The Daily Texan 2021-08-25

DT VOLUME 121, ISSUE 12 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

In Transition Students return to in-person instruction for first class day

jack myer

/ the daily texan staff

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Students talk about the challenges of returning to inperson classes after over a year of virtual learning.

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Incoming UT students kick off the new school year at the annual Gone to Texas welcome event.

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Texas volleyball kicks off its season Friday at Gregory Gymnasium against University of San Diego.

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UT must make classes online at the start of the semester in order to avoid a COVID-19 surge.

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Contents:

Texas Tour Guides end strike after ‘Eyes of Texas’ lyrics removed from Welcome Center

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The University removed “The Eyes of Texas” lyrics from the Admissions Welcome Center in late July, ending the Texas Tour Guides’ nearly threemonth strike to have the song erased from the building.

The guides went on strike May 1 after sending a formal statement of demands to University administration April 19. The University removed the lyrics after the guides pressed UT in June about their requests, said Miguel Wasielewski , according to previous reporting by the Texan.

Wasielewski, executive director of admissions at the Office of Admissions, said the lyrics will instead be on a list of traditions, which UT will post on a wall in the center.

Tour guide Jeremiah Baldwin, a government, rhetoric and writing and African and African Diaspora studies junior, said he thinks listing the song as a tradition rather than having the lyrics sets a different tone.

“I think that in that instance, it’s just as simple as it being a piece of the University and not glorifying the song,” Baldwin said. “I think with the lyrics being on display, that sets a different tone, as opposed to simply just stating in ‘The Eyes of Texas’ is historically a tradition here at UT-Austin.”

Baldwin said removing “The Eyes of Texas” from the Admissions Welcome Center will make the University a more welcoming place for Black students.

“I feel as though ‘The Eyes of Texas’ is something that I don’t want to have to experience or have to see in the

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Tour guide Jeremiah Baldwin, a government, rhetoric and writing and African and African Diaspora studies junior, poses with the hook ‘em horns hand sign.

Welcome Center,” Baldwin said. “I want students coming into the Welcome Center, especially Black students, not having to see that and think about the fact that not too long ago, people who look like them weren’t able to attend this University.”

Tour guide Avery Thompson said she is proud of what the guides were able to accomplish.

“All of these changes that have happened in large part because of what we have done and because of the strike,” chemistry senior Thompson said. “It seems like they still respect us and care about us and understand how important our position is.”

Over the past year, the UT community has called on the University multiple times to remove “The Eyes of Texas” from University programming

in the form of petitions, reports and meetings. While UT has removed the song from the Admissions Welcome Center, UT will still play the song at sporting events after deciding to create two bands: one that will play “The Eyes of Texas” and another that will not.

The road to removing the lyrics was not easy. In early spring, the University hired Brad Deutser as a consultant to revamp the image of “The Eyes of Texas.” Many guides said that Deutser made them feel unheard and uncomfortable when they met with him to discuss the song.

Deutser was also a part of the “The Eyes of Texas” committee that released a report in March that concluded the alma mater is “not overtly TOUR GUIDES

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Editor-In-Chief | @TEXANOPINION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

COLUMN

OPINION

Make the first few weeks of class virtual Protect students by making classes online only to avoid a COVID-19 surge.

By Julia Zaksek Associate Editor

n Aug. 20, the Austin area set a new record for COVID-19 hospitalization rates. Hospitals had the highest number of COVID-19 patients admitted since the pandemic began with 620 patients total.

In-person classes start on Wednesday, Aug. 25. Over 50,000 students and 20,000 staff members are set to return to campus in some capacity. Neither masks nor vaccination are required.

Returning to in-person classes with no mask or vaccine mandate while Austin hospitals are setting new COVID-19 patient records is extremely irresponsible and incredibly dangerous. UT must switch to completely virtual classes for at least the first few weeks of the semester to ensure the safety of the Austin community.

UT is offering professors the option to temporarily reduce classroom density until Sept. 17. However, even with lower classroom density, if masks are not worn, COVID-19 can still be easily spread.

“It’s so scary to think about 50,000 people coming to this very densely populated area with really no precautions and no plan,” said Apoorva Chintala, manage-

LEGALESE | Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees.

valeria trevinio

ment information systems and economics senior. “Every single piece of evidence — whether that be data from Travis County, data from the public health department, plus professors and students complaining — is pointing to things going wrong and not being OK.” At the University of Texas at San Antonio, most classes will be virtual for the first three weeks. University president Taylor Eighmy said that the university is following the advice

SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | Email your Firing Lines to editor@dailytexanonline.com. Letters must be more than 100 and fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability.

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of public health advisers and decided to move most classes online to best protect “the health and safety of (their) entire campus community.”

“I’m kind of glad that they’re doing classes online for the first three weeks,” UTSA biology freshman Mallary Simmons said.

“I think it’ll be a great transition and give the delta variant (cases) some time to go down a little bit.”

While most students aren’t eager to continue online classes, making the first

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few weeks of classes virtual would allow UT to continue to monitor the delta variant and prevent further COVID-19 cases while Austin hospitalization is at an all-time high.

“I was really looking forward to starting things and maybe having some in-person classes, so I’m a little disappointed about that, but I do think they are doing the right thing,” UTSA kinesiology sophomore Dalton Cutcher said.

Joey Williams, director of communications for the Office of the Executive Vice President & Provost, said UT is currently monitoring COVID-19 cases in Austin and the greater state.

“I think that the University is concerned about where the COVID-19 numbers are right now across the board,” Williams said.

“They’re working really hard to follow the science and make sure there is sufficient health and safety guidance in place.”

If current numbers and health guidelines suggest anything, it’s that 50,000 students should not return to campus.

UT must push in-person instruction online for at least the first few weeks of the semester if they want to avoid increasing the spread of COVID-19 and taxing the already overburdened Austin hospital system.

Zaksek is a women and gender studies and Plan II senior from Allen, TX.

EDITORIAL TWITTER | Follow The Daily Texan Editorial Board on Twitter (@TexanOpinion) and receive updates on our latest editorials and columns.

OPINION

5

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

COLUMN

Revise COVID-19 testing policies for student safety day of classes, rather than move in.

Many leases, especially in off-campus apartments and residence halls, begin a few weeks before classes At the start of August, Austin’s start. This leaves a window of time COVID-19 risk guidance was raised for students to travel off campus, into Stage 5, the most severe levcreasing the risk that they return to el possible. In response to rising Austin exposed. cases in Austin, University Health Radio-television-film sophoServices released an email to all more Tessa Kenworthy moved into students stating that they must her West Campus apartment last get tested for COVID-19 before Wednesday. She completed her returning to Austin.

COVID-19 test the day before moving For students not currently residing and is now traveling with a group of in Austin, the COVID-19 test must be friends in San Francisco. taken within three days prior to their “My friends and I are here for five arrival in Austin. For those who are days, and while we are all vaccinatalready in Austin but not yet living ed and masking up, this is a huge in their housing for the semester, city where we could definitely be the test must take exposed,” Kenworplace three days prithy said. “Our acor to moving into tivities are outdoor, the residence, and but we do plan on if the student is alexploring the city, ready in their housThe test ... when we where we could be ing, the test must be easily exposed.” move in is smart, and done within three Even with studays of the first day dents taking acthen an additional of school. for test for the first week countability While clearing their own safety of class would be students before they through vaccinarejoin the Austin tions and mask the smartest.” community is the wearing, exposure correct goal, UHS to COVID-19 is still TESSA KENWORTHY requires no proof possible, especialradio-television-film sophomore of when students ly when leaving are returning to the Austin comAustin, nor are they required to re- munity and reentering before main in the city between the time the start of school. they move in and the first day of “I don’t doubt a lot of people classes. Because of this, UHS should are traveling right now, or at least revise its COVID-19 pre-arrival test- still going out within Austin,” Kening policy to require all students worthy said. “Honestly, I think the to test within 72 hours of the first test being required when we move

By Isabelle Costello Associate Editor

/ the daily texan staff

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LEGALESE | Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees.

in is smart, and then an additional test for the first week of class would be the smartest.”

Dr. Amy Young, chief clinical officer for UT Health Austin and vice dean of professional practice at Dell Medical School, explained the decision-making behind UHS’ policy.

“Testing within 72 hours prior to moving in is intended to detect cases of COVID-19 before they are introduced to the university community, mitigating further spread on campus,” Young said in an email. “For students who are already in Austin and part of the community, testing prior to the first day of classes serves a similar purpose of detecting cases early and preventing spread to others on campus.”

UHS’ goal to prevent cases in this way is logically sound, but doing so in a time frame that allows for students to leave the community and return potentially exposed leaves everyone not only at risk, but with a false sense of security.

Students should be required by UHS to get tested for COVID-19 before the first day of classes, rather than before they move in. Students deserve peace of mind that their community is getting tested before in-person classes resume. They shouldn’t, however, have to worry about whether those tests are timely enough to ensure their safety.

Costello is a human development and family sciences sophomore from Boerne, Texas.

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BROOKE ONTIVEROS

6

News Editor | @THEDAILYTEXAN

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

CAMPUS

NEWS

Gone to Texas returns in-person UT students reflect on beginning an in-person semester during the pandemic at the annual Gone to Texas welcome celebration.

major Erica Sullivan.

Jadah Burciaga, a radio-television-film junior, said she did not see the point of having the event in person, especially since her classes had been moved online. Burciaga said she was glad the event was outdoors, but it did not help the situation with COVID-19, since so many students were sitting together.

“I feel like the right precautions aren’t being taken, given that we’re in Stage 5 of COVID,” Burciaga said. “The seats are right next to each other and

everyone is being forced to fill seats next to one another.”

Burciaga said she transferred from a community college in Michigan. She said even though the lack of precautions taken at the event worry her, she is still grateful to be a UT student.

“I am excited to be at UT because I went to a college where I didn’t feel at home,” Burciaga said. “When I got into UT, I finally felt like I belonged somewhere.”

Communications junior Edgardo Mondolfi said he felt the event was

refreshing after an entire year of remote learning.

“Taking into account the pandemic and delta variant, I’m still glad to be able to meet people and see new faces,” Mondolf said. “I’m double vaccinated and we can still wear masks if we want to, so I think I’m okay with the event being in person.”

Mondolf said he transferred from Victoria College, a community college in rural Texas.

“I’m excited and nervous,” Mondolf said. “I worked hard to get here, but I know I have to keep working harder since UT is competitive.”

Carly Ramos, an art and entertainment technology and radio-television-film sophomore, said the event was her first time on campus after learning online her freshman year.

“Coming from a tiny town within the Rio Grande Valley definitely did not prepare me for the amount of people that would truly be on campus this semester,” Ramos said. “I’ve wanted to become as involved as possible with the proper precautions.”

Ramos said while she is ready to go back to classes in person, she is nervous considering current and predicted COVID-19 levels in Austin.

“I am afraid of the lack of safety measures taken for certain events,” Ramos said. “I’m vaccinated, but I know Austin is a hotspot, and it intimidates knowing that masks are not mandated.”

minstrel show popularity at the University.

Wasielewski said he was not part of the meetings the guides had with Deutser but said his meetings with them were productive. After meeting with Wasielewski in the summer, the guides felt their requests were better received, Baldwin said.

“Our tour guides have a good eye for exploring that space (and) have something to contribute to this dialogue,” Wasielewski said. “We need to be able to listen to what their ideas and thoughts

are, and then be able to incorporate those.”

Wasielewski said any guides that were on strike did not have any barriers to becoming a tour guide again this fall if they chose to do so.

Along with removing the song’s lyrics from the Admissions Welcome Center, the guides achieved the higher pay they also went on strike for. Thompson said the guide’s pay increased from $9 per hour to $12 per hour. The Admissions Center also started compensating the

Texas Student Recruiters, who previously engaged in conversations with potential students as volunteers.

Baldwin said increasing the pay for the guides better reflects the work the guides do for the University.

“I think it will diversify our applicant pool and make a more welcoming experience for students going on tours that might be of different marginalized communities that oftentimes aren’t represented,” Baldwin said.

By Kaushiki Roy @kaushikiroy3

he Longhorn Band played “The Eyes of Texas” as dozens of students gathered outside the Main Building to celebrate the first in-person Gone to Texas event since the pandemic began.

The annual event took place fully in person, with no mask mandates or social distancing between chairs. Students said they were excited to attend, but also expressed concerns about COVID-19 safety measures.

President Jay Hartzell made a commencement speech welcoming new students to campus during the event.

The night also featured a trivia quiz, the three finalists for the Gone to Texas film competition and a special appearance by Olympic swimming silver medalist and incoming radio-television-film

tour guides

CONTINUES FROM PAGE 2

racist” and could not find primary documents tying the saying “The Eyes of Texas” to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Alberto Martínez, a UT history professor, later disrupted the committee’s findings when he released two reports concluding that the song was inspired

by Lee and was written at the height of

jack myer

/ the daily texan staff

Incoming UT students gather on the front lawn for the annual Gone to Texas welcome celebration held Tuesday.

NEWS

7

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

STUDENT LIFE

‘It’s been a disaster’ UT students struggle with housing at The Standard complex, still considered a construction site a week ago.

By Tori Duff @torianneduff

Students moving into The Standard at Austin, a newly constructed apartment complex, are dealing with unfurnished apartments, a fake maintenance worker, broken dishwashers and an unresponsive management team.

“It’s been a disaster,” said Chloe Franchville, a psychology senior and resident at The Standard. “It looks pretty from the outside, and I have a good view, but this is not what I was promised.”

Some of The Standard tenants said they moved into partially unfurnished apartments and that certain systems, such as the trash shoot and air conditioning units, are not operational.

Additionally, The Standard informed residents in an email sent August 13 that a man named Zachary had been falsely posing as a maintenance worker for several days.

Zachary worked for Sundown Security, a third-party patrol company at a construction site across the street.

Zachary joined a resident GroupMe under the name of “minion” and told residents he was an employee at The Standard.

Plan II senior Abby, who’s name is changed to protect her identity because she is trying to have her rent prorated due to the issues she has faced, said he entered her unit two times to “solve” maintenance issues before management noticed his

blaine young

/ the daily texan file

Residents of West Campus apartment complex The Standard faced several inconveniences, including unfurnished apartments and a fake maintenance worker.

presence. Abby initially reached out to Zachary to fix issues with her toilet.

Abby said Zachary wanted to temporarily flood the bathroom. After Abby refused, Zachary took the top of the toilet cover and left.

The Standard asked tenants to cease mail delivery for a week and a half after move-in because the complex was still considered a “construction site,” The Standard front desk employees said. Once mail could be delivered, Zachary brought several packages to the resident’s rooms, including Abby’s.

“The thing that’s alarming is nobody on staff noticed him here for several days,” Franchville said. “He was just walking around, talking to kids that live here.”

The Austin Police Department gave Zachary a non-trespass notice, and Sundown Security terminated him, according to the email The Standard sent to residents Aug.13. The Standard encouraged residents to not engage with him via social media or any other platforms.

Abby said she has other concerns about the complex as well. She said the apartment layout she originally signed a lease for is different from the one she has now, and some of her

roommates are paying substantially different prices for rooms in the unit that are roughly the same size. Abby also said her air conditioning unit was broken for the first four days, some bathroom utilities did not work and furniture was not in the unit upon move-in.

“I’m paying an absurd amount. Everything should be in tip-top shape for this price. … I’m fine living somewhere with problems, but if I’m paying as much as I’m paying, I expect it to be a certain quality, and if not I expect them to give me my money back,” Abby said.

Abby said The Standard has not offered any compensation to renters dealing with these issues.

Franchville said she encountered similar issues with her unit upon move-in. The unit lacked a TV stand and kitchen barstool chairs, and also had a broken washer, dryer, garbage disposal and dishwasher.

“Most of the employees are college-aged and don’t really know how to respond to our issues,” Franchville said. “We don’t really see a lot of authority figures unless it’s security guards, so it’s hard to even find someone to talk to.”

Franchville and Abby said tenants

were unable to open trash chutes for multiple days, so they left trash in the disposal room instead. Franchville said The Standard did not hire any additional services to help dispose of the trash and residents began to place their trash in the halls as the disposal rooms filled up.

The Standard notified residents via email that it would fine them $25 per bag of trash placed in hallways after August 21, but Abby said the issue with trash chutes is ongoing.

Franchville said that the trash problem has attracted possums to common areas and stairwells. Although neither Franchville or Abby have seen the rodents, they said tenants in the apartment complex GroupMe have sent images of rodents in halls and units.

The Standard did not respond to multiple requests by The Daily Texan to comment on these issues. “(The Standard) should have already contacted everyone and been like, ‘We’re sorry the building is literally not built and there are all of these problems, we will take money off your rent or give you free parking.’” Abby said. “I am going to email them and ask for money off my rent because this is not acceptable, and they know there are issues.”

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WEDNESDAY, AUSUST 25, 2021

CITY

Austin City Council votes to allocate $50,000 for college Food Insecurity Program

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UT students may receive extra food assistance in the coming months after Austin City Council passed a resolution on Aug. 12 to allocate $50,000 over two years for the College Food Insecurity Program.

In January the council originally approved the College Food Insecurity Program, which aims to provide stable resources for college students facing food insecurity. The program will distribute the funding among five colleges in the Austin area: Huston-Tillotson University, St. Edward’s University, University of Texas, Austin Community College and Concordia University.

Kathie Tovo, a council High-frequencymember serviceforrunning District 9, which includes West Campus, said every 15 minutes or better, 7 days a week she added an amendment to double the funds for the program after discussing how Winter Storm Uri and the pandemic have further Subjectfood to change hindered access for students.

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Sage Dr The University’s food pantry, UT Outpost, found that one in four UT students do not know where their next meal will 801 come from.

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2

at the city council budget meeting. “(This program) supports campuswide programs, initiatives (and) all efforts to eliminate food insecurity at the colleges in Austin.”

Each college and university will create its own proposal on how to use the money once it is distributed.

“It could be (that) universities apply for that funding … to set up food banks on their campus, or to supplement existing food banks, or create a community garden,” Tovo said.

The program is in its preliminary stages, so members of the City Council and the College Student Commission will meet to determine how to administer the funds, Tovo said.

“I really appreciate the college student commission for recognizing that this is true (for our) students who are struggling during this period of time,” Tovo said.

“We all need access — stable, consistent access — to that basic resource.”

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/ the daily texan staff

NEWS

NEWS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25

9 CAMPUS

Advocacy group continues mental health efforts by advising on CMHC programs

By Tori Duff @torianneduff

After mental health advocacy group Students Organizing for Support held sit-in protests last spring to rally for guaranteed therapy sessions, the group will now step in to advise UT mental health programs.

The coalition’s main goal is to ensure at least six free counseling sessions each semester because the Counseling and Mental Health Center does not currently guarantee a specific number of appointments. The coalition also protested for increased funding for case management services and better alternatives to the UT Police Department and the Behavior Concerns and COVID-19 Advice Line. The CMHC reached out to group members after their first protest in April to work on their calls for change, but funding issues are stalling progress on these demands.

“It’s more on the University’s allocation of funds than the people working at the CMHC because they have been super receptive to our demands, and they wish they could have more staff members,” said Eleanor Walter, University Democrats president and coalition member.

juliius shieh

The group is now advising the CMHC on developing programs, such as a new peer support group program, Walter said. Walter met with the CMHC over the summer to discuss how to create a safer and more comfortable environment for students since Walter said many students may be uncomfortable talking with adults.

“Honestly, it’s so scary to admit that you even need help, and then it is also scary to ask for help,” Walter said. “And if they’re putting another thing of, ‘Oh, you need to go find an outside source, even though we’ve promised that this is a resource that’s here for you.’

That’s another thing that complicates it, and it delays the process of students finding help, which can have potentially dire consequences.”

The coalition is composed of members from several campus organizations, including University Democrats, UT’s chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, progressive issue advocacy group Texas Rising, Students Fighting Climate Change and Beyond Bernie UT. Adrian Lancaster, CMHC peer support project coordinator, said he is recruiting a student advisory group that will create ideas on how students and peers can interact in a support group format.

/ the daily texan staff

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

NEWS

STUDENT LIFE

UT students host in-person New Black Student Weekend after year hiatus

By Samantha Greyson @greyson_samantha

Black UT students connected with each other at the New Black Student Weekend, an annual two-day camp that took place in person this fall after last year’s virtual event.

Over 150 students signed up to attend the weekend hosted by Afrikan American Affairs from Aug. 20-22. Students competed in challenges, such as a chantoff, to score points for their designated teams during the weekend. The team with the most points at the end of the event wins the year’s New Black Student Weekend and enjoys bragging rights for years to come.

Anayah Williams, a psychology junior and NBSW volunteer, said the event gave incoming Black students a sense of community, especially after a year of isolation.

“To be able to come out to NBSW and see … ‘I have people I can go to, I have a community,’ that really rejuvenated a lot of people who were probably feeling a little worried about the coming year,” Williams said.

The camp usually hosts the event off-campus, Williams said, but this year NBSW took place at campus sites such as Spanish Oaks Terrace and the Texas Union to ensure accessibility and safety for students.

Unlike previous cohorts, NBSW campers this year were both freshmen and sophomores, giving the class of 2024 an opportunity to experience the event in person since they couldn’t last fall.

“We were showing them UT ’22’s class dance, UT ’23’s class

copyright blaire marlayne, and reproduced with permission

dance, just to get them hyped and to let them know that … they can build a community,” Williams said. “(To show them) there’s other people with similar experiences that they can connect with.”

Campers also attended seminars on mental health and recieved advice for incoming students, Williams said. She said Black faculty attended the event to give new students tips and resources.

Jaida Newhouse, a radio-television-film sophomore, said she attended NBSW because she wanted to make new friends.

She said she chose not to attend last year’s camp because it was virtual.

The camp was a good balance of fun and helpful, Newhouse said. She said she feels more prepared for the upcoming school year knowing she has a community of both students and faculty.

“A big takeaway is that I am less alone than I would have thought,” Newhouse said.

FIZA KUZHIYIL

11

Life&Arts Editor | @TEXANARTS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

STUDENT LIFE

LIFE&ARTS

Students voice their concerns as UT returns to campus

By Michelle Facio @michelleefacio

Colin Spalten spent most of his junior year in front of a Zoom screen, wrapped in a blanket and wearing his pajamas. Now, as the University moves to in-person classes, he faces new obstacles.

“I think there’ll be a challenge getting used to actually being in a room with people, not just being on my computer all day staring at Zoom screens,” the radio-television-film senior said.

After a year of online classes and isolation, many students have concerns about readjusting to their new in-person lifestyles, especially when the pandemic is far from over.

Physics senior Richard Najera said he feels anxious about the possibility of COVID-19 spreading on campus.

“I have two classes with more than 40 students,” Najera said. “It makes me nervous because I don’t know where my classmates were last night, if they

have been COVID conscious, or if they are vaccinated or not.”

Besides feeling safe from contracting the virus, Najera said online classes helped improve his concentration.

“I kind of enjoyed online schooling as opposed to in person,” Najera said. “I feel like there’s less distractions.”

Because neuroscience sophomore Isabella Sanchez never experienced on-campus class life, she worries about getting lost and not knowing b uilding locations.

“I don’t really know how to navigate this campus as an in-person student,” Sanchez said. “So that might stress me out for a little while, and that might make my mental health a little shaky.”

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 20% of college students say the pandemic worsened their mental health. Many found the change to virtual life difficult. Now, after more than a year online, students face mental health challenges while readapting to an in-person lifestyle.

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Katy Redd, associate director of prevention, development and media relations at the Counseling and Mental Health Center, said students should show support to each other while adjusting.

“There’s not a one-size-fits-all approach for anybody, but something that could be helpful is to simply acknowledge and accept that this can be a tricky time and to not expect yourself to have it all together,” Redd said.

Redd said that attending CMHC support groups, such as Re-entry: Transitioning into School Post-Virtual Life, can be a good way for students to hear from peers also struggling with similar issues. This particular group meets on Tuesdays from 3-4:30 p.m.

As for Sanchez, she plans on giving herself personal days throughout the semester to help ease the transition.

“One thing quarantine really gave me is alone time, (which) I don’t get much of,” Sanchez said. “I’m definitely going to be giving myself those simple pleasures.”

destiny alexander / the daily texan staff

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

STUDENT LIFE

What’s ‘Wampus’? A guide to commonly used terms around campus, Austin

By Carolyn Parmer @_carolynparmer

To catch students up on UT lingo, The Daily Texan compiled a list of nine commonly used nicknames for places and fun sightings around campus.

The Albino Squirrel

Rumor has it that students who spot a white squirrel on their way to take a test will get an A. The squirrels aren’t actually albino, but rather white fox squirrels. This tradition comes in handy for students who need an extra confidence boost, but we still recommend studying.

DKR

Students refer to UT’s main football stadium as “DKR.” DKR stands for Darrell K. Royal, who coached the UT football team to success in his two-decade career, winning 167 games overall. In 1996, UT honored him by renaming the football stadium the Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial

Stadium.

Domino the Cat

Known as an unofficial mascot, this black and white cat occasionally makes an appearance on campus. Head to the Flawn Academic Center to see this furry celebrity, whom volunteer groups like Cats of West Campus and Animal Make Safe regularly feed.

The Drag

This section of Guadalupe Street runs through West Campus and houses clothing boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants. You won’t go hungry here, as you can snack on lo mein, fried chicken, Chipotle and everything in between.

Forty Acres

Originally, the UT campus only took up 40 acres: the area enclosed by 21st Street, 24th Street, Guadalupe Street and Speedway. Now, UT sprawls over 437 acres, but students and alumni still call UT “the Forty Acres.”

Jendy’s

For a filling snack that won’t break

the bank, grab a 4 for $4 from Jendy’s, the Wendy’s located in Jester Residence Hall. Other colleges may have a Wendy’s on campus, but the unofficial name of this Wendy’s — Jendy’s — makes this one unique to UT. Six Pack

This isn’t something to pack in a beach cooler. Instead, this term refers to a group of six buildings — Batts Hall, Benedict Hall, Calhoun Hall, Mezes Hall, Parlin Hall and Homer Rainey Hall — that border the lawn by the Tower.

Sixth

Frequented by Austinites as well as students, East 6th Street boasts a colorful nightlife scene with its various bars and clubs. Great for a night out with friends, but not exactly a place to take your parents when they visit.

SoCo

Short for South Congress, SoCo refers to both a street and neighborhood in South Austin with a wide variety of hotels, bars and restaurants. It even

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hosts tourist destinations such as the iconic “I love you so much” mural.

Speedway

This street runs through campus, and students use it as a shortcut to science, math and engineering classes.

Take note of the name — you’re expected to live up to its speedy expectations.

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Wampus

From cheap desserts to brand new apartments, Wampus, short for West Campus, offers something for everyone! This area is home to food trucks fit for any appetite, as well as sorority and fraternity houses and student apartments.

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Photo Editor | @TEXAN_JPG WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

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We have parking and pay $16 per hour. jack myer

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Cops off Campus protests the University’s stance of “The Eyes of Texas” after Gone to Texas under the tower on Tuesday. A March 2021 “Eyes of Texas” History Committee report determined that the song was written in a “racist setting,” but was “not racist.”

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A Student’s Right To Privacy The below is considered directory information.

Under federal law, directory information Theinformation information below is considered directory information.

Under federal law, directory can be madecan available to theavailable public. You restrict You access to restrict this information by this visiting information be made to may the public. may access to information by http://utx.as/personal-info.

Please be aware that if you request yourthat directory information to to visiting http://registrar.utexas.edu/restrictmyinfo.

Please be ALL aware if you would like be restricted NO information about you given to anyone, including family restrict information from appearing inwill thebe printed directory, you mustyour make yourmembers, changes at this except as required law. Any restriction will remain effect until you it. directory web page by the by twelfth class day of you the make fall semester.

If in you request thatrevoke ALL your

information be restricted NO information about you will be given to anyone, including your

by law. Any restriction you •make willparking remainpermit in effect until •family Namemembers, except as required • Classification Student revoke it.

•you Local and permanent • Major field(s) of study information addresses • Most recent previous educa• Expected date of graduation name number • classification heightattended if member of •• Phone tional and institution • Degrees, awards, and honors • weight athletic team local address and permanent •• Email •anJob title and dates of employreceived (including selection • major field(s) of study addresses ment when employed • Public user name (UT EID) criteria) date of graduation • student parking permitby the • expected •• Place birth university in a position that • Participation in officially information phoneofnumber • degrees, awards, and honors •• Dates attendance requires student status recognized activities and sports e-mailofaddress received (including selection • the most recent previous • Enrollment status • Weight and height if member of educational institution attended • public user name (UT EID) criteria) an athletic team • job title and dates of employ• place of birth • participation in officially ment when employed by the recognized activities and • dates of attendance DIRECTORY INFORMATION SHOULD BE KEPT CURRENT. OfficialUniversity correspondence is sent that in a position sports • the enrollment to postal orstatus email address last given to the registrar. If the student requires has failedstudent to correct this status

blaine young

/ the daily texan staff

Drum Major Christian Douglas leads the Longhorn Band in playing out the Gone to Texas event on Tuesday.

address, they will not be relieved of responsibility on the grounds that the correspondence was not delivered. For details about educational andCURRENT. official communications with the University DIRECTORY INFORMATION SHOULD records BE KEPT Official correspondence is sent see General Information, 2021-2022 catalog. to the postal or e-mail address last given to the registrar; if the student has failed to correct

this address, he or she will not be relieved of responsibility on the grounds that the correspondence was not delivered. For details about educational records and official communications with the University see General Information, 2011–2012.

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The incoming freshmen of the College of Liberal Arts cheer when their school is announced at Gone to Texas under the tower on Tuesday.

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Sports Editor | @TEXANSPORTS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

SPORTS

loss looms large before season opener jack myer

/ the daily texan file

The Texas volleyball team lines up before a victory over the Baylor Bears on Nov. 5, 2020.

Texas volleyball opens its season Friday at Gregory Gym against San Diego.

By Hannah Williford @HannahWillifor2

he Texas volleyball team says they’ve discussed their loss to Kentucky in the national championship last spring every day before they head into the season this Friday.

Volleyball will start their season against San Diego on August 27 in Gregory Gymnasium. Head coach Jerritt Elliott said it will be the first opportunity for some members of the team to play in front of the Longhorn crowd.

However, much of the team

has already set their eyes on returning to the finals.

Outside hitter Logan Eggleston said while last year helped prove Texas as a team could win a national championship, she recognizes that making it to the finals last year doesn’t guarantee the same outcome this season.

Elliott reminded the team that in the past 40 years, only four teams who had made it to the finals and lost returned the next year. Instead, she intends to use the loss as motivation.

“It’s definitely left that bad taste in our mouth and it’s kind of pushing us, motivating us during the preseason,” Eggleston said. “It’s definitely gonna push

us when it gets to the middle of the conference season when things are rolling on and on.”

Opposite hitter Skylar Fields, who had a strong end to her season, said she also has been using the loss as a way for the team to find the next gear in their training.

“We don’t want to feel that pain again,” Fields said.

“That’s what’s driving us to go hard every day.”

Eggleston said she is also feeling more confident about dealing with COVID-19 this season after experiencing last year’s protocols and having the opportunity to be vaccinated. She said last season took a toll on the players’ mental health with

online classes and a lack of social interaction, but the team grew closer.

“We really did get to know each other and kind of what works, what doesn’t work for everybody,” Eggleston said. “I think that’s going to be really good going into this season because we’re already so comfortable with each other and we kind of know how to approach each other and how to get each other going.”

Elliott said he has been attempting to draw the focus from individual roles to a team system, targeting how each player can play their part. He said because of the team’s shared goal of making their way back to

the finals this year, they have been responsive.

“We’ve got a really tight team,” Elliott said. “We went through a lot last year, in many different scenarios, and I think it did bring us closer together so there’s great communication and I think that’s the key to having some success.”

For their game against San Diego, Elliott had straightforward goals: tighten up their playing and start off the season on the right foot with a win.

“It won’t be smooth, it won’t be clean the whole time, but hopefully with time we’ll get a little better, and having a crowd behind this will help a lot, too,” Elliott said.

SPORTS

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

SOCCER

Meet the 2021 Texas Women’s Soccer Team:

By Vicente Montalvo @VMont20

Texas women’s soccer is set to have their home opener this Sunday evening against Georgetown. With experienced players returning and new additions, here are some players to be on the lookout for:

Julia Grosso

Emma Regan The senior outside back from British Columbia is one of the most experienced players on the roster after starting all games in both her sophomore and junior seasons. Last fall, Regan played the full 90 in 11 of 12 matches for a total of 1,077 minutes. She pushed herself to do something she hadn’t accomplished in her previous two seasons for Texas: find the back of the net. Look for Regan to be a steady defender in the backline while also having the ability to break forward when needed to create chances not only for teammates but also for herself.

collegiate experience gained during her first year, Lapomarda is primed for the sophomore leap and could cement herself as a key figure in the Longhorn defense.

Carlee Allen

Savannah Madden

copyright courtesy of texas athletics, and reproduced with permission

copyright courtesy of texas athletics, and reproduced with permission

copyright courtesy of texas athletics, and reproduced with permission

After winning a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with the Canadian Women’s National Team, Grosso is looking to win it all in her senior campaign. Since winning a share of Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Grosso has continued to improve easily, making her a generational talent. Starting and leading the midfield in all 12 matches last season, Grosso found the back of the net five times while assisting teammates four times. Having the opportunity to play against some of the best players in the world, Grosso will look to bring her skills back to the Forty Acres for one last campaign.

The experienced fifth-year goalkeeper is back for another year in burnt orange and white. After playing all 90 minutes in all 12 matches during last year’s prolonged season, Madden is looking to lead not just the defense but the entire squad. Last season, she tallied seven shutouts while only giving up just nine goals.

This past April against conference rival Baylor, she tied the Texas goalkeeper record for most saves in a game that was set in 2000.

With Madden in between the sticks, attackers are going to have a difficult time scoring against the Longhorn defense.

Cameron Brooks The senior forward is looking to beat the opposition defense all season. Brooks appeared in all 12 games last season, starting in eight of them. She scored three times, including the game-winning goal against Baylor last season. Be on the lookout for Brooks to keep her head up and shoot fearlessly at goal.

Lauren Lapomarda In her second year in Austin, the in-state talent looks to develop and settle into her role in the Texas backline. In her freshman season, Lapomarda started in nine contests including four in a row in which she played the full 90 minutes. With so much

The homegrown midfielder is ready for her senior campaign after starting every game the previous two years for Texas. Last season, Allen was only subbed out three times in the 12 matches played, making her an integral part of the Texas midfield. She assisted the game-winning goal against Baylor last season for her only assist of the year. Allen will likely tally even more minutes this season as she sets out for her last campaign in the burnt orange and white.

Tatiana Fung The flexible midfield or forward freshman from California was one of the most sought-after recruits during the last recruiting cycle. Fung has participated in multiple camps with the United States Women’s National Team at the Under-15, Under-16 and Under-17 level. Look out for this talented freshman to make an instant impact on Texas’ attack this season.

Trinity Byars The No. 1 rated overall prospect and forward according to Top Drawer Soccer’s 2021 IMG Academy rankings is on the Forty Acres. An impressive attacker who has developed and participated with the United States Women’s National Team from Under-14 through Under-19, Byars is looking to make an immediate impact for Texas. Be on the lookout for Byars to devastate the opposition’s defense and score early and often this season in a breakout campaign.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

SPORTS

FOOTBALL

Dicker the kicker and the punter: senior poised to take on multiple roles in 2021

By Nathan Han @NathanHan13

joshua guenther

/ the daily texan file

Cameron Dicker prepares to attempt a field goal against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl on Oct. 6, 2019.

The Longhorn football faithful are used to seeing senior kicker Cameron Dicker hit game-winning field goals ever since his first game-winner as a true freshman in the 2018 Red River Rivalry game.

But Dicker the kicker might also be Dicker the punter this season.

Last November, Dicker filled in for injured punter Ryan Bujcevski after he tore his ACL in a tackle.

New special teams coordinator Jeff Banks said during the offseason, the senior has continued to implement both punting and kicking duties with extra points, field goals and kickoffs.

“I was just super impressed with Cameron Dicker this offseason,” Banks said. “In the spring, he had a very, very good outing in those 15 practices.

He’s followed it up. Spring is one thing, coming into fall camp is another.”

Dicker averaged 43.6 yards on eight punts to end last season. He followed it up by averaging 46.8 yards per punt on six punts in Texas’s spring scrimmage, the Orange-White game.

“I think I did well at the end of last season, so I was

expecting to be able to come in and compete for this spot,” Dicker said. “I kind of have always been wanting to work on punting just because it’s a good tool to have for me.”

Over-kicking is a big concern, Dicker said. But the senior feels he’s done a good job of handling the issue in past seasons before Banks came to Texas, and the new special teams coach is understanding how to strike the right balance.

Banks said Dicker is on a four-day-a-week schedule in an attempt to keep his leg fresh throughout the season.

“We’re not worried about how many teams he’s on and how many things he’s doing, but we certainly are going to limit the amount of reps, day in and day out,” Banks said. “We don’t wear them out and then all of a sudden we get to the third, fourth, fifth, sixth game and he’s not kicking the ball off as deep, and his leg starts to get a little bit weary.”

Competing for the punting job wasn’t the only thing Dicker’s done in the offseason. The senior said he had shoulder surgery in January that limited him until the first day of spring ball.

Then, after new name, image and likeness rules,

he said he did a couple commercials with a local roofing company.

But a fun potential deal with a burger place or punting responsibilities aside, Dicker is a kicker, first and foremost.

The senior has collected quite a career, scoring the sixth-most points in Texas history, and his biggest strength as a kicker might be his reliability in the often-overlooked extra-point kicking arena.

Dicker has only missed one extra point attempt in each of his three years, making 50-of-51 extra point attempts in 2020, 56-of57 in 2019 and 51-of-52 in 2018.

He’s also the sixth-most reliable Longhorn field goal kicker in terms of field goal percentage. The next steps he can take as a kicker are improving accuracy in the 40-49 yard range, where he missed three last year, and hitting the occasional 50plus yard field goal, which he showed he certainly has the leg for with a 57-yard and 58-yard make.

Making those improvements could cement his place among the great Texas kickers of the past, including Justin Tucker and Phil Dawson.

“That’s in the back of my mind,” Dicker said.

SPORTS

21

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021

FEATURE

Moro Ojomo has finally found his ‘perfect situation’

jack myer

/ the daily texan file

Defensive lineman Moro Ojomo makes a tackle during the spring game at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on April 24, 2021.

By Matthew Boncosky @mboncosky

Moro Ojomo’s path to starting on the Longhorns’ defensive line has been anything but straightforward.

For starters, the junior defensive tackle just recently turned 20 on August 15. Ojomo was born in Lagos, Nigeria before moving to California with

his missionary father. Because of the customary education system in Nigeria, he started school earlier than most Americans and came to the United States two years ahead of his peers.

In addition, Ojomo has spent time playing three different positions along the defensive line during his time in college, prolonging the young talent’s development. Now in his fourth year at Texas and with a new coaching staff, Ojomo finally feels he has found his sweet spot.

“I kind of just found sort of a perfect situation for me,” Ojomo said.

Ojomo first picked up football pads in California and played at the peewee level where he competed against competition his age. As someone who was bigger than everyone else, Ojomo quickly found something he could excel at.

“I kind of just clicked in football,” Ojomo said.

“That was where I fit in.”

Ojomo’s subsequent move to Katy, Texas set the stage for his development into a college prospect, but his young age added a unique challenge that he needed to overcome in order to get noticed by college scouts.

Because of his youth, Ojomo said he did not separate himself from the crowd until his junior year of high school, but his standout performances for the Katy Tigers helped him secure scholarship offers from numerous D1 schools, including Texas. His three appearances as a 17-year-old in his freshman season with the Longhorns gave him the unique distinction as one of the youngest players in college football.

Since then, Ojomo has fought through older competition, numerous position changes and coaching staff turnover to develop into the standout starting lineman he is today.

“I’m a little bit unique in that situation, appearing on the college scene a little bit earlier, so there’s been patience on my side,” Ojomo said. “I’ve developed a lot. I’ve got to play basically three different positions while I’ve been here — nose, tackle and end — and that’s helped me in everything that I’ve done.”

While first-year head coach Steve Sarkisian has only been with Ojomo in spring and fall camp, he has seen marked improvement in how decisive the junior has become in the short time they’ve

been together.

“Sometimes he would get caught almost in paralysis by analysis of overthinking (in spring camp),” Sarkisian said. “The one thing that he’s showing now in fall camp is he’s cutting it loose and he knows what to do.”

Ojomo also knows what he wants to do post graduation. The five-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll would like to pursue a JD-MBA, a dual law and business four-year degree, but he said he hasn’t officially decided yet as whatever happens with his football career will dictate what happens with his secondary degree.

Until then, Ojomo remains focused on his undergraduate business degree and his football career, soaking up tidbits of knowledge imparted on him from his coaches and notable Texas football alumni such as Brian Orakpo and Sam Acho as he navigates his position change.

“It’s been cool to be able to be as young as I am and compete on the level that I’m competing at,” Ojomo said. “I thank God, like, just being able to be patient and understand that everything works for a reason.”

Email moodywriting@austin.utexas.edu for Zoom information

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Comics Editors | @TEXANCOMICS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

COMICS

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