October 7 2014

TUESDAY

OCTOBER 7, 2014

VOLUME 104 ISSUE 25

Defending the First Amendment since 1911

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FOOTBALL

DENISE CATHEY ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Michael Odiari, senior defensive lineman, celebrates a play Oct. 4 at Bobcat Stadium.

HOMECOMING KINGS The Texas State football team defeated the Idaho Vandals 35-30 in the 2014 Homecoming game.

STATE

Cameras, police and locks are not enough to stop a thief from stealing bicycles on campus.

Concern about bicycle theft on campus has increased, and Texas State is not the only university affected by this rising trend. Students at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A&M and Texas Tech University have experienced bicycle theft, and there is concern that not much can be done.

“We encourage people to register their bicycles, use locks, and are encouraging people to report anything they see as suspicious,” said Otto Glenewinkel, University Police Crime Prevention officer.

Glenewinkel said students should register their bikes to help deter theft.

“They can come in here, affix a sticker to their bicycle, and we’ll collect information on the color, type of bike and serial number,” Glenewinkel said. “This helps in recovering the bike if it’s stolen.”

UPD believes a group of people

may be coordinating the bicycle thefts, he said.

“We’ve spoken with other universities up and down IH-35, and when they’re having them (bicycle thefts), we’re not, and when we’re having them, they’re not,” Glenewinkel said. “It’s our

Page 5

ACADEMICS

Bicycle theft increasing among universities along IH-35 corridor

By Benjamin Enriquez NEWS REPORTER

Go to SPORTS

theory that there’s a traveling group of individuals doing this, and it always seems to be during the beginning of semesters.”

Glenewinkel said the targets are

See THEFT, Page 2

ALEXANDRA WHITE STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

University dance program ranked 24th in nation

By Anna Herod NEWS REPORTER The Division of Dance at Texas State was ranked 24th in the nation and fifth among universities who offer only undergraduate degrees, according to a list published annually by dance-colleges. com.

“We just do our job, and we’re passionate about it,” said LeAnne Smith, director of dance. “We’re always looking for better ways to work with our students and to grow our performers and choreographers by giving them more opportunities.”

Joan Hays founded the dance program in 1964 and is Smith’s predecessor. Smith said Hays laid a foundation

that has greatly contributed to the success of the program.

“I got to tell her the news last week, and tears just came to her eyes,” Smith said.

“This is her legacy, and our legacy is our students. I’ve been blessed to have had Dr. Hays to look up to because she’s one of the most brilliant women I’ve ever known.”

Every member of the faculty has an area of expertise that brings something unique to the program, Smith said. “(Hays) always said to me when she left, ‘Hire the right people. That is the key,’” Smith said. “The quality of the faculty is just as important as any other factor. We’re well rounded as a whole, so

See DANCE, Page 2

CITY

City unemployment rate decreased to 4 percent in August

By Nicholas Laughlin NEWS REPORTER The unemployment rate in San Marcos has decreased to 4 percent in the last month, resulting in a large population that is underemployed.

The unemployment rate in San Marcos increased from 3.8 percent in May to 4.4 percent in June and July. However, from July to August the number went down to 4 percent. San Marcos’ unemployment rate is lower than the state and the nation’s current levels, which

are 5.3 percent and 5.9 percent, respectively, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“We are working with the City of San Marcos, and our primary vision is to create high-quality jobs and increase capital investment in Hays and Caldwell Counties,” said Adriana Cruz, president of the Greater San Marcos Partnership (GSMP).

Everything the GSMP does is targeted to create high-paying jobs, Cruz said. This happens through the help of the five-year economic development strategy created by

city officials.

“We compile all of the assets that are things that attractive companies look for in a city—like the university, cultural amenities, quality of life and affordability are the assets that this city has,” Cruz said.

City officials are trying to diversify the economy further to ensure a mix of jobs for all types of people, Cruz said.

“As a nature of a university town, there is always opportunities for our students,” said Ross Wood, assistant director of Career Services at Texas State.

It is estimated that 90,000 people in the metropolitan area are underemployed, Cruz said. Employers do not require the level of education or certification these job seekers possess. Students are usually overqualified for their jobs in San Marcos.

“We see a significantly large underemployed population,” Cruz said. “It is wonderful that they have jobs, but we want people to be employed to the highest level that they can be.”

College students often take jobs that do not require the education

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they have, Cruz said. Students will take any job they can while in college to stay in the area.

“Career Services’ goal is to help students transition into professionals, whether that’s getting them ready for a position when they graduate or just a part-time position,” Wood said.

Company officials want to make sure San Marcos has the workforce needed when they consider relocating, Cruz said.

“We are very fortunate to have

See UNEMPLOYMENT, Page 2

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UNIVERSITY

Freshman enrollment remains steady, sees small increase

By Nicholas Laughlin NEWS REPORTER The preliminary enrollment numbers for the 2018 freshman class show a slight increase in population.

A reported 5,365 freshmen have enrolled for the 2014 school year.

This year’s numbers show a 3.6% increase over the 5,179 newly enrolled freshmen in 2013.

“Last year we gave admission to 13,976 applicants out of 23,865 who applied, and only 5,179 students enrolled into the university,” said Michael Heintze, associate vice president for Enrollment Management and Marketing. “This year we gave admission to 13,423 applicants out of 24,214 people who applied,

and only 5,365 students enrolled.”

University officials have no way of knowing how many students will attend until classes actually start, Heintze said. The freshmen enrollment numbers were made official after the ninth class day.

The State of Texas will certify the enrollment numbers by early November as the final and official statistics, Heintze said. The State uses the numbers to decide how funding will be allotted, he said.

“The African American and Asian segments of this class increased more, on a percentage basis, compared to classes in the recent past,” said Eugene Bourgeois, university provost and VPAA. The enrollment numbers are

close to what the university expected and correspond with established targets, Bourgeois said.

“In history it doesn’t really change much, but it went up a little this year, more than we anticipated, so we ended up with a class that was larger,” Heintze said.

The freshman class has experienced a great deal of growth in the last few years, and the departments have responded to the increase, said Dan Brown, dean of University College and director of the PACE center.

“I think we will keep the freshman class within the range of what it has been the last two years,” Heintze said. “I don’t think there are plans to rapidly grow the freshman class

at this point.”

The university’s largest market for students is central Texas. The Houston area is the second-largest metropolitan market, Heintze said.

The Valley and Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex are two other large ones.

“The number of applicants has risen rapidly in the last 10 years, which is a good thing,” Heintze said. “More and more students really want to be here.”

The new freshmen have a “hit-theground running attitude,” and the faculty has mentioned how engaged and energized they are, Brown said.

“The group came ready to work,” Brown said. “It’s been fun to hear that from faculty.”

The university wants the fresh-

man class to be engaged by joining clubs and organizations but to remember academics are the reason for being at Texas State, Heintze said.

“My hope for the class of 2018 is that they maximize their college experience at Texas State and enjoy success in and outside the classroom as they prepare for their lives and careers after earning the baccalaureate degree,” Bourgeois said.

The freshman class is using the services that PACE is providing them, which will increase retention rates and help students graduate in four years, Brown said.

“This is another outstanding class that is poised to be quite successful at Texas State,” Bourgeois said.

CITY

SMPD in possession of controversial military defense vehicle

By Jon Wilcox NEWS REPORTER Private citizens and organizations have criticized the use of Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and other military equipment as overly aggressive following the national media focus on the Ferguson Police Department’s use of such equipment in response to riots and demonstrations.

The San Marcos Police Department (SMPD) has an MRAP vehicle in its possession. SMPD acquired the MRAP vehicle through Section 1033 of the National Defense Authorization Act, said SMPD Chief Chase Stapp.

MRAP vehicles carry steel armor capable of protecting their systems and occupants from improvised explosive devices and gunfire, said Daniel Torres, a U.S. Army wheeled vehicle mechanic who served in Iraq from 2009 to 2012.

Torres said MRAPs, in comparison with Humvees and police cruisers, are “far superior in terms

of protection.”

Section 1033 allows for local law enforcement agencies to request surplus military equipment from the Department of Defense, often free of charge.

In 1990, to combat the rising levels of drug-related violent crime, Congress authorized the Department of Defense to donate surplus military equipment to police departments, according to the Defense Logistics Agency website.

Under the direction of former San Marcos Police Chief Howard Williams, SMPD acquired its own MRAP vehicle, free of charge, in 2014, Stapp said.

Stapp attributes the police department’s decision to request the vehicle to a rising number of active shooter situations across the country. The department’s MRAP vehicle is currently not in active service as the department finalizes policies, procedures and training for its use, he said.

At a September commissioners court meeting, Ryan Elliott, a Texas State alumnus, expressed concerns about the MRAP’s maintenance

costs. However, the vehicle has so far required no maintenance, and it came with two sets of tires and wheels, Stapp said.

Torres said he regularly performed maintenance on MRAPs and other wheeled vehicles and sometimes rode in and even drove them on combat patrols during his deployments. “(MRAP vehicles) were designed to last longer, to require less maintenance less often,” Torres said.

Regular preventative maintenance, such as checking filters, oil levels and tire pressure, are less routine for MRAPs, Torres said.

Many local governments and police departments have already chosen to get rid of their MRAP vehicles after receiving public pressure.

“The vehicle is defensive in nature,” Stapp said. “It has no guns and is designed to protect in a mobile headquarters function.”

The MRAP is ideal for any situation in which officers are fired on or confronted by an armed person. The vehicle is especially

THEFT, from front mainly high-end, expensive bikes.

“Get you a good U-style lock, and try not to use the cable locks,” Glenewinkel said. “If someone wants your bike badly enough, they’re gonna steal it. It just depends on the tools they’re willing to bring.”

The numbers of stolen bicycles vary between universities.

At Texas State, there were 31 bicycle thefts reported in 2011, 20 in 2012 and 26 in 2013, according to data from UPD. At UTSA, there were 21 bicycle thefts reported in 2011, 26 in 2012 and 39 in 2013, according to data from UTSA Police.

Stephen Hinkle, administrative captain at the Texas Tech Police Department, said in 2011 there were 82 reported bike thefts on campus with an estimated cost of stolen property totaling $27,545.

In 2012, there were 88 reported thefts with a collective price tag of $36,563 and in 2013 there were 88 totaling $34,144.

“It’s actually one of our biggest crimes out here,” Hinkle said.

H. Allan Baron, lieutenant with

Faulkner said. “It allows for protection of guys to get closer and deal with a situation at hand or evacuate citizens.”

Sometimes the mere arrival of the armored vehicle can persuade dangerous persons to comply with demands, Faulkner said.

Faulkner advised those who might characterize the use of armored vehicles in Hays County and San Marcos as an overly aggressive response in a suburban setting to remember the machines are simply tools.

Faulkner suggests people who are concerned about the vehicle see it firsthand to understand it is simply a piece of equipment, like a fire truck.

Stapp said he understands the public may respond negatively to the vehicle, and he will present it to the city council before formally entering it into service.

“I hope people will understand the vehicle will serve to protect in the most severe situations, and I think people in and around those situations will be happy to see the vehicle,” Stapp said.

DANCE, from front the Community Services Division of the Texas A&M Police Department, said there were 361 bicycle thefts on campus in 2011, 274 in 2012 and 150 in 2013.

Baron said the yearly drop in stolen bicycle numbers at Texas A&M is attributed to a new program put into place a few years ago along with the proactive work of on-campus officers.

“The department started a bait bike program, and these bikes were strategically placed on campus with GPS, and when they’re stolen they lead us right to an arrest,” Baron said.

Police at Texas A&M also encourage students to engrave their driver’s license numbers on the bottoms of their bikes, he said.

“When you steal a bike on campus now, there’s a good chance you’ll get caught,” Baron said.

Tim Hayes, geography and nutrition senior, is a technician at The Bike Cave, a store and repair shop located in the Colorado Building on campus. “(UPD) could put cameras by

major bike racks or could put up signs like, ‘Smile, you’re on camera,’” Hayes said. “In the University Seminar course, they could incorporate bike safety and theft prevention techniques.”

Hayes said he has been a victim of bike theft on campus.

“A friend of mine left my $1,000 bike out over the weekend with only a cable lock outside Arnold, and it got stolen, like, the second night he left it out,” Hayes said. “I would say if someone wants your bike and it’s somewhere quiet, they’ll take it.”

David Ross, history senior and technician at The Bike Cave, said UPD is doing enough to prevent theft. Deterring burglars is up to the bike owner.

“It’s mostly on people,” Ross said. “They use cable locks and put them on handle bars or easily disassemble-able parts. I think they’re (UPD) doing enough. They advise people to get U-locks, and it’s just hard to prevent.”

As of Sept. 24, there have been 20 bicycle thefts for 2014 on campus, according to data from UPD.

Gabby Wszalek, undelcared freshman, said she thinks there are not many options for students who want to work on campus part-time.

Texas State’s Jobs4Cats job assistance program has over 1,000 job openings that range from workstudy positions to graduate study and regular-wage jobs, Wood said.

GSMP officials try to be proactive with local companies through their business retention program that aims to help local companies

stay in San Marcos, Cruz said.

“There are a lot of small businesses in this community,” Cruz said. “We need to continue to provide education to them to help them grow.”

Texas State students have a good work ethic and employers look to hire them, Wood said.

“We are tying to make sure that we are bringing in those employers to bring in those jobs so that students can stay here,” Cruz said.

UNEMPLOYMENT, from front Texas State University and the workforce pipeline that (it provides),” Cruz said.

GSMP is targeting certain industry sectors San Marcos is strong in and promoting the region’s workforce to companies outside the state so they will relocate and hire “San Martians,” Cruz said.

“As a whole, we aren’t hearing too much that (students) aren’t finding opportunities,” Wood said.

useful when hostages are involved because it is an ambulance variant with a large carrying capacity and mounts for stretchers and gurneys, Stapp said.

The MRAP may also prove useful in other non-violent crises. Because of its considerable height and weight, the vehicle may prove a valuable tool for flood and highwater rescue, a frequent need in San Marcos and Hays County, Stapp said.

The Hays County SWAT team currently employs a similar but smaller and lighter armored vehicle, the Lenco Industries BearCat, said Lt. Joe Faulkner, a 14-year SWAT veteran and current commander of the Hays County SWAT team.

The team has utilized the BearCat five times out of a total of 11 SWAT deployments so far this year, Faulkner said.

Faulkner said the BearCat fulfills a vital role in a variety of operations that vary from arresting barricaded, armed individuals to high water rescue.

“The BearCat is very important,”

it’s a synergy where the whole is greater than the parts, and that unique flavor weaves itself into our choreography and technique.”

There are many factors that set the dance program at Texas State apart from programs at other universities, said Michele Nance, associate professor of dance.

“We think a lot of things go into it, one of them being our new Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree,” Nance said. “We’ve had it since 2010. Before we only offered a Bachelor’s of Science and Dance, and I think that kind of places us up there with other performing arts schools.”

The skill of the dancers contributes to the elevation of the program's prestige along with the particular title of the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, she said.

“We’ve just been attracting some fabulous dancers and students,” Nance said. “We hold them to high standards, but at the same time we’re very inviting and we want everyone to reach their full potential. Creatively, we’re very open to what the students want to bring to the table, and we encourage them to dig deeply into their creative process.”

The ranking is a source of pride and excitement for the students, said Shuan Davis, dance education freshman. More importantly,

it’s a source of motivation.

“Being a great dancer doesn’t necessarily mean you have to do the greatest moves or anything like that,” Davis said. “It means the passion you have and how much you want to thrive doing what you love to do. Being 24th shows how much we’ve grown as a dance community and how much we can still grow.”

All of the students and faculty are supportive of one another and welcome creativity, constructive criticism and even respectful disagreement at times, Smith said.

“We’re proud to be at Texas State, and we have a good reputation within the state because we have so many students out in the public school system teaching with degrees they earned here, and it’s also because of the way faculty and students represent this dance program so beautifully,” Smith said.

The recognition is humbling and delightful, although the dance program is not chasing a statistic, she said.

“To be a good leader you need to know that being a leader means that you’re a servant, and that’s my job: to serve,” Smith said. “I think that shows in the way our students get along with each other and the way they represent this university.”

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Tuesday, October 7, 2014 | The University Star | 3

OPINIONS

UniversityStar.com

MAIN POINT

Campaign sign placement need not be overly restricted

T

he proposed regulation on election signs at polling places is unnecessary and infringes on people’s First Amendment rights.

Hays County Commissioner Ray Whisenant proposed Sept.

25 that the number of signs posted by candidates at county polling places be limited during the upcoming campaign season, according to an Oct. 1 University Star article.

Whisenant goes on to say stricter regulations will help clear up the walkways and parking areas that are congested by these signs in many polling places.

However, the idea that sidewalks full of campaign signs are deterring people from voting is ludicrous.

Citizens who care enough to vote in county elections are most likely informed citizens

who know exactly who they want to vote for and why. If walking through a sea of signs on the way to vote is enough to deter people from voting, they should not be a part of the law-making process in the first place.

It is insulting and a disservice to citizens to spend time and energy in county meetings deliberating on something as nitpicky as the number of campaign signs allowed at polling places.

Polling places are the best place to put campaign signs. It makes more sense for signs to be placed outside of voting areas than at random locations simply because there’s a stricter limit on them.

Additionally, being allowed to place signs at voting areas promotes an even playing field.

Whisenant states that without any policy in place, advantage is placed in the hands of those

that are more willing to break the rules. This seems contradictory because if there isn’t any law in place, there’s no advantage to be gained by someone breaking it.

The editorial board is not the only group that feels implementing a policy such as this is an infringement on the First Amendment rights of San Marcos citizens and political campaigners. Members of the Hays Constitutional Republicans spoke against the rule, saying it is the job of informed citizens to speak out when the government tries to justify new regulations such as this one.

This proposed regulation came seemingly from nowhere.

It seems nitpicky and highly specific, especially at a time when San Marcos is dealing with legitimate and concerning issues such as a Stage 4 drought.

Electioneering regulations are helpful and necessary for making sure that the world of politics stays legal and effective.

However, when rules

like this come along seeking to fix things that are not really broken, citizens should protest unnecessary government regulations.

RYAN JEANES STAR ILLUSTRATOR 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.

LGBTQIA

Categorizing gay men demoralizing, based solely on appearance

Rivers Wright OPINIONS COLUMNIST Journalism senior

T

winks, Otters and Bears, oh my!

These are just a few of the categories that gay men get put into on a daily basis. For the most part, media covers the struggle that women go through on a daily basis making sure that they are up to society’s standards of “pretty.” What is not shown is the fact that men, specifically gay men, are put under the exact same pressure from the gay com-

munity.

A Sept. 21 Huffington Post article told a story of a man who changed his entire image twice in his lifetime to keep relationships with men who otherwise would have not looked his way. The story goes on to say that even in the relationships his significant others were still critiquing his look and giving back-handed compliments.

This article is just a small example of a large picture. I have faced serious bouts of low self-esteem because I am not the typical tanned, six-pack, squarejawed guy every gay man seems to want to have or be.

There is not much of an inbetween when it comes to body image labels for gay men. Some of the most common labels include “twinks,” “bears” and “otters.” Twinks are slender, often blonde, boyish-looking young gay men with little to no body hair.

Bears are burly gay men with lots

of body hair. Otters are skinny, hairy gay men.

Stereotypically, gay men are either muscular and “straight acting” or they are feminine and probably cross-dress in their spare time. More often than not, gay men just want to be comfortable in their own skin without having to try to fit into a certain category or nickname that they did not want to be put into in the first place.

Categorization of men is extremely prevalent in the dating world. I have succumbed to the world of online dating and swum in a sea of headless torsos trying to pick one that hopefully had a decent face to match. Without seeing faces it is easy to lay on the charm and learn personality before judging or being harshly judged on looks, but as soon as the inevitable “send me a face pic” request was made, all communication was lost. The headless horseman rode away to find

LGBTQIA

Jeffrey Bradshaw

I

am not broken, I was never broken and Republicans need to stop trying to fix what isn’t broke.

In June of this year, the Republican Party of the great state of Texas adopted a party platform that included the endorsement of reparative therapy for homosexuals like myself. This is a form of therapy that tries to “fix” gay people. The American Psychiatric Association has deemed this form of therapy pseudoscience. Pseudoscience is scientific theory that is considered to be fake, not real or a sham.

Governments should not be dealing with any issue that is considered fake by a respectable association. Governments should only be dealing with making the lives of its citizens better.

This endorsement of reparative therapy means that if the Republicans win, gay kids all across the state can be forced to attend this therapy by their Biblethumping parents. Gay kids should not be told that they are broken.

Texas is also defending its constitutional ban on gay marriage in the United States Court of Appeals.

Through their Amicus Brief, many Republican lawmakers have agreed that homosexuality would lead to incest.

As a gay guy, I can tell you that I look at my sister as a sister and friend, not a sexual possibility. The lawmakers that signed onto this include the Republican candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor, Attorney General Greg Abbott and State Senator Dan Patrick.

If Republicans win this November, Texas will be a harsher place for gay kids. It is already hard enough for gay

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kids, no matter how accepting their parents are. They should not have to worry about the fact that their own parents can force them to go get told for weeks on end that an aspect of their lives that they can’t control is wrong and immoral.

People have every right to adhere to a contradictory rule cited in a book written 3,500 years ago, but no one should ever make their beliefs affect others in a negative way. Every argument against gay people is religiously based, which, if made into law, would not only violate the first amendment but is just plain wrong. Religion is a very personal thing, and it should remain that way.

Reparative therapy would damage gay kids across Texas and make them believe that there is something wrong with them. The idea that our government would sponsor this psychiatric torture of children seems very wrong to me. The government is supposed to be for all of the people, not just straight people. The days of discriminating against another human for no real reason are supposed to be behind us.

We are supposed to look at the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s as the time when America came to its senses and ended discrimination. Unfortunately, that obviously isn’t the case, and there is still discrimination to be combated.

I am sick and tired of people in this country and state treating gay people like myself as if there is something wrong with us. When I met Senator Wendy Davis, I tried, but failed, to hold back my tears because here is a Texas lawmaker who told me in person that I am not broken. It meant so much to me that this Texas gubernatorial candidate doesn’t think of me as less of a person, which is different from her opponent and predecessor.

I condemn anyone who supports reparative therapy because of its negative impact on gay youth. Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick, Ken Paxton and anyone else who supports reparative therapy, hear me now—gay people don’t need fixing.

Editor-in-Chief............................................Lesley Warren, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor....................Odus Evbagharu,starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu Letters...........................................................................universitystar@txstate.edu News Editor............................................Kelsey Bradshaw, starnews@txstate.edu Trends Editor.............................................Amanda Ross, startrends@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

they do exist. It is unfortunate, though, that these relationships have to be compared to a mythical creature because they are that rare and unseen.

I do not like the fact that it is seemingly predetermined what kind of man I am to spend the rest of my life with based solely off of the fact that I have a certain body type.

If I were in a heterosexual relationship, the story would be written a completely different way, where the partner of my choice would truly be a partner of my choosing rather than someone who fits my predisposed body and type and persona.

Looks are important—as previous columns suggest—but looks are not everything. Furthermore, the potential future with a person should not be predetermined or judged because they are a bear or wolf or whatever other forest creature is running around under the strobe light of a night club.

RELIGION

Republicans’ reparative therapy policy degrading to LGBTQIA people

OPINIONS COLUMNIST Public relations senior

a more suitable fellow to ride off into the sunset with.

This is where I feel gay men have it harder than women.

Women have a difficult time trying to fit it, and props to them for often doing it all in six-inch heels. However, gay men are fiercely labeled and then expected to live under that title, and straying away from it causes sideways glances and confusion.

This necessity to have everything in nice neat little rows and meticulously organized may stem from the stereotype that gay men are nice and tidy. I like to make a mess, and hardly anything of mine is organized and tucked away, so these labels and names are degrading and sometimes even shameful.

A “twink” skinny high-pitched guy is usually not seen dating a buff modelesque man because that just does not work. Relationships like this exist. They are as rare as Bigfoot sightings, but

Intelligent design teachings have no place in public school education

Nabil Hourani OPINIONS COLUMNIST Public relations senior

I

n recent times, there has been a debate within the science community regarding some of the most fundamental scientific views this generation learned as children in school. Much controversy has occurred since the time of Darwin regarding his studies of evolution in animals and the conflicting views of creationism held by people deriving from their religious faith.

As science progressed rapidly over the 20th century, the irrefutable evidence that supported Darwin’s studies of evolution cemented them as scientific fact. The church, however, was able to come to an acceptance with this evolutionary view of the world and see evolution as a natural process guided by God. Even with all the scientific evidence written in black and white in academic studies to give solid evidence that evolution is fact, as well as the support of the ideas from the church, it is estimated that around one-third of people in the United States still do not believe in evolution. These are fundamental science facts that we were taught in grade school, and yet a third of our own country still doesn’t believe in them.

The main idea that has come into play in more recent

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times that still continues to challenge the ideas of evolution is the intelligent design theory. Without getting too deep or technical about the views of the idea, intelligent design is the basic theory that the biological structure of all organisms are too complex to have developed strictly with evolution. Therefore, there must have been some kind of “intelligent designer” who aided the process.

The vast majority of scientists, philosophers and other academics have discredited this theory as pseudoscience.

Intelligent design is just a theory that attempts to support the religious-based ideas of creationism. Even with the large amount of rejection and criticism this theory has faced, there is still a surprising number of scientists and academics who are in full support of these theories and advocate for the teaching of these ideas in our schools.

So why is it important to have an idea about what intelligent design is and the fact that people support this idea?

Although people who are in support of this theory always claim there are no religious ties to the ideas regarding a “designer”, the large force against it recognizes its underlying religious ideas. Having ideas that may have any type of religious motivation or context taught in our public school’s science classes would be a violation of separating church and state.

The court case of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District was a landmark case in 2005 that decided the state of teaching intelligent design in our public schools’ science classes.

The Dover Area School District in Pennsylvania required that intelligent design be taught as an alternative

theory to evolution in biology class. Eleven parents sued the district to ban these pseudoscientific teachings. The parents ended up winning the case, making the teaching of intelligent design banned from all public schools in the U.S. Although someone like myself who is not a science academic may sound full of himself or herself when giving an opinion for such a complex scientific topic, I am in full support of the ban of these teachings of intelligent design.

It is the 21st century, and we are having court cases that are still trying to correctly interpret our definition of separation of church and state and the very first amendment to our constitution. It’s very clear that we have a lot of progress to be made on the academic and educational state of our country.

I am not trying to push any sort of religious or anti-religious agenda in my support of banning intelligent design from our school teachings. What I am pushing for is awareness in society of what should be considered true, important academic information everyone should receive as part of a complete education and recognizing pseudo-intellectual beliefs to be avoided.

Even with the loss they received in the court case, the intelligent design supporters will continue to push their message on the scientific and educational community in attempts to promote their false, baseless beliefs and undermine real scientific facts. It’s up to us as individual intellectuals to yearn after the true facts of life and to filter out any of these falsified, biased messages we could encounter in our educational endeavors.

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, October 7, 2014. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor in chief.

The first five issues of each edition of the paper are free. Additional copies of the paper can be purchased at 50¢ per copy.

Contact The University Star office at (512) 245-3487 to purchase additional copies.

Visit The Star at www.UniversityStar.com

4 | The University Star | Tuesday, October 7, 2014

TRENDS

UniversityStar.com

porters. In the end, it became the ultimate opportunity to express his love for Texas State.

JY: How does winning affect your college experience?

Carlos Hernandez HOMECOMING KING

By Jacey Yarbrough SPECIAL TO THE STAR A smile fell across Carlos Hernandez’s face as he was announced the new Homecoming king during halftime at Saturday’s football game. A mass communication senior, Hernandez represented his Sigma Chi fraternity as well as his fellow residential assistant staff at Tower Hall. Hernandez remembers saying to himself, “We made it.” To him, the title of Homecoming king was not only for himself but also for his friends and sup-

CH: It makes me more confident and prideful for my university. It brings me so much happiness when your family and supporters and strangers are telling you, “Congratulations.” It has given me more pride and love for my university and how much I want to give back to Texas State.

JY: How will you look back on the experience in 10 years?

CH: I would be excited. I want to come back with a big smile and see the expansion of the university. I will be proud.

The title will live with me, and I will share the experi-

ence with family, coworkers and colleagues in my future chapter. I’m looking forward to meeting the future king and queen, and I will definitely be involved with the alumni association. I will be 99 and still be able to laugh about it and say I was Homecoming king.

SeaWorld’s Howl-O-Scream: terror for all tastes

JY: What does winning a homecoming title mean to you?

By Amanda Ross TRENDS EDITOR

CH: I live by the saying “It’s a great day to be a Bobcat.” It is such an honor to even be a part of the court. It is important for leaders to reach out, and this is the title I have always wanted. I love my university, and it has given me so many opportunities. I am a face of Texas State, and I want to be an inspiration to contribute to the university.

Featuring five separate haunted mazes, three roller coasters running by moonlight and dozens of dedicated actors roaming the premises ready to scare unsuspecting patrons, SeaWorld San Antonio’s Howl-O-Scream event has set up shop as one of the city’s best Halloween attractions.

San Antonio is, as its natives know, a town that embraces ghost stories.

Alamo city kids have grown up with the Donkey Lady, the haunted railroad and regular trips to the now-defunct Nightmare on Grayson, but there has long been a need for an inbetween approach to Halloween in San Antonio.

The city needed something to bridge the gap between the heart-stopping, gore-filled haunted houses downtown and familyfriend trick-or-treating, and SeaWorld has finally filled that spot.

The park is set up as a fear hierarchy of sorts, each themed “zone” scarier than the last. Guests enter into the parks’ main plaza, which is filled with good-natured spooky bits completely appropriate for all ages. From there, areas of the park get progressively scarier, running

the gamut from a vaguely menacing pirate zone featuring stockades to a legitimately terrifying insane asylum area where demented clowns abound.

The themed zones with corresponding haunted mazes are, thanks to the creators’ attention to detail, the best parts of the park. The park’s actors appeared to range from high schoolers to seasoned performers, but their palpable enthusiasm for scaring the bejesus of groups put all of them on an equally terrifying level.

For the haunted mazes, SeaWorld suggests that guests 12 and younger stay behind, which is probably for the best. Zones of the mazes can be interactive, cramped and over-stimulating, which all makes for great haunted houses— and kiddie nightmares.

All in all, SeaWorld’s greatest strength lies with its ability to be something for everyone. Kid-friendly zones, a cocktail bar and a legitimately scary park make what can be a staggering admission price worth it for both the adults and children of a family. With everything fun about the Halloween season corralled into one place, SeaWorld has officially taken the crown as San Antonio’s one-stop spooky shop.

DENISE CATHEY ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Carlos Hernandez and Meghan Bates pose for photos Oct.4 after being crowned Homecoming king and queen at Bobcat Stadium.

Scenes for upcoming ABC crime drama being filmed in San Marcos

By Ernest Macias ASSISTANT TRENDS EDITOR The City of San Marcos has been chosen as a filming location for scenes of ABC’s upcoming drama series “American Crime.” Created by John Ridley, Academy Award-winning screenwriter for “12 Years a Slave,” the series centers on racial interconnectivity in America, telling the story of a young couple in Modesto, California, who were attacked in their home. The series stars Felicity Huffman, Academy Award nominee and five-time Golden Globe winner, and Timothy Hutton. Hutton is the youngest actor to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Although San Marcos is not a named location in the show, crew and actors have been filming at various locations in the city. The courthouse, LBJ Drive and Hutchinson Street comprise some of the selected filming locations, said Denise D. Pardo, destination services manager for the San Marcos Convention and Visitor Bureau.

A premiere date for “American Crime” has not been released yet, according to ABC. A sneak-peek trailer is available online. The series also stars W. Earl Brown, best known as Dan Dority on HBO’s “Deadwood,” and Benito Martinez, widely recognized for his role as David Aceveda in “The Shield,” an FX series.

PRESS RELEASE

Fundraiser dinner to take place before RENT showing SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Friends of Fine Arts and Communication will host a dinner at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 11 in the Performing Arts Center lobby before “RENT.” “RENT” is a rock musical that tells the story of young artists in New York City. The characters struggle to figure out life, love and how to pay rent. This is a classic coming-of-age tale liberally salted with moder- day challenges that young adults face.

Director Kaitlin Hopkins says “RENT” is “a show that was groundbreaking and controversial at the time and changed the direction of musical theater scores and subject matter.” The music and lyrics of the show, which is loosely based on Puccini’s opera La boheme, are by Jonathan Larson.

Events like these are the heart of The Friends of Fine Arts’ mission: supporting students who are pursuing degrees in the arts and communication. Olivia Juarez-Reid, president of the Friends of Fine Arts and Communication, praised the young actors and Hopkins during a preview of the production during an appreciation event.

“It makes us all feel so appreciated and taken care of,” Hopkins said. “It is a blessing beyond measure that the Friends of Fine Arts care so deeply about helping support young artists

getting an education and training in their chosen field.”

“RENT” performances will be held at the Performing Arts Center Patti Strickel-Harrison Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7-11 and at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 12. Tickets for both the dinner theatre and regular performances can be purchased at www.txstatepresents. com. The box office can be reached at (512) 245-6500. The admission price for the dinner theater is $150. For all other performances, general admission is $15 Tuesday through Thursday and $18 Friday-Sunday. The student price is $8. For theatre majors, the price is $3. Additionally, $2 processing fee per ticket must be paid for online purchases. Parking is $5, cash only, at the Edward Gary Parking Garage.

The original play by Billy Aronson had its official opening off-Broadway in 1996. It soon moved to the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway. The hit show won a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony, among other awards.

This event is supported by the Friends of Fine Arts and Communication, a community group that raises funds to support academic areas of art and design, theater and dance, music, communication studies and journalism and mass communication.

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Tue. 10/14 - Fri. 10/17 Outpatient Visit: 10/21

Women 18 to 49

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Fri. 10/17 - Mon. 10/20 Fri. 10/24 - Mon. 10/27 Fri. 10/31 - Mon. 11/3 Outpatient Visit: 11/14

Men and Postmenopausal or Surgically Sterile Women 18 to 45

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Tuesday, October 7, 2014 | The University Star | 5

SPORTS

UniversityStar.com

FOOTBALL

Team defeats Idaho in Homecoming game

By Quixem Ramirez SPORTS EDITOR @QUIXEM The final two plays were merely formalities.

Once Germod Williams, sophomore safety, plucked Idaho freshman quarterback Matt Linehan’s pass from the air, the Bobcats’ 3530 victory was sealed.

“This was a strange game,” Coach Dennis Franchione said.

“Funny things happen. Things got out of kilter. You don’t take anything to the bank until the check is in the mail.”

Williams’ second interception concluded a game that nearly ended with a different result.

As his teammates huddled together on the sidelines, Williams pointed to the sky, ball still in hand.

“It’s just a blessing,” Williams said. “The defensive line pressured real hard and played real good. Our linebackers pressed them. That was just me giving my glory to God.” Even as his team settled into its victory formation, Franchione

wasn’t ready to take a deep breath.

“What you’re thinking now is how much time you have left, how much timeouts do they have, how many times can I take a knee and end this game,” Franchione said.

“I’ve coached long enough to know that you don’t take anything to the house until it’s over.”

Despite entering the second half with a 21-3 lead, Texas State’s offense was out of whack. The team was on the field for 17 plays in the first half while the defense spent the majority of that time on the field. Franchione worried about fatigue.

“The offense was scoring too fast,” said Michael Odiari, senior defensive lineman. “They were scoring so fast that I couldn’t breathe.”

Terrence Franks, senior running back, scored two touchdowns totaling 165 yards in the first half. His first touchdown, 70 yards, was his longest since 2011.

Fatigue was never a problem for Franks, though.

“To be honest, I didn’t get tired,” Franks said. “One play, I scored. Then I just sat down and refocused to get back to it.”

Then Franks topped himself with a school record 95-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Both of his touchdowns occurred on the first play of the possession.

The two plays lasted a combined 23 seconds.

The Idaho defense didn’t touch him on either play. Franks, a sprinter in high school, wasn’t going to be caught from behind.

“Once I hit the hole and the second level, there was no doubt anybody was going to catch me,” Franks said.

Texas State was on its way to a convincing win after Craig Mager, senior cornerback, returned Idaho punter Austin Rekhow’s punt for 43 yards in the third quarter.

Before Mager finished his punt return, he muffed the ball and Rekhow recovered, gifting the Vandals with another possession.

A pair of interceptions from Tyler Jones, sophomore quarterback, gave the Vandals extra possessions to cut the deficit.

“We were in position to put the sucker away,” Franchione said.

“We were fixing it to have a 1stand-20 at the (Idaho) 25-yard line. You have to like our chances

of putting a touchdown on the board there.”

Franks’ last touchdown, his third of 70 yards or more, capped a career night during which he finished with 284 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

Odiari, his defensive counterpart, had a career performance of his own. He tallied 4.5 of the team’s season-high nine sacks in the victory. Linehan was flushed out of the pocket by a Bobcat defense that generated consistent pressure.

On Idaho’s final possession, with a long field and time winding down, the defense buckled down and forced Linehan into making difficult throws.

The first pass was nearly intercepted by Williams, just off his fingertips.

The second pass was the clincher for the Bobcats.

“We sacked him a bunch,” Franchione said. “We flushed him, but their quarterback played a heck of a game. Our guys made him work and earn everything.

We didn’t give up big plays. The pass rush was a big part of that.”

Texas State won its second

straight game by fewer than seven points. The Bobcats needed three overtime periods to defeat Tulsa, and they had to ward off Idaho’s fourth-quarter rally.

Close games aren’t new for the Bobcats, who were also within seven points against Illinois in the fourth quarter.

“You have to commend our guys for the heart and grit and fight that they’ve shown all of the last month,” Franchione said. “I told them last week that you’re about five plays from being 4-0 and a play or two away from being 1-3. We are going to have to win close games. That’s our mantra.”

Texas State heads into its Oct. 14 matchup against defending Sun Belt conference champion Louisiana-Lafayette on a twogame winning streak.

“We are a really strong Texas State team,” Odiari said. “We are just trying to open up eyes to the world and let them know that we are a strong team. These tough wins are showing you how the chemistry is. A team without chemistry can’t finish tough games like this. We aren’t going to let anybody stand in front of us.”

FOOTBALL

Notebook: Texas State Bobcats 35, Idaho Vandals 30

By Quixem Ramirez SPORTS EDITOR @QUIXEM

WHAT THE WIN MEANS The Bobcats have some momentum heading into their matchup with Louisiana-Lafayette, last year’s conference champion. It certainly hasn’t been easy, though.

Texas State’s last three games have been emotionally draining down-to-the-wire slugfests. Each was decided by seven points or fewer, including a triple overtime win against Tulsa. The team needs the extended 10-day lay-off before Louisiana-Lafayette to recharge its batteries.

TERRENCE FRANKS The fifth-year senior running back made a legitimate case to compete with Rob Lowe, junior running back. Coach Dennis Franchione

still utilizes Franks and Lowe as co-starters. Franks has been mired in a running back committee each year at Texas State. His straightline speed adds another legitimate dimension to the offense, making him a valuable asset.

SECOND HALF RESPONSE With a 21-3 lead at halftime, the game should have been over. Craig Mager, senior cornerback, returned a punt for 43 yards on the teams second possession of the third quarter. He put his team in a position to reassert its first-half dominance. Then he fumbled the ball, giving the Vandals new life. Allowing 27 points in the second half to a winless Idaho team is not the performance one wants from a team trying to make the next leap.

GOOD Defensive pressure. Prior to their game against Idaho, the team had

10 sacks in four games. They nearly topped their season mark, led by 4.5 sacks from Michael Odiari, senior defensive lineman. Texas State had previously hired defensive coordinator John Thompson to up the defensive ante, and perhaps the team’s performance is just the beginning. Forcing the quarterback into disadvantageous positions is still the most important facet of any successful defense.

BAD Fatigue. Texas State’s up-tempo offense is a step in the right direction.

The only downside is the strain it puts on the defense, which has defended 201 plays in the last two weeks. It’s a successful model so far, but it’s a risky proposition to rely on the defense for the bulk of the game.

UGLY Turnovers. After keeping the team

alive against Tulsa, Tyler Jones, sophomore quarterback, laid an egg. Part of his ineffectiveness can be attributed to Terrence Franks, senior running back, disrupting the rhythm of the offense with a pair of long touchdowns on the first play of each possession. The drives ended in points, but the Bobcats weren’t able to develop consistent offensive rhythm in the first half.

WHAT THEY SAID “It’s October,” Coach Dennis Franchione said. “You have to be better in October than you were in September. You have to be better in November than you were in October. They are showing signs of that.”

WHAT’S NEXT Texas State plays Louisiana-Lafayette in a nationally televised game on ESPN2 Oct. 14.

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MARIAH MEDINA SPORTS REPORTER

6 | The University Star | Sports | Tuesday, October 7 , 2014

VOLLEYBALL

Bobcats remain undefeated in conference play

By Derrick Holland SPORTS REPORTER @DHOLLAND23 The Texas State volleyball team maintained its perfect record in Sun Belt Conference play after defeating the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns Oct. 4.

The Bobcats are currently on a sixgame winning streak, improving their season record to 11-7. Texas State has only lost one set to LouisianaLafayette in their last four conference matchups.

Sierra Smith, junior libero, said the team has worked hard in practice since losing three consecutive games in the Texas Tech Invitational and hard work has paid off in conference play.

“It’s unbelievable that we are undefeated in conference,” Smith said. “I can’t even describe the feeling. Our coaches said they can’t remember the last time a team went 6-0 in conference, and that’s an amazing feeling.

We’ve worked really hard, and we

deserved this win.”

The Bobcats swept the match in three sets, winning the first two sets by ten points and the last by eight. Texas State exhibited prime team effort with six different players with at least six kills apiece. Coach Karen Chisum said the game against Louisiana-Lafayette was the team’s best showing this year.

“This game was our most complete, dominating match of the season,” Chisum said. “We played well today.

We served tough, and we passed well, particularly in the first two games.

Our two setters are continuing to get better, and as they get better our hitters continue to gain confidence.”

Texas State recorded 43 kills, almost twice as many as LouisianaLafayette’s 24 kills. The Bobcats only committed 17 errors. Smith said the team entered the game focused because the Ragin’ Cajuns were coming off a big win against Appalachian State.

“We had to be ready to play because Louisiana-Lafayette was coming off a win against Appalachian State, who

was undefeated in conference,” Smith said. “We worked hard in practice on our defense and our blocking, and I think we came out and showed that we improved on that aspect of our game.”

Smith said the team turned the season around after the win at home against UT-Arlington.

“Our whole mentality changed after the tournament in Lubbock,” Smith said. “The strong win against UT-Arlington allowed us to build on that. We knew that we couldn’t come into conference play down and out.

This team is tough. We are gritty and young, but we have a lot of passion.”

The Bobcats had a week off in between the games against Troy and Louisiana-Lafayette. Chisum said this break gave the team valuable time to get better in practice.

“It was nice this week because we only had match, so our team got to practice,” Chisum said. “We had three full practices this week, and during the season we don’t get to do that often. Some of the things we worked on in practice, specifically

our blocking, have transferred over to the matches. Our middle blockers have really gotten better.”

Texas State remains in first place in the Sun Belt Conference and will play UT-Arlington Oct. 8. The Bobcats defeated UT-Arlington Sept. 16 in

five sets, with Texas State fighting off three match points to win the fifth set 19-17. Chisum said the sky is the limit with this team.

“Chemistry is great with this team, and I feel good with this group going forward,” Chisum said.

HARON SAENZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Texas State celebrates its three-set win Oct. 4 against Louisiana-Lafayette.

SOCCER

Texas State defeats Appalachian State at home

By Sabrina Flores SPORTS REPORTER @SABRINAFLORESTX

The Texas State soccer team needed a spark.

ALEXANDRA WHITE STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Taylor Allen, sophomore defender, fights Oct. 5 against an Appalachian State player at Bobcat Soccer Complex.

The Bobcats were entering their third overtime game of the season.

Appalachian State controlled the tempo in the second half, putting the Bobcat defense on its heels.

Jourdan Brown, senior midfielder, sealed the 2-1 victory in the 93rd minute. Brown retrieved the rebound of her own blocked shot from the right side of the penalty box to score the winning goal.

“I was just really excited because I was so close to the goal,” Brown said. “I don’t have a ton of opportunities around the goal, so I just really wanted to make it count.

When I just saw all my teammates, it was cool. I got goose bumps.”

Appalachian State junior defender Merlin Beckwith tied the match in the 51st minute with a shot from the left corner. Beckwith’s third goal of the season was the tenth allowed goal of 2014 for Caitlynn Rinehart, junior goalkeeper.

Rinehart saved four shots against

the Mountaineers, all in the second half.

In the 18th minute, Tori Hale, senior forward, put the Bobcats on the board with a goal, assisted

by Lynsey Curry, junior forward.

The goal was Hale’s team-leading fourth of the season.

The Mountaineers made secondhalf adjustments to create more shot opportunities. Even though the match remained tied in the last 39 minutes of regulation, the Mountaineers took control of the game, outshooting the Bobcats 12-4.

“I’m extremely proud of them,” Coach Kat Conner said. “They did a good job. Appalachian State came out and kind of raised the level on us. It made us adopt a change in our system a little bit, and I felt like they did a great job doing that.”

Appalachian State led in shots 18-13, and the Mountaineers took eight corner kicks. Curry’s two-game goal-scoring streak was

snapped in the win.

“You’re always proud of your team when they can adapt,” Conner said. “(We) made corrections at halftime and (were) able to get it done. I would just like to see it go a little bit sooner.”

The Bobcats improved to 8-3-1 overall with their undefeated conference record intact. The Mountaineers, with their first Sun Belt Conference loss in program history, dropped to 5-7 overall and 2-1 in conference play.

“We’ve never has this good of a record before, so it’s really exciting,” Brown said. “I think it just gives us the confidence that we need to push us through this season.”

Texas State will continue conference play against the South Alabama Jaguars Oct. 10. The Jaguars are 10-2-1 overall and 2-0-1 in conference play.