VOLUME 102, ISSUE 47
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JANUARY 29, 2013
Tokyo Pop Exhibit
GO NE ONLI NOW
Photographer William Sean Brecht displays his Tokyo Pop exhibit in The Root Cellar Cafe and Brewery. To learn more about the exhibit, visit UniversityStar.com
‘Criminal mischief’ at play in football end zone complex
DOWN AND OUT
By Nicole Barrios News Reporter
Olivia Ordoñez, Staff Photographer
Dan’s Discount Bookstore, located on LBJ Drive, has shut its doors due to a lack of business caused by downtown construction, among other reasons. Many businesses are feeling the strain from construction.
Downtown construction causes closure of bookstore By Karen Zamora News Reporter Downtown construction has caused a local business owner to close the books on his North LBJ Drive store. Daniel Mull, owner of Dan’s Discount Bookstore, said sales and customers decreased by 50 percent due to construction blocking part of North LBJ Drive, and closed his business’ doors Saturday. “I was in denial for at least a month or two,” Mull said. “It was my brother who said ‘I am really worried about you because I’ve seen construction kill
a lot of businesses.’ Then I realized he was right because I have seen the same thing.” Mull said his decision to close the store was due to bad timing. He recently moved to Lubbock to pursue a math degree just before downtown construction began. Mull was visiting the bookstore every three weeks and left it in the hands of his family. Mull said this took a heavy toll and he knew he could not keep the store open. Other local business owners on North LBJ Drive said they were aware of the construction projects, but did not anticipate the large affect they would
State of the City addresses progress
have on their day-to-day operations. Gilbert Gomez, co-owner of Royal Cleaners, said dropping off dry cleaning at his business used to be a breeze, but he now sees customers spending more time looking for parking than in the actual building. Gomez said parking has been a manageable problem, but construction has claimed many parking spaces, leaving most customers circling around the block or parking in a tow-zone. “We are lucky we have loyal customers who park two or three blocks to
READ DAN’S, PAGE 3
Master’s in engineering, psychology to be offered in upcoming semesters By Paige Lambert News Reporter
Carlos Valdez, Assistant Photo Editor
Mayor Daniel Guerrero speaks about the San Marcos Comprehensive Master Plan Jan. 28 at the State of the City address at the San Marcos Conference Center. By Adrian Omar Ramirez News Reporter San Marcos residents were invited to take part in a presentation Monday to learn more about the future growth of the San Marcos community. The mayor and councilmembers met for the annual State of the City address, which highlighted aspects of the San Marcos Comprehensive Master Plan. Dubbed “Vision San Marcos: A River Runs Through Us,” the presentation covered various aspects of the master plan, each covered by a city councilmember. Housing, economic development, the Youth Master Plan, transportation and infrastructure and the river were among the topics discussed by the councilmembers.
The master plan is updated every five years by city council and provides an outlook for the following 10 years of growth. Mayor Daniel Guerrero praised many of the city’s services and its attempts at meeting growth. “We’re doing our best to make sure this master plan comes from our community, resides in our community and will continue to be the life blood that will allow us to be successful for generations to come,” Guerrero said. Councilman John Thomaides, Place 3, spoke about housing, which he jokingly called the “least controversial topic.” Thomaides said housing is one of the most critically important issues in the city—and
READ CITY, PAGE 3
A symbol of good luck for Bobcat Athletics was stolen during the holiday break. The Texas State Bobcat Victory Ball statue was stolen Jan. 6 at 4:04 a.m. Two males can be seen in a surveillance video stealing the bronze ball from the End Zone Complex at Bobcat Stadium. The ball sat atop a statue base with inscriptions listing all of Texas State’s victories, said Daniel Benitez, University Police Department captain. The incident is reported as “criminal mischief under $20,000” in UPD’s daily crime and fire log. “Due to the poor quality of (the surveillance video), we’re not able to get identifying features of the individuals,” Benitez said. Benitez said the two men had backpacks and “some type of tools” with which they were able to separate the Victory Ball from its base. He said the men did “extensive damage” to the statue, and were “well prepared” and “knew what they were going to do.” “It is a shame someone took something that was such a neat tradition and a nice showpiece for the front of the End Zone Complex,” said Athletic Director Larry Teis in an email. “We are working with the police department during the investigation. We have contacted the company that made the original victory ball and are prepared to purchase a new one if the original is not discovered soon.” Benitez said a picture of the ball has been sent to all recycling facilities in the area in case it is sold for scrap metal. He said UPD is currently working on a Crime Stoppers report on campus and is sending out information about the theft to local entities. The two males have a “young type body build” and were seen in the surveillance footage wearing hoodies and backpacks, Benitez said. They are currently investigating the case and will do their best with the resources at hand to recover the ball. The Bobcat Victory Ball was donated in 2006 in memory of Bill Miller, former athletic director and coach with the most football victories in university history, according to the Texas State website. Everyone who enters the complex is encouraged to touch the ball for luck.
Master’s degrees in engineering and psychology, which administrators believe are needed in today’s job market, will soon be offered at Texas State. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved a new Master’s of Arts degree in Psychological Research and a preliminary proposal for a Master’s of Science in Engineering Jan. 8. The master’s degree offered through the Psychology Department will be available to students starting in fall 2013. Student applications are already being filed and processed for the upcoming semester. While the psychology degree was fully approved, the coordinating board only approved the preliminary proposal of the master’s degree in engineering. Stacey Silverman, deputy assistant
commissioner for the coordinating board, said the proposals for a master’s degree in engineering require more work because the degrees can be expensive. She said the engineering department has met the funds criteria and other conditions and is now approved to continue developing the advanced syllabi and curriculum. “They met all the requirements, so we quickly approved the psychology degree and the preliminary for the engineering degree,” Silverman said. “The university is adequately prepared for these degrees and knows what it’s doing.” The psychology department currently has a master’s degree in place for Health Psychology, but William Kelemen, chair of the Psychology Department, said it will be phased out for the broader research degree. While the research degree requires two statistics
and a biological psychology course, the freedom to do research in a wide range of electives will allow students to focus on their interests within psychology. The degree will provide students statistical training and solid writing skills they may not have developed on the bachelor’s level, Kelemen said. “We really want to make this program as strong as it can be, which will only happen when good students and good faculty work together,” Kelemen said. “Then far down the road we could look into a Ph.D.” The department has hired faculty who are research-oriented to aid students in developing their thesis and research projects. Students will have access to faculty completing some of the highest quality of work, with some
READ DEGREES, PAGE 3
President increases public availability By Amanda Ross News Reporter President Denise Trauth has decided to host more outreach sessions than usual this spring in an effort to connect with students. Two Open Door sessions, one at the J.C. Kellam building Feb. 6 and another at the LBJ Student Center March 4, will be held this spring, along with a March 5 Associated Student Government Round Table. In addition, an invitation-only event called Cat Chat will be held April 10. The Open Door sessions are an opportunity for students to express concerns, opinions and ideas on university affairs to the institution’s highest ranking administrator and can be attended by anyone interested. The meetings at JCK have been long standing, but the
second session in the Student Center was added because of the building’s accessibility. “LBJ is a more convenient location for students who might not be in that part of campus or even know where the president’s office (at JCK) is,” said Candy Risien, an administrative assistant in the president’s office. Risien said the additional Open Door session will be conducted exactly like previous sessions. The meetings will consist of a 15-minute session with each individual student, allowing expression beyond the restraint of a set agenda. Mary Ann Mendoza, executive assistant to the president, said the ASG Round Table event would follow a similar pattern of conduct to the Open Door sessions. Any student can attend the event in the North Campus Hous-
ing Complex in the Traditions Room. Key campus administrators will be in attendance, along with ASG members. Danielle Bonanno, ASG senator atlarge, said her meetings with Trauth are always positive. “It’s an intimate setting with open communication where she could truly get to know us,” Bonanno said. The final session of the semester, Cat Chat, is an invitation-only event for students to enjoy an open dialogue with Trauth and other campus administrators over coffee. Students wishing to get a more exclusive talk with the president can attend the Cat Chat session. Students must register online with the Division of Student Affairs, and a select few will
READ TRAUTH, PAGE 3
2 | Tuesday January 29, 2013 | The University Star
OPINIONS
For more viewpoints or letters to the editor, e-mail staropinions@txstate.edu
Grace Perkins, Star Illustrator
Students’ futures hinge on legislative decisions
A
renewed focus must be placed on higher education this legislative session with fewer cuts to university budgets, more funding allotted for campus construction projects and logicbased discourse. The 83rd legislative session began Jan. 8, and issues impacting students the most, such as higher education, need to be put on the main stage right from the start. Although religious beliefs or lack thereof should be respected for each individual privately, logic and reason must be used as the primary tools regarding decision-making on the session floor. This will become especially important with hot-button issues such as concealed carry on campus. Last legislative session, Gov. Rick Perry tacked several issues with an “emergency item” status, but none of the topics included higher education. The topics Perry noted as most important included a sono-
gram requirement for abortions, protecting property rights regarding eminent domain, abolishing sanctuary cities, voter ID and adding a budget-balancing U.S. Constitutional amendment. While these issues are important for state officials to discuss and find solutions to, higher education was the largely ignored elephant in the room. According to a Jan. 23 University Star article, approximately $24 million was cut from the Texas State’s state appropriation between the past two sessions. The university is suffering financially, and the “rainy day” funding pot university officials dipped into after last session may run dry in the face of additional cuts. Legislators should want to secure solid funding for universities. They should additionally ensure students are given the best opportunity to receive a college education. Students are the future of this nation, and university funding cannot be thrown to the wayside again. Perry recently announced a multi-billion dollar budget surplus for the legislature to work with this session. It is smart to be fiscally conservative, but with all of this extra
funding, universities should not be facing the same levels of budget cuts they have in the past few years. Instead of letting this money go to waste in earmarks, there is more than enough to help university budgets and the construction of desperately needed campus buildings. According to the same University Star article, President Denise Trauth recently spoke to the legislature and mentioned her continued push for the new Health Professions Building and the Engineering and Science Building. These two buildings are rightly the university’s highest priorities and must be funded by the legislature this session. Students are expanding in these career fields and need adequate building space, classrooms and equipment to function. Construction on these projects could take years, and other tasks, including a new music building, will need attention next session. It is vital the university receives funding for its highest priority buildings soon. In addition, concealed carry will be a hot discussion topic for the legislature. In the wake of recent mass shootings across
the nation, legislators will feel pressure to address the issue of concealed carry on campus. The editorial board urges elected officials to reach out to their student constituents to get feedback on this incredibly important and divisive issue. In an Oct. 22 University Star article, the Associated Student Government voted to allow concealed carry at Texas State for the second time in three years, but the first time it was vetoed and the second result was not brought before lawmakers. Regardless of the result, this vote needs to be based on objective research and not religious or personal biases. Legislators must take a solid stand this session toward improving the funding and functions of universities. 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.
Students with permits deserve access to new garage
By Alex Pernice Opinions Columnist
P
arking Services officials should consider allowing student permit holders to utilize the Performing Arts Center Garage without paying the current hourly rates. The first two floors of the new parking garage on Edward Gary Street opened for free parking from Jan. 2 to Jan. 13. The garage is available not only to students, faculty and staff members, but to the public as well. According to a Jan. 17 press release by
the city, nine of the total garage parking spots are reserved. These reserved spaces are likely for campus officials or professors. In addition to the availability of more than 400 spaces, the location of the parking garage is ideal for campus accessibility. The garage is located near a number of residential halls and academic buildings and should provide ample parking for students, faculty and staff members. Texas State is in need of some serious relief when it comes to issues with student parking, and the new addition of the Performing Arts Center Garage could be a tremendous help. But since the parking garage is available to both the university community and the public as a whole, the new spaces may not adequately ease the current state of parking on campus. However, while the parking garage is a much-needed campus improvement, there is a catch—the spaces are offered only at hourly rates, like the LBJ Student Center
Parking Garage. The majority of the 457 parking spots are available at standard hourly rates ranging from $3 to a daily max of $14. Some of these spots should be reserved for students with specific permits instead of the current hourly charge system. If additional garage parking spaces were specifically allotted for students with permits, some parking frustrations in nearby lots could be eased. Although the location of the parking garage is fantastic for students, faculty and staff members, it is also a prime spot for a number of shoppers and Square frequenters as well. On a busy day at the shops on The Square, students may find it hard to attain garage parking spots if visitors and residents take up several spaces. It is all well and good for the garage to serve the community, but issues regarding available student parking should be addressed first. Students are often extremely limited in their choices of campus parking, and
many could be late or even end up skipping a class if several garages or lots are completely full. It is ridiculous that students who buy permits continue to struggle to find adequate parking spaces within a close distance to campus. If officials re-evaluated the new garage to allow some spaces for student with permits, the lingering campus student parking issues may be partially mitigated. This would be a smart and well-planned step in the right direction toward solving the long-time parking problem. In the long run, the hourly rates in the parking garage could bring in significant funds for the university. However, presently, the university would be wise to set its sights on expanding the garage’s capability to serve student permit holders without additional fees. -Alex Pernice is a mass communication sophomore.
More students should be involved in Honors College By Savannah Wingo Assistant Opinions Editor
M
ore students need to take advantage of the special opportunities and aspects offered by the Honors College to make its presence more largely known on campus. Many students may have the false idea that participation in the Honors College requires a lot of upkeep and is not worth the hassle it entails. Additionally, some students do not realize that they decide their own levels of involvement within the Honors College. Students can be very active in classes and events or opt to be largely inactive and still be part of the college. A minimum of five honors courses, including a thesis class,
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are required to graduate in the program. For admittance into the Honors College, students only need to complete an easy application on the Texas State website and hit submit. Once accepted, an honors student has to maintain a GPA of 3.25 or higher to stay in the college. As an option, students can take special courses offered by the Honors College and write a thesis. Even without taking honors courses, all honors students are able to access the benefits of the program. There are many perks to becoming a member of the Honors College. For instance, honors students get to sign up for classes on the first day of registration each semester. Even if a student is not taking honors classes that semester or is not planning to enroll in the courses at all, he or she will still receive access to early registration. Another perk to becoming an honors student is the special subject matter of the designated classes. All honors students have access to specific classes and have the opportunity to substitute an interesting
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class such as “The Art of Storytelling” for a boring basic class like sophomore literature. “Nature and the Quest for Meaning,” “The Problem of Evil” and “Hollywood Amnesia” are just a few of the unique honors course offerings this semester. In addition, honors class sizes are much smaller than typical course enrollments, and students are able to have direct interaction with professors. This may offer students a more intimate classroom experience. Students can also come up with future honors class ideas, and faculty can elect to teach a proposed subject or any others of their choosing. These special aspects give students yet another chance to personalize their learning experiences. Students who are searching for classes that are rigorous and interesting while remaining small and personal need to look no further than the Honors College. Students also have the opportunity to graduate with honors or to minor in honors studies. In the case of both options, students get the chance to write a thesis, get
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funding for research and have their work published and held at Alkek Library. Students can minor in honors studies through a process that includes taking at least seven honors courses, including senior seminar and writing an essay describing study abroad or cross-cultural experiences. Alongside classes and early registration, the Honors College offers outside opportunities for its members. Many scholarships, societies, study abroad programs, conferences, special volunteer events and gatherings are offered exclusively to honors students. Unfortunately, many Texas State students have misconceptions about the university’s growing Honors College that may cause some to write off the program entirely. The truth is, if you have a 3.25 GPA or higher, there is no excuse not to apply to the Honors College and reap the many benefits available to honors students. -Savannah Wingo is a mass communication sophomore.
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 Tuesday, January 29, 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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The University Star | Tuesday January 29, 2013 | 3
NEWS
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More parking available at new post office location By Jon Rodriguez Special to the Star Residents will have improved parking and access to the new San Marcos Post Office, which changed locations Monday. The post office’s downtown location was permanently closed Saturday, Jan. 26, and reopened Jan. 28 at 8:30 a.m. at its new 201 S. Stagecoach Trail address. The facility
Olivia Ordoñez, Staff Photographer
The San Marcos Post Office on Guadalupe has moved to 210 South Stagecoach Trail. The new post office opened its doors Jan 28.
DAN’S
formerly housing the post office has been sold, and all operations have been moved to the newly renovated San Marcos Carrier Annex. The move is because of a national initiative to re-evaluate postal facilities. The sale of the old post office to Arqueo LLC will return the downtown property to the city tax rolls. The 11 employees will keep their jobs as members of the new location. Trey Hatt, city spokesman, said the city is not involved in the move. Sam Bolen, United States Postal Service spokesman, said hours of retail operation for the new San Marcos post office will remain the same as the old location. The hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays. The post office is closed on Sundays. “The new location will offer significantly improved customer parking and access,” Bolen said. “Additionally, residents can expect the amenities offered at the previous location like a bulk mail acceptance unit, retail counter service and a P.O. box section. “ The downtown location received some criticism for its out-of-date facilities and lack of parking. Residents may find the Carrier Annex contrasts the structure of the previous location, which was built in 1959. The Carrier Annex offers modern postage resources and a considerable increase in parking compared to the downtown location’s 11 total parking spots. Blake Robinson, undecided freshman, said students may be concerned with the relocation. “Texas State students are going to be most affected by the change in location,” Robinson said. “Many students rely on walking to local businesses to satisfy their needs.”
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get to us,” Gomez said. “Some park near Frost Bank, or somebody would drop them off (in front of the store) then go around (the block) and pick them up.” Gomez, who co-owns the family business with his sister Marty Salas, said his sales have dropped at least 30 to 40 percent due to construction. The business has managed to stay afloat by using its alley space as a drive-thru for dropping off and picking up dry cleaning, he said. Gomez said downtown construction has caused a trickle effect. He said if customers are driving to eat nearby, they spend 10 minutes looking for parking, and soon they give up and go somewhere else. Gomez said this is why businesses along North LBJ Drive are not doing well. Carol Powers, owner of Paper Bear, said she often finds her customers complaining about parking or only visiting the store because they found a parking space. “With the hassle of having to pull out of a parking place and trying to get out of the
DEGREES
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professors being published in the Journal of Science, Kelemen said. “This is the right time and place to introduce a master’s program,” Kelemen said. “What’s going on in psychology, especially its research, is really making it into the mainstream, and people are interested. It’s what I call ‘the golden age of psychology.’” Harold Stern, director of the Ingram School of Engineering, also said this is a good time to offer a master’s degree in his department. He said there is a real need for graduate engineers in Central Texas who have “a breadth and depth beyond the B.S. degree.” “Companies want good managers and corporate officers who have that higher level of training,” Stern said. “This is really a win-win-win situation. We can’t wait to get started. This is a really fun place to be.”
TRAUTH
downtown area, I think once people come in, they really don’t have a taste to come back again,” Powers said. Powers and Cathy Natal, Paper Bear manager, said they are sad to see the bookstore leave because they know “when construction came, it hit (Mull) pretty hard.” Julie Vrla, San Marcos resident, said she is sad to see a local business close. Vrla said the bookstore often offered unusual books national stores do not sell. “I’ll miss getting to come by and see all of the neat stuff here,” Vrla said. Powers said Paper Bear’s sales are down at least 20 percent, but has noticed residents making an effort to shop local. Powers and Natal said they know their neighbors are hurting and try to encourage their patrons to visit other stores along the street. “I know construction is only going to get worse,” Natal said. “Hopefully there will still be enough parking.”
Students may work on a thesis under the proposed engineering master’s degree, but they are also eligible to do an alternative project report. This variation in the program is special to engineering, since some of the projects are to be kept secret because companies want their ideas to be exclusive. To keep ties with local companies, the project reports will be reviewed by faculty but remain unpublished. The approval of the coordinating board would establish credibility for unpublished work. If the final proposal is approved for the master’s in engineering, the projected date for enrollment is August 2014.
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be chosen at random from the pool of applicants for the private meeting. Mendoza said while the number of Open Door sessions has increased, these events are not anything new. “Cat Chat, ASG Round Table and the Open Door meetings are always done by Dr. Trauth,” Mendoza said. “She definitely believes in engaging students.”
CITY
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one he feels passionately about. “This has been one of the most complicated issues, striving to move forward at a time of national economic challenges with the notion of strength and unity,” Thomaides said. “We have made some significant steps forward in many areas.” Thomaides said the development of the master plan remains an important measure in improving San Marcos’ housing. “San Marcos has had a great deal of controversy over proposed apartment buildings in and around single-family neighborhoods,” Thomaides said. “They arouse the passions of neighborhood and environmental proponents, landowners and neighborhoods.” Thomaides said the city council adopted a mission statement to maintain the safety and historical and cultural identities of neighborhoods with housing being of importance to many residents. Thomaides said one way the city’s housing is being improved is through the Achieving Community Together (A.C.T.). The program attempts to improve relations between Texas State and the San Marcos community and tries to retain more graduates as residents. Other community projects Thomaides praised were the establishment of Captain
Paul Peña Park in the Hills of Hays neighborhood and the San Marcos Community Garden on Fulton Road. Like housing, economic development is also critical to San Marcos’ future, according to Councilman Wayne Becak, Place 4. Becak said the tax revenue brought in by new development will allow for better roads, police and fire services and maintenance of the city’s parks. “I hope to see a plan where we envision San Marcos with economic, educational and cultural opportunities that develop a stronger middle class and grow the local economy,” Becak said. Among the goals Becak said he hopes will increase San Marcos’ economic development are ecotourism, sports tourism, retail tourism and realizing the full potential of the San Marcos Municipal Airport. Becak served on the Greater San Marcos Partnership Board during the last year, which he said helps sustain economic growth in San Marcos and helped recruit more than 900 jobs. “Our city is renowned for its participation and civic engagement of all our citizens,” Becak said. “We need that participation to continue in the arena of economic growth and development.”
4 | Tuesday January 29, 2013 | The University Star
TRENDS
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Sorority hosts Josh Abbott concert following contest By Randi Berkovsky Trends Reporter Josh Abbott and his band walked nonchalantly onto a small wooden stage at the Hill Country Event Center Monday
night, setting an intimate tone for the show they were about to play. “We don’t just want to play songs,” Abbott said. “We want to talk to y’all.” The response he received was screams and applause from 187 Alpha Delta Pi
Shea Wendlandt, Staff Photographer
Josh Abbott, country music artist, sings with Sophie Walker, education sophomore, Jan. 28 at the Hill Country Event Center. The Alpha Delta Pi sorority won a contest to have Abbott perform.
members in matching teal t-shirts and boots sitting anxiously to hear the concert they had worked so hard for. Last semester, the women of Alpha Delta Pi decided to register for the Josh Abbott Band’s second annual spirit contest. The grand-prize winner showing the most love for the band via social media outlets would win a concert, $5,000 for philanthropy, pieces of Kendra Scott jewelry and a GiGi’s cupcake party. Sofia Walker, education sophomore, volunteered to take on the task of organizing the entire contest. She did all the filming and editing of the four big videos the members submitted for the contest. Each of the videos would be judged based on the number of women participating in them, creativity and originality. “When I found out I won, I cried,” Walker said. “I can’t believe I made that happen. It is so much money, and it is going to affect so many lives.” The first video consisted of 100 reasons the women loved the Josh Abbott Band. Those filming recorded 100 different Alpha Delta Pi members saying some funny and serious reasons. Afterward, Abbott himself tweeted about the video and said they were setting the bar high. The next two were creative videos that included a mock Ellen DeGeneres interview with Josh Abbott, along with clips incorporating him into scenes from TV shows and movies like “The Notebook.” The fourth video was about Alpha Delta Pi’s philanthropy, The Ronald Mc-
Donald House. The women’s video was called “A Week in the Life of an ADPi” and featured the members participating in various service events throughout the community. After the video, there was a testimony from three Alpha Delta Pi members who had experienced the help of the Ronald McDonald House in their own lives. Josh Abbott, a former member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity at Texas Tech, said the concert brought him back to his greek days. He and his fellow band member, fraternity brother and banjo player, Austin Davis, started the band back then. “To be successful, you need the support of fraternities and sororities,” Abbott said. “I wanted to give the money and give back to them for all the hard work they do. We do it as a way to say thanks.” Toward the end of the concert, a woman from inside the sea of teal yelled out that Josh should sing with Walker. He grinned at Walker and said, “Do you sing?” She smiled in response and followed his gesture for her to come on stage. The two began to sing the duet of “Oh Tonight,” which was followed by ‘aw’s, screams and applause. “My favorite part of the concert was when Josh sang with Sofia,” said Ashton Douglas, fellow Alpha Delta Pi sister. “She really deserved that opportunity. I loved hearing her sing with him, and I know it made the night so special for her.”
Photography exhibition at local café depicts Tokyo life By Fiona Riley Trends Reporter Vibrant depictions of Tokyo citizens commuting by train and foot were among the photographs adorning the Root Cellar Café Saturday at the opening of a new exhibit by Sean Brecht, a social documentary photographer. Brecht’s exhibit, called “Tokyo Pop,” opened with a gathering of both friends of the photographer and community members who came to see the product of Brecht’s photographic work in Tokyo. The body of work is a photo essay about the city of Tokyo as a multilayered culture. Brecht became interested in photography as a child because he was fascinated by the way pictures could tell stories. His most recent work comes from his time living in Japan on-and-off for more than 30 years—and Tokyo, specifically, for more than 15 years. “(Tokyo) is something I’m enormously fascinated by, and as my photography continued to migrate, the scope of my photography has narrowed to more social documentary work, and I think, from a social standpoint, there’s no place in the world more fascinating than Tokyo,” Brecht said.
Part of his interest in Tokyo stems from its high population density over a small area of land. “It’s kind of fascinating on many different levels: from a historical sense, from a geographic sense and from a social sense,” Brecht said. Brecht said one challenge he faced when taking the photographs was to express the population density while still conveying a sense of efficiency in the still-frame shots. Those who came were impressed by different elements he used in his photos. “I like the subject matter he chooses,” said Jane Matthews, a friend of Brecht. “I’m very surprised because I’ve seen the work on computers, but it was never as startling as this is.” Tom Popple, who hadn’t met Brecht before but is himself a photographer, also complimented Brecht’s artistic choices. “I really like the way he frames things,” Popple said. “A lot of the photographs make your eye move through the picture, which is a really important aspect of photography.” Popple and Matthews were not the only ones who liked the photos. “It’s phenomenal,” said Chase Harris, another friend of Brecht. “It’s very Sean. It’s dynamic; it’s pop; it’s great color
Kristen Lefebvre, Staff Photographer
Sean Brecht, social documentary photographer, showcases his “Tokyo Pop” exhibit at Root Cellar Café. The showcase opened Jan. 26 and illustrates the culture in Tokyo.
power; it’s everything; it’s perfect depth of field; it’s focus.” Cathy Ball, who has known Brecht since she was 7 years old, thinks he has an eye for things that others might not notice. “He’s so smart,” Ball said. “He catches
things that you wouldn’t normally, that some people’s eye wouldn’t see, and Sean captures it.” “Tokyo Pop” has already been showcased in the city of Tokyo last month, and Brecht plans to take the exhibit to more galleries in the future.
The University Star | Tuesday January 29, 2013 | 5
SPORTS
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Athletics ‘process’ earns all-time high in ticket revenue By Cameron Irvine Sports Editor The rise in competition saw just as great a rise in ticket revenue for the athletics department. Texas State’s jump to the Western Athletic Conference not only made the football team bowl-eligible, helped recruiting and brought increased exposure to the program— it boosted revenue through ticket sales as students, fans and alumni flocked to more games and spent more money than ever before. Texas State football made an estimated $1.4 million in ticket revenue for the 2012 season. This figure does not include single-game tickets for the final home battle, which saw more than 15,000 fans file into Bobcat Stadium to watch Texas State hand New Mexico State University a 6628 loss in the final WAC football game. Bobcat football made more than $476,000 in 2011 ticket revenue—approximately one-third the 2012 figure. As a point of comparison, the SEC’s Louisiana State University Tigers generated $26.4 million in ticket sales in 2011 alone. “We think (these are) great numbers,” said associate athletic director Don Coryell. “We sold over 7,000 (football) season tickets, and the single game has been
great. The revenue so far from football was great. Soccer and volleyball didn’t see a whole lot of change, but the figures have held solid.” Texas State football averaged 18,945 spectators, its highest attendance in team history, filling up roughly 62 percent of the newly expanded Bobcat Stadium. The attendance figure was good enough for fourth in the conference out of seven schools, behind the University of TexasSan Antonio, Utah State University and Louisiana Tech University. “A lot of the non-BCS schools struggle with attendance,” Coryell said. “We’ve struggled a little bit, especially with our student numbers. That’s been the biggest surprise. After the Tech game when we had over 8,000 students, I thought that would equate to much larger student crowds for us, and it hasn’t. Are we happy that we are averaging over 15,000 and maybe doing better than some schools? Sure. Would we rather be averaging over 20,000? No doubt about it. We are going to get there. It’s a process.” Texas Tech University did Texas State a huge favor in September by playing a road game at a first-year FBS school. The Texas Tech game was advertised, pushed and hyped to fans who flocked to Bobcat Stadium in record numbers—33,006—
which accounted for almost half of all ticket revenue this year. The battle raked in $674,066 on its own, more than 2011’s revenue, season ticket yields in 2012 or single-game profits from the last three years combined. Other trends in revenue streams include five straight years of increase for men’s basketball. Revenues have almost quadrupled in the last four years despite not having a winning season since 2006 when Doug Davalos became the coach of the program. The program yielded $5,289 in 2009 in season ticket sales. The 2012 number is up to $19,540. “We definitely have put a lot of effort into marketing for basketball,” said Joe Verschueren, director of ticket sales and operations. “Even with the increase, we are still way behind on the number of season tickets that we sell and the number of people in general that come to those basketball games. A little bit of cross-marketing with football has helped a lot with getting some more people out and buying basketball tickets. Pretty much anything we can think of we are willing to try.” Baseball’s revenues have been rising every year in the last five years. Back in 2007, the program only reeled in $10,014. The figure speaks for itself in 2012: $84,860. Baseball saw the biggest jump in revenue
of any program in the last five years from 2008-2009, when season ticket sales rose almost 1,300 percent once the new complex opened up. The Bobcats will make another transition into the Sun Belt after the WAC slowly dissolved during its 50th anniversary season. Texas State appears to be settled into the Sun Belt Conference for 2013 and beyond, but another transition up the athletic ladder could mean more revenue for Texas State athletics. “One of the biggest challenges we face is that we must continue our growth at a record-setting pace,” said Rick Poulter, assistant athletics director of sports information. “This past season saw the Athletics Department generate record-setting ticket sales and alumni support. However, this is just a first step of a process in our transition. Now, we need to continue improving both on and off the field as we move towards establishing ourselves as a strong FBS program.” Twitter: @txstcamirvine
For ticket revenue breakdowns for all sports, head to www.UniversityStar.com.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Texas State fights back to win third straight
By Sam Rubbelke Sports Reporter The Texas State men’s basketball team finished their second and third WAC road games by coming back in heroic fashion. Bouncing back from late double-digit deficits in both games, junior forwards Reid Koenen and Joel Wright have provided the spark off the bench that is turning this season around for the Bobcats. Wright filled in the stat sheet last Thursday, scoring 37 points, grabbing six boards, dishing out five assists and adding five steals—off the bench—in a 78-73 win over the University of Idaho. Wright’s record marks the highest individual game score this season in WAC play. Feb. 27, 2010 was the last time a Bobcat scored over 35 points, when J.B. Conley went for 42 points against Northwestern State. Koenen came off the bench to supply 10 points against the Vandals. Koenen and Wright’s 47 points combined accounted for all of Texas State’s bench production. The Bobcats held Idaho’s bench to 9 points. Despite being down 17 points with 7:36 left in the first half, shooting 36.4 percent
from the field, the Bobcats went into the locker room down by only four thanks to a 19-6 run before the half. “We got down by 17 points, and our guys didn’t quit,” said Coach Doug Davalos. “The guys kept their head above water, and this is what happens when you just don’t give up. A win is a win, but tonight showed a lot of character.” Committing a season-low eight turnovers, Texas State took advantage by scoring 15 points off of 18 Vandal turnovers. The Bobcats took their first lead with 3 minutes remaining in the game when senior guard Vonn Jones set up junior guard Phil Hawkins for a 3 in the corner. Hawkins contributed a career-high 16 points and helped the Bobcats outscore Idaho by 9 points in the second half. Idaho was led by Kyle Barone, who scored 27 points and collected 16 rebounds. Mike McChristian and Stephen Madison added 27 points combined. The Vandals had a higher shooting percentage in field goals, 3 pointers and free throws in the loss. Saturday was the same story at a different game. Against Seattle University, the Bobcats were down 12 points with 8:55
left to go in the game and mustered up a comeback to win 86-83. “It was a great team win,” Davalos said. “These guys believe they can win any game. We’d like to stop getting down by double digits, but we’ll take it.” Koenen came off the bench to score a career-high 24 points and record his ninth double-digit scoring game of the season. Wright scored 19 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double. Currently, Wright is the only WAC player averaging over 20 points per game and is leading the conference in 3-point percentage at 52.6 percent. Since the start of the three-game road trip with Koenen and Wright coming off the bench, the Bobcats’ bench is outscoring its opponents by an average of 31.3 points. Texas State scored 45 bench points and allowed 20 against Seattle. Louis Green led the Redhawks’ bench with 10. “We just have to keep doing what we’re doing,” Wright said. “Each game is different. We have to keep overcoming adversity...at the end of the day, it’s all about winning.” Junior forward Corey Stern registered his second career double-double, scor-
ing 10 points and collecting 11 rebounds. Hawkins finished with 13 points and dished out six assists. Hawkins currently leads the WAC in assist-to-turnover ratio with 2.1. In the last two games, Texas State has shot below 40 percent from the field and trailed at the half. But resilience has been a virtue for the Bobcats. In the second half of play, Texas State shot above 50 percent from the field and beyond the arc, including a 59.3 percent shooting performance against Idaho. Seattle’s redshirt junior forward Clarence Trent scored a career-high 22 points and pulled down eight boards. Redshirt freshman Deshaun Sunderhaus marked his fourth double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds and senior guard Prince Obasi added 9 points and 11 assists. In the final 7 minutes of play, the Bobcats went 12-12 from the free-throw line to improve their WAC record to 3-6. Entering the second half of conference play, Texas State returns home to play New Mexico State University on Thursday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m, their first home game since Jan. 12.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Losing streak continues, Bobcats now 1-8 in conference By Odus Evbagharu Sports Reporter The Texas State women’s basketball team was unable to capture wins at home this weekend against the University of Idaho and Seattle University, extending their home losing streak to five games. The Bobcats have lost nine out of the last 10 games, and have not won at home in 41 days. Their last home win was against Kennesaw State University on
Dec. 18. The Owls recently joined Division 1 in 2009 full-time. “One of the positives I really like about this team is that we keep fighting,” said Coach Zenarae Antoine. “The leadership is starting to arise. It’s these tough breaks we keep getting. It hurts as a coach more so for your team than you personally.” In the ball club’s first five home games, they had a record of 4-1, averaging 80.4 points per game. In their last five games at home, the team is 0-5 and averaging a conference-low 58.4 points per contest in that span. “It’s not like we are an up and down team (normally),” said senior guard Diamond Ford. “We just need to pick up momentum, especially here at home. We need to be able to stay consistent instead of just being up and down.” Coming into Saturday’s matchup, Seattle was eighth of 10 teams in the conference in free throw shooting, making 68 per-
cent this year. The Redhawks hit 13-14 from the charity stripe in their victory against Texas State, 70-58. “They’re a horrific free throw shooting team,” Antoine said. “They were a moreworse free throw shooting team than we were. We knew if we kept it right there we will have an opportunity to get the ball and score. I’ve got to give it to them, for them to be 13-14 from the free throw line, that’s pretty phenomenal.” Late in the contest down 62-47 with 3:09 to go, the Bobcats went on an 11-0 run. During the run, Ford had a layup off a pass from junior guard Kaylan Martin. Ford then made two free throws and made a left corner three to cut the lead to four. After Ford’s free throws, Martin stole the ball and had an opportunity to cut down the lead to two. The junior guard missed the lay-up and the Redhawks were able to pull away late. Ford ended the game with a team-high 23 points and was a perfect 4-4 from the line. “I definitely think if I would have made that lay-up we would have won,” Martin said after the loss. “We were getting steals left to right—we had all the momentum.
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I really think if I would have clipped it to two, we would have come away with it.” Seattle was led by senior guard Sylvia Shephard who led all scorers with a career-high 24 points. Shephard shot 57 percent from the field and shot 6-7 from the free-throw line. In Thursday’s match-up, Idaho shot 42.9 percent from the 3-point line in their 72-60 victory over the Bobcats. The Vandals are the nation’s eighth best 3-point shooting team and hit one more three than their usual eight per contest. In the defeat, Ford had a game-high 23 points for the contest and scored 17 of them in the second half. The senior guard leads the conference in scoring, getting 21.2 points a game. The Bobcats will take their play on the road this week as they head to New Mexico State University and the University of Denver. The Bobcats will look to turn their 1-8 record in WAC play around starting in Las Cruces, N.M. This will mark the start of the second half of conference play.
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6 | Tuesday January 29, 2013 | The University Star | Sports
Men’s Basketball Weekend Scores UTSA
70
Idaho
74
rending
Final
TEXAS ST. 86 Seattle
83
UTA
66
San Jose
47
Louisiana
51
Utah
48
TEXAS ST.
78
Idaho
73
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Women’s Basketball Weekend Scores Idaho
64
UTSA
45
San Jose
78
UTA
70
NM State
58
Denver
67
Seattle
70
TEXAS ST.
58
Idaho
72
TEXAS ST.
60
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Football recruiting is ramping up as the Feb. 6 signing day approaches. Jamel James, LeBron James’ cousin, has committed to Texas State. Mike Orakpo, brother of Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo, has announced that he is transferring to Texas State. C.J. Best, cousin of Detroit Lions running back Jahvid Best, has also committed to Texas State. Best and James are ranked as three-star running backs by Rivals. ESPN. com ranks James as a fourstar, and the 20th best running back recruit in the nation. According to Rivals.com rankings, Texas State is the highest ranked Sun Belt recruiting class, now 75th in the nation out of 123 FBS schools. Western Kentucky is next in line at 91st.
opics
Mike Orakpo, Texas State recruit
Aaron Matthews, Texas State safety
Karl Schoening, Texas State sports broadcaster
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