The Paisano Volume 48 Issue 24

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Discover the real haunted houses of San Antonio page 6

Quarterback Eric Soza receives 2013 AAFCA Good Works Team Award page 9

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Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

{SINCE 1981}

UTSA On Oct. 18, political science Professor Jeff Harmon passed away after a battle with cancer. Harmon was active in politics and served as the advisor for the UTSA Young Democrats.

Volume 48

Issue 24

October 22, 2013

{WWW.PAISANO-ONLINE.COM}

Open for business Samesex policy at UTSA

Making sense of the government shutdown NATION Lorenzo Garcia

Contributing Writer news@paisano-online.com

Chair of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Carlos Roberto Jaen was recently elected to the Institute of Medicine in Washington D.C.

Texas On Oct. 21 litigation begins between Planned Parenthood and the state of Texas over the passage of HB2, which restricts abortion access.

U.S. Federal contractors estimate that fixing Healthcare.gov, the website hosting enrollment for the Affordable Care Act, could take weeks to fix.

World French officials are angered over new reports that the NSA carried out extensive surveillance in France, placing strains on AmericanFrench ties.

Science Research Conference

UTSA Gibson Hull News Assistant

news@paisano-online.com

Sports

Courtesy of Rosemary Beevers

The UTSA football team will play its homecoming game at the Alamodome Saturday, Oct. 26. at 4:00 p.m.

UTSA student Rosemary Beevers stands by the project she displayed at the conference.

Friday Oct. 18 the 2013 College of Science Research Conference brought together 300 oral and poster presentations by researchers, students, and faculty. “Collaborative Basic and Translational Research in the Sciences” was this year’s theme, which included stem cell, computer science and energy research. According to Assistant Vice President for Research and Support at Bernard Arulanandam, “this Conference is a signature event for UTSA’s College of Science, and it is growing rapidly every year. We have been trying hard to engage the community. “The 70 students seen running around on a scavenger

UTSA Pete Souza/The White House

San Antonio

As of Thursday, Oct. 16, the United States government reopened after a 16-day partialshutdown. The shutdown came at an especially inconvenient time at the end of the fiscal quarter, when the debt ceiling was reaching its limit. If Congress had not voted to increase the debt ceiling, the U.S. would have had to default on its debt — furthering potential economic disruption. Political Science Professor Walter Wilson, who has served President Obama signs a special waiver to fund military soldiers at the beginning of the shutdown. as an analyst for Texas Public Radio, offered his interpreta- well as raising the debt ceil- Poll, approval of the Republican tion of the events. ing, although temporary, made Party fell by 10 percent, while Wilson explained that the no meaningful concessions to Democratic Party approval ratgovernment shutdown oc- conservatives on the Affordable ings rose by one percent. curred when the Republicans Care Act.” Wilson warned that “It’s possible, especially if the in the House of Representatives more debate over the budget GOP doesn’t learn its lesson,” attached an amendment to de- and the ACA could be expected Wilson explained. He pointed fund the Affordable Care Act in the future. out that nearly two-thirds of (ACA) to the resolution providWilson stated that the ACA House Republicans — including funding for the government. remained intact after the shut- ing every Texas Republican in The Democrat-controlled Sen- down and is currently being both the House and Senate — ate then refused to accept a bill implemented as planned. He voted to keep the government with this amendment. predicts that the ACA will shut down and for the U.S. to According to Wilson, “The lower the cost of insurance and default on its debt. strategy was to threaten shut- provide greater access to health According to Wilson, these down and economic ruin un- care, and that Americans will divisions indicate that incumless conservatives got their way warm up to it as a result. bent Republicans are not sure on the Affordable Care Act.” “Clearly the Republican what is more dangerous — a Because neither party was Party deserves the blame,” said primary challenge from the far willing to budge on the issue Wilson. “Conservatives acted right for not adhering to conof the ACA, a new resolution irresponsibly by holding the servative values or the possibilfor the funding of the govern- government and debt payments ity of losing to a Democrat by ment was not passed before the hostage in order to try to force being immoderate. deadline on Sept. 30 and the concessions that they could not However, since the governgovernment went into partial win through the normal legisla- ment shutdown, Tea Party Reshutdown. tive process.” publicans, such as Ted Cruz, Finally, on Oct. 16, Senate He also believed that mod- have seen their popularity rise Democrats and Republicans erates within the Republican among ultra conservatives and agreed to a deal that extended Party deserve blame for what decline among moderate Refunding for government servic- he deemed “not having the guts publicans, according to the Pew es until Jan. 15 while leaving the to stand up to such political ter- Research Center. Affordable Care Act relatively rorism.” Following a 21-hour speech untouched. With declining approval rat- made to bar passage of an “So ultimately,” Wilson at- ings, it is possible the shutdown ACA funded budget, Ted Cruz tested, “the bill funding and will affect 2014-midterm elec- gained notoriety as the most reopening the government, as tions. According to a Gallup active opponent of Obamacare.

When asked if shutting down the government is a tactic that will ever be used again, Wilson responded saying, “It’s hard to say.” He explained that many Tea Party members of Congress come from very safe Republican-dominated districts where their number-one concern is losing in the primary to someone claiming to be even more conservative. “Sadly, this means that these individuals have no reason to try to please the average American, who simply wants moderate policy, compromise, and a functional government,” said Wilson. Wilson argues that it is a complex issue. He believes that Republican leaders can bring stability to the party if they act to isolate the power of the “irresponsible and unreasonable elements of their party” and pass bi-partisan legislation. But he warns that if they take these actions they will risk their own jobs because conservative Republicans may decide to remove them from leadership positions for cooperating with Democrats.

hunt and around the presentations are all from area high schools.” Once the presentations were complete, Ravi Sandhu, UTSA Lutcher Brown Endowed Professor of Cyber Security, gave a keynote address titled “The Science, Engineering, and Business of Cyber Security.” His keynote included details on the Department of Defense and its use of cyber security for defense as well as offensive tactics, the future objectives of cyber security and how privacy is included within security and not security within privacy. He stated, “The capability to get past current security is there, but attackers have not yet had the need to exploit that capability. The system is secure enough. People are happy with the current system because of this. It is not perfect, but it is simply enough.”

Edidiong Adiakpang Staff Writer

news@paisano-online.com On Sept. 27, the University of Texas at San Antonio rejected an in-state tuition waiver for the same-sex spouse of an active duty service member. The decision was quickly changed after the recipient made allegations that denial was the result of gender discrimination. The student, who is working on a doctorate in medical anthropology at UTSA, wants to remain anonymous out of concern for how the publicity surrounding the case would affect her and her partner, who is stationed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lack-

“I get to be excited that I don’t have a financial burden, but the policy hasn’t changed. If anybody else applies in the future, they are not necessarily protected.” Anonymous

Same-sex spouse land. UTSA spokesman Joe Izbrand said in an email to the San Antonio Express-News, “After carefully reviewing this matter, it has been determined that the student will be charged resident tuition.” Izbrand responded to the allegations of discrimination by saying, “Our university is enriched through inclusiveness and diversity.” The Texas Constitution defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman; however, the university’s refusal to grant the student instate tuition conflicts with the federal Higher Education Opportunity Act (H.R. 4137), section 135, which was signed into law on August 14, 2008, and protects same-sex couples following the Defense of Marriage Act being ruled unconstitutional. This law requires that “in the case of a member of the armed forces who is on active duty for a period of more than 30 days and whose domicile or permanent duty station is in a state that receives assistance See POLICY, Page 3


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