DIFFERENCE IN DELIVERY
Some may see baseball and softball as the same sport, but pitchers beg to differ
BATTLE WAGES Six bands will battle to be the top band SEE TRENDS PAGE 7
SEE SPORTS PAGE 14
DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911
WWW.UNIVERSITYSTAR.COM
MARCH 29, 2007
THURSDAY
VOLUME 96, ISSUE 70
Bobcats expected to be volunteering 2,600 strong By Michael Lee Gardin The University Star The student-run initiative Bobcat Build is inviting students and San Marcos residents to help improve the city for the fifth year. The expansive community service project will be held 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Students and other volunteers will be assigned to various job sites where they will work to enhance the appearance of San Marcos. Nancy Tunell, international studies senior, is the Bobcat Build Student Planning Organization director. She said Bobcat Build is a wonderful annual project and she feels happy with this year’s expected turnout. “It is the largest community
service event at Texas State and in San Marcos,” she said. “This year, we are expecting about 2,600 students to participate and go to 105 different job sites in San Marcos.” Laura Ruiz, assistant director of Bobcat Build, said the job sites range from schools, churches and neighborhoods to community and senior citizen centers. She said this year Bobcat Build is focusing on neighborhoods. “We make the job sites feasible to students,” said Ruiz, interdisciplinary studies senior. “It is all based outside. It is a lot of painting and we are going to be part of a neighborhood clean-up.” Even though the deadline to register for the project has passed, Tunell said students are
still encouraged to sign up and participate. “The day of you can show up and go to the late registration tables and become a volunteer,” Tunell said. Students can sign up for late registration beginning 7:30 a.m. Saturday at the Strahan Coliseum Lot, located on Aquarena Springs Drive, across the street from the recreational fields. Tunell said the volunteers are assigned to job sites that best suit them. “We try to match the volunteers with the best fit job site,” Tunell said. “It depends on the job sites, what size of volunteers they request and then the size of the volunteers. The individuals usually go to one job site all to-
gether.” Ruiz said there is no reason why students should not participate. She said all students hear live music, get free food, receive a free T-shirt and gain a sense of accomplishment. “You get to hang out with your friends while doing work that is meaningful,” Ruiz said. Tunell said Bobcat Build is a great way to learn and interact with the community. She said students will be surprised at how far their work goes. “The students will gain a greater appreciation for their community,” Tunell said. “They will learn the value of service. Something that does not take a lot of effort on your part can mean a lot to someone else.”
Aaron Smith/Star file photo DOING THEIR PART: Students gather supplies outside the Bobcat Village Apartments in preparation for the 2006 Bobcat Build. Approximately 2,600 students are expected this year for the annual effort to help clean up San Marcos.
Drill sergeants impart wisdom to AFROTC By Molly Berkenhoff The University Star Practicing drills under the watchful eye of four experts meticulously surveying their every move, Air Force ROTC members marched in formation Wednesday as part of the program’s training and awards ceremony. The focus of the day was the visitation of four military training instructors from Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, more commonly known as drill sergeants. “These instructors are highly trained and highly effective,” said Lewis, who was charged with planning the agenda of the day’s events. “They give (the underclassmen) better, sharper and more intense training than we can give them alone.” These instructors worked with freshman who received a somewhat-diluted version of basic training. In a separate group, sophomores were given a heightened and more realistic simulation of the training they will face for their careers. “The main objective today is to get them proficient in basic drill movements,” said Sgt. David Drennon. “We have to build discipline which is the foundation of teamwork and basic military skills.” Held in an open field beside the tennis courts on Sessom Drive, the day was also one of See TRAINING, page 4
Faculty Senate votes against 120 hour rule By Scott Thomas The University Star
nify that change could be made. Martinez said she is from the Salinas Valley, also known as the “salad bowl of the world.” She said everything from iceberg and romaine lettuce to tomatoes and onions were collected by farm workers in the valley. Martinez’s father was a migrant farm worker. By watching her father and other workers, Martinez said she learned
The Faculty Senate voted in support of the Curriculum Committee’s proposition that no core courses should be cut to comply with Texas legislation. The legislation proposes to cut the 128 minimum course hours needed to graduate to 120. Six senators voted in favor of the proposal, five opposed and one abstained. After the vote, Faculty Sen. Michel Conroy, art and design professor, entered the chamber. Later, when new business was being discussed, she asked to officially go on record and said she had polled the faculty and had wished to vote against the proposition, which would have tied the vote. Though she was allowed to go on record saying such, the vote was not rescinded. “We met at the appropriate time and in the appropriate order, in effect you knew that,” said Faculty Senate Chair William Stone, criminal justice professor. The next item discussed by the Faculty Senate was who would be up for re-election and whose seats would be open because of resignations. The elections will start in the second week of April and the process will last two weeks. Every year, the Faculty Senate holds elections where onethird of the seats are open for change, which gives each senator a three-year term. In order to be eligible to run for a seat in the Faculty Senate, one must be a tenured associate professor or of a higher rank. Two of the seats will be open to election because the senators are resigning in order to pursue developmental leaves, which senators are not eligible to do.
See CHÁVEZ, page 4
See SENATE, page 4
Cotton Miller/Star photo FRONT AND CENTER: Sgt. David Drennon from Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio gives instructions to a group of Texas State cadets Wednesday afternoon near the Tennis Complex.
Life, legacy of César Chávez honored by faculty, students By Karen Little The University Star Salsa music, chatter and laughter could be heard from the third floor of the LBJ Student Center Wednesday as about 50 faculty and students attended an event honoring the Hispanic civil rights activist César Chávez. The Texas State Latino Student Association, the event’s host, decorated the room in black, red and white, which are
the colors of the United Farm Workers’ flag. Chávez formed the organization in 1962. The event began with an introduction from Joanne Smith, vice president of student affairs. “(César Chávez) was a common man with an uncommon vision,” Smith said. She said Chávez was a man who never owned a home and had no higher than an eighth-grade education level. But “It can be done” was his motto for life. “This Saturday is his day,” Smith said.
“It is only fitting that we take time to pay tribute to a leader that has done so much for the advancement of thousands of people.” The main speaker of the evening was Gloria Martinez, associate professor of sociology. “One thing I learned from César Chávez is the term ‘Si Se Puede,’” she said. “What I tell people is ‘Yo Pude! Tú Puede! Nosotros Podemos!’” The Spanish phrases were used to sig-
Springs Fest features water activities, celebrates newly-built Rio Vista Falls By Jessica Sinn The University Star Imagine paddling down roaring rapids and gliding through steep, rocky slopes amid refreshing sprays of whitewater. River paddling enthusiasts can experience this scenario at Springs Fest. The event, a river paddling festival, will kick off Friday and run through Sunday at Rio Vista Falls. The festival,
sponsored by T G Canoes and Kayaks and the Power Olympic Outdoor Center, will feature kayak and canoe demonstrations, competitions and paddling instruction courses. Duane Te Grotenhuis, T G Canoes and Kayaks owner, said the event will showcase an assortment of new and used kayaks and canoes for prospective buyers. “We’ll have close to 60 differ-
Today’s Weather
Scattered Precipitation: 40% 81% Strong Storms Humidity: UV: 6 High 76˚/65˚
Wind: SSE 15 mph
ent boats there, so if you want a demo, or if you’re in the mood to buy a canoe or kayak, this will be the most wonderful opportunity to give them a whirl first,” Te Grotenhuis said. “If you don’t paddle it, chances of getting the right boat are slim to none.” Te Grotenhuis said shopping around for a kayak or canoe is much like buying a car. He said he advises buyers to sample
Two-day Forecast Friday Scattered T-Storms Temp: 74°/ 64° Precip: 60%
Saturday Scattered T-Storms Temp: 78°/ 62° Precip: 50%
various boats by taking them out for test drives on the river. “This is your vehicle on water, you certainly want to get the right one,” Te Grotenhuis said. “If you pay $100 more than you thought you would pay, but you get the right one, that’s the cheapest boat you could have bought because it’s going to last you a long time and you won’t have to upgrade it.” An assortment of paddling
instructions for whitewater, flat-water, competitive and recreational river sports will be available. Te Grotenhuis said buyers should carefully select paddles before purchasing them. “I would never compromise the boat or the paddle, those are the things you want to get right the first time,” Te Grotenhuis said. Michelle and Ben Kvanli,
founders of the Power Olympic Outdoors Center and Southwest Texas State University alumni, want to showcase the new Rio Vista Falls. Their center is a non-profit paddling instruction school, geared toward raising money to train future Olympic athletes. Ben Kvanli said he hopes the event will attract San Marcos
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Texas State University-San Marcos is a member of the Texas State University System
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See SPRINGS, page 9
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