TUESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2017 VOLUME 106 ISSUE 22 www.UniversityStar.com
SUPREME COURT GRANTED AUTHORITY TO REVIEW PARKING APPEALS
Bobcats to get voice during citation process By Ashley Skinner Senior News Reporter @Ash_Marie54 The Student Government Supreme Court has joined the university’s Parking Services to oversee parking appeals in order to give Bobcats a voice in the citation process. In the summer of 2016, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Garcia and Student Body President Andrew Homann decided to review the activities of other student governments across the nation to see what more could be done to represent the student body. By November 2016, after many reviews had taken place, the Supreme Court was granted the power to evaluate parking appeals. “We saw that most supreme courts around the country have the ability to review parking permits,” Garcia said. “We worked on it all summer, and finally, after the student Senate and President Trauth evaluated it, we were granted the power to review the permits.” Previously, one faculty member, one
Student Government now has control over parking ticket appeals. PHOTO BY BRANDON VALENCIA | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
parking services officer and one member of the student government would review the appeals. However, studies found that more often than not, none of the students or faculty members were actually reviewing the appeals. “This would leave the parking services officer to make a decision,” Garcia
said. “But the whole point of having a student take part in the review process was to ensure that the students would have a voice in the appealing process. That’s why Andrew and I really wanted to put this under the duties of the Supreme Court.” The panel for parking appeals con-
sists of the entire supreme court; Chief Justice Garcia and six associate justices. The justices split up the appeals, usually 20-40 cases, and make decisions on whether or not to additionally review the case, or let the ticket remain.
PAGE 2 PARKING
Texas State student travels the country to capture moments By Stacee Collins Assistant Lifestyle Editor @stvcee One Texas State student has traveled across the country with a camera in hand to photograph the world’s biggest marathons, Snoop Dogg and scenery. Tony Sutherland, advertising sophomore, has photographed scenes in New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Canada, Hawaii, Denver, Tulsa and more. His work has been published by Runner Triathlete News, the Association of Texas Photography Instructors, The University Star and more. The 19-year-old from the Dallas area became interested in photography at a young age. In kindergarten, he entered the PTA Reflections Photo Contest on a whim. “My scene was pretty much kids doing dangerous stuff on the playground—hanging off of monkey bars and jumping off of the slide,” Sutherland said. “That advanced to state. So I was five years old and had my pictures displayed at the Capitol Building in Austin.” In high school, Sutherland played varsity football and worked on the yearbook staff. He gives credit to his high school yearbook advisor for influencing him to pursue photography. Leah Waters, former Creekview High School yearbook advisor, said Sutherland’s skills stood out in a crowd, which is why she chose him to be the yearbook’s editor-in-chief at his school in Carrollton. “He was by far the best candidate,” Waters said. “He is the best example of a collaborative leader, and he brings an energy that gets everyone excited. I did
not have to teach him, but he had a desire to learn things.” Waters said she saw something unique when it came to Sutherland’s photography. He never settled for mediocre images and dedicated time to making sure the photos were perfect. “He’s kind of like Kanye West, because you never know what he is go-
“He was by far the best candidate. He is the best example of a collaborative leader, and he brings an energy that gets everyone excited." -Leah Waters
The question still remains as to whether or not the touted bathroom bill will pass. PHOTO BY NATHALIE COHETERO | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Controversial pro-privacy bathroom bill may affect Texas State By Zephanie Battle Special to the Star
ing to do next,” Waters said. “You can’t deny that the guy is good at what he does. Some people surprise you with where they end up in life—he isn’t one of them.” Now, Sutherland spends his time working for Marathonfoto, a premier photography team for athletic races. The company has been shooting races for 35 years with over 3,000 races and 150 professional photographers—including Sutherland.
PAGE 4 STUDENT LIFE
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick introduced a controversial proposal that would, if approved, require people to use public restrooms that match their biological sex, regardless of their preferred gender. The goal of the bill — the Women’s Privacy Act — is to protect the privacy rights of women and girls who do not wish to share public restrooms with biological men. In this sense, it is being proposed that women and girls are not safe enough to use the same
SNOOPY MUSICAL Students COMMING SOON share PAGE 5 THEATER
restrooms with transgender people. The approval of the bill will directly affect many Texas universities, including Texas State, which is known for its diversity and equality. The university consist of various diverse organizations that support transgender equality, such as Transcend, Lambda, Bobcat PRIDE and Bobcat Equality Alliance, and some members of the university feel the proposal would cause major conflict with the mission driven behind them.
PAGE 2 LGBTQIA
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secrets
Stepping on to a college campus for what is supposed to be “the best four years of your life” can be exciting for some students. However, a new routine and unfamiliar surroundings can be as scary for a student as it is for a parent who is having a hard time letting go.
PAGE 4 ENTERTAINMENT
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2 | Tuesday, February 7, 2017
HEADLINES The University Star Editor-in-Chief...............................Emily Sharp, stareditor@txstate.edu News Editor.......................................Bri Watkins, starnews@txstate.edu Sports Editor................................Lisette Lopez, starsports@txstate.edu Lifestyle Editor...................Denise Cervantes, starlifestyle@txstate.edu Opinions Editor......................Mikala Everett, staropinion@txstate.edu Multimedia Editor...............Lara Dietrich, starmultimedia@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief..................Claire Abshier, starcopychief@txstate.edu Design Editor............................Vivian Medina, stardesign@txstate.edu Account Executive....Kassidy Watson, marketing@universitystar.com Director of Media Sales.......Folee Hall, folee.hall@universitystar.com Account Executive..Anthony Woods, anthony.woods@universitystar.com Marketing Manager.........Britney Cox, britney.cox@universitystar.com Account Executive...Christina Castro, christina.castro@universitystar.com Sales Manager....Marisa Campbell, marisa.campbell@universitystar.com Media Specialist..............................Dillan Thomson, djt48@txstate.edu Advertising Coordinator..................A.J. Arreguin, aa1530@txstate.edu Publications Coordinator.........................Linda Allen, la06@txstate.edu Publications Director......................Richard Parker, rlp119@txstate.edu
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By Katie Burrell Senior News Reporter @KatieNicole96 Texas State students pay the highest state athletic fees to maintain the athletic department that has one of the worst records in the state. Texas State football won CBS Sports’ 2016 Bottom 25 championship and student athletic fees, which help cover the debt the program builds, are the highest fee students pay aside from tuition. The fee goes towards paying off the multimillion dollar deficit that the university athletics rack up annually. For the 2016-17 fiscal year, the mandated athletic fee for students is $300.
The University Star
FROM FRONT LGBTQIA Katherine Bansemer, international studies senior and president of Feminist United at Texas State, said her initial reaction upon hearing about this bill was pure disgust. “Bills like this only encourage violence and bigotry,” Bansemer said. “First of all, gender is not ‘preferred.’ If someone identifies as a gender, then that is their gender. So called “bathroom bills” say they want to “protect” women and girls, but what about trans women and girls who are already more likely than their cisgendered women to experience violence and assault? I can guarantee that it is about 100 times more dangerous for trans women to exist in this world much less use a bathroom. It’s 2017, let people pee in peace.” Monica Richerson, English junior and vice president of Lambda of Texas State, had a similar response to the bill, also noting the university does not have many accommodations for transgender people. “(I think) on this entire campus, there are only seven gender neutral restrooms,” Richerson said. “I think (the bill) contributes to transphobia and homophobia. If you see someone who doesn’t look like how you think they should look, then you automatically think they don’t belong. Just let people pee.” Transcend member Alex Marquez felt the bill did not cater to trans people’s needs at all, considering who they are and how they see themselves. “They’re calling it the Woman’s’ Pri-
“I paid the fine and tried to appeal, but they said my reason wasn’t a worthy excuse.” -Elaina Walzel rules as much as possible, so having a panel of students review the parking appeals is a very good thing because we can empathize with (students).” Before a student can appeal a ticket to the Supreme Court, he or she must first go to parking services and inform the department of the decision to appeal. Parking services then ranks the appeal as first level. Next, a parking services officer will review the ticket and determine the eligibility of dismissal. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the officer, he or
vacy Act. The implication is that they’re talking about “real” women; women who are assigned female at birth and that identify with that, instead of trans women that work very, very hard to prove that they are, in fact, women. It’s trans-exclusionary.” Kyomarys Figueroa, international relations junior, felt the bill violated basic human rights. “The act is ridiculous and further proof that our government is not inclusive or understanding of its constituents. You’re taking away (transgendered people’s) freedom, in a sense. You’re not allowing them to embrace
like I’m being targeted and attacked, which as a transwoman, I’m used to. I would not feel safe to go anywhere on campus by myself.” Richerson and Bogue both feel that if the Woman’s Privacy Act was passed, there would still hope for the trans community here on campus. Becoming an Ally, supporting your trans friends and going with them to the bathrooms are just some of the little things Richerson feels students can do to advocate on behalf of the trans community here on campus. “As far as advocating for myself and people I care about, we at Transcend
“(I think) on this entire campus, there are only seven gender neutral restrooms.” -Monica Richerson the gender they identify with.” Transcend Vice President Emma Bogue said as a transitioning trans woman herself, this bill would deeply affect her everyday life greatly. “I feel like it’s pandering to the type of people who don’t want me and my friends to exist,” Bogue said. “It feels
organize as individuals and engage in mostly local protests,” Bogue said. “With something this specific happening, we would organize. One thing I know about these people that I know and trust, is that when push comes to shove, we look after each other.”
ACADEMICS
Students foot the bill for athletics The athletic program spends over $30 million annually and lost more than $20 million during the 2014-15 fiscal year. It raises over $10 million in revenue and the $20 million debt leftover is paid off from the student athletic fee and university funds. With reports filed by Texas State in 2016, the Texas Tribune documents that the athletic department at Texas State operated at a loss of over $23 million total during the 2014-15 fiscal year. The report shows athletics collected over $10 million in revenue while spending nearly $34 million on expenses. These expenses included $5,029,515 in athletic scholarships, $3,952,618 in salaries for coaches and over $400,000 on recruiting. “Our largest expense item is scholarships because we do reimburse back the full amount to campus,” said Athletics Director Lawrence Teis in a statement. “Some schools waive a portion of this.” To pay off the $23 million difference, the department collected a revenue of $897,300 in ticket sales and $1,881,659 from NCAA distributions. The remainder of the deficit way paid for by student fees which amounted to over $17 million. Of the eight public universities in Texas that compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision, only two programs -- Longhorn sports at the University of Texas at Austin and Aggie sports at Texas A&M -- were profitable and are
FROM FRONT PARKING “This is just another way that student government is trying to better serve the students,” said Associate Justice Emilio Levario. “Faculty parking is so different than student parking and parking officers have to enforce the
Bri Watkins Headlines Editor @briwatkins17
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
she can then appeal to the Supreme Court which will make the final decision. According to Stephen Prentice, parking services director, the Supreme Court has been doing a great job with its new responsibility, and believes it is a much more reliable process. “I am very grateful that the Supreme Court has assumed this responsibility,” Prentice said. “I believe the ticket appeals process is much more credible when it is students listening to other students’ appeals.” There is one condition to appealing to the Supreme Court: the student must pay the fine of the ticket first. If the ticket is overturned, the student will receive a refund for the paid ticket. “I paid the fine and tried to appeal, but they said my reason wasn’t a worthy excuse,” said Elaina Walzel, music sophomore. “I think the Supreme Court taking on the parking appeals cases is a great idea because these are serious students reviewing student parking appeals. They understand that sometimes tickets are wrongfully given.” The Supreme Court reviews cases on the first Wednesday of every month. February’s meeting consisted of cases from December and January.
the only two universities that do not re-
"The athletic program spends over $30 million annually and lost more than $20 million during the 201415 fiscal year." quire a student athletic fee. In 2008, Texas public colleges col-
lected $27 million in athletic student fees; In 2015, that number more than doubled to $57 million. In February 2008, Mark Hendricks, former university spokesman, reported that 4,738 students voted to increase the mandatory athletic fee $10 per semester credit hour in $2 per year increments over five years. The report stated that the increase was to bring the university into a higher athletic subdivision. The ruling was endorsed by President Denise Trauth and former student government president Reagan Pugh. Pugh had stated that the vote to increase the fee was a sign that students wanted to better the university. Trauth supported that it was a sign of team work that students voted together to fund the university’s athletics program. A university’s athletic program contributes to the decision-making process of future students attending a college and plays a role in sustaining current students said current Student Body President Andrew Homann. “Athletics is very crucial to the university,” Homann said. “It’s essentially the front porch to the university. People get their first exposure to a university by how well their athletic team does.” He goes on to say Texas State is in no discussion of raising the athletic bill and the chances to further increase it are unlikely.
The University Star
HEADLINES
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 | 3 Bri Watkins Headlines Editor @briwatkins17
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
SOCIETY
Proposal of the “bathroom bill” By Mark Otte News Reporter @markotte30
AUSTIN- Since the advent of indoor plumbing, bathrooms have not been discussed so often in polite society until Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced the filing of Senate Bill 6, otherwise known as the Texas Privacy Act or “bathroom bill.” The bill was authored by Sen. Kolkhorst, R-Brenham and co-authored by Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, who represents San Marcos and Texas State students. Senate Bill 6 would limit bathroom choices for anyone in a public space based on the sex on the user’s birth certificate. The law would only apply to public buildings, which includes schools and colleges. According to the bill, public schools— the impetus and primary target of the legislation—will be required to adopt a policy “requiring each multiple-occupancy bathroom or changing facility accessible to students that is located in a school or school facility to be designated for and used only by persons based on the person’s biological sex.” The bill stipulates that schools could offer accommodations for “special circumstances,” like providing a single occupancy restroom, but does not mandate such accommodations. Patrick said the bill will make the children in Texas safer. “The people of Texas elected us to stand up for common decency, common sense and public safety,” Patrick said in a statement on his website. “This legislation codifies what has been common practice in Texas and everywhere else forever—that men and women should use separate, designated bathrooms. It is supported by an overwhelming majority of Texans including both Democrats and Republicans, His-
panics, African-Americans and Anglos, men and women.” Several groups have refuted Patrick’s claims of “overwhelming support.” The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas attacked the bill and its authors, accusing them of targeting the LBGTQIA community. “After having watched the debacle in North Carolina, it is shocking that the Lieutenant Governor would be so intent on pursuing SB6,” said Rebecca Robertson, legal and policy director for the ACLU of Texas. “It’s unnecessary, discriminatory and inconsistent with the constitutional value of equal protection for all. And that’s to say nothing of the havoc it will wreak on the Texas economy should it pass. Make no mistake—the invidious intent of SB6 is to deny transgender Texans the ability to participate in public life.” Because of Texas ethics laws, Texas State President Denise Trauth cannot take an official position on the pending legislation. However, she said Texas State will adopt the mandated bathroom policies if the bill passes. “As president of Texas State University, it is my obligation to obey Texas law,” Trauth said. If the bathroom bill manages to work its way through the legislative process, Trauth said Texas State’s bathroom policy will be the product of an in-depth scientific process to ensure legal and ethical requirements are met. “If some version of this bill becomes law and we have implementation obligations, we would probably begin our process by creating a study group on our campus to gather data about the facilities that exist on our campuses, engage in qualitative and quantitative research to identify best practices and policies and make implementation recommendations,” Trauth said. To ensure agencies around the state
Monica Richerson, Vice President of Lambda at Texas State University Jan. 30 voices her opinions through her pride pins. Lambda is a campus organization aimed to provide support and services to its LGBTQIA members. PHOTO BY NATHALIE COHETERO | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
comply with the law, the bill authorizes fines that can be as much as $10,500 for repeated offenses. Those fines would be handed down after a complaint is filed, investigated and deemed to be a violation of the law, although Trauth said it isn’t quite clear who would pay for the fines. The ACLU isn’t alone in forecasting an economic disaster if the bill passes. A group of Texas business leaders formed a group called Texas Welcomes All, and members been outspoken about the fiscal impact they are certain the bill will have. “Any attempt to pass legislation that is designed to discriminate against our fellow citizens, under the guise of privacy, or anything else, will result in a multibillion dollar disaster for our economy,” said Phillip Jones, the CEO of Visit-
Dallas, at a Texas Welcomes All press conference at the Capitol. “This is not speculation. These are facts based on what we have seen firsthand in North Carolina, Indiana and other states that have passed similar legislation.” Jones also cited a recent study done by the Texas Association of Business that found Texas could potentially lose 185,000 jobs and suffer an annual GDP loss of $8.5 billion. Senate Bill 6 took its first step toward passage when it was assigned to the State Affairs Committee Jan. 24. While the bill faces a long legislative fight through the Republican-majority Senate and House, it might get enough support to become a law. Those interested can track the progress of Senate Bill 6 on the Texas Legislature’s website.
VETERANS
Alkek exhibit seeks to empower veterans By Jonathan Gonzalez News Reporter In an effort to empower and raise student awareness of the veteran population at Texas State, an exhibit containing war memorabilia has been put on display on the first floor of Alkek Library. The display features items collected by the veteran population at Texas State, and includes war medals, uniforms, newspapers and other memorabilia that date back as far as World War II. The exhibit, entitled “Memories from My Duffel Bag,” was put together through the efforts of university seminar lecturer Dana Holmes, whose steadfast devotion to uplifting veterans of the community is rooted in her husband’s experience as a Vietnam veteran. “My husband’s a Vietnam veteran— Marine—and we’ve been on (a) journey of healing together almost 40 years. This was before we knew about PTSD, or anything like that, so I have educated myself as much as I could to see how to help my husband,” Holmes said. Holmes has encountered many stu-
dents with family in the military and recognized a common pattern in her years as public school teacher. Many of these men and women in the service would come back and never talk about their experience. “I met a young man last fall and he had just come back from Iraq. He was having a very difficult time, and I’d sit and visit with him before classes. One day he said ‘I feel like I’m hiding in plain sight as a veteran, and I don’t know how to talk to the students, and they sure don’t know how to talk to me,’” Holmes said. The experience stayed with Holmes, developing into the idea she took to the Common Experience committee, which meets each year to discuss a common theme to create dialogue among freshman students through the university seminar. This year the theme for the Common Experience is “A Century of Conflict: Dialogue on the U.S. Experiences of War since 1917.” Holmes wrote a proposal to the library for an exhibit case and used the one on the first floor to tell stories re-
flecting the lives and experiences of veterans. After she submitted her proposal, Holmes made connections on campus that helped her reach out to the veteran population to put together the exhibit. “We had our original meeting in October. I sent out an email to the veteran population, and within two or three weeks, we had a mass amount of artifacts,” said Blake Holbrook, Outreach Coordinator for Tutor Corps. Holbrook, also a veteran, served from 2002 to 2005 as Army infantry at the Demilitarized Zone on the border of North and South Korea and in Baghdad. With so many items in their possession, Holmes and Holbrook went to work sorting through the pieces, taking over a month to organize them into different sections that highlight the Vietnam War, service women in the military, soldiers lost in combat, among others. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed and have been appreciated as a part of what the university does to recognize the sizeable veteran population. “I’ve been here for five and a half
years. I’ve seen the university’s presence and their commitment to veterans grow, and it’s due to great people like Mrs. Holmes. You’ve got some advocates here that there’s no end to their energy and their support for students and veterans,” said Michael Hart, president of the Veterans Alliance of Texas State. Hart, currently a graduate student in the school of social work, said he understands the difficulty that grips many veterans seeking to come back into the classroom and thinks the exhibit is a way to help ease that process. “That’s a big barrier for any university to be able to support veterans and help them to be successful,” Hart said. “And it’s exactly these kinds of things where we can start to build those bridges and start to have that understanding of each other.” “Memories from My Duffel Bag” will run through to March 26 and continue to feature new pieces as Holmes meets with veterans who wish to share their stories.
ENTERTAINMENT
Outer Rim Escape Room brings a new type of nightlife to San Marcos By Daryan Jones News Reporter @DaryanJoness Outer Rim Escape Room Games San Marcos is a new downtown business that invites students and locals to partake in puzzles, mysteries and obstacles. Outer Rim Escape Room currently has three rooms to choose from, and each one has its own set of puzzles and clues that groups must solve in order to escape. Groups of two to eight people have 60 minutes to escape the room in order to win the game. Kimberly Cantrill, general manager, said escape rooms stay open relatively late because guests usually participate at nighttime. The facility is open from 5-11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, from noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and from 2-5 p.m. Sunday.“People want something that they can do with their friends where they could go (eat) food before or after, or (they) can grab drinks before or after and just hang out because it’s only an hour long—which is kind of why we chose nighttime hours opposed to the daytime,” Cantrill said. The prices for Outer Rim Escape Room Games San Marcos are set at $20 per person, which is lower than many other escape rooms. “I’m from San Antonio, and I went
to school in San Marcos so I know the prices in Austin are around $39 to $49 per person, and I, myself would not really want to pay that much, so we felt that $20 per person was a good medium,” Cantrill said. Cantrill said the lower prices are good for a college town like San Marcos. “We thought it would be a good thing for the town—the people that live here and also for college students because it’s kind of easy to budget in for a night out,” Cantrill said. Quinlan Crowell, electronic media senior, said Outer Rim Escape Room Games San Marcos was the first escape room he went to. “I think people would want to go try it out if they had a group of adventurous friends who like trying out new things because it’s definitely a good activity to do on a weekend,” Crowell said. Crowell said he would like to go back and try to escape from a different room. “I wouldn’t want to do the same room again because I think most of the fun and excitement comes from not knowing what to do at first,” Crowell said. “If I went back, I would definitely do a different room.” The three available escape rooms are called The Endorsement, Silicon Valley and Spectrum. Room host Brooke Gaffney enjoys
The Outer Rim Escape rooms contain puzzles, clues and codes with all sorts of combinations. PHOTO BY REBECCA MENDOZA | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
seeing the different personalities that are drawn to Outer Rim Escape Room Games San Marcos. “It’s kind of entertaining to see how messy the rooms get because it varies from group to group depending on their personalities,” Gaffney said. “Some groups will kind of organize after they mess up, but others will just like throw things everywhere. It’s pretty cool to see the different personalities show through.”
Cantrill said management plans to change the rooms depending on how often guests choose to play in them. “Once we’ve noticed that a room has pretty much run its course, we’ll tear it down and make a new one,” Cantrill said. “We might open a fourth room because we definitely have room to expand, and we plan on doing that in the future.” To book a room and learn more, visit the Outer Rim Escape Room Games San Marcos website.
4 | Tuesday, February 7, 2017
THE PULSE
The University Star Denise Cervantes The Pulse Editor @cervantesdenise
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
FROM FRONT STUDENT LIFE
Student photographs Snoop Dogg “I’ve basically been a professional race photographer since my sophomore year of high school,” Sutherland said. When he began working for Marathonfoto, he would photograph at local
daily lives of his favorite musicians. Jay Sutherland, director of sales and marketing for Marathonfoto, said his 19-year-old son didn’t need his help in order to work his way up to the position he is in now. “I’ve been proud of him because of the person he is,” Jay Sutherland said. “If he never touched a camera, what makes me proud is that he is very driven toward perfection.” His dad said the company is responsible for photographing thousands of runners during each race, and it is very challenging. He said Marathonfoto photographers took 1.5 million photos at one race, and his son contributed qual-
“Through the company, I got to do PR shots and photograph the Snoop Dogg concert,” Sutherland said. “I was in the VIP section with security, and almost could have high-fived him.” -Tony Sutherland races in Dallas and Austin. However, he has advanced to shooting the New York City Marathon, the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend and more. The Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon has been one of Sutherland’s favorite opportunities so far. The series combines live bands, challenging race courses, cheer teams and more, to provide a festival feel to participants. Snoop Dogg was one of the headlining artists for 2016. “Through the company, I got to do PR shots and photograph the Snoop Dogg concert,” Sutherland said. “I was in the VIP section with security, and almost could have high-fived him.” If Sutherland could choose a dream job, it would include photographing the
ity work to that number. “He’s alongside people that have been doing this for 30 years, and we wouldn’t put him up there if he wasn’t good enough to perform at the level of these experienced senior photographers,” Jay Sutherland said. “What makes me proud is that same passion carries over to whatever type of work he enjoys.” Other than shooting big marathons, Tony Sutherland has photographed many local sports teams. Through Peacock Sport Photos, his dad’s company, he photographs high school football games as well as the team photos for picture day. In addition, he has photographed college football for the University of Texas and Rice University. Although he enjoys shooting sports
PHOTO COURTESY OF TONY SUTHERLAND.
and races, the 19-year-old photographer’s real passion lies in artistic photography. “That’s where I have the most fun and get to be creative,” Tony Sutherland said. Being able to travel across the country has been a rewarding experience, but the 19-year-old said taking a helicopter ride through the mountains of Banff, Canada, was another one of his favorite opportunities. Tony Sutherland said coming to San
Marcos for college was just another new place for him to capture. He enjoys photographing Purgatory Creek and other local nature scenes. He has been able to learn from other students. “Anyone can be a good photographer. Go out and experiment with a camera,” Tony Sutherland said. “Go out and have terrible photo shoots where you have not one picture you like, then know for the next shoot to learn from it and get better.”
ENTERTAINMENT
Students share what they wish their parents knew about them “Whatever I needed, they were there, but they didn’t really know what steps or processes to take,” Haro said. “All the applications I took care of by myself; financial aid I took care of by myself, but if I needed like last minute money, they were there. They were always supportive.” Haro said he would like his parents to know it’s okay to trust him even though he is experiencing a large amount of freedom in school. Haro said he’d advise students to share their college experiences with their parents to have a closer relationship. “Students should really approach
Students spoke out about what they wished their parents, professors and friends knew about them. PHOTO BY JAMIE DORSEY | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
By Dalia Moreno Lifestyle Reporter @dalyazmor Stepping on to a college campus for what is supposed to be “the best four years of your life” can be exciting for some students. However, a new routine and unfamiliar surroundings can be as scary for a student as it is for a parent who is having a hard time letting go. Roxanne Salazar, psychology senior, said she wishes her parents understood the pressure of balancing the different aspects of college. “I just kind of wish they knew the pressure sometimes, because when we get here we’re so young,” Salazar said. We still don’t even know what we want, we don’t know what we’re doing and within these four years you need to figure out your career, get involved, have a good GPA and also figure out how to be independent.” Nydia Mejia, fashion merchandising freshman, said her introverted personality has made an impact in her social
life in college. “My parents would always tell me, ‘you’ll make friends easily,” Mejia said. “They think college is going to be easy if you just study and stuff but even when you do study some things just don’t go through your brain.” Alfonso Haro, electrical engineering sophomore, said college has always been in sight. Although he is not the first of his siblings to attend college, he is the first to attend college in the United States. Haro’s family is from Mexico, where his two older siblings pursued higher education. “The only difference is this is not their country so they kind of felt like they couldn’t help me as much, so they knew that they wanted me to go to college but it was going to be hard,” Haro said. “Things worked out and I’m here.” Like many first-generation college students, Haro had to figure out the necessary steps to take in order to pursue his career alone, since his parents and siblings were not able to be guides.
their parents and show them what kind of things they’re doing.” Haro said. “Maybe it’s something really crazy you did in computer science or art and maybe from there start getting them interested in what you’re doing.” Larkins said it’s important for parents to make an effort to remain present in their students’ lives. “Keep talking to your kid. That’s the main one,” Larkins said. “If you keep talking with your kid you can understand what’s going on with them and keep up with them, and if they need help, you can also be aware of it.”
The University Star
THE PULSE
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 | 5 Denise Cervantes The Pulse Editor @cervantesdenise
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
ACADEMICS
New Bobcat Mail features and plans By Trista Castillo Lifestyle Reporter @tristaaaaa Over the winter break, information technology staff successful transitioned 75,000 email accounts to the Microsoft Office 365 cloud. The new email platform may seem the same, but there are many new features that come with this change. Scott Ayers, IT Marketing and Communications Coordinator, said the switch was seamless and now students will be part of a cloud based service. “What cloud based means is that instead of being on a server here on campus, you will be on Microsoft cloud servers,” Ayers said. “So what that means is that you can access your documents on any device.” Ayers said it was originally estimated to take six weeks to move all 75,000 accounts. “The truth is, it really didn’t take that long at all,” Ayers said. “It took two and a half days to do all of the student accounts and we tried to pick a time where it wouldn’t affect everyone’s lives.” Ayers said one of the new features is a larger mailbox for students and staff. “Now with Microsoft 365 students and faculty have a 50 gigabyte mail box,” Ayers said. “So, you have gone from a one gigabyte mail box to 50.” The 18 Microsoft apps that are in Microsoft 365 include Word, PowerPoint, OneNote and many other free options.
“If you try and see how much these apps are it could be pretty expensive,” Ayers said. “So, you’re getting all of these apps for free, which is a good deal.” Ayers said there is also a new search feature that can search through all the apps and mail in one place. “This was something the original Bobcat Mail didn’t have,” Ayers said. “Now, you can search through all of your documents on Microsoft 365.” Microsoft 365 apps could be used anywhere online, desktop and mobile devices. Sergio Lopez, engineering technology sophomore, said the mobile app is his favorite change. “Honestly, I think it’s an upgrade, because there is an app for mail now and I get alerts on my phone, and it’s super helpful” Lopez said. Some students like Tristan Guerra, engineering technology freshman, say that it’s been hard to transition. “It’s really confusing and I feel like I sometimes get lost by just looking at it,” Guerra said. “I think I just have to get used to it.” Ayers said the Division of Information Technology is planning to film various tutorials to help students get the most out of Microsoft 365. “We actually just filmed the first 3 videos over the weekend,” Ayers said. “We have planned to do over 20 videos so we can help students learn how to use it.” All of the videos are set to be posted
The switch to the Microsoft Outlook server has both improved and streamlined the Texas State email experience. PHOTO BY MELISSA UECKERT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
on the website txstate.edu/office365. The webpage will be the main page for Texas State’s Office 365. Students still having trouble with the new bobcat mail could visit ITAC or the Texas State Office 365 webpage for help and assistance. Ayers believes this is a step forward for Texas State. “Once people understand they are getting all of these features it will make sense on why we did this,” Ayers said.
“Cloud sharing is where it’s at right now and Texas State has been really good with keeping up.” Ayers said people have been giving great feedback on this change. “Its been pretty positive, but the things that I have heard from the students is that it allows an easier way of sharing,” Ayers said. “You can share documents and you don’t have to email them and you can have them on Microsoft cloud.”
THEATER
BEAUTY
How chrome nails took over the beauty scene By Paola Esquivel-Oliveros Lifestyle Reporter @paolaoliveros Chrome nails, or metallic and foiled-finish nail polishes, came into the beauty scene in the summer of 2016 and have continued to rise in popularity since. This mirrored, high-shine nail trend can be spotted in a variety of different metallic colors from silver and rose gold to iridescent greens and blues. The most popular nail shapes for this style are almond, coffin or stiletto. From supermodels like Gigi Hadid to Instagram’s biggest beauty gurus, people are wearing this bold look. The intense shine on chrome nails is a sparkly dust properly known as holographic powder. The holographic powder used to create this chrome polish contains iridescent pigments that make the polish shine with the slightest finger movement. The process takes about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the nail technician. Chrome nails can cost a little more than the usual price at a nail salon, but many would say it is worth it. The polish lasts about three weeks without chipping, similar to gel polish. The color options and nail shapes for the mirrored look also vary. Danielle Espinoza, communication disorders sophomore, said her color preference for chrome nails is silver. “I’ve seen a lot of chrome nails in pink and gold colors, and they also look really nice,” Espinoza said. “I personally like how this nail style looks in the coffin or almond shape. Maria Galindo, interdisciplinary
studies senior, also said her favorite color for this nail style is silver. “I like how they look in silver and stiletto shape because of the unique look it gives off,” Galindo said. Linh Tippet, owner of Bobcat Nail & Spa, said the most popular color among her customers is pink metallic. In regards to the nail length, most customers ask for any of the long length shapes—very few want to style the natural shape. Although this trend started a few months ago, the popularity of this nail design among students has not worn off. Tippet said she still has several customers go into her salon asking for this nail style. “The chrome nails were really big in the summer because of the fun colors,” Espinoza said. “Either way, I would still get them again for special occasions.” Galindo said although the nails were good for special occasions and outings, the trend has passed. “They were in last summer and lasted until around November,” Galindo said. “It was during this time when videos and pictures of chrome nails were being posted all over social media.” Diaz said the color and style of chrome nails were good for the beginning of fall, but she too believes this trend has begun to dwindle. “I started seeing these types of nails towards the end of summer and beginning of fall, but I rarely see them anymore,” Diaz said. “I mostly think it was an online trend because I never saw a lot of people with this nail style in person.”
Chrome nail polishes Jan. 31 at Sally Beauty Supply store. Chrome nails on the rise this season. PHOTO BY JENNIFER CHACON | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAWN THOMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY
Texas State to host world premiere of Snoopy musical By Amanda Heileman Lifestyle Reporter @busybeeamanda The Department of Theatre and Dance will showcase the world premiere of “The World According to Snoopy” Feb. 14-19 in the Patti Strickel Harrison Theatre. Texas State’s revised version is based off of the classic musical “Snoopy!!!” Both musicals are inspired by the “Peanuts” comic strip by Charles M. Schulz. Kaitlin Hopkins, director of the musical, will follow in her late father’s footsteps by reviving “The World According to Snoopy,” which is the musical sequel to “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” Hopkins said her father co-produced “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” in 1967 and on Broadway in 1999. Her father passed away before he could give “Snoopy!!!” the revival he felt it deserved. "I think it would make my dad really happy that we gave the show this beautiful score and these incredible characters another life," Hopkins said. Hopkins is not the only person who has sentimental ties to the shows. Ryne Nardecchia, musical theatre senior, will play the role of Snoopy. He said his favorite song of the show is when Peppermint Patty sings "Poor Sweet Baby." Peppermint Patty sings the song to Charlie Brown, asking him what kind of person he would like to have as a wife. "Charlie Brown said he'd like someone that would call him poor sweet baby, Nardecchia said. “At first, we thought it was kind of goofy, but then (the composer) told us the story behind the song." Composer Larry Grossman wrote the song as an ode to Schulz’s wife. Schulz dealt with severe depression, and during his pits of despair, his wife would say “poor sweet baby” to calm him down.
"The show has deeper heart in it than at first glance," Nardecchia said. Ty Taylor, musical theatre senior, will play the role of Linus van Pelt. He said staying true to the show and characters was a recurring theme with the actors. Creating new lines was difficult because the cast and crew wanted to keep the integrity of the comics. "In all of the individual scenes, the vignettes (and) the dialogue is word for word from the comic strips," Taylor said. All of the people involved in creating the new lines meticulously combed through the “Peanuts” comics to find words that would work instead of creating their own. "The (audience) can anticipate all of the familiarity of the Peanuts and their favorite iconic characters in the strips, but they can also expect a really fun night," Taylor said. Maggie Bera, musical theatre senior, who is playing Lucy in the musical, said the show has motivational aspects to it. "It's a really uplifting and fun show to watch because the characters never give up,” Bera said. “They face all these challenges in life and they never give up." The improvements made to the show are meant to make the musical more contemporary for modern audiences and bring the Peanuts characters to life once again, Hopkins said. Other production companies will have the opportunity to create their own versions of the musical, Hopkins said. Texas State partnered with Theater Under the Stars to make the regional premiere of “The World According to Snoopy” in Houston. The cast and crew will have the opportunity to perform in a professional theater June 6. Show times for “The World According to Snoopy” at Texas State will be at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14-18 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 18-19. To purchase tickets, visit txstatepresents.com or call 512-245-6500.
6 | Tuesday, February 7, 2017
OPINIONS
The University Star Mikala Everett Opinions Editor @mikala_maquella
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
MAIN POINT
For a nation of immigrants, Trump’s immigration ban seems un-American European settlers—or more aptly, immigrants—first planted their heavy colonizing boots on Western soil in 1492 and forever changed the landscape of North and South America. Our nation was founded by immigrants who escaped to the promise of a better life and a less restrictive government. America is based on the ideals equality, separation of church and state and sovereignty by the people. We have struggled to provide these basic principles to all of our citizens, and for the past eight years, we were on the path to a more equal and accepting society. However, President Trump’s executive order has temporarily banned entry from seven Muslim-majority countries for 120 days, restricted entry of dualnationals from those countries and prioritized refugee claims on the basis of religious persecution. Trump’s order tightened an alreadystrict immigration policy—which seems ironic and puzzling considering the national birthrights of his mother and wife. However, we must remember Trump has given little thought to women in general. The U.S. refugee admissions process includes one of the strictest vetting
procedures in the world. It can take around 18 to 24 months of background checks and interviews before
Syria and Yemen, the seven countries currently under ban, are arguably the countries we should accept refugees
For students, scholars and "faculty who are affected by
the ban and call Texas State their home away from home, we at The University Star would like to let you know we stand with and support you.
"
someone is granted admission to our beloved nation of the free. Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan,
from because of our involvement in their affairs—especially those in the Middle East.
The prioritization of Christian refugees over Muslim immigrants shows our lack of ability to separate church from state and discard Islamophobic tendencies. Trump’s ban also affects people with visas that leave the country, and these folks may not get to come back. During the first 36 hours of the policy’s initiation, it was unclear whether or not dual-nationals from those seven countries would even be allowed back into the country they have made their home. Immigration can be boiled down to people trying to find a place to call home at the simplest level. For a variety of reasons and circumstances, some people leave a place they have known most of their lives to find a better home. For students, scholars and faculty who are affected by the ban and call Texas State their home away from home, we at The University Star would like to let you know we stand with and support you. There is no place like home, and we hope Texas State can remain a place where students feel the love and support a home can provide.
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.
POLITICS
Say no to Betsy DeVos By John Lee Opinions Columnist @ leeeeyonce Unqualified, unreasonable and unjustifiable could be the adjectives used to describe many of Donald Trump’s cabinet picks. His claim to “drain the swamp,” of Washington has disappeared, as his nominees are littered with the very people he vowed to dismantle and displace. It has become evident the nominees President Trump has proposed can negatively affect the future welfare of these agencies long after he has left office. Yet, despite this, one infamous nominee stands out for her outrageous inadequacies—Betsy DeVos. DeVos, the secretary of education, has the potential to affect the future generations of America, including the students here at Texas State University. The Department of Education is responsible for the distribution of finical aid, identifying major issues in public education and prohibiting discrimination in federally funded programs, amongst other things. However, DeVos has no actual experience concerning any of these topics and no successful knowledge of public education in general. DeVos is not an educator; she has never worked in a school or a school district, did not attend public school as a child nor have her children. She is a well-known advocate of school choice, the concept students and their parents should have the opportunity to attend school where they choose. DeVos also is a major supporter of charter schools and helped established the Great Lakes Education Project, which built the foundation of charter schools in Michigan. The idea was these charter schools would provide some escape from underperforming public schools and help poor minority students obtain access to a good education. The charter schools were supposed to give parents the choice to pick a better alternative for their children’s educations. However, this is not the case. Detroit students have terrible math and reading scores when compared to other students in big cities, and Michi-
ILLUSTRATION BY JUAN CARLOS CAMPOS
to perform at the same disastrous level as the public school system. “As one of the architects of Detroit’s charter school system, she is partly responsible for what even charter
"DeVos, the secretary of education, has the potential to affect the future generations of America, including the students here at Texas State University." gan’s charter schools have been found
advocates acknowledge is the biggest school reform disaster in the country,”
wrote economist Douglas Harris. DeVos’ confirmation hearing was the metaphorical cherry on top to a disastrous sundae made in Trump’s kitchen cabinet. She seemed to be unaware of the Americans with Disabilities Education Act, did not agree all federally funded schools—public, private and charter—should be held equally accountable and cited grizzly bears when asked if guns should potentially be allowed in schools. She clearly did not prepare to answer the base questions all education workers should be able to adequately and intelligently speak on. It should also be noted DeVos has donated millions of dollars to the Republican Party. The Secretary of Education seat is too important to
simply pay your way in. How would a multibillionaire understand what it’s like for everyday Americans to struggle to pay for school or receive a quality public education? Betsy DeVos clearly has no idea what she is doing and cannot be trusted with the future of America. She lacks the basic understanding of important topics and has shown American citizens she has no new ideas or policies to improve the education system. Out of all the successful citizens working hard to improve our education system, she is possibly the worst pick for one of the most important agencies in our democracy. -John Lee is a marketing freshman
The University Star
OPINIONS
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 | 7 Mikala Everett Opinions Editor @mikala_maquella
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
RIGHTS
Peaceful protests are necessary for change By Joe Grist Opinions Columnist @joegrst On Jan. 21, Donald Trump’s first day of office, over one million people participated in Women’s Marches in the U.S. and worldwide. People across the nation and world turned out to support not only women’s rights, but additional causes that might be affected by Trump’s presidency—ranging from racial and immigration issues to LGTBQIA rights. Washington D.C.’s rally alone attracted 500,000 protesters. Men and women alike, donning pink hats and picket signs, took to the streets for one of the largest demonstrations in the city’s history. Most impressive of all, zero arrests were made that day in Washington as the protest transpired. The violence that occurred on Inauguration Day had the potential to overshadow everything that the disillusioned and frightened people in our country have been fighting for. On Inauguration Day, some protesters took to the streets armed with crowbars and whatever else they could find, and began destroying shops and business fronts. They threw objects at people and police officers and even burned trash and vehicles in the street. This eventually led to the arrest of about 230 people in Washington alone, causing an inordinate amount of dollars in damage. Nigel Farage, a supporter of Trump
and the former leader of the UK Independence Party retweeted a post that said: “Congrats to the rioters for destroying property, bringing nobody to your side and strengthening your opponents all in one shot. Bravo!” Whether you agree with his political beliefs or not, he was right. People all over the country took to Twitter and other social media sites to call out protesters, calling their actions pathetic and criticizing them. Many asked how destroying local businesses and property would do anyone any good. To successfully protest you must act with controlled purpose. Don’t get me wrong; it is appropriate to be angry when you are standing up for something that affects you, your friends and loved ones. If you’re angry, be angry! Anger can be one of the most productive emotions you can experience if you channel it correctly. You don’t have to be crazed or violent, just focus on finding a way to use that energy to motivate yourself and inspire others. “…not acting out with violence, doesn’t mean you cannot protest. It’s not binary. It isn’t you organize or you don’t. It’s about organizing effectively,” said one speaker on NPR radio. The truth of the matter is, violent demonstrations don’t work. Violence gives people a reason to discredit your cause and the causes of others. It gives your opponents the ability to call you out, labeling you unstable, or even extremist. It undermines whatever you’re work-
ILLUSTRATION BY JUAN CARLOS CAMPOS
ing toward. I’d like to make myself clear and point out that this isn’t an attempt to shame one side or the other. Whatever your political affiliation is, it should be universally understood that this isn’t the way to go about protesting. If you really believe in something, and you want to make a change, go out and make yourself active in the political
community. It’s easier than you think and if we all took it seriously, we’d get so much more done. Regardless of what you believe in or what you stand for, and regardless of whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican, or third party; if you decide to go out and demonstrate for what you think is right, do it responsibly. -Joe Grist is a English sophomore
POLITICS
The American Empire could fall under Trump By May Olvera Opinions Columnist @yungfollowill When the Berlin Wall came down Nov. 9, 1989, some prematurely—and infamously—celebrated “the end of history” and the victory of liberal democracy in the Western World. Today, we are faced with the danger of another wall. President Donald Trump’s wall and the implications it could bring to global politics are disastrous. Nearly three decades have passed since the world witnessed the removal of a concrete barrier that separated ideologically polarized worlds from one another. President Trump’s proposed wall will separate two geographical areas and symbolically create a barrier between worldviews. The Berlin Wall was built by Soviets to keep Western fascists from encroaching on Communist territory. However, during the Cold War, it mainly served as a symbolic proxy of aggression and defense between two growing empires. The proposal of a wall that will separate Mexico and much of Latin America from the United States has been received with mixed opinions. In support for the wall, there has been an upswing of American nationalism and hope that the country will once again be “great.” For people standing on the
other side of the wall, nationalist sentiments ring true as well—but for their own respective countries. With every foreign policy decision
Republican Party are not simply saying “we have to take some time for ourselves to be more effective for the rest of the world.” Rather, they have made
"What many Trumpites do not seem to understand is that with every word of American supremacist rhetoric spewed by Trump, the rest of the world doesn’t respond with awe. It doesn’t make other people want to be Americans." President Trump and the Republican Party make, it seems as if they are building their own fortress of protofascist ideas. For the United States to remove itself from the rest of the world sounds, in some sense, ideal: less unnecessary wars, no longer spreading the American gospel as the only way of life and a heightened ability to focus on what needs to be fixed back home. However, President Trump and the
it evident that all other nations are on their own as they continue to face conflict. On January 3, House Republicans introduced the “American Sovereignty Act of 2017” which, if passed, will end all membership of the United States in the United Nations. Although the UN may be criticized for being largely ineffective, the message this bill sends to the rest of the world simply results in
growing global tension. What many Trumpites do not seem to understand is that with every word of American supremacist rhetoric spewed by Trump, the rest of the world doesn’t respond with awe. It doesn’t make other people want to be Americans. In fact, the continued aggressions in different countries are seemingly only working to build anti-American sentiments, and deservedly so. To remove ourselves from one of the only formal institutions that works toward nuclear disarmament sends a message to the rest of the world that we don’t particularly care about avoiding a nuclear war, and they shouldn’t either. Today we happen to be the largest empire in the world, but, throughout history, we’ve seen plenty of empires rise and fall. Making enemies seems to be President Trump’s specialty, but a line has to be drawn. Defensive isolationism is understandable to a point. However, aggressive abandonment and disrespect to the rest of the world will perhaps build enough tension to shift world order, which will surely be a dark time in American history. - May Olvera is a journalism junior
GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL FAIR 2017 Hosted by The Graduate College and Career Services
Monday, February 13 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. LBJ Student Center Ballroom
Information Sessions, Room 3-14.1, LBJ Student Center Graduate School and You 10 – 10:30 a.m.
Financing Graduate Education 10:30 – 11 a.m.
Graduate Application Process 11:30 a.m – noon
Doctoral Studies Session
• Meet Texas State graduate program representatives and browse information on more than 100 master’s and doctoral programs. • Meet graduate program representatives from other universities in Texas and beyond and learn about the graduate programs they offer. • Visit booths with information on financial aid and the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). • Meet graduate student government leaders at The Graduate House booth.
12:30 – 1 p.m.
GRE Strategy Session 1 – 1:30 p.m.
Financial Aid 2 – 2:30 p.m.
Campus Tour 2:30 p.m.
Register at gradcollege.txstate.edu/fair The Graduate College Email: gradcollege@txstate.edu Phone: 512.245.2581
Texas State University is a tobacco-free campus. If you require accommodations due to a disability in order to participate, please call 512.245.2581 at least 72 hours in advance of the event. 17-205 1-17
8 | Tuesday, February 7, 2017
OPINIONS
The University Star Mikala Everett Opinions Editor @mikala_maquella
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
ANIMAL CARE
Emotional support animals have a long leash By Jakob Rodriguez Opinions Columnist @JakobRyRod The service animal industry in America is hounded with certificates and licenses for emotional support, comfort and therapy animals for sale at any of the hundreds of “service/support animal registries” online. While the Americans with Disabilities Act defines what an emotional support animal is, it does not regulate the sale of licenses for animals. This leaves room for online registries to charge whatever they want and distribute licenses to anyone who pays the fee. Using the National Service Animal Registry as an example, at the cost of $64.95 plus shipping and handling, you could easily register your pet as an emotional support animal. “A service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability,” states the ADA website. “Tasks performed can include, among other things, pulling a wheelchair, retrieving dropped items, alerting a person to a sound, reminding a person to take medication or pressing an elevator button.” While service dogs have been used to assist individuals with disabilities ranging from sight and hearing to psychiatric and seizure response, the ADA does not protect or regulate emotional
protected by the ADA and if an animal looks official and has a license, officials usually ask the animal handler the same questions of a service dog handler. According to the university’s Office of Disability Services, students with service animals may only be asked two questions: Is the service animal required because of disability? What work or task has it been trained to perform? Anyone who paid for a license can say yes and claim the service animal helps calm them down. Online registries are operated apart from the official ADA site and allow owners with little to no experience or training and no valid reason for having a service animal to have and utilize unqualified animals. “Support animals provide companionship, relieve loneliness and sometimes help with depression, anxiety, and certain phobias, but do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities. Even though some states have laws defining therapy animals, these animals are not limited to working with people with disabilities and therefore are not covered by federal laws protecting the use of service animals. Therapy animals provide people with therapeutic contact, usually in a clinical setting, to improve their physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning,” states the ADA website. The loose interpretation of what an emotional support animal is and should
"A service animal is there to
fill a service for a person with a disability. You should not have one for fun and moreover cannot claim a disability to continue to or start living with a pet." support animals. Emotional support animals are not
be qualified to do has created a long leash for owners to have emotional
ILLUSTRATION BY FLOR BARAJAS
support animals for no valid or verifiable reason. A service animal is there to fill a service for a person with a disability. You should not have one for fun and moreover cannot claim a disability to continue to or start living with a pet. Mental disabilities such as anxiety and depression affect an estimated 40 million people in the United States. Service animals are a great resource and tool for many disabled Americans, not a play toy or pet. In trying to get around campus residency and local apartment “no pet” policies, some adults and students alike have resorted to dubious medical notes and online registries often stating a false ailment to obtain a license. Suddenly claiming a disability as an
excuse to have a pet as an untrained support animal makes as much sense as having untrained people at Sewell Park in lifeguard T-shirts. There needs to be a process put in place to regulate these online registries by the ADA. If the law defines these terms and services, there also needs to be an entity able to supervise and regulate the process by which people get assistance. This process should include an initial application, visitations from medical and psychiatric doctors as well as training for both owner and animal before a license can be obtained. Service and emotional support animals are not a joke or a loophole. They are an important disability service. - Jakob R. Rodriguez is journalism freshman
BOBCAT CALENDAR Feburary
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
07 08 09 10 FIT TALKS: BACK TO BASICS WHAT: The basics of nutrition WHEN: 12:00 AM - 2:00 PM WHERE: Student Recreation Center Wet Classroom COST: Free
CAREER FAIR WHAT: Career fair for criminal justice WHEN: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM WHERE: LBJ Student Center Ballroom COST: Free
OBSERVATORY VIEWING WHAT: Star gazing WHEN: 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM WHERE: Supple Science Building Roof COST: Free
STARS AT NIGHT WHAT: Concert with trumpet player, Billy Hunter WHEN: 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM WHERE: Performing Art Center Recital Hall COST: $8 Students
WRITE TIME! WHAT: Writing help group WHEN: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM WHERE: ASBN 108 in Writing Center COST: Free
HEALTH SCHOLAR SHOWCASE WHAT: Showcasing health research programs WHEN: 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM WHERE: Performing Arts Center COST: Free
MOVIE NIGHT
FRENCH FILM SHOWING
WHAT: Showing of Harry Potter movies WHEN: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM WHERE: LBJ Student Center at George's COST: Free
WHAT: Screening of Du rififi chez les hommes WHEN: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM WHERE: Centennial Hall G02 COST: Free
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NEWSLETTER
10 | Tuesday, February 7, 2017
SPORTS
The University Star Lisette Lopez Sports Editor @lisette_1023
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
SOFTBALL
Softball picked second in preseason poll By Lisette Lopez Sports editor Lisette_1023 The Texas State Softball team was picked second in the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Poll. The votes are casted by all of the head coaches in the Sun Belt Conference every season, and the Bobcats were picked second this season with a total of 87 points. The crowd favorite in the poll was Louisiana. The Ragin’ Cajuns were the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Champions in the 2016 season. They took the win from the Bobcats with a score of 0-12. Louisiana had all 10 votes for the first-place pick in the poll, and received 100 points to edge out Texas State by 13 points. Coming right behind the Bobcats was South Alabama, who finished second in the Sun Belt Conference. They had a total of 80 points. Despite the loss in the tournament, the Bobcats still had a historic season. Texas State finished the season with 40-22 overall record, and 15-9 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Bobcats finished third in the conference behind Louisiana and South Alabama. Last season, the Bobcats were invited to the NCAA Softball Tuscaloosa Regional and played California and Samford. It was the first time the Bobcats had a bid to the NCAA tournament since 2012. The Bobcats made it to round two of the tournament, before being eliminated by California with a score of 4-3 and ending the season. In the Fall 2016 season, the Bobcats played eight games and won six of them. The Bobcats had a chance to play the USSSA Pride of the National Pro Fastpitch in its fall ball season. Texas
STAR FILE PHOTO.
State hosted the Pride and lost with a score of 5-0 Texas State also earned another win against The University of Texas at Austin with a score of 1-0. The Bobcats face off Texas again in the 2017 season on March 1 in Longhorn territory. In the fall ball season, the Bobcats beat UTSA with a score of 3-2. At the beginning of the year the 2017 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason All-Conference Team was announced. Randi Rupp, junior pitcher, and
Corrina Liscano, senior third baseman, were honored and a part of the 2017 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason All-Conference Team. Rupp was also named Preseason Pitcher of the Year for the second time. She is also a two-time first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honoree. She finished out her sophomore year in the top 10 in each of Texas State’s career pitching annuals, and was invited to practice with the 2017 USA Softball National Team Selection Camp in January.
Liscano earned a second team AllSun Belt Conference a year ago, and co-led the Bobcats with six home runs last season. She also went a perfect 8 of 8 in stolen-base attempts last season. The 2017 softball season is underway on Feb. 10 with the Bobcats hosting the annual CenturyLink Classic at Bobcats Softball Stadium. The tournament will include Big Ten member Iowa and the Big 12’s Texas Tech, along with Abilene Christian and Texas A&M—Corpus Christi.
McCoy College of Business
February 13-17 Keynote Speech
Developing Leaders For A Complex World Jonathan Silk, Executive Director of Leadership Development, UNT Health Science Center
Distinguished Lecture
Conflict Resolution: Understanding Your Role As A Leader Jeff Haynes, Colonel, USMC (retired)
Executive Leadership Panel featuring:
Rey Arellano, City of Austin Koy McDermott, Leaders Inspire Leaders, LLC Amberly Russell, Boys and Girls Clubs of South Central Texas
Studies in Entrepreneurship
Scott Emerson, CEO, the Emerson Group
AMA Etiquette Dinner presented by: Kevin Gilley, College of Fine Arts and Communication Bloomberg Businessweek Mini-Case Competition Interactive Fair with JCPenney and Sephora Inside JCPenney For a complete list of events and speakers visit: mccoy.txstate.edu/blw2017
Now accepting applications for Fall 2017! SAVE UP TO $250 WITH REDUCED FEES
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