Letter to the Editor: Phi Mu get’s it easy Page 4
SGA plans for the future Page 5
Comic: Once you pop (Romo’s) you can’t stop Page 4
Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio
April 20, 2010 Volume 42 • Issue 13 • 10 Pages
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1 in 6 women is sexually assaulted College women four times more likely to be assaulted, national statistics say Krystal Bordner
paisanonews@sbcglobal.net The Center for Public Integrity’s Sexual Assault on Campus: A Frustrating Search for Justice has devastating news for all college students and their families. Students who are held responsible for sexual assault charges are being dealt very little punishment, and the victims are receiving very little emotional care after the tragic event. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), and the UTSA women’s resource center and counseling services are teaming up with rape crisis centers to inform students of places to go and
facts to know about today’s sexual abuse. For example, on April 19, the women’s resource center asked men to sign a pledge to nine commandments supporting women rather than degrading them. “Our overall campaign here is to challenge the culture of rape,” Enedelia Sauceda, women’s resource counselor said. The center is located in the Recreation and Wellness Center. “Most of my work has been done with awareness and working with victims in the clinical setting,” Sauceda said. The women’s resource center is closely involved with the police department in helping victims of assault. “Overall as clinicians
we see [the victims] when they’re referred or when they’re ready to come in,” Sauceda said. According to Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), someone is sexually assaulted every two minutes. RAINN also states that one in six women is sexually assaulted. According to the RAINN Web site, college women are four times more likely to be sexually assaulted. There are many resources sexually assaulted victims can access off campus as well. The Rape Crisis Center off of Highway 90 West, “provides counseling, information on other resources, community awareness and self defense seminars,” Rape Crisis Center intern
Doug Evans, a UTSA student, said. The confidentiality is as private as the victim desires. He or she must sign a waiver and list the names of those who are allowed access to their information. The center has a 24-hour hotline that can be reached at (210) 3497273 and welcomes people in person. Evans says, “There are resources available if [victims] are willing to get them.” Students can do their own research on identifying sex offenders on campus if they feel it is necessary. On the home page of the UTSAPD Web site is a link called “TxDPS sex offenders list.” After entering a name, address, school, a person can search for offenders See ASSAULT, Page 3
Japanese sensitivity to space
AP Photo
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Noh Theatre and bento box (inset) are examples of how designers adapt space sensitivity to Japanese culture.
has a large number of hills and mountaind, they are often incorporated in the scenery of temples and gardens. Nishimoto presented a poem by Matsuo Basho, a famous poet during the Edo period, which helps explain how space is conceived differently by the Japanese. Old pond — frogs jumped in — sound of water. Nishimoto explains that “You didn’t see the frog. You don’t know where or what it is, really. You heard the frog. That is the quintessential philosophy.” This represents that the idea of space, or the limits of space we have in our minds, are not created until someone else steps into the picture. A great example is seen in traditional live Japanese theater, known as the ‘Noh Theatre.’ The stage of the theater is always constructed the same; it has a long narrow walkway that opens directly onto the stage, with no backstage, walls or doors blocking or separating the entryway and the actual stage. The whole audience can see as the
actors wait patiently at an imaginary boundary line separating the entryway to the stage. As soon as the actors step over this boundary –this space they and the audience have created in their minds – they automatically begin to play their roles. Other aspects of this idea of perceived space are seen all over Japan. Often the inside of Japanese houses or buildings do not have many windows and are not well illuminated, but they have windows near the corners of the walls which cast shadows across other walls and rooms. Nishimoto says that the casting of these shadows creates the essence of space because when “you see a shadow, then you perceive space.” Another example of the partitioning and perception of spaces comes from Japanese bento boxes, which are essentially lunch boxes you can buy at the store. These lunch boxes always have compartments inside which assign and distinguish the different foods. The Japanese also have a dif-
ferent take on the idea of time. In many cultures, infinity and eternity are emphasized over cultures and structures. For example, this is the essence of the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge, which are sacred structures that thousands of years old. In Japanese ideology, however, renewal is emphasized. For example, every few decades the Japanese rebuild several of their temples and shrines. They do this to exemplify the philosophy that nothing lives forever. Nishimoto made it clear that this was a brief introduction to Japan’s sensitivity to space, and much more can be said about the unique architecture and culturally-based perceptions of space, time and boundaries. Nishimoto received his Masters at Cornell University and has taught at several institutes such as Columbia, Pratt and Texas A&M. He has received numerous prestigious architectural awards and has been at UTSA since 2007.
Paisano-Online com
Story Updates
UTSA hosts 2010 AAS Symposium The third annual African American Studies Symposium was held on Friday, April 16, 2010, at UTSA. This year, the theme was ‘Politics and Black Popular Culture.’ This years conference featured professors from all over the U.S. Dr. John Morris, UTSA professor, presented photos of African-Americans in Texas over the last century. Antonio Reyes, spoke about Chinese and black relations from 1400 to President Barrack Obama’s election. The symposium also featured an evaluation of The HBO’s The Wire and lectures on Biracial identity by UT Austin professor, Dr. Lars Hinrichs. Dr. Kinitra Brooks and Dr. LaGuana Gray, both from UTSA, also gave a lecture about the roles of black women as media-makers.
Two students QEP contest
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Students created and uploaded videos to YouTube for a contest to highlight the UTSA Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). Students, faculty and staff viewed and voted on the videos and two were chosen: “American Humanics Student Association” by Amy Harwell and “QEP of Our Lives” by Stephanie Shropshire and Isis Valencia. Both tied for the People’s Choice Award and the prizes were divided between the first- and second-place winners.
Misha Yurchenko
In Japan, the people’s historical understanding of spaces, distances, time, boundaries and light have formed a unique style of architecture reflected in several aspects of the Japanese society. The history of Japanese architecture and Japan’s sensitivity to space were discussed in depth last Tuesday, April 14 as part of an insightful lecture given by Associate Dean of Architecture Taeg Nishimoto, and hosted by UTSA’s East Asian Institute. The Japanese have a distinct perspective on their surroundings, which can be partially accredited to early Shinto spirituality, Buddhist philosophy and ancient mythology. However, the most fundamental concept to grasp about Japanese architecture comes from the fact that Japan is an island country composed of over 6,000 tiny surrounding islands. The geography of Japan has always played an important part in mythology. Nishimito explained one of the central ancient Shinto creationist stories of Izanagi and Izanami. The story goes that these two deities stirred the ocean waters with a giant jeweled spear to form the first land mass – Japan. The two deities married and then other islands and countries were formed. Consequently, much of early architecture in Japan stressed the remoteness of Japan as an island. Villas and temples were built with ponds, moats or some sort of water surrounding the buildings as a metaphor for Japan. For example, Zen Gardens, which have become popularized in America, stem from Japanese ZenBuddhism and often have themes of circular designs in the sand representing water and several rocks representing Japanese islands. Stone paths leading to temples and shrines are often curved, which represent the flow of water. Also, since Japan
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Rackspace chairman lectures on April 20 Christopher Connell paisanonews@sbcglobal.net
Rackspace Hosting Chairman Graham Weston will be a UTSA guest lecturer on April 20. Weston will be lecturing for Dr. Bennie Wilson’s MGT 3003 “Business Communication and Professional Development.” The lecture begins at 3:30 p.m. in BB 2.01.02. Weston became involved with Rackspace in 1998. At the time the Rackspace was a start-up company. Weston assisted in the organiation of a corporate strategy and marketing plan.