The Paisano Volume 51 Issue 14

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Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio 2014 Columbia Scholastic Press Gold Medalist

{SINCE 1981}

Volume 51

Issue 14

Summer 2015

UTSA For the seventh consecutive year, UTSA’s undergraduate architecture program ranks first in the nation for awarding degrees to Hispanic students, according to Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education’s annual report.

San Antonio San Antonio Botanical Garden plans $16.7 million, 8-acre expansion, breaking ground this summer to emphasize environmental stewardship, health and wellness.

World Ireland approved same-sex marriage in a May 22 referendum by a majority.

Photo Courtesy of Bryce Kanights

Skate legend leads by example Shabazz I. Dawkins Sports Editor

@PaisanoSports1 sports@paisano-online.com

Of the athletes in attendance at the 2015 X Games, Austin, was legendary skateboarder Bob Burnquist. Burnquist is the only athlete to have competed in every single X Games event,

dating back to the inaugural event during the summer of 1995 in Newport, Rhode Island.

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Burnquist started skating competitively at

the age of 16 and quickly found that he had talent in the sport. He won his first X Games medal at the age of 20 while competing in the 1997 X Games, San Diego.

The medal he won in 1997

is just one of the 30 he know boasts, an X Games record.

“It’s been a crazy ride and I’ve enjoyed every second of it,” said Burnquist.

Continued on page 8

Fall for new colorful traditions: UTSA monu ment Science The opah, or moonfish, a large colorful fish living across the world’s oceans, has been found to have a warm heart and maintain a high body temperature according to a report in the journal Science.

Sports Two Roadrunners were selected in the 2015 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Junior pitcher Brock Hartson was selected by the Cleveland Indians, and senior center John Bormann was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Bryant Andrade Meza Contributing Writer @ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com

UTSA will welcome a new tradition to campus this fall: the Lights at the Monuments. Passersby who enter UTSA Main Campus through John Peace Boulevard and have grown accustomed to the marker that welcomes them will now be welcomed in a whole new light.

Spectacular lights of varying color schemes will recognize accomplishments important to the university.

Different color schemes will commemorate different types of university achievement.

Blue base lights and a white translucent tower will indicate academic achievements, such as commencement and steps towards Tier One status. Orange lights (with blue light accents) will mark athletic accomplishments and fluctuate depending on the achievement.

The color schemes for solemn occasions will be recognized with a “Candle”

lighting of the monument – a soft white base and brightening light on a translucent tower.

Special occasions are given their own color schemes.

During Fiesta, the monument will be lit in hues of orange, blue, green, pink, purple and yellow. Homecoming will be celebrated by an orange and blue color scheme. A red, white and blue translucent box will serve as the color scheme during Military Appreciation week.

The Lights at the Monuments was spearheaded through the efforts of several student organizations — SGA, Rowdy Crew and Honors Alliance — and was managed by UTSA lead electrician Matt May. David Oliver, assistant vice president of facilities and a facilitator for the new project, began the project with a clear goal.

“The inspiration and hope was to create a unique and welcoming gateway to the campus, a place that creates a statement for our university,” Oliver said. “Dr. Romo’s commitment to promoting

school spirit and creating school traditions was vital to making this project happen.”

Senior biology major Tabbi Austin believes the initiative, equipped with a fullspectrum LED display, will foster campuscommunity.

“I think the lights are a great way to reflect school

spirit. It’s eye catching and adds a fun flair to the campus. I think both the students and the community love the new tradition,” Austin said.

The lights may not stop at the university entrance, though.

“LED lighting projects are also being considered at the UC Tower, DTC/ITC, and at the new Ximenez Campus entry,” Oliver said.

Caroline Traylor, The Paisano

ARTS - Local music San Antonio is becoming the hot, new city for bands and artists.

page 5

OPINION - Commentary Point-counter-point: Would body cameras on on-duty police officers stunt unnecessary acts of violence? page 4

SPORTS - Weight lifting UTSA’s weight lifting club wins a national championship. page 6

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NEWS

2 Summer 2015

Bike sharing program hits speed bumps Matthew Duarte Contributing Writer

@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com B-cycle’s bike-sharing network at UTSA has fallen short of expectations, despite support from students, administrators and the City of San Antonio.

UTSA students, according to the San Antonio Current, checked out a total of only 65 bikes during the first four months of the program.

The B-cycle stations — one next to Alvarez Hall and the other adjacent to the Applied Engineering and Technology Building — provide students with opportunities to borrow a bicycle for up to half an hour at no charge if they purchase a discounted $25 pass. The passes are good for a full semester.

“We were given this gift so we took it,” said senior anthropology major Cole Whitmore about the bike sharing. “And then when we put in student input they didn’t take it.”

The stations are part of a pilot program to gauge student interest in a bike sharing system. Many had hoped that the two stations on campus would be the first of a satellite system that would grow and eventually connect to other attractions around UTSA, such as neighboring apartment complexes and the Leon Creek Greenbelt.

B-cycle operates in more than two dozen cities around the country; San Antonio’s downtown network of over

75 stations and growing is the company’s largest and most-used system. San Antonio’s City Council recently approved over $120,000 in funding to keep B-cycle operating in San Antonio.

The two stations at UTSA did not cost the university a cent to build. Rather, District 8 City Councilman Ron Nirenberg, who represents the university at City Hall, secured funding for the project.

“The addition of B-cycle at the Main Campus is another step in our collective efforts to make UTSA a more accessible, liable community,” Nirenberg told UTSA Today in January when the announcement was first made.

“By doing more cycling than driving, I hope students will take advantage of the opportunity to save money, burn some calories and enjoy the beautiful UTSA campus.”

Albert Carrisalez, director of external affairs for UTSA, has asked students for their input to determine any potential locations for a future of expansion of UTSA’s B-cycle system. However, many students who responded believe that the pilot stations’ locations were impractical or ineffective.

“I feel like they’d probably get more use by the far parking lots,” said a junior geology major who wished to remain anonymous. “The only real advantage to having them on campus is if someone forgot something and needed to go to one of the nearby apartments,” the student said.

Caroline Traylor, The Paisano With disappointing reception on Main Campus, UTSA’s two B-cycle stations are at risk of being moved downtown.

The overwhelming majority of students interviewed, however, were not even aware of B-cycle’s presence on campus.

“I knew there was a bike share downtown,” said undeclared sophomore Isaiah Slaughter, “but didn’t even know there was a program

at main campus.”

“I’ve seen them on campus and around the city, but I don’t know a lot of people who use it,” said junior soci-

ology major Samantha Lopez.

The two stations were merely a pilot program to gauge interest in a bike sharing system on campus. Ridership at the first two stations would have to show promise before any expansion of the system would be considered.

The low ridership numbers are not the only concern for a B-cycle expansion at UTSA, however.

“The thing is, we’d have to find a lot of the financial support,” said Gus Sullivan, B-cycle San Antonio’s former business development director.

The grants B-cycle used to build its downtown network would not apply for a satellite system at UTSA’s main campus, Sullivan explained, meaning that the money would likely have to come from private investors.

Additionally, the two stations at UTSA are not necessarily permanent and may not be on campus much longer. According to Sullivan, the stations needed to be moved from downtown to accommodate construction around the San Antonio Arsenal. Because far fewer students than expected partook in B-cycles pilot program at UTSA, the stations may be returned to their original home downtown.

“I think the bottom line is that it was offered ahead of its time,” Whitmore said.

“With a little time and recognition, it could be a great program. Students just need to know about it.”

3 phases — and many different ways — to provide input on the City’s Budget this year: Tell Us your priority services with a video clip on social media.

SPEAK UP!

Post a clip to Twitter, Facebook or Instagram answering the question: “Which City service do you love and why?” Don’t forget to hashtag it #SASpeakUp! This is the start of a conversation about balancing the cost of the services we love.

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MeetUps will take place where residents are already gathering — at their neighborhood, community, church and work meetings. Residents will learn about City services and budget and we’ll learn about your priorities and ideas! Visit SASpeakUp.com or call 311 for details on MeetUps. Too busy to MeetUp? Learn about the budget and submit ideas at: SASpeakUp.com.

Connect your innovative ideas to City service providers.

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Ideas submitted via social media, online at SASpeakUp.com or at a MeetUp will be sent to department staff to consider for their budget this year or for future budgets. We’ll be joining up your ideas directly with the staff that provide those services!

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NEWS

3 Summer 2015

Expansion of UTSA student project receives FDA approval Caroline Traylor News Editor

@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com A casual conversation with a neonatal intensive care nurse inspired Daniel Mendez to start thinking about how he could play a role in developing medical technology.

The nurse told the UTSA alumnus that part of her routine included rotating the heads of premature babies every hour to prevent deformation.

In the age of booming medical technology, Mendez was astounded that a better solution did not exist. So with the help of fellow UTSA mechanical engineering majors Israel Cruz and Nicholas Flores, Mendez set out to create one: GELShield.

GELShield, a headbandlike protection device containing an aqueous gel, distributes the weight of newborn babies’ heads and reduces pressure points in

their skulls.

Five years later, GELShield has received FDA approval, and the student-led team has evolved into a full-fledged San Antonio company: Invictus Medical.

The three teammates, whose project received an A, addressed the need to prevent head molding “It wasn’t until we had a nurse ask us when she could purchase the device that we realized we had stumbled upon something that could really change the medical landscape for preemies,” Mendez says.

After that, the team — under the company name Invictus — decided to enter its prototype of GELShield ™ into the Center for Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship’s (CITE) $100,000 competition. “The rest is history,” says Mendez.

Many winners of the CITE competition execute MicroExits, a website that connects entrepreneurs looking to fund their startup companies with relevant investors

based on social connections and matching algorithms.

The winners sell their technologies and companies after the competition.

CITE is an interdisciplinary center in UTSA’s colleges of Business and Engineering.

The center hosts a biennial Student Technology Venture Competition in which senior business and engineering students collaborate to develop an innovative technology along with a business plan to successfully develop a new company. The top three teams compete for the $100,000 prize pool in funding and services to launch their company.

Not one of the three original members of Invictus was able to remain with Invictus Medical too long after the company formed. “Over time the company demanded more and more expertise and experience in different facets of the commercialization of medical devices,” says Mendez. “Eventually we had all ended up replacing ourselves with individuals who

had spent their entire careers doing what we were having to learn on the fly.”

“We were solving a problem that had no current solution. We really took the time to understand both the consumer and the marketplace, and our solution seemed so obvious, it was easy to get people on board,” explains Mendez who attributes his team’s success at the CITE competition to the team’s ability to address an unmet need.

Establishing cognitive development as its top priority, Invictus Medical has been approved for $1 million in grants through the National Science Foundation to bring other forms of innovation to the forefront of medicine.

Mendez characterizes this decision as risk management, because as a startup with investors depending on them, “you quite literally cannot afford to make learning mistakes.” He believes that the ability to communi-

Photo Courtesy of Daniel Mendez

cate with potential investors so that they have the utmost confidence in the team’s plan is integral to winning the Student Technology Venture Competition.

“Coming up with a great solution to a real problem is a feat in itself,” explains Men-

dez. “Being able to convince people to give you millions of dollars is another.”

Mendez offers advice for future competitor hopefuls: “communicate the problem, your solution and properly incentivize people to invest.”

Frozen yogurt shop comes to campus, replaces UTSA’s ‘healthiest dining option’ Caroline Traylor News Editor

@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com Coming soon to the Business Building near you: frozen yogurt will be available for UTSA students to

purchase in fall 2015.’

The Market or Marketplace ­­­­— the name of the new Main Campus dining option has not yet been released — will serve frozen yogurt, burgers and “grabn-go” snacks.

The new frozen yogurt shop will replace EX-

TREME Pita, which has been one of the healthiest dining options on campus.

When learning about upcoming changes in campus dining, students’ reactions range from excitement to indifference. A common concern among students is the removal of healthful

food options.

“I like the idea of frozen yogurt, but EXTREME Pita is the only healthy option on campus,” said junior psychology major Maxine Wilson.

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The Paisano

4 {The Paisano} Editor-in-Chief: Jakob Lopez

Managing Editor: Mia Cabello

News Editor:

Caroline Traylor

Arts Editor:

Brayden Boren

Sports Editor:

Shabazz I. Dawkins

Web Editor:

Michael Turnini

Special Issues Editor: Jade Cuevas

Business Manager: Lizzette Rocha

Senior Copy Editor: Kate Kramer

{Staff Writers} Patrick Martinez, Robert Avila, Pavela Bambakova, Savin Weerasinghe, Christopher Breakell, Julian Gonzales {Staff Photographers} Fabian De Soto {Contributing Writers} Matthew Trevino, Darryl Sherrod, Oliver Belmarc, Bryant Meza

{Adviser}

Diane Abdo

{Advisory Board}

Steven Kellman, Jack Himelblau, Sandy Norman, Stefanie Arias, Diane Abdo

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. The Paisano is distributed on all three UTSA campuses — Main, Downtown and the Institute of Texan Cultures.

Additionally, Paisano publications are distributed at a variety of off-campus locations, including Tri-point and a variety of apartment complexes near the UTSA Main Campus. All revenues are generated through advertising and donations.

Advertising inquiries and donations should be directed to:

14526 Roadrunner Way Suite 101 San Antonio, TX 78249 Phone: (210)-690-9301

{Letters to the Editor} Letters must be fewer than 400 words and include the writer’s name, classification or title and telephone number. The Paisano reserves the right to edit all submissions.

Send letters to: editor@paisano-online.com

© 2015, The Paisano

OPINION

Summer 2015

College stress flies, with a little help from friends

Editorial

The American Freshman Survey, a cooperative institutional research program at UCLA, reported the college freshmen who began university in 2014 had the lowest level of emotional health measured by the survey — just 50.7 percent reported above-average emotional health.

For UTSA’s 5,000 incoming freshmen, the fall semester may seem both exciting and daunting. UTSA has steadily increased its admissions standards over the past several years to encourage academic

excellence and four-year graduation. Pressure to complete a degree in four years requires students complete a heavy course load each semester. Furthermore, adapting to a new environment and being away from home may cause the pressure to swell.

Sometimes these strains cause freshmen to retreat to their dorm rooms and apartments.

According to the American Freshman Survey, college freshmen spend less time socializing and more time studying and interacting on

social networks. The survey showed that 38.8 percent of these students spend less than five hours each week with friends; 18 percent spend more than 16 hours weekly with friends.

Compared to previous data, these figures represent a decrease in social interaction.

In 1987, more than half of the students surveyed said they spent 16 hours or more per week socializing with friends.

While a decreased level of social interaction does not directly result in depression or academic decline, it may

be a harbinger of poor mental health.

Face-to-face social interactions benefit students greater than face-to-screen virtual interactions.

Socializing with friends helps freshmen cope with these new stresses in their lives, and the act of building friendships is often mentally and emotionally stimulating; these engagements, as a result, may have a positive impact on emotional health.

College does not need to be stressful. The university is a place where students can dis-

cover who they are and forge their career paths to where they wish to go.

College gives freshmen the opportunity to explore, make new friends, and embrace their new environment.

They are better equipped to face these challenges with a little help from their friends.

They cultivate these friendships through face-to-face interaction. What better way to combat stress and improve emotional health?

Point-counter-point: Mandatory police body cameras Commentary Body cameras are necessary to curb police brutality In the last year or so, the media has paid more attention to police violence against black males. Why? Multiple instances of police brutality involving Eric Garner, Phillip Crawford and Walter Scott as well as others were caught on tape, some taken on the police officers’ dashboard camera and others from bystanders using their cellphones.

The government should require on-duty police officers to wear body cameras. With a camera recording everything they do, acts of unnecessary force may decrease significantly. Instead of relying on the accounts of witnesses and police officers, investigators will have tapes of what transpired.

With public awareness and media attention focused on police brutality actions, there may never be a better time to take action against police brutality than now.

Police Chief William A. Farrar from Rialto, California conducted a 12-month study in which half of his police force wore body cameras while on duty.

The number of complaints against Rialto officers decreased 88 percent from the previous year. The officers chose to use force in 60 percent fewer instances. When force was used, it was twice as likely to be used by an officer without camera. More so, the study does not report any instances of violence towards officers.

This example shows that officers may taper their aggression when there is a camera rolling. On camera, officers would not be able to act recklessly and claim their acts were justified. As of now, police brutality cases place the burden of proof on a victim, who, more rather than not, is deceased. With a camera, the evidence is there for all to see.

Cameras do not just benefit the civilians; body cameras protect the officers as well.

Similar to the camera’s effect on an officer’s behaviors, a civilian who sees a body camera recording an interaction may be more likely to properly cooperate.

Conspiracy theorists and traditionalists have some valid objections: Some say it’s another way for the government to watch us, others claim they don’t want to be on camera for privacy reasons and some will ask where the

funding will come from.

However, if the government wants to watch us, it will — whether or not policemen wear cameras. Everyone deserves his or her privacy and footage should only be looked at if it’s a part of an investigation. Granted, cameras aren’t cheap, but tax dollars and funds should be spent on drastically increasing public safety.

The murders of Michael Brown, Freddie Grey and many others like them may have been prevented by mandated police body cameras.

Police brutality, especially brutality towards minorities and specifically by white officers towards black minorities — must be stopped.

The first step towards curbing police brutality is to require cameras for on-duty officers. With a body camera, officers may have less aggressive altercations with perpetrators and suspects, and criminals will likely respond with less hostility.

And maybe, just maybe, one day a white officer killing an innocent black man will result in a conviction.

Darryl Sherrod Staff Writer

Judging Caitlyn Jenner Commentary T h e r e ’s this idea out there that the existence of a transgender person is incompatible with the existence of a perfect God. One variation of this argument, which I have encountered goes roughly as follows (1) God is all-powerful, loving and unable to make mistakes (2) creating a woman with a male body would be a mistake (3) therefore, Caitlyn Jenner wasn’t a woman with a male body, but just a delusional man who wanted a new name and cosmetic surgery. Although it may be one of many, this particular argument doesn’t hold up.

Most Christians will agree that we cannot know or claim to understand the workings of an infinitely complex God. “God works in mysterious ways” is often cited when there is no clear explanation for an event. The humility required by the Christian faith is one of its advantages — theologians have used it to respond to a range of issues, including the problem of evil

(“Is God compatible with the existence of evil?”) and the problem of divine silence (“Why isn’t God’s existence evident to all believers?”).

This humility — combined with the rationale of a redemptive account of suffering — provides members of faith with a way to make sense of what may seem inconsistent with an all-powerful and loving God. Proponents of redemptive accounts of suffering state that God allows suffering as a means for people to develop virtue, for “soul-making” or to enter into communion with God. For example, an athlete’s handicap may serve as a means to develop incredible selfdiscipline, dedication and appreciation for capabilities most people take for granted.

Generalized quite a bit and in the simplest terms, a handicapped athlete’s situation is similar to a transgender person’s; both have limitations which cause them some degree of suffering, suffering that gives them an opportunity for moral improvement.

Caitlyn Jenner had to demonstrate courage to handle her gender dysphoria, just

as many other transgender persons have had to when informing friends and families of their gender identity.

It seems arbitrary to draw the line for what God might allow at gender dysphoria, denying the legitimacy of a transgender person, especially considering the world’s atrocities.

Now, it is not my intent to convince you of a redemptive account of suffering. I am not denying that there are other reasons some Christians are uncomfortable with Caitlyn Jenner and transgender persons in general. The dilemma is false: It isn’t the case that either a perfect God made mistakes or that Caitlyn Jenner merely prefers having a female body and feminine name. Instead, we have to consider a third option: A man born into a female body and vice-versa isn’t a mistake, but God allowing somebody an opportunity for moral improvement or future communion.

Matthew Trevino Contributing Writer

Cameras are not cost efficient and not necessary for public safety A distrust in law enforcement, stemming from the videos captured of the victims of police brutality, specifically against black males, have sparked outrage and created a national call for officers to be required to wear body cameras.

Proponents for this change argue that cameras will decrease police brutality, protect citizens, and hold officers more accountable for their actions; however, I do not believe the speculative benefits outweigh the cost of body cameras.

The obvious issue is money: the cost of the cameras for over a million American cops, training, storing all of the recorded data and the cost of placing these items on over a million officers can be expensive. President Barack Obama requested $75 million from Congress to help communities buy 50,000 more body cameras. For a small town like Ferguson with 54 officers, the cost of each officer carrying a camera would be around $19,000. Considering the police department’s budget for the police department is about $5.2 million a year, this would be a relatively easy endeavor to accomplish.

The big cost comes from storing all the data recorded by the officers, which would cost some cities millions. San Diego’s five-year contract with Taser for 1,000 cameras would cost $267,000 for the devices and another $3.6 million for storage contracts, software licenses, maintenance, warranties and equipment.

The largest cost that arises when discussing body cameras is the cost of privacy: the cost of living your life with

fear that you must be on your “best behavior.”

I believe that body cameras will cause police brutality to lessen; police will become more accountable and, as a result, more officers will be charged for their crimes.

The social cost is greater than the physical costs of cameras. It is trading one fear for another, the fear of being mistreated and abused for the fear of having our every accident, mistake, illegal terrible thing we do recorded for the rest of our lives; the fear of a moment of abuse for a lifetime of being on our toes, extremely careful of our actions; and the fear of being caught doing something wrong on the cameras we asked for. If the biggest issue is trust between the public and law enforcement, what does that say about society? A society that would opt to, instead of addressing an issue, place cameras to watch everyone.

What is needed to fix the tension in these communities is clear communication and perception. Much like these cameras we want to place on officers, we only get one view of an issue that doesn’t always show the whole truth.

What we need is law enforcement to be clear about their mission to protect us and clear in addressing their issues. We need to hear that we can trust officers. And we need to witness it.

If that cannot be provided, then maybe we’ll have t resort to body camera to record all of our actions.

Robert Avila Staff Writer

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ARTS & LIFE

5 Summer 2015

Going Grande: San Antonio’s expanding music scene

Brayden Boren, The Paisano As San Antonio’s music scene has expanded past it’s metal roots in the 70’s and 80’s, the venues across town have changed to signify a new era in the Alamo City and its vision for bringing new genres and artists to San Antonio.

Paper Tiger, formerly the White Rabbit, is one of the new venues that has already brought in dozens of international and local acts from around the country, from Danish punks Iceage to rockstar Courtney Love.

Brayden Boren Arts Editor

@ThatBorenGuy arts@paisano-online.com It can be said that San Antonio’s musical growth has stemmed from the creative underground bubbling beneath the city’s urban sprawl, with people getting exhausted from driving an hour from San Antonio to Austin to see a good show.

Venues like the Freeman Coliseum and the AT&T Center have accommodated big-name performers and national acts alike, though this group leaves out the small man who cannot sellout arena-sized locales.

Just a few years ago, San Antonio was one of the largest cities in the United States with a dedicated metal fanbase, though strangely devoid of other growing genres like hip-hop, electronic and pop music.

In the time since, with the inclusion of new music venues and a new attitude towards music curation around the Alamo City, San Antonio has separated from its big brother Austin as a new mecca for live music experiences.

Maverick Music Festival was the first development in the city to really push for a new experience for music lovers.

Coordinated by Blayne Tucker, who organized the festival in 2013, the festival’s goal was to bring national and local bands and recording artists to San Antonio.

More importantly, the festival allowed San Antonio to showcase the city’s concert-going public, that which supports acts that often bypass San Antonio.

Known largely for its metal scene throughout the 70s and 80s, San Antonio began to expand to accommodate a larger swathe of recording acts, including a variety of garage rock, pop-punk and jazz musicians.

Iconic residences, such as Backstage Live in 2010 and the White Rabbit in 1996, popped up around populated areas near the shops and locales of downtown for young music lovers and adults alike to join and rage on into the night.

Matt Stieb, music editor for the San Antonio Current, knows that San Antonio has evolved past its roots in metal into a much broader group of tastes.

“If you’re looking at what is popular around young kids, it’s really psych-rock and garage revival,” Stieb told Texas Public Radio’s The Source. “It’s all sorts of different things beyond that, too: hip-hop, electronic dance music. There’s always going to be a metal crowd. Metal will always be a draw, but that stuff is just part of what’s to offer now.”

Locations that have been around San Antonio for some time, including Korova and Sam’s Burger Joint, have reached outside of the city to bring more types of music into the city.

Taking advantage of the SXSW spillover effect from Austin to San Antonio, Los Angeles’ garage rock ’n’ roll label Burger Records has held its annual Burger Hangover at the two locations for the past three years, bringing nationally and critically recognized bands like Thee Oh Sees and JEFF The Brotherhood to San Antonio and contributing to the city’s exploding garage scene.

“There’s always going to be a metal crowd, metal will always be a draw, but that stuff is just part of what’s to offer now.”

Matt Stieb

Music Editor at the San Antonio Current

As San Antonio has grown into the bustling cultural boiling pot it is today, change has sprung up around the city at a rapid pace.

The White Rabbit closed in 2014, sold by owner Rick Sciaraffa to restaurant owner and real estate developer Chad Carey.

Likewise, Backstage Live, renamed the Alamo City Music Hall, partnered with ScoreMore Shows to bring a variety of national hip-hop and rap acts into San Antonio’s growing metropolis.

Carey has already finished rebranding the oncecharcoal painted White Rabbit, with the rejuvenated Paper Tiger — the venue is painted in bright flashes of unmistakable white and orange.

Partnering with Austinbased Transmission Events, which has booked shows in coordination with Austin’s Fun Fun Fun Fest and in popular nightclubs around the Capital and Dallas, Paper Tiger will be one of the leading torchbearers in the fight to bring more national touring acts to San Antonio.

Having already brought in internationally popular bands and artists, including Danish punks Iceage, chillwave spearhead Washed Out and rock icon Courtney Love, it’s a far cry from the redundant metal and poppunk scene that dominated San Antonio years ago.

Of course, none of these shows would be possible without ticket sales, which haven’t been a problem, according to Keith Howerton, director of entertainment at the Aztec Theater on the Riverwalk and co-owner of Sam’s Burger Joint.

“One of the things I’ve seen that’s pretty positive is advanced ticket sales,” stated Howerton. “When you’re trying to lure bands from Austin that are on routes from Dallas to Houston, they need certain data points so they say, ‘Hey, let’s put San Antonio on that route as well.’ Otherwise, we get looped into the Austin market.”

This past April marked the third annual Maverick Music Festival, San Antonio’s only music festival.

Selling out its two-day festival tickets before the festival even started, the crowded event was hosted at the Alamo City’s La Villita Park and featured a variety of local and national acts, from rappers Cypress Hill to indie band Best Coast to lots of local San Antonio talent.

San Antonio still has a way to go before it becomes the next “Live Music Capital of the world” like Austin or until it has the big name stars that Houston draws, such as Beyonce and Drake.

“The one thing I think we’re sorely lacking still is a triple-AAA radio station to cultivate that younger demographic further,” stated Tucker.

“Contrast that with

“I think alternate stations like 103.3 are an improvement, but we still have a ways to go.”

Blayne Tucker

Maverick Music founder and organizer

Austin, who has two triple-AAA radio stations in KGSR and KUT, and we have none. We are getting there; I think alternative stations like The App 103.3 are an improvement, but we still have a ways to go.”

Though music stations like FM 103.3 and events like Maverick Music have brought more national acts to San Antonio, Tucker knows that the goal is to retain the city’s culture while also building momentum for bigger acts and larger crowds.

“I think that the way you reach a younger demographic, particularly indiealternative leaning bands, is a thing that hasn’t been cultivated thus far until now in the city,” Tucker states.

“I think there is a lot of social media influence that promoters like myself can use to bring more bands to San Antonio than ever before. It’s an exciting time to be in the music business.”

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6

Summer 2015

ARTS & LIFE

Art becomes reality for UTSA alumnus Cartoonist Brett Noll finds niche at Cartoon Network Oliver Belmarcs Contributing Writer @ThePaisano arts@paisano-online.com

At midnight after the kids have gone to bed, cable network Cartoon Network switches over from its series of family-friendly cartoons to their more adult counterpart Adult Swim.

Since its inception, Adult Swim has been a breeding ground for all types of mature animation and bizarre content, and if you tune in on certain nights, you will see the work of UTSA graduate Brett Noll right on your TV screen.

Once a fine arts major, Noll now lives and works in Los Angeles as an animator for the critically-acclaimed animated series “Rick and Morty.” The show follows the adventures of Rick Sanchez, an alcoholic scientist with a knack for interstellar travel and misanthropy, and his grandson Morty Smith, a distressed but good-hearted 14-year-old.

The show can be as darkly creepy as it is side-splittingly hilarious, but the animation is what really brings

the worlds Rick and Morty explore to life. Whether the two get trapped in a netherworld composed entirely of women or visit anatomy themed amusement parks that take place inside the decayed body of a dead homeless man, Noll and his team of animators have their work cut out for them.

Born in San Antonio, Brett only spent a year at UTSA before transferring to Texas State. “The art program wasn’t challenging enough,” noted Brett, who also described college for an artist as “a holding pen to keep you until you finish, only to receive a piece of paper.”

Though Brett’s insecurities about the Texas education system remain, he attributes his love for writing and drawing to his time spent writing for The Paisano during his tenure at UTSA. “I knew originally before going to UTSA that I should write for The Paisano,” Brett stated. Brett’s parents were both writers for the paper when they were students, which piqued his interest in joining the organization.

Though Brett wasn’t an

“I showed up at the office, they liked my stuff and I was hired the next week. It’s been amazing ever since.

Brett Noll

Cartoonist for “Rick and Morty”

Photo Courtesy of Brett Noll

experienced writer, he knew he could draw. After talking to members of the paper, Noll immediately knew this was what he wanted to do.

“This is it. This is going to be the club. This is going to be the thing in college that I do,” exclaimed Noll. “I’m going to make some friends and I’m going to do art. This is how I’m going to fit in here.”

Although Noll spent his whole life in Texas, he knew that the place to make his dreams come true was in Los Angeles. “I was diehard driven to move to Los Angeles,” Noll said. “Los Ange-

les is where animation was and I knew that.”

As Brett’s portfolio of drawings increased, so did his vocal presence on social media about his art. He would show off his talents anywhere he could, especially on his Facebook page where other animators began to take notice.

Before “Rick and Morty” had even started, creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland began scouting for talent to help put the show together and create the initial pilot that would become the first episode of the series.

After one animator working for the show at the time was forced to leave, Brett received a call one night and was asked to fill in the missing position on the animation team. “I showed up at the office, they liked my stuff and I was hired the next week,” recounts Brett on the call of a lifetime. “It’s been amazing ever since.”

Now living and working in Los Angeles, Noll has been enjoying his time at his dream job as an animator on “Rick and Morty.”

One of the new projects he is currently excited about is a crossover gag where the

titular characters invade the living room of fellow animated family “The Simpsons” during the infamous couch gag of each episode.

Brett still thanks The Paisano for all the skills he has acquired. “I didn’t realize it was this self-run organization by students who found advertisers to fund their writings,” Brett stated. “It had this legacy behind it. I really respected that.”

Brett wants his newfound accomplishments to be a sign to any student that you can find that thing that makes you special within the walls of any institution.

ARTS & LIFE

Arts & Life Events Calendar:

7 Summer 2015

UTSA professor becomes 2015 Texas State Poet Laureate

Thurs. - Sun. 6/11-6/14 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.

“Mamma Mia!” is coming to the Majestic Theatre (224 E Houston St) this weekend only! Clap along to disco mainstays and even dance in the aisles to the story of a young bride-to-be who invites three of her mother’s ex-lovers to her wedding in hopes of determining which one is her father.

For more info or to buy tickets, visit majesticempire.com or buy your tickets at the door.

Friday 7/31 1 p.m.

The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival is an all day festival that features some of the top acts in metal’s storied history of music. From Slayer to King Diamond, metal’s biggest festival brings a sight to see and the music to bang your head to.

Due to a set of unforeseen circumstances, this year’s Mayhem Festival has been relocated to Alamo City Music Hall (1305 E Houston St) right here in San Antonio! For tickets, visit rockstarmayhemfest.com.

Brayden Boren Arts Editor

@ThatBorenGuy arts@paisano-online.com Many notable, awardwinning faculty and students have been a part of UTSA since its inception in 1969.

Some examples include journalists Michelle Beadle (NBC Sports and ESPN), Dayna Devon (Extra); business leaders Roxanne Austin, former president and chief operating officer of DirecTV; and William E. Morrow, founder of Grande Communications.

Accomplished author and associate professor for the

Tuesday 8/18 All Day With the end of summer comes the start of a new semester at UTSA! Roadrunner days will be going on this week to celebrate the return of new and returning students to campus and bring in the new semester in spirit and style.

UTSA College of Education and Human Development Carmen Tafolla joins the ranks of UTSA’s greats as she serves as the 2015 Texas State Poet Laureate.

Tafolla was inducted at the Texas State Capitol in Austin May 7 at a special resolution ceremony for the induction of all Texas State Artists. She joined the ranks of Pulitzer Prize winning authors and writers that have merited the title of State Poet Laureate.

Unlike national poet laureates, who receive a $35,000 stipend with the honor, state poet laureates are not paid. Instead, they serve a similar task: to seek to raise the national con-

Photo Courtesy of Carmen Tafolla

“Whenever you receive an honor or professional opportunity, you also receive a responsibility to turn that creative energy into a positive recharging of the community.”

Carmen Tafolla

2015-16 Texas State Poet Laureate sciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry and the arts.

Since 1932, the state of Texas has appointed a State Poet Laureate for a one-year

term. The city of San Antonio has created a similar distinction.

In April 2012, Tafolla was appointed to be the city’s first poet laureate.

She served a two-year term

from 2012 to 2014.

Twice honored by the U.S. Library of Congress, Tafolla, a native San Antonian, grew up on the city’s west side. While attending junior high school, her principal told her that she had the potential to get to high school, though not to finish.

However, Tafolla completed high school, earned a B.A. in 1972, an M.A. in 1973 and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas in Austin in 1982.

As an associate professor in UTSA’s Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies, Tafolla published more than 20 acclaimed books of literature and poetry.

Her works have made their way into high school and university textbooks, newspapers and magazines across the world.

Her book “The Holy Tortilla and a Pot of Beans,” won the Tomás Rivera Children’s Book Award in 2009 and has been published in English, German, French and Bengali.

“Whenever you receive an honor or professional opportunity, you also receive a responsibility to turn that creative energy into a positive recharging of the community,” said Tafolla in an interview with UTSA Today.

“I accept the honor not for me, but for what it can do for others,” Tafolla stated.

Tafolla currently teaches at UTSA as associate professor for Transformative Children’s Literature while also working on the biography of Emma Tenayuca, a noted 1930s civil rights organizer.

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SPORTS

8 Summer 2015

Burnquist takes 2015 X Games takes over Austin three medals Continued from page 1 Burnquist has always been defined by his tenacious work ethic and innovative approach to skating.

The Brazilian was the first person to ever land a fakie 900 making him one of just five different people to land a 900.

In 2001, Burnquist earned one of the highest scores in X Games history after posting a near-perfect score of 98.00 in the vert competition. He landed three previously unperformed tricks during the run and, to this day, the set is considered by many to be the greatest vert performance of all time.

Now at the age of 38, Burnquist is in a unique position that has allowed him to watch the progression of the sport since its genesis.

“I remember when I was just a kid doing this,” reflected Burnquist. “Now you’ve got young guys like Nyjah (Huston), Tommy (Tom Schaar) and (Ryan) Sheckler absolutely shredding it. All those guys, man.

I’m really lucky to get to watch it.”

“All those guys will be better than me,” said Burnquist. “They already are,” he finished with a laugh.

Always the competitor, Burnquist proved at the 2015 X Games that he is

just as dominant as he’s ever been.

Despite his age, the legendary Brazilian took home three medals — two golds and one silver — all while nursing a fractured forearm that he sustained the Wednesday before the competitions began.

“During the practice runs I just landed bad,” said Burnquist. “Honestly, I knew right away that something was wrong, but I didn’t doubt for one second that I’d be out here competing. I live for this.”

Burnquist took gold in the America’s Navy Skateboard Big Air after securing a score of 93.33. He received his second gold medal on the final day of competition in a new event called Skateboard/BMX Big Air Doubles. Burnquist teamed up with BMX biker and Tyler, Texas native Morgan Wade.

The duo dominated the newly minted event, pulling in a score of 90.00 to take the gold.

Burnquist is the vision of perseverance on the course and is highly respected by both fans and competitors alike. He’s shown no signs of slowing and will likely continue to deliver amazing moments for a few more years before hanging up the board.

Photo by Kaitlyn Egan

Shabazz I. Dawkins Sports Editor @shabazzvs sports@paisano-online.com

The X Games celebrated its 20th anniversary as the extreme sporting event invaded Austin, Texas for the 2015 chapter. The four-day event featured the world’s greatest skaters, BMX bikers, rally-car racers and motocross riders.

Australian born Vince B y r o n made history on the second day of the event af-

ter taking gold in the BMX Vert Final, unseating BMX legend and defending gold medalist Jamie Bestwick in the process. Byron’s gold medal win broke Bestwick’s X Games record of nine consecutive gold medal wins.

“I knew Jamie (Bestwick) was still going to bring the heat and he wasn’t going to go down without a fight,” said Byron. “To put it all together is my dream. It’s what I’ve been working toward all year.”

Byron received his first ever X Games gold medal with the win, posting a phenomenal score of 92.00 while becoming the first BMX biker to land a 540 flair in competition.

“To win, I knew I had to do a lot more than just a couple of good tricks,” said Byron.

“I knew I had to be butter; I had to be flawless.”

Bryce Kanights, ESPN Images

In a sport dominated by Americans, Byron’s medal counted as one of the six that the Aussies collected during the events, placing Australia second in the medal count standings behind the United States (40) and in front of Brazil (5).

Fellow BMX biker and Australian, Kyle Baldock, picked up a gold medal in the BMX Dirt event with a score of 90.00. With the win, Baldock secured his third consecutive BMX Dirt gold medal.

Canadian skateboarder Pierre-Luc Gagnon took home gold in the Skateboard Vert finals. The win marked the 21st overall medal and 9th gold medal for the phenomenal skateboarder.

“Skateboarding is an art form to me,” said Gagnon.

“It’s not just about the competition and tricks, it’s been my passion my whole life.”

On the final day of com-

petition, former child prodigy Nyjah Huston dominated in the Monster Energy Skateboard Street contest, posting a 94.00 with the nearest competitor — Chaz Ortiz — placing a score of 83.00.

Nyjah Huston made headlines in 2005 after competing as a professional at the age of 11. Now at the age of 20, Huston has been absolutely dominant in X Games Street events, winning five of the last seven gold medals for the events.

“Every win takes a lot of hard work and practice on the course and a lot of preparation,” said Huston.

“I’m stoked that I was able to put down those first two runs and not put too much pressure on myself.”

The event was the second consecutive X Games hosted by Austin. With the proper support, it is likely the X Games will return to the capital in 2016.

UTSA weightlifting boasts strong 2015 campaign

Photo courtesy of Allegra Hudson

UTSA CLUB SPORTS Julian Gonzales Sports Assistant

@PaisanoSports1 sports@paisano-online.com In 2007, UTSA graduate student Wes Zunker helped establish the UTSA weightlifting club. Now, in 2015, Zunker maintains his position as head coach and sponsor for the club, which has amassed 40 members this season.

The weightlifting club prides itself on diversity; both males and females who study a variety of different majors make up the highly decorated team.

“Our president is sophomore Jaelynn Clark. We have a few world champions, too: me, Jaelynn, and Molly Zunker, who is married to Wes, and graduated this spring,” senior Allegra Hudson said.

The club splits its training sessions between The Recreation Center at UTSA and the gym at Southside High School because Zunker trains high school athletes at that school as well.

“We have team practices

three times a week, usually Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. They start at five o’clock and end around nine, depending if we’re in our suits or not,” Hudson said.

The team competes against schools from across the country and has experienced major success. This success gives UTSA significantly more publicity and attracts a stronger recruiting class for the future, as the team has exponentially grown every year since it originated.

“The women’s team won its second national championship and the men’s team placed third for the second consecutive year,” said Hudson. “This year was one of the biggest at the collegiate nationals with over 300 lifters competing, too,” Hudson added. She credited team manager Enrique Lugo and former member Rob Garza as key components to their success.

The team’s camaraderie is undeniable; the squad regularly helps each other stay in shape with year-round training and dieting.

“We are pretty close and

hang out all the time — not just on weekends. We’re especially close when it comes to eating; we have to get those gains in!” Hudson explained with a laugh.

The UTSA Weightlifting Club begins its training in the fall to prepare for a “raw meet” they host every September at Southside High School. These raw competitions consist of lifting with only wrist wraps, knee sleeves, a belt and a singlet.

The team will amp up its training for the Texas Regional Championships in December, followed by a meet in March.

The squad concludes their competitions with the annual Collegiate Nationals in April where the women’s team will look to win consecutive titles for the first time in club history, and the men’s team will look to secure the elusive national title.

SPORTS

9 Summer 2015

Kader serves opinion on men’s tennis season

UTSA TENNIS

Darryl E. Sherrod II Contributing Writer @PaisanoSports1 sports@paisano-online.com

Photo courtesy of UTSA Athletics Tomas Stillman (pictured) goes for the ball during his singles match in the NCAA tournament. Stillman, a native of Harlingen, Texas, was an immediate impact for the Roadrunners after transfering. He picked up C-USA Newcomer of the Year honors for the work in his junior campaign.

Photo courtesy of UTSA Athletics Junior Diogo Casa (left) and senior Yannick Junger (right) congratulate eachother after one of their many double matches. Both are international students; Casa hails from Brazil while Junger is a native of Germany.

The 2014-15 UTSA men’s tennis team enjoyed its best season to date under Head Coach Jeff Kader. The former William & Mary standout coached the team to a strong campaign, which included winning the Conference USA (C-USA) tournament and competing in the NCAA Tournament.

The exceptional season followed what was a rather disappointing 2013-14 campaign.

“We were struggling to pick up wins,” Kader said bluntly. “This year we were picking up wins from a bunch of different spots. We had a couple guys transfer in that really helped us out, both singles and doubles.”

The poor form from the previous season carried over slightly, with the team experiencing a slow start that saw it drop four of its first six outings.

“For the first little bit of the season, some guys were playing for themselves,” Kader explained. “We had a ‘come-to-Jesus’ talk. We said if we want anything to happen, we have to be the best team out there.”

Despite the lackluster start, the team rallied en route to the conference tournament, winning 12 of its final 16 matches.

The momentum carried through the tournament, as

they won their three games 4-3, 4-2 and 4-2, taking the championship in impressive fashion. The win earned them a bid to play LSU in the NCAA National Tournament.

“Everyone was fighting together,” said Kader, speaking on the team’s impressive C-USA tournament play.

“There were 15 of us out there, including coaches, and we were all on the same page. Guys were out there saying, ‘we are better,’ we are a better team.”

The team fell to LSU in round one 0-4, but the loss did not negate the success the team accomplished together. The game was the last contest for all of the senior Roadrunners, with the exception of team standout, Tomas Stillman.

Stillman — a transfer from Toledo University — played well enough individually to qualify for the NCAA National Singles Tour na ment. Despite losing in the round of 64 to Soren HessOlesen of Texas, Stillman has not let the loss stop his goal to go professional.

“He has won a few matches; he has a professional ranking,” said Kader.

“There’s quite a few tournaments this summer for him to improve his ranking.”

The other seniors on

UTSA’s roster — Yannick Junger and Joel Rubio — are both graduating. Junger has plans on becoming an intern and Rubio plans on becoming a graduate assistant.

Kader is confident that between current players and incoming recruits, the team will have enough to repeat and do even more next year.

“The hardest part is maintaining and improving,” said Kader. “It’s hard; we lost three out of the top six, but we have guys who got experience this year and are ready to take over. We see what we can do; it’s good.

We just need the r i g h t players com-

ing in to fill holes.”

Kader is hoping this year’s experience will lead the returning players to be hungry for more. “Doing it again next year and coming back not satisfied,” said Kader. “Hopefully our guys don’t come back saying ‘Oh, that was fun.’ Hopefully they say, ‘Let’s do better. Let’s win that opening round next year.’”

Coach Kader will lead the team back into action starting with matches in the fall.

He hopes to build on prior success and take the program to new heights.

Photo courtesy of UTSA Athletics

10

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