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DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911
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OCTOBER 4, 2006
WEDNESDAY
VOLUME 96, ISSUE 18
Texas State group pushes for greener gas By Eloise Martin The University Star
Prompted by the rising consumption of gas, one group is focusing its efforts on convincing the university to use a higher mixture of biodiesel to run campus buses. Group president Bogan Durr, political science junior, said the university’s chapter of Earth First! mainly focuses its efforts on campus projects. Last semester, they completed projects such as picking up cigarette butts in The Quad and piling them for display in an effort to reduce their improper disposal. The group is now hoping to change the fuel used in the campus buses. Durr said members hope to convince the university to begin using a high grade
of biodiesel, a diesel-like fuel containing not only traditional petroleum diesel, but also a percentage of fuel that is created from renewable sources, such as vegetable oils and animal fats. The fuel burns cleaner than traditional petroleum diesel, which could lower pollution levels. The campus organization began working on the campaign for the fuel change last semester and Durr said members researched the topic during the summer. The group collected signatures on campus Sept. 20 in an attempt to show university officials that students were in favor of the change. “We thought that we would have to spend a lot of time explaining (biodiesel), but a lot of students already knew about it,” Durr said.
The university buses already use B5, a fuel combination that contains five percent biodiesel and 95 percent petroleum diesel. Durr said the ultimate goal of the organization is to convince the university to start using B20, which would contain a mixture of 20 percent biodiesel. The group has invited both President George W. Bush and singer Willie Nelson to speak at Texas State to promote the use of biodiesel. Nelson has his own biodiesel company that sells BioWillie, a B20 blend of diesel. Currently, 15 stations in Texas offer BioWillie, including one in Austin, one in Dripping Springs and one in Luling. Gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman was on campus to speak to students last week. After his speech, he spoke about issues,
including biodiesel. Friedman said he supports biodiesel and, if elected, would like to make Nelson Texas’ “Energy Czar.” He said that, with Nelson on board, Texans would have no excuse not to use alternative fuels. “Willie Nelson is beloved by hundreds of millions of people in this world. He is our greatest natural resource,” Friedman said. “He is ready to give his time, to get every farmer in Texas on board, every trucker on board, so you will now have no excuse not to use biodiesel.” Friedman said with less people buying petroleum diesel, the price at the pumps would lower through supply and demand. He said he sees Texas eventually using less gas than other states in See FUEL, page 3
Monty Marion/Star photo NATURAL GAS: B20-grade biodiesel is already available at 15 BioWillie stations across the state, including the Majorbrand station at 1723 East Oltorf in South Austin.
College Republicans getting out the vote
Search begins for new Res Life director
Campus organization rallies students to support local candidates By A.N. Hernández The University Star
Jennifer Williams/Star photo GETTING INVOLVED: Joe DeLaCerda, psychology senior, works at the College Republicans booth Tuesday morning outside the LBJ Student Center to support local Republican candidates.
The chairman of the Texas State College Republicans jokes that he was once a Democrat. He admits he even had a pro-Kerry sticker on his white truck. “That was a year of darkness in my life, you know, when I was a Democrat,” said 22-year-old Joe DeLaCerda. But he “saw the light” before it was too late — on Election Day, 2004. “On that day when I was in Austin voting, I just snapped. I asked myself, ‘what the hell have you been doing?’ and I voted for Bush,” he said. While wearing a baseball cap, dark blue Wrangler jeans and red button-down long-sleeved shirt, the psychology senior said he is a “true Texan” at heart. He wears black, unpolished cowboy boots daily and said this style of dress just “makes sense to him.” “I always wear button-down shirts or pearl snaps, even in the summer. People think it’s crazy, but to me it’s comfortable,” DeLaCerda said. DeLaCerda transferred to Texas State from San Antonio College in fall of 2004. And in January 2005, DeLaCerda began attending College Republican meetings. Soon he was the public relations chair on the organization’s five-person board and now he is chairman. He said the group is working to “repair the image of Republicans,” by showcasing the efforts of “grassroots Republicans.” “I think when people think of College Republicans, they think of the Carlton Banks type of Republican — you know, with the sweaters and the money,” he said. “But we are a very culturally-diverse group, with Asians, blacks, gays, Hispanics. We have people from different social classes, too. We have middle-class, hardworking people with conservative
ideas.” Some of his past achievements for the group include organizing a discussion panel with College Democrats about media issues and organizing the spring Relay for Life dunking booth in The Quad, which raised $400. For Black History Month in February, DeLaCerda said the College Republicans are trying to bring conservative politician and activist Alan Keyes to speak at Texas State. Keyes is fervently pro-life and pro-family and DeLaCerda said it is important that students hear from an array of speakers with differing viewpoints. “Well, we’ve had Spike Lee and Maya Angelou, and that was good, but I just think it’s good to bring somebody with conservative ideals for Black History Month to sort of counter that,” he said. The group endorses all Republican candidates and DeLaCerda said he thinks the organization’s weekly presence in The Quad will make a difference in the upcoming elections. He said the group sets up “eye-catchers” including big, bright signs, which work alongside the smell of beef fajitas to lure students toward the table. “Last week, I couldn’t grill that well because I was bumping into people. It was so crowded with students getting information and it was just so good,” he said. College Republicans are currently rallying student support for Jim Neuhaus, who is campaigning for District 45 against incumbent Rep. Patrick Rose, D-Texas. District 45 covers Blanco, Caldwell and Hays Counties. “Because of the big signs we have in The Quad, I think Jim’s going to win on campus,” he said. “Just because his name is out there in The Quad, he’s got a big advantage.” Neuhaus has known DeLaCerda for 10 months and described
By Ashlee McConnell Special to the Star Jim Settle, director of Residence Life, resigned Friday after three years of overseeing the department. As director, Settle coordinated the overall functioning of the department, which included strategic planning, staffing and administrative direction. Settle said in his letter of resignation that he is very proud of the significant changes made in the department over the past three years and he leaves after much thought and reflection. He said he knows the department is in great shape, with fantastic people and a bright future. Beginning this month, Settle will be working directly with Joanne Smith, dean of student affairs, as her special assistant. Settle will be helping with projects related to planning, construction and financing the new student information system until he leaves the university. Smith said the department is in great shape and knows everyone will continue working hard to keep it that way. Sherri Benn, assistant vice president and director of multicultural student affairs, will be helping with the transition. Benn is taking over as the interim director of residence life until a permanent director is named. John Garrison, associate vice president and dean of students, said in an e-mail that Benn is very familiar with the residence life position, having served as the interim director on a previous occasion. “Dr. Smith and I are very confident that Dr. Benn will handle the interim position very well,” Garrison said. Settle said in his letter that this is an exciting time for Residence Life. He feels there are wonderful things taking place, such as improvements in services for students and increasing rates of retention and academic success. A national search for a new director of Residence Life will be conducted this semester. Smith hopes to have the position filled by June 1, 2007. “I have no doubt in the ability of our staff to makes this a smooth transition,” Smith said.
See POLITICS, page 3
Financial resources, destination opportunities available for study abroad By Kelsey Voelkel Special to The Star The Office of Study Abroad Programs will host the Study Abroad Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday in the Academic Service Building breezeway. The fair is open to anyone interested in traveling to a different country and taking a course for a semester or a full academic year.
“The Study Abroad program would be very beneficial information-wise and students who attend would learn about the different programs there and what these programs have to offer,” said Julie Harborth, administrative assistant for the Study Abroad program. “They can also learn where they can go and what courses they can take. Study Abroad destinations include Spain, Mexico,
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Italy, as well as Germany and England and the different courses include geography, anthropology and foreign languages.” Representatives from different programs will be providing information to those interested in studying, teaching, working and researching abroad. Students interested in exploring the world and discovering different prospects of other pro-
Two-day Forecast Thursday Sunny Temp: 93°/66° Precip: 10%
Friday Mostly Sunny Temp: 94°/ 66° Precip: 20%
grams can find information in one place. Different programs may be offered during different semesters in the year and they may be for an academic semester or a full year. The Study Abroad Fair will include experts who can answer any questions concerning the finances of the program, what different locations will be available through the program and what courses are of-
fered. Isis Gomez, Study Abroad coordinator, said the fair will provide students with the resources they need to make a decision about studying in another country. “(Going to this fair) is an opportunity to find out information concerning study abroad from the real experts who will be there Thursday and students will have the opportu-
nity to find out about financial resources and the destinations that will be available,” she said. “To anyone who has thought of studying or working abroad, the fair is absolutely worth going to. Students will be able to gain experience and learn the options that will be given.” The fair is held twice each year, once in the fall and spring.
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