2.21.17

Page 1

BY ts UTSA studen R FO ts UTSA studen

Vol. 55 Issue 7 February 21 February 28, 2017 /PaisanoOnline

/ThePaisano

Qualities for the next UTSA president

Opinion Pg.4

@PaisanoMedia

@ThePaisano

www.Paisano-Online.com

Baseball returns to UTSA

Artpace sneak preview

Arts & Life Pg.8

ROMO RESPONDS

Sports Pg.9

Students React: Romo’s administrative leave

Ethan Pham, The Paisano

“I look forward to a speedy resolution and the clearing of my name.” Samuel De Leon, Isaac Serna & Caroline Traylor News Team

@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com UTSA President Ricardo Romo has been placed on administrative leave effective immediately pending a review of allegations related to his conduct. University of Texas System Chancellor William McRaven announced the action in an email on Tuesday afternoon. The UT System also appointed Pedro Reyes PhD, a special assistant to the chancellor and education policy professor at UT Austin, to serve as

UTSA’s active president. President Romo issued a statement through his attorney in response to the decision. On Feb. 16, “UTSA has informed me that it is conducting an investigation on a complaint brought by an employee against the University and me personally. In accordance with University policy, I was requested to and I wholeheartedly agreed to be placed on administrative leave with pay pending this investigation. “I have retained Ricardo Cedillo and the firm of Davis, Cedillo & Mendoza to coordinate my investigative efforts with those of the University and

I look forward to a speedy resolution and the clearing of my name. “The outpouring of community support has been humbling and overwhelming, and my family and I will be forever grateful for the prayers and love being sent our way.” Jennifer LaCosteCaputo, executive director of media relations and external communications at UT System, said Romo’s issued statement was made independently and that the UT System had no further comment other than the announcement Chancellor William McRaven made earlier in the week. No details have been released on the allegations

related to Romo’s conduct. Joe Izbrand, UTSA associate vice president for communications & marketing, chief communications officer said, “we are not going to be able to provide any additional comment.” “It’s important to remember, especially at times like these, that UTSA is more than any one individual,” SGA President Andrew Hubbard said. “We are a community of thousands of students and thousands more alumni and supporters. Together, we have made many

See Reyes, page 3

Accelerating San Antonio via bullet train Jeremiah Hobbs Staff Writer

@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com Travel from San Antonio to Austin via the Texas Eagle Amtrak passenger train currently takes two and a half hours. The same trip could take fifteen minutes and cost only ten dollars. Local leaders, such as mayoral candidate Councilman Ron Nirenberg, propose a bullet train that could make that vision a reality. Having a “light rail”— a speed train that travels 200 mph—is an exciting prospect for San Antonio. UTSA student Amanda Martinez expressed enthusiasm for a speed

train. “I think it’s a very interesting concept. I have relatives in Austin myself, so having a speed rail may mean I can see them more often without having to pay my own gas,” Martinez said. Martinez had read about bullet trains in Japan and thinks the idea is fantastic. “The idea of having a train almost like that in my hometown is just invigorating. It’s certainly something I would love to experience for myself. I think it’s an exciting idea.” San Antonians voted against the speed train in 2000. However, the idea for a speed rail didn’t disappear with the downvotes.

In Feb. 2015, UnionPacific pulled out of negotiations for use of its track paralleling Interstate 35 through South and Central Texas, crippling the production of the San Antonio/Austin bullet train and its speed rail. Dr. David Hagy of Texas Central Railway gave a talk about a bullet train at UTSA Downtown. Texas Central went under a different name a few years ago called Lone Star Rail. This company is the same one that tried to create a San Antonio/Austin speed rail. Texas Central’s current project is a privately developed speed train

Tristan Ipock, The Paisano

San Antonio residents await their chance to ride a speed rail.

called the Texas Bullet Train, running between Houston and North Texas, with a stop in the Brazos Valley. Travel time for these two regions will be 90 minutes.

He says a major obstacle is private property. Having a bullet train travel beside a highway “passing up people going 200 mph when they were sitting in traffic...would have been

great advertisement for the train.”

See Immigrant, page 3


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