Two unidentified male studentsjumped into Lake Kernan to protest the lack of non-Greek oriented activitieson campus.
The duo, dressed in swimming trunksand armed with an inner tube and beach ball, performed the stunt in front of atleast 300 students Wednesday after the Rho Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity,Inc. probate show.
They swam to the middle of the lakeand remained in the water for 10 minutes. East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s officers were not able to apprehendthe students after they fled the scene.
Earl Austin, a junior majoring inmass communications from San Diego, was supposed to participate–but arrived toolate.
Austin said a few other guys werealso supposed to participate but opted out at the last minute.
“We were all sitting around one dayand felt that this was one of the most boring years ever,” Austin said. “Wedecided that we were going to have an event of our own, so we decided to take aswim in the lake.”
Lake Kernan is located betweenMayberry Dining Hall and the Smith-Brown Memorial Union. Throughout the years, the lake, withits three fountains, has been a main attraction on campus. However, sometimes it is an eyesorewhen litter and debris can be seen floating along the banks.
Students alongthe banks of both sides of the lake cheered and jeered the two students.
“I think thatthey didn’t have to jump in the lake, because we have a swimming pool inSeymour gymnasium,” said Vincent James, a sophomore biology major from NewOrleans.
“You can do allthe swimming that you want to in Seymour Gym free. They did not have jump inthe lake to make a fool of out themselves.”
Clay Ross, asales marketing major from San Diego, said the university needs more actionlike this.
“My boys fromCali’ really made a change and brought some excitement to Southern University,”Ross said.
According toAustin, this has not been the first stunt prepared by the two students. One of the students swam in the ravineearlier this year. They alsodecided to slide on lunch trays through Mayberry.
“Basically theywere trying to make a statement because just talking does not get anythingdone,” Austin said. “I think that they accomplished what they were trying todo.”
