CHARLOTTE’S A WASTE
PRESEASON PREMONITION
College exposé by Wolfe huffs, puffs ... and blows
Bobcat basketball shoots for a winning season with exhibition win
SEE TRENDS PAGE 6
SEE SPORTS PAGE 14
TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS
www.UNIVERSITYSTAR.com
THURSDAY
NOVEMBER 10, 2005
Texas State students express mixed reactions to passage of Prop. 2 By Ashley Richards Assistant News Editor Tuesday’s election results have been confirmed, showing that slightly more than 76 percent of Texans voted to support Proposition 2, the ban on gay marriage, which will deny same sex marriages any legal status within the state. In Hays County the margin between those for and against the constitutional amendment was significantly closer than the statewide results, with nearly 42 percent against the amendment in the county, opposed to the nearly 24 percent against it in the state. For Rolando “Rolie” Sanchez, Lambda at Texas State president, the results were not surprising, although he did have some hope that the homosexual community could overcome the passage of the amendment. “I knew it was going to pass. A
Flyin’high
little part of me was that I hope it doesn’t, but it’s Texas; the state itself needs to get off their horses and join the rest of the world,” Sanchez said. Sanchez said he thought the decision made by the entire state and the wide margin by which it passed was frustrating, but he was pleased that Hays County results were closer. “Hays County is a closer margin. I know we can’t tackle on the entire state, but in the county itself, if people voted against it, that’s great,” Sanchez said. “I’ve always felt safe in San Marcos. I’m glad that it was so close here. It goes to show there’s not that (much) ignorance in San Marcos.” Ryan Berry, Campus Christian Community student president and communication design junior, said he was disappointed with the passage of the amendSee REACTIONS, page 3
Faculty Senate discusses graduate courses, hiring employees’ spouses By Clayton Medford News Reporter Issues of graduate leveling courses, the consolidation of power in the Texas State University System Chancellor’s Office and spousal hiring were among the topics discussed at the Faculty Senate’s meeting Wednesday. Texas State President Denise Trauth and Perry Moore, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, joined the senators and responded to their concerns. Graduate leveling courses are required of students who lack the prerequisites of a graduate program. Under the previous system, students fulfilled the requirements they lacked at the undergraduate level. The new system offers courses at the graduate level that meet the requirements, which senators say is a waste of resources. “I think the right thing to do would be to deny the stu-
VOLUME 95, ISSUE 33
Courtney Addison/Star photo Maj. Rusty Keen, Texas State alumnus and recent addition to the U.S. Air Force’s Thunderbirds, autographs 8year-old Garrett Llewellyn’s hat during the Randolph Air Force Base 75th anniversary air show Saturday in San Antonio.
Alumnus takes to the air with Thunderbird team
dent admission to the graduate program until they met the requirements,” said Bill Stone, criminal justice professor and senate chair. Moore discussed his views with the senators. “If you believe there are courses that are artificial, bring them to my attention,” Moore said. “I don’t intend to have courses at the graduate level that are artificial.” Trauth offered her opinion. “What’s going to have to happened is an in-depth look at other universities and how they deal with conditional admission,” Trauth said. “The (Master of Business Administration) was, in fact, created for people without an undergraduate degree in business; it was designed for engineers that wanted to get into business. So there’s nothing wrong with getting a master’s in something other than your undergraduate degree.” See SENATE, page 5
By Ashley Richards Assistant News Editor
T
exas State alumnus Maj. Rusty Keen is serving his first year of a two-year commitment with the Thunderbirds, which has given him the opportunity to tour the world while demonstrating the capabilities of the U.S. Air Force’s F-16 aircrafts. The Thunderbirds, a fighter-jet demonstration team, returned to the San
Antonio Randolph Air Force Base for the 75th anniversary air show. Keen said being back in Central Texas was a sort of homecoming for him. “We fly all over the world showcasing the Air Force,” Keen said. “We go out showing the precision and the pride of the Air Force F-16 aircrafts. We’ve been representing our military, showing how we fight for our country.” Each weekend, 10 months of the year, the Thunderbirds, made up of six Air
Force pilots, perform an hour of demonstrations at shows across the world. The team of Thunderbirds flew in for the Randolph Air Force Base show from Guatemala, and they have also traveled to several other Central American countries as well as areas in Europe and South East Asia. “The schedule is pretty rough,” Keen said. “It’s an opportunity for (my famSee T-BIRD, page 5
Student Volunteer Connection to tackle hunger, homelessness By Kevin Washburn News Reporter From Tuesday through Nov. 18, Texas State student organizations will be attempting to aid the hungry and homeless, one event at a time. The five-day campaign, titled Hunger and Homelessness Week, is part of the larger National Students Against Hunger and Homelessness campaign.
The events, sponsored by the Student Volunteer Connection, aim to both provide sustenance for the underprivileged and to spread awareness for their plight. One myth the events will attempt to disprove is that smaller cities like San Marcos, which do not have high numbers of homeless people living on the streets, do not have people going hungry.
“So many residents spend time in Austin and see people on the street constantly asking for money,” SVC president Cassandra Ragin said. “In San Marcos, they don’t make it seen. The homeless are not on the corners. San Marcos tries to stop that.” Even in a city like Austin, the problem is much farther reaching than people on the street corners asking for change, said
Kerri Qunell, director of communications for Capital Area Food. “Statistics show that one-fifth of all adults and one-fourth of all children are hungry,” Qunell said. “The issue is not what the public thinks it is. It’s not just the person on the corner. It’s the single mother with three children; the working families. See HUNGER, page 3
Artist doesn’t chicken out when it comes to being unique Authors to discuss courage in their writing, personal lives By Courtney Addison News Reporter
Courtney Addison/Star photo Rows of painted chicken heads decorate the fence outside of local artist George Zupp’s house on Hopkins Street. As a barrier against the traffic, Zupp’s front yard has become a piece of art due to the unique creations.
Today’s Weather
Partly Cloudy 79˚/51˚
Precipitation: 0% Humidity: 54% UV: 5 Moderate Wind: NNE 10 mph
The Southwestern Writers Collection and Common Experience will host a panel discussion today on “Courage at the Typewriter” with three wellknown Texas writers, Beverly Lowry, Celia Morris and Benjamin Alire Sáenz. The evening will begin with a reception at 7 p.m. on the seventh floor of Alkek Library with hors d’oeuvres catered by Palmer’s Restaurant. The panel discussion will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be moderated by Steven Davis, Southwestern Writers Collection assistant curator and author. There will be a question and answer session and book signing by all four authors following the discussion.
See CHICKEN, page 5
Two-day Forecast Friday Isolated T-Storms Temp: 80°/ 64° Precipitation: 30%
By Leah Kirkwood News Reporter
While many people envision their American dream house with a white picket fence, a local artist has seemingly revolutionized the traditional territory markers by adorning the tops with painted chicken heads. George Zupp, commonly known as “Chicken George,” a Southwest Texas State alumnus and local artist, took the expression “life imitating art” to a whole new level when he transformed the standard fence surrounding his house on Hopkins Street into its own piece of art. Because of increased traffic, Zupp began decorating the fence in 2000 as a way to intimidate drivers. “I always wanted a psychological barrier between the house and the traffic,” Zupp said. “I wanted it to look like a grid of angry cocks.” Originally consisting of one row, the fence has developed over the years to contain approximately 40 painted chicken heads. Dan Clemts, one of Zupp’s former roommates, spoke of the house’s uniqueness while petting “Honeybee” one of two pet-like chickens roaming the yard. “I’m sure people stare,” Clemts said. “It’s definitely a topic of conversation.”
Saturday Isolated T-Storms Temp: 87°/ 60° Precipitation: 30%
Inside
TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS
Classifieds Comics Crossword News
12 10 10 1-5
Opinions Sports Trends
“Even if you don’t buy a book, you can get in line and talk to the authors when it’s your turn,” said Michelle Miller, marketing and media relations for Special Collections. “These are some very interesting and prominent writers who are Texas based, and anyone in the audience will have good exposure to regional artists,” Miller said. Davis said the discussion is the Southwestern Writer’s Collection contribution to the university’s Common Experience series. “We’ve noticed at the Southwestern Writers Collection how courageous many writers are,” Davis said. “They tackle very difficult issues that most of us See COURAGE, page 3
To Contact The Star: 11 13,14 6-10
Trinity Building Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708 www.UniversityStar.com © 2005 The University Star