With Election Day drawing near, candidates vying for top positions in the Student Government Association push to gain a leg up in the SGA Debates Wednesday night.

The debates began with the candidates for every position presenting their platform and giving a brief statement to try and garner more votes in their favor. Following the introductions of the participants and panel by moderator Jason Hughes the debate went underway.

The panel was allowed to question each candidate first and the respective candidate or candidates were allotted a specific amount of time to answer or, if granted, deliver a rebuttal to another candidate’s response solely at

the discretion of Mr. Hughes. “To the Miss SU candidates, what

would you do if you or one of your Queens were to become pregnant during your term on the court?” asked Former Miss Southern Shantrice Hurst, one of the panelists that night.

While all of the candidates responded by stating that they would gracefully step down or ask that the pregnant member of the court to step down, candidate Meagan Callier took it a step a further.

“I would step down or ask that the Queen relinquish her thrown and give that spot to the runner-up but I would also use this as an opportunity to promote safe sex on campus,” said Callier. “It’s a reality and we have to take advantage of any adversity in our lives.”

When the candidates for vice

president were asked what their position’s duties were, candidate Kiara Stewart elaborated on the previous answers given.

“I would also like to add that the

vice president is a liaison between BRCC and LSU and is the ex-officio of the executive branch of SGA,” said

For days, Southern University athletic director Greg LaFleur’s arrest Sunday night for allegedly soliciting prostitution in downtown Houston has become a perplexed story on the campus: nobody could fi gure out how things had gone wrong for a program decaying of funds and coaching changes including the dismissal of men’s basketball coach Rob Spivery.

Ultimately, the stability of the athletic program overruled any attempt to save his job.

On Wednesday, Chancellor Kofi Lomotey, who submitted his resignation in November, brought LaFleur’s resignation to a conclusion. Days after the university spokesman Edward Pratt said that Southern

offi cials will investigate, then “determine what actions are necessary,” Lomotey announced the dismissal in a university news release-a decision that had to be made and made quickly.

“Given the circumstances, I think it would be diffi cult for the university to move forward with Mr. LaFleur as the head of the athletic program,” he said. This decision was reached after consultation with campus and system administrators.”

LaFleur has been AD at Southern for six years, replacing Floyd Kerr in the summer of

2005. The Ville Platte native is a former LSU football player who also played in the NFL.

“I was shocked,” said Julius Ingram, who played basketball for Southern and graduated in the summer of 2010. “I got the message through a text message. I only knew him as an AD, not personally, I just never expected a person in a high position like that to make that mistake.”

Lomotey praised LaFleur for his guidance of Southern University athletics during tough economic times and coaching changes. “I appreciate

his effort and the hard work he put in during some diffi cult situations,” Lomotey said. “I speak for the rest of my staff in wishing him well.”

He said Pugh — whose teams have won four regular season Southwestern Athletic Conference championships, been to four NCAA tournaments, and made two Women National Invitational Tournament appearances — provides intelligence and knowledge for the next critical

See LAFLEUR FIRED page 9

INSIDE CAMPUS BRIEFS................2 NEWS.................................3

S O U T H E R N U N I V E R S I T Y , B A T O N R O U G E , L A .

STATE & NATION................5CAMPAIGN INFO...........7&8

SPORTS.............................9 VIEWPOINTS....................11

AM CLOUDS/PM SUNHIGH 88° | 68° LOW

by morris dillarddigest sports editor

Former southern University athletics director greg LaFleur, right, walks with head football coach stump Mitchell after the sWac-Meac challenge game last fall. sU officials fired LaFleur Wednesday after LaFleur’s arrest sunday night for allegedly soliciting a prostitute in houston. Women’s basketball head coach sandy pugh is pegged to take over sU athletics on an interim basis.

photo by april bUFFington/digest File photo

See SGA DEBATES page 3

by brandi morrisondigest contribUting Writer

FRIDAY, APRIL 8 , 2011WWW.SOUTHERNDIGEST.COM VOL. 57, ISSUE 13

estABLished in 1928

NEWS

r&b group visits sUHamilton Park hits the yard. pg. 3

STATE & NATION

lawmakers adjourn ‘til mondayAlso: public makes budget pleas. pg. 4

SPORTS

negro leagues classic on tapJags, Grambling in key series. pg. 9

by norman j. dotson jr.digest editor-in-chieF

LaFleur falls from graceAD fired after arrest; Pugh recommended for interim spot

sga Vice presidential canidates, from left to right, Myeisha Webb, Kiara stewart, Jullien L. singleton and olusegun a. adetoba await questioning during tuesday’s sga debate.

photo by david clark iii/digest

Hopefuls debate issues

SpringFest slate set

SpringFest weekend is in fully swing after Thursday’s Miss Southern Pageant.

SpringFest continues today with the “NPHC Greekshow” which is being held in the F.G. Clark Activity Center tonight at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m.

Admission is $10 at the door. The Greek Show will also feature performaces from the Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity and the Gold’N BLuez Dance Team.

Saturday’s schedule includes the annual concert on the Mayberry lawn. The concert is scheduled to begin at noon, and all students are encouraged to attend early.

SU student ID is required for entry.

The concert lineup includes artists like Jeremih, who is set to rock the crowd with hits like “Down On Me ft. 50 Cent” and “Birthday Sex”. Also on this hot line up to rock the stage is no other than Louisiana’s own MystiKal with chart toppers like “Danger” and “Shake it fast”. Last but not least on this line up set to hype the crowd is Roscoe Dash with bangers like “ShowOut” and also a feature on “No Hands” with Waka Flocka.

CampusBRIEFS

sickle cell aWareness Walk

Southern University’s Alpha Tau Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. will host its Sickle Cell Awareness Walk at 9 a.m., April 16, on Southern University’s campus.

The event is a fundraiser for the Baton Rouge Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation. The walk will start at F.G. Clark Activity Center and end in front of Smith-Brown Memorial Union. They will provide screenings and information concerning blood pressure, blood sugar, hemoglobin levels, etc. This event is free to the public. Food, drinks, and music will be provided.

antigone in hayden hallThe Frank Hayden

Hall Theatre will host Sophocles’ ‘Antigone’ adapted by Emily Mann on April 13-16 at 7pm. Tickets will be sold at the door $5 for adults and $3 for students.

prospective sU mba stUdent inFo sessions Any students who

are interested in the SU MBA program have an opportunity to attend the information session held by the program, The session will be a source of information and place to get your questions answered about the SU MBA program. The last session will be held on April 21. The session will be held in T.T. Allain Room 313 from 6-7pm.

retool soUthern University

Student Orientation Leaders and Ambassadors encourage all students, faculty, staff, and Southern University community members to vote to retool

our school. Visit www.retoolyourschool.com and vote for Southern University and A&M College. The last day to vote is April 22. Behavioral Studies Poster Session The Department of Behavioral Studies would you like the Southern University community to support our graduate students with media coverage as they participate in a poster session exercise.

These students are preparing for the world of counseling and as part of becoming a counselor, they have been asked to develop a topic of interest and deliver their findings in a form of a “Poster Session”. The session will be held on April 25 at 6pm in Seymour Gym.

aids online coUrse in school oF nUrsing

The School of Nursing will offer the online course, “AIDS: A Nation in Crisis” during the University’s Summer 2011 session. The course will be taught by Dr. Leah S. Cullins, APRN, MSN, FNP-BC, and Assistant Professor in the Southern University School of Nursing. Includes discussion and analysis of history and epidemiology of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Explore the HIV testing process including private and governmental influences, and importance of health education in maintaining prevention of transmission of HIV/AIDS.

a WETFEST on April 9. Activities throughout the day such as waterslide, water balloons, dunk pool, water guns, etc. The concert will include Roscoe Dash and Mystikal; DJ Supa Mike will be on the ones and twos. Students will need their Southern University Id to attend and are encouraged to arrive early because Roscoe Dash is scheduled to perform at 12:10. The Festival begins at 11:30am and will continue until 5pm on Mayberry Lawn. Crawfish and BBQ will be provided and vendors will feature other snacks and refreshments.

campaign WeekAll students are

encouraged to participate in Election on Monday April 11 in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom of Smith-Brown Memorial Union fron 9am-5pm. Students are required to bring there student id in order to vote. If there is an Election run-off the Run off Debate is scheduled for April 12 at 6:30pm in the Cotillions Ballroom and the Run off Election will be held in the Cotillion Ballroom on April 13 from 9am-5pm.

caFÉ lacUmba Come join your

colleagues and faculty for a delicious and healthy lunch! All items are made fresh and can be enjoyed as dine-in or on-the-go. Café Lacumba will be serving up sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads, snacks, and beverages every Wednesday from 11AM-1:30PM. Café Lacumba is located in 161 Pinkie E. Thrift Hall (between Tourgee A. DeBose Hall and James Blaine Moore Hall). For more information, please call 225.771.4660.

APRIL 11

What’s the quickest way to

get news and events to

the student body?

Put it in the...

Fax your campus event to

The Southern DIGEST

at 771-5840

Deadline for announcements are three days

prior to the publication date.

HI - 46° / LO - 30° 30% CHANCE OF RAINTHE SOUTHERN DIGEST 4 - DAY WEATHER OUTLOOK

SATURDAY, APRIL 9 TUESDAY, APRIL 12SUNDAY, APRIL 10 MONDAY, APRIL 11

HI - 84° / LO - 57° 10% CHANCE OF RAIN

am cloUds/pm sUn

HI - 89° / LO - 69° 20% CHANCE OF PRECIP

sUnnypartlycloUdy

am cloUds/pm sUnHI - 86°/ LO - 69° 10% CHANCE OF PRECIP

Page 2 - Friday, April 8, 2011

CAMPUS BRIEFSwww.southerndigest.com

Page 2

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 company. 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 for Tuesday’s Issue and by 3 p.m. each Wednesday for Friday’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 2008 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 & Friday) with a run count of 6,000 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.

PUBLICATION ASSOCIATIONSthe southern digest is a member of the black college communications association (bcca), national association of black Journalists (nabJ), University - Wire network (U-Wire), associated collegiate press (acp), college Media advisers association (cMa), society of professional Journalist (spJ), Full member of the associated press (ap) and the Louisiana press association (Lpa).

ADVERTISER MEMBERSHIPSthe southern digest subscribes to the american passage, alloy M+M, 360 youth, zim2papers, all campus Media, ruxton group and college publishers on-Line services.

STUDENT MEDIA OFFICEwww.subr.edu/studentmedia

director - tbaassistant director - tbapublications asst. - Fredrick batisteadvertising Mgr. - camelia Jackson

CONTACTS (area code 225)advertising office - 771.5833digest newsroom - 771.2231student Media services- 771.5812the Jaguar yearbook - 771.2231yearbooK newsroom - 771.5829ego Magazine newsroom - 771.5829southern 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.

The Office of Student Media is a Division of Student Affairs.

SPRING 2011 DIGEST STAFF

PAGE 2 ANNOUNCEMENTS & PAID CLASSIFIED INFO

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFnorman J. dotson Jr.

MANAGING EDITORevan taylor

COPY EDITORerica s. Johnson

PHOTO EDITORdavid clark iii

SPORTS EDITORMorris dillard

A&E EDITORbilly Washington

CULTURE EDITORpatrick galloway

LAYOUT EDITORtrevor James

DIGEST STAFF WRITERSsamantha smith

Kalisha black

DIGEST PHOTOGRAPHERSrobert Florida Jr.

polite stewart

SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY sUite 1064 – t.h.harris haLL

p.o. boX 10180 – baton roUge, La 70813225.771.2231 phone / 225.771.5840 FaX

WWW.soUtherndigest.coM

springFest greek shoWThe Spring Fest Greek

Show is today at 7:30pm. The doors open at 6pm. The show will be in F.G. Clark Activity Center. Tickets are $10 at the door. Come out and see SU Greeks at their best.

relay For liFeSouthern University will

host its’ annual “American Cancer Society Relay For Life” from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., April 8-9, at A. W. Mumford Stadium. “Relay For Life” is an overnight community celebration. Individuals and team members come together to camp out, barbecue, dance, and take turns walking around a track -- relay style -- in an effort to raise funds, while celebrating the lives of cancer survivors and remembering those that have died. There will be food, fun, games, entertainment and much more. For more information about the Relay For Life of Southern, call Jennifer at 225.767.4561, e-mail her at, Jennifer.graham@cancer.org or visit www.re lay for l i f e .org /southernuniversity.

springFest The SGA Spring

Festival/Concert will be

For more information call 225.771.5833 or mail your subscription payment of $40 to: The Southern Digest Subscriptions, PO Box 10180, Baton Rouge, LA 70813. Business, cashiers checks and money orders accepted only. No personal checks or credit card orders accepted. Make all payments to The Southern Digest.

GET 36 ISSUES FOR JUST $40Name:

Address:

City/State/Zip:

Daytime Phone: ( )

Campus BriefsTODAY

apartments For rent

Looking to move? Call now about our great move-in specials. 1.866.972.5495.

FUrnitUre For saleLeather sofa & other

home furniture for sale. Call 288.5187 for details.

Classifieds

HI - 85°/ LO - 63° 0% CHANCE OF RAIN

APRIL 9

APRIL 21

APRIL 22

APRIL 16

One of the five semifinalists withdrew his name Wednesday night from further consideration as the next chancellor for Southern University.

Walter M. Kimbrough withdrew his name to pursue other job opportunities, search committee Co-Chairman Pat Magee said.

Kimbrough, 43, became president of small Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Ark., in 2004.

Kimbrough told the DHR International search firm of his decision, Magee said.

“Personally, I’m disappointed Dr. Kimbrough has withdrawn from consideration. I certainly understand his desire to enhance his career in seeking another direction,” Magee said.

The remaining four candidates will be interviewed in Baton Rouge on April 18-20. The chancellor would head Southern’s Baton Rouge campus.

The committee is set to make a recommendation to Southern University System President Ronald Mason Jr. at the next search committee meeting, scheduled for April 21.

The remaining candidates are:•Belinda Childress Anderson, Ed.D.,

president, Vanguard Anderson LLC, Richmond, Va.

•Robert R. Jennings, Ed.D., administrator, Gems Inc., Union City, Ga.

•James Llorens, Ph.D., assistant chief administrative officer, Office of the Mayor-President, Baton Rouge/East Baton Rouge Parish.

•Earl G. Yarbrough, Sr., Ph.D., president, Savannah State University, Savannah, Ga.

Hamilton Park, one of Atlantic Records newest groups, stopped by Southern University Thursday as part of their grassroots tour.

Group members Anthony, Mr. Marcus and Royce P set up a table along side Miss Southern contestants for a meet a greet with SU students. The fourth member, Chris Voice, was in Atlanta handling personal matters. The three singers handed out free, signed CD’s and posters as well as making a point to give every lady who approached the table a hug.

“A young man wants to get into the bed,” Mr. Marcus said, so they combine that motivation with compassion and conviction that might remind the listener of being in church, Mr. Marcus added.

HP got their start singing in church and at the basketball courts at Hamilton Park Recreational Center in Atlanta, where each member is from. In 2005 the men decided to pursue their vocal dreams and went from church hymns to the love making music genre that now dominates their theme.

“We’re tasteful and graceful,” Royce P said.

Although every song is geared to a female audience the group is convinced they will still be able to attract male fans.

“We sing about what men do so they

can relate,” Mr. Marcus said.The music industry is currently

flooded with single male artists and HP is looking to change the game. The men combine clean-cut wholesome images and sounds with raw, sexual bad-boy lyrics to set them apart from other male groups.

“R&B (now) has no conviction,” Mr. Marcus said. The men are not looking to give listener’s style or finesse when they sing, but instead they are singing with their souls, he continued.

“We’re following the proper tradition of real genuine R&B” Anthony said. He goes on to discuss group influences like 112, Jagged Edge, Guy, New Edition and Jodeci.

The men have received nothing

but positive feedback through their myspace.com website and other Atlantic team members. They are using soulful tones to entice woman and bring sex to the masses via melodic tones.

Only the future will reveal if HP can make it past the streets of the south and into the homes of Americans.

“Failure is not an option,” Mr. Marcus said. “But either way SU can say they were one of the first to host the sweet yet spicy R&B vocals of Hamilton Park.”

The male R&B group was signed to Harrell Records/Atlantic Records in 2010 and recently debuted their first music video “Computer Love” in January 2011.

Friday, April 8, 2011 - Page 3

NEWSwww.southerndigest.com

by the associated press

SGA DEBATES from page 1

Members of r&b group hamilton park perform during thursday’s Miss southern pageant. the group is currently touring in support of their new single.

photo by david clark iii/digest

by erica s. johnsonego Magazine Managing editor

Steward.Panelist Ted James questioned

the presidential hopefuls about their ability to encourage students to become more vocal in issues surrounding Southern University such as the SUNO/UNO merger and rallies against budget cuts.

“Without all the quotes, how will you ensure that as leaders you will get the students to follow you to make sure that their voices are heard,” asked

James.Dadrius Landus stuck to his

platform that at its core stood on three points: communication, education, and participation. Landus stressed the importance of communicating with one another and making sure that the people are properly informed about the circumstances that they face.

“Communicating with one another in a language that we can all understand and then taking it a step further and

participating with one another in large forces is what its going to take to keep Southern moving forward,” Landus said.

The debates were finished off with a question and answer segment from students in the audience who inquired about the candidates prior involvement in SGA or any other important matters surrounding SU and how they feel that they can best serve the student body.

R&B group visits SU

SU candidate won’t pursue top position

Page 4 - Friday, April 8, 2011 www.southerndigest.com

Legislators heard a variety of state budget requests from the public Thursday, among them: Don’t sell the state’s prisons. Don’t cut school-based health clinics. Provide more money for assisted living programs for the elderly.

Those were just a few of the pleas made to the House Appropriations Committee, as members of the public came to talk about Gov. Bobby Jindal’s nearly $25 billion budget proposal for next year.

Jindal’s 2011-12 budget would close a $1.6 billion gap with a mix of cuts, one-time patches and long-term financing changes. Lawmakers on the Appropriations Committee spent two weeks hearing from agency chiefs about the spending plans before hearing public testimony.

Cindy Bishop, representing health centers in public school districts, urged lawmakers against a proposed $2.4 million cut. The Jindal administration said the clinics could make up the additional money with new billings through Medicaid, but Bishop said they can’t make the transition within a few months and need more time.

“Some of them will have to shut down as a result. Some of them, their services will have to be curtailed,” she said. “A lot of these kids, that’s their only access point for health care.”

Mike Futrell supported a $600,000 add-on for the Louisiana Assistive Technology Access Network, or LATAN, a program that works with disabled people to find technology that can help them work, study or cope with daily life.

Futrell has a degenerative retinal disease that has taken away part of his vision. He

said the technology program helped him find computer software to enlarge text, so he can balance his checkbook and read documents.

“LATAN has served me well, and it serves other people well,” Futrell told the committee.

Steve Kauffman, with the Advocacy Center, which provides legal services to people with disabilities and to senior citizens, asked lawmakers to restore $123,000 for an independent living program. The reduction would be a 23 percent cut from the state funding the program received this year, he said.

Committee members were sympathetic to the requests and said they would try to find dollars for some of the programs even in the tight budget year.

The new fiscal year begins July 1. The Legislature is expected to craft a final version of the budget in June.

A large portion of Thursday’s testimony came from critics of Jindal administration plans to privatize prison operations in Avoyelles and Rapides parishes, along with plans to sell the Avoyelles facility in Cottonport and prisons in Allen and Winn parishes to private operators.

Among the most vocal complaints were from current and former elected officials in Avoyelles Parish, who said the plans would force the layoffs of state workers and could threaten public safety. They said while some current employees could be rehired by the private managers of the prisons, they would get lower pay and lesser benefits.

“I can see the anxiety and fear that these individuals have on their faces, worried about what’s going to happen to them in the future,” said Rep. Robert Johnson, D-Marksville.

Negotiations will continue behind the scenes this weekend over how to redraw Louisiana’s congressional seats, after state lawmakers abruptly took a break until Monday amid skirmishes over legislative district maps.

Legislative leaders said they remain optimistic that the work can be wrapped up by session’s end Wednesday, though some lawmakers questioned their ability to reach a compromise on a plan to shrink the U.S. House districts from seven to six in the short time left.

“I’m concerned at this point, waiting until Monday now, whether we’ll be able to get a congressional bill through the process,” said Sen. Neil Riser, R-Columbia, the sponsor of a congressional proposal favored by Gov. Bobby Jindal.

Lawmakers are meeting in a three-week special session to account for population shifts under the latest federal census data. They’re working to redraw

the political boundary lines for the 144 legislative seats, the congressional districts, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Public Service Commission.

None of the maps have received full legislative approval yet.

Riser’s bill had been scheduled for Senate debate Thursday, but Senate President Joel Chaisson scrapped the work after he learned the House planned to wait until Monday to discuss the redesign of Senate districts. House Speaker Jim Tucker quickly followed, adjourning the House.

Tucker, R-Terrytown, talked of technical problems with the Senate map, and said he wants his staff to have the weekend to comb through the proposal. He noted the maps would be reviewed by the U.S. Justice Department and would govern elections for a decade.

“We’ve got to get this right, and we have no problems completing this by Wednesday,” Tucker said.

Chaisson, D-Destrehan, disagreed with Tucker’s assessment of the redesigned Senate districts, saying the map was fine. He said the Senate’s legal staff could have alleviated Tucker’s concerns and the special session could have been wrapped up early before Tucker decided to wait until Monday for House debate on the Senate map.

“Unfortunately, that has resulted in us not being able to finish the session on Saturday and save the taxpayers money,” Chaisson said.

Senators suggested Tucker might be trying to create problems for the Senate district redesign in the hopes of making other changes to the proposal — and violating a time-honored

legislative tradition that the House and Senate don’t meddle with each other’s maps. But Tucker said the delay wasn’t a ploy.

The dispute spilled over into work on a congressional map, however, derailing Senate discussion of how to tweak the proposal in a way that might get support from both chambers of the Legislature and from Jindal.

Friday, April 8, 2011 - Page 5

STATE & NATIONwww.southerndigest.com

by melinda deslattethe associated press

reps. herbert dixon-d, alexandria, left, roy burrell-d, shreveport, second from left, patrick connick-r, Marrero, and John schroder-r, covington look over amendments to a bill that would redraw voting districts for house members Wednesday during a meeting of the house committee on house and governmental affairs.

photo by arthUr d. laUck/ap photo

by melinda deslattethe associated press

Lawmakers break amid disputes

Lawmakers hear public complaints about budget

www.southerndigest.comPage 6 - Friday, April 8, 2011

Candidate Profile sga electionsFriday, April 8, 2011 - Page 7www.southerndigest.com

Candidates for Student Government Association PresidentMONDAY

SGA Election Day.Smith-Brown Mem.

Union9 a.m.-5 p.m.

TUESDAYSGA Run-off

Debates6:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAYSGA Run-Off Elections

Smith-Brown Mem. Union

9a.m.-5 p.m.

See page 8 for additional candidate

profiles

hollins

MARliN hOlliNS

seniorbusiness management

Jackson, la.

lAU-REN D.fiSh-

“Help the Student Government Association

to be productive

Candidates for Chief Justice

DEMETRiUS SUMNER

Juniorpolitical science

dallas

sumner

“We have come a long way. We can’t turn back now. Let’s #KeepMovingForward.”

Candidates for Miss Southern

DADRiUSlANUS

Juniorpolitical science/

historybaton rouge

“Communicate, Educate and Particpate: Believe. Let’s Do It.”lanus

jANEAjAMiSON

Juniorpolitical science

napoleonville, la.

Jamison

MichEllE ANDERSON

seniorpsychology

baton rouge

“Your SU Ringleader: Set forth a legacy that will continue for generations to come.

The Purpose is the Promise!”

anderson

MEGAN cAlliER

seniormass

communicationsmobile, ala.

“Megan Alexandria Callier = Making A Change”callier

jilliAN cRAWlEY-

fOSTERJunior

mechanical engineeringbaton rouge

“Southern’s Best Kept Secret”crawley-

foster

chiSOlU iSiADiNSO

Juniorbiology

new orleans

isiadinso

cRAiGBURREll jR.

Juniorcriminal Justice

kankakee, ill.

“Win a Game, Lose a “W” Program; Rhodes Rebate

Candidates for SGA Vice President

adetoba

OlUSEGUNADETOBA

seniorelectrical

engineeringmaringouin, la.

“Realistically thinking of SU”

kiARA STEWART

seniorbiology/psychology

biology

“We can do it! SU fire it up.”

jUliEN SiNGlETON

seniormathematics

lake charles, la.

singleton stewart

vANcE MiTchEll

sophomorearchitectureatlanta, ga

“When there is justice, there is peace.”

MAURlENcEMARTiN

sophomorepolitical science

dubach, la.

“Equal justice for all students.”

martin mitchell

Read the

at WWW.

southerndigest

.com

www.southerndigest.comPage 8 - Friday, April 8, 2011

cURTiSMORTON

Juniorapparel

merchandisingopelousas, la.

morton

Senior Class Vice-PresidentjASMiNE BENOiT

seniorelementary educationlafayettebenoit

Senior Class Senator

AlANA RhONEJunior

agricultural economics

texarkana, texas

rhone

Assoc. of Women Students (AWS) PresidentTANEqUAfRANkliN

Juniorpsychologycrowley, la.

“Making progress for the benefit of our future ... to be continued ...”

“Make a plan, Be the plan. Women, we are the plan!”

franklin gordon

jA’ElGORDON

seniorhistory

baton rouge

Men’s Federation PresidentShAqUillE

DillONsophomore

political sciencefranklin, la.

“Snap back to reality. MEN making a difference.”

dillon Jones

MARkjONES

seniormarketing

los angeles

Men’s Federation Vice-PresidentjASpER

kNiGhTENJunior

civil engineeringamite, la.

knighten williams

chRiSTOphERWilliAMS

seniormass

communicationsnew orelans

jAMElfRANkliN

Juniormass

communicationsnew orleans

franklin

Senior Class President

smith

WilliESMiTh

Juniorcomputer science

new orleans

AMBERjARREll

Juniorbiology

baton rouge

Jarrell

Miss Senior

quarels

RAShANiqUEqUARElS

seniorchemistry

new orleans

BRYSONAlExANDER

sophomorepolitical sciencebreaux bridge, la.

alexander

Junior Class President

yarbrough

EBONYYARBROUGh

sophomoreenglish

baton rouge

TEvOYDYSONsophomore

political sciencefranklinton, la.

dyson

Junior Class Vice-President

MEGANhENDERSON

sophomoreapparel

merchandising & textiles

shreveporthenderson

Junior Class Justice

TRAviSDAviDSON

freshmanchemistry/chemical

engineeringalexandria, la.

davidson

Sophomore Class Vice-President

SiMONEBRAYfreshman

masscommunication

baton rouge

bray

Sophomore Class Justice

jEMiElAcASTlEBERRY

sophomoresocial work

bogalusa, la.

castleberry

Miss Junior

davis

BREShATTADAviSsophomore

political sciencemonroe, la.

ERiN MilESfreshmannursing

geismar, la.

miles

Miss Sophomore

spivey

AYANNA SpivEYfreshman

social workmoreno valley,

calif.

chARiSSAcARROll

freshmanchemistry/chemical

engineeringchicago

carroll

Sophomore Class President

lewis

STEffENlEWiS

freshmannursing

shreveport

flOYDfORDsophomore

agriculturaleconomics

opelousas, la.ford

Junior Class Senator

SAMUEl TERRYsophomore

plant & soil sciencemamou, la.

terry

AMBER TRAhANJunior

criminal Justicest. martinville, la.

trahan

kakAYlA GOlDENfreshman

mass communicationminden, la.

golden

Sophomore Class Senator

Di’ShUN MElBERTfreshman

psychologyalexandria, la.

melbert

ADRiA SMiThfreshman

agricultural economics

salina, kan.smith

Friday, April 8, 2011 - Page 9

sportswww.southerndigest.com

BY MORRiS DillARDdigest sports editor

SPORTS SHORTS

digest news service

the annual negro league classic series between rivals southern and grambling pays homage to the history of the game. however, this weekend’s series has a little more as stake as the tigers come to baton rouge two games behind the first-place Jaguars in the swac western division.

phOTO BY jOShUA hAllEY/DiGEST filE phOTO

Two teams will meet at Lee-Hines Field this weekend, renewing their in-state rivalry while paying tribute to their forebears.

Southern University and Grambling State, never far from each other’s consciousness, meet again for the Negro Classic baseball series, wearing throwback uniforms. Southern have won 10 of their last 12 games, but Grambling clinched the 2010 Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament.

“It’s more than baseball when you look at Southern and Grambling,” 27-year coach Roger Cador said. It’s a wonderful tradition plus we are going to wear the Negro league uniforms.

The thought of a throwback game at Southern came during the 1999-2000 season and the fi rst games were played in 2002.

Also, Cador refl ected upon the moment when former player Kenny Clark, who was the starting pitcher for the Jaguars,

hit a grand slam in game one of the series to win the game.

“When you think about that, it was a big moment to have happened and I was a part of it Cador said. “There were other great moments but this one was the one that really the very fi rst one as a coach for me.”

The games will be played Saturday with games at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., and ending with a noon getaway game Sunday. Saturday’s afternoon tilt will be broadcast on Cox Sports Televsion.

Southern (18-9) are more ready to defend its two-game SWAC Western Division lead on Grambling, after getting a 6-4 win over Nicholls State Tuesday. Belfred Pryer (3-2) made the start and pitched seven innings giving up two walks and seven strikeouts.

“We did a lot of things well,” said Cador. “We pitched well and we swung the bat well.

In their fi rst series of the season, in north Louisiana, the Tigers were swept 3-0.

“We need to be able to do

something to challenge them,” Cador said. “There are a lot of people expecting us to win.”

Grambling fi nished their three-game home series last weekend with 22-4 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, whom Southern swept 3-0 in March.

The best example of homegrown talent, though, will be on display when left-hander Jesse Holliday (5-0) takes the mound.

“We are hoping that his knowledge and experience will be the key,” Cador said.

Jags put lead on line

months when they meet with the NCAA.

Attempts to reach Pugh were unsuccessful.

“It’s been a challenging year academically and athletically,” Lomotey said. “The situation with the AD has been extremely unfortunate.”

Lomotey will recommend to the university’s Board of Supervisors that 11-year women’s basketball coach Sandy Pugh become the interim athletic director.

“Her presence and back-ground will be invaluable in guiding our athletic depart-ment over the next several weeks and especially next week during crucial meetings with representatives from the NCAA,” Lomotey said.

For Pugh, who was hired in 2000, played at Northwestern State from 1983-87. Her team went 20-12 this season including a season ending loss to Tulane in the fi rst round of the WNIT. Pugh will remain as the women’s basketball coach but will oversee the program, which includes the hiring of the next men’s basketball coach.

The university issued a

statement last week saying Spivery will be terminated effective April 21. The statement also said the decision was made on March 18.

“It’s tough when you lose somebody that’s been here,” Ingram said. Regardless of the results, change can be a good thing and change can be a bad thing.” “Something needed to be done. I guess that’s the move the athletic department felt was better for the program.”

Spivery led Southern to a 20-13 record in 2005-06, his fi rst year as coach, and the NCAA tournament where they lost in the fi rst round to Duke. Southern was 4-26 last season. Spivery’s contract has one year left.

On Wednesday, Southern called a news conference to address the situation at AD but canceled, according to a news release sent by the athletic department. Attempts to reach LaFleur were unsuccessful.

“I feel it’s real stupid for you to end up getting in trouble for something like that,” said Hannah Kador, who made second team All-SWAC in her fi nal season with the women’s basketball team. “Hopefully he learns from his mistake.”

Since 2009, the athletic department has cut women’s golf, men’s tennis, and hired Stump Mitchell as head football coach, despite a 2-9 fi nish and school record for most losses. Also, Southern announced the

dismissal of 17 year coach Pete Richardson, who had one year remaining on his contract.

Southern had an APR of 847, below NCAA requirement of 925, which can result in penalty to the department.

Lomotey said the University will launch a nationwide search for a new athletic director.

“The person hired will come into the job with the full support of the campus, administration and the Jaguar Nation,” he said. “That person will be expected to help our coaches attract and graduate the best student-athletes available.”

“But more importantly,” Lomotey said, “her teams have consistently averaged an APR score well above the standard.”

“i feel it’s real stupid for you to end up getting in trouble for something like that. hopefully he learns from his mistake.”

Hannah KadorSU guard, All-SWAC performer

LAFLEUR FIRED from page 1

Holiday earns SWAC pitching honor

Southern’s Jessie Holiday earned SWAC Pitcher of the week Honors for games played March 29-April 4.

Holiday (5-0) became the fi rst SWAC pitcher to get to 5 wins on the season with a 1-hit, 7.0 inning performance against Texas Southern. The Jaguars swept the Tigers, thanks in part to Holiday leading SU to a 9-4 victory in the opening game of the series. He struck out 9 TSU batters in the game as well.

SU tennis defeats Xavier

NEW ORLEANS—Southern University defeated Xavier 9-0 Sunday in a women’s dual at City Park Tennis Center.

The Lady Jaguars (9-5) won every set but one and picked up defaults at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles to defeat the shorthanded Gold Nuggets (3-14) for the second straight season.

Jo’Vonna Gaines, Carlista Mohammed and Kathryn Curtis won singles and doubles matches for Southern. Gaines and Mohammed defeated sisters Melissa and Nicole DeLoach 8-0 at No. 1 doubles, and Mohammed beat Amber Brown 6-0, 6-1 at No. 1 singles. Curtis and Lois Alexis improved their win streak to 10 matches with an 8-0 decision against Brown and Carmen Nelson at No. 2 doubles.

Nelson won her fi rst set against Demetria Woods at No. 3 singles, but Woods rallied for a 2-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-6) victory. Freshman Lisbeth Castaneda clinched the dual with her 6-3, 6-0 victory against Ashley McGill at No. 5 singles.

ASU’s Heard Finalist for Ashe Award

ALCORN STATE, Miss. — Alcorn State soccer student-athlete Jadtrl Heard is one of 10 female fi nalists for the 2011 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award. Heard will be profi led in the April issue of the magazine Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.

Heard is a junior Radiation Health Physics and Homeland Security GIS major at Alcorn State. An active member of the Health Physics Society, Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society and the Lady Braves soccer team, she not only excels in the classroom but on the fi eld as well. Heard maintains a 3.75 GPA and is a Presidential Scholar and honor student.

She volunteers at the Natchez Children’s Home and tutors weekly at the Southern Dreams facility.

www.southerndigest.comPage 10 - Friday, April 8, 2011

The Jindal administration is gushing with one bad policy idea after another these days. Last Wednesday, Commissioner of Administration Paul Rainwater told the House Appropriations Committee that the legislature had two options: go along with the administration’s plan to sell three state prisons or cut health services to the poor. The following day, the newly appointed Commissioner of Higher Education Jim Purcell urged the same committee to support the administration’s package of tuition and fee increases included in the governor’s $24.9 billion budget proposal. Without these cuts, the commissioner warns, higher education stands poised for an additional $95 million in budget cuts (on top of the $315 million in cuts that higher education has suffered in the last two and a half years). And since the governor refuses to consider any tax increases (no matter how sensible they might be) the legislature is given a choice: support Jindal’s proposals or cut the budget. It is almost as if Governor Jindal has placed a proverbial revolver to the heads of every legislator in order to coerce them to go along with his agenda.

This approach asks that the legislature and the citizens ignore how the state’s finances got in such a sorry state in the first place. Louisiana, like every other state, has experienced revenue declines because of the national impact of the Great Recession. Tax revenues decline naturally during recessions, as unemployment rises and business activity contracts. People who lose jobs usually also lose their health insurance, thereby they often are forced to enroll in Medicaid. Demand for services such as LaCHIP and food stamps increase. In addition, those impacted by recession frequently respond by seeking more education and training; therefore, community college enrollment typically increases during economic downturns. And all of these things have happened in Louisiana.

But Louisiana’s problems are also self-inflicted. The precipitous

decline in state revenues are also attributable to the fact that the Louisiana legislature in 2007 and 2008 enacted the two largest tax cuts in the history of the state. These tax cuts effectively repealed the Stelly Tax Plan, the “income tax-sales tax swap” approved by the voters through referendum in 2002. At the time these tax cuts were enacted, critics warned policymakers that, in the event of an economic downturn, the state would not have enough revenues to pay for state services. The economic collapse of September, 2008 came and that is exactly what happened. There is bipartisan culpability for this turn of events: the Stelly rollbacks started under Democratic Governor Kathleen Blanco’s administration. The actions of the legislature and Governor Jindal in 2008 accelerated the pace of the rollback that Blanco’s signature set in motion.

According to the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), the three-year cost of the Stelly tax rollbacks have been $1.8 billion. More pointedly, the Stelly rollbacks cost Louisiana $649 million in Fiscal Year 2010, $82million dollars less than the budget shortfall during that budget cycle. And the budget deficits in the succeeding years would have been considerably less than what Louisiana has actually experienced. In fact, the ITEP estimates that, had Louisiana kept the Stelly Plan in place, lawmakers would be facing a $328 million deficit for Fiscal Year 2012 (a far cry from the $1.6 billion deficit the legislature faces today). In fact, had it not been for the federal stimulus which Governor Jindal and his Republican allies like to lambast, the state’s financial picture in the last two years would have been far worse. Now that the stimulus dollars are no longer available, Louisiana faces a record $1.6 billion deficit. What is worse, state policymakers have known since the 2009 legislative session that. once the stimulus ended in 2011, the state would be facing deficits north of $1 billion for years to come if nothing changed. But they did

nothing of any real substance to avert the current situation.

However, rather than admit that they made a mistake in repealing the Stelly Plan, Governor Jindal and his legislative allies have insisted that the state has no alternative but to savagely slash education and health services. This is what conservatives like to refer to as “big government” (as if teachers and janitors and state workers are somehow aliens from another planet). The problem is made worse by the fact that Louisiana’s constitution insulates most of the budget from deep budget cuts – consequently, higher education and health care (the two largest “unprotected” areas) bear a disproportionate share of budget cuts during lean years. (The governor did “support” a proposed constitutional amendment in the 2009 session to “unprotect” the constitutionally protected funding areas of the budget. However, he did not really spend any serious “political capital” to ensure its passage; consequently, it predictably died in the Legislature and never reached the voters.) Louisiana, they insist, does not have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem. Once again, the hypocrisy of supply side economics is on display. The very ones who pride themselves on their “fiscal conservatism” have created the largest deficits in the history of this state. We should not be surprised – after all, supply side economics in Washington, D.C. created trillion dollar annual deficits at the national level. Ronald Reagan would be proud.

And yet, even Ronald Reagan raised taxes. In fact, in 1982, Reagan signed into law what was then the largest tax increase in

the nation’s history. Amazing how even Reagan, the conservative icon, raised taxes in response to a deep recession, a record deficit, and the conclusion that the 1981 budget cuts had been too deep. Reagan’s willingness to compromise his conservative principles in the face of stiff political and economic realities would be lambasted as treason by the Right today. Belief in the inherent efficacy of tax cuts has calcified into an idolatrous religion on the right – and they refuse to be confused with the facts. Despite all the hero worship of Ronald Reagan from right-wing Republicans, it is amazing how the present generation of Republicans (Bobby Jindal included) do not do what Ronald Reagan did. Consequently, conservatism has deteriorated from a necessary critique of the tendency to locate the solution to all of society’s problems in government into a inflexible, uncompromising brain dead ideology wholly detached and divorced from the lives and interests of average citizens and the real choices confronting policymakers.

Contrary to conventional wisdom at the State Capitol, the public is far more pragmatic that some of the rigid ideologues that currently hold office (especially those within the House of Representatives.) . In the annual public opinion survey conducted by the LSU Public Policy Lab, a majority of those surveyed indicated that the repeal of the Stelly Plan was a mistake. It is simply not true that the public is opposed to all tax increases. Rather, support for raising taxes increases when the new revenues are targeted for specific programs that voters favor – such as improving public education or providing health care services. Is anybody listening at the State Capitol?

The administration’s approach is an artful dodge from the substance of Jindal’s agenda. He wants to put the onus on the legislature to either agree with his proposals or to play the role of “Bad Guy” by cutting payments

to doctors and hospitals and/or causing universities to lay off faculty members and reduce class offerings. This allows the governor to tell voters that he proposed no further cuts to higher education and health services – consequently, if they are unhappy, blame the Legislature.

But why should we sell state prisons in the first place? There are some fundamental things that government should do (and by extension, private companies should not be allowed to do some things). The provision of certain services (namely law enforcement and corrections) is partly the reason we have government in the first place. Moreover, the prison sales will only raise one-time money (roughly $86 million). But the underlying budget problems are not solved. What’s going to happen next year? What will the administration propose that we sell next – the State Capitol building? Will we sell Angola State Penitentiary? Or the State Library? In the face of a historic fiscal crisis, is this the best idea that the administration can come up with – that the state, in effect, have one great big garage sale?

Furthermore, it is disingenuous for the administration to continue to repeat a “no new taxes” pledge while raising college tuition on working and middle class families in Louisiana. These tuition hikes are tax increases by another name. The tuition hikes included in the governor’s budget are on top of ones already scheduled to go into effect as a result of the LA GRAD Act. The governor’s policies will make it more difficult for many struggling Louisiana college students and their families to afford a college education. What is more, Jindal’s policies tilt heavily in favor of the state’s most well-off citizens. For example, the TOPS program, which disproportionately subsidizes the college education of many upper income Louisiana families who could afford to pay for their children’s education, is projected to cost the state $152 million in the 2011-2012 academic year (up from $54 million when the program began in 1998).

I’M JUST ASKING STATEMENTi’m Just asking is for entertainment purposes only. these remarks do not represent the opinions of the digest staff, southern university or the office of student media services.

40 questions1. How many candidates owe royalties for violating copyright laws?2. Will the businesses shut down campaign season like Pizza Hut closed BR franchises?3. How many SGA candidates will quote their GPAS next semester?4. Will they still qualify for there prospective organizations then?5. Did the former Athletic Director forget to clock out?6. Did he miss the sign for the police station up the street?

7. Did he submit a purchase requisition for his company?8. Did he plan to Chris Brown her?9. Don’t we need an SGA President with a vehicle?10. Or will his dependence improve CATS service on campus?11. How many times will we hear communicate, educate, and participate?12. Would it be easier to just do it?13. What if we don’t believe?14. So who’s gonna vote for LeRoy Brown for SGA President?15. Did he get his wardrobe insight from Lady GaGa?16. Is he really your Best Buy?17. So is SU full of circus freaks?18. Will they have acrobats and flamethrowers at

the Coronation?19. Do we really need an SU Ringleader?20. Or did he just copy and paste his platform from the website?21. Will one SGA Vice Presidential candidate get more votes than last year?22. Or will the number be so low we can count it on two hands?23. Will their vote count require tabulation?24. Will one of the SGA Vice Presidential candidates fire it up at coed cheer tryouts?25. Does it really mean more than words to her?26. Can you really mention in your experience a position you were fired from?27. Does it count if you were deemed ineligible?28. So next year will AWS stand for Angry Women Students?

29. Are they going to stick to the plan?30. Do you need us to repeat that question?31. Will the moderator allow us to?32. Will he tell them their time has expired?33. Will he grant her a five second grace period to answer?34. Don’t be silly for real?35. So does Willie want us to do it Big Willie Style?36. So will the Kappa Step team recreate the Kream Factory for the greek show?37. Will you need a golden ticket to see it?38. How many Willie bars from his tent will you have to open to get one?39. Does anyone really want to go this year’s “Is you wet yet?” Spring Fest?40. Should they change the name to “Are you excited yet?”

Friday, April 8, 2011 - Page 11

VIEWPOINTSwww.southerndigest.com

DR . A LBERTSAMUEL S

P OL I T I C A L S C I ENCE PROFE S S O R

Government by blackmail

www.southerndigest.comPage 12 - Friday, April 8, 2011