VOLUME 103, ISSUE 36
www.UniversityStar.com
WEDNESDAY
NOVEMBER 13, 2013
Defending the First Amendment since 1911
VIDEO | UniversityStar.com
TRENDS | Page 3
The Wittliff Collections are a series of photos, literature and other artistic accomplishments that represent Texas artists.
Collaboration with J.J. Abrams: Doug Dorst, assistant professor of English, worked with the director on “S.,” an interactive mystery novel soon to be available to students in Alkek.
CITY
Residents discuss growth at SMTX Talks open forum By Maggie Montez News Reporter
Residents gathered at the San Marcos Activity Center Tuesday to discuss issues facing the fastest growing city in the country. City of San Marcos Development Services officials presented the first “SMTX Talks: A Constructive Conversation.” The free event was followed by an open discussion guided by a facilitator and a catered luncheon with a panel of various subject matter experts. Officials with San Marcos Area Board of Realtors, Texas State, San Marcos Chamber of Commerce, The Meadows Center for the Water and the Environment and the San Marcos River Foundation supported the event. Any resident could sign up to be a speaker at the event by using the SMTX Talks page on the City of San Marcos website. The speakers put on presentations under an estimated five-minute time limit regarding their personal concerns and various solutions for ongoing issues related to the growth of the city. Residents including Lisa Marie Coppoletta, Greg Frank and Rob Roark, local business owners such as Scott Gregson and Rebecca Ybarra-Ramirez, executive director of tourism for San Marcos, spoke about issues resulting from the city’s growth. Texas State grows three percent in enrollment each year, yet the city does not have accurate data available on the populations of San Marcos residents and students. Roark said more solid data needs to be released regarding population numbers to help increase business and help city of-
ficials address proper audiences. “One of the things I found was that we don’t know what our population has been,” Roark said. “It’s been all over the place. We judge different numbers even the Census Bureau has changed.” With growth comes infrastructure expansion, and Coppoletta mentioned certain downtown shops were forced to close because of a lack of customers caused by construction. “We’ve seen business after business go out of business such as (Fresh) Cubed, The Hemp Store, The Coffee Pot (Bistro), Mr. (E) Tee’s, Wayback Attic and the old court house annex. We’ve even moved now the county seat to the other side,” Coppoletta said. City officials commissioned construction projects to build more sidewalks and bike lanes, something that Frank said he supports. More bikes and fewer cars will cause less congestion on the roads, Frank said. Safety aspects of biking are a concern, Frank said. San Marcos needs designate bike routes and cleaner streets to be more accessible and provide a safer environment. Ybarra-Ramirez said the city need more “cheeks in seats” and “flops in shops” to increase tourist revenue at Texas State, the San Marcos River and the Premium Outlets, which, as she said, welcome 40 million people annually. Ramirez mentioned a need for new venues targeting families. Gregson said San Marcos is “the epicenter of Texas,” because it sits between two of the biggest cities in Texas—Austin and San Antonio. Gregson used pictures of various downtown areas with weeds and trash to prove the need to put more time and effort into the appearance of the city.
PLANNING & ZONING
City officials plan to revise Land Development Code By Kelsey Bradshaw News Reporter
Planning and Zoning commissioners discussed potential revisions to the Land Development Code in their Nov. 12 meeting designed to correct inconsistencies, provide clarification and modify environmental standards in San Marcos. Laurie Moyer, director of engineering and capital improvement for the city, explained the necessity for the revisions at the meeting. In 2011, the former director of engineering asked a consultant to help review the code in relation to water qualities, storm water and environmental regulations, Moyer said. “At the time there was a lot of new staff that were unfamiliar with what the code had in it,” Moyer said. “There was concern about some inconsistencies, and we wanted to go through and create some recommendations about the ‘low-hanging fruit’ the city could implement concerning our environmental regulations.” A firm was selected to complete a report that compared all the chapters of the Land Development Code to regulations in the Comprehensive Master Plan concerning development, Moyer said. “The staff didn’t want to bring forward something inconsistent with the comprehensive plan,” Moyer said. “We’re now at the point where we’re going to kick off and rewrite the Land Development Code.” Rey Garcia, project engineer, said an expiration time will be established for site preparation per-
mits under the revisions. By creating a “limiting expiration time,” older projects can be tossed out, allowing room for new projects to be brought forward and implemented, Garcia said. “The idea is to prevent outdated plans from moving forward,” Garcia said. Another revision to the Land Development Code concerned the size of land cuts or fills, which can become an issue when analyzing site plans, Garcia said. The new code will not allow any land cuts or fills for construction projects greater than four feet deep and will “help offset table top type of development,” Garcia said. The main reason officials altered the land cut size regulation is because it is “very similar to what the city of Austin is doing,” Garcia said. A hot topic at the Planning and Zoning meeting regarded handling the city’s issues with the “100-year runoff,” which refers to water resulting from the past 100year storm. “The water is returned to the river, but at a rate that is more natural for the existing condition,” said Brian Reese, who works for Resource Planning and Scheduling Subsystem. The idea is supported by FEMA and is not detrimental to the environment in any way, Reese said. “It does have a long term impact on the community in terms of our flood plains,” Moyer said. “We really felt like this one was one we wanted to include. We recognize it was a big step for us.” The final changes to the code will be voted on and approved at the Dec. 19 city council meeting.
BOBCATS AXED
Lumberjacks defeat former coach at Strahan
Madelynne Scales | Staff Photographer Senior forwards Joel Wright and Corey Stern wait for a rebound Nov. 12 against SFA at Strahan Coliseum.
The Texas State men’s basketball team fell short to Coach Danny Kaspar’s former team Stephen F. Austin Tuesday in its home opener 64–57. PAGE 2
ORGANIZATIONS
More food vendors seek training to comply with campus requirement By James Carneiro News Reporter
Large groups of students are signing up for food safety training courses after a new university policy was enacted in early October, implementing repercussions for any group selling edibles without certification. Since Sept. 19, 275 students have received special food handling training on campus. The purpose of the training is to educate students on the proper ways to prepare food before selling or handing it out on campus. The number of students trained through the university’s food handling program nearly totals 400, according to Heather Campbell, student organizations and risk management coordinator. The total number of trained students was only about 100 around Sept. 19, according to a University Star article from the same day. Campbell said the training rooms have frequently been upgraded to larger venues when the number of students signed up for a session exceeds expected capacity. If a student organization is caught selling food in The Quad without a member present who is trained in food safety, they are asked to leave and are told to attend upcoming training sessions, Campbell said. If an organization continues to break the rules, they may be banned from selling food in The Quad indefinitely. Any organization wishing to distribute food in The Quad must be registered with the university, Campbell said. There is only one way to handle an organization whose members are selling food on campus without at least one trained person present, said Elsie Romano, Texas
John Casares | Staff Photographer Clark Broom, marketing freshman, Jerry Mullis, nutrition and foods freshman, and Charles Dominguez, exploratory freshman, sell sausage wraps with other members of Sigma Chi Nov. 12 in The Quad.
State environmental health and safety specialist. “We would just have to shut them down,” Romano said. Romano said an organization that is caught selling food without someone trained could be prohibited from doing so until they could provide a proper certification. Campbell said prevention of potential illnesses is one of the main reasons the food handling classes are now a requirement for those looking to distribute edibles on campus. “We want to be proactive and not have anybody get sick,” Campbell said. In the event of a food poisoning outbreak, Romano said she would investigate the areas where the incident took place and talk to organizations who may be responsible for providing the tainted food. Romano said there have not been any recent outbreaks at Texas State except for a single incident a few years ago. “We haven’t had anything where numerous individuals (got sick),” Romano said.
Santiago Demaree, computer science senior, said he took the food safety class and learned the correct ways to prepare food and avoid common food-borne diseases. “Overall, it was pretty interesting, but there were some boring moments too,” Demaree said. However, he sadid the training did not apply much to his organization, which only sells pre-made foods. Campbell and Romano teach the free, one-hour food handling class available to students. Campbell said students need to take one class to earn their food handling certificate and receive a simple guide with rules on cooking and sanitation. Organizations wishing to distribute food can sign up for a training session on the university’s Risk Management website and can choose a specific time and date to sign up for their session. “Our main goal is to create awareness,” Romano said. “And I think we’ve created a lot of awareness for a lot of people.”
2 | The University Star | Wednesday November 13, 2013
SPORTS
UniversityStar.com
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Bobcats defeated by Stephen F. Austin 64–57 in home opener Tuesday night By Samuel Rubbelke
Assistant Sports Editor @SamuelRubbelke
The Texas State men’s basketball team fell short to Coach Danny Kaspar’s former team Stephen F. Austin Tuesday in its home opener 64–57. “We won with a lot of veteran players,” said Lumberjacks Coach Brad Underwood. “We won with a lot of guys Kaspar recruited, and who had a lot of success last year with 27 wins. What’s very evident was Kaspar created a tremendous culture of winning here at SFA. That became evident tonight.” Four Lumberjacks ended with double figures led by forward Jacob Parker, recording a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. Thomas Walkup accumulated a game-high 14 points, shooting 2–7 from the charity stripe and added eight rebounds. “You just don’t want to play your ex-players,” Kaspar said. “I’m really down on losing this game. On the other hand, when you see these explayers of mine executing so well, and playing so hard, you can’t root against them.” The Bobcats took their first lead of the game with 2:31 left in the first half off a 3-point shot by senior forward Reid Koenen. The three was one of two made during the entire game. Koenen led the Bobcats with eight points in the first half, shooting 3 out of 4 from the field. Koenen did not score in the second half. “They got a new coach, but they’re still a team that plays smart and makes good decisions,” Koenen said. “We’re trying to get the offense down better, and working his new defensive system. We need to work
Jason Dann junior kicker
Madelynne Scales| Staff Photographer Senior forward Corey Stern takes on SFA defense Nov. 12 to make a basket. together better and have better rotations that should get things going.” Senior forward Joel Wright started off slow, converting two of his first seven shots. Wright finished with 20 points and shot 80 percent from the foul line and registered seven rebounds and two steals. Wright and senior guard Phil Hawkins shot a combined 9–28 from the floor, while both were 0–4 from beyond the arc. Between Wright, Hawkins and sophomore forward Emani Gant, the trio committed 14 turnovers, two more than the entire Lumberjacks team. “I just have to understand that the scouting report is being watched,” Wright said. “As coach was telling me, they were squeezing in on me when I caught the ball. I just have to make better decisions. This transition of trying to go slow is a whole
new change for me.” After Wright gave Texas State its first lead of the second half, 38–37, the ‘Jacks responded with a 3-pointer by forward Nikola Gajic that led to a seven point run late in game. The Lumberjacks’ largest lead of 11 points came with 5:58 left in the game. “(Thomas) Walkup is a very strong powerful player,” Kaspar said. “He’s not very big, but he’s a very strong, powerful player. He got some rebounds on (Wright). I know these kids, and not many can guard Walkup.” Hawkins committed back-to-back turnovers giving SFA a 56–45 advantage following Walkup’s fast break layup. On top of being the leading scorer for the ‘Jacks, Walkup tallied three steals, three assists and committed one turnover.
FOOTBALL
PR
AC BOBCAT TIC FOO E R TBAL EP L OR T
Team prepares to take on current conference champs
Madelynne Scales | Staff Photographer Texas State football is working to refine certain skills in preparation for this weekend's matchup against Arkansas State.
By Kirk Jones
Sports Reporter @kirk_jones11
The Texas State football team had an opportunity during the bye week to rest and study film on its upcoming opponent this Saturday—Arkansas State. Texas State took a different approach to evaluating teams in practice this week. “We use the bye week as a good thing,” said junior linebacker Mike Orakpo. “It gives all our guys a chance to get their feet under them, get healthy and get back up to full speed. The bye week definitely helped us out, and we head in to this
(next game) ready to fly around.” The team watched film on all three opponents left on the schedule instead of watching film on Arkansas State solely. “It was a little different,” Orakpo said. “What we did was split it up into three times. (A) majority of the time it was Arkansas State then we split the Western Kentucky and Troy game up and watched as (the) defense bounced ideas off each other.” The defense for the Bobcats sputtered against Idaho Nov. 2 especially in stopping the running game. The team ranks first in the Sun Belt in rushing yards, allowing 106.2 yards per game. “Minimizing yards after contact
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had been a big thing this week,” Orakpo said. “We faced a good (running) back for Idaho. He was a big guy (who) got a lot of yards after contact. Coach was not happy in that aspect. We probably did give up too many yards in that aspect.” Freshman quarterback Tyler Jones has started under center for six games and has posted back-to-back career passing records. Coach Dennis Franchione is still looking for improvements in his play and from the team as a whole. “Tyler Jones’ footwork on certain plays—seeing fast angles and things like that (is something he could improve on),” Franchione said. “For Mike (Orakpo) not being down the middle on a pass rush, (he should) be more on the edge on a pass rush. That could be something for all defensive linemen.” Arkansas State has won consecutive Sun Belt conference titles. The Red Wolves are a physical team, and the Bobcats are gearing up for the matchup. “I’m looking forward to it,” said sophomore running back Tim Gay. “I’ve been thinking about this game since last week. When the time comes, I will be ready.” Arkansas State has one of the top pass rushers, senior defensive linemen Ryan Carrethers who ranks sixth in the Sun Belt in sacks with three. The Red Wolves offense has the second best running attack in the Sun Belt averaging 199.4 rushing yards per game. The team has 3,889 total yards on the season, placing fifth in the conference. “They bring different quarterbacks in sometimes,” Orakpo said. “They run some quarterback powers. They’re a very good downhill running team and a physical team. That’s what really marks their team.”
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Kathryn Parker | Staff Photographer
By Gabby Tropea Sports Reporter @gabbytropea
One kicking and punting position shared between three men has brought a competitive yet friendly nature to the Texas State football program this year. Junior Jason Dann, placekicker and punter, has recently competed with his teammate Will Johnson, junior kicker, for the same position on the team. At the time Johnson was replaced, he was 0 for 5 on field goals and 13 for 13 on extra points. “I’ve had my struggles,” Johnson said. “Jason (Dann) stepped up and filled my spot, and he’s done a great job. It’s a competition every week to see who will be punting and kicking.” Dann was a kicker and punter at Lake Highlands High and earned All-District honors as a punter during his junior and senior years. Dann averaged 40 yards on 18 punts and was named MVP of special teams his senior year. He made 11 field goals, while more than 40 percent of his kickoffs landed into the end zone for touchbacks at Lake Highland High. Dann was a walk-on place kicker and punter for Nebraska prior to coming to Texas State. In the 2012 season, Dann played in six games Bringing you your news personally.
as a kicker. The Richardsonnative averaged 61.7 yards on 27 kickoffs throughout the season for Nebraska. At Texas State, Dann assumed the position as kicker midway through the current season. He made his season appearance in the Louisiana-Lafayette game and has kicked ever since. The junior kicker is 9 for 9 in field goals and is 13 for 14 on extra points in five games. Dann kicked the Homecoming game-winning field goal for 43 yards against South Alabama. Johnson started the season as the primary kicker, but has now assumed the position of punting. He competes with Zach Robinson, senior punter. Robinson, Johnson and Dann have all been named Conference Player of the Week this season. “Jason (Dann) and Will (Johnson) feed off each other for kicking,” Robinson said. “More competition makes us strive to be our best. There’s a little bit of smack talk, but it’s all in good fun, and it’s never negative.” Although competition is tight, the trio still gets along. They rely on each other for advice and watch film together to see what they need to work on. According to Dann, the three men believe the reason they excel on the field is because of how well they get along off of it. Coach Dennis Franchione has voiced his opinion on the special teams, saying he continues to be pleased with the “solid” play he sees out of the Bobcats each week. The Bobcats will travel Saturday to face Arkansas State. This game could further Texas State’s chances at getting invited to a bowl game. Dann and many other players have said this season reaching a bowl game is a “team goal.” “We got to come back strong with the last three games of the season,” Dann said. “We basically control our own destiny.”
The University Star | Wednesday November 13, 2013 | 3
TRENDS
UniversityStar.com
Texas State professor, J.J. Abrams collaborate on mystery novel By Jordan Gass-Poore’ Trends Reporter
The cryptically titled new novel “S.” is literally wrapped in an aura of mystery. Doug Dorst, Texas State assistant English professor, collaborated with director-producer J.J. Abrams on the multilayered, interactive novel released Oct. 29. Alkek Library received its first copy of “S.” yesterday, and it will become available to students later this week. Inside the novel’s black slipcase appears to be a stolen library book called “Ship of Theseus.” Readers ride the plot’s rocky waves, using the postcard, letter and newspaper article, among other archival materials, that cling inside the novel-within-a-novel as guides. “There’s been a good deal of pushback from librarians,” Dorst said. “There are so many loose pieces.” Fans of Abrams’ television series “Lost” may be on familiar ground. “S.” incorporates various codes and puzzles to solve, as well as metaphysical concepts. The title “Ship of Theseus” refers to Plutarch’s paradox—would a ship remain the same if it was entirely replaced piece by piece? In “S.,” college students Eric and Jennifer scribble long annotations in the margins of “Ship of Theseus,” exchanging thoughts and replacing the book back on the shelf of a library for
the other to read. The amateur sleuths try to unravel the truth about the enigmatic author of “Ship of Theseus,” by V.M. Straka. Straka may be fictitious but Dorst’s sometimes sleepdeprived juggle to complete “S.” was not. Dorst’s “easy collaboration” with Abrams began in February 2009 when he received an “entirely out-of-the-blue” phone call from his literary agent, asking him if he would be interested in putting together a book proposal for publishers. “It’s really not every day that you can conceivably work with J.J. (Abrams),” Dorst said, a long-time fan of his collaborator. The award-winning author was recommended to write what would become “S.” by Lindsey Weber of Abrams’ production company, after Weber read Dorst’s debut novel “Alive in Necropolis.” Although Dorst is uncertain as to whether Abrams has read his previous work, he spent a year talking about “S.” with the “Star Wars Episode 7” director and wrote the novel’s foreword and first chapter that was shopped to publishers. “(Abrams is) not the kind of guy who takes shortcuts,” Dorst said. Tom Grimes, English professor, said Dorst spoke with him briefly about the novel in 2009. He said Dorst joked that if he told him more about the project he would have to “kill him” be-
cause of the secrecy surrounding its release. The novel’s impending release was stressful for Dorst, Grimes remembered. During one class, Grimes said Dorst got dizzy and may have had to leave for some minor vascular swelling. “One of the first things he did was send me an email, ‘Thank you for giving me a chance at Texas State and supporting me all this time,’” Grimes said. “I knew that what he was working on—the writing project—was going to be really unique and important, and a once-in-a-lifetime thing” Christopher Williams, English junior, is in one of Dorst’s creative writing classes. Williams said he remembered Dorst telling his students that class was going to be canceled because he was leaving the state for work related to “S.” Little, Brown and Company decided to publish “S.” after going through Dorst’s 80-page pitch document. From there, Dorst said he stayed in close contact with Weber, who functioned in a similar fashion as a movie producer, sending her chapters of “S.” to pass along to Abrams. Dorst said he and Abrams mainly communicated by phone and email but met last fall during one of Dorst’s trips to Los Angeles. “I like getting people involved,” Dorst said. “The life of a novelist, you spend a lot of time in a room alone.”
John Casares | Staff Photographer
NOVEMBER
City Events Calendar
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8 a.m. Emancipet 12 p.m. Weight Watchers at Work 3:30 p.m. Philosophy Dialogues 5:30 p.m. Veterans Affairs Advisory Board 7 p.m. Citizens Fire Academy Graduation
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10:30 a.m. Zumba Gold 12 p.m. 50+ Luncheons 12 p.m. JoyDance 12:30 p.m. Zumba Gold 4 p.m. GO Center 4:30 p.m. Bluebonnet Book Club 6 p.m. Citizen Utility Advisory Board
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12 p.m. City Council Packet Meeting 4:45 p.m. Little Learners Club 5 p.m. Downtown Wine & Wassail Walk 6 p.m. West African Dance
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9 a.m. Farmers Market 9:30 a.m. Mommy and Me Yoga 10:30 a.m. Interviewing Skills for Women
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4 | The University Star | Advertisement | Wednesday November 13, 2013
The University Star | Wednesday November 13, 2013 | 5
OPINIONS
UniversityStar.com
THE MAIN POINT
Changing majors can be worthwhile decision
S
witching majors during college is a choice often seen as taboo by some, but it should be better recognized as a viable option for many students stuck in a degree plan that no longer interests them. There is a lot of pressure on students entering college to pick a major and stick to it for the duration of their time at the university. However, students should keep in mind that what interests them at 18-years-old is not necessarily going to present job opportunities when they are 22 or 23 and graduating from the university. Changing majors at least once during college is a normal part of growing up for many students who may realize that what once seemed like the right path may no longer fit. Nearly 1,500 academic programs are available at colleges and universities across the nation, with 355 degrees added to the list over the past 10 years alone, according to a Nov. 2, 2012 New York Times article. It is easy for students to become overwhelmed by mountains of possible degree options. The average 18-year-old freshman students straight out of high school with minimal life or work experience have probably never lived on their own. With little real-world experience, the job aspirations of new freshmen can often be unrealistic. Students should not feel rushed into picking a major. In fact, picking a
major straight away freshman year can lead to more headaches than anything else. Many students do not even need to begin taking major-specific coursework until their sophomore or junior years, so they have plenty of time to weigh their options. Until then, freshmen should consider taking electives in a variety of subjects that may interest them in order to scope out an appropriate major. Additionally, choosing a major too quickly can lead to extra debt when a student decides to switch majors. According to statistics published by the College Board, the average in-state tuition for a semester at a public fouryear university for the 2013-14 school year is $8,893, a 2.9 percent increase from last year. School becomes even more expensive when taking room, board and other living expenses into account. Choosing a major too quickly and having to switch later can add a considerable amount to a student’s overall loan debt. Despite this, students who find themselves stuck in a major that no longer interests them should not be afraid to make a change if they need to. Students who graduate with a degree they are uninterested in may find themselves coming back to college to earn a completely new degree—a choice far more expensive than changing majors while still in school. Worse, students who
POLITICS
graduate with such a degree may not be able to swing the cost of heading back to school and become stuck in an uninteresting career. Students who feel unsure about their majors should consider taking a break from school. There is nothing wrong with students taking a semester off of college to work and get a handle on what truly interests them. Instead of continuing to funnel money, energy and time into a degree that may or may not be right, students should consider taking time off to work and reflect before coming back to school. Changing majors while at a university is completely normal, and students should not be afraid to do what they need to in order to get the most out of their education. The costs of sticking to an unappealing major or choosing too quickly are huge, and students should carefully consider during their college career whether a change or break is needed. 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.
Breanna Baker | Star Illustrator
BUSINESS
Undocumented immigrants deserve equal access to education
Students should choose local establishments over national chains
gratifying life for themselves or their families. A study done by the Pew Research Hispanic Trends Project estimates that about 11.7 million undocumented immigrants are living in the U.S., according to a Sept. 23 New York Times article. Texas is one of the six states where 60 percent of unauthorized immigrants live, according to the same study. An estimated 96,000 young undocumented immigrants in 2010 held an associate’s degree or higher, according to a report from the Migration Policy Institute. Furthermore, according to the College Board website, there is no federal or state law that excludes the admission of undocumented immigrants to U.S. colleges, public or private. While this news is disconcerting for some people, for others, it is a message of hope. Texas State officials need to make positive changes on campus in order to benefit undocumented students and aid them in their future endeavors. Although it is widely debated across the nation, immigrants without American citizenship should still be eligible for lower tuition rates that state residents pay to attend college. Currently, Texas universities do not allow undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition rates. This is simply not fair for undocumented immigrants who live in Texas but do not receive the same treatment just because they are not yet U.S. citizens. Many of these immigrants cannot afford out-of-state tuition rates and might be discouraged to apply to the universities of their choice because of financial reasons. Hard-working, determined people should not be denied the chance to chase their dreams and further their education regardless of their immigration status. These people have probably already sacrificed much just to live here, and they should not be denied the opportunity to attend college.
than not, the meals will be of higher quality and taste better than its fast food opposite. Supporting the community does not always have to mean eating at local restaurants, however. Local clothing stores such as Hays Co Outfitters and Barefoot Athletics are the perfect places to shop for unique Texas State apparel not found in the bookstores. Looking for that perfect pastel colored shirt, so everyone knows you are in a fraternity? Look no further. Need some fluorescent shorts, so everyone knows you are going to the gym? Here is your place. These stores are the perfect one-stop shop for all college students looking to dress like college students. Students should consider supporting these local businesses instead of going to the outlet malls or the bookstores for clothes. Students should consider using online resources if they do not know where to start when looking for local businesses to frequent. One can find local businesses for almost anything using Yelp’s website or its free app. Yelp is a great way to find new places to drink, chill or be entertained. Businesses are rated on a one to five star scale and previous visitors can leave comments advising or discouraging others from supporting the businesses. Students should be sure to give San Marcos businesses honest ratings and leave nice comments if the food or service was excellent. Yelp and similar websites help students identify businesses they might be interested in supporting as well as garner further support for local hangouts they already frequent. Supporting local businesses helps the community as a whole grow together. San Marcos is the number one fastest growing city in the nation, according to an article published by Energy and Environment Reporting for Texas. We as a community should take pride in this, but be cautious toward losing what makes this town so great—the people. We should strive to support local businesses as much as possible now before competition from big companies looking to cash in on our growing population start to move in.
Molly Block Opinions Columnist Journalism senior
ndocumented immigrants who wish U to further their education and create a better life in America should have the
same opportunity to graduate college and receive a degree as citizens. The U.S. is known as the land of the free and the home of the brave. America is a country full of opportunities and promises for a brighter future. Every day, people around the world hope for a chance to come to the U.S. and raise their families in a country where the possibilities are endless. As a college student who was born and raised in the U.S., I have fortunately never had to face many of the struggles and hardships others encounter every day. I, too, often take for granted the excellent education I am receiving at Texas State and the various opportunities I have been presented with from the university. I have the chance to acquire a degree that will allow me to do what I love for a living, but I realize that not everyone in this world is as lucky as I have been. Undocumented immigrants who have persevered and worked hard to live in the U.S. should be able to attend college and enjoy the same freedoms presented to American citizens. I strongly believe undocumented immigrants should eventually take the necessary steps to become U.S. citizens. With that said, I believe no one should be denied the chance to create a more fulfilling and
Ryan Pittman Opinions Columnist Journalism freshman
exas State students should take small San T Marcos businesses into consideration when shopping or eating at restaurants. Local small businesses need all the support they can get. Large chains are not automatically superior even if they gained their status from mass appeal. For instance, Gumby’s Pizza is a San Marcos native, but rivals top chain deliveries such as Domino’s and Papa John’s in town. Gumby’s Pizza is my first choice every single time I am craving pizza. Its unique topping selection and modern ordering system is very appealing to me as a young adult. One advantage a small business has over a large franchise is its unique product selection. While corporations stock products to appeal to the masses, a small business can have a more narrow and specific selection. For example, the San Marcos Farmers Market meets every Tuesday from 3 to 6 p.m. and every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students should definitely go out and support local farmers for fresh, homegrown and homemade products instead of only shopping at H-E-B for their weekly groceries. I am not asking everyone to give up on large franchises entirely—just to devote at least one out of every four outings to supporting a local business. For example, I personally gave up on most fast food specifically for health purposes. A small business will usually provide healthier and fresher food since its business is built on taste and not how fast food can be made. More often
SOCIAL ISSUES
Late-night runners out for exercise, not committing crime
James Soto Opinions Columnist English senior
like to jog through campus at Ifeeling night for several reasons, and like a criminal is not one
of them. I particularly enjoy breaking a sweat around the Theatre Center and in The Quad at night. As somebody who comes from an area with flat land, the opportu-
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nity to run uphill and downhill is both exhausting and exhilarating. What I do not enjoy is the feeling that, because it is dark and I am running around, I am doing something wrong. There is an ever-present fear that people will think I am running because I am about to either rob or rape somebody. People may think I perhaps have already done so and am fleeing the scene. Feeling like a criminal is not why I jog through and around campus. Even with Thanksgiving break on the horizon, it is a stressful time regarding exams, research papers and group projects for many Bobcats. With this pressure comes the need to release stress. One of my favorites stress relievers is to get out and jog. The feeling of the air on my face and the scenery can make even the
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toughest runs bearable. When females give me frightened looks as I jog by it makes me uncomfortable and uneasy. I am out to break a sweat, not the law. I always notice when girls see me approaching, they move over about 10 feet. Sometimes they will make a sudden left or right that seems to have less to do with going somewhere, and more to do with me drawing nearer. Maybe these changes in behavior are supposed to be subtle, but it is obvious to me what is going on. When jogging around at night, I am looked at as a possible threat. I can understand this as it is dark, and I am a stranger—by no means am I advocating that female students not be aware or cautious at night. With the flickering lights and litter being blown
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around, walking through campus at night can feel like treading through a post-apocalyptic movie set. It makes sense that guys sprinting by can freak females out given the setting. In the past, the awkwardness of feeling I was doing something wrong while jogging around campus got to me. I would change directions to avoid spots that were not well lit—or if I was getting closer to females, I would move over the 10 feet. Changing my routes or speed bummed me out and took away some of the joy I felt while jogging. While I understand why some people may be scared of latenight joggers, I do not think it is my responsibility to change my running habits. I am out there to exercise and to break the monotony of homework and studying. I
cannot help if it gets dark earlier or that the Texas State campus offers many nice jogging areas. I also cannot help it that I am a man or look the way I do. Anyone walking campus at night should be aware of their surroundings, but they should consider that the guy running around The Quad may be doing just that—running. Just because someone is a male jogging on campus at night does not mean he is a threat. If females are worried I might harm them in any way, it is their problem and not mine. That may sound harsh, but I am not going to shy away from doing something positive because of fears or stereotypes. Females should feel comfortable walking around campus at night, but so should males who choose to jog.
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, November 13, 2013. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor in chief. The first five issues of each edition of the paper are free. Additional copies of the paper can be purchased at 50¢ per copy. Contact The University Star office at (512) 245-3487 to purchase additional copies.
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