Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio
10.12.2010 Vol. 44 Issue 8
The
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Weekly Beak
McClendon Scholars
President Romo gives university address UTSA President Ricardo Romo addressed students, faculty, staff, elected officials and guests Oct. 6 in the University Center Ballroom on the Main Campus for his second annual State of the University address. The 45 minute address detailed UTSA’s momentum over the last year toward fulfilling its vision to become a Tier One national research university. Romo was introduced by Bexar County’s Rep. Joaquin Castro, a San Antonio native and vice chairman of the House Higher Education Committee. Romo spoke of his pride for UTSA’s teaching faculty and touted their creativity, entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to students in advancing their knowledge of the world and their chosen professional fields. “This year we were fortunate to have nine UTSA faculty members selected to receive the prestigious UT System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award,” said Romo. “After UT Austin, that is more than any other school in the UT System.” Additionally, Romo pointed out accomplishments within the ranks of research faculty and the university’s commitment to continue recruiting the best and brightest and to build the infrastructure needed to do ground breaking research. He also highlighted the 34 percent increase in total research spending over the period. Sources: UTSA Today.
Are we prepared for a shooter on campus?
paisanonews@sbcglobal.net UTSAPD is not waiting for a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team. The police force has created its own violence prevention training in order to better respond to emergency situations, such as the shooting at the University of Texas (UT) Austin earlier this semester. Colton Tooley, 19-year-old mathematics major, brought an AK-47 to UT Austin and fired multiple rounds around campus before running to UT’s PerryCastañeda Library on Sept. 28. “I was surprised like everyone else,” UTSA Police Chief Steve Barrera said. “It hits home when it’s so close. I was also relieved that we’re prepared. You always think—are we ready to handle such a situation?”
smaller, more remote campus, I think [UTSAPD] would do a lot better [than UT Austin],” Alonzo said. “They are more on top of things than a lot of the police departments of the larger, more separated universities I’ve seen—like UT Austin.” Barrera said he felt comfortable that UTSAPD is prepared for a conflict like the one in Austin. “Our UTSAPD are pretty much anywhere at all times,” Alonzo said. A video called “Shots Fired” is available on the UTSAPD website and is used by the police department to train students and faculty on the way to respond to emergencies. UTSAPD will show the video to groups; individuals can view the video online. “We’re a smaller campus,
something that drastic is less likely to happen,” Alonzo said. Not every training scenario is as elaborate as the August scenario; officers quiz each other in tabletop training, in which different scenarios are presented and officers must think through the steps they would take in a real-life situation. ”In the past, when a situation happens like this, the local police department would call a SWAT team,” Barrera said. “You would have to wait and potentially more people could be hurt.” “The chances are very minimal that it will ever happen, but if it does you need to have a plan,” Barrera said. “You read more and more about these situations. The realization hits you that it could happen here—it could happen anywhere.”
San Antonio bans texting while driving Bailey Curwick
paisanonews@sbcglobal.net It seems like young and old drivers alike will have to give their fast fingers a rest. Last week, the San Antonio City Council met Oct. 7 and enacted a ban on texting while driving within city limits. According to the Request for Council Action the ordinance amends Chapter 19, Article VII of the City Code, by adding a new section under Section 19, which will prohibit the use of a hand-held mobile communications device to send, read, or write a text message, or engage in any other use of the device besides dialing telephone numbers or talking to another person, while operating a motor vehicle. “San Antonio’s roads are hectic enough,” said freshman biology majors Warda Riaz and Larhonda Daniels. “People should
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Barrera has been police chief for five months; his first step in finding an answer to that question was to stage a full-scale scenario involving an active shooter. UTSAPD worked with the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) Aug. 6 to find out how well the two departments communicate with each other in emergencies. “In the training exercise a SWAT team was also called in to help with the demonstration,” Barrera said. “That communication was key in the exercise to ensure all components worked well. The department sent emails, text messages and called campus phones to spread the message that there was danger to as many people as possible.” UTSA sophomore Jordan Alonzo is encouraged by the preparation. “Because it is a
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not be texting or handling their phones while driving in the first place.” The restrictions on cell phone use while driving strengthened in 2008 with the ordinance that banned any use of a cell phone while traveling through a school zone. While the restrictions were specific to school zones with posted markings at the beginning and end of the zone’s perimeter, the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) has still given numerous citations for drivers refusing to put down their mobile devices while driving close to schools. Officers will give warnings for the first 90 days after the ordinance takes place and inform San Antonio residents and inform them about the new law with public service announcements. After 90 days, officers will begin issuing citations of up to $200 per violation.
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Graphic by: Robert Calcagno, Burk Frey/ The Paisano
Applications are being accepted through Friday, Oct. 15 for the UTSA Legislative Scholars program. As “McClendon Scholars,” UTSA students will have the opportunity to serve as interns in the Texas Legislature with a stipend of $10,000. Created in August 2004, the UTSA Legislative Scholars program is a collaborative initiative between UTSA and state Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon. Coordinated by the UTSA Institute of Law and Public Affairs, the program provides undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to serve as legislative assistants in the Texas House of Representatives during regular legislative sessions in odd-numbered years. Students are assigned to legislative offices where they learn the legislative process and perform important duties with bills, constituents and committees.
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