April 9 2013

Page 1

VOLUME 102, ISSUE 74

www.UniversityStar.com

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TUESDAY

APRIL 9, 2013

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Hit the Floor Running Texas State’s Human Environmental Animal Team sponsored Hit the Floor Running, a benefit run at which participants ran in their underwear to raise money for a secondary school in Malawi, Africa. To learn more about H.E.A.T., go to UniversityStar.com.

Department deals with limited space Councilwoman will By Nicole Barrios News Reporter Sergio Espinoza and his research team work with composite materials in a cramped room with in the Roy F. Mitte building. The resin the team works with produces such strong odors when heated that people come to check on them even when their vents are on full blast. Espinoza, manufacturing engineering senior, said the team is working with the resin to find a replacement for heavy metals to im-

prove future technology. Jitendra Tate, research adviser and associate professor at the Ingram School of Engineering, said the composite lab does not have space to move around or enough room for all the equipment. Texas State has requested a tuition revenue bond from the legislature to construct a new science and engineering building, but in the meantime engineering students and faculty are experiencing space limitations with the Roy F. Mitte building. Harold Stern, director of

the Ingram School of Engineering, said the space limitations have affected engineering and the other departments in the building as well. “The restrictions on space are really impacting all four of our departments,” Stern said. “I think everybody is dealing with it as well as they possibly can and working very well together.” Stern said the building houses the engineering, engineering technology and physics department, as

split into two groups consisting of runners and walkers who took the same route but at a different pace. Lead by H.E.A.T. members, they began to streak across campus. Darting through students in The Quad and past the J.C. Kellam administration building, runners made their way to Sewell Park, where they were greeted by DJ BJ, DJ Regy Bluntz, DJ Erotikate and DJ K-Smooth from Hip-Hop Congress. Lisa Torres, theatre sophomore and H.E.A.T. member, showed her support for the event by wearing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle underwear over black spandex. “I think it’s just an awesome cause, donating clothes to people

READ H.E.A.T., PAGE 2

READ COUNCILWOMAN, PAGE 2

READ ENGINEERING, PAGE 2

Kristen Lefebvre, Staff Photographer

H.E.A.T. hosts underwear run Students stood together in front of Harris Dining Hall Friday, took off their clothes and proceeded to run through campus. Hit the Floor Running was the name of a “littlewear benefit run” hosted by the Human Environmental Animal Team. Participants made the trek across campus from the dining hall to Sewell Park in outfits that left little to the imagination. The runners paid a $15 entrance fee that will go toward installing a tile floor in the Khwawa Secondary School in Malawi, Africa. The shed clothing was donated at the starting line to benefit two orphanages, one in Haiti and the other in San

Marcos. According to the Texas State H.E.A.T. Facebook page, one of the organization’s focuses is humanitarian work, much like Friday’s run. “I think students are always open to the idea of shedding some clothing,” said Daniel Domenech, mass communication sophomore and president of Texas State H.E.A.T. “The fact that they’re helping two really great causes is just a bonus.” About half of the runners consisted of H.E.A.T. members wearing the organization’s gray and green shirts, while the other half traded their white participant Tshirts for brightly colored spandex, sports bras and underwear over shorts. The mob of about 50 students

By Paige Lambert News Reporter Although city council seats aren’t up for grabs until November, San Marcos’ only female councilmember has already announced she will not run for another term. Councilwoman Kim Porterfield, Place 1, announced March 31 she will not campaign for re-election. Porterfield has served Star File Photo two terms on city council, during which she served as mayor pro tempore and deputy mayor pro tempore. Porterfield said she has chosen to focus on her career as director for community relations for Texas State and her family. “My younger daughter was 10 when I started and now she’s 16, so I’m really sensitive to that,” Porterfield said. “I have a new boss, and we have been discussing some really exciting plans for my department (at Texas State). I’m really excited to implement some greater programming that will benefit the San Marcos community and students.” Porterfield helped develop the city’s Comprehensive Master Plan, worked on the regional water authority plans and was part of the process of the Wonder World Drive extension. She also held a seat on the United Way for Hays County board and the Lone Star Rail District during her tenure. Even though the next city council election is seven months away, Porterfield said she wanted to make the announcement because she already decided she will not run. Porterfield said her fellow councilmembers have supported her decision and offered to help with her current projects. “Council takes a lot of energy and investment at the sacrifice of family and personal time,” said Mayor Daniel Guerrero. “We are sad to see her go, but she will be in the community and university.” Porterfield said she will continue to be involved with community and city programs while focusing on her career, like the San Marcos Youth Master Plan, which she began developing while on the council. Porterfield said she got the idea for the Youth Master Plan while attending a National League of Cities convention, where similar plans from around the country were presented. The city allocated $50,000 to the program in August 2012, said Stephanie Reyes, director of human resources for the city. The plan aims to help youth be workforce ready, healthy, active and safe to produce citizens active in the community. The plan will be complete in June, Reyes said. Once the city and San Marcos school board have adopted the plan, the steering committee will create an implementation team. “I have asked the mayor if I can be considered to serve on that taskforce,” Porterfield said. “I’m on the steering committee now. I’m hopeful I can stay involved to help see this plan through.” Reyes said the Youth Master Plan will provide children with the opportunity to get involved with the community and create a sense of synergy to begin between the city, youth and the university. “I really think that education and strengthening families is the key to prosperity in our city, and I want to stay involved in that,” Porterfield said. “I just won’t be at City Hall every other Tuesday night.” Porterfield has also been involved with the Lone Star Rail District during her tenure. The Lone Star Rail District is a group focused on moving freight lines east and

Students dash through The Quad for Hit the Floor Running, a benefit hosted by H.E.A.T., to raise money for a school in Malawi, Africa and clothing for orphanages in Haiti and San Marcos.

By Minerva Hernandez-Garcia News Reporter

not seek reelection

Student fee helps campus go green, become more eco-friendly By Nicole Barrios News Reporter A student-service fee is funding several environmentally conscious projects around campus that aim to make the university more green and sustainable. The mandatory Environmental Service Fee funds many new green initiatives across campus that are executed by the Environmental Service Committee. Nancy Nusbaum, assistant vice president of Finance and Support Services, said each student pays $1 per semester for the fee, which amounts to $73,000 annually. This year 13 projects were approved for funding from the Environmental Service Committee, including Bobcat Blend and the Spring River Clean Up. Nusbaum said there is a reserve of money because the funding does not get fully expended each year. She said $45,000 is left over this year. Bill Nance, vice president for Finance and Support Services, said organizations propose projects to the committee. The committee Shea Wendlandt, Staff Photographer then votes on proposals and allocates the Armando Perez, agricultural business senior, empties recycling bins near Chick-Fil-A in the LBJ Student funding if they are approved, Nance said. Nusbaum said the fee is currently fundCenter. Bobcat Blend is one of 13 projects that will receive funding from the Environmental Service Fee ing an Outdoor Classroom/Living Library because of green initiatives.

project being constructed by the agriculture building. The project costs less than $20,000, she said. Students from the Environmental Conservation Organization asked for approximately $6,400 to install dual-flush toilet handles in the JCK Building to save water, Nusbaum said. A.J. Perez is the Environmental Service Committee chair and an agricultural business senior. Perez said the Dual Flush project will save the university almost three gallons of water per flush. Perez, Bobcat Blend president, said the committee recently funded 3-D signage to go next to his organization’s compost bins, which cost $1,200 approximately. He said Bobcat Blend composts all the food waste in the dining halls and recycles organic refuse. The three-compartment recycling bins in dining halls were additionally funded by the committee, Perez said. “We’re trying to reach out to the students and educate them about sorting their waste, their recyclables, their compostables and stuff that needs to go to the landfill because

READ ECO-FRIENDLY, PAGE 2


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