April 7 2016

Page 1

THURSDAY APRIL 7, 2016

VOLUME 105 ISSUE 54 www.UniversityStar.com

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UNIVERSITY

Student Undergraduate Research Fund underutilized By Rae Glassford SENIOR NEWS REPORTER @rae_maybe

DARYL ONTIVEROS MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Texas State is one of three schools with the highest increase in tuition rates.

Texas State has experienced an ‘above average’ tuition increase since 2003 By Brigeda Hernandez NEWS REPORTER @brigeda_h

Texas State, along with the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University, have seen an aboveaverage increase in tuition since 2003, according to a report by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. With student debt over $1.3 trillion nationwide,

Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown says concerns for an affordable education have never been higher. In 2003, the Texas Legislature shifted its role in setting tuition fees to the universities themselves. State Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, said this was because of revenue shortfalls and anti-investment attitudes. “You’re forestalling your life as an adult when you

have that much debt coming out at age 22, 23,” Schwertner said. “It’s wrong for that student, it’s wrong for families that have to bear that burden and it’s wrong for the economy of Texas and the economy of this nation that we’re not addressing this problem.” During the 2008-2009 academic year, the cost of tuition and fees for a fulltime undergraduate resident student at Texas State

was $3,497. In the 2014-15 school year, the amount increased to $4,758.20, according to the Student Business Services website. Eric Algoe, vice president of finance and support services, said the main reason tuition has consistently increased is due to dwindling state funds. In the past five years, per-

centage increases have not spiked at Texas State, Algoe said. He said appropriations such as income taxes, property taxes and corporate taxes have been steadily decreasing across the country for the past decade. As funds diminish, schools have to find a way to compensate.

See TUITION, Page 2

Since its beginning in 2011, the Student Undergraduate Research Fund has been used by students to do everything from staging original theatrical productions to researching whether acorn oil could be used as a commercial product. However, despite the diversity of its possible applications, the S.U.R.F. money is not being utilized to its full potential, as applicants for the 30-40 grants offered by the program have been sparse this year. “Thus far, we’ve only given out 14 grants for the 2015-2016 academic year,” said Heather Galloway, dean of the Honors College. “The last deadline to apply is April 25. There’s still money available.” The apparent lack of awareness of the program among the student body has resulted in an absence of variation in student applications.

See RESEARCH, Page 2

FACULTY SENATE

Faculty Senators discuss campus carry regulations By Lesly De Leon ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Faculty senators discussed the campus carry regulations concerning the carveout zones for disciplinary actions. The task force is currently seeking feedback from deans and faculty about the specifics of establishing carve-out zones for disciplinary action. There is no definition of disciplinary action, said Mi-

chel Conroy, senate chair. The task force is working to form a definition. State law requires signage in all areas declared carve-out zones, Conroy said. Temporary signage would be required in provisional areas used to issue disciplinary actions. Emily Payne, curriculum and instruction senator, said most formal disciplinary meetings are held on the fifth floor of the LBJ Student Center. However,

discussion about student violations of the honor code often begin in professors’ offices. “That’s not where those discussions begin,” Payne said. “My concern is where in the process do you start getting concerned about having a place gun free.” Faculty might want a room in its college’s building for meetings concerning disciplinary actions and perhaps have someone present at the meeting or

outside the meeting, Conroy said. “That’s a discussion for the faculty,” Conroy said. The discussions between faculty and students should be non-adversarial, but that can be difficult when the student is being accused of violating the honor code, said Shirley Ogletree, psychology senator. Scott Bowman, criminal justice senator, said he would be more worried about meetings between

CRIME

San Marcos Police launch ‘Lock it or Lose It’ campaign By Tommy Murphy SPECIAL TO THE STAR

In response to a recent streak of car burglaries, the San Marcos Police Department launched a “Lock it or Lose it” campaign to remind residents to protect themselves from being victimized. The campaign focuses on how to prevent car burglaries and gives tips for residents to follow in order to minimize their chances of being burglarized. San Marcos residents reported 55 incidents of car burglaries in March. According to city officials, this figure is up from 15 reports made in March 2015, and 25 in March 2014. Commander Kelly Earnest of SMPD said the rise in theft led officers to create the campaign. “We feel as if there are things potential victims can do to make it more difficult for criminals to take

your stuff,” Earnest said. “If you think about your vehicle, it really is just a glass display case on wheels. If you can see something as a thief, you are more inclined to take it.” Darrin Andrew Martin, who was killed Sunday in an Austin officer-involved shooting, was a suspect in recent San Marcos vehicle burglaries, police said. An exchange of gunfire between Darrin Andrew Martin and an Austin police officer Sunday ultimately led to the suspect’s death. The confrontation began after a security guard caught Martin burglarizing vehicles in downtown Austin. Police found the keys to a vehicle reported stolen from the 1700 block of Mill Street in San Marcos in Martin’s possession. According to San Marcos officials, Martin is the man in the video stills released Monday by the city’s social

media accounts. Martin is suspected in two credit card abuse cases after the cards were stolen out of vehicles and used at Wal-Mart shortly after. Approximately 30 burglaries in San Marcos match crimes officers say Martin was involved in, including the theft of credit cards, cash, weapons and other items from unlocked vehicles. Although one suspect was identified, Earnest said there are more burglars in the area who have yet to be caught. Car break-ins are usually a result of thieves seeing something valuable or hints the presence of possible valuables in plain sight. It takes a person less than 30 seconds to break into a car, grab what is in plain view and get away, she said. Officer Sue Taylor, with the University Police Department, said it is crucial for people to get out of a

“small-town mindset” and realize it is not safe to leave anything unlocked. Earnest said what is most disturbing about these burglaries is some of them involve firearms. “It is always a dangerous thing when you are trusted with a firearm and you let it be stolen,” Earnest said. “These weapons can be used in other crimes, sold or given to other criminals.” Firearm owners should be responsible and take precautions to keep their weapons out of criminals’ hands, she said. “The last thing I would want is for someone to steal my gun and use it in a crime or in a murder,” Taylor said. “I would feel terrible about that, especially if I wasn’t doing everything in my power to keep my weapon secure.”

faculty and students in graduate or doctoral programs who are being removed from the program than meeting with a student accused of cheating or plagiarism. “What happens when a student breaks the rule?” said Susan Weill, journalism senator. “We need to let the students know what happens if they get caught with a gun in an area? Do they get kicked out of school? Do they get fined

$15? What are the consequences going to be? I haven’t seen anything about that.” Conroy said task force members are now in the operational phase and currently considering consequences. Members are evaluating the student handbook and the faculty handbook to make needed revisions.

FLOODS

City schedules town hall meetings to address flood recovery By Brigeda Hernandez SENIOR NEWS REPORTER @brigeda_h

City officials plan to address flood recovery at town hall meetings April 12 and 16 after two disasters devastated San Mar-

opportunity to provide feedback on how to best prepare the community for potential flooding in the future. In December, city officials travelled to Washington D.C. where they met with the U.S. Department

MADISON MORRISS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER The 2015 Memorial Day weekend and Halloween floods damaged several areas of Central Texas, including the Purgatory Creek hiking trails.

cos and much of the Hill Country last year. Citizens will have an

of Housing and Urban De-

See RECOVERY, Page 2


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