November 21 2013

Page 1

VOLUME 103, ISSUE 40

www.UniversityStar.com

THURSDAY

Defending the First Amendment since 1911

NOVEMBER 21, 2013

VIDEO | UniversityStar.com

SPECIAL ISSUE | B & C

S.W.A.N. is an Austin-based group aiming to establish a San Marcos program in which college students tutor children with incarcerated parents.

San Marcos Stars: Residents voted on the best businesses in San Marcos across 10 categories. Read sections B and C for poll results.

GROWTH

Faculty senators discuss plans to increase transfer, undergraduate enrollment By Rebecca Banks News Reporter

Enrollment for transfer and undergraduate students is expected to be lower than normal next fall, a problem administrators discussed during Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting. Michael Heintze, associate vice president for Enrollment Management and Marketing, discussed the projected goals the university plans to meet next year for undergraduate and transfer student enrollment. Heintze said the university is expecting between 4,900 to 5,180 of freshman students to enroll in 2014. The projected range for transfer students is between 3,696 to 3,808 enrolled students next year, Heintze said. The university’s projected enrollment for undergraduate students is low compared to previous data on the campus, Heintze said. “Yes we will have a down

year, but last year we were up by 20 percent,” said Provost Eugene Bourgeois. “We went beyond what we actually thought we would land (last year).” Decreased community college enrollment is reflected in the lower projected transfer goals for next year, Bourgeois said.Austin Community College has seen a decreased enrollment of 4 percent each year for the past two years, Bourgeois said. “Overall the university needs to have these enrollment target and goals to be able to function financially,” Bourgeois said. The university’s state funding is dependent on overall enrollment at the campus, Bourgeois said. The Council of Academic Deans and Council of Chairs was also present at the meeting. Jaime Chahin, dean of the College of Applied Arts,

Bobby Cazares dances along to drum beats Nov. 20 outside of the LBJ Student Center.

Celebrating Native American Culture The Native American Student Association hosted a powwow on campus Wednesday. TRENDS, Page 6

See ENROLLMENT, Page 2

CITY

Commissioners seek location for youth agricultural facility By Kendall Precup News Reporter

Though county commissioners recently voted in favor of relocating a youth agricultural facility to Texas State’s Freeman Ranch, the university came to the con-

clusion the facility cannot be placed on the university’s land. The Hays County Civic Center, which closed in October due to the need for renovations and repair, housed the agricultural facility where Hays County students practiced, participated and

showed animals for FFA, according to information released by the county. Texas State was contacted in August about the possibility of moving the facility to Freeman Ranch, said Bill Nance, vice president for Finance and Support Services. University officials studied the proposal from two perspectives— facilities and educational, Nance said. After the study, administrators concluded locating the facility at Freeman Ranch would not line up with the mission of the university. Since Texas State is the operating co-trustee of the ranch, administrators must abide by the Last Will and Testament of

RESIDENTIAL LIFE

Housing fee increase for fall 2014 to be determined

Danielle Charles | Staff Photographer

By Autumn Bernhard News Reporter

The Department of Housing and Residential Life is in the process of determining the rate by which residence hall fees will be raised next year. The projected three to four percent increase will be implemented next August, said Rita Staires, business manager for the Department of Housing and Residential Life. The precise percentage has not yet determined and will not be finalized until it is approved by the Texas State University System Board of Regents in February, she said. Texas State attempts to raise its fees yearly to prevent major hikes occuring over a number of years, said Rosanne Proite, director of the Department of

Austin Humphreys | Photo Editor

Housing and Residential Life. The department is self-funded, meaning its only revenue source is the housing fees, she said. The university raised the housing fees by four percent last year, Staires said. According to Institutional Research, 13 of 18 universities surveyed will be raising their housing rates next year. The average hike, 2.875 percent, is lower than Texas State’s projected fee increase for next year. “Figuring out how much rates should raise becomes a balancing act between holding rates as low as we can for students but be able to cover all the costs that go into the halls and the department,” Staires said. “Our revenue is pure-

See HALL PRICES, Page 2

Harry Freeman, who bequeathed the 3,485 acres of ranchland to the university. Under the will, the ranch cannot accept longterm contracts, and the county wanted to sign for 50 years. Freeman Ranch is not the only location the county has considered for the youth agricultural facility, according to Commissioner Mark Jones, Precinct 2. The county is open to placing it on any available, centrally located piece of property that could adhere to the needs of students with involvements in stock shows and rodeos, he said. “Any place that is available that would be well-suited and centrally located—a center

for the entire county, not San Marcos, not just Kyle—centrally located as we can get, would be an advantage,” Jones said. Commissioner Will Conley, Precinct 3, said the civic center was sold because the property the building was located on is in one of the most highly industrialized areas. Because of its location, the property could be used for other, more useful purposes for the community, he said. “What we are using it for is not the highest and best use for that property. We could sell that and use the proceeds to build a newer facility,” Jones said.

See AGRICULTURE, Page 2

RESIDENTIAL LIFE

Officials say security systems in place despite survey results

John Casares | Staff Photographer ID card systems outside of residence halls are used as a form of security.

By Kelsey Bradshaw News Reporter

Despite a survey claiming Texas State is not among universities with traditional security systems in their dorms, officials say there are systems in place, though they fit a different description. According to a poll conducted by Institutional Research, 72 percent of 18 responding universities have security systems in the their dorms, and Texas State was not among them. Rosanne Proite, director of the Department of Housing and Residential Life, said although there is not a traditional security system in place within resident halls, ID card systems keep the dorms safe. “We do have a security system in our resident halls—it’s the ID card system

where you swipe into the residence hall,” Proite said. Cameras are located outside the entrances and elevators of “close to half” of the halls to increase security, Proite said. In addition, cameras are being installed in halls that do not have them, Proite said. Colin Latimer, computer information systems freshman, said he generally feels safe in his dorm. “I live in Gaillardia, and there’s like a fortress of solitude walking into the whole building,” Latimer said. Proite said the North Campus Housing Complex (Gaillardia and Chautauqua Halls) has “one way in and one way out” to make the building safer. There is only one doorway for students to come and

See SECURITY, Page 2


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