NEWS NEW DISTRICTS SET FOR TEXAS VOTERS AHEAD OF MIDTERMS PAGE 2
OPINION
SPORTS
SEEING GROWTH AS A POSITIVE FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
HUML PROMOTED TO DIRECTOR OF HITTING
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TUESDAY
September 1, 2026 VOLUME 115 ISSUE 35
Remembering Home
COMMUNITY
Nepali students show strength in the face of tradegy By Cady Clements Life & Arts Editor
PHOTO COURTSEY OF THE NEPALESE STUDENT ASSOCIATION
For Prashant Panta, one of the hardest parts of the devastating flooding in Nepal is knowing his home will never look the same, a sentiment shared by hundreds of international Texas State students. Flooding and landslides in Northern Nepal caused devastating damage Wednesday morning after a glacial collapse, leaving hundreds dead and over a thousand still missing, according to the BBC. At Texas State, the large Nepali student population is coordinating efforts to help their home, even while being over 8,000 miles away. The Nepalese Student Association (NSA), a resource hub and community for Nepali students at Texas State, held an emergency meeting Monday to show support for
FOOTBALL
All Eyes on TXST: ‘Cats to take on No. 5 Texas By Ayden Oredson Sports Editor
For the first time in nearly a century, Texas State football will travel to Austin, opening its inaugural Pac-12 season against one of the best teams in the nation: the No. 5 Texas Longhorns. Despite being just 31 miles apart, the schools have not faced off since a devastating Longhorns win in 1930. Both schools have taken drastically different paths, but they are meeting when the hype around both programs is at an all-time high. Texas State is fielding an impressive offense with a standout quarterback and receiving core, but Texas’ resources and star-studded roster make this season opener quite possibly the hardest game the Bobcats have ever played. The prelude
In January 2020, Texas and Texas State signed a contract to play each other, with the Longhorns paying the Bobcats $1.2 million, according to documents obtained by The Star. There is a considerable, obvious gap between the two schools. Typically, large power programs will pay smallbudget schools a large amount in what is referred to as a “guarantee game,” in a one-time match-up on the bigger team’s turf to tune up their program. The Longhorns are a perennial contender and among the most elite of the college football world. They have been quite successful recently under head coach Steve Sarkisian, with threestraight 10-win seasons and back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances in 23’ and 24’, narrowly missing the playoffs last year. The Bobcats’ story certainly doesn’t mirror Texas’, but it does rhyme in some ways. Head coach G.J. Kinne, who
GOVERNMENT
affected students and their families, and what members can do to help. Panta, a computer science senior and student advisor for NSA, spent days after the flooding hit Nepal coordinating efforts to comfort the organization and raise funds for the community. “You want to help, but there’s [only] so much you can do from here,” Panta said. “Even the people in Nepal, also, there’s [only] so much they can do.” For many students, the best way to help is to listen. Panta said his family was unaffected, but the village his mother grew up in, Nuwakot, was completely washed away. “A part of my childhood is gone,” Panta said. “Before moving to the U.S., I thought next time I’ll visit the countryside, and I’ll see it, but there is no next time.”
SEE NEPAL PAGE 7
TRANSPORTATION
City, TXST approves contract with Lime scooters By Fernanda Sauceda News Contributor
Texas State and the San Marcos City Council approved a partnership AYDEN OREDSON | SPORTS EDITOR with the owners of Lime to make Texas State junior wide reciever Beau scooters accessible to residents, Sparks (11) hauls in a catch, Saturday, students and visitors of San Marcos. Nov. 22, 2025, at UFCU Stadium. Scooters are expected to begin operating on Sept. 1, after Texas State’s arrived in 2023, has breathed new Sustainability Department executed a life into the program, including three- contract with Lime to allow scooters in straight bowl game victories. designated areas around campus, and after the city council approved their partnership with Lime on Aug. 18. SEE PREVIEW PAGE 6 Emma Parsley, program manager for the Office of Sustainability, said in an email to The Star that the agreement is intended to support Texas State’s sustainability efforts by expanding the transportation options available to Bobcats. The ridership data will be shared with both the city and Texas State. “That information can help the university and city understand how the service is being used and evaluate its role within the overall transportation system,” Parsley wrote. The agreement hopes to provide alternative transoportation, particularly for shorter trips around campus. During the meeting, it was stated that the new agreement with Lime will operate using the same map as SPIN ,with the addition of the east side of the interstate. San Marcos previously had a contract with SPIN, a dockless scooter STAR FILE PHOTO company; the contract ended on June San Marcos locals protest the building 30, 2025.
State Senator expects dispute to data center ban By Ca’Myah Robinson News Reporter
Citing non-compliance with state law, a state senator is expecting a challenge to San Marcos’ citywide data ban. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), referencing House Bill 2559, which limits cities from placing a pause or moratorium on property developments, as a possible challenge. San Marcos became the first city in Texas to ban data centers at its June 16 meeting, where the council voted 4-3 to ban data centers from the Land Development Code after listening to community input throughout months of public hearings. Similarly, Hood County placed a moratorium on data center development in their area. Bettencourt
sent a letter stating counties don’t have the power granted by the state to do so, citing HB 2559 as his reasoning. The legal threat led to Hood County rejecting the moratorium. HB 2559 is a state law created to limit how local governments can place a ban on property development, according to the Texas Legislature. Due to San Marcos banning data centers from its development code, Bettencourt said he expects this to be challenged legally due to the rules of HB 2559, according to an interview with the Texas Tribune.
SEE DATA PAGE 3
of a new data center, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2026 at San Marcos City Hall. The data center was denied in a 5-2 vote.
SEE SCOOTERS PAGE 2
NEWS
2
Arabella DiChristina | News Editor | starnews@txstate.edu
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
New districts set for Texas voters ahead of midterms By Arabella DiChristina News Editor
The narrowing of The Voting Rights Act (VRA) and state redistricting is changing how Texans can vote in the upcoming midterm elections, and who is representing them. The VRA was signed in law, 61 years ago, on Aug. 6, 1965, by Texas State Alumnus President Lyndon Baines Johnson, which was enacted to ensure which states followed the 15th Amendment that guarantees the right to vote to not be denied because of race. As the 2026 midterm elections approach, the new Texas congressional map creates five new Republicanleaning districts through packing, a map-drawing technique used to put as many voters from an opposing party into a single district. The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) narrowed Sec. 2 of the VRA on April 29, ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that plaintiffs will have to provide stronger proof to show that a state or county is intentionally discriminating against voters of color. After the SCOTUS ruling, Gov. Greg Abbott called a second special session on Aug. 15 of the 89th Legislature to revise a redistricting plan and map for the midterm elections in November, which was later upheld by SCOTUS. The new districts were created by utilizing packing. A second special session was called after to the majority of Texas Democrats broke quorum, meaning they were not present, which breaks the minimum number of representatives to hold a meeting which requires 100 to meet. The Democrats did this to block Abbots plan to redraw the
STAR FILE PHOTO
People stand and wait in a line to vote during the primary election on Super Tuesday, March 3, 2020, inside the LBJ Student Center at Texas State.
congressional district map. Redistricting is the process of redrawing a electoral district’s boundaries to ensure that each voting area has a roughly equal population, happening usually after the census due to population changes. However, legislators can redraw maps between the censuses if state law allows it, Texas legislation allows for it, according to Texas Redistricting. Joyce Le Bombard, voting rights and election law issue chair for the League of Women Voters in Hays County, and former president, said proving laws and maps are being enacted due to a discrimination is almost impossible because of how weak the VRA has become. “Since 2013, as the Supreme Court has weakened the Voting Rights Act, it has made it much more difficult for us to be able to challenge laws that are being enacted and maps that are being enacted that are purely racial and discriminatory based on race,” Le
Bombard said. Susan Raybuck, vice president of programs and advocacy for the League of Women Voters of Hays County, presented during the Aug. 8 anniversary of LBJ signing the VRA into law, stating the ruling for Louisiana v. Callis narrowed Sec. 2 to the point of interoperability for redistricting. “With Section 2, it was always interpreted before that it didn’t matter whether or not if there was an intent to racially discriminate but what was the result of the outcome of the maps or the laws. So this significantly changed that and flipped it on it’s head, saying no it isn’t the result that matters it’s the intent,” Raybuck said during the presentation. The ruling after Louisiana v. Callais triggered mid-decade redistricting ahead of the mid-terms at all levels of government, Raybuck said during the presentation. “We really do need to get
UPD reports increased bike, scooter thefts across campus By Meg Boles Managing Editor
Texas State has seen an increase in bike and e-scooter thefts across campus, according to a Timely Warning from the University Police Department on Friday Aug. 28. Thefts are primarily occurring when bikes and e-scooters are left overnight at academic buildings or left unsecured in high-traffic residence halls or charging stations, according to the warning. “The Texas State University Police Department (UPD) is committed to keeping our campus community informed and protecting student property,” Cat Hoyt, alternative program coordinator for UPD, wrote in an email to The Star. In the Timely Warning UPD offered strategies that students can take to prevent theft including: registering your scooter, bicycle or other micro-mobility devices in the
Editorial Staff
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The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Tuesday of the spring and fall and once a month in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 3,000. Printing is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.
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bikeindex.org bike index, upgrading your lock, since thin cable locks are easily cut, locking your bike or scooter directly to the bike rack, removing detachable objects like lights or GPS from bikes and scooters, knowing your bike or scooters serial number and attaching a tracking device to your bike or scooter. In response to the increase in thefts, UPD is taking active steps to combat the trend, they are increasing increasing high-visibility and targeted patrols around known hotspots, especially over night, investing the thefts and launching an outreach campaign to help students know how to safe guard their bikes and scooters, according to Hoyt Micro-mobility devices, like scooters and bikes are not allowed inside campus buildings due to fire, safety, and accessibility codes, however by using safe practices students can decrease the chance that their property will be stolen.
Publication Info
Editor-in-Chief: Andrew Bencivengo
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legislation passed at the federal level to fix those issues that SCOTUS has found with the Voting Rights Act so that we can get back to having free and fair elections for everybody,” Le Bombard said. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority, stated that Louisiana v. Callais and other cases have convinced the court to resolve whether compliance with the VRA can indeed provide a compelling reason for race-based districting. “Another problem stemmed from the long-unresolved question whether compliance with the Voting Rights Act provides a compelling reason that may justify the intentional use of race in drawing legislative districts. For over 30 years, we have assumed for the sake of argument that the answer is yes,” Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority, stated. Alito wrote that the court’s decision in 2019 to allow partisan gerrymandering “creates an incentive for litigant to exploit [Sec.] 2 for partisan purposes.” “We now answer that question: Compliance with [Sec.] 2 as properly construed, can provide such a reason,” Alito wrote. Raybuck said there are parts of the VRA that are left in, but is has been narrowed. She continued by stating that ORG is fighting to implement the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, that is designed to restore and strengthen the VRA. “As soon as Collais fell, many states started redistricting, some of them way before their primary elections. It’s causing chaos,” Raybuck said.
Director: Laura Krantz, laurakrantz@txstate.edu
Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, September 1, 2026. 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. Corrections Policy: Errors appearing in the pages of The University Star and brought to our attention will be corrected as soon as possible.
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NEWS
3
Arabella DiChristina | News Editor | starnews@txstate.edu
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
FROM FRONT GOVERNMENT Cities are allowed to place a temporary ban on development within specific parameters after giving notice of a hearing, holding the necessary number of hearings and following the timelines stated in HB 2559. “As part of the process, City staff conducted public hearings, had meetings with the development community and held an open house to gather input and comments on the draft code. The draft was presented to City Council, which reviewed staff recommendations and made amendments before adopting the updated code at the June 16, 2026, meeting,” the city of San Marcos said in a statement to The Star. San Marcos residents have repeatedly expressed their objection to data center developments within the city through protests, public outcries and at city council meetings. The Data Center Action Coalition (DCAC), an organization created to speak out against data centers and inform affected communities in Central Texas, was a part of community resistance before the ban was placed. Saunders Drukker, DCAC outreach coordinator and research analyst, said the organization began in San Marcos due to citizen concern about a data center being built in early 2025. “We tried and succeeded in halting the development of two data centers in San Marcos, delayed many others in the area, and helped the city of San Marcos pass a ban,” Drukker said. Other Texas counties, like Hill County, tried and failed to ban data center developments. The county passed a one year pause on data center development on May 12 until developer RCM Hill LLC filed a lawsuit on May 27 against the county, stating it was against the law according to the court complaint document. Compared to other cities, San Marcos is a home-rule city, which allows the city to govern itself with more authority to regulate land use, which is how the ban was carried out by changing the Land Development Code. Home-rule cities are given this power through the state constitution, which allows them to create zoning codes and control development within city lines. Councilmember Amanda Rodriguez was one of four members in support of the ban at the June 16 city council meeting and helped develop the plans to create the ban. Rodriguez said that changing the Land Development Code was the best route to successfully
ban data centers. “Because this ability is enshrined in the [state] constitution, I felt it was the most viable option moving forward to effectively accomplish a ban,” Rodriguez said. Despite Bettencourt’s comment on a possible challenge, Rodriguez said from her understanding, the ban doesn’t oppose HB 2559. “We have yet to receive a formal admonition from the state,” Rodriguez said. “We did not do this through a moratorium via ordinance ... I believe this was the most sound route we could have taken ... and that’s why it’s still in effect to this day.” The next legislative session will be held Jan. 12, 2027, where lawmakers modify, oversee and regulate laws. Rodriguez said they’re going to continue to pay close attention to see whether the authority to ban data centers will be revoked. On top of San Marcos’ data ban, Gov. Abbott
released a statement on Aug. 3, announcing that the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) will conduct mandatory audits of any data center project before it begins; should a project fail to do so, the data center will be denied connection to the grid. “Our top priority is to protect Texans’ safety and quality of life,” Abbott said. “Any project that fails to comply with the requirements set forth by the PUCT and ERCOT, and by state law, must be denied connection to the Texas grid. Simply put, Texans must come first.”
MADELINE CARPENTER | STAR ILLUSTRATOR
FROM FRONT SCOOTERS Lonny Stern, Texas government relations lead, stated during the city council meeting on Aug. 18 that the program is intended for 18-year-olds and older, requiring any adult who registers and allows a minor to ride a scooter to take full responsibility. Areas that will be considered no-ride zones, like riding near the river, will not be permitted, and Lime hopes to begin working on designated parking areas, Stern said during the city council meeting. The council is planning on testing out locations of parking corrals by adding street tape until it is approved. “We’ll ask them [participants] to register and say that they want this service. When they do that, they give us an email that then becomes part of their account; anytime their account uses the scooter, they get the discount,” Stern said during the meeting. Looking at access programs and simply going based on geographic zone isn’t as effective as registering and showing proof of eligibility, Stern said during the city council meeting. The agreement includes revenue to the city in the form of a per-trip fee of $0.10 for trips originating within San Marcos, according to the San Marcos City Council agenda. Lime will be offering a Lime access program to lower-income participants, and a 50% discount. This program will be accessible to those who receive any federal, local, or state assistance, according to Amy Finn, transit manager for San Marcos, during the city council meeting. The application for the access program requires the rider’s name, email and proof of eligibility. The proof must be submitted through a file upload. Programs that are accepted include: SNAP, Medicaid, Reducedrate utility bill, free or reduced school lunch program, reduced transit fare program, Social Security, WIC, federally subsidized housing, Pell Grant recipient, and Local or statesubsidized housing. Anyone who receives any kind of government assistance is eligible. Jason Harris, a radiation therapy
junior, said he uses a scooter every day to get around campus easier, and believes that scooters are safe. “Usually scooters are safe. If you are taught to be safe, same thing with cars and motorcycles, it could be dangerous if the person is unreliable or deemed dangerous,” Harris said. Harris said scooters are convenient for students who have to walk long distances between classes, and for students with injuries who struggle walking through stairs. Kaityln Kostelnik, public relations senior, believes that scooters are convenient but they pose a safety concern to students walking, especially in large areas that are normally crowded. Kostelnik said she has been shoulder-bumped in just this past week, being unable to move away from the crowd. “It’s imperative to remember, you are in a motor vehicle, you are going faster than a normal pedestrian walking, and even though you’re not in a car, you should still follow those motor safety laws,” Kostelnik said. Kostelnik hopes to see some changes made to ensure the safety STAR FILE PHOTO of pedestrians before she feels fully comfortable with scooters Texas State computer information systems major Sammy Wells rides a scooter through campus, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, on the Bobcat Trail by the Quad. around campus.
STAR FILE PHOTO
Electric scooters stand along the walkway, Tuesday, March 23, 2021, at the Quad Bus Loop.
OPINION
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Regina Orozco Lopez Forment | Opinion Editor | staropinion@txstate.edu
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
Opinions in The University Star are not necessarily those of our entire publication, Texas State University’s administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Student Publications Board.
Rethinking TXST’s growth as a net-positive By Regina Orozco Lopez Forment Opinion Editor
It is very common to hear negative feedback from students when the subject of Texas State’s growth comes up, but if they look beyond parking and crowded shuttles, they might find what this expansion can do for them. University initiatives like R1 and the expanding of course offerings and degrees is making Texas State a competitive school to attend, especially because of the focus on accessibility. Texas State has reached milestones with record-breaking enrollment rates, growing 11% in 2026. Compared to spring 2025, there has been a 30% increase in international enrollment and a 41% surge in master’s registration. Thus, kick-starting a new era for Texas State. Historically, the common perception about Texas State was that parties tend to be number one priority while grades and graduating are an afterthought. Whether it be due to online discourse or alum surveys, that view has hindered the perceived value of the university’s degrees. However, with Texas State steadily racing towards R1 status, the university has actively been working towards making a steady transition from that reputation, to a respected, high turnover research institution, in only 20 years. Awarded by Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, an R1 classification is the highest tier of research universities in the United States. With less than 150 universities
in the country holding the title, the classification refers to a “very high research activity” school. It draws on the investments and attention a school gives to research, serving as the ultimate badge of institutional prestige and academic success. It would directly benefit Texas State students by bringing more resources to the university, expanding degree offerings, widening academic horizons and increasing the value of a Texas State degree. Additionally, it would likely ensure cutting-edge research facilities, heighten possibilities of working with industry-led experts and would create an academic environment focused on success. Out of the 201 universities in Texas, only 16 hold the R1 classification. Two of those being Texas Tech University and Texas A&M University, who respectively succeed and hold high public status, with this title playing a key role in their success. Jose Rivera III, assistant of instruction in the department of world languages and literature, said that the
KYLIN ANDERSON | STAR ILLUSTRATOR
growth on campus comes with good, looking at it both as a professor and as an alumnus. “I’ve seen a lot of growth. Not just on campus but in town, and it has been a very positive growth with very positive changes. I feel that there are a couple of things that the university has to work on, like parking, but overall I feel like we are moving in a very positive direction,” Rivera said. Additionally, as part of moving in the right direction, this growth comes with an amplified options for courses. With over 32 programs added within the last two years, 11 of them being doctoral programs, the expansion is allowing for more opportunities; and amplified accessibility is a result of this. Texas State President Kelly Damphousse, said that he wants to make sure that our university is obtainable to anyone searching for a degree. “We want to have an elite program, but not an elitist program … I believe in the life-changing experience of a four year degree, I believe in that mission,”
Damphousse said. According to EDUCAUSE, 56% of students who opt-out of college do so because of financial insecurity, regardless of their qualifications. With accessibility opening doors at Texas State, affordability for these opportunities is possible. When looking at Texas State in comparison to other schools in the state, accessibility is at its core. Not only because of the 26.09% increase in acceptance rate since 2015 as well as the turnover rate, but also because the school may represent an option that is available, all while offering over 220 well-rounded degrees. The recent changes seen on campus are seemingly with success in mind. Although the transition is ongoing, these changes can create positive change as well as an opportunity for students to hone their skills in a school that represents success. However, the problems of parking or crowded transportation still have room to be addressed. Whether it be through future projects to implement more parking garages, or higher availability of shuttles, the students’ concerns can be addressed all while promoting an understanding of Texas State’s goals. Bridging the present and the future allows for active change and success to be fostered organically. The academic endeavors of Texas State has the potential to place higher value on the degrees students walk away with.
-Regina Orozco Lopez Forment is an English senior
Think of the little ones: light pollution threatens insects By Syghlas Morales Opinion Columnist
Bright artificial lights at night pose a threat to San Marcos’ smallest inhabitants. Which can decimate insect populations and disrupt entire food webs, endangering San Marcos’ fragile ecosystems. San Marcos looks beautiful at night. Lights from the Texas State campus, along with decorative fixtures set out by residents and small businesses, adorn the city with a charming and alluring glow. However, these lights can cause more harm than good for the city’s insects. Light Pollution, as defined by the National Park Service, is the excess or inappropriate use of artificial light outdoors. While it may look nice, light pollution is extremely harmful to the insect populations that provide vital biodiversity. Around 370 million years ago, insects developed a survival trait called Dorsal Light Response. This automatic reflex serves as a way for insects to orient themselves on which way is up and which way is down. Insects do this by aligning their dorsal, which is the top part of their thorax, to the most prominent source of light. Under natural conditions, insects use celestial bodies, such as the sun, moon and stars.
The problem arises in the modern night, when the moon and stars are no longer the brightest bodies in the sky. Artificial lights don’t attract insects; they confuse and disorient them as they desperately try to keep the brightest light to their back. Which is essentially destroying their natural navigation system. According to Timothy Bonner, endowed professor of biology and Chief Science Officer at the Meadows Center, in terms of evolution, this is something completely new to insects and San Marcos organisms. “… Night light pollution has been a topic for many years. What’s kind of unique about this night light and light pollution is that most of these organisms have never [dealt with this] all-day and all-night of light,” Bonner said. “So thinking about it from an adaptation perspective … these bright lights are something that they’ve never experienced in their history.” Insects then get trapped in loops of flying around lights, leading to exhaustion, starvation and heightened predation. This can ultimately threaten insect populations as more of them die and are unable to reproduce. As insect populations dwindle, entire food webs and ecosystems are disturbed. Other organisms that rely on insects may also suffer from a stressed and failing ecosystem. Fish, birds, bats and amphibians rely on
stable insect populations for food, all of which support and maintain San Marcos’ biodiversity. “Aquatic insects essentially [are] very abundant in these river systems, like the San Marcos River … they provide a food base for a lot of the fishes that are found here,” Bonner said. “They play a large role in the food web … So if we didn’t have insects in the system, then we [would] have hardly any fish in the system.” While light pollution is a large-scale problem, San Marcos residents and small businesses can help reduce their impact by managing the light they use at night. According to DarkSky. org, using lights where and when needed can help urban areas stay darker. Ensuring light fixtures are pointed down at the ground and not up at the sky, pointing lights away from the river and closing window blinds can all help minimize the impact lights have on flying insects. Even using different colored LEDs like red and amber can remedy the effects of light pollution. According to a study conducted by the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, amber lights lessen the risk of attracting insects by nearly 60%. Texas State is a great example of how large, local businesses can do their part. According to Jake Payne, the Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations
Letters to the Editor Policy
The University Star welcomes letters from our readers. Letters must be 300 words or fewer to be considered for publication. Writers must include their full name, mailing address, major and academic year designation (for students), phone number and e-mail address when submitting a letter. Submissions that do not include this information cannot be published. This information is seen only by the editors and is used to verify the identify of the letter writer. It is not used for
ELLA MADIS | STAR ILLUSTRATOR
at Texas State, the UFCU stadium lights help combat light pollution through positioning and scheduling. “These LED lights were installed 3 years ago. They really help combat light pollution since they are directional towards the stadium itself,” Payne said. “… they aren’t really on throughout the whole evening. They are on a schedule and only really on when football practices at night and off once practice is over.” The San Marcos River and its nature are deeply ingrained in Texas State tradition; locals see it as a staple for the Mermaid Capital of Texas. If San Marcos residents and the city
itself truly hold stewardship and pride towards the river and nature of the city, it is their duty to limit the effects they have on it and the surrounding ecosystem. Light pollution is sadly not an issue that can be completely solved by the general public of San Marcos. A large part of the responsibility falls on large corporations and city infrastructure makers to understand how lights can impact nocturnal wildlife. But by reducing nighttime light use on a personal scale, residents can help remedy the impact of light pollution bit by bit. -Syghlas Morales is a wildlife biology junior
any commercial purpose. Letters become the property of The Star and may be republished in any format. The letter may be edited for length and clarity. An editor will contact the letter writer if their letter is a candidate for publication. The Star will not run letters that are potentially libelous, discriminatory, obscene, threatening or promotional in nature. Letters can be submitted to staropinion@txstate.edu or by mail to Attn: Opinion Editor, The University Star, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666.
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(5) SEWELL, (6) AQUAMARINE, (7) GILLS
Word Scramble (1) SEAL, (2) KRILL, (3) WATER, (4) SHRIMP, (5) SEAHORSE, (6) CREATURES Crossword (1) DOLPHIN, (2) CHIPS, (3) SCALES, (4) SEAWEED,
Sophia Gerke & Milla Deur | Creative Services | starcreative@txstate.edu
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GAMES Tuesday, Sept 1, 2026
SPORTS
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Ayden Oredson | Sports Editor | starsports@txstate.edu
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
BASEBALL
Huml earns shot as new hitting director By Jackson Grettler Sports Reporter
When Texas State senior outfielder Jaquae Stewart learned that Austin Huml, a student assistant coach last season, was promoted to Director of Hitting Development, he immediately shared the news with his family. Stewart was excited to work with Huml once again. After years of working in baseball as a student coach, Huml will now transition into a full-fledged career, with an expanded role assisting new hitting coach Rick Guarno. The promotion marks the latest step in Huml’s career. He enrolled at Tyler Junior College and became a manager on the baseball team. He later transferred to Texas State. After three years at the university and a brief stint as a student assistant, he graduated last year. “Being able to get back into
PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS
baseball and for it to happen this fast was truly amazing,” Huml said. “Super grateful for the opportunity that [Steven] Trout and the staff have allowed me to have here.” Even though Huml never played college baseball, he quickly worked his way up the coaching ranks. He earned the respect of players like Stewart along the way for his impressive work. “I think that’s very rare that you’re going to get that out of a young coach,” Stewart said. “Not many people his age are as knowledgeable as he is AYDEN OREDSON | SPORTS EDITOR and want it as much as he does TXST junior Jaquae Stewart (24) swings his bat, Tuesday, March 10, at Bobcat Ballpark. to be a coach.” Huml had a major impact on the players, becoming a big part There were times throughout Enthusiasm for Huml’s promotion of Texas State’s historic hitting the year when Stewart wasn’t extended beyond the batting cages. season last year. The Bobcats broke exactly on par. When he was in a Austin Wallace, the director of the Sun Belt Conference’s single- difficult cold stretch, Huml worked pitching development and analytics, season home run record with 116 with Stewart every day in the said that he was excited for the chance while acquiring an at-large bid batting cages. He brought a helpful to work with Huml again. to the NCAA Tournament. mindset that eventually helped The two spent the summer in Texas State head coach Steven Stewart warm up again. working with the Hyannis Harbor Trout credited Huml’s work “He was the same guy every Hawks as coaching staff in the Cape ethic and strong connection with single day, showing up and going into Cod Baseball League, a collegiate the players last season as major the cages with me, helping me work summer league. reasons for his expanded role in an out of it,” Stewart said. “He told me “I was fired up,” Wallace said. Aug. 13 press release. it’s part of the game and if you put that “[Huml] was my roommate this Huml’s influence has been behind you and continue to get better summer up in the Cape [Cod], we got incredibly impactful to players who day by day, you’ll be all right.” pretty close up there.” worked with him last year. Stewart, Huml said he takes pride in As the team prepares to enter the who was tied for the team lead in home putting in the work with the players Pac-12 and build on its record-setting runs with 16, said Huml’s approach day in and day out to help the team 2026 season, Huml wants the Bobcats stood out to him as a knowledgeable improve and always be at their best. to stay focused on getting better each leader he could go to. “I want to be in the fire with the day rather than past accomplishments. “He’s a silent assassin, guys, working every single day as “We did what we did last year, but which I love,” Stewart said. “He hard as I can for them,” Huml said. now that’s last year,” Huml said. “We doesn’t really say too much, “Whatever it takes to help them get have to continue to find ways to be but he’s very knowledgeable.” better, I’m going to do it.” better each day.”
FROM FRONT PREVIEW The Squads Statistically, both teams fielded strong offenses last season. In fact, the Bobcats outpaced the Longhorns in a variety of categories, from scoring offense with 36.5 points per game to Texas’ 30.5 and total offensive yards, as Texas State boasted 6,147 compared to Texas’ 5,050. There should be some discrepancy when comparing the two offenses. Texas State played against Sun Belt Conference competition with a strength of record (SOR) of 93 out of 136 teams, and their best opponent was a CFP-bound James Madison. Meanwhile, the Longhorns had the 10th-highest SOR, playing a slate of national contenders that fielded four CFP teams, of which they beat two. The Bobcats are led by sophomore QB Brad Jackson, an emerging threat who is billed as one of the best QBs in the Group of Six thanks to the dualthreat of his passing and rushing abilities alike that helped set new program records for the Bobcats in his redshirt freshman season. He is accompanied by senior wideouts Beau Sparks and Chris Dawn Jr., both of whom were critical to Texas State’s offensive production last season, having over 1,000 receiving yards each, making the Bobcats the only team in the FBS with
two 1,000-yard receivers. The biggest question for the Bobcats is how their new-look defense will perform under new defensive coordinator Will Windham, with an ever-changing scheme built around their best defensive players. For the Longhorns, they have considerable star power on their roster. They are led by football royalty in junior Arch Manning, a potential top pick in next year’s NFL Draft, with well-known family ties to two NFL legends. While Manning struggled in the beginning of his first full season of starting, he improved drastically over the course of the year. Texas dug deep into the transfer portal, acquiring one of the top wide receivers in junior Cam Coleman from Auburn. They also revamped the running backs room with the duo of senior Raleek Brown from Arizona State and junior Hollywood Smothers from North Carolina State. The Longhorns are hoping for a considerable step-up from their defense as well after a rough second half, where they gave up 30-plus points in four of their last five games last season. What’s At Stake The impact of a loss early in the season doesn’t have as much weight as
NATALIE MURRAY | ASSISTANT DESIGN EDITOR
it used to. Yet, these programs each have different expectations. For the Longhorns, this is a chance to see how their new-look roster can mesh together and navigate their high expectations while tuning up in preparation for their arduous schedule, especially with them hosting No. 1 Ohio State the week after. As for the Bobcats, this serves not only as their first-ever game as a member of the Pac-12, but also a chance to prove their legitimacy as a school on the rise and showcase the rapid ascension of the program under Kinne. A win against a national contender will not only get the season started on the right foot but be a program-defining victory as a new era commences. A loss, though, which is expected by fans and media alike, would be the first season-opener loss for Texas State since Kinne took the helm. The Bobcats are set to take on No. 5 Texas at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Darrell K Royal– Texas Memorial Stadium in the heart of Austin, Texas. It will be available to watch on ESPN.
LIFE & ARTS
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Cady Clements | Life & Arts Editor | starlifeandarts@txstate.edu
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
Authentically San Marcos
SMQC holds pre-show to pride pageant
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION JEN NGUYEN & RAE KNIGHT | DESIGN EDITOR & STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Performer Chabelita lip syncs to “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan in the talent portion of Meet the Contestants on Saturday, Aug. 29, at The Porch.
By Rae Knight Life and Arts Reporter
Music thumped and lights flashed overhead as drag queens and kings took the stage at the first-ever pre-show to San Marcos’ third annual Pride Pageant. This performance intended to give the contestants practice on a stage and an opportunity to have some fun before the big competition. Chabelita, a performer and Texas State theatre sophomore, said that she enjoys performing and that Drag has encouraged her to audition for a variety of roles and be herself. “I feel like a lot of the time as a queer person, I have to advocate for everybody in my community, and while that is important, it’s also important for us to have fun and enjoy being queer and just have joy and celebrate who we are,” Chabelita said. The San Marcos Queer Council (SMQC) began in 2023 after the loss of Stonewall Warehouse, a gay bar on The Square. The council strives to create a strong, interconnected community that provide spaces for people in the LGBTQ community to gather. Zach Denny, SMQC Executive Director, said the council usually raises the most money for their cause at the pageant.
“We’ve got a really strong, diverse drag scene here that we want to highlight and showcase,” Denny said. “If you just want to see the community really come together and have a good time. This is the event to do it.” Hosts, by the drag names of Quizabella and Solangel Vergaga, led the other performers in a dating-show-inspired competition where the contestants tried to win the heart of Quizabella. Each contestant competed in a Q&A portion where they described their style of drag and answered hypotheticals about if they were to win a date with Quizabella. The talent portion followed the Q&A. Each performer chose songs to lip-sync to that matched their performance style. Solangel, drag queen, Queer Council Fundraising Director and Texas State professor, performed Dua Lipa’s “Training Season” to engage the audience. “My favorite part about these events is that they bring a new perspective to town,” Solangel said. “People who typically avoid queer spaces will likely see us basically in their own spaces, and fall in love with who we are, or what we are, and what we represent.” The audience was encouraged to tip the performers and to take videos and photos to post on
social media. Tips went straight to those performers to use on their main performance in the pageant taking place on Sep. 5. “I just love the attention I get from [performing],” Chabelita said. “I love the adrenaline rush of going up on stage and just doing whatever I want. I feel like in drag, you could be your most authentic self, and people would be like ‘[expletive] yes.’” Drag performances are about having fun and being creative with your appearance. The Unethical Spectacle, another performer and Texas State biological anthropology sophomore, described their style of drag as “creature drag” and said that it is because the audience can never tell what they are going to do next. “I do drag because I love theater, music, costuming, makeup, art, and dancing,” Ethel said. “No theatrical gig could give me the privilege of doing all of it at once. I made my own path. My own way of performing.” The Pride Pageant will be Saturday, Sep. 5, at 6 p.m. at the Porch. Contestants will include performers from the pre-show and more. The winner will earn the title of San Marcos’ Pride.
FROM FRONT NEPAL Kamara Kunwar, a geography natural resources and environmental studies junior, said she was out of contact with her father for two days when the floods hit her village, Syafru. Though her father is safe now, she struggled with the uncertainty about her family’s safety in the days before. “The more details I got, the more anxious that I became, and then it hit at certain times,” Kunwar said, “I couldn’t sleep the whole night.” Though the floods were catastrophic, students still look for the bright side. Kunwar said her father was one of the people who made sure as many people got out as possible, and even went back to fix signals as an electrical engineer after the floods subsided. “He couldn’t leave [the people from his village] alone,” Kunwar said. “They were in the flood, but he couldn’t do nothing and then just leave them.” According to Dip Mahato, Texas State associate professor of instruction in physics, Texas State’s Nepali population is around 750 students, which is one of the largest
international populations on campus. “If we have some of our students from [Nepalese] families, of course [students will] feel the pain their loved ones are having there,” Mahato said. Though the event is devastating, the NSA aims to take the opportunity to come together to educate the student body and raise funds and awareness for their home. Panta said NSA aims to have individual conversations with as many students as possible about what is happening in Nepal and how to help. “I also tell students, even if you are Nepali or any student and if you feel like someone is from Nepal and they are being affected, just talk to them because sometimes … you are the only one who can actually help them.” The Nepalese Student Association will have a station at the LBJ Mall on Tuesday, Sept. 8 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Wednesday, Sept. 9 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to learn more about the flooding and how to help. They also urge students to look to their Instagram links for the official flood relief donation fund. OFF
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Trishuli, Nuwakot District, Nepal - August 27, 2026: A drone view shows mud covering properties following a flash flood in Trishuli, Nuwakot District, Nepal. Thick layers of mud and debris blanket homes and surrounding areas, revealing the extensive damage caused by heavy rainfall and sudden flooding in the affected community.
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SNAPS
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Aiden Fritsche | Multimedia Editor | starmultimedia@txstate.edu
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
AIDEN FRITSCHE | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Texas State sophomore outside hitter Peyton Mckee (left), junior libero Cameryn Kimes (center) and freshman libero Karis Carpenter (right) stare at the jumbotron pregame, Friday, Aug. 28, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats got swept by the Oklahoma Sooners 3-0.
Host Solangel comments on the second Q&A portion of Meet the Contestants, Saturday, Aug. 29, at The Porch. Solangel has been doing drag for three years. This is the 3rd annual pride San Marcos Pride Pageant.
Texas State soccer fan celebrates a goal, Sunday, Aug. 30, at Bobcat Soccer Complex. The Bobcats beat Texas Southern 5-0. RAE KNIGHT | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
LIBBY ALLEN | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Texas State fifth year middle blocker India Bennet (18) celebrates after a point, Friday, Aug. 28, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats got swept by the Oklahoma Sooners 3-0.
Kappa Alpha Si performs at Hump Day Wednesday, Aug. 26. Hump night is a tradition put on by National Pan-Hellenic Council.
AYDEN OREDSON | SPORTS EDITOR
AVA MILLER | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Sophomore health sciences major Mack Emerson learns about what the Texas Stream Team at the Meadows Center has to offer, Thursday, Aug. 27, at the LBJ Ballroom. The student involvement fair gives freshman the chance to preview all the organizations at Texas State.
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