VOLUME 102, ISSUE 8
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TUESDAY GO NE ONLI NOW
SEPTEMBER 11, 2012
Rally on The Square
Rally on The Square was a Bobcat special event held in anticipation of the Texas State vs. Texas Tech football game on Sept. 8. Watch the video at UniversityStar.com.
Bus system works through changes By Andrew Osegi News Reporter The Texas State Bobcat Tram system has been the subject to route changes, altered stops and rearrangements due to the increase of apartment complexes in San Marcos and the Texas State community. There are approximately 800 more students riding the buses on the Ranch Road tram route after the opening of The Retreat, a new apartment complex off Craddock Avenue. An additional 1,000 students are utilizing the trams on the Mill Street route due to recent additions to the Copper Beech and Aspen Heights complexes. As a result, buses had to be moved from the Campus Loop route to address the de-
mands of the new apartment complexes. The Campus Loop route now caters to the new residence halls in the North Campus Housing Complex, Gaillardia and Chautauqua Halls. The bus no longer stops by the Student Recreation Center or Bexar and San Marcos Halls. A new stop was added to the Wonder World route at Concho Street during the summer to increase the pick-up and dropoff frequency. Nancy Nusbaum, associate vice president of Finance and Support Services, said route changes were made to accommodate more students in different locations. Texas State’s parking and bus services were merged Sept. 1. Joe Richmond, director of Transportation Services, said the uni-
versity needed to find a way to maximize the limited amount of buses in the most efficient way possible. “(Transportation Services) is trying to move as many people as possible with a finite number of available buses,” Richmond said. “Our number-one goal is to provide access to the Texas State campus to all who need it.” Richmond said with the exception of Fridays, the number of hours of bus service has not increased this semester. While the bus system is working at full capacity, students are still being left behind at their stops. Norberto Gomez, biology junior, said he
READ BUSES, PAGE 2
TECH-NICAL DIFFICULTIES
Austin Humphreys, Star Photo Editor
Isaiah Battle, junior wide receiver, is taken down by Cody Davis, Texas Tech safety, Sept. 8 at Bobcat Stadium. Texas State was defeated 58-10, giving the Bobcats a 1-1 overall record.
Bobcats falter before record crowd in FBS home opener READ THE FULL STORY, PAGE 6
Meal trade limit restricts swipe usage By Sara Elmiaari News Reporter Students hoping to load up on food may dislike Chartwells restrictions on the number of meal trades students can use at one time. However, the rule is not likely to change any time soon, officials say. Students eating on-campus at dining halls such as Jones Food Court, The Den or The Lair are limited to using three meal trades at once. The rule prevents one student from purchasing an excessive number of meals at once, reducing the amount of food available for other people, said Leslie Bulkley, resident district manager of Chartwells. Bulkley said students wishing to buy several meals at once must return
to the end of the line after using their first three meal trades. Students can then purchase three more meal trades after making their way through the line again. During the rushes of students getting out of class, some of the more popular vendors on campus have a difficult time keeping up with the demand for food. Bulkley said this problem would be aggravated if students could purchase as many meal trades as they wanted. Bulkley said it is unfair for students trying to buy lunch quickly between classes. She said students would have to wait an unreasonable amount of time in line if one person bought more than Katrina Barber, Staff Photographer three meal trades’ worth of food. Kaylee Lorence, health care administration sophomore, exchanges a meal trade Sept. 10 at Jones Dining Hall. Chartwell’s is limitREAD CHARTWELLS, PAGE 2 ing the number of meal trades students may use at a given time.
Faculty senators discuss student retention rates By Karen Zamora News Reporter University officials addressed concerns about retention rates at the Sept. 5 faculty senate meeting. Faculty senators met with University President Denise Trauth and Provost Eugene Bourgeois during the first President’s Academic Advisory Group (PAAG) meeting of the semester, when top university officials met with the senate to discuss issues and seek suggestions. Barbara Melzer, faculty senate chair, brought up several instances where she heard among faculty there was a decrease
in enrollment this fall. Melzer said she has only seen fall enrollment numbers for freshmen and transfer students, not including retention rates. Trauth said enrollment figures are not finalized until Sept. 13, but predicts the number will be approximately 200 students more than last year’s total. She has also heard enrollment is down. “We’re used to having so many additional students, so when (enrollment) is only 200 students (higher) it looks like (enrollment is) down,” Trauth said. The overall enrollment of the university depends heavily upon retention rates, Trauth said. She said every year when
university officials discuss the topic of retention they also discuss how to better improve certain services so students can graduate. One particular area of improvement that has been discussed is veteran retention rates, Trauth said. She said veterans have a “significantly lower retention rate than the general population.” Veterans are one group of students that are at-risk of low retention rates, Trauth said. The general retention is between 78 and 79 percent, and the retention rate for veterans is 55 percent.
READ FACULTY SENATE, PAGE 2
Professor misses class amid legal trouble By Beth Brown Editor-in-Chief A Texas State assistant professor whose homes may be seized by federal officials among allegations of money laundering failed to show up to her class Thursday evening. The Internal Revenue Service is seeking the home of Sindy Chapa, assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the assistant director of the Center for the Study of Latino Media and Markets. A civil lawsuit was filed in a San Antonio federal court Sept. 4 seeking forfeiture on a house in Kyle, owned by Chapa, according to the Hays Central Appraisal District. Chapa has not been charged with a crime. However, federal officials are seeking to seize her home for violations of allegedly purchasing a property with laundered money, according to court documents obtained by The University Star. “As (of) today I have no formal documentation of what the authorities will do,” Chapa said in an email Thursday evening. “Thus, I have no comments.” Matt Flores, assistant vice president of University Advancement, said the university is reviewing the incident. “This is something that is a non-university matter and we have no comment at this point,” Flores said. “Something may change later on and we may have a statement, but at this point this is not a university matter.” Flores said “everything remains the same” for Chapa’s teaching responsibilities. However, she did not show up to teach her Research Methods class on Thursday evening. The graduatelevel class was instead instructed by Olga Wilson, an adjunct lecturer in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Wilson said it is not unusual for professors to substitute for other professors when they attend events or present research and have to miss classes. She did not know why Chapa was unable to attend the class, and was only asked to fill in for that evening. Wilson said she was unaware of the media reports of Chapa’s forfeiture. “She is a very responsible and knowledgeable faculty member,” Wilson said. The Kyle property the IRS is seeking is worth $262,140, according to the Hays Central Appraisal District. The property’s value is more than four times Chapa’s Texas State salary, which is $57,750 according to the Texas Tribune’s government salary database. According to a Sept. 6 San Antonio Express-News article, Chapa may be the ex-girlfriend of Tomás Yarrington Ruvalcaba, a former mayor of Matamoros and ex-governor of the Mexican state Tamaulipas. Federal officials have been targeting Yarrington for alleged money laundering, according to the article. The Express-News article states Chapa’s past attachments with Yarrington led agents to claim her houses in both Kyle and McAllen may have been obtained with illegal funds. Officials are also seeking forfeiture on her McAllen home. The allegations of Chapa’s involvement in money laundering came as a surprise to her students. Jacob Ehrnstein, mass communication graduate student who is in Chapa’s Research Methods class, said the class has only convened once this year, but he was shocked by the money laundering allegations. “She seemed like she was going to be a great teacher,” Ehrnstein said. Paul Martinez, a graduate student studying journalism with an emphasis on Latinos in the Media, said Chapa was one of the reasons he decided to attend Texas State. He received his bachelor’s degree from A&M Kingsville. “My impression of her (was) excellent—she was very intelligent and very dynamic,” Martinez said. “She’s got positive energy. She’s ambitious, a gogetter.” Martinez was surprised by the allegations against Chapa, and said people should reserve judgment until all the information surrounding the case is available. “Honestly, I don’t think people should be too quick to judge right now,” Martinez said. “From what I understand, there’s no indictment. There’s nothing that says what happened, so we need to know the whole story.”
2 | Tuesday September 11, 2012 | The University Star
NEWS
For more viewpoints or letters to the editor, e-mail staropinions@txstate.edu
CHARTWELLS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“If we allow you to take five to 10 meal trades (at a time), then what happens to the students who want to go to class and we start running out of food?” Bulkley said. It is not an option to increase the amount of food cooked during busy hours, she said. Many of the food vendors at Texas State have a limit on the time their products can sit out before being purchased. Although the rule is in place to speed up the process of buying food, some students find it to be an inconvenience. Anthony Monroe, mass communication sophomore, said he understands why the policy is in place, but disagrees with it fundamentally. “I feel like as long as you paid for your meal trades, it should not matter (how) they are spent, because Chartwells will be getting their money either way,” Monroe said. Frank Tallerine, finance sophomore,
BUSES
said he thinks the reasoning behind the policy is sound and its intention is good. However, he disagrees with the policy because he believes it will discourage people from visiting dining halls. “I’ve found that students recoil going to a dining hall with a group of friends if they foresee more than three people going because of the policy,” Tallerine said. Cashiers working at on-campus dining halls are responsible for enforcing the policy. “I tell (students) they can get three meal trades at a time and go to the end of the line and get three more meal trades,” said Raeanne LeCuyer, cashier at Jones Dining Hall. “I don’t get paid enough to put up with that.” Bulkley said the policy has been in place as long as she has worked at Texas State, and it isn’t going to change any time soon. She said the policy does not mean students cannot use as many meal trades as they wish, but they must wait to use them.
FALCULTY SENATE “I am not picking on them, but veterans have significant problems they bring with them,” Trauth said. “Particularly when we talk about veterans who have been in war situations. Most of the young people coming in have been in multiple deployments.” Trauth said she has asked Bourgeois and Joanne Smith, vice president for student affairs, to focus veteran services on retention-related activities. Bourgeois said there are approximately 1,700 veterans on campus. Several faculty senators said they noticed smaller classes during the summer session due to financial aid suspension. Bourgeois said there was no difference between this year’s and last year’s financial aid cycle appeal pro-
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cess. He was expecting double the number of students appealing for financial aid. Another problem with financial aid was the decrease of Pell Grants during the summer sessions, Trauth said. In the past students were able to carry their grant money into the summer session, but this year they could not because the regulation changed. Trauth said it had a significant impact on summer enrollment. Bourgeois said the numbers for Pell Grants were staggering. He said in the summer of 2011 the number of students with Pell Grants was approximately 2,000. The number fell to fewer than 500 during the 2012 summer session. Bourgeois said this is an issue happening all over the country.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 rides the Wonder World route and has been left at his stop a number of times due to the overwhelming number of riders. “There was one occasion when I had to wait at least 45 minutes for the bus to pick me up on-campus, only to have to wait for the next shuttle to arrive because the initial bus was filled,” Gomez said. “The fact that (students) are not guaranteed a ride is unsettling.”
Richmond said Transportation Services is constantly monitoring customer feedback. The system is working at maximum efficiency, although students may have to walk farther and wait longer to find a bus to ride to campus. The student tram auxiliary fee, included in every student’s tuition cost, did not go up this semester and will not do so until 2014. The Interurban Bobcat Tram, which trans-
ports commuters to and from Austin and San Antonio, increased its service to help offset the rise in student ridership. Nusbaum said Texas State is continuously evaluating the bus routes and will make additional changes when deemed necessary. “We are working with the President’s Cabinet on potential solutions, but as for now, students should not expect any changes soon,” Nusbaum said.
Amy Searle, Staff Photographer
The campus loop route has changed to exclude Holland drive and Academy stops.
Emergency preparations put in place by Hays County By Colin Ashby News Reporter The Office of Emergency Management is preparing Hurricane Isaac relief efforts for use along the gulf coast in the event evacuees flee to Hays County. Mark Chambers, interim emergency management coordinator for Hays County, said Central Texas is prepared if evacuees ever need to come to the area. Evacuees arrived in Central Texas in 2005 seeking relief and shelter after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. “Hurricane Katrina was an unprecedented storm, and because of responses to Katrina, we are better prepared and more ready in giving shelters for evacuees,” said Sara Kennedy, regional director of communications for the American Red Cross Central Texas region.
Kennedy said the Red Cross is partnering with the local government to provide shelters and effective response plans when needed. The Red Cross has mobile kitchens, tarps, gallons of water, clothing and other aid materials prepared and stocked in the event of a storm. Curt Sterner, disaster services manager for the Red Cross, said 830 people were housed Sept. 3 in 16 different shelter facilities along the gulf coast. The Red Cross is using relief efforts on the gulf coast as a guide for Central Texas in the event of an emergency. Sterner said many organizations, including the Southern Baptist Convention, which donates a large amount of supplies to evacuees, are quick to provide assistance when needed. “The Southern Baptist Convention is great. They supply mobile kitchens and staff and prepare the food,” Kennedy said. “The
wild art
Red Cross is able to deliver those hot meals.” The Hays County Emergency Management Office’s department of preparedness is taking notice of current recovery efforts happening as a result of Hurricane Isaac. The department is using those efforts to have a better-coordinated plan for shelters and distribution of aid materials when the need for disaster recovery in Hays and Travis Counties arises. “We review preparation and aid plans frequently to safeguard in case evacuee (situations) happen,” Chambers said. The Community Emergency Response Team is trained to handle evacuees when disaster incidents arise. It was established in 1994 based on a model created and implemented by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The response team is aimed toward providing relief during disasters and promoting preparedness efforts among the
community. The program is in partnership with the Department of Emergency Management. Chambers said the response team was a significant help with giving relief supplies and directing relief operations during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The program employs more than 2,700 workers who are trained in law enforcement, fire and medical services for emergencies after disaster events. Chambers said the response provides many relief resources ranging from directing traffic after road blockages to gathering up aid materials for evacuees. The Hays County Office of Emergency Management keeps information on shelter plans classified. Citizens of Hays County can find more information about relief efforts and preparedness by visiting the Department of Emergency Management of Austin’s webpage.
PAGE TWO
ON THIS CRIME BLOTTER
DAY IN HISTORY
1924 – A judge in Chicago sentenced Nathan Leopold Jr. and Richard Loeb to life in prison for the murder of 14-year-old Bobby Franks - a “thrill killing” that had shocked the nation. 1935 – Sen. Huey P. Long, the “Kingfish” of Louisiana politics, died two days after being shot in Baton Rouge. 1963 – Twenty black students entered public schools in Birmingham, Tuskegee and Mobile, Ala., following a standoff between federal authorities and Gov. George C. Wallace. Katrina Barber, Staff Photographer
Nelson Smith, ceramics junior, looks at a print Sept. 6 at Wake the Dead Coffee Shop.
Clarification A Sept. 6 University Star article should have said universities receiving funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas only had to implement tobacco-free policies in the area or building where the funded research is being conducted.
1977 – A convicted murderer became the last person to be executed by the guillotine in France. 1988 – Steffi Graf of West Germany achieved tennis’ Grand Slam - winning all four major tournaments in a calendar year - by taking the U.S. Open women’s title. 2000 – NBC’s “The West Wing” won a record nine Emmy awards, including best drama series. 2002 – Switzerland became the 190th member of the United Nations. —Courtesy of The New York Times
Sept. 6, 12:48 A.M. Post Office Public Intoxication A student was cited and arrested for public intoxication then transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center to await a court date. Sept. 6, 7:45 A.M. Matthew Street Garage Failure to Comply and Striking an Unattended Vehicle A student reported that his or her vehicle was damaged while legally parked. This case is under investigation. Sept. 6, 3:34 P.M. Hornsby Hall Disturbance Two non-students were issued criminal trespass warnings for suspicious activity. Sept. 6, 7:30 P.M. Student Recreation Center Theft Under $1,500 A student reported that his or her personal property had been taken without consent. This case is under investigation. Sept. 7, 12:00 A.M. J.C. Kellum/ Sessom Parking Lot Criminal Mischief under $500 University property had been damaged. This case is under investigation. Sept. 7, 3:21 A.M. Guadalupe Street Driving While License Invalid A student was arrested for driving with an invalid license and was transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center to await a court date. —Courtesy of University Police Department
Strange, but informative.
The University Star | Tuesday September 11, 2012 | 3
OPINIONS
For more viewpoints or letters to the editor, e-mail staropinions@txstate.edu
Students should take advantage of early voting
Lara Shine, Star Illustrator
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tudents should take advantage of the four early voting days Hays County is providing on-campus, with a ballot ranging from the city council members to presidential candidates. Originally, the county slated two early voting days on-campus. During a Sept. 4 meeting, county commissioners approved two additional days to provide maximum voting accessibility for Texas State students. The county is spending $2,000 to staff the four days of early polling, according to a Sept. 5 University Star article. Especially since funding is being spent to staff the additional days, students should effectively
utilize the opportunities given to them and make their votes count. Early voting will be conducted in the LBJ Student Center Oct. 22 through Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Joyce Cowan, elections administrator for Hays County, said the times were designed around students’ schedules to accommodate the majority of Bobcats, according to the same University Star article. The planned location and times for early voting on campus are convenient for students. Many students walk past or through the student center on a daily basis. With four days of early voting, Bobcats should have no excuse to avoid the polls. Two San Marcos City Council seats are open for the November election, along with the mayoral slot and two commissioners’ precincts. Issues discussed on the county and city levels directly affect
students who live on or around campus. Presidential, senatorial and congressional elections are also on the ballot this year. Students should be concerned about state and federal debates surrounding college tuition and higher education, even if they are not passionate about other issues included in the election. Some students feel their voices are not heard in national elections. According to the United States Census Bureau website, 49 percent of 18 to 25-year-olds voted in the 2008 elections compared to a young voter turnout of 47 percent in the 2004 elections. If the statistics continue to rise, the college age demographic could have a significant impact on election results in the years to come. The most prevalent excuse for not voting is not being registered to vote. To register to vote in Hays County, students
can download the voter registration form on the county’s website. Hays County has provided students with an opportunity to fulfill their civic duty with ease and convenience. Students should take advantage of the early voting days to cast their vote close to home.
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.
Colleges would benefit from embracing technology advances in classrooms
By Evan Bolton Opinions Columnist
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exas State should further embrace the digital frontier by continuing to bring many of today’s technological advancements into the classroom. As college students, we are seeing firsthand the effect that the Information Age is having on the world around us. In recent years, some bosses have begun to require their employees meet an abundance of technology-related job expectations. Additionally, cutting-edge technology is starting to weave itself into the fabric of the classroom setting by showing up in everything from email to online textbooks.
Texas State offers several computer labs with high-quality machines for students to use throughout the day. With this level of technology, the campus computers run a variety of software and not just the basic programs like Microsoft Word and Paint. The university understands in order to produce competitive graduates, top-notch machines and programs need to be available for students. This is why students have access to industry-standard software like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Photoshop and Dreamweaver. When a student graduates with a working knowledge of the programs used in a particular field, it gives the person an edge many do not have upon entering the professional world. However, technology is not just in the computer labs. Professors all over campus are actively advising students to connect with the digital world, both outside and inside the classroom. This major change, which has occurred over the past 10 years, continues to shape the way our culture operates. Of
course, not all professors are proactive in implementing technology inside the classroom and may see it as a distraction, but many embrace the benefits. Instructors are encouraging the use of Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets to keep track of assignments posted online, in addition to traditional functions, such as connecting with students and staying updated on current events. With networking sites like LinkedIn, students can even make a digital resume and display it for professionals in the working world. Several professors have begun to depend on email and the TRACS system as their main sources of student-teacher interaction outside of the classroom. It is common for assignments to be submitted through email attachments and TRACS drop boxes, which gives teachers and students more flexibility with approaching deadlines. Recently, textbooks have also flourished in the digital realm. Though several students still buy textbooks locally, others are going on the web to find and order books from
stores all around the world. When local stores have popular textbooks backordered, being able to buy a copy online becomes a great advantage. There are hundreds of ways technology has affected the classroom through computer programs, social media and online resources. When students are using technology, they are assuming a more active role in the classroom as well. This increases motivation, self-esteem, technical skills, peer collaboration, use of outside sources and the overall accomplishment of more complex tasks. All of these aspects are central to becoming successful in a professional workplace. It is incredibly important to step back and look at the world today. In the past, limited or no global communication was the norm, but that has quickly been replaced with a highway for free thought and instant information exchange. Embracing technology in colleges around the world puts the leaders of the future in a position to help society reach its absolute highest potential.
Students, administrators should improve Common Experience events
By Savannah Wingo Assistant Opinions Editor
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tudents and administrators alike should work together to make the Common Experience a more worthwhile event. While the Common Experience aims to unite Bobcats in a campus-wide discussion, the program currently does not reach a majority of students. As it is now, the Common Experience lacks mass appeal. While philosophy dialogues and scholarly speeches
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have merit, they only appeal to a narrow demographic of students. The Common Experience is supposed to unite the student body for the purpose of exploring a common idea through debating and learning. Sadly, a large portion of students are not engaging in the Common Experience at all, which defeats the purpose of the program in the first place. The Common Experience should be a center for campus events to orbit around. Clubs and organizations should be encouraged to bring up the Common Experience theme in meetings. For example, Feminists United could talk about international women’s issues in the context of this year’s topic, a Global Odyssey. Classes should use the Common Experience theme as a point of discussion by integrating it into lesson plans to create an overarching unification. Common Experience events should also
Editor In Chief................................................Beth Brown, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor............................Lee Moran, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu Letters..................................................................................starletters@txstate.edu News Editor...................................................Caitlin Clark, starnews@txstate.edu Trends Editor............................Hollie O’Connor, starentertainment@txstate.edu Opinions Editor..........................................Liza Winkler, staropinion@txstate.edu Photo Editor.......................................Austin Humphreys, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor..........................................Cameron Irvine, starsports@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief......................Thomas Glasebrook, starcopychief@txstate.edu Web Editor............................................Karyn Kittlitz, starwebeditor@txstate.edu
be more visible and take up space in The Quad and other popular areas. Instead of limiting events to speeches and debates tucked away in auditoriums, the Common Experience should hold outdoor, attentiongrabbing activities as well. With last year’s freedom of speech theme, for example, Texas State could have hosted student-organized protests at The Quad or held festivals on campus to honor the university news outlets. With the Global Odyssey theme this year, we could have public festivals on international holidays, foreign film showings in Sewell or live folk music by the Fighting Stallions statue. There is a place for faculty lunches, scholarly speeches and conferences. So, there also needs to be a wider variety of fun, engaging events in the Common Experience that will better attract students. Part of the problem is few students are involved in the
Multimedia Editor.........................Alex Peña, starmultimediaeditor@txstate.edu Design Editor................................Michelle Wadsworth, stardesign@txstate.edu Account Executive........................................Christina Carr, starad4@txstate.edu Account Executive...................................Casey Neubauer, starad2@txstate.edu Account Executive..................................Michelle Rohmer, starad3@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................................Hannah Wilson, starad5@txstate.edu Media Specialist.............................................Mary Scheske, ms88@txstate.edu Advertising Coordinator...........................Kelsey Nuckolls, starad1@txstate.edu Publications Coordinator.......................................Linda Allen, la06@txstate.edu Publications Director...........................Bob Bajackson, stardirector@txstate.edu
planning process for the Common Experience events. According to Diann McCabe, co-chair of the Common Experience, although some students already attend the event-planning meetings, more are always welcome to join. A greater variety of events could be planned if more students were present at the meetings to give their input. If Bobcats want to see a better selection of Common Experience events this year, they should get involved. In the past, the Common Experience has felt somewhat lackluster and not directly relevant to student interests. This year, more students should attend Common Experience planning meetings and propose fun events that everyone can enjoy. The next Common Experience planning meeting is on Sept. 14 and will be held in room 502 of the Lampasas building.
The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University-San Marcos and is published every other Wednesday in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 6,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Copyright Tuesday, September 11, 2012. 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. The first five issues of each edition of the paper are free. Additional copies of the paper can be purchased at 50¢ per copy. Contact The University Star office at (512) 245-3487 to purchase additional copies.
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4 | Tuesday September 11, 2012 | The University Star
TRENDS
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EC: Did you begin writing soon after your trip to New York? RH: I’d hitchhiked the previous summer to Chicago. I had read Kerouac’s “On The Road.” It didn’t have much influence on my trip to New York, but it did have an impact on the generation at the time. Lots of young people were going on such journeys. I attempted to write my first novel in my twenties, but I couldn’t finish it. I didn’t start writing books until I was a little older, when I quit drinking and started taking my work seriously. Writing is all about life experience.
San Marcos Resident and Author By Emily Collins Trends Reporter A backpack filled with clothes, a tobacco roller and a box of raisins are among the few things Ray Hatch brought when he embarked on a cross-country road trip in the early ‘60s. With less than 30 dollars in his pocket, Hatch hitchhiked from Austin to New York City, stopping only for food and to sleep on the side of the road. Hatch is now a San Marcos resident who plans on self-publishing a novel detailing his experiences in New York and abroad. EC: Why did you decide to hitchhike across the country on your own? RH: For one thing, I really wanted to go to New York. I was off to see the world but didn’t have any money. I left Austin with 28 dollars. In those days, it wasn’t difficult to find a room in lower Manhattan that was only 8 dollars a week. I wasn’t looking for a career. I just wanted to work. I went to school in Austin, but I wasn’t really going anywhere with my education. I was living with my mother and sister before I left for New York. I needed to get out. My part-time job was selling encyclopedias from door to door. I met a lot of interesting characters that way. I learned that it’s not necessary to have a college degree to live an interesting life. When you’re young and adventurous, it’s all about the trip.
EC: Could you tell me a little bit about the book you’re writing? RH: I’m working on a novel now detailing my travel experiences, particularly in New York. It’s been difficult because sometimes when you write about your past experiences, you change things and confuse fiction with reality. EC: Where else have you traveled? RH: My girlfriend at the time and I traveled abroad. We visited Europe and eventually moved to a Greek island for about a year. We didn’t like where the country was going due to the Vietnam War, though I wasn’t at risk of being drafted, since I’d served 2 years in the Navy. Charlie Kitchens, Staff Photographer I tried writing on the island, but I felt disillusioned. I had a lot of fun, but I didn’t accomplish much. My life has Ray Hatch plans to release a self-published novel highlighting his travels across the United States in the 1960s. been anything but stable. EC: What was the New York scene like in the early ‘60s? RH: New York was at the end of the bohemian scene. Jazz was all the rage, and bar life was common. The hippie movement and counterculture didn’t start until later. I was able to adapt to both. The bohemian life was much more intellectual. Everybody read and held their own in village bars. People started wearing costumes in the hippie movement. Bohemian life didn’t involve a lot of facial hair or drugs. Bohemians didn’t strive to look different— they wanted to be different. As for me, New York bars were my graduate school.
EC: Would you recommend people in their twenties to take similar risks and travel? RH: I visited New York last year. When you get older and go back to places of your youth, it’s nostalgic in some ways, but it can also be very disturbing. I was there as a young person, but now it seems there are more young people living in New York. I’m glad it’s there for your generation, but it’s not the same. I don’t know if I would recommend hitchhiking these days, but I still recommend going to New York. Don’t wait for it to happen because it won’t. You need to make it happen.
Musician, former student tours across Texas Where the good meat is
Kathryn Parker, Staff Photographer
Kyle Park, Austin-based country musician, performs Aug. 30 at Rebels Honky-Tonk Austin Country Bar. Park tours extensively through Texas and plays in San Marcos regularly. By Xander Peters Trends Reporter Seven years ago, a student found himself at one of life’s crossroads. His options: to pursue his dream of playing country-western music, or to hold a steady course in completing a degree at Texas State. Kyle Park chose the former, keeping his heart in the right place when it came to the music that he writes and performs. The musician first picked up a guitar at the age of 14 with the hope that playing music would add a little spice to his rural Texas life in Leander. What started out as a pastime quickly turned into a lifelong passion for Park. “I’m the kind of guy that if I start something, then I want to do everything I can to be good at it,” he said. At 15, he had written his first song and started to land gigs at hole-in-the-wall bars in his hometown. Because of his young age, Park had to be accompanied by an of-age friend to his first show just to enter the bar for the scheduled free set, the musician said. He continued to play gigs at these local hangouts throughout high school. Park’s early love for performing eventually resulted in the decision to hang up the cleats on his days as a high school baseball player. Like many musicians before him, Park had become infatuated with a dream of living in the dim light of dive bars. He never turned down a gig in his first five years of performing. This passion is what led him to San Marcos in 2003. Two years into his college career, Park formed a band around him and decided to risk the odds by following in the footsteps of guitar-playing idols like George Straight and Johnny Cash. “It was hard because my parents pushed for me to stay in school until I finished. But I didn’t want to turn down a gig Thursday night because there was an exam Friday morning, and I didn’t want to fail the exam because I was out playing a show the night before,” said Park. “In the end, you have to choose one and see how good you are at it. I would hate to do something and be miserable.” Park said one night in Lubbock convinced him that his music career could work when he was handed $800 at closing time. “There was enough to pay the band, afford gas, feed ourselves and have a little extra to keep in our pocket. I love what
I’m doing, so I’ll do it as long as I can, or at least until my arms get cut off,” Park said. Three albums and a few years shy of a decade later, the Texas-raised musician has made several strides in his career, including a jump to the number three spot on the Texas Music Chart with his single “Make Or Break Me,” producing his latest album and playing alongside Clint Black, Ryan Bingham, Reckless Kelly and other popular country artists. “Kyle is an extremely hard worker who is dedicated to perfecting his craft and setting high goals,” said John Whitby, who plays piano with Park. “He knows he has seen success but realizes there’s still a long way to go.” Park’s success can be traced back to his work ethic and creative commitment to writing songs. He said that what matters most when trying to make it as a musician is getting out on stage often and accomplishing as much as possible with few resources. “You can’t just go out there and ask a country song-writer in Nashville to put together an album for you from the get-go,” Park said. “Why would they give it to you when they can make some money by selling it to George Strait?” Park said he also owes his success in part to his band-mates, with whom he plays at every gig three or four nights a week. “I love the guys, and I wouldn’t be near as successful or happy without them,” Park said. “We’re a family. I mean, it’s hard to get gigs without a band, and it’s hard to get a band without gigs.” Presently, Park spends about 250 days of the year on the road. As entertaining as the lifestyle can be, it can also grow tiresome, Park said. Studio time must always be accounted for, as well as the need to be creative between the long stints on the road. “There are times when you want to be home,” Park said. “But if you can’t deal with it then you’re in the wrong business. It’s necessary to love it.” Park is working on releasing a new album, and said he would like to play it nationally and beyond. “I love what I do. It’s not because I’m the best. It’s because I enjoy it. There has been a lot of hard work put into our careers, and that’s what it’ll always take unless you want to sell your soul and have that number one hit,” he said. “I don’t believe fame is a determination of success.”
The University Star | Tuesday September 11, 2012 | 5
SPORTS
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Voices of the Crowd “Coming off that win against Houston, I was definitely expecting a little more from the team. However, just being able to experience our first home FBS game was pretty awesome. That was by far the loudest I have ever heard Bobcat Stadium. And the flyover and field-size American flag added to the experience. (It was an) overall amazing experience—can’t wait for the rest of the season.” – Austin Gaither, marketing junior “I was impressed with the turnout for Texas State in their new stadium. I was also impressed with the turnout from our fans from Tech. I’m glad our fans came out to support us on the road. We knew it would be a game, but we came out and set the tempo. Couldn’t be more proud of the Raiders and the Raider nation.” - Anthony Brown, Texas Tech student “I know we lost, but that was the most school sprit I’ve seen in my four years here. Prouder than ever to be a Bobcat! Eat ‘em up cats!” - Chelsea Mansfield, fashion merchandising junior “It was fun to come down to San Marcos and watch our Red Raiders win in a dominating fashion. I love visiting this place though, because there is always so much to do. I liked the new stadium, and I do believe that those Bobcats are on the up and up. Give them two to three years and they will be fine.” - Eric Dickinson, Texas Tech alumnus
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6 | Tuesday September 11, 2012 | The University Star | Sports
FOOTBALL
Red Raiders derail Texas State’s chances of 2-0 beginning
By Jordan Brewer Assistant Sports Editor Self-inflicted mistakes, a slow start and a lacking defense plagued the Bobcats in the biggest home game in Texas State history. The defeat took place in front of a record 33,006 fans Saturday, dropping Texas State to 1-1. However, Coach Dennis Franchione believes even a solid showing from Texas State might not have gotten a different result. “I’m not sure how much (a lack of mistakes) would have mattered,” Franchione said. “I think we got beat by a much better team tonight. We contested a lot of balls and a lot of plays. I don’t think we will play a better offensive team (this year). As good as our defensive performance was last week, we had no answers for this week.”. The Red Raiders were stopped and forced into a fourth down situation on their first drive in Bobcat territory but fumbled away an attempted reverse, their only miscue of the night. Texas Tech’s offense was unstoppable the rest of the game. The Red Raiders did not punt and did not give up a sack. Efficiency and balance were in Texas Tech’s corner. Raider quarterback Seth Doege completed 25-32 passes for 319 yards with five touchdowns and zero interceptions. The real danger for Texas State was not necessarily the high-power passing attack of Texas Tech. Instead, it was the running game that allowed Doege and his receivers to leave the Bobcats unbalanced. “I feel like we had a lot of errors inflicted on ourselves,” senior linebacker Brian Lilly said. “They are a great team and Doege is a great quarterback, but the errors at the start of the game on defense, offense and
special teams hurt us.” Tech running back Eric Stephens Jr. was effective with the draw run play, which was successful with the pass. Stephens averaged 10.3 yards per rush, carrying the ball six times for a total of 62 yards. Raider running back Kenny Williams had similar numbers, gaining 62 yards on five carries with an average of 12.4 yards each, adding a touchdown. Another Red Raider athlete, SaDale Foster, logged the most touches with 10-for-56 yards. Tech was balanced in their distribution of the ball. Besides using three tail backs, 10 different wide outs caught passes, with Javon Bell (5 receptions, 81 yards, 1 touchdowns), Jakeem Grant (5 receptions, 78 yards) and Darrin Moore (5 rec, 73 yards, 2 touchdowns). “(After the fumble) I liked how our offense responded,” Texas Tech Coach Tommy Tuberville said. “We really moved the ball well. I did not really like how (the offense) played a week ago but they made up for it this week.” The Bobcats’ aggression and big play capabilities were not present against the Red Raiders Senior quarterback Shaun Rutherford finished the first quarter 0-7 passing. Trailing 21-0, junior quarterback Tyler Arndt came out passing on his first three attempts. It was his third attempt where the Bobcats finally completed a pass to sophomore running back Terrence Franks for 13 yards and a first down. Arndt then completed his next five passes en route to a 25-yard touchdown pass to Franks, Texas State’s lone trip to the end zone. The third quarter brought more struggles, however. The Bobcats gained just 29 yards on 12 plays, while Texas Tech gained 167 on 20 plays to open up the second half.
“I thought (Arndt) did some good things, but he missed a couple of things too,” Franchione said. Arndt finished 12-22 for 130 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Rutherford finished 1-9. Rutherford lead in rushing for the Bobcats with 35 yards on nine carries. Franks caught Texas State’s only touchdown of the game and hauled in two receptions for 38 yards. While taking over for the injured senior running back Marcus Curry, Franks had trouble finding running room on his six carries, mustering 31 yards at 5.2 yards-per-carry.
Texas State will get a much–needed bye week after a up-and-down start to the season. Stephen F. Austin, former Southland Conference foe, will visit Texas State on Sept. 22, as the Bobcats look to get back on track with the WAC conference slate looming. “We have a lot to work on and that byeweek is going to help us out,” Lilly said. “We’ve gone from the highest of the high to the lowest of the low, so we’ve seen both ends of the spectrum. We’ve got to be … more consistent, more resilient.” Twitter: @jbrewer32
Austin Humphreys, Star Photo Editor
Tim Hawkins, senior wide receiver, is stopped by the Texas Tech defensive line Sept. 8 at Bobcat Stadium.
VOLLEYBALL
Bobcats continue road woes, lose two of three in Dallas By Jordan Cole Sports Reporter The Bobcats took their talents to Dallas to square off in the SMU Invitational this past weekend. They did not achieve the undefeated success of the Lamar Invitational but did sweep SMU, a Conference USA member, in straight sets. Texas State remained competitive in its losses against Auburn and Wichita State to drop to 5-6 on the season. Coach Karen Chisum liked that the team showed a more tenacious spirit this weekend, and that its SMU victory gave the players a much-needed boost. “I think that SMU match really helped us as far as confidence,” Chisum said. “Beating another team in another good conference helps tremendously.”
This was a win the Bobcats needed, although SMU (2-7) might not have a powerhouse program. Auburn and Wichita State, on the other hand, have two rigorous programs that know what Division I volleyball is all about. “We played Auburn and Wichita State decent,” Chisum said. “We didn’t fold. They were just bigger and faster than we were, and that’s all there is to it.” Auburn has a record of 9-1 on the season and its only loss came in the tournament to Wichita State, which ended up heading back to Kansas as tournament champions. Chisum said the Auburn loss caused Texas State to have an imperative reality check, because the team has been accustomed to winning for quite some time. “After we lost our first match to Auburn we sat down and had a really serious talk,”
Chisum said. “So coming into SMU we kind of saw a different mentality: a bit more of a competitive fight, and that’s what we have to have. We have to fight.” One Bobcat fought her way to the alltournament team award for the second consecutive week. Sophomore outside hitter Alexandra Simms led the team with 32 efficient kills, hitting over .371 for the weekend. Simms is having her best year as a Bobcat, leading the team in kills with 115. “The coaches told me to step up,” Simms said. “They wanted me to step up and be more aggressive and control the outside.” Sophomore labero Laura Whalen led the team with 24 digs, and junior middle blocker Ashlee Hilbun led the team with five blocks. Senior setter Caleigh McCorquodale led the team in assists with a total of 65 in Dallas.
Chisum said McCorquodale did a lot more for the team than set players on the court, and that she pointed back to a crucial point in time after the Auburn loss. “After that Auburn loss, Caleigh stepped up and really said some things that I think some of the younger players needed to hear,” Chisum said. “She’s a real leader.” She proved herself after speaking to teammates, managing to rack up a 35-assist performance in their three-set SMU victory. “One of our gym-culture statements is every touch matters,” Chisum said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s the first touch, the serve, the set, the defense. Every touch matters, and so you have to better the ball every time. I think we saw a lot more of that this weekend.” Twitter: @TXStatesman
