THURSDAY
SEPTEMBER 25, 2014 VOLUME 104 ISSUE 21
Defending the First Amendment since 1911
CITY
Intersection barricaded after gas line leaks
www.UniversityStar.com
CITY
By Anna Herod NEWS REPORTER
The North LBJ Street and University Drive intersection was barricaded after construction workers unintentionally broke a gas line while digging up concrete to create a storm drain. Firefighters arrived on the scene around 3 p.m. Wednesday to remain on stand-by in case the gas leak ignited, said Captain Liz Baldinger, Engine 2. “We do have fire trucks on standby and barricades blocking everything off, but people continue to try to walk past this area instead of going around,” Baldinger said. “Students and residents just need to pay attention and be a little more aware of their surroundings because we’re looking out for their safety.” Areas with utilities such as gas lines running beneath the street are marked with spray paint on the sidewalk. However, the paint indicating the presence of the gas line was faded and the workers did not notice it, said Rudy Serna, a construction worker who was on site when the line was hit. “It was marked, but you could barely see it,” Serna said. “The worker who was operating the machine stopped right then and there when we hit the line and let the fire department know.” Serna said there is normally a six-inch to one-foot layer of sand and gravel above utilities signaling to workers they are close to a line. “The line that we hit was much older, so there wasn’t that layer of sand and gravel to alert us before we got too close to the line,” Serna said. “Because it’s the older part of town, there are lines out here that were probably put in when my grandfather was around.” The severed gas line was the direct energy line to Chipotle. “All of our appliances run off of gas, even our grill,” said Alyssa Valdez, Chipotle employee. “Right now all we’re doing is selling the rest of the hot food that we already have made. After we run out we’re shutting down because the construction workers busted our gas line and we can’t cook any more food until they fix it.” The construction company had to break through the concrete in the corner of the Subway parking lot to access the cut-off valve before the gas line could be repaired. Jordan Foster Infrastructure Superintendent Pete Ramirez said workers would have the lot repaired before the day was over. “We’ll be held responsible for the leak and have to reimburse the energy company,” Ramirez said. “Although the line was marked, we made a mistake. (The workers) are working between a lot of water and electrical lines, and sometimes you just miss one because it’s a lot to keep up with.” Baldinger suspects Chipotle will be able to be up and running on Thursday. The gas leak was repaired as of 7p.m. Wednesday, according to a TXState Alert.
City officials hope to create more jobs after being named the fastest growing city in the United States.
MADELYNNE SCALES PHOTO EDITOR
San Marcos officials aiming to create jobs as city grows By Houston York NEWS REPORTER
B
ecause San Marcos is America’s fastest growing city, officials are looking to expand the job industry to accommodate the rapid growth and influx of people moving from surrounding areas. Many people think students are contributing to the economic growth as the university hits record numbers of enrollment, but data show students are not the main cause, said Greater San Marcos Partnership president
Adriana Cruz. The average person moving to San Marcos is 31 years old, Cruz said. Most newcomers are from Travis County. “We would say it is affordability and housing,” Cruz said. “People are moving further south to have a better quality of life and have an apartment or house they can afford as Austin becomes more expensive. San Marcos is 38 percent cheaper than the city of Austin.” Students who come to Texas State have a great love for their school and community and would stay if they could find jobs, Cruz
said. One of the partnerships goals is to help create jobs and bring in employers to hire Texas State students, she said. “We don’t have the jobs yet,” Cruz said. “The primary industry sectors San Marcos has are government, restaurant and accommodation and retail. That is why students are working at some underemployed level if they stay.” Cruz said when people think of technology and innovation they do not immediately think of Texas State or San Marcos. “We are trying to blow that perception out of the water and make
sure they are aware innovation and technology are happening here in unexpected places and ways,” Cruz said. The strategy the partnership is currently developing targets industry sectors based on what the university is doing and the work force skills present, she said. “Right now our target sectors are advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, life sciences, clean technologies, corporate and professional operations, supply chain logistics, aerospace and avi-
See GROWTH, Page 2
CONSTRUCTION
Bridge construction underway at Hunter Road
By Liz Barrera NEWS REPORTER A bridge is being constructed over Hunter Road to help solve low water crossing problems in the area and the lane will be wid-
DANIELLE CHARLES STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ened in a project with the Texas Department of Transportation. With any significant amount of rain Hunter Road would shut down due to flooding, said Richard Reynosa, senior project engineer in San Marcos. Construction on the project began in March
and is predicted to be complete in fall 2015. “The low water crossing has been an issue, along with the safety of the roads,” Reynosa said. “Hunter Road is one of our few west of I-35, north and south roads, so that low water crossing problem pushes everybody back out to Craddock Avenue or back toward I-35 so it’s a major connection and problem to the City of San Marcos.” An underground drainage system with curbs, gutters and sidewalks will also be built along the road to help with seepage. Reynosa said the construction will be a major improvement to the road and the project area. Fillor Abazi, resident of Elysian Purgatory Creek Apartments on Hunter Road, said the “luxurious living” and nice landscaping
drew him to the area. However, shortly after moving in, he realized why the apartments had so many vacancies, he said. “Quickly, I found out that the construction that had just started at the time would effect me,” Abazi said. Abazi said he was not affected by the flooding in the area, but the construction caused him to find alternative routes. “It never occurred to me that all this construction that was being done right by me was because of flooding and water crossing issues with traffic, although a few of my friends that had lived there a little longer than me had complained and commented on those issues,” Abazi said.
See BRIDGE, Page 2
UNIVERSITY
Solar charging station proposal denied by committee By Anna Herod NEWS REPORTER After originally accepting a proposal from the Communication Design program to bring a solar charging station to campus, the Environmental Service Committee
has denied the request. The proposal was denied after President Denise Trauth limited the solar charging station’s time on campus to two months instead of approving the original proposal to keep it until the end of the year. Although Provost Eugene Bour-
PRESLIE COX STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Tanner Townsend, business junior, charges his laptop Sept. 18 at the charging station at LBJ Student Center
geois and the building manager for the LBJ Student Center approved the station, the request was put on hold because Trauth had not accepted the proposal. Trauth agreed to allow the station on campus for two months of the fall semester so students could receive training on the use of solar power. Bourgeois said he concurs with Trauth’s decision. “With the time constraints, the logistics of getting the designer here to work with the Communication Design department wouldn’t be solved in time for the deadline,” said Environmental Service Committee chair Jonathan Alba. The station was going to be funded with the environmental services fee all students pay, Alba said. In previous years, a similar solar charging station was put on campus and funded by the McCoy College of Business Administration as part of a Common Experience theme of sustainability. The station cost $4,000 per month. “It was going to be $7,500 for the year for the solar charging station to be on campus and for the workshops that were going to go
along with it as well,” Alba said. “So we just felt that wasn’t a good investment of students’ money, to pay that much money for the station to be here only two months when it could be here all year for the same price.” Juan Guerra, vice president of Facilities, said he was in charge of helping locate a safe place to put the proposed station. “It would have been a good publicity item to demonstrate to students what kind of technology is out there so that they could think about how they could use it later on in their lives,” Guerra said. The proposed charging station would have been made from a recycled gas pump, Alba said. Stations such as this have already been implemented at the University of Texas at Austin, Hampshire College, Stanford University and the Art Institute of Chicago. They are also used extensively at the SXSW festival in Austin, according to the proposal for the station. “It’s a way for students to come together,” Alba said. “They can charge their phones and laptops in a place to hang out, and as a
communicator, that’s what I love to promote: collaboration between students, but also talking about the environment.” Alba said he feels sad for students because time limitations placed on the proposal made it impossible to bring the idea to campus. “It would have created a new discussion for students about reusable energy sources,” he said. “It would paint a larger picture that we’re moving forward as a university and exploring other avenues and being innovative.” Even though Alba thinks the station should have been allowed for the remainder of the year, the committee will shift its attention to other important projects, he said. “Right now we’re focusing on spreading awareness on campus so that students know that they pay the environmental services fee and that anyone—faculty, staff or students—can use it to improve our campus or our community,” Alba said. “The money is there to use for environmental improvements and innovative ideas. This includes anything from the simple planting of a garden to a river cleanup.”
2 | The University Star | News | Thursday, September 25, 2014
GROWTH, from front
CITY
Outlets draw more than 6 million visitors per year
ation,” Cruz said. “A lot of that is driven by what is happening at Texas State.” The city is not only looking for outside companies to create new jobs but also local companies to make sure they grow and stay in San Marcos, Cruz said. “We are developing small business and entrepreneurial programs with the university,” Cruz said. “Small business and entrepreneurship is where a lot of job creation happens.” San Marcos city manager Jared Miller said the fields and markets the city targets are not entirely aimed at uni-
versity students. “It doesn’t matter what industry we target,” Miller said. “There is going to be a benefit for (businesses) to be in San Marcos because of Texas State. We will have more opportunities for other disciplines as the city continues to grow in a positive way.” Career Services Associate Director Ralph Leal said students should look for jobs in San Marcos because support exists for job-seekers. However, employers frequently ask if applicants are willing to re-locate. “There are opportunities in other cities and states, and if
you walk into the job search process with the idea that you are only going to stay in this area, you end up cutting yourself short on a lot more opportunities,” Leal said. Job seekers should consider factors other than the location, Leal said. “It is not always about location,” Leal said. “Location is important because that is where your support system is sometimes, but I think that anytime someone limits their job opportunities for any one reason, they might have blinders on to other opportunities.”
BRIDGE, from front Georgia Slaughter, assistant manager at the Elysian Purgatory Creek Apartments, said ownership and management changed in May and the staff on duty has not had to deal with any type of water crossing issues. “Luckily, there has not
ALEXANDRA WHITE STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER The San Marcos Premium and Tanger Outlets attract 6 million visitors each year and draws in 45 percent of the entire sales tax revenue for the City of San Marcos. By Benjamin Enriquez NEWS REPORTER The City of San Marcos’ estimated population in 2013 was 54,076, but the San Marcos outlets’ estimated yearly traffic is 6 million. The number one visitor attractions for San Marcos are the Premium and Tanger outlet malls. They are one of the few outlet mall destination centers and a top-five employer for the city, said Rebecca Ybarra-Ramirez, executive director of the San Marcos Convention and Visitor Bureau. Ybarra-Ramirez said the number of yearly visitors to Premium and Tanger is in the millions. “There’s a high number from Austin, which is the largest market, Houston and San Antonio,” Ybarra-Ramirez said. “These are the top three markets.” People come in for the luxury brands, she said. Shoppers are not just from America but from Mexico as well, she said. “At one time, about ten to 15 years ago, 35 percent of the market was from Mexico,” Ybarra-Ramirez said. “Since then the number has dropped to 30 percent.” Not only do the outlet malls provide a high number of visitors, but they also bring in 45 percent of the total sales tax revenue generated for the city, she said. The city’s sales tax revenue in December 2013 was $2.77 million, and half of that amount came from the outlet malls, Ybarra-Ramirez said. The month of December yields the highest sales tax revenue from the outlets. February is the slowest month, and its total sales tax revenue was $1,668,111.18, she said. These amounts are separate from the yearly property taxes store owners pay to the city, which includes not only the buildings themselves but all inventory inside, she said. “In 2011, Premium paid the county $1,897,704 in property taxes for the buildings alone,” Ybarra-Ramirez said. “Inventory paid for by the stores on the Premium side was $1,294,000 in that same year, according to data extracted from the Hays County website.” The city would be much different without the outlet malls’ presence, she said. “I couldn’t even imagine it,” Ybarra-Ramirez said. “If we didn’t have them, there would be fewer places for students and non-students alike to be
employed, and we wouldn’t have any of this revenue we gain.” Adriana Cruz, president of the Greater San Marcos Partnership, said she agrees with Ybarra-Ramirez’s feelings on the outlet malls’ impact on the city. “They’re significant,” Cruz said. “They’re a massive sales tax generator, one of the top tourist attractions in this part of Texas and add a lot of income to our economy.” The outlet malls are one piece of the puzzle that adds to the overall makeup of the city, workforce and quality of living in San Marcos, Cruz said. “As other companies are looking to come to San Marcos, one of the things they look for is lifestyle,” Cruz said. The outlets attract not only local and state business but international commerce, Cruz said. “The outlets have a certain brand recognition as well, so when we have international companies come here, it’s something they know,” Cruz said. “We’re a great place to live, great place to work and a great place to shop also.” San Marcos is in a favorable position to continue to grow, Cruz said. “I think that a lot of smaller communities in Texas struggle, and their goal is to attract retailers,” Cruz said. “We don’t have that problem, and because of that we’re fortunate and can look to diversify our economy in other ways.” The outlets are one of the largest private sector employers the city has, with approximately 3,000 personnel, she said. “I think they’ve put us on the radar because I’ve talked to major technology corporations in California, and the first thing they recognize is the outlets,” Cruz said. Jacob Zernick, psychology senior and assistant manager of the Aldo outlet store, is one of the many students working at the outlets. “Personally, I know like 12 or so students working here at the outlets, but I know there’s lots of others,” Zernick said. Zernick said he enjoys his job and the flexibility it gives him. “There are other places that could cater to students’ schedules, but we are in a unique position to give people this kind of workforce,” Zernick said. “There are always jobs here since there are always people graduating, and it’s definitely a great job with its location and flexibility.”
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been any flooding due to the fact that it has not rained much since then,” Slaughter said. When the property was sold to new ownership with management, the construction was already underway and has deterred people
from finding the apartments, Slaughter said. “I hope the bridge brings more people in because right now, it is not at all,” Slaughter said. “Our hope is that things will get back to normal.”
Thursday, September 25, 2014 | The University Star | 3
TRENDS
UniversityStar.com
Wittliff brings Cormac McCarthy’s work to Texas State campus By Jonathan Hamilton TRENDS REPORTER Located on the 7th floor of the Alkek Library, the Wittliff Collection has acquired a number of novels, manuscripts and personal artifacts from the life of legendary writer Cormac McCarthy. Because of McCarthy’s preference for privacy, his work is much more widely known than his name. McCarthy won the Pulitzer Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction for his novel “The Road” in 2006. His novel “No Country for Old Men” was published in 2005 and became a box office movie smash in 2007, winning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Since having his first novel published in 1965, McCarthy has composed a total of ten novels, with four of them becoming motion pictures. His 1985 novel “Blood Meridian” earned a spot on Time magazine’s list of the 100 best English-language books published between 1923 and 2005. With
his skillful mastery of American prose, Cormac McCarthy has been awarded a host of other awards and accolades for his acclaimed work spanning five decades. The exhibit itself gives life to the artistic journey that McCarthy has made over the years. One-of-a-kind items like the original draft of “No Country for Old Men,” which was originally written as a screenplay in 1987, sit in the exhibit. A vintage Olivetti Lettera 32 typewriter that McCarthy used to write his first novels rests on display. A television runs a constant loop of McCarthy’s 2007 interview with media mogul Oprah Winfrey. This conversation between these two pioneers of American culture is truly a sight to see, considering that McCarthy had only given two interviews in nearly fifty years prior to speaking with Oprah. Steve Davis, curator for the Wittliff Collection, spoke about the importance of having the McCarthy exhibit here at Texas State. “I think it’s really a chance to look at the creative
process of a world-renowned author, to really explore how he takes an idea from scratch and then develops it into these acclaimed novels,” Davis said. “It will kind of give you some inspiration or confidence that you can do something similar, in a way.” Nutrition sophomore Kendahl Thomas was surprised at the amount McCarthy’s work with which she was familiar. “I didn’t know that McCarthy was the author of so many well-known movies,” Thomas said. “I love ‘No Country for Old Men,’ and I had no idea that he was the creator of it.” With thousands upon thousands of pages of manuscripts and drafts, McCarthy’s work could never be fully digested by the public. Nevertheless, this exhibit is a very informal and accurate depiction of the legacy that McCarthy has been able to establish with his vibrant mind and unmatched creativity.
Starbucks Secret Menu By Amanda Ross TRENDS EDITOR The ubiquity of Starbucks becomes particularly apparent in the fall. Between tweets about the infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte jazzed up with the falling leaves emojis and Facebook shots of baristas who definitely spelled someone’s name wrong on purpose, Starbucks is nothing short of an on-campus staple. But what most people don’t know is that there exists a secret menu so delicious, it makes a skinny iced caramel macchiato taste like day-old Valero espresso. Read on to learn the tricks of the trade and become a champion of white girls everywhere.
The Nutella Latte While not made with actual Nutella, this Caffe Misto pumped up with a shot (or two) of hazelnut and chocolate transforms your coffee into 20 ounces of sweetness. Though it’s nothing short of Christmastime perfection when served hot, it borders on milkshake-level deliciousness when poured over ice.
Apple Pie Frappuccino In case your whipped monstrosity wasn’t quite sweet enough of its
own, nicely ask your barista to add cinnamon dolce syrup, apple juice and caramel to a classic frap for a new spin on an American classic. Try swapping the apple juice for banana to create a Banana Cream Pie.
Pumpkin Pie Frappuccino Fall-loving basics, rejoice. There’s a new way to enjoy your pumpkinthemed treats without confining yourself to the often-overdone PSL. Your barista will almost certainly know how to make this, but you can take it to a new level by adding cinnamon syrup, caramel and cinnamon powder across the whipped topping. Warning: the caloric level of this beverage rivals a Big Mac washed down with a Four Loko, so consume sparingly.
Thin Mint Frappuccino While we suffer through the cruel Girl Scout Cookie-less purgatory known as the fall and early winter, you can get a taste of this childhood favorite early by modifying a Tazo Green Tea Cream Frappuccino. Jack up your drink by adding pumps of chocolate syrup and mint flavoring to make it taste like February even as we sweat up the Alkek stairs.
JOHN CODY STALSBY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER The literary archives of acclaimed American author Cormac McCarthy are on display at the Wittliff Collections until Dec. 12.
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4 | The University Star | Thursday, September 25, 2014
OPINIONS
UniversityStar.com
MAIN POINT
Independence vital in relationships P eople in overly dependent relationships should consider cutting ties with emotionally draining significant others and rediscovering themselves as a single person. Not all relationships are good relationships. The nature of feelings is that they make things very complicated, and relationships are no exception to this issue. It can be especially hard to see how relationships can be damaging while you are in one. Sometimes in relationships people get too wrapped up in being an “us” and lose themselves in the process. There will be a time in everyone’s life when they are alone, whether that is for a few days, a few months or longer. Being comfortable with being alone is a necessary aspect of personal growth. People who always need to be dating someone to feel whole are embarking on a dangerous and unfulfilling path to happiness. Instead of trying to fit people into the
empty spaces in life, students should aim to fill up those spaces with more of themselves. Being in relationships often means giving up individual interests for shared ones, but being single provides people the opportunity to reconnect with things they love. College is a whole new world, and staying with your high school sweetheart can sometimes be the last thing tying you down to the life you’re growing out of. An overwhelming majority of high school relationships don’t make the transition to college, and that phenomenon exists for a reason. Staying in a relationship that has run its course is not healthy. The editorial board is not advocating that everyone go out and end their relationships upon reading this. However, sometimes relationships have a way of dulling reality, and it is important to take a closer look every now and then. Of course, not all relationships are bad. Good, strong, healthy relation-
ships where the participants only make each other better also exist. However, those with a significant other should make sure that it does not prevent personal growth. College is the time to discover and develop the person you want to be, and if a relationship is holding you back from that, cut it off. It is important to develop personal hobbies, friendships and interests. Having things you can turn to when you need an escape is an essential part of being an adult. However, being in a relationship and being independent are not mutually exclusive experiences. The idea of being alone can be scary for some, especially if they have been in steady, committed relationships for a while. Becoming independent after being dependent on someone else to complete the other half of everyday routines is a stressful transition. However, as important as it is to love and respect others, it is even more important to love and respect yourself.
The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Columns are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University.
BREANNA BAKER STAR ILLUSTRATOR
SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook algorithms eliminate diversity, present flawed message been up to lately but also to obtain information about news, politics and anything else considered important or interesting. Therefore, people must question and understand the way Facebook is communicating information to its users. Eli Pariser, the chief executive for the website Upworthy, gave a TED Talk explaining the way Facebook has created an algorithmic system that customizes exactly what users may or may not see as they scroll down their Facebook newsfeed based on both prior usage of Facebook and Internet usage in general. Pariser explained while he himself is more progressively liberal in his political views,
Nabil Hourani
T
Opinions Columnist Public relations senior
he powerful grip that Facebook now holds on society’s use of technology and social media has created a very unique system. Many people not only use Facebook to learn about what their friends and family have
HEALTH
Anxiety can be manageable
Britton Richter Opinions Columnist English junior
W
hen I was 14, I was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety. I was a regular kid, just going into my freshman year of high school, but I was already experiencing an inordinate amount of stress for someone my age. I had a chemical deficiency in my brain that now has to be constantly monitored with medication and quite a few years of therapy. Freshman year of high school should not be that stressful on a student, so imagine the heightened stress when I moved out for the first time. I became a real adult in college, away from home, in more difficult classes and overwhelmed by a desperate need for success. The stresses that college students face range from standard worries about grades to finding the right degree to making friends. They seem like minor problems individually, but when they occur all at once, the effects can be detrimental. I am not going to say there is a fix, because oftentimes these stresses are not things that need to be fixed, but instead students need to develop coping mechanisms in order to make sense of whatever perceived chaos is going on in their lives. College is, hands down, one of the more stressful times in any person’s life, despite all of the fantastic opportunities that can arise from it. There are also severe consequences. When I first came to Texas State, it felt like summer camp. Granted, I was never a camp-going child, but if
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I had to pick a feeling, summer camp would be the one. Once school began to kick in, as well as homesickness, the anxiety bubble in my chest began to well back up. I know I am not alone with these stresses. A 2010 survey conducted by the American College Health Association reported 45.6 percent of students surveyed reported feeling hopeless, while 30.7 percent reported feeling so depressed that it was difficult to function during the past 12 months. These numbers have been on the rise since the mid1990s and do not show any signs of slowing. The need for college students to have access to counseling centers is only rivaled in importance by the need for students to take advantage of these centers. Coping skills are the only tools that students have total control over that can potentially benefit them. These coping skills do not necessarily have to come in the form of counseling. Little things can make large impacts too. They might seem redundant and overplayed, but they are suggested for a reason: because they work. Going on an occasional jog after studying for hours on end can be incredibly beneficial. However, I am a lazy sack of potatoes, so taking a second to go on a walk or even watch a movie or episode of a favorite TV show can make a huge difference in deciding whether the bubble in my chest pops. Mental health issues, while severely stigmatized, are an enormous factor in the success of students, high school and collegiate alike. If students are feeling stressed, they should take advantage of these centers and tools that can help them cope. Not only am I a worrywart by nature, I also have difficulties getting motivated to act on my emotions. That is definitely a recipe for disaster, but I have found things that work for me. It is not impossible to cope in college.
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
he always wanted to seek out conservatives on Facebook to see what they had to say alongside his left-wing friends. However, Facebook noticed he mostly clicked on the profiles of his liberal friends and slowly started to censor out his right-wing friends’ posts on his newsfeed. This algorithm all but created a homogeneous flow of purely leftwinged political posts with no diversity of perspectives. I am against these algorithmic manipulations of the information we receive on social media. The reason Facebook uses this system is to be sure its users are always seeing the things they like to see on their newsfeed, keeping them as loyal users who wouldn’t ever think to leave the website. Although this may be
an effective method for holding on to dedicated users, I believe this type of dedication is a way of creating more narrowmindedness and lack of tolerance in diversity. Whether or not people are going to agree with all the opinions they see on their Facebook newsfeed, they should still see other perspectives on all topics. Seeing diverse opinions and perspectives can make people more knowledgeable and confident in their own views or alter their views upon learning different information. The Internet can be a double-edged sword in the way people both give and receive information and communicate. It is a powerful tool that can be used to promote a message of
importance and morality that people need to hear, or it can be used to spread a flawed, biased message of harm. It is up to the people as Internet users to rise above the miscommunication they receive within the overload of information they have at their disposal. It is up to the people to absorb and spread the messages that truly need to be heard. When websites like Facebook create a system of censorship and customization in how people view information, this can only create a society of close-mindedness and unwillingness to look at other people’s perspectives. This closemindedness is a terrible deterrent in creating open, honest, true human communication.
LGBTQIA
Heteronormativity harmful, biased
Brandon Sams Opinions Columnist Public relations sophomore
H
eteronormativity is a detrimental concept and bias that asserts that all people fall into distinct and complimentary genders— man and woman. Many people wrongfully adhere to heteronormality, which has historically been the impediment to gendered progress and feelings about sexuality. These falsely idealized institutions need to be questioned, indicted and convicted for their problematic manifestations. Heteronormativity also asserts that these purported two genders have naturally determined roles in life. Therefore marriage and sexual relationships, among a multitude of other things, are only befitting for people between these two genders. Heteronormative thinking reveals social expectations as well as social constraints. These have, admittedly and unfortunately, been successful attempts to separate gender and sexuality into hierarchal binaries. The butch and femme contrast in lesbian relationships as well as the top and bottom dichotomy in gay male relationships are very evident examples of impositions of
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heteronormative ideology. These distinctions exist in order to make queer, nonheterosexual people into copies of their heterosexual contemporaries. Making them more acceptable to mainstream culture because they can easily be defined along heteronormative lines. Butch females and top males fall under the “male” role, femme females and bottom males fall under the “female” role. So now heterosexuals who follow heteronormativity can sleep happy. They now can both pat themselves on the back for being more inclusive and accepting of people who fall outside of heterosexuality, and also get to hold on to that institution and their power. Heterosexual people that participate in this labeling assert themselves as the owners of nonheterosexuals by defining them in their own terms instead of taking them as they are. These existing heterosexual power structures impair the expression, identities and orientations of queer identifying people and need to be at very least questioned but ideally reformed. However, assimilation is the easiest route therefore a majority of homosexual and queer organizations seeks assimilation into the heteronormative standard instead of reform. Unfortunately, heteronormative assimilation has been the driving force behind much of the mainstream popularized queer movements of the past 30 years. Very different from queer movements of the past that sought to topple these
ideals because they forced people to not be themselves in order to have easier lives. Assimilation does not truly nor effectively help people. It forces people into boxes because that is what is easier for the society to digest. It may seem like saying things like, “oh he is gay, but he is a regular guy,” is harmless, but it raises the question of what is a “regular” guy, and why that is something people should aspire to be. When I hear that phrase, I assume it is code for straight acting, which is not ideal and should not be held up as an aspiration. It becomes increasingly problematic when homosexual and queer people internalize these ideals and shame the members of the aforementioned communities because they do not adhere to what is seen as ideal. Trying to stick to heterosexual guidelines often manifests as internalized homophobia and transphobia. I, personally, have heard several times by people of the gay community that me being me, my natural self, is impeding progress and both my inclusion into “mainstream” as well as the inclusion of the communities I belong to. Why? Because I do not conform to heteronormative ideas. The overarching heteronormative structure seeks conformity and assimilation. Heteronormativity should not be the ideal or the answer; those ideals are the exterminators of expression, individuality, self-sovereignty and truth.
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Thursday, September 25, 2014 | The University Star | 5
SPORTS
UniversityStar.com
FOOTBALL
SOCCER
Team to face Tulsa Saturday
Sun Belt Conference preview LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE RAGIN’ CAJUNS
Sabrina Flores SPORTS REPORTER @SABRINAFLORESTX
Finish in last year’s conference: 5-2-1 Current record: 5-3-1 Last year’s record against TXST: 1-0 Goals scored per game: 3.1 Goals allowed per game: 1.7
APPALACHIAN STATE MOUNTAINEERS Finish in last year’s conference: 4-2-4 (Southern Conference) Current record: 3-6 Goals scored per game: 1.7 Goals allowed per game: 2.0
By Kirk Jones ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @KIRK_JONES11 Despite the Texas State football team’s top 30 ranking in passing and rushing yards per game, the team is in a 1-2 hole heading into their matchup against the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes. “These are two teams that want to win,” Coach Dennis Franchione said. “We both want to get back in the good column especially being our last game before conference play.” Tulsa ranks 114 in rushing yards allowed with 230.7 per game, while the Bobcats rank 26 in rushing yards. Rob Lowe, junior running back, leads the Sun Belt conference in rushing yards per game with 119.7 yards. He is ranked 34 in the NCAA in total rushing yards with 359. Tyler Jones, sophomore quarterback, has nine touchdowns and two interceptions in three games, placing him first in the Sun Belt in passing efficiency and completion percentage. As a team, the Bobcats average the most yards in the Sun Belt with 538 yards per game. Their running game, led by Lowe, is second in rushing yards per game.
The Bobcats accumulated a school record 475 total yards against a Big 10 team in their 42-35 loss to Illinois. The Golden Hurricanes have a top 35 passing attack in the NCAA with sophomore quarterback Dane Evans leading the team with 911 yards. “This quarterback is a gunslinger,” Franchione said. “He’s not afraid of anything he’ll go out there a throw three hundred passing yards.” Evans, a 6-foot-1 quarterback, has a similar skill set to Jones, who is able to complete high degree difficulty throws on the run. “We are playing a good football team,” defensive coordinator John Thompson said. “The quarterback has a big arm, the team scores a lot of points and we are working to clean things up for this game.” Tulsa sophomore wide receiver Keevan Lucas ranks 17 in receiving yards with 372. The 5-foot-10 sophomore had 233 receiving yards and three touchdowns against Tulane in their first game. “A lot of the plays we busted on against Illinois we need to fix,” senior cornerback Craig Mager said. “They are going to throw the ball a lot we will be prepared for their attack.”
DENISE CATHEY STAR FILE PHOTO Lucas averages 9.3 receptions per game and 124 yards per game, putting him third and sixth nationally. Texas State’s defense has been attacked on the ground teams averaging 232.7 yards per game placing the team 115 in the country. “The first four series in Illinois were three and outs,” Thompson said. “We allowed like 11 yards rushing that first quarter. We really had them in a delay but you can’t give up a touchdown at the beginning of each quarter.” The Bobcats forced two interceptions in the three games as they look to capitalize on Evans’ six interceptions. “We need to force more turnovers on the defensive side,” Franchione said. “We almost had one last week but we just missed it, our team normally does not miss opportunities like that.” Franchione grew up just outside of Tulsa where he still has family living. “I need to see if I can get some more tickets,” Franchione said. “I’m going back home so I need to see if I can get some extra tickets, should be a good crowd as some of my family will there.”
ANALYSIS Sarah Strickland, in her fifth season as coach, has a roster dominated by upperclassmen. The team has suffered four of six losses by one goal this year. If the Mountaineers can improve their defense, Samantha Childress, senior forward, and Julia Holz, senior forward, will lead the Mountaineers to a few more wins than expected.
ANALYSIS For a young team, the Ragin’ Cajuns are beating the opposition by a wide margin, including a program-record 10 goals against Alcorn State. COACH CONNER’S TAKE “They are pulling off some great results, but I know they will be a tough opponent. They are very disciplined and very stout in the game.”
LOUISIANA-MONROE WARHAWKS Finish in last year’s conference: 1-7 Current record: 6-3-1 Last year’s record against TXST: 1-0 Goals scored per game: 2.8 Goals allowed per game: 1.2
ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK TROJANS Finish in last year’s conference: 1-7, ninth Current record: 9-0 Last year’s record against TXST: 0-1 Goals scored per game: 4.0 Goals allowed per game: 0.2 ANALYSIS The Trojans have six players with four or more goals this season. When it comes to the Sun Belt conference championship, the Trojans are on the path to win it all following last season’s last-place finish.
ARKANSAS STATE RED WOLVES Finish in last year’s conference: 4-4 Current record: 3-6 Last year’s record against TXST: 0-1 Goals scored per game: 1.9 Goals allowed per game: 2.0 ANALYSIS The Red Wolves are a very athletic team with experience and confidence. Arkansas State is potentially a team that can spoil other contenders’ conference championship bids. COACH CONNER’S TAKE “They have two front runners up top that can be very deadly, so we are going to have to really make sure we are marking up on those guys. It’s going to be very dangerous for us, so we are going to have to be very disciplined in our marks and in our ideas.”
ANALYSIS Louisiana-Monroe has only four upperclassmen. The Warhawks lead the nation with 5.13 assists per game. LouisianaMonroe finished non-conference play with six wins, the most since 2005. This young yet dynamic team is pushing itself in the right direction to be a contender.
SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS Finish in last year’s conference: 5-2-1 Current record: 8-2 Last year’s record against TXST: 0-0-1 Goals scored per game: 3.7 Goals allowed per game: 0.6 ANALYSIS The Jaguars are one of the teams to beat in the Sun Belt and will make their presence known during the tournament. The team added Charde Hannah, a freshman who leads the conference in goals. COACH CONNER’S TAKE “I think South Alabama is very talented. They have a very athletic team, but yet very direct, very down-your-throat-type style mentality and very physical. I know we are going to have to beat them twice in a year to be able to win a championship.”
TROY TROJANS
GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES Finish in last year’s conference: 5-11-2 Current record: 5-2-1 Last year’s record against TXST: N/A Goals scored per game: 2.1 Goals allowed per game: 1 ANALYSIS Georgia Southern is making its Sun Belt debut against Louisiana-Monroe. The Eagles need to be more physical and finish their shots. The Eagles are balanced between underclassmen and upperclassmen. Expect the Eagles to get their feet wet in the conference as the postseason nears.
Finish in last year’s conference: 4-3-1 Current record: 8-2 Last year’s record against TXST: 0-2 Goals scored per game: 2.2 Goals allowed per game: 0.9 ANALYSIS Troy is off to a promising start for the 2014 season. The Trojans are riding an eight-game winning streak, the highest in program history. The Trojans can be a legitimate competitor if their defense doesn’t break down.
TEXAS STATE BOBCATS Finish in last year’s conference: 4-3-1 Current Record: 5-3-1 Goals scored per game: 1.6 Goals allowed per game: 0.8
GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS Finish in last year’s conference: 4-4 Current record: 2-5-3 Last year’s record against TXST: 0-1 Goals scored per game: 0.5 Goals allowed per game: 0.9 ANALYSIS The Panthers were on a shutout streak, not allowing a goal in their last 440 minutes of play until their final nonconference game. Georgia State does not have enough experience and talent to make a legitimate run in the conference.
ANALYSIS Texas State is a tough, consistent team. The Bobcats have freshman in some crucial positions offensively and defensively. If the Bobcats shore up their defense as a whole, expect them to make an impact. COACH CONNER’S TAKE “I think the team is actually very talented. I think we have a lot of great players. If we don’t vie for a championship, we wouldn’t be making the most out of our talent, and I think we have a chance to win the conference championship.”
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6 | The University Star | Sports | Thursday September 25, 2014
VOLLEYBALL
Chisum expects Bobcats to maintain conference record By Mariah Medina SPORTS REPORTER @MARIAHMEDINAAA The Texas State volleyball team and its upcoming opponent, South Alabama, will begin their Sept. 25 match with perfect records against Sun Belt conference competitors. Coach Karen Chisum speaks matter-of-factly when she says her team will finish the match with that accolade intact. “One of us will no longer be undefeated in conference after Thursday night,” Chisum said. “It’s not going to be the Bobcats.” In their last two meetings, Texas State won the first match at home but fell in five sets at Alabama. The Bobcats committed 13 service errors in their 2013 loss against South Alabama. Chisum said errors were the culprit for the loss. Jessica Lewis and Mechell Daniels, both sophomore outside hitters for South Alabama, tallied doubledoubles against Texas State in the match. “(South Alabama) has two young kids, Jessica Lewis and (Mechell) Daniels, super athletes, so it’s going to be a battle,” Chisum said. “It’s going to be whoever makes the fewest errors Thursday night.” Texas State’s 3-0 record against conference competitors is two weeks removed from a 0-3 finish
in the Texas Tech Invitational. Contributions from Jordan Kohl, freshman right side, Kelsey Weynand, sophomore outside hitter, and Lauren Kirch, freshman middle blocker, have set the team in a new direction. Brooke Smith, junior middle blocker and outside hitter, feels the trio’s contributions to the team should be more noticeable than their age. “Honestly, when we’re playing out there, when we’re all together, I don’t look at classification,” Smith said. “If you’re working and you’re out there, you earned it. Practices are tryouts every day.” In addition to contributions from underclassmen, who recently combined for 52 kills and 61.5 points against Louisiana-Monroe, Smith believes the Bobcats had a game-changing epiphany during the matchup against their first conference competitor, UT-Arlington. “We were just like, ‘screw it,’” Smith said. “We were tired of losing. We kind of just said, ‘why not? Lets just do it.’ We were just hungry and we ate.” While Texas State is currently second in the conference kills per game and third in digs, Chisum has focused on refining the team’s weaknesses: blocking and defense. “We go from being very, very good in some areas to very, very weak, so that’s why the focus was on blocking and defense,” Chisum said.
Aside from fundamentals, Chisum believes a large portion of the game is mentality. Constantly pushing for confidence and belief in one’s self, Chisum noted that Tuesday’s practice was one for the record books. “We had, probably, one of our
best practices of the year (Tuesday), and it was all about blocking and defense,” Chisum said. “We have a dig box drill, and it was as competitive as I’ve seen it in a long time. I was extremely pleased with practice.“ With competitive practice comes
competitive play. Smith says the Bobcats possess a new mentality that makes the team a force to be reckoned with. “We’re hungry,” Smith said. “We want to be 4-0. We don’t want to lose. We’re holding each other accountable, so watch out.”
MADELYNNE SCALES STAR FILE PHOTO
SOCCER
Soccer faces Arkansas State after strong non-conference season By Devin Tyler SPORTS REPORTER @DEVINNOONECARES After finishing 5-3-1 in non-conference play, the Texas State soccer team is fixing the flaws in its game to prepare for the start of Sun Belt
Conference play this weekend. Texas State has already shown improvement from last season, as the Bobcats were 3-5-1 going into their first year of the Sun Belt Conference. Coach Kat Conner believes the team had a solid non-conference
season, but losses to Texas Christian, UTSA and Texas showed Texas State still has room for improvement. “For conference play we are going to continue making our attacks as quick as we can and finishing,” Conner said. “We get a lot of good looks, but we aren’t finishing. Defensively, we are trying to make sure we work together better as a unit instead of individually.” A key game in the beginning of the Bobcats’ conference season is their matchup against ArkansasLittle Rock. UALR boasts a +34 goal differential in nine games and is currently undefeated. “From what I have seen, UALR’s play is more disciplined this year,” Conner said. “They defend as a unit, similar to our idea, which makes it so hard for opponents to break them down. This is going to be a tough key matchup no matter what.” UALR forward Fali Garuba leads the team with six goals on the seaALEXANDRA WHITE STAR FILE PHOTO son. The Trojans have six players
with four or more goals. In nine games, UALR has scored 36 goals. The Trojans rotate between goalkeepers, with Bre Ilkuf playing a team high of 450 minutes. Ilkuf’s teammate, Sara Cavanagh, has not allowed a goal in 315 consecutive minutes. Conner is well aware of the team’s success this past season. She has stressed the importance of the game plan to contain UALR’s star players. “We play a three-back system to make it appear as a five-back system,” Conner said. “It depends on where we can put the pressure, where we are on the field and the pressure we’re able to apply to target the players and ensure they don’t get away from us.” Before the Bobcats’ matchup against UALR, they will play Arkansas State, a team they defeated 3-0 last season. Arkansas State concluded nonconference play with a 3-6 record, capping the slate with an 8-0 shutout
against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Arkansas State has allowed a conference-worst 18 goals and has cycled through different goalkeepers. “They can be such a dangerous group,” Conner said. “They have two starting front runners that are so athletic. We have to be very disciplined in our attack so that we don’t lose the ball.” Tori Hale, senior forward, Rachel Grout, freshman midfielder, and Kassi Hormuth, freshman forward, lead the team with three goals each. Caitlynn Rinehart, junior goalkeeper, has played a pivotal role with 34 saves in her 824 minutes of play. “I always think our goalkeeper should get more action in practice than in the game, mainly because I enforce team defending,” Conner said. “Some opponents are just really good, but all we ask of her is to be mentally focused and prepared for anything.”
Volunteers Needed for Student Health Center Advisory Committee (SHAC)
This is an opportunity to provide important input regarding operation and services of the Student Health Center.
Application Deadline
Volunteers must be willing to attend monthly meetings in the Fall and Spring Semester.
Wednesday, October 8th All interested students may apply Pick up applications at the Student Health Center Reception Desk or online at www.healthcenter.txstate.edu. For more information, please e-mail kg02@txstate.edu
