09 24 2009

Defending the First Amendment since 1911

ThURSDAY

Bikes and Booze

Volume 99, Issue 13

24

www.UniversityStar.com

Pub crawlers pedal toward bars in high numbers. See page 10.

Texas State police training program receives federal funds

Records Rising

By Chase Birthisel Assistant News Editor

web extra

Vinyl sales stand strong against the digital world. See page 7.

A local police-training program is receiving federal funds to train across the nation.

Texas State’s Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (A.L.E.R.R.T.) program will receive $2.3 million in federal funding. Of the $2.3 million, $1.3 million will fund A.L.E.R.R.T.’s “Train the Trainer” which instructs law agencies how to teach the latest “active shooter” rapid response techniques to its members. Another $1 million Bobby Scheidemann/Star Photo Illustration of the funding is granted for A.L.E.R.R.T. to equip National Guard, Reserve and Active See the Video Online at Duty Service members with www.universitystar.com modern tactics needed to improve combat skills.

According to the Web site, A.L.E.R.R.T. is a “first responder to an active shooter course” which “aides police officers in their ability to safely and effectively respond to, address See the Photos Online at and stop an active shooter.” www.universitystar.com The program is a venture of the San Marcos Police Departcampus to provide for incom- ment, the Hays County Shering students. iff’s Office and Texas State.

“We have a shortage of labs John Curnutt, A.L.E.R.R.T.’s and as we increase the enroll- director of training, said their ment, the shortage of labs, particularly the science labs office is in San Marcos, but for our freshmen, has become they have “mobile training even more severe,” Moore said. teams” nationwide. He said “We may have to closely exam- the program tactics have been ine where we are placing our practiced in a number of realfreshmen students, particular- life instances. ly the non-science majors.”

“Houston Police responded Feakes said department lo- to a shooting and hostage situcations and courses will likely ation at the Johnston Space need to be shifted.

“The best way to solve the Center about a year and a half problem is to build new build- ago,” Curnutt said. “Most of the ings and we can’t build new officers who arrived on scene buildings within a 10-year pe- had been through our training. Their response after the riod,” Feakes said.

She said faculty members situation is that our training are concerned with Parking brought everyone together Services’ refusal to respond onto the same page.” to complaints.

Curnutt said the money al“I really like the idea of lotted for the “Train the Trainhaving some spots that are er” program will increase the 24-hours faculty only, because it is true faculty are coming up efficiency of the A.L.E.R.R.T. at night to teach a class and program.

“The beauty of the program see ‘SENATE,’ page 5

Faculty Senate discusses rising population, repercussions

By Lora Collins News reporter Provost Perry Moore said university administration will hire more faculty to aid the increasing student population, despite the dicey economy.

Moore told Faculty Senators at their Wednesday meeting university officials do not know what the economic future looks like, and because of that, hiring and expanding will be a risk.

“Enrollment growth is allowing us to put some money aside to plan for the next legislative session,” Moore said.

“The good news is we will be hiring faculty. The bad news is I’m not sure where we will place them.”

Moore acknowledged campus growth from 29,100 students to about 30,800 is causing space issues.

“We do have a space problem; probably one we have had for the last few years and probably one we will have in

coming years,” Moore said.

“The good news about that is it is a growth and it is a good thing.”

Debra Feakes, Faculty Senate chair, said University President Denise Trauth has designated funds to hire new faculty.

“It’s just over $2 million a year this coming year and the following year until the 2011 legislative session,” Feakes said.

The university is fifth in the state in terms of student applicants behind the University of Texas, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech, and Baylor. Moore said the majority of student growth is in the junior and senior classes.

“We have maintained the same admissions standards so we are not reducing them,” Moore said. “What is accountable for the growth is the increasing popularity of Texas State.”

Faculty Senate discussed the movement of labs around

is we won’t just show up, train some people and hopefully they will remember what we did,” Curnutt said. “We will create some trainers that will continue to teach within their agency after we leave. It is like planting seeds.”

The U.S. House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee also approved $500,000 for A.L.E.R.R.T.’s “Project Protection”— a training program to teach school officials how to assess the likelihood of violent acts and be prepared.

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (DTexas) helped secure federal funds for the project.

“A.L.E.R.R.T. is a unique Central Texas resource that is ensuring safer schools and communities across America,” Doggett said in a press release.

“And with these new resources, A.L.E.R.R.T. can do even more. By ensuring our servicemen and women have the skills they need, A.L.E.R.R.T. is playing an important role in improving the safety of those who keep us safe.”

Don Montague, executive director of A.L.E.R.R.T., said everyone at the program is grateful to Doggett for his efforts to secure funding.

“The A.L.E.R.R.T. and Texas National Guard partnership has unlimited potential as we increase the training opportunities for National Guard units,” Montague said.

“This will enable soldiers to receive advanced training, increasing the survivability and lethality of our soldiers in combat.”

Curnutt said he is grateful for the money, but believes funding should continue.

“I believe the role of government should be pretty limited, but one of the things it should do is provide for the protection of its citizenry,” Curnutt said. “That’s what we’re all about. This is taxpayer money that is going to train better-prepared law enforcement officers.”

City Council may reconsider taxicab ordinance

By Rachel Nelson News Reporter A city ordinance stuck in park for decades could get a jump-start.

City Council members are discussing allowing taxicabs to wait for fares downtown, a practice local law currently prevents .

Howard Williams, San Marcos Chief of Police, said 1970 was the last time the ordinance was updated.

“The way our ordinance is written now, the taxicabs can’t do what we call patrolling for fares,” Howard said.

“They could get a citation if they show up without being called.”

Howard said no one seems to know the rationale behind the ordinance.

“We kind of need to modernize it and bring it up to modern standards,” he said. “I just know that today it doesn’t meet the needs of the city so we need to change it.”

Changing the ordinance would mean cabs could line up in areas around The Square and other populated places late at night, to aid bar-goers

in finding a ride home.

“The logic now is we want it to be easy for people who are downtown to get home,” said City Councilmember Kim Porterfield, Place 1. “If they don’t feel like they can drive their car, and if it’s not safe for them to drive their car, my belief is there needs to be an alternative for people to get home in a safe manner.”

Porterfield said the recent disbandment of Students With Alternative Transportation, did not contribute to the proposed changes.

Robert Rubio, one of the owners of Hays Taxi Service, said he could not be sure if changing the ordinance would benefit his business, but he sees a need for the change.

“I hope it works out for the young kids because we don’t want the kids taking a chance Lindsey Goldstein/Star photo getting in their vehicle intoxi- SAFE DRIVING: The San Marcos city council is considering allowing taxicabs to patrol The Square to cated trying to get home,” Ru- help ease the problem of drunk driving after the bars close. bio said.

Rubio offers rides to any location in San Marcos for a said.

Williams said he is working at the Oct. 20 City Council maximum of six people for a Porterfield predicts the with the bar task force to up- meeting,” Howard said. “They total of $10. emergence of pedicabs, pow- date the taxicab ordinance. will look it over and see what “I just hope the kids can give ered by bicyclists, if the ordi“Right now we are tentative- they want to do with it.” taxi services a shot and see nance is changed. ly scheduled to have this heard how it works for them,” Rubio

Today’s Weather

77°/63° Showers Precipitation: 50% Humidity: 63% UV: 6 High Wind: N 12 mph

Friday Few Showers Temp: 86°/66° Precip: 30%

Friday Partly Cloudy Temp: 90°/67° Precip: 20%

INSIDE THIS ISSUE News…....1-5 Play addresses Facebook use Fighting Words: Self defense seminar held in LBJ Teaching Theater Opinions….6 MAIN POINT: Pains of public transit H1N1 not worth scare or media attention In defense of football, from a self-proclaimed ‘geek’ Trends……...7-11 A Bobcat to know: Justyn Payne is about ‘first impressions’ Texas State students still ‘gotta catch ‘em all’ Classifieds…12 Diversions…12 Sports……….13-14 Bobcats face Texas Southern Tigers Saturday for ninth time Move over baseball, football is America’s game now Bobcats host first conference match

Page Two

2 - The University Star

STARS OF TEXAS STATE

Junior golfer Carson Gibson finished at the UTA Waterchase Invitational Tuesday with a one-under par 215 to tie for 5th-place. Gibson carded the lone sub-70 round for the Bobcats, opening play with a 69, followed by a 74 and an even par 72 to close out the day’s round. The Bobcats return to action Sept. 28 to 29 at the Bob Hurley Oral Roberts Shootout in Tulsa, Okla.

—Courtesy of Texas State Athletics

CRIME

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

Correction

In the Sept. 17 issue of The University Star, the photo on the front page under the H1N1 and Buses story is a Star Photo Illustration.

—The Star regrets this error.

ON THIS

DAY IN

HISTORY

1955: President Dwight D. Eisenhower suffered a heart attack while on vacation in Denver.

1960: The U.S.S. Enterprise, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was launched at Newport News, Va. 1991: Children’s author Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, died at age 87.

1991: The album Nevermind

by Nirvana was released.

1996: The United States and the world’s other major nuclear powers signed a treaty to end all testing and development of nuclear weapons 1998: Redesigned $20 bills meant to be harder to counterfeit went into circulation.

2005: Hurricane Rita struck eastern Texas and the Louisiana coast, causing more flooding in New Orleans.

Ben Rondeau/Star photo IN THE POCKET: Garrett Robinson, criminal justice law enforcement sophomore, passes the time with a pool que in the Blanco Hall lobby on Wednesday evening.

—Courtesy of New York Times

Thursday, September 24, 2009

BLOTTER

Sept. 13, 12:14 a.m.

Public Intoxication/Campus Colony Apartments A police officer was dispatched to the location for a physical disturbance call. Upon further investigation, a nonstudent was arrested and cited for public intoxication and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center and is awaiting a court date.

Sept. 13, 3:08 a.m.

Criminal Mischief-under $500/Blanco Parking Garage A student reported to a police officer a nonstudent had engaged in criminal mischief. The case is under investigation.

Sept. 14, 1:30 p.m.

Criminal Mischief-under $500/Bobcat Stadium Parking Lot A student reported to a police officer er vehicle was damaged intentionally. The case is under investigation.

Sept. 14, 5:03 a.m.

Graffiti - Loss under $500/Centennial Hall While on patrol, a police officer noticed university property had been vandalized. The case is under investigation.

Sept. 15, 1:00 a.m.

Theft-Under $500/Blanco Hall A student reported to a police officer his property had been taken without his consent. The case is under investigation.

Sept. 15, 2:22 a.m.

Public Intoxication/Comanche Street A police officer made contact with a nonstudent acting suspiciously. Upon further investigation, the nonstudent was arrested and cited for public intoxication and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center and is awaiting a court date.

— Courtesy of University Police Department

Library Beat Sights & Sounds of Christmas Recommendations for city water utilities faces financial challenges The Wittliff Collections in Alkek A partnership of City of San Marcos officials, local business leaders and graduate students at Texas State is resulting in efficiency Financial challenges faced by the board of directors of San best-attended annual festival will bring a significant change to recommendations to improve management of the City’s water and Library celebrate grand reopening Marcos’ wastewater services. this year’s event.

Anyone who’s been to the library’s seventh floor in the last year has seen the construction in progress on the Wittliff Collections’ new galleries and public spaces. Now the expansion is nearly complete, and the entire campus is invited to celebrate the Grand Reopening Oct. 17, with food, drinks and a book signing with photographer Keith Carter.

Readings are already being held in the new areas, and the following exhibitions from the Wittliff’s major literary and photography archives will be installed in the next two weeks.

As part of the 2009 to 2010 Common Experience, The Lightning Field: Mapping the Creative Process illuminates how authors struggle to find exactly the right word to do the right job.

Notes, journals, drafts, and other work by Cormac McCarthy, Molly Ivins, Jim Hightower, Sam Shepard, Jovita González, Katherine Anne Porter, Rick Riordan, the King of the Hill writers and Texas Monthly journalists illustrate a variety of compositional journeys, from the spark of idea through the very last proof.

The photography galleries now offer more than twice the previous exhibition space — nearly 130 images will soon be on view. Featured is work by Keith Carter from A Certain Alchemy and Fireflies, his two most recent books. The show Nueva Luz / New Light includes over 40 recently acquired photographs by other accomplished Texas artists and some of the biggest names in the field: Edward Weston and Tina Modotti, Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Robert and Shana Parke Harrison, Joel-Peter Witkin, Michael O’Brien, and Robb Kendrick, to name but a few.

The permanent exhibition of Lonesome Dove props, costumes, set designs, script drafts, continuity photographs, and other interesting materials from the making of the epic miniseries continues to draw people from far and wide.

The Wittliff Collections exhibitions and events are free and open to everyone. See the calendar online — and RSVP for the Oct. 17 celebration — at www.thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu or call 512245-2313 for more information.

—Courtesy of Alkek Library

For the first time since the first Sights and Sounds of Christmas was held 22 years ago, those attending the three-day event Dec. 3 to 5, will pay a nominal admission fee.

“It’s that or cancel the event,” says Rodney Cobb, president of the non-profit organization’s board of directors. “If we had made the decision to cancel Sights and Sounds, we would for all practical purposes have cutoff fundraising opportunities for any number of local non-profit organizations, from the Boy Scouts to the Fraternal Order of Police and the First United Pentecostal Church.”

Cobb said a temporary fence will be constructed around San Marcos Plaza Park for the festival. Admission will be $1 for children ages two through ten and $2 for those 11 and up. There will be no charge for children under the age of two. Three-day passes will be sold prior to the event for $4. There will be a limited number. The organizers are still planning to continue offering free photos with Santa to all children who attend.

Wristbands will be issued to children scheduled to perform for the event. Each performance wristband issued will be good for one evening at Sights and Sound. Volunteers, city staff and vendors working the event will be issued T-shirts, buttons and wristbands to ease their access to the grounds.

With crowds estimated at 50,000 during the three days, longtime volunteers say those attending are a nice mix of local residents and out-of-towners. The majority of food vendors are local non-profits.

Declining sponsorships and donations, along with rising costs, are cited as the culprits behind the necessity to add the admission charge.

“We finished $1,000 in the hole last year,” Cobb said. “People have thought Sights and Sounds has raked in tons of money each year, but the fact is just about every penny raised has been poured back into the community.”

Significant permanent improvements made to San Marcos’ parks as a result of Sights and Sounds include construction of the stage at San Marcos Plaza Park that other local festivals and special events use, as well as a vastly improved park electrical system.

—Courtesy of Pat Murdock

“Our Water and Wastewater Utility provides essential services to our community by assuring that we have reliable and high quality current and future water resources and that we treat wastewater to the very highest standards,” said Mayor Susan Narvaiz. “Obtaining expert peer review from experienced advisors in the business community and Texas State University will help improve our efficiency and will bring many benefits to our residents and the City.”

The task force is co-chaired by Mayor Pro Tem Pam Couch and Council Member Fred Terry. Business leaders include John Meeks, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development for McCoy’s, Sue Hardin, CPA, of Robenett & Co., LP, Earl Studdard of North Carolina Furniture, and John Campsmith, General Manager of Phillips/ Genlyte, who are led by City Manager Rick Menchaca.

Students in Texas State University’s Master of Business Administration program studied the City’s operations and presented findings recently to the task force. The university effort on the fleet study was led by Dennis Smart, Associate Professor of Management, and MBA students Michael Maher, Maury Nelson, Wes Oldfather and Roopa Yarlagadda.

The Efficiency Task Force’s review of Water/ Wastewater services offered a number of recommendations such as expanding customer education programs about the cost of services, explaining the basis of water rates to customers on bills and the Web site, expanding the use of technology, such as “smart meters” to improve customer service, analyzing system information to create benchmarks with accurate results, continuing development of conservation practices as a strategy for future water supply and increase funding for incentive and rebate programs, and using resources at Texas State to assist in the utility’s effectiveness and efficiency.

“The opportunity to collaborate with Laurie Moyer, Tom Taggart, Jon Clack and other San Marcos City Water Utility employees on a meaningful and timely project allowed our students to employ many decision making and analytical tools developed in the McCoy MBA Program,” Smart said. “Additionally, I believe the student group provided information and models that might be used in an ongoing basis within the City Water Utility Water Group.”

—Courtesy of City of San Marcos

News

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Play addresses Facebook use Senate

By Dj Nutter News Reporter Officials of University Seminar are advocating fluency in a not-so-foreign language — Facebook.

Pam Wuestenberg, assistant dean of University College, said Texas State is not endorsing Facebook. Rather, faculty from University College are promoting conversations in online forums and blogs to enhance students’ social networking.

Monica Michell, senior lecturer of the department of theatre and dance, wrote In the Company of Sinners and Saints, the first play commissioned by the University’s Common Experience Program. University seminar faculty is requiring students to attend the play.

Michell said the 90-minute play deals with students’ moral ambiguity. The main character, Lucy, battles whether to seek revenge on an ex-best friend who uses Facebook to daub and humiliate her.

Michell, winner of the 2009 Texas Educational Theatre Associations Playfest Contest, said students can be misrepre-

sented through doctored photographs and invalid quotations on Facebook. She said, likewise, the main character of the play is contemplating whether to avenge against her online misrepresentation. Michell said as opportunities for social networking over the Internet multiply, so must students’ accountability for their image.

Michell said her play is still a work in progress, but the feedback she receives from the Facebook forum, U.S. 1100-In the Company of Sinners and Saints, helps her continue to shape drafts for how the play could better facilitate university seminar’s objectives.

Michelle Bohn, admin 3 in the group, said the forum was a student initiative to make Common Experience a part of Facebook.

In response, Common Experience Committee has created a forum in which students can reflect on any event, including Michell’s play.

“The play is currently in its 14th draft,” Michell said. “It’s fascinating that the comments on the Facebook forum will shape it into a product of this class.”

Kym Fox, senior lecturer and journalism sequence coordinator, said professors wrongly assume students are technically savvy because they use Twitter or Facebook. She said her students use “Blogger,” a public forum like Facebook.

“Exposing students to blogs can improve their writing, and having them upload pictures or programs from events helps them with multimedia aspects,” Fox said. “Blogging seems to bring students together, and a community is built within the classroom.”

Claudia Giertz, mass communication freshman, said Fox is willing to add students as friends on Facebook.

“Facebook seems like a really cool way for professors and students to communicate,” Giertz said. “Bobcat Mail and TRACS are just as efficient, though.”

Giertz said she appreciated how Michell’s play did not revolve around typical fearful tactics, overrun by hyperboles and fabricated truths regarding characteristics of Facebook and its users.

“The play was original and well written,” Giertz said.

of the San Marcos area League of Woman Voters. “You’ll have Mayor Narvaiz and Judge Sumter representing the “town element” of San Marcos — the local government — while Trauth and Shafer representing the “gown element” — the academic community.”

As a grass-root, non-profit organization, the bylaws of the League of Woman Voters declare its mission statement as “to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government, and to act on selected governmental issues.”

“The San Marcos area League of Woman Voters does so much for our community,” Narvaiz said. “Voter participation is a vital part of our representative government, and I am happy to be involved.”

The “Town and Gown” public forum is a tradition of the San Marcos area League of Woman Voters that dates back almost 20 years.

“People like to come and hear what their community leaders have to say, especially when it

comes to issues that affect their day-to-day lives,” Lewis said.

“As citizens of San Marcos, we all have common concerns and interests, and it’s important to come together to find solutions to problems that we share.”

The league creates a yearly non-partisan Voter’s Guide, and holds non-partisan debates during City Council election cycles.

Maintaining and upholding a distinct sense of non-partisanship is a responsibility the league takes very seriously, Lewis said.

“Our goal as an organization is simply to get people informed, active and involved in the democratic process,” Lewis said. “We want to bring the community together by taking on issues that effect us all. Issues we can all relate to.”

The “Town and Gown” public forum will be held 7 p.m. Monday at the San Marcos Activity Center.

Lewis said there will be no dress code and all are welcome for discussion and refreshments.

‘Town and Gown’ forum at San Marcos Activity Center

By Travis Hord News Reporter The San Marcos area League of Woman Voters is sponsoring a “Town and Gown” public forum Monday, where representatives from several San Marcos institutions will speak on issues of shared importance to the community.

The “Town and Gown” forum was designed by the league to create an opportunity for citizens and community leaders to come together to communicate and cooperate on mutual concerns.

Speaking at the event will be University President Denise Trauth, Mayor Susan Narvaiz, Hays County Judge Liz Sumter and Patty Shafer, San Marcos CISD superintendent. Each speaker will have approximately 10 minutes to respond to questions from the league, and then the floor will be opened to the public.

“The goal is to create a better understanding between these San Marcos institutions,” said Jeannie Lewis, vice president

Fighting Words

Self-defense seminar held in LBJ Teaching Theater

By Travis Hord News Reporter SACA and Fight Back Productions teamed up in the LBJ Teaching Theater Wednesday to promote self defense.

Heather Maggs, Fight Back Productions speaker and instructor, and Albert Arévalo, SACA forums coordinator, combined efforts to organize a free self-defense presentation and instruction seminar for Texas State students.

“Every two minutes someone in the United States is sexually assaulted,” Maggs said.

“College women are four times more likely to be sexually assaulted, and only 6 percent of rapists will ever spend a day in prison for their crimes.”

Maggs, a self-defense expert trained in disciplines ranging from verbal de-escalation to Krav Maga, shared her inspiration and motivation for traveling across the country teaching techniques to college students.

“Back when I was in college, my sorority sisters and I felt like we ruled the school,” Maggs said. “But after there

were seven rapes in two months on our campus, suddenly everything changed, and suddenly girls didn’t feel safe going out without our husbands or boyfriends — we were scared.”

Maggs focused on the idea learning to protect oneself has benefits beyond self-defense.

“This kind of training changes your life — it changes your perspective and it changes the way you carry yourself,” Maggs said. “Confidence changes everything. If you know how to protect yourself you will be comfortable wherever you go, and you will have a happier life.”

SACA Representative Arévalo played the part of Maggs’ “attack dummy” as she illustrated various self-defense techniques to the audience.

Theoretically, eyes were poked, crotches were kneed, elbows were dropped and noses were broken.

“I think this is a great program and I’m glad to be a part of it,“ Arévalo said. “Even if that means getting beat up in front of a crowd of people.”

Maggs placed brightly colored stickers throughout different areas of Arévalo’s clothing, marking his “vulnerable” spots that are well suited for defensive strikes.

“We live in a society that tells us it’s not nice to fight,” Maggs said. “But the bottom line is when someone is menacing you physically, you have a right to defend yourself. And there is nothing more dangerous than a pissed off woman.”

Aside from physical self-defense, Maggs offered philosophies and advice for keeping safe at parties, on the street and Internet.

“When it comes to MySpace or Facebook or whatever — If I wouldn’t want my mother, my boss or a creepy stalker guy to see it, I don’t put it up on a social networking site,” Maggs said.

Vianey Rivera, biology freshman, said the presentation, “reminded her anyone can be a victim at any time. You always think it will never happen to you but there’s just no way to know that for sure.”

The University Star - 5

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they can’t find a spot to (and) it is very hard if you are trying to get to your class of 100 students,” Feakes said.

The 24-hour faculty-only parking spots were discussed but not voted on. Some faculty members said students do not take tickets seriously.

“Students tell me parking

1

tickets are just the cost of doing business,” said Sen. Brock Brown, professor in the department of geography.

Sen. Joey Martin, professor in the School of Music, expressed the need for temporary parking spots to service music school visitors and volunteers.

“Right now it is the policy of the police department to ticket people who do not have a parking sticker of some kind,” Martin said. “What I think needs to be done is some clarity provided about how many spots there needs to be.”

vacy and identity protection.

Some thieves don’t go to that trouble. College students reveal all sorts of information about themselves on social-networking sites, experts said. It all comes down to being too trusting.

“If someone were to call them and ask them for personal information, they just provide that information,” Owens said. “Unless they initiated the contact or they can verify whom they’re speaking with, they shouldn’t give out personal information.

And financial institutions and credit card companies will never ask them for their PIN number or the security code on the back of their card.”

Students’ mailboxes will likely be stuffed with credit card offers because of the federal Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009. Effective Feb. 22, the law prevents credit card companies from giving students gifts in exchange for credit card applications and from sending offers unless the student agreed to have them sent, according to Consumers Union, publisher of Consumers Report magazine.

The law also requires colleges to publicly disclose any marketing contracts made with credit card companies.

“This is the last season credit card companies are going to be able to actively market on campus, giving away free T-shirts and all the other freebies,” said Lauren Bowne, a Consumers Union attorney.

The University of North Texas and the University of TexasArlington both have agreements with Wells Fargo to issue identification cards that students can choose to activate as debit cards.

At Texas Christian, Texas Wesleyan and Texas Woman’s universities, student ID cards can be used for meal plans, access to rooms and bookstore purchases.

But they can’t be used off campus ⎯ except in the case of TCU, where they can be used at some nearby restaurants.

Banks and credit card companies pay schools to issue student ID/debit cards and in some cases to solicit students during certain times, such as orientation. To some colleges, that adds up to millions of dollars a year, said Lawrence Wilson, president of the Plano, Texas-based ID Theft Victims Support Group of North America.

At UT-Arlington, every ID card issued has a Wells Fargo logo, said Kristin Sullivan, assistant vice president for media relations. The university receives 75 cents per card, along with additional payments if people

link their cards to a Wells Fargo account. Under this agreement, UT-Arlington received $7,876 last fiscal year and $15,369 during the 2006 to 2007 year.

About 2,000 of the school’s 30,000 cardholders have linked their cards to a Wells Fargo account, she said. As part of UNT’s debit card agreement, Wells Fargo contributes $15,000 annually to the school’s Regents Scholarship Fund.

To Wilson, such debit cards open students to identity theft.

Thieves could access students’ bank accounts if they hack into some school computer systems, or if students lose their cards.

“It basically paints a target on the backs of our college students,” Wilson said.

Universities only recently got away from using Social Security numbers throughout campus, said Mary Monahan, managing partner and research director at Javelin Strategy & Research, a California-based financial services research company.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to use ID cards as debit cards,” she said.

But the FTC’s Broder said university debit cards are as safe as any other debit card. She was not alarmed if security precautions get taken. Wells Fargo has identity theft prevention, detection and mitigation programs, but the company did not want to provide details to protect security. Sullivan said UT-Arlington has had no major problems with the cards and has no access to bank account information.

If students fall victim to identity theft or scams, they should notify police, their banks and credit card companies, said Debra Geister, director of fraud prevention and compliance solutions at LexisNexis. They also should contact credit bureaus and have them issue fraud alerts and credit freezes on their accounts.

And they should file an identity theft affidavit with the Federal Trade Commission, which they can do online or through the mail, she added. By Nov. 1, the federal Red Flags Rule requires nonbank organizations that extend credit, including colleges and universities, have an identity theft prevention program, Geister said.

Banks had to comply last year.

Primarily, students need to give out as little personal information as possible.

“We all tend to be trusting as human beings,” Geister said.

“When our radar should go off, sometimes it doesn’t.”

Scams against college students are hatched online, experts say

By Gene Trainor McClatchy Newspapers

Phil Banker said he “freaked out” when he saw his bank account balance after buying a $100 cell phone with his debit card. The receipt showed $1,919 was missing from his checking account. The money was spent in the Baltimore area ⎯ a place he had never visited.

Banker, then a University of North Texas senior, called Wells Fargo Bank, the company that issued his debit card. He suspects his debit card information was stolen after he bought a textbook over the Internet in February 2008 from a company he didn’t completely trust.

“They were selling this textbook at a radical discount from anywhere else,” Banker said.

“So I took a chance, and I got burned for it.”

Identity theft and scam investigators say they hear stories like this all the time. College-age Americans are not the most likely age group to become victims of fraud ⎯ those ages 25 to 44 are, according to a 2004 Federal Trade Commission report. But college students’ love affair with technology, and sometimes their naïveté, makes them vulnerable to some types of identity theft, experts say.

Colleges and universities add to the problem by issuing student identification cards that double as debit cards or allowing credit card companies to market their products on campus, some say.

And credit card companies are expected to scramble this fall to sign up college students before a new federal law takes effect in February that will restrict their practices.

Experts urge students to take precautions as the new school year gets under way. A little cynicism usually helps, said Denise Owens, Comerica Bank’s Texas fraud and identity theft investigator.

“If it seems too good to be true, it is,” Owens said. Scams against college students are hatched online, experts said. Students often fall victim to work-from-home, Internet sales and identification scams, said Owens, who has investigated scams and identity theft for 18 years. These crimes tend to involve wiring or sending money overseas or to other parts of the country.

“Because they’re on the Internet so often, and they do so much of their stuff online, I do see them fall victim to a lot of the Internet fraud scams,” Owens said.

Sometimes criminals posing as promoters persuade fraternities or sports clubs to sign students up for credit cards. No cards exist ⎯ the goal is to open fraudulent accounts using the students’ addresses, Social Security numbers and birthdates from the so-called applications, said Betsy Broder, assistant director of the Federal Trade Commission’s division of pri-

Opinions

Thursday, September 24, 2009

6 - The University Star

Pains of public transit

the main

point.

T exas State enrollment is growing rapdily.

The ability to accommodate these changes is not.

According to the Sept. 15 issue of The University Star, students are unable to ride trams because the boarding capacity is full and there is not enough money to order and maintain more buses.

Overcrowding seems to be a growing trend on campus.

Last year, university officials relaxed requirements for students living off campus, thus allowing sophomores to leave residence halls. With the new freedom, many chose to move into apartments.

Now buses reach maximum capacity before drivers finish their routes.

The university administration markets the enrollment increases, but amenities and housing are not available fast enough.

According to the Texas State Web site, students pay a $78 bus fee each semester.

However, the student body was recorded at 30,816 on the 12th day of classes. The last time a bus fee increase went into effect was fall 2006. Student enrollment was 27,485 then.

Paul Hamilton, manager of Shuttle Services, said the system needs to reach its best efficiency level so it can handle a growing population in 2013,

according to the same article.

In the Sept. 22 issue of The University Star, Hamilton spoke with ASG Senators at the Monday meeting. He said a “real-time information system” will be installed this fall so students can see online where the trams are and the “approximate arrival time.”

Auxiliary Services is being proactive by keeping up with our technology-dependent society. However, students should take the initiative to further relieve their problem rather than complain.

One way students could work to solve the problems is by finding alternate ways of transportation like carpooling with friends and roommates or biking, depending on how close a student lives to campus.

The bus fee could be increased to accommodate the growing enrollment and students living off campus.

Whether that means increasing the flat rate or making it a certain dollar amount per semester credit hour, the increase should be one that is best fitted for the students and benefits auxiliary services.

ASG should research and send a bill for referendum to increase the bus fee so it can go into effect spring or fall 2010. The increase would benefit students and solve the issue of a source for extra funding.

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 UniversitySan Marcos Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University-San Marcos.

Russell Weiss/Star Illustration

In defense of football, from a self-proclaimed ‘geek’

By Robert Beckhusen Opinions Columnist Sports in general are not interesting to me, and football is barely an exception.

The fanaticism for particular teams is inherent in the game, the uniforms, its violence and the special treatment given to its stars all come together to make

me, at best, apathetic. This, I’ll admit, is a matter of taste, and the game leaves an unpleasant one. Neither of my parents are sports fans, and by the time my peers were joining their silly little fantasy leagues or excelling in a more concrete version of the game I was geeking out about the starship Enterprise. Football just isn’t for me.

One thing that annoys me more than the game of football, however, is the snobbery of those apple-polishers who whine about the game’s presence on our or other university campuses. Spend time in these sectors, and you’ll eventually hear football denounced in some form or another (and I’ve

done my fair share of denouncing). I’ve grown to dislike this snobbery, and my opposition to academic elitism compels me to defend it as a result.

Colleges and universities are places where communities are built and young men and women are taught how to be responsible adults in polite society. In the run up to such responsibility, there are tactics of delay to hold off the inevitable. Like booze and wicked parties, football and other sports are a way to give the university a place to dissolve the differences between students and to come together as a single body standing in solidarity for our team.

Elsewhere things are more complicated. The sport the rest of the world calls football (soccer, of course) gives rise to regular riots and has been manipulated by tyrants and fascists. The fact was subject in 1945 to a withering analysis

by George Orwell called “The Sporting Spirit.” Orwell theorized if you wanted to make the world a worse place, one way to do it would be to encourage “young men to kick each other on the shins amid the roars of infuriated spectators.”

But in the United States, even a rivalry as intense as that between the University of Texas and Texas A&M is still generally friendly. Setting the most intense sport rivalries (the col-

lege level is more fanatical, typically, than at the professional) in an environment where reason and respect for pluralism are considered sacred helps maintain this even keel.

This, I think, is the main function of sports in our society. Sports give people a place to express intense emotions — pride, fanaticism, mourning, fear, etc. — without their objects or ends being terribly important. They serve as a sort of safety valve for these passions, giving them an outlet where they can be channeled into entertainment and games as opposed to invading Poland or cracking some Croatian skulls. They give us heroes and villains, campaigns of conquest

and devastating defeats in the context of what we all acknowledge is ultimately irrelevant.

So, though I don’t think I can name a single Bobcat player, nor could I even name half of the positions on the field, I believe college football is an important thing. Our country is democratic not just in its politics, but also its culture.

Football has been important in these parts for a very long time now, and far be it from me to replace a silly game with whatever dreadful alternative the self-important eggheads jealous of its place might produce.

Ladies and gentlemen, be afraid, because swine flu is here.

In the past, such health scares have been completely overblown, but we’re led to believe this time is different. This time the threat is real. This time you could be turned into a pig.

Despite age-old illnesses like the plain vanilla flu and malaria are far more common and deadly than swine flu, these illnesses aren’t the focus of health agencies or the media because they’re not new and thus, not scary.

According to an article on MSNBC from April 29, the government of Egypt ordered the mass-slaughter of more than 300,000 pigs, which led to the destruction of the livelihood of pig farmers throughout the country.

That’s a small price to pay for safety, right? Oh, one other thing: pigs can’t even transmit swine flu. It’s fine.

I wouldn’t expect the government of a major player in Middle East politics to Google “swine flu” before sending the secret police on pig-hunting ops.

This imbecilic government action, partially caused by grossly irresponsible media reporting, prompted the rebranding of the swine flu to its new politically-correct nomenclature: H1N1.

The World Health Organization says it doesn’t want to cause a panic, even though they are calling the outbreak a pandemic. Despite this claim, it is very much in the interest of disease-monitoring bodies to cause a panic, because they can then be seen to be doing something about it, and then when the world doesn’t come to an end, they get to take credit— and increased funding. Note that ‘pandemic’ actually contains the word ‘panic’.

A fine example of the media aiding and abetting the flu-screamers was this paper’s front-page photograph on Sept. 17, showing several students crammed onto a tram with tissues pressed to their faces under a headline declaring something scary about H1N1. The message was clear: if we ride the bus, we’re taking our lives in our hands.

The Biden-esque story painted the bleakest possible picture of the situation, with multiple quotes from Dr. Emilio Carranco, the Student Health Center director (who is admittedly just doing his job), essentially describing how buses are massive disease incubators and there is nothing we can do about it. Or is there?

Enter the nearly useless swine flu vaccine. There are a few things working against this highly touted savior of mankind. First, it will arrive

well after the onset of this early flu season so, ostensibly, most people who get the vaccine will have already been exposed to the swine flu. Next up, some may recall that the swine flu first reared its ugly head in 1976 and a miracle vaccine was created and distributed then too. The catch? The vaccine killed more people than the swine flu. Oops.

According to an article in the Aug. 16 issue of the UK Daily Mail, the vaccine is linked to a rare neurological disease called Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Apparently, the only way to get this disease is to lose the genetic lottery or get a swine flu vaccine.

Don’t forget the hard numbers. The most recent data from the W.H.O. puts the total number of worldwide swine flu deaths at just less than 3,000. To put things in perspective, that’s about how many people will die

of heart disease, just in this country today.

This paper would be wellserved to stop putting huge pictures of nose-blowers and hypodermic needles on the front page under breathless, panic-stricken headlines explaining just how screwed we all are by H1N1.

I’m not saying we should all go around kissing swine flu patients, but worrying about the chance we’ll be killed by the swine flu will almost certainly shorten our lives more than the illness itself. Instead of worrying, perhaps we should focus on problems in academia, like arrogant associate professors launching baseless ad hominem attacks on students whom they disagree with.

–Robert Beckhusen is a pre-mass communication sophomore

H1N1 not worth scare or media attention

By Nathan Seltzer Opinions Columnist The start of fall classes means it’s that time again.

No, I’m not talking about the changing weather or back to school sales. It’s time for the annual health scare!

Yes, what school year would be complete without the media trying to scare the crap out of us with some new disease? This paper is, of course, complicit.

In the past, we’ve been told to be scared of a variety of deadly illnesses from SARS to the Avian Flu to West Nile.

This year is no different.

The University Star 601 University Drive Trinity Building, Room 101 San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708

Editor In Chief.........................................................Amanda Venable, stareditor@txstate.edu

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Visit The Star at www.UniversityStar.com

— Nathan Seltzer is an electronic media senior

The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State UniversitySan 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 Thursday, September 24. 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 King Continues

Michael Jackson will have a new single released Oct. 12 entitled “This is it” by Sony Music Entertainment. The song will feature backing vocals by his brothers and is part of an album that corresponds with a future film chronicling Jackson’s final days of rehearsal.

The University Star - 7

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Vinyl gains colorful come back A BOBCAT TO KNOW Justyn Payne is about ‘first impressions’

By Matthew Barnes Features Reporter

It is the height of the digital era. Music is more portable and convenient than ever, but vinyl records are still being printed and sold.

Mark Boyd, manager at Sundance Records, said there was a serious lull in record sales from the mid to late ’80s and the store’s shelves were severely depleted of vinyl. But ever since the early ’90s, records started making a comeback.

“There’s been a new wave,” Boyd said. “It’s the novelty factor — a whole generation of kids growing up who never had it in their life. It’s gotten to the point where major labels are actually re-pressing classic vinyl.”

There are still bands printing records. Loxsly, an indie act out of Austin, recently shipped Sundance Records their latest release on vinyl.

Portishead, Wilco, Iron and Wine and dozens of other modern bands fill the record shelves alongside The Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

Boyd suggests records offer

a different listening experience than today’s media devices.

“When I was growing up, there was a vinyl culture,” said Boyd. “You would throw a record on and just sit and listen to it. It was more of a cultural exchange. CDs, mp3s — they’re more convenient, and just a part of your multi-tasking life … Hopefully people are slowing down a little.”

Matt Kabat, who has been working at Sundance Records for over a year, recently started collecting vinyl and said records sound better.

“The listening experience is completely different,” said Kabat. “(It’s) the sound quality.

You can really feel the music.

The texture is much better.”

During the ’80s, when CDs became available and vinyl was proclaimed dead, there were still people listening to records.

“Vinyl was never really dead,” Boyd said. “There have always been collectors like me. I never got rid of my vinyl ... I have been collecting since I was eight. The Indie labels kept it going, kept printing records.”

Boyd said today’s records have improved with technol-

ogy, and the quality is better than vinyl from the ’70s. He also said bands that still print records often offer mp3s and CDs along with the vinyl for the buyer’s convenience.

However, records still have their faults.

“There are some limitations to vinyl compared to CDs,” Boyd said. “They’re shorter, less durable. A lot of vinyl had prices marked up. A record that was $10 in the ’70s is now 20 or 30 dollars.”

One of the obstacles vinyl collectors face today is lack of repair options for their record players.

“With today’s fast, convenient, just-throw-it-away mentality, you have to drive 40 miles just to get your turntable worked on,” Boyd said. “No one wants to spend time to fix things anymore.”

Sundance has been selling records in San Marcos for over 30 years.

“We have people who have been shopping here since the day it opened,” Boyd said. “But there are a lot of kids and people just getting into it.”

Bobby Scheidemann/Star Photo RECORDS ROCK: Vinyl records are rising in popularity among music listeners.

By Brittany E. Wilson Features Reporter “I’m never satisfied with just being one thing, because you only get one chance to ‘seize the day,’“ said Justyn Payne, sound recording technology senior.

Payne is a member of the Jazz Ensemble/Salsa group, SACA, Gospel Express Association, Hip Hop Congress, swim team, water polo team and the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity — to name a few of his extracurricular activities. Payne also had a bid for the Junior Olympics and is in the process of being nominated for a Latin Grammy.

Payne grew up in Houston with one brother and sister and attended Clear Lake High School. Upon graduating, he was offered a swimming scholarship at Texas A&M University but turned it down to attend Texas State.

Payne said he did not want to be defined by one trait, such as swimming, because then it becomes who someone is and it is difficult to get a sense of well roundedness.

In addition to playing the drums in church since he was four years old, Payne recently finished designing and installing new sound and lighting in Word of Life Sanctuary in Kyle.

“I love building and figuring out problems,” Payne said. “I did it because it needed to be done. It wasn’t even a question.”

Payne credits his recognizable personality on campus because of powerful first impressions. During Payne’s first week at Texas State, he held the door of Harris Dining Hall open for 300 students as they filed inside to eat. When asked why, Payne said “Because then I’ll forever be known as that dude that held the door open.’”

Payne also left an impression on some of the student body when he introduced

himself to everyone eating in Jones Dining Hall.

“It’s always about the first impression,” Payne said.

The multi-talented athlete said he enjoys spending his summers in Houston coaching a summer swimming program for approximately 200 swimmers ages four to 18 and surfing in Galveston during his off-time. The only sports he has not tried are snow skiing and snowboarding.

“I don’t have days off — I have days I do other things,” Payne said.

Payne said his biggest motivation to be involved and accomplished are the naysayers.

Payne said he is breaking stereotypes by being on the swimming and water polo team, as well as a member of Hip Hop Congress and Jazz Ensemble.

“I know he is very goal oriented, and when you combine ambition with determination you get Justin Payne,” said Ryan Brown, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity brother. “Not only is he focused about his education but about serving his Texas State community.”

Payne, between extracurricular activities, still focuses on academics. Payne said he studies for approximately three hours a day, but separates his sessions by switching subjects every hour.

Payne has days when he just wants to be alone and turns his cell phone off, but said that does not change his upbeat attitude.

“It takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile,” Payne said. “That’s my motto.”

Lindsey Goldstein/Star photo WELL ROUNDED: Aside from being involved in poetry slam competitions and step-shows, Justyn Payne, sound recording technology senior, practiced Tuesday night in the Music building.

web extra

To see an interview with Justyn Payne go to www.universitystar.com

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www.universitystar.com

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8 - The University Star

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The University Star - 9

Texas State students still ‘gotta catch ‘em all’

By Jovonna Owen Features Reporter It has been 14 years and they still haven’t caught ‘em all.

Pokémon is going strong, as students meet several times a week to play the card game once thought to be a fad.

Ernesto Hernandez, journalism junior, said he started playing the card game three months ago and began the group to find more students to play.

“I thought it would be cool to have a big group of people come together,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez said there is not a stigma attached with playing Pokémon cards.

“College kids can be pretty open-minded,” Hernandez said.

“Except for my dad, he makes fun of me.”

Austin Auth, communication design freshman, said he’s not embarrassed about playing Pokémon.

“Why would you be ashamed of what you like to do? It’s just another hobby,” Auth said.

Auth said some trainers are embarrassed and even say the word “Pokémon” in a quieter voice in public.

“I have some friends who I’ve played with where there is an unwritten law I don’t bring it up in public,” Auth said. “My girlfriend does make fun of me. She just laughs about it.”

Auth said playing Pokémon brings back good childhood memories.

“It’s a way for me to still have a piece of my youth,” Auth said.

“There’s a certain innocence to it that is kind of fun.”

Sadie Snider, pre-geography sophomore, is one of the few woman Pokémon trainers in the group.

“The reason I (play) is because it’s all they do,” Snider said.

Group members said playing hasn’t interfered with their studying habits.

“I don’t study anyway,” said Nathan Thompson, communication design junior, who was wearing a Pokéball hat he designed.

Auth said Pokémon can be distracting just like video games.

“I’m usually in the library anyway doing homework, which is where we meet,” Auth said.

Hernandez said he loves the art drawn on each Pokémon card.

“I don’t know if you really get a lot of Japanese art out of them,” Hernandez said. “But it’s a different art, and I love the way they draw.”

Auth believed he would not be able to compete with anyone in college. He has been playing competitively for four years and recently competed in San Antonio.

“I placed 30 out of (about) 100 in my age group,” Auth said.

“I did OK.” Auth’s favorite Pokémon is Scyther, a green praying mantis Pokémon that has movements like a Ninja. The group members said no experience is necessary to join the group.

Kayla Hartzog/Star photo “If you need cards, we’ll help GAME TIME: Pokémon club members Nathan Thompson, communication design junior, and Gabriel you out,” Auth said.

Vazquez, nursing sophomore, go head to head in a game of Pokémon at Wednesday’s meeting.

Trends

10 - The University Star

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Texas State bicyclists gather for weekend pub crawl

By Alejandro Martinez Special to The Star On certain nights, the San Marcos bar scene is host to a spirited two-wheeled procession comprised of local cyclists, commonly known as pub crawlers.

Drawing curious stares from pedestrians and cars alike, these group rides follow an increasing trend toward biking as an alternative mode of transportation around town. The rides are usually spread by word of mouth, from cyclist to cyclist,

giving them a grass roots nature and showing their close ties with the San Marcos biking community.

The pub-crawl tour usually begins at a place of general knowledge so the group can gather, explain the route and go over safety instructions for the road. The pub crawlers wind through downtown San Marcos in a two by two formation, while the leaders call out directions to the rest of the group.

Typically, the crawl has four to five stops in town supporting local businesses, including Jack’s Roadhouse, Wake the Dead, Treff ’s Tav-

ern, Nephews and several others.

Lauren Meckel, criminal justice junior and bartender at Treff ’s Tavern, said the pub crawlers are welcomed customers.

“They make the bar more interesting,” Meckel said.

Treff ’s Tavern has coordinated with the crawl organizers in the past, providing drink specials specifically for the pub crawlers.

The riders stay for 10 to 15 minutes at each establishment before pedaling off to the next stop. In any one of these events there is an eclectic mix of participants,

ranging from students to local residents and bike enthusiasts.

The pub crawls usually encourage anyone with a bicycle to join the exhibition.

“It’s a moving bike show,” said Aldon Mines, studio arts senior and Texas State Bike Cave employee.

The trend was adopted from similar group rides in larger cities such as Austin and San Antonio, which hosts rides almost weekly. The San Marcos rides are usually organized by local residents or students and characterized by a theme. Participants are encouraged to dress up and

get into the spirit.

“The themes are one of the best parts of the ride,” Mines said. “More people come out to ride when they can wear something that’s a little ridiculous.”

Safety is also a highlighted part of pub crawls. Riding in a group makes the chances of not being seen by cars less likely than when riding alone.

Previous themes have included a “Safety First!” pub crawl in September 2008, to raise awareness about the hazards cyclists face on the road.

“I always wear my helmet

on pub crawls,” said Jason Baker, geography senior.

“There are some crazy drivers out there.”

The idea behind the crawls is to bring cyclists together for a night of fun in an adult environment and to provide a safe alternative to driving, especially when drinking.

Despite the risk involved, the pub crawlers still hit the streets with pride and a sense of belonging.

“There are worse things to worry about on the road than us,” Mines said. “It just makes you feel good to be riding a bike.”

universitystar.com universitystar.com universitystar.com universitystar.com universitystar.com universitystar.com universitystar.com

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Thursday, September 24, 2009

Play addresses social networking issues

By Patrick Berger Features Reporter

The department of theatre and dance has joined forces with the University Seminar program to produce a unique play, In the Company of Saints and Sinners, tailor-made for the freshman class.

The play was written by Monica Michell, senior lecturer in the department of theater and dance. It is part of the university’s 2009 to 2010 Common Experience theme, “A Whole New Mind.”

The play addresses the issue of invasive technology and social networking of today and its potential for harm.

The play is set in the technology-addled modern age and bolstered by a complex set design and original music. In the Company of Saints and Sinners follows 17-year old Lucy after she is victimized in an online fiasco. Angered and humiliated, Lucy seeks reprisal against those who wronged her, only to unravel a series of unanticipated consequences. The plot and themes of the work take on the

subjects of morality and anonymity in the online world.

All 3,600 freshmen will see the play as a requirement for University Seminar, as well as participate in talkbacks with the playwright and pre and post-performance discussions in class. Students will also have the opportunity to engage in online analysis on a Facebook page made for the play.

Andrew Liska, undecided freshman, saw a performance of the play.

“I thought it was helpful,” Liska said. “It made me realize you have to be careful of the personal stuff you post on Facebook and blogs.”

According to a university press release, In the Company of Saints and Sinners is the first play ever in the United States to be produced particularly for a university’s freshman class.

Michell hopes her creation spurs questions and thoughtful discussion.

“The whole point of this play as a companion to the Common Experience theme is to get audiences thinking,” Michell said. “I think they are.”

Michell is pleased with the results of the production so far after five performances of the play with a live audience.

“I can say with complete confidence that the overall reaction has been very positive,” Michell said. “As the author of this new work, I am keenly interested in the audience’s reaction to the play.”

During each performance thus far Michell has sat in a different area in Alkek’s 388-seat teaching theater to better measure the audience’s reaction to the performance.

Michell said she uses three indicators to gauge the audience’s response: the number of times the audience laughs out loud, the “focused buzz between scenes” and the overall reaction of the students as they watch the play. Michell hopes to use the feedback from these performances to revise her original script before publication.

In the Company of Saints and Sinners will continue its run with scheduled performances 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Monday and Wednesday at the Alkek Teaching Theatre.

The University Star - 11

Hillbilly highway Kassie Kitchen Trends Columnist One particular show on KTSW brings something familiar, yet new, to “the other side of radio.”

Nick Kukowski, electronic media senior, hosts a show called “‘Illbilly Ruckus,” which airs every Friday night from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Those who tune in would hear the upbeat, country “jangle” of past and present rockabilly artists.

Older rockabilly artists might include the Texan, Buddy Holly, or Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. More recent examples of rockabilly artists include Flametrick Subs and Mr. Lewis and the Funeral 5, both of which originated in Austin and still

play local shows.

Rockabilly was destined to breakthrough as a popular genre in 1953 when Elvis Presley walked into Sun Records in Memphis, TN and made his first recording, according to Billy Poore in his book Rockabilly: A Forty-Year Journey.

So what exactly is rockabilly?

Kukowski said rockabilly is defined by, not only the “boogie” sound of the music itself, but also by the content of the lyrics.

Oftentimes, rockabilly artists or bands will portray themselves as rebels, outlaws or “good-for-nothin,’ law-breakin’ scoundrels.”

Examples of specific rockabilly songs would be “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley or “Jump, Jive an’ Wail” by Brian Setzer of Stray Cats.

Many people are still fans of this genre today. They are simply unfamiliar with the term “rockabilly,” which is

exactly why Kukowski chose to deejay this type of specialty show.

“I just thought it would be something cool and different,” Kukowski said. “It’s something that people enjoy, but maybe don’t know much about.”

Kukowski hopes to influence more people to listen to rockabilly by playing some of the genre’s best artists and by giving band information and details prior to each song.

Before ‘Illibilly Ruckus, Kukowski hosted a metal show called “Razor’s Edge,” and he has been involved in many areas of KTSW in his time here at Texas State.

Kukowski said he takes song requests, but only beforehand because he makes the show’s playlists ahead of time.

More information about the show can be obtained at ktsw.net or myspace.com/ illbillyruckus.

12 - The University Star

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WednesDAY’s Puzzle Solution

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Sports

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Women’s golf gets second chance to compete this weekend

By Lisa Carter Sports Editor The women’s golf team will get its chance to truly begin competition Thursday to Sunday at the University of Kentucky Invitational.

The women were able to play only one round in their first tournament of the season, the “Mo”Morial in College Station, because of rain.

“We are excited to travel to Kentucky to compete,” said Coach Mike Akers. “We were very disappointed the event at A&M was rained out, but we know how much Texas needed the rain.”

The University of Kentucky Invitational features 15 teams, two of which Akers previously coached.

“I am looking forward to this event as we will see two schools that I formerly coached at in (Middle Tennessee State) and (Central Florida),” Akers said.

“We will also see Kennesaw State who is now coached by former Texas State golfer

FYI

and assistant coach Rhyll Brinsmead.”

Texas State’s lineup this week consists of the same women who competed in the “Mo”Morial tournament. The team will play the first round of the par-72, 6,184-yard course Friday.

Akers said the course will present tough competition.

“The field at Kentucky is very strong and we will have to play well,” Akers said. “The team has been looking good in practice and hopefully we can start strong and keep it going throughout the weekend.”

According to Akers, Trine Mortensen, accounting junior, is a key player who has not competed recently because of an injury. Akers said the women will be ready for her return after this weekend’s tournament.

“We have missed the presence of one of our top golfers over the past two years in Trine Mortensen,” Akers said. “Trine should be cleared and ready for our next event at the University of Colorado.”

Teams participating in the University of Kentucky Invitational include:

Augusta State Central Florida Costal Carolina Florida International Florida State Kennesaw State Kentcky Louisville

Miami Middle Tennessee Mississippi State Notre Dame Princeton Tennesse-Chattanooga Texas State

Texas State lineup 1. Gabby de Reuck 2. Krista Puisite 3. Caitlin Bliss

4. Valdis Jonsdottir 5. Amy Glazier

The University Star - 13

Bobcats host first conference match

By Eric Harper Sports Reporter

The Bobcat volleyball team will open Southland Conference play 6:30 p.m.

Thursday in Strahan Coliseum against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

The Islanders enter the match with a 6-8 record following a 3-0 win against Alcorn State. A&M-Corpus Christi has already surpassed its win total of four from a season ago with six wins in pre-conference play.

The Islanders finished 4-22 overall, 2-14 in the SLC last season. However, Coach Karen Chisum expects the Islanders will be tougher opponents this season with transfer outside hitter Emma Ridley leading the A&M-Corpus Christi attack.

“We have to be ready,” Chisum said. “A&M-Corpus Christi is a better team this year. That’s what we have been trying to tell the girls this week.”

The Bobcats have won each of the previous nine matches with the Islanders, including a 3-0 win in the final regular season match last season. The Islanders were picked to finish last in the SLC this season.

Texas State will play host to Texas-San Antonio in its second SLC match as part of the I-35 Rivalry. The Bobcats will take on the Roadrunners 2 p.m. Saturday.

The Roadrunners enter Thursday’s match with a 4-9 record, coming off losses to Washington and Middle Tennessee at the UTSA Classic Sept. 17 to Sept. 19. UTSA will travel to Texas-Arlington for its conference opener Thursday before facing Texas State.

UTSA finished last season 19-12 overall with an 11-5 SLC record. The Bobcats split their two matches with the Roadrunners last season,

Allie Moncrief/Star file photo WINNING SHOT: Shelbi Irvin, junior setter, hits the ball at the Sept. 15 game against Houston. The Bobcat volleyball team will face off against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Thursday and against TexasSan Antonio Saturday.

taking the most recent match 3-0. UTSA was picked to finish third in the SLC West Division this season.

The Bobcats enter SLC play with a 6-9 record on a two-match win streak after victories over William & Mary and Syracuse Sept. 19 at the SMU Tournament.

Chisum believes her team is prepared for the SLC portion of the schedule after its recent success.

“I think we are going to be ready,” Chisum said. “Last weekend was helpful for our confidence.”

Chisum said the Bobcats will lean on leadership from

Jessica Weynand, senior outside hitter, and Brittany Collins, senior setter. Weynand is fourth in the SLC with a 3.37 kills per set average.

Weynand led the Bobcats in kills during pre-conference play with 172. She reached the 1,000-kill mark for her career with 19 kills in the Bobcats’ win over Syracuse. Weynand is the 15th Bobcat to reach 1,000 kills.

Collins had a team-leading 262 assists in pre-conference play. She ranks eighth in the SLC with 0.36 service aces per set.

The Bobcats are among the top five SLC teams in hitting percentage and assists, kills

and digs per set. Amber Calhoun, sophomore middle blocker, stands second in the SLC in hitting percentage at .333.

The Bobcats rank among the top 20 teams nationally in attendance going into SLC play.

Chisum feels the Bobcats must take the home court advantage to start conference play. “(UTSA is) huge,” Chisum said. “We hit the road after this weekend to play Sam Houston State and Lamar — two of the top teams in the conference. We have played well at home and struggled on the road, so we have to have both matches.”

Sports 14 - The University Star

TENNIS TOURNAMENT

The Texas State tennis club will host its annual Run/Roll Tournament 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday at the Texas State Tennis Courts.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Sports Contact, Lisa Carter – starsports@txstate.edu

Move over baseball, football is America’s game now

By Cameron Irvine Sports Columnist If your father was an avid sports fan, he probably told you about the first-ever baseball game he went to with his dad. He probably talked about how they got peanuts and cracker jacks, how they never wanted to go home, how they’d root, root, root for the home team and if they didn’t win, it was

a shame, and on and on and on…

Well, it looks like baseball’s struck out at the old ball game because the new ball game is football.

Baseball has been called America’s pastime for centuries. But now those days are over.

Before the season started, 20 out of the 32 NFL teams had already sold out tickets for their entire season, while the other 12 teams sold all their seats before week one officially began. Oh, by the way, this country is experiencing a recession. I bet not more than five baseball teams could sell out a game if they had one per week like

the NFL. When the Florida Marlins are shown on SportsCenter, I have to turn away because I am blinded by all the bright orange chairs that are staring me in the face. Does anyone even go to a Marlins game anymore? I can’t tell.

Baseball’s a fantastic sport, but you don’t see college baseball with 100,000 people at the games. And to the people who say, “That’s because football’s bigger in Texas,” you’re wrong. Ohio State, Florida, USC, Oklahoma and Notre Dame all have more than 75,000 screaming fans each week.

What are the top headlines in sports Saturday, Sunday,

Monday and Tuesday? Football. College, professional — it doesn’t matter. That’s what Americans love because when you think about it, football really is the American sport.

Baseball is played all over the world. Football is played here — nowhere else.

Teams in baseball have been terrible for years. The examples being the Washington Nationals, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles — one-fifth of major league baseball franchises.

What makes these teams special? Nothing, except they haven’t been to the

playoffs in more than 10 seasons. Guess how many NFL teams have missed the playoffs for 10 consecutive years? Zero. Who wants to watch a garbage team that never has hopes of winning a title? The answer is the people who wear paper bags over their heads reading, “Maybe next year.”

Plain and simple, the NFL is more competitive, more successful and Americans like nothing better than bruises and broken bones.

People would much rather boo at referees for not calling a roughing-the-quarterback penalty than watch hyped-up steroid users run around bases as outfield-

able to do that effectively.”

That offense is ranked 13th in the nation in passing and 17th in total scoring in the FCS. Texas State averages 273.5 yards passing per game and 34.5 points per game.

Bradley George, senior quarterback, enters the Texas Southern game ranked seventh among Southland Conference passing leaders with 6,962 career yards.

He needs 49 yards to move to sixth on that list and 248 yards to become fifth, which would pass former player Barrick Neely and becoming the Bobcats all-time passing leader. “(George) is a stabilizing force on this team,” Wright said. “He’s big, he’s strong and he’s older, more mature.

He’s just everything you want in a quarterback.”

Before the season, George said the group of wide receivers is “the fastest” he has seen in his seasons as

quarterback at Texas State.

Four weeks into the season, he is not the only player impressed with them.

“Everybody was asking me who is going to replace Cameron Luke,” Wright said. “I knew it wasn’t possible for one guy to replace him, but they all have stepped up. We just have to continue working hard with them.”

Despite being without Mishak Rivas, sophomore, the Bobcat wide receivers have caught 36 passes for five touchdowns and 547 yards. Da’Marcus Griggs, junior, leads all wide receivers with 10 catches for 120 yards and one touchdown.

Texas State returns home for the first time since its Sept. 5 game against Angelo State. Even the game will be televised.

Wright hopes a large crowd will inspire his team, but knows what it takes to get fans at the games.

“I’m hoping for a huge turnout,” Wright said. “It was great to look over at the student section (at the Angelo State game) and see it full.

People want a winner. Our students are starting to turn out more for the games, but

they’ll only keep coming out if we keep winning. They want to be a part of something special.”

The game kicks off at 6 p.m. Saturday in Bobcat Stadium and will be televised on the SLC Network.

ers play catch. Steroids and money have ruined baseball, and it truly is a great sport when it’s played drug-free with fairness to all teams.

Here are my predictions for the 2010 MLB playoffs: Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers and Phillies. They will be there.

Count on it. 2010 NFL Playoffs: I have no idea.

So take me out to the ball game. Take me to the sold out crowd. Buy me some popcorn and a candy bar — it doesn’t matter if I have to travel far, because it’s football and it’s raining, if no one gets hurt, it’s a shame, because every game’s important to win at the new ball game.

Bobcats face Texas Southern Tigers Saturday for ninth time

By Keff Ciardello Sports Reporter The Bobcat football team will face the Texas Southern Tigers Saturday at Jim Wacker Field for its second straight year and the ninth time overall.

Texas State has won each of its eight games since 1988 against Texas Southern. The Bobcats won 63-39 last season in an offensive throwdown that garnered 1,222 total combined yards from each team.

Coach Brad Wright believes his team will control the tempo of the game and continue its victorious history against the Tigers.

“It’s one of those deals where we will adjust to whatever they give us,” Wright said. “If they take away the run, then we’ll pass the ball.

If they take away the pass, then we’ll run the ball. I feel with our offense, we’ll be

Karrington Bush, junior running back, will miss Saturday’s game with a sprained MCL. Wright said he hopes Bush returns for the Southern Utah game.

Ben Rondeau/Star file photo VICTORY AHEAD: Bradley George, senior quarterback, looks for an open receiver during the Bobcats’ game against Texas Christian Sept. 18 in Forth Worth. Texas State will face Texas Southern 6 p.m. Saturday at Bobcat Stadium.

SOUTHLAND STANDINGS FOOTBALL TEAM McNeese State Southeastern Louisiana Stephen F. Austin Central Arkansas Sam Houston State Texas State Nicholls State Northwestern State

WINS 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 0

LOSSES

0 1 1 1 1 1 2 3