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Former contestant from ‘The Voice’ performs at UTSA pg 6 UTSA’s Joanna Lambert has been named a fellow of the AAAS for her work with primaes pg 5
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Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio
{SINCE 1981}
{San Antonio}
Volume 48
February 5, 2013
Issue 4
{WWW.PAISANO-ONLINE.COM}
Autism treatment center opens at UTSA
San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro announced Saturday, Feb. 2, that he would seek a third term in City Hall.
File Photo
{Texas} State District Judge John Deitz ruled that the state’s school finance system is unconstitutional, ending months of litigation.
Erin Boren/The Paisano
Women enrolled in UTSA’s ROTC program will now be able to apply for combat positions
Lee Mason developed a curriculum that enables students to earn credit while helping children with autism
The Baltimore Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers to win Super Bowl XLVII.
{UT System}
The UT Board of Regents will review its policy on inappropriate relationships between students and employees. This comes in the wake of reports that UT Assistant Coach Major Applewhite had a relationship with a student in 2009.
{History} Lars Faaborg-Anderson, the Dutch ambassador to the United Nations, paid a visit to UTSA 5 years ago this week.
{World} Multiple sources reported an Israeli air strike inside Syria, the most recent development in a conflict that has lasted nearly two years.
{Basketball} UTSA’s teams will take on UT-Arlington Saturday, Feb. 9. The women face the Mavericks on the road and tip off at 7 p.m., while the men play in the Convocation Center at 6 p.m.
Erin Boren Intern
news@paisano-online.com In America, one in 88 children is diagnosed with autism— a neuro-behavioral disorder with an unknown genetic cause. Most children are diagnosed around the age of three, when autistic characteristics first become noticeable. “That’s when we really start to notice kids are falling behind,” said Lee Mason, assistant professor of special education and a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA). To meet the needs of the growing autistic population, the Behavior Analysis Certification (BAC) Board partners with over 170 universities with approved course sequences to prepare future BCBA therapists. Recently, UTSA joined the list, in large part because of Mason, also a BCBA therapist. After Mason graduated with his master’s from Stephen F. Austin University, he accepted a job teaching special education students in the area. His students ranged from age six to 21 and needed individualized instruction. Looking back on his undergraduate and graduate special education studies, Mason noticed one common thread—the excessive and ineffective use of impractical, theory-based lessons. “It was a broad range of experience for me all at once. I think that got me thinking about how to better educate teachers that are going into the field,” Mason said. Shortly after accepting his position at UTSA, Mason began to design a five-course program
that would allow UTSA graduate students hands-on experience with autistic children. To finalize the program, Mason teamed up with UTSA Associate Professor Maria Kaylor, a specialist in the early education of special education teachers. In fall of 2011, the BAC Board approved the five-course program sequence for UTSA. Graduate students in the program will learn applied behavior analysis principles and techniques in order to be prepared for the BCBA exam. Students seeking certification in behavior analysis with the BAC Board must also complete 1,500 hours of supervised field experience. To aid students, Mason and his team established an on-campus autism center, the Teaching Education Autism Model (TEAM). “We wanted to standardize things and make it a little bit better,” said Mason. “We thought that if we could somehow provide a controlled experience for students to begin accruing those hours, then we can make sure when we talk about something in class, they can come down here in the clinic and have the opportunity to practice some of those techniques.” The TEAM Center will be available to students enrolled in a five-course program who are seeking to earn the field hours required for BCBA certification. The five-course program, which is separate from the TEAM Center, can be embedded into either the educational psychology degree or in the Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching (ILT), special education concentration. It is also available as a certification program for those students who have completed
their graduate coursework. “It’s great to have a hands-on opportunity to learn, and I think students get a lot more out of it when they have applied experience behind it, not just the textbook readings,” stated Mason. A full year of planning and physical renovation was a necessity for Mason and his team in order to create the program and the TEAM Center. Grant funding from Impact San Antonio aided to remodel the autism room at UTSA’s downtown campus. Opened to the public on Jan. 28, 2013, the TEAM Center facilitates Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for families in need. Children can receive care for a nominal fee of $50 per semester for up to seven and a half hours per week, versus the private rate of about $50 per hour. ABA therapy at the TEAM Center is specialized to each student’s needs. “We look at the problem behaviors the individual is displaying, whether that be tantrum-ing, aggression, property destruction, self-injury, whatever else—what does it do for that individual, what function does it serve?” said Mason. “And based on our analysis, we come up with an individualized plan to develop more socially appropriate replacement behaviors.” Because the center is operated by volunteers, child enrollment will change on a per-semester basis. Two UTSA graduate students currently support the center, allowing a four-child capacity; however, the TEAM room has the capacity for up to 10 children. The center is currently focusSee AUTISM, Page 2
Janae Rice Intern
news@paisano-online.com Defense Secretary Leon Panetta stated on Wednesday, Jan. 23 that the Pentagon is removing its ban on women in combat. Some positions will now be open, according to defense officials, but not all. Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey will “initiate a process whereby the services will develop plans to implement this decision,” a senior defense official said. “The special operations command will continue to access, develop and validate gender neutral standards so that we can start assigning personnel to previously closed occupations,” Dempsey said at the announcement Jan. 24. Service leaders will have a trial period between now and a goal of January 2016 in which they can suggest “exceptions” or areas that should remain male-only according to a memo jointly released by Dempsey and Panetta. Former Air Force Reserve Staff Sergeant and UTSA senior Michelle Palmer agreed with Panetta’s decision. “I know many female troops that have already served overseas and in combat,” Palmer said. “If a female soldier is able to hold her own in training and meet all the same requirements as the male troops, I don’t see any reason why the female soldier should be denied the same opportunities.” Panetta opened his announcement on Jan. 24 by saying, “One of my priorities as Secretary of
Defense has been to remove as many barriers as possible for talented and qualified people to be able to serve this country in uniform.” According to Panetta, for over a year, he, Dempsey and the Joint Chiefs of Staff have been exploring the possible expansion of women’s crucial role in the armed services, on and off the battle field. Panetta went on to say that women make up 15 percent of the armed services, yet many positions prohibit women to serve. These changes will impact the Army and Marine Corps the most. Both branches are to examine physical standards and gender-neutral arrangements within combat units and report their progress every 90 days according to CNN. In a prepared statement, President Obama shared his support saying, “Earlier today, I called Secretary of Defense Panetta to express my strong support for this decision, which will strengthen our military, enhance our readiness and be another step toward fulfilling our nation’s founding ideals of fairness and equality.” Panetta made the announcement following his plans for resignation from the Pentagon. Former Neb. Senator Chuck Hagel has been nominated to replace Panetta and is currently going through the nomination process according to Politico. com On Jan. 24, Panetta said, “There are no guarantees of success. Not everyone is going to be able to be a combat soldier, but everyone is entitled to a chance.”
Washington group investing millions to turn Texas blue Amanda Dansby Intern
news@paisano-online.com Last month, a grassroots organization called “Battleground Texas” was formed in order to shift the political momentum of the state toward a Democratic vote, just months after Barack Obama lost to Mitt Romney by 16 points in the Lone Star State. Battleground Texas is in the beginning stages of the push attempting to turn Texas into a
swing state. Although Texas has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994, Battleground Texas has recognized the state’s shifting demographics—a shift that suggests a more liberal electorate than in recent years. Jeremy Bird, former national field director for President Obama’s reelection campaign, is spearheading the organization. In a statement to Politico, Bird referred to Battleground Texas See BATTLEGROUND, Page 2
Will Tallent/The Paisano
{Sports}
Pentagon to allow women in combat roles for first time