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Aug 31, 2016
Vol 104
Issue 7
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A S T. M A R Y ’ S P U B L I C AT I O N S I N C E 1 9 2 4
Dean Dizinno reunites with the classroom after two decades apart RUBY MORALES STAFF WRITER
Janet Dizinno, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, will return to the classroom in fall 2018 after serving as the dean for nearly two decades. Dizinno will carry out her term as dean through May 2017. Throughout her tenure as the dean of HSS, she has implemented the Marianist
characteristics among all areas of her work. She has continuously showed her support for the liberal arts in the school of HSS, several student organizations and most of all through her position and continued dedication. Though she will leave her position as the dean, she will return to something that she is very passionate about. Her love for students and wanting to engage with them again is what ultimately
drove her to the decision. Dizinno felt that as dean, she did not have many opportunities to interact with the students. Teaching will give her a chance to build meaningful relationships and to continue a profession that she has long missed. Dizinno started working at St. Mary’s in 1988. She began her journey at St. Mary’s by working in the office of evening studies before moving over to the psychology
department, later becoming the department chair. After much diligent hard work, she became the associate dean of HSS and in 1999 became the official dean of HSS. Dizinno has been a proactive leader at St. Mary’s. She started the HSS Dean’s Cabinet and created a new minor in visual communication design just last semester. CONTINUED ON PG. 10
COMMENTARY
Campus community reacts to SB11 decision Blake
Vera
SENIOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
MARISSA HOLGUIN & PAIGE GANDARA-VALDERAS STAFF WRITER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
With only eight St. Mary’s Core (SMC) 4301 Capstone Seminar: Prospects classes for this semester, students, particularly upperclassmen, have become worried about being able to register for the classes they need in order to graduate. All eight courses are either capped at their fullest occupancy, or are currently over the amount intended for each class.
Most sections also have an extended waiting list. The SMC 4301 class with the most students this semester is with Dr. Patricia Britton, adjunct professor of business and SMC capstone courses. She is currently teaching two of these classes with the largest one being Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:35 to 1:50 p.m., seating a total of 28 students. At the start of the semester, there were students in and out of her classroom trying to land a seat in her class with an add/drop slip in hand. Britton is very passionate about
the class and has tried hard to help as many students as she can. “This semester is unusual,” Dr. William Buhrman, director of St. Mary’s Core curriculum, said. “A week before classes started… there was very low enrollment. I’m not sure why this is happening, but we’ve had a number of students coming in later to register.” In past semesters, the capstone courses usually fill up, but there are more than just eight classes available for that one subject.
SPORTS
COMMENTARY
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2016 ELECTION PRO/CON
Lack of capstone classes puts students on hold
FEATURES
CONTINUED ON PG. 7
Graphic by Samantha Ramos
ENTERTAINMENT
The start of a new school year brings both feelings of excitement and nervousness for college students across the state of Texas. Starting this month, further concerns are expected to arise over Texas Senate Bill 11, which will facilitate the ability for individuals to carry handguns on campuses statewide. Commonly referred to as “campus carry,” SB 11 passed through the Texas senate and was signed by Governor Greg Abbott back in the summer of 2015. The new law officially went into effect on Aug. 1 of this year. Under this legislation, public colleges and universities are required to allow for the ability to carry handguns in dorms, classrooms and other buildings on campuses — as long as the weapon is not visible. According to the University of Texas at San Antonio’s official online statement about the new law, individuals may carry a concealed weapon as long as they (1) are at least 21 years old or active duty military, (2) meet the federal requirements to own a gun and (3) receive training or instruction from an officer of the Texas Department of Public Safety. The entire issue of campus carry ties in
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FRESHMEN HONORS SOCIETY
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NEW ALBUM RELEASES
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PG. 15
MEET THE VOLLEYBALL TEAM
2 NEWS
EDITOR: RICARDO REYES | @STMURATTLERNEWS
SNAP | FEATURED PHOTO
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WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS MEETINGS
TUESDAY, SEPT. 6 UNIVERSITY CENTER UC-B 5 p.m. TUESDAY, SEPT. 20 UNIVERSITY CENTER NEWSROOM 5 p.m. TUESDAY, OCT. 4 UNIVERSITY CENTER UC-B 5 p.m TUESDAY, NOV. 1 UNIVERSITY CENTER UC-B 5 p.m.
STANDARDS The Rattler upholds the Mission Statements of St. Mary’s University. The publication follows the Canons of Responsible Journalism, the Associated Press Stylebook and the Student Publication Policy. The Rattler is a member of the Associate Collegiate Press, the College Media Association and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.
POLICY ON NEWSPAPER THEFT Due to high production costs, members of the St. Mary’s University community are permitted one copy per issue. Where available, additional copies may be purchased (for 50 cents each) by contacting The Rattler newsroom. Newspaper theft is a crime. Those who violate the single copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution and/or subject to university discipline.
Nicole Rodriguez (left), senior industrial engineering major; her niece, Evelena Springer; and Rick Springer, St. Mary’s alumnus (B.A.’15) toss coins into the fountain in front of St. Louis Hall in celebration of St. Mary’s 164th birthday on Thursday, Aug. 25. | Photo by Paige Gandara-Valderas
he may open up a SMC 4301 course for the second eight-week session that will be held twice a week. “If there’s enough demand for that, I will do that…but I haven’t had a whole lot of students come by asking me to get into classes that are full,” Buhrman said. Students have the option of using the Graduation Planning System (GPS) on their Gateway portal. It can help students by being able to plan out which courses to take each semester in an effective way. “I would really encourage students to use this feature that the university provides to them,” Buhrman said. “Go into GPS, plan
FROM “COVER”
For instance, spring 2016 had 13 courses, fall 2015 had 12 courses, spring 2015 had 14 courses and fall 2014 had 12 courses. Like all other semesters, the amount of SMC 4301 classes ranged anywhere from 12 to 15 course options. “Before the semester actually started, we had enough sections open for about 15 more students to sign up,” Buhrman said. Buhrman has noticed this issue and is working to find a way to accommodate the students, especially those who intend to graduate in December. Since there’s a need,
out your schedule and it helps us know how many sections to open.” As for the other SMC courses at St. Mary’s, there has not been much of a drastic effect on class numbers and sections offered — it has overall been at a normal and steady enrollment — in comparison to the situation with the SMC 4301 Capstone Seminar: Prospects course. “I have not seen other courses over enrolled in the way that the capstone is,” Buhrman said. “This is the first time I’ve seen capstone classes enrolled this high.” The year continues with many on a waitlist hoping to graduate on time.
FALL 2016 COURSE SCHEDULE SMC 4301 COURSE SEC.
CAP
ACT
REM
WAITLIST
DAYS
INSTRUCTOR
SMC 4301 - B
15
15
0
0/15
MWF
GERALD E. POYO
SMC 4301 - C
15
17
-2
3/15
MW
JAMES COLIN MCQUILLAN
SMC 4301 - H
15
15
0
1/15
TR
ERIC S. CHELSTROM
The content published in the Rattler is the responsibility of each respective writer. The views expressed in the staff editorial reflect the views of the majority of the editorial staff.
SMC 4301 - I
20
27
-7
0/15
TR
PATRICIA A. BRITTON
SMC 4301 - J
20
28
-8
5/15
TR
PATRICIA A. BRITTON
MISSIONS
SMC 4301 - L
15
16
-1
1/3
W
ALAN HAYNES
SMC 4301 - M
15
16
-1
0/0
TR
ERIC S. CHELSTROM
SMC 4301 - OL
15
16
-1
0/0
TBA
STEVEN RODRIGUEZ
EDITORIAL STATEMENT
Grounded partially in the Marianist values of family and community, we maintain an open forum for discussion. We strive to produce quality content that informs, not inflames; encourages, not discourages. We must be sensitive, not sensationalistic; reasonable, not ridiculous; balanced; not bitter.
Comparison of all current SMC 4301 Capstone Seminar: Prospect courses for Fall 2016 semester as of AUG. 27 | Compiled by Paige Gandara-Valderas
NEWS 3
STMURATTLERNEWS.COM
POLICE BLOTTER AUGUST 2016
AUG. 14 Theft of less than $50-$500 reported at Andrew Cremer Hall. Case is active. AUG. 16 Striking unattended vehicle reported in Lot N. Case is closed. AUG. 18 Disorderly conduct reported in Louis J. Blume Library. Case active. AUG. 20 Consumption of alcohol by a minor reported at Sister Adele Hall. Cleared by arrest - citation. AUG. 22 Assault -physical contact (simple assault) reported off-campus. Case active. AUG. 23 Striking unattended vehicle damage less than $200 reported in Lot N. Case is active. AUG. 25 Suspicious activity reported in Founders Hall. Case is active. AUG. 26 Consumption of alcohol by minor reported in Anthony Frederick Hall. Case is active.
Construction creates issues in The Village MARISSA HOLGUIN STAFF WRITER
Construction of The Village at St. Mary’s (previously known as the Outback) has commenced near Herbert and John G. Leies Hall. Hours of construction will run from 3-8 a.m. each day. Halls that are affected by the noise of the construction includes Leies Hall, John Donohoo Hall and Andrew Cremer Hall. The new hall is a part of a multiphase project that aims to offer modernized housing options with the hopes of having students want to live on campus rather than off. The estimated ten years of completion is, however, negatively affecting the experience for some residents who currently live in The Village. The new hall of the project is anticipated to house 232 undergraduates by the time of its completion. Though the build was pushed back due to permitting from the city, it is still expected to open up in August 2017. Current residents of The Village are already expressing their concerns about living next to the construction site. There have been complaints about residents being unable to find parking spaces as well as all the noises that are coming from the machinery. Daniel Reyes, sophomore political science major, has noticed the difficulty of the parking situation from living in Andrew
Cremer Hall, one of the buildings adjacent to the construction area. “I can’t even hear the machines, but I’ve noticed parking availability is limited,” Reyes said. The work being done for the new building has forced sections of parking in Lot M to be closed off from student use, pushing students into Lot O. Though the students have to face these disruptions, Residence Life is making an effort to make the transition as smooth as they possibly can. The construction of the new building was delayed due to factors such as the rainy weather and not being able to receive the appropriate permission in time from
the city. “The university has done well to keep an open line of communication between the students and what will be happening,” Villarreal said. Updates on the status of the project have been periodically sent to students via email and gateway. When midterms and finals come around, construction work is expected to continue, but students should expect the same update protocols that are already in place. After the first build, Archbishop Flores Hall and Adele Hall are to be torn down and the next phase will begin. Construction will continue at The Village until the project’s expected completion of 2030.
Construction initiates phase one of the new unamed residence hall. l Photo By Christopher Repka
Gateway gets makeover this semester ALEXIS ZEPEDA STAFF WRITER
Information Technology Services has recently updated the student Gateway Portal. The update brought an entirely new design and layout, the goal being to create new features aimed at better accessibility. The transition has taken a couple of months, but is complete. The first page where changes can be seen is the login page. This page features photos of the campus and students as opposed to the solid colored background it once was. Once students and faculty have logged into the portal, new capabilities include a search bar and a Launchpad for quick link access. The new portal provides faculty and students with much of their information on the homepage such as emails, messages, blackboard notifications and important calendar dates. At the top of the homepage is a list of tabs which include: Academics, Campus Life, Services, and Employee Hub. Students will likely find the Academics tab the most helpful as it contains information regarding their student account, financial aid requirements and enrollment requirements. Some other new features include the ability to pay student balance directly from gateway and the ability to see the student work study balance. These features are helpful because this information is easily accessible without having to call or visit the business office. Along with the new Barnes & Noble bookstore on campus comes a new feature in Gateway. In the “My Education” tab, students can find a box with the title, “Bookstore.” In this box, students can select a semester and will be redirected to the new bookstore page where it lists every book they will need for the upcoming semester. Instead of
searching for each course, like students had to do previously, each course is listed along with the required books for each course. Though the portal was due for an update, students have mixed emotions about the new platform and have experienced glitches during the transition. “It’s harder than before to find certain links and all of the new changes are overwhelming,” said Paula Lorena-Perez, junior biology major. With the new Barnes & Noble bookstore, it’s hard to figure out all of these changes at once. Though the St. Mary’s staff is trying to make this transition smooth, it is difficult for students to accept change. During the spring 2016 semester, the IT Department began the change. Study week was a rough time for students because a glitch inhibited students from accessing the portal at all. “The glitch was really inconvenient because it happened during study week when I had to access important links such as Blackboard and my email.” Anuar Duran, junior computer science major, said. “Though I was able to access them directly from each website, it’s easier to just get to them from Gateway.”
Login Screen | Link: https://login.stmarytx.edu
St. Mary’s class of 2020 gather at the end of Zaragoza Days of group picture.| Photo by Robin Jerstad
St. Mary’s welcomes class of 2020 PAIGE GANDARA-VALDERAS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
St. Mary’s continues to work hard at welcoming the incoming students with open arms to help ease the transition of entering college. This year there are a total of 604 freshmen and 112 transfer students who attended the Zaragoza sessions. Zaragoza is a two-part program designed to help break down the amount of information given to both the students and family members. The first part of Zaragoza is labeled as the orientation piece where students take any necessary testing, familiarize themselves with the campus and register for classes. Students are ultimately given three dates that they can attend the first part of Zaragoza. There are always two dates in June and one date in August. The August orientation is usually the most popular. This year, the August Zaragoza broke records with a total of 667 freshmen, transfer students and guests combined. “This was the largest number of students that we have ever had come to a session,” King said. “The August one is always the most challenging [orientation]. We normally cap the number of students at 250,
but this year we had a total of 318 plus 349 parents/guests.” The second part of Zaragoza is called “Rattler Days,” which all freshmen are required to attend. The program consists of exercises, a cookout, a class photo and major-related connections. “The orientation used to be longer in the past, but by the time students and parents left…we just overwhelmed them with so much stuff, so we separated it into two parts,” King said. Rattler Days is fairly new to St. Mary’s, as it started in Fall 2014. Students are encouraged to participate. Students who do not participate are subject to different penalties. Though Zaragoza allows for students to learn, “Rattler Days Welcome Week” helps students know about and adapt to all that St. Mary’s offers. Rattler Days is separate from Zaragoza, but is intended to act as an extension. Rattler Days this semester ran from Aug. 16 to Aug. 28, giving the freshmen an opportunity to go to events such as Continuing the Heritage (CTH), Burgers with the Brothers, Pub events and the Mass of the Holy Spirit. All activities are intended to show the incoming class what it is like to be a student at St. Mary’s and to introduce them to some of the campus traditions.
A HIGHER DEGREE OF
EXCELLENCE Keep up the momentum and continue your education by earning a master’s degree. St. Mary’s graduate students have the opportunity to learn actively, develop leadership skills and increase their career potential. The Catholic and Marianist University | www.stmarytx.edu/graduate
WHY BECOME A
MARIANIST? Brother Dennis Bautista, SM, was searching for a more meaningful life when he began exploring the possibility of a Marianist vocation. “This is the life I was looking for,” he says. “I felt called to be a brother — someone who shows Christ to others. This is what makes me most happy.” Brother Dennis is associate professor of English and communication studies at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.
IS A MARIANIST LIFE OF SERVICE, COMMUNITY AND PRAYER RIGHT FOR YOU? Learn more today. Contact Brother Tom Wendorf, SM twendorf@sm-usa.org Sister Nicole Trahan, FMI ntrahan@gmail.com
BROTHERS – PRIESTS – SISTERS
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6 COMMENTARY
EDITOR: SOFIA ZANETTA | @STMURATTLERNEWS
Rio Olympics gives taste to what Brazil truly endures Alexis
Zepeda
JUNIOR, ENGLISH
The much-anticipated Summer Olympic Games, which were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, began Aug. 5 and concluded Aug. 21. During the two-week period in which the games were held, Olympic athletes had to endure several issues so that they could perform on the world’s largest stage. Prior to the Olympic Games starting, athletes from around the world were scheduled to move into the Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Though Rio’s Olympic committee did all they could to ensure that athletes were as comfortable as possible, there were many complaints about blocked sinks, exposed electrical wires and water leakages in the residences. The United States Olympic Committee made the decision to bring in their own crew to fix as many issues as possible for the 500 American Olympians who resided in the Olympic Village. Along with subpar living conditions, athletes in Rio had to deal with health hazards due to water pollution. The water in the city contains viruses that are considered Courtesy of Vector Open Stock
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to be 1.7 million times more toxic than that of U.S. beaches. Raw sewage from Rio’s poorest neighborhoods and trash can both be found in Rio’s waters. The pollution largely affected venues for sailing, rowing, swimming and other aquatic sports. Athletes were instructed to keep water bottles in plastic bags, bleach oars and paddles, use hand sanitizer as often as possible, and wash clothes immediately after competing to avoid health problems. Though many were aware of problems concerning Rio’s waters, not many suspected that there would be problems inside Olympic venues as well. The larger of the two pools in the Maria Lenk Aquatics Center, the venue that hosted the diving, synchronized swimming and water polo events, suspiciously turned green at the start of the Olympic Games. It was a mystery for the majority of the games, but officials have finally given an explanation — 160 liters of hydrogen peroxide were added to the pool, neutralizing the effects of the chlorine. This allowed growth of organic compounds, exposing the athletes to yet another significant health risk. Though the green pool did cause concern, many athletes decided to take their chances and continue to compete with the hopes to medal in their respective events. Despite the uncomfortable living
conditions and health concerns, the 2016 Rio Olympics were a success for the United States. The U.S. finished with a total of 121 medals, which breaks the previous record of 110 medals awarded in the 2008 Olympics, which were held in Beijing. The second place country, China, left Rio with 70 medals — a little over half of Team USA’s medal count. Top medalists include Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles. Phelps and Ledecky both competed in swimming events, while Biles competed in gymnastics events. Phelps left Rio with six medals, ending his swimming career with a record-setting 23 gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals. Ledecky competed in her second Olympic Games and, along with winning a total of five medals, she beat her own world record in the 800-meter freestyle event — nearly 11 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. Simone Biles, the world champion for three years in a row, is considered to be the best female gymnast in history. Biles was the favorite to win gold in the five events she competed in: Team All-Around, Individual All-Around,Vault, Beam and Floor. Scoring entire points higher than the other gymnasts, Biles won four gold medals and one bronze medal.
Instagram adds new feature, raises concerns Sofia
Zanetta SENIOR, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
WWW.STMURATTLERNEWS.COM
EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief Paige Gandara-Valderas Managing Editor Jasmin Rivera Copy Editor Dean Detten Advertising Manager Michelle Michimani-Leyva Layout and Design Editor Guillermo Avelar Web Editor Samantha Ramos Photo Editor Julia Ewalefo Assistant Photo Editor Christopher Repka News Editor Ricardo E. Reyes Features Editor Megann Vera Commentary Editor Sofia Zanetta Entertainment Editor Miriam Robles Sports Editor Demarius Holmes Faculty Adviser Brother Dennis Bautista, S.M., Ph.D.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Rattler welcomes letter to the editor. Letters should not exceed 500 words and must include writer’s name, classification, major and telephone number. Editors reserve the right to edit submissions for length, grammar, spelling and content. For more information, call the newsroom at (210) 436-3401 or email rattlernews@gmail.com.
St. Mary’s students may find that the digital age seems to be evolving by the minute. It seems that as soon as one thing gets an update, there is an alert signaling three more are available. People are straying from the intimate, personal conversations they used to hold with each other instead creating romanticized versions of their lives to viewers of their photo-sharing social media accounts. Instagram is now mimicking Snapchat after adding the “story” feature. While Instagram has always focused on photo sharing with permanence, their story feature copies Snapchat’s idea of only sharing something that expires after 24 hours. According to Salon Online, “Many have criticized Instagram for copying Snapchat’s story feature, but both serve as significant indicators of the evolution of social media and society within the last few years.” The first incarnation of Snapchat was an app that allowed users a form of snapping quick photos of themselves with the idea that they wouldn’t be discovered. The photos automatically deleted themselves and did not have an option of being replayed. If the recipient “screen shotted” or took a photo of the photo, the sender was notified immediately. It allowed much more privacy than today’s evolved version of Snapchat. Snapchat gained popularity after time and its features were modified to be more social. Snapchat changed so that users were able to share public stories with followers while adding to the old features. The private aspect that made the app so special became a thing of the past when users started posting events in their everyday lives on their stories. Then of course, celebrities
Graphic by Julia Ewalefo, Guillermo Avelar
gained knowledge of the trendy app and infiltrated it; offering viewers an exclusive peek into their personal lives. Wow, what a time to be alive, a time when there is the ability to access the intimate life of the people we all wish to be. Instagram has always possessed an aesthetic seeking type of essence to it. A greater visual aesthetic theoretically equals more likes. The app offers various selections of filters and other editing tools, which eventually make the user look like the most perfect version of him/herself. In the end that version isn’t even real. “Instafamous,” is a term used for an Instagram user with great popularity and thousands of followers, as well as likes. Instagram creates the illusion that all is effortless and beautiful at first glance. The problem is that is simply not true. It morphs our idea of beauty and consolidates the
various forms of natural beauty that are real. Why Instagram decided to copy Snapchat is not even the real issue — it is instead that photo-sharing services are used as a replacement for real interaction while offering an unreal version of the user.
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COMMENTARY 7
STMURATTLERNEWS.COM FROM “COVER”
to a long history and debate over gun control and gun culture within the United States. Many Texans, like a large portion of southerners, deeply identify with and are passionate about the apparent powers granted to them by the second amendment. Even though there is much discrepancy with what the second amendment actually provides for U.S. citizens, gun culture remains strong in many parts of Texas, including San Antonio. Guns present on college campuses at all brings back all too familiar images and memories of tragedies that may hit too close to home for many communities across the country. With 23 shooting-related incidents on college campuses in the United States during 2015 alone, there can be no real separation between the presence of guns on campus and the potential for tragedy. Supporters of the law, and similar laws passed in other states, argue students and faculty will be better able to defend themselves in the event of an emergency. This argument is commonly used in defending gun ownership and public carry
as a whole. Many others find the increased access to guns, especially on college campuses, troubling since, for them, more guns mean more violence — regardless of a faculty or student’s apparent ability to defend themselves. Legally, SB 11 only directly affects public institutions of higher education. St. Mary’s president, Thomas Mengler sent out a campus-wide email on November 6, 2015 informing the St. Mary’s community of a decision made to address the school’s ability as a private institution to opt-out of SB 11’s ruling. After consulting with a council of students, faculty and staff alike, Mengler released the school’s decision to continue its current policy of not allowing the carrying of firearms on campus. While campus carry does not directly affect the St. Mary’s campus, seeing that it is a private university that chose to optout, student concerns about gun safety and ways to prevent on-campus shootings apply to students of every campus community — those that allow campus carry.
St. Mary’s stands against gun violence reminding visitors of opt-out decision.I Photo by Julia Ewalefo
Graphic by Guillermo Avelar
2016 election: Is Hillary Clinton better fit for presidency or prison sentence? Michelle
Leyva
JUNIOR, ENGLISH COMM. ARTS
The contentious political race between the democratic party candidate Hillary Clinton and the Republican candidate Donald Trump has been filled with scandals and drama. It is obvious why Clinton is a better choice: Trump is a menace to the future of the U.S. and the future of the U.S. should be prosperous, not taking a step back. Trump’s words are dangerous. During his campaign stop in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Trump said, “[Obama] He’s the founder of ISIS. He’s the founder of ISIS. He’s the founder. He founded ISIS.” One of the most offensive claims Trump has made was that Mexican-Americans are rapists. In an interview with CNN on “The Situation Room,” Trump was questioned about why he made that claim and he claimed he was citing a Fusion article. Don Lemon, CNN host, assured Trump he read the article, stating that the article only talked about women who were raped and that it had nothing to do with illegal immigrants. Trump responded, “Somebody is doing the raping, Don, I mean, you know — I mean, somebody’s doing it. You think it’s women being raped, well who is doing the raping? Who is doing the raping? I mean how can you say such a thing.” Clinton on the other spectrum views immigrants in a positive light. She views immigrants as people instead of dehumanizing them. In a quote from her website she says, “[immigrants] strengthen
our economy, and strengthen our country.” The United States needs a leader who speaks the views and hopes of the country. Trump is focusing on the wrong issues. Donaldjtrump.com contains very little information on factual plans for policymaking on the important issues such as disability rights, the tax system and labor rights. Instead Trump’s website on “issues” contain headlines such as “Competent Leadership” and “Live free or die” which is a video about how New Hampshire’s motto is great. Trump does not have the correct
mentality to be our president. However, Clinton does. Clinton has served as secretary of state, was a U.S. senator from New York, a former first lady of the United States, first lady of Arkansas, a practicing lawyer and law professor, and is an activist, according to her website. Trump only has run businesses, and while he can run his businesses to the ground, he shouldn’t be running the U.S. This is why #Imwithher.
Sofia
Zanetta
SENIOR, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Not wanting Donald Trump to win the 2016 election doesn’t seem like a good enough reason to “vote blue no matter what.” It seems that the Democratic Party preferred Hillary Clinton to Bernie Sanders, at least that’s what the nomination outcome reflects. According to Politifact,“Since the start of his campaign, Sanders has advocated
Graphic by Paige Gandara-Valderas
for a $15 minimum wage. Since early on in her campaign, Clinton has supported the fight for $15’s efforts in individual cities and states. But her official position is that she prefers a $12 federal minimum wage as a floor, allowing cities and states to go further.” Dan Arel, an award winning journalist and author stated, “I won’t support a candidate who supports a raise that leaves millions still
living in poverty.” Another way for people to get out of poverty besides a living wage is through education, but most people today do not have the resources available to attend public much less private universities. While Bernie Sanders was strongly in favor of providing free tuition at public fouryear universities, Clinton plans to extend aid to students attending a two-year college program. As regards to healthcare, Clinton does not support nor believe in universal healthcare. Her focus lies in reforming the Affordable Care Act, however, for many U.S. citizens it remains too costly to be a beneficial reality. Clinton promises to police Wall Street seem lopsided considering her foundation has accepted thousands of dollars from oil and gas lobbyists, according to Greenpeace and the Federal Election Commission. Her stance on prison reform also cannot be based on her past actions. The 1994 crime bill impacted millions of U.S. citizens. The bill was pushed by former President Bill Clinton and eventually made the U.S. the country with the highest rate of mass incarceration. The Sentencing Project statistics spiked further when the government started sending more people to prison, for longer terms, affecting certain minority groups more than others groups of people. Hillary’s past does not correlate with her new promises and apparent goals, so can one really trust that she is a true progressive? Bernie Sanders has always kept true to his progressive agenda throughout the years. The fact that he lost the primary election to Clinton should not mandate that all voters on the left should support Clinton by default.
10 FEATURES
EDITOR: MEGANN VERA | @STMURATTLERNEWS
FROM “COVER”
communication design just last semester. Other curricular-based programs that she has implemented for students include the Nelson Wolff Law Early Admission Program, the Guaranteed Law Admissions Program, and the international and global studies revision. Her departure from the dean’s position will be bittersweet. She will have more interaction time with students, but will also miss working with her faculty, staff and department chairs. Before she enters the classroom once again, Dizinno will take a sabbatical to do research and aid her transition from being the dean to an associate professor. “I will be able to serve where needed,” Dizinno said. “I am excited for all the possibilities.” St. Mary’s will begin looking for a replacement starting this semester and will announce the new HSS dean on June 1, 2017.
Photo by Christopher Repka
Current sophomores celebrate their induction into the honor society at a formal reception held after University Convocation. | Courtesy of Sabina Ramirez
Honor society encourages freshmen excellence SAMANTHA SALAZAR STAFF WRITER
The newly revitalized honor society, Phi Eta Sigma, is making strides for students at St. Mary’s. Phi Eta Sigma is the nation’s oldest and largest honor society for firstyear college and university students in all disciplines. Chartered at St. Mary’s in October of 2005, the honor society’s eligibility is strictly based on GPA and is open to those freshmen who maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher during their freshman year and are currently enrolled. Sabina Ramirez, associate director for the department of student involvement, is the chapter’s adviser and is looking for new ways for the honor society to get involved on campus. “Now that the society has sophomores and juniors in place, I’m looking for this organization to be active on campus, so one of the ways we’re going to be starting this semester [is that] we’re going to do some recognition for our faculty and staff,” Ramirez said.
St. Mary’s is one of 375 chapters in the U.S. and as a society, Ramirez aims to “keep the students engaged and inspired to continue to do well academically.” Additionally, the honor society is looking into starting a book of scholarship tips that could be passed along from class to class. Although the only requirement for membership is GPA, the honor society still keeps its members accountable for upholding the characteristics expected of Phi Eta Sigma which includes, vigor and discipline of mind; care and respect for the body; and above all, nobility and generosity of character. Members of Phi Eta Sigma at St. Mary’s are not only a part of a nationally recognized organization and have the opportunity to earn scholarships and programming grants, they are involved with a group aimed to help create networks between students. “Through the society you can get connected to others that share the same major and are in the same school and that have the high achievement [of having a 3.5 GPA],” Ramirez said. This year the Phi Eta Sigma induction
ceremony was directly after the academic convocation for all incoming freshmen and 26 students were inducted. The reason, Ramirez said, is to get the incoming class inspired to achieve the high standard. As an ND class professor, Ramirez has already begun telling students to be mindful of the future opportunity and to begin taking academics seriously from the very beginning. “Your first semester can make or break it.” Sydney Lopez, senior criminology major and Phi Eta Sigma president, said. She urges freshmen to start strong. When grades go out in May, Ramirez receives an eligibility list of qualified students, to whom she sends information out during the summer. The deadline for membership is usually in August. Ramirez and student leaders have been working hard the last couple of years to bring new life to the Phi Eta Sigma chapter at St. Mary’s and continue to work to establish the organization even more. “I’m really excited for this new beginning, just to see what the society can do for other students,” Ramirez said.
Student-lead organization coordinates programs for residents, by residents PAIGE GANDARA-VALDERAS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Residence Hall Association (RHA) is one of the 66 registered student organizations on campus. It is essentially “the voice of residents,” as RHA refers to itself. RHA promotes the welfare and interests of resident students and also provides activities and programs in the residence halls. RHA has been an organization on campus since 1954 and is composed of an executive board and seven hall councils. The hall councils include The Village Hall council (previously known as the Outback), Founders Hall council, Dougherty Hall council, Lourdes Hall council, Marian Hall Council and Treadaway Hall council. Each hall council is assigned a liaison from the executive board to assist it throughout the year. Keith Jasie, Treadaway Hall director, advises the RHA. This will be his second semester as the adviser. “I am looking forward to working with this year’s staff and having a chance to be a part of the process from the beginning of
the year,” Jasie said. “I would like to see RHA continue to grow on campus, and have a larger influence on the campus community.” Currently, all halls on campus are working toward creating these set councils. Each hall council consists of a president, marketing manager, programing planner and treasurer. Other positions can be made at the hall directors’ discretion. These individual councils sponsor programs for their halls. One of the biggest annual events that RHA is known for is Boo Bash. For 29 years RHA has invited children and families to walk the residence halls of St. Mary’s, collect candy and have fun. Each hall works hard to decorate and collect donated candy bags. On average, there are about 200 volunteers, 10 participating student organizations, and roughly 700 children and 1000 parents/ family members that attend the event each year. Boo Bash will be taking place this year on Tuesday, Oct. 25. Another event that RHA has been consistent with is Food Truck Tuesday. Food Truck Tuesday is the event that kick starts every semester. The same day that classes start, is the same night that RHA offers free food to over 200 students on campus. This
semester, RHA brought in Amore’ Pizza and Wheelie Gourmet, which served a total of 207 students. “Our first event of the semester was Food Truck Tuesday… and despite the [rainy] weather, we had a great turnout,” Jasie said.
Other events for students to look forward to are a kayaking trip set for Sept. 24, Six Flags Fright Night set for Oct. 16 and San Antonio Pets Alive service day on Nov. 19. More events are to be announced as the semester progresses.
Students line up at Wheelie Gourmet to redeem their free food coupon ticket during Residence Hall Association’s first event of the semester in Lot H on Tuesday, Aug. 16 | Photo by Julia Ewalefo
FEATURES 11
STMURATTLERNEWS.COM
New app allows organizations and businesses to communicate effectively MICHELLE MICHIMANI-LEYVA ADVERTISING MANAGER
Slack is a new and innovative way to decrease junk mail while increasing the ease and efficiency of communication. According to co-creator Stewart Butterfield, Slack seeks to be “More productive. More transparent. More efficient. And no more email.” Instead of emailing, users simply create an account to serve as a secondary place to receive correspondence. When creating an account, users will be asked to either create a team or become part of an existing team. Slack then allows users to create channels, which allows users to organize their conversations according to groups or projects. For more private conversations, a private channel can be created, where users can control who sees or joins the conversation. Slack is continuously updating the capabilities of their services. For example, in June, a new call feature was added that allows users to call people in their channels either individually or through conference calls. This feature removes the hassle of retrieving phone numbers and instead puts them right at the user’s fingertips.
Currently, the call feature lacks a group communication. One thing that St. screen sharing function, which is often Mary’s students can use it for is a virtual useful in business settings, according meeting. Rather than running a meeting in to Slack’s critics. However, a screen- person, students can easily use this feature sharing feature may be added in the to communicate virtually with each other near future. though the app. Slack advertises Slack is compatible with efficiency and lives up several external services to their promise by such as Goggle Drive, providing a convenient Dropbox and many others. drag and drop function Not only can people utilize that allows users to other external services to send files simply by maximize the efficiency dropping the file from of Slack’s channels feature, their desktops onto but users can also integrate the channels they other services to obtain wish to share it in. notifications directly to Once shared, Slack Slack accounts. allows users in the If users have something channel to comment that they want to be on and star the file searchable in their channel, without disrupting Slack contains an extensive the conversation by search bar that allows users to creating a side bar in search through conversations the channel. and even files contained Organizations on within them. campus can utilize Slack keeps all of a Graphic by Megann Vera this tool to facilitate user’s workspace in one
place, making it easy to access all documents and conversations by simply opening the application on any device. The application is free to download and prices vary according to the subscription chosen. Slack does offer a free subscription which, according to their website, includes: - Searchable message archives, up to 10,000 of your team’s most recent messages - 10 apps or service integrations - Native apps for iOS, Android, Mac and Windows platforms - Two-person calls and - 5GB total file storage for the team. Plans start at $0 and goes up to $15 per month. Slack is compatible with the Apple Watch and also works on desktops. Slack reports a 32 percent weighted average increase in productivity and it has been reported to help users reduce internal email by an average of 48.6 percent according to their website. With 3 million daily active users, a 4.5 rating on the Apple App store and a 4.4 rating on the Google Play Store, Slack’s ratings and popularity are testimony to the efficiency Slack promises.
St. Mary’s community donates time to local non-profits in San Antonio MEGANN VERA FEATURES EDITOR
Over 600 members of the St. Mary’s community came together for this semester’s biannual day of service on Saturday, Aug. 20. Continuing the Heritage is a long standing tradition on campus that allows for students, staff, faculty, alumni and members of the surrounding community to join forces and serve together at various non-profit organizations in San Antonio. This semester, St. Mary’s volunteers served at 21 non-profits around the city. With the help of the office of Civic Engagement and The Marianist Leadership Program (MLP), each non-profit had help from the St. Mary’s community. MLP members Mark Zeitzmann, junior
theology and philosophy major, and Jacob Henson, junior theology major, are this year’s Continuing the Heritage interns. As interns, they were in direct contact with the non-profit organizations and coordinated with the volunteers. The organizations varied in objective. However, all of them offered a wide variety of services to the people of San Antonio. This year, five community gardens made the list, including Roots of Change Community Garden. Roots of Change is run by the Southwest Workers Union which is “an organization of low-income workers and families, community residents and youth, united in one organizational struggle for worker rights, environmental justice and community empowerment.” The community
garden focuses on environmental justice and sustainability. Another organization students worked with was Boy with a Ball. Boy with a Ball’s mission is “to better cities by reaching young people and equipping them to be leaders capable of turning and transforming their communities.” Volunteers talked with at risk students about the upcoming school year and offered some tips on how to help them for the new school year. A favorite among St. Mary’s students is San Antonio Pets Alive. The volunteers cleaned cages, walked dogs, and played with puppies and kittens. Pets Alive’s main goal is to make San Antonio the largest city in America to eventually reach a “no kill” status. To do this, they focus primarily on pets already on the euthanasia lists.
The San Antonio Food Bank is another popular Continuing the Heritage site. The food bank serves not only San Antonio and Bexar county residents, but also people in 15 other counties in southwest Texas. Last year alone they provided almost 62 million pounds of food to the hungry. While serving at the food bank, students sorted donated goods such as canned foods, worked in the giant freezer section and harvested vegetables, such as broccoli in the food bank’s gardens and fields. Despite the rainy weather conditions, the St. Mary’s community remained eager to continue the university’s long-standing tradition. As always, St. Mary’s gives back approximately 3,000 hours to organizations who can use the helping hands.
Graphic by Samantha Ramos
12 ENTERTAINMENT
EDITOR: MIRIAM ROBLES | @STMURATTLERNEWS
Pub Nights Source from USATODAY.COM
New superhero films aim to diversify casts NICOLAS MCKAY STAFF WRITER
This July, the famous San Diego ComicCon was significant for more than just the usual promotional events and trailer unveilings. It showcased something particularly unique: there were more actors of color and female actors than in any of the prior years. While superhero films and television shows have traditionally all but exclusively featured straight white male characters, there seems to be an exciting movement toward a more diverse collection of superheroes. For Marvel, this meant the announcement of the 2017 “Black Panther” film, which will feature a cast that is largely made up of actors of color. The 2018 “Captain Marvel” adaptation starring “Room’s” Brie Larson will feature a strong female lead. DC Comics is also following this trend and released the trailer for “Wonder Woman” who will showcase Gal Godot, their first female-led film since “Catwoman” premiered 12 years ago.
In the world of TV, the smash hits “Jessica Jones” and “Supergirl” have both been renewed for a second season and the much-anticipated “Luke Cage” trailer also premiered. Meanwhile, Marvel’s “Agents of Shield” has casted Gabriel Luna to play a new Hispanic iteration of the character “Ghost Rider.” Similarly in the world of comics, a young African American woman named Riri Williams will be taking the helm from Tony Stark as the new Iron Man while Miles Morales continues to watch over New York City as Spiderman. Comic books and media sources are making strides to bring more diversity to their characters. DC Comics also decided to make Green Lantern, one of their flagship characters, gay during a time when many states were debating the legalization of gay marriage. It is through actions like these that the comic book industry has started to represent and reach the and most diverse fan base since its inception. Stan Lee once said that when his purpose
for creating Spiderman was to make a super hero that people could relate too. In an interview with Time Magazine, Brian Michael Bendis, the creator of the new Iron Man, said his inspiration came from a young girl who grew up in the Chicago slums and succeeded in going to college. Bendis said his goal is to make a character that anyone can relate to, the same as Lee, and the same as any comic creator. Therein lies part of the major appeal that attracts so many fans of all races, genders and sexualities — that at their core, these costumed adventurers are normal people just like them. People see not just themselves but someone that they can aspire to be; heroes who are able to overcome challenges and disabilities in order to make a difference in the world. These figures can act as a source of inspiration to anyone who might need it from adults looking to make a difference in the world, to a St. Mary’s student trying to find their place in it, or to a little girl with a Wonder Woman poster on her wall, waiting, rather impatiently, to finally see her hero on the big screen.
Graphic by Miriam Robles
“Elena of Avalor” offers lackluster Latinx representation JASMIN RIVERA
When The Walt Disney Company first announced their plan to release a television centered on a Latina princess, fans were ecstatic at the prospect of Latinx representation in children’s entertainment, which is long overdue. However, when the series “Elena of Avalor” first began broadcasting in July on Disney Channel, fans did not get exactly what they expected. The protagonist in the show, Princess Elena, was highly advertised as being Latina by her creators. However, when considering what it truly means to be Latinx, Elena may not qualify at all. Elena has characteristics and the stereotypical traits of being Latina — like her dark complexion and her clothing, all something that comes from shared views of what constitutes the Latin culture — but
she really is not Latina. Elena is not technically Latina, because Avalor, the kingdom that Elena rules, is a made up kingdom, not a cartooned version of a real place. This technicality is important because being Latinx, like any other ethnicity, is not defined by the way someone looks or what they wear, rather from what geographical region they hail from. In this case, Latin America, which refers to the lands colonized by people who spoke a language derived from Latin, and how living in that region influences culture, language and tradition. Therefore, since Avalor is not a “kingdom” that can be classified as belonging to a region that is viewed as Latin, Elena cannot be Latina she is not from an actual region. Brianna Carrillo, sophomore biology major, agrees that Elena is a not good
Latin representation. “Just because her skin tone is consistent with being Latin, her story shows no connection to a Latin heritage.” Carrillo mentioned that maybe if Elena had been from a region that was actually classified as Latin then there would be nothing wrong with the princess representing the Latin culture. Saying that Elena is Latina can create some confusion with the audience because of the misrepresentation of what it really means to be Latinx. While Disney has lately been trying to be a bit more diverse when it comes to princesses and the way that they are portrayed, there is still much to be desired. “Elena of Avalor” represents part of the Latin culture, but there is still more that is not shown on the series as to what it means
Graphic by Sam Ramos
ENTERTAINMENT 13
STMURATTLERNEWS.COM
“Ghostbusters” changes the game for female-led comedies MIRIAM ROBLES ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
When the trailer for the female-led “Ghostbusters” first premiered in early March, the Internet was immediately aflame with viewers who were either enthusiastic or upset about the all-female casting of the reboot of the classic 1980s comedy. Upset fans were quick to fill forums, comment sections, and even stars’ personal Twitter pages with harsh comments about the film, the cast’s ability and even the actors’ personal appearances — all before the film even premiered in theaters. Despite all the negative attention it received from gruntled fans, the reboot film is not only a great continuation of the “Ghostbusters” franchise, but also a hilariously original stand-alone film that is a surprisingly progressive step forward for female-driven comedy. At the helm of the film is director and coscreenwriter Paul Feig who, unsurprisingly, has an impressive repertoire of comedic films and television shows: from “The Office” and “Arrested Development” to “Bridesmaids” and “Spy.” Feig’s body of work is best known for his comedic taste, which some fans may not have known. Of course, the cast bringing Feig’s work to life also contributed to the film’s success. Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon all don the orange
Source from entertainmentweekly.com
jumpsuits to portray the titular characters . These stars are no strangers to comedy either, with three out of the four cast members being “Saturday Night Live” alumnae. The other one is Melissa McCarthy, who has starred in many well-received comedy films. Opposed to what naysayers might have said, the film had great odds from the beginning. The success of the film, however, is attributed most to how it treats its stars (and, most importantly, how it does not). “Ghostbusters” never misuses or
disrespects any of its characters for the sake of a laugh — something that can rarely be said about other comedies with female leads. The jokes are never about characters’ weight, looks, intelligence level or femininity (or lack thereof). Instead, the film relies on fully-fleshed, interesting characters with individual personalities and quirks along with hilariously scary situations to provide laughs. Unlike other female-led films, the plot
does not rely on female-specific situations. “Legally Blonde” or “Bridesmaids,” for example, would not really make sense if the gender of all the characters were switched because the humor and the plots are very specific to their female characters. In “Ghostbusters” the gender of the characters does not reflect their situations or their ability to catch ghosts. “Ghostbusters” offers more than the bare minimum to its female characters. The four female leads are given the intelligence, humor and butt-kicking ability that had been instilled to Dan Aykroyd’s and Bill Murray’s characters before them. The characters are engineers physicists and history geniuses whose femininity, while acknowledged, is never used against them. There are no love interests, and, while the paranormal threats are plenty, the women of the film never expect a man to save them — they save themselves, and the rest of the world, while they are at it. In fact, there seems to be a bit of a role reversal with the Ghostbusters’ hunky receptionist — played by “Thor” actor, Chris Hemsworth — as the dimwitted, yet attractive character who ends up needing to be rescued. The “Ghostbusters” reboot not only does right by its iconic predecessor, but it also paves the way for future female-driven comedies by providing strong, funny female characters, without relying on genderspecific humor to provide a laugh.
HOT ALBUMS DROPPING THIS FALL
The Billboard-topping country duo, Florida Georgia Line, will soon release their third studio album. The band hopes to really diversify their upcoming album, both in a lyrical and musical content. It certainly lives up to this goal, especially by featuring artists such as Tim McGraw, The Backstreet Boys and Ziggy Marley.
After three years, the alternative rock band Bastille is ready to release their sophomore album. The British band, which achieved radio fame with their single “Pompeii,” promises a more unique sound with their new album. The first single of “Wild World,” “Good Grief,” was released earlier this summer and features the popsynth sounds the band is known for.
The British rapper, M.I.A., is on the verge of releasing her fifth and possibly final LP, “A.I.M.” The album boast political themes accompanied by electro-dance beats and R&B vocals. The rapper, who has always been politically controversial, promotes her fifth album as an “anthem for refugees.”
The Pittsburg rapper will release his fourth studio album, “The Divine Feminine,” this September. Miller, who will be going on tour almost immediately after the release of his album, has rounded up a very impressive collection of featured artists including Kendrick Lamar, Ty Dolla $ign and Arianna Grande, among others. Graphic by Miriam Robles
14 HEALTH & FITNESS
EDITOR: DEMARIUS HOLMES | @STMURATTLERNEWS
Yoga aids people with exercise, meditation and health JASMIN RIVERA MANAGING EDITOR
The practice of yoga originated in India. Yoga is practiced throughout the world, but, depending on the schools that a practicing yoga member follows, the techniques change. Yoga was initially practiced as a religious outlet, but that has changed throughout the years. The same concepts about yoga remain the same from then to now. Yoga is a practice for developing physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Although the main purpose of yoga is a spiritual one, science has also asserted that yoga has effects on the body. Yoga is seen as a way for an individual to conduct an experiment where they are, self-studying. The practice is known to improve flexibility, focus, posture and mental fortitude. There are also many other benefits from doing yoga. Yoga has many physical benefits such as helping with arthritis. This is because yoga makes people use joints that are not regularly used. Another benefit is that yoga helps strengthen muscles. This is because yoga makes people use strength that grows over time with complicated and intense positions. One major benefit that yoga has is that it helps the immune system by draining
lymph. This drainage ultimately helps fight against dangerous cells, such as cancer, from forming. Yoga has increased in popularity and more schools of yoga are opening up. St. Mary’s offers a yoga course that students can take for credit aside from taking the classes as recreational activity. Samantha Garcia, Founders Hall director, invites students to participate in her yoga classes every Monday and Wednesdays starting Sept. 7 in the AACC at 7 a.m. Garcia has practiced yoga for many years, does it on her own time, puts programs on in the halls here at St. Mary’s regarding yoga and even holds classes outside of the university around the St. Mary’s community. Students, faculty or staff can be hesitant at first to participate in these yoga classes because yoga may seem like something that they cannot do, but that is not the case. “Yoga is accessible for all, from children to seniors. For those with any type of disability, your instructor will make yoga your own,” Garcia said. Garcia also mentioned that yoga is very different from other types of exercise because yoga is more than just an exercise. “You practice focus in ways you hardly do on a day to day basis,” Garcia said. “The mind-body connection is emphasized with yoga. Yoga will be what you make of it and with that in mind it is certainly an exploration
Samantha Garcia, hall director, puts on yoga programs in the residence halls | Photo by Julia Ewalefo
of oneself.” For Garcia, yoga is a way to break from the day-to-day cycle that people live by. Instead of constantly thinking of something and being in constant thought, yoga helps Garcia quiet her mind while connecting with her body. Garcia encourages people to try yoga even if someone has never done yoga before
or is not flexible. It is not a matter of skill, but a matter of whether you are capable of letting your mind drift. ”Everyone is a beginner,” Garcia said. “If you’re nervous that you aren’t flexible enough and can’t quite touch your toes, don’t worry everyone starts somewhere. Challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone; you might just love it.”
St. Mary’s health insurance plan offers students benefits NICOLAS MCKAY STAFF WRITER
With flu season fast approaching, and while students are hard at work learning classroom material, it is also important that they learn about their insurance as well. “[Many students] don’t think about [insurance] because all this time your parents have probably been doing it for you, but when you’re on your own in a different city all of a sudden people think you’re an adult and your supposed to know that kind of stuff,” Dr. Sandra Vasquez, medical director and physician at the student health center, said. Having a health insurance care provider is required for all students who live on campus as well as all international students. All oncampus resident students are automatically
Graphic by Samantha Ramos
enrolled in the student health insurance plan, which costs $974 per semester. The insurance plan is rated as a gold plan by the Texas Health Insurance Exchange website. The cost of an appointment under the plan is $10, which is billed directly to the St. Mary’s student accounts. Yearly physicals, blood tests, cholesterol checks and screenings for diabetes are also partially covered as well as access to the health centers Class D pharmacy. Vasquez says that they provide all forms of service, both illness and physicals. If special treatment is required, the health center will refer the patient to another clinic for a $50 deductible. While insurance is required of all students, the student health insurance plan is not. Students have the ability to opt out of the plan in favor of their own health insurance.
To do so, students must go on to gateway and choose to waive the health insurance fee
“
Many students don’t think about insurance because all this time your parents have probably been doing it for you, but when you’re on your own in a different city all of a sudden people think you’re an adult and your supposed to know that kind of stuff.” - Dr. Sandra Vasquez Director of Student Health Center
on their billing. Students are required to submit their insurance information as well as a photocopy of their insurance card. The information is then sent to a contracted third party who reviews the insurance, as well as audit the insurance once it has been approved, a process which usually takes several business days. The deadline to waive the health insurance fee is Sept. 2. Commuter students are not automatically enrolled in the student health insurance plan, but have the option to enroll until Sept. 28. They also do not have to submit proof of private insurance. The price per appointment increases to $25 dollars for students not covered with the university-sponsored insurance. Because the health center is not networking with other insurance companies, there is no third party billing. Based on whatever expenses are charged, the Center will provide a fee ticket that then must has to be submitted to the insurance company by the patient in order to be reimbursed. There is a possibility that the insurance company will not reimburse their customers when they go out of network.
Students on their own insurance also face the task of discovering which clinics in San Antonio are within their insurance plan. The health center still sees many patients who are not on the insurance plan, according to Vasquez, because the $25 fee may still be cheaper than their current insurance. Time also plays a factor. Students at the health center are seen on a same day basis as opposed to normal doctors whose appointments may not be for several days. While she would recommend the student health insurance plan, Vasquez urges all students to learn more about their insurance coverage plan, regardless of the company they use. Along with carrying an insurance plan at all times and learning the costs and benefits, it is also important for students from out of town to call their insurance company and inform them that they are no longer living back home so they can assign you a primary care provider in San Antonio. Vasquez urges anyone who needs care to visit the health center regardless of insurance plan. “We see everyone, whether you have other insurance, no insurance or the plan, so that’s not an issue. “We don’t turn anyone away,” Vasquez said. “We aren’t here to make a profit which is the big difference between what we do and what is done outside.” She offered a case she remembered from 2000 where a student without insurance went to a clinic for an ear infection and received a bill for $400 in medical expenses not including medication. She then explained that the same screening at the campus clinic would have cost only $50 dollars and the student would have had the medicine they need as they walk out. Students can go to the Rattler patient portal to schedule an appointment.
SPORTS 15
STMURATTLERNEWS.COM
New head volleyball coach starts semester with team spirit JOSHUA MADRID STAFF WRITER
The Louisville, Kentucky native, Callaway Mefford, was announced as the head coach of the St. Mary’s volleyball team, starting with this fall season. Mefford coached both at the high school level as well as the NAIA level. She was also named The Sun Conference Coach of the Year from 2012 to 2014. Her successes in coaching are the same practices she wishes to implement here on the St. Mary’s campus. Mefford found her passion for Volleyball at a relatively young age and has pursued it ever since. “My parents actually made me play it in middle school,” Mefford said. “They wanted me to try every sport.” After middle school, she fell in love with volleyball and generated a passion for it shortly after. When choosing what school to coach at, she mentions that the environment St. Mary’s offers feels familiar to her since she comes from a small-school atmosphere. Mefford first coached for four years at St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida. Eventually needing to move to Texas, Mefford came across an opening position of head volleyball coach at St. Mary’s and decided it was worth applying to. “When I came here for my interview, I really liked the school,” Mefford said. “I’ve
always been in that type of setting where it’s a smaller private school atmosphere.” Mefford sees much potential with her new job as the head coach of the volleyball team. Growing up, Mefford learned to appreciate the value of family, which has ultimately influenced how she approaches coaching her team. She knows that she is working with girls from diverse backgrounds and wants to encourage that family-feel amongst all the players. “It [family spirit] has always been really important to me to develop with the team,” Mefford said. With a total of eight new recruits to the volleyball team this season, Mefford especially wants to create an atmosphere where all of the players feel comfortable with one another. When given the chance to recruit, she particularly looks at girls who will contribute to the team’s chemistry, but also looks at those who can be fun, leaders of the school and competitive. “Not every athlete is going to lead but whether it’s by vocal, (sic) or by example, that’s something that we look for as well… we want to build on that leadership to help them for the future,” Mefford said. Mefford has high hopes for the team this season and plans to lead them to the conference tournament and eventually compete at the regional and national level.
Callaway Mefford, directs volleyball practice Thursday, Aug. 25 in AACC. | Photo by Demarius Holmes
Womens’ volleyball players set high hopes for future DEMARIUS HOLMES SPORTS EDITOR
The fall sports season is right around the corner, literally just days away, before the St. Mary’s women’s volleyball team takes the court. This year’s team is under the watch of many eyes this year, due to the entirely fresh set of players, and coaches. The difference about this year’s team in comparison to last year’s is almost
“
One of our strengths is that we are all new, but it’s also one of our weaknesses.” - Madison Brunk St. Mary’s Volleyball
completely revamped in terms of players, the coach and drive. The organizational and structural changes are some of the most noticeable change for the team . A deeper look into the matter reveals another important change — the team is diverse group of players. Some people’s weaknesses are others’ strengths, causing the different playing styles to mesh together as the camaraderie develops. “One of our strengths is that we are all new, but it’s also one of our weaknesses,” Madison Brunk, freshman political science major, said. The most crucial part of the upcoming season for the team is the simple fact that everyone will have to get accustomed to the
(From left to right) Coach Callaway, Shelley Chaperon, Lauren Martinez, Ashley Perez, Madison Brunk, Erin Roou, Bree Perry, Coach Stephanie Armstrong | Photo by Julia Ewalefo
college atmosphere, and into a mutual state of mind. The player-coach connection is also going to be something new, as Callaway Mefford adjusts to her new job as head coach. On the court, every player has to be able to identify with their coaches’ core values in some way; for this team, those values consist of discipline, passion and a little perfectionism as well. When asked what separates this team from the rest of the teams in the Heartland Conference, no one hesitates to address the sheer will power and determination to win that every team member has moving into this up and coming season. This response ties back to the core values the coaches and players share. With the amount of responsibility that is a part of being on the team, there also comes a lot of accountability from one person to the next. Accountability on a team is one of the key components to being on a team as a new player according to Bree Perry, freshman exercise and sport science major. “You don’t want to tell someone who has been here, to do their job,” Perry said. Working together can be difficult in some cases, but it’s something that benefits any sports team. Nonetheless, overcoming the adversity this program is facing due to the past few years and making a complete team of many different talents and personalities is the biggest thing the volleyball team faces this year. If the volleyball team sticks to their values that they’ve set for the semester, there is no doubt they will be serious competitors in the Division Two Heartland Conference and accomplish the goals of being a successful team.
WOMEN’S VOLLEY BALL FALL 2016 SEPT. 2 @ JUNELL VS. TARLETON STATE 12 P.M.
SEPT. 2 @ JUNELL VS. TARLETON STATE 12 P.M.
SEPT. 2 @ JUNELL VS. ANGELO STATE 6 P.M.
SEPT. 3 @ JUNELL VS. REGIS 12 P.M.
SEPT. 3 @ JUNELL VS.SOUTH DAKOTA MINES 4 P.M.
SEPT. 6 @ STEINKE VS. TX A&M - KINGSVILLE 7 P.M.
SEPT. 9 @ BELLARMINE VS. WEST GEORGIA 11 A.M.
SEPT. 9 @ BELLARMINE VS BELLARMINE 7 P.M.
SEPT. 10 @ BELLARMINE VS. ALDERSON BROADDUS 11 A.M.
SEPT. 10 @BELLARMINE VS. OHIO VALLEY 4 P.M.
16 SPORTS
EDITOR: DEMARIUS HOLMES | @STMURATTLERNEWS
The new weight room has improved in functionality, more changes are still to come, there are still some small pieces of equipment that are waiting to be received and added | Photos by Christopher Repka
University completes much needed gym renovations JOSHUA MADRID STAFF WRITER
Anyone who has visited the AACC recently is likely to have noticed the drastically renovated workout facilities. The new academic year brings new state of the art gym equipment and a fresh look for campus gym goers. The the decision to renovate the facilities was largely student-driven. “Students drove the process, we simply listened to the concerns over the quality and variety of equipment offered,” Aaron Hanna, executive director for facilities administration, said. The team behind these new changes did
not hold back. Almost every single piece and angle of the gym has been reworked to improve space and fit more people. St. Mary’s chose one of the most recognized names in fitness to provide the equipment. Not only that, but according to Hanna, each area of the gym was strategically readjusted to improve the facility’s functionality and create more open space. Brian Magloyoan (B.A. ’15), sports information assistant and marketing coordinator, is excited to hear the reception from the students about the new gym. “Honestly, I can say, it looks tremendous. As a former student of St. Mary’s and now an employee, I feel like it’s a great addition. It just enhances the students’ experience here
at St. Mary’s,” Magloyoan said. For the students that have tried the new gym already, it is an upgrade from its predecessor. “I am very satisfied. The equipment is not only completely new, but all the machines seem to be more true to their weight and resistance levels and there are even multiples of some of the cable machines now which used to be a problem in the past,” Mario Robles, senior biology major, said. Luckily, the new gym equipment is not the end to the additions to the AACC. By the end of August, students are expected to have access to additional backordered weights, work out mats, bosu balls and cable crossover attachments.
Outside of the gym, Hanna says students can look forward to having access to cable TV and enhanced Wi-Fi, something countless St. Mary’s students have been hoping to see for a while now. Overall, Hanna is pleased by the end result, giving praise to the workers who helped him. “The best part of the renovation has not taken place for me yet,” Hanna said. “As that is the satisfaction I get from hearing how pleased our students are with these projects, and watching them use a space that we worked hard to deliver for them. Personally, I think we tried to cover all the bases with this first pass but we will keep an open mind about any suggestions or items that could continue to enhance the student experience.”