02 17 2009

Conferen onferenC Ce Win Learn to Love The men’s basketball team defeats lamar on the road

see sPor orT Ts Pa PaGe 8

Counseling Center offers Texas state students relationship guidance see T Tre reND re NDs ND s Pa PaGe 6

Defending the First Amendment since 1911

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february 17, 2009

tuesday

Volume 98, Issue 51

University officials request room, board rate increase

By Kosaku Narioka News Reporter University officials are requesting the Board of Regents increase room and board rates for the fiscal year 2010.

If approved, the rates for the university-owned halls and apart apartments will increase 7 percent on

average, and the meal plan rates will increase 3 percent.

University President Denise Trauth would retain the author authority under the proposal to lower apartment rates, when necessary, to be competitive in the market.

The university is anticipating an approximate $2 million rev-

university halts hiring new faculty positions

enue increase from the rate hike in the next fiscal year. According to the university requests, around $1 million of the funds will go toward renovations, $600,000 for new housing and about $300,000 for increasing communication and utility ex expenses.

“The bottom line is that hous-

ing is what’s called a self-funded auxiliary unit,” said Joanne Smith, vice president for student affairs. “They have to pay for everything themselves. They get no state dollars.”

The proposed rate adjust adjustments vary, ranging from a 26.33 percent increase for “two singlebedrooms/two bathrooms” at

Bobcat Village to a 6.43 percent decrease for a single bedroom/ double suite at San Jacinto Hall.

Smith said the university is trying to equalize the rates based on room type.

The rate for a single bedroom at San Marcos and San Jacinto Halls ranging from $3,195 to $3,420 per semester this

academic year would be set at $3,200 per semester.

Smith said the university is now treating Bobcat Village like a residence hall, as opposed to an apartment complex, because it has the same type of amenities as San Marcos and San Jacinto See PRICING, page 4

HOP TO IT

By Megan Holt News Reporter President Denise Trauth announced Thursday at a meeting with the University Council Texas State will implement a hiring freeze, but will not cut jobs.

“The highest priority for the university is to preserve jobs,” Trauth said at the meet meeting. “We will not cut positions for faculty and staff. We just have to cut down the budget elsewhere.”

Trauth is implementing a “flexible staff hiring freeze” along with her planning tactic aimed at increasing the number of faculty.

The flexible staff-hiring freeze will enable departments to temporarily halt the employ employment of new faculty.

“We’re not taking staff positions away with this plan, but I have asked department divisions to put together a group to look at how we can cut down on positions in the future,” Trauth said.

Associate Provost Gene Bourgeois said positions are cut and condensed within the departments if the budget is not large enough.

“We look and see if that position is available, and then we go about finding funding tied to that position,” Bourgeois said.

The university employed 931 full-time faculty and 1,682 staff members in fall 2007. In fall 2008, Texas State added 74 full-time faculty and 85 staff members.

“We need to preserve every faculty line we’ve got, because we have (one of) the highest student-teacher ratio in the state,” Trauth said.

The U.S. Department of Education ranked Texas State within the top five institutions in terms of qualification and student success in the state. It is, however, ranked one of the lowest for state support.

“The economic and financial problems in higher education have resulted from lack of state support for public institutions,” Bour Bourgeois said. “The main problem is really get getting clarification in budgets and getting the Texas Legislature to properly fund higher education.”

The budget is used to pay salaries and benefits, employ new faculty and staff, fund university programs, scholarships and other emergency expenses. The institutional research team reports 46 percent of the oper operSee HIRING, page 4

Austin Byrd/Star photo Kevin Clark, junior midfielder, winds up and delivers one of the Bobcat’s 12 points scored in Sunday’s 12-7 win over Texas Christian University at Bobcat soccer stadium. FOR FULL STORY SEE PAGE 8

alliance offers support to veteran students Texas bill might require health

By Chase Birthisel News Reporter

David Schmidt/Star photo VETS AFFAIRS: President Clay Patterson and Vice President Chris schave of the Veterans alliance of Texas state meet with fellow members monday.

today’s Weather AM Showers

70˚

Precipitation: 30% Humidity: 75% UV: 3 Moderate Wind: S 7 mph

Clay Patterson remembers when he was a soldier.

“My senior year in high school we invaded Iraq, and I felt that it was my duty to go fight for my country,” said Patterson, pre-international studies sophomore.

“I enlisted as a rifleman in the Marine Corps.”

Patterson served in the Marines for four years. He has fought in Haiti and Iraq and trained with foreign militaries in parts of Africa and Kuwait.

Patterson said he did not know what came next after the military, then he met Michael Flowers, political science junior and ASG chief of staff, at boot camp.

two-day Forecast Wednesday

Thursday

Partly Cloudy Temp: 80°/44° Precip: 10%

sunny Temp: 66°/34° Precip: 0%

Flowers told him about Texas State.

“Michael said, ‘Hey, what are you doing after your contract is up?’ and I said I might be a mechanic,” Patterson said smiling.

“He said ‘you should come down to Texas State and check it out’, and I thought, well, that would make my mom really happy.”

Patterson is the founder and president of the Veterans Alliance of Texas State, a group dedicated to helping service members achieve success. He said he wished there was an or organization like it when he first came to Texas State.

Patterson attended freshman orientation while he was still in See VETERAN, page 4

center to collect insurance

By Teresa Wilburn News Reporter Students visiting the Student Health Center next fall might think twice before booking an appointment.

If passed, House Bill 103 in the Texas Legislature would mandate university health care centers collect insurance fees from students. Currently, charges to the health center are covered in the medical service fee included in tuition.

According to the bill, the university will assist students or any other persons requiring health care from the center. This will

be done under the insurance and benefit plan that has been filed with the health insurance company for the student.

“Basically, what the bill says is that student health centers will accept private insurance and will bill private insurance,” said Emilio Carranco, Student Health Center director.

Carranco held a presentation for ASG senators regarding the bill. The legislation will go into effect in September if passed, Carranco said.

“Sixty percent of our students come to the health center and

Inside News ........ 1,2,3,4 opinions ............ 5 Trends ................ 6

Diversions.............7 Classifieds............7 sports...................8

See ASG, page 4

to Contact Trinity building Phone: (512) 245-3487 fax: (512) 245-3708 www.universitystar.com © 2009 The University Star

PageTwo

2 - Thursday, February 17, 2009

starsof texas state Allyce Rother, undecided sophomore, went 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI to help the Bobcats defeat the Texas Longhorns last week. The Texas State soft soft-

ball team scored six runs in the seventh inning on the way to a 9-6 win.

—Courtesy of Texas State Athletics

Today in Brief

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

Calendar PICNICS IN THE PARK

Correction

In Thursday’s issue of The University Star, Springtown Mall is the focus of the possible redevelopment.

TUESDAY “Say What You Need To Say” is from 3:30 p.m. 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.

The Star regrets this error.

CRIME BLOTTER

Every Nation Campus Ministries will be holding our weekly campus meeting at 7 p.m. in Centennial Hall, room G-02. Bring your cell phone. We will be responding to hot topic questions that are texted in and giving a biblical response.

University Police Department

Feb. 2, 12:30 p.m.

Theft-Under $500 / LBJ Student & Visitor Center A student reported to a police officer her property had been taken without her consent. The case is under investigation.

Career Services presents: Rock ‘yo Résumé in The Quad (Near ELA) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WEDNESDAY LGBQ Pride Group is from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. It 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 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Learn simple, innovative techniques for managing anger and developing healthier ways of relating. Pre-screening is required by calling the Counseling Center at 512-245-2208.

ACOA/Dysfunctional Families Group is from 5:15 p.m. 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 is from 7 to 8 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church, 130 W. Holland.

Lindsey Leverett/Star photo Jackie Blanchard, pre-mass communication junior, enjoys a sandwich from Which Wich with mother, Linda, at Sewell Park on Sunday.

Career Beat

Job fair offers networking opportunity in construction career

Career Services is hosting the Construction Job Fair on Feb. 26 from 1 p.m. to 4 pm. The fair is a great opportunity for students to visit with employers.

Employers and recruiters from construction organizations will be on campus looking for individuals to fill their staffing needs. It is a great chance for students to begin networking with the companies and find the career that fits them.

Students attending should dress in business casual attire and bring their résumé. Career Services also offers résumé critiquing to help students put their best foot forward in the professional world.

The Construction Job Fair is one of the events hosted by Career Services during Career Month in February.

Career Month offers numerous opportunities for students to reach their professional goals. Events hosted will

help students with their résumés, inter interviewing skills and much more.

View a tentative list of Employers attending by logging on to Jobs4Cats.

Check out their Web site at www.careerservices.txstate.edu or stop by the 5th floor of the LBJ Student Center for more information about the Construction Job Fair and a full list of events hosted by career services.

—Courtesy of Career Services

Feb. 2, 12:37 p.m.

Theft-Under $500 / LBJ Parking Ga Garage A student reported to a police officer her property had been taken from vehicle without her consent. The case is under investigation.

Feb. 2, 2:09 p.m.

Elevator Rescue / Derrick Hall A student was rescued from the elevator without harm. A report was made of the incident.

Feb. 2, 5:00 p.m.

Theft-Under $1500.00 / San Jacinto Hall A student reported to a police officer his property had been taken without his consent. The case is under investigation.

Feb. 2, 6:25 p.m.

Criminal Mischief - Under $50 / Quad While on patrol, a police officer noticed university property had been vandalized.

The case is under investigation.

—Courtesy of University Police Depart Department

News

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

The University Star - 3

Facebook demographics now include faculty

By Gabrielle Jarrett News Reporter Students are not the only ones checking their Facebook profiles on campus.

Faculty is joining the social networking site, but some say it is not to connect with students.

One faculty member, who would like to keep her identity withheld, said she has a Facebook account, but not to communicate with students. She said she uses Facebook to communicate with her personal friends and would not add a student.

“I use TRACS to communicate with my students,” she said. “I couldn’t use Facebook as a tool for my classroom.”

University Attorney William Fly said Texas State has no rules set against faculty and staff members contacting their students outside the classroom. The same rules apply for Facebook, Fly said. There are no policies prohibiting teachers from contacting students, but it is discouraged.

“There have been no incidents with inappropriate contact that I am aware of,” Fly said.

Bobby Scheidemann/Star photo illustration Faculty and staff members NEW USERS: Facebook is no longer a social networking Web site for students; professors are now join- with a Facebook account should take certain precautions when ing the network as well. dealing with students, Fly said.

Professors should not reveal too much if communicating with a student and may never disclose academic records online, he said.

Reflections on the Law and Policy of Social Networking, a document for The National Association of Colleges and University Attorneys, states there are three aspects of social networking to be followed. First, the technologies are not transient fads and are here to stay for the foreseeable future. Second, higher education should embrace these technologies and use them for its own mission. Third, law and policy matter and a state university could come under First Amendment scrutiny if they blocked access to a networking site.

A student at Ryerson University in Toronto made world news in 2008 when he was found guilty of cheating. His professor found the individual passing class information onto other students using Facebook, according to the Toronto Star.

The student was later expelled from the university.

“We can respect the law of freedom of speech,” Fly said. “If a (student’s) Facebook account was to depict inappropriate conduct, like underage drink-

ing or cheating, and a professor saw this, the dean of students will be interested.”

Fly said if students feel their teacher is contacting them improperly they should notify the dean of students or the faculty member’s department chair and file an informal complaint.

Adrian Bennett, marketing freshman, said he has not become friends with any of his professors on Facebook.

“If a professor was to contact me, I would only consider being his or her friend after completing the class,” Bennett said. “I wouldn’t want them to see a picture on my profile and have it affect their judgment of me and my grade.”

Bennett said he would rather faculty and staff members keep their profiles private.

Questions about whether contacting students using Facebook is ethical are being asked in places like Houston, where a 42-yearold former high school aid was accused in January of engaging in sexual exchanges with a student on the site, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Six people identified themselves as faculty or staff on Facebook’s Texas State Network.

Term limits no more Venezuelans vote to lift presidential restrictions

By Tyler Bridges McClatchy Newspapers CARACAS — President Hugo Chavez won a major victory Sunday when Venezuelans lifted term limits, permitting him to run for re-election in 2012 and perhaps beyond.

Chavez’s measure won 54.3 percent of the vote, according to the national election board.

Televised images showed Chavez supporters celebrating while fireworks boomed in the Caracas sky.

“Chavez, friend, the people are with you,” the president’s supporters, wearing their trademark red T-shirts, chanted outside the presidential palace. Chavez led the festive crowd from a balcony in singing Venezuela’s national anthem.

“It is a clear victory for the people,” an exultant Chavez said. “It is a clear victory for the Revolution!”

The result is expected to give fresh impetus to Chavez’s decade-long effort to remake Venezuela as a socialist state.

It also will fortify his role as the undisputed leader of a resurgent left in Latin America seeking to check free trade, capitalism and Washington’s political and economic reach in the region.

The victory in the national referendum also guarantees continued political tumult in Venezuela and wherever else Chavez injects himself in Latin America.

He leads an anti-U.S. bloc that includes Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador and Honduras.

“Venezuela is in the vanguard of change in Latin America,” Chavez said Sunday.

Opponents warned during a campaign that a Chavez triumph would give him virtually unchecked power in Venezuela.

“He is a narcissist who thinks he is the only one who can solve the country’s problems. This is false,” law professor Henrique Iribarren said after voting Sunday.

Chavez and his allies already control the Congress, the judiciary, a majority of the state governorships and the state oil company, which produces half of the country’s wealth and 94 percent of its exports.

Sunday’s result gives Chavez political momentum that he lost when Venezuelans defeated his first attempt to scrap term limits in December 2007 and again when opposition candidates were elected governors of the country’s three biggest states in November 2008.

Chavez had repeatedly outsmarted his political opponents before the December 2007 election, winning five national elections in a row beginning with his 1998 election as president.

His next move is anyone’s guess, but he is expected to devalue Venezuela’s currency, the bolivar, as a way of increasing the value of oil exports and increasing the cost of imports.

Economists warn the sudden drop in oil prices will mark 2009 as the end of several years of rapid growth.

Chavez has refused to heed calls that he begin to conserve the country’s foreign reserves in the face of Venezuela earning perhaps only half as much in oil income in 2009 as in 2008.

Polls by Datanalisis, a Caracas-based survey firm, showed Chavez made up a 17-point deficit in the campaign’s final six weeks.

He did it, Datanalisis said, by targeting the 20 percent of the electorate who said Chavez had been a good president but who were reluctant to allow him to remain in power indefinitely.

Chavez pitched himself to these voters by predicting calamity for Venezuela without him as president.

It worked with voters such as Fernando Gomez, a 48-yearold carpenter.

“Venezuela would descend into chaos without Chavez,” Gomez said Sunday in explaining why he voted for Sunday’s amendment to the constitution.

A one-time soldier who catapulted to prominence in 1992 when he led a failed coup against Venezuela’s democratically elected president, the 54-year-old Chavez said in the weeks before Sunday’s referendum that he needs at least 20 years in power to create Venezuela in his own image.

He will have already been in office for 14 years by 2012, when he will run for re-election for another six-year term.

Chavez joins two leftist allies with Sunday’s victory — Bolivia’s Evo Morales and Ecuador’s Rafael Correa — in winning the right to seek re-election during the past year.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, a conservative who has been elected twice, has maneuvered without success so far to win congressional and public approval to seek a third term.

Chavez was elected president in 1998 in the midst of an economic downturn and has worked tirelessly to demonize Venezuela’s traditional ruling elite while showering billions of dollars of oil income on programs for the poor.

Chavez has succeeded in halving poverty in Venezuela during his 10 years in office.

Pedro Siolo, a 41-year-old taxi driver, said he voted for Chavez’s proposal on Sunday because the government gave him an apartment for free and lent him $25,000 at low interest rates to buy a taxi.

“Chavez is doing a good job,” Siolo said.

(Ivan Gonzalez/MCT) Venezuelan students leaders, Juan Mejia (left) and Ricardo Sanchez (center) take part in a campaign rally against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s proposal of constitutional changes in Caracas, Feb. Venezuelans will vote on Feb. 15 on proposed changes to the constitution allowing Chavez and other politicians to stay in office as long as they keep winning elections.

4 - The University Star

News

ASG

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walk out with zero charges,” Carranco said. “Why? Most of you are healthy, young adults.

You only need routine health care. You do not need the medical care that a 60-year-old person would need.”

Carranco said the health center pharmacy might suffer if the bill is passed.

“Reimbursement for pharmaceuticals is so bad,” Carranco said. “There is even a possibility that we would have to shut down the health center pharmacy after a year or two.”

Sen. Tommy Luna asked how the new bill would affect students not under insurance plans.

Carranco said the university will still give medical treatment to any student needing it, regardless of coverage. But cost to the student might increase, he said.

Prices for student services at the health center might be raised if the bill goes into effect, Carranco said.

“We projected in the fiscal note what would happen if we went into to a full insurance model,” Carranco said. “We would have to hire seven people, and remodel our health center. In the first year, remodeling would cost about $150,000. Remodeling plus staff would cost about $400,000 in the first year. After

PRICING CONTINUED from page 1

Halls. She said the university plans to add student staff and additional programs with the funds.

The university is proposing to drop the one single bedroom/one bathroom rate at Bobcat Village from $3,900 to $3,750, a 3.85 percent decrease. However, the proposal would increase the two single bedrooms/two bathrooms rate from $2,533 to $3,200, a 26.33 percent hike, and the two single bedrooms/two bathrooms railroad rate from $2,310 to $2,800, a 21 percent hike.

“It sounds huge,” Smith said.

“But even from an apartment standpoint, it’s been underpriced, compared to the rest of the San Marcos community,” Smith said of the rate at Bobcat Village.

VETERAN CONTINUED from page 1

the Marine Corps. He was honorably discharged from active duty August 2007, and was in sitting in a classroom 20 days later.

Patterson said orientation and adjusting to college was a difficult experience.

“It was a big change,” Patterson said. “I went from being a sergeant in charge of 30 Marines to being a college freshman with no responsibilities.”

Patterson was 22 years old when he became a student.

“I came in with a bunch of high school seniors transferring to college,” Patterson said. “It was hard being around the younger students, because they weren’t able to relate to me and my experiences in combat and other aspects. It was difficult, because I didn’t have very many people for support.”

Patterson’s experience is not uncommon. According to the U.S. Army, veterans returning from war can suffer from depression and post-traumatic stress.

According to a report by the U.S. Army released Jan. 29, suicide rates of service members reached 128 last year in the ac-

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

that, it will cost about a quarter of a million dollars to pay for the staff that we now have to employ in order to deal with the insurance policy.”

Carranco said if the bill passes, the health center will move quickly to comply. The center will hire the people it needs to hire and secure the third party services the university will ac-

quire, he said.

Carranco said he does not know why the bill was proposed.

“This bill really does not do anything to the state,” Carranco said. “Our health center is not run by funding, it is run based on your medical service fee. It does not decrease their financial obligation in any way, and it does not increase it either. It does a whole lot to you though.”

Carranco said his purpose for talking to ASG members Monday night was to educate them

on how the house bill will impact health service. The students will have to decide whether the bill is good for them and what action to take, Carranco said.

Carranco said students need to be evaluated with an appropriate plan, usually involving prescriptions by a medical provider.

He said 79 percent pay less than $20 for prescriptions.

Deductibles and office co-pays are a factor in the private insurance model. Co-pays are around $20 to $30, and students will have to pay this to see a doctor if they are in the network, Carranco said.

If students have x-rays in the lab or extensive work, they will pay 20 percent of the bill and their insurance will pay 80 percent if they are in the network of insurance providers with the university, Carranco said.

If students are out of the network, they will pay 40 percent and insurance will cover 60 percent.

“Deductibles will range anywhere from $0 to $2,000,” Carranco said. “Most insurance is employer based. The way employers can save money is if they can ship some of the cost to you.

The way they do that is they increase the deductible so that the premiums come down. They pay less, you pay more because your deductible has gone higher.”

The university is proposing a 4 percent rate increase at airconditioned residence halls with community bathrooms.

On-campus dining costs may increase as well.

The 3 percent increase for meal plans would generate about $250,000 next year, and the university is planning to help pay for the food service, provided by the contractor, Chartwells.

John Root, director of auxiliary services, said the service fee paid to the contractor will go up 4.5 percent next year, based on the national consumer price index-figures for food eaten away from home from November 2007 to October 2008.

“A 4.5 percent is actually the largest increase I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” said Root, who has overseen the food service

contract for nine years.

“Over that time, the account has been able to absorb increases paid to the contractor due mainly to increased sales of board plans,” according to the university request to the board.

“This year 4.5 percent increase could not be absorbed.”

Root said the amount students pay for their meal plan goes to the food service contractor, bond payments and utilities.

He said typically about 6,300 students are on the meal plan in the fall and 5,800 in the spring.

Approximately 88 percent of those are campus resident, who are required to have a meal plan.

The Texas State University System Board of Regents will consider the increases Thursday and Friday at a meeting in Austin.

tive Army. Another 15 cases are still pending a determination, according to the report. The number is up from 115 suicides in 2007.

Patterson said he is now working to ensure veterans entering Texas State do not go through the difficult transition he did.

“This organization acts to build camaraderie, to be there for veterans so they have somebody to relate to,” Patterson said. “The thing with veterans is we could sit here and talk for hours about random stories that we’ve done, not that people wouldn’t care, but somebody that’s been there and knows. It’s kind of like trying to explain baseball to your girlfriend, you’d rather talk sports with your buddy. It’s evident and apparent already that it’s worthwhile for this organization to get started.”

The Veterans Alliance of Texas State is being formed to accommodate the growing population of veterans enrolling in this college.

“We are probably one of the biggest presences on campus as far as minority groups because we are all nontraditional students,” said Chris Schave, inter-

national studies junior and vice president of the organization.

There are more than 900 veterans enrolled at Texas State the Veteran Affairs office can confirm, according to Registrar Melissa Hyatt. She said there are veterans unaccounted benefits because they do not come through the office.

Patterson said the organization is working to be involved in freshmen orientation, which is lacking veteran representation.

“The orientation leaders weren’t able to answer my questions, because they haven’t interacted with many veterans,” Patterson said. “We want the organization to be a guide for incoming veterans, show them what to do to be successful.”

The organization’s members are hoping veterans on campus will join the organization and utilize their skills.

“People that have been in the military have a lot to offer, and a lot of people don’t know how to offer it,” Schave said. “Hopefully through this organization we can give veterans opportunities where they can use their leadership skills and use their knowledge to better the university.”

ber of students.

“I wanted a different philosophy class and a different time for my introduction to mass communication,” said Felicia Zapata, undecided sophomore.

“They were full, and I wasn’t able to register because they were taken already by the people who registered before me. I checked every day.”

Bourgeois said Texas State is looking into adding an additional facility to “house” Health Professions at the Round Rock Higher Education Center. The tuition revenue bond would be used to fund the new addition.

Joseph Meyer, director of institutional research, said the legislature decided to gradually shift toward funding institutions based on student enrollment at the end instead of the beginning of each semester over the next few years. The shift would

provide increased funding for institutions with lower course withdraw rates.

Meyer said Texas State “maintains some of the highest student retention and graduation rates among Texas public universities.” He said the university is efficient in its use of limited state resources.

“We committed a couple of years ago to a formula that increases the academic budget,” Trauth said. “From there, we’ve built off of that. We keep getting less and less from the state. That has to be in the back of our planning for the future years.”

Trauth said, “The Texas Legislature will recognize the money has to come from somewhere.”

“This is not a time to be pessimistic,” Trauth said. “It’s a time to be optimistic for the future of this university. We might have to tighten our belt.”

“T

his bill really does not do anything to the state … It does a whole lot to you, though.”

—Emilio Carranco Student Health Center director

HIRING

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ating budget comes from student tuition and registration fees.

More than $2 million of the fall and spring budget was not used and is being kept in reserve.

“I would still like to use this money for additional staff members, but the prudent thing is to sit on this money,” Trauth said.

The addition of new faculty has not alleviated registration problems. Students say enrolling in certain courses can be difficult because of limited offerings.

“Registering for classes this semester was very hard because by the time I could register, the classes were full,” said Neyva Garcia, pre-communication disorders sophomore.

Bourgeois said part of the problem is the lack of facilities for students because certain classes only take a limited num-

OPINIONS 5 - The University Star

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

DECISION Opinions Contact — Krista Almazan, staropinion@txstate.edu

THE MAIN POINT hen people decide they want something, they want it now.

W

Patience is rarely involved when someone is waiting for his or her decision to be implemented.

Obama supporters were clamoring for the inauguration to be moved up to the end of November. Even that two-month wait seemed too long for some.

So it is no surprise frustration is growing over the city’s inability to set a date, or even a rough approximation of one, for when the bar hours will extend to 2 a.m.

San Marcos residents voted on this considering multiple factors. One reason is San Marcos residents driving to and from Austin, where the bars stay open later, while over the legal limit. While the council sits on its hands, this game of Russian roulette is played out every weekend.

Increasing the bar hours will not put an end to irresponsible drivers on Interstate 35, but a major factor for this decision was the regard for safety. The council should recognize this and make the bar-hours initiative one of the top priorities. To not do so is a serious disregard for the will of the people.

The issue certainly needs to be implemented carefully and correctly, but taking longer to set a simple date than transfering from one presidential administration to another borderlines on absurdity. No one is saying hours need to be extended this weekend, but residents and business owners need to know the date to plan accordingly.

Councilmember Gaylord Bose said his refusal to sit on the exploratory committee is in defiance to participate in something that he does not agree. Bose has a right to his opinion, but he has failed to ensure people who share his concerns will have the representation they deserve.

If the council were to be efficient, the later bar hours, or a trail of such, would go into effect at an intelligently chosen time. According to an article in Feb. 12 issue of The University Star, bar owners said they preferred a summer launch date for the new hours.

It makes sense because there is a significant population drop during the summer, but with the increasing student body San Marcos no longer turns into a ghost town like it used to. The summer will give bar owners and police a good impression of what to expect.

The people have spoken.

America is a representative democracy, much to the lament of those who think they know what is for the best for everyone. The people make the decisions and the representatives are expected carry them out. The City Council should listen to the decision of San Marcos residents.

DETAINMENT

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.

Russell Weiss/Star Illustration

Stimulus packages benefit greedy campaigners

By Nathan Seltzer Star Columnist Kay Bailey Hutchison actually did vote for the $787 billion — before she voted against it.

The line worked so well for John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election that Hutchison is getting ready to use it herself as she runs for governor of Texas in 2010.

The senior senator from Texas hasn’t just changed her position on the economic extortion — I mean stimulus — package, because she is actually trying to take every possible position on it at once.

First, she voted for the Bush stimulus plan. She then voted

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against the Obama stimulus plan, but later told KLBJ-AM in Austin if the stimulus plan passed, despite her opposition, the state of Texas should take the money.

It boils down to basic human greed: Bailout for everyone else is bad, but bailout for me is good.The amusing part is she does not consider herself hypocritical. It’s like a mobster who walks into a room and offers everyone a huge payoff. Hutchison says, “no way” But when everyone else takes the money, she does too.

I’m not saying the economic extortion package is a bribe.

Bribes are illegal.

It is merely the Democratic Party giving everyone in the country a few hundred dollars in hopes they will vote Democrat in the next election, which is completely different from a bribe.

Alexander Tyler said, “The majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, followed by a dictatorship.”

Would loose fiscal policy be something like spending $1.5 trillion in four months when the budget is already running a deficit of nearly $500 billion?

Republicans are theoretically carrying the torch for fiscal

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conservatism right now. However, it won’t be long before Hutchison’s “I voted against the bailout, but I’ll take the money” becomes “I voted for the money! Re-elect me!” if Democrats continue to run on the platform of taxing the rich to give to the poor.

The worst part is the stimulus plan is based on the most counter-intuitive math I’ve ever seen. Apparently, the money spent by the government will have a “multiplier effect” so that for every dollar spent, more than a dollar will be generated in the economy.

The plan sounds great, but if it were true, why are we only passing a $787 billion stimulus

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and only creating two million jobs? We should make it $2 trillion or $5 trillion if the money is going to multiply. Why don’t we make it $10 trillion and wipe out unemployment completely?

The answer, of course, is there is no multiplier effect. In fact, judging from history, the opposite is true. The American government is notoriously wasteful, which is how we get $150 hammers and $300 toilet seats. The bailout is not going to jump start the economy. It’s going to fuel the growth of government bureaucracy and give politicians something to brag about in the next election.

The question is, who will rescue us from this rescue plan?

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Tuesday, February 17, 2009

ASG senators fall short of expectations

By Allen Reed Assistant News Editor ASG senators have failed the Texas State community.

The senate is marred by a lack of participation, results and, most importantly, effort.

ASG is comprised of a select group who is extremely active, a large one that participates to varying degrees and another that does nothing. The collective body is reminiscent of squirmy children trying to sit through Sunday school.

All members of ASG signed a pledge to abide by a code of ethics, which states a duty to hear, respect and act on the wishes of their constituents.

The oath has been broken.

Senators play on phones or laptops, pass notes and color during meetings. Senators who are visibly not paying attention will vote like those around them.

Being an ASG Senator should mean more than résumé building. It should not be a way to better one’s self — it should help the people.

The current senate passed 14 bills in the fall and three this semester. Twenty-four pieces of legislation were passed in fall 2007 and 24 in spring 2008. Twelve pieces of legislation were passed in fall 2006 and six in spring 2007.Twenty pieces of legislation were passed in fall 2005 and 15 in spring 2006. Fourteen pieces of legislation were passed in fall 2004 and 18 in spring 2005.

ASG adviser Vincent Morrison said the legislation records could be incomplete because of discrepancies between what ASG passes and what is submitted to the dean of student’s office.

The amount of legislation is not the only way to quantify how much work the senate does. The amount of work the special committees do, the quality of the legislation and the amount of proposed, but not passed, should be taken into consideration.

“The senate doesn’t just vote and bring up legislation,” said Brett Baker, ASG president. “We also serve as an organization to help register voters, to go out and speak to university seminar classes, to reach out to students and empower them.

This is true. However, by what means do we quantify the work of the senators? How do we differentiate between senators’ whose labors are not recorded and those whose are nonexistent?

This group of senators is certainly not the most productive, but it is not the least. Vice President Jason Moore is the head of the senate. It is unreasonable to ask the executive branch to replace a senator’s apathy with passion, but the administration leads the senate and responsibility ultimately falls to it.

According to the ASG Code of Laws, the senate clerk should keep an attendance record of excused and unexcused absences dating back one year and it should be open for public examination. It also states if a senator “acquires two unexcused absences the vice president shall immediately ask for his or her resignation.”

The current attendance list contains 53 senators and no denotation of whether an absence is excused. Senate Clerk Maria Cormier said senators who left after fall 2008 were removed from the list, rendering last semester’s attendance skewed.

According to that partially deleted list, the senate, comprised of 55 members, had more than 40 members attend on only two occasions. The lowest point came Sept.

15 when the attendance was 23.

The amount of senators tallied as present on the spreadsheet did not equal the reported attendance on two dates.

The amount of senators who actually attended is most certainly higher, but it is impossible to gauge the actual attendance since the record was not properly kept.

Assuming Nov. 17 — which is not part of the record — had perfect attendance, 18 senators, or 32.73 percent of the senate, had more than one absence.

This is the first of a two-part series.

The data used was current as of Feb. 13.

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 Tuesday, February 17, 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

severalstories

House of Several Stories, written by Texas State graduate student John Boulanger, will hit the stage of the PSH Foundation Studio Theatre tonight at 7:30 p.m. The play follows a dysfunctional family and the comical experiences they share at Thanksgiving. The play is being presented as part of the Region VI American College Theatre Festival. The festival puts 35 schools in a theater competition with each other. Fifty-five productions will be presented in the competition and the top three will be selected to go to a national competition at the Kennedy Space Center. House of Several Stories and The Caucasian Chalk Circle are the two productions that will represent Texas State in the competition.

Trends Contact — Brett Thorne, starentertainment@txstate.edu

6 - Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Academy Couple counseling offered, free of charge Awards promise worthy honors Lindsey Leverett Features Reporter

By Brent Vickers Trends Columnist The 81st Academy Awards will take place on Sunday with interesting competition.

The Oscars for 2008’s films could become groundbreaking between the 10 nominations for Danny Boyle’s acclaimed Slumdog Millionaire and an animated feature nominated for Best Original Screenplay.

I have heard friends and peers talk about the overall unimpressive academy lineup this year. The statement may be somewhat true, but the quality of the film turnout near the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009 make this year’s awards worth the attention. The entire lineup can be found at www.oscar.com/nominees.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has an astounding 13 nominations, but the majority of those fall in the technical categories. Cate Blanchett did not even receive a Best Actress nod. Unfortunately, between the outcome of the Critic’s Choice Awards and the Golden Globes, the odds of director David Fincher or Brad Pitt winning in their respective categories of Best Director, Best Picture or Best Actor are not looking good.

Gus Van Sant’s Milk is looking promising for the award in Best Original Screenplay, but my vote is going with Pixar’s animated masterpiece Wall-E. In Bruges is also nominated for Best Original Screenplay, despite its overall inability to please crowds at the box office.

Best Actor seems to be narrowed with two plausible winners between Mickey Rourke and Sean Penn. Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight has continued to monopolize the Best Supporting Actor category, and it is safe to say this Sunday will be no different. Ledger’s possible win could be the first posthumous-Academy Award in an acting category since Peter Finch’s disturbing portrayal in 1976 as Howard Beale in Network.

Doubt has gained critical acclaim with two nominations in the Best Supporting Actress category. The film also contains an outstanding acting job by Meryl Streep, which has almost guaranteed her the award in Best Actress.

Moviegoers have shown disappointment with the lack of awards for the record-breaking The Dark Knight, most notably Christian Bale’s unrecognized transformation into Batman, Christopher Nolan’s Best Director nod and because of what was called the best movie of 2008 failed to receive a Best Picture nomination. The Dark Knight received nominations in a handful of technical categories, including Film Editing, Makeup and Visual Effects, among others.

Wall-E has basically been handed the Best Animated Feature and a nod for writing. Another animated film, the beautiful Waltz with Bashir, won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film and seems to be the film most likely to win the same award at the academy’s.

Viewers are not alone if they wonder where is the screenwriting nod for Michael Haneke’s remake of Funny Games. The film had short-lived box office screenings late March 2008. However, people should not let the mistake by the Academy keep them from tuning in 7 p.m. Sunday on ABC to watch Danny Boyle’s thank-you speech.

Valentine’s Day has passed and students are now left to deal with common relationship issues.

“We had Valentino’s heart shaped pizza for lunch and later made dinner together,” said Betsy Phillips, print journalism sophomore, as she described her romantic Valentines Day. Phillips said she knows every day is not filled with roses and chocolate-covered strawberries.

“Our relationship is open to outside help,” she said.

Phillips and boyfriend Matt Lindley, communication design senior, agree premarital counseling is a good idea.

“We hold marriage in high regard, and would like to hear advice from people who could help us,” Phillips said.

The Counseling Center on the fifth floor of the LBJ Student Center offers couples counseling for Texas State students.

Ryan Denny, one of the three interns at the center, said couples counseling is one of the less utilized services offered.

“There are a few couples that do seek counsel in the center, but it is rare,” Denny said.

Janine Harlow, psychology senior, said she plans to have premarital counseling with her fiancé Adrian Garcia, engineering technology senior.

“A lot of people think that couples counseling is only a way to fix problems,” Harlow said. “Even if your relationship is going well, it’s a good thing to do. It’s a way to resolve issues before getting married.”

Megan Foreman, communication design senior, receives premarital counseling with Lindsey Goldstein/Star photo illustration her fiancé Nick Collins, who attends Texas LOVE DOCTOR: Students attend group-counseling sessions Tech University. in order to realign their relationships.

Composer holds Grammy nomination without typical fame

By Mark Stryker Detroit Free Press DETROIT — A conductor based in the Detroit area was up for a Grammy Award last week.

It was Leonard Slatkin, the high-powered new music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, right? Wrong.

It was John McLaughlin Williams, a 51-year-old native of North Carolina who lives in Livonia, Mich., with his wife and daughter. Do not feel bad about not recognizing him. He is also unknown among the classical music elite, in spite of recording 10 albums, winning a Grammy in 2007 for a performance by French modernist Olivier Messiaen and earning ringing endorsements from producers, musicians and critics.

“The fact that John doesn’t have an orchestra of his own is a disgrace,” said Walter Simmons, musicologist, critic and producer who employed Williams on albums devoted to the little-known American-romantic Nicolas Flagello.

How could a conductor as obviously talented as Williams remain hidden in plain sight? The answer has to do with his relatively late start, the circuitous path he took to the podium, the unusual repertoire he has chosen to champion and the vagaries of a business in which the best musicians do not always get the best gigs.

“It’s really been a guerilla campaign,” said Williams. “There’s a chute that most conductors go through, but I came in through the side door. I missed certain contacts that help get to that next level. It’s not that I won’t get there, but it definitely takes more work.”

Williams talks about his life and career in a sparsely-furnished rented home that has been his base for the last 20 months. The family relocated to Livonia from Springfield, Ill., after his wife, Ann Lampkin, now director of the office of diversity and multicultural affairs at Madonna University and a native Detroiter, took a job at the institution.

Williams speaks in an even pitch that picks up steam as he latches onto his favorite subject: unjustly neglected composers, especially Americans. His passion is conducting, but Williams is an accomplished violinist and a pianist. Williams conducts a concerto and plays violin, piano and harpsichord on an upcoming CD of viola music by 20th-century American Quincy Porter.

“He’s the real deal,” said Victor Ledin, who runs a highly respected classical music production and consulting company. “Musicians like him because he understands their perspective and has command of the score. As a conductor, he truly understands how to mold a whole performance.”

Williams’ Grammy nomination

this year was in the soloist and orchestra category. The album, issued on the small domestic label Artek, contains 20th-century violin concertos by Benjamin Lees and Ernest Bloch, with soloist Elmar Oliveira. It was recorded with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in Kiev.

Williams’ hypothetical win might have liberated the Grammy he already owns, which is trapped in its original box on top of a messy bookshelf.

“If I win two, I’ll start to display them,” Williams says. “You win one, people believe it’s a fluke.”

Williams, who was raised in Washington, D.C., started violin at age 10 and was gifted enough at 14 to solo with the National Symphony. However, the most telling nugget of his youth is he read Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians cover to cover by age 15. The book is 3 inches thick, 2,000 pages long and could double as a weapon of mass destruction if dropped from a balcony. Nobody reads it cover to cover.

“It always impressed me that there were all these composers described as ‘eminent, wonderful, great and important,’ but I wasn’t hearing them in any of the concerts I was going to or any of the music I was playing,” he said. “I love standard repertoire, but there’s all this other music that’s equally great and never gets played.”

“It’s really a good idea to talk about your relationship’s problems with a referee,” Foreman said. “They give you a heads-up to the problems you will face in marriage, while assisting you with ways to handle your issues appropriately.”

Foreman and Collin’s sessions are done by a campus minister at Tech.

“Another reason why the Counseling Center may not receive a lot of couples is because they must both be Texas State students,” Denny said.

Students may go through the Icon process if they are interested. Students may make same-day appointments beginning at 8 a.m., but Denny recommends students call early, because the center fills up quickly. A therapist will be assigned to the couple once they meet with a counselor. The therapist will be from their staff, which includes six psychologists, three practicum students and four masterslevel therapists.

“We use the brief therapy model, which includes seven sessions per semester,” said Denny.

Students also have the option of joining one of seven groups for therapy.

“These groups are focused on a theme, such as grief, loss or anger,” Denny said.

“They meet once a week for six to seven weeks. The ratio is usually two therapists to nine or more students.”

If this is not enough for a student, the center has a referral specialist.

“This happens only once in a while,” said Denny. “Most students we can help in some way.”

The Counseling Center is located in the LBJ Student Center, room 5-4.1. Students who are interested may call 512-245-2208 to make an appointment or e-mail questions to counselingcenter@txstate.edu.

Fine Arts Calendar Tuesday Where Meets the Sea, All day, Mitte Gallery II Neal Wilson: Silent Dialogue, All day, Mitte Gallery I House of Several Stories, 7:30 p.m., Theatre Center Wednesday Where Meets the Sea, All day, Mitte Gallery II Neal Wilson: Silent Dialogue, All day, Mitte Gallery I NY Times’ Aron Pilhofer Lecture, 6:30 p.m., LBJSC Teaching Theater Faculty Recital: Jack Laumer, Amanda Pepping, and Faith DeBow, 8 p.m., Recital Hall House of Several Stories, 7:30 p.m., Theatre Center Thursday Where Meets the Sea, All day, Mitte Gallery II Neal Wilson: Silent Dialogue, All day, Mitte Gallery I Assessing the State of Spanigh Language Media Conference, All day, JC Kellam Reed Parr Room Dia De La Comunicacion — various events, 11 a.m., Old Main Friday Where Meets the Sea, All day, Mitte Gallery II Neal Wilson: Silent Dialogue, All day, Mitte Gallery I Assessing the State of Spanish-Language Media Confer-

ence, All day, JC Kellam Reed Parr Room Symphonic Winds and Wind Ensemble Joint Concert, 8 p.m., Evans Auditorium Caucasian Chalk Circle, 7:30 p.m., Theatre Center Saturday Where Meets the Sea, All day, Mitte Gallery II Neal Wilson: Silent Dialogue, All day, Mitte Gallery I Assessing the State of Spanigh Language Media Conference, All day, JC Kellam Reed Parr Room J. Ryan Morris Senior Bassoon Recital, 4 p.m., Recital Hall Sunday Where Meets the Sea, All day, Mitte Gallery II Neal Wilson: Silent Dialogue, All day, Mitte Gallery I Texas State Symphony Orchestra Concert with Howard Hudiburg, 3 p.m., Evans Auditorium Jasmine Crist Senior Voice Recital, 4 p.m., Recital Hall Monday Where Meets the Sea, All day, Mitte Gallery II Neal Wilson: Silent Dialogue, All day, Mitte Gallery I Jazz Orchestra Concert with Dr. Keith Winking, 8 p.m., Recital Hall

Diversions

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

The University Star - 7

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

Solutions

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 the university star

softballseries

The Texas State softball team took home two wins and one loss in the Houston Marriott Crowne Plaza Classic Saturday and Sunday. The Bobcats defeated Oklahoma State 5-1 Saturday, but lost Sunday to Oklahoma 3-2. Texas State defeated nationally-raked No. 14 Houston Sunday 2-0. The Bobcats, who are currently 5-4 overall, will play their home opener at 6 p.m.

Wednesday against Texas A&M.

8 - Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Sports Contact — Lisa Carter, starsports@txstate.edu

Cardinals soar over Bobcats Bobcats take Valentine’s Women’s basketball takes defeat against Lamar

victory against Cardinals

By Keff Ciardello Sports Reporter The Texas State men’s basketball team broke the hearts of the Lamar Cardinals on Valentine’s Day in a game featuring 11 ties and 13 lead changes.

The Bobcats posted a 71-67 victory over Lamar at the Montagne Center in Beaumont.

The 11th tie had 1:01 remaining when Anthony Miles, Lamar guard, made the second of his two free throws to even the score at 65.

“I think this was the biggest win of my collegiate career,” said Brandon Bush, senior forward. “We needed this one (win) if we wanted to contend in conference.”

Cameron Johnson, sophomore forward, made a layup to take the lead on Texas State’s next possession.

Bush made a pair of free throws and raised the Bobcats’ score to 69-65 with 27 seconds left to play.

Brent Benson, senior guard, sealed the game for the Bobcats when he made a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left.

Kenny Dawkins, Lamar guard, missed his team’s final shot attempt and gave the Bobcats their first win at Lamar since Feb. 2, 2008.

Texas State started the first half with a 7-4 lead after John

Rybak, junior forward, nailed a 3-point shot with 17:14 left.

Lamar answered with a 12-3 run as Dawkins hit a jumper and scored a layup off a steal, giving the Cardinals a 15-10 lead.

Texas State went on a 6-1 run and tied the score at 16 as Ty Gough, sophomore center, made the second of his two free throws. Corey Jefferson, senior guard, added two more

e needed “W this one (win) if we wanted to contend in the conference.”

—Brandon Bush senior guard

free throws and Benson made the first of his two 3-pointers in the first half.

The teams exchanged leads in the last two minutes of the half. Tristan Worrell, Lamar forward, made his only basket of the half before Benson made two free throws for Texas State’s final points in the opening period. However, Lamar made one more basket to take a 26-25 lead at halftime.

Texas State outscored the Cardinals 14-6 in the first five minutes of the second half, tak-

ing a 39-32 lead with 15:06 remaining in the game.

The Cardinals regained composure as they took a 53-49 lead on Dawkins’ 3-point shot.

Benson brought the Bobcats back when he nailed his third 3-point basket in the second half, changing the score to 5352 with 9:03 left to play.

Bush made one of two shots at the free throw line to tie the game.

Dawkins then scored four straight points from a pair of free throws and a layup to give Lamar a 56-54 lead.

Benson returned from a one-game suspension by the Southland Conference with his second straight 20-point game. He scored a game-high 24 points.

“It was very tough to sit out the game against (Texas A&MCorpus Christi),” Benson said.

“After the league denied our appeal, Coach Davalos told me the only thing I could do was practice hard and make my teammates better. That is what I did before that game and during the last two practices after it.”

Bush added 14 points and Johnson finished with 13.

The Bobcats will attempt to improve their 11-13 overall and 4-7 Southland Conference record Saturday against Nicholls State. Tipoff is set for 4:05 p.m. in Strahan Coliseum.

Men’s lacrosse club carries game-long win versus TCU

Austin Byrd/Star photo TAKING FLIGHT: The Bobcats attempt to fly high with the Cardinals as Verinus Kalu, freshman guard, attempts to narrow the margin. The Texas State deficit was too much to overcome, as the Bobcats fell 71-56 Saturday at Strahan Coliseum.

By Blake Barington Sports Reporter The Texas State women’s basketball team ended a possible winning streak Saturday against Lamar.

The Bobcats were down as much as 18 points but came back to within four points at the 6:11 mark in the fourth quarter.

The Bobcats scored two points in the last six minutes, but Lamar’s 13 free throws sealed the 71-56 win for the Cardinals.

The Bobcats began the game with a 4-0 lead. Gabriell Mattox, sophomore forward, and Aimee Hiburn, junior forward, both scored almost two minutes into the game.

Nikki Williams, Lamar guard, was the only contributor for the Cardinals in the first five minutes of the game. Williams hit two 3-point baskets and converted a 3-point play after Victoria Davis’, junior guard, foul.

Kim Cessna, senior center, scored five points in the first four minutes of the game. Cessna made a layup and drew the foul from Trashanna Smith, Lamar forward. The Bobcats led by five after Cessna’s 3-point play.

Lamar took the first lead of the game at the 11:26 mark in the first half after Darika Hill’s, Lamar forward, jumper.

Hilburn sat out the last 11 minutes of the half when she gained her second personal foul.

The Cardinals shot 43.3 percent in the first half and

hit four 3-pointers in the last four minutes, increasing their lead to 39-21. Hill made three consecutive 3-pointers. Emily Spickler, Lamar guard, scored the Cardinals’ final three points of the half.

Davis broke the Cardinals’ 9-0 run when she converted two free throws to make the score 39-23 in favor of Lamar. The Bobcats shot 29 percent from the field and trailed 39-25 at the end of the first half.

“I thought we could (have) done a better job intensity-wise on the defensive end,” said Coach Suzanne Fox. “I didn’t think we communicated on defense.”

Mattox led the Bobcats in scoring with eight points at halftime. Hill made 13 points for the Cardinals in the first half to lead all scorers.

Hilburn, who scored two points in the first half, began the second when she converted a 2-point basket with 15:28 remaining.

The Bobcats went on an 8-0 run beginning at the 12:47 mark in the second half. Ashley Cole, senior guard, made a 2-point basket and cut the Cardinals’ lead to 14 points. Cole was joined by Ryann Bradford, senior guard, and Chika Ofoegbu, sophomore forward, in the Bobcats’ run. Bradford hit the only 3-point basket for the Bobcats at the 10:31 mark, cutting the lead to eight points.

Lamar turned the ball over nine times compared to Texas State’s 14. Hilburn scored four points in 30 seconds and brought

the Bobcats to within six. She completed a layup, a 2-point shot and a jumper.

Ofoegbu went to the free throw line after a Lamar foul.

Ofoegbu’s two missed free throws resulted in Hilburn’s offensive rebound. Hilburn missed the jumper but made two points after another offensive rebound.

Davis cut the lead to four after a jump shot with 6:11 remaining in the game. The Bobcats were scoreless for the next four minutes, resulting in six points for the Cardinals from the free throw line. Hilburn scored the Bobcats’ last points of the game with 2:25 remaining.

Lamar ended the game on a 13-2 run.

“We need to pick it up on defense, talk and communicate and have more energy,” Hilburn said.

Hilburn led the Bobcats with 12 points and eight rebounds, followed by Cessna, who scored Austin Byrd/Star photo nine points. Lamar ended with three players scoring in double WIND UP: Kevin Clark, pre-health information management junior, scores one of the Bobcats’ points in figures. Williams ended the game their 12-7 win Sunday over Texas Christian at West Campus Fields. with 18 points, followed by Hill with 15 points and Ang Green,

By Derek Genovese State’s zone. third quarter.

Lamar guard, with 11 points.

Sports Reporter Asa Spain, pre-international TCU improved offensively in Texas State moves to 10studies junior, led the Bobcats the fourth quarter. However, the 13 for the season and 4-7 in The Texas State men’s la- by holding the Horned Frogs to Bobcats still took the win.

Southland Conference play. crosse club held a continuous three goals in the first half.

Chad Hennig, finance sophoLamar improves its record to lead Saturday in its game against Raul Santiago, political science more, scored the final goal of the 16-7, 7-3.

Texas Christian. senior, scored for the Bobcats. He game with 3:41 left to play.

Texas State will play Nicholls The Bobcats defeated the changed the lead to 7-2 and closed “We played really well defenState 2 p.m. Saturday in Thi- Horned Frogs 12-7 and are back the half with a goal to make the sively. We were solid and able bodaux, La. The Colonels are to the .500 mark after wins against score 10-3. to shut them down in the first currently 1-21 for the season Texas Tech and TCU. TCU held Texas State to one half,” Spain said. “The second and 1-10 in SLC play.

The Bobcats began Sunday’s goal in the second half. half — we would just make caregame jumping to a 3-0 lead less Coach Chris Park said the Bob- less mistakes.” than nine minutes into the first cats needed to progress after the Spain said Saturday’s match quarter. Matt Malcolm, market- third quarter. against Baylor could be tough for ing junior, scored the first goal.

“We needed to improve our the Bobcats.

LAMAR 71 Billy Cook, pre-geography junior, mental focus and stay sharp,” “They have several star players Spickler 1-5, 1-5, 2, 4; Williams, N. 5-17, 2-6, 1, 18; left the bench and followed with a Park said. we will have to keep an eye on, and Smith 0-3, 0-0, 4, 8; Hill 6-9, 3-4, 4, 15; Williams, B. goal of his own.

Texas State was plagued with we need to be able to play a full 2-6, 1-1, 3, 8; Reke 2-3, 1-1, 1, 7; Green 3-10, 1-4, 0, The Horned Frogs’ penalties turnovers and lost face-offs in the game,” Spain said. “If we play well 11. forced the game to be played on third quarter. However, TCU was enough on defense, we should be their side of the field for most unable to capitalize on those op- able to take them down.”

Halftime: Lamar 39, Texas State 25. of the first half. The defense portunities. Mike Zdonczik, exTexas State will play Baylor Technical fouls: Lamar-None. Texas State-None. came to the challenge when ercise and sports science junior, 2 p.m. Saturday on the West TCU worked the ball into Texas scored a goal with 3:41 left in the Campus Fields.

Women’s Basketball Box Score TEXAS STATE 56, LAMAR 71 TEXAS STATE 56 Kalu 3-7, 0-0, 2, 6; David 1-8, 0-2, 5, 4; Mattox 4-15, 0-4, 3, 8; Cessna 4-7, 0-1, 4, 9; Hilburn 5-9, 0-1, 5, 12; Cole 2-8, 0-2, 1, 6; Bradford 2-3, 1-1, 2, 5; Wilson 0-1, 0-1, 0, 0; Ofoegbu 1-1, 0-0, 2, 4; Krupa 1-3, 0-2, 0, 2; Homan 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0.