VOLUME 102, ISSUE 49
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THURSDAY GO NE ONLI NOW
JANUARY 31, 2013
Visiting Monks Tibetan Monks visit an art exhibit at the Honors Coffee Forum Jan. 30. For more information, visit UniversityStar.com.
Officials submit request to change university name
HOLDING VALUE
By Xander Peters News Reporter
2011 Average
Administrators are considering changing the university’s name for the sixth time in its 114-year history to clear up confusion about Texas State’s San Marcos and Round Rock campuses. The administration has asked the Texas Legislature to change the institution’s official name from Texas State University-San Marcos to Texas State University. Provost Eugene Bourgeois said existing confusion with the university’s name stems from the fact some people may think the Round Rock Higher Education Center is a second branch of Texas State. Bourgeois said the administration wants the legislature to make it clear Texas State is one university with two campuses. He said dropping “-San Marcos” from the university’s name isn’t an effort to avoid Texas State being seen as a regional school. “The name change doesn’t have to do with anything like that,” Bourgeois said. “This is simply to eliminate confusion.” The legislature will have to amend the Texas Education Code to eliminate “-San Marcos” from the university’s name. The code is a set of state statutes governing public education in Texas. Robert Gratz, special assistant to the university president, said the Board of Regents decided during its November meeting to permit the university to work with the legislature to amend the code. Gratz said introducing a bill to the legislature would be the next step, and if approved the school’s name will be changed. Gratz said the school’s official name, “Texas State University-San Marcos,” is used on legal documents, but in most publications the institution is already referred to as Texas State University. The institution has beared six different names since opening its doors in 1899 as Southwest Texas State Normal School. The most recent change occurred in 2003 when the school’s name was changed from Southwest Texas State University to Texas State University-San Marcos. At the time, “-San Marcos” had been included in the name because there were hopes other schools in the Texas State University System could adopt similar titles, Gratz said. It become clear the university system’s other institutions did not have an interest in in changing their names, Gratz said. Dropping “-San Marcos” from the name may come at a cost. Bill Nance, vice president for Finance and Support Services, said it cost the university $235,000 to update signage and other property when the 2003 name change occurred. He said the costs for the proposed name change will be minimal in comparison to the previous one. “(We) don’t intend to run out and change the signs as soon as the bill goes into effect,” Nance said. “As some of them fade, we’ll change them. We’re not going to issue a bunch of contracts. I think it could take years for all of the signs to be changed out.” Gratz additionally said he does not see many costs associated with changing Texas State’s name again. Bourgeois said changing the institution’s name again is mostly an issue of recognition and clarification because to him, “We’re Texas State University.”
Policy addresses non-native English-speaking faculty By Taylor Tompkins Assistant News Editor A revised University Policy and Procedure Statement may clarify the rules for faculty members who are not native English speakers. During their Jan. 23 and Jan. 30 meetings, faculty senators discussed new standards for prospective faculty whose first language is not English. The changes would require those who were not trained at an English-speaking institution to take a test to prove language proficiency, said Associate Provost Cynthia Opheim. Failing this test does not prohibit employment—prospective faculty who fail the test would still be hired. However, they would be required to either pass the test or enroll in an intensive English program within their first year, said Debra Feakes, associate chemistry and biochemistry professor. Under the same policy, faculty members who receive complaints regarding their English skills may be required to take an extensive language program. The chair or dean of the faculty members’ department would speak to the student who complained at their discretion, along with the faculty member, to determine whether they need to complete the program. Because the procedure is still in the comment period of the approval process, faculty can still voice their concerns regarding the issue. Opheim said the procedure satisfies a legislative requirement under House Bill 638 to provide adequate English proficiency courses and is replacing a muddled former policy. “The policy existed, and the policy was a monstrosity,” Ophiem said. “We started looking at it a year ago. We tried to revise it, and it was so complicated and just cumbersome that we finally ended up throwing it out and writing a new policy.” Though the policy is remaining the same, its revision has brought up concerns. Mary Cavitt, professor in the School of Music and faculty senator, said she is worried about faculty members who speak English effectively but have below-average writing skills. The UPPS does not address faculty whose writing is an issue. “If they have been hired, they are going to be successful at
READ faculty, PAGE 3
$123,135.45 2012 Average
$123,134.45
Pearce Court
Next to The Retreat
- 0.0001% 2010 Average
$159,739.77 2012 Average
$163,430.90
Meadow Parkway
Next to Hillside Ranch
+ 2.31% 2010 Average
$107,040.04 2012 Average
$102,807.72
Mill Street
Next to Aspen Heights
- 3.95%
Property values prove unaffected by student housing By Taylor Tompkins Assistant News Editor Despite it being a common hot-button issue among permanent residents, property values of homes in San Marcos are not dropping after apartment complexes move in nearby, according to numbers from the Hays Central Appraisal District. Appraisal records show the property values of San Marcos homes near new multi-family housing complexes are retaining almost their full pre-development values. Opponents of large multi-family housing developments have spoken publicly about the negative effects of apartment complexes on property value. However, James Walker, vice president of the San Marcos Area Board of Realtors, said he does not see effects on property value after large apartment developments are built near neighborhoods. At Pearce Court, a single-family neighborhood across from The Retreat, property values remained almost exactly the same at an average of $123,135 after the apartment complex was opened this fall. Property values of homes on the 400 block of Mill Street across from Aspen Heights slightly decreased from a $107,040 average in 2010 to $102,807 two years later. Aspen Heights was
built in 2011. Homes on Meadow Parkway near Hillside Ranch experienced an increase in property values in 2011 when the apartment complex was built. Homes had a $159,739 average property value in 2010, and rose in 2012 to $163,430. Walker said property values have to be examined on a case-by-case basis. “In some cases (the construction of apartment complexes) is going to increase values,” Walker said. “In some cases it is going to decrease values. It all depends on location, type of development and the quality of the singlefamily homes.” David Valle, chief appraiser at the Hays County Central Appraisal District, said there are many factors to determine property values. Therefore, when values decline, it can be challenging to pinpoint what is causing the drop, he said. Valle said if homes in the area of those appraised are selling for less than in past years, there is a red flag caused by the drop. Valle said he hasn’t seen dramatic drops in the last few years. He said if the apartments were going to be affected by the multi-family developments, they would
READ property, PAGE 3
‘Below average’ police costs reflect city crime By Nicole Barrios News Reporter The San Marcos Police Department spends almost $12 million responding to calls every year, but its cost is low compared to those of surrounding cities due in part to the demographics of the college town. SMPD received 76,501 calls in fiscal year 2012, averaging $156.86 per call for service. Howard Williams, San Marcos police chief, said the cost per call includes “everything it takes to run the department,” such as personnel expenses, salaries and benefits, uniforms, cars, weapons and bullets. Williams said the violent crime rate in San Marcos is low, and those types of calls “take up a lot of resources.” He said last year the most frequent call SMPD received was noise complaints about loud parties. He said if receiving noise-complaint calls is the worst problem the department has, it is not comparable to dealing with a “handful of shootings or stabbings.” He said the large number of summons dealing with issues that “really aren’t that serious” drives SMPD’s cost per call down. The cost of the calls is being paid with taxpayer dollars, sometimes through grants the police department receives from the government. In essence, the police department is financed through the city’s general fund. SMPD gathered information from several cities statewide to compare expenses from 2011 in a presentation given to the community last year. The presentation showed the department’s cost per call of $155.75 fell at the lower end of the spectrum compared to surrounding cities. As far as service presentation, the cities compared included Austin, Cedar Park, College Station, Denton, George-
town, New Braunfels, Round Rock, Temple and San Marcos. Williams said the department asked the cities to share their total budgets from 2011 and number of calls that year. Williams said College Station has the highest cost per call at $240.57, while Cedar Park has the lowest at $107.01. Many factors contribute to those costs, such as officers’ salaries, operating expenses and capital expenditures. SMPD made all of the calculations used in the presentation. Williams said there were five cities with a higher cost per call for service than San Marcos. According to the presentation, the cities are College Station, Denton, Austin, Round Rock and Temple. New Braunfels, Georgetown and Cedar Park had a lower cost per call than San Marcos. Williams said the cost was calculated by taking the total
READ SMPD, PAGE 3
Austin Humphreys, Photo Editor
Courtney Henricks, emergency communications officer, handles 911 calls and dispatch in June 2011 at the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.
2 | Thursday January 31, 2013 | The University Star
PAGE TWO
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wild art
ON THIS
DAY IN HISTORY 1649 - England’s King Charles I was beheaded. 1882 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States, was born in Hyde Park, N.Y. 1883 - James Ritty and John Birch received a U.S. patent for the first cash register. 1933 - The first episode of the “Lone Ranger” was broadcast on radio station WXYZ in Detroit. 1948 - Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi was murdered by a Hindu extremist. 1968 - The Tet Offensive began as Communist forces launched surprise attacks against South Vietnamese provincial capitals.
Matthew Montoya, music performance junior, plays a game of pool Jan. 30 at George’s.
John Casares, Staff Photographer
health beat
Improve your mood, health by taking naps
Routines take some effort to create, but these habits have a lot of benefits once they are established. It is commonly understood children thrive with routines, but adults do not always work as hard to keep themselves as regulated with a set schedule. Perhaps this is due to the increasing responsibilities, stressors and demands college students and adults face. A child in preschool has the luxury of receiving a nap mat and a tiny milk carton to aid in staying on routine. Adults have the austerity of slamming a 5-hour Energy between paying bills, commuting and microwaving dinner. We should cry out like preschoolers and proclaim, “No fair! I want a nap mat!” According to the National Sleep Foundation, naps do not actually make up for inadequate or low quality sleep at night. However, a short nap of 20-30 minutes has many benefits, including improving mood. Short naps can restore alertness, enhance performance and reduce mistakes and ac-
cidents. For example, a NASA study on sleepy military pilots and astronauts found a 40-minute nap improved performance by 34 percent and alertness by 100 percent. Research supports these benefits, but the stigma associated with naps is it indicates laziness, lack of ambition and low standards. Many people believe napping is only for children, the sick or the elderly. William A. Anthony, the director of the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University and the author of "The Art of Napping," defines napping as “a short sleep taken by toddlers, leaders and geniuses.” He notes Winston Churchill, Napoleon Bonaparte, Johannes Brahms, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein all took regular naps. In addition, many American presidents have been known to have a nap routine, including Bill Clinton, Calvin Coolidge, Lyndon Johnson, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.
The research journal Sleep conducted a study examining the benefits of naps of various lengths. The results indicated a 10-minute nap was most beneficial in terms of reduced sleepiness and improved cognitive performance. A nap lasting 30 minutes or longer was more likely to result in sleep inertia. Sleep inertia is defined as the feeling of grogginess and disorientation that can come with awakening from a deep slumber. At this point, you're probably thinking about ways to incorporate naps into your daily routine. It’s important to remember getting enough sleep (6-8 hours a night) on regular basis is the best way to stay alert and feel your best. But when fatigue sets in, a quick nap can do wonders for your mental and physical stamina. Just be sure to set an alarm! -Courtesy, Kelly Stone, M.A., CHES, Student Health Center
1969 - The Beatles performed in public for the last time in a 45-minute gig on the roof of their Apple Records headquarters in London. 1972 - Thirteen Roman Catholic civil rights marchers were shot to death by British soldiers in Northern Ireland on what became known as “Bloody Sunday.” 2003 - Richard Reid, a British citizen and al-Qaida follower, was sentenced to life in prison by a federal judge in Boston for trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic jetliner with explosives hidden in his shoes. 2005 - Iraqis voted in their country’s first free election in a half-century. 2006 - Coretta Scott King, the widow of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., died at age 78. 2007 - Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system went on sale. -Courtesy of the New York Times
News | The University Star | Thursday January 31, 2013 | 3
NEWS
property
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
have already happened. Despite this, some residents have spoken out against developments, citing a drop in property values as a deterrent for local government to allow rezoning near single-family homes. Resident Larry Mock said he lives near Sessom Creek with an apartment complex on the other side of his land. He said the multifamily housing was there when he moved in. Mock said the students in the complex rarely disturb him because they are separated by land, but issues arise when multifamily housing is built near or within a neighborhood. “It kind of degrades the neighborhood because there’s more transient people,” Mock said. “People who buy houses are here to stay, whereas people who live in apartment complexes aren’t here to stay. So, they might not take care of where they live as much.” Having multifamily housing near homes with children creates a discordance that lowers the value of nearby houses and harms the local environment, Mock said. “It makes traffic worse,” Mock
said. “It just makes the neighborhood less attractive to people who generally want to buy.” Mona Mendiola, resident and former real estate broker, said she “absolutely” believes property value is diminished by the creation of any retail property, including apartment complexes. “A non-homeowner mentality moves in,” Mendiola said. “People come who don’t have a sense of pride of ownership.” Mendiola said properties should be zoned so complexes can’t be built near homes. She said homeowners associations can also help combat low property values. San Marcos’ average property value has increased on average in recent months, Walker said. Central Texas is a high-demand area and a desirable market. “I personally, and I know several other agents, have experienced the busiest December and the busiest January that we have seen in several years, which is a good thing,” Walker said. “We’ve got a lot of people moving from out of the area into the area, which ultimately affects the value and starts an increase in the overall values.”
SMPD
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budget expenses and dividing them by the number of calls received. However, the costs of different types of calls vary. For example, an officer may respond to a disabled-vehicle call, but sometimes the car is already gone by the time police arrive. Williams said that kind of call is very inexpensive. However, a police department may receive a homicide call, which requires several officers for multiple days, and “tons and tons of money” is spent each hour. Stephen Hanna, New Braunfels Police Department lieutenant, said his office receives approximately 48,000 to 50,000 calls per year. Because New Braunfels is a tourist-oriented town, calls increase as the summer months approach. San Marcos may experience the opposite, with a decrease in calls during the summer from school being out. Williams said they used the compiled data to determine the expense per capita of what it costs “every person in the community by population to run the police department.” Austin was the highest at $308.62, while
faculty
Cedar Park was the lowest again at $137.99. SMPD fell at $181.50. Williams said Austin probably has the highest-paid police department in the southern United States, which is why the cost per capita may be more expensive for it. However, he said the department takes “a ton of calls.” Vaneza Bremner, Austin Police Department senior officer, said in an email her office received 813,621 calls for service in 2011 and 769,987 in 2012. “The amount of money that we spend in our police department is kind of below average of all these cities,” Williams said. “We’ve got a pretty good bang for our buck.” Councilwoman Kim Porterfield, Place 1, said SMPD not only does a “great job” of responding to calls and incidents in town but is proactive with various programs. “That’s one of the things I’m happy about with the San Marcos Police Department,” Porterfield said. “And certainly providing services at a lower cost to the community. That’s important too.”
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what they are doing, but then you get their documents and it is problematic when you’re reviewing the documents,” Cavitt said. Senators additionally expressed concerns about professors who receive student complaints and whether or not these would go on a permanent file. Feakes said if a faculty member who already works at Texas State receives a complaint and fails the intensive English program, the faculty would be put up for post-tenure review. She said this could lead to the faculty’s tenure being re-
voked or terminated. The same would go for faculty who refuse to take the program. Opheim said the subject of the procedure is not often an issue. She said it primarily affects people who could be professors in the future. The faculty senators decided they would like to see a revision of the procedure to make sure students cannot complain repeatedly. The faculty and their chair or dean would not have to go through the process every year.
4 | Thursday January 31, 2013 | The University Star
OPINIONS
For more viewpoints or letters to the editor, e-mail staropinions@txstate.edu
Official name change will boost university prestige
T
Emmanuel Ramirez, Star Illustrator
exas State and San Marcos are firmly interconnected, but keeping the city’s name tacked onto the university’s title can only hinder its growing national recognition. Currently, the institution’s official title is “Texas State University-San Marcos,” a lengthy name rarely said out loud or even printed on anything other than official documents. This institution is the fifthlargest university in Texas. However, it is the only school in the top 10 to include its home city’s name in the title, other than the various University of Texas institutions. Distinguishing these campuses by city makes sense. However, Texas State is located only in San Marcos, rendering the inclusion of the city’s name superfluous. Texas State should hardly be due for a name change. This is especially true considering the university altered its title in 2003 with a transition from Southwest Texas State University. Administrators hoped other universities in the system would each adopt the same name with their own cities’ names in the suffix, but to date none have done so. Dropping “Southwest” from the front only to pin “-San Marcos” on the end was shortsighted, narrowing rather than broadening the university’s apparent scope. Texas State’s national recognition and alumni reach have only grown in the nearly 10 years since, but the city-specific name remains. According to a Jan. 30 University Star article, the Texas legislature will soon have the opportunity to correct this past error at the request of institution officials. Though Provost Eugene Bourgeois denied the change was related to national prestige, it would give future graduates a diploma with a much more impactful title that potential employers will see not as a local city college but a flagship institution of Texas. San Marcos is by far the smallest city mentioned by name on the list
of the top 10 largest Texas universities, which also includes Austin, San Antonio and El Paso, among others. Though San Marcos offers a small-town experience unique for a college city, its size lends little credibility to a diploma when out-ofstate employers may not have even heard of it. The previous name change was met with mixed reactions, inciting some degree of alumni backlash but correlating to an increase in enrollment. However, dropping San Marcos’ name from the title, is highly unlikely to cause any notable negative reaction. The adjustment would not involve a change in the school’s abbreviation or marketing materials. In the same University Star article, Bill Nance, vice president for Finance and Support Services, said costs associated with the name change would be minimal, consisting primarily of altering signage and letterheads. Texas State’s current name is redundant at best. It is the only school in its system to go by “Texas State University,” and including the city in the name falsely implies a larger, more prominent institution exists. Though most Texas residents know this is not the case, out-of-state employers may not. Texas State graduates already face enough competition in job searches. They should not have to wonder whether employers believe there are Texas State institutions in other cities. Administrators are making the right decision by requesting the shortened name. “Texas State University” is simple, short and impactful and does not cause confusion with any other school. As alumni continue to spread throughout the country and Texas State receives more attention for its athletic and research efforts, a strong name will be a necessity. 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.
Comprehensive immigration reform will benefit US, students
By Christian Penichet-Paul Opinions Columnist
M
any Texas State students would benefit from a comprehensive solution to help fix the nation’s immigration system by allowing undocumented residents to become legal, hold new jobs and stimulate the economy. National and local immigration reform is necessary to replace the outdated and inefficient system. The current system costs the American economy billions in wasted resources, depressed wages and uncollected tax revenue, according to a Feb. 2, 2010 Huffington Post article. A comprehensive solution would help fix the problems, provide fuel for the economy and maintain the cultural legacy of the United States. Poten-
tially, labor shortages in various job fields such as agriculture and farming would be met, and undocumented immigrants would gain legal status. San Marcos as a whole would benefit from immigration reform, especially because of the city’s large Hispanic population overall. The university recently became recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution with a Hispanic enrollment of more than 25 percent. In addition, some residents or students and their relatives may be undocumented immigrants, and they deserve a chance to find jobs and get an education in America. The passage of comprehensive immigration reform in Congress should be important to residents and students alike. Immigration is important to sustaining the economy and balancing the demand of workers. According to a Jan. 5 Dallas Morning News article, the United States gives low priority to employment-based immigration. By 2018, the demand for workers with advanced math and science degrees is estimated to outpace supply by 230,000 workers, according to statistics from the same article. Today, the agriculture and construction fields are facing labor shortages. If foreign-born, undocumented Texas State students are not given the full opportunity to apply their skills in
the marketplace, the economy will suffer as a result. These students will essentially become undeveloped human capital. Undocumented students are legally allowed to attend public universities and receive financial aid in Texas, which is an important policy that must be maintained. Immigration reform would also help the Texas economy. According to the same Dallas Morning News article, comprehensive reform would stimulate the state’s economy without increasing the deficit or using taxpayer money. The new system would lift the prospects of the state’s estimated 1.7 million undocumented immigrants through higher wages and new employment opportunities. The economy would grow as undocumented immigrants gain a legal status, pay taxes and participate in the formal market. Furthermore, statistics from the same article indicate immigrants create 31 percent of new businesses in Texas while only making up 16 percent of the population. Reform could encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of Texas immigrants by providing a boost to the economy and adding new jobs for Texas State graduates. From new restaurants to health clinics, the new businesses could provide significant employment opportunities. Former president George W. Bush even
stated that the debate on immigration reform must be dealt with a “benevolent spirit” and to “keep in mind the contributions of immigrants,” according to a Dec. 4, 2012 Texas Tribune article. An important part of the national heritage is immigrants and their place in American society. The current immigration policy, which can separate families and keep millions of workers in the shadows, must be resolved. Poll statistics in a Jan. 22 Huffington Post article indicated that a majority of voters of white, black and Latino backgrounds believe America is stronger when immigrants become legal and pay taxes. In turn, Texas State students should support an immigrant resolution that is morally upstanding and maintains the tradition of the nation. Comprehensive immigration reform has economic benefits and would follow the traditional heritage of the United States as a whole. Texas State students must support a revamped policy and make sure to contact their elected officials to take a stand in favor of reform. Eager undocumented workers willing to come to the country, and those who have already immigrated should be given a fair chance. —Christian Penichet-Paul is a history senior.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR I am not a certified English teacher, and I must confess that English is my second language. However, after several years in the U.S. Navy, my community college experience and now pursuing a master’s degree, I recognize the power of words. On Jan. 29, we had the opportunity to hear our Texas governor present his State of the State address to all Texans. Following his 3,720-word discourse, the power of words resulted in a lack of words and marginal effort. Gov. Perry opened with recognizing his family, past legislators including Sen. Mario Gallegos of Houston and growth of private-sector jobs. He continued by praising CEOs, companies and state-of-the-art packing plants. Jobs, business and the economy of Texas occupied the majority of his speech. The Latino community waited for Gov. Perry to unveil his concern and plan for issues that affect Hispanic children, college students and families throughout the state. We’ll give him partial credit for utilizing the word education 10 times, but he never once covered the hot button issues of vouchers and standardized tests. These two will more than likely push the governor to keep legislators past their 140 days in Austin. Before we get to social issues that concern the Latino community, and in my opinion all Texans, he also failed to mention women and veterans. Even
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more, what about women that are veterans? His speech just dropped another letter grade. Women are filling our classrooms, leading in small business and continuously graduating in higher numbers in college. How could they have been left out? Now, our military men and women should be alarmed that our Texas governor overlooked them when our soldiers are returning with some of the highest rates of PTSD ever witnessed. There are no excuses for forgetting those who have served this country. Our community inspired four new congressional seats and holds the largest percentage of children in K-12 in the state, and our governor only mentions the word Hispanic twice. Both of those instances were related to the participation of Hispanic students taking the SAT and ACT. Which leads our community to wonder: why did he not mention comprehensive immigration reform, sanctuary cities, the D.R.E.A.M. Act or social issues that affect everyday Hispanic communities? Gov. Perry gave us a one-sided State of the State address. He applauded his supporters and defended conservative ideology while failing to recognize issues that matter to his largest constituency and voting base: women, veterans, Latinos and new American citizens. These groups are engaged, united and voting in greater numbers each year, so
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
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do not be alarmed as you see them closing the gap and shifting our state to purple. All the while, our governor and legislative officials fail to recognize them when it matters. Words do matter! There were 3,720 words used in the State of the State speech by Gov. Perry. Below is a breakdown of keywords that were used in present, past and future tense. In addition, the words could have been used in singular, plural and in conjunction with other words. Veterans: 0, Women: 0, Community Colleges: 1, Minority: 1, Hispanic: 2, Economic: 5, Private: 5, Business: 6, Education: 10, Fund: 13, Jobs: 16. --Fidencio “Orale” Leija-Chavez Jr. is a cofounder of Latinos. Engaged. United. Voting., a U.S. Navy Vet, a Texas State Bobcat studying Geography, a graduate of Houston’s National Hispanic Professional Organization Leadership Institute and a local political activist.
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 31, 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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Trends | The University Star | Thursday January 31, 2013 | 5
TRENDS
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Balancing sport gains popularity around San Marcos
Madelynne Scales, Staff Photographer
Cameron Felgate, public relations junior, balances on a slackline Jan. 20 at Sewell park.
By Jordan Gass-Poore’ Trends Reporter Clad in rolled-up blue jeans, a tank top and FiveFingers shoes, San Marcos resident Nicholas Gordon tested his balance on a two-inch Gibbon Jibline, characterized by the company as a slackline for the more adventurous type, on a sunny day in Sewell Park. Left foot. Right foot. Feet off the ground. Gordon, hands loosely raised beside his head, swayed to the Reggae music that played softly from his speakers as he walked on the nylon webbing that
was tied between two trees. Slacklining has become a relaxing weekly workout for him since, about three months ago, a friend invited him to participate in the sport. “I never thought it would be possible for me to balance on a line,” Gordon said. “I saw it as a challenge. There’s something about facing the line—no excuses. It’s really direct.” The sport, which bears a resemblance to tightrope walking, has changed the former Houstonite’s direction in life and helped him overcome physical challenges. Muscle cramps and soreness of the body are not uncommon for beginner slackliners, Gordon said, adding that people will strain muscles they never knew existed because it is such an intense workout. To prevent injuries, he recommended that people stretch well and consider practicing yoga. Cameron Felgate, mass communication junior, performed a yoga tree pose on a slackline as he spoke briefly about the time he met Gordon while practicing the sport at Sewell. Felgate began slacklining after suffering from a rock climbing injury. Rock climbers are said to be responsible for the creation of slacklining. Adam Grosowsky and Jeff Ellington took climbers’ webbing and rigged a slackline when they were students at The Evergreen State College in 1979. Felgate and Gordon are some of the San Marcos residents who have followed in the modern slacklining pioneers’ footsteps. Nursing freshman Hannah Black said her boyfriend Jon Laing, geography resource and environmental studies sophomore, called her one day on his cell phone while simultaneously eating an apple and walking on a slackline in Sewell. Gordon said there is a strong curiosity about slacklining in San Marcos, which prompted him to start a community group dedicated to awareness and pro-
motion of the sport. SlackLine San Marcos, TX has established a Facebook fan page in an attempt to receive 5,000 “likes” before approaching Gibbon Slacklines, a Boulder-based company, to sponsor a local event. In the meantime, the group will be hosting “Slackline Sunday” events every week at Sewell. Sewell and the San Marcos River are some of the reasons Gordon moved and has stayed in San Marcos. But since his arrival in the city, he and his fellow slackliners have had to walk the line with the Texas State Outdoor Center. John Johnson, assistant campus recreation director, said he started to notice people slacklining across the San Marcos River last year without approval by staff of the center. Kayakers began to express concern for their safety to Outdoor Center staff.
People were told slacklining is prohibited across the river, Johnson said, adding that the center would be liable for any accidents caused by the sport. “There really is not an approval process to go through for getting permission to slackline across the river here in Sewell Park. It is just not something that we are going to allow,” he said in an email. “To slackline across the river is a bit like allowing someone to exercise below someone that is bouldering—it is just not appropriate to put people in an impact zone where someone else may be falling.” Even though slacklining over the river is not allowed, Gordon continues to practice in the park. “(Slacklining) represents life itself,” Gordon said. “It’s like machines at hospitals. Flatlines mean death, while a beep takes on life.”
Nicholas Gordon took up slacklining a few months ago and has introduced the sport as a weekly workout.
Alumna, entrepreneur creates own social media business By Fiona Riley Trends Reporter Sitting at a cubicle and staring at the same four walls every day, Jessie Spielvogel knew a desk job was not for her. Spielvogel graduated from Texas State in 2010 with a B.A. in journalism and got a job running three different networks for The Discovery Channel, but was unhappy with the work environment. A friend of Spielvogel’s contacted her on behalf of a family friend who needed help running a blog and accepted the work as a freelancer. Soon after, the family friend became the first client in Spielvogel’s own business, Split Aces Media, where she works as an online marketing consultant. “Most of the time, I’m either blogging, reaching out to potential business, doing some kind of research to help my clients get better online or writing social media for small business,” Spielvogel said. “It just depends on what comes in that week.” Spielvogel can work from wherever she wants because she is her own boss. She has maintained her business from Ecuador, Chicago, Mexico City and Boston. “The ability to work from anywhere is unbelievable for me,” Spielvogel said. “It’s been the best part of this whole thing.” The timing of her work schedule is also flexible.
“My schedule’s so different on a day to day basis,” Spielvogel said. “I don’t really have a normal schedule yet, and I don’t know if I ever will, or if I’ll ever want to.” Spielvogel still keeps in touch with some of her professors at Texas State, including Cindy Royal, associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “She has gone after owning her own business with such optimism and enthusiasm, like everything else that she’s done, that she’s been very successful in developing her own social media consultancy,” Royal said. Another former professor Spielvogel keeps in contact with is David Nolan, senior lecturer in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “What separates some students from other students is that they really want the knowledge. They want to be
able to improve on what they already know and to take it even further, and Jessie was always that way,” Nolan said. Spielvogel has also learned skills essential to her work with faculty. “Even though I’m not using journalism in my career, I think it taught me work ethic, turning things in on time and deadline,” Spielvogel said. “All of those things came from Texas State. I’d never have that experience anywhere else.” Split Aces Media developed from the first client into a business that caters to multiple, varied businesses and is still growing, Spielvogel said. “It just kind of took on a life of its own, and it’s been hard work,” she said. “It’s been stressful, but I’m just getting started.”
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Texas State theatre alumnus takes street art to New York By Brenda Urioste Special to The Star One Texas State alumnus is happy to be living life up in the “CLOUDZ.” Tyler Wallach graduated from Texas State in 2010 with a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre, but it’s his artwork that is creating a buzz. Wallach took up street art in San Marcos but has since taken CLOUDZ, his unique graffiti brand, all the way to New York City and the surrounding area. Wallach looked for an outlet after being overwhelmed with theatre classes. He found solace in the art classes at Texas State available for non-majors. Brian Johnson’s screen printing class allowed him to indulge in creating colorful little creatures, which have become his trademark. “We had to come up with a theme for the semester, and it was sort of a representation of ourselves,” Wallach said. With that in mind, Wallach said he thought of himself as a cloud—unique and constantly evolving. Influenced by Andy Warhol and Keith Haring, Wallach started creating these CLOUDZ full of vibrant colors, which reflect his 1990s childhood. “I was always attracted to things like Lisa Frank and all the types of bright neon colors that our generation grew up with,” he said. “I’ve always been attracted to that kind of aesthetic.” Growing up, Wallach had a passion for theatre, and while he attended Texas State, he could always be found around the theatre building. Kaitlin Hopkins, head of the musical theatre program, once cast him as two characters in “Bat Boy” and watched with pride as he grabbed the audience’s attention with his portrayal of “Mrs. Taylor.” Wallach’s hard work gained him the respect of other professors as well. Laura Lane, assistant professor in the department of theater and dance, became a mentor of his. “He was an amazingly magnetic, energetic student who was definitely a class leader,” Lane said. Wallach soon became obsessed with art and started covering the streets of San Marcos with stickers that displayed his colorful creations. Hopkins described his art as “whimsical and liberating.” After graduating, Wallach worked for ZACH Theatre in Austin for about four months and then moved to New York. Shortly after settling into the city, Wallach was cast in a show but soon became tired of the familiar process. Wallach reverted back to his days in San Marcos and began posting “Hello My Name Is” and UPS stickers around New York where his art “took on life of its own,” he said. When he was still fairly new to the craft, he was caught by an undercover New York
Photo courtesy Macey Mayfield
Tyler Wallach, Texas State alumnus, moved to New York City and has created his own brand of graffiti. Police Department officer dressed as a homeless woman. The experience taught him to be more watchful, and he has since learned to be more careful about when he shares his art, he said. Wallach continues to grow as an artist and has gained the support of his family. He admits his parents were skeptical about him posting stickers around the city between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. adorned with CLOUDZ around the city. However, they eventually came around and now understand his art brings him happiness. Wallach said his creations have received positive feedback and he still believes it to be quite a surreal and humbling experience to have gained a supportive fan base. “I think it’s magical because it’s something I created,” Wallach said. “I didn’t read about how to do this out of any book, and nobody told me how to do it. So, I’m proud of myself for manifesting all of this.” Wa l l a ch has been commissioned to create cover art for bands, draw on shoes and design his own graphic sunglasses, which Hopkins and Jim Price, theatre and dance senior lecturer, both modeled.
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MEN’S BASKETBALL
Pioneers, Aggies to test three-game winning streak By Samuel Rubbelke Sports Reporter Texas State embarked on a road trip Jan. 19, winless in its first season in the WAC, and while the Bobcats have won three straight since, the team will face its toughest weekend of competition yet. New Mexico State University and University of Denver, both 7-2 in conference, come to Strahan Coliseum this weekend as the Bobcats try to dig themselves out of the bottom of conference standings. “These past couple games in conference, we’ve started going uphill, and we’re progressing and getting better,” said junior forward Corey Stern. “We’ve won three straight on the road, and we’re just trying to play off that momentum and keep it going. Now we can come home and protect our house.” The Bobcats were down by double digits in both games earlier this year against Denver and New Mexico and could not get back in the mix of things. But recent comeback victories against Seattle University (down by 12) and University of Idaho
(down by 17) have given Texas State the mindset anything is possible. “There was a sense of ‘maybe’ before. We were hoping we could win,” said Coach Doug Davalos. “Now we believe we will win. There’s a big part where our guys think no lead is insurmountable anymore.” The emergence of junior guard Phil Hawkins has provided a scoring boost for the Bobcats. In the past three games, Hawkins has scored in double figures, averaging 14 points. Since Jan. 19 against UTSA, the Bobcats have been averaging 5.36 more points per game with Hawkins in the starting lineup. “Hawkins has done a tremendous job,” Davalos said. “It takes any new player in a system time to figure it out, let alone a point guard. A lot of the time, other positions, they can just worry about themselves. But your point guard has to know what the coach wants, where the players are supposed to be, where he’s supposed to be and where he’s supposed to run plays.” The Aggies won 78-67 in Texas State’s previous meeting with New Mexico State,
with sophomore guard Daniel Mullings leading the way with 22 points. Mullings currently leads the WAC, averaging three steals per game. The Aggies are a force in the paint, holding a conference-high 7.3 rebounding margin over their opponent and recording 56 blocks (6.2 per game). Denver will be a battle of contrasting forces. The Pioneers rank seventh in the nation in scoring defense at 54.6. In conference play, Denver is averaging 61.2 points per game (second lowest to San Jose State) but is holding opponents to 50.3. The Pioneers are ranked No. 1 in scoring margin at plus-10.9. Denver prefers to keep the scoreboard low but has a proficient offense nonetheless. The Pioneers are first in the WAC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.5. Denver’s leading conference play in 3-pointers made (8.4) and percentage (.374) makes for a lethal combination that can place opposing defenses in a bind. Texas State should not be fazed. The team has four of the top six conference leaders in 3-point percentage shooting.
Junior forward Joel Wright is ranked first at 52.6 percent and junior guard Deonte’ Jones comes in at third, converting 46.7 percent. New Mexico State and Denver tipped off against one another Jan. 23, ending in a 53-42 victory for the Aggies. New Mexico State extended its winning streak to seven and halted the Pioneers’ streak at seven. The win marked the Aggies’ longest winning streak since the 2006-07 season. Denver committed 15 turnovers and was outrebounded 41-24. The Crimson and Whites’ defense held Denver to 0-8 from beyond the arc in the first half and 3-18 for the game. The many new faces for the Bobcats may be finally starting to gel. “I’m not blaming the losing streak on anybody … but this is a new situation,” Wright said. “We all came into a new situation. Now we’re winning more, we’re facing adversity more and we’re learning to get along with each other more. All of that stuff plays a part with winning.” Twitter: @SamuelRubbelke
AFTER FURTHER REVIEW: WHAT’S BREWIN’?
Texas State football program acquiring talented freshman prospects
By Jordan Brewer Assistant Sports Editor Throughout the past decade, the media attention in college recruiting has risen to unprecedented heights. Thousands of college football fans from across the country will have their eyes glued to their television or laptop Feb. 6 to find out where some 18 year olds will be playing college football. Sounds kind of creepy, right? When you consider the type of implication each national signing day has on these money-making machines, also known as football programs, it actually is quite understandable. When the final whistle is blown on a football season, the majority of fans, coaches, families and players start concentrating on the future. The first Wednesday of February has
become quite the spectacle in the sports media world. Some chosen recruits will “perform” their announcement on national television, usually picking up the hat of their prospective school. They might have a prop or two. There has even been the infamous “hat-switch” where they will pick up a hat, then toss it on the ground only to pick another one, pulling at many fans’ heartstrings. For the majority, student-athletes will pick their school in front of their prep school classmates, teachers and their families. No matter the location, their signature could be worth millions of dollars. It could add up to championships or a trip to the NFL. It will determine the outlook of the entire coaching staff’s tenure. That signature has become almost as big a deal as John Hancock’s. Since Dennis Franchione has become the head coach at Texas State, he has blazed the recruiting trail. He had the disadvantage of becoming the head man with only weeks until national signing day in 2011, but he had a strong track record recruiting for schools like the University of Alabama and Texas A&M University. The Bobcats only have three remaining recruits from the pre-Franchione years. They signed a total of eight recruits by national signing day between 2009 and 2010.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Bobcats hopeful in WAC play By Odus Evbagharu Sports Reporter This weekend the Texas State women’s basketball team will look to avenge 3-point losses to the University of Denver and New Mexico State University suffered at the beginning of conference season. This season the ball club has been outscored by their opponents by an average of 4.2 points per contest. The team has lost four games by 7 points or less this season, three of those games coming in WAC play. “When you fall short against a team, I think that just builds your intensity and your intent to win the next time,” said junior guard Kaylan Martin. ”You don’t want to lose again especially when you got so close to getting that win.” It took Denver overtime to beat the Bobcats at Strahan Coliseum on Jan. 3. With 20 seconds left in the game, the Pioneers hit two free throws to send the game into extra time and won in OT 73-70. Texas State hit 10 3-point shots in the defeat. Senior guard Diamond Ford had a chance to tie the game with 2.8 seconds left in overtime with a last-second 3-point shot attempt but missed it. Ford had a game high 26 points and went 5-7 from the free throw line in the contest. Two days later on Jan. 5, a similar situation occurred when the Bobcats played New Mexico State. Down by three, Texas State had the ball with 7.8 seconds left and Ford had the opportunity to tie the game up. Ford missed the potential 3-pointer that would have sent the game into overtime. The Aggies won the game 61-58. “We have to come out from the start and be more intense,” Ford said. “We need to finish the games out
strong. We know we didn’t finish these games well, but I know that if we put it all together we will be able to come out with these wins.” Denver will be led by sophomore guard Morgan Van Riper-Rose, who averages a team-high 14.1 points per game and shoots 88 percent from the free throw line. New Mexico State will have 2007 McDonald’s High School All-American Stefanie Gilbreath lead them in their second match-up against the Bobcats. The redshirt senior guard leads the team in points, scoring 15.9 per game. Gilbreath is a transfer student from the University of Southern California. The former Trojan suffered three ACL tears in her collegiate career before transferring to New Mexico State. In the last contest between the Aggies and Texas State, Gilbreath had 21 points in 39 minutes of play. “We probably will put our best defender on (Gilbreath),” Martin said. “We need to limit her touches, contest every shot and block out.” The Bobcats will be starting the second half of WAC play this weekend. The team went 1-8 in the first half. Texas State is currently tied for ninth in the WAC, but Coach Zenarae Antoine believes they are still in the mix. “We’re not at the point of desperation,” Antoine said. “We just need to stay focused and get better. There are still quite a few games left, and we still have the conference tournament. I’m definitely not counting us out.” Twitter: @odus_Outputs
Star File Photo
Only juniors Tyler Arndt, Jamie ClavellHead and sophomore Deche Milburn remain. All three figure to be heavily involved in competition for playing time in 2013. Since Franchione has taken over, he has developed two classes other than the one he is working on currently for 2013. Within those two classes, he has had 47 signees with 39 of those still on the team. Of those 39, mostly freshmen and sophomores, more than half have already hit the field. The junior college ranks have been extremely beneficial to the Bobcats in the last two recruiting cycles. In 2011 alone, the Bobcats signed two future stars from junior college: quarterback Shaun Rutherford and tight-end Chase Harper. In the next year, six players ended up playing early for Texas State. David Mayo and Damian McMiller both played linebacker in their first year this season, racking up a combined 77 tackles. Franchione has plucked talent from high schools around Texas as well. Offensive lineman Zach Crawford started as a redshirt freshman. Jafus Gaines, Tim Gay and Tylond Robertson saw significant playing time during their redshirt freshman years. True freshman Jerrid Jeter-Gilmon had 36 tackles, two for loss, a fumble recovery and an interception in 2012. According to Rivals.com, Texas State
had 13 three-star commits in 2012. Threestars are considered “to have the potential to be a quality starter,” according to ESPN.com’s RecruitingNation grading scale. For this year’s class, the Bobcats already have eight three-stars with still a week till national signing day to add more. According to ESPN.com’s rankings, two of the Bobcats’ commits are classified as “four-stars,” including Jamel James, who is part of the ESPN Top 300 recruits rankings. James, who is NBA star LeBron James’ cousin, was once a University of Notre Dame commitment and received offers from Louisiana State University, University of Southern California and Florida State University, among others. It seems that the future of Texas State football is in good hands. Being a program that sits smack dab in the middle of what can be considered the most fertile recruiting state in the nation, it should be. Texas State has the opportunity to take advantage of the plethora of in-state players who are overlooked by the Bowl Championship Series Texas programs like the University of Texas and A&M. Between Franchione’s recruiting experience, a rising program and a growing popularity in the university, a rising talent pool on the recruiting front is expected and has already delivered.
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