VOLUME 102, ISSUE 18
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WEDNESDAY GO NE ONLI NOW
OCTOBER 3, 2012
Alvin Ord’s Sandwich Shop
Alvin Ord’s Sandwich Shop is a local restaurant and a hotspot for Texas State students. To learn more, visit UniversityStar.com
City, company contend for Cape’s Camp land By Karen Zamora News Reporter
Kristen Lefebvre, Staff Photographer
In November, voters will decide whether San Marcos will acquire 70 acres of riverfront property known as Cape’s Camp to be used as parkland and green space. The land has the potential to be designated for multi-housing development in the future.
The future of a property appraised at $5.45 million will be in the hands of San Marcos voters during the upcoming November elections. Cape’s Camp, owned by the Thornton and Stokes families, is on the market. Cape’s Camp is the last largest undeveloped riverfront property in San Marcos, and voters will be asked during the Nov. 6 general election if the city should attempt to purchase the property. Matthew Lewis, director of development services for the City of San Marcos, said 45 acres are for sale until developers close a contract on the land.
READ CAPE’s CAMP, PAGE 2
BUILDING BOTHERS Construction obstructs parking, paths to classrooms
Enrollment after admittance drops in fall 2012 By Nicole Barrios News Reporter Texas State experienced a decrease in the number of admitted students who actually became enrolled this fall. According to Institutional Research, the fall 2011 and fall 2012 yield rates were 38.7 percent and 34.3 percent, respectively. An estimated 11,533 freshmen were admitted to Texas State for the fall 2011 semester, and 4,459 enrolled. An estimated 12,385 freshmen were admitted for the fall 2012 semester, 4,251 of which enrolled. This resulted in a -4.4 percent difference in the freshman yield rate. Michael Heintze, associate vice president for Enrollment Management, said there are several factors that influence yield rate, including the status of the economy. This factor could influence students to stay close to home and attend a community college. “Yield rates move around a little bit,” Heintze said. “This is more than typical for us, but we’ve seen yield rates in the 37 to 39 percent range for the last seven or eight years.” Heintze said the new federal financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements may have affected the yield rate. Transfer students must now have at least a 2.0 GPA and show satisfactory progress in their degree plans, per the new requirements. He said although these requirements do not affect freshmen, they could have had an effect on transfer students this year. He said there were at least 200 transfer students applying this fall who ultimately decided to stay at the institution they were attending because they did not meet the new SAP requirements. The transfer student yield rate decreased from 70 percent in fall 2011 to 64 in fall 2012, a -5.3 difference. Heintze said students negatively affect the yield rate when they are admitted to but do not enroll. “Students are good shoppers,” Heintze said. “They’re investigating the academic
READ ENROLLMENT, PAGE 2
Carlos Valdez, Assistant Photo Editor
Staff at the Alumni House, located off University Dr., said they are sometimes disrupted by nearby construction of the Performing Arts Center Garage. By Sara Elmiaari News Reporter Deyanira Lucatero awoke in Lantana Hall one morning after hearing an explosion. However, it was a false alarm—she had only heard the construction underway outside her dorm. Lucatero, English freshman, said it is not uncommon for her to wake up early in the morning to the sound of construction. Buildings being constructed have been a fixture on the Texas State campus for years, but faculty, staff and some students like Lucatero said this results in daily inconveniences. Kim Gannon, director of Alumni Relations, said in summer 2011 construction began around the Alumni House. She said employees started to notice the noise caused by construction when brick walkways between the Alumni House and Sterry Hall were knocked down and hauled away.
“(The walkway removal) was the most (faculty and staff in the Alumni House) have felt other than the big trucks,” Gannon said. “That was really what moved our pictures and moved us a little.” The Alumni House has lost power and water several times as a result of nearby construction, she said. “The crews have been very good about fixing those things in a timely manner, but honestly, that throws our work off more than noise or equipment outside,” Gannon said. Treva Richards, resident assistant at Sterry Hall, said residents on the south side of the dorm last year were provided earplugs because the construction going on outside was so loud. She said female residents were also told to make sure their blinds were closed because construction workers were often right outside their windows in the morning. Richards, exercise and sports science junior, said Sterry residents were offered a lower room fee because of construction
last year. She said the south side of the dorm is closed now. “Last year it was really a struggle when (construction workers) were pouring cement all the time,” Richards said. “We would get emails a day before that said, ‘Just to let you know, there’s going to be a concrete pour at two in the morning. So, if you want some earplugs they’ll be at the front desk.’” Residence Life did not return calls for comment. Some of the construction sites were at central locations on campus, which students said forced them to take longer or different routes to class. Lucatero said she has a class in the Theatre Center, which is close to her dorm. However, she has had to take an inconvenient route to class because of construction. “I have to go all the way around instead of going straight. It takes me longer to get to class than it should,” Lucatero said. “I
READ CONSTRUCTION, PAGE 2
Bus change rumors prove false, passengers to continue standing By Taylor Tompkins Assistant News Editor Students who ride the interurban buses to and from Austin and San Antonio will continue to be allowed to stand during their commutes, despite rumors stating otherwise. Cody Jarmon, economics junior who commutes from Austin, said last week a Texas State Tram services employee told students on the 9:35 p.m. bus heading to Austin that interurban services would be limited to sitting room starting in the next two weeks. Jarmon said students on the tram were told a complaint had lead to a Department of Public Safety investigation of
the interurban buses, and services would eventually be stopped all together. Joe Richmond, director of Transportation Services, said this is not true, and the buses will run as usual with no interruption. “That is not the case,” Richmond said. “We just want to make sure that the buses don’t get too full, and that we aren’t cramming in too many people.” Jarmon said other students were concerned by the news and told to call Auxiliary Services. The office received several phoned complaints over the past week, an employee said. All Texas State buses are undergoing a comprehensive analysis by the Texas Transportation Institute to determine
their cost effectiveness, Richmond said. They will additionally gauge whether or not goals are being met and what opportunities there are to improve the service. Jarmon said he purchased a bus pass the same day Auxiliary Services told him what the employee said was a fabrication. Jarmon said he has seen people be turned away from full buses, and if a policy limited the trams to sitting room only, even more people would be left without a ride. “All the buses fill up to maximum capacity, sitting and standing,” Jarmon said. “We are double paying. We pay through tuition and through the bus card. If they were to make a change like (standing room only), they would let everyone know.”
Construction of Thorpe H-E-B to accommodate more products, customers By Colin Ashby News Reporter The $2.5 million expansion to the H-E-B on East Hopkins Street is estimated to be complete by mid-2013. The expansion will add more than 15,000 square feet to the deli portion of the existing building. The space will provide for additional shelving, a wider variety of food, a new sushi section and a larger healthy living section, said Amy Madison, president of the Greater San Marcos Partnership. San Antonio-based Joeris General Contractors was issued permits for the expansion and began phase one of the project in April, said city councilwoman Kim Porterfield, Place 1. Madison said remodeling during the first phase added signage, changed some aisle locations and will be completed in mid-October. Phase two involves the construction of additions to the building. This phase requires dust control measures. The expansion will create 10 jobs in addition to the 124 employees currently working at the store, said Steve Parker, director of finance for the City of San Marcos. Porterfield said construction along Thorpe Lane will add new sidewalks and a right turn lane. Drivers will no longer be able to make left turns in or out of the Hopkins entrance to alleviate traffic, she said. “A lot of people called that the ugliest intersection in San Marcos,” Porterfield said. Porterfield said city council initially rejected all bids for the reconstruction of the road in April due to high costs. The council approved a $1.7 million bid in mid-May from Capital Excavation, an Austin-based construction company.
READ h-e-b, PAGE 2