02 27 2013

VOLUME 102, ISSUE 60

www.UniversityStar.com

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wednesday

FEBRUARY 27, 2013

Financial Aid Interactive Chart

GO NE ONLI NOW

The amount of students receiving aid has been increasing for the past five years. To see how much each type of aid has increased, go to UniversityStar.com.

MOUNTING DEMAND

SCHOLARSHIPS

6.349%

NO AID

30%

LOANS

36.337% GRANTS

27.314%

70% of Texas State students recieved some kind of financial aid for the 2011-2012 academic year.

Record-high amount of students awarded aid

By Liza Winkler The University Star More than two-thirds of the student body received financial aid in the form of grants, loans and scholarships for the 2011-2012 academic year, a record-high total for Texas State.

Approximately 56 percent of students received grants, loans and scholarships for the 2007-2008 academic year, according to statistics from the Financial Aid and Scholarships office. The most recently available data indicate an estimated 70 percent of students were granted financial aid from the university, state and federal government for the 2011-2012 academic year. Michael

Heintze, associate vice president for Enrollment Management, said several factors contribute to a rise in requests for student financial aid. Heintze said these include the overall cost of higher education, the rapidly growing highschool population in Texas, an increase in first-generation college students and campus support needs.

Chris Murr, director of Financial Aid and Scholarships, said unfavorable economic conditions in the past few years have created stress for families because of job insecurity and layoffs. The fact the amount of financial aid available is not growing, and is in some cases shrinking, creates additional financial stress, Murr said.

The university encountered multimillion dollar budget cuts from the state legislature last session which have significantly reduced overall institutional operating funds and financial aid availability for students. Heintze said legislators in the 83rd session, which began Jan. 8 and will conclude May 27, are responsible for determining funding for state financial aid and loan programs. He said the future state of funding for financial aid programs, such as the Toward Excellence, Access and Success grants, is relatively unknown at the moment.

Cody DeSalvo, public administration

READ FINANCIAL, PAGE 3

City seeks funds for shops hurt by projects incentives to businesses that reported a drop in sales from construction since fall 2012, but grants and loans are posCity of San Marcos officials are look- sibilities, said city engineer Jennifer ing into grant and loan options to help Shell. Shell said businesses may receive ease the strain on local downtown busi- some grant money, but the funds would nesses caused by construction. ultimately be loans because they can’t Officials will not offer tax breaks or be used to reimburse companies. The city and assistant managers are additionally looking into other ways to aid these businesses.

Rebecca Ybarra-Ramirez is the executive director for the San Marcos Convention and Visitor Bureau. YbarraRamirez said city officials are seeking funds to help downtown busiCarlos Valdez, Assistant Photo Editor nesses, but money Local businesses on The Square are losing revenue due to construction. has not been alThe city is instituting a ‘shop downtown’ campaign to promote commerce located. She said the convention and console disruptions caused by recent construction in the area.

By Christina Cantu Special to the Star

and visitor bureau is additionally working with city officials in order to send a consistent message to residents.

“Our staff has participated in the initial planning meeting,” Ybarra-Ramirez said. “The launch (of a program) will be determined if and when city funding is allocated.”

City spokeswoman Melissa Millecam said while officials would have “loved” to complete construction during the summer months when students are not in town, the process to finish road projects takes years. The projected cost for downtown reconstruction projects is $10.2 million, and will take about 23 months to complete, according to the city’s website.

Millecam said the city is looking for alternatives to help local businesses affected by the construction projects.

“We are developing a ‘shop downtown’ campaign with the help of the (San Marcos) Convention and Visitor Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Program, Downtown Association and local newspapers,” Millecam

ROTC cadets prepare for training course

By Casey Torrance Special to the Star Michelle Packer often wakes up at 5:30 a.m. to exercise. Receiving leadership, land navigation and field training are typical parts of the rest of her day.

On top of being a student, Packer is preparing for a test that will determine if she has the potential to become an officer in the U.S. Army.

Packer, criminal justice junior, is one of the Texas State ROTC students gearing up for the Leader Development and Assessment Course held every summer. The majority of the first three years cadets spend in ROTC programs are spent preparing and training for the course. It trains cadets to Army standards, develops leadership skills and determines their officer potential.

The course is held for 28 days at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, and it consists of mental and physical exercises, obstacles and tests designed to measure the leadership abilities of the cadets. The Army uses the course to gain an assessment that will be added to a total file kept on each cadet, according to Lt. Col. James Adams, professor of military science. Other factors such as physical fitness and GPA determine final scores, but the assessment can hurt or help a cadet’s file tremendously, he said.

“LDAC is only 28 days but carries a lot of weight for selection on active duty or what your branch specialty field will be,” Adams said. “When cadets return from LDAC and conduct accessions for selection on active duty and branch assignments, their LDAC score is 22.5 percent of that score.”

Adams said the ROTC program at Texas State is unique compared to other universities. The models and exercises the cadets practice in class and during lab time are very similar to what they will experience in the course.

“We are offered the opportunity to use a field environment through Freeman Ranch,” Adams said.

“Most schools can only conduct classroom instruction and apply practical experience a couple of times per semester. We conduct hands-on training almost every week by using tactical missions to test leadership.”

Adams stressed the importance of cadets focusing on leadership skills to prepare for the assessment course. The cadets train together in the early mornings at least three times a week. However, they must go above and beyond in their own time to prepare using the Army’s 17 leadership dimensions, Adams said.

Packer said she has spent most free time preparing for the course and is ready to take on the biggest test that will determine her future career.

“I am a little bit nervous, but I have been preparing,” Packer said. “You’re either ready or you’re not.

They do a really good job preparing you for it here.”

Combat roles are now opening up for women in the military. Packer said the assessment course will start preparing women for those positions within the next two years.

Packer does not necessarily want to go into combat, but the training she is receiving is important nonetheless, she said. Her top career choices are military police or intelligence— positions where combat training could be beneficial. Packer said she is looking forward to the course because it will determine her skill level.

Kelly Walsh, psychology junior, said he is in a similar position.

“LDAC is very important to my future career in the Army,” Walsh said. “How well I do there decides if I get active duty and even what branch I get.”

Both Packer and Walsh are aiming to earn an overall “E” score on the assessment course, which stands for excellent.

The course is just another stepping stone in pursuing a military career, Packer said. She is focused on getting ready for the test now—but knows her ultimate goal for life post-military.

“I’m hoping to go FBI one day,” Packer said. “(I hope to do) something with K-9s because I have a love for animals but also my country. Besides, who messes with a chick with a big German Shepherd?”

READ SHOPS, PAGE 3

University explores reverse transferring

By Natalie Berko News Reporter “Reverse transferring” is a growing trend among Texas students, and a nearby community college is looking to offer the process at Texas State.

House Bill 3025, which went into effect June 2011, allows for students to receive an associate degree from a community college after transferring to a four-year university. Official say this is beneficial if a student for some reason cannot complete a degree after transferring.

Austin Community College is now discussing developing a new reverse transfer program with Texas State, similar to arrangements it has made with the

University of Texas-Austin. Texas State Registrar Lloydean Eckley said Texas State sent 463 student transcripts back to their community colleges for analysis for reverse transfer in January. These transcripts were from students who had transferred to Texas State since the fall 2011 semester.

ACC received 222 of the 463 transfer student transcripts sent by Texas State last month, Eckley said.

Alexis Patterson Hanes, ACC spokeswoman, said the colleges have an agreement that students can complete the requirements of their ACC associate degrees at UT. The stipulations are transfer students must meet the same requirements of all ACC graduates and earn at least 25 percent of credit hours

at the community college. Both schools have agreed to review transcripts of transfer students from the past decade who wish to participate in the program ACC President Richard Rhodes initiated the arrangement between the two colleges after experiencing success with a partnership with the University of Texas-El Paso while he was president of El Paso Community College.

“It really is about awarding that valuable credential to students who have earned it, and it makes sense,” Hanes said.

Michael Heintze, associate vice president for Enrollment Management, said having an associate’s degree will make

READ TRANSFER, PAGE 3

Photo courtesy of Casey Torrance

Michelle Packer, criminal justice junior, is a cadet in Texas State’s ROTC program and hopes to work in military police or intelligence in the future.

2 | Wednesday February 27, 2013 | The University Star

PAGE TWO

For more viewpoints or letters to the editor, e-mail staropinions@txstate.edu

wild art

Carlos Valdez, Assistant Photo Editor

Tara Poole, pre-physical therapy senior, and Lindy Sewell, social work junior, kick a soccer ball at the intramural fields on Aquarena Springs Drive.

library beat

Renowned novelist reads work at Wittliff Collections William Giraldi is hailed as “one of our most important young chroniclers of anguish and bliss” for his first novel, “Busy Monsters.” William Giraldi is the second of five authors presented at the Wittliff Collections this semester by the English department’s creative writing program.

Pre-eminent literary critic Harold Bloom writes that Giraldi’s “Busy Monsters” is “rammed with life” and that “a kind of elegiac intensity, remarkable for so young a man, pervades its harmonies.”

Other reviewers say his prose is “comic writing of the first rank” and it “wails with the urgency of rock ‘n’ roll.”

Giraldi will share his work at the Wittliff Collections Thursday at 3:30 p.m. On March 1 he will read at 7:30 at the uni-

versity’s Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center at 508 Center Street in Kyle, Texas.

Books will be for sale and Giraldi will sign them at both events. Admission is free and open to the public.

William Giraldi is a critic, reviewer, and a Senior Editor for the journal AGNI at Boston University and is a regular contributor to The New York Times Book Review. He has been a finalist for a National Magazine Award in the category of Essays and Criticism and is a recipient of a Pushcart Prize. His works have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, Dissent, Commentary, “The Daily Beast” and “Salon.” Other publications his writings have appeared in include Georgia Review, Bookforum, Southern Review, The Believer, Kenyon Review,

Ploughshares, Yale Review, The American Scholar, The New Criterion, Salmagundi and The Wall Street Journal. His work has been listed twice among “Most Notable Essays” in “Best American Essays.” Norton & Company published “Busy Monsters” in 2011.

This Lindsey Literary Series event is sponsored by the Burdine Johnson Foundation and Texas State’s Wittliff Collections, Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center and Department of English. The Wittliff Collections are located on the seventh floor of the Alkek Library. For the full calendar of free events at the Wittliff, visit www.thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu.

—Courtesy of the English Department

calendar of events THURSDAY FEB. 28

3:30 p.m.

WILLIAM GIRALDI Reading, Book Signing and Q&A Wittliff Collections

March TUESDAY MARCH 5

5:00 p.m.

Texas State’s Master of Fine Art students POETRY and FICTION READING Wittliff Collections

THURSDAY MARCH 21

3:30 PM CHRISTIAN WIMAN Reading, Book Signing and Q&A Wittliff Collections

FRIDAY MARCH 22

7:30 PM CHRISTIAN WIMAN Reading, Book Signing and Q&A Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center in Kyle

DAY IN HISTORY

1801 - The District of Columbia was placed under the jurisdiction of Congress.

1807 - Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine.

1902 - Author John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, Calif.

1951 - The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, limiting a president to two terms of office, was ratified.

1973 - Members of the American Indian Movement occupied Wounded Knee, S.D., the site of the 1890 massacre of Sioux men, women and children. The occupation lasted until May.

WITTLIFF COLLECTIONS

February

ON THIS

1991 - President George H.W. Bush announced the end of the Persian Gulf War, saying the allies would suspend combat operations at midnight.

April THURSDAY APRIL 4

6:30 PM GLOBAL ODYSSEY Panel Discussion, Book Signing and Q&A with Stephanie Elizondo Griest, Manuel Luis Martinez, John Phillip Santos and Carmen Tafolla Wittliff Collections

TUESDAY APRIL 9

3:30 PM CRISTINA GARCÍA Reading, Book Signing and Q&A Wittliff Collections

1997 - Divorce became legal in Ireland.

1997 - Legislation banning most handguns in Britain went into effect.

2002 - Alicia Keys won five Grammy Awards for her debut album, “Songs in A Minor.”

2002 - A mob of Muslims set fire to a train carrying hundreds of Hindu nationalists in Godhra, India—some 60 people died.

2008 - Author and conservative commentator William F. Buckley Jr. died at age 82.

For a complete list of events, visit the Wittliff Collections’ events page online.

-Courtesy of the Wittliff Collections

CRIME BLOTTER

2010 - An 8.8 magnitude earthquake and tsunami killed 524 people in Chile caused $30 billion in damage and left over 200,000 homeless.

-Courtesy of the New York Times

Feb. 20, 9:30 a.m.

Speck Parking Lot Burglary of vehicle A student reported their personal property had been taken without consent. This case is under investigation.

Feb. 21, 9:13 a.m.

Speck Parking Lot Assault A student was assaulted by another student. This case is under investigation.

Feb. 22, 4:44 p.m.

Mitte Art Building Warrant service A student was arrested for a warrant and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center to await a trial.

Feb. 20, 3:00 p.m.

Jowers Parking Lot Burglary of vehicle A student reported their personal property had been taken without consent. This case is under investigation.

Feb. 21, 2:30 p.m.

Derrick Hall Warrant services A student was arrested for a warrant and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center to await a trial.

Feb. 20, 3:12 p.m.

Lantana Hall Criminal trespass of a habitation A nonstudent was arrested for criminal trespass and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center to await a trial.

Feb. 21, 7:00 p.m.

San Marcos Hall Parking Garage Criminal mischief under $1,500 A student reported their vehicle was intentionally damaged while parked.

Feb. 23, 3:00 a.m.

Alamo Street Driving while intoxicated A student was arrested for driving while intoxicated and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center to await a trial.

Feb. 23, 4:30 a.m.

Comanche Hill Parking Lot Theft under $1,500 A student reported their personal property had been taken without consent. This case is under investigation.

The University Star | Wednesday February 27, 2013 | 3

NEWS

Check out more at UniversityStar.com

Financial CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 senior and special assistant to Associated Student Government President Nathan McDaniel, said he is one of many students who would not be able to attend Texas State without financial aid. DeSalvo said he predicts a possible “student-loan debt bubble,” similar to the national housing crisis a few years ago, if legislators do not adequately address financial-aid funding.

The demand for financial aid is swelling, but the university has lower loan-default rates than many other Emerging Research Institutions, including Texas Tech University and the University of Texas-San Antonio.

University administrators aim to keep loandefault rates—the percentage of borrowers who miss payments for 270 consecutive days—low, Heintze said. Texas State’s loandefault rate measures figures for three years after a student enters repayment. The rate is the lowest of the seven other emerging research campuses at 5.8 percent, according to College Scorecard statistics.

The median amount of federal loans Texas State undergraduate students borrow each month is $215.78, which is greater than six of the seven other emerging re-

SHOPS

search campuses, according to the same statistics. This means Texas State students are borrowing more monthly federal funding on average than those enrolled at similar institutions. However, Texas State students are statistically more likely than average to continue making the payments without defaulting on the loans.

Heintze said he does not believe universities will be faced with a “tipping point” in the near future regarding demand for financial aid and availability of funding allocated by the state legislature. However, Heintze said a theoretical “tipping point” could occur eventually, in which some students may be deterred from attending college because of possible loan burdens.

“One of the things that we have to remember is that, still, even though costs are rising steadily, the value of a college degree is still very pronounced,” Heintze said.

“That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try to contain costs, but there has been and will continue to be a strong push among students, parents and families to access higher education for their students because of the ultimate benefits.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

said.

Tamara Woehl, a retail associate at Emeralds, said city staff frequently email and visit retailers to notify them when streets will be closed and about details on the duration of the projects. City officials additionally handed out special parking permits for employees, Woehl said.

Superfly’s Lone Star Music Emporium opened last October. Manager Richard Skanse said Superfly’s is experiencing a promising trend in business despite frequent closures of parking lot entrances into the business’ new location on University Drive.

“It seemed like a new closure every week,” Skanse said. “I am ready for (con-

struction) to be over with.”

Many businesses in the surrounding downtown area will continue to deal with construction projects through summer 2014, Shell said.

“What really concerns me is how much more construction will take place in the fall,” Shell said. “TxDOT is funding a lot of these projects, and the money will be ready in fall.”

Shell said late summer is the earliest time by which the city council will know about exact dates for future projects and subsequent phases.

Millecam and Shell both said they hope students will join the effort and patronize downtown businesses as often as possible.

TRANSFER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 students more employable and earn a better income for those who cannot continue school. Hanes agreed that having an associate degree makes students more marketable when searching for employment after college.

However, the emphasis behind the legislation is to encourage transfer students to have an associate degree to fall back on if they can’t complete their education at a four-year university.

“Sometimes it may be a family-related matter or something else that interrupts their four-year education,” Heintze said.

“Having a two-year associate degree in hand already would help them in finding work while they are not able to continue their education.”

Heintze said Texas State has had a reverse transfer option available to students through a special agreement with Blinn College.before the law went into effect.

4 | Wednesday February 27, 2013 | The University Star

OPINIONS

Check out more at UniversityStar.com

Rezoning begins to solve parking problems, more work still needed

A

mong a variety of parking problems at Texas State, the decision by transportation services officials to rezone several restricted spaces into student spots was a solid step in the right direction.

The Transportation Services Advisory Council members reassigned nearly 100 spaces back to all-zone after the tennis courts lot became restricted last semester, according to a Feb. 21 University Star article. In the same article, the officials found 43 faculty and staff spaces were empty each day when the lot was designated as restricted parking.

It is hard to believe the tennis courts lot, such a central location to campus, was ever designated only for faculty and staff in the first place. Basic rules of supply and demand indicate students should have top priority in consideration for parking space allocation.

Transportation services administrators’ action of rezoning empty restricted spots back to students is a significant step toward meeting the high demand for parking spaces.

“We re-evaluate (parking) all the time, and the R-2 (tennis courts) lot just wasn’t justifiable anymore,” said Stephen Prentice, assistant director of parking services, in the article.

“It wasn’t completely being used by

faculty. So, we wanted to give it back to the students who need it most.”

This student-centered frame of mind is exactly what administrators need. These sort of evaluations need to continue to be conducted in other restricted lots to ensure students are able to take full advantage of any spaces faculty and staff are not utilizing.

In a Sept. 5 University Star Main Point, the editorial board found fault with the university for rezoning the entire lot to restricted parking when the decision was first carried out. It was nonsensical for the university to widen the already disproportional parking gap when there was a hiring freeze, which implies minimal increase in administration numbers.

Texas State students outnumber faculty and staff members by approximately 11-to-1, according to a Sept. 12 University Star article. However, there are only about two times as many student-exclusive parking spaces as faculty- and staff-exclusive spaces, according to the same article.

This disproportion of parking spaces should be a serious concern for administrators who need to accommodate students amid the upcoming interurban tram cancelation and proposed permit increases. Students are losing the interurban tram service, thus forcing many to purchase permits proposed to

increase across the board. The prices will double for residents and campus apartment complex spaces. It is vital these students are given adequate spaces to park with close proximity to campus through the potential rezoning of similar restricted areas like the tennis courts lot. These initiatives will help many students who will be inconvenienced by the interurban cancelation and permit price hikes.

Transportation services officials should be praised for their proposed plans to increase the clarity of commuter parking lot locations for students.

Nancy Nusbaum, interim director of transportation services, presented a modified draft parking map to the Transportation Advisory Council, according to the same Feb. 21 University Star article. The draft outlined clearer purple signage for the all-zone lots as “perimeter parking” to promote ease for commuters, especially new ones, Nusbaum said in the article.

The parking lot usage evaluations and improvements to signage are positive initiatives students should put their support behind.

Transportation services officials must maintain and enhance the efforts they have carried out recently to put students first in the seemingly endless struggle for parking spots.

Lara Shine, Star Illustrator

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.

Transportation services must improve bus functions, loop

By Molly Black Opinions Columnist

T

ransportation service officials need to make solid improvements to bus operations and the infrastructure of The Quad bus loop as they review new proposals and changes for the tram system.

Transportation services officials, according to a Feb. 5 University Star article, requested students pass a vote to potentially increase the bus fee from $78 to $95 per semester effective fall 2014. Students are expected to vote on the matter April 2 and 3, alongside the Associated Student Government elections. The referendum for the potential bus fee increase is based on the same review that led officials to cancel the

interurban tram services this upcoming fall.

The proposed $17 bus fee increase will likely upset many students if passed. However, transportation services officials should use the influx of potential extra funding to improve operations for the benefit of students. The university should ensure significant financial attention is given to improvements for the bus loop especially.

Overcrowding seems to be an issue for students waiting for buses to arrive in the bus loop on campus, and expanding it would solve this growing problem. There are students who accidentally get pushed or shoved off the sidewalk while waiting for their bus to arrive because of limited space.

This creates a dangerous situation for the students and bus drivers. Transportation services officials would prevent many accidents from occurring and allow students to be more comfortable while waiting if more areas for seating and standing were created.

There are students who would benefit from another improvement to the bus loop, and expanding it would ease people’s frustration. A digital screen similar to an

airport arrival and departure board could be installed with funding from student bus fees on the wall in the inner part of the loop. The board could inform students when each bus route would be arriving and departing from the loop, which could help riders avoid missing trams. This could let students easily know how much time it will take for the next bus from their route to arrive if the current one is full. Students can already access the NextBus system through an application on their mobile devices to track tram routes and arrival times. It should not be too difficult to take this same technology and funnel it onto an easy-toread screen for all students to see. This digital countdown would be a valuable asset to the Bobcat Tram services.

The number of students who utilize the Bobcat Tram services continues to increase, as does Texas State enrollment. In the 2011 spring semester, university officials sent a transportation survey to a random group of 5,000 students. Out of the 1,227 students who responded, 54.2 percent said they used the Bobcat tram services or public trans-

portation to reach campus. It is crucial that safety and efficiency are the main priorities when it comes to the students at Texas State with so many people relying on the buses.

In addition, according to the same University Star article, Nancy Nusbaum, interim director of transportation services, said Texas State could receive new buses for the fall 2014 semester totaling approximately $13 million. If the bus fee referendum is passed, these additions are proposed to occur under a new bus contract. However, if students do not pass the referendum, fees should still be put toward covering some improvements for the tram loop and the current buses to raise the quality of service overall.

If transportation services officials wish to increase the bus fee and take away interurban trams, the riders deserve an expanded loop and improved services to accommodate the growing student population.

--Molly Block is a mass communication junior.

University should add McDonald’s to campus dining scene

By Jose R. Gonzalez Opinions Columnist

T

exas State officials should consider adding a McDonald’s in the near future to improve campus dining profits, increase meal variety and ease convenience for students.

John Root, director of auxiliary services, said daily profits at Lyndon’s U Club sometimes fall below $100, according to a Jan. 22 University Star article. These figures are unacceptably low. Instead of continuing to pay the upkeep on a seemingly unprofitable restaurant, Chartwells officials should implement a well-known dining outlet such as McDonald’s to help attract more business.

Chin-Hong Chua, Chartwells resident district manager, said a McDonald’s on campus would not be out of the question.

Chua said Chartwells has partnerships and franchise relationships with McDonald’s and other companies such as Starbucks, Papa John’s and Subway.

McDonald’s would without doubt rake in profit if established at Texas State. It is important for the university’s eateries to remain profitable in order to support student and San Marcos employees. Most importantly, the university must maintain a variety of competitive dining options, especially considering the host of other restaurants in town students can choose from. University officials should consider getting rid of the unprofitable and unpopular U Club and instead establish a McDonald’s in its place.

There is no greater symbol of American capitalism than McDonald’s, save maybe Coca-Cola or Disney. McDonald’s plays a positive role in the communities where it does business, including San Marcos. Since 1985, the Ronald McDonald House Charities National Scholarship Program has provided over $44 million for college students demonstrating financial need, according to collegescholarships.org.

Some people may argue that there is an oversaturation of McDonald’s restaurants in San Marcos. However, none of the Mc-

Donald’s in the city are easily accessible to on-campus residents lacking cars. Students who only have a 30-minute break between classes may not have time to drive to another location, and McDonald’s is a viable alternative to the campus’ current fast food dining options.

McDonald’s is also a leading force in globalization, an essential part of this year’s Common Experience theme. The golden arches are found in every major corner of the world. In many ways, McDonald’s is a point of international unity. McDonald’s can be found in 119 countries according to a Dec. 7, 2012 Business Insider article.

Additionally, McDonald’s employs 761,000 people worldwide, according to an April 20, 2012 Business Insider article.

Despite all of the company’s positive points, McDonald’s is not mistake-free.

However, many critics of McDonald’s unfairly cite issues that are the consumer’s responsibility as faults on the company’s part instead.

Critics of McDonald’s business practices like to cite the 2004 documentary “Supersize Me” to prove how the fast-food chain is promoting unhealthy eating practices. These critics ignore cases like those of Merab Mor-

gan and Chris Coleson. Morgan dropped 37 pounds by eating only at McDonald’s for 90 days, according to an Aug. 12, 2005 Associated Press article published on the NBC News website. Coleson likewise lost 80 pounds after six months of only eating at McDonald’s, according to a June 19, 2008 ABC News article.

Eating habits are the responsibility of the individual, and people should be free to choose to eat at McDonald’s if they want.

With that said, every individual is responsible for their own health and eating at McDonald’s does not have to mean choosing to eat a Big Mac for every meal. There are also healthy options available at the fast food chain, and it is possible to eat at McDonald’s daily without gaining weight. It depends on the individual to make healthy choices or not, and it is not the responsibility of the government or anyone else to intervene.

The university should look into establishing a McDonald’s on campus, thereby improving the profitability, variety and convenience of campus dining.

--Jose R. Gonzalez is a mass communication senior.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR End-of-Course Testing puts too much pressure on students Texas State has its roots as an institution that produces highly qualified teachers. This has not changed to this day. Bobcats educate the future workforce and leaders of K-12 public and private classrooms across our state and even the nation.

Our future teachers are working on their certifications and developing skills as educators on campus. I’m thinking many of them wouldn’t mind a brief outlook on what is in the near future regarding policy changes in Texas public education. This past week at the Texas Committee on Public Education, we witnessed a major shift that activists, community leaders and policy experts were shocked and alarmed by.

The Committee on Public Education had over 100 public witnesses registered to testify on behalf of eight bills. This is not the alarming discovery, but the community engagement is worth applauding.

The University Star 601 University Drive Trinity Building, Room 101 San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708

Multiple speakers pleaded with Jimmie Don Aycock, committee chair, and 11 other members to strongly take into consideration lowering high school Endof-Course Testing. Three experts on the topic sat next to me, one of them being a fellow Bobcat. So, I didn’t hesitate to lean over to ask his opinion.

“The real news for today is that everyone is in agreement to lower End-ofCourse Testing from 15 (percent of a final grade) to a maximum of five (percent) and a minimum of three (percent),” said Texas State alumnus Joe Cardenas III. “This is positive and our kids win.”

Luis Figueroa, Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund attorney, was present at both the press conference and committee hearing.

“We are witnessing that everyone wants to lower EOC Testing, but the conversation must turn to using EOC Testing as a tool for remediation testing and not

Editor In Chief................................................Beth Brown, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor............................Lee Moran, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu Letters..................................................................................starletters@txstate.edu News Editor...................................................Caitlin Clark, starnews@txstate.edu Trends Editor............................Hollie O’Connor, starentertainment@txstate.edu Opinions Editor..........................................Liza Winkler, staropinion@txstate.edu Photo Editor.......................................Austin Humphreys, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor..........................................Cameron Irvine, starsports@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief......................Thomas Glasebrook, starcopychief@txstate.edu Web Editor.............................................Cayla Green, starwebeditor@txstate.edu

graduation,” Figueroa said. “If students fail, then they need rigorous remediation, not more tests.”

Maybe hope is around the corner for our education system. It is exciting for me to witness and recognize Bobcats and faculty, including Dean of Applied Arts Jaime Chahin, who are engaged and proactive on such pressing state issues.

Before closing, to those who have recently joined the ranks of higher education at Texas State, you may not directly benefit today. However, if you have decided to lead a classroom as a teacher, you will reap the benefits Democrats and supportive Republicans are echoing—to lower the amount of End-of-Course Testing in high school. The discussion on the topic reveals that it will lead to more productive classroom hours, lower student exam anxiety, and potentially, a better use of our tax dollars. Each End-of-Course Test is estimated to cost $35 to $42 per

Multimedia Editor.........................Alex Peña, starmultimediaeditor@txstate.edu Design Editor.............................................Sarah Ansell, stardesign@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................................Catie Brossard, starad3@txstate.edu Account Executive.................................Blakely Knowles, starad4@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................................Hannah Wilson, starad5@txstate.edu Media Specialist................................... Chris Salazar, chris.salazar@txstate.edu Advertising Coordinator...........................Kelsey Nuckolls, starad1@txstate.edu Publications Coordinator.......................................Linda Allen, la06@txstate.edu Publications Director...........................Bob Bajackson, stardirector@txstate.edu

exam, and so someone is making a fortune. Our Texas Legislature is in the hot seat regarding End-of-Course Testing and financing our public schools, and maybe with H.O.P.E. we will see some positive changes in our education system.

--Fidencio “Orale” Leija-Chavez, Jr. is a cofounder of Latinos. Engaged. United.

Voting., a U.S. Navy veteran, a Bobcat studying geography, a graduate of Houston’s National Hispanic Professional Organization (NHPO) Leadership Institute, Distinguished Brother of Phi Iota Alpha Latino Fraternity and a local political activist.

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Copyright Wednesday, February 27, 2013. 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.

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The University Star | Wednesday February 27, 2013 | 5

TRENDS

Check out more at UniversityStar.com

Alumna, actress returns to theatre with degree

By Fiona Riley Trends Reporter When Emily Neves left her position at a Tony Award-winning theater to finish her degree, she had no idea if she would be allowed to return as a company member.

Neves wanted to return to Texas State to finish her degree in the BFA Pre-Professional Apprenticeship Program after leaving eight years before. Neves, now an alumna, has no regrets about the decision as returning to school gave her a chance to fall in love with acting all over again.

“I saw that the program had improved exponentially,” Neves said. “It was already really great, and it was 10 times better when I went back.”

Many of the faculty members who taught Neves when she returned, including John Fleming and Jeremy Torres, were happy to have her in class.

Torres taught Neves in his Directing II class and instructed her in the play, “Marfa Lights,” in which she played Diane.

“She’s an extraordinary student,” Torres said. “She’s truly one of the most gifted artists I’ve ever worked with. She’s passionate about what she does, and she really speaks from and works from her heart.”

Fleming taught Neves for two semesters of Theatre History, and she acted in his play, “Transposing Shakespeare.”

“Students and faculty really liked her,” Fleming said. “She’s a friendly, outgoing person. She’s very talented and very grounded.”

Neves originally left Texas State to work at The Alley Theatre and came

back to finish her degree after working there for eight years. She said her time there before returning to school was not a break from her education. She grew as an actress and practiced her craft in the 19 plays she was a part of there.

Today, Neves is back at The Alley Theatre performing in shows such as “Clybourne Park,” a spin-off of “A Raisin in the Sun” that addresses racial prejudices.

“I think ‘Clybourne Park’ is probably my favorite play I’ve ever done,” Neves said. “In this play, when I go out there, I feel like I’m making a difference in the world. I feel like I’m exposing the world to a subject that they need to think about, talk about and deal with, and I can’t tell you how meaningful that is to me.”

Neves’ career is not based solely on her work at The Alley Theatre. She’s done stop-motion films, voiceovers for anime movies and has worked for companies like Sentei and FUNimation.

“Anime really stretches the range of characters I play because I’m not hindered by my physical appearance,” Neves said. “I just have to focus on how my voice sounds. So, in anime I play everything from a two-year-old girl to an older woman.”

When it comes to Neves’ talent, Torres has an idea of what makes her stand out from many of her peers.

“All your life you meet people who were born to work in their profession,” Torres said. “Honestly, Emily was born to be an actress. It’s what she breathes for.”

Neves considers her career successful.

She said her success is shown by the fact she can come to work every day and love what she does.

Photo courtesy of Alissa Garcia

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6 | Wednesday February 27, 2013 | The University Star | Sports

Bobcat News and Notes Spring Practice Begins March 1

Texas State football hits the field Friday, March 1 in preparation for its first season in the Sun Belt Conference. The team’s first scrimmage will take place Saturday, March 23, and the Maroon-Gold Spring Game commences April 6 at 6:00 p.m. this year.

19-stroke rout

Texas State women’s golf recently won the Jim West Challenge by 19 strokes. Sophomore Iman Nordin led Texas State and the tournament with a 227 overall score with senior Krista Puisite one stroke behind her. East Tennessee State University finished second. The Bobcats will spend April 1-2 hosting the Challenge at Onion Creek.

A Bobcat All-Star

Former Bobcat men’s basketball member Tony Bishop plays overseas in Lithuania for Nevezis. He was named to the Lithuanian Basketball League All-Star Game for the second time. Bishop is second in the league in rebounding, 8.6 per game.

Tournament Winner

Freshman Torbjorn Johansen won his first career golf tournament Feb. 18 in Bastrop, Texas. He shot a one-under-par 71 at the St. Edward’s Invitational. He finished one stroke better than the University of Texas-Arlington’s Cameron Hollek. The Bobcats will spend April 8 and 9 hosting the Jim West Intercollegiate from McKinney, Texas.

Struggling after Strong Start

Texas State tennis started the spring season 3-1 but has since dropped its last two matches. The Bobcats dropped a 4-3 decision to Northwestern State University of Louisiana Feb. 16 and fell 7-0 Feb. 23 to Southern Methodist University. Texas State has one last stint at home before hitting the road for four straight matches, including the March 21 start of WAC season.

The Bobcats have played their first seven matches at home this spring.

Report compiled by Cameron Irvine, Sports Editor Twitter: @txstcamirvine

BASEBALL

Defense the culprit in third-straight Bobcat loss the Islanders made the score 5-2 off another RBI single, this time by Stephens.

Stephens led the Islanders in hitting Tuesday, batting 3-4 with an RBI and a run. Danford was 2-3 with two runs and an RBI. Gonzales added two runs batted in. The Bobcats were aided by Matt Smith, a new freshman starter at third base.

Harrington changed up the lineup several times in the contest, even further than the pre-game shake-ups. Senior Andrew Stumph Star File Photo made his return to the lineup after batTexas State baseball lost 7-3 to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Feb. 26. The Bobcats now have a 2-6 record overall. ting only once in three games against the University of

By Jordan Brewer The Bobcats got into a hole early, Assistant Sports Editor 3-0 in the first inning. The Islanders Houston. He was 0-4 on the night.

“We are trying to search for a linestarted out the inning with their first Offensive struggles have plagued three batters reaching base. Their up,” Harrington said. “We have guys the Texas State baseball team in re- leadoff man Jordan Lee walked, who are trying to get themselves a cent losses, but it was defensive er- while Cody Stephens doubled and chance. We are giving some guys oprors that caused the Bobcats to lose Jonathan Gonzales singled, knocking portunities to help our team.”

Sophomore first baseman Ben 7-3 Tuesday night against Texas A&M in Lee. McElroy made his return to the lineUniversity-Corpus Christi.

The inning ended after an RBI sin“We haven’t quite learned how to gle by Kyle Danford, but he attempt- up after “battling with injuries” in the earn a win yet,” said Coach Ty Har- ed to stretch the single to a double early part of the season, according rington. “We gave up some runs early. and was thrown out. The Bobcats did to Harrington. McElroy batted once We were playing catch-up all night. not get on the board until the third and was pulled after some pain at his You got to earn wins at this level. inning when junior catcher Tyler first at bat. A total of six players were We’ve had chances in every game this Pearson was singled in by sophomore substituted in as pinch hitters in the season to win.” outfielder Cody Lovejoy. Senior out- duration of the game. They went 0-5 The Bobcats were able to get the fielder Morgan Mickan added the total.

Senior pitcher Mitchell Pitts got bats going with nine hits, but the de- second run of the inning, making the the start and received the loss. He fense had three errors total, including score 3-2 Corpus Christi. two in the eighth inning resulting in Lovejoy and sophomore shortstop went for two and one third innings, two runs.

Garrett Mattlage continue to carry giving up five hits and three runs.

“It is frustrating. There are a couple the Bobcats’ offense. Lovejoy was 3-5 He had one strikeout and one walk. of areas that you want to try to win a on the night with an RBI. Mattlage Freshman reliever Lucas Humpal game in,” Harrington said. “We were was 2-3 with two walks and added an pitched the most innings after Pitts not able to capitalize and play good RBI. Pearson added two hits in four was relieved. Humpal gave up two defense tonight like we have been do- at-bats, as well as his third inning run. hits and struck out four in three and ing this season.”

Corpus Christi answered in the one third innings.

The Bobcats have now lost three Texas State was trailing 5-3 with next inning with another run, coming straight games. Texas State will try to two Islanders on base but had two off a single down the line from Lee. outs in the bottom of the eighth. The inning started with a walk and a rebound against the Northern KenJunior pitcher Hunter Lemke had a single in the first two Corpus Christi tucky University in a three game sefielding and throwing error, which at-bats. The runners advanced from a ries this weekend at Bobcat Ballpark. gave two runs to the Islanders. balk. Then, after a pitching change, Twitter: @jbrewer32

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