August 25, 2011

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Lagniappe | page 13

A Nicholls State University Student Publication

Sports | page 7 Editorial | page 19

NICHOLLS WORTHTHE

Volume 57 Issue 2

Thursday, August 25, 2011

NSU offers food, fun

By Matthew Landryreporter

Visit Welcome Back Day from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today in the Quad to snack on free food, try your luck at exciting games and socialize with fellow stu-dents.

The event themed “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” will feature approximately 40 booths set up throughout the quad manned by various student organizations, University departments and lo-cal community agencies. These groups will of-fer information on what services they provide at Nicholls as well as offer activi-ties to engage students. The Student Programming Associa-tion will provide water, lemon-ade and soft drinks. Jambalaya, burgers and other snacks will be available also, free of charge.

Guest speakers from admin-istration and athletics will also give a preview of upcoming fall and spring sports. The cheer-leaders and band will assist the pep rally, and the choir will sing the alma mater.

Welcome Back Day is orga-nized by the Welcome Back Day Committee which consists of students that are involved in various organizations and clubs on campus. These people were selected by Vice President of Student Affairs Eugene Dial.

The committee chose the theme “Yesterday, Today, To-morrow,” for the event in order to focus on how the university

Ready or Not: Moodle Moves InBy Stuart Percle

staff writer

This fall, Nicholls State Univer-sity is implementing another form of online academic correspondence called Moodle, which is slowly usurping the role of the previously used Blackboard.

Financially, this change is more cost-efficient considering that Moo-dle is free when maintained by the University. Blackboard, however, costs the University $60,000 a year to use.

Beginning with the spring semes-ter, Blackboard will no longer be used; instead Moodle will be used exclusively for class. For faculty members, this transition has been eased with the offering of work-shops and tutorials to acquaint teachers with this new program.

Lori Soule, director of the center for advancing faculty engagement, led the Moodle workshops for fac-ulty members, which dated back to March of last year.

“I really like the flexibility of Moodle. It is certainly different from Blackboard, but it will give students the opportunity to change the ap-pearance of their classes and sec-tions. Students will have the option to use different formats according to their preference,” Soule said.

Farren Clark, professor of mass communication, said of the tran-sition: “When you change from something that you are familiar with, it will always take some time to adjust. The administration, how-ever, has done a wonderful job of making the workshops and tutori-als available for faculty. One aspect of Moodle that I do like is how

students still have the capability to communicate with one another.”

However, some students do not approve of the integration of this new system. Using both Moodle and Blackboard for classes is a has-sle, dietetics senior from Morgan City Alyssa Galler said.

“As a senior, using Moodle is an inconvenience considering I must familiarize myself with this site for only one course. I think Moodle should have only been implemented for underclassmen, ” Galler said.

Ryan Collins, history sophomore from Cut Off, agreed.

“It is an inconvenience to have to check both sites. Since teachers have the option to use either system, it becomes a problem, especially since I have a class where a teacher uses both sites for the same class.”

Christine Hypolite, associate pro-

fessor of education, said she still uses Blackboard for the majority of her classes.

“Most of the information for my classes is still on Blackboard, which I have not transferred yet to Moo-dle. I am switching the information one class at a time. For three of my classes, Blackboard is used. My fourth class is conducted with both sites because my students were not fully comfortable with Moodle yet,” Hypolite said.

According to Thomas Bonvil-lain, director of academic comput-ing, there are 1,339 courses that use Moodle. Of those courses, 1,251 were accessed at least once. There are 290 courses that received at least 10 accesses online.

Bonvillain said the gradual ad-justment “has had a good adoption

Farren Clark, instructor of speech, explains a new assignment to his Speech 101 class Tuesday using the new Moodle system.photo by stephanie minor

see WELCOME page 5

see photo

page 5

see MOODLE page 6

AUG. 19A student having severe abdominal pains was found in the second fl oor

bathroom of Peltier. The student began to faint, and an offi cer called Aca-dian Ambulance. The student returned to class after being checked by am-bulance personnel.

AUG. 22An offi cer found a laptop computer and case while patrolling behind

Building 7 of La Maison du Bayou. The offi cer attempted to locate the owner. Both items are being held at University Police until the owner makes contact.

University Health Services requested for a student to be escorted to the emergency room after having an allergic reaction to multiple wasp stings.

A patron reported an injury that occurred at Ayo Pool on Aug. 19. An offi cer advised the patron to go to the hospital if injuries persist.

2011 Fall CommencementFall commencement will be held Dec. 10 in Stopher Gymnasium.Session 1 will begin at 10 a.m. with the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Edu-

cation. Session 2 will begin at 2 p.m. with the College of Business, College of Nursing and Allied Health and University College.

Student Research Assistants NeededHenry Foust, assistant professor of applied sciences, is looking for two students to help

with experimental research.The work is relevant to NASA, Glenn Research Center. The year-long assignment will be

paid and will require 400 hours of effort. Students interested can contact Foust at [email protected] or 985-448-4693.

HIV Testing to be provided Sept. 1Free HIV testing will be provided on Sept. 1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at University Health

Services in Betsy Cheramie Ayo Hall.

New Student Meeting at St. Thomas AquinasAnyone interested in joining campus ministry at the St. Thomas Aquinas Center can attend

a new student meeting at 6 p.m. tonight in the St. Thomas café.

RELATE Fall 2011Students, faculty and staff who wish to perform spoken-word poetry, a monologue, vocal

or musicial performance or dance are invited to participate in RELATE, a four-part open mic series sponsored by the speech faculty of the Department of Mass Communication. The event is free and open to the public.

Fear – Sept. 8: 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. – Student Union, Plantation SuiteFamily – Oct. 6: 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. – Student Union, Plantation SuiteSuccess – Oct. 27: 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. – Student Union, Plantation SuiteChange – Nov. 10: 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. – Student Union, Bayou Suite Please arrive by 6:45 p.m. to sign the open mic list on each night. If you would like to get

involved or have questions, contact Farren Clark at [email protected] or 448-4121 or Daniel Ruiz at [email protected] or 448-4071.

Page 2 | 08.25.11 | The Nicholls Worth

NICHOLLS WEEKLY CALENDARSATTHURS FRI SUN

WEDMON TUES THURS

• Welcome Back Day from

7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the

Quadrangle

• Shark After Dark from

6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Ayo

pool

• National Pan Hellenic

Block Party from 6:30 to

9 p.m. in the front of the

Student Union

• Welcome Back Concert

from 6 to 10 p.m. in Peltier

Auditorium

• SPA Movie Night from

7 to 10 p.m. in Le Bijou

Theater

• Voter registration from 8

a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Stu-

dent Union

• SPA Movie Night from

7 to 10 p.m. in Le Bijou

Theater

• Rehearsal and perfor-

mance of The Great Amer-

ican Trailer Park Musical

from 6 to 9 p.m. in Peltier

Auditorium

• Blood Drive from 7 a.m.

to 4 p.m. in the Student

Union

• Blood Drive from 8 a.m.

to 4 p.m. in the Student

Union

• Voter registration from 8

a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Stu-

dent Union

HIGH: LOW:HIGH: LOW:

HIGH: LOW:HIGH: LOW:

96 7695 77

97 74 97 75

20% CHANCE OF RAIN 10% CHANCE OF RAIN

0% CHANCE OF RAIN 0% CHANCE OF RAIN

THURSDAY FRIDAY

SATURDAY SUNDAY

Lauren Lusco, nursing junior and Delta Zeta member from Raceland, explains the recruitment process to Nicole Little, freshmen from Houma, in the Student Union on Aug. 22.

PHOTO BY MEAGAN GERVAIS

It’s Hip to be Greek

recruitment process. Nine recruit-ment counselors disaffi liated from their respective chapters were also on hand to advise the girls going through the process.

“They’re supposed to be unbi-ased people who are there to listen to how the girls feel,” Vice Presi-dent of Recruitment Lauren Pitre said. “It’s their job to be there and help them make the decision on which sorority to choose without being biased toward their own so-rority.”

Tonight, active and new mem-bers will participate in Philanthropy Night. New members will visit each sorority and learn about the chari-table works the girls do in the com-munity. Small philanthropy projects

will also be done relating to each sorority’s specifi c charity.

On Friday, new members will be able to see what sorority life is like through slideshow presentations.

Saturday’s Preference Night is the most serious, Pitre explained.

The evening will be “very emo-tional,” with the sororities sing-ing songs and giving speeches to “showcase their sisterhood.” This is also the evening new members will pick which sorority they would like to join.

Pitre said new members are cho-sen through a mutual selection process. New girls will rank which sororities they would like to be in the most and the sororities compile a list of their favorite girls as well. Through a computer system known

as ICS, sororities and new members will be matched up in order to pro-duce a single bid for new girls. This differs from fraternities, Pitre said, because new fraternity members can pick from several bids while new sorority members will receive

one bid each. These new bids will be presented to the girls on Sunday during a welcoming celebration.

These new members have many activities to look forward to during the year, Pitre said. During the fall, the girls will participate in home-coming week by making fl oats and tailgating with the fraternities. They will also receive a “mentor” during Big Sis, Little Sis Week and become offi cially initiated into the chapter at the end of the semester. The spring brings annual events like Song Fest and Greek Week, intramural sports and philanthropy work.

Pitre, who is also involved in SGA and PRSSA, said joining a sorority is a great way to grow and participate

The Nicholls Worth | 08.25.11 | Page 3

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Schedule a Class Today by Logging onto www.paintingwithatwist.com.

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ClassesPrivate PartiesGift Certificates

Sororities recruit new students on campusLauren Pitre, public relations senior and recruitment counselor from Cut Off, shares a few facts with girls passing in the Student Union about sorority life on Aug. 22.


By Melissa HolmanNEWS EDITOR

As brightly colored recruitment signs and Greek letters begin pop-ping up in the Quad and other areas on campus, Delta Zeta, Phi Mu and Sigma Sigma Sigma sororities are preparing to usher in a new genera-tion of sisters.

Recruitment week began Wednesday with Greek 101, an ori-entation for those who have signed up for rush and for those want-ing more information. Presenta-tions were given explaining what potential members could expect, how much they would be expected to pay per semester and things to consider while going through the

“ “When I joined, they really encouraged

us to join other clubs, meet new peopleand get more involved.

— Lauren Pitre

see RUSH page 6

class, followed by four weeks in hospitals. Classes cannot be cho-sen or substituted.

“Students follow the program from beginning to end without stopping,” Harlaux said.

After the initial coursework is

finished, the nurses can choose to specialize in certain fields.

The term “hospitals” in France includes day hospitals, private clin-ics and public hospitals.

Harlaux explained that all work-ing citizens have 70 percent medi-cal coverage, and private insurance can be purchased for the remaining

30 percent. However, lower class citizens who cannot afford private

insurance are treated anyway. Hos-pitals cannot turn them away.

“The social security card is like a credit card,” Malet said. “When you go to the pharmacist for medi-cine you give them your card, and they give you the medicine. You don’t pay anything. No money out of your pocket.”

He went on to explain that some diseases like cancer and HIV are 100 percent covered.

“Everyone knows that nursing is hard work, but it is not consid-ered a good job because you are working nights and weekends and the pay is very low,” Harlaux said. “Nurses will not make more than

$25,000 a year.”Nurses often have close to 13

patients.“They are often alone in the

department and have to carry pa-tients that weigh over 200 pounds,” Malet said. “That’s why she wants to work with the babies.”

Candice Marcel, nursing senior from Houma, said that she enjoyed listening to Harlaux’s language and accent the most.

“It was neat to learn that other countries do things very similar to us, yet very, very different in other ways,” Marcel said. “It was useful information, because it is impor-

each year.Each person who visits The

Blood Center site will be able to choose from a t-shirt, Blood As-surance, Blood Replacement or From The Heart Club as an incen-tive for becoming a donor. Blood Assurance allows individuals and

their families one year of unlimited blood coverage while Blood Re-placement allows individuals to re-place blood for someone else. The From the Heart Club allows The Blood Center to send children to Camp Challenge, a week-long camp for Louisiana children with cancer

and other blood disorders. Each year, 18 to 25 children are sent to the campus courtesy of the center, Blood Center representative Francis Plaisance, Jr. said at Monday’s SGA meeting.

The Blood Center is a non-profit, community service organization

founded in 1960 and is the primary supplier of blood, blood compo-nents and plasma derivatives to over 30 hospitals and numerous outpa-tient transfusion facilities through-out south Louisiana and the Missis-sippi Gulf Coast. According to the


By Kami Ellenderstaff writer

Anne Harlaux, a nurse from France, spoke to the NURS 400 Mental Health Nursing class on Aug. 18 about some of the simi-larities and differences between cultures in regards to nursing.

Harlaux spoke to students with her boyfriend, Raphael Malet, who translated.

Harlaux explained that in France nurses go through three years and four months of schooling during which they are assessed through practice and theory tests. Nurses undergo a cycle of four weeks in

Blood Center requests student donations By Melissa Holman

news editor

The Blood Center will be at the

Student Union on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 to collect pints of blood for the more than 4 million Amer-icans needing blood transfusions

“ “It was neat to learn thatother countries do things very

similar to us, yet very, verydifferent in other ways.

— Candice Marcel

French nurse explains cultural differences

see NURSE page 6

see DRIVE page 6

has changed over the years, com-mittee co-chair and campus rec-reation director Mike Matherne said.

“We should appreciate what we have now, with all of the new improvements to residence halls, roads, academic programs, and the upcoming recreation center.”

Committee co-chair and union snack bar coordinator Sabrina Laurent said all the different peo-ple in the various organizations have worked hard and put a lot of effort into preparing the event.

“It is collaborative effort,” Lau-rent said.

Matherne and Laurent both agreed that the event will give stu-dents several opportunities.

“It is threefold,” said Matherne. “No. 1: the event extends a warm welcome to students at our uni-versity, whether it is to welcome back or welcome for the first time. No. 2: it is an opportunity for all students to explore their campus and allow student organi-zations to interact with them. No. 3: it helps students feel like they are not just a number on campus.”

In case of a rainout, Laurent said Welcome Back Day will be moved to the ballroom of the Student Union.


Don’t forget Nicholls is Tobacco-Free

Smoking and the use of any tobacco product is prohibited on all university property, including campus facilities and grounds.

Join Colonel Tillou and Nicholls State University in providing a 100% tobacco-free environment.

To view the policy visitwww.nicholls.edu/human_resources or www.nicholls.edu/sja

Hair Tech

Bring in this ad and recieve 10% off your next service! Call today to book your appointment!

2bd/1ba Apartment, close to NSU, Remodeled, 2 Tenants max, $700mo./$700dep. Call Colby Robichaux at 985-859-3746.

To place a classified, call The Nicholls Worth

Advertising office at (985) 448-4257!

CHEAP RATES!

WELCOMEcontinued from page 1

Nursing students flood the sidewalk next to the nursing table at Welcome Back Day Aug. 26, 2010.

photo by maryna fowler

Volunteer firefighters, including Student Government Association Vice-President Matthew Jewell, rushed to La Maison du Bayou in response to a fire alarm Tuesday night.

photo by derek matherne

Emergency!


MOODLE continued from page 1

RUSH continued from page 3

in many aspects of campus life.“When I joined, they really en-

couraged us to join other clubs, meet new people and get more involved. It’s also allowed me to branch out and meet new people.”

New girls, like Terese Duplantis, a nursing freshman from Houma, are looking forward to a great year with the active and new members.

“I’m excited to make new friends and get involved,” Duplantis said.

NURSE continued from page 4

tant to be knowledgeable about nursing practices in our area and beyond.”

Harlaux is at Nicholls to visit Malet while he fi nishes his master’s in business.

The couple met in high school.

After graduating, Harlaux went to nursing school, and Malet went to business school in France.

“I’m here as an exchange stu-dent until December,” Malet said. “It’s part of my program to gradu-ate.”

offi cial website, the Center strives to collect 350 pints of blood a day in order to keep a 3-day supply of 1,200 to 1,400 pints of blood on their shelves at all times.

In his presentation to SGA, Plai-sance said students, faculty and staff are encouraged to bring fam-ily, friends and relatives along on the donation days.

“We just fi nished with a tough summer so now we’re trying to build

it back up…We need your help.”The website explains that it is im-

portant that iron levels are suffi cient prior to donating blood. Donors are encouraged to eat iron-rich foods like chicken, eggs and whole-grain breads, which help promote blood regeneration.

Plaisance said anyone with con-trolled diabetes, on blood pressure medicine or with a tattoo older than 30 days is eligible to donate.

DRIVE continued from page 4

Stephen Whitney, mass communication senior from Houma, “surfs” at Welcome Back Day Aug. 26, 2010.

PHOTO BY MARYNA FOWLER

Surfi n’ at Nicholls

rate so far. This is the fi rst week of school, so as the semester progress-es, the faculty will have time to build up their Moodle accounts for the spring. I expect these numbers to continue increasing, especially since a lot of these courses have few stu-dents in them, especially the upper level courses.”

The transition has received

mixed reviews. But this spring, Moodle will be the only form of online correspondence for stu-dents.

“Overall, students and faculty seem to understand the site and have been able to do their course work with less problems. So that is a very good sign for the future,” Bonvillan said.

Soccer | at Lipscomb, Aug. 26 at 5 p.m. Volleyball | vs. Portland State at Noon

Page 7 | August 25, 2011 Please Recycle www.thenichollsworth.com

NICHOLLSATHLETICSJunior Colonels Club revamped

By Carolyn Noblesports writer

Though the Junior Colonels Club is not new to the Nicholls campus, Associate Director of Marketing and Development Brandon Ruttley decided to revamp the club in hopes of expanding the Colonels’ athletic fan base.

In only his third s e m e s t e r at Nicholls, Ruttley has a l r e a d y redone the Junior Colonels Club logo and secured The Days Inn as a corporate sponsor for the club.

Ruttley has also provided many more benefits for members. For just $30, members of the Junior Colonels Club will receive free admission to all home athletic games with the exception of football games during the 2011-2012 season, as well as a Junior Colonel Club t-shirt, birthday wishes from Tillou and full access to an e-newsletter about things going on around campus. The only Nicholls football game that will be free to members is the Oct. 8 game against Central Arkansas.

Members will also receive membership recognition on the official Nicholls State Athletics’ website and invites to special Junior Colonel club events.

“The Junior Colonels Club has actually been around for a couple of years, but we’ve never pushed it and we’ve made some changes,” Ruttley said. “In the past, kids didn’t get a shirt, and only select games were free for members.”

By making all home athletic games free, Ruttley believes it will increase the number of people attending games. “It gets expensive to go to games,” Ruttley said. “Soccer fans, if

see pictures

inside, page 8

By Jake Martinsports editor

The entire off-season teams, like Ohio State, Oregon and Miami saw their reputation become tainted due to recruiting violations, and the Nicholls Athletic Department is doing what it can to keep the National Collegiate Athletic Association away from Thibodaux.

Ohio State lost their head coach, Jim Tressel, due to all the NCAA rules violations. Oregon found themselves in deep water after being accused of giving agent Willie Lyles compensation for recruitment information. Miami has just recently been convicted by former booster Nevin Shapiro of treating over 72 players to nightclub

outings, sex parties, cars and other gifts, which all have been reported by ESPN.

Nicholls’ athletic director Rob Bernardi said he stands against the recruitment infractions that Oregon and Ohio State committed but understands how difficult it is to know what is going on all the time.

“Certainly I don’t condone any (recruiting violations), and I can’t say I know all the details of it,” Bernardi said. “But both of those institutions face some pretty stiff penalties. In the case of Ohio State, there’s some sympathy because it’s difficult for athletic administrators to know everything that’s going on every time of day. So on one hand I can certainly sympathize for them, see SAFEGUARD page 9

see RUTTLEY page 8

Bernardi and Downer educate athletesRob Bernardi, director of athletics, gives the opening remarks at last year’s National Signing Day press conference.

file photo

but on the other hand, I find them to be at a great deal of fault when they were made aware of something and didn’t follow through on it.”

Nicholls’ new compliance athletic director, James Downer, said that these situations are why compliance departments are so vital to the University.

“Well, it’s hard for me to comment on that just because I’m not part of it,” Downer said. “Is it something that all athletic departments have to safeguard against? Absolutely, and that’s why compliance is an essential part of the athletic department and a University-wide function.”

Downer, an Oklahoma graduate with a master’s in adult and higher education with a concentration in intercollegiate athletic

administration, said it is tough to be a 20-year-old student and to be enticed by money that recruiters and boosters might offer, but the Compliance Department at Nicholls takes steps toward educating the student athletes about what they can and cannot do.

“At the start of the year, there’s a compliance meeting where we go over some basic rules that go all the away from amateurism to banned substances on the NCAA list,” Downer said. “We also have a student-athlete handbook that provides student guidelines and structure in terms of how we operate as a department and where they need to go if they have


5509 W. Park Ave.Houma, LA 70364

985-876-6104

Soccer

August 19

Spring Hill College 0Nicholls State University 5

Freshman forward Kristy Tatom had two goals and two assists to lead the Colo-nels in route to a shutout victory. Nicholls sophomore midfi elder Alex Romanelli, midfi elder freshman Sarah Tani and senior forward Kandice Champagne each had goals in contributing to the Colonel victory.

August 21

UL-Monroe 1Nicholls State University 1

The Colonels soccer team battled the Warhawks through two overtimes but the match ended in a tie af-ter neither team could score in overtime. Sophomore forward Alexandra Marino scored the fi rst goal of the game nine minutes into the match.

RUTTLEY continued from page 7

you go to fi ve or six games then you’ll get your money’s worth—never mind getting in free to other sporting games like basketball, baseball and softball.”

According to Ruttley, the club is now in the phase of getting people

in the stands. He and student intern Katelyn Thibodeaux have been marketing the Junior Colonels Club through Facebook and Twitter and are not stopping there. They plan on marketing to local schools to recruit kids from the area.

“We encourage people to come out and try to create a base of fans,” Ruttley said. “We’re trying to create an environment where our athletes have people in the stands to cheer them on.”

Future Junior Colonels Club

members can join by going online to the geauxcolonels.com website and clicking on the yellow tab at the bottom of the page to sign up. Brochures will also be given out at home games with sign up information.

Flanking the sidelines of the soccer fi eld as the Lady Colonels take on Spring Hill, Brandon Ruttley, associate director of marketing and develop-ment and vice president for institutional advancement, displays his support for Nicholls’ athletics on Aug. 19.

PHOTO BY WHITNEY BABIN


511 West 3rd Street 985.446.6564

Parsons resigns as head coachBy Sports Information

The Nicholls State University Athletics Department announced the resignation of head softball coach Jenny Parsons.

Parsons guided the program for seven years after serving two sea-sons as an assistant coach under former head coach Phyllis Guidry. Parsons leaves Nicholls to pursue another opportunity.

“I want to thank (athletic di-rector) Rob Bernardi, (University president) Dr. (Stephen) Hulbert and (vice president for institu-tional advancement) Dr. (David) Boudreaux for a great nine years

questions. All student athletes are always encouraged to contact their coach and contact myself.”

Bernardi said that when you look at institutions like Oregon and Ohio State with huge budgets, staffs and six to eight compliance managers, it is still impossible to monitor the rules and activities of all the student athletes all the time.

“We certainly have the same

responsibilities as Ohio State and Oregon to follow all the rules, and we certainly do,” Bernardi said. “But, we don’t have the staff that they have, so we rely on self-policing. We have our coaches and student athletes kind of self-monitor the program, and anything that we fi nd out about we investigate thoroughly.”

Over the course of the off-season with all the recruiting violations, South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier proposed the idea of paying players to avoid these violations. The proposal started a debate on ESPN about if players should be compensated for their athletic ability in college.

Downer was indifferent about the proposal, while Bernardi was strongly against the idea.

“They are receiving compensation as it is,” Downer said. “Speaking from my perspective and seeing the amount of student loans I pay

every month, myself, I would have really liked the opportunity to have my athletic ability subsidized on a scholarship. I just wasn’t that type of athlete, so me personally, I believe they are being compensated. I really don’t take a strong stance either way, because that’s completely out of my hand.”

“I don’t think they should do that, and I think the presidents

came out overwhelmingly in supporting not paying them,” Bernardi said. “We are clearly an amateur organization, and any time you have pay involved we are not an amateur organization. While scholarships may not cover everything, the idea to provide them with an opportunity to compete in collegiate athletics with very little cost to them is a pretty good deal right now for the vast majority of student athletes.”

Bernardi said that the president of the NCAA, Mark Emmert, met with university presidents in hopes of reaching a solution.

“Last week, President Emmert met with 50 university presidents from around the country to discuss some of the issues surrounding the amount of legislation. There’s a good deal of concern amongst them,” Bernardi said. “I think we may see not too far down the line some really signifi cant changes in terms of legislative issues.”

at Nicholls,” said Parsons. “I am appreciative of everything they’ve done for me in my softball career, and I look forward to the challeng-es ahead.”

“This decision was not made lightly,” added Parsons. “It was a very emotional meeting with my players. I’m going to miss them a lot.”

Parsons, a native of Glen Burnie, Md., led Nicholls to the postsea-son in four of the past six years, including an appearance in the Southland Conference Champion-ship in 2008. Under her tutelage, current third baseman Ashley Ray earned the 2010 Southland Confer-

ence Player of the Year Award, as well as being named an Easton All-American. Two other players were also named All-Southland in 2010.

Parsons fi nishes her tenure at Nicholls with a 169-207 record. A standout pitcher herself at East Carolina, Parsons coached nine All-Southland selections in the cir-cle during her time at Nicholls.

“We appreciate Coach Parsons’ contribution to our softball pro-gram,” said Bernardi. “For nearly a decade, Jenny was involved in some way with Nicholls softball. We wish her the best.”

A search for a new head coach will begin immediately.

Check out That MMA Guy online at www.thenichollsworth.com.

SAFEGUARD continued from page 7

“ “Last week, President Emmert met with 50 university presidents from

around the country to discuss some of the issues surrounding the amount of

legislation.

— Rob Bernardi

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thenichollsworthTwitter: nicholls_worth

Email:[email protected]:985-448-4258


By Stuart PercleSPORTS WRITER

They say the apple does not fall far from the tree. In this case the apple is Nicholls State University’s Beaux Hebert, and the tree is his fa-ther, former NFL quarterback Bob-by Hebert. Beaux is a redshirt fresh-man who ventured to Thibodaux from Atlanta to play his newly found love, football.

Although his father’s success might lead one to assume he would have grown up on the gridiron, Beaux did not play any sort of com-petitive football until his junior year of high school. He attended Great-er Atlanta Christian High School, where he would later start as a se-nior. Also, without falling far from the tree, T-Bob Hebert, Beaux’s older brother, plays football at LSU.

Q: Beaux, since your dad played for both franchises, espe-cially considering you grew up in Atlanta, which team did you

grow up supporting: the Saints or Falcons?

A: Saints, all the way. I was born in Mandeville but moved to Atlanta when I was one because my dad was traded to the Falcons. When I was in seventh grade, my dad took the Saints’ radio job. Even though I was living in Atlanta, I still was able to travel to New Orleans with him and was fortunate enough to meet some players. Who Dat?

Q: What is the most benefi cial aspect of having a former profes-sional quarterback as a father?

A: He can relate to me as a foot-ball player. He started off small just as I did, so having been in my posi-tion before, he has great advice to offer.

Q: What made you decide to play for Nicholls?

A: Coach Stubbs’s fi rst-class re-cruiting is really what attracted me.

During Saturday’s football scrimmage, quarterback Beaux Hebert, mass communication sophomore from Norcross, Georgia, quickly looks for an open teammate after receiving the ball.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE MINOR

see HEBERT page 11

Hebert follows in father’s footsteps


Jaime Springer, sophomore from Lloydminster, throws the javelin during a meet.

submitted photo

Q: How has the preseason competition at quarterback been so far this year?

A: It has been good. It is definite-ly making Laquintin Caston and I better. We both want to be the start-er, but we will support the other no matter what.

Q: How has preseason training gone?

A: We have continued to get bet-ter every practice, which at this point, is all you can ask for.

Q: What are your expectations for the season?

A: First and foremost, we would like to win the Southland Confer-ence. If we do that, then we should have a good record and hopefully make the postseason.

Q: What is your favorite aspect of being a Nicholls student-ath-lete?

A: Aside from the football as-pect, I really enjoy being part of the mass communication depart-ment here.

Q: What would you be doing if you had never picked up a foot-ball?

Quarterback Beaux Hebert from Norcross, Georgia fakes a pass to running back Tyler Collins, computer information systems sophomore from Eunice, during the football scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 20.

photo by stephanie minor

Springer places second overall in javelin throw

By Stuart Perclesports writer

Jaime Springer, athletic training sophomore from Lloydminster, Canada, spent her summer training for javelin competitions through-out Canada. She not only succeed-ed individually but also managed to help team Alberta, her native province, to a championship at the Western Canadian Games.

With a throw of 139’ 8’’, she placed second overall in the West-ern Canadian Games held in Kam-loops, Canada. This achievement gave 18 out of their 210 total points to team Alberta, eventually landing them atop the winner’s stand above all other teams representing the western provinces.

“I knew going into the event I would place in the top three as long as I performed to my expecta-tions,” said Springer.

However, placing second was not her first success of the summer. In order to compete in the Western Canadian Games, Springer had to first qualify at the Calgary Track and Field Javelin Championships. In this event, she landed top hon-ors with the farthest throw of 143 feet, placing her first overall.

“It was great to win my first event after our Nicholls track sea-son. I did not have a lot of time to train, but I threw consistently and was very pleased with my perfor-mance,’ she said.

Furthermore in terms of success, Springer placed fifth at the Junior-Senior Canadian Track and Field Championships in July. There, she competed against some of the top

athletes in Canada, two of whom she will now be competing against in the Southland Conference.

“Competition is always tough there, I did not throw what I would have liked, but it is always benefi-cial to compete against such talent-ed athletes because you can feed off their performances to push yourself farther,” Springer said.

Preparation for this success be-gan in seventh grade when she was given an ultimatum to either play softball or throw javelin; the deci-sion was based on her belief that track could eventually take her far-ther in life.

While in Canada during school breaks, Springer trains at Split City Sonics track club working on the ins and outs of her approach to the sport. This past summer, she worked primarily on her technique but conditioned and weight trained in her off time.

Undoubtedly, all of her prepara-tion and competition will be useful in the future. “Through all my com-petitions this summer, I managed to tweak my approach in terms of angles and my blocks. Javelin is a very technical sport and requires every muscle to work together at once, which makes working hard so important,” Springer said.

In terms of her expectations for the upcoming track season, Spring-er said, “I have set my goals fairly high for this season, and my team-mates and I have full intention to reach them. If we can write in a few more conference champions and preliminary qualifiers into the history books, it will definitely be a successful season.”

A: I would be playing basketball for a school somewhere.

Q: What is your dream job af-ter your football playing days are over?

A: Later in life, I would hope to land a job similar to my dad’s radio role in some form of the media.

Q: What is the greatest gift football has given you so far?

A: The camaraderie of the team. We always enjoy our time with one another. All the friendships that I have made through football are what I cherish most.

HEBERT continued from page 10


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www.thenichollsworth.com Please Recycle Page 13 | Aug. 25, 2011

Colonel Close Up | page 14 Teacher Feature | page 15

New music center to be located in libraryBy Ross Landrylagniappe editor

Students will be able to try their hands at various musical instruments later this semester in a new music center in Ellender Memorial Library.

Melissa Goldsmith, reference librarian at Ellender Library, received a $40,000 grant from the Board of Regents and a $4,000 institutional technology grant to pay for this new music center. It will be located on the first floor of the library in the arts and multimedia room next to the MEW Lab, and it will be open to all students.

“We have a number of teachers on campus who want to incorporate music in their teaching, and they have no access to instruments,” Goldsmith said. “I started with the idea when I had a number of people come up and say, ‘Oh, I want to do this.’ So I thought, ‘Why can’t we make something

photo by whitney babin

Elaborating on her job as a KNSU DJ, Melissa Goldsmith, associate librarian, explains her appreciation for music and the development of a new music center in an interview on Monday.


The new music center will be located in the Arts and Multimedia room in the rear of the first floor of Ellender Memorial Library.

like this happen?’ The library is an accessible place.”

Goldsmith is expecting over 100 instruments for this area. Rather than the standard guitar or other modern instruments the center will house many different types of historical and worldly instruments.

“We are expecting a setar, a tabla, something that is called a bodhran, ukuleles and two keyboards,” she said.

A setar is a plucked string instrument that originated in Persia. It is a member of the lute family and was developed in the 13th

century. A tabla and a bodhran are both types of drums. The tabla originated in India and the bodhran originated in Ireland. Goldsmith said that she will also be getting a MIDI guitar, which is like a combination of a keyboard and a guitar.

“Some things are a bigger deal than others,” she said. “We’re getting, for example,

see MUSIC page 17


Nursing junior balances two minors and job

Aside from studying, Kayla Bias, nursing junior from New Orleans, Louisiana, enjoys drawing, writing and listening to music.


By Zavier DavisSTAFF WRITER

While balancing a late night job and schoolwork, Kayla Bias, nursing junior from Franklin, strives to help people who suffer with health problems.

Bias and her sister, Aeriale Bias, decided to pursue nursing because of their long family history of health problems.

“My family has dealt with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer and diabetes,” she said. “When I was in the fifth grade, my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. My sister and I had to take care of her, and we liked it. So, we chose to become nurses.”

Bias spends her time working

Q: What is one thing that nobody knows about you?

A: I like things from Tokyo, Japan. I like anime and manga. I want to go to Tokyo when I am 50, so I don’t have to worry about the radiation and stuff.

Q: If you could teach a class at Nicholls, what would you teach?

A: I would teach Freshman 101. University Prep gives the basics of being a freshman. Social life is crazy, and they do not tell you what you need to do. People learn that as they go along, especially with fi nancial aid and housing. I would talk about all those things that people have problems with their fi rst year.

on two minors: addictive behavior psychology and English with a concentration in creative writing.

“I wanted to double major in English and nursing, but you can’t double major because of nursing,” she said.

While juggling two minors and a major, Bias also works as a student assistant in Scholars Hall. see BIAS page 16

“ “

I want to be here.

The nursing program is

hard, but it is worth it. — Kayla Bias


Nicholls

State Welcome students!Hungry? Rouses Has You Covered!

• Fried Chicken • Rotisserie Chicken• BBQ Ribs • Chicken Salad• Hummus • Take & Bake Pizza• Sandwiches & Salads• Sushi

English professor seeks fi fth degree and karate black beltBy Matt Landry

REPORTER

While some people may be satisfi ed with a degree or two, Windy Rachal, associate English professor, is not yet ready to settle down.

Rachal teaches mainly upper-level technical writing. She is also a counselor here at Nicholls, and she is currently working on her fourth degree in counseling.

“I fi rst received my bachelor’s in English at Nicholls, then after that I moved to the University of North Texas where I got a master’s in technical writing, and fi nally I ended up at Ball Sate in Indiana where I earned a master’s in rhetoric and composition,’’ Rachal said.Windy Rachal, English professor, shares what it was like to move away from home during her college

years in an interview on Aug. 16.


Rachal said that it was not easy moving around so often, but on the other hand, she said it was fun because of the lasting friendships that spawned from each move.

It was not until she was working as a web-master at Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati that Rachal realized that teaching might be a possibility for her.

“I never thought that I would be a professor before working in Cincinnati,” she said. “As an undergraduate, I was idealistic. I wanted to be a writer.”

Although she is not pursuing her original dream of becoming a writer, moving back to Louisiana with her husband to become a

see RACHAL page 16


BIAS continued from page 14

As she speaks about her past experiences, Kayla Bias, nursing sophmore from New Orleans, Louisiana, is optimistic about her future plans for herself in college and life.

photo by meagan gervais

Q: What is your favorite thing to do on the Sims 3?

A: I like to kill the Sims. It is fun to just come up with ways to kill them because it gets hard when you have a big family.

Q: What is your favorite book?A: My favorite book is “Ruby” by

V.C. Andrews. It is a saga that is set in the 1980s in New Orleans. It is about a lot of controversial things. V.C. Andrews talks about a lot of weird things.

Q: What is your favorite video game?

A: My favorite video game is Need for Speed. When I was younger, I used to play it everyday. Now I play it like three times a week.

Q: If you could live in another world, what would it be like?

A: It would be quiet. It would have some people but not everybody. Everyone would have an opinion and basically say and do what they want. I probably would not start off with laws, but as time goes, I probably would add some.

Q: If you were locked in a room with a choice of a radio, phone or computer, what would

you choose?A: I would choose the computer.

I would have more to do. I don’t need the phone because I can communicate with messages. I don’t need the radio because I would have music on my computer.

Q: What is one place where you feel at peace with?

A: I feel at peace in my room. In my room I can do whatever I want, and I don’t have to worry about anybody doing things that I don’t like.

Q: If you can be any character, who would you be?

A: I would be Batman because he is rich. I know money does not buy happiness, but it helps. It would make a lot of things easier. He also makes a big difference.

Q: What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment?

A: My greatest accomplishment is not leaving Nicholls. The nursing program is so hard and competitive. I could have just went to Lady of the Lake to do a two-year program, so I’m surprised I’m still here. I want to be here. The nursing program is hard, but it is worth it.

teacher was a choice that Rachal does not regret.

In addition to working with the English department, Rachal is also part of the counseling program at Nicholls. She is currently working on receiving a degree in counseling so she will have the opportunity to work with autistic children.

“My goal is to be able to work a few hours a week with kids who are on the autism spectrum,” she said.

Rachal’s husband, Chris Rachal, has a Ph.D. in psychology and operates a private practice. She also noted that many of her friends are involved in psychology.

“It is something that is fulfilling to do on the side,” she said.

With all the work that requires her attention and two kids to take care of along with her husband, Rachal somehow manages to find time to pursue something a bit different compared to the degrees she has already earned a black belt in Shotokan karate.

After signing up her son for

karate class, Rachal decided it would be fun to join also. When her son discontinued his lessons, she made the decision to keep taking them.

“It’s a very good way to network,” she said. “A lot of lawyers, doctors and professors all do it.”

According to Rachal, there is a 50 percent pass rate when it comes to pass the black belt test. She tested one year ago but did not succeed.

Rachal has been out of training since then, but she plans on starting again this semester in hopes of achieving her goal this time around.

Another interest Rachal has is spending time in the historic French Quarter of New Orleans.

“Honestly though, my favorite thing to do is spend time with my kids,” she said.

Whether it is teaching, being involved in martial arts or spending quality time with her family, it can be said that Windy Rachal has a fulfilling, yet busy life.

RACHAL continued from page 15


The Department of Art is seeking to hire a model for a Tuesday/Thursday evening figure drawing class!

Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

for the Fall 2011 semester

$15.00 per hour to be paid in a lump sum

at the end of semesterNO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY

NOTICE: This course focuses on drawing the human

figure and does require models to pose in the nude. However, this is an academic setting with an instructor very experienced in conducting

the course and art students who are very serious about drawing the figure. Respect for a model’s privacy and dignity is maintained at all times,

and there are rigid rules regarding this.

REQUIREMENTS: Applicants should be able to hold a standing pose for up to

twenty minutes between breaks, and resume the pose as necessary. WE DO NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF

GENDER, RACE, AGE, or BODY TYPE.

YOU MUST BE RELIABLE! It is important that you are able to be on time for each class session throughout the semester

and stay for each session in its entirety.

All interested parties should go to the Department of Art office in 221 - 224 Talbot and sign the contact sheet at the

desk of Department Secretary, Ms. Connie Doran. Contacts will be made in the order that they appear on the list until a

model is hired.

The instructor for this course is Assist. Prof. Gaither Pope

[email protected]

MUSIC continued from page 13

Equipped with over 100 instruments, the music center will allow stu-dents to check out equipment for personal use.


a 22 pupil system of rhythm instruments like jingle bells, but we are also getting some larger things like a Zydeco accordion and other Cajun instruments.”

Goldsmith is currently in the purchasing stage. She said that she is still on schedule to have an opening date set for late next month.

While this project is being done outside of the Nicholls music department, Goldsmith said that this is not done in competition. She hopes to have brochures available for anyone who may be interested in earning credit through the music program.

“We’re looking for people who may have, for some reason, stopped playing music or maybe just decided to go along independently,” she said. “The older students are, the more likely they want to learn music on their own terms. It’s not just that they are busy, but it’s kind of the way the mind is.”

Goldsmith said that there are other departments, such as nursing and education, that are interested

in using this new center.“The nursing faculty is very

interested in music therapy, and you have the education faculty who do not have access to instruments even though they teach music classes and use music to teach people how to learn other subjects,” she said.

A number of therapy instruments will be available to use as well as instruments made specifically for the disabled.

“Some of the recorders will be made for people who may be missing a finger or something,” Goldsmith said. “The MIDI guitar would also be ideal for someone who is in a wheelchair because of how light it is.”

Students will be able to check out certain instruments like plastic

recorders while some of the more expensive instruments will be usable under supervision only.

While the center will be open for everyone to use freely, there will also be workshops available to those people who want to learn an instrument through instruction.

“What we are doing is we are creating a space where we are going to have workshops where students who want to come for a one-time-only thing can do so,” Goldsmith said. “If they want to come consistently, there will be some things during the semester.”

Goldsmith said that she hopes this new center will bridge the gap between music and school and give students who are interested in music an opportunity to learn an instrument on their own terms.

“Doing something that is different from what has ever been done before takes some time,” she said. “Students are welcome and this is a safe place for them to come. You don’t have to feel a sense of embarrassment. This will be the place where you can practice and make mistakes.

“ “Doing something that is different from what

has ever been done before takes some

time.

— Melissa Goldsmith


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The ladies of Phi Mu host a lemonade stand in the Quad during Recruitment Week on Aug. 22. All proceeds went to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.


When life hands you lemons...

Page 19 | August 25, 2011www.thenichollsworth.com Please Recycle

NW Staff Editorial Cartoon

Switches bring unforeseen confusionThough Nicholls previously released that

Moodle will not be fully implemented for this semester because students will be over-whelmed, we believed that it was the instruc-tors themselves who were not ready.

Now that students have experienced using Moodle in some classes but not others, we have revised our opinion to include that no one is ready for this new system.

We are not ready, not because the system is com-plicated or overwhelming, but because no one knows how to work it.

Instructors have been given training, but if it was anything like what students received—which was sink or swim—then we completely understand why there is confusion.

Instructors did not grow up with technology like most college students have, so they are not as experienced in clicking around new systems to figure out how things work. However, though students are a little more used to navigating un-known technology, we should not be thrown into it with expectations that we can figure out the system before we miss something vi-tal in class.

Instructors do not have time to teach stu-dents what little they know about Moodle when they are 1. still trying to figure it out themselves and 2. are supposed to be teach-ing students subjects relevant to their classes.

Freshmen receive training in Blackboard in

University Prep. We understand that they will receive training in Moodle as well, this semes-ter or next. What are the rest of the students supposed to do?

We need a student-training seminar. Even student employees new to using online time sheets will receive one. Is accessing our as-signments, grades and syllabi on Moodle less important than imputting time to get paid?

Also, why are we increasing the confusion by making Moodle only applicable in a few classes? It is hard enough to remember to check Blackboard and Gmail before and after every class to make sure nothing was changed that will affect our deadlines, but now we have to remember to check Moodle, say, for that one class out of five that is actually using it.

Once we do check it, we are left clicking around, hoping to find something instructor

swears he posted but cannot be found any-where because he did not realize he had to click something extra to make it accessible to students.

Some instructors have even had to log in as a student to make sure students are seeing what they need to be seeing.

Other instructors refuse to use Moodle un-til they have to because they are aggravated

by their unanswered questions, such as how to implement online quizzes with a textbook-provided test bank.

We have switched a few things around quite a bit in the last few years at Nicholls. E-mail, registration and now assignments are accessed in whole new ways.

But if the system is not self-explanatory, such as Banner’s many helpful, descriptive links or Gmail’s famil-iarity to most students, then how are we sup-posed to figure it out?

Moodle is bare. There are a list of classes, and then once you click on a subject-- noth-ing. No helpful “syllabus,” “assignments” or “course documents” links, just a blank page that causes a blank stare into its unknown, un-familiar, white space that goes on and on and on…

We understand that change is difficult, but we must find a way to make this change easier for the students and faculty as well.

Telephone Directory

Mailing Information

Opinion Policy Editorials are based on the majority opinion of a seven-member board. Opinions expressed in letters and columns are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Nicholls Worth. Letters to the editor are encouraged and ac-cepted at the discretion of the editor. Letters should be fewer than 300 words, typed and should include author’s name, classification, major and telephone number. Faculty and staff should include their title and department. Longer letters may be accepted as guest col-umns. Anonymous letters will not be printed. The Nicholls Worth reserves the right to edit all letters for grammar, obscenity, accuracy, and poor taste. Letters are due at 4 p.m. Monday, the week of publication. Letters can be delivered to the Student Publications building, emailed to [email protected], or sent to: The Nicholls Worth Editor, Student Publications, P.O. Box 2010, Thibodaux, LA, 70310

Nicholls Worth is published weekly for the Nicholls State University community, except between semesters and exams. The subscription rate is $15 per year. Periodi-cal postage paid at Thibodaux, LA (USPS 390-460). One paper is free. Additional copies can be purchased for 50 cents. The newspaper office is located on Ardoyne Drive on the Nicholls State University campus. For more information call the Office of Student Publications at (985) 448-4529. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to

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ThE NIChOllS WOrTh STAffEditor Ashley Falterman Managing Editor Rebecca PlaisanceDesign and Layout Editor Lindsay DuetDesign and Layout Editor Kristen FisackerlyGraphic Designer Derek MatherneNews Editor Melissa HolmanSports Editor Jake MartinLagniappe Editor Ross LandryCopy Editor Brittany DworshakCopy Editor Sarah Baudoin

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Staff Writer Zavier DavisStaff Writer David GuidryStaff Writer Kami EllenderSports Writer Stuart PercleSports Writer Solomon TentionSports Writer Carolyn NobleReporter Matthew LandryStaff Artist Donny BlanchardPhoto Editor Maryna FowlerPhotographer Whitney Babin

Photographer Meagan GervaisPhotographer Stephanie MinorAdvertising Manager David FordAdvertising Sales Rep Kacey RodrigueAdvertising Sales Rep Seth VaughnAd Graphic Designer Courtney HicksCirculation Manager Tyler FolseBusiness Manager Anne ToloudisAdviser Nicki Boudreaux

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August 25, 2011