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DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911
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FEBRUARY 8, 2007
THURSDAY
VOLUME 96, ISSUE 52
Prevent a Litter sponsors free pet sterilization By Christine Mester The University Star At the beginning of each semester, students shell out hundreds of dollars for books, lab fees and supplies. To help students out with these early semester costs, the organization, Prevent a Litter of Central Texas (PALS), will host a free pet sterilization clinic Saturday for Texas State students at the UPS Store of San Marcos, located at 350 N. Guadalupe, suite 140. The clinic will begin at 8 a.m. and appointments must be made ahead of time by contacting Sherri Boyett, PALS director, at (512) 392-9747. Students are advised not to feed their pets past 10 p.m. on
Friends say Harmeyer took care of people around him
“S
paying or neutering our pets and feral cats is the most effective way to reduce the vast numbers of animals who are born only to die prematurely and without a family who loves them.”
—Sherri Boyett PALS director
the night before the surgery. In addition to the surgery, pets will also receive a free rabies vaccination. Spay Day is a national campaign that encourages pet owners to spay or neuter their pets as a simple and effective way to end the euthanizing of homeless pets. Boyett said spay and neuter programs are
the key to ending pet overpopulation. It is the only way to prevent surplus birth, she said. “We provide a human service,” Boyett said. “We help full-time students with hopes (that) this will lessen the number of abandoned pets from our student population.” The problem of pet overpopula-
tion in San Marcos has resulted in the euthanization of 4,900 pets between 2004 and 2006 at the city of San Marcos Animal Shelter. According to the The Humane Society of the United States, thousands of puppies and kittens are born every hour and that not enough homes are available for these animals. The burden of unwanted pets also extends to taxpayers. The number of animals in overcrowded animal shelters costs taxpayers $1 billion annually. “Spaying or neutering our pets and feral cats is the most effective way to reduce the vast numbers of animals who are born only to die prematurely and without a family
Keep it up!
Trauth identifies tuition deregulation as top priority at Senate meeting By Scott Thomas The University Star
By Alysha Mendez The University Star Jason Harmeyer said he was looking forward to his little brother Tommy’s wedding day. “He’s my best friend,” Harmeyer said. “I was going to be the best man.” Tommy Harmeyer, undecided junior, died Sunday in an automobile collision near campus. According to a press release from the city of San Marcos, the Rockwall native and Texas State student was riding his motorcycle at about 3:15 p.m. eastbound on University Drive when an oncoming Nissan Sentra turned into the motorcycles path. Harmeyer’s motorcycle struck the right side of the car. He was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the press release, police said Harmeyer was wearing a helmet and padded jacket at the time of the accident. His roommate at Tower Hall, West Neinast, management sophomore, said Harmeyer “took care of other people around him more than himself.” “We met each other and became really close,” Neinast said. “He was a real open and funny guy.” Neinast described a few inside jokes between himself, Harmeyer and suitemate Kris Farr, management freshman. “Like whenever we would find out about grades, he’d ask us ‘Wanna go to the library? Wanna go to the library?’ over and over again,” Neinast said. Jaci Johnson, business management sophomore, was also one of Harmeyer’s closest friends. “He was very outgoing and no matter what he felt like, if you were having a bad day, his goal was to (cheer) you up,” she said. “He brought out the best in people.” Johnson said it was a tragedy Harmeyer died so young. “I think anybody that knew him even for one day or one class has been devastated by what happened,” she said. Graham Glover, pre-healthcare administration sophomore, said Harmeyer was “the kind of guy that would just come up to anyone and say ‘Hey’ and ask how their day was going.” “He was so easy to talk to and get along with,” Glover said. Jason Harmeyer said how happy his little brother was with life — in the aspect of religion, college, friends, family and his girlfriend. “He truly lived life to the fullest and he was always happy,” Harmeyer said.
The Faculty Senate met Wednesday to discuss legislative agenda concerning Texas State, new construction projects, new faculty position allocations and other ongoing matters. During the legislative agenda discussion, President Denise Trauth said the highest priority was to keep tuition deregulation intact, and that Gov. Perry is very forthright about keeping it that way. However, she said the Texas Senate wanted to put a freeze on tuition. The Faculty Senate discussed an initiative backed by the governor for a new funding program that would give universities fiscal rewards of up to $2,000 for every student that graduates, and even more for at-risk students. Trauth said graduating students and raising funds for the university were two top priorities and that she thinks the See SENATE, page 4 Jennifer Williams/Star photo Kirk Runyon, pre-health care administration junior, keeps the sack moving while a 10-person circle attempts a “hack.” A hack occurs when each party keeps the hacky-sack from touching ground. Hacking is more than a social activity, it’s considered a sport to some. For the full story on this between-class pastime, see TRENDS page 5.
Smithsonian director tells how both past, present make up Black History Month By Karen Little The University Star Nearly 60 students and faculty members gathered Wednesday night to listen to Lonnie Bunch, founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, speak about the continuing importance of black history month. Jesus DeLaTeja, chair of history department, introduced Bunch to the crowd. “He has the monumental task of getting the doors open on the new National Museum of African American Culture,” Teja said. “As director, he works to identify the museum’s mission, develop exhibitions and public programs about the history, culture and contribution of African Americans.” Bunch began his lecture accounting his voyages across the nation. “One of the joys about being a historian is I get to start every talk with a story,” he said. Bunch was asked to create a major exhibition of the 19th century for the museum. To gather information and get an idea on what he wanted to do, he ventured to the South. “I looked at cotton plantations in
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Partly Cloudy 70˚/50˚
who loves them,” Boyett said. “Millions of healthy, adoptable cats and dogs are euthanized each year in the U.S. because there simply are not enough homes for them all.” According to www.petfinder.org, “an unspayed female dog and her first average litter can produce a total of 67,000 dogs over six years.” PALS are also looking for student volunteers in the hope of holding more free clinics in the future and solving the problem of pet overpopulation in San Marcos. “PALS is dedicated to promoting responsible pet ownership,” Boyett said. “We are always looking for ways to accomplish our mission of ending pet overpopulation.”
Precipitation: 10% Humidity: 72% UV: 4 Moderate Wind: SSW 8 mph
Texas, sugar plantations in Louisiana and tobacco in North Carolina,” Bunch said. Up a highway and down a dirt road in Georgetown, S.C., Bunch came across 12 slave cabins still standing from the 1850s. There he met a 93-year-old referred to as “Mr. Johnson.” Johnson lived in the cabins with his grandmother, who had been a slave. “It was like a holy grail — to meet someone that could help me understand the day-to-day living in this cabin,” Bunch said. He said Johnson talked about how his grandmother and other slaves would use a broom to sweep the ground so hard it would be like concrete with no grass or dirt. Johnson proceeded to take Bunch to the back of the cabin where slaves planted and grew provisions. “He talked quietly about how his grandma and other slaves grew food to supplement what they were given on the plantation,” Bunch said. The most memorable thing Johnson told him that night, Bunch said, was something he will always carry with him. Bunch said Johnson told him, “Boy,
Two-day Forecast Friday Partly Cloudy Temp: 68°/ 48° Precip: 10%
Saturday Few Showers Temp: 60°/ 55° Precip: 30%
See BLACK HISTORY, page 4
Mark Decker/Star photo AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY: Lonnie Bunch, founding director of the Smithsonian’s Natural Museum of African American History & Culture, speaks on his contribution in the establishment of the institution Wednesday in Flowers Hall.
Tax break passes second reading 4-3 By Zach Halfin The University Star The City Council continued its discussion Tuesday on the possible repeal of an ordinance passed in 1989 that prevents local manufacturers from receiving a state-mandated property tax break. In a 4 to 3 vote, the council passed on the second of three readings required to repeal the ordinance. The tax exemption affects eight local manufacturers and will cost the city a likely $202,000 in lost tax revenue. The tax break allows for the exemption of property taxes on items known as Freeport property, meaning goods used in manufacturing or goods that are stored in the state, which are then distributed out of state within 175 days or less. Many members of the business community and representatives from local manufacturing firms attended the meeting to express support for the tax cuts. Kim Moore, director of economic development, said the
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