VOLUME 102, ISSUE 28
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THURSDAY
OCTOBER 25, 2012
Texas State Debate 2012
The University Star is hosting a political debate between campus political organizations 7 p.m. Thursday at Derrick 227. The event will be moderated by Star editors and is open to the public.
Construction affects business on North LBJ Drive
SEEKING DIVERSITY
By Monica Solis News Reporter
shift in the racial make-up of Texas State students over the past two years. Heintze said increasing enrollment at Texas State has helped increase ethnic diversity among the student population. According to Institutional Research, Texas State saw an increase from fall 2009 to fall 2012 in the number of Hispanic, black and Asian students being admitted and enrolled at the university. There was also a decrease in the number of admitted and enrolled Caucasian students. This trend is reflected in the
Emeralds, a clothing store on North LBJ Dr. near The Square, is not closed. However, some customers think it has shut down because of the construction work surrounding the business. A large sign with heavy, red lettering displayed in Emeralds’ windows says that not only is it open for business, it is having a “construction sale” as an incentive for customers to visit despite the surrounding road work. “When construction first started, people weren’t coming in because they weren’t sure if (the store) was open,” said Tamara Woehl, a store associate at Emeralds. “We’ve been trying to up the game.” Emeralds is one of several local businesses being affected by various construction projects around San Marcos. Woehl said Emeralds is offering a storewide 25-30 percent off sale to attract more customer attention that has been lost because of surrounding construction. Chad Trigg, manager at Treff’s Tavern on LBJ Dr., said the bar relies on “diehard” regulars to drive sales. He said 70 percent of the bar’s customers are regulars, and the other 30 percent are those who now choose to go somewhere else because of construction. Trigg said Treff’s, located off North LBJ Drive, has a small parking lot to begin with, and the entrance is now closed sometimes because of construction. He said this makes it difficult for customers to get to the bar, coupled with the fact North LBJ Drive is a one-way street. “I’ll be honest, if I were a customer, it’s like ‘I don’t want to deal with that,’” Trigg said. Lacy Jameson and Lauren Howland consider themselves to be two of Treff’s “die-hard” customers. Jameson, a Texas State alumna, and Howland, accounting senior, regularly team up with friends to attend Treff’s “Geeks Who Drink” nights. Howland said she has, however, seen nearby road construction affect the amount of teams that attend the event. Business at Gordo’s Burgers and Stuff, which is located near Treff’s, has also been affected by construction. Jesse Garza works at Gordo’s with his brother, who owns the restaurant, and said construction of the Comanche 24-inch Water Transmission line has had a negative impact on business. Garza said Gordo’s has lost about 40 percent of its customer base because of construction. The entrance to the restaurant’s parking lot is either open or completely closed off, depending on which side of the road construction crews are working on, Garza said.
READ ADMISSIONS, PAGE 3
READ CONSTRUCTION, PAGE 3
Race in Admissions at Texas State – Fall 2011 Freshmen enrolled by race/ethnicity 61
Freshmen automatically admitted under top 10 percent rule by race/ethnicity
202
5 27
377
254
50 2,384
212
Freshmen not in top 10 percent admitted by race/ethnicity 64 227
2,167
316
1,435
1,274
Caucasian
Hispanic
Black
Asian
Other
Recruitment, not quotas creates racial makeup By Taylor Tompkins Assistant News Editor While a recent Supreme Court case surrounding the University of Texas’ race-conscious admissions process has gained national attention, officials say ethnicity is not used as an admissions standard at Texas State. Abigail Fisher, a Caucasian female, was denied admission to UT in 2008. She said the rejection was because of the use of race as a standard during the admissions process. Fisher later sued the university, arguing that using race as
an admission standard violates the 14th Amendment. Fisher’s case was brought Oct. 10 before the Supreme Court. UT officials contend ethnicities are considered during the admissions process to create diversity on campus. Texas State does not consider race as a factor during its admission process, said Michael Heintze, associate vice president of Enrollment Management. The university has no quotas for racial diversity, but does support an enrollment that is representative of the state’s population, he said. As a result, the university has seen a
College of Health Professions seeks Round Rock building By Hannah Mills News Reporter The entire College of Health Professions could soon move to the Round Rock campus, where there is more room to expand. According to Institutional Research, the college saw an 8.3 percent enrollment increase this fall. Barbara Sanders, associate dean of the College of Health Professions, said the growth has predominantly been among pre-majors and is a result of the continual need for workers in the health care field. The university is requesting a debt service to construct two health professions buildings at the Round Rock campus to accommodate the growing number of students. Debt services are funds replaced by the state when student fees are pledged against university debt service costs. Ruth Welborn, dean of the College of Health Professions, said in order to proceed with moving to the Round Rock campus, the debt service must be approved by the state legislature or the university needs to receive funding from a donor. If the legislature approves the debt service at the end of 2013, design and construction can begin, Welborn said. Welborn said once the new buildings at
the Round Rock campus are constructed, they will house seven health programs. One of the buildings will house communication disorders, physical therapy and respiratory care programs, and the other will host the remaining health professions programs. Sanders said enrollment in health majors such as physical therapy and nursing is controlled. She said the regulation stems from the lack of space at the current health professions building on the Texas State campus. The recent accreditation of the nursing school has contributed to the college’s enrollment increase. Sanders said enrollment in the nursing program is now limited to 100 students. “Having the health professions (programs) in Round Rock will offer us additional opportunities with the significant increase in space,” Sanders said. St. David’s School of Nursing is already located at the Round Rock campus. Sanders said the Round Rock area is growing rapidly into a medical community with more clinical support opportunities. If the College of Health Professions can be moved to Round Rock, Sanders said the program hopes to increase enrollment by 20 percent or more. Bill Nance, vice president for Finance
Shea Wendlandt, Staff Photographer
The College of Health Professions hopes to relocate some classes to the Round Rock Higher Education Center due to overcrowding on campus. and Support Services, said if the college is moved to the Round Rock campus, the current health professions building at Texas State would be converted to fit the needs of another program. “Deciding who would get the current health professions building would require a study to see who is closest, who is needy
of space and who would require the least amount of renovations to the current condition of the building,” Nance said. Nance said there are more opportunities for internships in clinical settings in Round Rock than in San Marcos. He said such internships are required for students in various health professions programs.
2 | Thursday October 25, 2012 | The University Star
PAGE TWO
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Religion & American Politics:
wild art
A Panel Discussion
Ronald Johnson
History
Ivan Marquez
Philosophy
Richard Warms
Anthropology
Rebecca Raphael
Philosophy
Monday, October 29 5:00-6:15 p.m. Flowers Hall 341
Austin Beavers, Staff Photographer
Teams compete during the Kayak Polo Nationals Oct. 19 at Rio Vista park. Teams from around the United States and Canada vied for the title all weekend.
library beat Wittliff hosts speakers, public reception The Wittliff Collections join the University Archives Oct. 26 for Texas State’s seventh annual observance of American Archives Month—a time to reflect on the importance of collecting and preserving historical, cultural and organizational records. This election year’s topic is Presidential Libraries and Archives, and the Wittliff welcomes to the podium two staff members of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum: Director Alan C. Lowe and Supervisory Archivist Brooke L. Clement. The Bush Presidential Library is currently in a temporary facility in Lewisville, Texas, just north of Dallas. Soon the staff will begin moving holdings into a new facility on the campus of Southern Methodist University. The dedication is planned for early 2013. Lowe and Clement will speak about the
research significance of presidential archives, the process of establishing a new presidential library and the logistics and challenges involved in moving such a historically valuable collection. The program will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the Wittliff Collections on the seventh floor of the Alkek Library. Both speakers will take questions from the audience after their talks. A public reception will follow. Admission to the program and reception is free, and students are especially encouraged to attend. Program attendance is not required to attend the reception. RSVP to southwesternwriters@txstate.edu. For further information, contact Wittliff Collections Lead Archivist Katie Salzmann at 512.245.3861 or ks31@txstate.edu. —Courtesy of Michele Miller
Sponsored by:
NEH Distinguished Teaching Professorship College of Liberal Arts Department of Philosophy
Correction:
In the Oct 24 issue of The University Star, the article, “New club finishes on top in first competition,” Kaylin Mobley was quoted and citied as the vice president of the club. Mobley is incorrect, Kayllie Cooper is actually the vice president of the club and all quotes attributed to Mobley should have been attributed to Cooper.
News | The University Star | Thursday October 25, 2012 | 3
ADMISSIONS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 is reflected in the amount of each ethnicity automatically admitted under the state’s Top 10 Percent rule. Race began being considered in the college application process after 1997 Texas legislation gave high school seniors who ranked in the top 10 percent of their graduating classes automatic admission into state schools. UT admits three quarters of each freshman class automatically based on the Top 10 Percent rule. The remaining quarter are admitted under a system that considers an applicant’s race, among other factors. Joe Meyer, director of Institutional Research, said approximately 12.2 percent of Texas State freshmen were admitted under the Top 10 Percent rule in 2011. “Texas State’s very close proximity to UT puts us into competition with that flagship institution for top 10 percent students,” Meyer said. “As a result, our yield rate for such students may be lower than seen at some Texas public institutions that are farther away from UT.” Texas State is in its second year as a Hispanic Serving Institution. The distinction requires the university to maintain at least a 25 percent Hispanic enrollment of undergraduate full-time-equivalent students. Heintze said the university has stationed regional admissions officers in the Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio and valley metropolitan areas to recruit students and improve campus diversity. He said this in an active effort to acquire students from around the state. “While (the regional admissions officers) recruit broadly, they also target high schools that are very diverse, and they are working closely with the community colleges where you will find a diverse mix of students,” Heintze said. “So it has been a deliberate, conscious effort to become diverse.” Adam Brass, communication studies senior, said race should not be a factor during the admissions process. “I think if we are trying to move to a more equal-rights era, we need to put aside everyone’s differences in general, whether it be some kind of disability or skin color or religion,” Brass said. “I think we need to look past that kind of racial quota that some schools have been unjustly using.” Brass said students who want guaranteed acceptance should work hard to be in the top 10 percent so issues like the Fisher v. University of Texas case won’t arise. Dance sophomore Megan Wylie said she understands universities such as UT’s points of view when it comes to considering race during the admissions process. “(They use race) so that they seem diverse and not to accept more of one race over another,” Wylie said. Heintze said as Texas State’s student population grows, the university will continue to enroll a wide variety of students from all racial backgrounds. “It was and it still is important that we make some progress both on the qualitative side—not just bringing them here but graduating them—but also working hard to include all aspects of our state citizenry,” Heintze said. “It’s not a huge change but I think it reflects the kind of evolution within our state.”
construction CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Garza said making the trip to the restaurant is worth the effort, and the business is relying on word of mouth to get sales back up. “Our regulars are the only ones keeping us alive right now,” Garza said. “We’re going to stick it out and hope for the best.”
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4 | Thursday October 25, 2012 | The University Star
OPINIONS
For more viewpoints or letters to the editor, e-mail staropinions@txstate.edu
Sessom Drive congestion requires regulation T
he increasingly frustrating traffic conditions on Sessom Drive need serious improvement. This heavy traffic tends to be spurred by long lines of cars waiting to turn left at the LBJ and Peques Street stoplights. Sessom is often difficult to navigate throughout the day from continued construction and traffic. At times, it becomes almost impossible to force long lines of traffic into just three lanes at the LBJ stoplight. For these reasons, the editorial board believes a police officer should direct the heavy amounts of traffic at the LBJ stoplight connecting Texas State’s main bus loop and Sessom at peak traffic times Monday through Thursday. San Marcos residents and students on the roadway may see five, six or seven red stoplights pass at the intersection before the left turn signal appears, allowing cars to turn into the bus loop. If one police officer was stationed in the middle of the crowded intersection, the left hand turn lane into the bus loop could be cleared so that the traffic heading north up the hill would not be backed up all the way to the river. This solution, in conjunction with the City of San Marcos and Texas State, would be a relatively simple fix for the current headache-inducing traffic issues on Sessom. Ultimately, Sessom is too small of a road to allow a large, continuous flow of traffic. The entire road ends up becoming bogged down due to the inadequate available space for the left hand turn lane at the stoplight. Since the turn lane cannot be expanded without additional major renovations to the street, an extra 10 seconds for the left hand turn signal could also help ease a lot of stress on the roadways. In addition to the issues at the LBJ stoplight, the left turn from Sessom onto State Street is dangerous, especially during high traffic hours from 4 to 6 p.m. on weekdays. When drivers turn left during those peak hours, it not only slows down the already overcrowded traffic conditions but presents safety concerns as angry drivers swerve into the right lane to avoid long waits at the stoplight. Furthermore, the posted rule for the left turn at the Peques stoplight is also poorly enforced. The sign, which mentions that the turn is illegal from 4 to 6 p.m., is posted on the righthand side of the road several car lengths behind the light. This rule is largely ignored by drivers who continue to turn left during peak traffic times. If the sign was posted near the top of the stoplight or closer to the left hand side of the road where the turn will be made, more people would be aware of the rule. Officers driving by through the area should also step up enforcement to ensure lines of traffic waiting to turn left do not build up. A police officer can drastically help the flow of traffic going in and out of the bus loop at the LBJ stoplight. When only five to 10 students cross the street, they tend to hold up the left turn traffic during their allotted 15-second walk time. The stationed police officer could easily help hold the students back to allow traffic to turn in and out of the bus loop. This would, in turn, get Sessom traffic moving more efficiently onto Aquerina Springs Drive and other surrounding streets. Sessom has become one of the biggest traffic debacles in the city. If one officer is placed at the LBJ stoplight and awareness of the Peques left turn rules is increased, a large amount of Sessom traffic issues will likely be relieved. San Marcos could greatly benefit from these simple changes.
Kara Ramer, Star Illustrator
The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Columns are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University-San Marcos Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University-San Marcos.
University must address freshman yield rate deficit
By Ariella Hannon Opinions Columnist
T
exas State needs to counter the recent drop in the freshman yield rate with a variety of academic and marketing tactics. According to an Oct. 3 University Star article, 4,251 freshmen are enrolled for the fall 2012 semester. However, the number of admitted students at Texas State this semester is more than twice the current freshman class size. According to the same article, the university experienced a -4.4 percent difference in the freshman yield rate from fall 2011 to fall 2012. There is a drastic difference between the number of
freshmen accepted and the total amount of freshmen who actually attend Texas State. This difference may be due to prospective students who apply to several schools when searching for a university that fits their needs. It is important the university strives to maintain a steady flow of incoming freshmen and transfer students. These students, who are the basis for continued campus expansion, bring funding to the university through tuition and fees. According to the same article, the yield rate may have been impacted by new federal financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress standards. The requirements have altered the minimum GPA to 2.0 for transfer students. The students must show satisfactory progress in their degree plans. However, there are many other factors that could affect the freshman yield rate. For example, heavy construction around campus could deter students from attending Texas State. With parts of the campus blocked from student access, many prospective freshmen may not
want to deal with the inconvenience of closed sidewalks and noisy, early-morning construction. When searching for the perfect university, students look for academic rigor and a campus that offers something special. Priorities differ from student to student, but incoming freshmen and transfer students may want to get something at Texas State they cannot find elsewhere. It is important for Texas State to connect with prospective freshmen. According to the same article, the university wants to build a call center in coordination with University Advancement to potentially increase the amount of calls to prospective and admitted students. However, phone calls alone will not solely bring in new students. The university’s overall vibe, look and accommodations are what will attract incoming students. It is not enough to have programs like PAWS Preview, high school visits and calls to prospective students. Students want to
know what universities can offer them. Texas State needs to be more marketable toward prospective students to help reverse the difference in the freshmen yield rate percentage. Although the university has raised its standards with heightened SAP requirements, the enrollment to acceptance ratio sharply declined this semester. As a result of higher SAP requirements, many students who want to attend Texas State may be denied. Texas State should lower the academic standards and accept more students. By accepting more students overall, those who want to attend Texas State but cannot because of the new GPA thresholds will again be able to enroll. While this action will not completely fix the decline in the freshman yield rate, it may help alleviate some of the issues. More importantly, it will give those previously denied prospective students a chance to attend Texas State. —Ariella Hannon is an English senior.
Affirmative action needs to remain in place at universities
By Ravi Venkataraman Opinions Columnist
A
form of affirmative action is needed in university admissions to promote a diverse environment reflecting the changing demographic in the workplace across the nation. However, this action needs to take a more holistic approach toward maintaining the quality of diversity at universities through Texas’ Top 10 Percent Plan. This past month, the Supreme Court has been hearing the Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin case. According to the amicus brief document from the Fifth Circuit, Abigail Fisher and Rachel Michalewicz, who are both white, were
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denied admission to UT in 2008. The two filed suit under allegations the university had racially discriminated them by violating the Equal Protection Clause. Based on the current makeup of the Supreme Court, it seems likely Fisher and Michalewicz could win. As a result, this could mean affirmative action could be banned at universities. In addition, institutions with an already diverse student body through race-neutral choices will have to avoid implementing any raceconscious admission processes. Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) is the precedent case in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin. According to the case brief on the Oyez website, the court held the University of Michigan Law School’s use of race-conscious admissions did not violate the Equal Protection Clause. The decision was due to the school’s narrowly tailored use of race in admissions. But, the Grutter case’s flaw is the aim for “critical mass” of underrepresented minority students. According to the same case brief, Erica Munzel testified “critical mass” meant “a number that encourages
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underrepresented minority students to participate in the classroom and not feel isolated.” In the Grutter case, that value is more tangible because it was in regard to law school admissions. For undergraduate admissions at a large state university, such as Texas State, that “critical mass” number is much harder to fathom. Even so, the effects of overturning Grutter v. Bollinger would be monumental. It could prematurely put into effect lofty ideals and leave hundreds of already disadvantaged students in a more precarious state. To combat this, an even approach of considering low-income schools and communities in poverty is necessary for admissions. According to a May 1 New Yorker article, the Top 10 Percent Plan automatically admits any Texas students graduating from the top 10 percent of their high school classes to state universities. This plan needs to remain in place to ensure a variety of applicants are considered for admissions. With UT’s close proximity to Texas State, the Supreme Court case likely
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hits close to home for many students. According to an Oct. 25 University Star article, 254 white, 212 Hispanic, 50 black, 5 Asian and 27 other freshmen students were automatically admitted to Texas State under the plan. According to an Oct. 19, 2011 University Star article, black students composed 7 percent of the campus population last fall. According to a Feb. 8 University Star article, the white and non-Hispanic ethnic group comprised 59.4 percent of the student body. Texas State is classified as a Hispanic Serving Institution. Along with that classification, the Top 10 Percent Plan allows for diversity in automatically admitted students that is relatively proportional to the overall student body race makeup at the university. In a state that has had a past of deeply segregated schools, the Fisher case should demonstrate the Top 10 Percent Plan is needed as a vehicle for opportunity at Texas State and other universities in Texas. —Ravi Venkataraman is a creative writing masters student.
The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University-San Marcos and is published every other Wednesday in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 6,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Copyright Thursday, October 25, 2012. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor in chief. The first five issues of each edition of the paper are free. Additional copies of the paper can be purchased at 50¢ per copy. Contact The University Star office at (512) 245-3487 to purchase additional copies.
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TRENDS
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Pagan students join with nature center to host seasonal event By Mark A. Alvarez Trends Reporter Those looking for a little magic in their lives this Halloween season are in luck. Texas State’s Pagan Student Fellowship has joined The San Marcos Nature Center to put on the annual Creature Crawl Oct. 28 at 3 p.m. The carnival will feature a wide variety of activities including storytelling, trick-or-treating, a plant sale, tarot card readings and tealeaf readings. Festival volunteers will be in costume and bring out some of the animals in the nature center for an up-close look.
There is a $2 donation to attend, which will go to support the nature center along with any sales made that day. About 200 people are expected to attend. “All of this is to support the nature center and keep it running,” said Kenneth See, public relations officer for the Pagan Student Fellowship. “We will be asking for tips to help support the nature center.” The organization’s Samhain ritual is set to take place right after the event. Pagan Student Fellowship President Stefan Sanchez described the ritual as “a festival in honor of the dead.” The event is one of the origins of Halloween itself. “Samhain is the celebration that Halloween was based on,” said Heather McMaster, the organization’s treasurer.
“It’s basically to celebrate and commemorate the dead and to honor the changing of the seasons.” The event will also help the Pagan Student Fellowship achieve its goal of interacting with the community to increase the understanding of paganism. The group has been raising money through bake sales on campus in their efforts to support both paganism and the San Marcos Nature Center. “Our goal is to foster healthy relationships with other organizations on campus,” See said. “What we are trying to do here at Texas State is to let people know what paganism is and that we are not a bunch of scary black-clad individuals running around cursing people.”
Alumna finds community, outlet for ‘avant-garde’ poetry By Paige Lambert Trends Reporter Instead of trying to “fit in” with her work, one alumna strayed from the norm, following her interests and letting her voice shine through in her experimental poetry. Michelle Detorie has been working on a collection of poems called “Fur Birds,” a portion of which was recently published. Her
journey to becoming a poet began at Texas State. “I was more interested in stories, but then I saw how you could play with words in poetry,” Detorie said. “I had the freedom of how to use the page and language to affect the reader in a certain way.” Detorie said that idea presented itself when her professor and thesis director, Kathleen Peirce, brought little objects to class.
She asked the students to arrange them like a poem, visually explaining how arrangement affects language and how the reader reacts to poems. Peirce said she noticed Detorie making that idea her own when Detorie wrote “Myomancy.” She became aware of Detorie’s avant-garde writing, prose and poetry that were on the margins of the usual. “Michelle’s creative writing was experimental. She was letting her poems become a collision of ideas at the risk of being peculiar,” Peirce said. “That’s how she grew into her voice and found a home for it.” Detorie’s interest in animal rescue spilled into her writing, pricking her interest in the relations of humans, animals and the natural world. After finding her writing voice and receiving an MFA in poetry, Detorie moved to southern California so her husband could pursue graduate school. She said they moved to Texas to follow her schooling, and it was her time to trade off. “He followed my passion. So it was my turn to follow his. I love it (in California), though. There are so many cool writers down here, and it’s a vibrant community,” Detorie said. “Plus, for the type of poetry I’m interested in, there is a whole community online.” Through that online community of poetry bloggers, Detorie came in contact with Mathew Timmons, who runs a press in Los Angeles. Timmons heard her at a reading in China Town, where she had already become part of the community. “I really liked how she could float between prose and poetry, using that looseness to present her idea,” Timmons said. “You can hear her concerns about the relations between human and animal, the humanity of animals. Beyond that there were explorations of possibilities and questions of ethics. Just whatever interested her.” Detorie soon became a prominent poetry writer in the community, interacting with the group whenever possible. At the time his company, Insert Blanc Press, was acting as a fake press of an art
Photo courtesy of Michelle Detorie
Michelle Detorie, Texas State alumna, has published a selection of her poem collection titled “Fur Birds.” show. As part of the process, Timmons asked authors in the community to create fake titles for a poetry series. “It was a really good collection of this community’s work. So, I thought ‘What the heck, why don’t I just publish it?’” Timmons said. “So, I just called all the writers up and asked them to actually write books for these titles.” The title Detorie had submitted was part of an on-going project called “Fur Birds,” a fragmented narrative of a post-apocalyptic world and how nature was affected. The project was in multidimensional parts, including dioramas, prose and poetry. “It seemed like an exciting way to work with this community, and I’m excited to see that it’s still going on,” Detorie said. “It just gives that strengthened feel that there will always be a connection here.” Detorie said she is working on finishing a longer piece of “Fur Birds.” “The great thing about her is (she is) an avant-garde person all around,” Peirce said. “She does work in her own way and enjoys it. She’s found a great way and place to have a happy life.”
The University Star | Thursday October 25, 2012 | 7
SPORTS
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FOOTBALL
Spartans’ well-balanced attack will test Bobcats Saturday 10th in efficiency. Fales has only thrown three interceptions in seven outings. Although the Spartans are equipped with one of the top passers in the country, they will not spread the defense out all game long with wide formations. The Spartans pass out of “I” formations with heavy tight end and running back sets. Although their numbers resemble those of pass-heavy teams like Texas Tech University, University of Houston and Stephen F. Austin University, the Spartans’ scheme is diverse. “(San Jose State) is definitely extremely talented,” said senior cornerback Darryl Morris. “They have great receivers across the board and a quarterback who can really sling it around, as well as really talented running backs. We can’t take this offense lightly because they can put up as many points as (Texas) Tech or a team like that.” San Jose State receiver Noel Grigsby is
By Jordan Brewer Assistant Sports Editor The Bobcat football team is fresh off a bye week and are getting closer to making their trip to Spartan Stadium Saturday to face San Jose State University. The Spartans will give the Bobcats a test in every phase of the game: offense, defense and special teams. All have been influential thus far in 2012 in San Jose State’s games. San Jose State is sitting at 5-2 overall with a 1-1 WAC record, beating UTSA most recently, 52-24, and losing 4927 to Utah State. San Jose State’s offense averages 33 points a game and uses a variety of different formations to give opposing defense a lot to consider. Spartan quarterback David Fales has the second highest completion rate in the nation with 74 percent and ranks
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the Spartans’ career leader in pass receptions (188) and has totaled 2,398 yards in his three years with the program. He is among the nation’s leaders in several categories, including receiving yards (690), good enough for the 15th spot in the nation. The next three receptions leaders all have over 300 yards. In 2012, there have been two games where nine different receivers made receptions in a game. Three of the pass catchers have over 1,000 yards receiving in their Spartan careers: Grigsby, tight end Ryan Otten and wide out Chandler Jones. “(The defensive backs) are going to be challenged,” said Coach Dennis Franchione. “This is a different style of attack. They do some four-wide stuff. They are pretty multiple on offense. It’s not quite like a Texas Tech or SFA passing attack, but it is really good.” De’Leon Eskridge is the leading rusher for the Spartans with 478 yards on 102 carries and four touchdowns. The San Jose State offensive line is full of upper classmen, with one senior and four juniors. On defense, the Spartans rank 42nd in points, allowing 22 per game. They are sixth nationally with 24 sacks. Defensive end Travis Johnson is among the leaders in sacks (8.5) and tackles for loss (14.5).
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SOCCER
UTSA, Texas State battle for tournament position
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Texas State soccer will take on UTSA Oct. 28 in the last WAC regular season game. The Bobcats have a current record of 3-4 in conference play. By Odus Evbagharu Sports Reporter The Bobcat soccer team will head down to San Antonio Sunday morning to take on their Interstate 35 rivals, the University of Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners, in a battle for playoff positioning. Texas State (6-11-1, 3-4-0) is currently placed fourth in the conference standings and is playing to cement its spot in the WAC tournament. Following a 0-1 loss at the University of Denver, Coach Kat Conner and the team know what is at stake Sunday and look to stay motivated and focused. “To be honest, after the Denver game, it was a heartbreaking loss,” Conner said. “The girls wanted it and immediately wanted to know where they stood in the standings. They knew it was going to come down to this game this weekend at UTSA.” Texas State can sneak into the tournament with a tie against UTSA. However, the team could potentially fall to sixth place in that scenario and would knock the Roadrunners out of the tournament. Idaho
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Johnson has 27.5 sacks on his career, to go along with 42 tackles for loss over his four years. “They are a pretty good defense, but our run game was pretty solid last game,” said senior quarterback Shaun Rutherford. “We’ve been pressing on that a lot this week to keep going and moving forward with that. Hopefully we can take that to our advantage.” One of the Spartans’ leading tacklers plays in the secondary, safety Cullen Newsome. Newsome has 41 tackles on the season along with two pass breakups and three fumble recoveries. Cornerback Bené Benwikere has two interceptions in 2012 and 32 tackles. San Jose State’s special teams unit is led by its return man Tyler Ervin, who has two touchdowns on the season. Only five FBS programs have more than one return touchdown stemming from its team. Austin Lopez has hit on all of his 12 attempts and is currently the most accurate kicker in the country. Kickoff is early for the Bobcats at 1 p.m. pacific time, 3 p.m. in San Marcos. Texas State will be going for a second conference win and with a victory would be 2-0 in its first season in the WAC.
would need to win just one of its two contests this week. One of its opponents is the 0-5-1 Aggies of New Mexico State University. “They know we have to win. They didn’t even talk about them needing a tie. They talked about getting the win,” Conner said. “As a coach, it already sounds like they are motivated and we just need to build their confidence up this week so they can get that win. The girls know they are going into an adverse environment, but they are focused at the task at hand, and as a coach you appreciate that about your players.” UTSA (3-11-2, 2-3-2) will be led by junior forward Maria Jose Rojas and freshman midfielder Simone Boye. Rojas currently leads the team in goals (4), assists (3) and points (11), and Boye is second on the team in all three of those categories. The Roadrunners have struggled this year at UTSA’s sports complex, posting a 1-5-2 record. The club has been outscored at home 22-9 and shut out twice, but Bobcat junior midfielder Kelsie Townsend knows her play, as well as the team’s plays, needs to be on point if they want the win this game. “It’s been a good rivalry,” Townsend said. “I look forward to the competition and hopefully we come out with a win. If we come out with our best individual play working as a team, we will come out with a win against UTSA.” The Bobcats will be taking a 2-5-1 road record into San Antonio. The club has been outscored on the road 17-7 this season and has won once on the road in WAC play. Senior defender Alissa Scott, reigning WAC Defensive Player of the Week, hopes the team will show up Sunday against the Roadrunners. “We’ve seen UTSA before. We know how they play,” Scott said. “We just have to bring our all and give it everything we have. I think they will match our intensity and just play all out.” At the beginning of the year, the storylines were about how Texas State would adjust going to the West Coast and playing in the WAC.Now its fate lies in a game where it will take on a longtime rival in UTSA, who is just 45 minutes down the road. For the Bobcats, they know the message is simple. “Win, tie or go home,” Conner said. Twitter: @odus_Outputs
For more football coverage, a preview of volleyball’s homestand, and other Bobcat news, notes and events, scan here or go to UniversityStar.com.
8 | Thursday October 25, 2012 | The University Star | Advertisement
