TUESDAY MARCH 3, 2015
VOLUME 104 ISSUE 63 www.UniversityStar.com
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CITY
Multifamily housing, commercial building permit demand decreases By Anna Herod SENIOR NEWS REPORTER @annaleemurphy Officials presented data illustrating a decrease in the number of permits issued for multifamily housing and commercial buildings from 2013-2014 at a Feb. 10 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Permit value by land use for commercial buildings decreased from $135 million in 2013 to $20 million in 2014, according to the presentation. Christopher Wood, Planning and Zoning commissioner, said the decrease in the quantity of permits issued for commercial buildings is a timing issue. “It is my understanding that the bulk of the commercial (permits issued) in 2013 was from school district projects,” Wood said. “With those projects wrapping up, there were none to replace them in 2014.”
“San Marcos has a better sense of place and that’s what we have going for us over a lot of the surrounding towns of our size.” —ANGIE RAMIREZ, PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSIONER Developers came in and secured multifamily housing permits because enrollment at Texas State started to increase about three years ago, said Angie Ramirez, Planning and Zoning commissioner. “I think probably that the decrease in multifamily housing (permits issued) is because it is really after that bubble of time when it was a little easier to get those larger developments in because we hadn’t really started talking about land use as it pertains to large multifamily developments,” Ramirez said. She said the decline in multifamily housing permits happened in part because city officials put restrictions on the land use map and elevated the development standards. The reduction can be attributed to the fact that some of the developers who wanted permits had already purchased them. The downturn in the number of permits issued is not expected to have a strong impact on population growth in San Marcos, said Steve Parker, assistant city manager. “We’ve been seeing some good steady growth here in the city,” Parker said. “We have seen a big uptake in the residential family permits, so we may be a little down in the multifamily, but I think we’re going to offset that with some residential.” There were 278 permits issued for single-family homes in 2014, up from 245 in 2013, according to the presentation. The surge of development in the city benefits residents in the form of low property taxes, Parker said. “We haven’t had an increase in San Marcos for a property tax rate since 2005,” Parker said. “We’ve been able to not increase property tax rates because of the development, so it has been a good thing.” San Marcos has been considered the fastest growing city in the country, but students are the reason for much of the expansion, Ramirez said. Ramirez wishes the population increase included more families and young professionals.
See HOUSING, Page 2
LARA DIETRICH STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Christian Ray tests samples of inventory Feb. 27 at Vape Shop San Marcos.
Texas College Tobacco Project to increase ‘vaping’ awareness By James Palmer NEWS REPORTER @jmesspalmer
T
exas State students are exploring professional marketing techniques as part of the Texas College Tobacco Project to increase awareness of electronic cigarette usage. The Texas College Tobacco Project is a campaign from the University of Texas at Austin designed to reduce tobacco usage among students. Students across Texas volunteer to campaign at their universities. The student volunteers hang posters, yard signs and banners de-
signed to provide information about tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. The displays will be completed by spring break. Texas State’s current campaign emphasizes the need for e-cigarette education, including further policy stances by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “We’re predominantly going to focus on vaping because a lot of students don’t realize that vaping is still considered a tobacco product,” said Julie Eckert, assistant director of Health Promotion Services. “(E-cigarettes are) not approved
MUSIC
Founder of Cheatham Street Warehouse leaves behind legacy of musical involvement By Jon Wilcox NEWS REPORTER @thrilcox Kent Finlay, musician, mentor and founder of the Cheatham Street Warehouse, died March 2 at the age of 77 at his home in Martindale. Finlay opened Cheatham Street Warehouse in 1974 and has since used the venue as a way to mentor and guide both obscure and famous musicians, said Blaine Moore, assistant manager. George Strait, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Todd Snider, James McMurtry and Eric Johnson owe their success in part to Finlay’s patronage, said Sage Allen, treasurer for the Cheatham Street Music Foundation. Finlay was born in a rural community outside of Brady, Texas, Moore said. Finlay learned to play music with his parents and four younger brothers. He moved to San Marcos in 1959 to attend what was then Southwest Texas State College, now known as Texas State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English. Following graduation, Finlay began a teaching career in San Antonio but later moved to San Marcos to work at Gary Job Corps, Moore said. Finlay and business partner Jim Cunningham, a columnist for the San Marcos Daily Record, leased a decaying warehouse on Cheatham Street next to the railroad tracks in 1974, Moore said. The building had previously served as a railroad warehouse and features sliding doors for the transfer of cargo onto trains, Allen said. The rest is San Marcos history.
The Cheatham Street Warehouse is one of the city’s most valuable treasures, said Terri Hendrix, Grammy-winning artist and San Marcos resident. A group of locals formed the Cheatham Street Music Foundation to purchase the property in 2012 and preserve it from land developers, Allen said. The foundation’s members aim to protect the historic 105-year-old building and the culture of musical education started by Finlay. The Cheatham Street Music Foundation leases the property under the stipulation that the warehouse continue to provide education for songwriters, Allen said. Cheatham Street Warehouse hosts classes, concerts and the Songwriters’ Circle workshop, Allen said. The Songwriters’ Circle allows up to 20 artists to perform their material in front of a live audience, Allen said. “It’s about the musicians,” Allen said. “People get encouraged when they see other artists perform. It’s symbiotic.” Finlay encouraged all visitors regardless of their skill levels, Hendrix said. Hendrix was nervous the first time she signed up for the Wednesday night Songwriters’ Circle, she said. She was only 19 years old. “I just knew three chords,” Hendrix said. “Finlay was the one who encouraged me to be a songwriter.” Hendrix said Finlay was a free spirit, quiet and serious, a songwriter, a Texan and a dreamer. “He was always dreaming about his songs, even the songs he had yet to write,” Hendrix said. “His head was always stuck in the clouds, looking for lyrics.”
by the FDA, and it’s also within the policy.” The program aims to increase education on how products are marketed in order to determine why e-cigarettes are popular, Eckert said. Students will use a smartphone app to collect tobacco-marketing data. “We’re using a phone application (project officials have) created and provided for us to go into retailers that sell tobacco and do a scan of how they’re advertising it, how they’re marketing it, how much it costs and how many retailers have (specific marketing tactics),” Eckert said.
Jemm Corona-Morris, graduate student and project volunteer, said the app is a condensed version of a comprehensive survey UT used in the past for tobacco market research. The collected data will be used to analyze marketing techniques tobacco retailers around universities use to attract 18- to 24-year-olds. Eckert said the goal of the program is for participants to learn more about tobacco marketing, but health is another focus. Part of the campaign is dedicated to correcting students’ misconceptions about smoking.
See E-CIGARETTES, Page 2
UNIVERSITY
Officials seek funding for new engineering building By Anna Herod SENIOR NEWS REPORTER @annaleemurphy Three senators filed bills on behalf of Texas State officials in an effort to allocate funding for new engineering facilities.
secure money through legislation. Two similar bills were filed in 2013 but did not get past the House or the Senate. A conference committee was never appointed for the bill, so it died, said Bill Nance,
“We all came so close two years ago. I feel pretty comfortable that it’s going to go through this time.” —BILL NANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE AND SUPPORT SERVICES University officials hope to receive $107 million to fund the construction of a new 122,000-square-foot building for the Ingram School of Engineering. Senators Judith Zaffirini, Kel Seliger and Kirk Watson filed Senate Bill (SB) 21, SB 150 and SB 245, respectively, in an effort to
vice president of finance and support services. The university could experience a different outcome during the 84th Legislature. “We all came so close two years ago,” Nance said. “I feel pretty comfortable that it’s going to go through this time.”
See ENGINEERING, Page 2
JOHN CODY STALSBY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Texas State has received a pledge of $7.1 million that will be used toward the construction on a new engineering building.
2 | The University Star | News | Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Correction: In a Feb. 18 issue of The University Star, the “Faculty Senate opposes statewide campus carry” article incorrectly quoted Barbara Covington, nursing senator. The article incorrectly stated, “Covington said she considers the Round Rock Campus high-risk because it serves ‘many mentally ill students.’” The article should have read that Covington said students may exhibit overwhelming anxiety and develop other mental health issues given the high-stress nature of the College of Health Professions programs.
E-CIGARETTES, from front “I think a lot of students don’t realize that even social smoking, like, ‘I smoke when I drink,’ that’s not the same thing,” Eckert said. “People are social smokers, and that’s still smoking, and even though it’s not habitual now, it could be, and it still has health effects.” Eckert said the FDA and other institutions should conduct more studies on the effects of e-cigarettes. Lisa Ray, owner of Vape Shop, said there is a lack of information about e-cigarettes. “There haven’t been a lot of conclusive studies done over time because the vaping industry is so new,” Ray said. Ray wants to cooperate with Texas State officials to educate the public about e-cigarettes, but the lack of information has prevented her from partnering with the university. “I can’t go to the university and tell them—or anyone else for that matter—that (e-cigarettes are) 100 percent safe because we don’t know that’s true,” Ray said. Little information exists on what e-cigarettes are and how they work. Ray said the public
can get confused on how the devices compare to conventional cigarettes. “These aren’t tobacco, and it’s not smoke that is being emitted from the electronic cigarettes,” Ray said. “Those are the two biggest (misconceptions) about it—is that people think you’re smoking, and they have concerns about secondhand smoke.” Ray said cigarettes have over 7,000 chemicals in them, whereas the e-liquid she manufactures independently has four. “We know what goes into it,” Ray said. “We don’t add anything to it.” Ray believes educating the public about the difference between e-cigarettes and traditional tobacco products is important. She said customers have noticed benefits after switching to e-cigarettes. “A lot of people feel so much better, breathe better and walk places they couldn’t before,” Ray said. “It’s not like one or two. We’re talking hundreds of people. There has to be something to that.”
“These aren’t tobacco, and it’s not smoke that is being emitted from the electronic cigarettes. Those are the two biggest (misconceptions) about it.” —LISA RAY, OWENER OF VAPE SHOP
The article also incorrectly stated, “The Round Rock campus will be represented in the proclamation as an opposed party.” It should have read the College of Health Professions will be represented. College of Health Professions programs are located both on the San Marcos campus and at Round Rock. It also incorrectly stated the Round Rock campus “provides cares for kindergarten-age children.” It should have stated clinics in the College of Health Professions provide care for kindergarten-age children.
ENGINEERING, from front A final decision about the funding will be made by June 20, Nance said. The proposed building would house materials for science and commercialization as well as civil and environmental engineering programs. William Stapleton, assistant professor, said the engineering school is struggling to keep up with its recent growth. The number of enrolled engineering students rose from 60 to about 850 in the last decade. A new building is necessary to give students proper laboratories and a learning environment, Stapleton said. “We are managing to get everything done, but it is a mad scramble to fit everything that we want to do into the space that we have,” Stapleton said. He said faculty aim to establish civil, environmental and mechanical engineering programs, and a new building is necessary. “We’re expecting our student population over the next five
to 10 years to continue to grow and perhaps get much larger and also cover a wider range of classes and laboratories,” Stapleton said. “We just need room to expand to be able to keep up.” Bruce and Gloria Ingram have pledged $5 million toward the project to be used for constructing and research facilities. Ingram Readymix Inc. in New Braunfels has pledged to provide $2.1 million worth of concrete for the building. “Without them, the engineering program wouldn’t exist,” Stapleton said. Representatives from Ingram Readymix Inc. declined to comment about the proposed building. Tyler Lyssy, electrical engineering senior, said the addition of a new building will help get the attention of big companies that fund senior design projects. “Once we can get a new building and get a whole lot more equipment and more stuff for our labs, all these outside
companies can see that we can show them what we can do as opposed to just telling them,” Lyssy said. Nance said the university will have to use its own resources if the money for the additional facility is not granted by the legislature. “We’ll have to go back to the drawing board with the architectural team,” Nance said. “If we have to finance it with our own resources, the building would be cut way down in size.” He said without the money, officials might be able to build the structure for the entire building but only finish half of the interior with classrooms and labs. “It depends on how far we can stretch our other dollars, but right now we don’t have the resources to build a $107-million-dollar engineering building,” Nance said. “We would just have to kind of go back to the drawing board and figure out what we can build.”
ENVIRONMENT
City trash, recycling rates to increase in March By Exsar Arguello NEWS REPORTER @Exsar_Misael San Marcos residents saw an increase in trash and recycling rates March 1 to cover the costs of curbside garbage, recycling pickup and other citywide programs. The rate increase was approved at the Feb. 3 city council meeting. The rate will be $1.85 per month for single-family homes and $0.85 for multi-family homes. The last increase was Feb. 3, 2013, and trash and recycling rates have risen every year since, except 2014. The rates will cover labor cost for pickups and the increasing contract expenses with different organizations such as Green Guy Recycling and Texas Disposal Systems (TDS), said Amy Kirwin, solid waste program coordinator. The city has a contract with Green Guy Recycling, a local business with a 24-hour drop-off zone
for residents, said Laura Driver, administrative services manager. Materials such as waste, glass bottles, newspapers and cardboard can be given to Green Guy at no cost, Driver said. Charges will be implemented for tires, household appliances, old cathode ray rube (CRT) televisions and monitors, Driver said. Residents who pay for trash and recycling services will be allowed to bring five tires, one monitor, two CRT televisions and two appliances per year. “With Green Guy, San Marcos residents must show a copy of their utility bill and driver’s license showing that they pay into the San Marcos fee,” Kirwin said. TDS covers curbside recycling and trash, Kirwin said. Workers pick up trash from all the downtown cans four times a week. Special events run by the city are contracted with TDS. Kirwin said TDS handles trash and compost while Green Guy takes care
of recycling. “We don’t want people to think we are raising the rates just because we can,” Kirwin said. “It is important people realize that these costs provide services to the city that help keep San Marcos clean.” The city is working with TDS to implement a “green-waste cart” allowing residents to compost. City council approved the greenwaste cart Feb. 3 along with the increased rates. “Our goal is to look at ways to divert materials from going into the landfill,” Kirwin said. “Historically the city has seen that the less trash space people individually have, the more they recycle.” The city started a pilot program for the carts Nov. 1, 2013, Kirwin said. The cart is located at the curbside of citizens’ houses and picked up every other week to be composted by TDS. The green-waste cart will be
“We don’t want people to think we are raising the rates just because we can. It is important people realize that these costs provide services to the city that help keep San Marcos clean.” —AMY KIRWIN, SOLID WASTE COORDINATOR FOR THE CITY OF SAN MARCOS available citywide Oct. 1, Kirwin said. City officials confirmed 21 percent of waste is recyclable and nine percent is compostable through the pilot program, Kirwin said. “Curbside composting is something that will be in every city within the next 10 years,” said Neil Kaufman, vice president of Bobcat Blend. “Seeing San Marcos practice composting at such a large level shows just how much this city is (a) pioneer in environ-
mental policy.” Kaufman said the green-waste cart program would help people learn about composting. “The city should use PR campaigns as a big-scale project to help educate residents on composting,” Kaufman said. “A lot of people don’t realize what happens to their food when they throw it away. These rates will help fund the city, and it really is a small price to pay for all the services provided.”
HOUSING, from front NEWS BRIEF
Hotel patron charged with felony arson By Jon Wilcox NEWS REPORTER @thrilcox A guest of Americas Best Value Inn was arrested on arson charges March 2 in connection with a fire that damaged his hotel room. James Burleigh was arrested at the scene by an investigator with the San Marcos Fire Marshal’s Office. Hotel employees noticed smoke coming from a second-floor room
and called 911 at 9:31 a.m. San Marcos firefighters arrived at 9:34 a.m. and extinguished the flames by 9:45 a.m. The fire caused approximately $30,000 in damages but failed to spread to adjacent buildings or vehicles. No one was injured. Burleigh will face a first-degree felony charge for setting a building in habitation on fire. He could receive five to 99 years in a state prison along with up to $10,000 in possible fines.
NEWS BRIEF
Nine injured in SMCISD school bus, truck crash By Carlie Porterfield ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @reporterfield State Highway 21 has been closed off in both directions after a collision involving a San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District school bus and a semi-trailer truck.
A semi-trailer truck reportedly rear-ended the school bus around 5:30 p.m. south of the San Marcos Municipal Airport. The driver of the school bus and seven children were taken to a hospital for minor injuries. The driver of the semi-trailer truck is said to be in serious condition and was transported to UMC Brackenridge.
“For all the talk of our huge population surge, we’re not seeing it there,” Ramirez said. “We’re not seeing those surges in people coming to San Marcos to start their dream of starting their own company or coming to San Marcos for a really great job because we don’t have a whole lot of those yet.” Residents sometimes have to leave because they need better jobs to sustain their families. Ramirez said those who move do so reluctantly because they love the place they’re leaving. “San Marcos has a better sense of place, and that’s what we have going for us over a lot of the surrounding towns of our size,”
Ramirez said. “It’s something that we’ve cultured and are really good at. Now we just need to do a better job of making it possible to stay as long as you want in San Marcos and be able to live a productive life.” Ramirez still feels the city is developing in a positive way despite the low numbers of young professionals and families. “I think San Marcos is on a great track,” Ramirez said. “For all of our increase of students who are coming to San Marcos to go to school, we’re proud to say that a large percentage of them really want to stay because they love it.”
The University Star | Tuesday, March 3, 2015 | 3
LIFESTYLE
UniversityStar.com
The Spot: the stop for everything hip-hop By Jonathan Hamilton LIFESTYLE REPORTER @Jonodashham1 San Martians searching for a hiphop store with the latest music and apparel should look no further than The Spot. The Spot opened in June 2014. Gabriel Gutiérrez, owner, hopes the store will be a mainstay in the community for many years to come. The San Marcos native has been a die-hard rap fanatic since the late ‘80s. Gutiérrez’s older brother introduced him to the music by bringing home the latest records when they were growing up. Gutiérrez followed his brother’s lead and paid closer attention to rap. He eventually discovered Tupac Shakur, who serves as his greatest influence to this day. A mural of Shakur rests on the back wall of the store. Gutiérrez said Shakur’s ability to make songs that touched people’s hearts is the main reason he grew to love the artist. Gutiérrez held manual-labor jobs for the majority of his life and did not have dreams of owning a hiphop store. Gutiérrez felt a calling to branch out and go into business for himself after working with his hands for many years. “God put it in my heart to do
something like this, so I fulfilled it,” Gutiérrez said. “I followed through, and here I am.” Gutierrez said starting a business from the ground up was a new experience, but he has grown to embrace the challenges that come with being his own boss. The store is primarily filled with mixtapes, T-shirts and DVDs. An airbrush station is located near the back of the shop. Edward Silva, who operates the airbrush station, met Gutiérrez in 2003 while the pair was employed at Hobby Lobby. Silva kept in contact with Gutiérrez over the course of the next decade, he said. Gutiérrez had Silva airbrush the life-sized murals of Tupac, DJ Screw and South Park Mexican that decorate The Spot. Silva’s artistry is both his saving grace and an escape from his past, he said. “Art inspires me,” Silva said. “It gives me a purpose, and I feel like I am bettering myself because of it.” Support from Gutiérrez’s friends and family has motivated him to expand his reach in San Marcos. Sarah Nabulsi, exploratory sophomore, visited The Spot after seeing its Facebook page. “I thought it was a really chill place, and it was cool to go in and
Eating disorder awareness important, officials say By Denise Cervantes LIFESTYLE REPORTER @cervantesdenise Officials with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Cats and the counseling center at Texas State dedicated their social media sites to National Eating Disorder Awareness Week Feb. 22-28 to inform the student body of resources on campus. Lucia Summers, NAMI Cats staff advisor and assistant professor of criminal justice, said she believes having times dedicated to mental illnesses such as eating disorders can be beneficial for students. “I think that with anything you do, there could always be a small probability that someone will react negatively to it,” Summers said. “But I think these type of events are very positive, and it’s really a need in the mental illness area.” Joe Cavazos, exploratory freshman, said the role social media plays in people’s everyday lives is not always positive. “I think it’s ridiculous the way so many people look up to models or celebrities,” Cavazos said. “They don’t actually look like that anyway. It’s all Photoshop, but people still look up to them for some reason.” Stephanie Johnson, criminal justice senior, suffered from an eating disorder. Johnson said her self-esteem issues were shaped in part by the media and other influences that surrounded her in high school. “I used to think that if I didn’t have the same body as Jennifer Aniston or any other skinny celebrity that nobody would like me,” Johnson said. “I had self-esteem issues and used to starve myself because of the way people on TV were praised and looked at.” Johnson said realizing her assumptions were incorrect took a long time. “You don’t have to be 100 pounds to be considered pretty,” Johnson said. “You just have to accept yourself at the end of the day.” Summers said the misunderstanding that surrounds mental illnesses usually comes from a lack of awareness of the biological factors that play a role. “These illnesses work in exactly the same way as many other illnesses,” Summers said. “If you look at the changes and the chemistry in the brain, there’s a lot of biological markers that are associated with it.” Summers said eating disorders affect perception. People coping with eating disorders cannot see themselves in the same way others may see them. “Some (illnesses) are harder to understand, and I think eating disorders is one of them,” Summers said. “People say, ‘You are not fat. You are really skinny. Why won’t you just eat?’ And what they don’t understand is that with an eating disorder, it is a perception that is branded in the brain. It’s malfunctioning.” Hannah Stephens, psychology sophomore, said eating disorders are complicated, and the best way people can help is by educating themselves. Stephens said personal experience with mental illness allows her to educate others. “I dealt with depression, anxiety and eating disorders when I was younger,” Stephens said. “I can openly talk about it now, but it used to be really hard because people never really got me or understood.”
MADELYNNE SCALES PHOTO EDITOR
Gabriel Gutierrez, owner of The Spot, poses March 2 at his store located on S. LBJ. see all of the different apparel they had in there,” Nabulsi said. “Being from Houston, I liked that they had a lot of music that I was familiar with.”
Gutiérrez is confident the store will make an impact on the community through a variety of clothing brands and music. “Before this store, you would have
to go to Austin or San Antonio or even drive to Houston to get something you want,” Gutiérrez said. “So I took all of those obstacles out of the way.”
Local band works hard for fame By Jonathan Hamilton LIFESTYLE REPORTER @Jonodashham1 The San Marcos-based punk rock band Abandoned Under Fire is on a mission to reach superstardom no matter how long it takes. Robert Lee, lead guitarist and vocalist, and Brandon DeLeon, drummer, founded the band in 2009 during their freshman year of high school, Lee said. Abandoned Under Fire was originally formed as a death metal thrash band. The group has a collection of performances under its belt, Lee said. Abandoned Under Fire won its first Battle of the Bands competition in 2009. Popular metal bands like System of a Down, Metallica and Megadeth were all early
influences, DeLeon said. Jonathan Ar redondo, backup guitarist and vocalist, said the band gained a diverse sound over time. They began with heavy metal and developed into a punk rock sound. “After a while we realized that good music can be fast, but it can also be slow,” Lee said. “It can be really hard, or it can be really simple. And that is where our sound started to mature.” Dylan Spires, bass guitarist, said the band’s writing has matured. “We are a lot more productive than we used to be, especially with our writing styles and how often we write songs,” Spires said. DeLeon said the band’s chemistry and focus allow the musicians to overcome external stress factors.
“Once we get together, our minds are so work-oriented— everyone is so focused—that it just happens because we are all looking for the same thing,” DeLeon said. “We are all looking to make good music.” De Leon said the musicians have honed their skills individually and are ready for the city to take notice. “Honestly, I want to get Abandoned Under Fire bigger than Abandoned Under Fire,” DeLeon said. “I want it to get as big as San Marcos.” Arredondo said the musicians realize only hard work will bring them success. “Most bands want to go from nothing to everything,” Arredondo said. “They want to go straight to the big lights and shows. But we believe we have to start small and work our way up.”
He said the band does not live the rock-star party lifestyle stereotype because of work, school and family obligations. “We all have lives,” Arredondo said. “We cannot just go out and party. Usually the fun, the heart and soul of it, all comes before and after the gig.” Abandoned Under Fire has steadily built its fan base. The musicians continue to perfect a more lively show, which is a crucial element of success, DeLeon said. “The more you move, the more you bring energy to the show, the more venues will like you,” DeLeon said. Lee said the band’s success will be determined by perseverance and teamwork. “If you want to go far, go together,” Lee said. “If you want to go fast, go alone.”
Hide and Seek club provides stress-free activities By Sarah Bradley LIFESTYLE REPORTER @sarah_bradskies The Hide and Seek Club, established in 2009, began as an idea to revisit childhood games and has since grown into a social atmosphere for students to meet and de-stress. Students, faculty and staff are welcome to come and play various games at the Fighting Stallions 9-10:30 p.m. every Wednesday. Members are required to pay $5 per semester to participate. Francis DiMento, applied philosophy and ethics grad student, is the current president of the organization. He said the club provides a variety of games to suit different interests. “For an hour and a half we play various games throughout campus,” DiMento said. “We play games like, of course, Hide and Seek, but also Freeze Tag, Dodgeball, Capture the Flag, Zombies, Assassin and other high-energy games like that.” The club’s organizers have started to incorporate games that can be played indoors. “We reserve one of the rooms on campus and play things like Mafia, Heads Up Seven Up, Werewolves and things like that,” DiMento said. “This
aspect really comes in handy for when the weather isn’t safe enough to play our more frequent games outside.” DiMento said the club’s members do not let weather interfere with their games if no danger is present. “Our typical policy is that if it is thunder-storming or any other kind of weather that’s dangerous to play in, we won’t play,” DiMento said. “If it is a little bit of rain or a little bit of snow or something that’s more of an inconvenience rather than a safety concern, we have usually always stayed out and played.” Chris Reilly, computer science senior, said attendance can be difficult to predict. “The amount of people that show up to play really widely varies depending on how much advertising we have done and how the weather is,” Reilly said. “It can honestly range from 20 people to 200, but typically the attendance is around 50 to 60 people when the weather is decent.” Lisa Gold, communication disorders senior, said the main goal of the organization is to allow students to get a break from demanding schoolwork. “It’s an opportunity for them to put down their textbooks and their homework and come outside to play hide-andseek for an hour and a half,” Gold said. “I also think this organization encourages
really good sportsmanship. Game night always tends to be more of a friendly basis of pure fun.” Reilly said the nostalgic games provide a common ground for students to gather together and have fun on a budget. “People probably haven’t played games like Hide and Seek since they were in elementary school on the playground,” Reilly said. “Despite how old you get, I believe that everyone can still enjoy running around and having good old-fashioned fun.” The games also provide a way for students to stay healthy without experiencing the monotony of routine exercise, Dimento said. “Hide-and-seek gives you an intense work out in the least boring way possible because you’re running non-stop, either away from the attacker or chasing others,” DiMento said. “That, in itself, makes it more exciting and even a bit of an adrenaline rush too.” DiMento said the club is a stress-free group anyone is welcome to join. “The club maintains a very low-key and relaxed atmosphere in which you don’t have to feel like this club is an intense commitment, nor like you’ve dedicated your life to us or anything of the sort,” DiMento said. “We really are all about just getting outside and having some good fun.”
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4 | The University Star | Tuesday, March 3, 2015
OPINIONS
UniversityStar.com
POLITICS
Gender irrelevant criterion for presidency
THE MAIN POINT
Proposed bill harmful to women’s health T
Madison Teague OPINIONS COLUMNIST @maddiebell_bell
W
ith the 2016 presidential elections in the near future, many candidates are tossing their hats into the ring. Political enthusiasts are debating about which of them would be the ideal president of the United States. The election of Barack Obama in 2008 as the first African-American president and his reelection in 2012 sparked new debate within political circles wondering if other minority groups, namely women, will be able to win the Oval Office. Women have had a strong political influence in America, especially in the last 100 years. There is no doubt women are capable of bringing great change and benefit to American citizens, with feminist movements achieving everything from voting rights to equal pay and job opportunities. More women than ever have been flooding the political scene and winning elections. One example is Mia Love, a Republican Haitian-American who recently won a seat as the U.S. representative from Utah's 4th congressional district. With amazing women like Love representing U.S. citizens of all sorts, there is little doubt in my mind a strong woman will one day soon be a U.S. president. The United States is ready to elect a woman to the position of Commander-inChief. It is only a matter of time. Women currently hold 104 congressional seats. There are no laws in place detouring or limiting women’s political careers. There is no reason a woman would be unable to hold office. However, voters should not elect candidates based on gender alone. It is ridiculous to claim a woman cannot hold the same political and social views as a man simply because they have different reproductive organs. If a woman has the motivation, dedication and accountability to rise to the point of presidential candidacy, then that is the reason she deserves to lead the United States of America, not because she is a woman. “I don’t think we as a country really focus on gender,” said Wade Emmert, chairman of the Dallas County Republican Party. “We focus on the ideas. I would love to have a woman president. We as a country have moved past gender and race and now focus on ideals.” Race and gender should not be a determining factor when voters are looking to elect an upcoming president. Gender does not determine whether or not a person is capable of leading a country. What does matter is that the person running for president, whether a man or woman, is a capable and strong person who loves the United States of America and wants to see its citizens prosper. —Madison Teague is an English sophomore
he recent legislation proposed by lawmakers to redistribute funding for nonprofits will prove detrimental instead of beneficial to women across the state. Programs like Planned Parenthood and Community Action will be placed at the bottom of the priority list for the proposed reallocation of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Services program. According to a Feb. 25 University Star article, the screenings provided by clinics in this program would cost almost $200 out of pocket for patients. Legislators have tried to limit funding for medical centers and clinics three times before. This proposed law is another instance of lawmakers trying to gut support for Planned Parenthood and masking it as something else. Using roundabout legislation that attacks several beneficial nonprofits
in order to target one specific program is obtuse. Revisions to the program would change the system to a tiered one, placing the highest preference on state-, countyand community-funded clinics. According to a Jan. 28 Texas Tribune article, the diction of the budget is meant to ensure facilities without ties to clinics that provide abortions are funded first. Low-income and uninsured women use clinics to access healthcare necessities such as breast and cervical cancer screenings. The clinics provide other pivotal health resources like sex education and birth control options. Community Action does not perform abortions, and many Planned Parenthood locations don’t either, so this legislation is causing far more harm than good. According to the Star article, Community Action
RYAN JEANES STAR ILLUSTRATOR already had to close clinics and lay off staff because of legislation from the previous session. Proximity is an important factor for providing resources to the people who need them. Forcing clinics to close makes it harder for people to get the services they need. A moral argument shouldn’t prevent people from getting the treatments they need to be healthy mentally and physically. Nonprofit programs like Community Action provide services to women who live
in rural communities. These women rely on those services, and decreasing availability will only hurt them. Early detection is an important aspect of the cancer treatment process. Cutting off women’s access to screenings is unacceptable. This shows the legislature would rather shut down women’s health resources altogether than allow some they don’t agree with. In an attempt to trim a few nails, passing this bill will cut a whole arm off.
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.
HEALTH
Crash diets crash and burn Mariana Castillo OPINIONS COLUMNIST @mar9cast
W
ith spring just around the corner, stores are clearing out their winter apparel and stocking up on summer clothing, which includes the muchanticipated itsy-bitsy bikini. Weight loss programs and gym membership advertisements have taken over the media to grab people’s attention and constantly remind consumers to shed 10 pounds, put down the fries and lift some weights. Developing better eating and exercise habits for
one’s overall health is greatly encouraged, but extreme, or crash, diets should be avoided as they are more harmful than helpful. The National Health Service defines crash diets as an attempt to achieve rapid weight loss by cutting a substantial amount of calories out of regular eating. This usually means people on crash diets are consuming less than 1,200 calories per day and are depriving their bodies of essential nutrients. This practice can lead to a weaker immune system and dehydration. Isadore Rosenfeld, professor and cardiologist at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, strongly disagrees with the ideology of crash diets. In an April 20, 2010 CNN interview, Rosenfeld raised concerns about the dangers of this trend because it often increases the risk of heart attack. The lack of a proper diet can also damage
blood vessels. Facts such as these have been published to inform the public, yet crash diets still seem to increase in popularity. The promotion of extreme diets increases as public figures share secrets and document their journeys on a certain juice cleanse or to completely reject a certain food group or ingredient. Extreme diets have appeal because they offer quick results without the need to purchase healthier but more expensive grocery items or commit to a daily workout routine. The fact that someone following a restrictive diet for a short amount of time without being monitored by a medical expert will face serious health issues is often overlooked. When the body is deprived of basic nutrients, it enters into starvation mode. This is the body’s natural reaction to being malnourished and
may even lead to future eating disorders. While people may experience weight loss, they run the chance of gaining the weight back faster since metabolism slows down to make up for the decrease in calorie intake. There seems to be no escape from the topic of weight loss, and that puts added pressure on everyone to keep up with the latest trends. However, even if a crash diet may seem like a good shortterm plan, there are long-term costs. Some people may end up paying with their lives. Without a balanced meal, people become more irritable and less energized, which can lead to isolation from others and may even cause depression. One article of clothing is not worth health or happiness and certainly not one’s future. —Mariana Castillo is a journalism sophomore
SOCIAL ISSUES
Stereotypes harmful, even ‘positive’ ones Brandon Sams ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR @TheBrandonSams
T
exas State students are rejects of University of Texas at Austin. This is a stereotype. No matter the type, no matter the intention, all stereotypes are unwarranted and unintelligent—even the “good ones.” Negative stereotypes, due to their obvious harmful connotations, are actively and widely rejected and condemned. Meanwhile, supposed
“positive” stereotypes are often embraced and even celebrated by the larger society as a metaphorical pat on the back. Most people have probably heard “Asians are smart” or “black people are great athletes,” and more often than not these are internalized as fact. There’s no skepticism because these are truths—right? Actually, they are not. These statements are stereotypes. Even though they are seen as positive, they can be just as damaging as those negative, hurtful ones people are so quick to renounce others for spreading. “Stereotypes set up a nice, neat mental warehouse for ideas,” said Gloria Martinez-Ramos, associate sociology professor. “It’s like a really lazy way of saying everything is presorted, predetermined and prejudged.” Stereotyping, both positive and negative, is bad because it is extreme and perverse. It paints all
The University Star Editor-in-Chief...................................Nicole Barrios, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor....................Cameron Cutshall, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu Letters................................................................................universitystar@txstate.edu News Editor..............................................Kelsey Bradshaw, starnews@txstate.edu Lifestyle Editor..........................................Britton Richter, starlifestyle@txstate.edu Opinions Editor.......................................Imani McGarrell, staropinion@txstate.edu Photo Editor...........................................Madelynne Scales, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor........................................... Quixem Ramirez, starsports@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief.....................................Sam Hankins, starcopychief@txstate.edu
people of a particular group with a broad, overarching brush. It’s an unfair burden when it is “good” and a destructive marker when it is bad. Both ways are highly counterproductive. Aside from solidifying prejudices and preconceived notions, stereotypes strip people of their individuality, forcing them under an umbrella of conformity. An Asian boy cannot like art or enjoy playing sports without tangible awe from his peers. Oh no, Asians like math. Every single one of them likes video games and doing schoolwork. See, this is what stereotypes do. Stereotypes destroy critical thinking and reinforce ignorance. “Stereotypes obscure the nuances,” Martinez-Ramos said. “Even if it is a good one, people will then anticipate that is all that person or that group of people are.” Stereotypes persist throughout every culture and are common, every-
day occurrences. Students should not feel ostracized for partaking in them occasionally. Conversely, they should understand these thoughts are often inaccurate and paint an incomplete picture. Stereotypes help the less intelligent to make sense of the world around them, however inaccurate that sense of the world may be. An interesting study done by Aaron Kay, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University, sought to analyze the effects these “positive” stereotypes have on people who hear them. The results were interesting and quite ironic. The study found exposing people to positive stereotypes about a racial group were more likely to produce beliefs in eugenics. Essentially, they believed there were biological and genetic reasons for these differences. This thought process actually reinforced application of negative
stereotypes. The study concluded the exposure to “positive” stereotypes led to more antiquated and negative beliefs about specific groups compared to exposure to neutral or even negative stereotypes. The sooner people start seeing others as the individual beings they are, the better. Once the world starts thinking about life in all its different variations and forms, then it will produce more open-minded, intelligent inhabitants. I never liked stereotypes, even the ones people thought I should applaud because it was a compliment. I am not an athlete. I am not 6 feet tall. I do not have a deep, strong voice. The expectations society has of me are simply unwelcomed. I’m an individual, and my color will always tell less about me than my mouth and mind do. —Brandon Sams is a journalism sophomore 601 University Drive Trinity Building, Room 101 San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708
Design Editor...........................................Lauren Huston, stardesign@txstate.edu Assistant News Editor...................Carlie Porterfield, starasstnews@txstate.edu Account Executive............................................Hanna Katz, starad2@txstate.edu Account Executive.................................Morgan Knowles, starad4@txstate.edu Account Executive....................................Jamie Beckham, 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
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 Tuesday, March 3, 2015. 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 | Tuesday, March 3, 2015 | 5
SPORTS
UniversityStar.com
BASEBALL
BOBCATS LOSE THIRD STRAIGHT GAME TO CHIPPEWAS, 2-0 By Quixem Ramirez SPORTS EDITOR @quixem Three weeks into the season, Assistant Coach Jeremy Fikac remains in search of a pitcher who can close games for the Texas State baseball team. Pitching was not what hindered the Bobcats’ 2-0 loss to Central Michigan in the fourgame series finale. Texas State recorded five hits, the second-lowest mark of the season. The Bobcats won the first game before losing three straight to Central Michigan by a combined 12 runs. “Competitively, I felt we were just okay,” Fikac said. “We came out here, and we wanted to win, but we didn’t go out and earn it. We had opportunities to win every game this weekend. We didn’t slam the door and take some.” Fikac gave Montana Parsons, freshman pitcher, one day of notice before his first collegiate start. The transition to the new role was not steep for Parsons, who started at College Park High School in the Woodlands. “I was pretty excited, a little anxious and a little nervous,” Parsons said. “I felt good about it, but I wish the outcome was different. I wish we would’ve
knocked some hits together and, in the end, I wanted to do the best I could.” Parsons allowed six hits and one earned run in 6.2 innings. Parsons, who pitched 5.1 innings in relief prior to the start, has a 0.75 earned run average in his three appearances this year. “The starting pitching was great,” Fikac said. “I thought Montana gave us a great outing and an opportunity to win. I think the biggest thing is that we are starting to find some guys that can help us in the bullpen for the conference run. I’m excited about it.” The Bobcats’ aggression came back to bite them on two different occasions. Cody Lovejoy, senior designated hitter, was tagged out at home in the first inning as he tried to stretch a double from David Paiz, senior third baseman, into a run. An out was possible with Ben McElroy, senior first baseman, at the plate and two runners in scoring position if Lovejoy remained at third. Instead, McElroy grounded out to end the scoring opportunity. McElroy recorded an out in a similar situation in the seventh inning. Granger Studdard, sophomore left fielder, doubled to left field. Daniel Jipping, Chippewas
MADELYNNE SCALES PHOTO EDITOR
Tanner Hill, junior catcher, is tagged out by Central Michigan as he slides to first base March 1 at Bobcat Ballpark. freshman left fielder, threw out a stumbling McElroy at third base. It was the second out of the inning. The seventh inning was the last scoring opportunity for the Bobcats. They tallied one base runner in the final two innings.
“It’s kids trying to be aggressive and make plays,” Fikac said. “They are pressing. Hopefully we’ll learn from it.” Texas State has one non-conference matchup before Sun Belt play. Fikac views the Sun Belt Conference as a fresh start for a
team with a 3-8-1 overall record. “There is no team that just outshines the other on paper,” Fikac said. “There is no Lafayette from last year, (which) was No. 2 in the country at times. We are starting to get healthy and throw the ball better.”
MEN’S BASKETBALL
CAMERON NAYLOR
Junior forward
just Kevin Durant.
By Sabrina Flores SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER @SabrinaFloresTX
SF: What do you say to impress a girl?
SF: If you could have a super power, what would it be? CN: To be invisible. SF: Describe the moment you fell in love with basketball. CN: I don’t think there was a moment. I think it’s more so a process. I fell in love with the process, with going to the gym and getting better. Ever since I started playing, I love loved playing basketball. SF: Who knows you best on the team? CN: I know everyone. I am pretty cool with everyone on the team. SF: Who is your favorite NBA player and why? STAR FILE PHOTO
CN: Kevin Durant. No reason why. He is
SOFTBALL
The Texas State softball team recorded 14 hits and scored in eight innings in the 9-0 victory against Connecticut. The shutout puts the Bobcats one game above .500 heading into Sun Belt Conference play next weekend. The Bobcat offense started the game with a single from Kelli Baker, junior second baseman. Baker had a game-high three runs batted in. She hit her third home run of the season. Texas State continued to produce runs in the second inning with sacrifice hits from Kortney Koroll, senior utility player, and Kendall Wiley, junior first baseman. Koroll and Wiley finished with two hits and two runs batted in. The Bobcats added to the five-run lead with an RBI-single from Wiley in the fourth inning and Baker’s threerun home run in the fifth. “We just approached the game better today all the way around,” Coach Ricci Woodard said. “I thought we did a better job at focusing on one pitch at a time and not wasting any at bats.” Randi Rupp, freshman pitcher, pitched a complete game, giving up three hits and two walks while record-
ing eight strikeouts. Rupp improved to 8-6 on the season with a 2.66 earned run average and 123 strikeouts. Two of the three hits the Huskies recorded were doubles in the first and fifth inning. Emily O’Donnell, Huskies senior third baseman, and Taylor Townsend, Huskies sophomore utility player, are two of the top hitters in the Connecticut program with seven combined doubles. Woodard decided to get Rupp’s momentum going by giving her the start in both games of the double-header. Assistant coach Cat Osterman and Woodard were impressed with Rupp’s attacks on the strike zone. Texas State begins conference play Saturday afternoon in Statesboro, Georgia against Georgia Southern. The teams will play a double-header Saturday, March 7, and one game Sunday. The Bobcats begin conference play ranked eighth in the Sun Belt after four tournaments. “We kind of approached today as practice since we were playing the same team in a double-header,” Woodard said. “This is what we’re going start doing next week in conference play. I think the kids did a great job at staying focused and doing what needed to be done to win two ball games.”
SF: If you could take a girl celebrity on a date, who would it be and where would you take them in San Marcos? CN: Beyonce. I would take her to Saltgrass. SF: If you could play a pickup game with any four players currently in the NBA, who would you play with? CN: Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul. SF: Do you have any superstitious rituals you do before a game? CN: No.
Strange, but informative.
TEXAS STATE RECORDS SHUTOUT IN FINAL CONNECTICUT MATCHUP By Donavan Jackson SPORTS REPORTER @djack_02
CN: I would tell her she looks nice, that she’s gorgeous. I don’t think girls hear that a lot.
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6 | The University Star | Sports | Tuesday, March 3, 2015
MEN’S BASKETBALL
NOTEBOOK: TEXAS STATE 70, ARKANSAS STATE 60 By Sabrina Flores SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER @SabrinaFloresTX
WHAT THE WIN MEANS The Texas State men’s basketball team is now ranked seventh in the Sun Belt Conference standings after beating Arkansas State. The Bobcats are on a two-game winning streak. The win increases their postseason tournament chances.
TURNING POINT Texas State began the first half on a 17-3 run against Arkansas State. The Red Wolves switched to a zone defense that allowed them to stay in the game midway through the first half. The Bobcats maintained control, overcoming the challenges the Red Wolves presented.
SPOTLIGHT PLAYER: KAVIN GILDER-TILBURY, SOPHOMORE FORWARD Gilder-Tilbury was responsible for 19 of the Bobcats’ 25 bench points. Gilder-Tilbury shot five for eight from the field, two for three from 3-point range and seven for eight from the free throw line. He had two rebounds, two assists and one steal.
GREAT: SHOOTING Texas State has not scored 70 points in regulation since its Jan. 15 win against South Alabama. The Bobcats made 24 of their 50 attempts, shooting 48 percent from the field. The Bobcats had three players with double-digit points. Wes Davis, senior guard, scored 11 points, converting on five of his nine shots. Ethan
Montalvo, junior guard, did not make any of his four 3-point attempts in the first half. Montalvo made two baskets from behind the arc within the first minute of the second half. He finished the game with 12 points.
GOOD: DEFENSE The Bobcat defense, led by Davis, disrupted the Red Wolves’ offensive scheme. The Bobcats filled the passing lanes, complicating the Red Wolves’ attempts to convert on offense. Davis and Montalvo accounted for six of the team’s 10 steals. The Bobcats converted 32 points from 21 Arkansas State turnovers.
BAD: OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS Arkansas State had 13 offensive rebounds, while Texas State tallied four. Coach Danny Kaspar expressed disappointment in the team’s rebounding battle against Arkansas State. The Bobcats tallied 3 second-chance points and allowed 16 from the Red Wolves.
WHAT THEY SAID “We beat a team that was hot today,” Kaspar said. “They beat UT-Arlington and UL-Monroe back-to-back before coming in here, so I’m very pleased to get the win. (I’m) very proud of our players, and I think we are putting ourselves in a pretty good position.”
WHAT’S NEXT Texas State will end conference play on a two-game road trip. Appalachian State, which defeated the Bobcats 64-58 in their last matchup, is the next opponent.
AGE
COMPENSATION
TIMELINE
Men and Postmenopausal or Surgically Sterile Women 18 to 65
Up to $5000
Healthy & Non-Smoking BMI 18 - 32 Weigh at least 110 lbs.
Mon. 3/23 - Sun. 3/29 Multiple Outpatient Visits
Men and Women 18 to 50
Up to $2000
Healthy & Non-Smoking BMI 20 - 32 Weigh at least 110 lbs.
Mon. 3/23 - Fri. 3/27 Outpatient Visit: 3/28
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
NOTEBOOK: TEXAS STATE 83, ARKANSAS STATE 74
REQUIREMENTS
Men and Women 18 to 55
Up to $2000
Healthy & Non-Smoking BMI 19 - 30 Thu. 3/26 - Sun. 3/29 Females weighing at least Thu. 4/2 - Sun. 4/5 110 lbs. Males weighing at least 130 lbs.
By Paul Livengood SPORTS REPORTER @IamLivengood
WHAT THE WIN MEANS Beating Arkansas State means the Texas State women’s basketball team has defeated every Sun Belt Conference opponent at least once in the past two seasons. The victory gives the team a momentum boost as the Sun Belt Conference tournament approaches. The Bobcats were 0-4 against the Red Wolves before Saturday’s 83-74 win.
TURNING POINT: FIRST HALF Ayriel Anderson, junior guard, and Meghan Braeuer, senior guard, agreed the first half of Saturday’s game was the best the team has played all season. The team shot 58.6 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from 3-point range in the first half. The Bobcat defense held the Red Wolves to 28.6 percent shooting from the field and beyond the 3-point arc.
SPOTLIGHT PLAYER(S): ANDERSON, BRAEUER, ERIN PEOPLES AND TAELER DEER The entire Texas State team deserves the spotlight, but these four guards were at the forefront of the victory. All four scored in double-digits while sharing the responsibility of guarding Aundrea Gamble, Red Wolves junior guard.
GOOD: SHOOTING The game marked the first time Texas State shot 50 percent or above since Nov. 25, 2014. The team is 3-0 this season when shooting above 48 percent.
BAD: ALLOWING THE RED WOLVES TO GET BACK INTO THE GAME Texas State was leading by 22 points with 15:02 remaining in the second half. The Bobcats need to work on holding leads and not letting an opponent back into the game. Arkansas State shaved the deficit to 4 points over the next 10 minutes.
WHAT THEY SAID “The (seniors) get to end their season on a big win at home," Coach Zenarae Antoine said. "(They) beat Arkansas State, who’s been a monkey on our back. That is huge. I’m so happy for our seniors.”
WHAT’S NEXT Texas State travels to North Carolina March 5 for its next game against Appalachian State. The Bobcats won their last matchup 67-58 in San Marcos. Deer scored a career-high 23 points in the win.
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 2015 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 nine hours each semester during the term of office. Students graduating in the final semester of the appointment (Spring Semester 2016) 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. An overall minimum 2.5 grade-point average is required for application consideration.
Term of Office Term of office begins following the final publication of the Spring 2015 semester and runs through the Spring 2016 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 A written petition is to be completed by each applicant. This petition consists of questions to determine an applicant’s qualifications in journalism academics and management. A letter of interest must be included with the formal application. The letter should address personal characteristics addressing reasons the applicant is qualified for the position. Applicants, certified as qualified by the student publications board, will be interviewed. The board will select the editor-in-chief.
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.
The University Star Mission
PACKETS AVAILABLE: March 2, noon; Trinity, Room 107
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 editor-in-chief is also the voice of the publication with the community.
DEADLINE: Wednesday, April 1; noon; Trinity, Room 107 INTERVIEWS: April 13
