The Writer [factors that can affect my writing]
~Age: I am currently in my Adolescent Stage at 19 years old. However, I will soon be moving into Early Adulthood on March 6. Throughout my other stages of life, I have come to determined what are the norms and mores that society accepts.
~Experiences: I have not encountered any personal experiences associated with hate crimes. However, my family has endured several experiences that influenced me to select this particular topic.
~Gender: Female
~Location: Crowley/Baton Rouge/ Lafayette
~Political Beliefs: Democrat
~Parents/Peers: My mother comes from a diverse background. My Mother is a mixture of African American (her mother) and Native American (her father). Her occupation is a Licensed Practical Nurse. My mother is from Crowley, Louisiana, a small town where she witnessed hate crimes and hate groups form. My father is African American (his father). and Caucasian (his mother). My father is a social worker that works with a variety of diverse families.
~Education: I graduated from a majority black high school, Northside Senior High School of Lafayette, Louisiana. Currently, I attend Louisiana State University majoring in Psychology.
Audience
~ Target Audience: The audience for my third assignment will be Congress.
Purpose I
~Inform: I want to inform my target audience of various reasons why they should vote in favor for the Matthew Shepard Act..
~Shock: In my assignment I would also like to create a shock affect by giving examples of hate crimes.
~Persuade: I would like to persuade my audience to vote in favor for the Matthew Shepard Act
Purpose II
~Thoughts: I want my audience to perceive how cruel these acts of hate are, and how the Matthew Shepard Act would be able to help individuals that may endure the misfortune of a hate crime.
~Feelings: I would like for my audience to feel disturbed by the information that I present to them, but motivated to take action and vote in favor of the Matthew Shepard Act.
~Actions: Along with my other goals, I want my audience to encourage others who may be against the act to vote in favor of it.
Genre
~ Letter: I will write a hand written letter to Congress!.
Topic
~Matthew Shepard Act: Vote and Save A Life
Context
~I will also incorporate recent events that have occurred that are categorized as hate crimes, the out come of the event, statistics, and pictures.
Action
~ Write a letter explaining reasons as to why the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act should be a federal Law.
Model: Mathew’s Shepard’s mother, Judy, continues to fight against hate crimes in defense for her son who was murdered due to his sexuality. Judy gives speeches, writes letters, and visits various communities in order to educate everyone of hate crimes and the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act
Do you think that a hand written letter is more effective than a typed letter? Why?
What important points should I incorporate in my letter?
But the budget still needs to be cut. “If we can’t furlough, we’ll lay more people off,” he said.
In addition, a 5 percent tuition increase and possibly other student fee increases will be necessary to preserve LSU’s “academic core,” Martin told staff and students during multiple forums throughout the day.
LSU faculty groups have adamantly opposed allowing Martin to impose a proposed policy that would allow for employee furloughs without declaring a financial emergency, or exigency.
Faculty contend a broader furlough policy would give chancellors too much power to force employees to take unpaid leave whenever times are financially tough.
“We’d be better off if we have a furlough system to save jobs if we think this (recession) is short term,” Martin told students during a lunchtime forum.
Declaring financial exigency could lead to both furloughs and massive layoffs, he said, explaining that he does not want to “open that door.”
“I have to believe — because I’m a pathological optimist — that we will grow ourselves out of this,” Martin said during an afternoon faculty forum.
LSU also is looking into the possibility of employee “deferrals of payments,” Martin said, that would set aside a small portion of salaries to be paid at a later time when the economy improves.
Martin said LSU likely will “tax athletics” and use some of the Southeastern Conference’s funds from its new ESPN football contract to cushion the cuts.
Officially, LSU’s flagship Baton Rouge campus is looking at a proposed $35 million cut, or 15 percent of its state appropriations. But Martin contends it is really $50 million when a $10 million cut from January is counted and another $5 million in unfunded mandates from increased insurance and benefits costs are included.
LSU’s total budget – counting tuition revenue and federal funding – is about $450 million.
“A cut that large would be devastating to this institution,” Martin said. Roughly 80 percent of LSU’s budget is dedicated to personnel, Martin said, so people will be impacted.
A poorly rated flagship university is a “curse” on the whole state, he said.
Martin said LSU can either “spread the pain” of cuts or target specific academic units to eliminate. Regardless, he said, the cuts will protect LSU’s academic strengths and not be made “across the board.”
How do you think this faculty furlough will effect the University?
Did you know that the Budget Cuts would cause all of these effects?
Are you finally realizing how bad these cuts are for the University?
