Slam with Soul Fourteen Finishes Renowned poet and singer performs on campus
Texas State track and field teams take home 14 first-place titles
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SEE SPORTS PAGE 8
Defending the First Amendment since 1911
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April 1, 2009
Wednesday
Volume 98, issue 67
students Students testify before legislature hope for Senate committee hears tesitmonies before debating bills san antonio campus By Lori Jones News Reporter
Texas State students may be able to take courses in San Antonio beginning next fall. Representatives from the university have had multiple meetings with Eric Reno, the Northeast Lakeview College president, about future plans for the two schools to pair up in the neighboring town. “We’ve been invited on an annual basis to make presentations on our progress and have enjoyed wonderful representation from Texas State at all of our celebratory events: groundbreaking and ribbon-cuttings, etc.,” Reno said. “Texas State has been one of the most welcoming, support supportive and collaborative of our higher education colleagues — even before the college was officially recognized.” Reno said what is being referred to as the Alamo Community College District initiative includes St. Philip’s College, San Antonio College, Palo Alto College, Northwest Vista College and Northeast Lakeview College. According to The Northeast Lakeview College Web site, the campus will extend See SAN ANTONIO, page 3
Road-construction project contract causes public outcry By Rachel Nelson News Reporter A proposed contract with Kellogg Brown & Root for a Hays County road-construction project provoked criticism from active military personnel, veterans, local taxpayers and Texas State students. The opposition stems from charges brought against the firm for unethical and fraudulent practices performed during their contract with the U.S. government in Iraq. County Judge Liz Sumter said as a result, it is likely negations with KBR will be “pulled off the table” at the Commissioners’ Court meeting Tuesday. “I’m certain the public outcry would have something to do with that,” Sumter said of recent testimony from Hays County residents against KBR. “It’s pretty power powerful when your own constituents walk in the door.” Greg Foster, history senior, a veteran of the U.S. Army who was deployed to Iraq in 2004, is one of the Texas State students protesting the contract. He voiced his opposition to the court about using tax dollars to do business with KBR,
(Amanda Domaschk)
(michael Guzman)
Tina Phan/Star photos HEATED TESTIMONY: Concerned citizens voiced their opinions of the controversial bill, which if passed would allow concealed handguns on campus, to the House Committee on public safety at the Capitol monday in Austin.
By Theron Brittain and Allen Reed The University Star The handgun debate got fiery Monday af afternoon in Austin. Proponents and critics of concealed carry legislation descended upon the committee of public safety and testified for three hours. Senate Bill 1164 and House Bill 1893 would allow concealed handgun license holders to carry on campus, if passed. Currently, 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. Forty-three people spoke about the bills, 28 for and 14 against. Texas State students on both sides of the issue. “Mass shootings are not likely to happen,” said Michael Guzman, president of Students for ‘Concealed Carry on Campus’ national chapter in an interview. “What is likely to happen are rapes, assaults, robberies and burglaries. These types of instances happen on a daily basis across the country. These are the crimes we are more concerned about.” Dallas Chambless, history freshman, served two tours in Iraq and uses a wheel-
chair. He spoke in favor of the bills. “It’s harder for us to defend ourselves,” Chambless said in committee. “We don’t have the luxury of learning martial arts or running away from a predator. The invisible line, such as a campus, where we are unable to carry, we feel is unfair.” Melissa Angelo, pre-healthcare administration senior, does not have a concealed handgun license, but said she wants to see the bill passed. “After all that I’ve been through — mentally, socially, emotionally — I come to you today to plead for consideration allowing me and so many other women who are victims of sexual assault to give us a chance to defend ourselves on campus the same way we would off,” Angelo said. “I don’t want the same thing that happened to me to happen to other people. Amanda Domaschk, political science senior, is opposed to the bill. She testified before the committee. “There is not an organized push against it, but the people that are for it really are in the minority,” she said in an interview. Domaschk said religious minorities and transgender students, among others, might feel threatened on a campus where guns
are allowed. She said allowing firearms on campus would deter free speech. She said instititions and the students whom attend them should decide if they want handguns on campus. “We talk about how the death penalty in Texas was expected to decrease crimes and we have not seen a decrease in crimes at all,” she said. “In fact, we still have one of the highest crime rates. It might make a couple people feel better, such people as Michael Guzman, who is a veteran and is used to car carrying a gun around, might feel safer. But I think it will make a lot of other people feel uncomfortable.” Domaschk said a university campus is dif different than other areas where guns are allowed. “I wouldn’t say the things I say on a college campus at a Post Office,” she said. “You don’t have religious fanatics at a Post Office like you do on a college campus yelling at girls because their skirts are too short, telling them they are going to go to Hell.” Guzman, economics senior, said his group advocates freedom of choice. “We are talking about people who already See GUNS, page 3
See KBR, page 3
Senators left off election ballot
GETTING AROUND
By Amanda Venable News Editor
Alyssa Scavetta/Star photo George Pappas, pre-music sophomore, and others are concerned about inaccessibility for students who use wheelchairs and crutches. The school is working to make the campus more ADA friendly. SEE NEWS PAGE 4 FOR FULL STORY.
Today’s Weather Partly Cloudy
84˚
Precipitation: 10% Humidity: 35% UV: 8 Very High Wind: SSE 17 mph
Candidates running for senate positions in the College of Fine Arts and Communication woke up Tuesday for a day of campaigning to find something missing from the online ballot — their names. Information Technologies spent Tuesday morning working on the university server connection, which was keeping some students from casting their ballot in the ASG elections. It prevented others from voting for certain candidates. Colter Ray, public relations junior, is one of five senate candidates whose name was not on the ballot Tuesday morning. “Basically, if you were in the College of Fine Arts and Communication and pulled up the voting page
you could vote for presidential candidates, but if you went to the senators for that college, then all five names were left off,” Ray said. “It wasn’t just me.” Running against Ray in the College of Fine Arts and Communication, Gabriel Carrillo, advertising junior, said he lost votes because of the glitch. “Some of my friends were saying they didn’t see my name and I’m just really confused,” Carrillo said. “I kept hearing about everything being haywire. I still don’t under understand what happened. I’m sure it wasn’t done maliciously; it was a mistake that happened. The best I can hope for is that it doesn’t count against me or any of the other people running.” The system slowdown Tuesday morning had candidates and the
Two-day Forecast
election commissioner in talks of extending the election by one day. However, Vincent Morton, associate dean of students, said an additional day is unnecessary because the online ballot is accessible throughout the election period. “Everything is cleared up and everything is moving now,” Mor Morton said. “We will look at election results, but I bet you we will have the same results that we have had in previous years.” Morton said problems with the ballot and other university links were the result of a slow server connection and limited IP address space caused by the laptops used at the polling locations. Students can vote 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at polling locations in the LBJ Student Center and in The Quad or online.
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Calendar
Today in Brief
starsof texas state Beverly Penn, a professor in the department of art and design, will be honored by President Denise M. Trauth at the 40th Presidential Seminar April 8. The recent work of Penn, who specializes in metal sculpture, explores the sacrifices accompanying the advances of industrial and post-
industrial times. She addresses issues in her sculptures by employing man-made materials in ways that make them appear organic in her art, Penn explores the dichotomy between artificially constructed spaces and those that are natural. —Courtesy of University News Service
News Contact — Amanda Venable, starnews@txstate.edu Texas State University-San Marcos is a member of the Texas State University System
GETTING AHEAD
Clarification
WEDNESDAY
The photos with the textbook story in Tuesday’s issue was a photo illustration. The University Star regrets this error.
LGBQ Pride Group is from 12 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. Pre-screening is required by calling the Counseling Center at 512-245-2208.
CRIME BLOTTER
Anger Management Group is from 4:30 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 512245-2208. ACOA/Dysfunctional Families Group is from 5:15 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 512245-2208. There will be an Overeaters Anonymous Meeting from 7 to 8 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church, 130 W. Holland. THURSDAY Veterans Support group is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Veterans can help veterans cope with the stress of transition and the demands of college lives. Pre-screening is required by calling the Counseling Center at 512-2452208. Coping with Grief and Loss Group is from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. It is a source for students who have experienced the death of a loved one. Pre-screening is required by calling the Counseling Center at 512-245-2208. Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship will hold its weekly meeting on at 8:30 p.m. in Old Main, room 320. Enjoy contemporary worship, relevant teaching, prayer and plenty of fun. Contact 512-557-7988 or mail@texasstatechialpha.com for more information.
University Police Department
Bridgette Cyr/Star photo Kinsey Airhart, exercise sports science senior, gets a head start on her upcoming anatomy practical by studying in the sunshine Tuesday at the Edge apartment complex.
This day in history
1853: Cincinnati, Ohio, became the first U.S. city to pay its firefighters a regular salary. 1918: The Royal Air Force was established in Britain. 1933: Nazi Germany began persecuting Jews with a boycott of Jewish-owned businesses. 1939: The United States recognized the Franco government in Spain following the end of the Spanish Civil War. 1946: Tidal waves struck the Hawaiian Islands, killing more than 170 people. 1960: The first weather satellite,
TIROS-1, was launched from Cape Canaveral.
1970: President Richard Nixon signed a measure banning cigarette advertising on radio and TV. 1984: Singer Marvin Gaye was shot to death by his father at age 44. 1987: In his first major speech on the epidemic, President Ronald Reagan told doctors in Philadelphia, “We’ve declared AIDS public health enemy No. 1.” 1999: A New Jersey man was arrested and charged with originating the “Melissa” e-mail virus, which infected more than 1 million computers worldwide and
caused more than $80 million in damage. (David Smith served just 20 months in federal prison in exchange for helping the FBI track down the authors of other computer viruses.) 2001: Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was arrested on corruption charges after a 26-hour armed standoff with police at his Belgrade villa. 2003: American troops rescued Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch from a hospital in Nasiriyah, Iraq, where she had been held prisoner since her unit was ambushed nine days earlier. —Courtesy of New York Times
March 17, 2:14 p.m. Elevator Rescue - Harris Dining Hall A nonstudent was released from a stuck elevator without harm. A report was made of the incident. March 17, 2:45 p.m. Criminal Mischief under $1500 - Wood Street Parking Garage A nonstudent reported to a police officer university property had been damaged. The case is under investigation. March 19, 2:33 a.m. Property Damage - Sessom Drive (West) A police officer responded to an accident. Two students were transported to Brackenridge Hospital. A report was made of the incident. March 19, 11:35 p.m. Harassment - Clear Springs Apts A student reported to a police officer she received a harassing phone call. The case is under investigation. —Courtesy of University Police Department
Theatre Center hosts production of ‘MacBeth’ William Shakespeare’s legendary “MacBeth,” a tragic story of lust for power and murder in ancient Scot Scotland, will take the stage at Texas State for an early April run. Directed by Charles Ney, the “Scottish Play” will hold perfor performances at 7:30 p.m. April 2 to 4 and April 7 to 9 as well as a 2 p.m. matinee April 5. All performances will be held on the main stage of the Theatre Center on campus.
One of Shakespeare’s darkest plays, “MacBeth” follows the titular character as he begins a bloody descent into madness in an unfet unfettered quest for power. Goaded by his wife’s ruthless ambition and the ominous prophecies of three witches, MacBeth murders his guest, King Duncan, in an attempt to seize control of Scotland. Admission is $10 for the general public and $7 for students
with a Texas State ID. Tickets can be purchased at the Univer University Box Office in the Theatre Center, located at the corner of Moon Street and University Drive and available by phone at 512-245-2204. Call 512-245-2147 for more information. —Courtesy of University News Service
Health Beat Self-examination is key to beating cancer In 1999, comedian Tom Green promoted testicular cancer awareness for encouraged young men. According to the Testicular Cancer Resource Center, monthly self-examinations enable men to discover signs of testicular cancer at an early stage, significantly increasing their survival rate. Testicular cancer usually first appears as a small lump, about the size of a pea, on the side or front of the testicle. Other signs of testicular cancer include one testicle feeling significantly
larger or harder than the other, a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum or a dull ache in the lower abdomen or groin. The American Cancer Society cites testicular cancer as the most common cancer found in men ages 15 to 40. Most cases can be cured if detected and treated early and the National Cancer Institute projects the five-year sur survival rate as being 96 percent. It is important to remember not to confuse the epididymis behind each testicle or a pimple, in-
grown hair or rash on the scrotal skin for testicular cancer while performing a self-examination. Visit www.cancerawareness. healthcenter.txstate.edu to learn more about the testicular cancer self-examination or for general cancer inquiries. Call the Student Health Center at 512-245-2167 to speak to a medical provider or make an appoint appointment. —Courtesy of Caleb Hudgens, Student Health Center
News
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
KBR
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which has been a leading contractor in Iraq. “Pretty much every step along the way from what my research has told me is that they (KBR) have defrauded the government out of thousands of dollars,” Foster said. “They have provided substandard services, and they have just kind of played on this idea of patriotism, when in reality, they are nothing more than profiteers in this whole thing.” KBR is a former subsidiary of Halliburton, and has been accused of bribery, fraud and putting soldiers’ lives in jeopardy with their work, including installing faulty wiring in showers that reportedly electrocuted troops, according to The Washington Post. KBR has denied all allegations. According to Commissioners Court records, Pct. 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe recommended KBR to design and engineer work on Farm-to-Market Road 110 in Hays County for $617,929. Ingalsbe is at a conference this week, and could not be reached for comment. Laureen Chernow, Hays County communications specialist, said the issue is still up in the air. “There has been a lot of public criticism about KBR and some additional information that came to the county regarding their capabilities to properly complete some of their contracts in other areas,” Chernow said. “Apparently, the court is considering reopening the issue at the commissioner’s meeting Tuesday and discussing whether or not those discussions with KBR should continue.” Foster said he heard dealings with KBR could be axed, but he plans to be among pro-
testors at the meeting Tuesday. “I think it’s kind of our responsibility, to not believe a rumor that the contract is dead, but to be actively working against it until we know that it’s dead,” he said. Chernow said the Commissioners Court meetings welcome public comments and concern. “This is part of the public governing process, and that’s what the Commissioner Court is all about,” she said. KBR is contracted by the City of San Marcos for work on the Wonder World Drive extension project scheduled for completion in 2010. “That project started several years ago, so at the time we did not have the same issues that the county is experiencing right now,” said Laurie Moyer, assistant city manager of San Marcos. Moyer said KBR has been involved in the design and engineering of several TxDOT projects that involve working with sensitive environmental and archaeological conditions. “They have been a very good firm to work with,” Moyer said. “We as a municipal agency have a process where we select firms and they have to submit a proposal, and we look very closely at their experience and the types of projects they have done.” Foster said he hopes the concern expressed by he and others will catch on in San Marcos. “I’d like to see that the city never signs another contract with them,” Foster said. “This is how we hold corporations accountable for unethical behavior — by not giving them any more money.”
SAN ANTONIO CONTINUED from page 1
more than 365,000 square feet once all of the structures are built. The $125 million construction was agreed on by Alamo Community College district votes in a 2005 bond election. Reno said the estimated enrollment figures from last semester remain the same as of now. They expect more than 15,000 students to register at the college. However, the figures “change rapidly and significantly as we move to larger sites and open additional buildings,” Reno said. Reno said construction of the buildings is still in progress but far enough along to predict competition by the end of summer. “All nine of the buildings on our permanent site should be completed for the Fall 2009 semester, plus the two buildings of the Judson Early College Academy built by our local school district,” Reno said. Provost Perry Moore previously said Texas State officials are “hopeful” they can utilize the space Northeast Lakeview College vacates after their permanent campus is built. “As we move into a new campus and vacate our temporary facility we will be talking to
Texas State and others about collaborative educational opportunities,” Reno said. Texas State students native to San Antonio have responded positively to the proposition of the program. “I think that is a program that I would possibly take advantage of since I work in San Antonio on certain days,” said Alyssa Montes, pre-mass communication sophomore. Montes said she commutes frequently during the week. She often ends up spending the night at home in San Antonio. “It would benefit me to have a class or two in San Antonio on those days that I work, but still live in San Marcos and maintain independence and get away from home somewhat,” Montes said. However, Montes said she had reservations about the program because it is important to her to “branch out” from San Antonio. Chelsea Garcia, pre-international studies junior, goes back home to San Antonio during the summer to take courses over the break. She said taking courses through Texas State in her hometown would be beneficial. “Instead of taking summer classes at San Antonio Community College, I could take them at Northeast Lakeview College,” Garcia said.
GUNS
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have a concealed handgun license, who already have a firearm, who are already carrying,” he said. “These are the same people who sit down next to you carrying a gun. These are the same people who sit down next to you in a movie theatre who are carrying, the same people who are in a grocery store. To say these people can be responsible, reasonable adults across the street, but to say when they cross that invisible line to campus they all of a sudden become unreasonable, untrustworthy, is a fallacy.” Guzman said the bills are about self-protection. He said 2 percent of firearm-related deaths occurred by accident, typi-
The University Star - 3
cally while hunting. “As of today, 71 of my House colleagues and 13 senators have signed on as sponsors or joint sponsors on this legislation,” said Joe Driver, author of the House bill. Driver blamed misconceptions of his legislation on the media and said there were four points that needed clarification: He said the bill would only affect persons 21 and older, lets universities establish their own rules regarding the storage of handguns in residential buildings and does not repeal the ban of handguns at collegiate athletic events. He said his bill would not result in an increase in violence. One thing Domaschk and Guzman agree on is the bills are likely to pass. “I think it will pass in the House,
and I don’t think I will make much of a difference, honestly,” Domaschk said. “I think it is important that students speak out. I think there are some people who feel really strongly about their guns instead of looking around at the situation.” Guzman said the committee meeting increased the probability of the bill passing. “I think we have a very good chance,” Guzman said. “I think we have 49 percent of the House supporting it. We have the governor’s support, we have 39 percent of the House sponsoring the bill. We have a few votes because of sponsors. The House committee is our largest obstacle.” Monday’s meeting served as a public hearing and the committee has not voted yet.
Mexico new destination for dental work By Oscar Avila Chicago Tribune LOS ALGODONES, Mexico — The sales pitches start just a few steps after you cross the border into Mexico. They come in the same half-whispers familiar to tourists who have been offered time-shares and T-shirts. “Excuse me, sir,” a Mexican man politely asks in accented English. “Are you looking for a good dentist?” “Got one,” a silver-haired American says, not even breaking stride. This kind of commerce has turned a sleepy village on the U.S. border into the latest boomtown of medical tourism, the term for traveling abroad to get medical care. Medical tourism has become a $60 billion enterprise by one estimate, from face-lifts in Costa Rica to heart surgery in India. Los Algodones, population 4,000, is home to about 350 dentists geared to foreign patients, including snowbirds from Chicago and elsewhere in the upper Midwest. Their treatment comes at a huge discount — 70 percent or more — from what Americans pay at home, a reality many patients call an indictment of U.S. health care. But U.S. medical authorities warn this desert outpost is a medical Wild West, an unregulated environment where substandard providers can hang their shingle without the same oversight offered in the United States. Wisconsin native Carl Zeutzius rubbed his jaw after getting a dental implant, but downplayed wor-
ries, saying he was pleased by the care and by a final bill 75 percent cheaper than in the U.S. “We’re in favor of helping the economy in the United States, but we don’t want to be ripped off, either,” said Zeutzius, who winters in Arizona with his wife. Longtime dentists report that two decades ago there were only about a dozen dentists, and the village drew only the occasional visitor looking for cheap trinkets or R-rated pastimes. But more foreign visitors began coming for dental care as health care costs in the U.S. rose and Arizona began drawing retirees and snowbirds. The boom began in the late 1990s as dental offices began displacing cheap bars known as cantinas. A recent survey reported about 350 dentists working in 160 offices. Dental care is the real engine, despite pharmacies and eye doctors also sharing the sidewalks with quesadilla stands and souvenir vendors.Another survey, by McKinsey & Co., said most patients travel in search of more advanced technology, but the industry’s growth potential lies in those seeking to reduce expenses, such as the patients in Los Algodones. Experts say increases in health care costs are outpacing the Consumer Price Index at the same time that health insurance is requiring higher deductibles. McKinsey said a new international accreditation system that certifies a foreign provider’s adherence to U.S. guidelines for care will only boost medical tourism, as patients feel more comfortable.
Experts say one reason for the cost disparity is U.S. medical providers must guard against devastating malpractice lawsuits by securing expensive insurance—costs passed on to the consumer. High costs are troubling, but are necessary to create a system in which a patient has recourse against an unethical or incompetent medical provider, said Kevin Earle, executive director of the Arizona Dental Association. Earle said his member dentists have reported countless examples of having to fix problems in patients who have gone to Mexico for care. One patient came to the hospital bleeding heavily from the mouth — the Mexican dentist had ignored that he was taking the blood thinner Coumadin, Earle said. “Our dentists worry about their patients,” he said. “They don’t want to see them harmed in any way.” Patients in Mexico can complain to two main governmental bodies. The Federal Consumer Prosecutor’s office handles complaints about unethical billing and the like. The National Medical Arbitration Commission mediates disputes about substandard medical care. However, neither body has a fulltime presence in Los Algodones, or the ability to extract compensation. Dentists and patients in Los Algodones point to Dr. Carlos Rubio as an example of what’s right with Mexican care. Rubio said he wants to succeed on quality, rather than try to compete with cutrate prices. The American-trained dentist’s office contains a digital X-ray machine.
4 - The University Star
News
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Campus construction increases inaccessibility for disabled students
Alyssa Scavetta/Star photo ADA EFFECTS: George Pappas, pre-music sophomore, recently broke his leg and has been working his way around campus via wheelchair or crutches.
By Lora Collins News Reporter Increased traffic flow and loss of parking are not the only concerns students have this semester. Students who use wheelchairs or casts and crutches are concerned about the inaccessibility of access ramps located throughout campus. They say the inaccessibility has been made worse by the increase in construction. George Pappas, pre-music sophomore, recently suffered a broken leg and now transports across campus in a wheelchair. Pappas said his living condition makes it difficult because of the inaccessibility of the location. “The main problem is I live in a dorm that doesn’t have an access ramp,” said Pappas, Falls Hall resident. “I have been trying to get rides from my friends because I can’t get up that hill very easily.” Pappas said he often sees people using accessibility ramps when they are capable of taking the stairs. He said he is forced to use his crutches up the stairs as a result. “I have been crutching most of the way and I have had to learn how to crutch up the steps, which probably isn’t very safe,” Pappas said. Nancy Nusbaum, vice president for finance and support services, said the department tries to pay full attention to all students when it comes to accessibility. “We do our best to try and make it as easy as possible for all students to get across campus, but what is going to happen is people are going to take the quickest route and unfortunately that may be the accessible route,” Nusbaum said. Nusbaum said an accessibility ramp for the LBJ bus loop is being constructed. Tina Schultz, director of disability services, was unable to comment on the subject. Nusbaum said the university follows the state codes closely. She said there are instances when the school has to re-do projects to meet state codes. “There was too much slope on the academy street sidewalk, and so we had to rip it up and re-do it to
meet state codes,” Nusbaum said. Nusbaum said she is not aware of any complaints from students. She said the department does its best to send letters to students explaining changes that will be made to the campus so each person can plan accordingly. William Fogarty, vice president of facilities, said it is apparent there are “accessibility issues on campus.” He said the issues are normally attended to in a timely manner. “Whenever we build new projects, it triggers an automatic review by the state,” Fogarty said. “We have to find a path that will fit the standards.” He said the university is working on making the campus “ADA friendly,” (Americans with Disabilities Act) and pairs with the TAC Act, also known as the Texas Accessibility Standards. Fogarty said the university complies with both acts, but it takes time to fix some problems. “Mathews Street is blocked at the corner of Sessom and LBJ,” Fogarty said. “We are making it more ADA friendly, plus we are going to make it easier for busses to turn right at that corner.” Increasing the amount of “access ramps and elevators” to the football stadium to accommodate the handicapped population is on the list as well. Pappas said the university needs more access ramps and hopes improvements will be made soon. “It is OK in The Quad, but I live in the valley so it’s pretty much impossible to get my wheelchair up the hill,” Pappas said. Fogarty said there have been some “sidewalk issues” where the university has needed to add or shave off pieces of concrete to meet regulations. He said the university does however, have $75,000 a year, which the building committee reviews and issues out for certain projects around campus. “We hire an accessibility expert to come to campus and see what needs to be done,” Fogarty said. “I have been working here 10 years now, and I have not been a consultant yet so we need to get one here.” Fogarty said the main focus will be making Texas State a “more friendly campus” and hopes students will learn to respect each other in their paths.
OpiniOns 5 - The University Star
onlineconnection Check out www.UniversityStar.com in the following weeks for continued News, Sports, Trends and Opinions coverage.
Top Ten
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Opinions Contact — Krista Almazan, staropinion@txstate.edu
The Main PoinT igh school graduates may find more of a challenge getting into the Texas university of their dreams.
H
According to an article in the March 25th issue of The Uni University Star Star, the Top 10 Percent rule, which grants automatic acceptance to students who graduate at the top of their class, may be abolished. The rule puts a large bur burden on Texas’ top schools. Institutions like the Univer University of Texas or Texas A&M are no longer financially able to accommodate all the students in the top 10 percent of high schools across the state. The rule can also put genuinely bright students outside the top 10 percent at a disadvantage. The automatic acceptance rule has helped Texas univer universities. The amount of minor minority enrollment in schools like University of Texas and Texas A&M has increased as a direct result of the rule. Before this law was implemented, minorities and students in lower-income families were having trouble getting into their first choice schools. However, since the rule was put in place, the state has moved forward. No one is going to argue discrimination is a thing of the past. However, universities genuinely want a diverse student body, faculty and staff. Perhaps a revision — not a total abolishment — of the rule should be in order. It would bet better serve Texas’ top universities to lower the percentage to five, or even two. Universities may not be forced to fill over capacity with freshmen the law requires them to accept. Changing this rule could also benefit Texas State in the long run. Those who may have been obligatorily accepted by Texas A&M could end up coming here to pursue their degrees. As a school that is steadily on the rise, expanding and improving, Texas State could benefit from a student population with a growing number of high school top 10 percent applicants. Let there be no mistake, Top 10 percent rule or not, Texas State is a great institution with a large quantity of bright minds. However, the university will be better able to obtain more top students from the best high schools. No one ever thought the top members of the class and the smartest members of the class were one and the same. Grant Granted, grade point average is a good indicator of a student’s academic prowess. However, it is not the only indicator. Institutions and students will benefit from a revision of the Top 10 Percent rule. It had a good purpose, but it is dated now. It is time for the Top 10 Percent rule to go.
Troubles
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.
LettersL2E to the editor Star ‘knocks two campaigns’ While I understand that the Opinion Section of a newspaper is just that, an opinion, I’m slightly upset by this university’s response to the ASG elections in general, and this article is the icing on the cake. I know that the editorial board of the UStar can support whichever candidate they choose, and that they do not represent the student body, but I feel (and have for some time) that the school has been favoring the Covo/Luna campaign. Both Covo and Luna were featured on the University’s Web site under
the “Bobcat Profiles,” while Thomas and Loving were not. And now this article? Covo has great networking skills, no argument there, but to say that Thomas and Loving are poor candidates is poor work on part of the press. I’m not going to ar argue facts, because facts are facts, but I don’t think the editorial board as a whole should put an article out the first day of voting that knocks two campaigns. Just a thought. Melissa Hoffman, English junior
Zach Ashburn/ Star Illustrator
Pope oblivious to AIDS crisis in Africa MiChael Walker
Star Columnist
Sitting pontiff Pope Benedict XVI traveled to Cameroon March 17 to make his first visit to Africa as the Holy Father. He brought with him a message not of hope, but of destruction and carelessness in the midst of an already rampant AIDS crisis. The crisis has been tearing at the fiber of the continent for decades. The Pope was quoted by The Guardian, a British publication, saying “AIDS is a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems.” Yes there it is folks, the beloved Pope denounced condoms to a largely uneducated and widely Christianized continent, suffering the worst tragedy in recorded human history. Instead of paying any attention to empirical scientific evidence in condom use preventing AIDS, the Pope turned the issue into an over-spiritualized, doctrinal semantic that will ultimately result in a rise in African death rate statistics. What kind of blatant ignorance is the Church going to stand for? This kind of authoritative abuse is not acceptable, nor should it be glossed over just because of his status. On his plane from Rome, the Pope offered his solution to the AIDS crisis in terms of a human and spiritual awakening. It sounds wonderful to spiritually awaken the continent of Africa and to spread his Christianity across the Sahara, the Serengeti and the lush Congo. However, most people living there are already too busy dying or looking to subsist on meager rations in poor health. Scientifically uneducated per persons are not likely to practice safe sex, especially when the culture holds a male-dominant concept of gender. If a man is infected, the woman doesn’t have much say in preventing her own infection, or the potential child’s. But, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Father said “In the face of suffering or violence, poverty or hunger, corruption or abuse of power, a Christian can never remain silent.” Perhaps the Christians should think of what is right to say before opening their mouths. The Pope’s remarks are contrary to the Bulletin of The World Health Organization’s scientific review of condom’s effectiveness in preventing AIDS. The review “concluded that condoms were effective in protecting against transmission of HIV to women and men…” If the Pope is in fact to serve as one of the world’s foremost spiritual leaders, he might reconsider the value of human life before he naively speculates his ideal methods of addressing the largest pressing problem in human history. Africa is not a spiritual playground. It is a continent in desperate need of practical solutions. The Pope should stay in Rome with his artwork and ar architecture and leave Africa to aid workers and organizations already solving problems.
Top 10 percent rule should stay in effect
The debate over the Texas Top 10 percent rule for college admission has been brought up again in this year’s legislative session. The law was enacted in 1997 in response to a 1996 court ruling that barred the use of race consideration in admission policies. The law states that high school seniors who graduate in the top 10 percent of his or her class will automatically be admitted to any Texas university. This law has drawn criticism since it was first enacted. Some opponents of the law argue the law keeps students with high credentials who are not in the top 10 percent of their class out of schools. The law was first enacted to improve diversity in universities across the state and for many years it did just that. For the
University of Texas at Austin, the percent of Latino students enrolled in their institute jumped from 13 to 19 percent in 2006. African American student enrollment also increased from 5 to 7 percent in that same year. Now, the University of Texas at Austin is hoping to persuade lawmakers to change the law. UT President William Powers Jr. testified before the Texas Senate Higher Education Committee early this month in the hopes of persuading lawmakers to approve a measure limiting the law. Powers explained to the committee that UT might be forced to cancel its entering summer class, stop accepting students from other states and countries, and even abolish athletics if the automatic admission law is not changed. Powers argued
that 81 percent of UT’s freshmen were enrolled under this law, many of his athletes did not fall in the top 10 percent of their graduating class and the university is increasingly running out of space. Instead of making changes to the law, UT officials should encourage high school athletes who may have an opportunity to play for the university to work harder academically. UT officials should remind those potential students that they would be competing with the rest of the state’s population for spots into the university. This could give high school students across the state more motivation to work harder academically to achieve the goal of getting accepted into their school of choice. Powers’ argument that the university will
eventually have to abolish athletics seems too extreme for an institution that made $63 million from their athletic department in 2007. With space being limited schools such as the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M at College Station because of the law, other universities have the opportunity to boost their enrollment numbers. Before any permanent changes are made to the Texas Top 10 percent law, lawmakers must see what is best for all of Texas’ state universities, and not just one. This could be a great opportunity for UT officials to encourage high academic achievement for their potential students and athletes. Lesley Ornelas, journalism senior
Trends the university star
3000mph
Andre 3000, of the rap duo Outkast, was arrested Saturday for speeding in an Atlanta suburb. Police radar caught the rapper’s Porsche going 109 miles per hour in a 65 MPH zone. 3000, whose real name is Andre Benjamin, told police a missed exit was to blame for his speeding. The entertainer is awaiting a court date set for April 29, but made a $1200 bond for the time being. Benjamin’s short-lived Emmy winning cartoon, “Class of 3000,” has been made into a theater production at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta, Ga.
6 - Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Trends Contact — Brett Thorne, starentertainment@txstate.edu
Poet speaks out on what people are ‘scared’ to say By Morgan Wilson Features Reporter Gina Loring opened Tuesday’s slam poetry show with a song-prayer. “‘Ain’t I been Good’ is the title,” Loring said. “I find this a narrative for personal growth.” Loring, poet, songstress, songwriter and actress, lets her past and childhood inspire what she writes and presents to the world. “When I was younger, Dr. King was so present in our house I thought he was the president,” Loring said. “I soon learned differently but my mom, being a Jewish lady who focused on the Civil Rights Movement, taught me to be aware of what is going on socially. So the quality of life, black pride and people of color who are systematically marginalized are big in my poetry.”
oetry is “P therapeutic. There is poetry in everyone, it’s just a matter of finding it.”
—Gina Loring Poetry has been Loring’s source of recognition, but she had other plans for her career. “I thought I would be a singer,” Loring said. “As Oprah says, ‘Gods plans for you are bigger than what you have for yourself.’” Loring’s career found her after her graduation from Spelman University. “In high school, I was writing but I didn’t really start doing slams until after I graduated from college,” Loring said. “I saw Slam with Saul Williams and I was opened to a whole
community where I snowballed into doing slams.” Loring said her poetic voice emerged after a rough time in her life. “I started writing because I was unhappy, it was a way for me to put how I was feeling down,” Loring said. “It gave a voice to my angst and it is a healthy way to deal with things. And if my audience enjoys it cool but it’s really a way for me to genuinely express myself.” Loring, who speaks French and Spanish, had the opportunity to teach workshops on poetry in Kuwait as well as Las Angeles. She said within the cultures she has traveled among, she realizes everyone has a story to tell. Poetry, Loring said, is curative. “Poetry is therapeutic,” she said. “There is poetry in everyone, it’s just a matter of finding it.” Loring said she has so much material because poetry is a way to channel energy and efforts of what people are going through. “I’m not about being calculated in writing; my writing comes in spurts,” she said. “It’s more like putting together a jigsaw puzzle.” Loring described herself as someone who likes to speak her mind about what is troubling her. “I’m opinionated,” Loring said. “Poetry is a way for me to express myself and ideas, things I’m passionate about. It’s how I voice my opinion on things in society.” Loring said academia poetry is different from slam poetry but should be unified so they could both expand the genre to a new level. “I think your work should stand strong on the page as well as on the stage,” Loring said. “I think there should be a balance between academic poetry and slam poetry. Both communities should be more open minded because they could learn so much from each other.”
Hannah VanOrstand/Star photo HUMAN BEAT-BOX: Performer Joshua Silverstein showed off his beat-box skills Tuesday, creating sounds with a harmonica and his vocals.
Loring has a poem entitled Three Personalities that is a representation of who she is. She compares it to aspects of poetry. “Poetry takes on various facets; it’s raw genuine, uncalcu-
lated self expression,” Loring said. “Poetry at it’s best is vulnerable. Meaningful poetry is poetry that makes people uncomfortable. (It’s what) most people are often too scared to say.”
✯FYI
Gina Loring was the top ranking female poet at the 2002 National Poetry Slam Loring was highlighted on two season of Russell Simmons’ television show “Def Poetry.”
Latino Student Association holds dinner in honor of Cesar Chavez By Mike Patterson Features Reporter March 31 marked the birth of Civil Rights activist and founder of the United Farm Workers of America, César Chávez. The Latino Student Association, presided over by Christina Zambrano, hosted a dinner in commemoration of Chávez and his work. “I was surprised when I noticed not only students, but a lot of people really don’t even know who he was,” said Zambrano, digital and photographic imaging senior. Los Cucos catered the event. Joe Michael Gonzales, community education graduate, then shared a film he had created using stock footage of Chávez and La Caosa (the cause), entitled Life and Legacy of César Chávez. It was the first showing of the film, and showed Chávez and the members of his organization staging protests, fasting and boycotting against companies that
abused farm workers. “The new generation must be made aware of this man,” Gonzales said. The film ended with a showing of Chávez’s funeral, which was attended by more than 50,000 people. “It’s important that we say he was not a Mexican martyr, but an American hero. The food on the table, before it was served, was handled by a farm worker,” Gonzales said. The film concluded with Chávez saying “We are not a service. We’re servants. You don’t ask, we give.” Jaime Martinez, the first Mexican American to be elected to a national union executive board, and close friend of Chávez during La Caosa, also spoke at the event. Martinez met Chávez doing union work, and traveled with him to help with security, since there was a contract on the man’s life. “Every year more barriers are placed by legislation,”
Martinez said. “But we are still here, organizing. God sent him to us.” César Chávez founded the National Farm Workers Association, now known as UFWA, in 1962. The protests and strikes he led were modeled after that of Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi. California passed the Agricultural Labor Relations Act in 1975, protecting the farm worker’s rights to unionize. It remains the only law in the United States to do so. Lambda Theta Phi, the Latin Student Association and Chi Upsilon Sigma served a Chávez-Day breakfast Tuesday morning. The groups provide a free breakfast to custodial and construction workers employed by the university. Paul Vega, president-elect of the association, felt that this was necessary in the spirit of Chávez. “It’s really important that we give back to them,” said Vega, international studies junior. “Because without them there would be no Texas State.”
Band fuses ska, reggae sounds
The Pepper Pots remove the music standardizations of today’s society by using the simplicity of classic soul fused with ska and reggae. The ensemble from Spain sets out on a mission to bring back the Jamaican dance floor bands and the rhythms of American soul. The band released its first LP, Swingin’ Sixties, in 2004, which spread internationally. The band got some acknowledgement from the world with its first release, but its career took off playing tours across Europe with such artists as KiMani Marley, New York Ska Jazz Ensemble and The Slackers. The Pepper Pots released its second LP, Shake It!, in 2007, which helped the band gain attention across Europe, Japan and the rest of the world. The album was recorded with instruments of the time, and includes a massive orchestra of more than 20 musicians. The band’s Web site describes the album as, “A disk for danc-
Leslie Peters
Trends Columnist
ing, listening to and going back to the era when ska, rocksteady, early reggae or soul were the pop music of the moment.” The Pepper Pots owe most of their success and fan base to festival appearances, as well as performing in clubs, bars and other shows in Europe and America. The band members gave performances at places such as the Riversite Storm Air Festival 2007 in Germany, Rototom Sunsplash European Reggae Festival 2007 in Italy, Rock for People 2007 in the Czech Republic and a tour across America in early 2009. Throughout these festivals and
tours the band members have played with The Pioneers, Derrick Morgan, Winston Francis, Intensified, The Slackers and Los Skarnales, a fellow upcoming ska band. Dylan Gomez, an audience member at a show in Houston, claims the real magic of this new musical movement is the passion the music gives the audience and a type of dance called “skanking.” “I originally came to see Los Skarnales, because I have seen them before, but The Pepper Pots have the funky styling of ska, the reggae grooves and more soul than the grim reaper,” Gonzales said. “Their stage presence was bigger than them by far.” Musical fusion begins and ends with The Pepper Pots. It incorporates the unique aspects of the different ‘feel good’ pop music of the ’50s and ’60s, while giving it a youthful Spanish twist. The Pepper Pots band members make culture and music seem universal.
Diversions
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The University Star - 7
✯Star Comics
Solutions 3/31 Complete the grid so that every row, column, and 3-by-3 box contains every digit from one through nine inclusively.
Solutions for 3/31
Classifieds E-mail Classifieds at starclassifieds@txstate.edu
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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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PPD CONDUCTS MEDICALLY SUPERVISED RESEARCH STUDIES TO HELP EVALUATE NEW INVESTIGATIONAL MEDICATIONS. The qualifications for each study are listed below. You must be available to remain in our facility for all dates listed for a study to be eligible. Call today for more information. -Men and Postmenopausal or Surgically Sterile Women 18 to 55 Up to $3000 Healthy & Non-Smoking Tue. 7 Apr. through Sun. 12 Apr. Outpatient visits: 6 May, 3 Jun. & 1 Jul. -Men and Women 18 to 50 Up to $1000 Healthy and Non-smoking Thu. 9 Apr. through Sun. 12 Apr. Outpatient Visit: 16 Apr. -Men and Women 18 to 50 Up to $1000 Healthy & Non-Smoking Thu. 16 Apr. through Sun. 19 Apr. Outpatient Visit: 23 Apr. -Men and Postmenopausal or Surgically Sterile Women 18 to 55 Up to $3000 Healthy & Non-Smoking Tue. 21 Apr. through Sun. 26 Apr. Outpatient Visits: 20 May,17 Jun. & 15 Jul. -Men and Women 18 to 50 Up to $1000 Healthy & Non-Smoking Thu. 23 Apr. through Sun. 26 Apr. Outpatient Visit: 30 Apr.
SPORTS THE UNIVERSITY STAR
footballfunctions
Texas State football Coach Brad Wright will head five different camps this summer for younger players. These include three mini camps for grades 11 and 12, one junior camp for grades second to eighth and one kicking camp for grades ninth to 12. Dates, locations and online registration can be found on the Texas State Athletics Web site.
8 - Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Sports Contact — Lisa Carter, starsports@txstate.edu
Track, field teams triumphs in wind at UTSA relays By Jessie Spielvogel Sports Reporter The Texas State track and field teams traveled to San Antonio for the UTSA Relays this weekend. The Bobcats brought home 14 first-place titles for the second time this season. Mary O’Connor, communication studies senior, said although the team had satisfactory results, the weather was not optimal. “The team did well, considering how windy it was,” O’Connor said, “but I wasn’t even close to my personal best.” However, Aaron Jones, accounting junior, said the wind was an advantage for the sprinters. “The wind helped with the straight-aways because it was at our backs, and even though it was extreme winds, it wasn’t blowing at that particular moment,” Jones said. Six women placed first in their respective events. Iris Darrington, interdisciplinary studies junior, won the women’s 100-meter dash in 12.00 seconds. Katie Evans, international studies senior, took first in the javelin event with a throw of 31.67 meters. Valerie Hancock, applied sociology junior, had a distance of 1.76 meters to win the women’s high jump. O’Connor finished the 400-meter hurdles in 1:04.89. O’Connor said she did not expect to place first. “One of my rivals, Jessica Jones, UTSA, was in the race,” O’Connor said. “It was a surprise, but you can never expect to win the 400 hurdles. It is a race that comes down to guts.” Kelly Butler, exercise and sports science senior, placed first in the 1500-meter event with a time of 5:16.90. Jessica Canty, marketing freshman, Darrington, Renee Shepard, exercise and sports science sophomore,
and Maria Gustafsson, exercise and sports science freshman, finished the 4-by-200 meter relay in 1:40.78. The men’s team won eight first place titles. Stefon Hargrove, undecided freshman, finished the 100-meter dash in 10.75. Ikenna Obonna, finance sophomore, won the triple jump with a distance of 14.88 meters. Dmitri Kabakov, senior, placed first in the pole vault event with a height of 4.88 meters. Clay Holland, exercise and sports science senior, won first in the 400-meter hurdles and in the 110 hurdles. Jonathan Hernandez, health and wellness promotion junior, finished the 800 meters in 1:57.51. Dino Buchanan, exercise and sports science senior, won the 400-meter dash in 49.10. The men’s 4-by200 relay placed first with a time of 1:28.43. Jones placed second for the men’s 100 meter in 10.90. It was his first meet for the outdoor season. “I am happy for the way the younger guys are coming along. This was their fourth meet,” Jones said. “We are all coming right along.” O’Connor said this meet was a good way to benchmark where everyone stands. She said because of scheduling issues, not as many teams were in attendance. “Every meet until conference is a practice meet,” O’Connor said. Jones is confident the team will improve for the conference meet. “I am nowhere near my personal best right now. None of us were close to where we will be by conference,” Jones said. “Conference is where we peak.” The next meet will be the Texas Relays in Austin Wednesday Austin Byrd/Star photo through Saturday. The four-day event is a qualifier meet, so not STICKING IT: Dmitri Kabakov, senior, wins the pole vault with a height of everyone on the team will com- 16 feet during the UTSA Relays held at Virgil T. Blossom Athletic Center pete. Saturday.
Texas’ ‘Big Three’ close in on NBA playoffs
ANDREW VIZZONE
Sports Columnist
The NBA playoffs are looming and it’s an all too familiar feeling for some. The Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks are all in the midst of securing a playoff spot that would mark the fifth time in six years all three Texas teams have made the post-season together. The Spurs have been the only team of the three to hoist up the Larry O’Brien Championship trophy, but the Mavericks have once been Western Conference champs. The Rockets have been able to snag a playoff seed year in and year out, an accomplishment most of the NBA can only dream
about. This year, with 10 games left, each team looks to be on their way, yet again. In San Antonio, the Spurs are hoping to get hold of their fifth championship in 10 years. If they stick to their every-other-year system, they should lock it up, considering it’s an odd year. The Spurs, however, will need more than superstition if they want the finals. Plagued by injuries, the squad from the Alamo City has been limited to only 38 games with Timmy, Tony and Manu in the lineup. Without one of the three, the Spurs are a sub-.500 team at 20-15. Now the “big three” are back, but the Spurs must steer clear of their sloppy play. Significant games left include hosting Utah and New Orleans and a road game against Cleveland. A five-hour drive north brings us to Dallas, where the 43-30 Mavericks are holding on to the eighth and final playoff spot like their lives depended on it. After the eighth-seeded Warriors complete-
ly out-hustled and out-hearted the number one-seeded Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs, Dallas has been looking to bounce back. With the past behind them, they look to use these last couple weeks as a challenge for them to gain some consistency. The Mavericks can lock up the eighth and final spot as long as they win five of their last nine games. Significant games left are Phoenix, Utah, New Orleans and Houston at home and New Orleans on the road. Finally, we arrive in Houston where the surprising, yet surging Rockets reside. Most felt it was time to bid adieu to the Rockets after the announcement that AllStar Tracy McGrady would be out for the season, including myself. Since Feb. 11, however, they’ve gone 17-5 and look better than ever. Houston is the fourth seed as of now, but has plenty of potential to get jostled around as the race for a Western Conference playoff spot tightens.
Significant games left include games on the road against Phoenix, Los Angeles (Lakers) and Dallas. For us Texans, the NBA plays a major role in our state pride. Texas represents 10 percent of the entire league. If all three teams make the playoffs, Texas would represent almost 20 percent of the entire playoffs, giving a one-in-five chance the NBA champion will be crowned in our beloved state. California is home to four NBA teams, but never have more than two made the playoffs in the same year. Florida represents the Heat and the Magic, but this season will be only the second time in seven years in which both teams make the playoffs together. Though only few select states have more than one NBA team, this accomplishment in Texas should not go overlooked. Being a perfect three-for-three for the fifth time in six years would be nothing short of amazing. After all, God blessed Texas with his own hands.
Tennis improves conference record on the road By Dustin Stelly Sports Reporter Texas State women’s tennis improved its Southland Conference record to 4-3 with a pair of road wins against Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State. Both matches were won 4-3, the closest possible score. Texas State took the doubles point for the sixth match in a row. “We ended up winning the doubles kind of easy,” said Coach Tory Plunkett. “(There) wasn’t too much stress with that.” Texas State lost the first set in four of six matches of singles play against SFA. Saskia Kruse, exercise and sports science junior, lost her first set 4-6. However, Plunkett said Kruse began playing much better in the second set. “The second set I had a better touch and a better feeling,” Kruse said. “I’m pretty sure if she had played the third set I would have beaten her.” However, there was no third set because the SFA player twisted her ankle. After Kruse’s win by default, the next match to finish came from Mackenzie Farmer, political science senior, who won 6-0, 6-2. Texas State only needed to win one more match after Farmer’s to take the day. However, the Bobcats were losing all four of the remaining matches. Texas State lost two of the matches. Andrea Giraldo, management junior, and Ashley Ellis, political science senior, were the only two women with matches remaining. Giraldo had been feeling ill and was getting worse as play went on. “She was feeling absolutely horrible,” Plunkett said. “She felt like she was going to pass out.” Plunkett said Giraldo pressed on through her illness to keep some of the pressure off Ellis. Eventually Ellis won her match 6-2 in the third set and Giraldo was able to retire. The team traveled to Huntsville Sunday. Plunkett said the competition was tougher. “(It was a) very mental match, you really had to stay focused,” Plunkett said. “There was a lot going on — screaming, yelling, everything.” The Bobcats took the doubles point, though the No. 1 team lost 8-3. The No. 2 and No. 3 teams both won their matches 9-7. Kruse and Farmer won the first two matches while the other four lost. The win for the day came down to Ellis’ match. “It’s the last match of the day, everybody is watching her, she had 50 people surrounding her,” Plunkett said. “It’s intense. It’s like, ‘It’s all coming down to you,’ and she knows it and her opponent knows it, and she’s down 5-3.” Ellis continued to fight the match point. “After that third match point, that girl thought she was going to win,” Plunkett said. She was crying and saying, ‘Yeah!’.” Ellis won the match 7-5. “She said she was really scared and tense and nervous,” Kruse said. “But she was very relieved after it was over.” Plunkett said it was the first time Ellis has cried after winning a match. Ellis’ teammates swarmed her after the match, asking what if felt like in that pressure situation. “Everyone wants to be in that position,” Plunkett said. “We’re going to have another situation where it comes down to 3-all and it’s like, ‘Here’s your match’.” Plunkett said she was happy to have the win, but would have been impressed with the way the girls carried themselves even if they lost. “We composed ourselves very nicely and I was very proud of the players for that,” Plunkett said. “Not only to win a match like that, but to have good sportsmanship.” The squad continues its road play Saturday and Sunday at Nicholls State and Southern Louisiana. The team has four matches remaining until the SLC Tournament.
Women’s golf competes on difficult, volcanic course By Javier González Sports Reporter The course had lava and birdies and green a-plenty. The Texas State women’s golf team finished eighth of 15 teams at the par72, 5,981-yard Brigham Young University Dixie Classic March 24 to March 25. Coach Mike Akers said the team was lucky to compete at the tournament. “The BYU Dixie Classic was a late addition to our schedule,” Akers said. “We were on the waiting list and another team dropped out. It was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.” Akers said the tournament was held at a tremendous golf course. “The golf course and surrounding
areas were absolutely beautiful,” Akers said. “There was a nearby volcano and black lava bed. The golf course was in great shape and as green as it could be. In my opinion, it played to a difficulty of eight out of 10.” Gabby De Reuck, undecided freshman, brought in a three-round total score of 226, giving her an eighthplace finish. Adin Stromgren, undecided health professions sophomore, followed her teammate when she brought in a career-best record 231 after her three-rounds, giving her a 22nd-place finish. Stromgren said she wished she could have played better, but was proud of her career-best tournament finish. Stromgren said the golf course was tricky because of the lava. “Avoid the lava,” Stromgren said
heading into the final round. “I just tried to stay calm and play my game. I kept hitting the lava. It was calling my name.” De Reuck shot her season-best firstround 1-under par score at 71. She shot a 78 and a 77 in the second and third rounds, respectively. Stromgren and De Reuck were joined by Sydney Liles, applied arts and sciences senior, who brought in a three-round total score of 239. Liles shot 80, 81 and 78 in the first, second and third rounds, respectively. Caitlin Bliss, health and wellness promotion sophomore, tied for 55th with her total score of 239. She shot 83, 84 and 80 in her three rounds. Stromgren said she and her teammates tried to post strong competition while obtaining birdies.
Liles tied for 35th overall. Trine Mortensen, undecided sophomore, finished the tournament tied for 66th. Mortensen shot a total 247 after her three-rounds of 84, 83, and 88. Akers said the players were not used to the course. “Our players were disappointed with our finish,” Akers said. “We were not prepared for the change in altitude and speed and firmness of the greens. There was a stretch of holes that ran through an old lava bed. These holes were very tight and we dropped many strokes throughout this stretch.” Texas State competed against teams including Washington, Florida, North Texas, Colorado State, New Mexico State and BYU. Akers said the tournament was much needed for the team.
“I think this type of tournament is what our students and alumni want us to play in,” Akers said. “Going up against teams like Florida, Washington, BYU, helps us promote Texas State throughout the country. We just need to step up and beat these teams.” Akers said his team is now looking to the Miami and Southland Conference tournaments. “They are working hard and ready to finish off the season strong,” Akers said. “The golf courses in Miami and at conference are more suited for our game. We will see Bermuda grass at both events which we practice on daily.” The Bobcats will tee-off next at the Canes and Cards Classic April 6 to April 7 in Florida.
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