TUESDAY
SEPTEMBER 16, 2014 VOLUME 104 ISSUE 16
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FOOTBALL
VIDEO Football: The Texas State football team lost its first game of the season to the Navy Midshipmen 35-21.
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CITY
City officials dedicate $500,000 to light Loop 82 underpass
DENISE CATHEY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Texas State lost its first game of the season 35-21 Sept. 13 against Navy.
MIDSHIPMEN SAIL PAST BOBCATS
See FOOTBALL, Page 2
By Anna Herod NEWS REPORTER Construction of a bridge over the train tracks on Aquarena Springs Drive will begin at the end of this year. The project will take an estimated 26 months to complete said Jude Prather, city council member, at Monday night’s student government meeting. Utilities are already being moved underground to prepare for the project. Thematically, the architecture will compliment the stadium. It will be highlighted by similar arches a maroon and gold color scheme, lone stars and bobcat logos, he said. “This will be a shaded structure right next to the football stadium,” Prather said. “I think this will be prime real estate for tailgating and we’re looking to add in some benches and tables.” The city has $500,000 in the 2015 budget for LED lighting under the bridge. Similar projects have been completed in San Antonio, Prather said. “We were thinking of maybe doing bobcat or lone star lights for the underpass,” he said. “The lights can be timed to music and change colors to maroon and gold on game days or even Christmas colors in the winter. By doing this, we will give San Marcos that unique ‘it’ factor.” San Marcos is a “beautiful town,” but some of the most “unsightly” areas are along IH-35 and the lights could really “spruce the area up,” Prather said. The upcoming budget also includes $2 million dollars for the construction of additional sidewalks. “What we’re trying to encourage is non traditional ways of getting around, such as biking or walking,” Prather said. “We are laying more sidewalks now than has ever been laid in the history of this town. San Marcos is a pretty condensed town and has almost the same foot print as it did 100 years ago. We really think that kind of development pattern is sustainable and convenient.” Although construction in the city will be heavy over the next couple of years, it will be worth it in the end, Prather said. “Making the city pedestrian and bike friendly is almost at the core of all of the projects we are doing,” he said.
UNIVERSITY
Upperclassmen football attendance declining By Mariah Simank NEWS REPORTER As the 2014 football season kicks off for the Bobcats, the university is looking for new ways to address students who are choosing to watch the games from tailgate and their couches rather than filling up the stadium. Upperclassman attendance at games is on the decline. The
Bobcat’s season opener against Arkansas Pine-Bluff drew 5,588 students, 65 percent of whom were members of the freshmen and sophomore classes, said Athletic Director Larry Teis. “I am hoping more students attend, especially since we have three games remaining on ESPN and I want the world to see how great our stadium and student support are,” Teis said. “Students
make the game a lot more exciting since they tend to be loud and also lead the ‘Texas State’ chant that has become a great tradition in Bobcat Stadium.” This weekend 32,007 fans attended the game against Navy, making it the second-highest attended game in school history. Plenty of marketing is done for the games, but many students interpret this as an invitation to
tailgating and fail to attend the actual game, said Tiffany Young, student body president. “I know that both Student Government and Athletics have worked very hard on trying to address how we should bring students from tailgate to the game, but I think the pride and the energy for the game really
See ATTENDANCE, Page 3
COUNTY
Commissioners postpone vote to fund construction of new Hays County Jail
By Anna Herod NEWS REPORTER The inmate population at the Hays County Jail remains at full capacity. “The high inmate population isn’t the result of an inefficient justice system but rather the growth of the county and the fact that the highway runs through it,” said Sheriff Gary Cutler. Commissioner Will Conley, Precinct 3, said in an Aug. 21 University Star article that the commissioner’s court might go forth with a bond election in November that would facilitate the construction of a new jail. However, county officials feel
that November is too soon to hold an election for such a major bond measure and that further discussion is needed before any decisions are made, said Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe, Precinct 1. “Instead, we’re considering holding a bond election in May,” Ingalsbe said. “We want to give everybody ample time to be informed about the measure, so that’s why we determined a later date.” The bond is too expensive to rush, Cutler said. “When you’re talking about a bond over $100 million, you
See HAYS COUNTY JAIL, Page 3
HARON SAENZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Overcrowding at the Hays County Jail has led to the outsourcing of around 20 inmates to Guadalupe County Jail as a temporary solution.
NEWS BRIEF
Higher attendance at Navy game leads to increased UPD presence By Mariah Simank NEWS REPORTER The University Police Department (UPD) increased patrols in and around Bobcat Stadium during Saturday night’s game against Navy. A total of 50 officers patrolled the game, 22 from UPD and 28 who were affiliated with outside agencies, said Captain Daniel
Benitez. “(The) number includes command center, those who monitor tailgate, our presence during the game—everybody,” Benitez said. Benitez said three arrests were made during Saturday’s game. Two of the arrests were for public intoxication and one was for criminal trespass, Benitez said. The department issued 14 mi-
nor in consumption citations at tailgate, and 136 warnings took place between tailgate and the game for minor in possession, minor in consumption and tobacco violations. The decision to add officers to the game was made after tickets sold out earlier in the week, he said. The number of officers at football games varies from week to week, but whenever
large crowds are present for a other sporting event, police attendance will increase accordingly, Benitez said. “Attendance is a major factor in how many officers we send to the game,” Benitez said. “We usually go by how many tickets athletics tells us they have sold. Then we come up with a comfortable number of officers to have at the game.” The additional officers were
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brought in to provide assistance at the gates before the game and at the concourse and near the field during the game. Benitez said warnings normally outnumber citations and arrests. “Citations and arrests are always our last resort,” Benitez said. “The arrests are usually individuals that, by law, we don’t have a choice but to take them in.”
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2 | The University Star | Tuesday, September 16, 2014
SPORTS
UniversityStar.com
Navy defeats Bobcats 35-21 FOOTBALL
By Quixem Ramirez SPORTS EDITOR @QUIXEM The ball was on Navy’s two-yard line when the possession unraveled. Coach Dennis Franchione ran onto the field, gesticulating at the referees. The officials tacked on another 15-yard penalty for delay of game, setting up a 3rd-and-39 at Navy’s 42-yard line. The Bobcats preceded the delayof-game penalty with a 15-yard facemask penalty and a 14-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness. Tyler Jones, sophomore quarterback, completed a 27-yard pass to Jafus Gaines, junior wide receiver, on the third down to set up a field goal attempt for Jason Dann, senior kicker. Dann missed the 32-yard field goal off the right goalpost as the ball rebounded back onto the field. The possession was a sign of
things to come in the Midshipmen’s 35-21 victory over the Bobcats. 32,007 fans attended the game, the second-highest in school history. Michael Orakpo, senior linebacker, exited the game with 2:54 remaining in the first half and didn’t return. The Bobcats had an ineligible man downfield in the third quarter, wiping away a reception that would have given Texas State the ball in Navy’s red zone. “We kept shooting ourselves in the foot with the penalties,” Jones said. “There was a couple times in the second half when we made foolish mistakes.” Faced with a 3rd-and-12 on Texas State’s 26-yard line in the second quarter, Navy designed a misdirection play to combat defensive coordinator John Thompson’s aggressiveness. Navy handed the ball off on a routine running play before sophomore wide receiver Jamir Tilman took the ball on an end-around and beat
the only Bobcat on the right side of the field. Tilman’s 24-yard run set up the team’s fourth touchdown of the first half. The Bobcats’ final drive of the first half offered a glimpse of hope. Texas State drove 75 yards in six minutes, culminating with a oneyard touchdown from Jones with 43 seconds left in the half. After allowing four touchdowns on Navy’s four offensive possessions in the first half, the Bobcat defense settled down. Navy punted twice in the third quarter along with a turnover on downs and interception. Navy failed to convert on fourth down, and Germod Williams, sophomore safety, intercepted sophomore quarterback Tago Smith’s errant pass. Texas State cut the deficit to 14 points following a one-yard run in the fourth quarter by Rob Lowe, junior running back “The team was all in,” Jones said. “We were ready to go, and
we thought we still had a chance. We came out like we thought we had a chance. As a team, coming together and understanding that we weren’t done. We kept going in the second half.” The Midshipmen responded in 47 seconds, delivering the final backbreaking blow. Smith found Tilman flanked on the left side of the field with no defender covering him. The Bobcats, preparing for a run, were out of position. Smith ran past the trailing free safety for a 67-yard touchdown. “I think our play was to make them do that—see if they could throw it and catch,” Franchione said. “When you play an offense like that, you have to press the issue in the run areas, and you get vulnerable there.” Smith replaced junior quarterback Keenan Reynolds, who sat out with a knee injury. He accounted for 213 total yards and four touchdowns. Reynolds averaged 6.3 yards
per play. “If somebody said we’d give up one touchdown pass, I’d probably say, ‘We still have a chance to win the game,’” Franchione said. “They haven’t done it much this year, and to their credit, they did.” Navy finished with 469 total yards. Texas State finished with 442 yards. The Midshipmen’s top-ranked rushing offense had a season-low 352 rushing yards in the game. The difference occurred in execution. Texas State committed 11 penalties for 124 yards, while Navy committed four penalties for 50 yards. “We didn’t execute as well,” Franchione said. “That’s Navy’s formula. You make a lot of yards on them, but you don’t score a lot of points on them.” Texas State, 1-1 overall, will travel to Illinois Sept. 20 in the team’s first road game of the season.
SOCCER
Team loses home games against UTSA, TCU said. “Today we didn’t have ourselves in sync to make our progression reads, and it cost us. It is frustrating, but we’ll come back and keep working on it.” The Bobcats lead was short lived, as UTSA scored two goals in the second half. Despite the Bobcats’ efforts, UTSA scored a goal in the 92nd minute of overtime. Texas State attempted 17 shots, with seven on goal. Caitlynn Rinehart, junior goalkeeper, put up five saves while Ali Jones had two shots and a goal. Lynsey Curry, junior forward, finished the game with eight shots. Michelle Bucy, senior defender, and Elizabeth Havenhill, freshman defender, left the game in the second half due to the physical level of play. “Michelle is fine,” Conner said. “ She has a history of a head injury, so we wanted to just make sure she was fine. Elizabeth went down with a sprained ankle. We are not sure how bad it is, so we have to take it day by day.” Texas State lost the first game of the weekend against TCU 1-0. The Horned Frogs scored the only goal in the first half on a penalty kick. Rinehart has allowed five goals in seven games this year. “I hate to get scored on,” Rinehart said. “I know whenever I get scored on I am harder on myself, but I always just replay it in my head so I will know what to do better the next time. I need to just go one play to the next.” Conner feels the two losses this weekend will humble the team and motivate the Bobcats during conference play. Texas State hosts Prairie View A&M Sept. 19.
By Devin Tyler SPORTS REPORTER @DEVINNOONECARES
MARIAH MEDINA SPORTS REPORTER
The score was tied 1-1 with less than two minutes remaining in the second half. UTSA controlled possession of the ball for most of the first half, but the Bobcats were attacking and pressuring the ball in the second half. In the 88th minute, UTSA scored a goal and celebrated what seemed to be the gamewinning shot. The players collapsed on the field in a pile as the Bobcats looked on. Twenty seconds later, the Bobcats responded when Ali Jones, sophomore midfielder, scored a goal assisted by Tori Hale, senior forward, to send the game into overtime. Hale is now one assist away from tying the school record. UTSA sealed the game with a goal in the second minute of overtime after 90 minutes of back-and-forth play. “You have to be proud of the Bobcats because you know to fight back with two minutes left in the game is pretty tough,” said Coach Kat Conner. “You saw the fight in the Bobcats today, and that is something to be proud of.” The Bobcats were pressed into defensive duty for the majority of the first half as UTSA took six shots with four on goal in the first half, doubling Texas State’s shots in the first half. Texas State scored the only goal of the first half in the 32nd minute. Madi O’Neal, sophomore midfielder, made a shot that deflected off a UTSA defender and into the left side of the goal. “I don’t think we played our best in the first half,” Conner
VOLLEYBALL
Texas State winless in Texas Tech Invitational over weekend By Derrick Holland SPORTS REPORTER @DHOLLAND23
JOHN STALSBY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Jordan Kohl, freshman right side, hits the ball Sept. 9 against Prairie View A&M resulting in a three-set win for Texas State.
The Texas State volleyball team left the Texas Tech Invitational winless with losses against Incarnate Word, Texas Tech and Gardner-Webb. The Bobcats’ season record now stands at 5-7. Shelby Vas Matt, sophomore outside hitter, contributed 22 kills and 24 points, and Lauren Kirch, freshman middle blocker, contributed 6 kills and 10.5 points. Coach Karen Chisum said the team’s weekend was what the team needed headed into Sun Belt conference play. “Maybe we needed a weekend like that,” Chisum said. “We were close in every game, but we just couldn’t finish the sets. It was a good learning experience. We made a lot of errors, and we have to correct those.” The Bobcats lost the first game of the tournament against the Incarnate Word Cardinals in five sets. Texas State won the second (25-17) and fourth (25-20) sets but lost the fifth 17-15. Chisum said the Bobcats must put these games behind them if they want to be successful moving forward. “That tournament either made us or broke us,” Chisum said. “We’ve got to really regroup and move on. The season starts all over tomorrow night against UT-Arlington, and we are excited about that. ” Kirch had a double-double in the
loss to the Cardinals, tallying 14 kills and 15 points with three digs. “That was definitely not how we wanted the weekend to go,” Kirch said. “Teams can go through struggles like that and end up coming away from it better than ever, and hopefully that’s what happens for us going in to conference play. We really worked hard on playing as a team in practice, and we’re looking to mesh well in the conference opener.” Texas State lost to the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the second game of the tournament. The Bobcats recorded 57 kills, winning the first two sets. The Red Raiders captured the momentum, winning the last three sets by a combined 16 points. Ali Gonzales, senior setter, recorded a team-high 37 assists and tallied one kill, one service ace and five digs. “After this last tournament we have worked on becoming a lot more competitive and changing our mentality as a team,” Gonzalez said. “Moving forward we really need to just focus on our side of the net and starting strong and finishing strong.” The Bobcats lost their last game of the tournament to the GardnerWebb Bulldogs in four sets. Chisum emphasized terminating the ball in Monday’s practice leading up to the Sept. 16 game against the UT-Arlington Mavericks. “We have got to get better at offense and terminating the ball,” Chisum said. “We have to find which of our players is going to ter-
minate the ball and win the point.” Chisum knows UT-Arlington is a quality opponent, but she looks forward to the team finding its confidence and responding to adversity. “UT-Arlington is good,” Chisum said. “They have five hitters that are really talented. They are coming in to this game really confident, but they also haven’t played any outstanding opponents so far. It’s going to be a good matchup, but we’ve just got to take care of the ball and find our confidence. We talked to the team a lot today about playing big and being confident.” Kirch thinks the team will respond after a good practice Sept. 15. “The coaching staff has really prepared us with a great scouting report,” Kirch said. “We just need to finish the game as well as we start it. We need to focus on terminating the ball, and that should lead us to a win.” COLLEGE SKI & BOARD WEEK br e c k e n r i dge
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Tuesday, September 16, 2014 | News | The University Star | 3
CITY
Edward Gary, Hutchison intersection closes for reconstruction By Nicole Barrios ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Drivers can expect detours at Edward Gary and Hutchison Streets starting Monday, as the intersection will close for two weeks for reconstruction. The Edward Gary and Hutchison intersection will be closed from Sept. 15 to 29 in order to widen the space to allow large vehicles better access. Traffic will be detoured to alleys next to the work area as well as Guadalupe
Street, LBJ Drive and CM Allen Parkway, said Trey Hatt, City of San Marcos communications specialist. The intersection will be expanded to accommodate larger vehicles like trucks, said Jennifer Shell, project manager for the Downtown Reconstruction Project. The reconstruction will make it easier for trucks to turn the corner without going into the intersection. Fire trucks, buses and medium-sized delivery trucks had problems turning in the intersection, she said.
“(We will) pretty much widen the whole intersection and make it a little bit bigger,” Shell said. The size of the intersection has been a problem in the past, she said. “When a truck would turn, cars about three cars back would have to move out of the way,” Shell said. “They either had to back up or get into the intersection or somehow move so that truck could turn the corner without hitting those cars that were sitting in the opposite lane.” The city did not close the in-
tersection completely during the construction that took place there last year, which caused the process to take twice the time, she said. “It’s a change in how we were doing things because we did build it the other way, but now we’ve decided to change it to allow more truck traffic to get through safely,” Shell said. The city is closing down the entire intersection instead of just portions of it in order to finish the work faster, Hatt said. “This is really going to get everything done just as fast as possible
so we have the least disruption we can,” Shell said. Signs will direct drivers and alert them to the reconstruction and the detours over the next few weeks, Shell said. “I don’t think the traffic should be too bad,” Shell said. The reconstruction of this intersection is part of the city’s $13 million Downtown Reconstruction Project, Shell said. The entire Downtown Reconstruction Project is expected to be completed by the end of this year, weather permitting, Shell said.
as well as working with the court,” Cutler said. Ingalsbe said that along with planning for the future and educating voters about the measure, members of the Hays County Commissioner’s Court is trying to ensure all the right decisions are made. As discussions continue, officials are trying to be as “prudent” as possible with taxpayers’ money,
Ingalsbe said. “What we determined is that we will go out for a request for proposals for a program manager or project manager to help us determine what delivery method we may want to use regarding the jail,” Ingalsbe said. “We just want to bring somebody on that has more knowledge and experience to help us make the right decisions.”
ATTENDANCE, from front gets lost after tailgate because the students get out there really early in the morning and they get tired, and they leave before the game starts,” Young said. It is difficult to drive people to attend games and continue to be excited for the team after spending hours at tailgate, Young said. Joanne Smith, vice president of Student Affairs, said she believes the large freshman turnout is a result of a new part of Bobcat Preview. Incoming freshmen are taken to Bobcat Stadium and taught hand signs, fight songs, the Alma Matter and various different cheers. “I think (Bobcat Preview) made a big difference this year because once you can get the freshmen to understand how important pride is, then it builds each year,” Smith said. When traditions are instilled in freshmen, by the time students become upperclassmen these practices become “ingrained in their minds,” she said. Student Government is currently working on a marketing strategy tailored to the upperclassmen to help ensure they stay
involved after the first two years of college. Young said Student Government is also in the process of creating themes for each of next year’s home games. The idea is modeled after last year’s ‘Pack Bobcat Stadium’ initiative, which was designed to show students the importance of attending home games. “I envision people looking on ESPN and seeing that complete view of halfmaroon half-gold or an all blacked out stadium or whatever the theme may be,” Young said. “I also think that it will increase spirit and pride at the games if students are able to be a part of something like that.” Smith said the athletics department has plenty of advertising across many different platforms, but in the end it takes the motivation of the students to decide to be a part of the bigger picture. “These games are an all-day event that then culminates with this beautiful opportunity to represent the school,” Smith said. “Hometown advantage is really critical, so if the team sees people out there cheering them on it just motivates them more.”
HAYS COUNTY JAIL, from front want your voters, the public and the people you serve to know everything about that,” Cutler said. “Having the election in November would just be too rushed.” Overcrowding has led to the outsourcing of around 20 inmates to the Guadalupe County Jail as a temporary solution, Cutler said. Options range from renovation or expansion of the current facility,
which is more than 25 years old, to the construction of a new jail. “It’s been a good jail, but it’s got a lot of daily use that has led to wear and tear,” Cutler said. “I’d say for a county this size that’s growing as fast as it is, it’s not uncommon to have a high inmate population.” The county growth will bring new businesses and many “good people,” Cutler said.
Officials have done studies about what the jail needs in light of the current overcrowding challenge and possible future requirements, he said. “The projections show that we need roughly 600 beds by 2020 and almost (one) thousand by 2030, and you know, 2020 isn’t that far down the road, so we’re looking at that and weighing in all of our options
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4 | The University Star | Tuesday, September 16, 2014
OPINIONS
UniversityStar.com
MAIN POINT
Celebrity nude photo leak theft, invasion of privacy
T
he recent leaking of nude pictures of celebrities is an act of theft and an invasion of privacy. People should be wary of taking nude pictures and sending them to anyone. With all of the technology available today, nothing is ever really safe. That being said, everyone, famous or not, should have the basic right of privacy. Taking something as personal as a nude picture and broadcasting it across the web for all to see is harassment. There is a huge double standard when it comes to the female body versus the male body. Females are highly sexualized. Women are under continuous criticism to be perfect, sexy and attractive, but the minute someone shows some skin, it is harshly criticized as the act of a harlot. Celebrities are in the public eye and under constant attack from critics. That being said,
those blaming these women for their pictures getting leaked are a part of the problem. Late Night host Seth Meyers hit the nail on the head on his Sept. 4 show when he said, “If it doesn’t have your consent, it isn’t your fault, period.” Celebrity or not, if someone feels sexy and confident enough to take fun pictures, it is no one’s business but their own. It would be naïve to say that people should respect each other and just not hack into anyone’s personal items, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Another important thing to take into account with the leaked pictures scandal is the nature of how the pictures were released. Oftentimes when nudes are leaked, it is because the sender misplaced his or her trust and the person the pictures were sent to decided to share them. However, in this instance, the pictures were accessed and released by hacking
into iCloud accounts. It would be more accurate to call these people thieves instead of hackers. When a store gets robbed or a house gets broken into, no one blames the people that own it for having something that other people want. Similarly, if someone breaks into a phone or computer and steals private information on it, blaming that person for having the information in the first place is ridiculous. Invading someone’s privacy is not okay regardless of how much of the spotlight they have. Celebrities are not the only ones who have to deal with problems like leaked nudes. Everyone should be able to do what he or she wants with his or her body. However, the editorial board encourages students to exercise caution when taking naked selfies and practice safe photography.
JORDAN GURLEY 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.
ACADEMICS
Students should not be forced into taking hybrid classes
Hunter Larzelere OPINIONS COLUMNIST Journalism junior
H
ybrid classes are not as advantageous as they are advertised to be. The classes only create a greater workload for students, and it is up to the students to teach themselves most of the material. This is my first time ever having hybrid classes, and so far I am not a fan. I learn best in a face-to-face setting. Being in class multiple times a week gives me many more opportunities to fully comprehend what I am learning. I do not take online classes for a reason, so imagine my surprise when I found out two classes required for my major are hybrid only. It just does not seem fair to make hybrid classes the only option for a required course. The basic structure of a hybrid class is one lecture meeting a week, one or two lab meetings with a teacher’s assistant a week, and the rest of the workload is located online. While in theory this setup sounds like students still get plenty of face-to-face interaction, that is simply not the case. While there is one actual lecture a week, the lecture itself tends to only be a supplement to the
material that students are responsible for keeping up with online. The labs essentially follow the same pattern as a lab for any other class—it is really just an opportunity to practice what is being learned in the class. The biggest problem I have with hybrid classes is the fact that the students have to teach themselves a good amount of the class material. A full-time student already is going to classes all day, and a good amount of their time outside of class is spent studying the material they have been taught in class. Keeping that in mind, it is unreasonable to assume that students can have the time to not only study for other classes but also teach themselves completely new material. While I am sure some will disagree with me on the usefulness of hybrid classes, I think at the very least classes that are required for students’ majors should be offered in all class formats. Some students do not have the means to be enrolled in a hybrid class, whether that is because of a lack of a computer or just a terrible knowledge of computers. Yes, these students could use the various computers available on campus, but this only serves as a nuisance to students that cannot spend their entire day on campus. In this technology-driven world we now live in, it is not a surprise that the use of online material has risen in college classrooms. Although some find that online and hybrid classes are the best way to attend school, others are more than comfortable sitting in lecture hall desks learning from a professor face-to-face.
ACADEMICS
Shorter semester classes could be beneficial for some students
Nabil Hourani SPECIAL TO THE STAR Public relations senior
T
exas State should consider making shorter semester classes available to students in the fall and spring semesters similar in length to the summer classes already available here. An optional offering of classes that may only be eight or four weeks in length should be made available to students as an alternative to taking the traditional 16-week semester classes. This will provide options for students who may want to take some of their classes for the full 16 weeks and other classes in a shorter, more condensed period of time. There are certainly students who may feel that taking these shorter classes, like the ones available in the summer now, isn’t always
the best idea. For some, taking these mini-mester classes might put too much of a workload on students in a short period of time, causing grades to suffer and other issues. Although I feel this could definitely be true for certain students, it is certainly a very manageable option for many students. When I took summer classes, knowing I was able to get multiple classes done in such a short period of time was a great feeling. As long as students learn how to manage their time right, it can be a greatly beneficial educational experience that allows students to get their classes done sooner and move at a faster, more efficient pace. I attended a couple of community colleges before transferring to Texas State. One thing I enjoyed about the registration process at these colleges was the wide selection of different-length semester classes made available, accommodating all students’ semester scheduling needs and preferences. Although there are a few classes I found on CatsWeb available for a few majors that are shorter-length semesters, the selection is extremely limited and
not nearly enough to accommodate the vast majority of students. If Texas State can also make these different options of semesters available to students, the increase in flexibility and preferable options for some Bobcats would improve the overall registration process. When I took four-weeklong classes in the summer, I felt the overall educational experience I was receiving more engaging and efficient than the 16-weeklong semesters. For some students, like me, having class only a couple of times a week over the course of 16 weeks feels like too long and slow of a period to be able to retain all the information learned in a class consistently throughout the semester. Taking a shortened course in four weeks allows students to always have the information they’ve learned fresh on their mind during the whole class. Although many students may not prefer this shortened period of time to take a class, there are still plenty of students like myself who would greatly benefit from having these types of options in the process of registering and taking classes all year.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The Writing Center is kind enough to offer you the choice of whom you want as your tutor. You can scroll through the list of tutors, complete with photos and areas of expertise. That should be enough. But there’s more. Some tutors, it turns out, have been through sensitivity trainings. For the time being, there are two: LGBTQIA and Veteran. These sensitive tutors have stickers on their photos. If the tutor has been through a LGBTQIA sensitivity training, they receive a rainbow secret handshake sticker. If the tutor has received the Veteran sensitivity training then he/she receives an American flag sticker. Veterans are Americans and patriotic. Those trained in sensitivity regarding gender or sexuality are not patriots of America. They are patriots of the rainbow. However, some tutors are trained in both, which is confusing. These tutors are bi-sensitive? Can you serve two flags at the same time? So, if I’m gay, I can only feel safe getting help from a tutor with a LGBTQIA sticker? Why would I feel unsafe going to any tutor? Are the tutors prone to raping or molesting the students who have received help there? Is there pending litigation? If a tutor doesn’t have a sticker, then he/she is less aware and sensitive than a tutor with a sticker?
The University Star 601 University Drive Trinity Building, Room 101 San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708
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 Design Editor...........................................Lauren Huston, stardesign@txstate.edu
The essential question: Are sticker tutors better than nonsticker tutors? If I am a veteran and I need help with an essay, only a tutor with a veteran sticker should help me? Why do I need someone with my same background and experience to help me edit a paper? What is this about? It’s insane. The Writing Center has divided its staff along the lines of identity politics. It’s very offensive, and it doesn’t serve the student body. It just serves to emphasize differences. The job of the tutors is to help the students with their academic work. These writing tutors are not social workers. Perhaps this is what they wish to be? Why not add on a massage sticker too? My back hurts when writing a paper. Or a barista? I need coffee to write a paper. How many stickers can there be? Administration should ask the director of the Writing Center exactly what she is doing. This kind of thinking can only fracture the staff, which I’m sure is what it has done. The last thing we need is more divisiveness on this campus.
Multimedia Editor............................Liann Shannon, starmultimedia@txstate.edu Assistant News Editor........................Nicole Barrios, starasstnews@txstate.edu Account Executive..................................Stephanie Macke, starad2@txstate.edu Account Executive.................................Morgan Knowles, starad4@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................................Jamie Beckham, starad5@txstate.edu Media Specialist............................................ Chris Salazar, c.salazar@txstate.edu Advertising Coordinator..............................Kelsey Nuckolls, kjn16@txstate.edu Publications Coordinator.......................................Linda Allen, la06@txstate.edu Publications Director...........................Bob Bajackson, stardirector@txstate.edu
-Alex Porter
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, September 16, 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
Tuesday, September 16, 2014 | The University Star | 5
TRENDS
UniversityStar.com being a three-time U.S. Olympian (1992, 1996, 2000), 1991 World Champion, 1996 Olympic record holder, 1997 Indoor World Champion, 1998 World Champion and nine-time U.S. National Champion. He founded the So High Fitness Center in San Marcos and has earned a host of other accolades. With his laser focus and “never say die” attitude, the Texas State alumnus sat down with the University Star to discuss hard work and giving back to the community.
Charles Austin OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST
JH: In your opinion, what set you apart from other athletes in the sport?
By Jonathan Hamilton TRENDS REPORTER A true underdog, Charles Austin overcame humble beginnings to train himself to win the 1996 Olympic gold medal for the high jump. Fueled by self-motivation and the unwavering desire to succeed, he’s accomplished more than enough to be considered an all-time great in track and field. Some of his many triumphs in the high jump include
CA: I coached myself. I didn’t have a trainer. I didn’t have a team to help me take care of my body and help me plan things out. It was just something that I went after and just made it happen, so I’m very pleased with that—not just the accomplishments but the fact that it showed me that I have what it takes mentally to make things happen. I don’t mind getting down in the trenches. I don’t mind getting up early and putting in that work when everybody else is relaxing. If I want it, I’m going to go and get it.
JH: What were some of your greatest obstacles during your high jumping career? CA: Coming back from major knee surgery where half of my patella tendon was removed. I had four different doctors say that I would never compete again—never jump again. All of that helped me to believe in myself more. Those are some of the things that I take away from my career that stand out to me. It really showed me what I was made of. If you want something, you’ve got to go out there and make it happen. JH: What sticks out the most for you when you think back to those '96 Olympics where you won gold in the high jump? CA: Well, the way I was able to win it sticks out to me. It was more of a mental thing instead of physical. When it comes to who gets the gold, silver, or bronze, everybody is jumping really well. It’s just who gets nervous and who can’t hold it together, and then it gets fun to me. That’s where you
really find out what you’re made of. JH: Is winning that gold medal in '96 your greatest accomplishment? CA: I wouldn’t consider that my greatest accomplishment. I would say my greatest accomplishment would be graduating from college—well, even more so getting a scholarship to come to college. I grew up in a single parent household, youngest of 10 kids. The odds were stacked against me, so getting my business management degree was the biggest thing for me. JH: With everything you've accomplished at Texas State, going to the Olympics, all of those world championships, and even this fitness center that you run now, would you consider yourself a living legend? CA: No. Honestly I don’t even think about that. Me, I’m just me. Yes, I’ve accomplished what I did, but I honestly don’t view myself any better than the next.
JH: What is the vision and purpose of your So High Fitness Center? CA: My vision with this is that I like helping people achieve results in fitness as well as life. I like helping kids get scholarships. Over 90 percent of the kids I’ve trained two years or more have gone on to get scholarships. It’s cool to be a part of that, so that’s the vision here—making sure people leave a lot better off than they came. JH: (How do you feel about) giving back to the community like you're doing with your fitness center here in San Marcos? CA: As far as giving back to the community, I really like setting examples for young people by getting them to understand that I’m no better than them. You’ve seen what I’ve been able to do, and you can do it too. Maybe you can’t high jump, but there’s something you can do to take you to that next level. It just takes a level of hard work and commitment.
Dating affordable in San Marcos By Andrea Hurell TRENDS REPORTER College romance is never easy, and when you combine the desire to impress a crush with a dwindling bank account it is nearly impossible. Take your passion for Tinder to the next level with this collection of fun and inexpensive date ideas that will melt the hearts of even the most bitter of graduating seniors.
Stargazing The good old outdoors can provide the best backdrop for a date with the person that you care about. With just a few more weeks of summer weather left, there is no time like the present to enjoy a moment under the stars. “I really love taking people that I like to the Glade Theatre at night to look at the stars,” said senior Jack Kruger. “Then, I put on some country music and we start dancing.” This move is a movie cliché for a reason—it works.
Concerts and Fine Arts events
School-supported events
It’s pretty hard to believe in a cheap concert or show with all the music festivals, DJ sets at the Marc and Beyoncé tours around us, but they are out there. Superfly’s on The Square frequently features artists who perform without any charge to the audience. Additionally, for a taste of refined culture, the Texas State music department often showcases classical music performances at a free or reduced cost for students.
From free movies to open mic nights, Texas State is big on making sure its students are having a good time. Through it all, SACA is right there to plan events it believes the student body will enjoy. Not only are these events perfect to invite someone to but they can also be a wonderful way to meet people. “My org had a drive-in movie event, and I took a girl,” said freshman Tyler Day. “I thought it was awesome, and it was cheaper than going to a theatre.”
Seasonal Festivities Pumpkin patches, anyone? With Halloween right around the corner, there are an abundance of fallthemed activities and places going into business for you and your date to explore. When Christmas comes, nothing says cuddle weather like Christmas movie marathons, a fuzzy blanket and an endless supply of hot chocolate.
Monday Night Bowling Sunset Bowling Lanes has a bowling special on Monday nights from 9 p.m. to midnight. You can’t go wrong with a cheap way to shake off your case of the Mondays and a little healthy competition between you and whoever you are in like with.
PRESLIE COX STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
PRESS RELEASE
Texas State’s Wittliff Collections open new exhibition from Cormac McCarthy Papers On September 2, 2014, the Wittliff Collections at Texas State University’s Alkek Library in San Marcos opened Cormac McCarthy: Unveiling a Literary Legend, a major exhibition of materials from the Cormac McCarthy Papers and other McCarthy-related archives in the Wittliff holdings. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, AT 6:30 P.M. Among the major Cormac McCarthy scholars is New York-based author, actor, and artist Peter Josyph, who has tracked down many of the places and people who inspired McCarthy. Josyph, author of the Wittliff Collections literary series book published by the University of Texas Press Cormac McCarthy’s House: Reading McCarthy Without Walls, will appear at the Wittliff on Thursday, September 18, at 6:30 p.m. for a special performance and book signing. The Wittliff Collections are located on the seventh floor of Texas State’s Alkek Library in San Marcos, between Austin and San Antonio. Exhibition hours, directions, parking information, and other details about visiting the Wittliff are online at www.thewittliffcollections.txstate. edu. For questions, call 512.245.2313. Admission to all exhibitions and events is free and open to the public. THE EXHIBITION Acclaimed as one of America’s greatest writers, Cormac McCarthy has crafted
some of the finest novels of our time, including All the Pretty Horses, No Country for Old Men, Blood Meridian, and The Road, for which he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. Literary curator Steve Davis draws from the Wittliff’s extensive permanent archive of McCarthy’s papers at Texas State to unveil the intricate creative process of this world-renowned author. The exhibition traces McCarthy’s writing from the sources of his original inspiration to the formation of his vision into novels, screenplays, and films. Also on display are examples of the scope of his historical research and the meticulous attention he pays to revising his prose. Many chronicled real-life events have fed McCarthy’s novelistic imagination, and this exhibition highlights the author’s rigorous research. A variety of books McCarthy relied upon testify to his dedication to precise detail. His own hand-drawn maps of the locales he wrote about reveal some of the ways he maintained accuracy of place. Particular attention is given to McCarthy’s reliance on Texas author J. Frank Dobie. McCarthy consulted Dobie’s writing on scalp hunters while working on Blood Meridian. He also utilized Dobie as a major source for The Crossing, the second novel in his Border Trilogy. On exhibit are McCarthy’s carefully annotated passages in Dobie’s writing along with examples of how McCarthy later adapted those sections into his own work. —Courtesy of Michele Miller
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6 | The University Star | Advertisement | Tuesday, September 16, 2014
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