TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2016 VOLUME 106 ISSUE 10 www.UniversityStar.com
Clown masks for sale Oct. 11 at the local Sprit store in San Marcos. PHOTO BY CASSANDRIA ALVARADO | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Clown scare taken to new heights By Vanessa Bell Lifestyle Reporter @vanessayvebell Clown hunting and sightings have been running rampage through Texas State’s social media community after students received emails about an assault. University News Service sent out an email Oct. 4 in regards to a clown sighting at the Bobcat Village Apartment complex. The suspect, dressed as a clown, grabbed a student. Afterwards, Twitter hashtag #TXSTClown began to trend and stu-
dents took it upon themselves to search for the clown. An account was created in light of the clown craze in San Marcos. Pictured as a clown, the user threatened Twitter users in the San Marcos area. Eduwiges Tellez, philosophy sophomore, said social media heightened the exposure of clown sightings. “It’s all media frenzy,” Tellez said. “In a few weeks, people are going to get over this because people are just waiting for the next hashtag to talk about.” Leopoldo Rodriguez,
exploratory sophomore, said people should not take the clown wave lightly. “Social media helped spread this clown thing like wildfire,” Rodriguez said. “People don’t realize that it went from a joke to something serious.” A resident of Sanctuary Lofts apartment complex witnessed a clown carrying a chainsaw Oct. 5. An email from the apartment management was sent out to residents, informing them no harm was done. Officials advised them to be aware of their surroundings before opening doors for
visitors. “People pull random pranks,” Tellez said. “I thought this was just something else that someone decided to do, but now they have weapons and are trying to assault people.” The clowns prevent people from doing everyday tasks without fearing a clown will harm them. “I usually go skate at night when there is no one at the park, and now I fear for my life sometimes,” Rodriguez said. Some who never had a phobia of clowns now have to deal with stress of a possible encounter.
“I was having nightmares about clowns coming after me and thinking about the fact that they are trying to do harm is scary enough,” Tellez said. Students did not want to believe the hype about clown sightings until it started happening in San Marcos. “I thought it was just going to be some sort of fad,” Rodriguez said. “Later on, there were reports that clowns started being hostile. It made me wonder like, ‘okay we need to do something about it, not like go clown hunting, but to take pre-
cautions.’” Matt Flores, University spokesman, said there is an active report involving the clown assault. “It is something our police department is taking seriously,” Flores said. “With as much activity as there has been on social media, this bears our greatest scrutiny.” Students can use the Bobcat Guardian app or call a Bobcat Bobby if they want extra security on campus.
HAZING
Technicalities of disciplining student organizations for hazing By Rae Glassford Senior News Reporter @rae_maybe Last month, Texas State administration disseminated a hazing memorandum via email to remind people of the university’s policy regarding the behavior expected of student organizations. The memorandum, issued on Sept. 19, announced the probation, deferred suspension and outright suspension of nine student organizations administered within the past four years. Despite the ease with which such sentences are announced, the process of taking disciplinary action against a student organization is a long and complicated one. “Suspension means that the organization will be prohibited from maintaining a relationship with the university for a specified period of time, and cannot have a presence on campus,” said Margarita Arellano, who serves as both Dean of Students and Associate VP for Student Affairs. “They cannot post flyers, cannot reserve a room or hold meetings. When they are on suspension, this chapter of the organization ceases to exist.” When it comes to violation of university policy, the Dean of Students Office oversees individual conduct, while
Student Involvement is responsible for handling cases involving entire organizations. “Individual student conduct issues have major consequences for students, whereas even if we
difficult to enforce than those taken against individual students, she explained. If the president, vice president and officers of an organization are liable for individual sanctions,
These offices receive reports of policy violation through a variety of sources. Sometimes complaints arrive anonymously from students, concerned parents and faculty members, friends
tion in question. If an organization wishes to contest a decision, it will make its appeal to the Dean of Students Office, but must provide new evidence in order to have its case re-
the second of which is made to the Vice President for Student Affairs, Joanne Smith, who makes the final decision and ultimately closes the case. “It must be understood that hazing does not occur only within Greek life,” Arellano said. “Hazing can happen in any organization. Nationally, it has happened in the band, in athletic teams, in honors organizations, in academic organizations, even some ROTC groups. Hazing can happen in any type of organization.” The frequency of appeals depends entirely on context, including the number of incidents per semester. In a year, the university will see approximately three, Arellano said. “There are two things that have to be determined when an organization has been accused of hazing,” said Brenda Lenartowicz, Associate Director of the Student Center. “First, are we dealing with a minor violation or a major violation? And secondly, is this information accurate?
ILLUSTRATION BY ALYSSA CURRY
suspend an organization, all the individual students can still continue attending school,” Arellano said. This makes sanctions taken against organizations much more
they may be called forth to be disciplined by Student Affairs, and have sanctions placed upon their organization by Student Involvement, Arellano said.
or significant others. At this point, the Organization Conduct Review board will open a formal investigation, often resulting in a decision to discipline the organiza-
considered. After the new evidence is reviewed, the sanctions can either be repealed, decreased, upheld, or increased. Organizations have two chances to appeal,
See, HAZING , pg. 2.