Vol. 105, No. 1 - 02/08/2017

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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 Vol 105 | Issue 1 | Feb. 8, 2017 | San Antonio, TX

ENTERTAINMENT

LIFESTYLE

Four inexpensive dates to go on without having to spend a buck MIRIAM ROBLES ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, meaning that Valentine’s Day dates are also quickly approaching too. Going out for a fancy dinner on the River Walk may not be an option for struggling college students, which can sometimes be discouraging.

There doesn’t need to be a lot of money behind a meaningful date though. There are a lot of ways to tell one’s significant other how much they mean with a romantic, thoughtful evening.

Whether it’s a private movie theater with popcorn, a romantic walk through the park or a private rooftop dinner for two, there are plenty of ways to make this Valentine’s Day special for little to no money on a short notice.

The Lifestlye section of The Rattler is a collection of reoccurring columns pitched by the staff that pertain to college life.| Graphic by Sam Ramos

VALENTINE’S DAY QUESTIONS ANSWERED

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DEAN DETTEN/RUBY MARTINEZ COPY EDITOR/CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Greehey School of Business prides itself on offering real-world business exposure to its students; offering various programs and courses that allow students to engage in active and purposeful interactions all around the globe.

Historically, this included a businesscentered immersion trip to Dubai every spring semester; however, this year’s has been cancelled and has left many students in shock.

Dr. Sam Sedki, professor of accounting, began organizing the annual trip to Dubai for 2017 last fall. Study Abroad in Dubai, a

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LIFESTYLE CONTINUES ON PG. 14

PG. 2

RES LIFE COMBINES STAFF

PG. 7

TRUMP’S PICK BETSEY DEVOS

SPORTS

FEATURES

NEWS

COMMENTARY

CONTINUED ON PG. 3

PG. 11

MARIANIST HERITAGE AWARDS

PG. 15

FIRST BASEBALL GAME OF 2017

2 NEWS

EDITOR: GEMENY GIVENS | @STMURATTLERNEWS | FEB.8, 2017

Residence Life combines dorm hall staffs PAIGE GANDARA-VALDERAS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

THE RATTLER

WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS MEETINGS

TUESDAY, FEB. 21 UNIVERSITY CENTER UC-B 6 P.M. TUESDAY, MARCH 21 UNIVERSITY CENTER ALUMNI CONF. ROOM 6 p.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 11 UNIVERSITY CENTER ALUMNI CONF. ROOM 6 P.M.

The office of Residence Life has made a decision to combine the Resident Assistants, or RAs, for Chaminade Hall and Marian Hall this semester. Last semester there were a total of four RAs in Chaminade Hall, but this number has now been reduced to three. Marian Hall still has four RAs in the building, but the RAs are now sharing duty days with the Chaminade staff.

Residence Life has combined duty days with other halls in the past. Three years ago, Lordes Hall, Anthony Frederick Hall and John Donohoo Hall used to be one staff — nicknamed “Moatside.” In fall 2014, the Moatside and the rest of the Outback combined to one staff. The Outback, which has now transitioned into the name “The Village,” then consisted of one hall director instead of two with a total of nine RAs. Only a year after the transition, the Village condensed again with eight RAs between all seven halls in the Outback.

Residence Life is treating this opportunity of combining Marian and Chaminade as a way to see how residents and RAs react to the change.

If Residence Life sees that the change is helpful for the majority, there may be similar combinations with other halls in close proximity in the near future.

“This is a pilot program that we are doing by combining staffs,” James Villarreal, Residence Life director, said. “We were starting to look at the ratio of residents to RAs. The national average ratio of residents

to RAs is one RA per 50 residents. St. Mary’s ratios are in the low 40s and even in the 30s depending on what hall.”

Though many residents are not directly affected by the change, many of the Chaminade and Marian RAs are grateful for the switch since it means that they will have fewer duty days during the semester.

A four-RA residence hall has an average of 32 duty days. With a combined staff of seven, they are now averaging out about 18 days each, which has been very helpful for them. Duty days for RAs consist of being the main point of contact between the hours of 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. for the residents.

For Mark Zietzmann, RA in Chaminade Hall and junior theology and philosophy majors, the change has brought new difficulties and reliefs.

“I have less (sic) duty nights than last semester, but I have more to do during my duty nights, especially when I go on rounds,” Zietzmann said. “I already feel like I’m less busy than I was last semester. The rounds are longer, naturally … [but it will] become easier as I get into the swing of the semester.”

A downside for the combined Chaminade and Marian staff is the walks between the two buildings. Though the walk is not too far, it is during late hours and takes more time to do rounds with the two buildings.

As for residents, they may have to travel from building to building to get what they need from the RAs. Keys for Chaminade do not work for Marian and vice versa, but there is always the RA on duty signage around the buildings.

Each residence hall at St. Mary’s has a different audience to attend to. Some firstyear residence halls may need more attention than halls that cater to upperclassmen.

For instance, Chaminade is a 21 years and older residence hall, so most already know the routine of living on campus. However, that does not mean that all residents know everything — it just means that there is a lesser need than in a freshman hall where, in most cases, residents need direct and frequent interactions.

Combining the staff has also left some residents in Chaminade feeling more “at home” with a little more freedom.

“I think that combining the staff gives you more of a vibe of an apartment complex,” said Erick Buenrostro, Chaminde resident and graduate student in the cyber security program. “There’s more of the freedom to act like a responsible adult — you don’t necessarily have to have someone watching all the time.”

The old RA room on the basement floor of Chaminade was not filled with a position but was instead was given to Sister Amelia Mkesafari Byenaku, who is currently studying here at St. Mary’s in an intensive English program.

Residence Life is continuously going through change and trying to make the process easy for all, especially with the new buildings in the Village in the upcoming years.

If residents or RAs feel unsafe traveling from hall to hall, Residence Life encourages residents to call the university police department for an escort.

Trump’s inauguration splits political spectrum in two 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.

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EDITORIAL STATEMENT 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.

MISSIONS 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.

TAMARA GARCIA STAFF WRITER

Donald Trump was inaugurated on Friday, Jan. 20 along with his running mate, Vice President Mike Pence on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. The following day, a massive protest known as the Women’s March on Washington took place in the Capitol as did sister marches across the world.

The inaugural ceremony drew crowds of supporters as well as protesters. While relations were initially calm, protesters and police officers came head-to-head in downtown Washington not long after Trump was sworn into office.

Some of the attendees of the inauguration were also present at the Women’s March.

Estimates state that on the day of the march there were about 500,000 people gathered in Washington D.C. Official numbers are no longer released by the National Park Service, but some crowd experts, as reported in the New York Times, believe that there were five times as many marchers gathered in the National Mall than for the inauguration. That said, crowd estimates are difficult to predict accurately and this is not definitive.

Sofia Zanetta, senior international relations major, attended the Women’s March in Austin in protest of President Trump’s inauguration. She elected to steer clear of coverage of the inauguration as a sort of personal boycott of that event.

“My thoughts on the inauguration were not many. I tried to avoid any social media that would follow Trump,” Zanetta said.

From left to right: Chris Dale senior accounting major; Lourdes Tovar, senior sociology major; Natalia Flores, freshman vocal performance major; Enrique Torres, senior biology and math majors; Jaqueline Cosmos, sophomore international relations major; Eyerseulem Debebe, sophomore international business major; Samire Adam, sophomore political science major. | Courtesy of Samire Adam

Zanetta attended the event with a friend and was happy for the opportunity to attend and make her voice heard. This was especially important to her since the rights that people enjoy can be taken away at any given time.

“It was very comforting to see so many people that I knew who were there for women like me, a minority woman,” Zanetta said. “Just because we have rights doesn’t mean someone won’t try to take them.”

While many Americans share these sentiments, there are just as many Trump supporters who stand firm in their support of the new Commander-in-chief. Trump’s assumption of his duties as the 45th President of the U.S. has been the center of much controversy both domestically and abroad, adding a great deal of tension

which some feel is reflective of the necessary change to diplomatic policy.

“I found it mostly about protesting Trump and complaining about non- issues.

I didn’t feel like it helped bring awareness to any good causes or women’s rights,” Isabela Vera, senior marketing major, said.

Others fear that this change will impact the freedoms that they enjoy; something that seems to have inspired the organizing of marches.

The inauguration of Trump as president has enormous policy impact that has already caused divisive opinion, most recently with his Muslim-majority travel ban.

Students who took place in inaugurationrelated activities, including marching the day afterward, are polarized by the event as well.

NEWS 3

FEB. 8, 2017 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

Drop days cuts down to one: students unaware of change TREY GONZALEZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Instead of having different days to drop or withdraw from a class, with different effects to a student’s GPA and transcript, there is now a single deadline. This new policy will give students the opportunity to salvage their GPAs if they drop before the one designated date.

Under the previous policy there was a “last day to drop with an automatic W.” If a student dropped a class by the specified date, regardless of whether they were passing or failing, they were given a “W” for “withdraw” on their transcript.

After this date, if a student dropped a class the professor would assign a “WF,” which is short for a “withdraw with fail” and this grade counts as an “F” in the calculation of his or her GPA. Additionally, there was a “last day to drop for the semester.” This was the absolute last date for students to drop a class for the semester with the permission of the dean of their school. After this day, they were no longer permitted to do so.

The new policy now allows students to drop anytime before the single deadline

date. This semester the last day to drop will be April 7 and the student will receive a “W.” After this date, students are no longer allowed to drop a class. However faculty members may drop a student after the date if need be, with the respective dean’s permission. Some students find the new drop policy alarming.

“I don’t like that,” Jennerifer Torrez, sophomore biology major, said. “The [professor] wont tell us when we’re supposed to drop; its supposed to be on you’re own if you’re doing bad in the class.”

Some students were not aware of the policy change.

“I haven’t even heard it, like I haven’t heard anything,” Jessica Guerra, junior international business; and finance and risk management majors, said. “Its unfair for them to not have told students.”

After approval from the Faculty Senate and respective Dean’s Council, The University’s Academic Council authorized the new policy. Upon approval, the council chose to wait to enforce the change until spring of 2017 to ensure a smooth transition with the new semester. The council decided to enact the new policy to ensure that the Academic Progression Policy was being

Students adjust to the new policy that alters their ability to drop classes. l Photo by Sam Ramos

adhered to as best as possible.

In addition, the new policy assists professors in giving recommendations to students regarding staying in the class until the final exams to still try to pass the class. There have been cases in the past where students would drop classes at the last minute, receive a WF and damage their

GPAs when they would not have necessarily earned a failing grade had they stayed to try to pass the course.

The new policy is a bit more lenient to those students who drop early but is unforgiving to those who don’t, holding students a little bit more accountable for their grades and academic decisions.

FROM “COVER”

nine-day, full-immersion trip, was expected to give students a businessfocused look into the country. During this international visit, 16 students were scheduled to tour and network at companies throughout the city as well as see sites such as the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.

There is also a semester-long class that gets students ready for the trip prior to attending. The class is meant for the students to learn new material prior to going to the trip; attend the trip during spring break; then apply what they had learned after returning back to St. Mary’s. It is a business elective course that counts for three credit hours; however the class was also cancelled since the trip was. The reason that this year’s trip will not take place as scheduled was because of a lack of payment by some of the students in the program.

With an extension of the earlier October deadline for half of the balance, Sedki had expected students to commit to the trip and provide the necessary funds as usual that were necessary to purchase travel arrangements. To his dismay, the minimum funding was not made available in time to allow the trip to take place.

“The final balance, to be paid before the beginning of the Thanksgiving Break, could not be cleared due to nine payments that had not been made,” Sedki said.

Because of the unsuccessful turnout regarding the missing deposits, many students were left disheartened. The seven students that committed to the deadline

Source from mydubaistay.com

adhered to university reimbursement policies and are now in search of another academic opportunity to venture abroad.

For some who were enrolled, this may have been the only opportunity to see Dubai and to study abroad. Lenore Bodden, junior international business and history majors, was looking forward to the opportunity to discover a culture very different from her own. It was especially disappointing for her and other students since it might not be possible for them to go any other year. Going with someone, like Sedki would have also been a great opportunity since he knows his way around the country.

“I was really excited about getting to go to a new part of the world and experience Dubai and was really upset when it got cancelled out of the blue,” Bodden said. “The only way I was going to be able to go was through the school. Now I’m not sure if I’ll have the chance before I graduate.”

While excited to travel, the students were also looking forward to the opportunity to network and see business applied in another country. Since the school places importance on education of business in a global setting, it was a unique way for students of past years to learn about business in Dubai and themselves.

The ability to experience the culture and be immersed in it is what Lauren Bailey, senior accounting and data analytics major, describes as the real loss. Bailey, who attended the 2016 Dubai program, is glad she was able to travel to such a unique locale while gaining valuable practical experience she can apply to her major.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to learn about Dubai business structure and experience their culture firsthand,” Bailey said. “It does so much more to be there and live it than just hearing about it. I feel like it helped me grow as a person in my understanding of the culture and I feel it’s a shame others are missing out on that this semester.”

Graphic by Natalia Zuniga

Late renovations impact students GEMENY GIVENS NEWS EDITOR

During the first week of school, Chaminade Hall completed renovations in the major stairwells on both sides of the building. New tiling on the floor and stairs as well as a new paint job for the railing and doors give a noticeable new appearance to the areas. This project was a part of the renovation plan being jointly executed by Residence Life and the Office of Facilities Services.

“This was done as an enhancement to the renovation completed in the rooms and halls to both help modernize the aesthetics of the stairwells and to make them safer with enhanced slip resistant properties,” said Aaron Hanna, executive director of facilities administration.

Though generally pleased with the improvements being made to facilities, some Chaminade residents were somewhat inconvenienced by the tail end of the work, which included the painting of the handrails.

Some students accidentally touched the wet paint, claiming that signs were too small or not in the right places, while others were displeased and discomforted by the smell of paint fumes.

This is not the first time Chaminade

residents have been impacted by the changes being made to the hall. Due to a discrepancy regarding the needs of the building and ability of the furniture supplier to accommodate demands, second and third floor residents received rented furniture last semester that had to be replaced over the break. The students in these rooms were asked to move all their belongings to a corner of their rooms over break to allow for easy transitioning to the permanent furniture.

While inconvenient for these students, the university was unable to anticipate the lack of inventory their supplier would have.

While not ideal, the displacement could be completed when no residents were in the hall for the break, minimizing the impact on student’s personal space.

“Many of the materials we work with are not what you might consider ‘off the shelf ’ so we are subject to availability and lead times,” Hanna said.

Regarding future renovation plans, the Residence Life and Office of Facilities Services team intends to update pictures in the lounge area on the first floor as well as modernize the roof deck with new furniture and improved Wi-Fi. This is scheduled to occur during summer 2017.

EDGE THE ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY

FOR GRADUATE SUCCESS

St. Mary’s provides you with the knowledge and skills employers want through a quality education, plus the value of holistic learning, community and finding your vocation, giving you an edge for a successful future.

Learn more at stmarytx.edu/the-st-marys-edge

The Catholic and Marianist University

the rattler

When: February 21 @ 6 pm Where: UC-B When: March 21 @ 6 pm Where: Alumni conf. room

NEWS EDITOR AND PHOTO EDITOR NEEDED

When: April 11 @ 6 pm Where: Alumni conf. room

The Rattler is hiring for the positions of News Editor and Assistant Photo Editor.

email: Rattlernews@gmail.com website: Stmurattlernews.com

Pick up an application in UC 258.

Applications due Feb. 13, 2017.

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

marianist.com

6 COMMENTARY

EDITOR: SYDNEY ALFARO | @STMURATTLERNEWS | FEB. 8, 2017

The Women’s March: battles new public policy or stresses illegitimate issues?

Sydney

Alfaro

SENIOR, CRIMINOLOGY

“We are not going back,” “Women unite now,” “Stand with planned parenthood,” “No human being is illegal,” “Equality.”

These were just some of the signs visible in the crowds across the world during this year’s Women’s March. Men and women of every race, religion and age came together on the first day of Donald Trump’s presidency to raise awareness of issues that his administration is believed to be trying to alter while he is in office sometime during the next four years.

The Women’s March happened in major cities all throughout the U. S. and locations overseas for a total of over two million people.

Trump made countless claims during his presidential campaign that included overturning Roe v. Wade; deportation of nonpermanent residents; funding restrictions on certain federal departments; and a temporary ban on refugees fleeing their homes and fearing for their lives.

Jacob Henson, junior theology and international relations major, saw the protest actions as constructive – whether agreed with or not.

“These marches are good to hear the voice of women,” Henson said. “Whether this is something an individual is in favor of or against, there is no denying that a good chunk of the women in the U.S. feel unsatisfied with the current state of things.”

Even though there are many who argue that the Women’s March may have been unnecessary, it’s clear to see that substantial concerns about public policy was the focus.

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief Paige Gandara-Valderas Managing Editor Michelle Michimani-Leyva Copy Editor Dean Detten Advertising Manager Daria Flowers Layout and Design Editor Julia Ewalefo Web Editor Samantha Ramos Photo Editor Natalia Zuniga News Editor Gemeny Givens Features Editor Megann Vera Commentary Editor Sydney Alfaro 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 300 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.

“This is something to pay attention to,” Henson said. “After all, the way to a successful, healthy and content nation is through understanding and listening.”

The Women’s Marches have been recorded as one of the largest multi-city protests in U.S. history. The crowds that gathered in Los Angeles and Washington D.C. were the most prevalent.

What’s most interesting about a protest of such a large capacity is the ability to keep it peaceful. An estimated 500,000 people attended the march in Washington D.C. and not one arrest was made.

Along with the multiple reasons the marches were a positive example of a productive protest, there are those aspects that can be seen as deconstructive.

It’s been reported that there were some eager to participate, but turned away because they did not support all of the objections to Trump’s outlined policy, such as pro-life people who still were opposed to his derogatory rhetoric. There were also those who clutched signs that just said “Dump Trump,” and “Not my President.” There are a multitude of explanations for the phrases, but was the point of the march to shed light on the abrupt policy changes or reject the newly appointed president?

All in all people will shrug off what they don’t want to hear. The march was certainly not an event where there was a complete consensus. Nonetheless, it cannot be ignored that heads were turned and a historical movement was made.

Policies adjusted by the White House do not change overnight. But if people continue to rally together to make note of the popular opinion against certain actions, their voices will be heard.

Louie

Diaz

FRESHMAN, HISTORY

Following President Donald Trump’s inauguration, millions of men and women grabbed their picket signs and took it to the streets in a series of worldwide protests collectively known as the Women’s March.

While everyone has a right to protest, doing so without a purpose or to promote oppressive organizations and disprove gender-related statements is a waste of time.

Not many people understand the purpose of the march. Was it a protest or a call for change? One of the people who attended the march in Austin describes why it was organized.

“A general overview on what the march was about was reproductive rights, women’s equality, equal pay … immigration and how we women do support immigrants in this country … we also talked about racism,” Kayla Trevino, junior philosophy major, said.

Peaceful protesting is an effective way to express discontent and make one’s opinions heard on issues where change is needed. This was not the case for the Women’s March.

Through a feminist perspective, the Women’s March may be seen as an act of unity and togetherness; but looking at it rationally, one can uncover why the rhetoric they use is more divisive and regressive than uniting. Protesters supported Black Lives Matter, a movement that is still developing all over the country. Trevino and many other protesters view Black Lives Matter differently than its intended purpose: as a counterweight to institutionalized racism.

“There is obviously racism in this country

today, and I think that it was brought up in the Women’s March to make everyone aware that it’s still here,” Trevino said.

This protest also had star-power with celebrities such as Madonna, Scarlett Johansson, Ashley Judd and several others who were speakers at the march in Washington D.C. Identity politics and virtue signaling were major characteristics of the speeches. One example is filmmaker and author Michael Moore who speaks on the need of more people with minority identities in leadership roles.

“We need new leadership, we need young leadership, we need women leadership, we need people of color, we need gay and lesbian and bisexual and transgender [leadership],” Moore said.

While there is nothing wrong with having a person who is gay, a woman or another person with a minority identity in power, it should be because they have great ideas. Just voting for someone solely based on his or her background is irresponsible, which is what it seems some of the speakers were advocating.

The main problem with a vast majority of the protesters at the Women’s March is the fact that they don’t understand that they are the problem. Participants find racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia and xenophobia where it is nowhere to be found.

These marches promote debunked myths like the wage gap and scorn anyone who disagrees with them.

The fact is that there is equality of opportunity in the U.S., and it is up to the individual person to determine their outcome — positive or negative. Although they had a right to protest, the Women’s March was unnecessary, ill-advised and blatant political correctness outrage.

Media heightens concern over mental illness Ana

Gonzalez SOPHOMORE, POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL AND GLOBAL STUDIES

Hollywood has greatly profited from vilifying mental illness, especially disorders like Dissociative Identity Disorder, Schizophrenia and Anxiety on the big screen, to create nail-biting thrillers. The way in which mental illnesses are portrayed in the media can negatively affect the way the viewers, whose only knowledge of mental illness often comes from the media, interact with the people who suffer from these illnesses in reality.

The highly anticipated film “Split” recently arrived in theaters earning a total of $40 million in box office sales during its opening weekend. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, “Split” tells the story of three young girls who are kidnapped by a character named Kevin, played by James McAvoy, who shifts personalities throughout the film.

Locked away in a dark and cold facility, the three teenagers soon discover that they were stolen by a man who has 23 different visible personalities that range from a mischievous child to a grown woman that oversees the place. In addition, a 24th personality referred to as “the Beast” forms throughout the movie. This iteration is the most monstrous and therefore whom the young girls try to escape from.

Kevin, the villain in this movie, has Dissociative Identity Disorder, or DID. Researchers believe that this disorder is a

coping mechanism in response to a possible painful childhood trauma like physical, sexual or emotional abuse. People who have DID may live in a constant state of confusion, hear one or more voices or develop entire personas they come in and out of.

Despite the National Alliance on Mental Illness reporting fewer than 2 percent of people having one of the three types of dissociative disorders, of which DID is one, it is a common choice for movie themes and “surprising” plot twists.

Past roles include Michael Myers from the popular horror movie series, “Halloween,” who is constantly escaping from psychiatric hospitals to hunt down his sisters. Hannibal Lecter from the “Silence of the Lambs” is classified as a high-functioning sociopath who eats other people. While they make for exciting movies, people who suffer from these mental illnesses are rare and it is even more rare that a person who has one becomes violent.

Some may stay away from certain aspects of the media if the topic hits too close to home. Films that negatively portray mental illness can impact people’s perceptions.

“Imagine if your child suffered from the same thing that the bad guy in the movie had,” Gelsey Castorena, freshman economics major, said. “You’ll be concerned. Everyone will think your kid is evil.”

While some people have been critical of these films’ portrayal of mental illness, if done carefully, it can have the effect of normalizing conversations about mental illness. This is because popular, mainstream

movies like “Split,” “Halloween,” “Silence of the Lamb” and “Rain Man” all raise awareness of mental illnesses.

Even though Hollywood does often portray a specific disorder as dangerous, it also conveys knowledge that these disorders do exist.

“It helps people be aware because many don’t know about mental illnesses,” Leandra Rodriguez, sophomore criminal justice major, said. “If it’s not promoted, then people wouldn’t know as much about it.”

While exposure is important, films should focus on the everyday struggles of people with common mental illnesses rather than feature an extreme case that can be harmful to actual sufferers of them. Therefore, it is important to start portraying mental illnesses in a way that instills curiosity and empathy rather than fear in order to change the perceptions regarding those who suffer from them.

Source from Flicker/Pixabay/Sam Ramos

COMMENTARY 7

FEB. 8, 2017 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

DeVos agitates traditional opinions with new education policies Tamara

Garcia JUNIOR, ENGLISH

News of Betsy DeVos’ nomination for head of the Department of Education from President Donald Trump back in November 2016 spread like wildfire across news and social media sites, with progressive and liberal groups mostly leading the cause against her nomination by urging citizens to call their senators and tell them not to vote in her favor. Now that DeVos has the nomination approved on this level, it will advance to the Senate floor where she will also need a majority vote to be confirmed The Senate Committee for Health,

Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) voted on the morning of Jan. 31 to advance the nomination of DeVos as the Secretary of Education. DeVos got the necessary majority of votes to be approved in committee, with the 11 Democratic senators voting against and the 12 Republican senators voting for her nomination.

By the looks of it, there really is no stopping DeVos and as college students, this should be especially alarming. Among the multitude of reasons of why DeVos should not head the Department of Education, there are several that stand out.

For starters, DeVos and her children have never attended a public school.

According to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education only 1

Source from startribune.com

in 10 students from kindergarten through the twelfth grade attend private school.

This means that she and her children are among the 10 percent of people who have not attended a public school, yet she would be making decisions for the 90 percent of American students who do.

Not only is DeVos completely out of touch with the majority of American children and families, she was born and married into millionaire families which together raised her to the billionaire status. While she claims, “every child deserves to attend school in a safe, supportive environment where they can learn, thrive and grow,” DeVos cannot begin to fathom the everyday difficulties the average American family faces In addition to her privileged private school past and economic status, DeVos has long been an advocate for the voucher system and charter schools. The voucher system, which would cost $20 billion in federal dollars annually, would give lowerincome students $12,000 each to put toward private school tuition, including religious schools. Many opponents of DeVos see this as a threat to public education and an infringement on the separation of church and state.

Even if these reasons are not convincing enough, two major U.S. teaching unions have staunchly opposed DeVos’ education and teaching ideology. Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, released a statement saying “the sum total of her [DeVos’] involvement has been spending her family’s wealth in an effort to dismantle public education in Michigan.”

Lily Eskelsen Garcia, the president of the National Education Association, released

a statement explaining that DeVos “has consistently pushed a corporate agenda to privatize, de-professionalize, and impose cookie-cutter solutions to public education.”

The Trump administration has already ruffled the feathers of millions of Americans with the recent executive order imposing a travel ban targeting Muslim-majority countries. His nomination of Betsy DeVos has clearly, and for obvious reasons, done the same thing and it hasn’t even gone through the Senate for a floor vote yet.

The rebellion against DeVos, the Trump administration and what they stand for will continue. But everyone needs to find ways to make opposing efforts constructive rather than detrimental, especially students who have benefited from public education. The Senate had not voted for her confirmation as of the date of publication.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S NOMINEE FOR SECRETARY OF EDUCATION? WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR! SUBMIT TO RATTLERNEWS@GMAIL.COM CHECK US OUT ONLINE WWW.STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

A letter to the editor: response to student’s unease of Trump’s new presidency John

Menchaca ALUMNUS, B.A. 1964

I just finished reading your paper’s cover story concerning this year’s presidential election and I wish to make a few comments about it. As a graduate of St. Mary’s (B.A. Chemistry ’64), I still remember my friends from both the Young Democrats and the Young Republicans on campus and also remember crying when we heard the news about President John F. Kennedy’s assassination about 53 years ago.

To begin, I fully understand the current uncertainty that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) youngsters

Photo by The Rattler Staff

find themselves in. As a matter of fact, when I was practicing pediatrics until 2014 in Fort Worth I had a lot of “anchor babies” in the practice, who, because of their birth in the U.S., were citizens. Many of them also had older siblings who were non-citizens.

Since many of these families were of very modest means the vast majority of the anchor babies also qualified for Medicaid, which was cheerfully accepted. What concerned me the most was the difficult situation the older siblings were in. The school districts accepted them but I knew that things would change once they finished their secondary school education. To be honest many of them were high achievers; thus I was pleased when President Barack Obama set up DACA. Looking at my hard choices — I was shocked to hear President Donald Trump’s thoughts when he first announced his candidacy for president back in summer 2015. Frankly the information was correct — there were, and are, some criminals embedded in the large numbers of people crossing the border without papers or those that overstay their visitor visas. But the majority was and continues to come to the U.S. looking for an opportunity to better their lives. Unfortunately Trump made the mistake, or perhaps did so for the shock value, of emphasizing the criminal component rather than the law abiding, good people that are the majority.

When my choices for president became limited to either Trump or Hillary Clinton, I felt anxious and frankly almost depressed.

As I tried to make these difficult choices I knew that there were several actions taken

by Clinton that others would have gone to jail for. I also considered her haughty attitude toward a lot of the blue-collar middle class, which I lay claim to.

As a Catholic it’s clear her political leanings, very pro abortion and liberal in many issues, would go counter to those ideals. I also knew that Clinton’s Supreme Court appointments would go completely against our basic Catholic principles of the respect for all life from conception to natural death, traditional marriage and other issues central to the faith In addition she had expressed the opinion that Catholics had to change these principles.

Finally people around her were ready to mount an all out attack on religion to the point of reinterpreting the first amendment to mean freedom of worship instead of freedom of religion. That would put many of our public and charitable efforts as Catholics to help people in need from being allowed in the public square.

As for Trump, despite his outrageous statements, I, with some troubling reservations, accepted his message — the country was going the wrong way. In fact, various polls concluded that about 78–89 percent of those polled agreed that the country was headed in the wrong direction.

Incidentally about 30 percent of Latinx, about 52 percent of Catholics and about 80 percent of Evangelicals voted for Trump in the election.

Let us go beyond the uncertainty of

DACA. DACA is one of Obama’s executive orders that needs preserving because it is the right thing to do. As I see it, I took comfort in Trump’s most recent words: deport criminals, secure the border and build the wall, and only then look at the lawful folks here without papers.

To paraphrase what he said — the noncriminal population are “good people.”

What I think will occur is that the remaining 10–12 million law abiding will eventually become citizens and not be deported. We still cannot forget those from the same countries that have legally applied for and now have the green cards.

We all, as a part of the St. Mary’s community, need to consider maintaining a sympathetic ear to our wonderful bright students here via DACA. While keeping in mind what our country as a whole is all about; where we are and where we need to go at this time in history.

WE APPRECIATE OUR WRITERS! HOWEVER THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE PIECES PUBLISHED IN THE RATTLER DO NOT REFLECT THE VIEWS OR PERSPECTIVES OF THE EDITORIAL STAFF OR ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY.

10 FEATURES

EDITOR: MEGANN VERA | @STMURATTLERNEWS | FEB. 8, 2017

FEATURES 11

FEB. 8, 2017 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

St. Mary’s recognizes Marianist leaders VALERIA GARCIA / DEAN DETTEN STAFF WRITER / COPY EDITOR

For the past 200 years, the Marianist charism has spread throughout the world.

St. Mary’s is home to many recognized Marianist leaders, both faculty and students, who carry out the Marianist traditions.

To honor the support, faithfulness and active participation these leaders have demonstrated throughout their time at St. Mary’s, the Marianist Heritage Award is given to distinguished individuals in the community.

This year two faculty members, one staff member, and two graduating seniors were selected to receive this award. The faculty and staff members who were awarded the honor are Dr. Stephanie Ward, associate professor and chair of the department of management; Dr. Winston Erevelles, professor of industrial engineering and Dean of the School of Science, Engineering and Technology; and Dr. Rosalind Alderman, vice provost for enrollment management. Geovanie Ordonez, senior international relations and political science major; and Michael Maciel, senior finance and risk management major, were this year’s student recipients.

On Thursday, Jan. 26 the recipients gathered for a special ceremony and breakfast before being recognized at the annual Marianist Heritage mass. This year’s bicentennial mass celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Marianists and the continued impact they make today.

Recipients are selected after reviewing their involvement both on and off campus.

Faculty members are also chosen based on their work in the classroom.

Being selected as a recipient of this award is considered a privilege and an honor.

This is true for Maciel who also feels it is a symbolic marker of his personal progress to fitting the Marianist charism he has learned

on campus. “[I am] very honored to have received such an award that embodies the spirit and values of the Marianist community,“ Maciel said. “I am also very thankful to have been considered for this award as it tells me I am on the right track to following and incorporating the Marianist charism into my everyday life.”

Ordonez offers another definition of leadership, one that comes from living the principles of Marianist education.

The philosophy of servant leadership in community has been a part of the Marianist identity since its founding, is also something she describes.

“To me, what it means to be a Marianist is to be a servant leader,” Ordonez said.

“To be a Marianist is to lead by example and only use works when needed.”

The examples set by the Marianists themselves also inspired Ordonez’s time as a St. Mary’s student and lay Marianist leader. Their example is something that she has tried to apply to her everyday life both on campus and off.

“I am blessed to have met some of the most inspiring Marianists on campus,” Ordonez said. “I know that I would not be the leader I am without the their guidance.

I try to live this everyday through my personal interactions with the people I meet and talk to.”

The recipients reflected on their experiences on the St. Mary’s campus, especially those that would not be possible at other universities.

In addition to this sentiment, Ward describes why she enjoys being a professor and the opportunities that it presents.

“I love challenging students to do more, be more and love more,” Ward said. “College isn’t supposed to be easy, but it is also supposed to be about becoming yourself. Working with students to help them decide their path is incredibly rewarding.”

Rattlers take action against assaults MEGANN VERA FEATURES EDITOR

Sexual assaults on college campuses occur at far higher rates than off-campus assaults do and are reported infrequently.

Many campuses across the U.S. are trying to establish safe environments for students that help prevent future assaults and create systems where victims past assaults feel comfortable reporting the incident where he or she finds a strong support system. St. Mary’s is one of these colleges working to provide resources and safe spaces for students.

In August 2016, St. Mary’s adopted the philosophies of “It’s On Us.” It’s On Us is a campaign that is gaining ground not only at universities but also across the country in general. Many celebrities take part in campaign videos that promote stepping up and working toward bringing an end to sexual assault and the stigmas surrounding assault victims. The It’s On Us campaign has four main goals summed up in four words: recognize, identify, intervene and create.

It’s On Us asks colleges to recognize non-consensual sex as sexual assault, to identify situations where sexual assaults may occur, to intervene in situations where consent has not been given and to create environments that make it clear that sexual assault is unacceptable and that survivors are supported. Since state definitions and laws surrounding sexual assault vary, the campaign offers a way of applying a universal standard of consent-lacking sex being treated as assault.

This semester campus leaders for the It’s On Us campaign John Wickline, director of judicial affairs; and Charity BowenMiller, assistant director of residence services, introduced an It’s On Us initiative called the “Step Up Bystander Intervention Program.” The program involves a set of six weekly training sessions from Jan. 27 through March 3 in which participants

will learn how to identify warning signs and when and how to intervene in tough situations.

Participants will also be made aware of valuable resources and given tips on how to share those resources. Jocelyn Rodriguez, sophomore criminology major, is one of this semester’s participants.

“I joined because I have been a victim of the bystander effect and I never want that to happen to anyone else,” Rodriguez said. “So now I’m making an effort to learn how I can help others.”

That’s exactly what the Step Up program seeks to do: convince witnesses to “step up” and help others.

When face to face with a risky situation, bystanders can choose to walk away or to take action. It’s On Us and St. Mary’s are asking students to choose to take action.

The Bystander Intervention program gives students the resources and knowledge they need to step up and take action.

The Step Up program helps train bystanders on how to act for both emergency and non-emergency situations.

For emergency situations bystanders are encouraged to try to calm people involved, provide support and to identify the best exit strategies for all persons involved.

Step Up reminds bystanders to avoid physical altercations.

For non-emergency situations, especially those involving victims of assault, Step Up encourages students to use a fivepoint formula. The formula involves committing to five actions: I care, I see, I feel, I wonder and I will. These actions are rooted in showing victims support and avoiding judgment.

The Step Up Bystander Intervention program, along with the whole It’s On Us campaign encourages everyone to be active bystanders. It hopes to create people who are willing to not only take action in order to prevent assaults and also support victims after the fact.

12 ENTERTAINMENT

EDITOR: MIRIAM ROBLES | @STMURATTLERNEWS | FEB. 8, 2017

Movie Review

FROM “COVER”

Cut e, in Vale expe d ntine’s nsive

D ate idea ay s!

2.5 out of 5 Rattlers

Rent a projector from the AMC and set up a private movie theater for you and your date to watch your favorite movies!

Take your significant other to a free night at an art exhibit. Try going downtown for free at Artpace San Antonio!

Try using an easy online recipe to prepare a romantic rooftop dinner for two! Try going to Chaminade Hall’s rooftop or Founders Hall’s balconies.

Take a romantic walk through the park with your significant other.

Hemisfair Park provides the perfect ambience! If transportations is an issue, try going to the campus gazebo.

Graphic by Samantha Ramos

“L a L a L and” MIRIAM ROBLES ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

There are only a few negative reviews for “La La Land:” this will be one of them. “La La Land” directed by Damien Chazelle, stars Ryan Gosling as Sebastian, a disillusioned jazz musician who dreams about starting his own jazz club; and Emma Stone as Mia, an aspiring down-on-her-luck actress who is on the verge of giving up. Sebastian and Mia meet by chance and what first starts out as a tumultuous relationship develops into a romantic courtship.

Their relationship is tried, of course, by the difficulty of pursing their artistic aspirations. Sebastian gives up on his dream of opening up a jazz club and instead joins his high school classmate Keith, who is played by John Legend, as a pianist in what he considers a “sell-out” jazz band. Mia, meanwhile, attempts to produce her own one-woman show, at the encouragement of Sebastian, which ends poorly and she becomes discouraged; all the while, Sebastian is doing great touring with his band. Their relationship becomes strained, but ultimately they help each other in the pursuit of their art.

The better moments of the film can definitely be credited to the actors: Stone and Gosling have great chemistry together and they show talent in portraying a scene that would otherwise be dragging and dismissively humorous. Legend is also quite charming and will hopefully pursue more acting roles in the future. Any awards that the cast gets is quite deserved.

The issue with “La La Land” is as charming and quirky as it is, it pretends to be a bold new homage to artists and their hardships.

This is hard to believe for two reasons: first of all, while this film relies on old Hollywood tropes in a modern setting, it isn’t anything revolutionary because it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. As John Legend’s character puts it, “You can’t be a revolutionary if you keep playing the same old stuff.”

Secondly, it’s very hard to sympathize with two struggling artists who are played by two very successful, traditionally attractive actors. Moreover, another layer of meaning would have been added had Sebastian been black, something that would’ve made his devotion to jazz culturally relevant and not just straight up pretentious.

“La La Land” had wonderful visuals, talented actors and its score was satisfying.

However, one could argue that it buys into its own hype and that it does little of what it actually promises to do.

ENTERTAINMENT 13

FEB. 8, 2017 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

Moviegoers anticipate 2017 blockbusters TAWNY DAVIS STAFF WRITER

This year already seems to be full of blockbusters with major romance, horror and action films.

In the genre of romance films, the much anticipated sequel to the 2015 major film “50 Shades of Grey,” “50 Shades Darker” already seems like a hit to many fans, which will hit the theaters Feb. 10. The other romance film that is highly awaited this year brings out the Disney lover in everyone: Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”

In the category of horror films, two classics return to haunt viewers. The “Saw” franchise will hit theaters again this year with its eighth installment, “Saw: Legacy,” on Oct 31. Another popular franchise, “Insidious,” is also adding another film with “Insidious: Chapter 4” expected on Oct. 20.

Both are expected to scare even the toughest of people and be pleasing to the lovers of horror.

Superhero action films are expected to be a big hit this upcoming summer as well.

Among the most discussed films from Marvel for this year, are “Logan,” “Guardians of the

Sta ff Pick s

Galaxy: Vol. 2,” “Spiderman: Homecoming,” and “Thor: Ragnarok”. DC Comics is also hoping to lure record audiences with anticipated titles such as “Wonder Woman” and “Justice League” coming out this year.

Among the other action films are “Kong: Skull Island,” “Fast and Furious 8,” “War for the Planet of the Apes,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” which are all either sequels or remakes. That has only seemed to build the anticipation and excitement of these installments in popular franchises.

Quite possibly the most anticipated film of the year is the next installment of one of the most popular franchises in the world, “Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi,” which will premier Dec. 15. The movie already has caused frenzy when they released the title of the film, which brought more questions than answers than what the fans would like.

Overall, 2017 falls into the trends of remakes, adaptations and sequels, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as they seem to do well at the box office. This year is about big-budget movies that make big impressions, offering movies for nearly every type of moviegoer to be excited about.

Most Anticipated

Movies of 2017

1. Beauty and the Beast 2. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 3. Spider-Man: Homecoming

4. Star Wars: Episode 8 5. Wonder Woman

Celebrities embrace activism during the Women’s March our country.”

Drawing crowds that experts have deemed to be larger than that of President Trump’s inauguration, the Women’s March on Washington was one of many held in many cities not only in the United States, but also across the globe. Marching

“

It’s great for them to draw attention to something they’re passionate about, especially when they have a young fan base and can draw its attention to something actually affecting people, Jolynn Rodriguez freshman, biology major

SAMANTHA SALAZAR STAFF WRITER

Thousands of people around the world took to the streets of Washington D.C. in an unprecedented event — the Women’s March on Washington.

The day after President Donald Trump was inaugurated into office, thousands of women, men and children gathered in Washington D.C. to protest what they felt was an affront on women in general due

Queen Bey shook the social media sphere when she announced that she was pregnant with twins last week.

to remarks made by the then presidential candidate last year. Several celebrities, who gave what has been called charged speeches, also were in attendance.

The cause, as outlined on the Women’s March website, details the purpose as standing together “ . . . in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health and our families — recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of

“

Zendaya in Los Angeles during the 2017 Women’s March. | Source from Entertainment Weekly

alongside the crowds were big-name actors and musicians including Emma Watson, Miley Cyrus, Zendaya, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Gina Rodriguez and many more. Madonna, Scarlett Johansen, America Ferrera, Janelle Monae and Alicia Keys also spoke during the Washington D.C. iteration of the Women’s March.

“We are not afraid, that we are not alone, that we will not back down, that there is power in our unity and no opposing force stands a chance in the faith of true solidarity,” said Madonna during her speech.

Jolynn Rodriguez, freshman biology major, thinks the celebrity presence ultimately helped the cause and widened its audience.

This Week In Pop Culture

Arnold Schwarzenegger took to Twitter and offered to swap career with President Trump.

Lady Gaga took to the stage for the Super Bowl Ll.

“It’s great for them to draw attention to something they’re passionate about, especially when they have a young fan base and can draw its attention to something actually affecting people,” Rodriguez said.

Zonia Huerta, sophomore psychology major, believes that celebrities and public figures in attendance were an important factor in how successful the march was because of their widespread audience.

This was especially important because of the social media presence celebrities have.

“I think that having prominent people there showed that the issues raised by the march don’t only affect women of specific demographics, but women of all walks of life. I think that celebrities reach a wide audience, which is the goal right now, so that we can affect change in all areas, not just in the cities that held marches,” Huerta said.

Kimberly Moreno, freshman criminology major, believes that the famous people in attendance were an encouraging factor for women to get involved.

It also gave them an opportunity to act as representations for their larger audience who may have not been able to attend.

“Celebrities are in a position where they have a voice, and being able to use that to encourage and inform the world about the real matters of the world, is amazing and motivating,” states Moreno.

Overall, the celebrity presence at the Women’s March on Washington and its sister marches around the world impacted the cause by raising awareness. Celebrity presence at the march allowed them to reach an expansive audience it might have not otherwise reached.

Scientist Bill Nye took to the stage during New York Fashion Week. Proving fashion is for everyone.

14 LIFESTYLE

EDITOR: MICHELLE MICHIMANI-LEYVA | @STMURATTLERNEWS | FEB. 8, 2017

NATALIA ZUNGIA PHOTO EDITOR

Pasta dish at La Sorrentina reviewed. | Photo by Natalia Zungia

’

MICHELLE MICHIMANI-LEYVA MANAGING EDITOR

A hole in the wall perfectly describes La Sorrentina. This hidden gem is right next to campus, so close in fact that their lights can be seen from the Village.

La Sorrentina has a family ambiance created by the multiple photographs of family and celebrities, like Fabio, who have visited the restaurant. The fresh flowers on every table and the location’s small size also gives its visitors a romantic feel.

Perhaps the restaurant’s biggest perk is the 10-minute walking distance from campus.

The wait staff contributes to the experience by providing excellent service due to their attentiveness and welcoming demeanor.

Along with their service, the food does not disappoint in the slightest. The menu provides various choices costing no more than $10, each meal containing the choice of a soup or salad (This editor recommends

the soup). Due to the overwhelming choices of dishes, the waitress provided a recommendation — the penne alla vodka.

The dish was a great recommendation.

The penne pasta was in a red cream vodka sauce that resembles the tastes of an Alfredo sauce, but with double the tang and flavor. For the relatively small price of $9.95, the plate was good value due to the taste and portion given.

While there, a pizza was also ordered.

The pizza was extremely cheesy, but had a soft, yet sturdy crust worth more than the price of $8.95 for a 14-inch pie.

Overall, La Sorrentina is a great restaurant for reasons such as the atmosphere and the food. It is a gem to have so close to campus that provides enough meals that accommodate a college student’s wallet.

Keep a look out for another restaurant review that offers a delicious plate for under $10. Have a favorite restaurant you want reviewed? Tweet us @stmurattlernews

Welcome to #Rattlertriesthis, a new section where The Rattler Newspaper staff tries various things and reports back.

In this first edition, we will be covering liquid lipsticks by using both high end and drugstore brand liquid lipsticks.

Lipstick brands in review: High end include Kylie Matte Liquid Lipstick Kristen shade; Kat Von D Ever Lasting liquid Lipstick Lolita shade; and Anastasia Heathers Liquid Lipsticks Drugstore brands include Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme Craze Shade; Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick; and NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream Stockholm Shade.

Ratings: For Maybelline. “So overall I would give this probably a three out of five just because it does take a while to set and it is a little bit flaky ... but it is really pigmented and does stay on really well overall” Miriam Robles, entertainment editor, says.

For Anastasia “I would give this a four. It did stay on pretty well, it faintly did an

imprint on the straw and coffee, but it really did seem to rub off in the inner lip. For the price I would give it a four” Michelle Michimani, managing editor, says.

For Kylie Lipstick “I would definitely give it a five.

There was nothing that really came off. I’d say you’d have to re-apply … but it’s definitely pigmented.” Sydney Alfaro, commentary editor, says.

For NYX lipstick. “Overall it’s alright … lets go with a 4.5 for the NYX.” Megann Vera, features editor.

For Kat Von D. “I’m gonna give a four because it’s a very expensive product. They are about $18 each and they are still very flaky and it’s very expensive to buy.” Paige Gandara-Valderas, editor-in-chief, says. “I would give Milani a 4 because it seems it will last and it’s very smooth,” Sam, web editor.

For full coverage on #Rattlertriesthis visit our website at stmurattlernews.com

Brand lipsticks. | Photo by Natalia Zungia

Drugstore lipsticks. | Photo by Natalia Zungia

NATALIA ZUNGIA PHOTO EDITOR

Survey was done over Twitter poll, each 20 participants Graphics by Michelle Michimani-Leyva

SPORTS | 15

FEB. 8, 2017 | STMURATTLERNEW.COM

Rattler baseball season opener ends with team on the ropes DEMARIUS HOLMES SPORTS EDITOR

Rattler baseball started their season Friday, Feb. 3 against the Arkansas Tech Bulldogs who came to compete at Dickson Stadium. While the opening game was not what the Rattlers were hoping for, the game was an opportunity to play a tough team to learn where the team’s strengths and weaknesses lie.

The first two innings of the game were fairly competitive, with both innings ending without a score. The first runs came in the

Zach Johnson (AB). | Photo by Demarius Holmes

third inning, when Arkansas Tech scored from a hit from junior, Jake Harvey. Another run by freshman, Dylan McDearmon then followed that up leaving the bulldogs in the lead 2-0.

The Rattlers then came back and tied up the game with a run with two bases loaded and a hit made by junior, Oscar Betancourt.

This was followed up by a hit made by Bryan Ramirez, graduate student in the business administration program, which paved the way for Betancourt to complete his run. This left the Rattlers in the lead going in to the fourth inning 2-3.

During the fourth inning both teams defended well enough to again not allow any scoring. But when the fifth inning began the Rattlers loaded two bases and a hit by Jack Kaiser, senior accounting major, allowed junior, Jacob Aguilar to score, increasing the lead by two points.

This was then followed up by a hit from Donnie Perez, sophomore exercise and sport science major. This opened up an opportunity for Kaiser and Ramirez to score leaving the game 2-6. At this point it seemed that the Rattlers had a healthy

Arkansas Tech player Zach Klockowski swinging at bat during the 3rd inning. | Photo by Demarius Holmes

lead and would emerge victorious in this matchup, but Arkansas Tech never quit playing and came back in the sixth inning, scoring four more times, tying the game 6-6.

With three more innings left the Bulldogs

would end up keeping the Rattlers at six and manage to score four more times, winning the game 10-6. At the rematch on Saturday, Feb. 4 the Rattlers won 17-7. For more stats visit rattlerathletics.com

Sports injuries are threatening for college athletes, could be career ending

X-ray of humerus spiral fracture due to a basketball injuries. | Source from wikimedia.com

CHISARA IWUCHUKWU CONTRIBUTING WRITER

As the semester gets back into full swing, so do sports. Basketball, tennis, golf, baseball

and softball are starting back up again. But as student athletes get back to work, they also go back to risking themselves to injuries.

While college sports are generally safe, there are still many risks of injury posed to

athletes that are almost impossible to avoid.

One study looking at soccer and basketball players in the NCAA over the course of five years found that women tend to get more knee and ACL injuries than men do. But most of the time injury rates are determined by the sport and training, not gender.

In tennis, back injuries are the most common. In softball, many in-game injuries are from sliding, while practice injuries tend to be non-contact.

In baseball, most injuries are to the upper body, usually sprains, strains and ligament injuries.

Pitchers are at a higher risk for injury than are other players as the vast majority of shoulder and elbow injuries, over 70 percent each, were due to pitching.

Another study comparing injuries in sports in the NCAA found that throughout

almost all sports the preseason is the most dangerous time, followed by the in-season, than the postseason. Over 50 percent of injuries were to the lower body, most commonly ankle sprains.

Men’s baseball has the lowest rate of injuries in practices of 1.9 injuries per 1000 athletes in a game or practice.

Women’s softball had the lowest rate in games at 4.3 injuries per 1000 athletes in a game or practice.

While rates of concussions and ACL injuries have been decreasing, this is most likely due to better awareness and identification of these sorts of injuries.

While St. Mary’s athletes are exposed to the same risks as other athletes, identifying the risks posed to them is a step toward prevention of lifelong and career ruining injuries. Checking in on theses injuries can be beneficial in the long run.

Essential vitamins to consume during the spring time to avoid getting allergies MICHELLE MICHIMANI-LEYVA MANAGING EDITOR

For those who suffer from allergies, even when days look like they will be beautiful, a much more congested truth threatens to ruin them in the spring. As the number of airborne allergens continues to be on the rise, it is important to combat them with a healthy solution.

According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, the three seasonal stages are from trees in spring, grass in the summer and weeds in the fall.

Cedar and mold have already started causing allergy-related symptoms the last couple of weeks. Just around the corner, one of St. Mary’s main attractions, the pecan trees, have flowers that will release large amounts of pollen in the spring.

As a quick fix to bothersome sniffles, many turn to over-the-counter medications.

Antihistamines are chemical medications commonly used in treatments for allergies

and are generally available over the counter.

But not needing a prescription does not mean that a sufferer can take as many as he or she needs to relieve symptoms.

The National Capital Poison Center states that in using drugs containing antihistamines, “more is not better.” Too much intake of antihistamines can be harmful to the body since they affect the nervous system. Since there are expected, sometimes bothersome side effects some suggest an alternative — vitamins.

Omega 3’s essential fatty acids are key to preventing allergies. This non-inflammatory vitamin is said to help boost one’s immune system, thus combating common allergy symptoms. An allergy is the result of an immune system response coming into contact with allergenic compounds, such as pollen.

Such allergens are not harmful to the immune system, but are targeted and attacked as though they are according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of

Vitamin C can be found in different tropical fruits like oranges. | Graphic by Demarius Holmes

America. While Omega 3 vitamins are available, Omega 3’s also can be obtained from eating fish.

Vitamin C, found in oranges and other citrus fruits, is said to help reduce allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis is the reaction caused by substances such as pollen that causes itchy, watery eyes and sneezing according to the University of Maryland.

Like the Omega 3, Vitamin C helps a weak immune system thus decreasing

allergy symptoms.

While over the counter drugs are an easy and cheap way to get rid of allergies, some students may prefer a natural alternative.

Keeping sinuses clear with rinses or blowing one’s nose, although it might seem obvious, it’s important to prevent infection from the over-production of mucous. If symptoms persist or worsen, visiting a doctor is recommended to make sure the reaction has not lead to an infection.

16 | SPORTS

EDITOR: DEMARIUS HOLMES | @STMURATTLERNEWS | FEB. 8, 2017

COACHES REMARKS FOR 2017-2018 RECRUITS DEMARIUS HOLMES SPORTS EDITOR

For many coaches, the start of a new year brings the stress of finding new recruits. Many players graduate and move on each year and finding talented athletes to replace them can be a challenge. Sometimes as a coach, adjusting and preparing to coach an entirely new team is something to keep an open mind about.

DONNA FIELDS HEAD JASON MARTENS HEAD WOMEN’S SOFTBALL COACH WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH

Photo by Natalia Zuniga

Photo by Natalia Zuniga

1. What are some key factors that were looked at during this particular recruiting class?

1. What are some key factors that were looked at during this particular recruiting class?

(A) “We are not quite done with our 2017 class but are pleased with whom we have signed thus far.

(B) Key factors: we need to fill some key positions in the outfield. We also recruited some catchers to help with our pitching staff and to give us more depth at that position. Begin to build for tomorrow.

(C) We tried to get a good balance between speed and power in the hitting line up.

(D) Bringing in some athletes that will help in our Infield for the mass departure here in 2017 and next year’s class.”

“We needed some players that can score to replace the seniors who are leading the team in scoring this year.”

2. How do you feel these recruits will fit in with the existing team?

2. How do you feel these recruits will fit in with the existing team?

“We feel that they will fit in well. Several have been coming to our camps the past couple of years and have had the chance to get to know the program.

It is not just about coming to play softball; they are all very excited about the education that they will receive at St. Mary’s. Playing softball is a bonus. Several of them are daughters of alumni.”

“We have only signed one right now, and still need to sign two or three more. But the one we did sign is going to be able to provide us scoring from the wing spot.”

3. What are the differences between this recruitment class and the last one?

“To be honest, it’s too early to tell.”

3. What are the differences between this recruitment class and the last one?

“We did not have as many positions to fill last year. This recruiting class will be larger to help replace the five seniors we lose this year and to prepare for our eight that we will lose in 2018.”

4. What is something that each recruit has in common?

“They were not only interested in our softball program, they were interested in St. Mary’s and the degree they plan to obtain. They know that this is the right step toward a successful future.

Our program will help them learn to manage their time, work as a team, build relationships and prioritize as they prepare for their future.”

4. What is something that each recruit has in common?

“With us only having one signed right now, I can’t really compare, but what we will be continuing to look for this spring are players who can defend and have the ability to put the ball in the basket.”