P re sident Trauth announce s sele ction of provost — Se e ne ws br ie fs, P ag e 3
This is so gay
Shattering records
Men’s and women’s track rack up points at SLC meet/Sports/Page 10
Rollin’ rocks
Bowling is suprisingly athletic ... really/Trends/Page 5
Arguments fail to show logic behind banning same-sex marriage/Opinions/Page 4
WEDNESDAY
VOLUME 93, ISSUE 56 www.universitystar.com
FEBRUARY 25, 2004
S T A T E
U N I V E R S I T Y - S A N
M A R C O S
Narvaiz sets sights toward mayoral post
TICKLING THE IVORIES
By Jennifer Warner Senior Reporter
Andrew Nenque/Star photo Rhonney Green, music education freshman, warms up in a sound booth before practicing Scriabin’s Etude in D Minor. Green is required to learn a number of pieces for his music seminar class.
Workshop focuses attention on protecting the Rio Grande By Christopher Boehm News Reporter The Rio Grande will be getting some muchneeded attention Saturday as experts on the river will gather in Laredo to discuss various problems it has faced since running dry in May 2001. Recent drought and population growth in the Rio Grande Valley were reasons the Rio Bravo/ Rio Grande Conference, held in El Paso, recently predicted water depletion by 2015. The workshop, titled “Protecting the Rio Grande,” will take place at 9 a.m. at the City of Laredo Public Works Service Center. The city of Laredo, Texas State-based Texas Watch, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, International Boundary and Water Commission and the United States Environmental Protection Agency are sponsoring the event. “The primary concern of the workshop is education about the issues,” said Wayne Belzer, Environmental Protection Specialist for the Texas Clean Rivers Program and member of the U.S. International Boundary and Water
Commission. Belzer will be in attendance at the meeting to give an overview of the middle Rio Grande basin. “The problems exist because of a lack of funding or a lack of knowledge,” Belzer said. “Hopefully we can increase the awareness and concern of the people.” Other Rio Grande problems include poor infrastructure, sewage facilities, chemical wastes, as well as drinking and health issues. Eric Mendelman, Texas Watch Contracts and Funding specialist, said the workshop would address just about any water quality problem. He is coordinating the workshop. “The area is growing as fast as the problems are, and we are working to educate the people on these problems,” he said. The meeting arose from a Texas Watch initiative in the fall called “United by the River” in which teachers from all levels of public schooling in Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, went g See WORKSHOP, page 2
City Council member Susan Narvaiz will soon be abandoning her council seat in pursuit of a position with greater recognition and prestige — mayor of San Marcos. In an election year NARVAIZ filled with controversy and complaints aimed at City Council members, Narvaiz will run against incumbent Mayor Robert Habingreither for the city’s highest elected post in the May 15 election. If elected, Narvaiz will focus on jobs and unemployed residents. She said she would like to raise the per capita income of San Marcos resi-
Some members think motion is a national issue
By Katherine Eissler News Reporter
San Marcos City Council members voted Monday against a resolution criticizing the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 because of claims it degrades citizens’ civil rights. The USA PATRIOT Act, or Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act, allows federal agents to perform invasive acts to protect the public from ter-
rorist threats. “While much of the Act does go a long way in making the country safe, there are many provisions we’ve outlined that take away our civil liberties,” said Dan Kowal, member of the San Marcos Bill of Rights Defense Committee. According to the act, which has caused much controversy nationwide, officials can access citizens’ private records without informing them and without probable cause, and it allows for surveillance on all forms of communication, incoming as well as outgoing. However, the defense committee supports the SAFE Act, or Security and Freedom Ensured Act of 2003, which
Presentations share information on body image
Classifieds........................8
Programs aim to raise awareness about eating disorders
News..............................2,3
By Julie Suenram News Reporter
Sports...........................9,10
In recognition of Eating Disorders Awareness Week, the Counseling Center will host five presentations to raise student awareness on body image at different times today. The presentations will last from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and take place in the LBJ Student Center, Room. 3-14.1. Information related to the topics will be available for students in booths set up along the Paseo of the LBJSC. Students are encouraged to be on time to each of the presentations. Presenters will discuss topics such as conscious eating, what eating disorders are and information on fad diets. “As much as possible I try to avoid having another lecture, yet what we’re doing Wednesday hopefully is not so much a lecture, but something people
Comics/Crossword........7 Opinions...........................4 Trends...............................5
Today’s Weather
High: 57 Lo w : 33
AM Rain/PM Sun
Wind: From NW at 18 mph Precipitation: 30% Max. Humidity: 57% UV Index: 6 Moderate Thursday’s Forecast Mostly clear 62/34
g See NARVAIZ, page 3
City Council votes against PATRIOT Act Resolution
I N S I D E
Arts/Music/Film...........6
dents and the standard of living. “Every day I see individuals who are underemployed,” Narvaiz said. “The underemployed state of the community motivates me to bring my talents to the city.” Habingreither has yet to file for re-election but has said he is interested in serving again as mayor. He has less than a month left to file with the city clerk. Habingraither said he was surprised that Narvaiz filed to run for mayor, but she may do well in the election or else she would not have given up her seat on the City Council. He said it will be up to the voters to decide who will win the election. “I think of people running for office as a choice of the citizens,” Habingreither said. “If
can relate to and get something out of,” said Blanca Sanchez-Navarro, senior counselor. The presentation is not a diet and exercise lecture, rather an opportunity for more students to become familiar with eating disorders and how to prevent them. Eating disorders affect about 7 million women and as many as 1 million men. “It’s not a diet and exercise workshop or that we’re promoting a ‘successful’ diet,” Sanchez-Navarro said. “The presentation is really challenging those ideas about diets and (how) they work, and what is healthy and how do I feel about my body.” Presenters will include faculty, San Marcos physical therapist Joanne Applegate and The Network, a student organization focused on healthy attitudes and behaviors. The Network will be presenting information on fad diets and explore issues surrounding body image. Besides programs on body image, The Network provides students with peer education on other topics such as alco-
hol, relationships, stress and smoking. “The program that they are going to do on body image talks a lot about everyone’s own perception about their own body image,” said Julie Eckerd, peer education coordinator. “They define it and they also talk about media’s influence, peer influence and parental influence on your body image and how that affects self esteem, which could lead to issues of dieting, compulsiveness and how that could possibly lead to eating disorders.” Sanchez-Navarro said there are statistics to support nations that university students are a high-risk group for eating disorders. An eating disorder an illness is associated with disturbances of eating behavior, severe body distortions and an obsession with g See EATING, page 2
will clarify the provisions of the PATRIOT Act and will change the Constitutional violations found in the act. Kowal spoke at the meeting, informing others of the unwarranted provisions of the PATRIOT Act, which he says help destroy our way of life. Kowal and other concerned Defense Committee members and citizens have been attending meetings since the issue was first discussed by the council just before Christmas 2003, and attended Monday night’s meeting in hopes they could urge the council members to vote in favor of the resolution. g See COUNCIL, page 3
Elaine Foster/Star illustration
T E X A S