The paisano volume 49 Issue 1

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Verisimilitude hits a high note in the music scene page 7

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UTSA’s Mens Basketball starts the conference play undefeated page 8

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

{SINCE 1981}

San Antonio Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff began his re-election campaign on Saturday Jan. 11. Wolff will face County Commissioner Tommy Adkissson in the March 4 Democratic primary.

Texas A study performed by the UTSA Institute for Economic Development found that oil and gas from the West Texas Energy Consortium accounted for$14.5 billion in revenue and supported 21,450 jobs.

U.S. The House and Senate are close to reaching an agreement on a $1.1 trillion government budget after a compromise on funding for the Affordable Care Act.

January 14, 2014

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Sombrilla Fountain gets green makeover UTSA Gibson Hull News Assistant

news@paisano-online.com As of Friday, Jan. 10, the sound of flowing water filled the Sombrilla Plaza once again.

The fountain was turned off during the fall 2011 semester because it wasted water under Stage II water restrictions.

The fountain was brought back to life thanks to funding provided by UTSA’s Green Fund. The Green Fund is funded by a fee taken from tuition each semester. A fourteenmember committee of UTSA students and faculty, appointed by the Student Government Association, is responsible for determing which sustainability

Students were able to enjoy the fountain on the first day of spring 2014 classes.

projects to fund.

The committee responded to demand from students for the fountain to be operational.

They devised a plan that uses leftover water from air condi-

tioners, known as gray water, to feed the fountain.

Green Fund Committee member and senior multidisciplinary studies major Merced Carbajal voted for the proposal.

“The proposal granted funds to retrofit the Sombrilla fountain and the campus irrigation system to draw their water from the A/C condensate instead of from the Edwards Aquifer,” said Carbajal.

“This is a prime example of what the Green Fund was meant for. We are finding more efficient manners in which to utilize our resources, and we hope to continue this trend.”

The fountain is now fully selfsustainable and therefore not affected by water restrictions.

SGA President Zack Dunn explained his decision to submit the proposal, stating that “I thought the need for a proposal to retrofit the fountain was necessary because the fountain serves as the heart and center of this campus,” said Dunn.

“Many generations of Roadrunners have fond memories

Sarah Gibbens News Editor

news@paisano-online.com

UTSA

Decisions that influence UTSA are often made off campus. San Antonio City Council, for example, has the authority to determine development, funding and policy that will have an impact on the lives of students.

Kristin Carreon Contributing Writer

news@paisano-online.com

“Cultural opportunity, great music, culinary arts... San Antonio is where it’s at.”

Ron Nirenberg

Over the weekend, Israelis gathered in Jerusalem to pay respects to recently deceased former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Sports On Monday, Jan. 13 the San Antonio Spurs defeated the New Orleans Pelicans with a final score of 101-95.

Councilman, District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg represents City Council District 8, which is the district for UTSA’s Main Campus. In the past semester, Nirenberg has been active in making policies that will affect the development of UTSA. Even before he decided to run for office, Nirenberg was involved with youth engagement. His decision to run for

A new year, a new you

Councilman Ron Nirenberg greets District 8 citizens during a “D8 Dialogue” at UTSA last fall.

council was influenced by his desire to create a better future.

After his son Jonah was born, Nirenberg grew a concern for the future his son would inherit. “I want to be in a position to improve his quality of life when he’s my age...

“Politicians don’t pay attention to young people,” said the councilman. He attributes this

oversight to a lack of voting in the youth population.

Civic engagement has not often been UTSA’s strongest characteristic. Voting rates for Texas, San Antonio and even UTSA’s Student Government election turnout has historically been in the single-digit percentile.

“When people don’t vote, it

allows people in power positions to steer the agenda.” In an effort to combat this sense of apathy in youth populations, Nirenberg has attempted to reach out to students, specifically students at UTSA, through community engagement. Most notably, Nirenberg holds what he calls D8 Dialogues once a month. Styled as an open forum See DEVELOPMENT, Page 3

ARTS Marcus Connolly / The Paisano

World

of the fountain and it was a collective effort to make sure the tradition was not lost in these years. Seeing it on is something I take great pride and joy in. It was only through the hard work of the students, faculty, staff, and the alumni that the fountain was able to be restored.

The heart of the UTSA campus is pumping, and I think everyone is happy to see our campus come more alive because of it.”

The total renovation cost is $300,000. In addition to the $150,000 from the Alumni Foundation and Green Fund, The UTSA Development Office raised the remaining $20,000 required for the first stage of reopening the fountain through donations from alumni, students and faculty.

The rest of the money needed for further renovations has yet to be raised.

Bookstore UTSA and San Antonio: what to expect for the future may not be best LOCAL option

Matthew Trevino/ The Paisano

The first day of the spring 2014 semester welcomed back 29,000 students, 1,400 faculty members and 2,700 staff members

Issue 1

Rafael Gutiurrez / The Paisano

UTSA

Volume 49

Starting a healthy lifestyle is one of the most common New Year’s resolution.

Lorenzo Garcia Staff Writer

news@paisano-online.com Before you packed your bags and returned for the spring semester, you — like many of your peers — probably made a few New Year’s resolutions. If you made one, congratulations!

The fall 2013 semester began with back-ordered textbooks at the UTSA Bookstore, which hindered the start of many classes. Students can likely expect similar problems this spring.

Professor Deanna White’s students were some of the many who struggled at the beginning of the semester without the books they needed.

A large number of students requiring the same textbook becomes problematic when their texts are sold exclusively at the bookstore. White said she, “had problems with primarily my Editing textbooks and somewhat the Technical Writing textbooks.” Both classes have smaller enrollment numbers than her Freshman Composition classes.

“The problem is that the bookstore only orders a small percentage of the books needed based on student enrollment.

See OUT, Page 3

According to John C. Norcross of the University of Scranton, just by making a formal resolution — telling people about your goal — you will dramatically increase your chance of maintaining it. Sixty-four percent of people who informed others of their resolutions kept them to the end of January, compared to those who kept them private.

See NEW, Page 6

2

January 14, 2013

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NEWS

3 January 14, 2014

Continued from page 1

for discussion, these talks serve as a way for residents to voice concerns in an intimate setting.

However, voter turnout rates in municipal elections remain stagnant at five to seven percent on average. Nirenberg claimed that if even 30 percent of UTSA students turned out to vote, they would have a significant sway in elections.

As the UTSA student population grows, the surrounding area has consequently seen rapid rates of development. “The biggest problem in San Antonio right now is growth and how we deal with it,” claimed Nirenberg.

Development for the UTSA area primarily includes road expansions and more housing developments. In the coming year, UTSA will see the expansions of UTSA Blvd. and Hausman Rd. With an increased demand for infrastructure development, there remains a potential threat to the surrounding ecosystem.

“We have to balance our economic needs with the fact that we don’t have any do overs with our environmental resources,” said Nirenberg. For this reason, the councilman’s district office will focus a lot of attention on policy that will affect the Ed-

wards Aquifer.

“Unregulated development will have a detrimental effect on those resources,” believes Nirenberg. In order to maintain a sustainable balance, the councilman stressed maintaining a good relationship with the business community.

Another significant project being taken on by the councilman could result in a faster, more efficient, AirRowdy. By partnering with the San Antonio Area Broadband Network, UTSA could be the recipient of a better internet service. Such a project, however, requires extensive procedural steps and an agreement between UTSA, the City of San Antonio, City Public Service and the Texas Legislature.

Nirenberg’s influence at UTSA extends beyond infrastructure projects. In an effort to be more competitive for Tier One status, UTSA’s SGA passed a resolution asking the UT Board of Regents to end the CAP program. Nirenberg showed his support by writing an official letter to the Board, recommending they end the program.

“Achieving a Tier One status is good for San Antonio and good for students. The CAP program

puts UTSA in a second tier position in the UT System and artificially deflates admissions levels.”

The CAP program, which allows UTSA students to transfer to UT after their first year, decreases graduation rate statistics, and makes UTSA less competitive for a Tier One status. Nirenberg’s letter to the UT Board of Regents officially recommended that they approve the end of CAP. Nirenberg sees a mutually beneficial long-term relationship between San Antonio and UTSA. Past reports have indicated that San Antonio was once a victim of “brain drain,” in which educated post-college graduates moved outside of the city— taking their skills and expertise with them. Nirenberg, however, believes this is changing for the better.

“Cultural opportunity, great music, culinary arts, cultural centers, you want that in a place that has quality low-cost living,” said Nirenberg. “San Antonio is where it’s at.”

Nirenberg will deliver a “State of the District” address on Feb. 15 at 4:00 p.m. in Phil Hardberger Park Urban Ecology Center to discuss his plans for District 8 with the community.

Interested in politics?

Like to write?

Join the Paisano News Team! contact: news@paisano-online.com

Rafael Gutiurrez/ The

Development: local Out of stock: students councilman discusses city plans struggle to find textbooks

Students scramble to buy their required texts before the beginning of spring classes.

Continued from page 1

As a result, the bookstore runs out of textbooks,” says White.

Students in White’s Editing class were unable to find workbooks at the bookstore. Assignments from these books are due early in the semester.

“When ordering course materials, we use the most recent enrollment numbers and additional sales history analytics to determine the amount of copies to order. These numbers can fluctuate with the common add/ drop class scenarios making it a bit more difficult to gauge final enrollment at the beginning of the semester,” said UTSA Bookstore Manager John Palmer.

In addition to the anxiously awaited shipments of textbooks, the prices at the bookstore prompt some students to buy textbooks elsewhere.

Textbooks for core curriculum classes tend to be $100 or above at the university bookstore.

More and more syllabi provide information about other locations where their students may acquire their textbooks.

Palmer explains that the university bookstore is unable to order materials until faculty

submit their book orders.

“Receiving early orders allows the bookstore to source more used copies directly from the campus through our buyback program.

“The problem is that the bookstore only orders a small percentage of the books needed based on student enrollment.”

Deanna White

English professor “Our buyback program is driven purely by demand of book usage, so if a book is being used for a subsequent term, the bookstores will pay back 50 percent until the needed quantity is met,” said Palmer.

“Research and Composition in the Disclipines, Second Edition” was requested by a number of Freshman Compostion I professors, including White,

and is marked at the UTSA bookstore at $99.75 for a new copy and $75.00 for a used copy.

With no option to rent the textbook, students look to websites like Chegg and Amazon to purchase books.

Bigwords.com is a website that allows users to compare prices for textbooks across multiple sources including Chegg and Amazon. While Campusbookrentals.com is similar, Bigwords.com finds the cheaper alternative even if the difference is only a dollar.

With the help of Bigwords. com, Freshman Composition students could find that abebooks.com sells Research and Compositions at $9.36 including shipping costs.

With the start of the spring semester, an e-mail from the UTSA Bookstore sent on Jan. 7 informing students that they may not receiving their textbooks on time due to weather conditions.

However, Palmer stated that the “majority of our textbook shipments arrived prior to the extreme weather, so we did not experience any significant delays.”

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__NEWS

Diego Bernal fined by ethics commission LOCAL Paulina Rivero-Borrell Contributing Writer

news@paisano-online.com San Antonio’s District One City Councilman, Diego Bernal, is being fined by the Texas Ethics Commission for accepting corporate campaign donations.

Tom Curry, a Houston-area Tea Party supporter, filed a complaint about Bernal participating in questionable out-of-state trips and having a list of expenditures and donations on his statements.

According to KENS5 news, when the councilman was called

in to testify, he said “sloppy reporting was to blame” and that “many mistakes were caused by an auto-fill feature on an online form.”

However, the Texas Ethics Commission found that Councilman Bernal forgot to properly report some political contributions, mislabeled trips he took and did not file his campaign report on time.

“I have nothing to hide,” Bernal said when questioned by KENS5 about the incident, “I take responsibility for the clerical mistakes, mistakes that should not have been made.”

Bernal will pay $750 in sanctions to settle an ethics complaint.

The situation gets more com-

plicated for Councilman Bernal due to criticisms over the recently passed Non-Discrimination Ordinance (NDO), which expands the city’s current nondiscrimination policy to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and veteran status.

However, according to the Washington Times, “There are certainly sections of the ordinance that lead one to question whether discrimination against other classes will be the ultimate result.”

The NDO does not mention protection for people with certain political beliefs or affiliations. This is what mostly disturbed the thousands who

protested against the ordinance and went door-to-door to obtain 6,000 signatures to recall Councilman Bernal. Gina Castaneda, the leader of the Recall Team, said that the turnout to sign the petition was overwhelming.

Castaneda explained that what she was asking of the people of San Antonio was a simple request to support true family values and preserve freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of conscience. Despite the large turnout and support from many citizens, however, the petition did not pass.

Weston Martinez, former councilman and Texas Freedom Political Action Committee president, was also strongly

against Bernal’s NDO. He said in an interview for the San Antonio Express-News that “Bernal and others are using LGBT people as a political football to prop up the mayor and to try to keep people out of city hall who are not progressives.”

Martinez recruited 15 people and went door-to-door in downtown neighborhoods seeking signatures for Bernal’s recall. Martinez explained how Bernal’s proposals would interfere with people’s own rights to religious freedom. Bernal found these efforts by Martinez to be insulting and silly.

“It makes our city look ridiculous. They want me out of office because I want to treat every

person in this city fairly and equally.” As of Jan. 14, however, Diego Bernal is still councilman of District 1 in San Antonio.

This is not the only time the San Antonio City Council has had ethical issues. A group of citizens from The Woodlands, Texas, filed ethics complaints in March 2013 against Mayor Julian Castro and the entire council.

This same group has reported over 1,000 ethics complaints throughout Texas.

Texas public education tops campaign debates TEXAS AUSTIN, Texas (AP)­­— Public schools are shaping up to become the top issue in the 2014 election campaigns, with Democrats complaining about Republican budget cuts and conservatives calling for more choice and less government involvement in an issue that impacts every Texan.

Expect candidates to offer a barrage of statistics about schools and student achievement, since something can be found for every political persuasion. Money is likely to be the biggest talking point, with Democrats complaining about cuts in per-pupil spending and low salaries in Texas, while Republicans will say there is no correlation between government

spending and student success.

Fact checkers will find that both sides are about half-right.

The Republican-controlled Legislature rewrote the formula for public school funding in 2011 to cut $5.4 billion from the state’s public education budget, the first such reduction in spending since World War II. In 2013, the Legislature restored about $3 billion, but is still not spending as much as it did in 2010. Texas teachers also make about $1,000 less a year than the national average, prompting many teachers to leave the field or move elsewhere.

Increased spending over time, though, does not result in commensurate increases in student performance, conservative groups point out. Conservative Texas organizations such as the Texas Public Policy Foundation

argue that public schools need to change the way they operate and use existing funds more efficiently before they get additional taxpayer dollars.

Democratic Sen. Wendy Davis filibustered the state budget in 2011 and forced a special session to protest the cuts in school spending, which eventually passed.

“I do believe that education must be the No. 1 priority that we address as a state,’’ Davis said at a round table at the University of Texas at Arlington on Thursday.

Democrats believe they can win over suburban mothers upset at the budget cuts made at their schools. But Republicans are not ready to cede the issue, laying the blame on teachers’ unions and tenure systems they say keep poor educators on the

WHADDYA WANT? A MEDAL? OK — join the UTSA chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, and we’ll give you one. Reply to your invitation today!

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“It’s time for Texas to set our sights on being number one in education,’’ Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott told a conservative political conference on Friday.

Abbott’s solution is more charter schools and allowing parents more leeway to choose where to send their children.

Davis wants to encourage the brightest students to become teachers, and forgive their student loans when they work at public schools.

Expect the candidates to also debate curriculum, graduation standards and testing. Christian groups continue to fight against teaching evolution, industry groups want better-educated high school graduates and parents complain of too much testing. The Legislature recently

dropped the requirement that all students take Algebra II in order to graduate from high school.

Striking the balance will be difficult at a time when, by some key measures, Texas students continue to lag behind.

The Texas Education Agency on Thursday said the number of schools falling short of minimum standards doubled from 2012 because of newer, higher standards. That means at least half the students at those schools have failed the accountability tests in two of the three previous years or the schools were rated academically unacceptable in 2011 or “Improvement Required’’ last year. Texas ranked 47th in the nation in SAT scores last year.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst also joined the education debate,

praising the progress in student performance since 2000, when the state adopted a long-term strategy called “Closing the Gaps 2015.’’ He called on Texas senators on Thursday to examine the lessons learned and make a plan for the next 15 years.

There is no doubt that public education always has been, and likely always will be, a challenge for the state’s leaders. The number of children growing up in poverty and homes where English is not the first language is on the rise. The 2014 election allows voters to choose whose vision they trust more for solving these problems.

OPINION

August 26, 2008

The Paisano

Opinion

5 5

January 14, 2014

{The Paisano} Editorial Editor-in-Chief:

Water from the Sombrilla fountain clouding the real issues

Managing Editor:

For the first time since 2011 the fountain in the Sombrilla is flowing, and students are taking notice. In a recent interview with the Paisano, City Councilman Ron Nirenberg highlighted what many college students fail to recognize: taken as a whole, young people simply don’t care about the world around them.

This problem is backed up by polls and surveys, but it doesn’t take a statistician to see how severe the problem is at UTSA. Only a tiny minority of students — sometimes small enough to fit into a single lec-

Matthew Duarte J. Corey Franco

News Editor: Sarah Gibbens

Arts Editor:

Jennifer Alejos

Sports Editor: Jakob Lopez

Web Editor:

Michael Turnini

Special Issues Editor: Erin Boren

Business Manager: Jenelle Duff

Photo Editor:

Rafael Gutierrez

{Staff Writers} Didi Adiakpan, Mohamed Ahmed, Chris Breakell, Jazzment Brown, Nick Castillo, Christina Coyne, Victor Gonzalez, Shelby Hodges, Randy Lopez, Patrick Martinez, Rafael Mendoza, Chaney Shadrock, Sara Flores, Lorenzo Garcia

ture hall — vote in student government elections. Most students aren’t involved in clubs and organizations around campus. More students rely on hearing about current events from their friends and the rumor mill than from the evening news or visiting UTSA’s website.

It is not uncommon for members of UTSA’s student government to be elected with fewer than 100 votes. Even members of the Executive Board are lucky if they can garner votes from more than a tiny fraction of UTSA’s student body. Too

many students at UTSA don’t seem to care about how they are represented, and this dilutes the student body’s voice in issues ranging from tuition to parking to having puppies on campus for finals week.

And this doesn’t just apply to student government. The Green Fund, which was originally approved by the student body through a vote on ASAP and is funded by student fees, has had difficulties formulating policies because of a lack of student interest. The Green Fund, in association with other student groups, developed an

initial plan to bring a bike share program to campus. The first stage of the plan, a survey of the student body, revealed two things — that students who participated in the survey overwhelmingly favored the idea, and that very few students care enough to participate in a brief survey. Because of a lack of student input plans for the bike share program have stalled, just another example of how the apathy of our students is harming the university.

Of course the problem cannot simply be solved by students themselves. While UTSA

has made strides to reach the student body (particularly in terms of social media) there is still a disconnect between the students of UTSA and its administration. Although reaching out to students is no easy task, UTSA’s administrators need to find ways to reach out to students and educate them about changes occurring around campus.

When a university’s student body takes more pride in a water fountain turning back on than in improving their parking situation or keeping tuition affordable there is a problem.

Comic

Do Re Meme. by: Rafael Gutierrez, Vicente Cardenas, Daryl Smith

{Staff Photographers} Alyssa Gonzales

{Contributing Writers} Julian Montez, Jose Quintero, Jasmine Rodriguez, Pete Torres, Renee Rendon, Mary Caithn Scott, Chance McDevitt, Chris Rodriguez, Rico Martinez, Matt Trevino, Marco Aquino, Kelsey Moreno, Megan Ball, Rohit Chandon, Kristen Carreon, Alex Camacho, Bianca Montanez, Alejandra Barazza, Matthew Tavares, Brittney Davila

{Contributing Photographers} Scott Cochran, Katherine Kish, Craig Garrison

{Interns} Erica Gonzalez, Paul Mcintier, Tania Kahn, Amelia Reyes, Kristen Carreon, Kevin Femmel {Ads Manager} Kevyn Kirven

{Advisor}

Diane Abdo

{Advisory Board}

Steven Kellman, Mansour El-Kikhia, Jack Himelblau, Sandy Norman, Stefanie Arias The Paisano is published by the Paisano Educational Trust, a non-profit, tax exempt, educational organization. The Paisano is operated by members of the Student Newspaper Association, a registered student organization. The Paisano is NOT sponsored, financed or endorsed by UTSA. New issues are published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters, excluding holidays and exam periods. All revenues are generated through advertising and donations. Advertising inquiries and donations should be directed towards:

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{Letters to the Editor}

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Send letters to: Editor@paisano-online.com

Commentary A harsh reality of targeting part-time students F o r most of its history, UTSA has been considered a commuter school — a place reserved for students who didn’t want to move away from San Antonio, couldn’t get into their first choice college, and, for some, couldn’t afford to go to school anywhere else.

As more top-notch talent has come here, that reputation has slowly begun to erode. Now most underclassmen have graduated from the top quarter of their high school class. More than ever, students are coming from across the state and across the country to attend UTSA. It won’t be much longer until the face of UTSA isn’t a commuter student but a full time student at a Tier One university.

This is the truth of the matter, and the sooner we accept this the sooner we can make this the reality.

The shift from a commuter school to a Tier One university may sound glamorous and full of promise, but inevitably sacrifices must be made. Among them is the loss of many part-time students and increased tuition to lure higher quality teachers and programs.

Provost John Frederick, along with a tuition and fees committee represented by students, faculty and administrators, will likely be proposing a tuition increase of 5% for undergraduates taking 12 hours or less while keeping tuition flat for undergrads taking more than 12 hours in a semester. The proposal would also include a 3% tuition increase for most graduate students.

It isn’t hard to see that this proposal — if adopted by the UT Board of Regents — would be a burden to part-time students, many of whom cannot afford to be enrolled fulltime and many of whom work in addition to their studies.

As of 2012 over two-thirds of UTSA students were enrolled parttime. These students compose the bulk of the student body and are without a doubt integral to UTSA’s current identity.

But UTSA’s identity is shifting, and so in turn must the composition of the student body.

Our 4-year graduation rate currently hovers around 10 percent.

Our retention rate is paltry compared to other major Texas universities. We still lack a cohesiveness that would bring together our students and connect us with the city we call home.

UTSA needs to begin shifting away from part-time students if it wants to stay on pace to becoming a Tier One institution. Catering to full-time students will not only lead to a culture that brings the student body together but also help push us towards the respectable numbers that define a Tier One institution.

Encouraging students to take a full course load will keep them on track to graduate on time. While there is nothing preventing a parttime student from graduating, the fact remains that a full-time student is much more likely to graduate on time and on track than one who only takes 9 hours of classes each semester.

Additionally, a focus on full-time students will indirectly help create a more cohesive campus culture. Full time students are more likely to stay on campus and contribute to the fabric of the university than a part time student who only commutes to UTSA for a couple hours each day.

The success of the Capital Campaign has brought in over $100 million to UTSA, and this has helped to keep much of the cost of providing a quality education low for students. But raising the cost of tuition is a necessary evil that will help the university in the long term.

The proposed tuition increase will encourage students to enroll in more classes and help UTSA tran-

sition from a commuter school to one with a stronger campus identity. More full-time students will help boost UTSA’s four-year graduation rate, give us an edge in gaining Tier One status and build a stronger UTSA community.

Matthew Duarte Editor-in-Chief

Letters to the Editor

We would love to hear your feedback! Send Letters to the Editor to

Editor@paisano-online.com

The Paisano

6

August 26, 2008

ARTS&LIFE 1

January 14, 2014

{Local Events}

Tuesday, January 14 6:30 p.m. Film: “Created Equal Film: The Loving Story ” The San Antonio Museum of Art (200 W. Jones Ave.) presents a screening of “Created Equal Film: The Loving Story,” a documentary

by Nancy Buirski that chronicles the hardships of racial tension in the 1960s. The screening is a part of a week-long event called Dreamweek, which aims to promote diversity and cultural acceptance. Admission is free. For more information, visit samuseum. org.

Marcus Connolly/ The Paisano

Wednesday, January 15 10 a.m. Exhibit: “CSI: The Experience”

Thursday, January 16 7:15 p.m. Film: “Sixteen Candles”

New Year’s resolutions can become a major obstacle for many college students. Learning how to accomplish those goals can prove to be harder than percieved.

New Year’s Resolutions: Are they possible?

Lorenzo Garcia Staff Writer

arts@paisano-online.com Continued from page 1 Common resolutions students make are to get into shape, to save money and to improve their grades. If any of these are one of your resolutions — or one you would like to attempt — you are in luck.

We have made a guide to help you start and maintain any of these resolutions.

Getting back in shape Pledging to get into shape is both the most common and most difficult New Year’s resolution. You can start by setting a simple, specific goal for yourself — such as “lose one pound a week” or “go to the rec center three times a week.” This is more effective than making a vague goal such as “eat healthy” because you are able to track your progress each week.

Another good tip is to plan.

Make a grocery list before you go shopping and set your phone and computer to remind you to work out. One of the best ways to boost your desire to work out is plan to go with a friend. You will feel compelled

to go because of your agreement to support each other, you will have the support of a friend if you feel discouraged, and you will have someone to spot you when performing more difficult exercises.

Do not forget to post your progress on Facebook and Twitter. You may feel like you are bragging, but by telling others about your resolution you will feel pressured to continue if you hit a rut.

Lastly, do not fall prey to the trap of overreacting to a missed workout. When you miss once, do not dismiss the next workout because “I already missed one this week.” This not only weakens your good workout habits, but also makes a small problem into a bigger problem.

Getting your finances in order Attending college is expensive, and keeping track of money can be a difficult challenge for students who have little to no experience with personal finance. As a result, many students find that balancing their finances while studying, working and managing their relationships can be an exercise in frustration. Unlike the first resolution, this one is more of a

challenge to start.

The first thing you should do is figure out the state of your finances — who you owe and how much you owe them, what is your credit history, how much you make a month, etc.

After you have done that you can now set your goal — remember to make it specific — such as “save $100 a month to pay off my loan” or “put a TV on my credit card to build my credit.”

To keep from overspending, you need to create a budget.

The power of a budget is that it gives you a visual representation of how much money you have to spend — it is more difficult to buy that item on impulse when you realize you will not be able to afford gas for the rest of the month. After a month of tracking, you’ll learn the exact areas where you need to cut spending.

If spreadsheets are not your cup of tea, then there are hundreds of apps for your phone and computer that can assist you. Many of these will not only help you create a budget, but they will also tell you the current balance of your bank accounts and your credit debt.

Mobile apps will also allow you to double check your purchases

wherever you go, allowing you to make purchases confidently.

Getting the grade Few things are more stressful for a college student than failing to meet academic expectations. It could be said without exaggeration that nearly every student at UTSA has resolved to make better grades at some point in their academic career.

As always, the key is to make specific goals — such as “study for four hours every day” or “go to every SI/tutorial session.”

Organization is your greatest ally when studying. When you receive your syllabus mark — or enter on your phone or computer — the dates of every exam in a dedicated calendar. Doing this creates a visual guide that will show you when you need to start studying for each of your exams.

Try to get into the habit of planning when to study each subject. With careful planning, you will be able to enjoy social outings while also making good grades.

If your first exam grades are not what you expected, do not be discouraged. Go over them with your professor, if possible, and figure out what you need to work on to improve

The Witte Museum (3801 Broadway St.) brings the study of forensic science to an interactive exhibit that invites guests to crack the case. Based on the hit CBS show “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” the exhibit challenges guests while teaching the process of forensic science investigations.

Admission ranges from $13-$18.

For more information, visit wittemuseum.org.

on the next exam. If you are struggling to succeed on your own, Blackboard has an email system that allows you to email every member in each of your classes. This makes it very easy for you to form study groups, ask for help and even get assignments you may have missed due to absence.

Lastly, take the time to calculate your grades. This will not only show you which classes you need improvement in, but also will allow you to figure out what you need to score on each assignment to make the grade you desire.

No matter what your New Year’s resolution is, there is one tenet you should never forget to practice — rewarding yourself. Even a little reward can go a long way towards relieving stress and making your efforts seem worthwhile. Try placing rewards at milestones towards your ultimate goal. When used this way, rewards can become a great aid to your progress — something to motivate you when you are struggling to stay on track.

The Alamo Drafthouse at Westlakes (1255 SW Loop 410) presents a special screening of the John Hughes classic, “Sixteen Candles” as part of its monthly Girlie Night. The film, starring Molly Ringwald, tells the story of awkward teen Samantha and the day that everyone forgot her sixteenth birthday. Arrive early to receive a free pin based on the film; these free tokens commemorate the Alamo 100 of essential films chosen by the Alamo Drafthouse. For more information, visit alamodrafthouse.com.

Friday, January 17 11 a.m. Event: “San Antonio Cocktail Conference” The Sheraton Hotel (205 E. Houston St.) hosts the annual San Antonio Cocktail Conference, an event highlighting the newest concoctions on the market.

Seminars on spirits and cocktails will begin early in the day and conclude with a concert from The Rick Cavender Band at the Pearl Stables. Admission ranges from free-$75. For more information, visit sanantoniococktailconference.com. .

Saturday, January 18 9 a.m. Exhibit: “Art in the Garden” The San Antonio Botanical Gardens (555 Funston) presents a unique exhibit featuring artwork from the Chicago International, Mid-South Alliance and the Texas Sculpture Group. The installation combines outdoor sculptures with the scenery of the botanical gardens. Admission ranges from $7-$10. For more information, visit sabot.org.

ARTS&LIFE 2

The Paisano

7

August 26, 2008

January 14, 2014

Taylor Bird Contributing Writer

arts@paisano-online.com Live local music and art in San Antonio has never been more accessible and diverse as we welcome the new year.

What was once a flame in the distance — a glimmer of hope — now spreads wildly throughout the city, creating new fertile grounds from which the identity of our city’s culture flourishes.

I am speaking of the variety and quantity of events and the quality that they radiate.

Through amps and across canvases the love and dedication is apparent.

To put it any less poetically would fall short in defining the feeling of this moment in our city.

So gather your friends and plan a night out this weekend to create your own moment by appreciating local musicians and venues.

I had the chance to catch up with local band Verisimilitude.

For their next black-light show,

this Saturday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Espresso Gallery ($5 cover, all ages), they will play with 3D Friends, Trip the Light and Crown. There has also been rumor of an after party with Man Alone starting at midnight.

Verisimilitude, or V-tude, is an experimental/instrumental band formed in October 2006 and consists of brothers Zach (guitar) and Dakota (bass/ synth) Appelbaum and Feliza Salazar (drummer). With influences of El Ten Eleven and The Octopus Project, their performances are the wind against sails, sometimes gently guiding us through a dense sea of melody and harmonious chords, and at other times casting us in entirely unexpected and new directions as the drum beats progressively gain complexity and invite the audience to dance along.

Q: What are some of the most memorable moments with Verisimilitude in 2013?

A: We took a road trip in August and traveled for two

weeks from San Antonio to Denver to Boulder and Salt Lake all the way up to Seattle where we met with Gordon Raphael (who has produced for The Strokes and Regina Spektor) and went to the Experimental Music Project museum, which is home to collections of contemporary popular culture and was one of the highlights from our trip.

We hit Portland, Crater Lake,which was breathtaking, and took Highway 1 down to Venice Beach. We had to see the Grand Canyon, everyone should, and that doesn’t make it any less extraordinary. It was a the perfect ending to our journey. Then there was Feliza’s 21st birthday, which everyone worked really hard to put together, and that was a magical night too.

We brought the Jambulance (tour van) for everyone to spray-paint at the show, and the turn out was great; a lot of artists and friends contributed, Flower Jesus Quintet, Pooja, and Lonely Horse played, and we left with a giant banana painted on the roof of the van, which was an unexpected bonus.

Q: What was your favorite venue to play in 2013 and why?

A: Fitzgeralds, on McCarty and San Pedro (north of downtown) has the best overall sound, which is essential for both the musician and the audience to enjoy themselves, and it is a venue you could invite your mom to. It’s very nice. However, The Ten Eleven, which is a dive bar that sits right on the

river, is where we got our start, back when it was called The Warhol. We have grown up performing there, and we still do occasionally. So it has many good memories.

Q: In what ways has Verisimilitude changed since you all began together and how have these changes come to shape your current sound?

A: We began playing rock and roll, and as many new bands, we initially had a lot of teenage angst that was expressed in our sound. Our older brother, AJ, was in the band and at the

time Zach was singing and putting his time in that way while learning guitar, and when AJ left Zach became the lead guitarist and we started forming the sound you hear today. We matured through our music, and our current sound reflects that focus.

Q: What can your fans look forward to in 2014?

A: We are working on a new full-length album. In fact, this show coming up this weekend will kick off the start on that journey and the shows that follow will lead up to the big re-

lease in the summer. This year has already been positive, and so we have a good feeling about the rest of it. It feels right, and we could not be happier or more excited about 2014.

You can follow Verisimilitude on Facebook and Tumblr at v-tude.tumblr.com. For a more in-depth interview where the band tells us the story of their name, what it means, how to say it, plus more local musicians and artists, check out the podcast at soundcloud.com/ thelocallisten and ‘like’ The Local Listen on Facebook.

Photo Courtesy of Zoe Cope

Taylor Bird / The Paisano

COLUMN

Verisimilitude members Zach and Dakota Appelbaum and Feliza Salazar combine experimental/instrumental influences in their new album.

Interested in arts?

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Contact: arts@paisano-online.com

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SPORTS

8 January 14, 2014

UTSA MEN’S BASKETBALL

{Sports Events} Wednesday, January 15 7 p.m. UTSA Women’s Basketball The Roadrunners host the Charlotte 49ers at the Convocation Center in San Antonio, Texas.

7 p.m. Spurs The Spurs host the Utah Jazz at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Thursday, January 16 7 p.m. Rampage The Rampage host the Milwaukee Admirals at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.

7 p.m. UTSA Men’s Basketball The Roadrunners compete against the UAB Blazer at the Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.

Vicente Cardenas/The Paisano

Friday, January 17

Senior center Edrico McGregor slams a spectacular dunk after intercepting a Charlotte pass. McGregor ended the game with 13 points, eight rebounds and one emphatic steal.

Roadrunners top Charlotte­­­, stay undefeated in C-USA Jakob Lopez

12 season.

The Roadrunners defeated a sports@paisano-online.com strong Charlotte team that previously beat ranked teams such The UTSA basketball team as Kansas State and Michigan.

(6-9, 2-0 C-USA) defeated the After starting the season 1-4, Charlotte 49ers (10-5, 1-1) 85- the Roadrunners are playing 77 in a win on Saturday, Jan. their best stretch of basketball.

11.

Agusi said a “desire to win” Senior guard Devon Agusi changed the team’s mentality. paced the Roadrunners with 22 “None of those guys in the points and four assists on 8-of- locker room like losing,” said 13 shooting to lead UTSA to a Agusi. “We needed to turn 2-0 record in conference play something around. Everybody for the first time since the 2011- is just concentrating, sacrificing and putting time in the gym. It’s really paying off.”

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lately, and we got to keep going and keep getting better.”

The forced turnovers were the direct result of UTSA playing tenacious defense. The Roadrunners pressed and used different defensive schemes on Charlotte, forcing the 49ers to take hurried shots and make poor decisions.

“We just wanted to try and throw some different looks at them, so they couldn’t get comfortable,” reflected Thompson after the game. “I felt we had a pretty good game plan, and we beat a pretty good basketball team that is well coached.”

In the first half, UTSA jumped out to an 11-5 lead, forcing seven turnovers in the first six minutes of play. Charlotte would fight back to come within a point with the score 12-11 before UTSA went on an 11-1 run to make the score 23-12.

Charlotte answered with a 7-0 run before UTSA again increased its lead to 10 points, ending the first half with the score 38-28.

UTSA forced Charlotte to commit 12 turnovers in the first half converting them into 15 points.

In the second half, with the Roadrunners leading 42-28, UTSA senior center Edrico McGregor stole a 49er pass and slammed a spectacular dunk to create the game’s best highlight while also asserting the Roadrunner’s dominance.

“It was in the moment; I was feeling it,” said McGregor on the crowd-pleasing play. “I just got to the rim and dunked it instead of laying it in.” McGregor ended the game with 13 points, eight rebounds and one emphatic steal.

“When he (Edrico) puts his mind to it, I don’t see any player in the country that can stop him,” added Agusi after the game. “He’s too physical and quick. He’s an animal for us.”

Later in the second half, the Roadrunners had their largest lead of the night at 20 points with the score 52-32. But Charlotte would push back with a 17-5 run to come within eight points of UTSA. With the score 57-49, UTSA would go on multiple runs as they staved off any chance Charlotte had at making a comeback, ending the game 85-77.

The Roadrunners shot 49 percent for the game while playing

magnificent defense.

“I think they bought into the understanding that playing right and playing hard is the only way to win,” said Thompson. “I think they were fired up and disappointed with our pre-conference record. We’re playing a lot harder, smarter and playing the right way. The results are pretty obvious.”

UTSA is now 5-1 when leading at halftime this season, a stat that will undoubtedly be in their favor as they play tough conference opponents going forward.

“We have a long road ahead.

We have no time to relax; it’s time to keep getting better,” said Thompson. “We have to stay confident and keep working and keep doing the things that we’re doing. You never know what happens; you just got to play the game.”

The Roadrunners will try to extend their conference streak as they head to Birmingham, Alabama, to take on the UAB Blazers (11-4, 0-1 C-USA) on Thursday Jan. 16, 7 p.m. at Bartow Arena.

7 p.m. Spurs The Spurs host the Portland Trailblazers at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Saturday, January 18 12 p.m. UTSA Men’s Track & Field The Roadrunners compete in the Texas A&M 10-Team Invitational in College Station, Texas.

12 p.m. UTSA Women’s Track & Field The Roadrunners compete in the Texas A&M 10-Team Invitational in College Station, Texas.

2 p.m. UTSA Women’s Basketball The Roadrunners compete against the North Texas Mean Green at the UNT Coliseum in Denton, Texas.

5 p.m. UTSA Men’s Basketball The Roadrunners compete against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at the Monte Hale Arena in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

7 p.m. Rampage The Rampage host the Rochester Americans at the AT&T Center in San Antonio Texas.

Sunday, January 19 7 p.m. Spurs The Spurs host the Milwaukee Bucks at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.

SPORTS

9 January 14, 2014

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Mario Nava Staff Writer

sports@paisano-online.com The last time the Spurs and Timberwolves met, Kevin Love lit up San Antonio for 42 points in a Minnesota loss.

This time, the Spurs kept Love in check with 14 points and Tony Parker matched that with 14 of his own and a season-high 10 assists while leading San Antonio (29-8) to a 104-86 win over Minnesota (18-19) in front of 18,098 fans at the AT&T Center Sunday, Jan. 12.

“The team, in general, was great. We had a great third and fourth quarter defensively,” said Spurs forward Tim Duncan, who finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four blocks. “We did a much better job keeping them off the offensive glass, and we were able to get a lead and just keep it. It was great.”

Matt Bonner added a seasonhigh 14 points for the Spurs, going 4-for-5 shooting from 3-point range as part of a muchneeded bench scoring effort.

The Spurs bench combined for 51 points despite the absence of bench guru Manu Ginobili, who was nursing a left hamstring injury for the second straight game.

“Our second unit did a good job, especially in the second half, of holding the fort down,” said Bonner. “Guys like myself, who might see inconsistent minutes during the season,

work hard on off days, even on game days, to keep our wind up and stay sharp so we can come in and help the team win games.

We pride ourselves on being a team, one through 14 or 15, and everybody’s ready to step in and contribute.”

The Spurs bench came into the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead, before outscoring the Timberwolves 23-15.

Starter Kawhi Leonard scored a team-high 17 points and grabbed six rebounds. Duncan had to play only about two minutes of the final quarter, while Boris Diaw and Parker did not play the entire fourth quarter.

The Timberwolves struggles came from a 35 percent shooting night in which the trio of Kevin Martin, Ricky Rubio and Love shot 8-for-34 for 27 points.

It was only Nikola Pekovic who had any success against the Spurs, scoring 22 points and collecting six rebounds, five of which were on the offensive end.

“They played a very physical game. They were very aggressive, and we played into that,” Timberwolves Head Coach Rick Adelman said. “We just have to play much better than that against a quality team.”

Both the Spurs and Timberwolves are two of the better passing teams in the league.

Despite playing without three of their key players, the Spurs had 31 assists on 42 field goals and never skipped a beat, consistently making the extra pass.

“That’s just Spurs basketball,”

Love said about the Spurs’ ball movement. “They’re very unselfish; they make the extra play and that’s tough to beat, especially when they have a couple of Hall-of-Famers in there.”

The emphasis on taming Love, who is averaging 25 points and 13 rebounds a game, was something that continued from the fourth quarter of their last meeting, when Diaw’s physicality slowed him down.

“He definitely got our attention, if nothing else,” Duncan said. “He’s one heck of a player having a great year. I thought the guys did a great job between Matt (Bonner) and Boris (Diaw). Those guys did a great job, Jeff (Ayres) as well, of staying up in his chest and not letting him get clean shots off.”

The injury bug has been minimal this season for San Antonio, but it struck again as Danny Green left early in the first quarter with what was called a sprained left index finger. Green did not return to the game and will, unfortunately, miss the next four weeks.

“It’s a big loss for us. Hopefully tomorrow we get Manu (Ginobili) back, so that covers up that hole a little bit,” Duncan said. “At the same time, Danny’s a big loss for us.”

The Spurs head out for their eleventh back-to-back stretch of the season when they visit Anthony Davis and the Southwest Division foe New Orleans Pelicans (15-21) at the New Orleans Arena on Monday, Jan 13.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

D. Clarke Evans/NBA Photos

Spurs hold off Love in 104-86 win over Timberwolves

Spurs forward Tim Duncan drives to the basket on Timberwolves center Nikola Pekovic.

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January 14, 2014 January 14, 2014

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