March 6, 2018

Page 1

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911 TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2018

@universitystar | universitystar.com

Spring activities that won't break the bank Voter participation is vital to democracy

SEE BREAK PAGE 3

Volume 107, Issue 22

Paintball team seeks to emerge as national contenders SEE PAINTBALL PAGE 7

SEE MAIN POINT PAGE 5

IMMIGRATION

SHELTER

CAMPUS WEIGHS IN ON IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY

Euthanized cats spark community response By Geoff Sloan News Reporter

By Evelin Garcia News Reporter

D

uring the latest Student Government presidential debate, the lack of an immigration attorney at Texas State was a concern and has been since the legislation to recommend the hiring of such attorney failed in September 2017. Ethnic minorities make up 52 percent of the student population according to the Texas State's Facts and Data website. No immigration attorney exists on-campus to aid students with immigrationrelated issues. However, schools across the state currently provide such assistance. Alex Molina, political science junior and Student Government senator, and Mariana Zamora, alumna and former senator, co-authored the proposed legislation titled "A Resolution to Establish a Position of an Immigration Lawyer at Texas State University." The legislation suggests bringing an attorney to campus to aid students with immigration-related issues. Student Government voted on the resolution Sept. 25, 2017, during a meeting, but failed to pass it. The resolution received a final vote of 20-19, missing the resolution by one vote. The role of an immigration attorney on campus would be like an advisor or counselor to foreign citizens and immigrant students. Unlike a traditional lawyer, an immigration attorney spends less time in courtrooms and more time providing advice and guidance to their clients.

PHOTO BY CHELSEA YOHN

SEE IMMIGRATION PAGE 2

SEE SHELTER PAGE 2

STAFF

Reports show university losing staff without replacement By Sandra Sadek Senior News Reporter Reports made to the Board of Regents show a decrease in the amount of administrative staff hired, this contrasts with the hiring reports from faculty campus wide, the reports show the inverse relationship between hires and staff leaving. The latest quarterly report from February revealed a net loss of one staff member. However, the report made in November 2017 showed a net loss of 25 staff members. Alex White, associate professor of mathematics and the Faculty Senate Chair, delivered the data during one of the senate's weekly meetings. "Faculty hiring has actually

been up. When we say staff, we refer to the administrative body," White said. "But I have only seen about five reports overall, so I wouldn't be able to know whether this is a consistent trend or not." The university's quarterly reports are made to the Board of Regents, created in part by Eric Algoe, vice president for Finance and Support Services. One of the topics reported are the changes made within the faculty and administrative body of the university. "This year is the closest break we have had in a long time in terms of staff hired and staff lost," Algoe said. "Although the numbers are not always so significant, the staff we are referring to is the one that works to make everything easier for faculty and students, so we

definitely see the impact this has on faculty and students." The job market in the area is one of the most competitive of the past decade, forcing the university to compete for qualified staff. According to the 2017-23 Planning Background Brief, in the chapter entitled Hire, Inspire, Retain, the university currently offers 3,100 staff positions spread across 734 job titles. In recent years, the number of staff job postings has increased, but the applicant pool has decreased. The brief states in 2015, 14.5 percent of all postings were closed as "no hire" and there has been an average 40 percent decrease in applicant per posting in the last couple of years.

SEE STAFF PAGE 2

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Nine cats were picked up by a San Marcos Animal Protection officer May 2, 2017 and seven were euthanized within 24 hours. The anonymous owner claimed the nine cats were living on her property and had their ears clipped, a sign they were neutered but they were feral according to shelter employees. The cats were picked up by an animal protection officer and were immediately brought to the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter. Within 24 hours of arriving at the shelter, seven of the nine cats were euthanized without informing the owners that the cats had been picked up or euthanized. As of September 2017, 70 percent of cats and 26 percent of dogs are euthanized upon intake to the shelter in San Marcos. The Save the Cats of Hays County Facebook group was made Jan. 15, partially in response to the nine feral cats euthanized in May 2017 and the high rate of euthanasia, but it also works to discuss and bring awareness to the high euthanasia rate in San Marcos.


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