Defending the First Amendment since 1911
www.UniversityStar.com
Tuesday
MARCH 10, 2009
Texas bill proposes concealed carry rights on campuses By Allen Reed Assistant News Editor A new bill in the Texas legislature has students in its sights. Texas Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R -25) said he has wanted concealed carry on campus legislation ever since the shooting at Virginia Tech. “The same thing could happen at Texas,” Wentworth said. “I don’t want to read one morning that Texas students were picked off like sitting ducks.” Wentworth, along with 10 other Texas senators, authored Senate Bill 1164 which would allow for concealed carry on campus. An identical bill is currently in the Texas House. State law makes a distinction between having a firearm in a university building and having one on a campus. Texas State University System Board of Regents’ policy does not allow for concealed weapons on campus at all. Students found to be in violation can be expelled and employees fired. The bills would remove the ability of institutions of higher learning to prohibit concealed handgun license holders from carrying on campus. Wentworth said students should not feel any less safe on a campus where concealed weapons are allowed. “Nearly anywhere else they go in the state there are concealed weapons — at the grocery store, mall, post office,” Wentworth said. “They don’t feel unsafe
VoluMe 98, Issue 60
State ChampS
because they don’t see them. That’s a bogus and false fear.” Eleven colleges in the U.S. currently allow for concealed carry on campus. Every univer university in Texas, public or private, will add to that number, if the bill is passed. “People simply are unaware of their surroundings,” said ASG Sen. Michael Guzman, president of Students for ‘Concealed Carry on Campus’ national chapter. “People say, ‘I want to be in an environment where I don’t have to be around firearms,’ and I tell them they better not leave their home, because one in 74 Texans carry a firearm for self-protection.” Wentworth said the bill is tar targeted at people who have a concealed carry license. “It’s important for people to realize my bill does not affect freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors — you have to be 21 to have a concealed carry license,” Wentworth said. “Kids right out of high school aren’t going to be carrying weapons. It’s going to be graduate students, faculty, staff and seniors.” Guzman said misconceptions about the concealed carry movement turn people off. “We believe firmly in self-defense,” said Guzman, economics senior. “We don’t advocate that people carry guns. All we advocate is freedom of choice.” Guzman said Students for Concealed Carry on Campus wants
Tina Phan/Star photo Fullback Brad Vaughan chases after the ball during the game against Texas Christian university. The Rugby team became state champions this past weekend. FOR A PHOTO SLIDESHOW VISIT THIS STORY AT UNIVERSITYSTAR.COM
See HANDGUN page 4
employees continue receiving perks, despite hiring freeze By Megan Holt News Reporter Existing employees will continue receiving annual perks, despite the flexible staff-hiring freeze implemented February. Bill Nance, vice president of finance and support services, said staff members will receive their annual pay increase this year despite the flexible staff hiring freeze. “The flexible staff-hiring freeze does not touch compensation increase for staff and faculty,” said Associate Provost Gene Bourgeoisie. “(The hiring freeze) really doesn’t affect the salary budget.” Texas State’s operating budget includes a 3 per percent merit pool, used for faculty and staff salary increases. Nance said the 3 percent translates to about $44.5 million, which will be dispersed to
each university department, granting raises to eligible faculty and staff members. According to the University Longevity Program, a plan outlining compensation for individuals working for the university for long periods of time, “Each regular staff employee is entitled to receive a 1.5 percent increase every two years, up to a maximum of four such increases from each appropriate eligibility date.” “We use 3 percent of total salaries to calculate the pool for merit raises,” said Budgeting Director Gordon Thyberg. University Policy and Procedures provide guidelines for additional staff compensation. According to the guidelines, “Merit increases for both faculty and staff employees may be awarded on a selective basis to recognize outstanding documented performance.”
Individuals who have been at the university longer receive raises based on their annual perfor performance evaluation. According to Bourgeious, new employees must have been in their position a minimum of six months and have a successful evaluation by the department manager to be considered for a merit increase. “Raises come out of resources that we gener generate,” said University President Denise Trauth. Nance said 19 percent of the $15 million budget is labeled “appropriations of operations.” The funds are authorized by the legislature, and can only be used in specific reserves made public. The 3 percent used for the merit pool must come from these allotted resources. “Although our highest priority is to give faculty and staff a pay increase, we have to get through the legislature first,” Trauth said.
Bourgeious said Texas institutions are being advised to spend state money carefully. “The reason for the careful review of staff travel and flexible staff-hiring freeze is because we received a letter from the lieutenant governor and speaker to all state agencies asking universities to begin cutting 2.5 percent of a $2.8 million appropriation,” Bourgeious said. The letter, written by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Speaker of the House Joe Straus, asked state agencies and universities to help condense the Texas spending budget by reducing general revenue and state appropriations. Dewhurst and Straus ask the state of Texas to “be prudent with taxpayer dollars, and leave a reasonable reserve in the Rainy Day Fund to ensure” See SALARY, page 4
Bills would provide tuition ASG passes bill requiring relief for higher education senate petition support By Lora Collins News reporter Alyssa Scavetta/Star photo GREEN PIECE: Neal Denton, water studies junior, and Renee Carnes, from the Brain Injury rehab, lead the saturday morning project to pick up pieces of trash along the san Marcos River.
Today’s Weather Cloudy
85˚
Precipitation: 20% Humidity: 62% UV: 5 Moderate Wind: SSE 14 mph
Central Texas students descended on Austin Saturday with the hopes of alleviating tuition woes. Legislators are reviewing multiple higher education bills. Among those are Senate Bills 326, 46 and 105. SB 105, authored by nine senators, requires student approval for fee increases. Texas State and University of Texas students teamed up to advocate for the bill at the Texas Democratic Party’s State Democratic Executive Committee Meeting Saturday. Amanda Domaschk, president of the Texas State College Democrats, urged the committee to adopt tuition relief in her address to the members. “It’s not just a Texas State problem, it’s a State of Texas problem,” said Domaschk, political science senior. The Democratic Executive Committee approved support of the bill unanimously and gave the
students a standing ovation after the College Democrats’ presidents of Texas State and UT gave their speeches. Domaschk said the committee members’ support is encouraging. “I think the Texas Democratic Party is very receptive to tuition relief,” Domashck said. “With the passing of this resolution, I think they will urge Democratic congress members to put this as a number one importance.” Domaschk said delays in tuition relief are “pricing the middle class out of an education.” Samuel Ortega, member of College Democrats, made the trip to Austin and said the push for tuition regulation is a relief to his pocketbook. “For me, taking out a $7,500 loan every two semesters is a pain,” said Ortega, political science junior. “Any kind of tuition relief, even if it’s not perfect, would be nice.” SB 326, authored by Texas Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-8), foSee TUITION, page 4
By Teresa Wilburn News Reporter
ASG legislation passed Monday night that might help ease the pain for a Texas State student still in mourning. The piece of emergency legislation entitled “Samantha’s Bill” required the senate’s full support and endorsement of Josefina Ibarra’s petition by installing their signature on the document. Josephina Ibarra, whose sister Samantha died in an automobile accident Jan. 9, started a petition calling for a left-hand turn lane be put on Highway 123. Having the turn lane could have prevented her sister’s car accident, she said. “What we are saying is that we are not going to lose any more students to Highway 123,” said Sen. Tommy Luna, who authored the bill. “The rebuttal to any kind of movements on Highway 123 has been money. We cannot put a price on life. It has taken 16 people, including a sister of someone who attends the uni-
Two-day Forecast Wednesday
Thursday
T-showers Temp: 74°/45° Precip: 50%
showers Temp: 55°/44° Precip: 60%
versity.” According to the legislation, Ibarra, as well as residents living in the area, believe turning lanes and road divisions are necessary for the safety of the motorists. Ibarra began the petition to address the problem to the Texas Department of Transpor Transportation, county commissioners and Texas Sen. Jeff Wentworth (D-45). Effective petitions, especially those affecting university students and Hays County citizens, require the most support possible, according to the legislation. Luna said the required support is something the senate can do to help ensure student lives are not taken. The effect ASG has on the university extends beyond the county and beyond the state, he said. “She (Ibarra) can go into these meetings with commissioners and with senator with the back backing of the student senators,” Luna said. “We are the voice of Texas State.”
Inside News ........ 1,2,3,4 opinions ............ 5 Trends ............. 6,7
Texas State University-San Marcos is a member of the Texas State University System
Diversions............9 Classifieds...........9 sports.................10
See ASG, page 4
To Contact Trinity Building Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708 www.universitystar.com © 2009 The University Star