La. elected wrong candidate for future
This past Saturday the people of Louisiana were given the chance to take a true step toward change. They were given the opportunity to elect a candidate that understands what it takes to petition Washington for money to save our coast just as Florida and Virginia have done.
Someone with the intellect, energy and drive to actively recruit new businesses to the state. An individual who would finally bring real ethical standards to Louisiana government.
A problem solver, for a state that has far too many problems. Instead, the people of this state elected our first woman governor. Do not be hoodwinked, as 52% of our voters were, this woman is cast from the same mold as the wealthy, white, career politicians of our past.
Mrs. Blanco has been part of the political machine driving our state into the ground for the past 25 years; and the majority voted to give her the wheel. With questions surrounding the mass exodus of educated people from the state, the uneducated answered en masse; they don’t want us here, nor do they want to take the steps necessary to better Louisiana.
I know many of you are facing graduation just as I am and do not want to leave.
However, I encourage you to lay it on the line, head to Houston/Atlanta/Wherever and do what is best for yourself. Maybe after four more years at the bottom the voters will realize what kind of person it takes to enact real changes and you might get the chance to move back.
Patrick Guillot
senior
industrial engineering
Pro-Dean group responds to columnist
We are writing in reference to Hannah Anderson’s column about Southern stereotypes. In her column, Ms. Anderson references a comment made by Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean. However, she fails to provide readers with the comment, before proceeding to grossly misrepresent it.
Gov. Dean told the Des Moines Register earlier in November that, “I still want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks,” which is a line he has used before. (Most notably in a speech at a Democratic National Committee event where he received a standing ovation for his remarks.)
Clearly, Gov. Dean did not say that everyone in the South is evil, racist, mindless, a rapist, stupid and slow talking, as Ms. Anderson insinuates. His comment referenced a group of people that does exist in the South and typically is marginalized and almost always ignored by politicians.
Dean’s point, though poorly conveyed, was that he wants to help every American in need, not just a select few. In a statement responding to criticism of his remarks, Dean clarified his position by saying, “I want people with Confederate flags on their trucks to put down those flags and vote Democratic, because the need for quality healthcare, jobs, and a good education knows no racial boundaries.”
Gov. Dean has apologized for his comments and proceeded with his history-making campaign, one which proposes universal health care, a higher quality educational system, civil rights for all, the country’s return to fiscal responsibility and protection of Americans’ privacy. For more information on Dean’s plans to help Americans, visit deanforamerica.com.
As members of LSU’s chapter of Generation Dean, we are working (with many other Southern activists) to educate people about Gov. Dean and how his plans for the future will help Americans see brighter times. None of the Southern activists we’ve worked with would ever dedicate their time and money to a candidate who generalized them as stupid and racist.
We would like to invite Ms. Anderson (and anyone else with misconceptions or a curiosity about Dean) to learn more about his platform by visiting the Generation Dean table in Free Speech Alley today and tomorrow or attending an informational meeting Wednesday night at 6 p.m. in the Union Orleans Room. As Americans, we cannot afford four more years of fiscal irresponsibility, increased health care and education costs and shrinking civil liberties. It’s time to take our country back.
Leigh Shelton
sophomore
mass communication & political science
Christina Stephens
senior
mass communication
Corey Tisdale
senior
ISDS
Administration, faculty ‘contractual partners’
The entire faculty meets on December 1 to consider “post-tenure review.” In May 2000, the Board of Supervisors mandated a procedure in Permanent Memorandum 35 (PM-35) for identifying tenured faculty who fail in their professional responsibilities.
In July 2003, LSU implemented this mandate with Policy Statement 109 (PS-109). PM-35 and PS-109 abrogate a legal contract with the faculty.
A contract is an agreement between two or more parties, in which rights, expectations, and obligations are explicitly made. Once a contract has been signed, it can be changed only by consent of all parties to that contract. A contract cannot be changed unilaterally.
At the time of employment, each faculty member agrees to a suite of contractual conditions, including how tenure is earned and the conditions that warrant dismissal. The Board of Supervisors and LSU’s Administration are unilaterally changing this contract. The faculty are not obligated to accept this change.
Policy Statement 104, implemented a few years ago with faculty approval, defines the conditions that warrant revocation of tenure and dismissal-“any conduct seriously prejudicial to the University,” such as sexual harassment, misconduct in research, and serious nonperformance of duties. Under PM-35 and PS-109, if a tenured faculty member receives two consecutive annual evaluations of “unsatisfactory” performance (or three such evaluations in five years) and fails to satisfy a remedial program, then the University may revoke tenure and dismiss the individual. This meaningfully changes our contract.
If the Board of Supervisors can unilaterally change our contract by redefining the conditions for dismissal as a short series of “unsatisfactory” performances, then cannot the Board later redefine these conditions as being “below average” performance?
Similarly, cannot the Board redefine tenure from an indeterminate appointment (as defined in another policy statement) to a determinate appointment (i.e., fixed term contract)?
The LSU System can redefine these contractual terms for future employees, but it cannot do so for current employees without our consent.
Faculty should not cede rights earned through prior contractual agreement. The Administration and faculty need to work cooperatively as contractual partners to clarify the phrase “seriously prejudicial conduct.”
Robert G. Tague
geography and anthropology
Race not always issue in entertainment
It’s amazing, I no longer need to read an article in its entirety to predict its outcome.
Before I read two sentences into Kevin Brooks’ article concerning Ruben Studdard, I could see he was going down the road of the “racism claim.” Should Clay Aiken really hold himself back because Studdard has not had the audacity to produce and promote his own album?
Consider this possibility, Kevin Brooks, singing seems to be pretty labor-intensive, maybe Ruben’s physical condition has hampered his ability to spend time necessary in the recording studio to create an album.
Why don’t you suggest to Ruben that he lay off the deep fried Twinkies or even suggest to him the possibility of a Subway commercial? That may offer a real chance at fame to him anyway.
Another possibility, Kevin, is that the public demands Clay’s music and not Ruben’s. Personally, I would never purchase either of their albums, but race would not be my determining factor.
Once again you have found a way to fabricate a racial conflict from a story that would otherwise not exist, no doubt in an effort to garner pity for all the poor oppressed blacks in America.
The race card is played out, Kevin Brooks, grow up!
Chad Roberts
Graduate Student
Business