Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio
02.08.2011 Vol. 45 Issue 5
The
Paisano
Shooting at Ohio frat house
Classes slowly transitioning to Internet
Ramsey Rodriguez
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P8: ‘Winter Bone’ review
Courtesy of Associated Press
P6: How to get noticed
P9: Homecoming hoops
Freshman stress levels reach record highs
A dispute at Ohio fraternity results in the death of one student and injuries to 11 others. Two men have been arrested. See page 2
Angela Marin
Since 2007, a steadily climbing 20 percent of all college students now take at least one course online. With the rise in Internet access and smart phones, more distance learning and Internetbased courses have begun to appear for all types of classes ranging from information systems to poetry. The presence of online courses has undeniably made it more convenient for those who would not otherwise have the opportunity to earn a degree. “I think they are helpful and convenient for older people or people with a family or full time job,” said senior business major Alma Sanchez. Online courses have opened more avenues for non-traditional students, but in a distance learning environment is something lost in the experience? “I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it, but it was easier for scheduling since I didn’t have specific due dates [for the assignments],” junior marketing major Tameka Grayson said, speaking about the IS 1403 course she took. “You can work on your own schedule, but you’re not around other students so you can’t ask for help if you need it.” New technology offers consumers the availability of a faster internet and rapidly growing online communities. See INTERNET, Page 4
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See STRESS, Page 3
Football announces second recruiting class
New parking lot to be built in March Dyan Lofton
paisanonews@sbcglobal.net Construction will begin in March on the East Parking Garage, east of the Business Building and north of the Main Building. The East Parking Garage will be the third multi-level parking garage on UTSA’s main campus. It has space to include a customer service center, coffee kiosk and a spirit shop. The garage is scheduled to be completed in Summer 2012. The cost is projected to be $30 million, but will be funded through parking permits and short-term parking. “The new parking garage will be very convenient, and I won’t have to worry about catching a shuttle to my car when class ends. I just hope the commuter permit does not increase,” said junior prenursing major Candis Tarawally. See PARKING, Page 2
Stephen Whitaker
paisanonews@sbcglobal.net Head Football Coach Larry Coker announced the signing of the second recruiting class in the history of UTSA football. There are 28 student-athletes in the 2011 haul who signed National Letters of Intent to play college football for UTSA. Twenty-six of those are directly from high school football players and the remaining two athletes are junior college transfers. “All classes are unique,” Coker said. “The thing about this class is that you just know these guys are going to be special.” The 26 high school players all hail from Texas, with San Antonio leading the way with eight recruits. “We are starting from San Antonio and going out,” Coker said. “We covered a lot of Texas but we spent a lot of our time here in san antonio as we expect to do each year.” A player from San Antonio that coaches are excited about is running back Chris Johnson. In his days as a running back at Stevens High School, Johnson set a school record, in running for more than 4,800 yards and 50 touchdowns in a three-year career. The San Antonio region provided a good amount of the offensive players that signed with UTSA. Of the 10 offensive players to sign with UTSA, four hail
Burk Frey/ The Paisano
Courtesy of UTSA
According to a national study, levels of stress and depression in college freshmen continue to rise. The study, “The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2010,” exposes the declining levels of emotional health in young students entering college. The results reveal an increased percentage of students who classify themselves as having “below average” emotional health. Leaving high school and entering an institution of higher learning means new responsibilities, increased academic rigor and finding social acceptance in an entirely new environment. “Coming into college for the first time, I was worried about how my classes would be because I come from a really small town,” freshman art major Lacey Villalobos said. “I didn’t know how big the class sizes would be or how everything would work because it’s so different from what I was used to.” “Most of my stress comes from making sure I do well in my classes and keeping my grades up,” freshman business major Joshua Benavides said. Barbara Smith, executive director of advising for Undergraduate Studies Support and Technology Services, says culture shock and an unfamiliar environment can often cause students to feel overwhelmed. “The exposure to new ideas or other beliefs may be outside of their usual comfort zone,” Smith said.
Head football coach Larry Coker announces second signing class. from the greater San Antonio area. After San Antonio, the DallasFort Worth Metroplex had seven players sign on with UTSA. The Metroplex contingent is highlighted by quarterback Ryan Polite. As a quarterback for DeSoto High School, Polite
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became just the ninth player in Texas prep history to surpass 10,000 passing yards. Polite finished his career with the fourth most completions (735), fifth most yards (10,636) and eighth most touchdowns (94) in UIL history. See FOOTBALL, Page 9