Trinitonian
Tobacco free Trinity
Say goodbye to sequels
Concussion conundrum
Administration planning to remove all tobacco products from Trinity campus
How Hollywood is changing the approach to franchises and intellectual property for the better.
A look at the dialogue surrounding football, the NFL and a headache of a problem.
PAGE 4 NEWS
PAGE 15 SPORTS
PAGE 12 A&E
Serving Trinity University Since 1902
Volume 114 Issue 5
SEPTEMBER 16, 2016
Student Involvement kicks off recruitment season with Greek Week activities, events Mackenzie Hill, recruitment chair for Alpha Chi Lambda, explained the basic recruitment schedule. “Every club will have a first, second and third round event; first round is pretty much everyone’s invited, second round everyone’s invited, but people who are more interested in the sorority go, so the numbers are usually smaller,” Hill said. Hill explained that third-round events will happen after PNM’s have “preferences” up to three sororities in January. This round of formal events is mandatory for people who want to join an organization, and is by invitation only. Other events throughout the fall semester are more casual.
BY CHRISTIANA ZGOURIDES
NEWS REPORTER
This coming Sunday, recruitment for Trinity’s seven sororities and six fraternities will officially begin with the “Greek 101” information session in Ruth Taylor, followed by a kickoff event on the Esplanade. These events will occur at the end of “Greek Week,” a series of events for current members which lead up to the start of recruitment. “[Greek Week] is more about us getting really excited for the recruitment process, and also demonstrating Greek unity through doing joint events as well as things that are in good, competitive fun,” said Jeremy Allen, coordinator for fraternity and sorority life. In the coming weeks, Potential New Members can look forward to first-round formal events as well as various informal events.
DAVID STOLLMAN presents information about recruitment, Greek life to kick off the eventful week.
photo by CLAUDIA GARCIA
Continued on page 3
Tigers claim victory at Studio 21 shines annual Trinity Fall Classic under pressure Volleyball team undefeated at home weekend tournament
Cast surprised, pulls off first live show
BY ELISE HESTER
BY JULIA ELMORE
NEWS REPORTER
Last weekend at the Trinity Fall Classic, Tiger volleyball dominated, winning all four of their matches. After beating the No. 1 ranked team, Cal Lutheran at the Pacific Coast Classic, the team came into the tournament with confidence and momentum. The first match was against Whittier College. Through an explosive Tiger offensive, the score of the first set rose to 1-12. Trinity’s defense held the Poets to a 9-25 set. The second set saw Whittier gain some momentum, raising the score in the Poets’ favor 7-4. After a timeout, Trinity rallied to come back and win the set 18-25. The third set was back and forth at first. Quickly, however, the Tigers picked up the pace and dominated the Poets through a series of decisive plays, ending the set with a score of 15-25 and the match with a score of 0-3. In their first set, the Tigers earned a comfortable lead against the Whitworth Pirates with a score of 11-25. In the second set, a kill from Schoenberger followed with
a kill from Whitworth’s Cassandra Mendoza brought the score to 1515 in a back-and-forth competition that remained close to the very end. With a score of 23-24, Julie Jenkins, head volleyball coach, called a timeout. After returning to the court, the Tigers quickly gained a victory. In the third set, they held decisive lead with a final score 1125, Tigers. Through a series of strong offensive plays, Trinity defeated Pacific Lutheran University in the first set 15-25. In the second the Tiger defense allowed the Lutes to hold a chance until the end, when with a score of 23-24, a kill from Kirby Smith gave the Tigers victory over the Lutes. Trinity emerged reenergized in the third set, where despite a few errors on the part of Trinity’s offense, the Tigers rallied to win 17-25. Coming into the final match of the tournament, Trinity had yet to fall in this home tournament. As they faced the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, they proved dominant on their home court, not yielding a single set to the Crusaders. The Crusaders proved to be the toughest competition
of the weekend, maintaining a tie throughout the first set. With a score of 20-20, Trinity served up a series of spectacular offensive plays, giving them a victory of 2125. Despite beginning the second set strong, Mary Hardin-Baylor fell behind, allowing Trinity to clench the victory at 18-25. With one set left to gain home court domination, Trinity battled point for point against the formidable Crusaders. With a score of 21-19 in the Crusaders’ favor, the Tigers returned from a timeout to defeat UMHB 22-25. Throughout all four sets the variety of lineups showed Trinity’s wide array of a wholly talented team. “A factor that is key to our victories is the fact that we have such depth on our bench,” said Jade Schoenberger, sophomore right side hitter. “No matter what lineup Coach puts out, we are encouraging and focus on our team goals.” The team’s success last weekend inspired the team to aim high. “Coach has told us countless times that we should be ranked,” Schoenberger said. “We all truly believe that now.”
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The cast and crew of TigerTv’s Studio 21 was preparing for a mock show last Tuesday, but faced a real plot twist when they found out that instead of a rehearsal, they would be taping a live show. The mix-up was simply a scheduling error, but gave the producers only about 24 hours to do a week’s worth of preparations. Rosie Van Vliet, the executive producer, was anxious about if the crew was ready — and if she was ready herself. “Once we found out the show was live, the prep that needed to be done had more to do with training [the] crew,” Van Vliet said. “I was really nervous. I felt like I needed the mock show, personally, because it was my first time directing an episode.” Van Vliet tried to remain calm despite feeling nervous. “I was literally running around trying to oversee everything that was happening. I felt lost and nervous beforehand, but once we got into it, everything went very smoothly,” Van Vliet said.
As the leader of the show, Van Vliet turned to other experienced members of Studio 21 to help prepare the novice cast and crew members. “As a veteran to being on camera, it was pretty important to not get stressed,” said Brenda Ramos, cohost of the opening segment. “We met up an hour before the show to prep and teach a lot of the new people new positions.” “Once I realized this was going to be a live show, I did my best to keep the cast and crew calm,” said Andrew Robertson, associate producer of creative content. “Live show or not, we still had to get in front of the camera doing our parts.” And that was exactly what they did. The clock counted down the final moments, hosts took their seats, videographers focused the cameras in and Van Vliek signaled the start of the show. Ramos and her co-host Zach Wooten opened and were followed by several segments of pop-culture news. The show also featured a live performance by The Lonely Horse, a local band that played three songs.
Continued on page 13
2
WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • SEPTEMBER 16, 2016
• NEWS
BRIEFS SGA At SGA’s meeting the Earn Your Stripes Initiative was discussed. This program would promote student organization success by allowing organizations to compete for LeeRoy Awards. SGA will also be focusing on the cost of textbooks and how to create more open access for students. SGA also heard two funding requests.
TUPD
Local
09.08.16 11:50 a.m. Location: Facilities Services Offenses against property: burglary of vehicles
San Antonio was ranked as second most neighborly city in America. The list was compiled by YouGov and ranking was determined by how likely residents surveyed were to say “hello” to their neighbors. Houston was ranked as number one. The other three cities in the top five were New York City, Phoenix and San Diego. ksat.com
09.12.06 1:34 p.m. Location: 538 K ings Court Offenses against property: theft 09.13.16 7:11 p.m. Location: Sector 2 Fire alarm drill
National The NCA A has pulled seven collegiate championships from North Carolina over a law, House Bill 2, that infringes upon the rights of gay and transgender individuals. The action of the NCA A comes after several other boycotts of the state. However, this one hits the state especially deeply due to North Carolina’s love for college sports. nytimes.com Compiled by Alex Uri
Staff editor-in-chief: Julia Elmore managing editor: Grace Frye business manager: Dzung Vu ad directors: Lauren Harris & Christina Moore news editor: Alexandra Uri campus pulse editor: Emily Elliott arts & entertainment editor: Dylan Wagner sports editor: Markham Sigler opinion editor: Daniel Conrad photo editor: Miguel Webber graphic editor: Tyler Herron layout editor: Katie Groke web editor: Abi Birdsell
circulation director: Maddie Kennedy reporters: Alex Motter, Chris Garcia, Elise Hester, Courtney Justus, Sidney Hopkins, Elizabeth McEnrue, Haley McFadden, Philip McKeon, Jeff Sullivan, Christiana Zgourides columnists: Alejandro Cardona, Max Freeman, Mia Garza, Sarah Haley, Joy Lazarus, Gabriel Levine, Alexander Perkowski, Emily Peter, Callum Squires, Nabeeha Virani copy editors: Soleil Gaffner, Julia Poage, Julia Weis cartoonist: Michael Miller photographers: Noah Davidson, Claudia Garcia, Henry Pratt, Will Insull business staff: Sarah McIntyre, Krushi Patel advertising staff: Melissa Chura, Jordan Williams, Nick Kim, Taylor Shelgren adviser: Katharine Martin
Index News.......................................................3-4 Opinion.................................................5-6 Pulse.......................................................7-10 A&E.......................................................11-13 Sports.....................................................14-16
Corrections Spot a mistake? Email us at trinitonian@trinity.edu, and we will happily run a correction in the following issue.
Contact Us Editorial Emai l . . ..............trin iton ian@trin it y.edu Newsroom. . ......210 -999-8558 Editors.............210 -999-8557 Fax.. ..................210 -999-7034
Advertising Emai l . . ..............trin iton ian-adv@trin it y.edu Ad off ice..........210 -999-8555 Editors.............210 -999-8557 Fax.. ..................210 -999-7034
Onl ine..............trin iton ian.com Facebook. . ........The Trin iton ian Twitter.. ............@trin iton ian
Identification The Trin iton ian [ USPS 640460] [issn 1067-7291] is publ ished week ly during the academic year, except hol idays and f inal exams, by Trin it y Un iversit y, One Trin it y Place, San A nton io, T X 78212-720 0. Subscript ion price is $35 per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at San A nton io, T X. POST M AST ER: Send address changes to the Trin iton ian, One Trin it y Place, #62 , San A nton io, T X 78212-720 0.
Opinions expressed in the Trinitonian are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Trinity University, its students, faculty, staff or the Trinitonian. Editorials represent the opinions of the Trinitonian Editorial Board. The first copy of the Trinitonian is free; additional copies are 50 cents each. ©2016. All rights reserved.
NEWS • SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM
3
Greek Week kicks off recruitment season
continued from front page
“Our formal events are themed, our first two are around some sort of theme. And then informals are usually like ice cream, or dinners, and things like that,” said Kelly Burke, recruitment chair for Spurs sorority. Burke said that recruitment can be worthwhile even for those who are not sure they want to join Greek life. “Even if you don’t want to rush, I encourage people to go. It’s a great way to meet people and just if you’re unsure of where you want to be in school,” Burke said. Trinity’s recruitment lasts all semester before bids are extended on Feb. 3, 2017. Burke said this is a unique and positive aspect of Trinity Greek life. “But I think that’s what makes it special, especially getting the opportunity to rush all semester long,” Burke said. “I feel like that’s a different aspect that most organizations or most universities don’t offer.” Benjamin Blanke, Greek Council men’s recruitment and orientation chair, encouraged students to explore the Greek community even if they are not sure they want to join Greek life. “I would urge everyone to sign up for every club, because you really don’t know what the club has to offer until you’ve gotten to know them,” Blanke said. Blanke said that the recruitment process comes with relatively little time commitment for PNMs. However, sororities’ more extensive use of one-on-one rush dates can create an additional time commitment for women rushing. For Burke, these lifelong relationships are an important part of Greek life, and a benefit of having such a long recruitment period in which PNMs and actives can truly get to know each other. “It’s not just four years, it’s the place you want to come back to for alumni weekend,” Burke said. “It’s the people you want to call when you’re getting married.”
graphic by TYLER HERRON
These positive aspects of Greek Life at Trinity contrast negative media stereotypes of sororities and fraternities. “I was super anti-Greek life prior to coming to Trinity,” Hill said. “I didn’t like the idea of being limited to one organization, or being categorized in one kind of stereotype. And I didn’t like the idea of having to pay for friends, which is kind of what it seems like at national chapters in big schools.” Hill said the connections she made during the recruitment process changed her mind about Greek life. She realized that she would not be limited by being in Greek life.
“I don’t feel limited by my sorority at all,” Hill said. “I have so many friends who are in other organizations or just not Greek at all. And I think that if you can find a community that’s going to help you grow without changing you, then go Greek. And if you don’t, then that’s fine too.” About 76 percent of Trinity students find their place on campus outside of Greek life. Katy Freeman, senior art and communications major, began the recruitment process in her first year at Trinity and decided not to continue. Freeman said that she has nothing against Greek Life
and has friends who are members of Greek organizations. “I just realized that it wasn’t for me,” Freeman said. “A lot of my most memorable college experiences don’t come from the organizations I’m in, they come from just being with my close-knit group of friends, and I’m just ok with that. That’s just something I realized when I came to college.” Students with questions about the recruitment and orientation process are encouraged to contact either Benjamin Blanke or Yvette Peña, recruitment and orientation chair for women.
Jones brings passion to academic affairs Deneese Jones talks about her new position and how her history will help Trinity grow as a diverse community BY PHILLIP McKEON
NEWS REPORTER
Last May Deneeese Jones was selected to serve as vice president for academic affairs. Jones recalls her early memories of Trinity, describing it as being well respected, but unaffordable. “I remembered what I knew about Trinity when I was a high school senior exploring going away to college. This was a place that I looked at, but dismissed because it wasn’t in my price range. Even back then, in the dinosaur age, I couldn’t afford it; I needed to go to a public institution, and I needed a place where I could get an academic scholarship,” Jones said. Jones has spent the first few months of her time at Trinity getting a feel for the culture and climate of the community on campus. “What I’m doing through the roving coffees and through my listening tours through the various units is trying to get an understanding of the present culture so that I don’t make any assumptions based on my history, or what I’ve been told, or what I’ve read. I want to listen to multiple voices because that enlarges my mindset of the culture here. I’m also getting more of a sense of the climate. Those, to me, are different. The climate is what it feels like
at an institution, the culture is what that institution values,” Jones said. Jones finds it of the utmost importance that people get out of their comfort zone, learn from others and grow as a result. “I’m very passionate about people getting outside their concentric circle, because I think that’s what allows people to grow. That’s certainly what expanded my experiences. I moved away from that innercity environment that I had growing up in Dallas, and I’ve been privileged enough to travel, not only within the United States through the various jobs I’ve had, but also internationally. It has expanded my realm, and so I’m very passionate about that for students, faculty and staff,” Jones said. Jones spreads a message of inclusivity and the importance of visible inclusiveness. “I’m passionate about the importance of being inclusive. I think we have some tenets of inclusiveness, but it’s not visible. I’m passionate about that visibility; if it’s in your face, you can’t ignore it. We all have different strengths that can be helpful when used together. If we’re not inclusive, if we’re not intentionally inclusive, we miss those opportunities. To me, that is the educational process,” Jones said. Jones’ thoughts on the educational process are influenced in part by W.E.B. DuBois, a leader in the civil rights movement and the first African American to obtain a Ph.D. from Harvard University. “I’m also passionate about the mindset of the ‘Talented Tenth,’ and this is a mindset that comes from W.E.B. DuBois. DuBois wrote about fostering a ten percent of individuals who can take things back to the
DENEESE JONES welcomes open dialogue with her Roving Coffee Campus Tour photo by CLAUDIA GARCIA
masses. I think it’s important that we keep our eye on the ball, not in an elitist fashion because I think they need to be inclusive of people with different experiences, who bring different things to the table, who offer another point of view. I’m very passionate about us creating that ‘Talented Tenth’ who feel the urging and the need to take back to the masses. That’s how I think we
change culture. That’s how I think we get better as people are challenged beyond their concentric circle,” Jones said. Jones will continue to explore Trinity’s culture through her Roving Coffee Campus Tour and will work to strengthen Trinity as an institution by helping to make it a standard for its peer universities to aspire to be like.
4
WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 •
NEWS
New attempt at a tobacco-free campus Wellness services is hopeful that the proposal will improve student health and school cleanliness BY PHILLIP McKEON
NEWS REPORTER
graphic by TYLER HERRON
The administration has begun to reveal a plan to make Trinity a tobacco-free campus. Katherine Hewitt, coordinator for wellness services on campus, said that Trinity’s students care about issues regarding health and wellness.
“Our students are passionate about health and wellness. They utilize our Bell Center really well, they come see counseling services for mental health issues. They’re passionate about environmental wellness. They want to see a clean campus, they want to see people recycling,” Hewitt said. Hewitt said that a tobacco-free campus would support the views of both students and faculty. “Tobacco free ties in with all of those things. Where we work, where we live, where we study … it should be clean and it should be healthy. If we’re not promoting a tobaccofree environment, that doesn’t line up with our values. That doesn’t line up with the strategic plan,” Hewitt said. Hewitt cited support for the plan and outlined a few of the benefits of having such a program on campus. “It’s not too difficult to implement, and we have a lot of people supporting us, especially from the faculty and staff level. We’re trying to promote it to students and we’ve had some great feedback from them as well. Considering all their other health priorities, it lines up with what they aim to do. One day we hope to tell an incoming class that this is a tobacco-free campus. It cuts down
on trash on the ground, it limits secondhand smoke exposure. There’s just so many benefits,” Hewitt said. The main way for the school to implement such a rule, according to Hewitt, would be to take away the designated smoking areas and receptacles on campus. “Right now, outside of campus buildings, specifically residence halls for example, people can smoke a certain number of feet away from an exit,” Hewitt said. “So that would just go away. So you see a lot of those containers where people can extinguish their cigarette butts, and those would go away as well. You wouldn’t see any of those receptacles because there just wouldn’t be any smoking.” Genevieve Robinson, a junior history major, is skeptical that the plan will work and believes it might create a new problem of littering. “I think getting rid of the receptacles won’t solve the problem, and I think people are just going to smoke regardless. It’s just going to end up with more people littering. The idea of having a tobacco-free campus is nice, but it won’t happen. It’s not going to actually work, and it’s going to create a bigger problem,” Robinson said.
Students and faculty have made some complaints about smoker areas on campusß. “I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from students and faculty alike that there are areas where they don’t like to hang out because there’s always smoke around there. I don’t know if it’s easier to smoke, or more comfortable or more private, but those areas would phase out. It wouldn’t be as accessible, and socially would look different,” Hewitt said. Junior Sophia Spurlock was supportive of the initiative. “When you’re walking to class and there’s someone in front of you smoking, and it gets in your face and you smell it … It’s pretty nasty. So if they banned it, that theoretically wouldn’t happen any more,” Spurlock said. The plan to remove tobacco consumption from Trinity is aimed at preventing tobacco use, not to crack down on those who smoke. “We’re not saying you have to quit smoking or using your tobacco products; you just won’t be able to do it on campus. If you’re off campus, you can do what you want. But if you’re on campus, we’re trying to be healthy, so it’s a bit different,” Hewitt said. It is still unknown when the proposal will take effect, but there will be a town hall to discuss the measure before it is implemented.
Month used to raise Big health changes safety awareness coming to campus New programs hope to improve overall student wellness
Trinity police use September to inform students and staff about being secure on and around campus
BY PHILLIP McKEON
NEWS REPORTER
BY MICHAEL DROZDIAK
NEWS REPORTER
National Campus Safety Awareness Month is underway, and the Trinity University Police Department (TUPD) is taking full advantage of it to make sure that students are fully capable of minimizing their risk. The month is a national event put on by the Clery Center for Safety on Campus. According to the organization’s website, the awareness month began in 2008 to help “college and university communities to create safer campuses.” “We go out there every week, especially near the first-year areas, and whoever else wants to come out there,” said Paul Morales, crime prevention and community resource team leader for TUPD. “We’ll bring our popcorn machine and brochures and stuff that we’re able to give the students as prizes.” The TUPD events and the focus of the month is for the betterment of the entire student body, but Morales admitted there is a particular focus on first years. “Especially the first-year students, they don’t have any idea of college life yet,” Morales said. “They’re probably leaving mom and dad for the first time.” Morales noted that despite the broad topics addressed during the month, it is actually quite straightforward and simple for individual students to increase their specific safety on campus. “It all begins with self-awareness,” Morales said. “Everything you need to know about staying safe on campus, personal safety, it’s broad, it’s huge, it all begins with yourself and how to stay safe on campus.” Trinity’s campus is generally perceived as safe. Junior Kevin Grube said dedicating the entire month to being aware about safety is
graphic by TYLER HERRON
too much based on the lack of crime in and around campus. “Not a whole month,” Grube said. “Maybe a week or two. There is a need for increased awareness, but campus is generally safe.” Morales noted that theft and other such crimes are at risk to happen anywhere, and that the biggest risks specific to Trinity students are their own occasionally excessive drinking habits. “The biggest danger to Trinity students is themselves when they drink too much alcohol. I’ve seen quite a few very ill kids,” Morales said. Morales noted that TUPD is interested not just in fulfilling their obligations to make campus safe, but also to do general good in the Trinity community. Putting on programs like Safety Awareness Month is one such way they stay involved. “We are here for the students and the community. We do a lot for the community, and so we want to go out there and engage,” Morales said. Students interested in learning more can meet with TUPD on Sept. 16 at 11 p.m. in the Coates University Center. There will be “cop corn” and safety information. Campus Safety Awareness Month is set to commence on Sept. 29, with a campus-wide grand finale event.
Trinity has been pushing for healthier lifestyle changes for its students. To accommodate this, it has hired a new nutritionist, Mandy Tyler, and will implement San Antonio’s “¡Por Vida!” dining program. “Trinity put together a strategic plan, and one of the main focus areas of that plan, while academics remains number one, was to support students outside of class as well. Adjusting to a new type of lifestyle looks a lot different on a college campus than it does back home. Nutrition looks a lot different, so it’s a lot of adjustment,” said Katherine Hewitt, coordinator for wellness services. Zeina Zayat, junior biochemistry major, said that the lack of variety on campus is the source of unhealthy eating habits. “Freshii is pretty healthy, it seems like, and I’m pretty sure that’s why we got it in the first place, but there’s only so much salad and stir fry you can eat. If you want a variety of food, you’re going to have to eat unhealthy choices because there are only so many choices on campus. You’re going to get that taco or that bagel because you want something different,” Zayat said. Trinity has recently hired a part-time nutritionist to help educate students on how to make the most of what is available. “Her role is to get familiar with what’s offered on campus, and possibly make suggestions of things that we’re missing. But while she will be more than willing to do that, we want that to come from the students, more or less. More of her role is education and how to put meals together that students might not think of usually with what’s available. Her coaching and teaching is a big part of it as well,” Hewitt said. Some students were hopeful that the new hire could help make changes on campus.
“If the nutritionist is going to tell us what to eat, I hope they tell us what to eat on the meal plan that we have. They should go through and tell us what’s good at the restaurants on campus. I think if it’s going to make a real difference, though, they should have a conversation with the chef at Mabee and make sure there’s a variety of healthy choices each day,” Zayat said. Trinity will be implementing a new program called ¡Por Vida! to help encourage students choose healthier options for meals both on and off campus. “¡Por Vida! is a super exciting program that is based out of the city of San Antonio. It’s actually a city-wide dining program, they just happen to partner with a lot of campus dining options as well. ¡Por Vida! makes healthy meal choices easier for people. Say you want something healthy, but you’re overwhelmed by the number of choices on the menu. The idea with ¡Por Vida! is to look at the menu and then you know that’s a healthy choice for you,” Hewitt said. Sara Calvo, junior mathematical finance major, does not think the problem is not knowing what the healthy options are. “I feel like they’re just going to put the logo on everything at Freshii, then have one or two items at Taco Taco and Einstein’s and then call it a day. I know a veggie bowl is healthier than a taco. That’s not the issue,” Calvo said. ¡Por Vida! items will include both items currently offered and healthier variations of current items in the future. “It’s typically low in saturated fat, low in sodium, low in sugars, there’s no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. A nutritionist will act as a consultant with ¡Por Vida!, will work with our Aramark staff and will be able to identify which food items already qualify as a ¡Por Vida! item,” Hewitt said. “We already have food items that fit those standards, and we just need to label them as such. In other cases, there’s some food items that are really close to hitting that mark, and we just need a little bit of tweaking in the recipe. So the nutritionist will make recommendations on what we can slightly change to fit that criteria.”
Opinion EDITORIAL
“Like on Gilmore Girls?” As college newspaper editors, we spend most of our time in a hidden underground location that we call The Newsroom, emerging only for Jimmy John’s deliveries and lastminute interviews. Our existence is an enigma to many. Outsiders come to us with questions, usually about what happened to the crossword puzzles. Some wonder about how our experiences compare to those of Rory and Paris, the editors of the fictional Yale Daily News in the gone-but-never-forgotten show “Gilmore Girls.” Full disclosure: most Trinitonian editors have not actually watched the show, but in hopes of answering this FAQ, we browsed scenes of the mid-2000s show. One obvious difference is that they print daily, as opposed to the weekly Trinitonian. They have more highfalutin connections through Rory’s boyfriend’s hotshot journalist dad. But we have nicer computers and a better office. In all seriousness, we can’t help but laugh at the similarities. Quotes like “Use both [photos] if we need to fill space,” “Computers keep
crashing” and “Just get it done in 20 minutes” are all too familiar to us. Like Paris and Rory, we do have hats made of newspapers. We’re also led by two women. We often have to improvise and also have a rocky relationship with our printer. In the seasons where Paris holds the title of editor, she’s harsh and does not put up with any nonsense. We’d like to think we are a little nicer, but she might be onto something with her system of assigning numbered caps. Sometimes names are just too much of a hassle, and we have three Julias, which can get confusing. Most of all, we can absolutely confirm that the show’s portrayal of the newspaper staff’s late nights and long hours dedicated to thorough reporting, quality writing and thorough editing are 100 percent accurate. Like Rory and Paris, we love what we do. So as you rewatch “Gilmore Girls” in preparation for the revival season this fall, think of your campus’ hard-working, longsuffering newspaper editors, and maybe consider making a hit TV show based on our weekly efforts.
COMMENTARY Have an opinion? Want others to hear it? For a chance to be featured as a guest columnist, please submit your article to trinitonian@trinity.edu by Monday night to be in Thursday’s issue of the paper.
Playlists: the new mixtapes
Spotify’s streaming services are almost too good to be true The musical spectrum is evolving. I base this observation on the widely used service of Spotify. In middle JOY LAZARUS OPINION COLUMNIST school, the only way I could listen to my favorite hits was to log on to Yahoo! Music through my first email account, which will remain unnamed. There I would find a queue of music videos and audio files. Pandora became the next step. However, it was sadly regulated by an allotted number of skips and playlists filled with pre-selected songs. Eventually, YouTube became a more flexible platform for song choices, but I had to halt whatever I was doing to type and click back and forth between songs. iTunes became an engaging, expensive antidote for a high schooler’s budget. Back in the dinosaur days, song samples were just
“Northrup Burglary”
comic by Michael Miller
30 seconds long — only blind faith led me to buy songs that I couldn’t hear the bridge of. My shuffle was chock-full of soft pop like Maroon 5 and Ke$ha. Then, college lured me to Spotify. Everyone spoke of its wonder, but I was suspicious. What is this magical music source that offers free music of any song fathomable? Previews can be surpassed by a membership, the price alleviated by a discount offered to students? I had an account my first year of college and it’s kept me above water these three years. Spotify was formative in maintaining friendships. By downloading it to a computer and allowing the account to be viewed publicly, friends and foes can follow your music selections. Many of my tunes have been lifted from second or third parties. Sneaking peeks at what friends are listening to is also great fun. It gives me an insight on how their days are going and an opportunity to make false assumptions about their daily habits. You can tell a lot about a person from the title of a playlist. There’s no other indicator of charm other than a properly titled playlist. For example, does it include punctuation? Capitalized and uncapitalized letters? The use of the words ‘study’, ‘party’ or just an emoji? There is no other indicator of charm other than a properly titled playlist. Recently, Spotify has announced that advertisements through the freemium channel will be more tailored to the listener. Spotify
monitors its users by song choice, playlist selection and creation. This data is assessed and then sent to advertisers. The term for this is “targeted advertising,” and it’s possible because advertisers pay companies to send them this data. This change will hopefully curtail those annoying, irrelevant advertisements and supplement them for something more to your liking. The downside, of course, is that this advancement means companies are getting closer to the consumer. Like a good friend making a suggestion for a playlist, advertisers are gently guiding your choices along. The modern mix tape isn’t personally curated anymore, and thus susceptible to a listener’s ear. Despite the excitement of prying into people’s musical lives, I do miss the privacy and the thought of streaming music without corporate insight. With streaming music sites, a modern mix tape guided by the industry’s choice in song is less personal. It’s less special or organicseeming to listen to music shared with you by an algorithm based on your listening habits rather than a caring, thoughtful friend. I long for the days when I could plop in a Sharpie-colored CD and hear a motley of tunes curated by a well-wishing friend. Those songs would feel like a holy soundtrack to our fateful destination, chosen with great care and knowledge of the current music scene. Somewhere, someone has Awesome Mix Vol. 2 just waiting to be listened to.
Autonomous vehicles are rising to new levels Our transportation system is drastically changing to accomodate self-driving cars, thank goodness MARK LEWIS
FACULTY COLUMNIST On March 13, 2004, the U.S. Defense Department’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, held a “Grand Challenge” event for autonomous cars. The bar was pretty low; the cars were supposed to drive 150 miles across the Mojave desert and didn’t have to worry about traffic, pedestrians or even staying on roads. Despite this, not a single team finished. Indeed, no car made it to the 8-mile mark. Five years later, Google began working on an autonomous car project. As of June 2016, their vehicles have logged over 1.7 million miles. Google isn’t the only company making self-driving cars. Indeed, every major car maker in the world is putting significant effort into keeping up. Some are further than others. Tesla boldly included an autopilot mode in their vehicles in late 2015 and many drivers have since pushed the technology beyond what Tesla recommends, including one who was killed this summer when his car ran into a truck that turned in front of him on a highway.
Rapid changes in this field continue. Late this summer, Uber announced that they would begin testing a self-driving taxi service in Pittsburgh, while a company called NuTonomy is doing the same in Singapore. This summer, Ford announced plans to release a fully autonomous car by 2021 for sale to car fleets for companies like Uber and NuTonomy. To be clear, the term “fully autonomous” here means that these cars will not have steering wheels or pedals. There will be no mechanism for humans to drive them — they only drive themselves. Of course, there are many who argue that actual use of this technology is still far off in the future. Some argue that regulatory obstacles and issues over insurance and figuring out who pays for wrecks will slow things down. Traffic laws are written by states in the U.S. though, and not all states are moving slowly. Perhaps in an attempt to maintain what dominance they still have in the car market, Michigan is already moving to make driverless cars legal. The biggest hurdle might turn out to be the miserable state of transportation infrastructure in the
U.S., but even that turns out to be more of a speed bump than a wall in the road. It only means that these cars will need to be able to navigate using more than just cameras. So what are the implications of this rush to make cars that drive themselves, beyond freeing me of the drudgery of my morning commute? One of the bigger ones early on will be the impact on the economy. Uber has already been disrupting taxi services, but their real long-term goal is not to empower drivers, but to obviate them. There are fewer than a quarter million taxi drivers in the U.S., so the likes of Uber and NuTonomy are not going to tank the economy. The bigger economic impact will come from autonomous trucks. There are roughly 3.5 million people employed as some type of truck driver in the U.S. Truck driving is the most common job in 29 states. The automation of truck driving will also reach out further than just taking the jobs of nearly 1.4 percent of the adult U.S. population. The impact on all the towns along interstates that largely exist to serve truck drivers and other people driving long distances will also be significant.
Rest assured, this isn’t some call to try to stop the advance of technology. That is not a fruitful option. Better to put time, effort and money into figuring out how to keep people integrated into society when they are displaced from jobs by technology. Plus, while the shortterm implications for employment might seem scary, the long-term view of how this might impact society is far more interesting. It will take time, but there will come a point where humans are not allowed to drive on public roads, just like you cannot ride a horse down U.S. 281 today. That time might not even be all that far in the future. Those Google cars that have logged over 1.7 million miles have only been partially responsible for one wreck. Even without legislation, insurance premiums on human driven cars will far exceed those on autonomous cars, and services that look like a blend of Uber and ZipCar will make it far more reasonable for most people to not bother to own cars. Once you get the humans out of the driver seat, the very nature of transportation changes. Cars begin to talk to one another directly. Street
lights disappear as cars can decide on their own which one should go through. They can also weave between one another without either direction bothering to come to a full stop. Autonomy also removes the restriction that vehicles have to be large enough to carry humans around comfortably and safely. Your groceries or that package you ordered online really do not need a large vehicle to get them to your front door. A small cargo pod on wheels is all they really need, and the ability to communicate directly with the larger vehicles that are transporting humans or large amounts of material allows them to fit right into the flow of traffic without causing hazards. Transportation is just one of the many facets of our lives that technology is in the process of redefining. These changes are going to cause challenges, but that doesn’t mean that we should oppose them or try to prevent them from happening. Instead, we should all think about how we can seize these changes as opportunities, both for ourselves, and for society as a whole. Change is often painful, but that does not mean it has to be for the worse.
6
WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 •
OPINION
9/11 still matters, A strange family weekend even after 15 years How often do your parents get to hit the Trinity party scene? ALEX MOTTER
PULSE REPORTER The 15th anniversary of 9/11 was this Sunday, and it’s not that big of a deal. If you caught yourself agreeing with that statement, you’re not alone. I was in the exact same position about a year ago. My high school received an art exhibit for the 14th anniversary of 9/11, and I begrudgingly accepted the story. After a month of shadowing preparators, interviewing art experts involved with every step of the process and committing to my story, I completed something I felt I could be proud of and I published it, ready to move onto the next challenge. The response I received blew my mind. Instead of being dismissed for detachment, people seemed receptive to the idea of 9/11 taking a new role in contemporary society. I was granted the rare opportunity to talk with survivors and families of victims. Their stories of incredible strength in the face of suffering were inspiring, to say the least. Writing about 9/11 led to meeting some truly amazing people like Paul McCormack, the youngest NYPD captain in history, who lost his eyesight from the smoke and carcinogens at Ground Zero and went on to found an organization that kept the memory of 9/11 alive for years afterwards. After being visited in Dallas by the family of a fallen fireman, I was invited to travel to New York City to spend a week reporting on how the Big Apple rebuilt after its devastating loss. I met dozens of modern heroes who define their lives in terms of “before 9/11” and “after 9/11.” The NYPD at One Police Plaza detailed to me how they update the public during times of crisis and I met legendary firefighters and families who helped keep the nation calm during one of its greatest tragedies. Regardless of emotional, proximal or familial connections, we all understand to some degree the catastrophic loss of life that occurred on 9/11. While we might not notice it, this supposedly ancient catastrophe permeates into countless areas of our lives even decades after the towers’ collapse. 9/11 is one of the most intricate, nuanced and impactful events in American history. The House of Representatives’ passed a bill just this weekend to allow families of victims to sue Saudi Arabia over their involvement in 9/11, opening a new realm of geopolitical conflict. 71 law enforcement officers, 343 firefighters and 2,560 civilians died on Sept. 11, and, as of August 2015, 3,700 individuals suffer with cancers and maladies related to 9/11. Beyond the death toll, the terrorist attacks wreaked havoc on the geopolitical landscape, provided a horrific example of the dangers pollution and asbestos can cause even with EPA approval and instrumented one of the greatest battles over health coverage in this nation’s history. As someone who is socially progressive, I tend to shy away from over the top patriotism because it oftentimes praises America while
ignoring the many systemic issues within the 50 states. I’m also a millennial, raised not to take things at face value or accept the “too perfect to be true” stories we’re told. However, we’ve become so desensitized to 9/11 it’s no longer a question of if, but how much. Before learning more about this national tragedy, I and many others have been guilty of making “Bush did 9/11” jokes. Even days before the 15th anniversary, a store here in San Antonio made national news for a TV commercial that mocked the thousands of murdered victims in an attempt to sell more mattresses. 9/11 is one of the rare moments in American history that can serve as a unifying moment for the country. The heightened Islamophobia and questionable foreign policy decisions came as a result of this great nation returning to some of its nastier habits. But for a blissful series of days, the entire nation put aside differences to mourn the cruel and widespread loss of innocent civilian life. This experience, something I’ve only read about and unfortunately cannot remember, is what makes 9/11 so unbelievable and distant to us. Our current political climate is so fractured and built upon loathing and character attacks that the concept of a country apolitical in its support of justice is simply unfathomable. Within the current news cycle alone we have two starkly contrary attitudes towards the tragedy: Secretary Clinton will visit Ground Zero on the 15th anniversary to pay her respects while her opponent fabricates farfetched stories about individuals in Jersey City cheering after the attack, utilized legal loopholes to steal thousands of dollars away from small businesses in need and ignored the pleas of survivors to support a bill providing lifesaving healthcare to first responders. This bill, the James Zadroga bill, is another sickening example of how poorly 9/11 survivors are protected by the government. The bill was initially rejected, and when a new version cleared the House, it was blocked by an intensive Republican filibuster. After all of that, the bill expired in 2015 and upon renewal is still not permanent. It expires again in 2020. Think of the irony. The government told rescue workers the toxic air was safe to breathe, then almost refused them basic healthcare as they developed maladies directly related to the asbestos and carcinogens they breathed. Unless you want to jump into a burning building, plunge into a freezing lake to retrieve a suicide victim, defuse a bomb or do any of the harrowing tasks these groups complete regularly, then 9/11 should hold just as personal importance as it did 15 years ago. It has now been 15 years since the Twin Towers collapsed, and it’s our turn to fight. Fight the legal mistreatment of law enforcement and veterans and the baseless discrimination against those of Middle Eastern descent. After all, “Never forget” doesn’t have an expiration date.
This past weekend was strange for me. I was on the Tiger Network, CALLUM SQUIRES commentatOPINION COLUMNIST ing during the Trinity women’s soccer game against Sewanee when, in the pre-match introduction, voice of the Tigers James Hill announced that the day marked 15 years since the attacks of 9/11. I was flabbergasted. I was, of course, aware of the date and the anniversary it represents, but 15 years sounds like such a long time, and I still remember that day like it was yesterday. Things like this only serve as a reminder to us all how lucky we are every day to have our lives. Make the most of yours. And certainly life is too short to not enjoy yourself. I had ups and downs this past weekend — from the heartbreak of a Manchester Derby defeat, to Larry Fitzgerald’s two touchdown catch heroics rescuing one of my fantasy football teams — but I tried every second to have fun. Trinity soccer (both men’s and women’s) and volleyball going a combined 8-0 at home over the three days was enough to put a very broad smile on my face. Trinity sports really are the best
free entertainment in San Antonio. I’m not gonna stop telling you to go to athletic events, so you might as well all just accept it and go get involved now! #TigerPride. (Marketing department: I’ll accept my payment for this advertising in cash only.) But once all the serious stuff was out of the way, I wanted to enjoy myself and socialise with my friends. One small kink in this plan was that my parents were still in town, visiting from London. As an international student, I can’t just drive home for the weekend. Therefore, my family being in town is quite a big deal and almost takes precedence over the rest of my Trinity life. So with this conundrum in mind I decided to have the best of both worlds and combine the two. I invited my parents to a party. This might seem ridiculous. I’m well aware that most students can think of nothing worse than their parents seeing them out and about and, probably, drinking. Luckily, I don’t have that issue. My family is pretty relaxed and open even by the liberal standards that North London provides. So thankfully I had nothing to hide and was quite happy to have my parents fully welcomed into the Trinity life. My parents socialised with a bunch of my friends, leading to all my mates telling me how much cooler my parents are than me, which
was funny, and how they would never have considered bringing their parents to such an occasion, which made me grateful to have the family that I do. Whilst I was responsibly bartending (shoutout to Trinity’s Safer Parties Initiative guidelines), about 10 different people I didn’t know came up and asked me if I was Callum and if those two “old people” dancing in the kitchen were my parents. I told them yes. It was pretty funny to see their jaws dropping each time. Many thanks to everyone who made my parents’ weekend by socialising with them and — I have no idea why this was a thing, by the way — taking pictures with them. Apparently somebody asked them “What is your country?” My parents felt like celebrities and seeing them smiling on their way out was worth the risk of potential embarrassment from having them there. Mum, Dad, if you’re reading this, I love you and would never be embarrassed by you... *wink* But I think the strangeness of last weekend really made me appreciate how lucky I am. I’m fortunate to be here at Trinity, I’m fortunate to have the friends and teammates I do and I’m fortunate to have the family I do. Don’t forget that your parents are real people too. Be honest and open with them. You never know, they might surprise you.
What’s next for Johnson? The libertarian candidate could hugely impact the election Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson has recently been making waves. From tethering to ALEX PERKOWSKI himself memes to OPINION COLUMNIST m a k i n g a whistle stop tour on various media, the libertarians’ nominee for president of the United States has attempted to break through the 15 percent threshold. Fifteen percent, the polling necessary to be included in the presidential debates, is makeor-break for a third-party candidate. The Commission on Public Debates, or CPD for short, is the nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that sponsors and produces the debates. Johnson has not been able to reach past 10 percent, a fearful prospect for the campaign considering the two weeks until the first debate. Without the debate, it’s hard to see Johnson in the White House. Exposure is everything for third-party candidates. Johnson has to find over 7 million voters (representative of that five percent of registered voters) quickly, or the race is over. Where can he find them? Plenty of places, but getting them to choose is the hard part. Imagine calling 7 million people or knocking on 7 million doors. Think of the effort it takes to convince one person of anything, let alone politics, and multiply it. Many are already
entrenched in their views, and Johnson’s latest gaffe isn’t helping. Last week on MSNBC, Gary Johnson, on the aforementioned whistle stop tour, lost his chance to gather a significant portion of the Republican base. When asked a question about Aleppo, a city in Syria and a center of the Syrian refugee crisis, Johnson answered with another: “What is Aleppo?” An ABC News/Washington Post poll from Sept. 5 to Sept. 8 cites “Terrorism and National Security” as the single most important issue for 19 percent of Americans. To any of these Americans doing a summary Google in November, Johnson lost their vote. To understand what the Republican base is, or what it used to be, we must look to Reagan. Reagan was the first to realign the Republicans upon three pillars of issues: business, religion and national security. Despite watching for the better part of a year as these three factions tore each other apart, they still exist, albeit disunited. Johnson, who has been struggling to find more and more voters, can write off a significant portion of these voters thanks to his Aleppo comment. With Donald Trump keeping his head down and Hillary Clinton currently sick with pneumonia, it may be possible for Gary Johnson to capture voters while those two stay quiet. However, voters are less and less likely to switch their
viewpoints as time goes on. Polling shows that the relative position of the candidates has largely unchanged since the beginning of the summer. Anything could happen this cycle, but for Johnson, the clock is quickly running out. Johnson still has an important role to play. Remember the three pillars. Johnson is still capturing a large amount of voters from the two major parties, and he is most likely hurting Trump more than Clinton. Johnson gives business conservatives a suitable outlet without running to Clinton. William “Bill” Weld, Johnson’s running mate, served as Mitt Romney’s New York state campaign chairman in 2008 and publicly endorsed Romney in 2012. That’s in addition to Weld’s being the Republican governor of Massachusetts for much of the early and mid-1990s. Johnson can decide the election. Some would argue that the 1992 election was decided when Ross Perot captured votes from the incumbent George H. W. Bush, and many older Democrats still froth with rage at the mention of Ralph Nader, who could’ve given a couple hundred votes to Gore. These votes matter to candidates and parties. Parties can and will incorporate these marginalized voters in order to win more elections. Despite Gary Johnson’s numerical issues, he still has an important role to play. His voice speaks for millions.
Pulse
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT “If you’ve seen it twice, it’ll be on the exam.”
Thomas W. Gardner, professor of geosciences
Employees encourage potential customers to shop ‘til they drop
A bookstore employee checks out the textbooks a student has planned on renting to use in her classes this semester; rates on textbooks can be compared online to bookstore options for the most affordable prices. photo by HENRY PRATT
On-campus shop offers affordable, trendy and practical merchandise Bookstore sells appealing items to satisfy all customers
BY ALEXANDER MOTTER PULSE REPORTER As the big trifecta of window shopping Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas approaches, it can be easy to visit Macy’s and other high-end department stores to fulfill all material desires. The on-campus bookstore, however, offers products and services closer and more personalized for members of the Trinity community. The bookstore is the perfect combination of thrift shop and designer boutique, and it is filled with both unique and practical items at a range of prices. With Black Friday just two months away, employees are preparing to receive desired products, while anticipating some may not be available in-store.
“The home office gives a breakdown of what every store should carry. They know what sells really well and that’s what they recommend we carry in the store. I recommend ordering online that way you get an email when an order is ready for pickup and don’t have to wait in the long line at the register,” said Susie Juvera, bookstore manager. First year Juana Suarez used both the Trinity bookstore and online shopping site to buy her books for the semester. The bookstore, however, quickly ran out of the required text for her psychology class, so she had to look online for a copy. “I actually couldn’t get it until a week later, so I cancelled my order and ordered it from Amazon instead. I haven’t gotten any merchandise yet, but I plan to later.” Suarez said. One place to begin shopping in the bookstore is the clearance section, which has quirky collectibles like the $3.99 cupcake hideaway — an item so small that it can’t even store a paperclip. The section is also home to a unique 3-in-1 backpack carabiner, which includes a pink keychain with a digital photo display and MP3 player for $19.99.
Another location with a variety of novelty products available is known as the impulse zone item. This section includes products like the Super iPhone fan, which plugs into your charging port and serves as a $4.98 lifesaver for concerts or other outdoor events. Another item found here is the $19.98 llama-shaped knife, a multi-tool with each blade representing a different quirky animal. “It has quirky little stuff that people buy that I’m like, ‘woah, that’s different,’” Juvera said. The store isn’t geared solely towards students, however; it also has important Trinity memorabilia for parents and alumni. Parents may be intrigued by matching bamboo salt and pepper storage boxes, sold for $22.98, while a $42.98 Texas-shaped cutting board with “Trinity” emblazoned on it may appeal to alumni of all ages. Even in the office supplies section, the bookstore doesn’t disappoint with eccentric items. Transparent pencil sharpeners, available for 99 cents, adorn the walls. Nearby, waterproof graph paper notebooks, on sale for $6.98, may appeal to math students who find themselves
frequently caught in the rain or trying to solve calculations in their shower. The bookstore even sells items forbidden in dorms. Ranging from $3.48 to $12.98, 3M products stand in direct violation of the new residence hall policy that prohibits using sticky items on walls. “Last year [the school was] in a transitional period, but this year it’s official. Maybe the bookstore isn’t aware, but I’m not too sure,” said senior Amanda Cantu, a psychology major and resident mentor. The bookstore, however, focuses on ensuring that all members of the Trinity University community have access to basic needs, products and services. “The Trinity bookstore services a wide array of individuals — including faculty, staff, administration and off-campus students. Their services are not limited to only those who live on campus,” said Stephanie Ackerman, a ResLife coordinator for the first-year area. The bookstore is guaranteed to liven anyone’s day with scandal, surprise and school supplies. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. It is closed for business on the weekends.
8
WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 •
CAMPUS PULSE
Bon appétit: new dining hours offered Trinity students enjoy extended availability of food services on campus BY COURTNEY JUSTUS PULSE REPORTER With a wide variety of dining options available on campus, members of the Trinity community can enjoy different types of plates, bowls and dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Between busy schedules comprising of classes, office hours and various extracurriculars, it can be difficult to visit favorite dining establishments at preferred hours to get the best dishes. To alleviate this, some dining establishments have opted to change hours of operations to better accommodate the hungry and hectic Trinity community. This semester, students have taken advantage of the brand new extended hours at Einstein’s Bagels and the omelet station at Mabee Dining Hall. These changes were ultimately prompted by the visits of various directors from other universities. “The directors from other universities came into Mabee and expressed how they had been doing this at other universities and thought it would be a good idea to do it here,” said Jana Kercheville, breakfast cook at the omelet line in Mabee. “So now we are open seven days a week, during the week from 7:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the weekends.”
“We always like to take pride and passion in everything that we put out,” Kercheville said. “I would never put something out that I wouldn’t eat personally. Plus, we make sure people get what they want and always try to accommodate everybody.” Kercheville expressed a positive attitude about the Trinity Market, the farm-to-mouth approach implemented there and the ¡Por Vida! products offered across campus. These new features make cooking the food a more enjoyable process, while also exciting and intriguing students about alternative options for meals. “I think it’s great to use local produce,” Kercheville said. “People take pride in what they do.” Last semester, Mabee hired a new chef, Miguel Morales, who is implementing a number of positive changes to improve dining services. The alterations Morales has already made have been met with predominantly enthusiastic responses from students, faculty members and coworkers. “He has made a lot of positive changes here with us and implementing a lot of new things, like our new infused water,” Kercheville said. “We’re making our vegetable and beef stocks from actual waste, food peelings and the like, instead of throwing it away, so
Cook JANA KERCHEVILLE prepares a custom ordered meal for one of her diners at the omelet station in Mabee Dining Hall. photo by HENRY PRATT
that you don’t have all the sodium and added preservatives that usually go along with it. We are
Always Fresh. Always Delicious. We take Tiger Bucks!
999 E Basse Rd #193, San Antonio, TX 78209 Shops at Lincoln Heights orderup-sa.com
trying to upgrade and make things better.” While the time changes have generated senses of shock and satisfaction in the community, this is not the first time some of the various dining establishments have elected to alter their hours of operation. “Last year, we had Freshii and Taco Taco open until midnight,” said Corey Borgerson, p.m. supervisor at Einstein’s Bagels. “On Sundays, Einstein’s Bagels is open until 11 p.m. and so is Grille Works. So those restaurants are open in the evenings for students.” In addition to working at Einstein’s, Borgerson also helps out at Freshii and Taco Taco. The ability to work at more than one of the on-campus restaurants allows Borgerson to gain a variety of experience in helping hungry students. He has had a generally positive experience with working at Trinity. “I’ve had a lot of experience here and it’s a really good place to work,” Borgeson said. Students are grateful to have a larger variety of eating options on campus, especially when it comes to healthier food. Students are also appreciative of the opportunity to enjoy some of their favorite meals at more points during the day; for example, the ability to enjoy a custom omelet at lunch rather than pick between pizza, burgers and salads is more appealing for many students. “I think having added options every day is important so that students don’t get tired of the food being offered and will still want to eat on campus,” said Ruby Waddell, a junior English major. “I also think the omelet line and international dishes are more appealing sometimes because they are more fresh than the other
foods.” With extended hours at Einstein’s, customers can opt to get their favorite breakfast items as midnight snacks, fuel up on caffeine later to power their allnighters or pick up a sweet treat out of their various baked goods. The news of the omelet bar remaining open until 2 p.m. was also met with great excitement and surprise from frequent diners at Mabee; this service is one of the most popular dining options, and the extended hours are sure to provide more orders and visitors to the station. Older students who have found their amount of visits to Mabee dwindling may also be intrigued to take a trip to the dining hall to have their favorite breakfast dish made at more accessible hours. As the year moves forward, food service employees on campus hope that students will continue enjoying eating on campus and the extended options available to them. The introduction of healthier food options, especially through the Trinity Market, will surely benefit both the Trinity and San Antonio communities. Students are encouraged to dine at both establishments when available.
Dining Hours Einstein’s:
Mon-Thurs 7:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. Friday 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m. -11 p.m.
Mabee:
Mon-Thurs 7:45 a.m. - 8 p.m. Friday 7:45 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Sunday 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
CAMPUS PULSE • SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM
9
W. Kamau Bell to speak on campus about Racism next Monday
Comedian brings standup routine on political trends BY COURTNEY JUSTUS PULSE REPORTER
Stand-up comic and television show host W. Kamau Bell will perform at Trinity University on Monday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. in Laurie Auditorium. He will be performing his one-man show titled “The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism in About An Hour.” “I’m really looking forward to learning more about him and just getting to hear whatever he has to say because he’s hilarious,” said Elena Souris, a senior political science major. Elena first found out about Bell through his guest appearance on another podcast. For a portion of his visit on the show, he explained the concept of race to a group of young children. “What I find really interesting about him is how he can discuss these extremely serious topics in such a fun, simple, lighthearted and easy-to-follow style,” Souris said. “I like seeing how he presents things and argues his points because I think it’s pretty unique.” Students and faculty alike are interested in seeing how Bell interacts with difficult issues such as race in his upcoming talk.
Bell has already addressed some of these topics in podcasts and his television show “United Shades of America,” which began airing on CNN in April 2016. “He does a lot of stand-up comedy centered around issues of race and diversity, so I’m really looking forward to how he talks about issues like that,” said Katie Welch, a junior communication major. “I think it’s important to talk about diversity and race. I know a lot of people think it’s an uncomfortable topic of conversation, but I think it’s a necessary one for producing real change and I think a college campus is a perfect place for that.” Welch is one of several students enrolled in Aaron Delwiche’s Propaganda class. She is helping to promote Bell and other speakers, such as Erin Saltman, through various forms of propaganda, such as PR and social media outlets. These lectures are presented as components of the Lennox Seminar Series on Propaganda and Political Persuasion. “Topics like this can be somewhat controversial for some people and I think it’s great that Trinity doesn’t shy away from discussing issues like this, especially because it produces a lot of constructive dialogue,” Welch said. Students are looking forward to Bell’s visit and are grateful that Trinity has the resources to bring him on campus to speak, perform and share his thoughts on various current issues of varying political and historical significance, Souris said. “To me, it means that Trinity is extremely current and also very in-tune to what
students care about right now,” Souris said. On his website, Bell describes himself as a socio-political comedian and dad, but he is also acknowledged as a journalist with a strong background in media entertainment. “I like the fact that he’s coming from a perspective in the media industry and that he can talk about issues like racism within the industry,” Welch said. “I think him bringing that as an insider is really interesting. The fact that he can tie in comedy is also a unique approach that can be helpful for a lot of students.” In each episode of “United Shades of America,” Bell deals with a difficult, often controversial, subject. In the first episode, Bell visits the Ku Klux Klan and interacts with various members of the Klan across the states. “What was amazing to me was the humanity with which he approaches these important topics, his sense of humor in talking about really difficult, painful things and his ability to make people think,” said Aaron Delwiche, professor of communication. “I think he talks about issues like race, gender, sexuality and class in ways that are inclusive but don’t let people off the hook.” Delwiche has shown clips of Bell to students, staff members and other peers in hopes of familiarizing people to his humor and various thoughts. These videos are usually met with positive responses from those he shares them with, further proving that the decision to book him for a performance on campus was a good idea, he said.
“Every single person I have shown any of his clips to, whether it’s other professors, my parents or students, started laughing in the first minute and very heavily after five minutes, but also have been thinking,” Delwiche said. Bell’s work in the political community has allowed him to earn several accolades and honors. He is currently the Ambassador of Racial Justice for the American Civil Liberties Union. He was also recently nominated for an Emmy award for his work on his series “United Shades of America.” “Since his career is taking off, this is an amazing opportunity to see him right at the beginning of it,” Delwiche said. Bell’s lecture is one of the four lectures presented as a part of the Lennox Seminar Series, which is made possible by the Martha, David and Bagby Lennox Foundation. This is a yearly series that offers opportunities for learning outside the class. “All four of these lectures are intended to get students and members of the community to think about the power of communication, propaganda and media coverage,” Delwiche said. “I think his visit is valuable because it’s going to continue an ongoing conversation about race in our culture and because it demonstrates that a sense of humor and empathy can be part of that conversation. I’ll be excited to see him reflect on his method as well as his topic.” W. Kamau Bell’s show is free and is open to the public. Members of the Trinity and San Antonio communities are highly encouraged to attend.
10
WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 •
Writing Center tutors available to help inquiring students improve their papers
Senior peer tutor CHRISTIANA ZGOURIDES offers her assistance on a writing assignment to firstyear VICTORIA TRABYSH.
photo by HENRY PRATT
CAMPUS PULSE
Evening workshops and individual sessions among services offered to those seeking some assistance BY COURTNEY JUSTUS PULSE REPORTER College students across the country can be expected to write an abundance of rigorous essays on various topics throughout their academic career. To help prepare them for the vast amount of papers they’ll be writing, first-year students are required to enroll in writing-heavy FYE courses. Several outlets are available to provide assistance to concerned or struggling students with their writing skills, especially as they tackle their first collegiate papers. One of these sources, the Writing Center, began revamping their program shortly after the start of the FYE program. Many students took advantage of new offerings and found them beneficial. “The FYE was a challenge for many students,” said Jennifer Rowe, professor of English and director of the Writing Center. “It was a lot of writing. We had a lot of students who needed some further guidance.” The positive reception of these special sessions prompted Rowe to continue offering additional workshops throughout the 2016-17 school year for students who hope to receive some more assistance on their written assignments. “We planned four evening skills workshops for the fall and we’ll do another four or five in the spring,” Rowe said. “The goal is to expand it simply beyond a place to get walk-in tutoring.” Rowe took over the Writing Center two years ago. Since taking command of the service, she has aimed to make it a bigger presence on campus while also finding the best possible methods to help students at all levels of writing. “I believe that the Writing Center shouldn’t simply be a place to support struggling writers or writers who need help,” Rowe said. “It should also be a place that supports really good writing.” The Writing Center currently employs five students who are trained to help students at all levels of writing and through various stages of their essays, from brainstorming to editing full drafts. “Being a writing tutor doesn’t simply mean proofreading everything and checking for every grammatical mistake,” said Samantha Heffner, senior English and history major and tutor at the Writing Center. “Rather, we look at the paper as a whole, help them structure their ideas and encourage them to come up with ideas.” Heffner served as an FYE peer tutor last year for HUMA: Great Books of the Ancient World, in which she helped students to develop their ideas and write essays on an abundance of some of the major classical texts such as the “Iliad.” “I think my biggest piece of advice is to go to your peer tutor and professor and talk to them,” Heffner said. “For your FYE, definitely make use of your peer tutor because they’re there to help you. As for writing, read and reread. Writing is rewriting.” All of Trinity’s FYE professors are working to ensure that students thoroughly enjoy their First Year Experience and learn as much as possible from their experience. “My coordination of the FYE has been made a pleasure by the individual FYE course coordinators, who have beautifully orchestrated these courses along with our FYE colleagues, and by the endlessly supportive university administration,” said Willis Salomon, professor of English and coordinator of the First Year Experience program. “The FYE has been a collaborative effort of the best kind, one in which individual faculty, academic departments and university administrators all work effectively toward a common curricular goal.” Salomon ultimately believes that all the various First Year Experience classes will benefit students through a focus on key skills. “By emphasizing writing, reading and critical thinking, as well as providing opportunities for experiential learning (research, internships, international study, etc.), the FYE offers solid preparation for the student’s chosen major and life’s work,” Salomon said. Trinity’s Writing Center has made several significant changes that will allow students in FYE and beyond to get more help with their various writing assignments. “We now are going to offer the opportunity to schedule an appointment as opposed to drop-in,” Rowe said. “In addition, we now have a faculty resources page, so if a faculty member is concerned that maybe a student isn’t keeping up with the demands of writing in that particular course, he or she can send me a note through the website telling me to reach out to this person.” Rowe aspires to help students see writing in a more positive light, rather than a challenge or activity to be feared. “What we like to do at the Writing Center is to train students to look at writing as a process, not as something that needs to be fixed,” Rowe said. The Writing Center is open for students to visit with questions six days a week, from Sunday to Friday. It is located in Room 319 of Coates Library, right near the help desk. Jennifer Rowe and the tutors hope that students will come regularly for individual appointments and that the special workshops continue to be well-attended. A list of available hours for each tutor can be found on the Coates website. Students with further inquiries are encouraged to reach out to Rowe for assistance and advice on the best approaches to writing their various papers.
AE &
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s character in “Jumanji” remake badass
Hillary Clinton falls after 9/11 service, igniting health-related Internet storm
Cast as “The Smoldering Dr. Bravestone,” Johnson’s character resembles Indiana Jones if the writers all had massive obsessions with Harrison Ford and bulging pecs. Magical shenanigans and board game-themed drama sure to follow.
This news, coupled with the letter from Trump’s doctor, raises concerns from some about the continued vitality of the two elderly candidates. compiled by Dylan Wagner
What you’ll need to know to survive as a college student on a voyage to Mars It’s going to be a bumpy ride It’s official: NASA is currently working t o w a r d s s e n d i n g humans into MAX FREEMAN deep space in the upcoming A&E WRITER decades. The Houston-based organization is hoping to be able to send humans to an asteroid by 2025, but perhaps more exciting is the thought of humans landing on Mars soil as soon as the 2030s. But what does it take to go to Mars, and should we be interested in it as something that would look great on a resumé? Unfortunately not just anyone can qualify to go to Mars, and there are definitely many requirements, but college students may have a head-start on making it in deep space. While there are many things you would have to give up on the journey to Mars, the internet is surprisingly not one of them. Using orbital satellites as nodes in the data transmission process, scientists like “father of the internet,” Vint Cerf, can provide
internet access across space and on Mars. In other words, you don’t have to worry — Netflix will be there for you, and you can catch season 74 of “Grey’s Anatomy.” However, having access to the internet and being on a spaceship in the middle of the solar system doesn’t save you from social interaction. Despite having an entire planet to yourself, the living space is small, which means every time you’d like to watch a funny cat video that one crew member will probably just happen to appear behind you so that they can watch too. In this sense, the trip to Mars seems perfectly suitable for people conditioned to living with clingy roommates or with any amount of people in a small space, aka college. Many would also find going to Mars similar to college life in that you won’t get to see your dog or cat (or fish, if you’re that person) for a long period of time. Yes, going to Mars means leaving your best animal friend on Earth and having to brave deep space without a cuddly, furry friend. This petless world may be especially difficult for Trinity students to survive in if they have often mingled with the Trinicats or lived in the pet hall since their time at the university. If you make it past the long journey without Sparky through
space and finally arrive on the red planet, then you’ll have to be prepared for even more changes. For one, the gravity on Mars is half as strong as on Earth, which means you would weigh significantly less and be able to jump higher. Unfortunately it’s not all sunshine and rainbows actually, there are none of those on Mars) — the effect of gravity, or rather the absence of it, is significant enough to cause physical and mental stress.
Although I haven’t experienced these kinds of stress before, I can’t imagine it’s very different from walking up and down Cardiac Hill or enduring the bane of college students that is finals week. Additionally, the seasons on Mars are longer because the year is 687 Earth days and the average temperature is much lower than Earth’s. While most of the time the weather outside will be extremely cold, North Face jackets and vests
will be in style year-round. Mars is a test of physical and mental endurance, a place void of fluffy creatures to console you through the hard times. But, if you do everything right and don’t miss a beat of the best shows on Netflix, you could be considered the Neil Armstrong of Mars. Just make sure you have a witty comment to make about mankind by the time you arrive so that you look cool in the history books.
Netflix also has the finder’s bonus of being the first firm to capture the online streaming market, and the additional slam-dunk advantage of hosting critical and consumer darlings “Orange is the New Black” and “House of Cards,” among other original content. Finally, the streaming giant already showed its ability to innovate quickly in a significant way when it phase-changed business models in 2007 from a DVD-rental structure to one of video-streaming. Netflix offers three levels of service: basic, standard, and Ultra HD-4K (I wonder which they are most excited about…) costing $7.99, $9.99, and $11.99 respectively. Upgrading increases the number of screens on which you can stream, and the Ultra HD-4K package gives you access to, surprise, very high definition versions of content. On the other side we have Hulu. The company used to have the monopoly (among streaming services) on supplying weekly TV shortly after it aired. This was a huge advantage for the people who didn’t want to wait months to watch on other platforms, but I say “was” because Hulu is currently phasing out their free-to-use model in favor of a dual-stage price plan that seems to give consumers a lose-lose
decision. Do they buy the cheaper $7.99-per-month plan that retains commercials (essentially charging eight bucks for what they used to offer for free) or shell out $11.99 to get rid of those pesky ads. To me, Hulu looked at their business model one day and realized that they made a huge mistake offering free content compared to their subscriptionbased rivals and now have to deal with the backlash. No consumer likes to have what they already get for free get slapped with a monthly fee. However, the advantage of providing TV with actual cable providers will probably be enough to keep them in the fight. One last slap at Hulu: it’s virtually unavailable overseas, unlike the caressing arms of Netflix. Amazon Video is a bit of a hybrid case. The streaming service is one of many arms Amazon has going at once, and users can gain access to a large, though not comprehensive, amount of content by subscribing to Amazon Prime for $99 a year. Comparatively, this is only slightly more expensive than either Hulu’s or Netflix’s basic packages (by month, Amazon Video would cost about $8.25). But the system has a few usability issues, foremost of which is their mix of free and paid
content. Many times I’ll sit down to watch Spongebob with a glass of brandy and opera glasses, only to find that the (admittedly platinum quality) first season is free while the rest costs $1.99 per episode. Having clear-cut guidelines as to which series are free and which cost is an important part of the service that Amazon has not debugged. Of course, the unusual part of this model is that while the service has arguably inferior access to content than either Netflix’s or Hulu’s, Amazon Prime primarily benefits its core customer base, i.e. those who order products online. Prime’s free shipping and two-day delivery make the hundred bucks already worth it to some consumers, with the video streaming as a nice bonus. This also makes guessing the numbers of Amazon Video users difficult, as subscribing to Prime does not necessarily mean watching Video content. All of that being said, some ringer shows like “Transparent” and “Mozart in the Jungle” have garnered critical and commercial attention, making it certainly worth checking out if you also enjoy buying bulk bags of Cheetos and want them delivered in two sweet, sweet days. In any case, Amazon is likely to keep its one-foot-in, one-foot-out attitude
when it comes to its focus on streaming content when it has such a cash cow — no, cash herd — in the delivery side of business. Lastly, HBO Go is the latecomer to the streaming party. HBO clearly has the advantage in terms of top-tier content such as modern classics “The Sopranos,” “The Wire,” “Deadwood,” “Game of Thrones” and the list could go on for a dozen more shows. The problem for HBO is not only monetary — the service (which comes free with HBO subscription) costs $15 in most cases — but also institutional: for many online users, paying for a cable service like HBO must seem as relevant as getting a physical newspaper delivered. Overall, Netflix is the reigning champion in terms of user numbers (around 70 million) pricing, usability and variety of content. But Hulu is the next contender due to their close relationship with Time Warner Cable, who recently bought 10% of their marketshare. With such powerful friends, Netflix might have something to worry about in the long run. Regardless of your preferences, I hope this has helped some of you decide which services to adopt and which ones to a-dump.
graphic by Tyler Herron
Streaming service free-for-all: which will win and which is the best option for you? Providers find niches with original content and pricing while trying to poach rivals’ users Online content streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon DYLAN WAGNER Video are A&E EDITOR situated to control what the future of media streaming looks like, and they are all making different choices on how their particular future will look. To be completely honest, I’m betting Netflix comes out ahead in the battle for the consumer, but I’ll leave it to your judgment based on the information below. At first glance, the streaming market seems pretty clearly laid out. You have Netflix providing the bulk of well-known content that Amazon or HBO hasn’t snapped up or refused to license.
12
WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 •
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The rise of the cinematic universe as a valid Hollywood business model
Extended lore and familiar franchises size up to new consumer tastes and demands ALEJANDRO CORDONA A&E WRITER
Whether you have taken notice or not, there is a seismic shift occurring in Hollywood’s approach to franchise filmmaking. It’s called the cinematic universe, and it’s responsible for movies as good as “Captain America: Civil War” and major turdlet “Suicide Squad.” The concept of a shared setting and story for multiple characters may seem straightforward, and not new at all. It is true that movie characters have been crossing over and appearing in each other’s films for a long time. Marvel didn’t invent that. All that Marvel did
was take on multiple high-budget films that climaxed in billiondollar-grossing ensemble movies. It’s Hollywood’s shiny new toy. “The Avengers” made $1.5 billion worldwide. “Captain America: Civil War” made $1.1 billion. Even the universally hated “Batman VS Superman” and “Suicide Squad” made $872 million and $640 million, respectively. Despite scathing reviews, fans have flocked to theaters to see franchises they recognize, and studios are absolutely thrilled by the news. In a business where failed ventures can lead to quick bankruptcy, safety is a movie producer’s favorite word. Prior to the cinematic universe, studios had been cranking out unwanted sequels, which are the safest choices for any studio’s business, but terrible for the perception of the industry overall. To be clear, we will still have unwanted remakes, and even they are not totally fool-proof. Just this summer, a rehash of one of the most profitable films of all time
lost $120 million at the box office. Since you probably didn’t see it, it was “Ben-Hur.” Marvel might be a trendsetter today, but ten years ago, nobody could have predicted the comicmaker’s cinematic hegemony. After filing for bankruptcy in 1996, the company sold the rights to several of their characters — including Spider-Man (to Sony) and X-Men (to 20th Century Fox) — with varying results. Some films were good, some were “Spider-Man 3.” Marvel eventually took charge of its brand’s destiny by announcing Marvel Studios, a bold enterprise which would independently produce “Iron Man.” The 2008 release made $585 million worldwide, an astounding amount for a lesser-known hero played by Hollywood-had-been Robert Downey Jr. Even after that, the Wall Street Journal questioned Disney’s $4 billion acquisition, saying “Marvel has successfully turned its comic-book franchises — such as Spidey and X-men —
into blockbuster Hollywood films. But many of those storylines may be tapped out.” I checked, and that reporter is a drug addict now. After “Iron Man,” Marvel went on to release “The Incredible Hulk,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” “Captain America: The First Avenger” and finally, Marvel’s “The Avengers.” Note the slow roll-out of individual superheroes, followed by the ensemble piece. This block of films, ominously referred to as Phase One, was captained by Kevin Feige, who has become the masterplanner of everything in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. The planning has been crucial, and accounts for the critical failure of “Suicide Squad” in DC’s corner. The movie tried to do what “The Avengers” did, except without individual films preceding the ensemble pow-wow. DC seems to be realizing their mistake, and hopefully, “Justice League” will allow for some course correction. The cinematic universe is making waves beyond superhero films, with
the upcoming expansion of the Harry Potter universe in “Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them.” This fall will also bring “Rogue One,” the first of several Star Wars anthology films. Even small-budget films are being incorporated into cinematic universes, such as “10 Cloverfield Lane,” which was initially an original script titled “The Cellar” until it was turned into a “Cloverfield” movie by producer J.J. Abrams. This new system is exciting, but it is potentially stifling to creativity. As enjoyable as they may be, Marvel’s movies are all similar in style and narrative structure. We have also seen beloved characters written into desperate cash-grabs, as was the Joker into Suicide Squad. However, slapping a franchise name on a script lets studios feel comfortable producing risky new ideas (see: “10 Cloverfield Lane”), which could lead to eventual risk taking in high-budget films. And that’s something worth going to the theater for.
spinoffs are the most addictive and pathetic way to uplift your mood. Watching 25 men or women compete and fight for the Bachelor or Bachelorette is simply amusing in every way you would expect a dating game show to be. There’s ample amount of drama, physical fights and arguments because the contestants have no chill. It’s a great pick-me-up because I feel that my life isn’t so horrible that I would willingly apply to find a spouse on national TV. However ridiculous the concept of the show is, I’m glad it’s still on air, because sometimes I just need to watch two hours of superficial people competing with to give me a self-esteem boost. When you need a laugh, I recommend “Atlanta,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “Broad City.” “Atlanta” is Donald Glover’s new TV series about two cousins working their way to the top of the rap industry. The first episode was hilarious, witty and laid a great foundation for the show. Glover’s
talent as his alter ego rapper Childish Gambino seeps over to his producing and writing skills. His cleverness, along with the talent of his supporting cast and crew, makes this show special and will keep you hooked. “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” is about a charismatic group of detectives dealing with their personal and work lives. Although it’s sometimes cringe-y and predictable, it’s a great option for some light humor when you need it. Finally, “Broad City” is a typical show about two girls in their twenties figuring their lives out while living in New York, but it focuses on their awkwardness and emphasizes the importance of a woman’s right to make her own decisions and learn from her mistakes, which is both important and hysterical. If you need some nail-biting suspense in your life because you’re not getting it from anywhere else, try watching “How To Get Away With Murder,” “Game of Thrones”
or “Descendants of the Sun.” All three are dramas, but include a bit of everything — romance, comedy and beautiful casts. In case you’re unfamiliar with “Descendants of the Sun,” it’s a famous South Korean drama about an army officer and a doctor who fall in love in an unstable war-torn country. If you don’t understand Korean, there’s no need to worry too much. There are Korean subtitles available on Netflix. “Chopped Junior” and “Parks and Recreation” are essential if you are in need of motivation. With cute 12-year-olds who can probably cook better than you and Leslie Knope’s positive energy, these shows will make you want to be the best version of yourself. On the days when you don’t know how you’re feeling, it’s important to open yourself up to new things. I think HGTV is the best place to start. “House Hunters” and “Love It or List It” are a couple of my favorites, but, honestly, every show
on this channel is gold. While watching “House Hunters,” you’ll find yourself getting attached to the people searching for houses and soon enough you’ll be yelling at them to choose the house you want for yourself. I truly believe that “Love It or List It” is still on the air because of the show’s hosts, interior designer Hilary Farr and real estate agent David Visentin. They compete with each other to redesign the couple’s original home or find the couple a better one. Farr and Visentin don’t hold back from shading and insulting each other, giving this show character and charm. Most of these shows are available on either Netflix or HBO GO, so there’s no need to get on sketchy websites in order to watch them, which is one more incentive to keep them in the back of your head. So when you’re having an off day or are just bored, they’re easily accessible and will correspond with how you feel. Trust me.
Nabeeha’s mood-based picks for shows to watch in tears, laughter and anything else
When Netflix fails once again to read your mind and your Ouiji board isn’t working Do you ever have that feeling when you want to watch a show, but NABEEHA VIRANI can’t seem to decide A&E WRITER on which one? I’ve been in that position many times and can always trace my uncertainty back to my mood. So, I decided to match specific moods and feelings to the shows that cater to them. If you’re feeling crappy about your life, “The Bachelor” or its
Staff Roundtable: What do you listen to when you study? Alejandro Cardona, Senior:
Nabeeha Virani, Sophomore:
Max Freeman, First Year:
“I like Mild acoustic such as Miles Corby, Moses Sunby. They work as tonal ambience and are easy to tune out.”
““If I’m actually studying for an exam instead of solving problems, I listen to indie-acoustic artists like ‘John Mayer’ or ‘Young the Giant.””
“I don’t always listen to music while I study, when I do I prefer alternative rock or classical (like Vampire Weekend or Mozart).”
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT • SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM
13
“Atlanta” Studio 21 Online release opens new doors ALEJANDRO CORDONA
A&E WRITER The internet is abuzz with praise for Donald Glover’s “Atlanta”, which premiered on FX on September 6. The series also made a sneaky premiere on the network’s Facebook page, as they made the full first episode available at no cost, and behind no paywalls. It was a clear effort to increase awareness of the show, banking on long-term sustained viewership. The move is surprising, given cable television’s traditional zeal. Their revenue comes from ad space and cable subscriptions, and posting episodes on Facebook produces neither. Although the episode has since been taken down, the unconventional decision reveals the conviction that “Atlanta” would be best served by a cultural hype-train, regardless of the live numbers. The numbers were good, as the show opened to the best viewership for any basic cable comedy since 2013. It’s clear that “Atlanta” is already operating from a position of cultural cachet, and FX seems to be keenly aware of this. As a multitalented star, Donald Glover has a following from his sitcom days in NBC’s “Community”, as well as fans of his music under the stage name Childish Gambino. Posting the full premiere on Facebook is another mark of their awareness. Historically, cable networks in particular have had a troubled relationship with online content, since their deals with cable providers make it harder to partner with web distributors. But there are eyes on the internet, and eyeballs are what television executives have for breakfast. Take “Game of Thrones”, for instance. The HBO superhit has broken numerous online piracy records, and it’s been the most illegally downloaded show for many consecutive years. Back in 2014, HBO’s CEO Jeff Bewkes said to Forbes, “It all leads to more penetration, more paying subs, more health for HBO,” and called their record-breaking piracy “better than an Emmy.” In reality, the premium cable service has been less than cool with online swashbucklers, sending thousands of notices to internet service providers, asking them to take steps to prevent further downloading. HBO cannot be faulted for defending their content, but it’s been argued that “Game of Thrones” owes a good amount of its cultural hegemony to the internet’s boundless distribution of otherwise copyrighted content. Surrendering paid views in favor of cultural awareness is always a gamble. Nobody is thrilled about it, but everybody has to do it. It’s definitely a hard balance to find, one which is arguably outside of the control of network heads or content creators. There is no set pattern for how shows rise to meteoric success, or which series never make a ping on our collective radar. But with television markets as saturated as they are, making a tradition of free premieres might not be a bad idea.
Continued from Front
Ramos and her co-host Zach Wooten opened and were followed by several segments of pop-culture news. The show also featured a live performance by The Lonely Horse, a local band that played three songs for a live studio audience. Senior TigerTv station manager Benji Gomez was instrumental in bringing the band to Studio 21. The timing of their new CD release was part of the reason for the last minute schedule mix-up. “We were looking to do a little more promotion for their big EP release and tour kickoff this Friday. I told them about the Studio 21 broadcast and how it’s helped many bands reach Trinity students in the past, and they seemed excited about it. We confirmed the details on Monday afternoon,” Gomez said. Despite the frantic preparation and anxiety about the show, cast members agree that they were pleasantly surprised by how the show came together. “As a veteran to the show,
A behind the scenes look at the Studio 21 set up. Cast and crew of the show produce one live episode per week on Tiger TV. photo provided by BENJI GOMEZ
my expectations were low,” said Zachary Wooten, program manager for TigerTv and Studio 21 co-host. “The first show is usually rocky [but] I was blown away by the precise coordination of the cast and crew to put up a truly remarkable show with virtually no hiccups.” Van Vliet agreed. “Everyone stepped up to the plate and really did their job well.
I’m really thankful for my associate producers who dealt with my panicked rampage like champs and really did all the grunt work,” Van Vliet said. Going forward, the crew hopes to build on the success they saw in the first episode this week. “I think we definitely set the bar high. Part of me always wants to surprise people with live shows now.
It really seems to light a fire under people, and while it may have been stressful in the moment, the end product was phenomenal,” Gomez said. TigerTv produces three live shows each week. Studio 21 airs on Tuesday afternoons. The Not So Late Show and Newswave are also produced weekly and air on Thursdays and Fridays respectively.
Feeling Sad?
DEPRESSION SCREENING DAY WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 1 P.M. TO 4 P.M. (COME WHEN YOU CAN.)
COUNSELING SERVICES HALSELL CENTER, SUITE 201
Individual Consultations Available for Students, Faculty, and Staff
Sports
Double Trouble During this week in 1995 Ozzie Smith set the record for most double plays turned with 1,554. Defensive prowess has long been an underrated skill in the game of baseball, at least to the average fan, but Smith, widely considered to be among the best fielding shortstops in history, was doubtlessly greatly appreciated by his pitchers, managers and fans for his mechanical efficiency, the breathtaking aesthetic beauty of his mid-air-over-the-shoulder-throws and fully horizontal diving catches, plus that trademark backflip. It’s because of guys like Ozzie Smith that every young baseball player grows up wanting to be a slick-fielding shortstop, turning double plays like butter to get your pitcher out of a jam and the crowd on their feet.
Men’s soccer adds to winning streak The Tigers continue to grow in confidence as this past week’s wins add to a still undefeated season BY HALEY McFADDEN
SPORTS REPORTER
The Trinity men’s soccer team continued their early season dominance this past week, winning all three of their matches. These three games have put the team at a 4-0-0 record and make them the only team in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) with an undefeated season. Monday night was the team’s first away game of the season against the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor. The first half of the game was scoreless, and senior goalkeeper Todd Whittaker blocked four goal attempts from Mary-Hardin Baylor, keeping them off the scoreboard. In the second half, the Tigers scored three goals within a fairly short time period. At 57 minutes, junior Brent Mandelkorn scored the first goal of the game, followed closely by a second goal at 61 minutes by junior Kellen Reid. The third and final goal of the game was scored at 64 minutes by sophomore Austin Michaelis, marking his third goal of the 2016 season. The UMHB Crusaders fought hard throughout the game, blocking six goal shots by the Tigers to stop them from pulling further ahead, but in the end they were no match for the nationally ranked team. The Tigers walked away with a 3-0 victory. The second game of the week was last Friday night at home against Hardin-Simmons. The Tigers took control the first half, scoring the only goal of the half about 14 minutes in. The goal was scored by junior Chris Madden with the assist by junior Daniel Ruanö. The game remained 1-0 until 47 minutes when the Cowboys were given a penalty kick and Cole Johnson scored their lone goal of the match. But the Tigers came back strong, and at 69 minutes senior Zac Treu attempted a shot that was blocked, with sophomore Ryan Hunter grabbing the the rebound and secured the Tiger’s second and go-ahead goal. The third and final goal of the game was made at 85 minutes by sophomore Laurence Wyke, resulting in a Tiger victory of 3-1. This game marked the eighth time the Trinity Tigers had beaten the Hardin-Simmons Cowboys, and the second time this season. The third and final win of the week was Saturday night against the University of Texas at Dallas. This game kept Trinity historically undefeated against UT-Dallas. After a scoreless first half, the second half saw the Tigers score two goals in rapid succession. At 48 minutes, the first goal of the game was scored by Reid, marking his second goal of the week. Merely forty seconds later, Madden made a pass to Mandelkorn, who scored the second and final goal of the game. Goalkeeper Whittaker blocked three goal attempts
With victories of 3-0, 3-1 and 2-0 the Tigers outscored opponents 8-1 over the course of five nights. They continues the season at home today.
photo by NOAH DAVIDSON
throughout the game, bringing his total to 12 saves this season. The Tiger’s men walked away with their fourth win of the season after the 2-0 UT-Dallas sweep, and they look strong going into their next home game against conference
rival Colorado College this upcoming Friday at 7 p.m. Following that match, the team will play two more home games on Sunday at noon against University of Dallas and Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Schreiner University.
The issue with money in college sports Division I athlete, Director of NCAA Compliance and men’s basketball head coach dish on dollars
BY CHRIS GARCIA
SPORTS REPORTER
Over the years, many people have debated whether NCAA athletes should be paid for the revenue they generate for their school. This long-winded debate has led to no action by the NCAA, and this will likely continue to be the case for years to come. Another common conversation regards the fact that Division III NCAA athletes do not receive athletic scholarships, even though most Division III institutions are private and cost more than a big-name Division I state school. It is a frequently discussed issue for good reason — money is involved. Throughout the last decade, news outlets have raised the question of whether Division I athletes should be paid for time dedicated to sport, which leads to national recognition and revenue for their school. Many are attached to the idea that the principles of amateurism justify the lack of pay. This justification is unpopular with many Division I athletes for a number of reasons, said Zach Austin, senior wide receiver for the Texas Tech University football team. “I think we should be paid according to the amount of hours that we work, just like a real job. That’s basically what we’re doing here but we don’t get paid like people who work
while also doing school. Think about having to get up every morning at 5:45 a.m. and not being able to study or do anything till about 7:30 p.m. at night,” Austin said. “Specifically talking about sports at Tech, I know that the money we generate here far outweighs any other moneymaking aspect at this school. Same goes for other big-name schools. Not to mention, I am almost certain that the money we generate isn’t all going back to athletics; it goes back to the school in the areas that the school sees fitting, which does nothing for us but a lot for them without even having to compensate us monetarily.” Along with Division I athletes like Austin, many professional athletes share this sentiment. In an interview he gave during the Super Bowl XLIX media week, Richard Sherman, cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks, suggested that Division I athletes are not compensated well enough for the amount of work they put in, and said he believes people are not fully aware of the sacrifices many student athletes have to make in order for their schedule to work. Although Trinity is successful in terms of athletics, athletes receive no compensation. Trinity athletic director of NCAA compliance Justin Parker asserts there is good reason for this. “From my perspective, the reason that Division III does not
do scholarships is that they want to be more academically driven. Top Division III institutions are looking for the student first, and the athlete second. We are looking for the true student athlete. There are no athletes that come here expecting to take classes that are easy because they play a sport, and at some Division I institutions, that may be the case,” Parker said. Trinity basketball head coach, Pat Cunningham, also explained his stance on the subject. “There are over 400 schools who philosophically feel that athletic scholarships is not the way to go. They feel the money should go to academic-based scholarships, need-based scholarships and other programs. That is the driving force— that collective 400 something schools who feel like the money shouldn’t go to athletic scholarships,” Cunningham said. It seems that the discrepancy between Division I athletes receiving athletic scholarships while Division III athletes receive nothing has much to do with the academic standards their schools set for them. The Division III scholarship debate is less centered around what the athletes offer the school revenue-wise, and more concerned with their wellroundedness.
15
SPORTS • SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 · WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM
Football’s concussion conundrum Opinions on the dangers of America’s favorite game are rampant; will there ever be a consensus?
BY MARKHAM SIGLER
SPORTS EDITOR
The NFL season kicked off for the 97th time this past Sunday, and with it countless wings were consumed and millions of Bud Lights guzzled. Sunday afternoons will be an emotional time for many over the next several months, filled with those vibrant sensations of intense jubilation and disgusted despair that get us out of bed in the morning. Grown men with two children and a picket fence will spend a gross amount of time on the computer analyzing statistical trends, injury reports and upcoming schedules, all to win a prize of $150 — except that the money is entirely secondary to the bragging rights (besides the computer geeks who earn millions running online fantasy sites; those guys have it all figured out, and they definitely do it for the money). It is all innocent, humanizing fun, wound up in a game that has steadily supplanted baseball as America’s true love, while keeping basketball at an arm’s length. At the end of the day, you don’t have to be too coordinated, quick or intelligent to go outside with your neighborhood goon squad and play a slightly developed combination of catch, keep away and hurt-the-guy-with-the-ball. It’s a wonderfully simple game, which makes it so persistently beautiful. Every year, the NFL parades into February while raking in billions, bestowing legitimacy upon hundreds of young men who might otherwise have never escaped their hometown, perpetuating early onset dementia and other memoryloss diseases among a third of its players, and grinning Usainly (see what I did there) as it once again sprints past the NHL, the MLB, the Justice League and the League of Nations to remain the most successful league in the history of the world. Oh. You’re stuck on that whole “early-onset dementia” business. Sentimentalism really is running rampant today, isn’t it? I thought these men were receiving the opportunity of a lifetime, one that most can merely imagine. We all die, don’t we? And we will all be forgotten — so why does it matter if a handful of our modern-day gladiators suffer from forgetfulness, are more prone to depression, and every so often, decide to take their own life? The answer to that is obvious. Human beings, the sane ones, hate to watch the guiltless endure pain. Our sympathy, while potentially risky at points, is well-earned in this case. Many current and former athletes have spoken to the issue, claiming that they will not or would not allow their son to play
football. This includes LeBron James and Brett Favre. Celebrities and politicians, of course, have joined the fracas — President Obama sided with James and Favre, and Will Smith starred in the 2015 film “Concussion” in which the NFL’s history of lying about the consequences of a concussion was promulgated. The NFL has earned the ire of cause-hungry Americans everywhere; its popularity relative to boxing, or the MMA, has forced a need to defend itself where other violent sports have had a freer pass. Clearly, there is a substantial risk to playing football, as there is a substantial risk when you drive to school, eat at Mabee or choose Thursbays over preparing for that 8:30 Bio quiz tomorrow morning. My little brother is a junior wide receiver who has already had multiple concussions, his first in eighth grade. His description of the effects — elongated darkness, severe headaches, a fragile memory
— is terrifying. But what can be done to reduce one’s probability of Alzheimer’s or depression without radically changing America’s most recent fling? The answer is nothing, really, save a rugbyinspired tackling revolution that will dramatically disadvantage defenses, and even more penalties. It is always interesting, and in this dilemma’s context, absolutely imperative, to hear football players comment on the situation. Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman wrote a piece for “MMQB” criticizing the politics driving much of the debate, and concluded with the telling line, “If you don’t like it, stop watching.” Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians called people who won’t let their kids play football “fools” and pointed out that youth female soccer players have more concussions than youth football players. In addition, the highest level of women’s soccer has the
second-most concussions in the sports world behind football, yet no one seems to care much about that. These men, and other pigskin conservatives, recognize the progressive mindset challenging their game’s future. A clear desire for increased safety at the expense of what makes football the special game it has become. Whether or not Sherman, Arians, and others like them have opinions that matter more than the average opportunist’s is impossible to determine. After all, opinions are inherently biased, with an end goal in mind — and the debate is over a game. But there are some takeaways that can be certain. Debaters should not ignore the truth behind assertions that football (as a game, not the NFL as a political organization) is unfairly spotlighted due to its immense popularity. To ignore it is to be a pawn. An outspoken attack on football should affect
your opinion on other potentially dangerous activities to a more reserved extent than you may want to acknowledge. Football should not invite an extreme amount of criticism due to its acclaim. People can choose their path as the market sees fit — this is still the United States, and it is still that simple. On the other hand, playing football is doubtlessly a more perilous endeavor than baseball, jump rope and cooking class, to name a few potential hobbies for your lovely future children. Disagreeing with that is no longer plausible belief. What parents choose to do with this information, with respect to their child’s other options, is also completely in their own hands. Either way, the decision can only be made based on ambiguous information derived from polarized stances. Despite attempts to objectivize, the issue remains a gray area and will likely remain one.
dare to listen.
TAKE ACTion. TAKE ThE dArE.
We don’t have to agree on everything. diversity of opinion is a cornerstone of our democracy. reasonable minds can differ. But we must be willing to truly listen to one another. Join us:
Friday, september 16
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Coates Center Trinity university
Learn more and take the dare at idaretolisten.org
A community service initiative of Texas Public Radio & the San Antonio Area Foundation Texas Public Radio Logo w/o URL (4-Color)
John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation C=64, M=100, Y=12, K=0 C=0, M=0, Y=0, K=99
TPR CMYK logo Use at any scale, radio wave stroke must be adjusted according scale
16
WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 •
SPORTS
The NCAA, PEDs, and marijuana Widespread usage of PED’s and marijuana is no longer uncommon at the collegiate sports level BY CHRIS GARCIA
SPORTS REPORTER
The usage of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and recreational drugs among athletes has been a controversial topic in sports for over two decades, and could prove to be an issue among professional and college athletes for years to come. This problem is not unique to any sport, as most are forced to deal with failed drug tests and subsequent suspensions on a regular basis. The NCAA and professional leagues have attempted to regulate the issue with strict drug testing, but many people are unaware of the fact that the protocol for collegiate drug testing differs from Division I, II and III. The difference in the frequency and consequences of these drug tests vary greatly from Division I to Division III. In fact, there are many cases where a Division I athlete is tested four times in one year and a Division III athlete none. For example, one rule states that Division III athletes must be tested at Championship events — a rule that is seldom followed. Sophomore Ozzie Veloz was a part of last year’s soccer team that reached the NCAA tournament. “I was never tested. I’m not sure if anyone was, but I wasn’t. The coaches talked to us about what we can and can’t take, like protein and stuff, at the beginning of the season. But we never really talk about drug testing specifically,” Veloz said. Drug testing is one of the only mechanisms, and quite possibly the most effective mechanism, installed to prevent people from using PEDs, thus sustaining the integrity of sport. But if it is not implemented effectively, people can cheat too easily.
Daniel Castano, a former Baylor University catcher who is currently a member of the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system, shared his perspective. “At Baylor, we were tested about every two or three months. Maybe because there is more money in Division I sports, the NCAA puts more priority on drug testing. But still, in my opinion, PEDs should be illegal and I am glad they are because there is no use for them in the game,” Castano said. Castano highlights the primary hindrance to successful drug testing — money. Arguably the most significant reason Division III athletes are not drug tested efficiently is the cost. Drew Judson, a Division III student athlete at Hendrix College, discussed his drug testing experience. “We never received a drug test last year. In fact, we have only been tested once since 2014, when I started school here. Our program was unable to afford it last year, so it didn’t happen. I think the coaches would have liked to do it, but it just was not in our budget,” Judson said. Another hot-button topic regarding drugs in college athletics is marijuana. Marijuana has steadily become more socially acceptable and has increased in consumption over the last decade. This spread has permeated the world of athletics, with many athletes now utilizing it to ease mental pressure and physical pain. Marijuana legality is a gray area, being recreationally legal in multiple states despite being illegal under federal law. The overarching drug policies of the NCAA prohibit any usage. “I don’t understand why certain recreational drugs are illegal because alcohol is legal, and
some drugs are less dangerous than alcohol. But I guess since they’re illegal under the law, then athletes shouldn’t be doing them, so I understand that. I overall don’t think that drug testing for anything other than steroids is essential,” Castano said. A similar view regarding recreational drug testing can be found in many locker rooms across the country. “I think PEDs are banned for a reason because the game would not be fair but recreational drugs are a completely different issue. Smoking marijuana isn’t a big deal to some, while to others it seems like a terrible drug that prevents people from reaching of their potential,” Judson said. Division III schools have tried pushing for more leniency on drug testing as recently as 2014 with regards to recreational drugs, but not PEDs. In 2014, Division III reduced its penalty for failed recreational drug tests, lessening the suspension of an athlete who fails a test from one year to half a year. In 2015, there was a push from many schools to completely abolish recreational drug testing at championship events. Their reasoning stems from the fact that testing hasn’t been an adequate deterrent of the usage of recreational drugs — at least not over the past 30 years. Not to mention, college athletes who are penalized for recreational drug use lose eligibility, and are therefore more likely to drop out of school then the average college student. The Division III Management Council ultimately voted to keep testing. Only time will tell if the NCAA’s recreational drug testing system will change in response to social changes and impressive data gathered in support of
marijuana as a pain-reliever and anti-stress drug. As external pressures mount, there is a chance the whole system could be shaken up in the near future.
UPCOMING EVENTS SEPT. 16 6pm Volleyball vs Southwestern 7pm Men’s Soccer vs Colorado College SEPT. 17 1230pm Volleyball vs Schreiner 5pm Volleyball vs Texas Lutheran 6pm Football vs Pacific Lutheran SEPT. 18 12pm Men’s Soccer vs Dallas 2pm Women’s Soccer vs Dallas SEPT. 20 7pm Women’s Soccer vs Mary Hardin-Baylor