02 07 2006

Page 1

TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER

TAKE A BITE

Science fiction and fantasy writers have a new media relations commander

A super-sized diet for a Super Bowl menu

SEE TRENDS PAGE 4

SEE SPORTS PAGE 8

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS

www.UniversityStar.com

FEBRUARY 7, 2006

TUESDAY

‘I am hip-

hop’ RAPPED UP IN HISTORY: Duke University professor of black popular culture Mark Anthony Neal spoke on the history of hip-hop on Thursday evening as a kickoff event to Black History Month.

Mark Decker/Star photo

Lecture offers insight into world of rap music By Kathy Martinez The University Star “I am hip-hop.” That was speaker Mark Anthony Neal’s message Thursday evening at the Black History Month Kick Off in the Alkek Teaching Theatre. The event, hosted by the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, the department of history, the Student Affairs Diversity Team and the Hip Hop Congress, featured a lecture by Neal, professor of black popular culture from Duke University. Neal’s lecture, which focused on the history of hiphop in American culture, began by telling audience members that although he cannot rap or DJ, he is hiphop because he is a part of the generation that brought the genre of music into the world. Neal attributed the 1965

Immigration Act, which changed the terrain of cities, urban areas and particularly New York City, to the origins of hip-hop. Neal explained that a variety of cultures from Africa to Latin America came together and created a culture of their own. This new culture, which Neal described as a social movement, began using music as a stepping-stone to escape the violent inner-city streets. The youth of this time began playing records in the basements of their homes, bringing people together to have fun and enjoy music off the streets. Grand Master Flash first contributed to “the cut,” a way of blending two songs together on a record without a break in music. From the mixing of records came the emergence of break dancing. Neal lectured on creation of the scratch and what was

then called emceeing or rapping. He spoke of influential artists such as the Sugar Hill Gang. “By 1976, no one knew that we were looking at what would in the future be a multimillion-dollar industry,” Neal said. In the early 1980s, with the emergence of MTV, Neal said Michael Jackson was the first to break down boundaries as a black artist being shown on air in an age when MTV only showed white artists. “Hip-hop from this point was an outlaw culture that took risks, and the big question was how do we make this mainstream,” Neal said. Run-DMC became the first group to cross over into the mainstream by expanding its audience base, he said. In the 1980s the fusion of See HIP-HOP, page 3

Former student arrested on four sexual offense counts against children By Gordon Taylor The University Star

A

ccording to the San Marcos Police Department Web site, there are 78 registered sex offenders within the city limits.

Ron James Guzman, a former Texas State student, was arrested by San Marcos Police Department detectives on Jan. 11. The 38-year-old has been charged Ron James Guzman with three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a cos Police Department Web child, one count of indecency site, there are 78 registered sex with a child and possession of offenders within city limits. child pornography. Ferguson registered as a sex This is the second sexual as- offender with SMPD in August sault arrest in recent weeks. after arrests in Michigan for Matthew Todd Ferguson, a reg- sexual assault and in Waco for istered sex offender and trans- failure to comply to registered fer student at Texas State, was sexual offender conditions. arrested Dec. 6 and charged Unlike Ferguson, Guzman with the sexual assault of a 23- has no prior criminal history, year-old San Marcos woman, a said University Police Departsecond-degree felony. ment Investigator Jeb Thomas. Ferguson was issued a pro- Thomas said the university tection order from the univer- does not have a protective orsity on Dec. 8, which is valid der prohibiting him from camuntil Feb. 9. He has been tem- pus, and that Guzman had porarily suspended until the been registered for spring seStudent Justice Board views mester courses. his case. SMPD Sgt. Penny Dunn said According to the San Mar- the investigation is ongoing.

Today’s Weather

Sunny 69˚/36˚

“In a case that involves a child, we’re interested in his activities prior to the arrest, and whether he had contact with children,” Dunn said. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports that one out of every five females are exploited before adulthood, and one out of 10 males are exploited before adulthood. Also, only 35 percent of child exploitation cases are reported. Guzman is being held at the Hays County Law Enforcement Center where he is under a $630,000 bond. The San Marcos sex offender list can be accessed through the SMPD Web site at www. ci.san-marcos.tx.us/Departments/Police/. Anyone with any information related to the investigation should contact the SMPD Criminal Investigation Division at (512) 7532300.

Precipitation: 0% Humidity: 31% UV: 5 Moderate Wind: ENE 6 mph

New advisory council could bring concerns of student groups to ASG Body created to represent student organizations’ interests to senate

Thursday Mostly Sunny Temp: 66°/ 41° Precipitation: 20%

better with the Student Organizations Council, possibly resolving a conflict that was the main point of contention in the fall. The Student Organizations Council provides direction and support for registered student organizations at Texas State. “The changes can be summed up in nine words: All of the advantages with none of the mess,” Morris said. “This is actually a more efficient piece of legislation than was written in the past.” After some confusion about how the designation of advisory board changed COSOP was settled, senators voiced their concern about the lack of specificity concerning the internal structure of the council. “How can we support this if it doesn’t have a structure yet?” asked history senior and Sen. Megan Titus. Morris responded by clarifying ASG’s involvement in COSOP. “We will allow a good deal of flexibility to the organization,” Morris said. “ASG will be a guiding hand in the development of the internal structure of COSOP.” ASG President Jordan Anderson described the functions of COSOP. “It’s an advisory board. Anything they do will come to us, and we will act on it,” Anderson said. This sparked another line of

By Clayton Medford The University Star Senators approved the creation of an advisory council representing student organizations after a lengthy discussion at the Associate Student Government meeting on Monday. Senate Clerk Kyle Morris, author of the legislation proposing the creation of the Council of Student Organizations Presidents, fielded dozens of questions from senators and clarified the changes made to the legislation since it was originally read in November. According to the bill, the function of COSOP remains “promoting student involvement in and awareness of university policy making.” However, several changes have been made to the legislation. One substantive change concerns the designation of the council as an advisory board to ASG, as opposed to its original designation as an independent organization with the ASG president serving as its head. Morris said the new designation allows COSOP to work

debate, focusing on the necessity of the council. “They aren’t an organization, and they don’t have any power. The presidents already have to go to other meetings. Why can’t you just discuss policy at other meetings?” asked communications studies senior and Sen. Cat Reed. Anderson said that the function of COSOP — discussing policy initiatives — is not performed by any other organization. He also said if an organization had a grievance that it wanted to address with ASG, the constraints of the rules of order for ASG meetings would inhibit the process. After lengthy debate, the COSOP legislation was passed. Also passed by the senate Monday was legislation approving a pilot program of the USA Today Collegiate Readership program. The pilot program will assess the readership habits of Texas State students to and report its findings back to ASG. The program consists of three national, state or local papers offered on campus at no upfront charge to the reader. The source of funding for the program has not yet been determined, but USA Today representative Terence McMahon said he has met several times with Provost and Vice President of Academic AfSee ASG, page 3

San Marcos residents have mixed reactions to ACC annexation By Clayton Medford The University Star

urrently, C residents pay the out-of-district

Representatives from Austin Community College were met with encouragement and criticism when they presented their plan for expanding their taxing district at a hearing held in The Meeting Place on C.M. Allen Parkway. Twenty people signed up to speak at Thursday’s meeting, an overwhelming response, an ACC official said. “At a lot of these types of public hearings, you just don’t get that kind of a response,” said Linda Young, special assistant to the president for governmental and community

rate of $318 for a three-hour course at Austin Community College.

relations at ACC. Young said the hearing was mandated by law and gave the ACC Board of Trustees the opportunity to present their plan for expanding ACC to more fully serve San Marcos.

Medics airlift Wimberly man from athletic field after motorcycle wreck

One advantage San Marcos residents will enjoy if the expansion is approved is a large reduction in ACC tuition. Currently, residents pay the out-of-district rate of $318 for a three-hour course. After annexation, the price would drop to $144, the rate charged to those residing in the district. If the goals of ACC’s master plan are met, residents will also have a local campus to attend. Architects charged with designing the proposed San Marcos campus brought a model to show attendees what will occupy a 36-acre tract near San Marcos High School. See ACC, page 3

DEMOCRACY IN THEORY

By Jason Buch The University Star Practices for the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams were interrupted Monday night when emergency officials used the West Athletic Field near the Student Recreation Center as a landing site to evacuate a car wreck victim by helicopter. Harrison Gay, interdisciplinary studies sophomore, said he and the rest of his team had to leave the field when emergency vehicles pulled off of Academy Street and onto the grass nearby. “There was a wreck on Ranch Road 12,” Gay said. “This was the only place they could airlift them out.” Ryan Lovelace, English junior, witnessed the wreck near the intersection of Holland Street and Ranch Road 12. Lovelace said around 6:30 p.m., a man on a motorcycle collided with a Ford Mustang. The woman driving the Mustang pulled out of the Sac-N-Pac on Ranch

Stephanie Gage/Star photo Former Texas Rep. and Sen. Robert Krueger delivered a lecture titled “Education and Democracy” opening the season for the Philosophy Dialogue Series. To read the story, visit www.universitystar.com.

See WRECK, page 3

Two-day Forecast Wednesday Mostly Sunny Temp: 72°/ 38° Precipitation: 0%

VOLUME 95, ISSUE 50

Inside

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS

Classifieds ......... 7 Comics .............. 5 Crossword ......... 5 News ..............1-3

Opinions ............ 6 Sports ................ 8 Trends ............. 4,5

To Contact Trinity Building Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708 www.UniversityStar.com © 2006 The University Star


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02 07 2006 by The University Star - Issuu