March 19 2014

VOLUME 103, ISSUE 67

www.UniversityStar.com

WEDNESDAY

MARCH 19, 2014

Defending the First Amendment since 1911

PODCAST | UniversityStar.com

OPINIONS | Page 4

From the Field to the Fans: Odus Evbagharu and his team of reporters discuss Bobcat Athletics in today’s episode.

The Main Point: Attending galleries and exhibits of student artists is a great way to support the university.

BIRDS OF PREY Texas State loses to Rice 14-1 at Bobcat Ballpark

» Alexandra White | Staff Photographer

See Page 5

Junior Chad Young pitches against No. 11 Rice March 18 at Bobcat Ballpark.

TECHNOLOGY

Grande Communications beats out Google Fiber, AT&T as fastest Internet service in Austin area

By Scott Allen

News Reporter

A San Marcos-based company has beaten Google Fiber and AT&T in the race to become the fastest Internet service in the Austin area.

Google and AT&T were the main competitors last fall for fiber optic cable Internet in Texas. In late February, however, San Marcos-based Grande Communications threw its hat into the fiber ring and surprised Austin residents by implementing the first gigabit Internet service months ahead of its larger counterparts.

Grande planned on joining the high speed Internet race all along, said Matthew Murphy, Grande Communications president. The company had to wait for the public to show interest before investing in the new service, he said.

“We have always made a dedicated effort to have the fastest Internet speeds in all the areas we service,” Murphy said. “Once competition in the Austin area heated up, we knew we had to be nimble and do things faster and made a conscious effort to beat Google.”

In total, Grande is a much smaller

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT

ASG candidates no longer able to run on tickets

By Payton Walker News Reporter

Students hoping to run for position in the Associated Student Government will no longer be able to run on tickets, leaving the duty of campaigning in the hands of the individual candidates.

After last year’s candidates for president and vice president ran unopposed, members of the Election Commission implemented changes to the system, said ASG president Vanessa Cortez. Prior elections allowed potential senators to run on a presidential and vice presidential ticket. The filing deadline for those running for ASG president, vice president, senator or graduate house representative is March 21.

Cortez said as a result of the changes, candidates will not be able to rely on a ticket’s staff to do their marketing for them, which has occurred in the past.

“The T-shirts, social media and any promotional items is all done by the campaign staff,” Cortez said.

“Now it’s kind of up to everyone to campaign for themselves.”

In addition to recommendations from ASG’s members and advisors, the student organization enlisted the help of W .H. “Butch” Oxendine Jr., managing partner of the SG Consulting Group and executive director of the American Student Government Association.

With only three percent of the student body voting in last year’s student government election, the change might engage the student body to vote at a higher rate, according to Oxendine’s recommendations. Student body elections will take place April 1 and 2.

From October 21 to October 23, Oxendine evaluated the structure, strengths and weaknesses of ASG. According to Oxendine’s report, Texas State’s large student enrollment should allow for contested races in all positions for future ASG elections.

Martin Gutierrez, business marketing freshman, said he hopes the modifications will lead more students who are active in clubs and organizations to run in elections.

“It will also allow a more diverse group of voters to come out due to the necessary contact with the entire student body, not just a select few,” Gutierrez said.

Cortez said she believes by changing the election process, more students will want to run for senate positions, and it will encourage the student body to vote in favor of their desired candidate.

“I think this will help the underdogs,” Cortez said.

“Those who maybe didn’t want to run because they didn’t have the ticket to support them.”

Cortez said she will continue to work toward per-

See ASG, Page 2

Danielle Charles | Staff Photographer company than Google and AT&T with 150,000 customers around the state, according to a Feb. 9 Austin360.com article. The company plans to expand its gigabit service to the San Antonio and San Marcos areas, although no official timeline has been released.

“We are focusing our efforts on making sure our current 1G areas are receiving the best possible Internet experience,” Murphy said. “Then we will assess our expansion plans for other

See GRANDE, Page 2

Alexandra White | Staff Photographer Associated Student Government candidates are no longer allowed to run on tickets for elections.

FUNDRAISING

Alumni fundraising becomes focus after capital campaign ends

By Carlie Porterfield News Reporter

The Pride in Action fundraising campaign may be complete, but administrators say they are using creative techniques to encourage new donations to the university .

Pride in Action, a capital campaign to raise funds for the university, ended in February after eight years, raising $151 million in donations and pledges. The initiative surpassed its original goal by $41 million. Administrators have since put more emphasis on the call center to raise alumni donations in order to garner more money for merit scholarships.

The campaign began in 2006 and will continue to raise money for the university despite its completion, said Barbara Breier, vice president of University Advancement.

“It’s created momentum,” Breier said. “We’ve raised over $60 million in the past two years of the campaign, and those donors are giving because they see the success of the university.”

One priority for future fundraising is creating new merit scholarships to attract higher-level academics to Texas State, said Provost Eugene Bourgeois.

“I think a number of new additional merit scholarships for

students, whether at the undergraduate or graduate level, will definitely improve our chances at recruiting higher quality students,” Bourgeois said.

Highly qualified students help “raise the bar” in every course they take and improve the overall learning climate on campus, said Michael Hennessy, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, in an email.

The school hopes to attract new students by reaching Tier One status, a designation awarded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Bourgeois said.

“Now that we are an Emerging Research University, the next

step for us was to create a plan for research that would better position us for becoming eligible for National Research University funding in about ten years or so,” Bourgeois said.

One criterion that must be met in order to be eligible for the funding is for 50 percent of the incoming freshman to have graduated in the top 25 percent of their high school class, Bourgeois said.

“In terms of raising scholarship funds, especially toward the merit end in reaching out to prospective students, that will help us get to that milestone and push us over it,” Bourgeois said.

Texas State is “competing” with

the University of Texas-Austin, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University and the University of Houston to attract those top-tier students, Breier said. The university needs to have the same scholarship funds available as the competing universities to attract those students.

A focus on national media commercials will play a role in future fundraising at the university, particularly in reaching out to alumni.

“We are trying to get an expanded media coverage,” Breier said. “There’s lots more we’d like

See FUNDRAISING, Page 2

2 | The University Star | News | Wednesday March 19, 2014

FUNDRAISING, continued from front to do, and we’re going to be working toward trying to expand that opportunity.”

Alumni engagement was an essential part of the Pride in Action campaign and will continue to be important to future fundraising, Breier said.

“I think the most amazing thing about this campaign is that we had 46,000 contributors,” Breier said.

“Seventy percent of those were our

alumni. That is our future.”

Alumni are a valuable source of not only donations but valuable networking opportunities for current and former students as well, Hennessy said. Alumni spread the word about the university’s academic programs and return to campus to interact with students.

“As the alumni base continues to increase, it’s important that we connect to our alumni, that we

GRANDE, continued from front that we keep them involved and engaged with us,” Breier said.

Alumni engagement is a key to continue the momentum created by the campaign, Bourgeois said.

“Having that large of a base of alums who participated in a finished capital campaign like the Pride in Action campaign only bodes well for the future,” Bourgeois said.

TRANSPORTATION

Lone Star Rail District committee moves forward with rail system designs, plans

By Scott Allen

News Reporter

The Lone Star Rail District committee is moving forward with plans to construct a new rail system that will run from San Antonio to Georgetown and include a San Marcos stop.

The committee met March 7 to discuss studies, funding and designs for the commuter rail. Members spoke with various agencies such as Union Pacific and the Department of Transportation. Funding was allocated at the meeting and reports about environmental research were reviewed.

The committee discussed their next steps, which include getting approval for the Federal Environmental Process which involves impact studies, said Alison Schulze, rail district administrator and senior planner. The committee is working with the Department of Transportation to help expedite the process for construction to begin.

“We’re hoping to get the environmental process done in three years,” Schulze said. “After, we will start

building platforms and stations. All in all, we hope to have passengers on the rail in about five years.”

Schulze said Austin and San Antonio, two large urban areas, will benefit from the rail service, as well as Hays County residents since San Marcos will be on the route. Passengers will be able to pay for a one-way ticket or purchase a commuter pass to ride more frequently, Schulze said. Ticket prices have not yet been finalized.

The rail’s 16 stations will eventually serve more than three million people in five counties with 32 trains running daily in each direction for commuters, students and regional travelers. The rail district will have a 75-minute express service from downtown Austin to San Antonio with stops in San Marcos and New Braunfels.

Sid Covington, chair of the LSTAR committee, said the rail district will help alleviate the traffic congestion that occurs along Interstate Highway 35 by providing an alternative mode of transportation.

“As I heard someone say years ago, we’ve got more acres of vehicle

than acres of pavement,” Covington said.

Those vehicles will eventually run out of space, but Covington said he believes LSTAR will fix the problem.

The train is expected to run parallel to IH-35. Union Pacific currently owns the tracks LSTAR plans to use, and the majority of its trains will be rerouted east of IH-35, Schulze said.

“There are several things developing at the federal level that we’ve been actively engaging and trying to pursue,” said Ross Milloy, interim executive director of the Lone Star Rail District . “We have to recognize unless we can reach an agreement with Union Pacific about the re-alignment of the route we’re not going to be able to move forward on this project” Dozens of regional rail services have been achieving wide popularity with systems like the Trinity Railway Express connecting Dallas and Fort Worth, and the New Mexico Rail Runner Express connecting Albuquerque and Santa Fe, according to rail district’s website.

cities in Texas where we currently offer service.”

Purchased alone, Grande’s gigabit Internet service will be $65 per month with a onetime $20 installation fee, with no contract or activity monitoring, Murphy said.

The speed of one gigabit of service is 1,000 mega bites per second. This is approximately 100 times faster than the average Internet speed in the U.S., which is 7.6 Mbps, according to AT&T’s website.

According to netindex.com, Texas has an average speed of 19.6 Mbps, with Austin averaging 24.8 Mbps.

At one gigabit, a user can download 25 songs in one second, a TV show in three seconds and a high-definition movie in less than 36 seconds, according to data from AT&T. Grande’s gigabit Internet will initially be available for approximately one-quarter of the 75,000 homes and businesses already wired in the Austin area, according to Grande’s website.

This relates to AT&T’s UVerse with GigaPower, whose users will be upgraded to gigabit speeds this summer, according to its website. U-Verse will cost $70 per month with a one-year contract.

Guy Davidson, customer

service member for AT&T, said the company started offering 300 Mbps Internet in December, which was then 20 times faster than any other Internet available. AT&T plans to upgrade its 300 Mbps customers to one gigabit per second service when it becomes available this summer, at no additional cost.

Google Fiber will be available this summer and will cost $70 per month with a one-year term required, according to its website. These fees are for Internet only and fluctuate when users add cable and phone services.

Grande, AT&T and Google have an online platform where people can register their address to help their chances of receiving the higher-speed Internet “If you get enough people to sign up in your area, we’ll help get you gigabit service,” said Samie Garza, Google Fiber team member.

The companies will be using fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) technology, which replaces copper and coaxial connections with optical fiber networks, Murphy said. The vast majority of the home installations will be aerial, which means they will not be digging up customers’ yards.

ASG, continued from front fecting the student government’s structure and weaknesses.

“The new elections will bring out the best of the best,” said ASG senator

Damien Chavero. “You have to be passionate about student government so you can be a change in the university.”

PRESS RELEASE

Nationwide tech moving company to bring part-time jobs to San Marcos Nationwide tech enabled moving service, Bellhops, is establishing an operation in San Marcos. The student-only employer plans to hire up to 100 Texas State students for the busy moving season in the spring and summer months.

Founders Cameron Doody and Stephen Vlahos launched Bellhops at Auburn University in 2011.

“Our first year, we set a goal of 25 student moves, and after three days we had moved 230 students,” Doody said. “That’s when Stephen and I knew it was time to expand.”

Bellhops has just undergone a massive expansion going from employing 2000 students part time in 47 cities in 2013 to 115 cities in 42 states in 2014 with plans to hire over 10,000 students nationwide.

By exclusively employing large work-

forces of students and connecting them to a fully integrated online system, Bellhops is capable of executing hundreds of moves per day in each of the cities they serve.

“The entire student community moves during the same time period,” Vlahos said.

“What makes us different is that we have the firepower to handle the demand. That, and the fact that everybody loves to work with students.”

Bellhops offers its services year round to anyone within a 15-mile radius of the 115 college communities that it operates out of, including nonstudents. The client receives an email prior to the move that includes a picture and profile with information on their two assigned Bellhops.

2014 2015

2014 2015

applicant The

-Courtesy of Bellhops

April 2

2015

April 14.

It’s good medicine!

3

March April 2 Monday April 14

The University Star | Wednesday March 19, 2014 | 3

TRENDS

Community orchestra crescendos in its fifth year

By Aubrie Iverson Trends Reporter

After four decades the San Marcos Artists’ Retention and Training Orchestra is finally filling a long-standing void: creating San Marcos’s own community orchestra.

The nonprofit organization known as S.M.A.R.T. Orchestra was founded in 2009 by music educator Christopher Hanson.

The ensemble began with a collection of string students from public schools and has since expanded to include both wind and string players of all ages.

Approximately one-third of the group made up of adult musicians from the San Marcos area.

“There are people in the community that want that orchestral experience, and the SMART

By Amanda Ross Trends Editor

Jason Bateman actor, director

Jason Bateman’s directorial debut, ‘Bad Words,’ tells the story of a 40-year-old man who hijacks a kid’s spelling bee. Best known for his starring role on Fox’s “Arrested Development,” Bateman discussed his challenges, goals and acting inspirations in a conference call with several student reporters from across the country.

Orchestra is able to offer that to them,” Hanson said. “We created the organization with these grand ideas… That we need to retain the talent we have and we need to train them to become better musicians, and that’s exactly what it’s done.”

While New Braunfels, Wimberley and Seguin were all founding their own symphonies, the San Marcos area struggled to form its own group. The S.M.A.R.T. Orchestra, now in its fifth year, offers a place where adults and fledgling and experienced students can hone their skills in classical music and perform for their neighbors and families.

The original hope for the S.M.A.R.T. Orchestra was that a community group would increase the chances of successfully introducing string education

into the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District, something Hanson’s predecessors had been unable to garner lasting support for since before the 1980s.

Deanna Badgett, an individual instructor who has lived in San Marcos for more than 40 years, has been an integral part in the fight to include string instruction in the SMCISD curriculum.

Badgett, whose own small California hometown had a string orchestra, was floored to learn that while San Marcos had a wind-based band program, it did not offer anything for string players when she moved to the area.

“It was as if someone had told me, you can have boys’ PE but no girls’ PE, or altos but no sopranos,” said Badgett, who sits on the S.M.A.R.T. Orchestra’s

Q: How do you feel about the difference between directing and acting as far as being an artistic outlet?

Q: You said how gratifying directing is for you, and we know you’re currently in preproduction on another film you’re directing. Is directing something you’re going to continue doing?

A: With acting, you’re trying to convince people you’re somebody different, and with directing, you’re tying to create a completely fake world for the audience and trying to shape an experience for that audience for two hours, both with what they see and what they hear and what they feel. And to me, it’s just a much more challenging and gratifying creative effort. I don’t want to belittle acting at all. Maybe it’s just because I’ve been doing it for so long and because it’s so comfortable, but I’m just really excited for the challenge and taking on more responsibility.

A: Yeah, I would direct full time if they would have me. It’s just something that asks me to use everything I’ve soaked up in xnumber of years of being an actor and asks me to do everything that makes me really excited about what movies are, which is— as I said earlier—kind of shaping that experience for that audience. I mean I enjoy doing that as an actor, but there are so many other elements that affect the audience that is completely out of the actor’s responsibility and completely would be inappropriate for them to meddle in.

board as an at-large member and has taught many of the organization’s performers. “Something vital was missing from the completeness of the musical education.”

There are people in

the community that want that orchestral experience, and the S.M.A.R.T. Orchestra is able to offer that to them.”

—Christopher Hanson, founder of S.M.A.R.T. orchestra Tw o y e a r s a f t e r t h e S.M.A.R.T. Orchestra was founded, SMCISD voted to introduce string instruction at the middle school level, and the year after that, at the high school level. Hanson, who be-

So yeah, I’d love to do directing full time. Or probably more realistically what would happen if I could rub a genie bottle and get my wish, it would probably be something Ben Stiller does or George Clooney or Ben Affleck, which is that they split their time between the two and often do both at the same time.

Q: What drew you to want to work on ‘Bad Words’?

A: Specifically in this script, I share the same kind of dark sense of humor, fortunately or unfortunately, and it just really made me laugh. But I also knew that with that dark humor in the script comes the obligation to kind of counterbalance that with something a little more sophisticated and a little more human. You’ve got to earn those

gan as the artistic director for the S.M.A.R.T. Orchestra, is now also the orchestra director for the entire district and teaches at Goodnight Middle School, Miller Middle School and San Marcos High School every day.

Under Hanson’s vigorous leadership, it does not seem that the growth and success of the S.M.A.R.T. orchestra will begin to wane anytime soon. The director, who already holds one bachelor’s degree from Texas Southern University and three master’s degrees from Texas State, has been accepted to return to Texas State as part of the doctoral education program.

“I need to have everything that I can possibly offer to every one of my students,” Hanson said. “I don’t think I will ever be overqualified to teach.”

big uncomfortable comedic moments for people, because otherwise it feels a little gratuitous or arbitrary.

Q: How challenging is it to direct yourself in a movie?

A: It felt comfortable, but you’re going to have to call me back after you see the movie and tell me whether I should have worked harder. The character is somebody I kinda had a pretty good idea of how I would like to see an actor play it, and so I went after a couple of actors I thought could play it that way but they weren’t interested in doing the movie for one reason or another. So before I went on to (other choices), why don’t I give it a shot? So I went for it, and it was very, very comfortable.

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4 | The University Star | Wednesday March 19, 2014

OPINIONS

UniversityStar.com

THE MAIN POINT

Bobcats must show support for student art galleries, exhibitions

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Breanna Baker | Star Illustrator

The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board.

Columns are the opinions of the writer and do n ot necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University.

ith the opening of the Performing Arts Center and the growing public interest of the athletics department, it is important to make sure the efforts of some of Texas State’s more underexposed students do not go unrecognized.

The editorial board frequently encourages students to attend Texas State athletic events, but it is equally important for Bobcats to support their artistic peers, particularly those in the School of Art and Design, who often receive less attention than those in the performing arts. Attending plays, concerts and musicals is still important, but the galleries and displays of art students should not be overshadowed by the hype surrounding the Performing Arts Center.

Texas State has a competitive art and design program that is home to many talented student artists who deserve just as much attention and support as their peers in the athletics and performing arts departments. Attending galleries and exhibits is a great way for those who do not care for athletics or fundraising to support Texas State.

As many non-art majors are unaware these shows exist, the university should make an extra effort to promote these events so students do not miss out on an opportunity to see interesting art created by their peers.

Seniors in the School of Art and Design participate in rotating weekly shows each semester at the on-campus gallery located in the Joann Cole Mitte building.

The exhibitions are free and open to the public. Furthermore, for students on tight

budgets, exhibitions and galleries can be a great, low-cost way to spend the day while adding a little culture to their lives.

Additionally, the spring semester is an ideal time for students to support their peers in the School of Art and Design. According to the school’s webpage, students who earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art are required to exhibit artworks generated during their thesis semesters. Thesis students exhibit their works in four shows over a four-week period in the spring, featuring works in a variety of disciplines, including painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography and ceramics, among others.

If students cannot make any of the scheduled exhibits, they can still support fellow Bobcats off campus. There are several places around town where one can purchase art created by Texas State students, including the Root Cellar Café and Tantra Coffeehouse. Additionally, the Ceramic Arts Student Association often sells pottery on campus.

While attending athletic and performing arts events is important, it is equally vital that students support the fine arts at Texas State. By attending galleries and exhibitions as well as by purchasing student art, Bobcats can ensure their artistic peers have the ample support and encouragement they need. Alongside our stellar athletic teams and talented performers, our university’s gifted artists are part of what makes us the rising star of Texas—and that is something that deserves student attention and support.

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS

EXHIBITION II:

Reception: Monday, April 21 | 5–7 p.m.

EXHIBITION III:

Reception: Monday, April 28 | 5–7 p.m.

EXHIBITION I:

EXHIBITION IV:

Reception: TBD

Reception: Monday, April 14 | 5–7 p.m.

RELATIONSHIPS

CAMPUS DINING

Online dating beneficial

Imani McGarrell Assistant Opinions Editor Journalism sophomore

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tudents should embrace online dating sites as a fun and innovative way to connect with potential significant others as opposed to more traditional methods.

Most aspects of today’s society have been infused with technology in some way, and the dating scene is no different. Online dating has become a huge cultural phenomenon, one in which people both young and old participate.

The idea that online dating sites are something reserved solely for old spinsters and desperate oddballs has slowly started to fade as new dating apps and sites targeting younger crowds have come to the forefront.

Dating sites aimed specifically at college students are more popular than ever.

DateMySchool is an app and website designed to connect students and alumni of particular schools. To reduce the risk of random creeps lying about where they went to college, an “.edu” email address is required to even register for the service. DateMySchool not only identifies the colleges users attend but their majors and classifications as well. The idea of the site is to provide a means of connection for people who attend the same university but would not have otherwise run into each other. With school, work and social engagements taking up most of a college students’

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schedule, it can be tough to find time for romance. Online dating sites targeted toward students can really help in this respect and are worth a try.

Another trend in the online dating scene is apps less focused on love and more focused on hookups. The most notable of these is Tinder. The basics of this app are simple. Students’ profiles contain three sections—pictures, shared interests and shared friends.

The app requires users to connect with their Facebook account, which is where the information is pulled from. After setting an age range and proximity, users are shown a bevy of potential matches. If you want to “like” the person, you swipe to the right, and if you want to “nope” them, you swipe to the left. If the person that you “liked” also swiped right for you, you have the opportunity to send them a message.

The thirst is real on sites like Tinder that focus on casual hookups. If students are not looking for anything more than a casual date or late night hookup, Tinder is an easy way to find that. Messages like “I have never had chocolate. Can I get a taste? ;)” fill users’ inboxes on the daily, especially at night. While I do not personally get down with casual encounters, sites such as Tinder are perfect for students looking for a casual fling.

As long as students remember that safe sex is the best sex, online dating can be the perfect place for those interested in a quick hookup. Sites like Tinder help participants skip all the B.S. and get down to business quickly, perfect for the busy university students who do not have time for a full-blown romance.

In a day and age where everyone seems to be glued to their phones, it makes perfect sense that the place to look for love connections has moved mobile. Students should embrace the wave of online dating sites and apps sweeping the web and see where it takes them.

Editor-in-Chief.................................................Caitlin Clark, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor..........................Liza Winkler, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu Letters..................................................................................starletters@txstate.edu News Editor............................................Taylor Tompkins, starnews@txstate.edu Trends Editor.............................................Amanda Ross, startrends@txstate.edu Opinions Editor..................................Savannah Wingo, staropinion@txstate.edu Photo Editor.......................................Austin Humphreys, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor.......................................Odus Evbagharu, starsports@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief................................Lesley Warren, starcopychief@txstate.edu Design Editor...........................................Lauren Huston, stardesign@txstate.edu

Meal plans costly, lack variety

Laura Crick Special to the Star English freshman

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eing forced to buy a meal plan every semester is an unfair requirement that costs on-campus students significantly more than what they would spend on groceries while providing little-to-no variety.

The convenience of oncampus food is nothing to scoff at, but as helpful as close-proximity eateries can be, for many students the cost may be too much.

All students living in oncampus housing are forced to purchase a meal plan every semester whether or not they want one. The smallest plan, which provides 150 prepaid meal trades and $125 dining dollars for one semester, is $1,069. Buying two of those—one per semester—costs a student $2,138 over the course of a school year. The larger plans of 200 and 250 meals per semester cost $1,160 and $1,244 respectively.

It is far less expensive to buy groceries every month and cook than to purchase semester meal plans. According to January 2014 statistics from the USDA, the average cost for females

Web Editor...............................................Lee Moran, starwebeditor@txstate.edu Account Executive..................................Stephanie Macke, starad2@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................................Catie Brossard, starad3@txstate.edu Account Executive.................................Blakely Knowles, starad4@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................................Taylor Bradham, starad5@txstate.edu Media Specialist............................................ Chris Salazar, c.salazar@txstate.edu Advertising Coordinator...........................Kelsey Nuckolls, kjn16@txstate.edu Publications Coordinator.......................................Linda Allen, la06@txstate.edu Publications Director...........................Bob Bajackson, stardirector@txstate.edu

aged 19-50 to buy groceries on a low-cost plan is $826 for four months, the approximate length of a semester. The cost for males in the same age group at low-cost is $951.50 for four months. This is an overall average of $888.75 per semester for groceries, versus the $1,069 semester cost of the smallest plan.

Students still often buy groceries and meals from outside sources to supplement their meal plans, further driving up their semester food costs. Furthermore, during holidays like winter and summer break, students cannot access their meal plans and must again rely on outside sources for food. Meal plans do not offer much in the way of variety, either, leaving many students craving outside foods. For those with specific dietary restrictions, meal plans offer even less satisfaction.

The money and hassle students could save by buying groceries could be put toward a number of things— tuition, textbooks, rent or any other of the numerous student expenses. Not only is buying groceries more affordable than meal plans, it also provides students with more control over their diets.

It is worth noting that not all students use their entire meal plan. Despite that, there is no reimbursement for unused meal trades. At the end of the school year, any unclaimed meals simply disappear. Students are

essentially forced to pay for meals they will never eat.

This is just more money wasted that could be put to better use.

If students are not using all of their meal trades by the end of the year, they should get that money back.

Otherwise, that money disappears into oblivion, never to be seen again. If reimbursement is not a possibility, then perhaps smaller meal plans should be available. A 75- or 100-meal plan would be a perfect size for students who enjoy cooking their own meals but might need the convenience of a dining hall every so often.

Students already have enough bills to foot without oversized meal plans adding to the burden.

In talking to other students about this issue, I have found that many feel the same way—meal plan prices and sizes either need to be reduced, or else should be optional for all students regardless of living situation. Personally, I would like to see both happen.

Being able to live on campus and cook my own food in accordance with my own dietary style, while still having the option of an inexpensive meal plan as a backup would be ideal.

Texas State officials need to seriously reconsider the way meal plans currently work. Students deserve more consideration than they are currently given when it comes to compulsory meal plans.

The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Tuesday, Wednesday 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 Wednesday March 19, 2014. 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.

Visit The Star at www.UniversityStar.com

The University Star | Wednesday March 19, 2014 | 5

SPORTS

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BASEBALL

Texas State defeated 14-1 by Rice Owls at Bobcat Ballpark By: Kirk Jones Sports Reporter @kirk_jones11

T

he Texas State baseball team struck out 16 times in a 14-1 loss Tuesday night at Bobcat Ballpark against Rice in its second appearance this season against the Owls.

Rice scored in three-straight innings after jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a one-out double by Kirby Taylor, Owls infielder.

Tanner Hill, sophomore first baseman, hit a home run to left field in the bottom of the second to tie the game 1-1.

“The ball felt good off the bat,” Hill said. “I’ve been struggling the past two weeks. Sunday, I turned on a couple balls and hit them right at people. It is part of the game but today felt pretty good.”

Hill’s homer was his second this season and his 12th RBI. He drove in the only run of the night for the Bobcats.

The Owls extended their lead heading into the bottom of third, scoring 4 runs off a hit batter, a walk and two singles off Chris Young, junior pitcher.

“That’s the inning where it all started,” said Coach Ty Harrington.

“It didn’t help that we struck out 16 times, and it’s frustrating after coming in off a three-game sweep.”

Rice scored on a wild pitch from Dylan Bein, freshman pitcher, to increase the team’s lead 6-1 in the top of the fourth. Michael Aquino, Rice outfielder, hit a sacrifice fly to score the runner from third and extend the lead 7-1.

Caleb Smith, Rice pitcher, threw 6 innings, allowed 1 earned run and struck out 12 batters.

Seven pitchers threw for the Bobcats Tuesday night. Chad Young, junior pitcher, started for the Bobcats and threw 2.1 innings, allowing 4 earned runs.

Tyler Pearson, senior catcher, went 0-4 on the night, striking out

a new day.”

The team collected four hits in the game compared to Rice’s 12, leading to a season-high 14 runs for the Owls.

Rice earned 5 runs in the ninth inning on three hits while the Bob-

“It didn’t help that we struck out 16 times, and it’s frustrating after coming in off a three-game -Coach Ty Harrington sweep.” three times. Pearson’s batting average is under .300 for the first time this season.

“All around, defensively and offensively, we didn’t play well,” Pearson said. “That’s the good thing about baseball, we can come out here tomorrow and come out for

cats committed two errors.

Pearson allowed three pass balls behind the plate. Bobcat pitchers hit five Rice batters and walked 10.

“We just got to look forward,” Pearson said. “You can’t dwell on the past. This game is over. There is nothing we can do about it.”

Texas State allowed a season-high 14 runs and 12 hits in the defeat.

“We felt like we had some momentum after the weekend sweep,” Pearson said. “This one would have been a good one to win, but it doesn’t always happen in you favor. We start a new day tomorrow.”

Colby Targun, junior outfielder, has now reached base safely in 16-straight games and is currently on a four-game hit streak.

The Bobcats head to Bowling Green, Ky this weekend to take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in a three game series.

“We have to do better than what we did tonight,” Harrington said.

“We cannot strikeout that many times going into this weekend. We have to work harder on two-strike approaches as we head into the weekend.”

SOFTBALL

Bobcats record one hit in 2-0 loss to Baylor Bears in Waco By: Cameron Cutshall Sports Reporter @CameronCutshall The Texas State softball team recorded one hit against No. 12 Baylor Tuesday night in Waco as the Bobcats lost their 12th game of the season 2-0.

Whitney Canon, Baylor pitcher, earned her 12th win of the season.

Canon struck out ten Bobcat batters in the game giving up one hit and one walk. “(Canon) pitched one of the best games I’ve ever seen,” said Coach Ricci Woodard. “She threw the ball well, and we couldn’t make the adjustments we needed to make throughout the game.”

Rayn House, senior pitcher, gave up the only runs of the ball game

in the bottom of the first. Clare Hosack, Bears catcher, hit a 2-run homer to give Baylor the 2-0 lead.

House earned her seventh loss of the season. House pitched six innings for the Bobcats giving up

“(Canon) pitched one of the best games I’ve ever seen.”

-Coach Ricci Woodard five hits, three walks and three strikeouts. “(House) threw really well,” Woodard said. “She gave us a chance to win and did a great job

of battling back early on, after giving up the home run, to keep us in the game.”

Kendall Wiley, sophomore first baseman, was the first base-runner for Texas State after drawing a twoout walk in the top of the fourth inning. The Bobcats’ next batter Courtney Harris, junior third baseman, struck out to end the inning for Texas State.

Bianca Prado, freshman right fielder, had the only hit for the Bobcats to break up the no-hitter for Baylor. Prado’s hit came in the top of the sixth inning with a single to right field, but the Bobcats were unable to score.

“I was really shook up early on in the game,” Prado said. “After my first at bat, my nerves started to go away, and I just looked for a

good pitch to hit in my next at bat.”

Baylor advanced its overall record to 23-4 on the season, and the Bobcats fell to 17-12.

“Overall I still think we competed really well tonight,” Woodard said.

“They battled back after the early home run, and they still had a chance to win till the very end.”

Texas State will take on Iowa Wednesday in San Marcos. The Hawkeyes are coming into the matchup with a 5-12 overall record.

The team is 1-7 on the road.

Iowa defeated Texas State in their previous matchup last season 5-4.

The Hawkeyes are coming into the contest after a three-game series against Texas. Iowa defeated the Longhorns in one of the three games last weekend.

“We have to do better offensively

and look for better pitches to hit,” Prado said.

Kayla Massey, Hawkeye pitcher, leads the team with ten starts.

Massey has a 3.19 ERA and a 2-8 record. Massey has given up 60 hits, 35 runs and 24 strikeouts on the season for the Hawkeyes.

Michelle Zoeller, Hawkeye third baseman, comes into the game hitting .302 on the season. Zoeller leads the team with 16 hits and 10 RBI. Zoeller hit a walk-off grand slam Sunday in the Hawkeye’s lone victory against Texas.

Texas State will look to earn its 18th victory against the Hawkeyes matching the total amount of wins the Bobcats had all of last season.

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