theTrinitonian
NEWS 4
OPINION 7
PULSE 9
Serving Trinity University, San Antonio Since 1902
Vol. 113 Issue 4
September 11, 2015
Alleged sexual assault occurs near campus BY ALEXANDRA URI
NEWS REPORTER
The morning of August 29, students on Trinity’s campus were shocked to receive a campus-wide email announcing that a case of sexual assault had been reported to Trinity University Police Department. The email began by saying, “The Trinity University Police Department received a
report of a sexual assault that occurred off but near the Trinity campus. The student was returning from an off campus party early this morning and was assaulted as she walked back to campus with a group of other students.” Trinity University Police sent the “Timely Warning Notice” in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act of 1990 that requires all federally funded colleges and universities to report crimes that occur in and around campus. The email was sent out in order to inform students that an alleged sexual assault was reported to campus police and that the incident occurred off campus.
1& women
6
20
12
of those rapes happened when the victims so intoxicated they were unable to Almost consent or refuse.
in
Sexual assaults were most likely to occur in September, October, and November, on Friday am Saturday or Saturday nights, and am between the hours of midnight and 6:00 a.m.
Friday
“We wanted to make people aware of the incident because this is something students need to know,” said Pete Perez, assistant chief of campus police. According to the Trinity University Policy, Procedures and Information on Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Sexual Exploitation, Dating Violence Domestic Violence, and Stalking, students have two, non-mutually exclusive options for reporting cases of sexual misconduct: “a University process and a criminal process. Either or both may be pursued.” The incident was reported to campus police. However, Trinity University Police are unable to comment on the specifics
reported being raped in college since the beginning of the academic year
S F&
9 10
5%
threatened rapes happen during a date.
are at greater risk for victimization than
Most victims of physically forced or incapacitated sexual assault were assaulted by someone they knew.
Less than of completed or attempted rapes against college women were reported to law enforcement.
12.8% of completed rapes, 35% of attempted rapes, and 22.9% of
ophomores
reshmen
Among college women, in victims of rape and sexual assault knew their offender.
at the time as the incident is still under investigation. “This is a very delicate situation. We have to be careful with the information we put out,” said Perez. At this time David Tuttle, associate vice president and dean of students, is unable to comment on the alleged sexual assault or on the status of the victim. In the email sent to the campus, Trinity University Police advised students to not leave their drinks unattended and to always be aware of surroundings. “It happens even in groups,” Perez said. If you have any information regarding this case please contact the Trinity
J S or
uniors
eniors
Women who had practiced binge drinking in high school had an increase liklihood of rape while intoxicated.
Data courtesy of Krebs, C.P., Lindquist, C.H., Warner, T.D., Fisher, B.S., & Martin, S.L. (2007). The Campus Sexual Assault (CSA) Study. National Institute of Justice, Mohler-Kuo, M., Dowdall, G., Koss, M., & Wechsler, H. (2004). Correlates of Rape While Intoxicated in a National Sample of College Women. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 65, 37-45, Fisher, B.S., Cullen, F.T., & Turner, M.G. (2000). The Sexual Victimization of College Women. National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Following the aftermath of the T-Pain concert an alleged sexual assault occured near Trinity
Faculty, staff and Clint make NFL picks for the year The Trinity community tries their hand at guessing game outcomes compared to Oracle method BY CLINT SCHROEDER
SPORTS REPORTER
“This is our year,” says every football fan as they walk into their favorite bar or restauraunt sporting a luck hat or jersey. Dare I say it: it’s football season. Fans of all teams have been carefully monitoring the draft, free agency and preseason to see which new players they will be cheering for on Sundays. With the
new additions to their teams, all fans hope that when the last game of the season is played on Super Bowl Sunday, their team will be the one hoisting up the Lombardi trophy. With the results of the preseason games, fans have a general idea about how good each team will be, yet there are undoubtedly some fans whose lofty expectations for their hometown teams have little chance of being met. Those hometown allegiances must end when it comes to predicting the results of NFL games if one wishes to best the predictions of an un-biased Mathematical method. This NFL season, I will be collecting and comparing the weekly predictions of faculty and staff members to the predictions of the Oracle method, which was
created by Trinity professors E. Cabral Balreira and Brian K. Miceli. The Oracle Method allows Balreira and Miceli to predict the likelihood of one team beating another based on each team’s prior results. The results of the Oracle method speak for themselves, for they have proven to be a more accurate prediction method than other widely used ranking methods such as ESPN’s Power Rankings, PageRank and Keener. Balreira and Miceli have already published the Oracle’s predictions on their website for each team’s expected win total for the season, the likelihood of them making the playoffs, and the likelihood of them winning their division, conference and the Super Bowl. So let’s see how we stack up compared to the Oracle. SEE SPORTS PAGE 15
NEWS...1-5
OPINION...6-7
PULSE...9-10
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT...11-13
SPORTS...14-15
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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 •
WEEKLY PREVIEW
NEWS BRIEFS On Thursday the San Antonio City Council unanimously passed a $2.5 billion budget that includes increased funding or various areas, including street and sidewalk maintenance and construction as well as slightly reducing the propertytax rate. The budget includes raising wages of the lowest paid city employees to $13 an hour and providing cost of living adjustments to civilian employees as well. Unlike past years the budget lacked any major cuts and as such passed without any opposition and controversy. mysanantonio.com
15 TUESDAY
What: Painting with Picasso When: 8-12 p.m. Where: Skyline
14
What: HUMA Guest Lecture: Peter Meineck When: 11:20 a.m. Where: Chapman auditorium
Meet the SENATO
MONDAY
What: International Studies Colloquium-Ebola: Lessons LearnedGordon Schutze When: 2:10 p.m. Where: Northrup 040
What: Annual Study Abroad Fair When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Explanade
What: Stieren Arts Enrichment Series: Alan Chow When: 7:30 p.m. Where: Ruth Taylor Recital Hall
What: Dear White People Screening When: 6 p.m. Where: Northrup 040
STAFF PICKS
San Antonio
LET TER EDITORS
Greeeeeeeeeeek Weeeeeeeek EVERY WEEK
For a complete list of upcoming events head to trintonian.com/ eventcalendar. To request coverage of an event please email us at trinitonian@trinity.edu with the name, time and date of your event.
SEPTEMBER 11- 17
12 SATURDAY
NEWS
TO
THE EVERYWHERE, ALWAYS
As everybody already knows Greek Life is the single most important thing on campus here at Trinity. So we are obviously extremely excited for this weeks “festivities” to take place. Our favorite part is when the sorority chicks and fraternity bros have to spend 24 hours on the esplanade. We love to watch them get bug bites and awkwardly flirt with one and other.
Texas An Ellis County grand jury has indicted seven volunteer firefighters as well as the department chief and assistant chief following their connection with an alleged sexual assault. The assault happened on a fellow male firefighter in January, when five men bent the unidentified victim over and attempted to assault him with a broomstick before opting to use a chorizo sausage. Following the department’s board’s decision to oust the chief and assistant, the county fire marshal was appointed to run the department as an interim chief.
TUPDBriefs
mysanantonio.com
Location: Herndon Hall Date: 9-10-15 Time: 12:13 a.m. Classification: Texas Controlled Substance Act
Location: Beze Hall Date: 9-07-15 Time: 1:05 p.m. Classification: Fire Alarm
Location: Coates Library Date: 9-09-15 Time: 12:25 a.m. Classification: Fire Alarm
Location: Basketball Court Date: 9-05-15 Time: 8:07 p.m. Classification: Public Intoxication
Location: Dickie Smith Date: 9-07-15 Time: 12:25 p.m. Classification: Theft
Location: Lot W Date: 9-04-15 Time: 1:27 a.m. Classification: Alcohol Violation
International Following the increasing number of fleeing refugees in Europe from Syria, the United States has plans to accept 10,000 refugees the coming year, with President Obama stating that this was the lowest number, which, while lower than the 340,000 seeking asylum in Europe is an increase from the 1.500 that have been permitted to re-settle in the US since the start of the conflicts. Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel has already stated they are prepared to accept 800,000 Syrians, already having accepted 450,000 as well as Uk Prime Minister David Cameron has offered to accept 20,000 refugees. bbc.com
Across 1. Also Jedidiah 4. Japanese drink 6. Dick, formal 7. Distribute in small portions 9. Rick Rubin’s label 12. Spice, also folk medicine 14. Cramden (TV bus driver) 16. Rolling Stone’s gustarist, first 17. Corrective color 19. Actor’s parts 20. Bounce back, in a way 21. Juniper alcohol 22. Purposes 23. Too 24. English soccer league
Down 2. Liquid rock 3. Cabbage cousin 5. Dating app 8. Baker’s dozen 10. Notable period of time 11. Not burried, parts 13. Existence 15. Get ready, briefly 18. Franny and 19. Prayer beads 21. Spring bloom
Identification The Trinitonian [USPS 640460] [issn 1067-7291] is published weekly during the academic year, except holidays and final exams, by Trinity University, One Trinity Place, San Antonio, TX 78212-7200. Subscription price is $35 per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at San Antonio, TX. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Trinitonian, One Trinity Place, #62, San Antonio, TX 78212-7200.
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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. ©2015. All rights reserved.
NEWS •
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SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM
Student involvement prepares for new semester
BY JAMES GODFREY
NEWS REPORTER
The Student Involvement department organizes many programs and events throughout the year to enhance student experiences on campus. These range from a weekly invitation for students to enjoy milk and cookies in the Student Involvement office to working with the city of San Antonio to take part in the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. march in January. “Our mantra is, ‘Do a few things really well,” said Jamie Thompson, student involvement director. “While we encourage exploration and variety, ultimately we hope students can dive deep into a handful of things so they can become experts in a few areas.” The Student Involvement department is located in the west wing of the Coates University Center. The office houses several branches relating to organizations and student life programs on campus, including student-edited
publications, fraternity and sorority life, student programs and diversity and intercultural relations. The Student Programming Board also has a space within this wing of the building. SPB will be hosting a number of events this month, including a, “Painting with Picasso,” event tomorrow evening at 8 p.m. in the Skyline Room. Greek Weekend will also begin next week with a Student Involvement sponsored lecture from Kristin Waheed, who will speak about leadership to start off Greek Weekend. The student involvement office is open to student visitors, and students are invited to come in for cookies and milk every Thursday afternoon from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. In the past, after five visits to the event, visitors would receive a ceramic mug. This year, the mugs have been replaced by green cups, to encourage people to bring their cups back in the future. “We enjoy the opportunity to welcome students, faculty, and staff into our space for community [and] relationship building,” Thompson said. “So far this semester, we have run out of cookies within the first 20 minutes, and we would like to increase our order [to] ensure more guests can grab a snack when they stop by.”
There are events organized by Student Involvement throughout the year, and a schedule can be found on the events calendar on the Trinity website. Annual events include the new student orientation events as well as the Martin
“
We enjoy the opportunity to welcome students, faculty and staff into our space for community [and] relationship building. Jamie Thompson Student involvement director
“
Events such as milk and cookies as well as the MLK Jr. March will be held again this year
Luther King, Jr. march and lecture, which is attended by many people within the city of San Antonio. Last year the lecture featured anti-racism activist and educator Tim Wise, who spoke on the importance of honoring the entirety of King’s statements. Another annual event held by studentedited publications within the student involvement department is the First
Amendment Celebration, which will take place this year during the Communication Day event in February. This year, the First Amendment Celebration program was recognized by the National Association for Student Personnel Administrators with a bronze award in the category that addresses civic learning, democratic engagement, service-learning, community service and related programs, services and administration. In the past year, the Trinity Diversity Connection Diversity Dialogues on police brutality and transgender student experiences on campus were particularly successful, according to Thompson. TDC has also started a new collaborative project with University Communications called, “Humans of TU,” modeled after other programs around the world such as Humans of New York, which can be viewed on Instagram and Facebook. The events calendar on the website has listings for events throughout the semester, including those organized by Student Involvement. “We welcome feedback and ideas,” Thompson said. “Students can e-mail [us], make an appointment with a staff member, or stop by to brainstorm [or] give program feedback.”
Zipcar windows knocked out Love to write? Cars returned to campus after being Have strong repaired and are now available to students opinions? BY ALEXANDRA URI
NEWS REPORTER
On August 29 individuals broke the windows of the new Zip Cars on Trinity University’s campus after the T-pain concert. “I learned from TUPD that the rear passenger side windows on both cars were smashed. I checked them out and there was no additional damage, no indication of potential attempted theft - such as no damage to the steering columns,” said David Tuttle, associate vice president and dean of students. According to the Trinity University Police multiple suspects were seen fleeing from the scene of the crime towards the William H. Bell Center.
“An officer patrolling saw the suspects running towards the Bell Center. The officer pursued the suspects; however, she lost track of them and they got away,” said Pete Perez, assistant chief of campus police. Because the incident is still under investigation Trinity University Police could not disclose some details about the case. However, they are reviewing security camera footage around campus and are following other relevant leads. “The only description we have of the suspects is that they were dressed like males and were carrying backpacks,” Perez said. The incident is particularly embarrassing because the Zip Cars are a new feature on campus. “Well, it is a little embarrassing. This is a new program and we want full student support. I imagine we get only so many chances for people to mistreat the vehicles. We don’t know for sure that this was done by students, but it
would be a reasonable assumption,” Tuttle said. The incident is unusual because of where the Zip Cars are located outside of Mabee Dining Hall and the Witt Center. “Generally you would think that’s a good area,” Perez said. “I guess criminals are starting to get a little bolder.” It is unclear whether or not the incident will cause a change in Zip Car’s contract with Trinity. However, the administration is hopeful that the incident will not be repeated with the replacement cars. “I hope it was a one-time thing. I also hope whoever did it goes to confession,” Tuttle said. Or better yet, if someone contacted me willing to pay for the damage we would agree to let it go at that.” Trinity University Police are still investigating the incident. If you have any information please contact Trinity University Police Department at (210) 999-7821.
Zipcars returned to campus out front of Mabee dining hall after having their windows replaced following their damage.
photo by Jordan Leeper
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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 •
NEWS
New gardening class offered for community garden Biology students can participate in the peer led course focused on topics of sustainability and gardening BY JAMES GODFREY
NEWS REPORTER
The university community garden will receive care from many students this year, not only those who are a part of the Students Organized for Sustainability but also students enrolled in special topics biology course 2191, which is focused on sustainable gardening and permaculture in south Texas. The course, taught by associate professor Kelly Lyons and students Hayley Sayrs and Nathan King, returns this year for the second semester. The course is split between lecture days and garden work days. “We are going to implement a few projects this semester to best utilize the gardening space,” Sayrs said. “A lot of what we are looking to do is goal—oriented, not object—oriented.” The course concentrates on gardening in south Texas, and plants chosen for the garden were selected based on how well they are expected to grow in the San Antonio climate. The course meet on Fridays at 11:30 a.m. in the Center for Science and Innovation on lecture days. Some subjects covered include the importance of sustainability and closed—loop systems. Student leaders Sayrs and King intend to implement a closed loop system while working in the garden this year with students. Utilizing a closed loop system means introducing as little external fertilizer, pesticides and the like into the garden as possible, so that it is selfsustaining. In addition to Lyons’ lectures, Sayrs hopes to introduce individuals within the San Antonio area to the course so that others can present information to students on topics such as grafting and drought— tolerant species. Sayrs and King work together with students in the classroom and garden to lead the course with Lyons. The classroom environment is intended to be a community learning experience, and students are encouraged to take leadership roles in teaching others
what they know as well as the course material covered in class. It is a single credit course open to all years, with a diverse makeup of students, according to Sayrs. “I hope to teach our students how to grow organic vegetables with care and how to adapt gardening practices to best serve themselves and the community,” King said. Vegetables are planted in the garden in Dec, and then harvested just before fall. Students will work to understand how to best handle the gardening space, taking into account shade and sun exposure for the plants. Students intend on planting cauliflower, kale, collard greens, beets, broccoli, leeks, and possibly legumes in the upcoming months. The majority of what is grown in the garden is then donated to the San Antonio Food Bank following harvest. Seeds have been donated to the garden in the past by other community
garden groups, according to Sayrs, and they hope to plant donated seeds this semester as well. Sayrs views the course as an experiential learning environment where all students are encouraged to ask questions and better themselves as well as the environment. “I feel that learning how to garden helps people be conscientious of the time it takes to create food,” said junior Claudia Garcia. “Maybe this will encourage people to try to be less wasteful, and be aware of all the efforts that go into their dinner.” Students interested in contributing to the work on the garden are welcome at Students Organized for Sustainability garden work days, which take place on Sundays during the semester, said King. “We are working together to achieve a common goal and create something,” Sayrs said. “We felt it was important to make the garden into a classroom.”
Students participate in the community garden class outside of the Storch Memorial Building.
photos by Karina Durant
Crisis management team to bring awareness to campus
Trinity response team plans to train school to be prepared for emergencies BY JESSICA LUHRMAN
NEWS REPORTER
Trinity’s Crisis Management Team is comprised of staff and faculty members who review university procedures and practices related to emergency situations. The organization meets monthly and undergoes training and exercises to prepare the campus for crises. This year the Crisis
Management Team aims to bring more training to Trinity’s campus, according to Ivan Pendergast, the emergency management coordinator for the team. “This year we’re really making an effort to bring those out to the community, so that students, faculty, and staff know what to do in a moment of crisis no matter what that crisis is. We try to provide a little bit of training as to what to do prior to that event. So we can look at that decide what went well, what went wrong, what do we need to fix,” Pendergast said. The Crisis Management Team is made up of faculty and staff from many Trinity departments including David Tuttle,
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associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students, Steven Bachrach, assistant vice-president for special projects, Paul Chapa, chief and director of university police, and several others. The first training session scheduled for the fall is a severe-weather drill for tornados in October. “We are going to simulate a tornado hitting campus with a tornado warning. We are going to ask the Trinity community to seek shelter. We’re going to have observers all over campus to see how this works,” Pendergast said. The purpose of the drills is to identify problems that need to be solved prior to an actual emergency, according to Pendergast. “One of the biggest reasons we have these drills and these exercises is to identify those areas that work and what doesn’t work. We’d rather find out now with an exercise that something needs to be improved upon, than during a major event,” Pendergast said. In the event of an active shooting on campus Pete Perez, assistant chief of police at Trinity University, explains that emergency preparedness is important. “Heaven forbid that an active shooting does happen on campus. A lot of people don’t know what to do and we want our students to be more aware
of what might happen. We’re promoting the Shots Fired on Campus video right now,” Perez said. The Shots Fired on Campus video states that, “The possibility of being involved in an active shooter event on campus may be remote, but the consequences can be catastrophic. That’s why it makes good sense for you to spend some time thinking about what you would do if you found yourself in such a situation. It’s a sad fact that shooting events do happen on college campuses.” In addition to the Shots Fired on Campus video, Perez explains that TUPD is promoting ELERTS, a safety app from TUPD. The app updates the user is reported of any unusual activity on campus and can also directly send photos to TUPD in the instance of any spotted crime or instances. Perez explains that the ELERTS app also acts as a virtual escort for students walking from one point to another. “ELERTS is a virtual escort. You get from point A to point B on campus and hold down the button on the app. When you release the button, you have ten seconds to let us know that you’re okay. If there’s no response, we’ll send an officer to your location on campus,” Perez said. TUPD also has monthly mock trainings for officers for emergency related situations including active shooter protocol. The Crisis Management Team works to practice through mock trainings and procedures before a crisis occurs. Pendergast explained that training is important to be prepared for tragedies that he hopes will never occur. “It’s like we’re preparing for the rainy days, but we hope for the sun,” Pendergast added.
NEWS •
SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM
Preparations for Greek Week commence New Greek Life coordinator, Jeremy Allen to help kick off the upcoming Greek Week BY JESSICA LUHRMAN
NEWS REPORTER
Greek Week, the annual week-long event spotlighting Trinity’s Greek community, will be taking place September 16-20. The week ends with Greek 101 and Recruitment Kickoff on September 20. Jeremy Allen, the coordinator for fraternity and sorority life, explains how Greek Week aims to promote unity between sororities and fraternities on campus. “I’m excited for the community to come out and represent their organizations. In the past, people have identified with their organization more than the community as a whole,” Allen said. “I think it’s an opportunity to reconnect with friends that maybe you haven’t seen in a while and meet new people from other organizations.” Greek Week was formerly a week-long event that has been shortened to four days this year, according to Ashwin Adivi, the president of Omega Phi. “Greek Week is actually a little shorter this year. Last year it was a whole week, and I think everyone got tired of it,” Adivi said. Greek Week will begin on September 16 with this year’s Greek Speaker, Kristen Hadeed. From September 17-19, Greek organizations will have the option to participate in Last Man Standing, one of the more popular Greek Week events. For this activity, Greek organizations must have a member from their organization on the Esplanade at all times during the three days. Nicole Lumpkins, the president of Zeta Chi, describes why Last Man Standing is her favorite event. “A lot of people hate Last Man Standing because it’s basically camping when you could literally sleep 10 minutes away, but it’s a really fun event,” Lumpkins said. “It’s one of those things that promotes Greek unity. You get to talk to people who have the same general interests as you that you’ve never talked to.” The Greek Week Carnival, which was formerly during the Greek Week, has been scheduled for October 10 during Alumni Weekend. This year the Greek
community will have an Alumni Auction, according to Adivi. “We’ve got this alumni auction and all the Greeks are going to contribute a bunch of cool old stuff and it’s going to get sold off to all the alumni who come back. All the proceeds are going to go to the Fisher House,” Adivi said. Adivi notes that Allen, who joined the Student Involvement staff this year as the coordinator for fraternity and sorority life, has a new vision for Greek Week. “We have a new Greek coordinator, Jeremy, and he’s really awesome,” Adivi said. “He’s doing a lot of great things. He’s hyped us up again. Now it’s a new phase, new energy and a lot of new ideas.” A new standards system for the Greek community has been implemented beginning this semester according to Allen. Standards will now be a merit-based point system for sororities and fraternities. Over the course of the year, Greek organizations can achieve up to 500 points divided between the four pillars for standards of excellence: scholarship, camaraderie, leadership and service. Allen explains that points can be achieved in a variety of ways. A new initiative that Allen has started this semester is Jersey Mondays, where all members of the Greek community wear their individual jerseys every Monday. “Jersey Mondays is bringing visibility to the Greek community and showing the variety of colors and people we have represented within different organizations. It’s a cool visual way to see. Sometimes you may not realize who’s in an organization. You might have a class with them or be in another organization with them and not realize they were in another sorority or fraternity,” Allen said. Organizations can also earn standards points by wearing their jerseys by hosting study halls. “One of the way they can earn standards points is by hosting study halls. It’s an opportunity to host so that members know that, ‘Hey, every Sunday I know we have a study hall. I know I can go and study with a group of friends.’ It’s another way to demonstrate that scholarship is important to the Greek community,” Allen said. Points for standards can also be gained by Greek organization members for visiting career services, according to Allen.
“We’re really pushing to have members visit career services and schedule one advising session per semester so they can get their resumes polished up, write a cover letter and talk about internship and job opportunities,” Allen said. Allen describes, how the newly revised standards system is meant to highlight the positive actions that fraternities and sororities take. “We’re making sure we highlight the positives. The standards should reward organizations for things they like to do anyway. It shouldn’t be this arbitrary list of requirements that they have to meet,” Allen said. Allen noted that the Greek community is hoping to receive Gamma Sigma Alpha recognition this year, which requires sorority and fraternity members to have a 3.5 GPA and above. “We actually had a higher GPA last semester than non-Greek campus. We want to push that more,” Allen said. Adivi explained how Greek Week will be a time of new changes for the Greek community starting with the implementation of the new standards system. “There’s a new mentality behind Greeks,” Adivi said. “We’re really focusing on positive things to bring to campus with new standards. We’re going to try to show that through Greek Week.”
Allen poses in the Studen Involvement center photo by Jordan Leeper
Trinity community mourns passing of Carolyn Bonilla Bonilla worked as the Enlish department secretary among other positions at the university throughout the years BY TYLER BOELTS
NEWS EDITOR
On Friday, September 4 Carolyn Bonilla, a secretary within the English department, passed away after a car crash according to an email sent out to the Trinity community by Susie Gonzalez, the director of public and media relations. According to the email Bonilla had worked at Trinity since 2008 in serveral different positions around campus and returned in July after a small break from the university. Edwin Blanton the associate director for experiential learning and the coordinator for community service and engagement had worked with Bonilla in the past. “I started working at Trinity within a few weeks of Carolyn. At that time we both worked in the same department, and I probably saw her every day for six years,” Blanton said. Blanton recalled the positive energy of Bonilla and noted the loss within the Trinity community. “Carolyn was a wonderful colleague, a great team player, and always had a wonderful sense of humor about the work that she did,” Blanton said. “She will be greatly missed.” Bonilla is additionally known through Jamie Thompson the director of Student Involvement and is survived by a number of different family members including her parents and children according to the email. Carolyn Bonilla will be greatly missed by the university as well as the Trinity community. A memorial service has not been announced yet.
5
PALETAS & PICTURES Come take your yearbook photo and get a free popsicle on September 15 and 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Locations TBA.
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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 • OPINION
...
pinion
COMMENTARY
Interested in decisive conflicts or heated discussions around campus and the world? Are you and your friend, professor or colleague divided on the most pressing issues of our time? Write to us at trinitonian@trinity.edu with your guest columns and letters to the editor.
Texas transportation troubles Come with me if Have you noticed that when you force yourself to close your computer and leave your virtual life behind for real life, you encounter traffic problems that seem to be increasing at a surprisingly frenzied pace? Traffic and transportation are such headaches that they have become almost daily topics of conversation for Texans. For students, who will see a doubling of the state’s population as they reach their parents’ age, this trend should be especially unsettling. Increasing development, a growing population and deteriorating roads ensure that unless we take action now, our problems will continue to worsen. However, there are three ways for students to do something meaningful about the congestion that plagues us. For decades, funding for roads in Texas has been sorely lacking. The legislature has been reluctant to raise taxes of any kind and inflation has eaten away at a state gasoline tax that hasn’t been increased since 1991. The legislature made strides during the last two sessions to provide more funding for transportation and improve the quality of our roads. The last session approved a constitutional amendment that provides for a consistent source of money for roads and their
maintenance, eliminating the need for each session of the legislature to appropriate these funds. The amendment, which will be on the ballot in November as Proposition 7, would redirect part of the general sales tax and motor vehicle sales tax to the State Highway Fund. Since turnout is traditionally low in constitutional amendment elections, and many voters don’t have the patience to read the entire ballot, it is important for every student to find the transportation amendment (Prop. 7) and give it their vote. Secondly, for students in the Austin-San Antonio area, a great opportunity could be just on the horizon. Lone Star Rail, a project that has already gained major political and financial support, would establish a passenger rail line from south San Antonio to Georgetown, north of Austin. This line would serve business and economic interests, retail establishments, tourist destinations and sports and entertainment venues, as well as almost 300,000 students on numerous college campuses. The opportunities this would provide citizens, including students, would be immense, and the reduction of traffic along I-35 from individuals choosing to take the train instead of
the highway would be significant. For the millions of people living along the Jonathan Box Austin-San Guest Column A n t o n i o Corridor, the benefits of implementing this passenger rail system are innumerable. It’s imperative that students voice their support for Lone Star Rail to their elected officials. Your third option: go to your bedroom. Grab your pillow. Place it in the chair in front of your computer. Get comfortable. Now, work on improving your computer skills, because the only travel you’ll be doing is in the virtual world. Then take your pillow and put it back on your bed, because you will be dreaming if you think our transportation troubles will improve without widespread support for meaningful reforms. It is critical that you vote for Proposition 7 and support the Lone Star Rail to help curb our transportation problems. Jonathan Box is a senior political science major and president of the Students for Texas Transportation
Everything you wanted The other day in one of my classes, we were discussing the philosophical problem of being versus non-being or, in other words, what exists and what doesn’t. The philosopher Parmenides states that humans cannot access what is in a state of non-being: in other words, we can’t see, talk about or even think about what doesn’t exist, which already sounds problematic. Reflecting on this subject, I would like to think about how many times I have wanted a part of myself to slip into that state of non-being, of non-existence. When I was younger, I wanted to enter this state of not-being, but not in the sense that I wanted to stop existing. What I desired so many times was for one particular part of me to stop being what is was, or to disappear just enough for other people to stop noticing it. My accent, level in academics, and skills in music and theater were all made fun of greatly at one point or another. If you were that awkward kid in middle school who got picked on constantly because of your appearance, hobbies or way of thinking, then you probably wanted those other kids to stop picking on you. Perhaps you went as far as to say that you wanted to be completely different, so that no one would make fun of you ever again. Maybe you changed your appearance, way of talking, hobbies or even personality. You wanted that geeky, awkward, undesired part of yourself to slip into non-existence, to be forgotten for good by those who detested you for it, even when what you wanted to disappear wasn’t actually bad.
STAFF
editor-in-chief: Luke Wise managing editor: Claire Hoobler-Curtis business manager: Cori Whang ad director: Christina Moore news editor: Tyler Boelts campus pulse editor: Julia Elmore arts & entertainment editor: Madison Smith sports editor: Aynav Leibowitz photo editor: Miguel Webber graphic editor: Samantha Skory web editor: Kim Nguyen reporters: Jessica Luhrman, Alex Uri, James Godfrey, Nipuni Gomes,
Of course, it’s completely normal to go through changes in tastes, appearance and so on during your school years and beyond. These changes are normal, until they become forced. No matter how important you think those people COURTNEY JUSTUS are or how scared they make you Turquoise Verses feel, you can’t force yourself to change because of them. Plus, trying to ignore what they think isn’t always easy. Usually, when a person is fixed on how much they dislike your favorite artist, or your clothes, or the way you speak, it’s hard for them to stop focusing on those dislikes whenever they see you, no matter how hard you try to hide the things they hate from them. That should make them worry, not you. College is a great place to leave the people and places you’d rather forget in a state of almost-non-existence. You can start over and completely reinvent your life. And while I think that’s a great thing to do, I think it’s crucial to remember that there will still be people who think differently from you. There will be disagreements, and perhaps even harsh criticisms or insults. Just remember that you are not those cruel words. You are not a person that deserves to descend into non-being. We all deserve a chance to be everything good we know exists inside of us, and nothing should make us think otherwise. Courtney Justus is a sophomore English and philosophy major with a minor in creative writing. Clint Schroeder, Nkoli Nweke, Sarah Price, Sarah Tipton, Paige Perez, Grace Frye, Dylan Wagner columnists: Nikita Chirkov, Courtney Justus, Callum Squires, Jeff Sullivan copy editors: Daniel Conrad, Zach Wilson, Emily Wood photographers: Karina Duran, Eva Littman, Jordan Leeper, Sarah Thorne, Nayeli Perez graphics designer: Binaca Chavez distribution manager: Nikita Chirkov advertising staff: Donovan Allen, Laura Campbell, Lauren Harris, Kayla Hood, Jordan Leeper, Erin Patridge business staff: Krushi Patel, Jessie Taube adviser: Katharine Martin
you want to live
Late May was warm and sleepy. The last diplomas were handed out. Students and faculty scattered to all corners of the globe. Summer research projects had not yet kicked into gear. The campus was deserted. And then the machine arrived. It sprung up near the rear entrance of Prassel Hall. At first, there was a flurry of activity. Soldiers, military jeeps and photographers. Within a few hours the dust settled, and our unusual visitors had vanished. Sitting in the middle of the parking lot, surrounded by a chain link fence, a mysterious contraption emitted a low, humming sound. A sign on the chain link fence warned “Keep out. Property of the U.S. Army.” Imagine that a motor home, an industrial air conditioning unit and a water cooler were somehow capable of mating. Their offspring would look exactly like this strange new contraption. The following day, a new figure arrived on the scene. He wore no uniform, but his bearing suggested military training. Every morning, without fail, he tended to the machine. Adjusting dials. Tightening screws. Examining nozzles. Spraying jets of water into the air. Jotting down measurements in a rugged laptop. He worked diligently, sometimes for hours, day after day. But why? Who were they? When I could no longer stand the suspense, I introduced myself to our new neighbor. His name was Moses, he said. Moses West. No stranger to San Antonio, he took courses at Incarnate Word and Trinity University in the 1980s. An inventor and a former military test pilot, he is also a certified member of the U. S. Army Rangers. I asked him about the machine. Moses grinned broadly, pausing for dramatic effect. “Saving lives, Aaron. Saving the world. This is the machine that’s going to do it.” It sounded like a line from an action movie. I was reminded of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s classic line in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”. “Come with me if you want to live.” Moses was just getting started. He talked to me about water, reminding me of things I know to be true, but try very hard to forget. Our planet is running out of water. Fast. Water scarcity affects one in three people on every continent, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better. According to a recent report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), approximately 1,800 children under the age of five die from “diarrheal diseases” every single day because they lack access to clean water. São Paulo is on the brink of “hydric collapse.” Wildfires continue to rage in drought-stricken California. As a result of pressures placed on groundwater, parts of the San Joaquin Valley floor have sunk more than a foot in less than a year. Moses West tells me he has a
solution. Or at least part of the solution. You see, Moses is a water farmer. That’s right. He farms moisture. Aaron Delwiche Just like Luke’s Staff Column Uncle Owen in “Star Wars: Episode IV. A New Hope.” “This machine is going to change everything,” he explained. “This machine taps into the third source of water: Earth’s atmosphere. I’m making water from the air, and it costs next to nothing.” This seemed too good to be true. Yet, many experts think Moses is on to something. The Texas National Guard, the UTSA Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute, and Trinity University actively supported the pilot project and the preliminary results seem promising. Moses’ atmospheric water generator has captured the attention of national governments, multinational conglomerates and relief agencies around the globe. Throughout the summer, Dr. Diana Glawe, in the Department of Engineering, conducted a third party verification of the machine’s performance. She notes that the idea of atmospheric water generation has been around for many years. The exciting thing about this machine is the fact that it is capable of producing drinking water with relatively low energy costs compared to other sources of fresh water such as desalination. The machine is also portable, which means that it can be deployed in emergency situations without an extensive investment in infrastructure costs. In a recent interview with Next City, Moses says that—with the right kind of support—he can “scale this up to produce a million gallons a day, 30 million gallons a month.” This is more than a proverbial drop in the bucket. This machine won’t solve all of our water problems, but it can certainly help alleviate some of them. The summer is over, and so is the pilot program. Moses and his machine have relocated to Austin for the next phase of the project. The parking lot is empty, and the chain link fence is gone. Things just aren’t the same without him. During one of our final conversations, Moses reiterated his concern that time is running out. Our planet is on the brink of ecological collapse. Climate instability. Rising sea levels. Ocean acidification. The water shortage is just one of many crises that we face. “We need a national mobilization,” he said. “Like 1941 after Pearl Harbor.” If we don’t do something soon, says Moses, it will be too late. Aaron Delwiche is a professor of communications.
OPINION •
SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM
Pay attention to Broadly “Tentpole” documentaries, a name that Vice has attached to their style of immersive journalism, have been showing me stories of people’s lives and experiences since I was about sixteen. While certainly entertaining, their content has also undoubtedly proven educational by opening my eyes to the joys and plights of human beings all over the world. Whether the focus of the pieces are political, cultural or biographical, they always seem to be interested in offering a closer and more detailed view of human experience. So this summer, when I was first introduced to Broadly through a six minute long YouTube trailer advertising their upcoming pieces about women using drones to airlift abortion pills past national borders, making vagina shaped kayaks to question what should really be considered obscene in Japan and discussing modern French literature centered around killing rapists, I was intrigued. Broadly published that video in July and since then has published ten original productions. The website stems off of their growing media parent force Vice and utilizes their unique style of immersive journalism to highlight the stories of women all over the world. Three examples of such works can be found on either their YouTube page or website under the titles “Drone Delivered Abortion Pills” (featuring our state’s reproductive politics and Wendy Davis), “Vagina Art and the Paradox of Japanese Censorship Laws” and, finally, “Virginie Despentes on Killing Rapists.” They vary in length with some videos lasting only eight minutes while others run for more than half an hour. The group has a YouTube page for all of their video content that already boasts 25,000 subscribers; however, they also have their own website where they publish written pieces about politics, culture and sex. The online site WIRED published an article featuring an interview with Broadly’s editor-in-chief Tracy Egan Morrissey titled “How Vice’s Feminist Channel ‘Broadly’ Plans
to Get Women Right” by Julia Greenberg. It lauds the growing site as “a site for JEFF SULLIVAN women by My Perspective women all about women.” The majority of their content is, to me, left-leaning in regards to the political ideologies and opinions they typically publish. However, their platform allows for women of differing political beliefs an opportunity to have their voices heard. Don’t simply take my word for it though; see their piece, “Shooting Guns With Ann Coulter” to learn more about her most recent book and her beliefs about why women shouldn’t vote. Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten that this is my opinion piece and not my entertainment piece. It’s just that it’s my opinion that people should pay attention to this interesting and perhaps educational site. As a person who would like to be more informed about women’s political issues, culture and experiences, this site is a godsend. That being said, I obviously don’t believe it speaks for all women or all issues. However, it offers a glimpse into the lives of some powerful, passionate and fascinating women through a medium that can be utilized and enjoyed by masses of people. The next time you want to temporarily escape from your own responsibilities, burdens and homework assignments, consider going to Broadly. Learn something about a subject you may never have known existed, and learn about it from some very driven female forces. Start a conversation with your friends and family. Just do anything but re-watch the entirety of whatever Netflix series you’re watching for the umpteenth time. That’s just my opinion though.
Jeff Sullivan is a junior political science major with a minor in English.
What I learned on my summer vacation
My typical bent is toward the political. It’s what I teach and study, and I enjoy it, so the topic frequently takes center stage in my columns. It can be very frustrating, then, to take an entire summer off from writing, because politics does not take a break, and so much of political interest happened over the summer. So, I thought I would start the semester by sharing what struck me as the most interesting developments over the break. Let’s start with the Democratic Party nomination contest. Here we are faced with a spectacle in which the presumptive nominee has morally disqualified herself for office. Unfortunately for her party, breathing down Hillary Clinton’s neck is self-described socialist Bernie Sanders. I realize, of course, that employing the “S” word in academic circles is hardly pejorative. But I would remind my farther-left-of-center colleagues that the best socialists have ever done in presidential elections is the 6 percent won by Eugene Debs in 1912. Candidate Sanders would no doubt break that record, but I suspect at the cost of victory. Things are hardly better in the Republican Party nomination contest. It’s nice to see so many options, but I sometimes wonder what possessed some of these folks to wake up in the morning, look at themselves in the mirror, and think: I should run for president! And at a time when victory is a genuine possibility, the pollsampled electorate seems willing to suspend all rational thinking and follow a man who refers to his political opponents as “losers,” resorts to whining when he’s criticized and insults the very political class he’ll have to work with should he ever get elected. I get it: people are angry. But anger is never a reliable mechanism for making long-term decisions of consequence, and Donald Trump
comes too close to reminding me of a bad Third World despot than an exemplar of the standard set by George Washington, who must be rolling over in his grave. We saw similar insanity in the area of public policy. On one side of the political divide we witnessed a fracas over the Confederate flag. It has always been a bit of a mystery to me why the flag of another political regime should EVER fly over public property in the United States. Yes, I understand that some of this is regional pride – courage and heroism, military skill, stuff like that. But we’re talking here about flying the flag of the CSA over the USA. And despite a lot of bad history out there, the Civil War was a conflict that would not have occurred had it not been for the institution of slavery. Read South Carolina’s secession declaration, or soon-to-be CSA vice president Alexander Stephens’ Cornerstone Speech, and then tell me what this was really all about. Having said that, I find the white-washing of history, whether through moving statues or rebranding the JeffersonJackson Day celebrations of the Democratic Party, more akin to Stalinist purges than genuine selfreflection. The notion that a Soviet flag or bust of Lenin would be more acceptable for polite society than a statue of Robert E. Lee is patently absurd. On the other side of the ideological spectrum we learned over the summer that Planned Parenthood adjusts “medical” procedures for financial purposes as it traffics in human body parts. We saw how casually officials discuss the “crunchy” nature of the destruction of human life. And just in case anyone missed the obvious, these same individuals recognized the truth when they perused the scattered remains of one
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eviscerated fetus and exclaimed – in a bizarre perversion of what new parents David Crockett might say – From the Wild Frontier “It’s another boy!” On the pro-life side there is at least an interesting debate over whether using undercover cameras is a legitimate tactic, since it involves deception. For the abortion industry, there appears to be no such concern. Life is not an inalienable right. Finally, I must confess to being surprised at how quickly my forecasting came true after the Supreme Court delivered its decision legalizing gay marriage. I have several times over the past few years highlighted the collision between religious liberty and sexual liberty, especially as these two values intersect in politics and society. We’ve already seen the full coercive power of the state come down on the heads of bakers and florists and photographers who retain a traditional conjugal definition of marriage. Now we see it with county clerks and judges. Others will follow. But perhaps it should not have surprised me. When the Supreme Court bypasses the democratic process and imposes its will on the nation it succeeds more in agitating issues than settling them. Space constraints prevent me from pondering why the Senate abdicated its treaty-ratification power in the Iran nuclear deal, and why, in the wake of the public execution of a police officer, declaring that ALL lives matter is somehow akin to a racist taunt. So much for the lazy days of summer!
David Crockett is a professor and the chair of the political science department.
EDITORAL
Egos and anti-viruses: why privacy matters Step aside Kanye West, there’s a new presidential candidate in town. That’s right, it’s none other than real life James Bond villain and self proclaimed “eccentric millionaire,” John McAfee. Exciting news, no? If the name rings any bells, it’s likely because John (is it ok if we call you John? I feel like we’re on that level...) is the anti-virus software tycoon responsible for the majority of pop ups about unsafe sites and porn viruses on your dear old grandmother’s computer. It’s not everyday that we start an editorial ignoring our hip hop gold guru in favor of the elusive software connoisseur but we figured it’d be a good stepping point into some more important issues, notably privacy. While we aren’t sure what West will be running for in 2020 (we assume a national day for himself and mandatory leather pants for corporate, alongside some actual real ideas on race and social inequality), McAfee is planning on running under his own newly created “Cyber Party.” After receiving encouragement from “almost everyone” he knows, John is running on a platform criticizing the government’s online security and increasing surveillance. The man’s bizarrely odd lifestyle and past aside, he raises valuable points on issues of privacy,
noting its loss and the illusion of security put forth by the government. Glossing over his confidence in his “huge underground” web following and the sure fact that he will indeed win, McAfee has hopefully reignited a spark in the realm of privacy rights. We share some of McAfee’s concerns ourselves—after incidents like PRISM and the NSA scandal, the issue of privacy is real. We have lost great amounts of privacy to the hands of a government said to be our protector and for what? Claims that this mass data helps prevent terrorist attacks and violence? That if you haven’t done anything wrong you have nothing to hide? Privacy isn’t secrecy: we all know what happens in the bathroom, but simply because we know doesn’t mean we don’t want the door to be closed when we enter the stall. There are plenty of cases where innocent people, with “nothing to hide” have been falsely victimized (David Mery as an example). Even if people are not arrested or convicted, anything remotely “wrong” or “potentially suspicious” on someone means they are forever viewed through that light, regardless of the correctness of that interpretation. Certainly there are benefits to having some
of our data accessible by the government, but at what point is it too much? Law enforcement should be able to access phone records and files but only with sufficient merit and probable cause, not simply because some kid on League of Legends told another competitor in a fit of rage that he would “fucking kill him” (probably with a few extra exclamation marks and an array of insults comprised of more numbers than letters). Information is power. And when that information is in the wrong hands, it leads to one side, in this case, our own government, having an upper hand and an unfair role in various aspects of the game of life. The mentality of “having nothing to hide” divides the world into two grups of people, those who are bad (terrorists, criminals) and those who are good, who use the web and information to Facetime, to share books or to plan their next trip. The “good” people have nothing to hide since they are, by definition, good. But by labeling ourselves as such, we are implying that we are nothing more than boring, harmless and entirely uninteresting individuals who hold never question the government. We should be free to critique our government without fear of being put on a list
of potential threats. These “good” people? They have plenty to hide but none of it is illegal. It is often embarrassing or immoral, hurtful or just extremely personal. And for that reason they should want to hide it. And there’s nothing wrong with that. The difficulty in this debate is that everyone is comfortable with differing levels of privacy and differing levels of government control and interference. And while John McAfee may not be the best candidate for the presidency at least he is attempting to spark a discussion on something that is immensely important. Powerful and divisive issues are never easy to solve. They take time—there may not be an answer anytime soon. But simply because it is a hard talk to have doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be having it. If anything we can all at least agree that both the anti-virus genius McAfee and the egotistical and polarizing West will offer at least some more substance to their debates, whether now or in 2020, than the GOP darling Trump. Here’s to a McAfee-West 2016/20 ticket. I’ll be sure to get a bumper sticker for that.
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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 • OPINION
CAMPUS PULSE
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FACULTY & STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Know any staff or faculty members who deserve recognition? Want to give them the attention they deserve? Send us your recommendations at trinitonian@trinity.edu and we will include them in our spotlight!
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ulse
Students from each residence hall participated in Hallympics. Contests included trivia, volleyball, and soccer. photos by Sarah Thorne
The winner takes it all in competition between halls BY EMILY ELLIOT
PULSE REPORTER
One of Trinity’s most anticipated traditions is the Hallympics, an annual event in which members of each hall get to compete as a team in a wide range of activities, such as trivia bowl, soccer, and kickball. The hall that wins the most events at the conclusion of Hallympics becomes the champion. The competitors include each of the first-year halls and one general “upperclassmen” hall, as the event also serves as a big opportunity for freshmen to branch out and meet the other students in their class. With great success and an increasing participation each year, the Hallympics has become one of Trinity’s most exciting events. “The Hallympics is a full
experience to have fun. It’s an opportunity to get excited for the school year and to get amped up about what Trinity has to offer its students,” said Chaz Davis, accounting major and program assistant of intermurals. With this position, Davis helps staff and trains referees for Hallympics events; this ensures fair games are being played at each event. “The referees actually know the protocol, so games go at a better pace and students get a full sporting experience,” Davis said. Though the events and setup have been a fun experience, the most significant part of Hallympics is still the fact that it’s an opportunity to meet others.
“As a first year, I remember [Hallympics] allowing residents to bond together because people from all halls and floors get to interact. It just provides a better community in terms of getting to know fellow students,” Davis said. This Hallympics also serves as the first opportunity for the new students on campus to participate. “We didn’t win, but it was a great way for my hall to bond together and show hall pride,” said Antonio Pedraza III, a first year resident of Herndon. For many participants, Hallympics was an opportunity for students to have fun before the school year becomes stressful. “Soccer was my favorite event. I like playing soccer, and it was the most fun and competitive.
We played Beze and it was like a battle,” Pedraza said. The success and fun of this year’s event has already excited participants for next year. “I would definitely play for Hallympics again, especially soccer,” Pedraza said. Upperclassmen, the winning hall of the tournament, proved they could be competitive and have fun while meeting the new first years. “Hands down, the best part of Hallympics is always meeting new people. I not only get to introduce myself to the new first years and sophomores that I don’t know, but I also get to work in a team environment with different people. I believe that working in a competitive team environment brings out a different side of
people that I wouldn’t normally get to see,” said sophomore Emily Geiger. Students are already looking forward to having the opportunity to participate in next year’s Hallympics. “I will absolutely compete again next year. I love watching and playing sports and hope next year I will be able to play on the upperclassmen soccer team without being intimidated by my own teammates!” Geiger said. Hallympics takes the competitiveness of sports and combines it with the fun of meeting new people. With great excitement building up to it each year, it’s sure to be a highly awaited tradition remaining on campus for years to come.
First lecture of series focuses on impacts of Ebola International studies professor discusses battle against disease in the U.S. and internationally BY NIPUNI GOMES
PULSE REPORTER
On Tuesday, September 1st, Nanette Le Coat, professor of International Studies, gave a lecture titled “Why Ebola? Why Should we Care?” This was the first in a series of lectures on Ebola titled “Ebola: Lessons Learned” for the fall 2015 international studies colloquium. The series of lectures in the colloquium have been made possible by several driving forces. “I get some help from my friends such as Dr. Montoya and Dr. Blystone, and Dr. Kaissi in the Health Care Administration area,” Le Coat said. “I need to give a shout-out to two people who helped us organize this session, and that is Dr. Marc Colman, who is an alum and who’s been very generous to Trinity in multiple
ways … and Dr. Ruth Berggren, of the University of Texas Health Science Center’s Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics.” The lecture began with a mention of key figures around the world in the battle against Ebola, including the patients and health workers who have succumbed to Ebola, as well as doctors who have made it their life’s mission to battle the disease. “I think it’s important to know that the heroes are not just American,” Le Coat said, speaking of Sia Wanda Koniono, a Liberian Ebola victim; Mohammed Sengho, head of Redemption Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia; and Laurence Sailly, a French doctor and emergency coordinator for Doctors Without Borders. Le Coat proceeded to name notable figures in the United States. “Closer to home, we have Dr. Ian Crozier … he contracted Ebola while working in Sierra Leone, and he was returned to the U.S. for treatment in Atlanta and [his doctors] thought they had cured him of the disease. But, after a while he started experiencing inflammation in his left eye. … It turns out that Ebola was being harbored in his eye. So, he decided
that he would use himself as an object of self-study,” said Le Coat. Le Coat then told the story of Eric Duncan, a Liberian Ebola victim who had travelled to Dallas from Africa to join his fiancée. He was mistakenly sent home by hospital staff after visiting the emergency room with Ebola-like symptoms. On September 28, 2014, he was returned to the hospital, becoming the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States. Duncan died on October 8th and his family was quarantined for three weeks. A documentary produced by Vice News titled “The Fight Against Ebola” was shown to the colloquium audience. The halfhour documentary gave a brief overview of the history of Ebola in West Africa and followed Vice reporter Danny Gold and his crew in September 2014 as they documented the fight against Ebola in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. “With around 3,000 confirmed cases of infection and nearly half of those cases having become fatal, Liberia is now the center point of the epidemic,” Gold said in the documentary. The video showed how people in Monrovia live day to day, walking around with spray canisters of
diluted bleach, washing their hands numerous times a day. “How to manage, how to be able to contain the disease, wherein you find deaths all over, it is beyond our capability, beyond our understanding. This is the reason why everyone is confused,” said Mohammed Sankoh, Medical Director at Redemption Hospital, in the documentary. When asked what came to mind when watching the video, Robert Blystone, professor of biology, replied “Fear. You can see fear on some of those people’s faces, and many of us, I don’t think, have ever seen that before. These people were making life and death [decisions]. [They have] a loved one and [they] can’t get them any medical care … and what comes from that is fear.” A noteworthy aspect of the Vice documentary was the heroism of the Liberian people. Health workers and family members of the diseased were pictured bravely rushing to patients’ aid, even though they were aware that one small mistake could lead to fatal consequences for themselves. “It’s not over till it’s over,” Le Coat said. Notable speakers in future lectures include Gordon E.
Schutze, professor of pediatrics and retrovirology at the Baylor College of Medicine (speaking September 15); Peter J. Hotez, dean of the National School for Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine and president of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, U.S. Science Envoy (speaking October 20); and Mark W. Kline, chair of pediatrics at the Baylor College of Medicine and physician-in-chief at the Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston (speaking October 27). “This is important because we want to underscore the point that global health studies is an interdisciplinary study … it’s medical, it’s anthropological, it’s cultural, it’s historical, it’s psychological; all of these elements enter into play when you’re talking about global health,” Le Coat said. Topics in future lectures will include “Culture and Health Issues in Western Africa,” “Preparing U.S. Hospitals for Ebola and other Epidemics,” “Parallels between the HIV and Ebola Epidemics in Africa” and “Campus Disaster Response.” The lectures will take place every Tuesday at 2:10 p.m. in Northrup 040 and are free and open to the public. A complete schedule can be made available by contacting Le Coat or Blystone.
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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 •
CAMPUS PULSE
Trinity home to clubs where nerds are preferred Students and professors celebrate nerd and geek culture on Trinity campus BY NIPUNI GOMES
PULSE REPORTER The concept of the ‘nerd’ has varied in meaning and been stigmatized for many years. Trinity University is known for the high academic standards of both its curriculum and its students. Extracurricular activities vary from academic to athletic to purely entertainmentoriented. What does being a nerd mean on the Trinity campus? Is there such a thing as nerd culture here? “I think there is,” said Mark Lewis, professor of computer science. “The nerd culture, there is an eccentric nature to it. People who kind of do things a little bit differently, they’re very into things, but it’s not the standard stuff; a lot of it is science and technology; that’s kind of what I picture as being a nerd culture.” Students have a similar view of what can be considered as nerdiness and nerd culture. “Nerd culture, I think is technically anything that … helps people know
and be able to talk to each other and do things together, that typically people consider on the nerdy side. There’s definitely a massive nerd culture on campus, and a lot of it is very easily found. A lot of people are very open and obvious about it,” said junior Michael Batista, co-president and co-founder of the Battle Elite Anime, Pokémon and Video Game Club; unofficial president of the Magic the Gathering Club; and captain of the Swashbuckler substance-free hall. “Nerd culture is kind of doing something that you’re passionate about in an obsessive amount, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but I guess it can be seen as something that doesn’t contribute to society … Nerd culture is inspired by passion, and it’s a little bit silly, but that’s the entire point of it. It’s there to have fun,” said junior Charlie Stein, co-president of Battle Elite and member of the Swashbuckler hall. “People can be really nerdy about anything. I think people who are obsessed with sports are nerds, bigger nerds than me!” said Sarah Walters, member and former captain of the Swashbuckler hall. According to Lewis, Stein and Batista, some ‘nerdy’ student organizations include the Association for Computing Machinery; Battle Elite Anime Pokémon and Video Game Club;
Members of the Battle Elite club gather to play Super Smash Bros.
Magic the Gathering Club; Japanese Culture Club; and the Swashbuckler hall. Jennifer Henderson, professor and chair of the communication department, believes that the definition of nerd culture can vary throughout time. “I think that the definition of nerd culture changes depending on who you’re asking and where you are. I would say that one of the most important things is that nerd culture has become so much a part of mainstream pop culture today that it doesn’t carry many of the same negative stereotypes that it used to,” said Henderson. Henderson teaches a course on media fandoms, a culture she believes is also present at Trinity. “I think I see a lot of fandom culture on campus, people who are fans of things, and I would say that that’s everything from media products to sports teams, and I think that people are really proud of their fandoms and not afraid to show them. … In all fandom studies, there aren’t definitions of nerd. They talk about geek culture, but they usually do that outside of the academic realm. So I would say that there aren’t definitions in academic studies about what constitutes a nerd or a geek or any of the terms that we use,” said Henderson. When defining ‘nerd culture’
photo by Karina Duran
and its presence in today’s society, Aaron Delwiche, professor of Communication, makes an interesting point: “[Nerd culture is] a relic of the twentieth century … I think there was a time when I was in high school where things like comic books, computers [and] video games were considered nerdy. So when I got into high school I […] just denied connection to those things, which was really stupid because it was stuff I really cared about. We had this whole dichotomy where you [had] the nerds and the football players, and these categories that are all rigid, and I think that’s changed a lot,” Delwiche said. The terms ‘nerd’ and ‘geek’ are often used interchangeably, but their individual definitions are the subjects of much debate. “That’s apparently a highly debated subject. Supposedly one of them is smart and the other is not,” said Walters. “For the most part they’re interchangeable but I think, technically, the nerd is supposed to be the [one] fixated on more school-type things, and geek is more fixated on Dungeons and Dragons and video game type things. Both of them are considered quirky and weird, I guess,” said Batista. “I think [a] geek is someone who is really into something. You can say someone is an economics geek or an anthropology geek. It was more about obsessiveness. So sometimes it’s used as a synonym but sometimes a little different,” said Delwiche. When asked what nerd culture’s place is at Trinity, some faculty and students seem to conclude in favor of general acceptance. “I think that the campus is very accepting,” Lewis said. “You have quite a few students who feel comfortable here and are part of whatever counter-counter-culture group they have to be part of.” “Everybody’s got a little bit of a closet nerd in them, whether they’re willing to admit it or not!” said Walters. “I think Trinity is a small place where people try very hard to get along with one another. So I think that we see fewer of the divisions that we hear about in high
school. The fact that you have to be academically talented to come to Trinity levels the playing field. So, I just don’t think that what is traditionally considered a nerd is a negative at Trinity,” said Henderson. “People seem less uptight about identity right now. At least in the bubble of Trinity, people seem less uptight about drawing clear lines or pushing people into boundaries. … I don’t think cultural change happens overnight, but I think that people who think comic books and video games are nerdy are on the wrong side of history,” said Delwiche. Junior Mikaela Hawk, a selfidentifying ‘non-nerd,’ agrees: “I definitely do not identify as a nerd, but I am very accepting of nerd culture even though I don’t really do nerdy activities. I do hang out with people that do nerdy activities. I think that says a lot about accepting nerd culture here at Trinity, because even people who don’t do nerdy things are still friends with people who do. They even show up to the events to support them.”
For all nerds and closet nerds out there, students and faculty have an important message:
“Come and play with us!” said Stein. “We’re proud and loud and it’s very easy to identify and make friends with people who have the same interests [as you do],” said Batista. “Embrace your nerdiness! You’re on a college campus. This is supposed to be a place of intellect and learning and being eccentric and whatnot, and you guys should fit right in. In fact, if anything, you guys should be the population that leads the campus in many ways,” said Lewis. “The basic premise of what we do at a university is [based] on freedom of speech, curiosity, asking questions, and not having doors slammed in our face if we’re interested in things. … To say that being a nerd is a bad thing or that being interested in these topics is a bad thing is very close-minded and it’s the opposite of what Trinity is about [and] what this country is supposed to be about: free speech, free ideas,” said Delwiche.
Stieren guest to present “Dear White People” BY JULIA ELMORE
PULSE EDITOR Next week, as a part of the Stieren lecture series, Trinity will be hosting Justin Simien for discussions about his film “Dear White People” and the issues it presents. Simien is a recent graduate of Chapman University. His film “Dear White People” (2014), explores the life of an African American college student at a predominantly white liberal arts private university. Robert Huesca, professor of communication, says that he chose this guest and his work because the themes are applicable at Trinity. “When I read the description of the film, I thought it was perfect for Trinity,” Huesca said. “I think it fits with our environment perfectly. It raises questions we all should be thinking about.”
The screening of Dear White People will be followed by a discussion of the film and the questions it raises. “What are the difficulties faced by underrepresented minority groups in our midst?” Huesca said. “How can we make this a better experience for ourselves and others?” In addition to the screening and discussion, Simien will be on campus, having lunch with students on Monday and Tuesday. “The lunch on Monday will be for students who are interested in issues of diversity,” Huesca said. “Tuesday will be for those interested in film and film making.” To attend one of the lunches, students can contact Huesca at rhuesca@trinity.edu. Space for these will be limited.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT•
TELEVISION Nickelodeon executives are considering bringing some classic shows back to modern audiences. Fans of Rugrats, Hey Arnold and other iconic Nick shows rejoice as the studio discusses new avenues for old favorites. The only difference? These shows will be presented in what executives call a “fresh new way.”
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TELEVISION Stephen Colbert started his new gig as host of the Late Show on CBS this Tuesday. After a 10-year stint as host of his own show, The Colbert Report, it was announced that Colbert would take over from veteran host David Letterman in the spring of 2015. Colbert’s guests included actor George Clooney and presidential hopeful Jeb Bush.
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Would the real Presidential candiate please stand up?
Kanye/Jay Z
BY SARAH TIPTON
A&E WRITER
American politics is topsy-turvy right now. With motivational candidates such as Deez Nuts and the overcooked carrot with a toupee of straw masquerading as a person named Donald Trump, it’s a really tough call on who should be the next president of the United States of America. Let me further complicate things by suggesting a few tickets to think about for the 2020 election. I promise you, each of them would raise this country back to prosperity. AMERICA!
Kanye already took the first step of this one for me by announcing his candidacy at the MTV Music Video Awards last week. I’m taking his announcement one step further by adding Jay Z to his ticket. I imagine it would work a lot like the Bush/Cheney administration. Kanye would be the cute, shy, lovable dork that always says the wrong things, and Jay Z would be the brain and the muscles behind the scenes, plus the corruption of his multi-million-dollar music empire would grease a few wheels. America needs that kind of dynamic again since it worked so well the first (and second) time. Plus, this way, Kim Kardashian would be the First Lady and Beyoncé the Second Lady and that’s what America needs. Nay, what it deserves.
Amy Poehler/Tina Fey
Obviously, this would be the literal best-case scenario. But in order to win bipartisan support, these super talented ladies will have to act their way into the White House. Poehler would do her Hillary Clinton impression, and Fey her Sarah Palin. This way both parties would get one of their people in the executive branch. Kind of. Unfortunately, Poehler and Fey would have to keep up with these personalities throughout their term, and while we might love it, other countries might not be as amused. But who cares what Russia thinks? Real Palin can see it from her house, so she’ll let us know what they are up to.
John Oliver/Ryan Gosling
I believe it’s time to do away with that archaic “natural-born citizen”
rule concerning presidents, especially since John Oliver has made it clear that he is the best thing to happen to politics in this country in years. Personally, I think he would be an awesome president. He’s knowledgeable yet fun-loving, and he is definitely familiar with all of the issues. And since Ryan Gosling is from Canada, he could make America a part of the British Empire once more, and then our obsession with the royals could be somewhat excusable. Also, by having Ryan Gosling so high up the ranks of politics, many more women just might come out to vote. Not because of his looks, but because of the possibility of his naked chest riding a horse, a la Vladimir Putin. That’s very political.
My Dad/Chris Pratt
When I called my father for the first time in several years to ask him which celebrity he would like to be on his ticket as vice president, he responded, “No one. I’m apolitical. I don’t want the job anyway.” If that doesn’t make you want him to be your president, I don’t know what will. As a sarcastic 59-year-old white male who bases all of his decisions on logic, he’s a pretty typical presidential candidate. To spice things up, I’m pairing him up with Chris Pratt, who is so lovable that North Korea will just hand over their nuclear weapons with one look at his puppy-dog eyes. I’m not just paring my dad up with Chris Pratt just because that would mean I would get to hang out with Pratt on a daily basis. I’m not
that shallow.
Miley Cyrus: When celebrity criticism is warranted A&E WRITER
In 2012, when Miley Cyrus revealed her bleached-blond pixie cut via Twitter, the world was shocked. Little did the public know, it would not be her boldest move to come. Since then, the former teen queen has moved on to other antics such as gyrating on stage or swinging completely naked atop a wrecking ball. A short five years earlier, no one saw this change coming; I’ll set the scene. The year is 2007 and Cyrus is just beginning to enter the spotlight as the first season of her hit Disney Channel original series “Hannah Montana” is in full swing. Cyrus is becoming an
things. Cyrus is a good example of this. For example, a year after “Hannah Montana” went off the air, Cyrus cut her hair and began to wear more revealing clothing than before.
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“Who cares?” Paige Perez
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BY PAIGE PEREZ
icon in her own right, not only as a teen actress and performer but also as a role model for young girls everywhere. Her good-girl Disney image has solidified the consensus that Cyrus is one of the good ones — young celebrities who age without scandal. (Keep in mind that this is the same year as Britney Spears’ head-shaving incident.) Back in the present, it’s almost impossible to remember this former Cyrus. After the recent VMA drama between herself and fellow performer Nicki Minaj, as well as her controversial use of dreadlocks in her stage costume, many have been questioning where Cyrus “went wrong.” This reporter dares to answer: “Who cares?” I believe that there is a fine line when it comes to criticizing celebrities in our culture, and currently too many of those criticisms focus on the wrong
The public felt that she was acting outrageously. Many argued that she was still an icon for young girls everywhere, and they needed a role model. To me, this seems to be a waste of time. At this point, I would argue that the majority of tweens who had idolized Hannah Montana had already grown up with Cyrus, and wouldn’t exactly be shocked at a flash of sideboob. But ultimately, while it may be interesting to some to
follow each crazy outfit that Cyrus wears or the odd stage performances she partakes in, at the end of the day, she is just a performer doing her job. She puts on outrageous shows for entertainment. It’s simple: if you don’t like the show, choose a different one. The energy we put towards tearing down celebrities we don’t like could move mountains if it was put towards discussions that were actually relevant. However, that doesn’t mean that all behavior is acceptable. We should be questioning whether or not the people we put in the public eye are racist or sexist, or just bad people. That means that when Cyrus chooses to give her opinion on Nicki Minaj’s experiences with racism, we should question whether or not she has a voice in the discussion. When she appropriates black culture by wearing dreadlocks as a costume, we should discuss
the implications of it. On a similar note, if Justin Bieber chooses to drive while drunk, we should react as we would if it were someone in our own community, because these decisions are important in the fact that they are not an act of artistic expression. These actions are hurtful in the real world and have an effect on others. Criticizing these kinds of actions open the discussion for change and help us as a society promote the kind of behavior that we actually want to see. But as for a celebrity’s choice in how they cut their hair or wear particularly revealing clothes or dance in a sexual manner, those should remain their own. We choose our icons. If you don’t support Cyrus’ personal life choices, choose differently. Or turn off the TV and go spend time with the people in your life that you do admire.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Giving ‘The Gift’ of fear: A film review BY DYLAN WAGNER
A&E WRITER
I have a strict policy of avoiding information about new movies I haven’t seen yet. I eat up the trailers for the next Star Wars and Marvel movies like anyone else, but there’s something about going in cold to a new movie that lets you figure the movie out without anyone else’s opinions rattling around in your head. This turned out to work really well for “The Gift,” a movie that expertly uses mystery, suspense and slow-burn reveals to craft a dark and disturbing story. The film is a psychological thriller directed by Joel Edgerton, who stars alongside Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall. A general problem with horror movies is that there are easy ways to be really gross without being terrifying, but what’s great about “The Gift” is that it is a horror-thriller that knows how to manipulate the
regular tropes in order to make viewers’ skin crawl. Without giving much away, the movie is about a young-ish married couple moving to a new home in California where we find that not everyone is who they seem to be. Husband Simon (Bateman) has a new job, and wife Robyn (Hall) continues running her design firm out of the house. But when Simon has a chance meeting with Gordo (Edgerton), an old classmate who seems to know things about Simon that Robyn never learned, an awkward battle of social obligation ensues: Gordo has a predilection for giving gifts, and while at the first the couple reluctantly return his advances, Gordo can’t seem to leave the two alone. Some gifts aren’t wanted, and some can’t easily be returned. This premise could work for a number of different genres, and while psychological thriller might be the official category, the movie swirled many elements from different genres into the finished product: it uses horror techniques but also uses lush architecture shots that could come from any art-house film. The drip-by-
drip flow of character development could fit in any good drama or mystery flick as well. Not surprisingly then, the movie’s main strength is its genre savviness, modifying tropes like the “nice guy who is creepier than he seems” bit over and over until you have no idea what will hit you next. The trailer shows Bateman and Edgerton frequently, but the true main character is Robyn, and her camera shots switched from claustrophobic horror angles that hide any peripheral vision from the viewer to stationary, voyeuristic long shots. You really feel for her: are her fears all in her head? At the same time, the voyeurism forces you behind the eyes of whomever (or whatever) is peering around corners and through faraway windows. While the overall ambience certainly feels paranoid, some sets were shot without any horror in them. Simon and Robyn’s house is gorgeous, which is demonstrated right away in the first scene a realtor gives the couple a tour. The realtor gushes about the house’s huge floor-to-ceiling windows and open floor plan, which seems like trivial information in the first scene
(I certainly forgot about them in about 30 seconds), but so much of the movie is shot in the house that I developed a real familiarity with their home, and this added another layer of creepiness because eventually it started feeling like someone was creeping around my own house. Also, the big windows seem a lot less charming when you think someone is stalking you. As the story develops, the psychological aspect of the movie develops in several ways. The dissolution of sanity is felt most strongly in Hall’s character, as her paranoia and past tendencies become too strong to ignore. Her progressive loss of trust for Gordo, her husband and her own mind again runs parallel to the actual plot, making everything that happens have two or three layers. I personally followed her paranoia most closely: was that knife always sitting on the counter? Was the water already running in the kitchen sink? Why do I keep hearing something in the nursery? This is made more striking as Simon is heavily in denial, assuring his wife that nothing is wrong and that trusting him is the best thing for her psyche.
As these elements bring the stakes higher and as the characters are unwrapped and revealed one ribbon at a time, the intelligence of the movie manifests in unexpected character developments and revelations and not in a whodunnit-style shocker ending or a bloodbath climax. Between the nervous teeth-grinding and uncomfortable seat-shifting, several concepts develop alongside the action. The complexities of truth, deception, paranoia and the refusal of the past to go quietly all come out to play, and I found myself split between the three characters. I identified with Gordo’s desire for catharsis after decades of silence, Robyn’s relentless search for the truth and Simon’s desperate wish for the past to remain the past, but I wasn’t completely attached to any of the three as one fact after another became clear. The slow reveal of personalities and the past make “The Gift” an awesome mixture of thriller and character study, and all three performances were very strong, especially Bateman’s, who I haven’t seen play against type this well since his role as asshole musician in Juno. I can’t wait to see what else Edgerton has in store as a director.
Deep in the forests of England, swathes of dreadlocked Caucasians will hula-hoop, sway and orb their way into transcendence, thus surpassing their real-world responsibilities
and realities back at home. These pseudo- celestials are in search of experiences inconceivable to their bosses and parents. Few outsiders are aware of these occurrences, and
those who are typically lack the courage to make the trip. How did I, an individual incapable of finding the desire to even explore Club Rio, find out about these phenomena? His name is Clive Martin, and he’s our guide to the dark art of the UK club scene. In his eight-episode YouTube series, “Big Night Out”, Clive visits a variety of UK clubs in attempts to better understand some of the subcultures that exist within the country’s borders. One of these subcultures is Psytrance, and its fans are those described at the outset of this piece. In the second episode of his series, Clive goes to a patch of land in an English forest cordoned off under the name “tribe of fog” to smell the smells, listen to the melodies and interact with the people in their chosen party element. His segments are short and sweet, typically lasting around five minutes. The series is published by the Vice subsidiary channel Noisey, whose videos are dedicated to musical exploration, appreciation and criticism. Although short in duration, each episode is chock full of life enriching information about the lives of UK clubbers. Psytrance is only one of the subcultures the show investigates. Clive takes spectators deeper into the world of UK Gabbers, Drum n’ Bassers, university students, indie fans and hip-hop heads. The shows are about as authentic as you can get without either going to the clubs yourself or repeatedly succumbing to your friend’s recorded iPhone footage from that one absolutely insane night that they simply won’t allow you to forget they had.
He goes in with only his ego and cameraman to document these small fragments of the human experience for history’s sake. It must be noted that he is no club night armchair anthropologist that simply walks in, grabs a few good shots and then gets out as fast as he can. In almost every episode he commits to drinking the drinks, doing the drugs and dancing the dances that I could never see myself doing if offered the opportunity. His filmed experiences are then voiced over with his hyper-critical and witty criticisms, rich with pop-culture references and allusions. To me, it’s absolutely hilarious. Yet some people take great offense at his less-than-kind remarks about how people choose to party. These keyboard warriors then take to expressing their hurt feelings in the comment sections located below the videos. Instead of working to disable the comments, which would effectively end the barrage of death threats and personal insults cast his way, he embraces them by dedicating the last episode of the series to personally addressing and combatting a handful of the most comical. The brevity of the shows makes for excellent study breaks when I need a little real-world escapism. There are few other forms of entertainment that will make you feel more cultured than watching a bunch of people from a different country get wasted. If you haven’t already, I highly encourage you take a trip with Clive and see a Big Night Out for yourself.
Gabbers, rappers and clubbers, oh my! BY JEFF SULLIVAN
GUEST A&E WRITER
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT •
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Weekend Picks Sunday 9/13
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Saturday 9/12 Good, Very Bad Day Where: (former) Mission Drive-In Zumba in the Park When: Sunset at 7:45, Where: Travis Park showing at 8p.m. When: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Free Free
Take over Travis Park tomorrow morning and participate in a city wide Zumba
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The Southwestern Cliches Where: Texas A&M University — San Antonio Educational & Cultural Arts Center
This classic tale has it all: E A S T H I L Ddrama, E B R A N D AV ENUE comedy, excitement, death-defying tricks — the works! G
When: 10 a.m. 5 p.m. Free
In an examination of culture and cliche artist Mel Casas spent 1982-1989 focusing on the storied lands of the Southwest. This period culminated in large scale acrylic paintings on drive-in movie screens that depict the life and spirit of the region. Curated by Ruben C. Cordova, this free show exhibits 30 of Casas’s large paintings. Open through Sept. 27, this is the second in a series of four summer exhibitions around San Antonio that highlight Casas. NORTH
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Join friends, Tiger fans, and Trinity alumni for football tailgating! Tailgating is permitted only in designated areas and is open to Tiger fans of all ages. These guidelines are designed to ensure that all of our guests have a safe and enjoyable time at the game. TUPD officers will remain on site to provide assistance with the tailgate policy and reserve the right to check IDs. •
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For athletic event questions, please contact Seth Asbury, associate athletic direcP event management, at sasbury@trinity.edu or 210-999-7823. tor for facilities and For any security and parking questions, please contact special events coordinator Sergeant Clint Ratliff, TUPD, at cratliff@trinity.edu or 210-999-8538.
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Spend an evening outside with friends at this free showing of this funny story of one crazy day. Take a picnic and blankets to lounge on, and enjoy the sunset before the show.
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The Statesboro Revue Where: Sam's Burger Joint When: Doors at 8 p.m. Price: $13 The Statesboro Revue isn’t just another singer-songwriter. Statesboro combines the sounds of blues, rock & roll RTH and Americana NtoO create an NORTH exciting atmosphere. Started in 2008 by artist Stewart Mann, EAS
class. Hosted by the City of San Antonio, this workout will be fast-paced, high intensity and free! Experienced instructors will be leading the way, and prizes are up for grabs.
Statesboro Revue was hailed as one of the highlights of the 2009 South by Southwest festival. The Statesboro Revue brings their electric set to San Antonio tonight. Enjoy good food and music at the famous Sam’s Burger Joint. All ages welcome, doors at 8 p.m.
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SPORTS
ATHLETE INSPIRATION “If life gives you a new, shiny soccer ball but you have no use for it, kick it over to a llama because he probably doesn’t have one.”
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Men’s soccer sparks sudden success Trinity men’s soccer team starts their 2015 season with a three-game winning streak. BY SARAH PRICE
SPORTS REPORTER The Trinity men’s soccer team opened their season with a three-game winning streak this past week against some stiff competition. Their opening game, a conference battle against Schreiner, ended 1-0 with senior captain Tom Carwile striking the decisive blow with a penalty kick in the beginning of the second half. The Tigers dominated the game, having thirty shots on the goal to Schreiner’s ten as well as having seven corner kicks to Schreiner’s seven. This game was followed by two victories over regionally and nationally ranked opposition in Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Brandeis University. Against Claremont, Carwile repeated his heroics with another penalty, this time scoring late with just 11 minutes remaining. The teams were evenly matched in the second half with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps having 11 shots while Trinity only had nine, but they managed to pull out the win. The Tigers then had an even harder fight facing national ranked number seven Brandeis, but this did not phase them. “We knew that it was a big game for us and that this was the moment to step up as a team and
demonstrate that we were prepared to face a wellranked team,” said Paco Vasquez, junior captain. “The idea of going at them from the first minute was clear to all of us.” Trinity won the game 2-0 with the two goals being scored in the first four minutes, putting the Tigers in a great position for the rest of the game. “Scoring two goals in the first four minutes couldn’t have been a better situation because it gave us momentum for the whole game,” said Chad Margotta, senior captain and goalie. The team had the crowd on their feet from the start as Ryan Hunter and Kellen Reid scored their goals. Hunter, a first year for the Tigers, scored the first goal, assisted by Reid; right after, Reid made his goal from a corner kick, assisted by seniors Murray Fraser and Zac Treu. Reaching their goals so soon, the team then changed their game plan for the rest of the match. “The mentality of the team was to be defensively solid and try to find spaces in order to get the third goal,” Vasquez said. “A third goal would kill the game and make the work easier for us, but Brandeis gave us a good battle.” The team walked away with a great game, increasing their chances of moving up in the national DIII ranking from their current position at number six.
With Carwile as a returning captain and two new captains, Margotta and Vasquez, the Tigers are set up to have great leadership on the team, allowing them to pick up right where they left off last year. First year center midfielder Laurence Wyke speaks on the captains’ roles this season and how they have influenced the team thus far. “The captains have helped us win these opening games, leading by example and organizing the team effectively,” Wyke said. “For example, Tom stepping up to score both penalties in our first games to clinch the victory.” The team has been working hard during their preseason, striving to be the best and pushing each other to higher limits. The captain’s role on any team requires a lot of mental toughness and leadership in order to set a good example for the team to follow. “My role as captain is to lead the team both on and
off the field,” Margotta said. “My fellow captains and I hold our team to a certain set of standards that make us competitive in the NCAA tournament.”
In the 2014 season the men’s team finished in the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament, knocked out by Wheaton College. The Tigers are hungry to come back and compete for another championship title. “We are expected to continually improve as the season goes through in order to be at our highest level by the end of November when the playoffs are played,” Vasquez said. “The season runs fast, and we need to get the most of every game.” With high expectations come hard work and dedication. The team will have to carry their success from this past season into this season and use their experience to their advantage. The Tigers have twenty-four returners and ten freshman, making the team culture a prominent ideal to follow. “As soon as you wear a Trinity soccer jersey for the first time, you become part of a tightly-knit family that extends well beyond the soccer field,” Margotta said. The captains have done a great job setting an example for the team by making sure everyone is on the same page; even the newcomers have adapted well to the team’s values and bringing them to the field. “The team is very hard-working, committed and unified,” said Christian Sakshaug, freshman center midfielder. Matching Margotta’s response, the team has a definite understanding from the freshman to the seniors of the important factors needed for their success. The Trinity men’s soccer team is off to a great start for the season and continue their road to the playoffs on Friday, September 11th against Hardin-Simmons at UT Dallas.
Bump, set and spiked to another win SPORTS REPORTER Starting the season off with a bang, the 16thranked Tiger volleyball team recorded a pair of 3-0 victories to open the 2015 season on Tuesday night, beating the University of St. Thomas (TX) and Hustion-Tillotson University. After last Tuesday’s wins, Trinity begins its third consecutive season with a 2-0 record, which came against NAIA opponents. The Tigers won 27-15, 25-22 and 25-13 over St. Thomas in the starting match, and then persevered to finish off Huston-Tillotson, winning 25-15, 25-14 and 25-16. This year, head volleyball coach Julie Jenkins, who is entering her 31st year at the Tigers’ helm, was very satisfied about how the team performed in the opening games. “For both of those matches, I was pleased, and I felt like we had very balanced scoring on to top of great serves,” Jenkins said. “Our serving and blocking in particular stood out in both of the matches.”
Expectations for the season seem to be looking up for the team after starting off with wins. Junior Erika Edrington, who paced Trinity in the opener with 29 assists and 11 dig double-double to defeat St. Thomas, believes that this season will be a good one. “I think we are going to do really well,” Edrington said. “I don’t think this year will need any major rebuilding due to the amount of first years, but I’m very excited for the season.” Trinity began their matches by aggressively connecting on 14 kills and a .417 hitting percentage in the opening game. The Tigers had a bit of a struggle in the second, but came back strong with a .321 percentage in the end. Against Huston-Tillotson, Trinity had just one game hitting over .300, and that came in the second. Although this year the team gained twelve new members, Jenkins described that the team has created chemistry and work together very well. She believes that because the upperclassmen were able to meet their
photo by Luke Wise
BY NKOLI NWEKE
The Trinity women’s volleyball team huddles up during their game against Mary Hardin-Baylor.
new teammates ahead of time, it really factored into how well they are able to play together now. One of the first years, Caroline McKeighan, who made her debut on the home court Tuesday evening, explained that the team has really grown and come together well in order to play cohesively every day. Sophomore middle hitter Kristina Hughes,
who led all players with seven digs against Huston-Tillotson, also believes that her new teammates really stepped up to the plate last week in their first home game. “One of the reasons that I believe our first matches went so well,” Hughes said, “is because our first year were so ready to take initiative and contribute their part right away to really help our team out.”
Athlete Spotlight
Sophomore midfielder, Men’s soccer Hometown: Austin, Texas
C
e f y F ooper photo by Sarah Thorne
photo by Nayeli Perez
What’s your favorite spot on campus? Einstein’s is my favorite spot on campus becausethey have great food (the Italian chicken sandwich), and it’s a good place to relax and take a break from academics. What is the longest you have ever juggled a soccer ball? My record for juggling is somewhere around 200. It took me about 5 minutes, and I actually did it this past summer.
SPORTS •
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SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM
The Trinitonian’s first annual NFL football prediction kick off continued from front
Trinity’s NFL Expert Pickers:
To compete against Balreira and Miceli’s Oracle method, I have selected Trinity University president Danny Anderson, associate vice president and dean of students David Tuttle, professor of business administration and director of the office of experiential learning Jacob Tingle and professor of physics and astronomy Jennifer Steele, all of whom have agreed to submit their weekly NFL predictions to the Trinitonian to see how their predictions compare to the predictions from the Oracle method. These predictions will be tracked and published in the Trinitonian on a weekly basis throughout the season. If you are a diehard football fan or just want to play along, fill out the ‘your picks’ section and email them to trinitonian@trinity.edu no later than midnight Saturday for your chance to be featured in the Trinitonian and win a prize. The individual that gets the most picks correct by the end of the season will be interviewed for a profile piece along with winning a bigger prize that will be disclosed in the next issue of the Trinitonian. Good luck to all the competitors out there, and may the best picker win!
Danny Anderson
David Tuttle
Who is your favorite team? I used to be a regionalist in terms of identifying with teams around me. So when I lived in Kansas, I would really watch the Chiefs. And so I’ve got to make some difficult choices now that I’m in Texas.
Who do you think will win the Superbowl?
I can never remember not being a Packer fan. I had a little Packer uniform when I was a kid just to play in the neighborhood. I pick the Ice Bowl of 1967, between the Packers and the Cowboys, because it’s something most people will understand. I mean, it was cold in Milwaukee, it was cold in Green Bay, and I got to have a little shot glass of beer so I could be like my dad.
Who is your favorite team? Green Bay Packers
The Patriots
Who do you think will win the Superbowl?
What is the one food that you can’t live without on gameday?
What is the one food that you can’t live without on gameday?
Cheetos
Do you think you will beat the Oracle method? Can I beat it? No! (laughs)
Jennifer Steele
What is your first NFL What is your first NFL memory? memory? My first NFL memory was watching
What is your first NFL memory? I grew up in Texas when everyone watched the Cowboys. I remember in church on Sunday night the adult men standing in the back with little earphones trying to hear the end of the game.
Jacob Tingle
Seattle Seahawks
Chips, salsa and cereal
Earl Campbell gain more than 130 yards in his rookie debut. The Oilers lost, but we could tell something was different. Having grown up in Austin and seeing Earl play for UT in 1977, the year he won the Heisman, we were thrilled that he was in Houston.
Who is your favorite team?
Who is your favorite team?
Houston Texans! At some point they will become more just the JJ Watt show...
Houston Oilers
Who do you think will win the Superbowl?
Who do you think will win the Superbowl?
What is the one food that you can’t live without on gameday?
What is the one food that you can’t live without on gameday?
New England Patriots
Homemade queso and Uncle Julio’s tortilla chips
Do you think you will beat the Oracle Do you think you will beat the Oracle method? method? Oh yeah!
What is your first NFL memory? When I was little, we lived in Cleveland and the Browns became my dad’s team for a while. My dad’s opinion of Bernie Kosar seemed to change every second of every game. I remember in the ‘80s they had many spectacular fourth-quarter comebacks, which made football seem very exciting.
No doubt!
Too early to tell at this point, but I would like the Colts to win.
My mom’s seven layer dip
Do you think you will beat the Oracle method?
Honestly? No. I, for one, welcome our new computer overlords.
NFL Predictions-Week 1
o The
President
Oracle Method Anderson
Dean
Dr. Jacob
Dr. Jennifer
Steele
Schroeder
Tuttle
Tingle
Clint
Pittsburgh (PIT) vs New England (NE)
NE- 58.36%
NE
NE
NE
NE
NE
Green Bay (GB) vs Chicago (CHI)
GB - 79.84%
GB
GB
GB
GB
GB
Kansas City (KC) vs Houston (HOU)
KC- 56.75%
HOU
HOU
HOU
HOU
HOU
Cleveland (CLE) vs New York Jets (NYJ)
CLE- 65.09%
NYJ
CLE
CLE
CLE
CLE
Indianapolis (IND) vs Buffalo (BUF)
IND- 55.81%
BUF
IND
IND
IND
IND
Miami (MIA) vs Washington (WAS)
MIA- 71. 03%
MIA
MIA
MIA
MIA
MIA
Carolina (CAR) vs Jacksonville (JAC)
CAR- 76.62%
JAC
CAR
CAR
CAR
CAR
Seattle (SEA) vs St. Louis (STL)
SEA- 65.28%
SEA
SEA
SEA
SEA
SEA
New Orleans (NO) vs Arizona (ARI)
ARI- 59. 15%
ARI
NO
ARI
ARI
ARI
Detroit (DET) vs San Diego (SD)
DET- 53.53%
SD
SD
SD
SD
SD
Tennessee (TEN) vs Tampa Bay (TB)
TB- 54.60%
TB
TB
TEN
TB
TB
Cincinnati (CIN) vs Oakland (OAK)
CIN- 80.92%
OAK
OAK
OAK
CIN
CIN
Baltimore (BAL) vs Denver (DEN)
DEN- 56.29%
DEN
DEN
DEN
DEN
DEN
New York Giants (NYG) vs Dallas (DAL)
DAL- 65.16%
DAL
DAL
NYG
DAL
DAL
Philadelphia (PHI) vs Atlanta (ATL)
PHI- 64.05%
ATL
PHI
PHI
ATL
PHI
SF- 53.17%
SF
SF
SF
MIN
SF
Minnesota (MIN)
vs San Francisco ( SF)
Your
Picks
graphic by Sam Skory
ADVERTISEMENT •
SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM
Learn how you can shape and impact student learning from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, in Chapman Auditorium. Find out more about what defines a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), the topic selection process, and the timeline for the selection of Trinity's next QEP. This information session will be followed by a reception. Please also visit our site at http://qep.trinity.edu
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