UNT to offer world’s first performing arts health doctoral degree NEWS: PAGE 3
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2018
VOL. 112 No. 2
‘THE FUTURE IS FEMINIST’
Mean Green recruiting breakdown By Matthew Brune @mattbrune25 As head coach Seth Littrell closes the door on his second season with North Texas, his new mission is to beat his opponents on the infamous recruiting trail. The start of winning on that front came in the early signing period as Littrell inked 14 recruits — three players from the junior college ranks and 11 from the high school level. Five of the 14 are offensive players, leaving the other nine to defense — the side of the ball in need of the most help, as evident late in the season. The North Texas Daily spoke with Gabe Brooks, who covers major college football recruiting in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas for 247Sports and CBS Interactive, about the status of the class in the weeks leading up to National Signing Day. “I think getting 14 guys to sign early is a pretty decent haul, given the circumstances,” Brooks said. “You can tell in general from this early group that they’re looking for more size on offense, such as Austin Ogunmakin at receiver and the two taller QB signees and athleticism on defense. They have certain types of players and recruits that they like, and they go after them, regardless of what others’ perceptions are.” Here is a look at the 14 players North Texas has signed thus far: LB Josh Sa’afi, Mt. San Antonio Community College Gabe Brooks: “Sa’afi has impressive size for somebody who’s primarily played a standing edge position. It will be interesting to see if North Texas uses him there; players of
SEE RECRUITING ON PAGE 6
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Athletic fee to be put to re-vote By Zaira Perez @zairalperez
Marchers reunite on the Square for second Women’s March By Bianca Mujica @biancamujica96 Nearly 800 people congregated Saturday morning at the Denton County Courthouse on the Square to march for feminist issues including reproductive rights, human rights, immigration reform, LGBTQ+ rights and more on the anniversary of the first globally observed Women’s March. “The future is here,” said Lesly Gutierrez, the main speaker at the event. “The future is now. The future is feminist.” This weekend marks the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration and the Women’s March on Washington that came the next day. “Plainly spoken, we’re still not equal,” said Haley Feuerbacher, campus minister at the Wesley Foundation of Denton and
a member of the local march’s planning committee. “Our biggest message is the most powerful thing citizens can do is vote. People of all genders, faiths, ethnicities and abilities can be political leaders.” To recognize the anniversary, the progress made since then and the unsolved issues, area activists held a public march and rally for women’s and feminist issues. Hundreds gather in front of Denton’s Courthouse on the Square to participate in the Women’s March. Gutierrez, the Denton Women’s March organizer, welcomed all incoming protesters on the steps of the Denton courthouse. “When the election of 2016 happened, it was a huge slap in the face to women,” Sandy Swan, a member of the march planning
SEE MARCH ON PAGE 2
Top: Women marchers walk down West Oak Street in solidarity with the Women’s March in Washington D.C. This is the second year organizers have hosted a Women’s March in Denton. Omar Gonzalez Bottom: Denton Women’s March organizer Lesly Gutierrez welcomed all incoming protesters on the steps of the Denton Courthouse. Omar Gonzalez
UNT’s Student Government Association Election Board decided in a closed hearing Thursday night to put the student referendum increase for the athletic fee to a re-vote. SGA originally held the vote in December 2017 but postponed results from being announced or moving forward after a complaint was filed with the board. The organization published a statement via Twitter on Jan. 19 saying SGA’s logo had been used without authorization on altered SGA flyers, which “could have misled students & had an impact on their vote” and violated two SGA bylaws, two UNT policies and a Union House Guideline. If passed, the increase would have gone to the Board of Regents for a vote. The referendum proposed increasing the intercollegiate athletic fee by $6.25 and decreasing the Student Service Fee by $2.00 per credit hour. The total would be a $4.25 per credit hour increase in student fees. The Election Board voted unanimously in December to postpone the investigative process until the first week of the spring semester. “Our job is to keep the integrity of the election process,” said SGA Election Board Commisioner Emily Vasquez. SGA’s statement about the results of the hearing revealed the formal complaint was filed by SGA Communications Director Kelly Dicken, who also created the original graphic for the referendum notice. In her formal complaint,
SEE RE-VOTE ON PAGE 3
Hard Knox: Former WNBA coach fills key role on Mitchell’s staff By Jordan James @JordanJamesTV As the North Texas Women’s basketball team prepares to head to the airport for a road trip, standing alone in the gym with a couple stragglers watching is assistant coach Carlos Knox. Positioned with his feet shoulder width apart, dressed in a black Nike jogging suit, he prepares to do something he knows all too well. Knox takes one dribble forward, steps inside the 3-point arch
Children learn science in an artistic environment | page 5 Children watch as a makeshift pendulum drops paint on a drawing during an after-school arts class hosted by the Greater Denton Arts Council on Jan. 17 at the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center. Ashley Gallegos
North Texas assistant coach Carlos Knox watches his players go through drills during practice. Trevon McWilliams
and extends his arms at a 45-degree angle while flicking his wrist as the ball releases from the palm of his hands. Shot after shot continued to fall as Knox reminisces of his days of playing college basketball at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Long before he added the title coach in front of his name, Knox was setting records in college. The three-time All-American and two-time NCAA scoring champion was named NCAA Division II Player of the Year in 1998. Following his last game as a senior, he became etched into Jaguars’ history by having his number 34 jersey retired. He was later inducted into the school’s athletic hall of fame in 2004. “My mentality was to be dominant at all times,” Knox said. “It was to dominate every aspect. [I was the] first guy in the gym, last guy to leave.” People join sports for various reasons, some are seeking that sense of camaraderie or looking to live a healthy lifestyle. Knox viewed basketball as an opportunity to allow him to escape the reality of his childhood.
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Hard Conversations makes it easier to come together during divided times By Rachel Linch @rachel_linch What do marijuana, a Confederate monument and illegal immigration all have in common? They are the polarizing topics in our society that Republicans, Democrats and everyone in between have been productively talking about on campus through
Hard Conversations. For the non-partisan and unaffiliated campus organization, that’s the goal. Hard Conversations hopes to address the nationwide issue of political and ideological division by fostering more understanding from all sides through authentic discussion. “Hard Conversations strives to provide a platform for different
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How UNT student votes could change Denton politics pg 2 College students don’t vote for a variety of reasons. Experts, organizers and politicians weigh in on what could happen if they did.
perspectives to come together so that they can talk about these hotbutton issues,” said 21-year-old founder of Hard Conversations, Ram Prasanna. “It is by no means revolutionary. It’s much more a call to action, a shift in cultural perspective, rather than anything else.” In the age of social media where opinions are expressed freely and
division seems to be greater than unity, the concept of bringing people together through real dialogue is needed. And thanks to Hard Conversations, it’s happening right here at UNT. The organization Hard Conversations was created over a year ago by Prasanna in the aftermath of the 2016 election
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ARTS & LIFE
Fagan vs. Fisher for seat 26 pg 4 A closer look at the candidates for U.S. House of Representatives TX-26 congressional seat and why they believe student voter turnout is more important than ever.
SPORTS
that left the country feeling more divided than ever. The goal of the organization is to foster an environment
SEE HOT TOPICS ON PAGE 5 Ram Prasanna is the founder and executive director of Hard Conversations. The organization was made with the intention of unity among parties in politics. TJ Webb
Tranberg emerging as freshman tennis star pg 6 Freshman Sille Tranberg joined the Mean Green tennis team from Denmark and is prepared to make an immediate impact on an already loaded roster for coach Sujay Lama.
where people with all kinds of perspectives and viewpoints can have a healthy, open discussion about various hot topics. According to the Hard Conversations website, the organization operates on the principles of credible free speech, unapologetic self-expression and ultimately aims to create civil
OPINION
Free the weed dealers pg 8 Up in smoke, the issue of weed gentrification surfaces in the media once again. How many inmates are stuck doing time for the very thing that many others make profits on?
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North Texas Daily
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2018
Student votes can bring political change By Zaira Perez @zairalperez
Editorial Board
Voter turnout is relatively low in local elections across the United States, especially among 18- to 29-year-olds. Denton is no exception. UNT’s student population could heavily influence Denton politics, UNT of Political Science Chairman Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha said.
Editor-in-Chief Kayleigh Bywater @kayleighbywater Kayleigh.Bywater@unt.edu Managing Editor Kayla Davis @kaylajeann19 KaylaDavis@my.unt.edu
Lack of information decreases turnout Only 4.41 percent of registered voters in Denton participated in the Constitutional Amendment and Joint Elections on Nov. 11, 2017, according to the official Denton County Elections website. The number is not much lower than Dallas County’s results. 6.52 percent of registered voters in Dallas County (1,277,851) voted on Nov. 11. Eshbaugh-Soha said voter turnout is low among young voters due to place of residence, information and value on the election topics. “It’s hard for students to acquire enough information that they value to encourage them to take time to vote,” Eshbaugh-Soha said. UNT College Democrats President Jordan Villarreal has participated in local elections as well as presidential elections while studying at UNT. He said College Democrats try to encourage others to vote. “It’s not that they don’t care, it’s that they don’t know,” he said about the lack of students voting in local elections. Integrative studies sophomore Darius Lewis said this is the reason why he has not registered to vote. “I don’t trust my opinion yet because I’m not well equipped with politics,” Lewis said. “But I would register in Denton due to the fact that I’m mostly here.”
News Editor Sarah Sarder @sarderrr Sarah.Sarder@unt.edu Arts & Life Editor Alec Spicer @Spicer_Alec AlecSpicer@my.unt.edu Sports Editor Brady Keane @BradyKeane BradyKeane@my.unt.edu Deputy Sports Editor Matthew Brune @mattbrune25 MatthewBrune@my.unt.edu Opinion Editor Nina Quatrino @ninaquatrino NinaQuatrino@my.unt.edu
Community connections encourage voting According to the U.S. Census Bureau, voting rates have varied historically by race and age. Older Americans vote at higher rates than younger Americans. In 2016, voter turnout among 18- to 24-year-olds was at 46.1 percent while 70.9 percent of citizens 65 and older voted. Eshbaugh-Soha said a connection to the community influences people the most to vote in local elections. “These individuals [who are voting] are gonna be those who... [have] been in Denton for 10-15 years,” he said. “They want to help shape city policy.” The issue of hydraulic fracturing in 2014 had a slightly higher voter turnout than the 2017 election with 25,473 ballots cast, according to the Denton County Elections Administration. Compared to other city of Denton propositions, the 2014 proposition to ban hydraulic fracturing had a smaller voting gap in “for” or “against” at 58.62 percent and 41.38 percent respectively. EshbaughSoha suspects voter turnout among young voters may have been higher for that election as well. City council member John Ryan said students can have a great impact, but he does not know “which direction it would take.” “If an issue doesn’t seem critical to you, then you’re not gonna get involved,” Ryan said.
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Students are often registered with hometown addresses Another issue that ties in with local election turnout is the city where students are registered to vote. Eshbaugh-Soha said elections at home may be considered more important to voters than elections in a city they are only in for college. Business integrative studies senior Ana Paola Tapia does not spend a lot of time in Denton so she is not registered here. “I would register in the city of Frisco,” Tapia said. “I spend most of my time there.” Business computer information senior Vanessa Esparza was previously registered to vote in Tarrant County but recently switched her registration to Denton. Esparza has not voted in any Tarrant or Denton elections yet. “I just switched it to Denton County but I’m not informed on when [elections] are happening, or where or how I do that, or on the people running to make an educated vote,” Esparza said. Villarreal said that they make sure everyone at their weekly meetings are registered to vote. “Together with other groups we have hosted or cohosted at least 12 voter registration events and we’ve registered over 160 students,” Villarreal said. UNT College Republicans did not respond to requests for comment. College students can shape culture and politics in college towns Personal ties to an election topic back home may also keep voters from registering in another city. However, Villarreal said people, especially students, should register to vote in their current place of residence. “I think it’s important that as a UNT student, we do vote in local elections,” Villarreal said. “You should make sure your home represents you.” During the spring 2017 semester, 35,494 students were enrolled in UNT, according to UNT Data, Analytics and Institutional Research. A higher number of students participating in Denton elections could potentially sway the vote. “[This] age group can exceed that [5 percent] exponentially, 40 to 50 percent,” Eshbaugh-Soha said. City council member Gerard Hudspeth said it would not take a large percentage of UNT’s population to make a difference. “It would be absolutely monumental if that age group would regularly vote,” Hudspeth said. “I think they would be amazed at the attention [they] would grab.” Eshbaugh-Soha said political party matters as well. In local elections, such as city council, there are no political parties. Finding information may be harder because there is no party affiliation as an information shortcut. “In other elections, you may not know much of anything, but you generally know what a Democrat is and what a Republican is,” he said. UNT, Denton elections see low turnout from students Not many students vote in UNT elections either. During the 2017 SGA Presidential/Vice-Presidential elections, 2,809 students voted compared to the
Infographic by Zaira Perez 35,494 students enrolled in spring 2017. “I did vote for [that],” Lewis said. “That was a situation in which I did have [knowledge].” Turnout in midterm elections in Denton has decreased since 1988, according to the Texas Secretary of State website. 68.76 percent of registered voters in 1998 voted in midterm elections compared to 35.31 percent in 2014. As of Wednesday, the amount of voters registered in Denton has increased by 342,327 since 1988. “It’s complicated but it comes down to the individual to decide, ‘What’s in it for me and is it worth my time?’” Eshbaugh-Soha said. The next Texas election will be the primary election on March 6. Early voting begins on Feb. 20 and ends March 2. The last day to register to vote is Feb. 5. Potential voters can find more information on voter registration at VoteTexas.gov. Information about Denton elections can be found at VoteDenton.com.
‘Power to the Polls’ unites women across nation
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Marchers walk down West Oak Street in solidarity with the Women’s March in Washington D.C. This is the second year that organizers have hosted a Women’s March in Denton. Omar Gonzales MARCH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Faculty Adviser Gary Ghioto 940-891-6722 Gary.Ghioto@unt.edu
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committee, said. “This draws attention to the fact that you can have a voice, you can get involved, your actions can make a difference.” The theme for this year’s march was “Power to the Polls,” with voter registration and various candidates for local office present. Other groups present included Denton County Friends of the Family, Indivisible Denton and the UNT Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance. The planning committee worked to make the event intersectional by including speakers of different ethnicities, sexualities and other
UNT researchers to help in the Winter Olympics
New consumer experience management degree at UNT
Researchers from the Applied Physiology Laboratory at UNT are collaborating with competitors for the 2018 Winter Games, according to a release from the university. The university’s College of Education’s Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation will be the first center to work with the International Federation of Sports Medicine in the United States.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recently approved a new Bachelor’s of Science degree at the University of North Texas. The new degree program involves a major in consumer experience management, giving UNT students the chance to learn about changing consumer trends in the retail, hospitality and tourism industry. UNT will be the first university in the nation to offer this degree program.
minority groups. Jennifer Lane, a professor of music at UNT and coordinator for the event, said intersectionality is important for the visibility and involvement of as many people as possible. “Democracy is not a spectator sport,” Lane said. “We need to go into the midterm season remembering why this is happening. Americans usually have the luxury of not thinking about politics 24/7, but we don’t have that right now.” She said everyone, especially students, can get registered to vote, attend debates and follow groups on social media. Feuerbacher added the importance of
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realizing “the personal is political.” “When we show up to these things and see people carrying signs about what we felt was personal to us, we see it’s systemic and we can start a movement,” Feuerbacher said. “There are people sharing your same struggles.” This was evident at the march, with multiple “Nasty woman” shirts and Black Lives Matter flags visible. There were countless signs, including ones saying “(Tiny) Hands off” with a photo of a uterus, and “So bad even introverts are here.” Families added to the event – Denton stay-at-home mother Meg Langlitz brought her three children in pussy hats and feminism-related shirts. They attended the march in 2017, and when she told them they were coming again, they repeated the “love not hate makes America great” chant they yelled one year ago. “They’re the future,” Langlitz said of her children. “If we want to see change we have to make them aware of the status quo. I want them to be fighters.” Her 5-year-old twin boys, Keaton and Heron, said they were excited to be at the “party.” They held hand-drawn signs, showing their depictions of the phrase “Build bridges, not walls.” While there were no counterprotesters present, three male UNT students wearing “Make America Great Again” hats were in attendance.
One wore a shirt with President Trump’s face next to a cat and the words “Grab ‘Em.” One of the men, Tom Valdez, said he did not attend to have conversations but to “enjoy the chaos.” He received middle fingers, but others thanked the three for coming out or initiated discussions. Valdez felt the march’s messages were inconsistent and ignored President Trump’s successes. As for the “Grab ‘Em” shirt, he said it was a meme that went “overboard” and that people should relax. “My message here is the 19th amendment was a mistake,” Valdez said. “I think the family should vote, not individuals. We need family values. If someone has the capability to have a family, they should do that, then vote.” His friend and fellow Trump supporter, Kristoffer Melhus, is an international student from Norway who said the march seemed interesting and that he wanted to “hash out ideas” with attendees. “This isn’t about women as much as it is against Trump,” Melhus said. “Personally, I think it’s a bit stupid.” While the small group’s presence at the march was well-known, most attendees disregarded them. “Find the truth you’ll live for and die for,’” Feuerbacher said. “I can think of no more worthy truth than the equality of all persons, to live and die for it.”
UNT dancers to perform “Through the Narrow Door” in February
UNT names new dean for College of Health and Public Service
Denton Black Film Festival to take place Jan. 25 through 28
Dancers from UNT’s Department of Dance and Theater are set to perform choreography from the piece “Through the Narrow Door,” according to a release from the university. UNT dance professor Mary Lynn Babcock directed the choreography for the show. There will be multiple show dates starting at 8 p.m. on Feb. 8 -10 and 2 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Studio Theater, located at 1179 Union Circle.
UNT named Neale Chumbler the new dean of the College of Health and Public Service, according to a release from the university. He will begin on July 1, 2018. Chumbler will replace Linda Holloway, who has served as the interim dean since September 2017. Before coming to UNT Chumbler was the dean of the College of Health and Human Services at Western Kentucky University.
The 4th annual Denton Black Film Festival will take place Thursday through Sunday, with the Campus Theatre as the main venue. The festival showcases stories about “black lives, black culture and black experiences” according to their website. Revenue goes towards scholarships for filmmakers. Tickets can be purchased online at dentonbff.com.
By Jackie Guerrero
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2018
First performance health Ph.D. at UNT By Lizzy Spangler @LizzySpangler The UNT College of Music will offer the world’s first doctoral degree in performing arts health beginning in fall 2018. This program, offered in partnership with the UNT Health Science Center, will be concentrated in four health areas: musculoskeletal, auditory, mental and vocal health. The doctoral degree is expected to take three years, with two years of coursework and one year for a dissertation. “The evolution of this idea can be traced back, really, to 2004 when we hosted a national conference called Health Promotion in Schools of Music,” said Kris Chesky, Texas Center for Performing Arts Health co-director and music and medicine professor. “We had a three-day conference here, specifically devoted to brainstorming as to what could happen inside the school of music.” Chesky said this conference, funded by organizations such as the Grammy Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, magnified two considerations on how to address performing arts health: what resources a university would have to help musicians and what is known about the basis, addressability and preventability of performing health issues. “We have, over the years, developed these resources so we have pretty good hearing health resources, speech/language pathology specialists,” Chesky said. “But on this side, we kept pushing for statements in our accrediting body.”
The accrediting body, the National Association of Schools of Music, writes the handbook for all music schools and in 2011, ratified its accreditation standard requiring schools to teach students about musician health. At around the same time, the Texas Education Agency ratified new TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) standards, requiring public schools to meet music health-related learning objectives. All this culminated with UNT spending the last year creating a performing arts health doctoral program and passing it through various steps of approval. “There’s a requirement by the national accrediting body, NASM again, to approve it before we can start it,” Chesky said. “We were notified of that approval right before Christmas, so we haven’t really known that we were able to do this up until literally a month ago.” Nabeel Zuhdi, a classical guitar player of 20 years who is getting his doctorate in performing arts health, understands the importance of a degree program like this. “There’s already a lack of research in this field,” Zuhdi said. “This could inform teachers on how to develop new methods that are raising awareness in this and clinicians to know how to deal with musicians.” Practical applications for this degree, depending on a person’s goals, include doing more research in this field, continuing to perform or applying this knowledge to help musicians improve their health and the way they play. Katy Hinton, a music education sophomore who plays the viola, said a performing arts health doctoral program would help musicians think about the
Athletic fee referendum to be put to re-vote after SGA discovers rule violation RE-VOTE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Dicken said informative SGA flyers about the student referendum had been altered and were being distributed across campus. The alteration “could have had substantial impact on student votes, whether positive or negative,” according to the outcome statement. The altered flyers were made by emergency administration and planning junior Nathan Goldsmith, who approached the North Texas Daily with information on Jan. 17 about the hearing. “I have been very supportive of the athletics programs here at UNT,” Goldsmith said. “But seeing this student referendum being silently passed through for a vote, and not getting any answers from the SGA led me to act.” One version of the altered graphics reads, “I am sorry to inform you that Wren Baker, Elizabeth With, & the SGA/GSC want to INCREASE Intercollegiate Athletics $7.5 million a semester REDUCE Student Services $1 million a semester all at a cost to you & future students.”
Goldsmith believed the grievance filed against him was based on a “scam run by the SGA to pass the student referendum” without the students knowing a referendum was occurring. “There is something, as was noticed, really bad here which led me to do my best of getting out the information to the students, who had been tasked with voting on a student referendum without being informed,” Goldsmith said. Goldsmith requested information to file a grievance against SGA for “[rushing the] student referendum through… on students during dead week.” He said his request was denied by the SGA Election Board Advisor Melissa McGuire. One of the violations the board said had been committed was against Union House Guideline Section 7.8 which prohibits “soliciting information in a nonfree speech zone.” “I do not know what a ‘nonfree speech zone’ is in America,” Goldsmith said. “I only know, there shall be “no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people
to assemble, and petition the government for a redress of grievances.” SGA received Dicken’s formal complaint about the student referendum at 5:44 p.m. on Dec. 6, 44 minutes after voting had closed on OrgSync. In SGA’s initial statement, Vasquez said the referendum would be postponed because it violated UNT Policy 06.031 which reads, “During prefinals days, no new curricular content will be disseminated, student organizations do not meet and no extracurricular activities will be required.” SGA and the Graduate Student Council (GSC) passed resolutions on Nov. 15 and 17 respectively that allowed the student referendum to take place. The referendum was first announced to students on Nov. 28. Graduate and undergraduate students were able to vote on the referendum from Monday, Dec. 4 to Wednesday, Dec. 6, which was during pre-finals week. SGA plans to reschedule the referendum once the spring election schedule is set, according to their statement.
Apogee Stadium. Kevin Fides
This flier was circulated around campus in opposition of the student referendum to raise athletic fees. Courtesy | SGA
SGA decided to put the referendum to a re-vote as a result of unauthorized use of SGA and UNT logos. Courtesy | SGA
Kris Chesky is a music and medicine professor and is a co-director of the Texas Center for Performing Arts Health. Victoria Nguyen integral health aspect of performing. “It’s extremely important,” Hinton said about musicians being aware of potential health problems. “A lot of my friends have tendonitis from not playing properly. I myself have shoulder pain.” Hinton said health is definitely an area where
musicians don’t pay as much attention as they should, which leads to injuries. “In my experience, not a lot of people think about it because it’s not like a sport,” Hinton said. “If we don’t do stretches or warm-ups or practice these things correctly, then pain can really result from that.”
Music doctoral student earns Fulbright to study in Mexico By Sean Riedel @SeanRiedel College of Music doctoral student José R. TorresRamos has received the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship to study mariachi in Mexico for a year. He is the first UNT Ph.D. student in ethnomusicology to earn this fellowship. Torres-Ramos, a 48-year-old San Antonio native, began playing mariachi in high school. He went on to become a music teacher at the middle and high school levels and is now in his fifth year at UNT for his doctorate in ethnomusicology, which is the study of music from different cultures, especially nonWestern cultures. Torres-Ramos will spend the next year in Mexico City and Guadalajara to study the origins of mariachi music, as well as modern mariachi and the industry behind it. “I’m basically looking at Mexican machismo as an ingredient of masculinity in music and the perception of authentic Mexican music,” Torres-Ramos said. “I will be gathering data, analyzing and writing. Then when I come back I’ll look more at the data and then write my dissertation.” Torres-Ramos found out he received the FulbrightHays in September and spent the fall finishing up courses and preparing for the year-long trip. He began his research in Mexico in January 2018. Steven Friedson, University Distinguished Research Professor of Music and Anthropology and head of the ethnomusicology program, spoke about this relatively new area of study at UNT. “Ethnomusicology, when I first started, was more and still focused on the music of Africa, India... non-western music,” Friedson said. “In short, it’s understanding music as an experience that happens amongst people both listening and performing.” The Fulbright-Hays Fellowship program is sponsored by the Department of Education and provides grants to colleges and universities in order to fund individual doctoral students to conduct research in other countries for periods of six to 12 months. The projects funded by Fulbright-Hays are meant to “deepen research knowledge on and help the nation develop capability in areas of the world not generally included in U.S. curricula.” The program, which was created by the late Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright in the 1940s, does not fund projects focusing on Western Europe. UNT’s Fulbright Program Advisor Amanda Bennett explained some of the process applicants
José R. Torres-Ramos performs at the UNT Global Unity Concert in 2016. Torres-Ramos is currently studying mariachi in Mexico as a Fulbright recipient. Courtesy | José R. Torres-Ramos must go through in order to be considered for the Fulbright-Hays Fellowship. “As part of their application, students include an application form, Fulbright-Hays foreign language reference form, three Fulbright-Hays graduate student reference forms, all transcripts since high school, a written project narrative and any other required application materials,” Bennett said. “Students submit all required applicant materials to the project director who submits all student applications as well as required forms or additional information on behalf of the institution.” Friedson himself received the Fulbright-Hays Fellowship in 1986. “[The ethnomusicology doctoral degree] is relatively new and [Torres-Ramos] was our very first doctoral student,” Friedson said. “For our very first doctoral student to get the most prestigious grant you can get, that was very exciting for us and for him. I think it says something about our program and is just kind of a validation of the work he does, which I think is impressive.”
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2018
Will Fisher
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Linsey Fagan
Cultural perspective Family and local care By Amy Roh @rohmyboat In 2016, Will Fisher watched the presidential election unfold in disbelief. At this point in time, he knew the only way to bring change was to create it himself. “We put someone in the White House that is not only totally unfit and unqualified, but is a liar, a racist and an authoritarian,” Fisher said. “I was very frustrated with the outcome of that election and to me, it was a wake-up call.” His shock due to the election outcome is what led Fisher to run as Democratic candidate for the 26th district seat in Congress. Now, sitting in West Oak Coffee Bar, wearing an “I love democracy” hoodie, Fisher is determined to bring forth change he believes voters want and need. Will Fisher “What’s really important that a politician has is a compassionate heart and a sober mind,” Fisher said. “So many of the representatives view the human experience through one lens. If we make public policy on one type of human experience, it’s going to leave out millions of people.” As the primary election draws near, Fisher is making his way across cities to spread his vision for change.
Will Fisher attended the Denton Women’s March on Saturday, along with various other local candidates. Omar Gonzalez
“I knew from the beginning that this was bigger than just me and Will and our family,” wife Morgan Fisher said. “This was something that needed to be done from our position as privileged individuals. It was our responsibility to use that privilege to try to make change.” Fisher grew up in a religious family in Portland, Oregon, where he was an Eagle Scout and valedictorian of his high school. Upon graduating high school, he left the States for a two-year mission trip to Brazil, which he credits for broadening his exposure to different surroundings. “I’ve lived overseas, I’ve lived in Brazil, I traveled to Europe for work and I have an open mind to the different types of experiences that people have,” Fisher said. Afterward, Fisher graduated from law school at the University of Oregon. In 2013, he settled in Flower Mound, where he works as a business attorney. Fisher said his background of exposure and knowledge of the law is something voters can relate to and rely on. “As an attorney, I have to analyze things skeptically, be able to see multiple sides of the issue, question my own assumptions and then I have to advocate for a position,” Fisher said. “To me, that’s the package you need — that open-minded, compassionate heart with an analytical and critical mind.” On the issues One of Fisher’s main platforms is a healthcare system that gives coverage to all. “In a country as wealthy as ours, we need to ensure every single American has the healthcare that they need whenever and wherever they need it through a single-payer system,” Fisher said. “That’s the most efficient way to cover everyone.” Fisher said this is especially frustrating because Texas politicians refuse to expand Medicaid, in which they are playing with policy over human lives. He said this recently rang true to him when his daughter needed expensive medical treatment. “I looked at the bill and I looked at the postinsurance [and] thought ‘Wow, that’s amazing,’” Fisher said. “But in that moment, it occurred to me that a person sitting on the other side who doesn’t have insurance would never be able to afford that. It’s ridiculous to me that in this country you can go bankrupt because of your healthcare needs.” Fisher believes in protecting those in the DACA program and coming up with a “clean bill” that isn’t weighed down by additional trade-offs. “Republicans say they are supportive of Dreamers, President Trump said he is supportive of Dreamers but they’re trying to tie strings to it to get through other policies that they want,” Fisher said. “I would like to see it pass as a clean bill, meaning no strings tied.” He also wants to focus on alleviating student loans, which he said he had six figures of after graduating. “I want publicly funded community college by 2020, and I think that’s doable,” Fisher said. “Those are the types of issues that students want to hear about.” Fisher said there have been many outlets of support, notably an endorsement from Democratic politician Wendy Davis, among others. But within a county that historically votes red, Fisher notes that young voters could be the force that unseats incumbent Michael Burgess. “We have two colleges in the district,” Fisher said. “It could be the difference between winning in November and not. Texas is such a low turnout state that if we just get people who see the world we do to turn out, we can win.” Fisher said the next step is advocating for issues not simply online, but by showing up to the voting polls. “There is no precedent for this and it requires people showing up in record numbers to vote,” Fisher said. “Complaining online doesn’t get anything done — that’s how this conversation started. You have to show up to vote, get organized and get other people out to vote.”
By Amy Roh @rohmyboat No parent should have to teach their child about hiding from school shooters, but Linsey Fagan found herself doing just that. This, along with a growing occurrence of political corruption, lit the fuse for Fagan’s congressional campaign. Fagan was born and raised in Keller and decided to run for the District 26 seat due to an ever-mounting awareness of corruption and chaos in the world. As a single mom, Fagan said she wanted to make the world a better place for her daughter. “I have a little girl, so I have to fix this country for her,” Fagan said. “A lot of the components of running for office I hate, but somebody’s got to do it. Good people have to run so I just decided to run.” After becoming a mom at 19, Fagan attended Tarrant Linsey Fagan County College and later got involved in the e-commerce business, and works mainly as an SEO consultant. “I had my daughter when I was 19,” Fagan said. “I was going to online school with her on my lap. I jumped out of school after my associate [degree]. I tried to find a program for e-commerce websites in some university, and I couldn’t find anything, so I just started an e-commerce website.” Now Fagan lives in the same neighborhood as her family. “I have a house three doors down from them,” Fagan said. “My house is also four streets over from my sister and my brother lives in my guesthouse so we’re all freakishly close — we’re Italian.” Throughout her campaign, Fagan said she has received positive feedback from the community which mainly stems from voters who want someone they can relate to. “I’ve gotten a really good response just because I think people are desperate for normal people to represent them,” Fagan said. “Somebody told me, ‘You’re kind of like my next door neighbor who just knows a lot about politics. You know what you’re doing, you know what you’re talking about, you know policy but at the end of the day, you still feel approachable.’ Luckily I’ve been able to keep that level of authenticity from start to finish.” Though Fagan considers herself “scrappy,” she wants to lead by example that hard work can win a
seat in Congress and provide proper representation. “She’s not your typical politician but she’s passionate about, what she believes in and what she cares about and that made me feel pretty amazed [by her candidacy],” her father Tommy Fagan said. “But when she finds a cause, she’s definitely committed to it.” On the issues For Fagan, the focus of her campaign has emphasized heavily on ending corruption within government and politics. “The politicians that have been elected are making choices in mind with their corporate donors,” Fagan said. “I would like to add an amendment to the constitution that would allow states to regulate how much money candidates can get from political action committees.” As for healthcare, Fagan favors a single-payer system that does not rely on private middlemen and is offered as a universal right. “I’m a big fan of the Bernie Sanders Medicare program,” Fagan said. “Right now, there are premiums and multiple obstacles that come with getting health insurance that doesn’t give people the coverage that they need. [The plan] would get rid of all of that. Yet it’s still comprehensive and has a four-year rollout.” If Fagan wins, she will be the first woman to represent District 26. As a woman, Fagan said she will aim to create better solutions for women’s rights for the community. “There is a huge lack of representation of women, so we need women supporting women,” Fagan said. “So I support taking out the tampon tax, preventative care and women’s reproductive rights.” By pushing these changes, Fagan said she wants to take people back to a time when this current level of chaos was not the norm. “Young people need to understand that we’re fighting violently right now to protect this country,” Fagan said. “It didn’t always used to feel like this.” It’s the young people who potentially have the chance to change the tide of District 26’s Republican streak. Like her counterparts, Fagan wants young voters to register within the district and show up to the booths. With that kind of support, Fagan said, the election could become an entirely different ballgame. “If those people actually mobilized and came out, it could make it or break the district,” Fagan said. “It’s a group that nobody’s expecting to come out. It’s a group that Republicans would never touch, but if young people came out and said, ‘Hey we’re tired of this country and the way it is and we want to live in a country that’s not like this,’ it could change everything.”
Linsey Fagan shares who she voted for in the 2016 Presidential Election during the TX-26 Congressional Debate. Fagan was asked who she voted for and why. Rachel Walters
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After-school program teaches painting, perspective By Camila Gonzalez @camila_deville
Olive VanDivier, 6, watches as a makeshift pendulum drops paint on her drawing at an after-school arts class hosted by the Greater Denton Arts Council on Jan. 17 at the PattersonAppleton Arts Center. Sara Carpenter
The children are presented with a collage of images projected on a wall. There is a wrecking ball, a metronome and a clock. What do they have in common? They all use a pendulum. The kids are creating paintings using this same scientific concept. An empty plastic bottle holds the paint and is suspended over paper from a triangular structure. Greater Denton Arts Council’s Arts After School classes are held from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays from Jan. 18 - March 7 at the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center. Education Coordinator Sara Greenberg leads the class. She adds to the painting pendulum while asking the young artists how they thought the different variables would affect the appearance of the paint as it dripped onto the paper. “It’s a really great opportunity for the kids to engage socially after school and engage in learning in a way that’s fun,” Greenberg said. “In school, learning is about testing and right and wrong. What I love about art classes is there’s room for interpretation and everyone has a unique experience.” She isn’t the only one who believes teaching art to children is important. TWU sophomore Caitlyn Laky and UNT junior Naomi Borrero volunteer with the program after they fell in love with art at a young age. According to Laky, each of the women bring something important to the class. Greenberg knows how to incorporate educational aspects into each week’s theme thanks to her art history education. Borrero is good at keeping everything organized, especially when it comes to the exhibition that will take place at the end of the session where parents will be invited to see the art and the children will be able to explain their artistic processes.
“It allows them to be able to talk about their own art and listen to other people talk about what their art means to them, which is something that a lot of artistic people don’t get to do until they’re older,” Borrero said. For Laky, the most rewarding part of the process isn’t the final product itself, but the journey to get to it. “It’s not necessarily about the project, but the process,” Laky said. This process allows the kids to develop metacognition skills. During the class, one of the kids said he did not like something about his painting and Laky questioned him asking why. “Don’t just feel something,” Laky said. “Understand why you feel that, dissect it and be ready for when that situation comes again. The process of art opens up that part of your mind that helps you think like that in everyday situations.” Borrero also pointed out because the children are so young (ages 6-10), their brains are more moldable and better able to retain the process. Even though the kids are practicing a complex mental lesson, they are more focused on having fun. By the end of the class, the ground below the pendulum was covered in paint as one of the kids shouted that she wanted to jump in the puddle. As their parents arrived to pick them up, the children excitedly told them about the project. Although it is good that the kids are having so much fun, Greenberg knows this class has a much bigger effect. “It is not only about creating art,” Greenberg said. “Here, we create social skills, we cultivate public speaking skills, we teach them about history, we teach them about science. It’s so much more than just pen and paper.” Greater Denton Arts Council has a wide variety of events for all ages. For more information, visit dentonarts.com.
Gone but not forgotten: Song & Story By Ashlee Winters @ashwinters221 Every other Thursday, local artists shared their music and their stories with the community through Song & Story, a Denton Radio show where singers and songwriters could connect via their music and make themselves known to the public. Although the show has come to an end, Song & Story lives on through the impact it had on the music scene and the inspiration it gave to Denton’s musicians. Song & Story originally began as a writer’s round organized by Ashley Gatta where songwriters could meet and exchange their songs with each other. Shortly after, the station manager of Denton Radio reached out to Gatta about turning Song & Story into a show. Unfortunately, Gatta moved to Austin after the idea came to fruition, but not without leaving her recommendation of local songwriter and recording artist Jennifer Holm to host the show. “I was just honored to be able to facilitate a space that celebrated these artists’ differences, and I think it was very unifying,” Holm said. “Ultimately, as a songwriter and artist myself, I wanted to create a space for individual artists to share their music in a space that honored their time and their art.” Holm also recently moved away, leaving the show without a host yet again. Although Denton Radio attempted to find someone to take over, they could not find someone to fill the position, and the show was ultimately taken off the air. “I hope that someone can pick up where I left off and provide more of a consistent space for songwriters to share their gift and their craft with Denton,” Holm said. During the show’s stint, Holm felt it not only provided local musicians
Song & Story is local radio show that previously aired on Denton Radio and live streamed on YouTube. Courtesy Denton Radio
a platform to share their work but also gave them an opportunity to connect with each other. The stories they shared helped them create special relationships through their love of music and songwriting and even served as a source of inspiration for each other. “There was something so neat about hearing men and women with different histories and backgrounds come together over music,” Holm said. “Hearing them talk about their processes for writing and what artists and ideas inspired them was so inspiring to me.” Song & Story was not only beneficial for artists but also for the listeners of the show as well. People tuning in were introduced to relatively unknown bands and musicians who broadened their musical interest and gave them the chance to support local music. “It’s easy to decide ‘I like pop music’ and stick to that, but there are countless artists in thousands of genres that are gifted and have something important to share,” Holm said. “It’s good to abandon our preference every once in a while because we might be pleasantly surprised to find an artist in a genre we previously decided against.” Holm believes Song & Story offered a place for artists to share their songs without feeling the pressure to satisfy the typical standards of a live venue. Instead, they can share their own music regardless of genre or popularity. “I’ve found that most live music venues want artists that are more upbeat, with a band and to play music that the patrons know,” Holm said. “So unfortunately, a lot of songwriters are not getting the air time and opportunity to share their music because it’s not fitting this standard.” Even artists who did not get the chance to be featured on Song & Story felt inspired to get the word out about their work and the encouragement to pursue their music. “I’ve dabbled in songwriting but used to think it would never lead to anything,” local artist Derek Burkhart said. “After hearing the stories of some of the people on Song & Story I felt like I could get my music out there like they did.” Although Song & Story is no longer airing, Denton Radio still offers a range of shows including Sound Values, a Monday night show dedicated to learning the backgrounds of local artists. “I love listening to Sound Values,” Denton Radio listener Anne Rosario said. “It’s so interesting to hear about musicians in Denton and listen to them tell their stories.” Song & Story, Sound Values and other writer’s rounds offered in Denton allow artists the opportunity to have their music appreciated. Even now without Song & Story, the encouragement the countless musicians received pushed them to continue making music lives on in the community. “It offered a space for them to be heard and celebrated,” Holm said. “There’s nothing like the confidence-boost that comes after sharing your music with someone who listened the whole time.”
Ram Prasanna, left, often engages with passerby students on campus to intellectually connect with them and give an idea of what Hard Conversations is about. TJ Webb
Hot-button topics brought to light
HOT TOPICS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 where people with all kinds of perspectives and viewpoints can have a healthy, open discussion about various hot topics. According to the Hard Conversations website, the organization operates on the principles of credible free speech, unapologetic self-expression and ultimately aims to create civil conversations between those of differing viewpoints. Political science professor Wendy Watson believes Hard Conversations opens up opportunities on campus for people to become more informed while coming together to recognize they aren’t as different as they may seem. “There’s value in seeing a direct interaction between competing arguments,” Watson said. “[Hard Conversations] gives people who are torn the opportunity to gain more information, and helps those who already have a position to see the common ground they share with those they dub the other side.” Hashing out ideas and processing through political beliefs with people who disagree can seem like an uncomfortable and challenging thing to do. But Prasanna believes when done in a mature, productive environment, it helps grow and strengthen perspective. “I think Hard Conversations is a place where you do find adversity and come to refine your ideology,” Prasanna said. “I believe our ideas are like rocks in this bowl and the more friction we have with each other, the more polished they become. It’s very simple but I think it’s needed.” The Conversations The goal of unity is more than just a vision of Hard Conversations. Through the organization, College Democrats President Jordan Villarreal and Young Conservatives President Eric Fernandez have come together as friends instead of adversaries. Despite their political differences, Villarreal and Fernandez have found a way to work as a team on big issues they can agree are important, like encouraging students to vote. “I do believe Hard Conversations brings us closer as a community and fosters unity,” Villarreal said. “We all agree that we should be working towards a greater society, we just have
different pathways to get there.” Their friendship is a result of exactly the kind of understanding and open environment that Hard Conversations is working to create on campus, by allowing everyone to express their beliefs in a productive way. “[Hard Conversations] is important because the problem society has is miscommunication, the reason people don’t get along is because they don’t understand,” Fernandez said. “Hard Conversations allows those with opposing views to be able to have a voice.” Although the organization is just beginning to make an impact, it’s already made lasting effects on campus and in the lives of those who are involved. “I think Hard Conversations is working to bring us all together to a point where we realize we aren’t all that different from each other, and I hope it continues on into the future, long past my time here,” Villarreal said. The future The open, unifying message of Hard Conversations is a breath of fresh air for some students, especially during this divisive time of politics in the United States. Intentionally creating a place for different viewpoints to air out their ideas is a step in the right direction toward unity. As the organization looks ahead to their next debate at the end of February, they plan to continue spreading the word about their mission through their social media and want to continue to let people know how they can get involved. The unifying principles of Hard Conversations have started to take root at UNT, but the organization doesn’t want it to stop here. They hope the mission of getting back to the basics of who the citizens are as a country will eventually start to trend throughout the nation. Until then, the need for real people talking about real issues with each other to unite instead of divide is still there. Hard Conversations is where you’ll find it in action. “One of the long-term impacts that Hard Conversations wants to leave is the mending of what it means to be American, to redefine this sense of civic duty and what it means to be politically engaged,” Prasanna said. “I think the more we have these hard conversations the easier it’s going to get.”
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Left: Freshman Sille Tranberg, 21, returns the ball to a teammate during practice at Waranch Tennis Complex. Paige Bruneman Right: Tranberg is a national tennis champion in Denmark and is excited about the opportunities available on the court in the U.S. Paige Bruneman
An unconventional freshman By Stefan Washington @stefans_world97
When you think of the North Texas tennis team, the first two names that come to mind are Maria Kononova and Tamuna Kutubidze — and for good reason. But there may be a hidden gem on the Mean Green roster. Sille Tranberg, a freshman from Denmark, is already turning heads with early standout performances on the court this year. Last semester, Tranberg finished with a 4-2 record and dominated in her collegiate debut with a 6-0, 6-0 straight set win over a University of Texas at Austin opponent. Now, Tranberg holds the No. 4 spot in the lineup as the spring season approaches. “[My opponents may have doubted me] a little bit in the beginning,” Tranberg said with a laugh. “But when I play, they recognize me as a threat. Hopefully I can
get better and keep improving my game to have a strong season.” Tranberg, like several other Olympic sport athletes at North Texas, made the journey to Denton from across the globe after seeing the opportunities available through the coaching staff and the rest of the athletic department. She was the No. 7 ranked Danish women’s tennis player at the country’s highest division and won the under-18 singles, doubles and mixed doubles championship. With such an extensive resume to her name, Tranberg was a top target for coach Sujay Lama and his staff. An instant connection with Lama made her college decision that much easier. “She sent me an email, and we went from there,” Lama said. “I started calling her coaches, did some research and watched her tape. I felt like there was something special about her, so I flew to Denmark to see her then I was like, ‘Man, this girl’s impressive.’”
What makes Tranberg’s rapid rise in the sport of tennis even more impressive is that she did not start playing the game until she was 12 years old. Despite getting a late start compared to the majority of her competitors, Tranberg has progressed quickly. The jump in competition from Denmark to the United States has only expedited that progress. “It’s nice to have partners to practice with at the same level as me,” Tranberg said. “It’s just nice to have more competition during practice because it always makes you better.” While the increased talent in Texas has helped Tranberg up her game over the last few months, she also brings a unique maturity to the table as a freshman. Tranberg is 21 years old and joins the roster at an older age than the typical freshman addition. “I think she brings that calm to the team,” Lama said. “That maturity and that calmness and the focus that she has
— I think it brings a lot of confidence to her teammates. I will enjoy having her for three more years. She’s everything and more, just like I thought she was going to be.” While Tranberg joined the team as a talent primarily versed in singles’ action, she did have some experience in doubles play at the U-18 level in Denmark. The freshman pointed to doubles play being an area where she hopes to improve as the season progresses. Tranberg will spend her time in the doubles lineup with fellow freshman Nidhi Surapaneni, who was a star on the court in India before joining Lama and company in Denton. “I feel like we both have good senses of positioning and finding the spaces and staying in the point,” Surapaneni said. “We are both very confident with each other. I feel like we’ve had good teamwork since the beginning.” Tranberg spent the majority of her tennis career looking up to Caroline
Wozniacki, who also hails from Denmark and is currently ranked No. 2 in the world. That is a high bar to set, but with a tremendous work ethic already on display, Tranberg hopes to one day take her game to the next level. “I would like to try to go pro one day, but for now I am just going to see what happens,” Tranberg said. “I think I am on my way to getting there of course. We get a really good opportunity to get better here with a lot of matches.” In the immediate future though, Tranberg hopes she can contribute to what has the potential to be a dominant run through Conference USA with a talented Mean Green tennis squad. “I hope we can win a championship in our conference,” Tranberg said. “My personal goal is just to keep improving and see maybe next year, next semester I can play in a higher position on the team. I think it was the right move to come here [to North Texas].”
Brune, Brooks discuss signing day RECRUITING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 his size usually play with a hand on the ground for North Texas’ defense.” RB DeAndre Torrey, Gulf Coast Community College Gabe Brooks: “Torrey appears to be the highest-rated of the three JUCO signees, but he’s entering a position group that Nic Smith may have a stranglehold on the lion’s share of touches next fall.” S Reggie Williams, Grand Prairie High School Gabe Brooks: “Williams’ listed size suggests he’s a corner, but he plays with a safety’s mentality. He’s a physical player on the back end of the defense who isn’t afraid to crash or run the alleys.” LB Larry Nixon III, Richland High School Gabe Brooks: “Nixon is an athletic linebacker
who’s shown he can play downhill or drop into coverage, closes well and plays instinctively.” QB Jason Bean, Mansfield Lake Ridge High School Matthew Brune: Bean is a 3-star dual-threat quarterback with long strides and decent speed. His arm strength looks solid in highlights, though I am not sure if he can keep his eyes down field when the pocket collapses. Statistically, he had a better junior year than senior year. OL Cole Brown, Conroe High School Matthew Brune: Brown is a 2-star offensive lineman who played tackle, guard and center at different points in his high school career. He is a good athlete who uses his hands well and can drive blocks. S Keelan Crosby, Anna High School Matthew Brune: Crosby is a 2-star safety but appears to be one of the most versatile players in this class. He was a first team all district as a safety as a junior and was a first team all district quarterback as a senior. It will be up to Reffett and company to capitalize on his athleticism. LB Kevyon Davis, Ennis High School Matthew Brune: Davis is a 3-star linebacker and was a first team all district safety in high school. He is a guy the defensive coaching staff is high on as he had offers from Illinois, Louisiana
Top: Seth Littrell. File Bottom: North Texas sophomore wide receiver Rico Bussey Jr. runs the ball in a game against Old Dominion University on Oct.28. North Texas defeated ODU 45-38. Sara Carpenter
Tech, Memphis and Louisiana-Monroe. His ability to excel in the secondary speaks well to a skill set that should transition nicely at the next level. S Jaxon Gibbs, The Colony High School Matthew Brune: Gibbs is a 3-star safety who was a ball hawk in the secondary for The Colony and totaled 156 tackles in two seasons despite only playing eight games his senior year. LB Jordan Hunt, Wylie High School Matthew Brune: Hunt is a 2-star linebacker who is a physically imposing guy. His highlights are full of big hits either at inside linebacker or even on the outside blitzing. It looks like he will slide into an inside linebacker at the college level. DL Dayton LeBlanc, Frederick Douglass High School (Lexington, Kentucky) Matthew Brune: LeBlanc is a 3-star defensive lineman who played on the inside in high school, but in a 4-3 defense. In this 3-3-5, he seems more like one of the two outside defensive linemen because he’s just quick enough, but I could see him at nose down the line. QB Kason Martin, Manvel High School Matthew Brune: Martin is a 2-star quarterback who made it to the Class 5A State Championship this past season. His numbers are incredible, and we know he can win games at the high school level. He has decent down-field accuracy but is not as mobile as most of the other quarterbacks North Texas goes after. DL Darrian McMillan, Butler Community College Matthew Brune: McMillan is a 2-star JuCo prospect with more athleticism than most nose tackles — he looks like a real pass rusher on his highlight film from Butler Community College. WR Austin Ogunmakin, Alief Hastings High School Matthew Brune: Ogunmakin is a 3-star WR and is the lone receiver in this class. He will join the already young receiving corps and hopes to compete from the jump with a 6-foot-3-inch frame and a strong athletic background outside of football in long jump and triple jump. Coming off of a season in which the defense gave up nearly the same amount of points per game as its explosive offensive counterpart, it’s obvious that improving the defense is the focus going forward. The Mean Green will close out the rest of their class on National Signing Day, which is set for Feb. 7. “When you see seven signees from what you traditionally the consider the back seven of the defense — linebackers and defensive backs — I think it’s safe to say that there was a concerted effort to improve athleticism and depth in those spots,” Brooks said. “Plus there were two early D-line signees, so nine of the 14 early guys are on defense, which isn’t surprising to me.”
North Texas sophomore quarterback Mason Fine runs the ballin a game against Old Dominion University on October 28. North Texas defeated ODU 45-38. Sara Carpenter
North Texas announces 2018 football schedule By Matthew Brune @mattbrune25 The North Texas football team released the entirety of its schedule for the 2018 season on Tuesday, giving fans another reason to be excited for the upcoming year. The non-conference schedule has been out for a while. The Mean Green open with home games against Southern Methodist University and the University of Incarnate Word before going on the road to play the University of Arkansas and Liberty University. The Conference USA portion of the schedule was the main draw of Tuesday’s release. North Texas will play the same eight teams as last year, just in a different order and at the opposite location. The Mean Green will play the six teams in C-USA West Division as well as Old Dominion University and Florida Atlantic University from the C-USA East. The home games: Louisiana Tech on Sept. 29, Southern Mississippi on Oct. 13, Rice University on Oct. 27 and Florida Atlantic on Nov. 17. The away games: University of Texas at El Paso on Oct. 6, University of Alabama at Birmingham on Oct. 20, Old Dominion Nov. 10 and University of Texas at San Antonio on Nov. 24. The bye week comes after week nine on the week of Nov. 3. “We think this is a great schedule, and we hope the Mean Green fans will help us continue to make Apogee Stadium the best home-field advantage in Conference USA,” head coach Seth Littrell said in a release. “Playing two games at home to open the season and having four bowl teams come to Denton doesn’t happen very often. It should be a fun year, and we need to pack Apogee to help us continue our winning streak here.”
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Knox makes immediate impact for women’s basketball KNOX CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The Dayton, Ohio native saw all the good and bad the city had to offer. Quickly, he made the choice to take the road less traveled
to pursue his dreams of playing professional basketball one day. “I was one of those guys who stayed outside within the parks and recreation
North Texas assistant coach Carlos Knox speaks to junior point guard Brittany Smith (3) about offensive concepts during practice. Trevon McWilliams
center,” Knox said. “I came from [the] inner city. It was more of me falling in love with the game to keep me away from falling into the craziness going on around me.” That coveted dream of playing professionally came to fruition shortly after he tied the bow on his collegiate career. Once the 1998-99 NBA lockout ended, the Indiana Pacers signed him as an undrafted free agent. Despite his time with the team only spanning a few months, he remains at peace with their decision to move on. Knox’s unwillingness to give up his dreams led him to pursue basketball opportunities elsewhere. He went on to spend the next eight years traveling the world as a man on a mission, looking to continue to play the game that brought him so much joy. After battling injuries, he decided to retire — but he did not walk away from basketball completely. Knox worked his way up the coaching ranks and received his first big break with the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. They brought him on as an assistant coach based on a recommendation from Tamika Catchings. Knox played a huge role in the development of the four-time gold medalist and 10-time WNBA All-Star. They worked together from the moment Catchings graduated from Tennessee until the day she retired as a member of the Indiana Fever. “I feel like it’s taken me a long time to transition into the player I am,” Catchings said in an interview with the Indianapolis Star. “Some of it has been just working with him and having that killer mentality.
Every single thing that you do, it’s always like, ‘I don’t care if you rest in between, but when you do it, do it hard, because it has to translate from what we do behind the scenes to what we’re going to do on the court.’” While working with the Fever, Knox realized it was time to reach more athletes. He developed Indy Knox Prom AM, an intensive summer league basketball program to help athletes transition from college to professional basketball. Most of the days were spent training, while the nights were filled with scrimmages against premier competition. George Hill, Zach Randolph, Lance Stephenson and several other NBA players competed in this league. From 2009 to 2016, the Knox Pro AM was one of the most recognizable summer leagues across the country. But Knox suspended the league’s operations to comply with NCAA regulations when he decided to take a full-time coaching job with a mutual friend in Texas. One of Knox’s proudest accomplishments was helping develop Catchings into a premiere player. Before she earned the reputation as a fierce competitor at the professional level, she played high school basketball alongside North Texas women’s basketball coach Jalie Mitchell at Duncanville High school. North Texas was in the market for a new assistant coach in the months leading up to this season. After evaluating her staff, Mitchell realized the biggest need for improvement was player development. Mitchell wanted a coach who could strengthen her player’s weaknesses.
While attending an Indiana Fevers’ game, Catchings introduced Mitchell to Knox. After speaking at length with the two, Mitchell was convinced she found the missing piece to the puzzle. Hiring Knox became official during the offseason, and Mitchell said he has been as good as advertised. “He’s great with talking to the [players], helping them understand how to get better and ways they can improve,” Mitchell said. “Whether it’s practice or games that can just make them more effective and efficient.” Junior guard Grace Goodhart describes Knox as the calm in the storm. His presence has instilled confidence in her and the rest of the team. Goodhart has improved her free throw percentage from 72 percent to 80 percent and has increased her field goal percentage by 11 percent under Knox. “He’s really someone we lean on and we go to for advice,” Goodhart said. “He’s there for us. He’s kind of like a second dad and has been really good for the team.” In a sport where development is often judged by numbers, two things stats do not show are Knox’s love for the game of basketball and his determination to see others succeed. If his impact is not clear in the team’s improvement this season, ask anybody on the North Texas women’s basketball team about Carlos Knox — he is making a difference. “I’m very passionate about the development of players,” Knox said. “I like to instill the mentality and work ethic I had as a player into my players, just to see where they can come and see where they can get.”
Track and field post promising results at second indoor meet By Deondre Jones @deondrejones34 The North Texas track and field team took part in its second indoor meet at the Martin Luther King Invitational in New Mexico. The meet was held at the Albuquerque Convention Center and North Texas had only 23 athletes compete in the event. Head coach Carl Sheffield wanted only a select few of his athletes to participate so he could evaluate some of his younger talent. “We have such a young team,” Sheffield said. “It’s just getting some of our young athletes more experience running indoors and getting them acclimated to running on different tracks because a lot of them have never done so before.” Freshman sprinter Darien Porter made his Mean Green debut, placing ninth in the men’s 60-meter semifinals with a time of 6.91 seconds. Three of the young female sprinters qualified
for the 60-meter semifinals as well. Only two ran in the semifinals as freshman Aneesa Scott, who finished fifth in the qualifying round with a time of 7.68 seconds, did not participate. Freshmen Taylor Blackshire and Bria Williams placed sixth and seventh, respectively, with times of 7.66 and 7.69 seconds. Of the veteran athletes who competed, many improved their marks and times from last year. Senior sprinter Alford Tribble finished seventh in the men’s 60-meter final with a personal best time of 6.95 seconds. Tribble also placed No. 8 in the men’s 200-meter finals with a time of 21.67 seconds, which was another personal best. Senior Kevone Kennedy improved his performance from last week by placing third in the men’s weight throw with a career best mark of 17.69 meters. Senior Dominique Drayden finished ninth in men’s long jump with a mark of 7.12 meters.
Junior distance runner Susannah Lynch finished fourth in the women’s one-mile run with a time of 4:53.76 seconds while senior Zach Kirkland finished twelfth in the men’s with a time of 4:26.81 seconds. Graduate student Jaron Thomas placed sixth in the men’s 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.21 seconds. Senior Victoria Junious had a fifth place finish in the women’s 800-meter run with a time of 2:16.66 seconds. “It’s what we practice for every week which is to try and improve on our personal best,” Sheffield said. “I can’t speak facts, but I bet 90 percent of the people we took this weekend had a personal best in one of the events they participated in.” Sheffield hopes these personal bests will only be a small compensation for a much bigger prize. “I think one of the challenges is to make sure that our individual goals are lining up with our team and conference goals,” Sheffield said. “It’s good to have
personal bests but we have to see how they line up with our Conference USA goals. Next up: North Texas heads to Lubbock this weekend to compete in the Texas Tech Indoor meet.
Senior sprinter and jumper Monda Landry runs down the straightaway during a relay at the 2016 TCU Invitational in Fort Worth. Courtesy | North Texas Athletics
COLUMN
Fans, students have embraced McCasland’s team, and it’s fun to see
By Matthew Brune @Mattbrune25 At first, you all were hesitant. Very rarely did you all stand up for the team if the game was not in its final seconds. But just like the men’s basketball team, you were all learning in the early stages of the Grant McCasland era. Now, in comparison to years past, the crowd and community engagement for the men’s basketball team has actually been nothing short of an impressive feat. This year’s team has been more enjoyable and exciting to watch than most, if not all, of the teams in Tony Benford’s five-year tenure for a multitude of reasons. Several close games, a new and more engaged coach and, of course, the playing style of sophomore guards Ryan Woolridge and Roosevelt Smart. While a lot of that was expected, something unexpected that has made the team more enjoyable is how absorbed the North Texas community has been — especially during games. It starts with people actually showing up to the games ready to cheer on and help the team. While the size of the crowd is nowhere near the years of Johnny Jones and the teams that were winning 20+ games per season, the quality of the crowd has been notable. For whatever reason, the numbers show this season’s attendance average is reported to be lower than every year in Benford’s tenure. But those numbers are not accurate. As mentioned in a previous column regarding football attendance, those are announced numbers and very often don’t tell the entire story. But let’s imagine, just for a second, these numbers are real. Let’s fantasize and say last year’s 8-22 team drew more than 2,000 people per home game as reported. That simply means the fans who are going this season’s games deserve even more credit, because the Super Pit sounds like an entirely new arena. Last year, the crowd was a joke — but it is not really its fault. The few students in attendance reclined back in their chairs and used the open seats in front of them as a footrest while spending most of the game’s 40 minutes scrolling through their phones. It is pretty comfortable actually — I was even guilty of doing the
same as a student at least once or twice last season as the Mean Green trailed by 15 to whomever the opponent was. However, that’s not the case this year. In the section behind the North Texas bench, the fans are packed in yelling at refs and giving loud ovations for the team’s effort. No longer is the Mean Green Brigade the loudest section in the crowd, despite continuing to bring a high level of energy to the atmosphere. Do not get complacent, Mean Green faithful. This season has been an up-and-down ride for McCasland and company, and the team has played just two home games in the last 47 days. They are at a critical stretch in their schedule with five of their next seven games at home against tough opponents, including Western Kentucky and Marshall. On the court itself, Smart, Woolridge and company will continue to entertain the crowd with dazzling dribble moves and a barrage of 3-pointers. McCasland has quite literally yelled at the crowd, asking them to get on their feet and cheer at points during the season — most notably in the opening game against Eureka College. He’s an intense coach and he expects the same intensity on the court and even in the crowd. As a result of all of that, less people are hanging out on their phones over the nine home games this season, and that highlights my main point. The crowd for this season’s men’s basketball team has been very good for a rebuilding program with new players across the board. At the very least, things have been much better than last season. If I notice it, then players notice it tenfold. You have done a good job in the stands, and it has been fun to see.
Mean Green Men’s Basketball head coach Grant McCasland encourages his team during a game against Eureka College. Madison Gore
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OPINION Page 8
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2018
NTDAILY.COM
Activism is great and all, but voting is the real deal By The Editorial Board @ntdaily Like most college campuses across the nation, UNT showcases many progressive movements. From protesting controversial statues and monuments to organized classroom “walk-outs,” it seems like activism and college students go hand-in-hand. In an environment where social media is instrumental to students’ lives, the social brand of being an “activist” and posting iron fist selfies to Instagram has become a fashionable way to pat oneself on the back and claim progressive values. But in considering tangible change that’s been made, we find the real activism lies in the simple act of voting. This seems obvious, of course. We hear about it all the time. But if that’s the case, why don’t our representatives reflect the ideals these students make apparent at marches and protests? It would only make sense,
especially when considering that in 2016 millennials surpassed baby boomers as the largest living generation. Clearly, there is some sort of disconnect here. Still there remain some who refrain from voting. The answer: college-aged students. Millennial turnout in the 2016 elections increased but remained mostly stagnant in the long run at 49 percent, according to the Pew Research Center. The Greatest Generation, baby boomers and Generation X turned out at rates of 70 percent, 69 percent and 63 percent, respectively. While millennials may have become a huge demographic in this country, it seems that faith in the system has been shaken. It’s far too easy to paint a poster, shout catchy chants and spend the afternoon with like-minded individuals. This is not to say that getting out there and protesting isn’t activism — raising awareness is a part of the process.
The problem is those who stop short. A lack of awareness is only part of the problem. For real impact to be made, students must see their goals through to the end. The reality is that if these students actually took the time to vote, they could potentially change the dynamic of this country, let alone the political atmosphere of Denton. The reality that college students are unmotivated to vote but are more inclined to pick up a picket sign explains we have become far too busy and, above all, lazy. If students aren’t voting, then who is? To be completely honest, registering to vote takes time. It takes about five to seven weeks to receive your registration card, and even then, researching candidates takes time as well. It also costs $0 to register to vote. You can even register online while laying in bed. There are thousands of books, articles and research papers about candidates and laws, and the internet and
libraries are free, too. Let’s not ignore the reality that there are undeniably roadblocks to the voting process — voter ID laws, inopportune polling hours, gerrymandering and sometimes inconvenient polling locations.
But sometimes, if we as a society want to affect long-term change, people have to put in more effort. And sometimes we have to start small. Start local. Shift the paradigm first of this small college town, and slowly the dominoes will begin to fall one by one.
Illustration by Austin Banzon
Shut down for what: the government shutdown explained
By Peyton Miller @peytonmiller31
Illustration by Austin Banzon
Anarchy ensued this weekend after the announcement of the government’s shutting down. As federal employees were all told to go home to their children, military personnel were dismissed and departed from their posts with little more than the clothes in which they arrived. Post offices country-wide wrote — in marker — “Closed until further notice” and taped it to the front door, hoping desperately that they would arrive home before the commencement of “The Purge.” Even Mitch McConnell, in alarm, took to retreating into his shell, knowing well that anarchy stood menacingly over the American people. But none of that happened, now did it? Then why were we, the American people, bombarded with endless updates and headlines about the government shutdown? Surely, it must mean something. To that I respond: yes and no.
The short-lived government shutdown of January 2018 was yet another reminder of the asinine political polarization and naivety of our elected political elite. But, before diving into the ridiculous nature of this government shutdown, I think it is of sound mind to define a “government shutdown.” In the United States, the government “shuts down” any time that Congress is unable to approve a federal budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Such a halt in progress demands that “nonessential” functions of the federal government must be defunded. This does not mean that post office employees must go home or that other bureaucrats have to find work elsewhere. It is more likely that they will be docked pay for the time being, and will be paid retroactively once the children in Congress come to an agreement. “Essential” functions, in contrast, continue to move forward such as the military, border security and — in this year’s case — national parks. So, what happened this time? There were a multitude of issues on the table. Democrats sought a pathway to citizenship for the dreamers, and Republicans sought funding for the border wall. The two parties were unable to come to an agreement before the deadline, thus the government shutdown. I return to my earlier response: yes and no. Yes, the reality of the situation is that the government “shut down” for three days. I say no, however, because the nature of the government shut down is — to say it nicely — hog wash. This shutdown is indicative of a problem with our elected officials.
Both parties have decided, like children, that if they can’t have it their way, then they will simply quit, in hopes that one side will cave to its demands. The worst of it is that neither party truly opposes a compromise. Their refusal to do so is based solely on gross hatred for opposing ideology. Here is how it plays out: The media will blow this shutdown out of proportion, as they already have accomplished. In the midst of my writing this article, both houses have voted heavily in favor of a continuing resolution, or continued funding, through Feb. 8. Two possibilities lie hereafter. One is that nothing exciting will result from all of this nonsense. Republicans will trade a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients, in return for border security funding from the Democrats, thus proving that this shutdown was an unnecessary inconvenience. The other possibility is that we will again face anarchy in February if Congress, once again, is unable to put down its childish ways and come to an agreement. The bottom line is this: government shutdowns mean virtually nothing. They are inconveniences birthed from Congress’ refusal to lay down childish ways and work together for the American people. Interest lies in pointing fingers above good policy. Like two kids fighting, the game halts when one demands his way or no way. And to what result? Nothing interesting if history has anything to say about it. Do you remember the shutdown of 2013 or why it happened? I certainly don’t.
Free the weed dealers from judgment, profiling and undue prison time
By Rachel Herzer @coolrachdoritos There has been some great things going on in America this past decade, namely weed legalization in a few states. Recent years have given rise to new
and unprecedented heights of success in the marijuana industry. It seems like I can’t open up Twitter these days without reading about a new white, upper-middle class mom who’s making bank selling fun weed products. The keyword there being “white” because black people are nearly four times as likely to be arrested for marijuana than white people, according to the ACLU. Gentrification is rampant in the United States and because the profitability of weed is on the rise, gentrifiers have set their sights on it. To put it bluntly (pun intended), many black people are incarcerated for the same thing white people are now turning into businesses. As states begin to change their tunes
and legalize marijuana, people in jail solely for marijuana possession or distribution should be freed. But of course nothing within the legal system can ever be simple, efficient or make any sort of sense. When Prohibition was repealed, there wasn’t an amass of bootleggers suddenly freed from jail. The consensus is that “repealing” a law is different than the government deeming a law “unconstitutional” — time still had to be served for alcohol-related crimes committed while it technically was illegal. Imagine serving a sentence for something that is not illegal anymore. Imagine being kept in prison on a technicality.
There’s no excuse for this. What’s worse is this shouldn’t even be something we have to deal with because (everyone together now) weed should have been legalized forever ago. Marijuana literally has medicinal qualities and is objectively less dangerous than drinking alcohol, which, to remind you, is legal. It would take between 15 and 70 grams — between 238 and 1113 joints’ worth — of THC to kill you. This information is inconsequential. You could die by consuming 1113 Big Macs too, but you certainly don’t see anyone trying to limit our intake of those. Overturning a law is an enormous decision that needs to be meticulously thought out. Thousands and thousands
of people staying imprisoned for a decriminalized crime seems like a ridiculous oversight in this regard. I doubt wrongful imprisonment is the last or only problem that will arise on the road to legalization. God forbid we have to endure something worse, like a shortage of snack foods.
Illustration by Allison Shuckman
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