September 5, 2017

Page 1

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 VOLUME 107 ISSUE 02

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911

www.UniversityStar.com

Insomnia Cookies employees strike for higher wages By Ryan Kirby News Reporter @rymanman

“Make America Free Again” caps and American flag shorts. The InfoWars representatives followed the crowd of protestors, shouting in megaphones, “These are cultists. Do you know why cultists want to silence free speech? Because they know the truth will end their cult.”

Fight for Fifteen organizers gathered on the corner of Guadalupe Street and Hopkins Street Sept. 5, in hopes for fair pay from Insomia Cookies, a late night bakery. Workers gathered downtown Sept. 2. to plan for the strike and gain community support. Insomnia Cookies' employees were accompanied by activist groups fighting for employee rights. David Simoneaux, delivery driver for Insomnia Cookies, stood across from his workplace in protest what Simoneaux also calls wage theft. “We are discussing what’s going on since Insomnia Cookies workers cannot make posts about this on social media,” Simoneaux said. “Fight For Fifteen is here to fight for low-wage workers to have a union.” According to Simoneaux, the idea of striking began with a worker fired because of ice cream theft and the events that followed. “Our worker was accused of ice cream theft,” Simoneaux said. “Our shift leader was generally okay with employees eating ice cream, cookies and using our discounts. This particular worker was fired.” Simoneaux explained what other employees endured after the workers were fired. “Workers had to sign a social media policy that said in bold, black letters that you can be fired at any time for any reason.” Simoneaux said. “You cannot be fired for just anything, right to work or not. Rights are protected in the workplace.” Since the employee contract limits social media usage, Simoneaux said the right to organize these sorts of gatherings on social media becomes infringed upon. “We had to inform groups like the San Marcos Socialist Collective and rely on word-of-mouth about our gathering because of that Social Media agreement,” Simoneaux said. “The next step is to build a union out of Insomnia Cookies.”

SEE PROTEST PAGE 2

SEE INSOMNIA PAGE 2

Chants resonated through the streets near the Texas Capitol as protestors marched Sept. 2 to defend DACA and support undocumented immigrants. PHOTO BY BRI WATKINS | MANAGING EDITOR

Protesters gather in Austin to defend DACA By Connor Brown Assistant News Editor @Connor_Brown1 Over 11 activist organizations and protesters gathered at the Texas Capitol building Sept. 2 to march in solidarity against hate and defend the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals program. DACA, an immigration policy implemented by the Obama Administration in 2012, allows certain undocumented immigrants who entered the country as minors to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility for a work permit. President Donald Trump was given a deadline of Sept. 5 by Republican lawmakers to make a stance on DACA by either discontinuing the program altogether or allowing the Republican attorneys general to fight the program in court. On Sept. 4, Trump indicated he will be ending the DACA program, according to media reports. Cristina Tzintzun, event organizer, is the founder and executive director of Jolt, a multi-issue organization seeking to organize the Latino community as a collective voice in Texas politics. “This cause is personal to me because I am the daughter of immigrants,” Tzintzun said. “This country is our

Five traditionally dressed Quinceañeras were the frontliners leading the march of a protest Sept. 2 near the Texas Capitol to defend DACA. PHOTO BY JOHN LEE | ENGAGEMENT EDITOR

home, and it is equally ours as much as anyone else’s. We have a bigoted minority that wants to roll back the efforts of the Civil Rights Movement, that wants to legalize racial discrimination once again, and I refuse to allow the sacrifices of the Civil Rights Movement to be trampled on.” Representatives of InfoWars, a rightwing syndicated news-talk radio program, attended the protest dressed in

Student organizations host drives for Houston victims By Josie Soehnge News Reporter @SoehngeJ While Hurricane Harvey did not cause extensive damage in San Marcos, it has been catastrophic for residents of Houston. The flooding and damage Harvey brought to Houston is not going unseen by student organizations at Texas State. Organizations are collecting clothes, jackets, feminine products, toiletries, blankets and other useful items. Russell Boyd, public administration senior, partnered with black student organizations and started collecting items the day Harvey hit Houston. “I extended full assistance and service to those efforts as I am former president and founder of a black student organization,” Boyd said. “The donations that I have collected are currently in Houston. Myself and some friends will be distributing them at different shelters in addition to serving as clean up volunteers.” Boyd and others are collecting dona-

tions in the office of Student Diversity and Inclusion until Sept. 9. Other Texas State student organizations are holding similar drives or fundraisers in attempts to offer aid to the victims of Hurricane Harvey. “We will then go about making another delivery next weekend,” Boyd said. “It has been a beautiful experience working with my fellow student leaders and receiving so much support from the university and community. I hope that we can continue the good work and provide much needed relief to south east Texas and other areas affected by Harvey.” On Labor Day, Boyd tweeted his first trip to Houston fed 550 people and gave out 327 care packages. Greek life chapters are also joining student organizations in collecting donations for victims. Carina Farinatti, Alpha Delta Pi’s Philanthropy Chair, said the sorority’s drive started because of the number of affected members. “After hearing how devastated some of our sisters were about their home-

Volunteers collect massive boxes of donations Sept. 2 at the Austin Disaster Relief Network for victims affected by Hurricane Harvey. PHOTO BY JOSH MARTINEZ | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

towns being destroyed and seeing my own high school being underwater I felt called to help this cause,” Farinatti said. “One of my sisters, Ashlie Beiter, put me in contact with Phi Kappa Psi and together we came up with the idea to do

a donation drive. We plan on collecting many different items, packaging it up in care packages and shipping it off to the Red Cross of Houston.

SEE DRIVE PAGE 2

First-year students leaving Texas State have identifiable risk areas By Ryan Kirby News Reporter @rymanman Out of a nearly 39,000 undergraduate population, 20,000 students are first generation students. After the first year, 22 percent of students decide to stop attending the universtiy.

Joseph Meyer, assistant vice president of the Office of Institutional Research, gave insight to the times students are most at risk for leaving the university. “The first year or two are the times of highest risk for the students leaving the university,” Meyer said. “Students that have made it to their third year of school are highly successful at Texas State and

unlikely to leave the university.” Fall 2017 retention numbers are reflected more accurately on the 12th day of the semester when enrollment numbers stabilize. “When we get those numbers in, we will have a better estimate of how many students are enrolled and hopefully staying through the semester,” Meyer said.

The semester before held 17,911 first generation students and that number is expected to be higher this fall semester. “While we will have a better understanding of the 2017 numbers later, looking back on the numbers we can see a trend and a risk zone,” Meyer said.

SEE RISK PAGE 2


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
September 5, 2017 by The University Star - Issuu