09 19 2007 by The University Star

SHORT STORIES

California artist and professor Squeak Carnwath’s exhibit debuts at the Mitte Art Complex SEE

TRENDS PAGE 5

STILL SERVING ACES Volleyball coach leads ’Cats for 29th season SEE

SPORTS PAGE 8

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911

WWW.UNIVERSITYSTAR.COM

SEPTEMBER 19, 2007

WEDNESDAY

VOLUME 97, ISSUE 10

Universities restrict faculty’s right to freedom of speech

RING FOR A CAUSE

By Kristen Williams News Reporter

Monty Marion/Star photo

Beth Morrisset of the Salvation Army helps Maggie Kukowski, pre-fashion merchandising sophomore, and Brandon Walsh, undecided sophomore, volunteer to ring Salvation Army bells outside businesses during the upcoming Christmas season. For the full story see TRENDS page 5.

GRE’s newest incarnation will be more challenging By Philip Hadley News Reporter Prospective graduate students heading to testing centers in November will face a more challenging exam. The announcement from the Educational Testing Service follows a late April cancellation of a long-scheduled overhaul to the Graduate Record Examination. Tom Ewing, spokesman for the service, said the test will include two new styles of questions in the verbal and quantita-

tive sections, called text completion and numeric entry. “The verbal questions are already very similar to the previous version, but the math questions are very different,” Ewing said. “The verbal section will include a fill-in-theblank question. The math questions are no longer multiple choice and require the testtaker to manually enter their answers.” Katherine Lynn, GRE program manager for Kaplan, said the questions are currently undergoing field-testing and will not be scored, but that does not mean students

should not take the questions seriously. “Students should not take these questions lightly. ETS may give little or no notice when they begin to score these questions or roll out more of them,” Lynn said. She said starting this month students who take the GRE would either encounter one of the new question types or none at all. “The new question types will make the GRE statistically more challenging because they

Many states have endorsed laws that would place restrictions on faculty members’ speech in the classroom. To combat these limitations, the American Association of University Professors released “Freedom in the Classroom,” a report that advocates free speech for college and university faculty. For example, according to an AAUP news release, “someone teaching Aristotle’s views on moral virtue would be justified in asking students to consider President Bill Clinton’s conduct as a case study.” Cary Nelson, the association’s president, said private religious college professors are the most highly regulated in America. “There are plenty of universities throughout the world that put limits on freedom of expression,” Nelson said. “In the U.S., the universities that put the most restrictions on freedom of expression are religious institutions. Some restrict what the faculty say — whether faculty can differ with church dogma is the most common kind of restriction.” In Missouri, the House of Representatives passed a bill that states academic freedom must preserve “the viewpoint that the Bible is inerrant.” A bill was proposed in Arizona that would fine professors $500 for sharing their political views. In many colleges, professors are discouraged from exhibiting any political preference. “An example of an institution is Penn State University,” Nelson said. “They had a statement on the books that stated that if any

student reported that a faculty member made an irrelevant political comment, an investigation would ensue. There are over 20 states where legislation has been proposed to restrict freedom in the classroom.” Tom Miles, political science graduate teaching assistant, uses judgment in his classroom because he realizes historical comparisons are not completely accurate. “You have to be careful about making references,” Miles said. “You can’t draw an absolute between two distinct historical times. The best use of historical reference is to use history as a platform to show how ideas and political climates have developed over the years. It’s much more valid to show how things develop. History is a work in progress; things build on one another. If it’s used in that manner, it’s a very good learning tool. It would be a mistake to view it as absolute.” He said it is important as well for professors to present the facts and let the students make their own opinion. “History depends on how you view it,” Miles said. “You have to give both sides fairly (and) equally — especially in politics. You’ve got to learn not to show your stripes. It’s important for faculty to have a voice as well. There’s got to be a middle ground somewhere.” Currently, there is not an AAUP chapter on campus and Texas State does not have any oﬃcers in the Texas Conference, a grouping of Texas university AAUP chapters. Schools that have oﬃcers include Baylor University, University of Texas-Austin, and Texas A&M.

Cut cable severs services

Phone lines and cell phone services were cut off in Hays County Tuesday afternoon after a construction worker accidentally cut a fiber optic cable. According to a Hays County Sheriff’s Office news release, a construction company in Kyle was drilling holes near the HEB at the intersection of FM 1626 and I-35. Apparently a construction worker on a tractor was attacked by a swarm of bees. As the worker jumped off, he or she accidentally hit a lever that triggered an auger to drill into a fiber optic line. Phone lines across the county went down and 911 services to San Marcos and other areas were cut off. Tina Schultz, director of Telephone service was restored in Hays County around 8 p.m. the Office of Disability Services, spoke on the matter as — Complied from various sources well, saying “Derrick Hall is the most difficult building on campus for our disabled students.” “They identified many areas of concern,” Schul“Derrick Hall was built before the Americans tz said. “We target higher-priority projects first.” with Disabilities Act, so we have been doing a Schultz said there has been talk of getting rid number of things to it,” Schultz said. “We have of Derrick Hall altogether. installed automatic doors, updated restroom “There have been discussions about demolfacilities and adjusted counters to comply with ishing Derrick Hall,” Schultz said. “Would the height requirements.” modifications be worth it?” She said the funding for some of the probJoanne Smith, vice president for student aflems, specifically the travel of the building, is fairs, recently attended a Faculty Senate meeting simply not available. to outline how the university complies with ADA. “That sort of problem is one that would take “We take seriously the law and feel that we a massive amount of money to correct,” Schultz make every effort to comply with it,” Smith said. said. “We assure that our buildings are reasonably “We work around the best we can in these accessible to those who need accommodasituations,” Schultz said. “If students come in tions.” with issues, we try and address them on an imSmith said the university receives an almediate basis.” location of $75,000 each year in Higher She said the university had an outside consult- Education Assistance Funds to address ADA ing firm come in to look at the Architectural AcSee ADA, page 3 cessibility compliance of the campus in 1992.

See GRE, page 3

ADA compliance remains hot-button Senate issue By Matthew Champion News Reporter

Monty Marion/Star photo

NO WAY DOWN: The elevator in Derrick Hall provides no access to classrooms for those with disabilities because it only leads to ofﬁces on the 2nd and 3rd ﬂoors. To reach the classroom level, the disabled must go outside and around the building.

The Faculty Senate has recently shown concerns Texas State is not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act in certain areas of campus, most notably Derrick Hall. “I’m not exactly sure how we got to be champions of the university’s failure to comply with ADA,” said Faculty Sen. Donald Hazlewood, mathematics professor. Hazlewood said the only issue he had been concerned with was Derrick Hall and the planning required for a person in a wheelchair to travel in the building. “Try to go from any floor of the office wing of Derrick to the classroom wing in a wheelchair,” Hazlewood said. “The only floor you can reach without going outside is the first floor of the classroom wing.” Hazlewood said he is unsure if this breaks any rules of ADA. “I’m not sure that this meets the definition of non-compliance,” Hazlewood said. “It’s just a little inconvenient.”

Hispanic leaders will showcase criminal justice careers By Jeff Turner News Reporter Texas State students will have the opportunity to attend a panel discussion Thursday and listen to a variety of viewpoints involving Hispanic issues in the criminal justice field. “Hispanic Leaders in Criminal Justice” is presented by the department of criminal justice and will include panelists Jeffrey M. Cancino, assistant professor of criminal justice, Geraldine Garcia, deputy chief of the San Antonio

Police Department, Rudy Gonzales, assistant chief of the SADP and Robert Hernandez, Lt. patrol supervisor of the Austin Police Department. The panelists will discuss research opportunities in criminal justice, how Hispanics who work in criminal justice are viewed, experiences of adversity that panelists have encountered and what criminal justice students can expect as they enter the ﬁeld. A USA Today study published last month said the most popular degree students in the U.S. are currently pursuing

Today’s Weather 20% Mostly Cloudy Precipitation: Humidity: 66%

91˚

UV: 8 Very High Wind: S 8 mph

Two-day Forecast Thursday Isolated Storms Temp: 91°/ 66° Precip: 30%

Friday Sunny Temp: 92°/ 66° Precip: 10%

is criminal justice, specifically forensics. Amy Villarreal, graduate assistant, said this has a lot to do with what young people are seeing in the media. “All the shows like ‘CSI,’ ‘NCIS’ and ‘Bones’ interest people to look into what the programs offer and what they can get themselves into,” Villarreal said. “A lot of it has to do with media.” The panel is the second in a three part series designed to showcase diversity in the field of criminal justice, said Gini Deibert, assistant criminal justice professor. Last March, Deibert orga-

nized the first panel discussion that dealt with women in the criminal justice field. Another panel is planned for February and will showcase black leaders working in criminal justice. Deibert will be moderating the discussions as well. Deibert said the theme for this panel is designed to coincide with Hispanic Heritage Month. In addition, it aims to fulfill the university’s requirement to be considered a Hispanic Serving Institution, and it is a way for criminal justice students to make contacts with people

working in the field. The department of criminal justice has approximately 800 undergraduate students enrolled in the program and offers graduate and doctoral degrees. The department further offers resources such as hostage negotiation, justice court training and a health and criminal justice work group. The discussion will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hines Academic Center in Room 205. Students will be invited to ask questions of the panelists after their initial discussion.

Inside News ........... 1,2,3 Opinions ............ 4 Trends ................ 5

Texas State University-San Marcos is a member of the Texas State University System

Diversions .......... 6 Classiﬁeds ......... 7 Sports ................ 8

PAGETWO

starsof texas state

Today in Brief

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - Page 2

The Information Technology Division of Texas State presented a large amount of school supplies to Travis Elementary School. The Information Technology Community Staﬀ Development Team organizes community service projects and has donated supplies to schools the past six years. C. Van Wyatt, vice president

for information technology, presented the supplies in an Aug. 21ceremony. Wal-Mart was instrumental in helping the team assemble the supplies. — Courtesy of the Oﬃce of the Vice President for Information Technology

News Contact — Nick Georgiou, starnews@txstate.edu Texas State University-San Marcos is a member of the Texas State University System

Calendar WEDNESDAY

There will be an orientation and training session to learn to use the emWave PC biofeedback program to reduce the negative eﬀects of stress. Session will be 1 to 2 p.m. in LBJSC, Room 311.1. The Network Meeting will be 5 to 7 p.m. in the LBJSC, Room 3.6. Adult children of alcoholics dealing with dysfunctional families group will meet from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. For information and screening on groups, call the Counseling Center at (512) 245-2208. Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center will host Advocate Training and Volunteers Helping Victims of Abuse. For more information call Emily Douglas at (512) 3963404. THURSDAY Texas State volleyball will play University of Texas-San Antonio at 7 p.m. in Strahan Coliseum. The Catholic Student Organization will meet at 6 p.m. in the library of the CSC. The Rock — Praise and Worship will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the St. Jude Chapel of the CSC. Comm Club will have a fundraiser selling sausage wraps in The Quad from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Mitte Honors Coﬀee Forum will hold an art exhibition Help Save Our Planet: Children’s Artwork from South Africa. Gallery reception will be held 3:30 to 5 p.m. in Lampasas Hall, Room 407. The Generic Meditation group will “sit” at 4 p.m. in the classroom of the Campus Christian Community. All are welcome to attend. For more information, call Sheila at (512) 847-2159. Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship will hold its weekly meeting at 8:30 p.m. in Old Main, Room 320. There will be contemporary worship, relevant teaching, prayer and plenty of fun. Everyone is welcome to attend. Women’s Personal Growth Group will meet from noon to 1:30 p.m. For information and screening on groups, call the

Counseling Center at (512) 245-2208. FRIDAY

LINE IT UP

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in the LBJSC, Room 3.4.

Saturday Texas State volleyball will play A&M-Corpus Christi at 4 p.m. in Strahan Coliseum. SUNDAY Texas State’s women’s soccer will play Houston at 1 p.m. at the Bobcat Soccer Complex. MONDAY Sexual Assault and Abuse Survivors Group, a program of the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center for Texas State Students Monty Marion/Star photo will meet from 5 to 6:15 p.m. Justin Boren, construction technologies senior, peers through his transit-level during a land survey For information and screening class Tuesday afternoon along Pleasant Street. on groups, call the Counseling Center at (512) 245-2208.

TUESDAY Texas State volleyball will play Texas Christian University at 1 p.m. in Strahan Coliseum. Every Nation Campus Ministries will be holding a weekly campus meeting at 7 p.m. in Centennial Hall, Room G-02. There will be free food, fellowship and a message exploring the person of Jesus. The CSC will have a free lunch for all students from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the CSC lobby. Overeaters Anonymous will meet at 12:30 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church, 130 W. Holland. For more information call Lynn, (512) 357-2049. GLBQ Pride Group meeting will be held from noon until 1:30 p.m. For information and screening on groups, call the Counseling Center at (512) 245-2208.

University Police Department Sept. 12, 11:50 a.m. Displaying the Handicap Placard of Another/Tower Garage An oﬃcer was on patrol an observed a vehicle with a handicap placard. Upon further investigation, a student was issued a citation and the placard was conﬁscated.

Alcoholics Anonymous Newcomer’s Meeting, River Group, will be 9:15 p.m. at 1700 Ranch Rd. 12, Suite C.

The Generic Meditation group will “sit” at 6 p.m. in the Dialogue Library room of the Philosophy Department in the Psychology Building. All are welcome to attend. For more information, call Sheila at (512) 847-2159.

CRIME BL TTER

Bobcats interested in overseas studies: Look into ISV meeting International Student Volunteers is looking for students from Texas State to travel overseas this summer on its volunteer and adventure programs. Selected participants will have the opportunity to travel with a group of students from all over the world (18 years and older) on volunteer projects and adventure tours to Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Ecuador the Dominican Republic or Thailand. The program lasts for one month, but students may elect to travel from two weeks up to three months.

Traveling alongside International Student Volunteer-trained project and tour leaders, students will spend the ﬁrst two weeks volunteering in real hands on projects, in either social community development (improving the quality of impoverished villages, building houses for refugees, teaching children English, etc.) or conservation (working with endangered sea turtles, working with Australian wildlife, planting trees in New Zealand). The second two weeks will see the group launch into an

adrenaline-ﬁlled cultural adventure tour of their chosen country, involving such activities as white water rafting, glacier climbing, rappelling, scuba diving and jungle kayaking. The group will hold information meetings Thursday, every hour on the hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the LBJ Student Center, third ﬂoor, Room 3-11. More information on the program can be found at www.isvonline.com. — Courtesy of International Student Volunteers

ASG Session welcomes new faces, Beat applicants for committees

The Associated Student Government would like to thank Rod Fluker for his service as an ASG adviser. We will miss him as he has moves to the oﬃce of the vice president for student aﬀairs, but look forward to the great things he does in

his capacity on the other side of campus. We now have a full senate. Congratulations, new senators. However, we still take applications on a rolling basis, available at www.asg.txstate.edu for an online copy, or e-mail ASG

Vice President Alexis Dabney and she can provide those interested with the form. ASG will be tailgating in full force for the Oct. 6 game against McNeese State, and in the meantime, will be working in our newly re-structured

Sept. 13, 10:57 a.m. Drug: Possession of Marijuana/Drug: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia/Drug: Possession of a Controlled Substance Group 3/Jackson Hall An officer was dispatched for a suspicious odor report. Upon further investigation, a student was issued a citation for PODP, arrested and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center to await magistration. Sept. 13, 3:28 p.m. Medical Emergency/ Smith Hall An officer was dispatched for a medical emergency. A student reported having a seizure, was evaluated by EMS, and transported to Central Texas Medical Center for further evaluation. Sept. 13, 8:53 p.m. Failure to Comply/Striking Unattended Vehicle/ San Jacinto Garage An officer was dispatched for a hit and run report. Upon further investigation, a student reported her vehicle was damaged while it was parked. This case is under investigation. Sept. 13, 10:19 p.m. Theft – under $500/UPD Lobby An officer was dispatched for a theft report. A student reported his property had been taken from Centennial Hall without his consent. This case is under investigation. committees to bring student needs to the forefront. Please do not hesitate to e-mail us at asg@txstate.edu with any questions, comments or concerns. — Courtesy of ASG

NEWS

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

The University Star - Page 3

Nuisance or Prank: Student tased during forum By Phil Long, Jennifer Mooney Piedra and Martin Merzer McClatchy Newspapers GAINESVILLE, Fla. — “We hold these truths to be self-evident.” “Four score and seven years ago.” And now, add this to the lexicon of American democracy: “Don’t Tase me, bro. Don’t Tase me.” Andrew Meyer, the University of Florida student from Weston who tested the limits of free speech during an address by Sen. John Kerry, walked out of jail Tuesday, and into cyberspace history — and instant, if likely fleeting, celebrity. Video clips of his fracas with university police officers flashed around the world, viewed more than 400,000 times. Tens of thousands of people debated the issue on Web sites, including more than 700 people on www.miamiherald.com. The American Civil Liberties Union and Amnesty International USA rose to his support. “Shocking someone who was seemingly little more than a nuisance? That belongs in the Ripley’s of poor policing,” said Larry Cox, executive director of Am-

nesty International USA. The degree to which Meyer, 21, was a nuisance or an opportunistic prankster — and the magnitude of the police response — stood at the center of the worldwide web of discussion as he left jail, was hugged by his father and drove away in his lawyer’s SUV. The charges: resisting an oﬃcer with violence and disturbing the peace by disrupting a school activity. His attorney said he would plead not guilty. The bail: none — he was released on his own recognizance and made no public comment. The response: immediate and wide, starting on campus and racing around the world. UF President J. Bernard Machen described the event as “regretful” and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement placed the two oﬃcers involved in the incident on administrative leave pending an investigation. “We’re absolutely committed to having a safe environment for our faculty and our students so that a free exchange of ideas can occur,” Machen said. About 100 UF students conducted a

protest, holding signs that said: “Trust Betrayed,” “Excessive Force” and, of course, “Don’t Tase Me, Bro.” “The nation is laughing at us,” said student Benjamin Dictor. “And the nation is crying for us, too.” On the small chance you haven’t seen any of the several videos of the event, here is what happened: As the forum with Kerry came to a conclusion, the Massachusetts Democrat agreed to answer a question from Meyer even though the Q&A period was supposed to be over. Meyer launched into a lengthy, somewhat meandering series of questions that included a sexually explicit term and amounted to this: Why did Kerry concede the 2004 presidential election? Why not impeach President Bush? Was Kerry a member of the same secretive society at Yale University as Bush? Reminded that he was to ask only one question, Meyer responded: “He’s talked for two hours. I think I can have two minutes.” Meyer’s microphone was cut oﬀ as six police oﬃcers attempted to remove him

from the room. During the fray, Meyer uttered the words that now serve as a clarion cry of student protest and free speech, words that will live forever in the memories of millions of ... computers: “Don’t Tase me, bro. Don’t Tase me.” According to the official police report, Meyer was accompanied to the meeting by a woman who was there to film him and, as he took the microphone, he asked her: “Are you taping this? Do you have this? You ready?” The report said that, after the arrest, Meyer’s “demeanor completely changed once the cameras were not in sight. Meyer did ask, at one point, if the cameras were going to be at the jail.” The Internet debate revolved around the relative balance between Meyer’s provocative behavior and the police response, with the majority of posters criticizing the officers. “It was excessive force,” one person wrote on the social networking Web site Facebook, “The Taser shouldn’t have been used.” Others argued Meyer’s actions were out of line and disruptive, and he got

what he deserved. “The kid was being obnoxious,” wrote another poster. “He had his chance to peacefully ask his question and not go into the tirade he went into.” Kerry came under criticism from people who thought he should have done more to take control of the situation and cool tensions. During the encounter, as oﬃcers began grabbing Meyer’s arms, Kerry can be heard saying: “That’s all right, let me answer his question.” A little later, he offers again to answer Meyer’s “very important question.” On Tuesday, Kerry released a statement. “In 37 years of public appearances, through wars, protests and highly emotional events, I have never had a dialogue end this way.” Kerry said. “I hope that neither the student nor any of the police were injured. I regret enormously that a good healthy discussion was interrupted.” Miami Herald special correspondent Alex Tiegen contributed to this report from Gainesville.

Palestinian authority closes More countries join U.S. civilian food, clothing source sanctions against Iran By Dion Nissenbaum McClatchy Newspapers

By Warren P. Strobel McClatchy Newspapers WASHINGTON — One year after the United States launched an intensified global economic campaign against Iran with the stated aim of halting Tehran’s nuclear work, the Bush administration is counting its successes — and calling for still more pressure. In recent months, once-reluctant European countries have joined the effort, which some are calling a financial war, with more vigor. Germany’s largest bank, Deutsche Bank AG, said recently that it would stop doing business in Iran. France has trimmed export credits that encourage business in Iran and advised French firms, including the oil and gas giant Total S.A., not to start new investments there. Even Japan, heavily dependent on Persian Gulf oil, has pulled back from energy projects in Iran. While hard to quantify, the multi-pronged effort appears to be causing significant pain in Iran, raising the cost of doing business and delaying Tehran’s plans to modernize its inefficient oil and gas industry, according to a dozen U.S. officials, Western diplomats and analysts. In Washington, the drive for financial sanctions has proved a boon to Bush administration aides seeking to head off military operations against Iran, which Vice President Dick Cheney favors. Whether it will succeed in thwarting Iran’s nuclear ambitions remains to be seen. “The Treasury has had some success in jaw-boning financial institutions. That has contributed to decisions by several big banks to stop or reduce business in Iran,” said former Treasury official Jeffrey Schott, of the Peterson Institute for International Economics. But, Schott said, “I don’t think the level of (international) cooperation or intervention will produce noticeable results — and will not dissuade Iran from its policy objectives.” The U.S. and several European governments see concerted economic pressure as the best hope for a peaceful end to the long-running showdown over Iran’s nuclear programs. But Russia and China worry sanctions are a slippery slope that will lead to war. Increased sanctions, coupled with an offer of negotiations if Iran suspends uranium enrichment, is the only approach “that can keep us from facing a disastrous alternative: an Iranian bomb or the bombing of Iran,” French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in August. The financial campaign, led by the Treasury Department and based on executive orders and United Nations sanctions, has taken on new significance even as a U.S.-led drive to impose more draconian U.N. sanctions on Iran has faltered. Envoys from six nations will meet in Washington Friday to discuss an already-delayed third U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution. But of the six, China and Russia oppose more punishment for Iran, and Germany is unenthusiastic. The eventual resolution, if any, is expected to be watered-down, Western diplomats say.

BIR ZEIT, West Bank — The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is here, and Naila Khalaf is entering it with little to feed her 11 children. Her husband, a Fatah loyalist, is in an Israeli prison for illegally selling a weapon. Fatah, whose most prominent member is Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, has done virtually nothing to help her family while her husband is behind bars. Now the Palestinian Authority has ordered the closure of the small Islamist charity that Khalaf relies on for food, clothes and toys for her children. “May God damn Fatah,” Khalaf said as she corralled four of her kids, who were scrambling about the family’s bare living room. “Fatah hasn’t given us a penny.” Khalaf, 33, and her children are among millions of Palestinians caught in the intensifying political crossfire between Fatah and its archrival, the Islamist movement Hamas. In the three months since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip, Abbas has worked methodically to make sure Hamas can’t amass enough power to challenge his control in the West Bank. Abbas first dissolved the Hamasdominated government and appointed a pro-Western Cabinet in its place. Then he barred armed militias from operating in the West Bank, diluted the power of the Hamas-dominated legislature and imposed rules that will make it more difficult for the Islamist group to participate in elections.

CONTINUED from page 1

compliance issues. “We carry over funds each year, so this year we actually have a little over $83,000 to allocate the projects,” Smith said. “The ADA Compliance committee will be conducting an updated ADA transition plan this year to determine what needs to be addressed.” Smith said a team of staﬀ members from the Oﬃce of Disability Services, Human Resources and Equity and Access have been meeting to discuss workplace accommodations. “This team will work with supervisors to determine

Courtesy of Kaplan Inc.

will not allow for partial credit,” Lynn said. Ewing said the reason for the change involves graduate deans and admission officials. “The GRE has changed throughout the years, and every time it has been done with the involvement and request of deans and graduate admissions officials,” Ewing said. “In this case, these changes were meant to do a better job measuring higher order reasoning.” Charlene James, a graduate student in communication studies, said the additional difficulty of the GRE is only discouraging prospective students. “I think it’s a bad idea to make the GRE more difficult for prospective graduate students,” James said. “It’s just one more thing hindering students from higher education, and keeping universities reserved for the elite. At a time when tuition costs

are rising, students don’t need the added diﬃculty when trying to get into graduate school.” She said students should prepare as they always would and should not stress over the new questions. “When students come upon these new questions they should try their best,” Ewing said. “I don’t think students need to go out and enroll in expensive coaching courses yet to help them prepare for these new questions.” She said students who want to avoid the new question types should take the test early. “If students are unable to test early they should at least become familiar with the new question types,” Lynn said. Kaplan Inc. will administer a free GRE practice test Oct. 16 from 4 to 6 p.m., to help prepare students for the new question types. Students can register for the practice test by visiting www. kaptest.com/newgre.

the groups improperly registered or cut corners by sending their applications to Hamas government officials in the Gaza Strip instead of to officials in the West Bank. So far, the ministry has ordered the closure of more than half of the 200 cases reviewed by the staff. More than three-quarters of them are allied with Hamas, according to the Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens Rights. “I am sad for the people who benefit from these charities, but at the end of the day, I am doing what is right,” Damiri said. For now, the women who run Al Waroud are fighting to keep its doors open. Last week, Palestinian police broke down the charity’s door and confiscated the group’s computer and files. After a four-hour protest at the police station, the Palestinian Authority returned most of the charity’s property after admitting that it had made a mistake because the charity still had 60 days to appeal the closure. Until the matter is settled, Al Waroud has been told it can run only its pizza kitchen. “People are afraid to give money now,” said Mazuzeh Hussein, 37, the charity director. “People will be afraid to be associated with us.” Mouin Barghouti, a legal adviser with the independent citizens rights commission, said the tit-fortat was helping neither side. “It’s a problem for both sides and the bigger impact will be on Palestinian society,” Barghouti said. “This will create an earthquake and division within Palestinian society.”

ADA:Derrick Hall proven problematic

GRE: Students urged to ‘try their best’ CONTINUED from page 1

Israel has helped by keeping dozens of Hamas lawmakers in prison, which has made it impossible for the legislature to meet and challenge the president’s rule. Last week, the Abbas-appointed government issued rules barring unauthorized charities from collecting money in West Bank mosques during Ramadan, a month when Muslims traditionally give more to the poor. Preachers also have been warned that they could be removed from their mosques if they deliver inﬂammatory political sermons. In addition, the Palestinian Authority has ordered more than 100 West Bank charities to close. Among them is Al Waroud, the small, women-run group that helps the Khalafs and nearly 90 other families. Since Hamas draws much of its populist support from its deep-rooted charity network, the closures appear designed to undermine the Islamist group’s West Bank infrastructure. Khalaf clucked her tongue when she spoke of Abbas and said her husband now regrets backing Fatah. Abbas “doesn’t hurt Hamas,” she said. “He hurts people like us.” Abbas loyalists in the Palestinian Authority portray the crackdown not as a campaign to destabilize Hamas, but as an attempt to impose law and order in the West Bank. During its 14 months in control of the Palestinian Authority, Hamas signed oﬀ on the creation of 600 charities, said Samoud Damiri, a legal adviser with the Interior Ministry who has been reviewing the paperwork. The ministry contends

the appropriate accommodations for staff and faculty who need them based on a disability,” Smith said. “We are very committed to these processes and work together as a campus community to ensure compliance and care for students, faculty and staff,” Smith said. Schultz said the university is currently working on and planning several projects. “We usually try and undergo projects in the summer because there are a lot less people around, but there is just so many.” Schultz said. “We are going to have to go through with them.” Faculty, staff and students were notified of these projects in a construction update e-mail Sept. 11.

OPINIONS THE UNIVERSITY STAR

onlineconnection For news updates throughout this semester, check out www.UniversityStar.com.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - Page 4

Opinions Contact — Bill Rix, staropinion@txstate.edu

THE MAIN POINT faculty member at Texas State who indulges in marijuana, or any other drug, may have become nervous recently because of a draft university policy that would mandate random drug tests.

GUILT BEFORE

innocence Proposed policy an invasion of privacy, respect

They shouldn’t be nervous because those who don’t indulge in illicit drugs oppose the policy also. This is a matter of maintaining a right to privacy, which is violated with the testing. What a professor, or any American for that matter, does in the privacy of his or her home is nobody’s business. Looking into someone’s private life should only happen if that person is a threat or of harm to others, whether it is physically or psychologically. Employers should only test if an employee’s job performance is sub par. Even then, a drug test shouldn’t be administered. If a professor isn’t doing their job, then they should be fired — how it works with most jobs. As long as they are fulfilling their job requirement, nobody should care what they do in the privacy of their home. If a professor’s drug usage starts to affect the quality of education a student receives, or any aspect of their job performance, then there’s a problem. It is understandable why employers would want to make sure they aren’t hiring a crack, methamphetamine or heroin addict, but the policy is still flawed, even more so with random drug testing. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, “a confirmed ‘positive’ provides no evidence of present intoxication or impairment; it merely indicates that a person may have taken a drug at some time in the past.” To administer random drug testing simply crosses the line. It’s unfair and degrading. If an employee has done nothing to be suspected of drug use and the job performance is satisfactory, there’s no reason why he or she should be subjected to a drug test. There’s another problem, which the ACLU explains with this hypothetical situation: Professor John Doe smoked marijuana on a Saturday night and is randomly drug tested Wednesday. Even though the drug no longer has an effect on the professor, he will fail a drug test because the substance is still in his system. A professor could snort cocaine Wednesday morning and pass a drug test the same day because the substance has yet to metabolize. The reasons against drug testing can go on and on. In its current form, this draft policy is, as said by University Attorney Bill Fly, “unconstitutional.” There needs to be evidence or suspicion before a faculty member gets drug tested. It would be surprising for the administration, or the board of regents, to approve of a policy mandating random drug testing. It’s silly the policy would even be considered. 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.

Justin Jackley/Star illustration

Student explains other side of Sagewood situation Calvin Bowers history junior I read The University Star on a daily basis. The opinions section is one of my favorites. It is consistently interesting, and for the most part carries the opinion of the student body. Sept. 18 was a diﬀerent story. I have followed the Sagewood story in The Star and the San Marcos Daily Record. Of all the articles I have read, “We’re Not Like Them,” is the most ridiculous one so far, and the worst part is it is from The Star, attacking students. I go to school full time, work part time and am involved in student organizations; and I don’t like being referred to as a “sour apple” who lives in the “less than stellar part of town.” That is a stereotypical judgment — to say all residents of Sagewood are screw ups, so don’t let those bad apples form your opinion of

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the student body. This concept is hypocritical. Just because I live on Sagewood doesn’t mean I get trashed every night, play my stereo loud and “urinate in my front yard.” This article is as judgmental towards the residents of Sagewood as it is asking the community to not be of the student body. If whoever wrote this article believes the idea of Texas State being a party school happened over night, because of Sagewood, and the opinion is conﬁned to the San Marcos community alone, they are greatly mistaken. Sagewood could convert all the houses into one big monastery and the residents into monks, but the image of Texas State will still be there. My other problem with this article is it seems to combine the party problem of Texas State into one street. I have been to many parties where “students (sur-

Editor In Chief.................................Maira Garcia, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor.......................Sydney Granger, starletters@txstate.edu News Editor...................................Nick Georgiou, starnews@txstate.edu Trends Editor.......................Clara Cobb, starentertainment@txstate.edu Opinions Editor.......................................Bill Rix, staropinion@txstate.edu Photo Editor................................Spencer Millsap, starphoto@txstate.edu

round) the beer pong table and play the who-can-finish-the-handle-of-tequila-first game,” the stereo is on high, guys are peeing off balconies, and the cops come because two guys got in a fight, and it wasn’t on Sagewood. Everyone so far has been able to agree on this issue: a large problem is the zoning of that area. The noise, the parties, the overall atmosphere is not approved by the citizens of San Marcos. The other side of this argument, which I have not seen anywhere, is declaring marshal law on our street is not approved by the residents of Sagewood. As I completely understand the citizens’ rights, I believe ours are being overlooked. I pay rent and no one has the right to tell me what I can’t do in the place I pay to live in, in the confines of the law. Nor do I agree with my street being patrolled like a prison. I would have more freedom in a

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dorm. The residents of Sagewood and the surrounding community have an issue that could be compromised versus the given situation. If they have the right to peace and quiet, don’t I have the right to throw a party on a Saturday night? I hate to play this card, but those who are complaining did decide to live where they did, just like I did. If I moved into a neighborhood with a high crime rate and my car got broken into, part of it is a consequence of my personal decisions. I hope this issue is resolved soon, and in a reasonable manner. To remind those on the outside judging in: Where I live does not designate my character. Don’t label me or the other residents of Sagewood as screw-ups because of where we live and don’t pretend Sagewood is the only place that throws parties. Editor’s note: this is a letter to the editor.

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Blame the media: Beauty in the eye of beholder, not the camera

MEAGAN SINGLETARY Star Columnist

It’s fairly obvious when you turn on the television, flip through a magazine, or just listen to the conversations of young people around you women’s appearance is a topic of high interest. Everyone seems to obsess about the way they look. No one seems to ever be good enough the way they are. It doesn’t matter who you are or how levelheaded you may believe yourself to be. We have all looked at ourselves at one time or another and thought, “Maybe I do need to lose a little weight.” These thoughts are not completely your own. The more you engage yourself in the media, the more you begin to internalize the false messages about feminine beauty. Promoting these unrealistic ideals leads to impossible and unhealthy body expectations. More importantly, it could aid in supporting the unfair system of gender inequality that pervades our society and continues to stifle women. The female form used to be something that was admired, but now it’s nothing more than a commodity for advertisers to make profit. Young women today seem to be more concerned with their physical selves. This constant obsession with body image can’t be healthy. In fact, it absolutely contributes to the persistence of unhealthy eating habits and the poor self-image many young women have. The pressure to have the perfect body and be beautiful is taxing and begins to take away from things that are far more important in life. If you don’t believe some women are more focused on their bodies than their minds, do some investigating yourself. Ask your girlfriends the names of the senators from Texas. If they can’t answer that then you know there is a problem. Don’t let bold women, such as presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton — who probably won’t win, not because she is under-qualified or a woman, but because people just don’t like her — fool you. The women’s rights movement is taking a huge step backward when women like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton represent us in the media. Contrary to popular belief, it is not “hot” to live recklessly when it’s at the expense of your young children, or to gain notoriety for having your most intimate moments displayed all over the Internet. I don’t know if women today realize they could be starving their bodies at the expense of their minds. Our culture’s ideas about feminine beauty are used, whether it is intentional or not, as a means of social control. Don’t let the media fool you. Most women are not super models; they look just like you and me. The appearance of women plays far too significant a role in our society. It’s important for us to realize this so to not further glorify an illusion that is detrimental to the minds, bodies and even souls of women. It’s about time we as women took our power back. Stop letting the media and the public around tell you how to dress, how much to weigh, who and what you should be. It’s your life and your voice. The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University-San Marcos published Tuesday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a distribution of 8,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Copyright September 19, 2007. 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.

TRENDS THE UNIVERSITY STAR

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - Page 5

get involved Feeling a bit apprehensive about joining a traditional campus organization? The Non-Traditional Students Organization (NTSO) is the group to check out. NTSO oﬀers a dynamic support for students who don’t ﬁt the traditional student mold: commuter, transfer, older, younger, disabled, parents, single parents, military and more. As an extra incentive to members, the organization has a study lounge where members can

hang out, socialize or ﬁnish homework. It is also a service organization, which allows students to volunteer and get involved on and oﬀ campus. NTSO sponsors fun events such as family day cookouts, bowling and an end-of-semester banquet where members are rewarded scholarships. For more information, visit their Web site at www.studentorgs. txstate.edu/ntso or e-mail jporter@txstate.edu.

Trends Contact — Clara Cobb, starentertainment@txstate.edu

Volunteer Fair gives students opportunity to lend a hand By Clara Cobb Trends Editor

Jon Clark/Star photo READY TO HELP: Vanessa Silva, elementary education graduate student, talks with Megan Houseman and Sarah Andrews of the Arc of the Capital Area about volunteer opportunities with the organization. The Arc of the Capital Area helps children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Jasmine Powell is normally a recruit when it comes to volunteering. Powell, political science junior, decked out in a Student Volunteer Connection T-shirt and a Boko cap, acted as recruiter, drawing interested students into the organization-sponsored volunteer fair Wednesday at the LBJ Student Center Ballroom. “It’s going great,” she said. “I think it’s the hat. If you get people to walk in, to get interested, they’ll usually sign up.” Powell, a transfer student, said volunteering was an easy way for her to get involved at Texas State. She said she believes volunteering will help build her résumé as well. “I want to go to law school and get into politics,” she said. “So it’s a good way to do networking.” Julie Hollar has recruited volunteers through the fair for three years. Hollar, program director

“W

e’re always trying to match students with opportunities to get involved and vice-versa.” —Terence Parker assistant director of student organizations and Greek aﬀairs

at the San Marcos Youth Service Bureau, said without recruitment events, her programs could not run. “I probably get 12 to 20 really good volunteers who will come and stay,” she said. “I run my whole program on volunteers. I’m the only staﬀ member.” She said volunteers helped prepare for the fair by assisting in making a display board. “They’ll do anything I ask — and they’re happy to do it.” Hollar said. “I couldn’t exist without them.”

Terence Parker, assistant director of student organizations and Greek aﬀairs, said the organization helps students ﬁnd ways to volunteer. “This is a great opportunity for students to get involved, and for organizations it’s good too,” he said. “We’re just trying to connect the community with the students.” He said approximately 40 organizations came to recruit volunteers at the fair. “We’re always trying to match students with opportunities to get involved and vice-versa,” Parker said. “The organizations also need volunteers.” Students who were not able to attend the fair may still get involved in local volunteer opportunities by emailing svcoffice@txstate. edu or by visiting the organization Web site. He said volunteering can provide student enrichment outside the classroom. “I think it gives them a sense of civic responsibility,” Parker said. “It gives

them a sense of pride, accomplishment.” He said many students who were involved in volunteer activities in high school or in another city can continue their work in San Marcos through the organization. Recently, Parker said, a student who was a United Way volunteer in her hometown was able to reconnect to the non-proﬁt organization in Hays County. “Students are citizens too,” he said. “A lot of students come to college to ﬁnish what they started. It’s a great opportunity to continue what started at home.” Cassandra Ragin, biology senior, is president of the organization. She said volunteering is an important part of college life. “It bridges the gap between community and students,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity.” Powell agrees. “As college students, we have a lot of opportunities most people would die for,” she said. “It’s another way to give back to the community.”

Students take First Amendment rights for granted By Keenan Wilson Daily News (Ball State U.) (U-WIRE) MUNCIE, Ind. — Constitution Day was Monday, kicking oﬀ National Constitution Week, but the majority of Ball State University students might not remember celebrating the federally mandated holiday in high school, according to a recent report. Hayley Ryan, a freshman fashion design major, said she does not remember recognizing Constitution Day when she

was in high school. According to the Future of the First Amendment III study, 50 percent of high school students are unaware that Constitution Day exists, and three-fourths of them are apathetic about the First Amendment or take it for granted. Researchers at the University of Connecticut concluded students support First Amendment issues that aﬀect them, but care less about issues that do not directly aﬀect them, according to the report. Kenneth Dautrich and David

Yalof polled more than 5,000 students and more than 1,000 teachers and parents from around the United States about the Constitution and the First Amendment. According to the report, Constitution Day is the day the federal government requires high schools to teach students about the Constitution. The study reported 89 percent of high school students don’t know how their school recognized Constitution Day the previous year. This year, 68 percent said they have had a class

that dealt with the First Amendment, according to the study. Brandon Parker, a BSU freshman music technology major, said although he didn’t remember recognizing Constitution Day in high school, he learned about the Constitution in government classes. According to the report, students are not likely to support an issue involving the First Amendment unless it directly aﬀects them, such as music censorship and high school publications. The study reported 63 percent of high school students

reported they support musicians producing music with offensive lyrics, and 58 percent reported they support students publishing freely. However, 38 percent of high school students admit they take the First Amendment for granted, and 36 percent said they don’t know what the amendment does, according to the study. Freshman history major Joe Riordan said his high school never recognized the day. He said he was taught about the Constitution and the First

Amendment, but that more is necessary. “(High schools) should teach the First Amendment to kids when they are younger because it is important for everyone to know their civil rights,” Riordan said. Ryan said high schools should try harder to educate students about the Constitution and First Amendment. She said a lot of students have a vague understanding of the First Amendment and don’t understand exactly what it protects.

Artist shares her take on daring world

Monty Marion/Star photo SQUEAKY CLEAN: Artwork by Squeak Carnwath lines the walls of Gallery I in the Mitte Complex. Carnwath’s work will be on display in the gallery until Oct. 20.

By Ashley Gwilliam Senior Features Reporter Texas State art and design students stood in awe Tuesday. With heads ever so slightly tilted, they examined the modern paintings and prints of California artist and professor Squeak Carnwath’s “Short Stories” exhibition at its debut in Gallery 1 at the Joan Cole Mitte Art Complex. “I’m not usually attracted to modern art, but I can tell when it’s done well,” said Greg Smith, communication design junior. “The colors are fantastic. If the colors weren’t executed as well, the compositions themselves would probably just fall apart. It’s (Carnwath’s art) wonderfully executed.” Though, like most modern art, Carnwath’s paintings are multi-dimensional and representative of complex, personal thought and contemplation. Carnwath’s biggest inspiration is life itself, as she transforms numbers, lists, and recurring personal symbols into iconic messages. Within several of her paintings, symbols and words discreetly ﬂoating beneath the bright, luminous

colors are initially visible. Though she said the galleries sell her paintings, she does not keep track of the monetary value of her works. Carnwath estimated the paintings sell from $35,000 to $65,000. She said these large-scale compositions chart a continuing quest for self-knowledge. “Painting is a philosophical enterprise, a study of being,” she said. Although Carnwath is delighted to tell you what painting means to her, try asking what one of her paintings means, and her lips are sealed. “I don’t think things have fixed meanings,” she said. “Like language, painting and artwork are very elastic, and people bring different sensibilities and different stories to what they see.” Carnwath said a person’s past experiences shape their reactions to different images and they need to pay attention to their own story the work sets off, instead of trying to figure out what the artist is saying. “Viewing work and making work is a covenant between the artist and the person viewing it,” she said.

Andrea Haynes, studio art senior, said she was inspired by Carnwath’s work. “There’s a lot of times in abstract (art) where there are things I want to do, but I pull back and am a little hesitant about being daring,” Haynes said. “This right here gives me permission to put it down there, dare the world to look at it.” Carnwath said young artists should be more assertive about finding their own style, and succeeding in the art industry. “They have to work for it, and discover it themselves,” she said. “It’s not like getting an MBA and going to business school, where I can do this, this and this to get a job. The art world is a different place; it’s a fickle place.” Fickle it may be, there is nothing else Carnwath would rather be doing. Carnwath said from the time she was given her first set of paints as a child, she knew that she wanted to do little else. It wasn’t until she began going to museums as a young adult that she discovered there were artists who painted all the time, and that she too could make a living creating.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

✯

TRENDS/DIVERSIONS

101 Hedonism

MONTHLY VISIT SHOULD NOT PREVENT ROLL IN THE SHEETS

9/18 Solutions:

Joy, Strife, and College Life

by Cecilia M. De Jesus

I think most of my It used to be women gentle readers would were cast off into the agree sex is awesome. woods during their That (safe) intercourse period because they between two people can were “unclean.” Think be fun and dangerous of how many women and exhilarating all at were likely killed off by the same time. So what bears and other woodANNA TAUZIN happens when pesky land creatures because Star Columnist Aunt Flo comes to town of the attractive scent and overstays her welcome for of blood. That sort of barbaric a few days? Should sex stop just treatment has gone away, thank because a woman gets her pegoodness, but much of the soriod? Heck no. cial stigma still remains. The problem most couples The fact is menstrual blood face when considering having is not dirty. It’s a normal body sex during a woman’s period is fluid, much like saliva or semen. the preconception of menstrual It may be messy, but it’s not blood being “dirty.” From a disgusting. Gone are the days of young age, girls are to conceal cooties, my dears. our monthly visitor from others. While it’s true women are less Companies have made fortunes likely to get pregnant while on on marketing products to help their period, it is possible, so I’d disguise it: smaller tampons, still use a condom. Sperm can thinner pads and jeweled cases stay hang around for a few days, in which to hide said products. even with the flow. Plus, beBut if millions of women all cause the opening of the cervix around the world are experiencwidens during a woman’s period ing the same thing at the same and many STI organisms thrive time, what’s the big deal? on menstrual flow, transferring

Complete the grid so that every row, column, and 3-by-3 box contains every digit from one through nine inclusively.

The University Star - Page 6

an infection is more likely to happen during this time. Always use protection. I’d recommend waiting until after the heavy ﬂow has stopped, or generally two days after the “visit” has started. Use a dark colored towel under your butt when you do have sex. It’s usually less messy if the guy is on top. Gravity is at work, after all, and the ﬂow will be heavier with the woman taking the reins. However, ladies, it is absolutely imperative you tell your partner about your little monthly visitor before having sex. It’s not cool for a guy to wake up the next morning to blood all over his sheets and no recollection of what may have been a homicide in his bed. Tell him. If he’s smart, he won’t bat an eye. The University Star does not claim Anna Tauzin is a sexpert. Tauzin and The Star do not condone, support or endorse unhealthy or unsafe sexual behavior.

C �LASSIFIEDS �� THE STAR ��UNIVERSITY ��

�� ad policiesand costs

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - Page 7 Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - Page 33

All classified ads are charged 20¢ per word. Ads may be emailed to starclassifieds@txstate.edu. Check your classified ad for accuracy. Any changes must be made by the second day of publication. The deadline for all classified ads is noon two business days prior to publication. Classified ads must be paid in advance unless credit has been established. Refunds will only be given when a classified ad has been paid by credit card. The Star reserves the right to refuse, edit, and discontinue any classified ad at any time without prior notification. Classified ads will be edited for style purposes. Classified ads that do not note heading, will be put under the appropriate heading. All classified ads are published free, on-line at www.universitystar.com. Since this is a free service, posting is not guaranteed. While The University Star attempts to screen ads for misleading claims or illegal content, it is not possible for us to investigate every ad and advertiser. Please use caution when answering ads, especially any which require you to send money in advance.

E-mail eds at starclassifieds@txstate.edu Email Classifi Classifieds starclassifieds@txstate.edu

ANNOUNCEMENTS

FOR RENT-DUPLEX

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FOOSBALL TABLE FOR SALE. Maker: Harvard, heavy-duty, gently used. $125, contact: lf15@txstate.edu. AKC WEIMARANER PUPPY, female. 9 weeks old. (361) 648-2542. PIEBALD DACHSHUND-Adorable, Male, 9 mo., Shots, Neutered, and AKC papers, $150. Call (512) 754-8745. 1998 OAKWOOD MANUFACTURED HOME. Clean 17 x 75, 3BD/2BA. Includes deck and shed, all appliances included. Bike to campus. $625/mo. or $29,500 cash. Jeﬀ, (512) 363-3696.

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PART-TIME ADMIN. ASSISTANT FOR MEDICAL BILLING OFFICE. Flexible hrs. 20-30/week, occasional Sat. Must be detailed oriented & have interpersonal and telephone skills. Drop off resume at 1348 Hwy 123, Suite A. ATHLETIC, OUTGOING MEN FOR CALENDARS, GREETING CARDS, ETC. $75-200/hr. No exp. needed, (512)684-8296. CRI IS SEEKING INDIVIDUALS TO WORK AS TELEPHONE INTERVIEWERS. Flexible Schedule, Paid Training, No Experience Necessary. Within walking distance of TxState. $7-$12/hr. Call (512) 353-3627x209 today! OUTGOING STUDENTS NEEDED to distribute fliers Sept. 24, 25. Flexible hours, $10/hr. 1 (800) 927-9194. MOVIE EXTRAS. New opportunities for upcoming productions. All looks needed no experience required for cast calls. Call 877-218-6224. ECONOMICS AND FINANCE TUTOR NEEDED, $10/hr. If interested call: (512) 392-6101. E-mail: jm1482@txstate.edu GRUENE ONION GRILL now hiring experienced waitstaff with wine knowledge. Apply in person. 1324 Common St., New Braunfels.

HELP WANTED

MAKE UP TO $75 EACH TAKING ONLINE SURVEYS. www.CashToSpend.com TEKA MARKETING is looking for help with light oﬃce work. Starting pay is $8 an hour. Call (512) 805-0020 to set up an interview. PART TIME WEEKEND ATTENDANT needed for childrens indoor party place. Flexible hours, but must be able to work two Saturdays or Sundays per month. Please Call (512) 396 5867. Starting at $8 per hour. NANNIES NEEDED. For more information visit www.thenannyadvantage.com or call (830) 857-6366. COSTUMED OCCASIONS needing part-time Halloween help. Apply in person at 150 S. LBJ; Tues., Wed., Fri. from 11 a.m.-4:00 p.m. EARN $800-$3,200 A MONTH to drive brand new cars with ads placed on them. www.AdCarClub.com UNDERCOVER SHOPPERS. Earn up to $150 per day. Under cover Shoppers needed to judge retail and dining establishments. Exp. Not RE. Call 800-722-4791.

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PERSONALS

LOST YOUR PET? If your pet is lost anywhere in Hays County, please check the San Marcos Animal Shelter (512) 393-8340 which is located at 750 River Road oﬀ of east Hwy 80. All strays from the Kyle, Wimberley, Dripping Springs, Driftwood, Uhland and some of Buda (non-city) areas are taken to San Marcos. Hours: Mon. and Fri. 11:30 to 5:30; Tues., Wed., Thurs. 11:30 to 4:30; Sat. 11:30 to 4:30. Please go in person rather than call, you are the only one who can identify and reclaim your beloved pet! Remember, an ID tag is a ticket home! $5,000 PAID. EGG DONORS. +Exps. N/Smokers, ages 19-29, SAT>1100/ACT>24/GPA>3.0 Reply to: info@eggdonorcenter.com

SERVICES WWW.STUDENTATTORNEY.COM

WANTED USED CARS, TRUCKS, VANS. Any condition, running or not. If you have something to sell please call Willis Mitchell, (512) 353-4511. THE UNIVERSITY STAR IS NOW HIRING! News reporters Must be able to report on university and local news, gather information, conduct interviews and come into the newsroom to have stories edited. Opinions columnists Must be able to write thought provoking columns on university, local and state events and come into the newsroom for editing. For more information, please contact Maira Garcia editor-in-chief at stareditor@txstate.edu or call (512) 245-3487. Applications are available at the Trinity Building or at www.universitystar.com.

SPORTS

onthe green

THE UNIVERSITY STAR

Men’s golf finished the day in the same place it started, capturing fifth place at the Texas Cup at the UT Golf Club in Austin. Texas State shot a two-round overall score of 603, to finish 21 strokes behind champion New Orleans and 12 shots behind host Texas. Freshman Andrew Bryant was the Bobcats’ top finisher in 11th place at five-over-par. He shot a tworound score of 147.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - Page 8

Sports Contact — Scott Strickman, starsports@txstate.edu

Coach Chisum: Profile of true competitor By Travis Atkins Sports Reporter

Editor’s note: This is the ﬁrst segment of a four-part series featuring Bobcat coaches. Since Karen Chisum was young, she knew she was going to do one of two things professionally: follow her father’s footsteps into law enforcement or coach. “With my family, you learned to compete,” Chisum said. “Whether it was at the dinner table, pitching horseshoes, or playing cards or dominoes, we competed.” That competitive nature was not necessarily what steered Chisum away from law enforcement and into coaching, however. “I was always afraid of the dark,” she said. “So I thought it would be hard to go out and be a cop and be afraid of the dark.” The bright lights of Strahan Coliseum suit Chisum much better and the arena has been her sanctuary here at Texas State for the last 28 years. Chisum was a two-sport athlete as a student at Southwest Texas, graduating in 1971. Oddly enough, neither of those two sports was volleyball. “I played tennis and softball,” she said. “When I decided to coach volleyball, I just jumped right in, read all about it and went to every coaching clinic I could. You don’t have to play to be able to coach it.” In 1978, after taking her New Braunfels High School volleyball team to the state tournament, Chisum was hired as an assistant at Southwest Texas. Then, in 1980, with admittedly not a whole lot of competition, she was named head coach.

Things were much different back then. Instead of Division I, the team was an NAIA school, the lowest level of competitive athletics. The rules were much different. “We kept side-out scoring and played to 15,” Chisum said. “If you hit a serve and it hit the net, surely it wasn’t good. Also, now we have a libero who wears a different color jersey, before that was the kid who forgot her jersey.” Now they play to 25 with no side-out scoring, a serve that hits the net and goes over is good and there are no strict rules regarding substitutions. Chisum has endured all these changes and adapted, seemingly getting better with age. Her teams have won five conference titles, with the last three coming in 2000, 2003 and 2004. This year’s team poses a new challenge for the veteran. Of the 14 players on the roster, there are only three juniors and one senior. “Come to think of it, I don’t know that I have ever had a team with only one senior,” Chisum said. “But it is one of the most fun teams because of the personality and work ethic.” That one senior is Brandy St. Francis, a middle blocker out of Deer Park, Texas. St. Francis is currently nursing an injury but plans on returning later this season. She thinks Chisum’s positive demeanor has helped her from the time St. Francis first got here until now. “(Coach Chisum) has been very supportive,” St. Francis said. “She is always behind you no matter what.” Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Tracy McWilliams-Smith is in her sixth year at Texas State. A former

volleyball player at Utah State and Texas, McWilliams-Smith is now in the coaching business and has learned while working under Chisum. “I was a head coach with no staﬀ right out of college, so I came here to learn how to manage a staﬀ from all aspects,” McWilliams-Smith said. “My main goal was to see how a team is run from an assistant’s point of view and not as a head coach.” Chisum said many former coaches and contemporaries have served as role models for her. She mentioned former Texas Coach Mick Haley, Mary Wise of Florida and Carolyn Mitchell, her former tennis coach at Southwest Texas. “More than the game, it’s who they are, what they taught me and the passion for their sport,” Chisum said. In dealing with her players, Chisum views her job not as just a volleyball coach, but as a mentor. “I believe in teaching kids not only volleyball, but the fundamentals of life,” Chisum said. “I will do anything in the world for my kids as long as they know how to say ‘thank you, I appreciate it, yes ma’am, no ma’am’ or whatever. Yeah, you can call me old-fashioned, but I think that is what a human being is about.” She also wants her players to appreciate how fortunate they are to represent Texas State. “I want them to learn that it is not all about them, it’s about Texas State,” Chisum said. “This is a privilege and not a right. They are privileged individuals to put on this jersey and be able to compete and represent this school and I don’t want them ever to forget that.”

Star file photo LONGTIME ’CAT: Volleyball coach Karen Chisum, Southwest Texas alumna, enters her 29th season of leading Texas State.

Bills player beats full paralysis, but injury will affect rest of life By Patrick Dorsey McClatchy Newspapers It started with a seemingly innocent collision, one that left the Buffalo Bills’ tight end lying eerily motionless on the field. It continued through procedure after sometimes-experimental procedure. Hope dipped when doctors said “catastrophic.” Hope spiked when the player moved his arms and legs, when one spinal cord injury expert declared, “He will walk again.” But, after 72 hours filled with calls to prayer and countless questions, Dr. Kevin Gibbons summed the saga of Kevin Everett up last Wednesday in one fourword phrase: “So far, so good.” So far, doctors said, Everett’s increased movement is encouraging, after he sustained a severe cervical spine injury involving his third and fourth cervical vertebrae during a game against the Denver Broncos. So far, it looks as though Everett will regain the ability to walk — though not the ability to play football — and one day lead a normal life. Everett’s mother, Patricia Dugas, reportedly called it a “miracle.” Marc Buoniconti — the son of former Dolphins linebacker Nick Buoniconti, who became

paralyzed from the chest down from a 1985 football injury — called it “great news” for the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. The center, which is based at the University of Miami School of Medicine and calls itself the world’s largest comprehensive spinal cord injury research center, pioneered one of the techniques used to treat Everett. Still, Buoniconti and others familiar with spinal cord injury say it’s not as simple as Everett walking out of the hospital tomorrow. Everett instead will undergo extensive rehabilitation — both physical and mental — before he recovers. Plus, his life will be in constant jeopardy, subject to many potentially fatal side eﬀects that come with experiencing one of the greatest dangers many athletes face. “This is a life-changing event,” Kevin Gibbons, a neurosurgeon who operated on Everett, told reporters Wednesday. “The story of the ﬁrst few days is a story that’s going to continue over months to years.” “He’s progressing better than expected,” Andrew Cappuccino, the Bills’ orthopedic surgeon who operated on Everett, told The Miami Herald on Friday. “We’re still very cautiously optimistic. Cautiously.”

Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer DOWN, BUT NOT OUT: Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett suffered a spinal cord injury in a game Sept. 9 against Denver which doctors believed would leave him paralyzed. Everett since has been able to display voluntary movement in his limbs, and is expected to walk again.

Adam Taliaferro never lost that optimism. He couldn’t — because he walks to class every day. Seven years ago, Taliaferro was in Everett’s position. A young football player. An ill-fated tackle. A stadium library-silent as doctors and athletic trainers tended to a suddenly still body. A 3 percent chance to walk again, doctors told him. So when the former Penn State cornerback heard of Everett’s injury, he had two thoughts. One took him to 2000, when all he knew was confusion after fracturing his fifth cervical vertebra in a game at Ohio State. He recalled the months of rehabilitation that finally resulted in his walking onto Penn State’s Beaver Stadium field a year later, drawing cheers far louder than he heard as a Nittany Lions player. Then he thought of his present situation — as a law student at Rutgers with full use of his body, minus only the ability to run. Taliaferro flashed forward to 2008, when he will begin his job at a Philadelphia law firm — the very picture of a man overcoming a cervical spine injury. “Hey,” Taliaferro said on the evening after Everett’s injury, when reports of his health still were grim, “if I can do it, I’m sure he can do it.”

But that sounds a lot simpler than it is. Everett has shown movement in all of his extremities, but it is very limited, Miami Project co-founder Dr. Barth Green told The Herald. And even when — or if — Everett begins to move fully, Gibbons said it still will require a “major effort” to keep him breathing on his own. Like all cervical spine injury victims — be they quadriplegic (paralyzed in all four limbs) or, like Everett, quadriparetic (weakness in all four limbs) — he will face continual complications. They’re susceptible to everything from simple infections to pulmonary embolism — a blood clot traveling to the lungs — which killed former Kansas City Chiefs star Derrick Thomas after he injured his spine in a 2000 automobile accident. “It is a chronic life-threatening state,” Gibbons said. Fortunately, Everett will receive his full salary in 2007, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said, along with a benefits package that includes full medical coverage for five years after Everett’s retirement. Also, Everett could even qualify to receive $224,000 annually for the remainder of the disability — possibly for the rest of his life.

Bobcat football proved worthy of Big 12 competition Upon entering Baylor’s Floyd Casey Stadium, I was blown away. The size, the view, even the smell of the air atop the mountain that is the Big 12, all had me in a daze. It seemed the Bobcats suﬀered from a little of the same toxin, as Baylor jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead. On Texas State’s next drive, sophomore quarterback Bradley George seemed rushed in his delivery on one of what would be 55 passing attempts, as if he were trying to do it all himself. George would collect his cool though, calmly leading his team, which outscored the Bears 27-20 over the ﬁnal 45 minutes, and completing 30 passes in the game. He eclipsed campus legend Barrick

Nealy, who previously and, in turn, reinforced held the school record the high hopes Bobcat with 29 completions nation has placed upon against Angelo State in his shoulders. 2003. Though the team Impressive, was that almost pulled off the George saw constant biggest upset in school pressure from an athistory, they downScott Strickman tacking Bears defense, played any notion of Sports Editor and displayed somemoral victories, a mawhat surprising mobility follow- ture step for a school trying to ing last week’s speedy Abilene beat the big boys, rather than Christian defensive rush. just compete with them. And, it George said after the game last excites me Coach Wright seems week “the pocket passer is a to take every loss so hard. dying breed.” He and the coach- ACU or Baylor, he didn’t show ing staff made the necessary a much different demeanor foladjustments during the course lowing either loss. Wright said of the week. They knew what it didn’t matter the game was Baylor’s defense would bring, never out of control or even “the best they will probably that they played Baylor closely, face this year,” George said, they still lost.

The defense made a statement in this game. Baylor quarterback Blake Szymanski, named Co-Big 12 Player of the Week for his performance the week prior to facing Texas State, threw for over 200 yards in the ﬁrst quarter, but only 197 yards the rest of the game. Wright later said the team was a little tentative in the early going, but made a few adjustments that helped them settle down. He said he was glad to see the team play hard and not quit, even though they fell behind early. And how about freshman linebacker Marcus Clark? His interception, the ﬁrst of his career, was returned 31 yards to the Baylor 14-yard line

early in the second quarter. The ’Cats would later score off the turnover, but just as vital, Szymanski seemed to be shaken thereafter. The Texas State defense suddenly became energized, producing a much stronger pass rush and virtually eliminating Baylor’s run game. It’s still hard to see how Texas State didn’t pull this one out just looking at the box score. Texas State controlled the game, owning possession of the ball for nearly 36 minutes, racked up 24 first downs to Baylor’s 19, limited the Bears to only 28 yards rushing and forced two turnovers while committing just one. Take the first quarter out and Texas State wins this game

by a touchdown in dominating fashion. Sure, maybe Baylor overlooked the Bobcats, but the ’Cats seemed to relish the shot at avenging their ACU performance. Through the ﬁrst three games, this looks like a team that will play to the level of its competition, not necessarily a ﬂaw for a Southland Conference member. With three teams in the SLC currently ranked in the Top 25 of the FCS Coaches Poll, Texas State will have to play the underdog role a few more times this year, a situation they have seemed to thrive in against Cal Poly and Baylor. But that’s okay, everyone loves an underdog, or ’Cat.

09 19 2007

Published on Sep 19, 2007

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