Students on the issues: Page 4
Utah State too much for Runners: Page 7
Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio
October 30, 2012
Volume 47
Breaking down the ballot: A look at San Antonio’s political choices Matthew Duarte News Editor
news@paisano-online.com
Sarah Gibbens Paseo Editor
paseo@paisano-online.com
US Senate
Democratic candidate Paul Sadler and Tea Party Republican candidate Ted Cruz will compete for a seat in the U.S. Senate on the Nov. 6 general election. While both candidates have addressed the key concerns of voters such as the state of the economy throughout their campaign, Sadler and Cruz promote varying solutions for the future of Texas. Sadler, a native Texan, has legislative experience as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1991 to 2003, where he served as a member of the Legislative Budget Board and as Chairman of the Public Education Committee from 1995 to 2003. If elected to office, Sadler’s platform stated his plans are to rebuild and spur the economy by creating jobs that will invest in clean energy and renewable resources. He also plans on strengthening national defense and protecting access to quality, affordable health care. The San Angelo Times took note of Sadler’s willingness to pass bipartisan legislation, such as the protection of women’s health. Tea Party Republican candidate Cruz, however, has promoted a different solution for Texas. Cruz, a partner in the firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in Houston, taught U.S. Supreme Court litigation at the University of Texas at Austin from 2003 to 2008, and served under the Solicitor General of Texas. Cruz’s campaign platform placed a heavy emphasis on job growth through a balanced budget and the reduction of size and spending by the federal government, including his intentions to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Cruz’s conservative ideals advance policies in support of pro-life, traditional marriage, the security of the Mexican-American border and the protection of the Second Amendment right to bear arms. According to the Texas Lyceum Poll, 24 percent of participants are in favor of Sadler, 50 percent expressed support for Cruz and 26 percent of voiced opinions were undecided. Traditionally, Texas voters consistently support Republican candidates. Griselda Nevarez of the Huffington Post projected that Cruz will win the seat in the race based on his conservative positions on key Texas issues like immigration, health care and voter ID laws.
Congressional District 20
U.S. Congressional District 20 draws votes from the western half of San Antonio. On the ballot for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives are Democratic candidate Joaquín Castro and Republican candidate David Rosa. The votes from constituents in the UTSA and greater San Antonio area will elect a representative who will ultimately impact local policies and legislation. Politico named 38-year-old Democratic candidate Castro one of the top 50 politicians to watch in the nation. Castro served as the Vice Chairman of the Higher Education Committee and
was the Democratic floor leader in the Texas House of Representatives. The Democratic candidate has defined his platform as “the infrastructure of opportunity.” Castro intends to direct government support and funding for initiatives that aim to provide access to quality public health care and education. Castro has also voiced his support for same-sex marriage, Planned Parenthood and the DREAM Act. For Castro, the priority issue for San Antonio is the economy, including military, transportation and job creation, according to the San Antonio Express-News, following the Democratic National Convention. Also running on the ballot for Congressional District 20 is Republican candidate David Rosa. Rosa served as the director of the Greater Bexar County Latino Republican Coalition, founded the Federation of Hispanic Republicans and cited his experience as an insurance agent at a private health care agency in San Antonio. Rosa has criticized the current regulation policies and aims to find the appropriate balance between government oversight and the expansion of business. Rosa believes in the privatization of health care in order to promote and protect competitive affordability. He seeks to loosen government regulations on businesses in order to facilitate job growth. As stated by the Express-News Editorial Board, Rosa voiced his opposition to Obamacare and his support for pro-life legislation. The San Antonio Express-News stated that Rosa reported only $933 in campaign funds, whereas Castro’s campaign boasted over $338,101 in the most recent financial quarter. As Election Day approaches, the disparity of campaign resources and the official endorsements from Congressman Charlie Gonzales and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi indicate a clear political advantage for Castro.
Congressional District 23
Democrat Pete Gallego will attempt to unseat Republican and Tea Party favorite Quico Canseco in Congressional District 23, which stretches from San Antonio to El Paso as the largest geographic district in the state. The influence of the Latino voting bloc was evident at the only debate between the two candidates, which was held entirely in Spanish and focused on issues such as immigration, Medicare and Social Security, according to the Los Angeles Times. Due to the highly competitive nature of the race, the Texas Tribune described the area as the “only Congressional swing district” in Texas. The Los Angeles Times has gone so far as to claim that the race is “one of the most competitive congressional races in the country.” Canseco, a 63-year-old businessman from Laredo, TX, was elected to the seat in 2010 as a part of the historic Tea Party landslide that resulted in the Republican party picking up more than 60 seats in the House. However, Canseco failed to win 50 percent of the vote in a hotly contested race. His official campaign webpage touted his business experience and stated, “Canseco knows what it means to meet See BALLOT, Page 2
Issue 23
Hurricane Sandy bears down on East Coast
AP-TwopedestrianswalkalongtheAtlanticCityBoardwalkinAtlanticCityN.J.,Sunday,Oct.28,2012,astheareapreparesforHurricaneSandy.Tensofthousandsofpeople wereorderedtoevacuatecoastalareasSundayasbigcitiesandsmalltownsacrosstheU.S.Northeastbracedfortheonslaughtofasuperstormthreateningsome60million people along the most heavily populated corridor in the nation.
Harvard, MIT, UC Berkeley to partner with UT system for online classes Jonathan Pillow Intern
news@paisano-online.com The UT System has recently announced its partnership with edX, a nonprofit online course provider founded in May by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The UT system is the fourth partner to become an “X University,” following Harvard, MIT and UC Berkeley. EdX is a unique learning platform. It provides a portal through which almost anybody in the world can participate in courses designed by college professors. It was founded by Harvard and MIT as a means to research the way that students learn and how learning technologies can enhance the traditional college experience. Any university that is partnered with edX has the opportunity to add course content to the edX platform, which becomes accessible not only to students from other universities, but also to virtually any person with internet access. Although the edX platform is designed to facilitate higher education for non-students, the UT system intends to incorporate the edX distance-learning program into their regular course work. “We will use the edX platform already in place to improve the way our courses are delivered across our campuses,” said UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa at a UT System press conference, “offering a variety of technology-enhanced instruction, faceto-face classes, accelerated classes, hy-
brid classes and fully online classes.” The edX platform will be made available to all nine UT Universities as well as its six health institutions, but it is unclear whether it will be implemented at every campus. “At this current moment, the UT system is still exploring the technical details, and at this very moment, UTSA is not planning to switch platforms,” said UTSA Assistant Vice Provost of Distance Learning Sunay Palsole. Currently, UTSA uses Blackboard for distance learning. However, some students and teachers argued that this system is ineffective. “The best thing UTSA can do right now to improve the distance learning program is something that I understand is already set to happen this spring. That is, upgrading the Blackboard system,” said Marguerite Newcomb, an online course developer and UTSA lecturer. “The system currently in place is woefully out of date and overworked. The next upgrade will allow for more interactive and fun technology add-ons that should make online learning even more effective.” According to Newcomb, in order for online courses to be effective, they must be interactive enough to engage the modern student. “People are evolving and this has never been more obvious than over the past 10 to 15 years with the huge increase in technology and educational technology,” she added. “Students are visual and need to be engaged. Technology—whether in an online or onthe-ground classroom—has the ability
to make that happen.” Even as distance-learning technology improves, it is inevitable that some students will remain more comfortable in a grounded learning environment. A common concern among traditional learners is that online courses sacrifice effectiveness for the sake of convenience and efficiency. However, online learning also has many advocates. “You will also find students that think an online course is at least as effective as a classroom experience,” said Palsole. “Research shows that a well designed online course can lead to an excellent learning experience for learners who can learn from that modality.” Though it is possible that UTSA may use the edX platform in the future, they will continue to use Blackboard for the time being. UTSA plans, however, to upgrade Blackboard in the near future, and they are also taking additional steps to improve the school’s distance learning program. “UTSA is currently in the process of identifying courses that have the maximum potential to benefit the students by being online and once they have been identified, the plan is to collaborate with colleges and faculty to design courses to provide the best learning experience for the student and teaching experience for the faculty to ensure student success,” said Palsole. UTSA students and distance learners can expect an upgrade in the current Blackboard system next semester and may anticipate the introduction of the edX platform in the future.