VOLUME 102, ISSUE 42
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TUESDAY
JANUARY 15, 2013
Cape’s Camp soon to become student housing By Karen Zamora News Reporter Residents voiced their concerns through emails, petitions and during the November elections, but it was not enough to convert the largest undeveloped property on the San Marcos River into parkland. City council members voted 5-2 during their Jan. 7 meeting to approve zoning changes that would allow the development of a 306-unit, 1,000-bedroom student housing complex at Cape’s Camp called The Woodlands of San Marcos. Less than half of the 45 acres approved for zoning will be donated by the Georgiabased Dovetail Development to the city to be used as parkland as part of the proposal. The 20 acres will include Thompson’s Island. Mayor Daniel Guerrero and councilmembers Kim Porterfield, Place 1, Wayne Becak, Place 4, Ryan Thomason, Place 5 and Shane Scott, Place 6, voted in favor of the development and the 20-acre parkland donation. Councilmembers Jude Prather, Place 2, and John Thomaides, Place 3, voted against the student apartments. “I really wasn’t impressed with the 23 acres they were going to give us,” Prather said. “It looked like your typical apartment—nothing that wowed me or stood out. Nothing worth giving up that land.” The vote followed more than four hours of public comment, most in opposition, at the Jan. 7 meeting. Voters also voiced their desire for the property to be parkland in November. In a non-binding referendum on the Nov. 6 election ballot, more than 75 percent of San Marcos voters said they wanted the 45-acre tract property to be acquired as parkland. However, the two other resolutions, involving the property being acquired through eminent domain or raising taxes, failed to pass by a majority of the voters. “The vast majority said we want this as parkland,” Thomason said at the Jan. 7 city council meeting. “The same percentage said ‘Don’t send us a bill. People really are all over the board on this subject.” Kevin Romig, associate professor in Texas State’s geography department, was one of the 60 community members who spoke against the student housing complex and the zoning change of the land from a Multifamily 12 (meaning 12 units to an acre) to a Planned Development District. Romig said there are other creative ways Cape’s Camp could be used instead of as student apartments that are an inconvenient distance from campus and will cost the city and university to accommodate them. Dave Mulkey, the developer of The
READ Cape’s camp, PAGE 3
RIVER RUNS ‘DRY’
John Casares, Staff Photographer
A new city ordinance bans the display and consumption of alcohol in all city parks including Rio Vista.
Alcohol ban brings changes to San Marcos parks By Taylor Tompkins Assistant News-Editor City parks will have new rules and a new atmosphere under an ordinance limiting alcohol use on premises. The ordinance, which went into effect Jan. 1, bans public consumption or display of alcohol in city parks. Park patrons are allowed to have alcohol in the water and rented areas such as pavilions. Plastic foam products, including coolers, ice chests and cups will also be prohibited. The ban in San Marcos parks is similar to the highly publicized New Braunfels “can ban.” Disposable containers are now impermissible in the Guadalupe and Comal River parks within the city limits under the can ban. Some tubing outfitters reported an estimated 40 percent decrease in business last spring and summer, the first tourism season since the ordinance went into effect, according to reports from the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. According to a report by The Dallas Morning News, fewer citations have been issued and fewer arrests have been made since the can ban went into effect. Like the can ban in New Braunfels, the
Director of Development Services Photo courtesy of Matthew Lewis
By Minerva Hernandez-Garcia Special to the Star According to Matthew Lewis, director of Development Services, an estimated 33,000 people will move to San Marcos
by 2035. Lewis discusses how the rapid growth will affect everything from housing to transportation, and how the City of San Marcos plans to accommodate for the increase in citizens. MG: What changes need to be made in the city’s infrastructure to accommodate for its growth? ML: What we’re doing right now is updating the Comprehensive Master Plan and allocating the population to appropriate areas as determined by the citizens of San Marcos. After that Comprehensive Master Plan, what we’ll do is go back and realign our Capital Improvement Program to make sure infrastructure goes in the appropriate growth areas. MG: How is parking and traffic going to be affected by the population increase? ML: Parking and traffic is going to be something we have to be conscious of with the university. One of the things we are trying to do is diversify housing around the
READ LEWIS, PAGE 3
San Marcos ordinance also aims to cut down on the number of issues and arrests at the river. “The hope is that we have fewer incidents and fewer accidents that are alcohol related,” said Jeff Caldwell, park ranger supervisor. “That’s obviously one of the goals in the passage of the ordinance. The other was just to maintain a really nice family atmosphere at the parks.” Caldwell said the ordinance also helps to create a consistency in policy throughout the city so that all parks have the same rules. “We already had some parks where alcohol was not allowed,” Caldwell said. “At state parks it’s not allowed, at county parks it’s not allowed and at university parks it’s not allowed. It was really just trying to get an across-the-board rule that was a little bit easier to follow and understand.” Park rangers and San Marcos police officers will patrol parks and give warnings to violators or issue citations to those not compliant with the new ordinance. Littering violations in city parks will also cost more under the ordinance and perpetrators will face $250 fines.
Caldwell said since alcohol is still legal to drink on the river, there will be access points at City Park and Rio Vista Park so river patrons can bring alcohol in and out of the water. Rebecca Ybarra-Ramirez, executive director of the San Marcos Convention and Visitor Bureau, said million of tourists visit San Marcos a year. Ybarra-Ramirez said it has yet to be determined whether the ban will affect recreational tourism numbers during the spring and summer months when tubers, canoe enthusiasts and kayakers descend upon the San Marcos River. She said some people enjoy an alcohol-free atmosphere. Roger Astin, chemistry sophomore and river-goer, said he has never had any trouble with drunken river patrons or inappropriate behavior. Astin said he feels the ban will be detrimental to the city. “The tourists and families in San Marcos are already used to the environment of being in a college town,” Astin said. “It’s the people who sell alcohol that this is going to hurt the most. The people that would be any problem to families and
READ alcohol ban, PAGE 3
Commissioners vote to lift burn ban due to recent rain By Adrian Omar Ramirez News Reporter Hays County commissioners voted unanimously Jan. 8 in favor of lifting the county’s burn ban. Burn bans go into effect when the county has a rank of 575 according to the KeetchByram Drought Index. The drought index can reach between 600 and 700 during the summer months, but recent measures provided by Texas A&M AgriLife Research have shown an index between 300 and 500 for much of Hays County. Only small portions have seen drought indexes of 500 or higher. Despite this improvement, Clint Browning, assistant fire marshal, reminded the commissioners court that the county is still experiencing dryness. “Even though it is raining, we are still very dry,” Browning said. “Everything’s dead. There is some moisture, but we have a situation that what is there is not just dry, it’s dead. Raining on it isn’t going to make the grass green.” Browning spoke in place of Fire Marshal Mark Chambers who was hospitalized
earlier during the week. Browning warned about the amount of dead material in the county and said those who do start burning should exercise caution. Under a burn ban, outdoor burning is prohibited in the county’s unincorporated areas with certain exceptions, such as grilling on gas or coal. Commissioner Will Conley, Precinct 3, said another such example could be local farmers who burn cacti to use as cattle feed, a situation he said he discussed with Chambers. “(Chambers) said that was an acceptable practice, as long as (the farmers) would be held accountable,” Conley said. “That’s their livelihood. That’s reasonable.” Each city in the county has their own ordinances for restricting burning whenever the commissioners declare a ban. Wimberley’s city council recently passed an ordinance to enact burn bans whenever the county does so, similar to Kyle and Buda. San Marcos, however, prohibits outdoor burning within city limits. “I would encourage municipalities to
READ BURN BAN, PAGE 3
2 | Tuesday January 15, 2013 | The University Star
PAGE TWO
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CRIME ON THIS BLOTTER
DAY IN HISTORY
1547 – Ivan the Terrible was crowned Czar of Russia. 1920 – Prohibition began as the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took effect. 1942 – Actress Carole Lombard, 33, died in a plane crash near Las Vegas. 1944 – Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower took command of the Allied invasion force in London. 1964 – The musical “Hello, Dolly!” starring Carol Channing opened on Broadway, beginning a run of 2,844 performances. 1969 – Two manned Soviet Soyuz spaceships became the first vehicles to dock in space and transfer personnel. 1973 – The final first-run episode of the long-running western “Bonanza” aired on NBC. 1989 – Three days of rioting erupted in Miami when a police officer fatally shot a black motorcyclist, causing a crash that also claimed the life of a passenger. 1992 – The government of El Salvador and rebel leaders signed a pact in Mexico City ending 12 years of civil war that had killed at least 75,000 people. 2003 – The space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven blasted off from Cape Canaveral. (The shuttle broke up during its return descent on Feb. 1, killing everyone on board.) 2004 – Pop star Michael Jackson pleaded innocent to child molestation charges in Santa Maria, Calif. (Charges were later re-filed and Jackson was acquitted.)
wild art
Dec. 17, 3:23 a.m. Sterry Hall Possession of marijuana A non-student was arrested for possession of marijuana and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center. Dec. 17, 5:12 p.m. Main Campus Fire call Generator caught on fire causing smoke. San Marcos Fire Department took care of the incident and a report was made. Dec. 17, 10:00 p.m. Bobcat Stadium Possession of marijuana Two non-students were arrested for possession of marijuana and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center. Dec. 18, 5:39 p.m. Speck Parking Lot Possession of marijuana A student was arrested for possession of marijuana and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center. Dec. 20, 7:56 p.m. Bobcat Stadium Possession of marijuana A non-student was arrested for possession of marijuana and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center. Dec. 22, 5:07 p.m. Golf Course/ Visitor Information Criminal mischief University property was damaged. This case is under investigation. Dec. 25, 8:00 p.m. Aquarena Center Criminal mischief under $500 University property had been intentionally damaged. This case is under investigation. —Courtesy of University Police Department
-Courtesy of The New York Times
David Simoneaux, Staff Photographer
Chasty Chapman, public relations freshman, hands out coupons to students Jan. 14 in The Quad.
library beat
Prominent authors, journalists featured at free events The 2013 spring semester features another exciting line-up of free events at the Wittliff Collections. Dominic Bracco II, a photojournalist, will join us on Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m. for a reception and discussion on the exhibition “Life and Death in the Northern Pass.” These 30 haunting, gritty images, on view at Brazos Hall, chronicle the effects of Mexican and North American border policies and the impact of America’s illegal drug market on Mexico. The Lindsey Literary Series begins on February 7 at 3:30 p.m. with a reading, book signing, and Q&A with Mihaela Moscaliu. This award-winning poet and translator will present some of her most admired work, including selections from “Father Dirt.” William Giraldi, hailed as “one of our most important young chroniclers of anguish and bliss” for his novel, “Busy Monsters,” will read on Feb. 28 at 3:30 p.m. The month of March won’t disappoint as the Wit-
tliff Collections welcome the editor of Poetry magazine, Christian Wiman on Thursday, the 21st at 3:30 p.m. The New Yorker ranked his collection “Every Riven Thing” as one of the best poetry collections of 2010. On April 9, at 3:30 p.m. the University Endowed Chair in Creative Writing, Cristina García, takes the podium. Enjoy a lively discussion of her National Book Award-nominated “Dreams of Significant Girls,” which has been translated into fourteen languages, and her forthcoming novel, “King of Cuba.” Karen Russell, author of “St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves,” will be at the Wittliff on April 18, at 3:30 p.m. Her debut novel “Swamplandia!” was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and included in the New York Times’ “10 Best Books of 2011.” Music fans won’t want to miss the Hill County Music Scene symposium on Friday, Feb. 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The day’s programs will cen-
ter on the important cultural, economic and educational impact of the creative music scenes on our community. In conjunction with Texas State’s 2012-2013 Common Experience theme, we will be celebrating our exhibition “Global Odyssey: From Texas to the World and Back” on April 4 at 6:30 p.m. Four esteemed writers—Stephanie Elizondo Griest, Manuel Luis Martinez, John Phillip Santos and Carmen Tafolla—will converse about a variety of global experiences that have inspired their creativity while at the same time underscoring their distinctive heritage as Texans. Admission to the Wittliff is free. For all the details, including RSVP info, see the Wittliff Collections events page at www.thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu, or call 512-245-2313. —Courtesy of Samantha Snell
The University Star | Tuesday January 15, 2013 | 3
NEWS
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cape’s camp
Woodlands, did agree to provide shuttle service to Texas State from the student apartments. Kate McCarty, member of the master plan committee, said residents of neighborhoods near the area will also be inconvenienced with the added traffic. Flooding may become a concern, as well. McCarty said even though the developers are building up and the complex could act as a levee, the apartment structure would not allow the water to properly flow into the San Marcos River. “I didn’t live in San Marcos when the ’98 flood happened. I lived close by out in the country back then, and I was cut off,” McCarty said. “I could go outside my home, but I couldn’t go anywhere because the roads were bad.” McCarty said the same flood severely impacted many neighborhoods in San Marcos, including those next to Cape’s Camp.
alcohol ban
“One of the planning and zoning commissioners I talked to said ‘Look, the law says the new complex can’t add to the flooding problem,’” McCarty said. “But the real fear people have is that it really will add to the flooding problem.” Steve Drenner, the apartment developer’s attorney, said Cape’s Camp “is not or will never be for sale to the City of San Marcos” during the Jan. 7 meeting. However, the city is trying to acquire as much land on the other side of the San Marcos River. The apartment complex is up for reconsideration during Tuesday’s city council meeting, but McCarty does not think councilmembers will change their minds. McCarty said the project goes against the master plan she is working on. “Citizen input is very important, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the majority of people speaking on one side that that’s the side that will prevail,” McCarty said.
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tourists in the park can’t be that much of an issue.” Naveed Muhammad, owner and manager of Korner Food Store across from Sewell Park, said he sells a lot of alcohol during the tubing season. He also sells and rents out tubes. Muhammad said students and tourists alike come into his shop for alcohol. “We get a lot of traffic from out of town,” Muhammad said. “It is hard to say, but I think a lot of people want to come for tubing, and the concept they have is they are going to have fun and they are going to drink. Once you limit the alcohol it may affect them from coming.” Muhammad said his business started to suffer last year because of the confusion surrounding the ordinance while it was
burn ban
LEWIS
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still under discussion. “Even last year we had some people not sure since the city was debating,” Muhammad said. “We noticed a lot of people bring stuff in from outside the city limits. I think it is going to affect our business a lot.” Caldwell said his force will be able to handle the park patrons and the transition to the new rules while continuing to educate river visitors and assisting with any issues or problems they may have. “I don’t know if we are going to see a drastic decrease in the number of people that we need,” Caldwell said. “Truthfully, to get everything started and everything going, we almost need more people but I think we are going to be OK with the number that we have.”
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university area and make sure we accommodate for appropriate housing. If you diversify the housing around the university, hopefully what you can do is create a more walkable environment. Then, people will opt to walk. They can reduce the traffic demand in the peak hours, and then also provide more bike structure. You’ll notice around town there’s a lot of bike lanes being added. The safer we make bike facilities, the more riders will be using them. Those are two of the things we are looking at doing as well as enhancing our transportation network to accommodate for the growth. MG: What are the biggest challenges you think the city is going to face as more people move to San Marcos? What can be done to offset those problems? ML: Accommodating for the future students is going to be a challenge, and making sure that the citizens and the university work together to create that environment for the community—that’s really important. Also, diversifying the middle class here. We have a pretty much missing middle class in San Marcos, and one of the ways to offset that is to create diversity of jobs here and also capture some of the
students. You know, we have a great educated population coming out of the university, but there’s not the job force for the infrastructure here to support young entrepreneurs to capture that. They’re going to Austin where they can live in a creative environment. What we want to do is provide that creative environment here in San Marcos to capture that young entrepreneur looking to do a startup here that can grow their business in San Marcos. We’re looking at doing various programs for that. MG: Do you have a vision for the future of San Marcos? Are there any projects in particular you are most excited about? ML: The master plan we are working on. That is going to determine where and how San Marcos grows in the future. The one we have now is going on 18 years old, and it’s hard to plan a city off an 18-yearold document. Getting an up-to-date document with new, fresh ideas from the community, good planning practices, good urban design principles, it all leads to a really great city. That’s the biggest project we’ve been working on that will be everlasting to the community, and integrating the university into that as well is one of our main focuses.
1320 w Hopkins St San Marcos, TX 78666
20% OFF GLASS
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be thinking about what they can do for themselves and use their judgment,” said County Judge Bert Cobb. Browning said he’s hopeful that forecasts for heavier rains will prove true. However, he hopes the rain will not be as heavy as previous storms, which flooded his office. “Given the amount of rain we’re supposed to see, we are comfortable if you choose to lift the burn ban, and we can always re-evaluate in a week and see where we’ve gone,” Browning said.
The burn ban will remain a weekly item on the commissioners’ court agenda so they can review and continue to confirm the lift. Cobb can call the burn ban into effect if he feels it is necessary between meetings, or if he is alerted to drought conditions by the fire marshal. Browning also extinguished the court’s concerns about wildfires. “We have had minimal fires,” Browning said. “Most of the fires that have occurred have been small and have not been quickly moving.”
Common Experience 2012-2013
A Global Odyssey Exploring Our Connections to the Changing World
Join the entire university community as we explore ways of becoming more: • aware of the complex geographic, political and economic interconnectedness of today’s world • equipped with essential 21st-century skills • empowered toward improving the quality of life at the local and global levels • socially responsible members of society • appreciative of the vibrant and varied cultures across the globe
Major Common Experience upcoming events: Mystical Arts of Tibet
Jan. 28-Feb. 1 | LBJ Student Center A weeklong visit from Tibetan monks. Experience mandala sand painting; a sacred music and dance performance and a blessing of the San Marcos River.
The First Grader
Feb. 21 | 6:30 p.m. | Education Building 1007 A film based on a true story that takes place in Kenya, where a veteran in his 80s wants to go to school to learn how to read despite opposition from parents and officials who don’t want to waste a precious classroom spot.
Sans Souci International Festival of Dance Cinema March 7 | 7:30 p.m. | Evans Auditorium The festival exposes diverse audiences to a variety of film, video and performance.
We invite you to join the conversation. For more events and details, go to www.txstate.edu/commonexperience. | Texas State University is a tobacco-free campus.
13-200 Common Experience .5 Pg Ad.indd 1
1/10/13 2:50 PM
4 | Tuesday January 15, 2013 | The University Star
OPINIONS
For more viewpoints or letters to the editor, e-mail staropinions@txstate.edu
Mistakes from past can be used as lessons for current semester
Kara Ramer, Star Illustrator
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ith the carefree days of winter break at a halt, it is time for students to hit the books and head back to class to finish out the year strong. Caps and gowns now tucked away, December graduates are now looking to enter the post-graduate working world. For many students, the thought of graduation seems exciting, but also daunting. Students attend school most of their lives to get the right education to land the job of their dreams. College may be a time for some to live life to the fullest and party, which is fine in moderation. However, at the end of the day, students attend Texas State for one purpose: to earn their respective degrees. The idea of transitioning into new classes with new expectations may be an overwhelming thought for many students. Before the relatively lazy pace of the break, students were hard at work studying throughout the day and night in the library in the hopes of pulling
off that A to boost their GPAs. It is important to remember that mindset and return to it with even more intensity this semester. No matter what may have happened with a student’s grades in the fall, the spring semester is a chance to start fresh with improvement for GPAs and other aspects of college life. It is never too late to begin better studying habits and proper time management skills to ensure there is a correct balance in a student’s life between hard work and relaxation. Instead of losing hope with studying early on in the semester, students must take the spring in stride, aim to apply themselves and complete their best work possible. No student enjoys looking back on a semester and kicking themselves for missing assignment due dates, skipping class often or putting off studying for tests until it is too late. The spring semester is the time to correct mistakes and learn lessons. For the expected spring and sum-
mer 2013 graduation candidates, the light at the end of the collegiate tunnel is shining in the near distance. Senioritis may threaten to take hold this semester, but keep pushing through it. With a lot of effort and motivation, a professional career may be waiting right around the corner. Students who plan to graduate in the fall or upcoming years know this semester is just as important as any past one. There is always room for improvement, and now is the time to forge a new path or strengthen the current one. Join new organizations and clubs, apply for scholarships and summer internships and explore the variety of university resources available including the Student Learning Assistance Center, Career Services and the Writing Center. Getting back into the groove of school may be tough, but the process can be made a little easier with solid dedication and commitment from the start.
The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Columns are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University-San Marcos Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University-San Marcos.
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NEXT WEEK’S QUESTION: Do you support city council’s vote to allow the construction of apartments on the recently acquired Cape’s Camp land property? -Yes -No -I don’t know
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The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University-San Marcos and is published every other Wednesday in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 6,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Copyright Wednesday, January 15, 2013. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor in chief. The first five issues of each edition of the paper are free. Additional copies of the paper can be purchased at 50¢ per copy. Contact The University Star office at (512) 245-3487 to purchase additional copies.
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Opinions | The University Star | Tuesday January 15, 2013 | 3
Cruz should compromise across aisles to benefit students
By Christian Penichet-Paul Opinions Columnist
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ed Cruz, the newly sworn-in U.S. senator from Texas, must consider the idea of compromise as a correct method in the representation of Texas State students. According to a Jan. 7 Fox News Latino article, Cruz said, “(I don’t) think what Washington needs is more compromise. I think what Washington needs is more common sense and more principle.” His statement on compromise runs contrary to the basic tenets of Texas State’s current Common Experience theme, “A Global Odyssey,” which is embraced by a student body filled with young voters. Additionally, Cruz’s unfavorable comment concerning compromise does not line up very accurately with some Texas State initiatives.
The current Common Experience theme centers on building an extended unity across different groups of people on campus and, by extension, the global community. According to the Texas State Common Experience webpage, the theme is an initiative designed to cultivate a sense of community and common intellectual conversation throughout the campus. Among Texas State students, the theme fosters understanding and unity. Students are encouraged to participate in on-campus activities to develop a cross-disciplinary, multi-organizational conversation. However, the communal sense is not exactly replicated in Washington. In contrast to the Common Experience theme, Cruz’s statement on compromise seems to eradicate any opportunity for a non-partisan conversation in Washington. His comment on compromise appears to discourage any bipartisan participation to solve the nation’s problems. Today’s national issues, including the federal deficit and the gun control conversation, will impact the future of Texas State students. Texas State’s Common Experience theme encourages discussion and participation. In his duty to represent Texas State students, Cruz should come together with other senators to participate in finding solutions to national problems through compromise. Texas State officials and the Common Experience theme encourage students to enhance their involvement in the intellectual life of the campus and aware-
ness of issues in the community. Cruz’s comment seems to weaken the conversations in Congress to solve the nation’s issues. Politicians must maintain their principles, but not when their reluctance to compromise them detrimentally affects the governing of the country. Cruz should support the notion of compromise and join Texas State in cultivating a common intellectual conversation across different groups. The wrong signal will be sent to students around the state if their U.S. senator does not appear to support the idea of discussion and conciliation. Texas State’s initiatives persuade students to give discussion and compromise a try. In turn, Cruz’s position is surprising in that he would seemingly close the door to compromise so early in the new legislative session. Cruz must be open to representing all the different aspects of the state. It is important for Texas to have a senator who contributes to solving important issues that will affect university students now with initiatives such as debt and federal spending on education and in the future. Texas State students deserve to have their values represented by Cruz. Compromise is common sense in a democracy. This university supports the idea through its Common Experience initiative, and numerous Texas State students may agree that it is necessary. Senator Cruz should represent Texas State values and be open to compromise in Washington.
Hard work, planning necessary Emergency coordination needs for successful semester improvement, strengthening
By Ariella Hannon Opinions Columnist
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ith the fresh start of the spring semester, it is important for students to find a way to dive right back into classwork. After all the stress from fall finals and the flurry of the holiday season, it may be difficult for some students to transition into the new semester. By starting off the spring organized, prepared and ready to learn, students will have a better chance of ending the semester strongly. When the cold weather leaves and spring comes around, students may find it easy to skip class and soak up the sun in Sewell Park. While lying out on Bikini Hill and getting a tan may be tempting, it will not help your GPA. Students must understand that attending class is not enough, however. It is just as important to be alert during lectures. A better semester will be possible if students make a resolution to take care of their minds and health, especially during one of the worst flu seasons on record. Time management is possible and can be achieved by maintaining a planner or calendar to outline test days and assignment due dates. Some students may have trouble regularly writing down important class information if they have not done so in the past. A fresh semester signals a chance for new study and planning habits. While organization is not for everyone, planning out big events and projects ahead of time will help ease the stress of the looming semester. Do not wear yourself thin when jumping
back into classes after winter break. It is only natural that students want to see their friends and catch up, but the first few weeks can set the tone of the entire semester. It is important for students to divide and spend their time wisely with both hard work in classes and relaxation on the weekends. Right after the holiday season, money may be another issue that provides students with stress and difficulties. In addition to time management, students must make sure to prioritize their spending throughout the semester. While it may be hard to avoid endless shopping trips, it is even more difficult to go without a muchneeded textbook for a class. Before buying random items at the store, keep in mind that textbooks, rent and other necessary expenses may pop up and require significant funds in the coming weeks and months. Learn the best way to operate in a classroom environment and do not make too many commitments. If a student feels overwhelmed within the first week, he or she might be taking too many classes. While it is important to graduate on time, it is even more important to maintain a steady and acceptable GPA. Do not wait until the last minute to do everything. As the semester goes by, some students may experience difficulty when harnessing motivation to truck through the final few weeks. The farther along a student is in a college career, the more he or she may begin to realize the need to cherish those little breaks and days off. While it seems like a long stretch until summer vacation starts, spring break will pop up on students before they know it. No matter how hard the semester gets or how little drive a student may have, it is important to do what needs to be done in order to secure a solid GPA. Organize and schedule events accordingly and try to prioritize what is really important. Have fun, but learn your boundaries. The spring semester is just as important as the fall, so students should do their very best.
By Molly Block Opinions Columnist
T
he University Police Department must formulate stronger lines of communication with students, faculty and staff members to create a more reliable network of information in case of a campus emergency. According to the emergency procedures information on the Texas State website, there are numerous forms of communication used to notify the campus in the event of a crisis. Some of the procedures utilized to send out alerts and emergency notifications include emails, local media announcements, classroom signboard flash warnings and text messages sent to student phones under the RAVEAlert program. While these methods are valuable for the university, creating more advanced precautionary measures could help prevent a future campus emergency. As of late, there has been a growing concern across the nation regarding student safety in schools. The recent Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut left fear in the hearts of many people. According to a Dec. 14 article from the New York Times, a gunman who was 20 years old killed 26 people, including 20 children, in the second-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. If a tragedy like this could happen at an elementary school, it seems like it could happen anywhere. With the recent school shooting tragedy in mind, UPD needs to demonstrate more direct campus interaction and involvement to create trust and reliability in the minds
of students, faculty and staff members. One way to accomplish this would be to assign at least one police officer in The Quad or other busy campus areas during heavy traffic hours in the day. The officer or officers could better observe any suspicious behavior or hostile individuals that might cause harm to others on campus. This proactive process could possibly prevent a large-scale emergency or better manage an alert on campus. According to an Oct. 9 University Star article, UPD has had the same number of officers since 1997 although recent efforts were put forth to begin the hiring process for three new officer positions. In the article, Sgt. Robert Campbell said a new emergency management coordinator would work toward producing an emergency plan for the community. With a new plan and new officers in the fleet, students would likely be better protected in crisis situations, especially as students outnumber officers in a ratio of 1,037 to 1, according to the same article. In addition to UPD improvements, Texas State students should also take it upon themselves to learn and be familiar with the emergency procedures and evacuation routes at the university. When an emergency alert blasts, the campus body as a whole should feel informed, but also relatively calm. An atmosphere of complete chaos and panic is relatively impossible for first responders to manage and is not conducive to communication efforts. Students at Texas State should feel safe and secure while on campus. While there is no guaranteed way to keep emergency situations at bay, preventative steps can be taken to ensure that the likelihood of a tragedy is relatively low. By becoming more involved with the students, faculty and staff members, UPD can achieve this goal and help make Texas State a safer campus.
Grace Perkins, The University Star
6 | Tuesday January 15, 2013 | The University Star
TRENDS
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Trends | The University Star | Tuesday January 15, 2013 | 7
Fine Arts Calendar - Spring 2013 School of Music
Theatre
Dance
Guest artists: Wayne Barrington Collection Dedication Recital (former horn students & colleagues) Jan 28, 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
PSH Foundation Studio Theater Richard III By William Shakespeare Directed by Chuck Ney February 12-16 @ 7:30 p.m.; February 17 @ 2 p.m.
Dancers In Flight February 14 @ 7:30 p.m.; February 15 @ 7:30 p.m.
All In The Timing By David Ives Directed by Elizabeth Buras March 21-23 @ 7:30 p.m.; March 24 @ 2 p.m.
Merge-Movement and Sound April 19 @ 7:30 p.m.
Guest artist: Jenny Mann, bassoon Feb 04, 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Faculty artists: “An Evening of Music for Winds” Feb 05, 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Guest artists: Victor Cruz, violin and Paloma Gonzalez, piano Feb 06, 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Hill Country Jazz Festival: Eddie Durham Concert Feb 08, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Hill Country Jazz Festival: Concert: TX State Jazz Ensemble with alto saxophonist Vincent Herring Feb 09, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Mainstage Theater Urinetown Music and Lyrics by Mark Hollman Book and Lyrics By Greg Kotis Directed by Kaitlin Hopkins April 16-21 @ 7:30 p.m.; April 21 @ 2 p.m.; April 15 @ 7:30 p.m. - $5 preview
Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema March 7 @ 7:30 p.m.
Schedule compiled by Paige Lambert, Trends Reporter
Hill Country Bridal Spectacular www.hillcountrybridalspectacular.com 361-401-0264
Sunday, February 17th Noon-5 p.m. New Braunfels Civic Center 375 South Castell Avenue New Braunsfels, Texas
Community Outreach: Youth Outreach at Texas State Concert Feb 19, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Tickets:
$10 at door, $7 online
Guest artist: Alex McDonald, piano Feb 20, 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
-$500 Cash Give Away -Over $4000 In Prizes -Cake Dig -Fashion Show
Faculty artist: Lynn Ledbetter and Friends Chamber Music Feb 20, 8:00 p.m.- 9:30 p.m.
Brides Supporting Breast Cancer Research
Third Annual Texas State Trombone Symposium Feb 22, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Third Annual Trombone Symposium Feb 23 &Feb 24, 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Great things are happening at Stitches & Such! Now Offering:
Greek Lettering & Gifts Embroidering Custom Cooler Painting T-Shirt Dresses & Flip Flops
Fully Licensed for Texas State
512-805-8547 1917 Dutton Dr. Ste. 106 San Marcos, Texas 78666
Convenient. Quality. Committed.
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A wide variety of prescriptions and over-the-counter medications at prices. ready to Pharmacists are on explain your medications and answer your questions. from Prescriptions can be our providers or from your family doctor or pharmacy.
We accept cash, checks, credit cards and Bobcat Bucks.
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Now convenient 24/7 automated service for
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To have a prescription call 512.245.3590.
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To view a prescription listing, visit: www.healthcenter.txstate.edu
8 | Tuesday January 15, 2013 | The University Star | Advertisement