THURSDAY FEBRUARY 4, 2016 VOLUME 105 ISSUE 39
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SAFETY
UPD undergoing changes The Blanco River running through a surrounding area near the University Camp Jan. 31.
ALYSSA DUGAN-RODRIQUEZ | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
versity Camp during the day to bring a tent because it is not as shady as it used to be. “Unfortunately, we lost many trees, but we do have some major giant cypress trees left that luckily survived,” Johnson said. University Camp is in a major flood zone and there are signs at the site that alert its visitors to this, Johnson said. After the Memorial Day flood, there have been discussions with the staff about what to do in the event of another flash flood. “The Hill Country of Texas is known as flash flood alley,” Johnson said. “Keep knowledgeable about what’s going on with the weather before your trip and during your trip for a safer experience.” As spring approaches, Johnson said it is the perfect time to re-open University
The University Police Department is undergoing changes after Chief Ralph Meyer officially retired Jan. 1 after 20 years of service. Captain Rickey Lattie will be serving as interim director until UPD hires a replacement for Chief Meyer. “We are in the interview process of hiring a new chief,” Lattie said. “We currently have four candidates coming to the campus for interviews and any of those four are a possibility at this point.” There have been six police chiefs throughout the course of UPD’s history, including Meyer. “I was with Chief Meyer for 18 years at Texas State,” said Captain Daniel Benitez. “We accomplished a lot of things and I know that in this line of work there is still time to improve, but at some point you need to retire and enjoy the rest of your life.” Benitez said welcoming a new chief will be a transition for the university police, along with the changes he or she might bring to the department. “Over all, I think the university has just gotten better over the years,” Lattie said. “Each leader (we’ve) had has been dedicated to making things better than the one before.”
See CAMP, Page 2
See UPD, Page 2
University Camp reopened for students and faculty By Clayton Kelley SENIOR NEWS REPORTER @Claytonkelley
U
niversity Camp reopened Jan. 19 after closing to the public in the aftermath of the record-breaking Memorial Day flood which devastated Hays County and other areas of Central Texas. After being closed for over eight months, University Camp officials said they are currently in need of student reservations as the camp tries to gain back business. “It’s very obvious that the force of the river has made a powerful statement and the landscape has changed dramatically,” said John Johnson, assistant director of Outdoor Recreations. “That said, it still remains a very beautiful place to visit and so we encourage people to go out there and take a
look at it.” The cleanup process for University Camp was delayed until last September due to the amount of paperwork that had to be done beforehand, Johnson said. The cleanup lasted until Dec. 1 and was a threemonth process. “There were probably four or five tons of flood debris deposited on the river plains,” Johnson said. “We’re talking trees, vehicles, a lot of silt and sand, trash, pieces of structures—the tonnage was immense and took a huge cleanup effort.” Johnson said cleanup involved heavy machinery because of the vast amount of mulch that had to be covered over the area and the separation of debris and trash. Although many people helped assist in the cleanup effort for the camp, nature also played a role in repairing the area.
“It’s a double edge sword, the way it played out, because the Halloween flood in October actually helped improved the whole area,” Johnson said. “The flow of the river came in and cleaned out a lot of the lower flood plain, removing all of the silt and the sand that had been stacked up.” Former Texas State student and Wimberley resident, James Lanham Cook, said the city made a huge impact on supporting local sites that were heavily affected from the flood. “People really came together here and it seemed like everyone in the town was volunteering to help out,” Cook said. “Outside of the damage and the loss that people experienced, that was the big story from the flood, the triumph of the town.” As of right now, Johnson said he hopes to reconfigure the majority of the campsites
and the day use area. Currently, there are only five campsites available with the day use area, fitting 24 people in four different groups. Over the course of the year, outdoor recreation officials hope to add three additional sites and increase the activities during day use. “We really want students to know about the day use opportunities here because it’s such a cool place to escape to on a weekday afternoon with your friends,” Johnson said. “Swimming, hiking, you can have the entire property to yourself and it feels a lot bigger than only 126 acres.” Johnson said some trail sections at the camp are a few of the main things needing to be renovated. “The trail can still be hiked, but it needs some adjustments,” Johnson said. He recommends those who plan on staying at Uni-
By Madison Morriss SENIOR NEWS REPORTER @themorrisscode
CITY
Q&A with Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe, Precinct 1
The Texas primary elections are quickly approaching. The University Star spoke with Precinct 1 Hays County Commissioner incumbent Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe to discuss her campaign. BORN: June 29, 1960 OCCUPATION: Hays County
born and raised here and just love the area, and never left. And that’s why I call it home, still. AH: Why did you decide to run for public office? DI: It’s just so rewarding, being able to be in a position where you can actually see results. As a court member, I’ve worked really hard to bring positive change to our county. I’ve had the opportunity to bring some positive changes to a very fastgrowing area of the state. Hays County continues to be one of the fastest growing counties in the nation and if we don’t get ahead of this continued growth that we’re seeing, then our county and cities can suffer. I think that our court has done that. I’ve taken a leadership role in areas where I can have those changes made and make a difference. AH: In your opinion, what are the biggest issues Hays COURTESY OF ?!?! County faces, and, if elected, Commissioner, Precinct 1 how would you tackle these incumbent issues? EDUCATION: Studied at Texas DI: Well, transportation is State University, certified certainly going to continue peace officer to be an issue. As I stated, being one of the fastest growANNA HEROD: Where do you ing counties in the nation, call home and why? if we don’t get ahead of the DEBBIE GONZALES INGALSBE: I growth that is coming and call San Marcos home. I was have a good transporta-
tion system, we will suffer as some neighboring cities and counties have. And so I think that is really important for us to ensure that we have the mobility and the safety and the connectivity for our residents and those travelling through our county. Economic development with job growth and job retention is a very high priority for me. We, as a county, have worked very hard to ensure that we have good companies coming into our county and our cities. (Companies) that have good high-paying jobs for those, especially graduates of Texas State. So many of the students that I have talked to say that they really fall in love with Hays County or with San Marcos, but jobs aren’t available so they’re having to move on. We have worked very closely with Texas State and the Greater San Marcos Partnership to incorporate the skills that we are turning out at the university. So we want to ensure that we have those good high paying, quality jobs that are safe and good to the environment so that we can keep both Texas State students and our own children here in San Marcos and Hays County. So, economic development is very
important. I think water will continue to be an issue for us. Hays County will continue to help and support our cities in any way that we can to ensure that we have the water that is needed for our future. I think that San Marcos and other cities have done a great job ensuring that will happen. There are also other parts of our county that are having to make certain that they also have the water that they need to sustain the growth that they’re seeing. So water will continue to be an issue for us that we will all have to coordinate together and make sure that we have the water resources we need. Lastly, as a commissioner and county, it is important that we continue to look at all modes of transportation, to include transit and passenger and commuter rail, to address the continued increase in traffic and congestion. Those are three issues off the top of my head that I can think of that are really important and we need to keep working on. AH: Why should Hays County residents vote to elect you? DI: I hope my record has shown that I am a consensus
builder, that I have done my best to ensure that the services that our citizens need and want are provided. But also, I have tried to do that in a very conscientious way because we understand that a lot of people that come into Hays County are of retirement age, and they are on fixed incomes. So, we’ve got to ensure that Hays County continues to be an affordable place to live. So, it’s been very important to me to maintain our tax rate. I have done my best to provide the services they need at an affordable cost, and the services we provide our residents I hope are what they want to see. We’ve tried to do a lot in providing parks and open space because we know many of our citizens said that was very important to them. And we’ve done that. We’ve partnered with the city of San Marcos, and Kyle and private entities to bring those amenities to (residents) because of those reasons. And I hope that they feel I’ve represented them well. This job is very important to me and I understand the needs of our residents and I’ve tried to provide for those needs in a cost-effective, conscientious way.
Let all of campus know about your upcoming nuptials by being included in the Star’s 2016 Bridal issue, hitting stands February 25.
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2 | Thursday, February 4, 2016
NEWS CAMP,
The University Star Anna Herod, News Editor @annaleemurphy starnews@txstate.edu
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
UPD,
from front
Camp because mid-March through October is the busiest time of the year for the site. “Nature can have a real calming influence and we need to learn to appreciate it more,” Johnson said. “Sometimes it’s best to take
a break from technology every once in a while and find the positive effects of nature.” Jayme Bisbano, nutrition senior, said she made plans to reserve a summer spot at University Camp last year, but wasn’t able to because
of the shutdown. “This is my fourth year here and I had just found out that we have a campsite,” Bisbano said. “I’m curious as to how the area will look like now that it’s finished.”
from front
UNIVERSITY
Faculty Senate learns of state law violation within administration By Lesly De Leon ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @leslyd28
Faculty Senate learned Wednesday that a student was able to enter a class without completing prerequisites, therefore bypassing state law, with the help of administrators. Alex White, vice chair of the Senate and associate math professor, as well as Susan Morey, chair of the math department, learned that a second semester senior failed to meet entrance requirements for a math course required for all degrees. The state mandated requirements ensure that students taking a first credit math course, such as math 1315 or 1317, must have passed the TSI test or introductory math courses. There are a number of senior students who haven’t met the math requirements for their degree, White said. Students have to meet a prerequisite before they can take college algebra or an equivalent course. "Except one person got special permission to skip it," White said. The understanding is that the "special permission" came from the higher-up administration, White said. "What I was told was that the math department believes the basis was that the family member of this
person knows important people," White said. White said the TSI office was told to waive the student’s prerequisites, and the approval came from administration, possibly from officials housed on the 10th f loor of the JC Kellam Building. Both President Denise Trauth and Provost Gene Burgeois’ offices are located on the 10th floor, along with other administrators. There are between 10 and 20 students who also needed a math credit to graduate, and had to abide by the state requirements, White said. “This is an issue of fairness because there are other students who are claiming to be in that same situation who are told 'no, you should've dealt with that three semesters ago'," White said. Dana Garcia, biology senator, asked White whether the accusation was simply speculation. White said Morey contacted the TSI Compliance Office to verify the accuracy of the accusation. Morey informed White of the issue to have him bring it to the Senate. Barbara Covington, nursing senator, said the student in question will be entering a course unprepared. "I'm not sure the Senate has any role to play in this," said Augustine Agwuele, anthropology senator. "If this
student passes or fails (the math course), how does that concern the Senate?” White said the standards for students enrolling in courses are a faculty concern. If the student fails the course, the grade might be "magically" changed to a passing grade the same way the prerequisite was waived, said Scott Bowman, criminal justice senator. The question is what action to take with the information and who to take it to, Agwuele said. The policy is the concern, not the student in this scenario, Garcia said. "It puts the student at a disadvantage, going into a course which he or she is underprepared for," Covington said. The student is at a “gross advantage” for being able to circumvent the system, Bowman said. The student may be at an academic disadvantage, but he or she chose that, White said. "Every time we have a legal precedent, there's usually a check and balance,” Covington said. “So there will be something that will be recorded that says this student didn't take that.” The Faculty Senate did not come to an agreement on what action to take about the issue, but will discuss it at future meetings.
MADISON MORRISS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER There have been six police chiefs at Texas State, including recently retired Chief Ralph Meyer.
Joanne Smith, vice president of Student Affairs at Texas State, said because the police chief oversees the entire department, there are certain qualities he or she must have. “Our key thing is for the new chief to have the ability to provide appropriate and effective leadership for the police department,” Smith said. “They need to be able to work collaboratively with students, faculty and staff, as well as a safe and healthy environment on campus.” The police department is undergoing future plans for the Texas State community, including improving the services provided by UPD. “We want to stay very involved in the community,” Lattie said. “We are planning to share contact points within the county, which will allow us to see their records and vise versa.” Lattie said this would benefit the whole county because UPD will be notified when a department has dealt with someone instantly, and be able to see if the officers who assisted in the arrest are available to help.
“We are keeping on improving our training and improving our capabilities,” Lattie said. “We are doing a lot of standard response protocol training right now.” Standard response protocol is the procedure of how to handle emergencies UPD, school districts in the Hays County and emergency services are able to respond to in a similar manner so anyone who responds will know what to expect. Since he first started working at the university 32 years ago, Lattie said the campus has changed immensely. “We had 16,000 students whenever I started and the campus pretty much emptied out on weekends,” Lattie said. “Now we stay busy 365 days a year because there are always students, groups or events here.” The additional programs and prestige the university now brings has affected UPD. “We want to be as proactive as possible when we look down the road for things that might be happening on campus,” Smith
said. “We want to engage the campus community in a variety of ways such as health, emergency management and just by engaging with students.” Given the wide range of diversity at Texas State, Smith said it is important for the new police chief to promote that in an appropriate way. “We’ve moved from a small college to a major research university,” Lattie said. “The diversity has also greatly improved in the years I’ve been here.” Lattie said the equipment the police department uses has advanced technologically over the years. “We don’t have a broken police department. The police department is working very well and we have great leadership,” Smith said. “If anything, we’re going to enhance everything that we are already doing.” Smith said she doesn’t want UPD to be seen as the communities’ enforcer, but rather the community and the university police working together.
The
STUDENT HEALTH CENTER
now
PHARMACY IS ACCEPTING INSURANCE Accepts most insurance plans! Call 512.245.3590 for more information or to transfer your prescription
HOURS MWF: 8–5 TTH: 9–6
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The University Star
Thursday, February 4, 2016 | 3
LIFESTYLE
Carlie Porterfield, Lifestyle Editor @reporterfield starlifestyle@txstate.edu
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
INTERNSHIP
DISNEY INTERNSHIP MAKES DREAMS COME TRUE By Louis Zylka LIFESTYLE REPORTER @OrinZylka
Working for the most magical place on Earth sounds like a dream come true, but putting smiles on guests’ faces every day requires dedication and hard work. The Disney College Program is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for college students to take a semester or two off school to work at Walt Disney World. Thousands of students apply every year to obtain helpful skills when working at the famous theme park in Florida. Tanner Robinson, public relations sophomore, said this program gives students the opportunity to experience what its like working with Disney. “It is merely to get that professional experience, while you can also meet with managers that work there and get your foot in the door,” Robinson said. DrewAnn Reyes, communication studies junior, said the company has a list of positions from which they help pick the role best suited to an applicant’s preferences and personality. “For every aspect that you can think of, and every job at Walt Disney, there is something for them that you can apply for,” Reyes said. Samantha Calatozzo, theatre junior, said she was taught and treated like a full time Disney employee, which included training applicable for other jobs. “(Disney) has a great reputation as a company in regards to how it runs and the customer service that it offers,” Calatozzo said. “So it is really advantageous to have on your resume.”
—COURTESY OF CHLOE SCARBOROUGH
Reyes said she wanted to work at Disney to give the same kind of magical feeling she felt as a child to today’s generation of children. Robinson said students who are considering signing up should be prepared to always be on their feet when working. “It’s not like you’re going there for a vacation. That’s what most people think,” Robinson said. “In reality, I worked more hours there than I did in school.” Calatozzo said working for the famous theme park taught her to be an effective communicator for a wide
range of people, like guests from different cultures who speak different languages. “(The internship) gives you a lot of really good people skills because you are dealing with people who paid a lot of money for an experience that they expect to be magical and amazing,” Calatozzo said. Reyes said if students are interested in the internship, they would have to reapply to their university if they want to keep studying, as well as handle their financial aid and registration before flying off to another state. “One of the big things that I recommend to students
who are interested in applying is to make sure they get all that stuff taken care of before they are a thousand miles away,” Reyes said. Most students usually intern for three months, Reyes said. Others can choose to extend their arrangement to last half a year. Calatozzo said the internship schedule varies from a couple of hours to long consecutive days of work in the humid Florida weather. Interns are expected to learn how to deal with difficult scenarios and to fix them when the time comes. “Lot of people going into
—COURTESY OF DREWANN REYES
it expect it to be a party, but honestly it is hard work,” Calatozzo said. “But it is completely worth it. You come out with really valuable skills if you allow yourself.” Robinson said working there for five months taught him valuable networking strategies and how to look and act professionally around others. “It is really good with building yourself up professional wise,” Robinson said.
“It throws you into the real world and it makes you realize there’s more after college and there is more (you) have to learn.” Calatozzo said it was an amazing experience to give kids the same magical feeling she grew up with when going to Disney. “I loved the opportunity that they gave you, and there aren’t a whole lot of jobs that I feel you can do that for people,” Calatozzo said.
Masters of Biomedical Sciences
CRIMINAL JUSTICE CAREER DAY Discover Job Opportunities in the Field of Criminal Justice! Talk with Representatives from Federal, State and Local CJ Agencies!
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9th, 2016 10 am - 2 pm LBJSC MAIN BALLROOM Students seeking degrees in all majors are invited to attend.
Sponsored by Texas State School of Criminal Justice and Texas State Office of Career Services.
For details visit www.cj.txstate.edu
YOU WILL KNOW
CONNECTIONS At UIW, you will find your connection to careers in health professions. You can learn more about our Masters of Biomedical Sciences program by attending one of our upcoming information sessions: Thursday, February 11 at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 23 at 6:30 p.m. For more information or to reserve your spot, call (210) 283-6976 or visit www.uiw.edu/mbs. Sessions will be held at the Office of Admissions (4301 Broadway, Administration Bldg., ground floor.)
1/1/16
San Antonio, Texas
uiw.edu
4 | Thursday, February 4, 2016
The University Star
OPINIONS
Brandon Sams, Opinions Editor @TheBrandonSams staropinions@txstate.edu
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
THE MAIN POINT
The key to making a difference: young people and primary voting A
s America gears up for the next political era, the power of the millennial-voting bloc is greater than it’s ever been. Voting this primary season, the arguably more important prequel to the presidential election, will be the difference between change and business as usual. The clout of young voters is in full effect this election, and understanding this power the youth wields in morphing the political landscape goes a long way. Come November, millennial voters are finally expected to surpass the baby boomer generation as the largest voting bloc. Voting is a way to get your voice heard and more importantly is the single most important way to ensure the country’s political system best reflects your beliefs and desires. As the two sides of the political spectrum battle for supremacy, young people will be the deciding factor. Bernie Sanders garnered an impressive 84 percent of the young vote in the Iowa Caucus. Without the huge
support the democraticsocialist candidate received from people under 30, Iowa would have been a shoe-in for Hillary Clinton. Feeling apathetic toward the political process is understandable, especially when many young people feel as though their voices are not being heard. However, deciding that your ideas and values are not being represented, and thus deciding to not vote, is as counterproductive as it gets. If young people want their values to be represented through policy and the political structure of the country, voting and participating in the grander political process is the means to the ultimate end: difference. This election specifically has a lot at stake with the inclusion of two very popular anti-establishment candidates on either side of the aisle: Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. There is hope for something different than politics as usual, regardless of a student’s political proclivities. Instead of waiting until the general election, be a
resounding voice during the primary season. When the general election comes around, the candidates are essentially already picked, and it becomes a game of this or that as opposed to an actual decision about whom people think best represents them. Getting involved now energizes the youth and readies them with worthwhile knowledge and actual understanding of the candidates’ positions and values. As was illustrated in Iowa on Monday, every vote counts. Every little bit matters, if it were not for the large turnout of young voters on the democratic side, it would have been a landslide for Clinton. So echoing the age-old trope of how voting does not matter or whining about the electoral college during the general election is starting to disposed of for what it is: poppycock. Deciding to no longer wallow in the self-fulfilling prophetic fire of inevitability and lethargy would breathe new life into the democratic process known as voting. Iowa illustrated
MARIA TAHIR STAR ILLUSTRATOR
the power of the millenial bloc, and as more age into the voting bloc and subsequently the socio-political bargaining power of the relative youth increases, change is sure to follow. This year, do not forget
to exercise your right to vote. In this historic, reality-TV adjacent presidential election, there is no better time to make a statement. If not for what you believe in entirely, then for protecting the dissolu-
tion of societal ideals. Be sure to vote this season Bobcats, because inaction is an action.
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 Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
The importance of #BlackLivesMatter and folly of equality
Brandon Sams OPINIONS EDITOR @TheBrandonSams
B
lack lives matter. Not because others don’t, but because historically and contemporarily they have not mattered. Now more than ever, it’s important to echo solidarity in the face of oppression. As many know at this point in time, the new civil rights movement, encapsulated by the rallying cry, “Black Lives Matter,” seeks to center the experiences of African-descended people by recognizing their humanity. Opponents often conflate it to a supremacist movement by chanting “All Lives Matter,”
while ironically failing to organize or formulate an actual sustained movement furthering the idea. Their actions are synonymous with a person going to the annual AIDS Walk and screaming, “What about other diseases, my mom has athlete’s foot, and she matters too!” Surely the athlete’s foot-infected woman matters, but the walk is not espousing the belief that only AIDS matters in the fight to eradicate diseases. More importantly, when comparing the adverse effects and mortality rate of each disease, it only makes sense to apply a disproportionate amount of effort and resources into battling AIDS. In the aforementioned scenario the dissenter is projecting their own sentiments on another person’s movement. Taking the time to educate themselves on the importance of proportional specification compared to casting a wide net would be ideal. Also realizing that equality, treating
all things the same, fails to recognize that some people need more than others. When discussing the role of white people in contemporary American racial politics Martin Luther King, Jr. had this to say: “Loose and easy language about equality, resonant resolutions about brotherhood fall pleasantly on the ear, but for the Negro there is a credibility gap he cannot overlook. He remembers that with each modest advance the white population promptly raises the argument that the Negro has come far enough. Each step forward accents an ever-present tendency to backlash.” The resurgence of such backlash, willful ignorance and hostility 50 years later as black people continue the fight for equal rights, is, as King expressed, expected. An America where everyone is treated equally is nothing more than an idealistic view of contemporary culture. Reality paints a bleaker picture. According to the U.S.
Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, black children are 18 times more likely to be sentenced as adults than their white counterparts. A study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research found among potential employees with the same resume, given a simple name change, those with black-sounding names were 50 percent less likely to get callbacks than their white-sounding counterparts. And those are just two simple examples. The empirical evidence is vast and disturbing. Until we recognize and remedy this false idea of equality, people will continue to rally around chants like “Black Lives Matter.” America has done little to show that black lives not only matter, but are on equal footing with their white counterparts. Historic and modern precedents illustrate the misnomer in the anthemic phrase “liberty and justice for all.” Liberty and justice for some is a more appro-
priate tagline. Or perhaps liberty and justice for those who look and act like the people who disproportionally preside over them. And maybe, just maybe, if you play their game and perfectly assimilate into their ideologies and culture, you’ll be proportionally rewarded. This idea can be hard to grasp so to simplify it for the laymen, let’s compare American society to a gold exchange. A gold distributor gives John 10 bricks every five days, while simply giving Jasmine two. After 25 days John has 50 bricks of gold, but Jasmine only has 10—he doesn’t care. So, Jasmine speaks up and fights for her fair share and the distributor reluctantly decides to give them both six bricks every five days. Equality! Yes equality, but that brand of redress fails on two fronts: it does not address the underlying bias of the distributor and the consequent long term effects. No matter what, John will always have more than
Jasmine, through greater means and the bias of the distributor. And therein lies the problem with equality—it does nothing for actually addressing the disparity between groups, but serves to simply soothe the oppressor’s consciousness. This is why #BlackLivesMatter was born, to address this deficit and progress societal understanding through combating institutional and socially-sanctioned discrimination. Platitudes of equality, after generations of inequity birthed the socio-political and economic conditions, are meaningless. The moment society forfeits this idea of equality, giving everyone the same, and magnify equity, giving people what they need, we’ll see a better, more equal tomorrow. Until that day, #BlackLivesMatter. -Brandon Sams is a journalism junior
ALCOHOL
Alcohol should not be used to increase game day attendance
Madison Teague SENIOR OPINIONS COLUMNIST @maddiebell_bell
I
f the Texas State athletics department has to encourage drinking to improve game attendance, they are not doing their jobs correctly.
Alcohol will be available for purchase at Bobcat softball and baseball games starting Feb. 12. University officials will use the softball and baseball seasons to determine whether or not the beverage should be sold at later sporting events, like football games. The hope is to increase revenue and attendance through the sale of alcohol. Sure, allowing the sale of alcohol at games may increase attendance, but it may also end up costing fans and drivers alike. Students currently attend games because they enjoy the sport. Allowing throngs of people to
The University Star Editor-in-Chief...........................................Kelsey Bradshaw, stareditor@txstate.edu Letters................................................................................universitystar@txstate.edu News Editor........................................................Anna Herod, starnews@txstate.edu Sports Editor..............................................Paul Livengood, starsports@txstate.edu Lifestyle Editor......................................Carlie Porterfield, starlifestyle@txstate.edu Opinions Editor..........................................Brandon Sams, staropinion@txstate.edu Multimedia Editor..............................Daryl Ontiveros, starmultimedia@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief....................................Abby Marshall, starcopychief@txstate.edu
drink in the stadium will do nothing but distract from the actual purpose of attendance: watching the game. Drinking can cause fights, issues and messes that fans should not have to deal with. Bobcats go to sporting events to see players succeed at the sport they have dedicated themselves to, not to get an expensive generic beer people can get anywhere else in San Marcos. Testing the sale of alcohol at baseball and softball games is an entirely different situation than allowing alcohol at a football game. Less people attend these games on aver-
age, so trying it out here seems like a good enough plan on paper, but it’s hard to say whether or not this will be a good practice for more popular sports. Let’s face it, Texas is the land of football. Although it’s attendance is not exceptional, football games are definitely Texas State’s most popular sporting events, and with that comes more tailgating. Tailgating is infamously known as a time to get together before the game and, for many, drink as if the world is ending. It’s fun and exciting, but also exceedingly loud and messy. Adding the noise
and messiness of college drinking to sporting events sounds like a recipe for disaster. Alcohol consumption should stay at tailgate. One of the benefits of not allowing alcohol at sporting events is the game’s time serves as a buffer between drinking and driving. Without the 2 to 3 hour long wait during the game, people have much less time to sober up or find a safe ride home, increasing the possibility for drunken driving. If Texas State’s only purpose is to increase attendance while making a little side cash, perhaps it should allow the consump-
tion of alcohol in the classroom. That would definitely increase attendance with no negative side effects. The problem with attendance is not the lack of alcohol served during the game. There may be an initial spike in attendance with the sale of alcohol, but it will dwindle once the novelty of buying a beer on campus wears off. The only way to improve attendance in the long run is to advertise each game properly, get coaches to keep their players in shape and more importantly, win. -Madison Teague is an English Senior
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The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Monday and Thursday of the spring and fall and 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, February 4, 2016. 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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The University Star
Thursday, February 4, 2016 | 5
LIFESTYLE
Carlie Porterfield, Lifestyle Editor @reporterfield starlifestyle@txstate.edu
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
HEALTH
ARE WAIST TRAINERS A WASTE OF TIME? By Brandon Gamez SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Whether with the family dog or at the gym, most people know what trainers are. Now, the emergence of a different type of trainer is shaping the way women think about their bodies. Waist trainers have become the latest trend to help women achieve an hourglass body shape. A waist trainer is a corset worn consistently underneath clothing until a woman’s waist has been trained to look the way she wants it to. The hourglass body shape has been embraced in the past as a sign of empowerment for women, and in recent years has become something promoted and flaunted every day throughout pop culture. Jenny Le, respiratory care junior, first noticed waist trainers when promoted by celebrities like the Kardashians on social media. “I remember thinking it was just another thing they got paid to promote,” she said. “I thought it would be easy money for them, given their curvaceous bodies.” Over time, more women
began to test out the newly popular device, as they saw the results of other women on television, magazines and social media. Although she has not tested it herself, Le recognizes the physical results on other young women. Despite this, she still questions its benefits. “I think with prolonged use, along with eating healthy and regular exercise, people will definitely see a difference,” she said. “On the other hand, I’m not quite sure if wearing a waist trainer without changing to a healthy lifestyle would be beneficial to those who want drastic results.” Aaliyah Burns, political science sophomore, has firsthand experience with waist trainers. “I don’t think they are any good,” she said. “To me they don’t work at all.” Burns also questions the safety of using waist trainers and notes that health is part of the reason she chose to stop wearing hers. “They aren’t comfy or safe,” she concluded. While the opinion of the use of waist trainers varies among women, Eric Ospina, biology freshman, offered his
BEN KAILING STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
opinion of what it means to him when a girl wears the device. “At first I thought it made girls look all stiff and funny,” he said. “Now I understand
the pressure girls have (to look attractive), so it probably just means she wants to look good. It is attractive to me personally when a girl cares about her figure.”
Young women are pressured to look a certain way now more than ever due to the various and easily accessible outlets of social media. Waist training is only the lat-
est trend to take over and will, like most trends, fade away.
RECREATION
Local youth league teaches sportsmanship and life skills By Stacee Collins Lifestyle Reporter @stvcee
The Christian Federation of Police Officers-Police Athletic League has provided young athletes with a safe environment to learn life skills, teamwork and responsibility since 1986. Frank Calabrese, founder and director of operations, said he and two other police officers took over a small, four-team football league around 29 years ago. At the time, his son played for the league while he coached. “We took it over and made some changes in it and got it going,” Calabrese said. “It’s grown from four teams to 81 teams (as of) last year.” The nonprofit CFPO-PAL program currently offers a variety of sports such as track and field, basketball, football, tennis, volleyball and cheerleading. Calabrese said registration fees vary by sport. Basketball and volleyball fees are $60, six-man football is $85 and regular football is $120. All sports in the program are offered to children ages 5 through 12. However, track and field athletes can participate in the program until they graduate high school. Steve Roberson, basketball and track & field
regional coordinator, said the season lasts a total of 6 months and costs around $300. Athletes must purchase various membership cards, entry fees and team uniforms. “If you look at any other track program in the nation, we’re going to be the least expensive one by far,” Roberson said. “Everybody else is charging anywhere from $500 to $800 to $900 for the season.” Roberson said the Mid Cities Elite Track Club has achieved many goals and broken records. “Last year, we qualified 21 kids for the Junior Olympics. We have a couple of national records for track and field,” Roberson said. “We had a young lady named Haley who was actually the first freshman girl in the history of San Marcos ISD to make varsity track and field as a true freshman and qualify for regionals.” Football is another popular sport offered by CFPOPAL. There are 81 teams in the league from Austin, Buda, Creedmoor, Geronimo, Kyle, Lockhart, Luling, Marion, New Braunfels, Seguin, Stockdale, Nixon, Smiley and San Marcos. Stacy Gullion, football zone coordinator and field operations manager, said there are 16 teams in San
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Marcos alone. “Each of those teams has a coach and up to six assistant coaches with around 20 players each,” Gullion said. CFPO-PAL additionally offers special events and camps. Each division has pre-season football camps costing around $20. The youth sports league hosts various football tournaments such as the Freedom Bowl, Holiday Bowl,
Independence Bowl, River City Bowl and Spring Break Shootout. CFPO-PAL coaches and leaders discuss Christian values and morals with the players weekly. “We make it mandatory that all the coaches have seven life skills that they teach (the players), like sportsmanship and respect,” Calabrese said. “At the end of the season, the kids are
The Student Publications Board of the Texas State School of Journalism and Mass Communication is conducting an all-campus open petitioning process to select a student as Editor-in-Chief of The University Star. Term begins one week following the final issue of 2016 Spring Semester publication schedule. Applicants must be available to serve the entire term of the appointment. Each applicant is asked to complete a written petition, which is subsequently screened by members of the student publications board. The board will interview qualified candidates for the position. The student publications board includes the journalism sequence coordinator in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, the assistant director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and a member of the print medium who is selected by the director of student publications. The director of student publications and the current editor-in-chief serve as ex-officio members for the committee.
Minimum Qualifications To qualify, applicants must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each semester during the term office. Students graduating in the final semester of the appointment (Spring 2017) may be enrolled in fewer hours as long as they meet graduation requirements. Applicants must have worked in a professional editorial environment, or have served as a section editor at a university student newspaper. Students of all majors and classifications, including graduate students, may petition for the position. Applicants must be in good academic standing with the university when submitting an application. Applicants must maintain a 2.5 semester and overall grade point average during their time of appointment. A student who falls below the 2.5 grade point grade semester average will forfeit the office even though he/she maintains an overall 2.5 grade point average.
The University Star Mission The editor is the primary student editorial administrator for The University Star and has authority in all personnel matters and makes the final decision regarding news, sports, feature, photo, Web and opinion content. The editor determines daily operation guidelines, provides a role model for professional behavior, delegates operational authority and fulfills policies and procedures as determined by the student publications board and faculty adviser. The editor oversees meetings and handles personnel problems, evaluates all copy and artwork for each publication. The editor-in-chief is responsible for hiring, properly training and supervising all members of the editorial board. The editor-in-chief promotes relations between the publication, the community and campus organizations. The
better people. That’s kind of the biggest thing this is all about.” Gullion said good sportsmanship is what the league strives for the most. “The kids love to learn and emulate things that they see. Here in San Marcos, we strive for good sportsmanship,” he said. “Those are the things we talk about at the meetings. It’s the focus of the coaches, and they do
it well.” Roberson said he hopes to develop talent in young athletes. “We’re developing our talent here, because the main goal for me is to get some of these kids to get looked at and possibly get scholarships,” Roberson said. “I want to get them scholarships and something that they love to do—and it looks like we’re on the right path.”
editor-in-chief is also the voice of the publication with the community.
Term of Office Term of office begins following the final publication of the Spring 2016 semester and runs through Spring 2017 semester. Applicants must be able to serve the entire term of office in order to be considered for the position A salary is paid during the term of office.
Petitioning Process Applications for the position will be due by noon, Wednesday, March 30 to the Director of Student Publications, Trinity Building, Room 107. People interested in petitioning should sign a candidacy list in Trinity, Room 107 and acquire an information package. Qualified applicants will be notified and interviews will be scheduled beginning April 4. Selection of the editor-in-chief will be made shortly after interviews have been completed. Formal assumption of duties will begin one week after the final newspaper of the Spring Semester is published.
Petitioning Deadlines Applications for the position will be due by noon, Wednesday April 1 to the Director of Student Publications, Trinity Building, Room 107. People interested in petitioning should sign a candidacy list in Trinity, Room 107 and acquire an information package. Qualified applicants will be notified and interviews will be scheduled beginning April 13. Selection of the editor-in-chief will be made shortly after interviews have been completed for the position. Formal assumption of duties will begin one week after the final newspaper of the Spring Semester is published. PACKETS AVAILABLE: March 2, noon; Trinity, Room 107 INTERVIEWS Will be scheduled beginning April 4
6 | Thursday, February 4, 2016
SPORTS
The University Star Paul Livengood, Sports Editor @IAmLivengood starsports@txstate.edu
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
NATIONAL SIGNING DAY FOOTBALL
By the Numbers
3-9
Texas State finished the 2015 regular season with a 3-9 record, its worst since 2011 since joining FBS. Dennis Franchione retired from coaching after the season concluded. Texas State responded by hiring James Madison Head Coach Everett Withers.
19
The Bobcats signed 19 high school athletes in the 2016 recruiting class. According to Rivals.com, all 19 of the Bobcats high school recruits are two-star players. In addition to the 19 incoming freshman, Texas State signed four JUCO transfers, including the only three-star recruit, Elijah King.
6
Withers and his staff signed six defensive backs in the 2016 recruiting class, more than any other position group. These new faces on the back end of the defense could perhaps sure up a passing defense that ranked towards the bottom of the nation in passing yards allowed per game, No. 108 out of 127.
5th
Coach Withers welcomes new Bobcats By Paul Livengood Sports Editor @iamlivengood
Texas State added 23 members to the football program early Tuesday. Nineteen high school athletes and four junior college transfers are joining the Bobcat family. The recruiting process proved to be difficult for Head Coach Everett Withers, who was hired nearly a month ago. “During the transition, that’s one of the toughest things to do is to try and get out and meet the kids (that already committed), go to the high schools, sit in their homes and do whatever you can to try and built that relationship,” Withers said.
Despite his late hiring, Withers got to work not only recruiting the players he wanted, but making relationships with recruits who committed to Texas State when former head coach Dennis Franchione was at the helm. Most of this year’s recruiting class is made up of young men Franchione recruited, and Withers commended those athletes for sticking to their commitment. “I want to commend the kids that stayed committed to Texas State,” Withers said. “I believe that’s what you commit to. You commit to the university. I want to commend those kids and those coaches who helped them stay committed.” This year’s class is comprised of 11 offensive and
12 defensive players. Six of those 12 signees come in the secondary. The defensive additions are fitting because the Bobcats finished No. 108 out of 127 Football Bowl Subdivision schools in passing yards allowed per game. Withers mentioned another area he likes to keep stocked—the offensive and defensive lines. “We always like to sign lineman,” Withers said. “I always believed the more stout you are in your offensive and defensive line, you can be a better team.” Withers was impressed with the athleticism of the linemen in the new recruiting class. The highest ranked recruit the Bobcats reeled in is Elijah
King, wide receiver, according to Rivals. King is the only three-star player in the Bobcats’ incoming recruiting class according to the website. However, Scout gave four Bobcat recruits a three-star ranking—Tyler Tutt, running back from Keller High School; Hal Vinson, outside linebacker from South Oak Cliff High School; Devin Williams, quarterback from Mansfield Timberview High School; and Ramon Readus, defensive end from Boyd High School. The Bobcats stayed homegrown with the 2016 recruiting class. Eighteen of the 23 recruits come from Texas high school programs.
Texas State brought in the fifth highest ranked recruiting class in the Sun Belt: TEAMS RANKED*
THREE STAR PLAYERS
AVERAGE STARS
POINTS
4
2.19
780
3
2.19
735
3
2.14
735
0
2.00
720
1
2.06
570
1
2.05
570
0
2.00
465
1
2.07
450
2
2.17
435
0
2.00
315
1
2.13
240
*ACCORDING TO RIVALS.COM
—COURTESY OF TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS
The University Star
SPORTS
Thursday, February 4, 2016 | 7 Paul Livengood, Sports Editor @IAmLivengood starsports@txstate.edu
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
BASEBALL
LEAVING THE FOOTBALL PADS BEHIND, A LASTING LEGACY REMAINS By Brooke Phillips SPORTS REPORTER @brookephillips_
People are often born with one talent. Some may have the skills to play the piano, others may have a knack for creating art. However, for one young man, his athleticism allowed him to excel in, not one, but two sports he had a passion for. Jonathan Ortega, freshman infield, has always been involved in some type of sport. Ortega started playing baseball at the age of four, and just one year after that, began football. Growing up, Ortega tried different sports here and there. However, when he started his freshman year in high school, Ortega’s athletic skills allowed him to dominate in baseball and football. While attending Victoria East High School, it was not difficult for Ortega to be a part of, both, the Titan’s baseball and football team. Football was played during the fall, while baseball was in the spring. “I kind of liked playing both baseball and football throughout the year because I was always doing something,” Ortega said. “I never had to sit around and be bored. I always had something to do.” Playing two sports took up much of his time, but Ortega’s resume throughout his four years of high school started to build quickly. “From the moment he stepped into high school as a freshman, he made an immediate impact,” said Wesley Kolle, Ortega’s high school baseball coach. “He lettered his freshman year in football and baseball at the varsity level.” Along with his immediate recognitions as a freshman, Ortega improved more from
year-to-year. As a high school sophomore, Ortega began playing quarterback for the football team, and was awarded with the Perfect Game All-Tournament Team for baseball. Ortega made All-State First Team and MVP for baseball, as well as offensive MVP in football his junior year. “He wants to be great and he’s very goal-driven,” Kolle said. “I liked seeing him work, and it was never a bad day at practice or at a game. It was just him competing.” Ortega shows impressive qualities not only on the baseball diamond and football field, but in everyday life too. “He’s just a great human being, and he’s a great Christian that loves life,” Kolle said. “A lot of qualities he possesses, not many people have all of them. A lot of people just have one or two, but he just has so many great qualities.” Once senior year rolled around, Ortega was faced with the decision of which sport he was going to pursue in college. “Before my senior year, during the summer, I told my football coach I was done playing,” Ortega said. “I had already committed to playing baseball in college.” However, he chose to not let his decision of playing college baseball stand in the way of finishing off his high school football career. “The hardest part about choosing to play baseball over football was knowing that I was never going to get to play football again,” Ortega said. “I’m happy with my decision of choosing baseball though.” Before hanging up his football pads for good, Ortega made sure to not take his last moments on a football field for granted.
“My last season of football was fun,” Ortega said. “I knew it’d be the last time I’d get to go out there and play, so I just gave it everything I had and it was a good last season.” Ortega is happy with the decision to play baseball for Texas State. The freshman not only enjoys the campus, but gets along well with his coaches and teammates. The Victoria native has a great amount of support from family and friends. “I’m glad he chose Texas State because it’s closer to home,” Jessica Ortega, his mother, said. “I didn’t want him to be so far away and I plan to go to all of his games.” Baseball has always been the sport that the athlete succeeded in to his fullest capacity, and other people saw that in him as well. “He’s so passionate about the game of baseball,” Kolle said. “My favorite part about watching him play is just how much fun he has out there and watching him compete. He’s an athlete, but baseball is his passion.” Starting his first season of college baseball is going to be different than high school baseball, but Jonathan Ortega has set goals that he hopes to reach throughout the next few years here at Texas State. “I hope to be in a couple of conference championships and end up making it to the College World Series,” Jonathan Ortega said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play college baseball, so it’s kind of like ‘well now it’s here,’ and I get to experience it.” His success as a college baseball player is bright, and the Bobcat has people on his side that will be cheering him on. “My favorite part about watching my son play baseball is the passion that he has
—COURTESY OF TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS
for it,” Jessica Ortega said. “He never gives up whatsoever, he always comes back. He does not like to be left behind, and I like to see that
fight in him.” Although stepping onto the Bobcat Ballpark diamond means leaving the Titan’s football field behind
for good, Jonathan Ortega’s legacy as an all-around athlete in Victoria, Texas will forever live on.
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