01 23 2013

VOLUME 102, ISSUE 46

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JANUARY 23, 2013

Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration

Texas State University celebrates its 28th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration. To learn more about the event, visit UniversityStar.com.

Commissioners University strains firefighter resources approve plans for road changes, freeway loop

By Adrian Omar Ramirez News Reporter County commissioners unanimously adopted a plan that could potentially result in changes such as a freeway loop around San Marcos in coming years during their Tuesday meeting.

The Hays County Transportation Plan will serve as a guide to expanding the area’s roads for the next 22 years. The plan will outline county road projects through 2035 and establish Farm-to-Market 110, a new four-lane freeway in San Marcos. The freeway, known as San Marcos Loop, will extend from the Texas Highway 123 exit of Interstate 35 to the north side of the city near Yarrington Road.

The plan will include upgrades to San Marcos roads. The expansion of Wonder World Drive from four to six lanes is slated under the transportation plan, as well as dividing Aquarena Springs Drive and expanding Texas Highway 21 to six lanes.

The population of Hays County is expected to reach 371,000 residents by 2035, an increase from the current 157,000. Commissioners said the guidelines to expand and upgrade major roads in the county will suit the needs of its booming population.

However, Judge Bert Cobb said the plan wasn’t “etched in stone,” but rather “etched in sand.”

“This is a plan. Therefore, it is changeable,” Cobb said. “It can be changed to fit the needs of the current time when the need arises.”

Commissioner Mark Jones, Precinct 2, said plans may not be carried out immediately, but county officials will be prepared for transportation needs before they arise.

“The big advantage to this is that we’re not piecemealing our road systems together as things come up,” Jones said. “This is a plan to do it in a comprehensive way. This is a guidepost, not a hitching post, on how we move forward.”

Joe Cantalupo, project manager and transportation planner for Parsons Brinckerhoff, called Hays County the “most engaged community” he has worked with. Cantalupo has previously worked on a number of road projects, including plans in Delaware, Illinois, Kansas and Texas.

“We could probably find somebody, if we looked hard enough, who didn’t know about this, but I’m extremely happy with the amount of activity and public input we’ve had,” Cantalupo said. “I’ve had my hand at different levels in different places.”

However, the transportation plan did not come without some protest. During public comment, Sam Brannon, San Marcos resident and former commissioners court candidate, said the way a project begins “sets the tone” for how it will be implemented.

“This process started off with two convicted felons on the citizens advisory board,” Brannon said, echoing sentiments he had previously made during his 2012 campaign against Commissioner Will Conley, Precinct 3. “One was convicted of bribery and corruption in an official office, and the other was a sexual predator.”

Conley dismissed the claims, saying the comment had “nothing positive to offer whatsoever” to what he called a “community process.”

“We have hundreds, if not thousands, of people here lined up to speak in support of the plan,” Conley said. “I know that because I’ve been part of that public process for a year, as have all members of this court. We have some of the strongest consensus I’ve ever seen with going through a planning

the university in addition to the city is adding fuel to the fire.

The SMFD responded to 94 calls on campus last year and currently employs 17 firefighters— the minimum amount required for firefighters to enter homes, according to Steve Parker, assistant city manager and direcCarlos Valdez, Assistant Photo Editor tor of finance. The The San Marcos Fire Department is feeling the strain of serving both the SMFD has a budget city and university. There is currently no room within the SMFD to hire fu- of $6.3 million annually and does not have ture staff. money to hire more firefighters. Battalion

By Sonya Newman Chief Jeff Clark said about 90 percent of News Reporter the SMFD’s annual budget goes toward The San Marcos Fire Department is funding manpower to operate vehicles and strained for resources, and some fire de- heavy equipment.

Clark, who has been with the SMFD for partment officials are saying that servicing

23 years, said there were only eight people on staff when he started working with the force in 1990. Approximately two new positions have been added every 10 years.

“Any time we have a fire at the university, it completely depletes our resources,” Clark said. “If there was a fire at a highrise or dorm on campus, we would need to call on mutual aid from Kyle, Buda, New Braunfels and South Hays County.”

Clark said around 70 percent of calls to which the SMFD responds on campus are medical emergencies. Fire Capt. Frank Arredondo said the SMFD often gets calls when students are inebriated.

“We get called to The Square, and sometimes students take it out on us when we arrive on scene,” Arredondo said. “They think we’re law enforcement, but we’re actually on the EMS side of things, and we’re just trying to ensure their safety.”

The SMFD has depended on mutual aid

READ SMFD, PAGE 3

LIVING THE DREAM

Madelynne Scales, Staff Photographer

Jasmine Bell, music studies senior, and Jasmine Thomas, mass communication sophomore, sing in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Jan. 22 in the LBJ Student Center.

University honors Martin Luther King Jr.

By James Carneiro News Reporter As the sun set behind Old Main Tuesday night, hundreds of students and faculty members gathered to remember the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Some members of the crowd held white candles as they set out on a trek toward the LBJ Student Center. Others crooned old gospel hymns or carried signs reading phrases such as “The Dream Lives On.” The Freedom March had begun.

The Black Student Alliance organizes and runs the annual Freedom March

at Texas State in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Darius Jones, Black Student Alliance President, said the Jan. 22 event marked the 28th time the march has been held.

“If it weren’t for (Martin Luther King), I would not be able to attend this great university,” Jones said. “For me, it’s a day of remembrance and opportunity.”

The Gospel Expressions group played the most vocal role in the march.

Aside from singing in the march from Old Main to the student center, many of the members held strong opinions about what Martin Luther King Day means to them.

“(Martin Luther King) was the greatest example of courage in the face of your own failures, mortalities and everything,” said Erin English, music junior.

English said King possessed amazing amounts of courage when confronted by people who wanted to harm him.

“He was constantly confronted with the fact that he could be assassinated (or) persecuted,” English said. “He was one of the few people in our history that everyone could point to and say ‘he stood up for what he believed was right.’”

READ MLK, PAGE 3

Texas Legislature to address future higher education funding

By Nicole Barrios News Reporter Texas State officials are waiting to see how higher education issues ranging from new buildings to money lost from previous budget cuts will fare in the current legislative session.

The 83rd Session of the Texas Legislature began Jan. 8 with many higher education issues on the table. Bill Nance, vice president for Finance and Support Services, said the major issues in the legislature are “always

about funding.” For Texas State, this includes money for new buildings, compensating for government funds cut in previous years and increased grant limits.

Nance said the highest priority for all higher education institutions across the state, including the Texas State University System, is to restore some of the funding lost in budget cuts. The state cut approximately $24 million from the university’s state appropriation between the past two sessions.

There has been an effort from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to get

some of that funding restored for fiscal years 2014 and 2015.

“That’s a lot of money,” Nance said. “That would be $24 million for us and hundreds of millions statewide.”

Robert Gratz, special assistant to President Denise Trauth, said she will give a testimony along with other university presidents on Jan. 25 at the Senate Finance Committee. Gratz said Trauth’s testimony will emphasize successes Texas State has had in the past two years. She will stress the university’s highest priorities, which include the new

Health Professions Building in Round Rock and the Engineering and Science Building on the main campus.

Nance said these new buildings are a large priority for Texas State because enrollment growth has caused a need for facilities to adequately accommodate all students.

Nance said Texas State has submitted information for funding for two additional buildings: a new home for the School of Music in San Marcos and a second Health

READ legislative, PAGE 3

2 | Wednesday January 23, 2013 | The University Star

OPINIONS

For more viewpoints or letters to the editor, e-mail staropinions@txstate.edu

Lara Shine, Star Illustrator

Professor-authored textbooks require greater merit

S

ome Texas State instructors who write textbooks and require the purchase of them for their classes are unfairly shaking down students on two fronts: through textbook purchases and tuition.

This common practice means many instructors are procuring an additional income by using their students as a resource. These professors already earn a salary through the tuition students pay to enroll in their classes, and the practice of requiring their own textbooks should not be as widespread as it is.

Some instructors fill textbooks entirely with public-domain works, which are free to print and publish. Requiring students to buy works like this for their gain is a profit-seeking endeavor and

must be more widely discouraged.

It is understandable that instructors may want to have full control over their courses and write textbooks to fulfill all of the goals they have set for each class.

However, there are likely previously existing texts that have become tried and true that could illustrate similar ideas.

Textbooks are supposed to be supplemental to the lecture. Students learning from a textbook written by the same person who teaches the lecture can become redundant for the student. The student only receives a single point of view, when diversity of knowledge is often a valued quality.

There is no apparent reason for the student to do an assigned reading if the material in the book is exactly the same as what is taught in class. The whole process becomes mundane and has limited learning potential. Education needs to be more diverse than learning from a

Cape’s Camp development better serves city as student housing

By Ariella Hannon Opinions Columnist

S

an Marcos residents and students need to back the San Marcos City Council’s vote to allow a student housing complex on the recently acquired Cape’s Camp property.

According to a Jan. 15 University Star article, city council voted 5-2 to allow developers to build a student housing complex called The Woodlands of San Marcos. The complex will be built on part of the land tract known as Cape’s Camp.

Many residents believe the entirety of the riverfront location should be acquired by the city as parkland and should not become the new site for a student housing complex. The decision has been seen as controversial within the community because of environmental and tax reasons. The protests against the zoning changes and the construction of the riverfront property have the city of San Marcos torn between development and opposition from residents.

According to a Jan. 16 University Star article, Jaimy Breihan was one of at least 15 San Marcos residents who spoke during the recent city council meeting.

In the article, Breihan said, “We (protestors) are not anti-development. We’re anti-stupid development.”

Despite any opposition, residents must understand the city is expanding rapidly with the continuous growth of the student population, and developers must construct more housing complexes to adequately accommodate this influx.

The Cape’s Camp property signals a good opportunity to bring in better student apartment complexes. Some student housing options, such as the

The University Star 601 University Drive Trinity Building, Room 101 San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708

university-owned apartments, are old and overpopulated. Students deserve to live in nice, new complexes that are affordable. Apartment developers need to keep students’ tight budgets in mind when deciding which complexes to build around the city.

According to the same Jan. 16 article, approximately 20 acres of the Cape’s Camp property is expected for use as parkland. The city should create a tourist attraction within the parkland to help promote the beauty of the land and wildlife. However, as great as the environmental additions would be, they are not likely to bring as much expected profit as the 1,000-bedroom apartment complex.

Flooding is another concern for the complex. Riverfront properties have to be wary of the height of water levels during heavy rains, considering the flood that greatly impacted San Marcos in 1998. Despite this concern, the developers plan to build up the complex to potentially act as a levee, according to the same Jan. 15 article. The developers need to take special care with the flooding zones when planning the scope of the future complex.

It would be nice to have more than the estimated 20 acres dedicated for environmental uses, but the $5.45 million Cape’s Camp property could better serve the city as apartments. The student population will continue to grow as the university and the city expand.

Residents and students may like the small-town feel San Marcos brings, but this developing city will not remain little for long.

Not everyone may agree with the city council’s decision to allow the housing facility development, but Cape’s Camp will benefit students in the future.

Cape’s Camp may not be the most ideal spot to build within the city, but the new housing project does pave the way for positive development in San Marcos.

Student housing is needed in San Marcos regardless of where its foundation is laid.

—Ariella Hannon is an English senior.

Editor In Chief................................................Beth Brown, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor............................Lee Moran, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu Letters..................................................................................starletters@txstate.edu News Editor...................................................Caitlin Clark, starnews@txstate.edu Trends Editor............................Hollie O’Connor, starentertainment@txstate.edu Opinions Editor..........................................Liza Winkler, staropinion@txstate.edu Photo Editor.......................................Austin Humphreys, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor..........................................Cameron Irvine, starsports@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief......................Thomas Glasebrook, starcopychief@txstate.edu Web Editor.............................................Cayla Green, starwebeditor@txstate.edu

single person’s point of view.

The quality of education must also be questioned. These textbooks are written or compiled with a guaranteed audience of student customers. The process needs to be amended to where instructors must prove the merits of their textbooks through approval by separate parties.

Students may currently be forced to learn from a lower quality text rather than from books that have earned national academic use.

However, some instructors who write their own textbooks could actually produce high-quality bodies of work that could be considered some of the best in their particular field. If this were the case, students would be mistaken for disputing their place in Texas State’s curriculum. Regardless, these works should be subjected to a form of peer review, in a similar fashion to other academic projects.

All in all, these textbooks should be submitted to the ultimate authority of the free market. The given instructor must prove such a work successful in the field before introducing the text into a curriculum, instead of treating students as guinea pigs. Instructors’ works must be proven legitimate texts worthy to be used in a higher education environment.

This process would improve the Texas State education and prevent instructors from taking advantage of their students.

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.

Secession would harm state education, economy

By Ravi Venkataraman Opinions Columnist

A

ny discussion behind a Texas secession from the union should be put to rest because it is both legally impossible and an impractical decision that could create more problems for disgruntled Texas residents.

A Nov. 14 article in The New Republic reported a White House petition had accumulated more than 80,000 signatures supporting Texas breaking away from the United States. The White House has already responded with a no, but it is important to understand that Texas could not survive alone, even with a culmination of economic and nationalistic sentiments.

With California taking first place, Texas has the second largest economy in the nation, according to Jan. 13, 2011 gross domestic product statistics from The Economist online. The same website rankings show Texas’ GDP is economically roughly equivalent to Russia. In addition, Gov. Rick Perry and the state legislature may be aiming to run a surplus this year.

A Jan. 20 Associated Press article in the San Antonio-Express News reported that general revenue for the state totaled $101.4 billion. However, when establishing a new country, money has to be distributed to a variety of important areas. Texas would need strong infrastructure, welfare services and a military for defense in potential drug wars spread from Mexico and other possible conflicts. It could be nearly impossible to maintain a potential surplus under these conditions.

The Republic of Texas would likely be a truly conservative country with a small federal government, weak trade unions and little income tax. Efforts would largely go into promoting the freedoms of individual citizens and expanding businesses. And if the new country’s defense is a priority,

Multimedia Editor.........................Alex Peña, starmultimediaeditor@txstate.edu Design Editor................................Michelle Wadsworth, stardesign@txstate.edu Account Executive......................................Catie Brossard, starad3@txstate.edu Account Executive..................................Blakely Knowles, starad4@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................................Hannah Wilson, starad5@txstate.edu Media Specialist.............................................Mary Scheske, ms88@txstate.edu Advertising Coordinator...........................Kelsey Nuckolls, starad1@txstate.edu Publications Coordinator.......................................Linda Allen, la06@txstate.edu Publications Director...........................Bob Bajackson, stardirector@txstate.edu

Texas would have to make budget cuts across the board, and education would likely take a hard hit.

An April 8, 2012 New York Times article reported that in the last legislative session, Texas lawmakers cut public education spending by about $5.4 billion to balance the state’s overall two-year budget. If lawmakers solve budget issues by slashing spending on public sectors, then this should be expected on a larger scale in a new country.

Tuition rates could possibly double to compensate for these budget cuts. The quality of education in the new nation would be another mystery, and improvement would be improbable. However, public education would likely only worsen if the government did not provide enough funds to sufficiently run schools and colleges. In this period of stagnation, the gap of quality between private and public institutions may widen.

In addition, Texas independence would likely strain relations with the United States, which could leave a bitter taste in the mouth of the U.S. government.

Furthermore, Texas would probably not be invited into the North American Free Trade Agreement upon establishment. This could set tariffs and strict regulations into effect. One extreme, yet plausible, scenario could be a complete embargo like the one imposed on Cuba.

These tariffs could mean that food, clothing and other goods would be a lot more expensive. Until Texas could establish trade relations with other countries, a simple apple may cost 50 cents or maybe even a dollar. Those numbers seem very costly compared to the current estimated price of apples at 67 cents a pound in the San Marcos H-E-B store.

Texas would likely face intense struggles if it seceded from the union. In the first year of the new republic, quality of life could greatly depreciate. Higher education could become less accessible. Coupled with uncertain long-term possibilities, Texas is better off a state with some disgruntled residents instead of becoming an independent nation.

—Ravi Venkataraman is a creative writing masters student.

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, August 25, 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.

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Contact The University Star office at (512) 245-3487 to purchase additional copies.

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The University Star | Wednesday January 16, 2013 | 3

NEWS

smfd

Check out more at UniversityStar.com

mlk

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

in the past. Last November, a fire at the U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard building on Clovis Barker Road required the SMFD to call on South Hays County, New Braunfels and Kyle.

“Every fire department in Hays County does the same thing,” said Deputy Chief Rick Beaman from the Kyle Fire Department. “It’s not unusual for us to call on each other for help. We all have limited resources, but then again, as firefighters, we have always been very creative at working with what we have.”

When the SMFD was formed in 1884, all of the department’s firefighters were volunteers. Its staff now consists of strictly full-time employees.

James Frye, a Texas State employee in Safety and Risk Management, worked at the SMFD for 15 years. Frye said although the SMFD started off as a volunteer department, there wasn’t enough interest in it.

“If you have a volunteer who is working or studying full-time, it makes it hard because the training that is involved is ex-

legislative

tremely extensive and time-consuming,” Frye said.

The SMFD no longer takes volunteers, but some fire departments in Hays County still do. The Kyle Fire Department currently has 20 full-time employees and 30 volunteers. Beaman said when mutual aid is called, both volunteers and some full-time employees are dispatched.

“We have state-certified volunteers who work with us on their off days,” Beaman said. “We even have a certified captain who works as a computer programmer, but in his free time, he volunteers at the station.”

Clark said some San Marcos residents are angry because they pay taxes toward the fire department, and its services are extended to the university.

“I would eventually like to see the legislature pass a bill that will require Texas State students to pay a small fee, anything from $1 to $5 a semester that will go to the fire department,” Clark said. “It’s not much, but added up it could potentially place a fast response station on campus.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Professions facility in Round Rock. The university is asking for startup funds to implement a range of online nursing programs including a Bachelor of Science and Registered Nurse certification. They asked for similar startup funding when the nursing program was started in Round Rock.

“There’s never been an institution in Texas to get four projects funded in one session of the legislature,” Nance said. “So we’re hopeful that we can get two.”

The coordinating board has asked the legislature to increase funding based on enrollment growth statewide, which Texas State supports, Nance said. In addition, it has asked to get an increase in the level of the funding.

“Frankly, we’ll be thrilled if we could get a 7.1 percent increase in our appropriation plus compensated for our enrollment growth,” Nance said.

Dominic Chavez, director of external relations for the THECB, said the coordinating board has identified moving to an outcome or performance-based funding model

for universities as one of the key priorities.

Chavez said the coordinating board’s funding formulas are based solely on enrollment. The board is recommending 90 percent of the funding still be based on enrollment, with 10 percent based on seven student outcomes. The outcomes would be agreed upon by the universities and show how they are doing in helping students complete degree plans.

Nance said Texas State does well on meeting the performance funding criteria and would benefit if the 10 percent of funds were allocated via the formula.

Chavez said another priority of the coordinating board is providing institutions with more flexibility in the grant award amounts they give to students. The priority stems from concern about affordability and access to higher education. He said 60 percent of the students in the “public education pipeline” are considered economically disadvantaged, and as those students get inspired to attend college, they will need help paying for it.

Madelynne Scales, Staff Photographer

Texas State students march in The Quad in commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The group marched Jan. 22 from Old Main to the LBJ Student Center.

After walking across campus from Old Main, students and faculty filed into the LBJ Ballroom and sat down to watch a series of performances. The performances ranged from a jazz band to a Latin dance group to a student rapper. Texas State’s VocaLibre covered a South African freedom song about ending apartheid, which received a standing ovation.

Master of Ceremonies Scott Richards quoted King and spoke about the principles the civil rights leader advocated.

“Dr. King told us to stand up for what is right, just and fair,” Richards said.

President Denise Trauth spoke to the crowd about how King’s life and legacy fit in with this year’s Common Experience theme, “A Global Odyssey.”

“Present day global concerns remind us of Dr. King’s dream,” Trauth said.

King’s dream was one of opportunity and equality, and Texas State’s role helps to fulfill that, Trauth said. She said education is a “great equalizer,” and the university strives to keep freedoms alive.

The Freedom March came to a close after a video presentation depicting various human rights advocates from different nations and eras.

Reactions to the night’s events were positive. Jones said he was “surprised and pleased” with the day’s events and is looking forward to next year’s Freedom March.

“It’s so rewarding when you see everyone in the audience wearing their MLK shirts,” Jones said. “(I see them) smiling, clapping (and) enjoying the performances. That’s how I know it’s been a successful event.”

He was one of the few people in our history that everyone could point to and say ‘he stood up for what he believed was right.’” ­— Erin English, music junior.

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4 | Wednesday January 23, 2013 | The University Star

TRENDS

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Boutiques prepare for spring trends

By Randi Berkovsky Trends Reporter Students can look forward to new trends for spring as local boutiques change out their winter inventories for fun, lighter wardrobes.

As winter turns to spring, the dark colors associated with cold months will turn into warm pastels and bright hues of flowers that will soon bloom, according to local fashionistas.

The hot colors for spring include emerald green, tomato red, blush pink, navy and plum. Vanessa Vass, Strut sales associate, said the store has received a lot of pastel colored clothing for the spring, such as mint green, as well as bolder choices like mustard yellow.

Vass said spring trends will bring bold prints to the spotlight, such as polka dots, stripes and a modern black and white tie-dye. Button-up sheer shirts with ties on the bottom are still “in” and will continue to be popular this season.

Mark Alman, owner of Emeralds, agreed with Vass’ assessment of growing trends and added that he is seeing a lot of lace for spring. He is seeing more pieces that are totally made of lace or have lace accents such as pockets on a shirt of a different fabric.

“There is not so much of a different direction in styling, but pallet,” Alman said. “Anytime you go to market, you are immersed in a trend, and it is personal preference of how

far you want to go with that trend.”

As far as accessories go, both stores are getting in a lot of angular, tribal and geometric pieces. These pieces sometimes incorporate the pastel colors seen in the clothing. Costume jewelry and crystals are also becoming popular again. These pieces look antique and expensive without actually emptying students’ wallets.

Both stores are expecting exotic accessories to be popular. According to Alman and Vass, animal skin clutches, such as an alligator print with gold accents, will sell well.

Pieces with animal figures incorporated should be popular as well.

“The really popular accessories we are seeing are lion accessories,” Vass

Top: Emerald green jewelry is expected to trend this spring.

Bottom: This spring's latest shoe apparel will include suede textures on both boots and heels.

said. “Rings, bracelets, necklaces or really anything with a lion is well liked.”

Strut is bringing in the new year with a heeled ankle boot, since an outfit is not complete without the right pair of shoes.

They are also looking at a big sale for suede boots and plan to incorporate the material into other types of shoes, such as the wedge.

Carlos Valdez, Staff Photographer

Polka dot patterns will make a big appearance in spring fashion this year. Strut, located off North LBJ, features different blouses, skirts and other articles of clothing with the polka dot texture.

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The University Star | Wednesday January 23, 2013 | 5

SPORTS

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AFTER FURTHER REVIEW: WHAT’S BREWIN’?

Football atmosphere needs more enthusiasm, interaction

By Jordan Brewer Assistant Sports Editor The biggest game in the world of sports is about to take the stage as millions of viewers count down the days and try not to overindulge on media coverage during the two weeks of wait.

An atmosphere can take a football game and make even more enjoyable. What makes the Super Bowl the Super Bowl is the atmosphere. The constant analysis the event receives for two weeks leading up to Sunday and the natural prestige between the opposing teams adds to the hype.

The students, fans and faculty at Texas State deserve a better atmosphere at their football games. They deserve to leave a game satisfied, win or lose. They hope to have a fun and enjoyable time. They should want and desire to stay through

the fourth quarter.

No, Texas State will never have an atmosphere like the Super Bowl.

No, it will never have the Ravens, Longhorns or Crimson Tide run through the tunnel at Bobcat Stadium. But, it can do better than the University of Wyoming Cowboys, who will be visiting San Marcos this year.

The inaugural game in the renovated Bobcat Stadium against Texas Tech University was a day to remember. The game was held in an almost brand-new stadium, filled with over 30,000 people screaming.

Seeing the student section wave towels in a synchronized fashion to “All I Do is Win” is what we were waiting for anxiously for months.

Students waited in long lines, sometimes for thirty minutes or an hour, in 100-degree temperatures for Texas Tech tickets. The odds of students sweating to see the mighty 4-8 Cowboys of Wyoming are slim.

How many people even know the Bobcats are playing Wyoming?

Texas State released several hype videos leading up to the big game with the Red Raiders, building any excitement the student body and local fans were experiencing. Marketing a major competition is essential for that event to be successful.

The Bobcats have no rival, hype

Bobcat News and Notes

Recruiting update

Texas State’s recruiting class compares well with other schools on Texas State’s FBS level. As of Jan. 22, the Bobcats have 17 commits, including four-star wide receiver Brice Gunter, according to ESPN.com’s recruiting boards.

The Bobcats have additionally recruited four three-star players.

Two-time Sun Belt conference champion Arkansas State has eight three-star recruits but zero four or five star recruits (19 commits total). Western Kentucky University also has eight three-star recruits, 21 total commits.

UTSA stacks up almost even with Texas State thus far.

Out of 18 commits, three are three-star recruits. The Roadrunners have no four- or five-star players committed.

National signing day is Feb. 6, when commits become official.

Player of the Week

Danielle Candelaria was named the WAC’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week. Candelaria won the high jump in the Southland Conference Outdoor Championship in 2011 with a 1.73-meter leap. She had a career-best 1.76-meter leap at the Texas A&M 12-Team Invitational last Saturday.

Report compiled by Cameron Irvine Sports Editor Twitter: @txstcamirvine

Better than hairballs.

Twitter: @JBrewer32

my name is...

Danielle Candelaria

r Texas State high jumpe

By Bert Santibanez Sports Reporter BS: “What’s your favorite genre of music?”

DC: “Definitely country.”

BS: “Is there a particular country artist you enjoy?”

DC: “Yes, I love the Eli Young Band.”

BS: “Who’s your celebrity crush?”

DC: “Channing Tatum. Yep, he’s the one.”

BS: “Do you think Kanye West and Kim Kardashian make a cute couple?

DC: “Yes, I think their baby will look beautiful, and I think they look awesome.”

BS: “In one word, how would you describe Lance Armstrong?”

DC: “Memorable.”

BS: “Do you have any pre-meet rituals or superstitions?”

DC: “About an hour before a meet, I like to listen to music, pray and get myself focused.”

BS: “Do you have a favorite track and field athlete?”

DC: “Sanya Richards-Ross, especially her being from Texas.”

Renovations complete

The Jowers weight room has finished renovations in the latest effort to improve all Bobcat facilities. This small renovation follows the completion of the North Side Complex at Bobcat Stadium. Top-notch facilities can be a significant way to recruit athletes to the program.

quarters. H-E-B even sponsored UTSA’s tailgating parking lot.

The stadium was like an ocean of orange and blue. Throwing shirts and passing out pizza boxes in the stands just is not enough anymore, if it ever was, to keep fans engaged through all the lulls in college football games.

On that day, I realized Texas State could use an upgrade. The games can be dull. This is not necessarily from the game play, but because there is little excitement for the fans outside of the competition itself.

The Texas Tech game was a tease of what a Texas State football game could be.

Texas State football will never have the environment of the New Orleans Mercedes-Benz Superdome during a Super Bowl. The university will most likely never host a home game as magical as its first back in September against Texas Tech. The date of the next major football event at Texas State is nothing more than a mystery.

The program needs excitement not only surrounding the team but the community. The players need the crowd screaming support for four quarters. Texas State needs its version of a Super Bowl.

HELLO

Sun Belt not so sunny

The Sun Belt announced today that Florida Atlantic University and Middle Tennessee State University would not be participating as members of the conference next fall. The change will trim football-playing schools in the Sun Belt from 10 to eight teams. Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee State left for Conference-USA, the conference UTSA will be joining in 2013.

Texas State now only has 11 games on the schedule, from a loss of one conference opponent. All Sun Belt schools will need to add a non-conference game.

The only remaining schools outside of the Sun Belt that need one more non-conference game are Duke University, Syracuse University, Wake Forest University and the University of Missouri. If Texas State fails to schedule one of these FBS schools, the program will have to schedule another FCS opponent, along with the already-scheduled Prairie View A&M University.

Only one FCS win counts toward bowl eligibility. The stipulation makes it more difficult for the Bobcats to reach their first bowl game in the FBS era.

It is not necessary that Texas State adds a 12th game to replace the conference competition that was lost with the two latest departures from the Sun Belt.

The University of North Texas, University of Texas-San Antonio, Rice University and University of Texas-El Paso are all scheduled members of the 12-team football conference.

or energy for the football program.

These qualities were lost, repeatedly, in 2012 after every close game.

At least the University of TexasSan Antonio has the University of North Texas, University of Texas-El Paso and Rice University joining them in Conference-USA. There will not be another Texas football team in the Sun Belt.

Texas State has not even released an official 2013 schedule because its conference is getting picked apart again. UTSA has an unfinished schedule, but the school enticed Oklahoma State University, a team that was in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl just last season, to travel to the Alamodome. The Roadrunners additionally have the University of Houston in 2013 at home. UTSA, sadly, can draw bigger programs than Texas State because of the larger venue and city and stronger backing.

Fixing the scheduling issues, which is at times out of Texas State’s hands, is only a portion of the solution. The game day atmosphere could be a whole lot better.

When UTSA hosted Texas State, its stadium was filled with excitement. It felt like a true rivalry game.

The hosting university held contests for fans so spectators could win prizes during timeouts and between

John Casares, Staff Photographer

BS: “Can you beat Coach Boone in a 100-yard dash?”

DC: “Of course, she just had a baby.”

BS: “Favorite food before meet?”

DC: “Turkey sandwich.”

BS: “What type of activity has improved your performance this year?”

DC: “Definitely my backflips.”

For more updates, follow the University Star’s Sports Twitter: @ustarsports

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