ordered water suppliers to stop drawing from the Carmel River, its main source of the precious resource, starting in 2017. Even officials in Marina, with its shuttered plant, see a future in which demand will require their current desalination plant to resume operation and are planning another, larger plant to help make up for the expected water loss.

“Water politics in Monterey County is a blood sport,” said Jim Heitzman, general manager of the Marina Coast Water District.

bomb ThreaT from page 1

newsTuesday, sepTember 25, 2012 - page 3

southerndigest.com

The senTInel of an enlIghTened sTudenT body sInCe 1926

aliCia ChanG &JasOn DearenThe Associated Press

Map shows existing and proposed locations for desalination plants along California’s coast.

grAphic by AssociAted press

www.southerndigest.comget online @

from Hurricane Isaac.”Even though LSU is about twenty

minutes away from campus, an even closer location the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport which is about

ten minutes from Southern’s campus was evacuated last Thursday when a call came about a bomb in the airport’s parking garage.

“We’ve heard about these recent

threats and if we needed any added assistance in the event one should arise, we would contact the Baton Rouge City Police and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sherriff’s Department,”

Stevens said.LSU, along with the other three

institutions, as well as the Metro Airport were all declared safe after extensive searches.

Desalination no ‘magic bullet’ for Calif. woes

The U.S. Justice Department asked Monday to join a class-action lawsuit that accuses Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman of overseeing a jail that routinely subjects prisoners to brutal, inhumane conditions.

“The Orleans Parish Prison is a violent and dangerous institution,” the federal agency said in a request filed in New Orleans federal court, seeking to be included as a plaintiff in the lawsuit filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center contending the jail’s conditions violate the U.S. Constitution.

Federal officials have been investigating the Orleans Parish Prison since February 2008, chronicling what they say are repeated instances of jail officials refusing to correct conditions that leave prisoners vulnerable to attacks and rape from other prisoners and their guards.

Gusman is accused of running a prison that doesn’t provide proper medical and mental health care, fails to protect prisoners from physical and sexual violence, ignores requests for help, offers inadequate monitoring and treatment of suicidal prisoners, and houses inmates in unsafe and unsanitary facilities.

The Orleans Parish sheriff is “engaging in a pattern or practice of violating the constitutional rights of prisoners” at the prison that houses about 2,500 inmates and has shown “deliberate indifference” to complaints, the Justice Department says in its legal request.

Gusman’s office didn’t immediately respond to calls for comment Monday.

The sheriff has previously said his office was improving its deputy training and inmate conditions to respond to complaints. Gusman’s also accused the Justice Department of making “sensationalized comments” to try to pressure his office to reach a consent decree.

Monday’s court filing says a settlement has been reached to make improvements to prison operations and the settlement will be submitted to the federal judge if the Justice Department is approved to intervene in the case.

“We are hopeful that we can reach a negotiated resolution of this case in the near future and put in place a comprehensive blueprint for sustainable reform,” Thomas Perez, an assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement.

NEW YORK — President Barack Obama said Monday “there’s no doubt” that the assault of the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans including the U.S. ambassador “wasn’t just a mob action” but a sign of extremism in nations lacking stability. His words about the Libya killings were his most specific since the White House called it a “terrorist attack” last week.

“What’s been interesting, just this past week, there were these massive protests against these extremists militias that are suspected, maybe, of having been involved in this attack,” Obama said during the taping of an interview on ABC’s talk show program “The View.”

The White House initially said the storming of the consulate attack was a spontaneous assault tied to ongoing protests over a video that ridiculed the Prophet Muhammad, but has since broadened its answer to say an investigation will show what ultimately happened.

Obama and first lady Michelle Obama taped the show — a clear pitch to women voters — in New York the day before the president addresses the U.N. General Assembly. The interview, a mix of policy, politics and personal tidbits, will air Tuesday. Obama made a solo appearance on “The View” in July 2010, drawing an estimated 6.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen. The first lady appeared on the show in late May,

where she discussed family life and the re-election campaign.

Asked if a Mitt Romney presidency would be a disaster, Obama hardly disagreed with the sentiment, replying that the nation can “survive a lot.” He added: “The American people don’t want to just survive, we want to thrive.”

Obama pointed to Romney’s assertion that it is fair for a person with a $50,000-a-year income to pay a higher percentage of their earnings in taxes than someone who makes millions from investments. Romney said a low capital gains tax rate encourages economic growth and encourages people to invest.

“I’ve just got a different vision about how we grow our economy,” Obama said, adding that such growth is faster when the middle class is doing well.

Discussing the stresses of the presidency, the first lady described her husband as having an even temperament. “He doesn’t have emotional shifts; he’s very steady,” she said. “I’m one of the few people who can really make him mad.”

Asked how, Obama joked: “By being thoroughly unreasonable.”

In recalling his hardest day of the last four years, Obama cited the August 2011 downing of a Chinook helicopter by a rocket-propelled grenade in Afghanistan that killed 30 American troops. Obama later flew to Dover, Del., to pay tribute to the troops.

“It’s very raw in those moments and it reminds you that freedom’s not free and these families are taking enormous strain and ours troops are making enormous sacrifices,” Obama said.

LOS ANGELES — A judge on Monday cleared a former Los Angeles gang member of a murder that kept him in prison for 19 years, as prosecutors said they were convinced the lone eyewitness, who recently recanted, had been lying about the 1993 killing.

Applause from family and friends erupted in the courtroom as Judge Patricia Schnegg vacated the murder conviction of John Edward Smith, who appeared in court in a jail jumpsuit and was expected to be freed by the end of the day.

“Thank you for the opportunity to do justice,” Schnegg told lawyers for both sides after she announced her ruling.

Among those cheering the decision was pop star Chris Brown, whose probation hearing involving the 2009 beating of his then-girlfriend Rihanna was set to follow Smith’s case.

The 37-year-old Smith was 18 when he went to prison. He maintained he was at his

grandmother’s house with family members when the shooting took place blocks away in a gang-infested area on Sept. 9, 1993.

He said he knew nothing about the crime until his mother called to tell him about it.

The only eyewitness — a victim who was shot and survived — said police pressured him to identify Smith as the shooter.

Smith’s exoneration was pursued by Innocence Matters, a Torrance, Calif., public interest law firm.

The eyewitness, Landu Mvuemba, met with Innocence Matters representatives in 2010 and immediately blurted out that he had lied at the trial, according to court papers filed by attorney Deirdre O’Connor, who heads the group.

“Within the first two minutes of the interview, Mvuemba recanted,” O’Connor wrote. Mvuemba was 16 at the time of the shooting.

He told representatives of Innocence Matters, “The police told me they knew who did it,” a defense motion stated.

He said police pointed to Smith, whom he had known in elementary school, and told him other witnesses had identified Smith as the shooter. Mvuemba said he also was shown a photo of his friend, DeAnthony Williams, who died in the shooting, and he said, “I felt a lot of pressure to go along

with it.”The two victims had been on

the street examining the scene of another shooting the night before when a car pulled up and someone opened fire.

Mvuemba said he tried three times to tell authorities that he didn’t see enough to testify but his pleas were ignored.

This undated image provided by Deirdre O’Connor shows john Edward Smith posing with his grandmother, Laura Neal. prosecutors went to court to seek dismissal of charges against a former gang member convicted of a drive-by murder in a gang infested neighborhood of Los Angeles 19 years ago.

photo by deirdre o’connor/Ap photo

MelinDa DeslatteThe Associated PressBen Feller

The Associated Press

page 4 - Tuesday, sepTember 25, 2012

sTaTe & naTIonThe senTInel of an enlIghTened sTudenT body sInCe 1926

southerndigest.com

DOJ joins Orleans lawsuit

president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama appear on the ABC Television show “The view” in New York, Monday.

photo by pAbLo MArtinez MonsiVAis/Ap photo

Libya assault not mob action

Judge clears former gang leader of murder

linDa DeutsChThe Associated Press

Thursday marked the completion of the newly resurfaced basketball court, a court soon-to-be named after Brooklyn Nets head coach Avery Johnson in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

Johnson played point guard for the Jaguars in 1986-88 and led the nation in assists his senior year with 13.3 per game. As a professional coach Johnson holds the highest winning percentage in NBA history and set the record for reaching the 150-win plateau.

“It resurrects tradition and the people that has helped our program to be on top, and for this fl oor to be named the Avery Johnson fl oor and to have his signature on it just says volumes about how we feel about the respect what the others have done for our program as we try to keep the respectability by winning basketball games,” men’s basketball head coach Roman Banks said.

This is the fi rst time the court has been totally resurfaced to its bare wood since men’s and women’s basketball moved to the center in 1976, in the past the court has only been screened and recoated every four years.

The new court cost around $20,000 to get done, according to athletics director Dr. William Broussard.

“We are trying to make the facility a lot more attractive for a number of reason one

being when people visit we want them to leave with a good impression of Southern University,” SU Manager of Operations Welton Bowie said.

The court has a new center logo that has a Columbia blue and gold SU design, and around the borders is a darker stain with the school’s name around the edges.

Derick Beltran, a shooting guard for the men’s team, said that the improvement is well needed and with a new court, new team, and a new coaching staff, brings a new generation of what’s to come with southern university men’s basketball team.

“It’s going to be exciting, based on what we did last year our fan base is where it needs to be,” Beltran said. “I feel that we got the student body as well as the community back to how it was in the 80s and early 90s when we were winning all those games.”

But with the improvements to the court raises the issue with the Minidome roof. The roof was damaged in hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Gustav, which causes it to leak whenever it rains.

How far along the university is in getting a new roof is unknown, but Bowie insures that the roof is a top priority on a list of improvements to the Minidome.

“Pricing on how much it would cost to get the roof fi xed on the mini dome hasn’t been estimated upon, but they do know that its going to be a project that’s going to need help from the state,” Bowie said.

The new court is just another addition

to the slew of improvements the athletics department is doing to improve the face of Southern athletics.

“We just want make sure that we can do as many upgrades to the facility that would help attract even more students to come to activities that’s here not just for homecoming week but to come to functions over here and feel good about the facility when they leave in terms of the look and cleanliness and everything else about it,” said Bowie.

Two years ago Brian Johnson took control over the men’s and women’s cross-country teams at Southern University. Today, he’s preparing those teams for Saturday’s competition at McNeese. Not to mention racing an old coach.

“The way the coaching situation was over there, it just took him a while to get things going,” McNeese coach Brendon Gilroy said, who coached Johnson while at Iowa (La.) High School near Lake Charles. “Brian’s done a fantastic job over there.”

Johnson’s coaching career started at SU after former interim coach Tinnequo Lightfoot-Ross resigned. She replaced longtime coach and SU alum Johnny Thomas, who died of prostate cancer in 2009.

Soon after, then athletic director Greg LaFleur appointed the NCAA champion and former Olympian Johnson interim coach, a position he would soon fulfi ll.

Gilroy gave Johnson a few words of wisdom and reminded him that there were things he can’t control.

“I’m learning that everything takes time,” Johnson said, awaiting the refurbished track and fi eld in Mumford Stadium. “It’s a softer surface and great for training. My kids are ready.”

Johnson’s team will continue its non-conference schedule this weekend, eyeing a Gilroy squad that received a No.7 preseason ranking in the South Central region by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

“I think we’re going to be up for the challenge,” Johnson said. “We have some good key people who are running better

than what they would be at this point in time.”

Johnson said his teams performed well and was satisfi ed with their efforts last weekend in LSU’s Invitational at Highland Road Park.

“That course was hard,” Johnson said.

On the men’s side, which fi nished eighth behind Jackson State, were by led Willie Williams, who fi nished 22nd of 52 runners in an 8k by posting a time of 29 minutes, 22.8 seconds. Not to mention, Williams earned a top-10 fi nish in an 8k meet at the Ragin’ Cajuns Invite September 14.

Daniel Simon fi nished 47th, clocking in at 38:41.6 while John Haynes and Ernest Sip

placed 48th and 49th. SU’s women fi nished eighth

also with 213 points in the team standings 44 points behind JSU, who were sixth.

Angelica Caraballo ran a time of 25:16.4 in the 6k to fi nish 34th, Amber Crews fi nished in 26:08.8 to come in 41st, Shanelle Zenon fi nished 53rd with a time of 28:59.2, Shannon Jone-Butts fi nished 55th and Jade Meyers fi nished 59th.

“We’re all Division I,” Johnson said. “I really don’t see it as non conference even though we do have SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) at the end of the year. We’re all prepared the same each week, so there’s no difference between this and conference.”

Morris DillarD iiiThe Southern Digest

tuesday, sePtember 25, 2012 - Page 5the sentinel Of an enlightened student bOdy sinCe 1926

sPOrtssoutherndigest.com

aristiDe PhilliPsThe Southern Digest

Johnson to see familiar face

Southern track and field head coach Brian Johnson, left, puts his cross country runners through the paces during practice Monday. Johnson and the Jaguars travel to Lake Charles Saturday for a meet at McNeese State.

PHOTO By aRielle BuRks/DigesT

Brooklyn Nets head coach Avery Johnson, left, will recieve another accolade from his alma mater as workers completed resurfacing the basketball court that will bear his name at the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

PHOTO cOuRTesy OF su sTuDenT meDia

Avery Johnson court fi nished

After a long week of distractions and drama with the dismissal of Stump Mitchell as head coach, the Jaguars got their fi rst win of the season.

Under the leadership of interim head coach Dawson Odums the Jags ended a three-year losing streak against rival Jackson State 28-21.

“We had a great week of practice considering the situations that we were facing and the adversity we were under,” Odums said, “I take my hat off the assistant coaches and the players for just coming together and understanding that we have to go out and play football.”

Southern got their moti-vational spark early through special teams thanks to an 86-yard kickoff return touchdown by defensive back Jaleel Richardson.

It didn’t take long for SU special teams unit to make another big play when fullback Lee Mitchell blocked JSU punter Michael Perkins kick to put the Jaguars in good fi eld position inside Jackson state territory.

On the other side of the ball, “I thought we were ready, we had a great week of practice I thought that we were ready to go out there and perform for a beautiful crowd,” JSU head coach Rick Comegy said.

On the Jaguars fi rst play of scrimmage after the turnover, they went for a touchdown when quarterback Dray Joseph connected on a 25-yard pass play to wide receiver Mike Berry who fi nished the game with fi ve receptions for 117 yards and two scores.

Defensively the Jaguars were able to intercept both of Jackson State’s quarterbacks who saw the fi eld.

Linebacker Anthony Balancier picked off quarterback Clayton Moore in the fi rst quarter and D’Mekeus Cook , got his hands on the ball intercepting Jackson State backup quarterback Dedric McDonald in the second quarter.

“We just couldn’t generate anything early and couldn’t put any points on the board,” Comegy said.

Southern’s next score came in the second quarter when Joseph connected with wide receiver Thomas Jackson on a four-yard pass.

Nearly three minutes into the third quarter SU scored it’s fourth touchdown of the game when Joseph connected with Berry again on a 60-yard pass.

At this point SU had a 28-0 lead going into the fourth quarter, and one would think that the game is over… not so fast.

Southern answers the call

aristiDe PhilliPsThe Southern Digest

LOS ANGELES — A judge has ordered a further review of Chris Brown’s community service and travel to determine whether the R&B singer has violated the terms of his probation for the 2009 beating of then-girlfriend Rihanna.

Brown appeared in court Monday for the first time in more than a year, and Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg tried to sort through Brown’s probation record and the impact of a positive marijuana result during a random drug screening. Schnegg said community service logs from Brown’s home state of Virginia were “somewhat cryptic” and additional review was needed to determine whether he had complied with his probation.

A spreadsheet sent by the Richmond, Va., police chief indicated Brown had completed 1,402 hours of community service, ranging from trash pickup, to washing cars, painting and tending to stables.

Brown spoke briefly during the hearing, telling Schnegg that he wasn’t required to sign in when performing his service.

His lawyer, Mark Geragos, welcomed the inquiry and said he expected to show that Brown had complied with all his probation terms.

The judge said Brown produced a medicinal marijuana prescription from California and that she had never ordered him not to use drugs, so the positive drug test may not have a major impact on his probation.

She warned Brown that while his marijuana use may have been legal, he needed to be mindful of his public image and his sway with young fans.

“You are not an average person who can sit in their living room and do what you want to do,” Schnegg said, noting that Brown’s mother was sitting in the audience of the courtroom. “You are not only in the public eye, but you are on probation.”

Brown has had several high-profile incidents that have drawn negative attention, including a bottle-throwing New York City nightclub brawl involving his entourage and a group accompanying Drake. Brown received a cut on his chin, and neither entertainer was ever charged. A woman in Miami has also accused

Brown of taking her cellphone away after she tried to take pictures of him outside a South Beach nightclub, but the singer has not been charged in that incident.

Schnegg urged him to be careful going forward.

“You should be mindful of obeying all rules of the courts,” Schnegg said. “A lot of people look up to you — a lot of kids. What you do and what you say impacts other people.”

Brown was sentenced to five years

of supervised probation after pleading guilty to felony assault for his February 2009 attack on Rihanna. Before Monday, he had received positive reports from probation officials and praise from Schnegg. The judge ordered Brown to return to court Nov. 1 for another update.

Virginia officials also reported that Brown may have traveled to Paris without permission, but Schnegg said she has approved most of the singer’s travel and would have to review that claim further.

After the release of Apple’s iPhone 5, sales reached an all time high of 5 million sold, Southern University students chose Apple or Android for their own reasons.

Students weighed battery life, the Apple name, screen size and cost among their considerations.

According to an Apple press release there were more than 100 million iOS devices that were updated with the iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system.

Before the phone could even be released last Friday, the Apple website had already sold out by selling nearly 2 million phones within two hours of its presales.

Students on Southern University’s campus agreed that the iPhone 5’s sales were high because of the newest product Apple had produced.

Montoya Thomas, a junior, social work major from Gabriel La., said, “I think a lot of people bought it cause it’s the newest phone. I have a lot of my friends that have the newest phones. I saw a lot of my peers with the iPhone 5, so I do think a lot of people bought it.”

Thomas said that she doesn’t believe the iPhone 5 sold more than the iPhone 4 or the Android phones.

“A lot of people who had

iPhone 4S felt that the iPhone 5 was the same thing. I do think that Apple is better than Android because I had an Android and my phone died a lot,” Thomas said.

Thomas said within 2-3 hours her Android phone would die.

“An iPhone could last about all day. I didn’t want it at the time. This is my first Android and I didn’t think that it was going to die fast, now I want an iPhone,” Thomas said.

Maghan Eugene, a junior, nursing major from Destrehan, La., said she thinks a lot of people bought the iPhone 5 cause she thinks a lot of people like to be the one to have the newest gadgets and they like to be up to date.

Eugene said that the apple is the type of phone that she has.

“I got it and I think it’s the best,” Eugene said.

She said that battery life on the Android is not bad.

Eugene said she had an HTC phone and the battery did not last.

“It was horrible,” Eugene said.Eugene said after a while the

battery starts to run out faster and in an iPhone, the battery lasts much longer. And the phones last longer too. I know people with iPhone 3 and it’s still working like its brand new.

Eugene said that Android phone batteries are worst on the market.

Anne James, a sophomore,

psychology major of Baton Rouge said that she does not think a lot of people bought the iPhone 5 because of the price of the phone.

“The price is way too high, Since I’ve never had an Apple phone, I would have to say that Android is better than Apple,” James said.

James chose the Android not just for the price but, the screen size.

“Me, personally, I like big screens on my phone and Apple phones are just too small. I like the big screens, so I could just operate stuff,” James said.

Brandy Davis, a senior, accounting major of Baton Rouge, La., said she doesn’t know if the iPhone 5 sold a lot or not.

After Davis found out that the phone’s sales peaked at 5 million she said, “ That’s a lot.”

Davis said that the Apple phones are much better to have.

“To be honest with you, I’m just an Apple fan,” said Davis, “I haven’t had any other phone, other than a Nokia,” she said.

Davis said that she does not want to try an Android operating phone.

According to USAToday.com, the opening weekend for the iPhone 4S nearly a year ago sold only 4 million units with the iPhone 5 beat it by 1 million units in sales.

The sales included pre-orders, in stores and online.

The Wall Street Journal’s website said that the iPhone

has powered Apple to become the world’s largest company by value, and the newest version is seen as critical to the company’s continued success.

WSJ said that the new iPhone comes amid heightened competition from new phones that are powered by Google Inc.’s Android software and Microsoft Corp.’s Windows system.

Currently, the iPhone 5 is available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the United Kingdom according to the Apple press release.

The iPhone 5 will be available in 22 more countries on September 28 and more than 100 countries by the end of the year.

Christie CarralThe Southern Digest

anthony MCCartneyThe Associated Press

Chris Brown performs during the 54th annual Grammy Awards, in Los Angeles. A judge in Los Angeles ordered a further review of Brown’s community service on Monday, Sept. 24, 2012 and set another hearing to determine whether the singer is in compliance with the terms of his probation for the 2009 beating of then-girlfriend Rihanna.

PHOTO By maTT sayles/aP PHOTO

A staff member of Apple Inc. shows the iPhone 5 to customers at the Apple store in Hong Kong. Apple Inc. said Monday that it has sold more than 5 million units of the new iPhone 5 in the three days since its launch, less than analysts had expected.

PHOTO By kin cHeung/aP PHOTO

CulturePage 6 - tuesday, sePtember 25, 2012 the sentinel Of an enlightened student bOdy sinCe 1926

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Students choose iPhone for looks

Judge seeks more review of Chris Brown’s probation

Unfortunately, I’m a 90’s baby so that means all the music before and briefly after that was undoubtedly considered ‘real’ music. I’m not an expert on rap or any genre, but I can honestly say that I enjoy it. Mind you, I like REAL music. Not the current mainstream garbage that is constantly played on the radio. I’m not saying that if you were born after the 90’s then you don’t know what good music is, what I’m saying is music started it’s drastic decline around that time.

Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s rap music was considered a cultural sensation, it was rebellion, struggle, pain, and poverty through lyrics. Each song conveyed a message. I’m not going to be a hypocrite and say all rap music was meaningful; a conservative estimate would be 25 percent of it just jammed. Whatever it was, it was relatable and thought provoking.

Rap, Hip-hop and R&B have always been a part of my culture. I remember my mom jamming Lauryn Hill and Tupac while cooking and washing dishes when I was little. I grew up on lyrics like “Let’s love ourselves, then we can’t fail to make a better situation. Tomorrow, our seeds will grow all we need is dedication.” and “Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice. I say the darker the flesh, then the deeper the roots.”

Rap in its early years was one of the most influential genres of music, causing the lyrics to be under constant inspection by the media.

Its affect on society had cultural significance.

Nowadays, it’s just a commercialized joke on our youth and an even bigger joke on the African-American race. It degrades our women, and gives our youth a false insight on life. It promotes a superficial life style leaving our youth with false expectations and generic life goals, its message is completely false and we’re still its main supporters.

You can turn on any radio station and hear these ‘rappers’ are drastically declining and are struggling to stay relevant.

Instead of portraying the truth to the people who look up to them, or rapping about meaningful experiences to lead our generation, we hear lies about lives they’ve never lived over auto-tuned nonsense.

Songs like Public Enemy’s “Rebel Without A Pause”, Queen Latifah’s “U.N.I.T.Y.” Nas’ “The World Is Yours” and Tupac’s “Brenda’s Baby” were

unpretentious, true and relatable. I can’t think of any meaningful

song that Lil Wayne or any of the members of Young Money produced, ever. None of their music encourages me to overcome a situation or better myself. The message I’m constantly getting from rap nowadays is to become a ‘college dropout’ like Kanye and then start stripping because according to Juicy J, “Bandz a Make her Dance.”

Social responsibility is an ethical belief or theory that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to benefit society. We also as consumers have the same responsibility. If we weren’t buying it they wouldn’t be producing it. By listening to garbage music, we are perpetuating its existence.

With each new generation, celebrities and rappers are growing prominent in the media and in our youth. They are public figures, and as a public figure, celebrity or whatever, they are influential. This means they have a responsibility to our generation to contribute something … Anything! We, as college students, are held responsible for our actions and the examples we set for others. Why aren’t they?

Do me a favor, today blow the dust off of your old rap, hip-hop and R&B tracks and jam some of them. Listen to the message they convey and compare them to today’s ‘rap, hip-hop, and R&B’. I promise it’ll blow your mind … Your welcome.

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FALL 2012 STAFFEditor-in-Chief ............................. Evan TaylorManaging Editor ....................Marcus GreenNews Editor..................... Charles Hawkins IISports Editor ........................ Aristide PhillipsCulture Editor .......................... Christie CarralCommentary Editor ................. Jessica SarpyPhoto Editor ..............................Ariana TriggsStaff Writer ........................... Lauren JohnsonStaff Writer ................................. Raees MalikStaff Writer ................................Erin PrestageStaff Photographer ...................Arielle BurksStaff Photographer .................. Trevor James

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tuesday, sePtember 25, 2012 - Page 7

COmmentarythe sentinel Of an enlightened student bOdy sinCe 1926

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What happened to real music?

JessiCa sarPy

the sentinel Of an enlightened student bOdy sinCe 1926Page 8 - thursday, sePtember 25, 2012