09 14 2005

Page 1

FAIRWAY FLYERS

EXORCISM ON TRIAL

Verdict is in on courtroom horror drama: TERRIFYING

Taking the sandtraps and plaid hats out of the world’s quietest sport

SEE TRENDS PAGE 6

SEE SPORTS PAGE 10

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS

www.UNIVERSITYSTAR.com

SEPTEMBER 14, 2005

WEDNESDAY

VOLUME 95, ISSUE 8

Contradictory accounts of confrontation leave questions University to review facts of Sunday conflict between police, students By Kirsten Crow News Editor and Ashley Richards Assistant News Editor

A confrontation between local law enforcement agencies and students attending the African American Leadership Conference early Sunday morning has produced conflicting reports from students and officers. While student accounts involve police officers arbitrarily tasing and arresting students in the LBJ Student Center Parking Garage and bus circle, University Police Department Chief Ralph Meyer said the incident was sparked by an aggravated assault on a

BUTTING

OUT OF

public servant following the AACL after-party hosted by the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Meyer said Tommy Davis, an undecided health professions sophomore, was involved in a verbal dispute with another student attending the party early in the evening. Meyer said police officers took Davis outside and spoke with him, eventually convincing him to call a friend to pick him up. Davis confirmed he was involved in a verbal dispute during the party but

said the conflict was only a verbal confrontation, not physical. Davis said one officer told him he would look for his friends and his ride home inside the party, while another officer told him to “walk to Austin.” Davis, without a car, waited for his ride. Meanwhile, Meyer said there was another confrontation at about 12:30 a.m. in the LBJSC Ballroom. “They were pushing and arguing back and forth,” Meyer said. “That

THE QUAD

By Suzann Torres News Reporter Former U.S. president and Southwest Texas State alumnus Lyndon Baines Johnson will stand among students once again, after a proposal for a commemorative bronze sculpture of LBJ was approved by the Texas State University System Board of Regents while meeting on Aug. 25 and 26 at Sul Ross State University. In February 2004, the AsLyndon Baines sociated Student Government Johnson introduced legislation to construct the sculpture, to be placed near The Quad. Originally, the plan was for the statue to be in the center of The Quad by the fall semester of this year, to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Johnson’s signing of the Higher Education Act in 1965. The act allowed colleges and universities to provide financial assistance to students of postsecondary and higher education. ASG president, Jordan Anderson, said they ran into some roadblocks, but after discussing the proposal at ASG meetings, the legislation was eventually passed. After university administration approved the proposal, the TSUS Board of Regents met and authorized university officials to begin seeking designs for the statue. The budget for the project is not to exceed $100,000, which is set to cover all the expenses for the sculpture including design, casting, finishing, transportation and installation. Funding for the sculpture will be drawn from the Student Service Fees reserve fund. “The reserve fund is like a backup or savings account that we try to have at all times,” said Kate Robbins, executive assistant to the vice president of student affairs. Robbins said students would not pay any extra fees for the construction of the sculpture.

Courtney Addison/Star photo

By Emily Messer News Reporter

Tiffany Searcy/Star photo

Contrary to rumors that the University Police Department is issuing citations to those who fail to comply with the smoking ordinance set in place by the Associated Student Government, no citations have been issued for people smoking in designated nonsmoking areas such as The Quad. Under the University Policies and Procedures Statement, the University Smoking Policy states that individuals and management officials who fail to follow or enforce the Texas State smoking policy are subject to disciplinary action. The reviewers of the policy added the procedure for disciplinary action, which was approved by the senior reviewers, al-

MtvU and David call upon college students to aid in ‘curbing’ global warming By Clayton Medford News Reporter

improve the environment through conservation. After his offers of “We’ve heard loud $30 to “help a semiand clear from colretarded individual to lege students that change a tire” fell on global warming is a deaf ears, Curb Your concern,” said general Enthusiasm creator manager of mtvU, and star Larry David Stephen Friedman, Larry David has donated the Toyin a telephone press ota hybrid he drives conference Tuesday. on the show to help curb global “They want to take action and warming. what Laurie is doing is starting A project spearheaded by a movement.” David’s wife Laurie, StopGloLaurie, a trustee of the NabalWarming.org has partnered tional Resources Defense Counwith mtvU in a yearlong vir- cil, believes the misinformation tual march on Washington. about global warming has exThe march will consist of daily acerbated the problem, and the informative e-mails sent to sub- lack of awareness among young scribers and will focus on motiSee MTVU, page 3 vating college students to help

Today’s Weather

95˚/73˚

See CONFRONTATION, page 4

LBJ to rejoin student body as bronze sculpture near The Quad

RIGHT: “No smoking” signs between Old Main and the LBJ Student Center remind students not to light up while walking across campus, in an effort to help reduce secondhand smoke concerns. BELOW: Matthew Roseberry, advertising senior, smokes outside the Evans Liberal Arts Building, a practice that is no longer allowed in The Quad.

Mostly Sunny

could have gotten out of control.” Meyer said that though friends of the students arguing broke up the altercation, officers decided to end the party. However, Tywaun Watkins, sociology senior, said there was no fight. “There were no verbal or physical confrontations between the students,” Watkins said. Students reported Alpha Phi Alpha ending the party, but Meyer said it was

Precipitation:230% Humidity: 63% UV: 10 Very High Wind: S 11 mph

though it was not the intention of ASG to take disciplinary action for violations of the policy. Both ASG and university officials see the enforcement of the policy as an opportunity for students to police themselves. “It was never our intention to have the (UPD) enforce any type of ban,” said ASG President Jordan Anderson. Anderson said he does not believe that Texas State President Denise Trauth intended for UPD to issue citations for those who smoke in areas such as The Quad, the Alkek Library breezeway and the Academic Service Building breezeway. Vincent Morton, assistant dean of stuSee QUAD, page 3

See BRONZE, page 3

Texas State commuters from Austin take passenger seat to battle high gas prices used to “I spend about $30 a week on By Dan Querejazu Special to The Star

With gas prices soaring to record highs in recent weeks, Texas State commuters are feeling it where it hurts the most: their wallets. Unlike most students who can walk, ride a bike or hop on a bus to get to campus, for commuters the only way to school is the highway. “I used to spend about $30 a week on gas,” said Duncan McKinnon, an anthropology senior who drove to school four days a week from North Austin. “Now I’m spending $45 to $50 a week.” Students with larger vehicles can spend $70 to $80 a week, which has many commuters searching for alternatives. “I’m taking the shuttle this

gas. Now I’m spending $45 to $50 a week.”

— Duncan McKinnon anthroplogy senior

semester and I’m also looking for other students to car pool with on certain days as well,” McKinnon said. Andrew Nenque/Star file photo The university’s Austin Intercity Connector Shuttle, which As gas prices increase, so does the strain on commutruns to and from Austin eight ers. In response to an increase in riders, the Austin-Texas times a day, is becoming popu- State bus route has increased its number of stops and now includes stops accessible from Capital Metro routes. See COMMUTERS, page 3

Two-day Forecast Thursday Partly Cloudy Temp: 95°/ 73° Precipitation: 20%

Friday Isolated T-Storms Temp: 96°/ 71° Precipitation: 20%

Inside

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS

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