5 | Arts & Life
7 | Sports
Shades of brown
UTSA takes down the Miners
Vol. 58, Issue 7
Est. 1981
October 2 - October 9, 2018
The Paisano
Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio Community /PaisanoOnline
/ThePaisano
@PaisanoMedia
@ThePaisano
www.Paisano-Online.com
‘Cancel our debt now!’ Young Democractic Socialists of America protest at the Sombrilla Kimiya Factory Assitant News Editor
YDSA members protesting at the Sombrilla.
A protest sign created by a student.
Kimiya Factory/The Paisano
Kimiya Factory/The Paisano
On Sept. 26 at 11:50 a.m., UTSA’s chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) held an organized student walk-out protest to address the rising cost of tuition and debt Americans familiarly face after earning a college education. In a statement release, YDSA described the intent of the public demonstration held under the Sombrilla last week: “The demonstration will be to address the rising costs of student tuition, the staggering amount of student debt held by students at UTSA and around the country, to advocate for debt cancellation and universal college for all.” UTSA YDSA, the youth and student section of the Democratic Socialists of America, is a national organization of recognized campus chapters and activ-
ists. UTSA YDSA consists of students organizing across universities, colleges and high schools to fight for the immediate needs of workers and students, while building the capacity to fight for more radical and structural changes. Students lined up under the Sombrilla with signs that read “Student debt: $15 Trillion” and “Cancel our debt now!” “We are beginning our demands at the school level, calling for freeze all tuition and to start negotiating more accessible ways to make our school more affordable. The Business College and Engineering Students have been hit hard this year with tuition increases. We have a new engineering building being built, which seems unjust,” said Cuauhtemoc Terena, YDSA member and senior marketing major. “In the meantime, they raised our tuition. Where’s
our money going? Our education is poor, we pay for homework access. We deserve better than this. Look at other countries, they have accessible college, they have stipends to make it easier. Meanwhile, we have homeless students living in the JPL, in their cars, homeless students taking showers at the rec. All these things come from increased tuition being squeezed by our debt. For example, I have to take out a loan in my mom’s name, you have to put your parents through debt again just so you can get through college.” YDSA members and students stood in the Sombrilla from 11:50 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. shouting, “Education is a human right, everyday and every night!” During the protest, Continued on page 2 See “Students advocate for free college”
Current status on the North American Free Trade Agreement Caleb McBride Contributing Writer As the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) currently stands, the United States is operating under a significant trade deficit with Canada and Mexico. After the Sept. 30 decision date, Trump decided to not withdraw from the NAFTA agreement. Specifically, Mexico and the U.S. have reached an agreement on terms of renegotiation, but Canada has yet to agree. The terms include: for automobile companies to produce more cars in North America, for Mexican employers to pay higher wages to workers involved in international business, to keep NAFTA free of agricultural tariffs
and for each nation to enforce stricter environmentally beneficial standards. In 1994, Canada, Mexico and the United States bound themselves to NAFTA, forming an alliance that encourages trade among them and discourages trade between outside countries. With this agreement, American, Canadian and Mexican businesses can sell many of their products without extra fees. Countries not involved in this agreement have to pay tariffs on products they sell in the United States, but within NAFTA, not all tariffs are removed. President Trump has cited a 300 percent increase on U.S. dairy products sold in Canada as a need for a renegotiation. As to whether this
Flags of Mexico, the United States and Canada.
agreement has helped the US or not is a difficult question to answer. To economist Dr. Hamid Beladi, associate dean of research and a professor of economics and Janey S. Briscoe endowed chair in business, a trade union like NAFTA is measured by the amount of trade creation and diversion. A union creates trade between the different members, but also diverts trade with those not in the union — this is called trade diversion. “If you want to judge a union, you look at trade creation and trade diversion and see which one dominates. If trade creation dominates, Continued on page 2 See “NAFTA explained”
Graphic by Amber Chin/The Paisano
Feet of new born baby.
Courtsey of Creative Commons
Grant goes toward autism research Kaylee Boggan Staff Writer
UTSA, The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio and the Autism Treatment Center (ATC), received a two-year $1,251,063 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for research on infant and toddler autism treatment. Assistant professor of educational psychology Amarie Carnett, Ph.D., Board Certified Behavorial Analysts - Doctora (BCBA-D), Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) and behavior analysis program coordinator and assistant professor of educational psychology Leslie Neely, Ph. D, put together a team of researchers to create Parent-Led Autism Treatment for At-Risk Young Infants and Toddlers (PLAAY). “We are also developing a very early intervention
in a child’s life they are therapy to work with the studying including their infants and toddlers and interaction with parents, potentially change the peers and their mental trajectory of their develcapacity. opment by altering their “Since caregivers spend brain growth,” Carnett the most amount of time said. “The goal is to pilot with their children, it is an innovative diagnostic and treatment approach for vital that we share what infants and toddlers at-risk works with them, so they can be successful at home for developing autism and community environspectrum disorder.” PLAAY hopes to recruit ments,” Neely said. at least 75-80 infants The inspiration for this research came from from San Antonio and the UTSA’s work with the surrounding areas for the project, which will take Children’s Hospital. place at the Children’s “Dr. Neely mentioned Hospital of San Antonio in the UTSA article that and the Autism Treatment she encounters families Center. who already have a child “The infants will receive diagnosed with autism,” free EEGs, psychologiCarnett said. “Then, when cal screeners and develthey have a second or third opmental assessments,” child, they are wondering Neely said. “The goal is to evaluate where they Continued on page 2 are developmentally and See “Professors colthen collect data regarding loborate with Children’s their growth following the Hospital of San Antonio intervention.” and the Austim Treatment There are other factors Center”