VOLUME 118 | ISSUE 2 A look at Sophomores speak on UL’s dining in-person experience options for after year of virtual class students Lena Foster different circumstances than previous in sociology, planned on auditioning Morri Sampey NEWS EDITOR classes had. for the Infinity Dance Group, a hip-hop EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Many professors changed their dance team at UL Lafayette. According to Morri Sampey classroom styles to be either fully remote Norman, she wanted to join after seeing Lena Foster EDITOR-IN-CHIEF or hybrid, which made some incoming the group in her freshman year, but NEWS EDITOR students find it harder to academically she was unable to due to public health Sophomores at the University of excel. concerns and restrictions. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Louisiana at Lafayette returned to According to Jayvion Batiste, a However, the university’s push provides students with multiple places to campus for the fall 2021 semester with sophomore majoring in kinesiology, for an in-person semester allows for eat, as well as multiple ways of paying for more opportunities to experience in- the lack of a face-to-face learning student organizations to be active once it; however, between declining balance person classes and events; however, due environment put him at a disadvantage again, and some students are ready to and meal swipes, freshmen and parents to the experiences they missed out on because of his laziness and failure to get participate in organizations they couldn’t alike find themselves unsure of which due to COVID-19, many of them share up on time for the online classes. before. Madison Davis is a UL Lafayette option is best for them. the feeling of still being a freshman. Despite the spread of the new Delta sophomore that’s interested in joining the According to the UL Lafayette website, “I kind of feel like I’m a freshman variant, some professors plan to teach jiu jitsu on campus. “Declining Balance points are points that going into it,” said Kaylin Ambrose, a their class in-person for the fall 2021 “It would be my first time learning jiu can be used at any of UL Lafayette dining sophomore. “I feel like now that I’m a semester. Students like Batiste recognized jitsu, so I’m just excited overall to learn facilities, such as the Brew and Chick- sophomore I should know the ins and the university’s efforts to bring the it and be surrounded by people that fil-A, in place of actual dollars. Each outs.” campus back to a state of normalcy. practice that,” Davis said. point is representative of $1.00 and can During Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, “This is an attempt to give us a normal Kaylin Ambrose, a sophomore, shared be used at any time during the semester.” the university had to abide by restricted semester, and I appreciate them for that,” her thoughts on the upcoming school Once a student runs out of declining policies recommended by the CDC due Batiste stated. year. balance, they may go online and to the COVID-19 spread. Along with the With the previous event cancellations “I’m excited to start. I think we’ll have a purchase more declining balance in $25 anxieties of going to college and starting and modified organization structures, pretty good year,” Ambrose said. “I think increments. a new chapter, the high school graduating many students weren’t able to participate once we get back into the swing of things Rather than being associated with a class of 2020 had the added stress of in student organizations and teams. and start going, it’ll be easy.” set amount of money, meal swipes refer coming into college under completely A’Nhiya Norman, a sophomore majoring to the number of times you can use your Cajun Card to eat. For instance, students with 15 meal swipes can eat in the Cypress Lake Dining Hall 15 times, without having to pay out of pocket or spend their declining balance. Meal swipes reset every week. If a student only uses 10 out of 15 of their meal swipes, they will still start the next week with 15 meal swipes, rather than 20. The number of meal swipes and amount of declining balance a student gets is determined by the meal plan they choose when enrolling. There are a variety of meal plans to choose from and a detailed list can be found on the UL Lafayette housing website. Students are also given the opportunity to change their meal plan during the first week of school if they are unhappy with their decision. As for where students spend their declining balance and meal swipes, they have a choice between multiple locations scattered across campus. The Union houses a few of the options, but only the Cypress Lake Dining Hall is located on the second floor. “Basically, it’s all-you-can-eat buffet- style, with all different types of food options available from a regular meal to vegan and specialty meals,” said Dawn Miller, the interim director of housing. Graphic by Cole Broussard Downstairs, students can find the Brew, which serves Starbucks and accepts declining balance. Down the hall from the Brew is the Lagniappe cafe, which serves the main dish at the Cypress Lake Dining Hall in a to-go container in 9 new COVID-19 cases last exchange for meal swipes. McAlister’s Deli can be found even farther down the hall, and they accept declining balance. The Ragin’ Cajun Food Court is located week, bringing total to 1,082 on the corner of Rex Street and E Saint Mary Boulevard. It can be accessed by Morri Sampey walking up the wooden ramp next to the EDITOR-IN-CHIEF bus stop. Inside the Food Court, students There were nine new COVID-19 have a choice between Chick Fil’ A, Pizza cases among students, faculty and Hut, Simply To-Go and sushi. Students staff at the University of Louisiana can also purchase snacks and bottled at Lafayette during the week of Aug. drinks at this location. 22, according to the university’s Zeus is a Greek and Lebanese COVID-19 dashboard on Aug. 23. restaurant that serves its food to-go for According to the dashboard as of declining balance and is found next to Monday, the university has confirmed Oliver Hall. that 227 students and 217 faculty Inside of the Edith Garland Dupre and staff members contracted the Library is Jazzman’s, a coffee shop virus, and 638 students have told the frequented by students who are university they’ve tested positive. This attempting to study in relative peace. means there have been a total of 1,082 During a typical semester, students cases among students, faculty and staff can spend their declining balance Graphic by Cole Broussard at UL Lafayette. there; however, Jazzman’s closed at the Confirmed positive tests include Self-reported tests were taken by off- As of Monday, the dashboard beginning of the pandemic and has not tests taken by Student Health Services campus health care providers. Students displays total positive tests since Jan. yet reopened. and UL Lafayette Athletics, as well in this category sent their results to the 4, 2020. Finally, students can find Cafe Fleur as tests submitted to the university’s dean of students themselves, according This is an ongoing story. Stay with human resources department by to the dashboard. the Vermilion for more updates. EATING ON CAMPUS faculty, staff and student workers. continued on page 2 News Sports Sports Allons GET READY, GET SET, LEARN OH THE PLACES YOU’LL GO CAJUNS TO BATTLE THE COWS UL REQUIRES SACRIFICE Ready to be in person? UL Lafayette certainly UL Lafayette alum and former sports editor at The football team is ready to go in person Design Manager Cole Broussard explains the is with two weeks filled with fun. the Vermilion discusses her experience working again, this time, against the Texas Longhorns. new tuition concept in this satire piece. for ESPN. PAGE 2 PAGE 3 PAGE 4 PAGE 5 2 AUGUST 25, 2021 | THE VERMILION Police Reports Compiled by Amelia Jennings Aug. 21 l At 10:38 a.m., a minor crash occurred between a brown 2020 Chevy Equinox and a blue 2011 Chevy Cruze on 100 E Lewis St. Aug. 20 l At 1:23 p.m., someone reported a burglary of a shipping container that contained a combination lock, a waterpro sensor, a truncheon nutrient meter, and money from 337 Coliseum Rd. Aug. 19 l At 3:38 p.m., a crash occurred between an orange 2011 Chevy Camaro and a declining balance or meal swipes. Inside EATING ON CAMPUS grey 2019 Toyota Rav4 on 200 Blk E St. Mary Blvd. continued from page 1 of Cafe Fleur de Lis, there is a store where students can buy things to cook de Lis next to the Legacy apartments. themselves, such as macaroni and cheese Cafe Fleur de Lis boasts a number of Aug. 18 or canned goods. Declining balance is options to choose from, ranging from l accepted at the store as well. At 6:37 p.m., someone reported a suspicious person at the Heritage pizza, barbeque, the grill and some Asian options. Students can spend either Apartments. University to host ‘Cajun Craze,’ welcome new students to campus Kaytlyn Williams NEWS WRITER After an almost completely remote semester, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette has planned two weeks worth of events to welcome students back. With a combination of online and in-person events, these events will give students the opportunity to interact with many different student organizations.