WEDNESDAY JANAURY 28, 2015 VOLUME 104 ISSUE 49 www.UniversityStar.com
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GLOBAL NEWS
HARON SAENZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Janie Mott, registered nurse, displays a rape kit Jan. 24 at Central Texas Medical Center.
Rape kits prove difficult for students to access By Darcy Sprague SPECIAL TO THE STAR @darcy_days
T
exas State is one of many universities across the country with a lack of rape kits available to students. Rape kits, used to collect evidence from attacks on both genders, are one of the chief tools used to convict suspects in sexual assault cases. The kits are not available on campus, said Melissa Rodriguez, director of the HaysCaldwell Women’s Center. The cost of administering the test is the main reason for the lack of kits. “The test has to be administered by a certified nurse,” Rodriguez said. “And there is no one like that on campus.” The price of the required equipment, analysis of the kit and staffing a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) is a factor to consider, she said. The state is allotted a limited amount of money to fund rape kits, and reimbursement per exam is capped, Rodriquez said. Almost every hospital’s test cost exceeds the allotted amount of money per
Mott dries swabs Jan. 24 and places them on a drying rack.
exam, so the bill is often passed along to law enforcement, insurance or the victim. Underreported rape is a prob-
lem not only at Texas State but everywhere, Rodriguez said. Not enough incidents are reported to justify a full-time SANE nurse
on campus even though most of the visitors to the Hays-Caldwell
See RAPE KIT, Page 2
Students protest minimal coverage of Nigerian attacks By Nicholas Laughlin NEWS REPORTER @nick_laughlin The phrase “African Lives Matter” could be seen sprawled across posters in the Quad Tuesday afternoon in the hands of African Student Organization (ASO) silent protestors. The ASO members were hoping to bring attention to recent Boko Haram terrorist attacks happening in Nigeria. Boko Haram is an Islamic terrorist group that recently killed over 2,000 people in Baga, a northeastern Nigerian town. ASO members held the silent protest to influence change and raise awareness. “We wanted to bring awareness of the Boko Haram attacks because we haven’t seen enough of it in the media,” said Cassandra Orakpo, public relations junior. Orakpo said the media has been focusing on the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, and ASO wanted students to know about the events happening in Nigeria. The Jan. 7 attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo gained focus from media around the world. Many are concerned the events in Nigeria were not getting enough attention. “I think that it is an important thing to get out there to Texas State so we can be aware of what is happening,” said Kofo Amokomowo, ASO event coordinator. “It was fun in a sense but also educated people.”
See ASO, Page 2
BUSINESS
H-E-B ranked among best places to work nationally By Houston M. York NEWS REPORTER @houstonmyork H-E-B has been designated one of the top 10 'Best Places to Work' according to Glassdoor.com’s annual Employees' Choice Awards. The Texas-based grocery chain, the largest private employer in Texas, came in seventh place on the list. The rankings were determined by votes from the employees, according to Glassdoor.com.
Tamra Jones, H-E-B public affairs senior specialist, said the store’s officials are "honored and humbled" to be ranked so highly. H-E-B celebrates 110 years of operation this year. Jones said the grocery chain’s success can be linked to its “partners,” the term used for the store’s employees. “The ranking by Glassdoor.com is a genuine testament from our partners about H-E-B,” Jones said. “At H-E-B, people really do matter.” Employees are the ambassadors
of H-E-B when Texas State students come back to campus, said Troy Sanders, manager. “Once they get inside our four walls and we treat them they way we are accustomed, that is when they come back,” Sanders said. Customer service is an important part of operations at H-E-B, Sanders said. “The impression we want to give is that we are here for them,” Sanders said. “What I enjoy most about working here is serving people, and
ENVIRONMENT
Officials challenge residents with viral anti-litter campaign
HARON SAENZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Lucas Hubbard, chemistry junior, throws away litter Jan. 25 in a parking lot.
By Anna Herod SENIOR NEWS REPORTER @annaleemurphy City officials are working with Keep
San Marcos Beautiful to promote an anti-litter campaign called #challengeSMTX. The campaign was created to educate the public about where lit-
ter goes and change the destination of waste to trash cans and recycling bins instead of the river. Trash or litter in the city washes downstream into the river with the rain and harms the environment, said Mary Van Zant, a watershed associate at the The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment. “We are challenging everyone who lives in San Marcos, or who visits, to pick up one piece of trash a day or one piece of litter and put it in the correct receptacle,” said Amy Kirwin, program manager of Keep San Marcos Beautiful. “We are hoping to raise people’s awareness on making sure they're throwing away trash.” The goal is to make picking up and being conscious of litter a habit by removing one piece each day, said Kristi Wyatt, director of communication for San Marcos. “Anything that we can do—keep-
See LITTER, Page 2
(I) take a lot of pride in being that go-to place.” Lele Holt, cashier, said she has continued to work at the H-E-B located at 200 W. Hopkins because of the “spirit” of the store. “At this store, we are known as the ‘little H-E-B,’ and we actually do know everybody in all the different departments,” Holt said. “There is definitely a camaraderie in knowing the people you work with. They hire good people, and you get along with them.”
Sanders said the company’s diversity policy is what he likes most about H-E-B. “We are all accepted here regardless of religion, race, gender, sexual orientation and so on,” Sanders said. “If you come in with a spirit of helping people, they want you here.” Patrick McBain, head of the perishables department, said H-E-B is a leader due to innovation.
See H-E-B Page 2
CITY
Proposed downtown construction project sparks citizen debate By Jake Goodman NEWS REPORTER @Jake_thegoodman The Planning and Zoning Commission approved the rezoning of .64 acres of the Tuttle Lumber property at its Tuesday meeting. The owner of Tuttle Lumber requested the Planning and Zoning Commission consider changing the zoning designation of the .64 acres from Light Industrial (LI) to Mixed Use (T4). A light industrial property is defined by the city of San Marcos as a warehousing, low-level manufacturing, wholesaling and/or service operation that does not require frequent customer visits. A mixed-use urban district is intended to allow for buildings with both residential units and office or retail space. Thomas Rhodes, a manager
with ETR Developmental Services, told the commission the owner is retiring from the lumber industry and noticed the property was improperly categorized a year ago as LI. Rhodes said the property is currently a non-conforming zone, meaning if the structures on the property were damaged, they could not be rebuilt. Commissioner Christopher Wood said T4 zones have a height restriction of five stories and 60 percent pervious coverage. He said the coverage is a way to limit the effect of shadows on the businesses and residential properties in the area. The T4 zone allows the construction of multi-family homes and commercial properties, Wood said. The property is adjacent to residential areas, and the zoning
See ZONING, Page 2