02 12 2009

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february 12, 2009

thursday

Volume 98, Issue 50

Students begin pre-campaign efforts for future ASG positions

By Amanda Venable News Editor ASG President Brett Baker said student leaders are already beginning underground campaigns to fill his position next year.

The student government elections will be March 31 to April 1.

“I guarantee you at the stage right now people are trying to get others to come on their ticket and support them,” Baker said. “Last year, I didn’t think four people would run for ASG president. I didn’t know if one would. I bet I know of at least three people that want to run this time around.”

The student body president serves as the head of ASG, can veto legislation, sits on and appoints people to various university committees, and serves as the representative for Texas State when working with administrators and legislators.

Landing the position is no easy task. Past candidates say fundraising is key. The Courtney Strange / CJ Morgan ticket raised more than $8,000 from about 26 donors in last year’s ASG election. More than $5,500 went to 30-second cable TV commercials, push cards, T-shirts and table tents.

According to the ASG Election Code, senators who support a particular candidate can choose to bundle their $250 spending cap with those running for president and vice president. An unlimited number of senators can support a candidate, which can theoretically translate to the removal of a spending cap for the ticket.

Baker said he made the decision to run for president the beginning of his junior year. Baker believed he was prepared for the position, but said it took him until mid-October to “get into the groove of things.”

David Schmidt/Star photo The San Marcos Municipal Airport has a library and museum showcasing World War II airplanes from the ’40s and ’50s that still are operational. See full story page 6

Flying History

See ASG, page 3

Springwood Mall City Council remains undecided on extending bar hours may be redeveloped for entertainment venues, revenue

By Theron Brittain Senior News Reporter

By Brigette Botkin News Reporter San Marcos may become an entertainment mecca.

Peter Lamy, a developer in Austin, has plans to change Springtown Mall into an entertainment destination. Steve Metcalfe, Lamy’s Attorney, said the redevelopment of the mall is intended to draw crowds to San Marcos.

“We’d like to create a venue that pulls people in,” Metcalfe said. “We want to make it a destination for people outside of town to come to.”

Springtown Mall is the shopping center between Thorpe Lane and Interstate-35 containing Blockbuster and Target. The center recently lost tenant shops because of store expansions.

Best Buy relocated to a larger store, and construction on new sites for Bealls, J.C. Penny and Target is underway.

Metcalfe said 35,000 of the 200,000 square feet area is vacant. He said 80 percent of the mall will be empty by the end of the year.

Amy Madison, economic development director, said the project would be good for San Marcos.

“It will have a significant impact on the city,” Madison said. “Empty buildings are eyesores.

We hope this will bring viability back to this location in a use that will be positive for the city.”

Metcalfe said the redevelopment is the best option for the complex and city.

“An empty center doesn’t produce any revenue,” Metcalfe said. “We believe (an entertainment center) is the best revenue generator we can create.”

The new center would contain a sports retail center, a retail core containing various shops and an “entertainment district.” Metcalfe said restaurants, family venues, sports bars, a movie theater and bowling alley have been considered for inclusion in the center. He said nothing has yet been decided because the project is still in a “concept stage.”

Metcalfe said the developer wants to make few changes to the existing buildings.

“We’re not going to rip down all the buildings and start from scratch,” Metcalfe said. “We’re See SPRINGWOOD, page 3

Students hoping to be first to take advantage of longer bar hours in San Marcos may have to wait a while longer.

An extension of the bar hours to 2 a.m. may not occur until summer 2009. A task force reviewing the matter has not reached a decision, nor have they discussed a definite launch date, according to Melissa Millecam, communications director for the city.

“When the City Council first discussed this in December, they were anticipating if they do in fact decide to go forward with extended bar hours it would not happen until well into the summer,” Millecam said.

She said the council will approach the issue cautiously.

“The decision still has to be made by the City Council,” Millecam said. “The goal is to look at as many ramifications of extending the bar hours as they can identify. At this

Sunny 78˚

See BAR HOURS, page 3

conclusion on the extended bar hours, which may be postponed until summer.

Rosters include student GPA, picture

By Gabrielle Jarrett News Reporter Faculty might have had preconceived notions of their students before they ever meet them.

A new version of the roster, which included the option to print pictures alongside the students’ name and GPA, was implemented in August, leaving individuals with ethical concerns.

Matthew Bailey, marketing freshman, said he was surprised teachers had access to his grade report. He said he was not notified GPAs would appear on the rosters.

“I knew my student I.D. number would be on the sheet,” Bailey said.

Bailey is worried faculty will judge a student on his or her past rather than looking at the work being produced.

“I’m afraid teachers will play favorites and show more leniencies toward students with better grades,” Bailey Lindsey Leverett/Star photo illustration said. “By not being notified about the STUDENT INDENTIFICATIONS: The new change, I feel betrayed. I just want to rosters at Texas State include students’ know the point.”

Registrar Lloydean Eckley said the GPA and photograph along with their name new roster is “a way for faculty to put

names and faces together.”

“GPAs have been on the Web version of the rosters since 2000,” Eckley said. “GPAs are not on the rosters used by faculty via TRACS.” Eckley said the decision to provide faculty with students’ GPAs was made during the time the project was being developed and implemented. “(Including photos with the rosters) is a project our office and Robert Smallwood, the former associate vice president of academic affairs, have wanted since 1999,” Eckley said. “We have goals and we depend on Technology Resources to make it happen with their programming skills.”

Mark Hughes, assistant vice president of Technology Resources, said including GPAs on class rosters was a decision made before he was employed at the university. Hughes’ department is responsible for the coding the information, not for the decision to disclose grade reports.

Eckley said she did not think faculty’s access to student GPAs would predispose their actions toward the students.

“Texas State has a great faculty, and

Two-day Forecast

Today’s Weather Precipitation: 10% Humidity: 34% UV: 6 High Wind: SE 12 mph

point, there is no implementation schedule and no final decision to do so.”

Millecam said she was not aware of significant opposition to the measure, but the task force would give the community time to offer input.

The task force will update the City Council March 3.

Councilmember Chris Jones, Place 4, is one of the city officials heading the task force. He suggested a Spring trial period might provide the city with a better idea of how the town and the university will adjust.

Downtown bars owners would see the biggest increase in traffic, and some are optimistic about additional revenue. However, some said extending bar hours in the middle of the semester could be difficult.

“My conservative estimate is that business would go up 25 to 30 percent,” Lindsey Goldstein/Star photo illustration said Brian Scofield, owner of Barfish UNKNOWN HOURS: The City of San Marcos has yet to come to a

Friday

Saturday

Mostly Cloudy Temp: 79°/50° Precip: 10%

Partly Cloudy Temp: 71°/46° Precip: 10%

I feel their main concern is to help the students receive a good education,” Eckley said.

However, some faculty said knowing their students’ GPAs can lead to preconceived notions.

“If students want to volunteer their GPA, then that is a different story,” said Claudia Brown, senior lecturer in the department of psychology. “I don’t see a use for that roster. I think the pictures are wonderful, but the GPAs have no use.”

Brown said she does not think faculty could use the roll sheet as a way to develop his or her lesson plans to help those with lower GPAs. Brown said she looks at the Technology Resources’ roster once before creating a new one without her students’ GPAs. Brown said viewing a student’s grade report prior to meeting them could lead to prejudging individuals in classes and placing additional expectations on the faculty. For example, a teacher could feel like a failure if a student with a perfect GPA received a C in the course.

Inside News......... 1,2,3,4 Opinions............. 5 Trends.............. 6,7

Texas State University-San Marcos is a member of the Texas State University System

Diversions..............8 Classifieds............8 Sports..............9,10

See GPA, page 3

To Contact Trinity Building Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708 www.UniversityStar.com © 2009 The University Star

PageTwo

2 - Thursday, February 12, 2009

starsof texas state

Today in Brief

Sydney Liles, applied arts and science senior, was named Player of the Week after posting a record-mark at the Coushatta Golf Course. She took the lead on the course, breaking away for a firstplace finish with rounds of 74-73-74, and

a four-stroke victory. Her overall 6-over222 tournament tally tied the best individual tournament score posted at the Koasati Classic.

—Courtesy of Texas State Athletics

News Contact — Amanda Venable, starnews@txstate.edu Texas State University-San Marcos is a member of the Texas State University System

Calendar SEX EDUCATION

CRIME BLOTTER

THURSDAY Veterans Support group is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Veterans can help veterans cope with the stress of transition and the demands of college lives. Pre-screening is required by calling the Counseling Center at 512-245-2208.

University Police Department

Jan. 31, 4:46 a.m.

Public Intoxication / Intramural Fields A police officer made contact with a nonstudent who was engaged in suspicious activity. Upon further investigation, the nonstudent was arrested for public intoxication and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center and is awaiting a court date.

Coping with Grief and Loss Group is from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. It is a source for students who have experienced the death of a loved one. Pre-screening is required by calling the Counseling Center at 512-245-2208.

Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship will hold its weekly meeting on at 8:30 p.m. in Old Main, room 320.

Enjoy contemporary worship, relevant teaching, prayer and plenty of fun. Contact 512-557-7988 or mail@texasstatechialpha.com for more information/ FRIDAY There will be an AA meeting is from 1 to 2 p.m. in LBJ Student Center, room 3-11.1.

SUNDAY Every Nation Campus Ministries invites you to join us at Christ Community Church, meeting at Travis Elementary (by TXstate golf course). We will have a 1-hour service starting at 10 a.m. with contemporary worship and an encouraging message.

MONDAY Sexual Assault and Abuse Survivors Group is from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. It is a support group of the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center for Texas State Students. Prescreening is required by calling the Counseling Center at 512245-2208.

The Student Recital Series presents: Percussion Studio Recital at 8 p.m. in the School of Music Recital Hall. Admission is free.

TUESDAY “Say What You Need To Say” is from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Become a pro at direct, open, honest communication. Pre-screening is required by calling the Counseling Center at 512-245-2208.

WEDNESDAY LGBQ Pride Group is from 12 to 1:30 p.m. and is open to students wanting to discuss the impact of their sexual identity on crucial aspects of their lives in a safe and confidential place. Prescreening is required by calling the Counseling Center at 512245-2208.

Anger Management Group is from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Learn simple, innovative techniques for managing anger and developing healthier ways of relating. Prescreening is required by calling the Counseling Center at 512245-2208.

ACOA/Dysfunctional Families Group is from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. for adult children of alcoholics dealing with dysfunctional families group. Pre-screening is required by calling the Counseling Center at 512-245-2208.

There will be an Overeaters Anonymous Meeting from 7 to 8 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church, 130 W. Holland.

Alyssa Scavetta/Star photo Amanda Domaschk, political science senior, works with Ashlee Dozier, health education coordinator for the Student Health Center, to pass out condoms to students walking around the LBJ Student Center Wednesday to help promote safer sex.

Library Beat

Wittliff Collection adds gift of archives from author’s career Jim Hightower, a national radio commentator, syndicated political columnist, public speaker and New York Times best-selling author, has spent decades battling the powers-that-be on behalf of the “powers-that-ought-to-be”: consumers, working-class families, farmers, small business owners, environmentalists and “just plain folks.”

Now Hightower is gifting the materials from his career — more than 100 boxes so far — to the Wittliff Collections at the Alkek Library.

Hightower’s archives document the his interests as “America’s #1 Populist.” Among them is his two terms as Texas Agriculture Commissioner, his involvement with Farm Aid and a stint as editor of the feisty biweekly Texas Observer. Her personal library also resides at the Wittliff Collections.

There are materials from 17 years of Hightower’s daily radio commentaries,

now carried by more than 150 stations.

His nationally distributed weekly column appears in more than 120 newspapers and his award-winning populist newsletter, The Hightower Lowdown.

Additionally, there are files from the nearly 100 speeches Hightower delivers every year, and tapes from his guest spots on television and radio programs. Notes, drafts and manuscripts from seven books include his most recent, Swim Against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go with the Flow, co-authored with Susan DeMarco. Peppered among all his writings are the inimitable “Hightowerisms” (such as “The water won’t clear up ’til we get the hogs out of the creek”) for which he has become famous.

His staff is digitizing approximately 600 photographs of Hightower speaking, politicking and attending various events, as well as pictures with

Cesar Chavez, Willie Nelson, Robert Redford, Ann Richards, Molly Ivins, Granny D, Ted Kennedy and others.

The originals and digitized files will be housed with his archives at the Wittliff Collections. ”The Wittliff Collections fit me like a comfortable old boot, for the archives are populist in nature,” Hightower said.

“Not only do they depict our region’s broad sweep of grassroots voices, but the Wittliff team also knows how to present its treasure trove of materials in ways that appeal to ordinary folks as well as scholars. It’s an honor to join the team.”

Jim Hightower’s weekly columns, radio commentaries, excerpts from the Lowdown, his complete bio and other information can be accessed on his Web site, www.jimhightower.com.

—Courtesy of Alkek Library

San Marcos electrical customers receive bill reductions

The City of San Marcos will give electric customers a 15 percent reduction in fuel and power costs.

The change was recently implemented by the Lower Colorado River Authority, the city’s electric generation provider.

The reduction — saving residential customers an average of $11 a month — will be seen in March’s utility bills, according to Tom Taggart, director of Public Services.

“We are delighted to be able to pass this savings along to our customers,” said City Manager Rick Menchaca.

“Last year, as fuel costs rose, LCRA increased its fuel charges and the increase was felt by customers. We are pleased LCRA reduced its fuel charges to coincide with the drop in the cost of

natural gas, and we want our customers to benefit from this savings.”

The price decrease is because of a significant drop in natural gas prices, Taggart said.

LCRA relies on natural gas to produce about half of the energy it generates for San Marcos and the rest of its 43 wholesale electric customers. The LCRA board of directors approved the 15 percent reduction for the fuel and power cost recovery factor in January.

The decrease reduced the cost by $0.011 per kilowatt hour. The average customer using 1,000 kilowatts per month will have a savings of $11.

LCRA reduced the city’s wholesale power bill in February as a result of the decrease in costs.

LCRA passes fuel and purchased power charges directly to its electric customers through adjustments in the cost recovery factor portion of its wholesale power price. LCRA continually monitors market conditions and evaluates the need for adjustments.

The 12-month outlook for natural gas prices was averaging about $5.20 per million British thermal units (MMBtu). The 12-month outlook for natural gas was averaging about $11 per MMBtu in summer 2008.

Contact Kyle Dicke, assistant director of public services/ electric utility at 512-393-8309 for more information about fuel costs.

— Courtesy of City of San Marcos

Residents recycle 13 tons of hazardous material San Marcos and Hays County residents are taking responsibility for safely recycling hazardous householdmaterials and participating in the largest collection to date.

The Jan. 18 drive-through event attracted the largest participation since the City of San Marcos began the quarterly collections in 2007, said Jo Secrest, program coordinator.

The Household Hazardous Waste collection diverted an estimated 13 tons of poisons, paints and oil products from landfills.

Residents disposed of 37 car batter-

ies, 60 pounds of fluorescent bulbs, nine pounds of mercury, 385 gallons of oil and 110 gallons of antifreeze for recycling. Latex paint was another major item received, Secrest said.

“It will be sorted, bulked and the usable paint will be made available for reuse,” she noted.

City staff members have received special training on properly sorting and packaging hazardous waste products to reduce handling expenses and save money on disposal costs.

The Fire Department HazMat team provided on-site testing and identifica-

tion of any “unknown” items. Texas State student volunteers administered surveys to determine demographic information.

Survey results showed 284 residents from San Marcos, Buda, Dripping Springs, Hays County, Kyle, Mountain City, Wimberle, and Woodcreek utilized the services offered by the event.

The Household Hazardous Waste facility located at 630 E. Hopkins will be open to the public again on April 18 and July 25 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

—Courtesy of City of San Marcos

Jan. 31, 7:53 p.m.

Assist Outside Agency / Strahan Coliseum A police officer was dispatched to the location for a welfare concern report.

Upon further investigation, the nonstudent was contacted and there was no concern. A report was made of the incident.

Feb. 1, 12:00 a.m.

Elevator Rescue / Student Recreation Center A nonstudent was rescued from a stuck elevator without harm. A report was made of the incident.

Feb. 1, 2:21 a.m.

Public Intoxication / Lindsey Street A police officer made contact with a student acting suspiciously. Upon further investigation, the student was arrested for public intoxication and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center and is awaiting a court date.

Feb. 1, 2:53 a.m.

Medical Emergency / Bobcat Village Apartments A student reported to a police officer that he was feeling ill. The student was transported to Central Texas Medical Center for a medical evaluation.

Feb. 1, 4:09 a.m.

Criminal Trespass Warning \ Bobcat Village Apartments A police officer was dispatched to the location for a fighting report. Upon further investigation, three nonstudents were issued criminal trespass warnings.

Feb. 2, 12:00 a.m.

Burglary: Coin Operated/Collection Machine / Student Recreation Center A nonstudent reported to a police officer university property had been damaged. The case is under investigation.

Feb. 2, 12:00 p.m.

Duty on Striking Unattended Vehicle / Speck Parking Lot A student reported to a police officer her vehicle was damaged while legally parked. The case is under investigation.

Feb. 5, 11 a.m.

Elevator Rescue - Alkek Library Five students were rescued without harm from a stuck elevator. A report was made of the incident.

Feb. 5, 12:36 p.m.

Graffiti - School/Higher Education - Campus Colony Apts While on patrol, a police officer noticed university property had been vandalized.

The case is under investigation.

Feb. 6 1:51 a.m.

Possession of Marijuana - Butler Hall A police officer was dispatched to the location for a suspicious odor call. Upon further investigation, a student was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia and arrested for possession of marijuana.

The student was transported to HCLEC and is awaiting a court date.

—Courtesy of University Police Department

News

Thursday, February 12, 2009

GPA

CONTINUED from page 1

“We are all human, so we all judge,” Brown said. “Studies have shown professors’ judgments are affected by what they see.”

Brown said she knows a professor who passes the roster around to take attendance, allowing students to see classmates’ GPAs. “A student may have a lower GPA and it could be potentially embarrassing,” Brown said. “The best thing to do is take these rosters out.”

Roseann Mandziuk, acting chair

ASG

CONTINUED from page 1

“There is a huge learning curve that comes with being student body president, and you won’t experience it until you actually get there,” Baker said. “You have so much interaction with the administration —all of the meetings, and all of the different projects and all of the expectations are there. You have the workload of a fulltime staff member, but you’ve also got to take classes.”

Perks, however, come with the job. The student body president and vice president have a corner office in the LBJ Student Center.

The student body president has the option of hiring an executive and an administrative assistant, is paid $1,000 a month, holds a red parking permit and gets 30 free meal trades.

“The position of the office has a lot of respect with it,” Baker said.

“You have the mayor coming and talking to you about issues. You have one-on-one sessions with Dr. Trauth once a month. Ask any faculty or staff on this campus how many of them meet with Dr. Trauth once a month.”

Sen. Trenton Thomas and Chris Covo, ASG executive assistant, each confirmed they plan to run for student body president this March, though neither has publicly announced his candidacy for office.

Thomas, finance junior, said he will team with Edwin Maldonado, healthcare administration junior, for president and vice president, respectively. Thomas’ campaign strategy is not new: He began sending e-mails to fellow student leaders in December asking for their campaign support and inviting them to discuss the “direction for Texas State within the 20092010 academic year.”

“Students think ASG is just another entity on campus, but we are supposed to be their voice,” Thomas said. “I joined ASG so I can be that voice for my demographic, for minority groups and greeks. I want to use that to my best ability — that’s why I want to run.”

Chris Covo, political science sophomore, became involved with ASG as a Bobcat Legislative Intern. He was sworn into the senate last spring and became manager for the Baker / Moore campaign. He now serves as City

in the department of communication studies, said she understands both sides of the argument.

“Some professors want to know the range of his or her students’ abilities,” she said.

Mandziuk said every semester is a new start, and the rosters have the potential to influence faculty.

“I might use the roster if a student is struggling,” Mandzuik said. “That way I can tell if there is an attendance problem or if the student has had previous academic problems. Other than that, I try not to use it because I do not want to prejudge students.”

SPRINGWOOD CONTINUED from page 1

going to give it a new face, change the look and feel.”

Metcalfe said the only expected demolition at this time would be of Target. He said the building would need to be removed so multiple retail and entertainment venues could be added.

“We want to make this something different,” Metcalfe said.

“Something to make people want to come back.”

Council liaison and is ASG executive assistant.

Covo confirmed Wednesday he and ASG Sen. Tommy Luna, president of the Residence Hall Association, will be seeking the top two student offices.

“I was going to do another year of Residence Hall Association so it wouldn’t fall apart like it had when I approached it, but Chris approached me,” said Luna, public administration junior. “He and I have the same idea that, though ASG has been doing great, it can do better. His energy is electric and we are excited.”

Luna said he and Covo are in the process of getting senators to join their ticket Covo said people started talking about running after Baker won the seat in April.

“There are going to be people coming out of the woodwork a week before filing, and there will be others that are expected to run,” Covo said. “The week before Spring Break is when people start gathering their troops, and after the break they come out in force.”

Ann Burnette, assistant professor in the department of communication studies, teaches rhetoric and political communications. She said often times prospective candidates wait to announce their run for office to not seem over eager.

“You see this trend at any level of government,” Burnette said. “I think it would be useful for a campus-wide office to test the waters, to do a little bit of investigative work, to decide if they have the support they need to run and to decide what their issues are.”

Baker said whoever takes office next year will have the ability to “affect positive change on campus.” He said there is nothing that can prepare one for the position, but it is an “unbelievable experience” that goes by fast.

“I’m sitting here taking 16 hours, student body president, graduating in May,” Baker said.

“All of a sudden I’m thinking, ‘Where did it all go?’ It’s my last semester in college. It’s very odd. I can picture myself at the same time last year planning to be student body president, and now, I know how quick it goes. In two months from now there will be a newly elected student body president — two months. It’s bittersweet.”

Metcalfe presented the redevelopment proposal to the City Council Feb. 3. Metcalfe said he is hoping the city will work with the project and grant a Chapter 380 agreement, where a developer covers all up-front costs and is reimbursed through sales tax rebates.

Metcalfe said the center is projected to produce $15 million in sales revenue for the city during the next 20 years, and create an estimated 451 jobs.

City Councilmember Pam

Couch, Place 5, said the redevelopment is a good opportunity for the community.

“It is important for us to look ahead to the future,” Couch said.

“This is an important venue. It will be great to have something everyone can enjoy.”

Metcalfe said the center would be viable for 20 to 40 years.

“It will evolve over time,” Metcalfe said. “The type of stores change, but the concept of people wanting to go out and be entertained won’t.”

Metcalfe said no timelines have been created for the project. He said redevelopment is dependent on the health of the credit and real estate markets.

“It’s all up in the air,” Metcalfe said. “It depends on how the markets do. We know they won’t always be like this, so we’d like to prep this site in anticipation of better market conditions.”

Metcalfe said stores still located in the mall would be dealt with on a case-by-case basis if the project were to move forward.

allow us some time to work out the kinks before we jump right into the full population of San Marcos.”

The San Marcos Police Department officers will have to re-work rotation schedules to compensate for additional drinking hours.

Howard Williams, San Marcos police chief, said the department has the manpower to handle the change, but they would move to 12-hour shifts to avoid hiring more personnel.

“We do not have any final plans in place, but by the time this happens we will,” Williams said.

Williams said 2 a.m. closing

times would go with an increased police presence in the downtown area. He said overall police responses in the city would not fluctuate from their current level.

More incidents occurring on The Square would probably coincide with less occurring in neighborhoods, Williams said.

“We do not anticipate there to be a significant increase in the number of calls,” Williams said.

“The calls will just move from where they are now and what time they occur.”

Millecam said the task force will consult Texas State officials and members of the private sec-

tor about the issue.

“At this point they are meeting among themselves to try to get started with this effort,” Millecam said. “They will be seeking input in a variety of ways on what effect this will have and what might be adapted to make this work.”

Jones, Councilmember John Thomaides, Place 6, and Rick Menchaca, city manager, sit on the task force. Additional members will be drawn from local businesses, Texas State and the community in coming months.

The task force will make a recommendation to the council once it has completed the investigation.

BAR HOURS CONTINUED from page 1

and Bar ONE 41.

Scofield prefers a summer launch date.

“What I do not want to happen is people try to rush this through and then something bad happens and you get a bunch of bad press,” Scofield said.

Jason Stavena, general manager of Nephews, agreed.

“The most logical time would be during the summer when we do not have quite as many people in town, when we could get a test run,” Stavena said. “That would

The University Star - 3

4 - The University Star

News

Thursday, February 12, 2009

University president, provost propose new budget committee

By Jordan Gass-Poore’ News Reporter

Provost Perry Moore and University President Denise Trauth are proposing a new Texas State budget committee to serve as a second tier and oversee operations.

The decision stems from concerns senators had about proper oversight not being available to faculty members concerning their department’s budgets.

Senators at a Jan. 21 Faculty Senate meeting said some were afraid to ask chairs about budgets and wished to avoid confrontation.

Debra Feakes, Faculty Senate chair, said the new group, called the College Advisory Committee, would oversee all budget affairs.

Feakes, associate professor in the chemistry and biochemistry department, said budget committees composed of volunteer representatives from each department within a college, and their respective deans are responsible for allocating funds. Department chairs oversee the individual committees.

The College Advisory Committee would be responsible for watching over all of the department budget committees, Feakes said.

College and department funds are allotted from the university’s total operating budget.

Restricted accounts, including private donations, federal and state research grants and financial aid are excluded from the university’s operating budget.

Rebecca Prince, vice president for University Advancement, said the operating budget was more than $48 million in the 2007 fiscal year.

Designated funds include tuition, publication, installment, computer service and access, recreation sports and international education fees. The funds are used for specific purposes and to complement the primary funding source, Prince said.

The operating budget, including the restricted accounts, were around $413 million during the same time period.

College and department funds are granted to faculty who do not have the budgetary means to attend conferences needed for that college’s curriculum and instruction, Feakes said.

Funds may be allocated toward advertisements seeking private donations for an individual college and for undergraduate and graduate scholarships as well.

Prince said individual college scholarships are only given if money is available in the budget provided through private donation.

“The budget for each college and department is not a large amount at all,” Feakes said. “Department funds are used for such expensive items as scantrons and

paper for the department.”

Philip Suckling, geography chair, said his department, housed within the College of Liberal Arts, may not offer departmental scholarships this year because of the rocky economy.

“As you know, foundations nationwide have taken a huge hit in this economic crisis,” said Suckling, geography professor.

“So only a few of our scholarships may be able to be offered this year.”

Faculty Sen. Steve Wilson, associate chair of the English department, said departmental scholarships may still be offered this year within the College of Liberal Arts, though it is still unclear.

Scholarships through the colleges or departments are not the only way for students to earn money for tuition. Prince said private donations help provide funds for scholarships, including the Terry Foundation, which provides students in financial need with full tuition for their entire academic career.

Prince said she did not know if individual colleges or departments will be granting scholarships this year, and Texas State is not the only university feeling the “economic blow.”

“Even though Texas State has suffered financially, we are actually doing well compared to other universities in the Central Texas area,” Prince said.

Utility work causes reroute of tram service

By Kosaku Narioka News Reporter Bobcat Stadium and Clarewoodbound trams will be temporarily rerouted because of utility work behind the stadium.

Trams on the Bobcat Stadium Route will not go to the Stadium West lot, HEB on Robbie Lane or Thorpe Lane starting Thursday.

A tram on the Clarewood Route will make stops at Thorpe Lane at Springtown Shopping Center and Summit Apartments, but will not go to Los Cucos.

The sidewalk behind the stadium will remain open, but vehicle access between east and west stadium parking lots will be blocked.

The regular tram services are

expected to resume on March 2.

“The reason we are closing the road off to that parking lot is we are going to be installing and connecting utilities to the building,” said Pat Fogarty, associate vice president for facilities. “And the utilities are located in the road, which means that the tram cannot get to the parking lot.”

Fogarty said the project is an initial part of the west stadium expansion, and work in the north end zone will take place next year.

Paul Hamilton, manager of shuttle service, said a tram on the Bobcat Stadium Route comes every 5 to 10 minutes during the middle of the day, but the wait is 22 minutes for the Clarewood Route.

“How often you can get on a

tram has definitely changed,” Hamilton said.

Fogarty said the west stadium parking lot will be open and available for parking, but the only way to get there is through Robbie Lane by HEB. Hamilton said people can walk from west stadium lot to the Stadium East bus stop if they want to take a shuttle to campus.

“It’s counterproductive for you to walk to the Clarewood stop and get a bus that comes once every 22 minutes,” he said.

Hamilton said people can call Auxiliary Services at 512-2452585 to ask questions about the tram service, and his staff will give advice based on individual situations.

Opinions ABSTINENCE onlineconnection

Check out www.UniversityStar.com in the following weeks for continued News, Sports, Trends and Opinions coverage.

5 - The University Star

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Opinions Contact — Krista Almazan, staropinion@txstate.edu

The Main Point

bstinence-only A sex education is not working.

Everyone knows the best way to avoid Sexually Transmitted Infections and pregnancy is to not have sex. However, teenagers today need to know how to have safer sex because abstinence-only education has failed. Teaching students how to protect themselves when they decide to have sex should be a top priority.

According to an article in the Feb. 4 issue of The University Star, Texas has the third highest teen-pregnancy rate in the United States, and the numbers only seem to rise.

Comprehensive sex education should be taught in our public school system. An educator should have taken teens aside by the ninth grade and told them how to use a condom and the consequences of not using one properly. A teen might be more eager to use protection once herpes is explained.

Teens do not want to radically disrupt their lives with an unexpected baby, but no one can judge them if they were never taught about safer sex.

There is no doubt abstinence-only supporters have the best intentions at heart.

They want to protect teens by telling them to wait until marriage. However, this is not the world they grew up in. Other generations did not have the Internet at their fingertips.

Teaching kids about sex before pornography does should now be the goal. Kids are learning about the Internet at a younger age and typing “sex” into Google will not take much effort or time for this new, tech-savvy generation. Searching for the term will especially be tempting if abstinence-only education persists, and these children are told not to search for the topics.

The Internet is not the only influence on teens, television and movies do their part as well. Sex sells, and as long as it does the media will put it out there. Teen dramas have a lot of sexual situations in them, and having teens learn about sex from soap operas where the same guy goes back and forth between girls 12 times and still cannot make up his mind is hardly ideal.

Sex is out there happening whether teens know what they are doing or not. The time has passed to face the fact that teens are going to have sex whether they have a parent’s blessing or not. Telling them not to have sex only makes them want to do it more, just as everything that is denied is appealing. Protect children by giving them the knowledge to defend themselves. Comprehensive sex education needs to be in the public education system now.

ABSURDITIES

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.

Media needs to focus on relevant news

ammie Jimenez

Star Columnist

It is becoming more than a little bit ridiculous how often the lives of celebrities are pasted across the media.

The stories turn more superficial and petty with every new headline. I fail to understand the fascination with focusing so much time and effort on creating gossipfilled pieces about people the majority of us don’t know on a personal level.

There are so many newsworthy events happening in the world that it is sad how cluttered media outlets have become with information about the latest celebrity mishap. We gained a short reprieve during the weeks preceding the 2008 presidential election, but it doesn’t change the sheer amount of fluff stories flooding the news media. I understand the concept of providing what the people want, but feeding the masses such stories only pushes the wheel along.

There is an endless cycle of satisfying the obsession of the consumer.

I am not saying it is all completely terrible. In fact, some media attention toward celebrities can be beneficiary, because their fame can be used in bringing awareness to good causes. It simply becomes out of hand when major news outlets begin to run stories about some celebrity arrest or the covering of another drug-induced, high-profile individual going through rehab.

However, there is such a thing as a need for reading material purely for entertainment. I sometimes read a copy of Rolling Stone when I want to disconnect from hard issues. I even think checking updates on favorite bands or seeing who is going to play in what movie is fine. The growing problem is this imaginary relationship that is forming between the public and celebrities. The fictitious bond drives the public to absorb anything and everything about these individuals, therefore continuing the cycle.

I have seen some of the blogs and Web sites dedicated to celebrities. The public who created the sites believes in these artificial bonds, and some declare their love and adoration to celebrities they hardly know. There is also an opposite end of the spectrum with how strong and vicious their hate toward some of Kate Sciscoe/Star Illustration these celebrities can be.

The public will never truly know someone like Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt, so why become passionate about what hapAs a people, not as a governpens in their lives? Spending ment, we have to decide what time finding stories about matters. If we want the governcelebrities and fueling the ment to have a say in who gets media into providing more money and who does not, then gossip results in knowing we have already sacrificed our superficial nonsense. freedom, for nothing more than Things are good in moderaa big house. President Obama tion. Media affiliates should said it best. take that into consideration “Starting today, we must pick when they decide what deourselves up, dust ourselves serves the most airtime or off and begin again the work of the front-page cover. Plenty of remaking America,” he said. attention worthy stories are Truer words have yet to be out there, and they deserve spoken about this era, but we a little more light shed on must ask this: Is Obama actuthem. It is time for the public ally reshaping America the to develop a different taste way he promised? So far, it toward what they deem imappears that he is still answerportant news. Maybe people ing to the sway of big business will feel refreshed by immersand partisan ideology. Do you ing their minds in something want your change? more real.

Obama answers businesses, partisans’ cries for money

By Garrett McSpadden Star Columnist George Washington warned us of the dangers of partisan leadership, and rightfully so.

Barack Obama cleverly based his campaign on eliminating partisanship and won our hearts by dropping the H-bomb, “Hope,” when our country is on the brink of economic collapse.

The pendulum was swinging his way. One thing led to another. He spit some good game and we got politically laid.

Now we are in a curious predicament. Barack has a timesensitive lock on his door with the dial set to four years and we must assume everything he said was authentic and not just

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

blown smoke.

After only two weeks in office, it appears to be the latter. The emergency stimulus proposed by the president has been controversial since its conception, now more than ever. Congress has passed their side of the package with staggering numbers.

According to The Washington Post, “All Republicans who were present voted against the bill. They were joined in their opposition by eleven Democrats.” Maybe it’s the hangover talking, but that does not seem bipartisan.

Perhaps the reason Republicans are unsure of the bill is its stipulations, or lack of them.

CEOs of companies the govern-

ment has decided to dole out the money for are still receiving their bonuses for a job well done, letting the company go bankrupt and all. There is a facet to the bill allowing Hollywood producers to write off their film equipment.

Our country is going down the proverbial toilet with the only possible plug being an $816 billion stimulus package that falls on the shoulders of we, the future generation, because greedy businessmen milked our fantasy of the American dream and President Obama deems it an absolute necessity to relieve some of the financial burden of Martin Scorsese.

The package should be designed to alleviate the deficit

Editor In Chief...............................Scott Thomas, stareditor@txstate.edu Letters......................................................................starletters@txstate.edu News Editor..............................Amanda Venable, starnews@txstate.edu Trends Editor.....................Brett Thorne, starentertainment@txstate.edu Opinions Editor.........................Krista Almazan, staropinion@txstate.edu Photo Editor......................................Karen Wang, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor......................................Lisa Carter, starsports@txstate.edu

of bankrupt companies and jump-start our economy, but there is too much frivolous spending. There is room in the package to start a program teaching kids about STDs. Important no doubt, but the clap is not even remotely a cause of the looming depression.

What we as a country need to do is return to our morals. We cannot expect feeding money to companies that have already proven to us they are incapable of doing business responsibly. How are we to be held accountable if we can simply ask the government to print more money at every instance of bad practice? That is how we have the largest deficit in history.

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The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University-San Marcos published Tuesday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a distribution of 8,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.

Copyright Thursday, February 12, 2009. 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.

Trends the university star

powerfulpride

Texas State was recently the recipient of a random act of kindness, about $6 million worth of kindness. A collection of donors, who chose to remain anonymous, vowed to give up to $6 million to the Pride In Action campaign. The campaign centers on maximizing five keys: academic excellence, performing arts, athletics, the alumni center and the library. The actual amount raised is still dependent on the generosity of others because the donors agreed to match contributions of $10,000 or more to the campaign, up to $6 million.

6 - Thursday, February 12, 2009

Trends Contact — Brett Thorne, starentertainment@txstate.edu

San Marcos history comes alive in city cemetery

Entertainment Calendar Thursday Stewart Mann, 6 p.m., Gruene Hall Joel Hoffman Band, 6 p.m., River Hymn, Whiskey Folk Ramblers, 9 p.m., Triple Crown Brett Crenshaw Band, 9:30 p.m., Cheatham Street Mike Ethan Messick, 9 p.m., Riley’s Tavern Scott Wiggins Band, 10 p.m., Gray Horse Saloon Friday Clay McClinton, Delbert McClinton, 8 p.m., Gruene Hall Bill Jerram, 6 p.m., Winter Dance Party, Izzy Cox, The Low Down Shaky Chill, 9 p.m., Triple Crown Hayes Carll, 8 p.m., Cheatham Street Heybale!, 9 p.m., Riley’s Tavern Redneck Jedi, 10 p.m., Gray Horse Saloon

Greg Richards/Star photo LIVING HISTORY: The San Marcos Cemetery gives residents a view of past generations.

By Erica Rodriguez Senior Features Reporter Cecil “Tex” Hughson, a Texas-born former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, is in San Marcos and available to visit at any time. So are Jim Wacker, Oscar Strahan and Emmie Craddock, in a park just past west campus.

Shannon Fitzpatrick, attorney for students, likes to take walks here. Sometimes she brings her son to do math practice, subtracting birthdates from death dates on the tombstones of a place recognized by the Texas Historical Commission — the San Marcos Cemetery.

The cemetery is far from the morbid place people are taught to fear for Fitzpatrick. It is a place to learn the history and fabric of a community.

“There are all sorts of things you can learn about your history just by looking through the cemetery,” she said. “Cemeteries are for the living as much as they are for the dead.”

The cemetery is believed to have first served as the burial place for the slaves of early Texas pioneers, but the first official burial recorded is in 1876.

The cemetery is a resting place for Texas history makers, and even has a whitewashed 19th century chapel listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Confederate officers Dr. P.C. Woods and Oscar Hutchison, John Flowers, the third president of Southwest Texas State College, and Edward Gary, the first San Marcos airman to die in World War II, are all buried there. Each has lent their namesake to a building, street or has contributed in some way to our lives.

“There’s some interesting people there,” said Carmen Imel, a member of the Friends of the San Marcos Cemetery. “It’s a part of who we are. It shows a reflection of our values.”

The Friends are a nonprofit fundraising group that has raised more than $90,000 since 2003. The organization’s most notable fundraiser is the From Here to Eternity 5-K Run, which awards participants miniature tombstones as trophies.

“It’s a thing that historically has a value to people,” said Bob Sappington, former Friends president. “Your mother’s buried there, your grandfather’s

buried there — there’s as many as five or six generations buried there in some instances.”

It is for this reason Fitzpatrick hopes to digitalize information on the cemetery’s residents. Fitzpatrick has been studying cemeteries since she was “knee high to a grasshopper” and this one is no exception. She has found more than 100 unmarked or missing graves in the cemetery.

However, for future residents there is not a more popular place to be.

“People are dying everyday to get in,” Sappington said.

The only public cemetery in San Marcos is projected to be full in the next ten years.

Still, Fitzgerald believes the cemetery offers as much to the living as to the dead.

“There are beautiful vistas up there, whether you’re a photo student or whether you like exercise,” she said. “We all pay for it, and we should all enjoy it. It’s a tie to both the university and community, so we don’t forget our roots. So we can remember our family and those who have come before us.”

Saturday Sean Castillo & the Hubcaps, 1 p.m., Emory Quinn, 9 p.m., Gruene Hall The Oganics, Flatcar Rattlers, Crystal Creek River Boys, 10 p.m., Triple Crown Monte Montgomery, 8 p.m., Cheatham Street Lil’ Bit & the Customatics, 9 p.m., Riley’s Tavern Pimps and Hos Valentine’s Day Bash with

Texas Saints, Gray Horse Saloon Sunday Mario Matteoli, 12 p.m., Los Fabulocos, 4 p.m., Gruene Hall Open Mic with Pat Pankratz, Holly Aiken and Nate Hinds, 8 p.m., Triple Crown Festival Showcase Featuring: Ray Wylie Hubbard, Brigitte London and Doctor G. and the Mudcats, 5 p.m., Cheatham Street Open Mic w/ Glenn Allan, 9 p.m., Riley’s Tavern Monday Bret Graham, 6 p.m., Gruene Hall Ryan McGillicuddy, 6 p.m., Triple Tronica w/ Jon Dishon, 9 p.m., Triple Crown Battle of the Bands, South Side Union vs.

Forrest Wayne Allen, Cheatham Street Tony Taylor, 9 p.m., Riley’s Tavern Tuesday Rodney Hayden, 6 p.m., Gruene Hall Eric Hisaw, 6 p.m., Song Swap w/ Cody Richardson, Bryan Crowell, Colin Gilmore, Robbie Doyen, Phil Stevens, 9 p.m., Triple Crown Midnight River Choir & Jordan Minor, 9:30 p.m., Cheatham Street Beverly Hensley & Paul Eason, 9 p.m., Riley’s Tavern

Research suggests teens’ overexposure to television may lead to depression

By Veronica Torrejón The Morning Call ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Watching the superhero cop on television save the day and win the affection of his sexy crime-fighting partner may whittle away at an awkward teenage boy’s self-esteem and lead to depression by the time he becomes a young man, a new study has found.

The study, published this month in the Archives of General Psychiatry, links TV exposure in boys’ and girls’ teenage years with increased odds of showing symptoms of depression in young adulthood, especially for young men.

“As someone watches television portrayals over and over again with people more beautiful and wealthier than they are, selling products they can’t afford...will they start to feel bad about themselves?” asked the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Brian Primack, an assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Primack and his colleagues, who followed more than 4,000 teenage boys and girls for seven years, found each additional hour of daily TV use increases the likelihood of depression by 8 percent.

The teenage years are crucial for identity development, Primack said. “They are really psychocultural sponges,” he said of teens.

“They are looking for ways to be, and are even more susceptible at that time to outside messages.”

Certain teens could also be watching more TV because they are already depressed, said Dr. John Campion, chief of child and adolescent psychiatry for Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley Health Network.

“They are hypothesizing that too much television is a cause, but it may well be that the kids who are ill are responding to (the TV),” said Campion. “My guess is it’s probably a mix of the two.”

Campion said the study reinforces what clinicians are already doing, which is asking children about their activities and looking

for red flags such as sitting home alone watching TV all day.

“We know that’s an indication there is something wrong with that child’s ability to get out,” Campion said.

Primack agreed his study does not prove television leads to depression. It only suggests a link.

He said it also underscores the need for more research on the effects of television on teens.

“I definitely don’t think it’s a call to tell people you shouldn’t watch television,” he said. “It certainly is yet another reason to moderate that use.”

Primack also noted certain shows, including comedies, lower the risk of depression. TV is often a reason for people to socialize, as people did on Super Bowl Sunday, he said.

How much TV is too much, particularly for teens, is not clear.

Primack suggests parents follow guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatricians, which recommends older children be limited to an hour or two of television a day.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

TRENDS

Keepers of History Veterans preserve ‘real’ airplanes at municipal airport

The University Star - 7

Buddhist group offers escape through meditation

By Jovonna Owen Features Reporter

David Schmidt/Star photo CLASSIC MUSEUM: San Marcos’ WWII museum holds vintage planes, weapons and memories of veteran’s past.

By Erica Rodriguez Senior Features Reporter Mike Colaluca, retired Air Force mechanic, cups both hands to his ears on an air strip at a former World War II Air Force base just outside of San Marcos.

“See, that’s a real sound of an airplane,” he said.

The sound is from a war movie. A harsh, buzzing drone echoing in the skies above harvested cotton fields and a quiet stretch of Highway 21.

It’s Kate he hears, a replica of the Japanese torpedo bombers that attacked Pearl Harbor, a familiar sound for Colaluca and the other veterans who pass their days here.

Colaluca is an Italian-American Vietnam veteran. He is also a member of the Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, the caretakers of the only original World War II airport hangar, library and museum at the San Marcos Municipal Airport.

“Everything in the CAF flies,” Colaluca said, eyeing the planes. “This is an operational museum.

There’s no planes that look pretty and don’t fly.

These look old and they fly.”

Most of the planes date back to the 1940s and 50s. Each plane has a history of its own. Two replica bombers were flown in the movie Tora, Tora, Tora and another in Touchstone Pictures’ Pearl Harbor. The Yellow Rose, a camouflage bomber with a “Texas Rose” cowgirl, bears the signatures of some of the Doolittle Raiders, who carried out the first air attack against Japan after the Pearl Harbor bombings.

The hangar’s museum and John Stokes Memorial Library are filled with artifacts dating back to

World War I. Colaluca calls himself the CAF’s unofficial curator, but not because the planes are old.

In a sense Colaluca is a part of the history of the location. He was posted here.

“I fought the battle of San Marcos,” he said jokingly. Colaluca spent three years as a mechanic, repairing helicopters when the base was the largest training operation for helicopter pilots in the United States.

The base was built in 1942 and by 1963 consisted of 750 buildings, five runways and barracks for 1,100 service members.

The hangar is all that stands of what once was.

“We are a nonprofit, educational museum and that’s one of our missions — to keep alive the memory of the men who served and the airplanes that served back at that time,” said retired Maj. Ron Iberg, Vietnam veteran. Iberg flew 128 combat missions during the war and was awarded the Silver Star and other decorations.

“I’m just dedicated to flying for as long as I can.

That’s my total focus and desire,” he said.

Retired Lt. Col. Bill Powers, a World War II veteran, also spends his days here guarding a history he has experienced firsthand.

“Everybody starts these things because it’s fun,” he said. “Then it doesn’t become fun, because after a while, you really have to work at it to be good.”

Powers now trains others to fly formations for Veterans Day, air shows and Bobcat football games.

The Kate is in and the hangar is quiet, except for the wind and murmur of old men speaking in airplane jargon.

This is the history they keep.

Visit www.realtime.net/centex/index.html.

The Diamond Way Buddhist Group of San Marcos offers students a place to escape the stresses of life.

Students can get information about Buddhism and participate in a brief, guided meditation.

They are encouraged to enjoy the group’s company by hanging out and talking afterward.

Simone Gregoire, communication disorders graduate, started the group at Texas State in April 2007.

“It originated in Tibet. Our main teacher is Ole Nydahl, a Danish man. He and his wife went to Nepal on their honeymoon and sort of ran across some really high Buddhist teachers. They were just blown away by the kind of solidity and joy they saw these people had,” Gregoire said.

Gregoire said Nydahl and his wife, Hannah, took into account how the Buddhist people were able to reap benefits in their lives, because they were so centered in their own minds.

The Nydahl’s main teacher, the Karmapa, was the head of one of four main lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, called Karma Kagyu. He spent three years traveling while doing teachings and meditations. He asked students to go back to their own countries and see if friends would be interested in meditation.

“Ole has been traveling around since then with his wife, but she passed away in 2007,” Gregoire said. “(The group) basically started from teaching friends to meditate and just kind of grooved from friendship to idealism and people wanting to learn about their mind.”

There are about 600 Diamond Way Buddhist centers and groups worldwide, and about 50

centers and groups in the United States.

Jeremy Kunzinger, a regular guest speaker at the San Marcos Buddhist group, runs a larger group at his center in Austin. He said Texas State students are welcome to visit his center. The Austin group meets two times a week and have a personal practice meditation on Saturdays.

Angelika Fuller, geography-resource and environmental studies junior, and Josh Serrando, a Texas State alumnus, has proposed opening a center in San Marcos. A center would allow the Buddhist group more privacy and space for meditation than the LBJ Student Center provides.

“It’s really great though, with all the different groups that we have in the area,” Gregoire said. “We get together a lot. We’re all good friends, having a good time and learning about meditation.”

Gregoire said the group focuses on teaching students how to meditate.

Kimberely Fligor, anthropology freshman, has been attending the meetings since last semester. She said the group has directly affected how she is able to handle stress.

“When I first came here, a family member had just died, and I was under a whole lot of stress,” Fligor said. “(The) meditations have really helped me deal with that. It’s helped me be just more open and positive towards people.”

The Diamond Way Buddhist Group of San Marcos is planning a movie and meditation night on Feb. 24th. They are planning a bake sale with cookies, brownies, banana bread and fudge to help raise money for flyers and reading material for meetings.

The Buddhist group meets at 8 p.m. every Tuesday at the LBJ Student Center.

Sunday fun-day allows weekend workers to unwind

By Crystal Davis Trends Columnist San Marcos is a town of people who know how to work hard and play hard. However, there are some who have to work when the majority plays.

So how does one keep the balance between working and playing?

There is an alternative gaining popularity for those who must work on Friday and Saturday nights.

It is a ritual some bar employees on The Square call “Sunday Fun-day.”

Sunday fun-day is for individuals in industries whose employees don’t get to enjoy the same weekend nights as everyone else. The tradition began with bars in The Square like Barfish/ One41 (formerly Lucy’s), Tap Room and J’s Bistro.

However, most of the other bars and their employees on The Square have followed suit and partake in the weekly festivity.

Sunday fun-day is a chance to see San Marcos’ drink-slinging personalities on the other side of the bar for a change, because of the predictably, slow nature of Sunday business.

Taxi Haskell, musician and entertainment director for J’s Bistro, said Sunday fun-day is

meant for service industry employees to enjoy their day off and hang out.

“That’s my actual weekend, because my days off are Sunday and Monday, and I’m sure it’s the same way for a lot of people,” said Haskell.

Sunday fun-day usually begins around 3 p.m. and lasts until closing. The afternoon generally caters to light to moderate drinkers.

The heavy hitters, or shot takers come out around 10:30 p.m.

I have had more than my share of Sunday fun-day experiences, and it is my favorite day to experience The Square. I can enjoy an afternoon Mimosa, watch a game or two and get lost in friendly conversation without fighting my way through a crowd or suffocating in cigarette smoke.

Sunday fun-day is proof bars have different faces depending on the day. The bars I would not find myself in on a busy night are usually my favorite Sunday fun-day hang outs because of the slower pace and calmer atmosphere.

There are several reasons to experience Sunday fun-day at least once: it’s a good way to befriend nonstudent residents, it offers a docile pace for The Square and one can unwind in a new place.

Diversions

8 - The University Star

Thursday, February 12, 2009

✯Star Comics

Solutions for 2/11

Complete the grid so that every row, column, and 3-by-3 box contains every digit from one through nine inclusively.

Solutions for 2/11

Classifieds E-mail Classifieds at starclassifieds@txstate.edu

rates and policies

Cost - 25¢ per word (1–6 days); Cost - 20¢ per word (7+ days); Deadline - 2 business days prior by noon All classified ads must be paid in advance, unless credit is established. Classified ads will be edited for style purposes. We do our best, but please check your classified ad for accuracy. Any corrections to your ad must be made by the second day of publication. As a free service to you, all classified ads will be published on-line on our web site at www.universitystar.com. However, since this is a free service, posting is not guaranteed. While The University Star attempts to screen ads for misleading claims or illegal content, it is not possible for us to investigate every ad and advertiser. Please use caution when answering ads, especially any which require you to send money in advance.

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SPORTS

Thursday, February 12, 2009

The University Star - 9

Hall of Fame voters disagree on Rodriguez’s right to induction Men’s golf team awakens for spring season

By Tara Sullivan The Record (Hackensack, N.J.) Alex Rodriguez is heading toward the Hall of Fame on baseball statistics alone.

However, Rodriguez’s onceclear path to Cooperstown is riddled with shame in the minds of people who vote for that honor.

Rodriguez’s startling admission Monday night that he used performance-enhancing drugs during the 2001-03 seasons has reframed an argument once closed to debate.

“A week ago, yes, slam dunk.

Now, I don’t know,” said Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

A sampling of baseball writers across the country who vote for the Hall of Fame, a right earned after covering the game for at least 10 straight years, reveals a divided electorate.

“I can’t speak for the rest of my brethren, but my personal opinion is that I’m not voting for him or any other steroid cheats,” said Bill Madden, New York Daily News baseball columnist. “For me, it’s about Rule 5 in the rules of voting, which includes integrity, sportsmanship and character. I think it comes down to the integrity of the game. If they want me to vote only on the numbers, then take the rule out.

“The fact of the matter is that the three best years of this guy’s career were done on steroids. That doesn’t change.”

Rodriguez said during his sit-down interview on ESPN Monday that he believes his candidacy for enshrinement should be judged on his entire career and not just on those three years, the only ones he insists were tainted by steroids. The Yankees third baseman hopes he can use the remaining nine years on his contract to prove his worth.

Rodriguez still being in the prime of his career makes his case very different from other recent stars tainted by steroid allegations.

Mark McGwire, despite his 583 career home runs, has never received more than 23.6 percent of the vote, far short of the 75 percent needed for enshrinement. Seven-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Roger Clemens and all-time home run leader Barry Bonds, who did not play last season, are not eli-

gible yet but are not expected to be voted in, either. Those players likely can do nothing more to plead their cases. But Rodriguez is still on the job.

“Alex Rodriguez finds himself in a very unique position among the game’s steroid cheats, alleged and otherwise,” said David Lennon of Newsday. “Of course, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire have not admitted to any wrongdoing, so A-Rod is really the first Hall of Fame-caliber player to erase any shred of doubt. But he also has this very important advantage: A-Rod has 10 or more years left to redeem himself, or to at least prove he’s not merely a product of performance-enhancing drugs. That’s a chance the others did not have.

“So, if A-Rod does keep up his MVP-caliber of play over the next decade, which is likely to include claiming the home-run record, I’d have to say yes, I would vote for him for the Hall of Fame.”

Dom Amore of the Hartford Courant is also willing to be patient.

“As more and more players and big names are connected with this, it puts the era in perspective and maybe I have to take a different look,” Amore said. “Is it OK to punish (Rodriguez) when we know 104 players were doing it in 2003? Whether you like it or not, it’s possible that the playing field was level and everyone was using something. Then the bar has to be higher, but the best of the best still go in, just like the best of the best of any era.”

Rodriguez was one of 104 names on a confidential list of players who failed tests for performance-enhancing drugs taken during spring training 2003.

Bruce Jenkins, San Francisco Chronicle writer, believes the era in which a player performs must be factored into voting. He has no qualms about voting ARod in for that reason.

“I’ll vote for Rodriguez every single time, no matter what happens from here on out,” Jenkins said. “Writers have always had to judge eras for what they represented, whether it was the punchless early-1900s, the inflated numbers of the 1930s, the pitching-rich 1968 season and now the steroid era. It’s far too late to impose character criteria on Hall of Famers, no matter what the Cooperstown guidelines say.

By Javier Gonzalez Sports Reporter The men are coming out of hibernation next week.

The golf team will travel to San Antonio to compete in the Roadrunner Intercollegiate Monday and Tuesday for its 2009 spring season debut.

Coach Shane Howell said his team will be ready for the opening tee off.

“Physically, they are in good shape,” Howell said. “They are getting close to tournament shape. I think they will be ready by the time they hit the first tee in San Antonio.”

Howell said a preseason match last weekend helped the team keep its mental game, despite no competitive action since October.

“If we can get off to a good start, we will be just fine,” Howell said.

He said Corey Roberson, exercise and sports science senior, should continue his good form from last semester.

“Roberson had a super fall season,” Howell said. “He won once and finished second in one of the biggest tournaments in college. We expect him to pick up where he left off.”

Roberson said he hopes to continue his

success from the fall. He is the team captain and the only senior on the roster.

“I expect to play good and win,” Roberson said. “I have been playing well in qualifying, and I took advantage of the winter break to work on my game.”

“O

ur goal is to win conference. I think that we have a good shot at it.”

—Corey Roberson exercise and sports science senior

Roberson said winning as a team and individually, being successful at conference and making it to the regional competition are among his main goals this semester. He said he and his teammates share the same goals. “(Our goal is) to win conference,” Roberson said. “I think we have a good shot at it. Alastair is playing really well, and I believe he will have a good shot at it.”

One of the newest additions to the

team is Alastair Jones, undecided freshman, who joined the Bobcats from Cardiff, Wales.

“Alastair has worked hard on his game during the fall,” Howell said. “(He) will be in the lineup for (Texas-San Antonio). It will be a bit of a learning curve for him, but he is a very good player and will adapt quickly.”

Howell said all the areas of the game — chipping to driving to putting —would be continuously tested throughout the semester.

“All the areas are important,” Howell said. “We are a very good putting team.

I feel we need to keep improving on our wedge play to be successful. Mentally, this team is very strong.”

An average two-day tournament for the men’s golf team, like the Roadrunner Intercollegiate, consists of playing 36 holes for about 10 hours on the first day. The schedule is repeated on the second day, but the team plays 18 holes.

The Waterchase Invitational, which took place at Fort Worth in October, marked the final fall tournament for the Bobcats. Jeff Gerlich, mass communication senior, tied for fifth place and led the Bobcats to second.

Sports the university star

bobcatbonanza Texas State Athletics will host its 21st annual Bobcat Bonanza fundraiser Feb. 20. The program promotes raising funds for student-athlete scholarships through ticket sales and a silent auction. The fundraiser will take place 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Texas Disposable Systems Exotic Game Ranch. Ticket and additional information can be found on the athletics Web site.

10 - Thursday, February 12, 2009

Sports Contact — Lisa Carter, starsports@txstate.edu

Bobcat loss causes lower spot in conference

By Keff Ciardello Sports Reporter

The Texas State’s men basketball team lost to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi the second time this season. The loss drops the Bobcats to a 10-13 record, 3-7 in Southland Conference play.

“The free throw bug bit us again tonight,” said Coach Doug Davalos. “We went 9-for16, which is unacceptable. We also missed a bunch of easy layups, not jump shots, layups.

We can’t have that. Defensively, (we) weren’t nearly as physical as we should have been.”

The Bobcats lost 70-59.

A&M-Corpus Christi got off to a quick start by bullying Texas State inside the paint as the Islanders took a 16-9 lead.

The Bobcats bettered their defense and held the Islanders scoreless over the next four minutes. Texas State would take an 18-16 lead off a 3-point shot

by Brandon Bush, senior guard.

John Rybak, junior forward, increased the Texas State lead to 21-17 when he converted his third 3-pointer with 7:20 left to play in the half.

The Bobcats maintained a 34-32 lead at halftime and shot 5-for-7 from beyond the arc.

Rybak increased the Bobcats’ lead 41-33 three minutes into the second half. He converted his fourth 3-pointer of the game. Rybak finished the game with 13 points.

The Islanders regained the lead with 11:55 left when Tim Green, A&M-Corpus Christi

efensively, “D (we) weren’t nearly as physical as we should have been.”

—Coach Doug Davalos

guard, hit a 3-pointer and took a 46-45 lead.

However, Cameron Johnson, sophomore forward, regained the Bobcats’ lead 47-46 on their next possession when he banked a layup off the glass. Johnson improved defensively when he sent an attempted layup by Green into the stands on the Islanders’ next possession.

The lead changed three more times before Shamar Coombs, A&M-Corpus Christi guard, gave the Islanders a 53-58 lead with a 3-pointer from the right side.

Davalos received a technical foul with 1:31 left to play after a verbal assault toward one of the officials. The dispute happened over a foul caused by John Bowman, freshman guard. “(Coombs) clearly stepped out, but it was called a foul,” Davalos said. “I didn’t agree with the call.”

Coombs converted three of four from the free throw line to give the Islanders a 65-56 lead.

The Bobcats would not recover for the remainder of the game.

“We felt they were going to come at us pretty strong this time around,” said Coombs, who finished the game with a career-high 19 points. “We were ready for it. Defensively, we just stepped it up tonight.”

Johnson led the Bobcats in scoring with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Bush finished with 18 points and five rebounds.

The Bobcats will play in their third and final televised game of the season 7 p.m. Saturday at Lamar.

Box Score and Schedule TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI 70, TEXAS STATE 59 TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISITI 70 Bond 2-5, 0-1, 4, 4; Reynolds 2-5, 0-0, 3, 6; Toncinic 1-6, 0-2, 0, 4; Palmer 4-12, 2-7, 2, 5; Coombs 4-9, 3-5, 3, 19; Nelson 0-0, 0-0, 1, 1; Green 2-5, 1-3, 1, 6; Watt 3-5, 0-0, 4, 13; Hammonds 1-6, 0-2, 1, 20.

TEXAS STATE 59 Bush 6-11, 1-1, 4, 18; Johnson 8-13, 0-0, 3, 19; Bowman 0-3, 0-1, 4, 0; Jefferson 1-2, 0-0, 3, 2; Rybak 4-9, 4-8, 4, 13; Jackson 0-1, 0-0, 1, 0; Gough

0-1, 0-0, 3, 0; Sloan 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; White 2-7, 0-1, 4, 4; Moseley 1-5, 1-3, 2, 3.

Halftime: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 32, Texas State 34.

Technical fouls: Lamar-None. Texas StateTeam.

REMAINING GAMES Feb. 14 Lamar Beaumont, Texas Feb. 21 Nicholls State San Marcos, Texas Feb. 25 Stephen F. Austin Nacogdoches, Texas Feb. 28 Northwestern State San Marcos, Texas Bridgette Cyr/Star photo March 4 Texas-Arlington San Marcos, Texas HELPING HANDS: Cameron Johnson, management sophomore, helps out fellow teammate John March 7 Sam Houston State Huntsville, Texas Bowman, excercise and sports science freshman, during Wednesday’s game against Texas A&MCorpus Christi.

Track, field will discover SLC standings in weekend meet

By César G. Rodriguez Sports Reporter Zero injuries are the top priority for the Texas State track and field teams when they travel to College Station this weekend for the Texas A&M Invitational.

Coach Galina Bukharina said she hopes to go through this competition without injuries because of the Southland Conference Indoor Championships next week.

“Every day we’re losing somebody because of injuries — every day, one or two people. It’s frustrating,” Bukharina said. “Actually, it is understandable. Sports and injuries are always together.”

Clay Holland, co-captain, said the teams are working together to bring injured athletes back on the track.

“We’re taking steps to get the people that are injured healthy,” said Holland, exercise and sports science senior.

Bukharina and Holland were uncertain of the number of injured athletes on the team.

A&M will serve as a platform for coaches and athletes to view other colleges in conference before the SLC Indoor Championships Feb. 20 to Feb. 22.

“The (competition) will help them get confidence for confer-

ence,” Bukharina said.

Holland said Texas State has a chance of improving its marks and arriving with confidence to the competition.

“It’s (a really) good meet before conference. This meet will let you know where you stand, where you need to improve, what teams you can look at,” Holland said. “That will show up next week. We have to be one of those teams that will show up at the conference trying to compete.”

All conference teams participating in the A&M Invitational pose a threat to Texas State, Holland said.

Holland said colleges compete for points in conference. Minimal errors, such as a false start in running, can prove costly for the team during a competition.

“Any small thing can help you or hurt you as a team,” Holland said.

Competition begins 5 p.m.

Friday with field and running events. The trials and finals will take place 1 p.m. Saturday.

The last running event, the 4-by-400 meter relay, is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.

Holland said he prefers to compete at the A&M facility. He said Texas State will compete in one of the best indoor tracks in the

nation for nationals this year.

“It’s better to be competing than having other things to do,” Holland said.

Bukharina said the team will show its best results at this competition because of A&M’s facilities.

“It’s not a college facility. It’s a world-class facility,” Bukharina said.

e’re taking “W steps to get the people that are injured healthy.”

—Clay Holland co-captain

Other colleges participating in the invitational include Texas A&M, Arizona State, Baylor, Houston, Louisiana Tech, Miami, Northwestern Louisiana, Rice, Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin, Southern Methodist, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas Southern, Texas, Texas Tech, Texas Christiana, TexasPan American, Texas-Arlington, Texas-El Paso.

Remaining Track Meets Feb. 13 A&M Invitational College Station, Texas Feb. 14 A&M Invitational College Station, Texas Feb. 20 SLC Indoor Championships Houston, Texas Feb. 21 SLC Indoor Championships Houston, Texas March 7 Texas State High School Open San Marcos, Texas March 13 NCAA Indoor Championship College Station, Texas March 13 Texas State Combined Events San Marcos, Texas March 14 NCAA Indoor Championships College Station, Texas March 14 Texas State Combined Events San Marcos, Texas March 21 Dr. Pepper Invitational Waco, Texas March 28 UT Invitational Austin, Texas April 1 Texas Relays Austin, Texas April 2 Texas Relays Austin, Texas April 3 Texas Relays Austin, Texas April 4 Texas Relays Austin, Texas April 10 ASU Combined Events San Angelo, Texas