DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911 TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018

@universitystar | universitystar.com

Volume 107, Issue 24

Lead-off hitter's consistent numbers are key to team's early success

The future belongs to the youth

THERAPY DOG

SEE MAIN POINT PAGE 5

SEE POLICE PAGE 3

SEE BASEBALL PAGE 7

Local food banks see fewer donations, greater demand By Sawyer Click Assistant News Editor Local food banks report receiving fewer donations despite an increasing amount of food-insecure residents and

students. San Marcos has seen a spike in the number of participating residents in need of food. However, the Hays County Food Bank, San Marcos' primary distributor to food-insecure

residents, has faced a decrease in the amount of both monetary and food donations during the first quarter of 2018, according to Chief Executive Officer Denise Blok. "I think that donations are down

TEXAS STATE PARTICIPATES IN NATIONAL SCHOOL WALKOUTS

across the board for all non-profits," Blok said. "I don't have the exact number, but I estimate that it's at least 15 percent down from last year."

SEE FOOD PAGE 2

Hays County prepares for school shootings By Evelin Garcia News Reporter

Texas State students organized an anti-gun violence protest March 22 as part of a nation-wide movement to end gun violence. TXST #NeverAgain School Walkout brought students and other San Marcos community members to the Fighting Stallions around 10 a.m. in preparation to take the protest to the Hays County Courthouse on the San Marcos square. The crowd grew as students walked out of their Friday morning classes. Protestors chanted “Never again” and “we want change” for about 40 minutes while the crowd prepared to march. Go to universitystar.com for the full story. PHOTO BY GEOFF SLOAN

PR course promotes legalizing medical marijuana By Triston Giesie News Reporter A group of public relations students is hoping to change Texas residents' opinions about medical marijuana use through a campaign class this semester. Medical marijuana became legal in 28 states after California legalized it in 1996, prompting a group of public relations students to choose the topic for their

class' campaign project. Their objective is to garner solidified public support by spreading awareness about medical marijuana. Trenten Spilman, public relations senior and campaign member, said he felt motivated to work on this topic because of the wide variety of ailments or disabilities benefited by medical marijuana. “It can help treat people with epilepsy,

cancer; multiple cases are out there where medical marijuana could help ease the treatment for patients, if only it were available to them,” Spilman said. Spilman also referenced studies that concluded marijuana can have positive effects on people suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder.

SEE WEED PAGE 2

In response to the Parkland, Florida, school shooting Feb. 14, Hays County officials reminded the community of the Standard Response Protocol training that prepares all students in case of a shooting scenario and other emergencies. Laureen Chernow, Hays County communication manager, posted a press release on the Hays County website after the Parkland shooting to inform parents in the community of the Standard Response Protocol and its practice. The Standard Response Protocol was implemented in 2013 in every public and private school in Hays County. The training is based on the standard protocol of the I Love U Guys Foundation, according to the press release. To improve safety, the foundation has conducted research that allowed them to develop the Standard Response Protocol, a classroom response to any critical incident. The program is designed to ensure all first responders, school authorities and students understand what is being asked of them in any type of dangerous situation, including school shootings. The program is taught once a year in every school in Hays County and at Texas State.

SEE SCHOOL PAGE 2

SMCISD confirms the arrival of Texas State's Teacher Fellows Program By Brittlin Richardson News Reporter The San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees approved a program to benefit graduate students seeking real-world experience teaching in a classroom. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously Feb. 19 to implement Texas State's Teacher Fellows Program for the 2018-19 school year. The graduate program will give students a mentored classroom experience. The 15-month Teacher Fellows Program grants students pursuing their master's in education the opportunity to maintain a classroom and facilitate student learning. An exchange teacher in the district will mentor the student

One of the locations where Texas State student teachers will be able to teach in real classrooms. PHOTO BY CHELSEA YOHN

teachers. The program currently operates in Round Rock ISD, Hays ISD and Leander ISD. The program pays for all tuition and fees for the program, totaling 36 credit

hours. An $18,000 stipend is included, as well as the opportunity to receive health insurance through the Student Health Center. Willie Watson Jr., San Marcos CISD's

Texas State University students, activate your complimentary WSJ memberships Visit WSJ.com/UniversityStar © 2018 Dow Jones & Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

assistant superintendent for human resources, presented the program to the Board of Trustees. Watson said Michael Cardona, San Marcos CISD's superintendent, has put an emphasis on furthering the connection between San Marcos CISD and Texas State. Currently, three fellows have been selected for the 2018 school year. "It's another great opportunity to strengthen our partnership with Texas State," Watson said. "This is a win-win for both organizations. We'll be able to have some embedded first-rate, firstclass professional development support for our three fellows. That level of support we just can't offer to our regular teachers."

SEE PROGRAM PAGE 2

The University Star

2 | Tuesday, March 27, 2018

NEWS Trinity Building 203 Pleasant St. San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245 - 3487

Editors Editor-in-Chief: Denise Cervantes, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor: Shayan Faradineh, starmanagagingeditor@txstate.edu News Editor: Katie Burrell, starnews@txstate.edu Lifestyle Editor: LeeAnn Cardwell, starlifestyle@txstate.edu Opinions Editor: Carrington Tatum, staropinion@txstate.edu Sports Editor: Brooke Phillips, starsports@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief: Claire Abshier, starcopychief@txstate.edu Design Editor: Vivian Medina, stardesign@txstate.edu Multimedia Editor: Tyler Jackson, starmultimedia@txstate.edu Engagement Editor: John Lee, starsocial@txstate.edu

Advertising Staff Account Executive: Sarah Gutierrez starad1@txstate.edu Account Executive: Matt Moffitt starad2@txstate.edu Account Executive: Katy Goerss starad3@txstate.edu Account Executive: Maria Gomez starad4@txstate.edu

Full-Time Staff Director: Laura Krantz, laurakrantz@txstate.edu Media Specialist: Dillan Thomson, thomson@txstate.edu

Advertise With Us For advertising inquiries, please contact us at advertising@universitystar.com.

512-245-5786

About Us History: The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Tuesday of the spring and fall and once a month in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 5,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, March 27, 2018. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor-in-chief. Deadlines: Letters to the Editor or any contributed articles are due on Monday the week prior to publication. Corrections: Any errors that are in the pages of The University Star and are brought to our attention will be corrected as soon as possible. Visit The Star at universitystar.com

Katie Burrell News Editor @KatieNicole96

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

FROM FRONT FOOD One out of every seven people in Hays County is food insecure, totaling more than 24,000 residents, according to Feeding America. The Hays County Food Bank distributes weekly to San Marcos residents on Mondays and Wednesdays. Generally, these distributions see 100 people. The food bank hosts a distribution on Mondays for university students that, according to Blok, averages about 30 attendees, although the number has been rising as of late. "I think that word has been getting out that we are here," Blok said. "I think that we'll hit 50 by the end of the semester." Hannah Thornton, the director of the dietetics internship program at Texas State, noticed her students were going without a steady supply of food. Research performed by Thornton and other faculty members in the Nutrition and Foods Program reveals over 40 percent of students meet the classification of food insecurity. In response to this, Thornton helped coordinate Bobcat Bounty, a student-run food pantry specifically for Texas State students, faculty and staff. Partnered with the Hays County Food Bank, Bobcat Bounty began in February and planned for 25 people to participate in its first distribution. An estimated 100 students showed up, with the number rising weekly, much like the food bank's distributions. "Our goal is to reduce stigma, and I think that has led to the success that we've seen so far," Thornton said. "We haven't

San Marcos resident recieves food March 26 at the Southside Community Center. PHOTO BY RAYLENE NORIEGA

felt the decrease of the donations yet. I think that speaks to the job that the Hays County Food Bank has done protecting us from those effects. There's no doubt that eventually, we will begin to. We only have a certain capacity that we can serve right now." The Southside Community Center, a local non-profit organization that offers housing, food and emergency assistance to those in need is partnered with the Hays County Food Bank. The center reports an increase in people showing up to its daily 5 p.m. meal. Martin Ford, a shelter manager at

Southside Community Center, said he sees the effect of having fewer donations on those who depend on the daily meal. Ford said despite the decline's effects materializing, each attendee will be adequately cared for and fed by the community center. "There's definitely been a huge decline in donations and it has upset some people," Ford said. "We will never turn anyone away. We will always have something for everybody." The Hays County Food Bank accepts monetary donations online and food items at its 220 Herndon St. office.

Such departments include the Hays County Office of Emergency Management, San Marcos Police Department, San Marcos Fire Department, Texas State University Police, Texas Department of Public Safety and Hays County Constable’s Office. The SRP program has been implemented for approximately two years, according to Texas State. University peace officer Otto Glenewinkel said incoming freshmen are trained for SRP during Bobcat Preview and it is not optional. "The program is very successful," Glenewinkel said. "Most school districts are doing it and incoming freshmen come to college with some knowledge of it.

Having knowledge of what to do gives people more time and time equals safety." Kevin Brandon Perez, a guest teacher for the Hays County School District, said there has been an increase in staff training since the Parkland, Florida, shooting. “There hasn’t been any physical drills, only videos of what to do in case of an emergency but not only on school shootings, just basically everything,” Perez said. “I did feel a little safer after the video because I’m the adult in the room and if something were to happen, there’s a plan. I know they played the video at the beginning of the year, and they played it again after the incident in Florida.”

FROM FRONT SCHOOL Jorge Robles, San Marcos High School senior, said he does not feel any safer after having multiple drills of an active shooting scenario. “I feel the same as I’ve always felt," Robles said. "I mean it’s nice to know what to do, but if there’s a shooter there’s no stopping him. We’ve had two drills in one week. They started since the Florida shooting and we’ve been having unexpected drills ever since.” The SRP provides a plan of what students and staff can do in case of an emergency. To better help prepare, the program is in affiliation with departments that are aware of the training students and staff had.

FROM FRONT WEED Cecily Williams, public relations senior, is part of the campaign team and said it is centered on bringing awareness of the medicinal properties of marijuana to campus. “Through Quad-days and an informational panel, we want to reach the student body and make them aware of the benefits of medical marijuana,” Williams said. Williams encourages students to elect representatives who will support their interests, especially if the campaign aligns with students' ideas on medical marijuana. “It is clear that medical marijuana is the future of health and medicine,” Williams said. Charles Kaufman, a senior lecturer in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, is guiding Williams and Spilman through this capstone course. “The objective for teaching this course is to allow students to put all of the skills that they have acquired during their couple years of plying through all the major courses… and put all that together,” Kaufman said. Kaufman said the class is to give students hands-on experience in a serious subject, and that he wants the campaign to impact how to students feel about themselves and their ability to influence society.

A strain of medical marijuana that has been prescribed to help treat the effects of epilepsy. PHOTO BY CHELSEA YOHN

“They’re going to create a campaign, implement the campaign, and put something on their resume that’s really meaningful," Kaufman said. Connor Oakley, legislative director of the Medical Cannabis Association of Texas and Texas State alumnus, spoke about the lack of permits issued through the Compassionate Use Act and MCAT’s goal to help people gain access to medicinal marijuana. “We’d love to see this get to more people,

love to see more permits given, and for this medicine to receive the tier 1 university research it deserves,” Oakley said. "We want this to be far more accessible." The Compassionate Use Act mandates that at least three physician groups in Texas be licensed to prescribe low-THC cannabidiol to epileptic patients. Three of the 43 doctors that applied to have a dispensing organization were accepted, with two in the Austin area.

stipend for having a master's degree is $1,500 for both new and returning teachers in the district. Laura Duhon, curriculum and instruction senior lecturer and director of the program, said the program gave her the opportunity to grow as a teacher. "If I had to narrow down our program into one word it would be support...," Duhon said. "The support is what helps our teachers survive and thrive. Everything contributes to them being a better teacher and ultimately what's best for their students." With an average of 14 teacher fellows a year, Duhon said the program has seen

approximately 432 graduates in its 24-year operation in other independent school districts. The program will begin in 2018's fall semester for San Marcos CISD, with three more fellows accepted into the program to be hired into the affiliated districts. The requirements for the program include a bachelor's in elementary education with a minimum GPA of 2.75, passing the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards exams, a valid teacher's license or certificate, and acceptance to the Graduate College, according to the College of Education.

FROM FRONT PROGRAM Miguel Arredondo, District 1 San Marcos CISD trustee-secretary and Texas State alumnus, said the implementation of the program is necessary. Arredondo said the program may lead to more teachers with graduate degrees in San Marcos CISD's teaching force. "I think any opportunity we have to partner with Texas State is something we need to pursue and support," Arredondo said. "Growing leaders in our school system that are also Bobcats is a worthwhile example. I hope more of our future employees pursue this program." Representatives for San Marcos CISD's human resource department said the

Editor’s Note: In our March 20 issue The University Star published a story recounting roommate stories, fully naming two students and their place of residence. We regret this error and sincerely apologize to Eden and Carolyn for not asking for their permission. The intent of the article was to give our readers a chance to share their personal experiences and then provide advice from an expert on how to avoid roommate conflict. We understand the severity of publishing this piece and have taken steps internally to prevent this from happening again.

The University Star

Tuesday, March 27, 2018 | 3

LIFESTYLE

LeeAnn Cardwell Lifestyle Editor @leeanncardwell

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

POLICE

SMPD's new hire works his tail off By Diana Furman Assistant Lifestyle Editor The San Marcos Police Department has a new addition to its team and unlike most officers, he has big brown eyes, four paws and a furry coat. The Mental Health Unit of SMPD introduced Sheldon as a therapy dog to assist the community during times of crisis. Joyce Bender, SMPD mental health unit officer, said she became interested in incorporating a therapy dog into the police department after experiencing the calming effect her five pet dogs have in her life. “I started doing research and I found that petting them does lower anxiety, stress and blood pressure,” Bender said. Bender said after conducting research she learned some police departments outside of Texas were already utilizing therapy dogs to assist child crime victims. Bender proposed introducing a therapy dog program to help with similar situations in the San Marcos community. Given the green flag to proceed with her plan, Bender donated her border collie mix, Sheldon, to SMPD's Therapy Dog Program. Bender is Sheldon’s handler and they recently attended a training program at Brevard County Sheriff ’s Office as well as Paws and Stripes Academy Investigative Therapy Dog Training in Cocoa, Florida. After a month of work, Sheldon’s soft coat and gentle personality have already made an impact on the San Marcos community. His first act of doggy heroism occurred after the police department received a call from a woman whose boyfriend overdosed. Bender said when police arrived on the scene the woman was emotional and unable to answer questions about her

beautifully. She said he went from person to person with a greeting before laying down in the corner as if to say, ‘I’m here if you need me.’ “Our main victim, our surviving victim, said ‘I miss my puppy and I love dogs,’ and just came over and laid down with him,” Williamson said. Krisha Wofford, SMPD telecommunications officer, said Bender has been really good at making sure the staff at the police department can rely on Sheldon for help as well. Wofford works in the dispatch center and has experienced calls where she has had to seek Sheldon’s reassuring company. “I went scouring one day just trying to find him,” Wofford said. “And I literally just laid down with him and hugged him and he made me feel better.” Wofford said she knew Sheldon would help officers working in the community, but did not expect him to also help the police department employees. Monika Lacey, SMPD victim services coordinator, said she has seen Sheldon’s unconditional love and understanding in SMPD Mental Health Unit Officer Joyce Bender, Sheldon's handler, rewards him action. She said one day she was sitting with a sexual assault victim and Sheldon for his hard work with a treat. PHOTO BY DIANA FURMAN came into the room. Lacey opened her arms for a hug like she usually does, but boyfriend that would assist the medics. clinic, to help with clients and mental Sheldon surprised her. “He saw that woman crying and he Sheldon was introduced to the woman health physicians. He offers a comforting and, after petting him for a while, presence as well as shoulder to cry on to just went straight to her lap,” Lacey said. she was able to open up and answer those who may be experiencing anxiety. “He knew.” Bender said while Sheldon may be the important questions. “The waiting room will be full and of first dog in a pilot program, she sees the Sheldon also assisted in delivering the course everyone there is stressed waiting news of a death to a 12-year-old boy. to get an appointment,” Bender said. SMPD Therapy Dog Program growing He sat with the child and allowed the “And I see their faces light up when I and continuing in the future. She said she believes sometimes we run out of boy to pet him, cuddle him and cry onto ask if they want to meet Sheldon.” his coat. Bender said the effect Sheldon Roya Williamson, SMPD victim ways to comfort other humans, but had on the child was largely helpful and services coordinator, said she has dogs offer a certain understanding that important. witnessed Sheldon’s magic during a humans lack. “They don’t judge, they’re there just “He actually made the child laugh just felony trial for double intoxication to be with you and soak in everything once,” Bender said. manslaughter and intoxication assault. Bender and Sheldon often visit the Williamson said the room was packed you’re feeling,” Brendon said. “I don’t Scheib Center, a local mental health with adults, however Sheldon acted understand it, it just happens.”

EVENTS By Paola Quiroz Lifestyle Reporter Welcome the warm weather of spring in San Marcos with these unique community events.

1

SPRINGTIME EVENTS WORTH ATTENDING

third Thursday Walkabout

To get a better taste of San Marcos’ unique downtown, the Downtown Association of San Marcos hosts a walkabout in the downtown area every third Thursday of the month. Jean Baggette, Downtown Association president, said businesses will be offering discounts, coupons and other incentives to invite people to join them. It will be an evening filled with food, drinks, shopping and local art to display the vibrant characteristics of San Marcos. Pedicabs will be available starting next month to help people visit all the areas of the walkabout. San Marcos community radio, KZSM, will be hosting a concert series at Kissing Alley featuring local musicians during the walkabouts. The lights will come on at sundown and there will be chairs set up for people to enjoy the music and performances. It is a free and family-friendly event that attempts to give back to the community. Every month a local charity will be sponsored by the Downtown Association. There will be donation boxes available throughout the walkabout.

VOTE

of San Marcos

FOR THE

Tiny Taylor, artist, selling her artwork at the 3rd Thursday Walkabout. PHOTO BY PAOLA QUIROZ

2

Art Squared Arts Market

An outdoor art market in Downtown San Marcos is hosted every second Saturday of the month until December. Artists showcase and sell their handmade art pieces, including paintings, ceramics, sculptures, jewelry, photography and more. In addition, there is a farmer’s market, live music and free yoga or tai chi. A free one-hour yoga or tai chi class will be offered on the courthouse lawn and will be led by certified yoga instructors. The class is perfect for beginners and those with experience, according to the website. Participants are encouraged to bring a yoga mat.

STARS

Visit universitystar.com/smstars to vote!

3

Live Music on the Lawn

Grab a chair or a blanket, some drinks and lay out at the San Marcos Plaza Park along the San Marcos river to enjoy a free concert series. The concerts will be held every Thursday in April. Each week there will be different themes, vendors and performances by local musicians, according to San Marcos Parks and Recreation. The kickoff performance is on April 5 by The Rav’s– a soul, funk, rock and blues band that plays music from the '60s to the '90s. Other bands will be playing throughout the month in genres such as Indie, Folk, Western, Classic Country, etc. This event is perfect for relaxing and enjoying good music in the evening or dancing the night away with friends.

4

Free Crawfish Saturdays

5

Coffee House Poetry

Willie’s Joint Bar and BBQ in Buda, Texas, is hosting a free crawfish boil every upcoming Saturday until the end of crawfish season between May and June. A voucher for one pound of crawfish will be given with the purchase of any beer. To avoid long lines there will be a Crawfish Express Line for $10.99. The event will also feature outdoor games such as Jenga, washer pitching and trashcan beer pong. Some Saturdays will also feature live music.

People can enjoy live performances while sipping on coffee, or perhaps something a little stronger, while listening to live poetry readings and performances at Wake the Dead Coffee House. Wake the Dead has traditional coffee shop goods made by local artisans as well as beers, wines and snacks. Poetry slams are hosted every first, third and fifth Sunday and spoken word writing workshops are hosted every second and third Sunday every month by Modern Muse Poetry. Brent Green, an employee at Wake the Dead, said they offer a different take on what people consider poetry. “The passion and articulation that one hears in the three minutes each poet is afforded often takes people back, leaves them stunned and coming back for more,” Green said. “This is no Barnes and Noble poetry reading.”

4 | Tuesday, March 27, 2018

LIFESTYLE

The University Star LeeAnn Cardwell Lifestyle Editor @leeanncardwell

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

STUDENT LIFE

Mothers juggle parenthood and school By Sonia Garcia Lifestyle Reporter Some students take on a job or two while attending school, but for others that second job is being a mother. Twenty six percent of undergraduate college students have children, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research. Among the student body are women who have not let their role as a parent keep them from furthering their educations. For Dalissa Roman, theater performance senior, school is a priority but being a mother to twin 5-year-old girls is the biggest part of her life. "They teach me to think outside the box," Roman said. "They're so young and their imaginations are so active, it's inspiring." Chelsea Macias, nutrition senior, is the mother of a 3-year-old daughter who is her entire world. She said going to school while raising a child is one of the most stressful things to do. “You must utilize all the resources around you, including family and friends," Macias said. "You can’t be afraid to ask for help and to communicate with professors. I have found a community of students with kids and we get together with our children and are able to have study time.” Melissa Kirkpatrick, nursing junior, is a student mother at the Round Rock campus and is making efforts to let student parents know they are not alone. She and Kim Belcik, clinical assistant professor, are in the process of

Dalissa Roman, theater senior, getting ready to take her twin daughters to school as she prepares to attend class. Photo Courtesy of Dalissa Roman. PHOTO COURTESY OF DALISSA ROMAN

officiating the Organization of Student Nursing and Parenting and hope to be a recognized group by fall of 2018. “(This organization) would be a way for people to come in and feel welcomed

and network with people with similar schedules and understand the struggles they’re going through as well as have a support system,” Kirkpatrick said. Kirkpatrick wants to expand the

organization to all health professions students and wants it to be something that student parents are excited to join when they get to the Round Rock campus. Student mothers juggle commitments differently, but they are faced with similar obstacles when getting an education, such as child care, time constraints and financial support. Often they are restricted with how much time they can be on campus and away from their children. This leaves little time to participate in activities and organizations. Roman works 30 hours a week and goes to school 15 hours a week, so she is limited when participating in school activities. She puts this amount of work in to create a better future for her daughters and show them they can accomplish anything. “In the theater department, rehearsals are usually 5-10 p.m., so I can’t really be involved in shows," Roman said. "It would be cool if we had an area I could have my girls while rehearsal was taking place.” Texas State’s Child Development Center offers child care at a fixed rate for all campus employees and students. There is a waitlist process for children to be admitted into the program and daycare hours are 8 a.m to 4:30 p.m. The Center for Student Retention's group, Students Who Are Parents, brings student parents on campus together by hosting luncheons, workshops and family-friendly events. It offers a sense of community to parents.

TAXES

Tax professionals offer help to students By Alyssa Weinstein Lifestyle Reporter Springtime is a time of renewal, growth and the fresh smell of taxes. Making sure all tax forms are accurate and filed on time can be a stressful experience for students. However, there are many tax specialists, including some on campus, to provide help. Katelyn Disney and Melanie Schubert, graduate accounting students, work with Texas State’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Clinic. The VITA is a national service with thousands of clinics across the country. The Texas State clinic is an annual campus program run by certified volunteers to help qualifying individuals prepare and file their taxes. Disney said students should check if their parents are claiming them as a dependent before filing their own return. Mercedes Roth, H&R Block tax associate and senior accounting major, also said this is a common mistake she notices among students. “Students whose parents still claim them can’t claim their education benefits," Roth said. "I know a lot of students who go in and file their taxes and they claim themselves, but then they have to come back to file an amendment return and show that their claim was a dependent so their parents can actually get those tax

benefits.” Roth suggested visiting a tax professional when claiming student benefits, as there are many forms to file on the return that may become overwhelming. “There’s a lot of additional work that you have to do and a lot of students don’t know that so they just put in the information that is on the form and then a couple weeks later, they get an audit letter," Roth said. "Not everyone gets caught from the IRS, but it's better to be safe than sorry." Roth said to keep all receipts and records from purchases of school related materials in case an audit arises. Schubert said it is important to be adequately prepared for the filing process, even when expecting a small tax return. "It is important to make sure you have all your tax documents together before filing," Schubert said. Roth said it is essential everyone knows how to file their taxes upon leaving college because it is a useful skill that will follow students for the rest of their careers. “I think everyone should have a basic understanding of taxes so that way they’re not just going through the tax return on an online service like Turbotax," Roth said. "Everyone should at least have a common understanding of their taxes because you’re going to be filing a tax return

The VITA Tax Clinic provides free tax preparation services to students. PHOTO BY CARRINGTON TATUM

every year for the rest of your life as long as you’re working." The annual VITA Clinic is available at Texas State, held in LBJ 3-6.1, and provides free tax assistance to those who qualify. Information regarding the required documentation for the

VITA clinic can be found on their website. H&R Block also offers a refund transfer deal where there is no need to pay fees upfront because the fees will be deducted from the tax return.

HUMANS OF SAN MARCOS "My biggest accomplishment in life is that I designed a pair of boots for President Ronald Reagan in 1986. I am interested in creating things, so I came up with a Texas flag pair of boots. The boots were presented to Ronald Reagan in the oval office, and today the boots sit in the (Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum)." Antonio Palacios, Hair Solutions hairdresser, handles the pair of boots he designed for President Ronald Reagan. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANTONIO PALACIOS

– Antonio Palacios, Hair Solutions hairdresser

The University Star

OPINIONS

Tuesday, March 27, 2018 | 5 Carrington Tatum Opinions Editor @mogulcarrington

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

The future belongs to the youth "The duty of youth is to challenge corruption." - Kurt Cobain On March 24. about 800,000 people gathered at the nation’s capital to fulfill that duty. Similar displays of solidarity with the March For Our Lives happened across the country including at our university on March 22 where students protested at the Stallions. An ocean of people stood at the nation’s capital demanding that lawmakers confront the issue of gun violence after 17 people were murdered during the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. Americans who only recently became old enough to vote but are still not old enough to drink are at the helm of the march. The March For Our Lives represents a dissatisfaction with gun culture in the United States. However, it is also indicative of a resurgence of the potent political front that is young people. It is understated how young Americans have helped shape the course of American history. Even dating back to the founding of the United States, Alexander Hamilton was only about 20

years old when he became a senior aide to General George Washington, the precursor to writing the Federalist papers; which would go on to solidify him as a founding father. Most famously Martin Luther King Jr. was only 26 when he was instrumental in desegregating the Montgomery bus system almost 10 years before he would deliver “I Have a Dream” and solidify himself as the icon of civil rights that we know him as today. This leaves only a four-year difference between Martin Luther King Jr. and the average college senior. In King’s first memoir of the Montgomery bus boycott, he detailed his academic career and important works that shaped his worldview. He spoke nothing of a childhood of philosophical virtuosity or genius level intellect. Only the time he spent studying and applying the knowledge he acquired through school. These activists did not assume they were too young to make a change, they did not assume there was someone smarter who could make the change they wanted, and they did not wait for a gifted

philosopher to descend from heaven and lead them in protest. Each of these figures exemplified how much change could be made at such a young age. Deeper into the Civil Rights movement you find Representative John Lewis who was 20-years-old when he joined the Freedom Riders in 1960, a protest meant to enforce desegregation on interstate bus systems in the south. Lewis was voluntarily beaten and harassed for the cause of equality even with homework and exams to think about. The average college sophomore is around 20 years old, and in what is a rather somber display of youthful engagement, during the Vietnam war, Students for a Democratic Society organized protests that made headlines for their passionate dissatisfaction with the Vietnam War. It was college students who went to trial as the Chicago Seven and it was Kent State students who unfortunately lost their lives at the hands of the national guard while protesting the war. Historically, college students have been integral to setting the agenda of the U.S.

government. No longer can we wait until we have arrived at the person we will ultimately become. From civil rights to deplatforming so called, "alt-right" pundits like Richard Spencer, to gun regulation today, history has a record of young people determining the identity and conscience of America and there is no reason why they should stop in 2018. The older politicians occupying government roles should never feel comfortable in ignoring young Americans. We should be eager to prove that students are listening and that the student's voice is alive and well. It is this threat of being replaced by the next generation that should keep lawmakers away from complacency. Student organizers, student activists, faculty and the general student body at Texas State should be invigorated to assertively tackle the issues of our own campus by the solidarity displayed in Washington. The University Star editorial board hopes that it will spark a growth and continuation of change on our campus and nation at large.

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.

ANIME

BOMB

Anime is here to stay

Austin's bomber is a terrorist

By Joshua Kayo Opinions Columnist Michael B. Jordan, amidst his stardom from the smash-success of Marvel's "Black Panther," recently defended his long-standing obsession with anime. Anime is a form of Japanese animation that typically tells stories with themes and concepts geared toward adults. Anime's reputation has historically been patronized in North America due to animated television being perceived as "cartoons" and therefore for kids. However, more celebrated figures are revealing themselves to be fans of the genre. This mainstream acknowledgment of anime signifies a paradigm shift in our reception of the art-form, which can be traced back to Katsuhiro Otomo's 1988 landmark film, "Akira." This film was the spearhead of Second Wave anime obsession in the 90's and was conducive to celebrities and respected figures being more outspoken about their adoration for anime in the current decade.

SEE ANIME PAGE 6

By Temi Ikudayisi Opinions Columnist Throughout the month of March, Texas' capital city was alarmed as a deadly wave of bombings was unleashed. The terror ended abruptly when SWAT officers cornered 23-year-old culprit Mark Conditt outside Austin, where he detonated a final bomb, killing himself. Prior to Conditt’s death, Austin's Police Chief, Brian Manley said, "We're not ruling out hate," meaning the attacks could be racially motivated as the violent spree claimed the lives of two men, Anthony Stephan House and Draylen Mason both African American. An African American woman, and an elderly Latina woman were also injured. Authorities ruled out this theory of racial motivation because Conditt did not mention hate or terror as motivations for his inexplicable violence in the 25-minute confession video he left behind. In fact, authorities have failed to categorize the three weeks of terror and anxiety Conditt unleashed on the city of Austin as terrorism. "He does not at all mention anything about terrorism, nor does he mention anything about hate," Manley said. "But, instead, it is the outcry of a very challenged young man talking about challenges in his personal life that led him to this point." The sympathy in this statement is astounding, an ultimate display of white privilege. Figures in power

If he was a brown Muslim there would be no question that this bomber would be labeled a terrorist. tend to show empathy and allow the benefit of the doubt to be extended to those who they can identify with. In other words, the white, Christian, homeschooled bomber that sent bombs throughout a city, killed two people and severely injured several others was not a terrorist but simply a troubled young man led to senseless violence by life’s hardships. If he was a brown Muslim, there would be no question that this bomber would be labeled a terrorist. There would be no speculation into his upbringing or interest in the challenges life presented him. When Stephen Paddock was identified as the gunman who rained a storm of bullets down on a Las Vegas concert last fall, the media flooded stories about the poor "lone wolf." The same sympathetic tone has been attached to the lives of other mass killers who acted alone, including movie theater shooter James Holmes, a white man who killed a dozen people in a movie theater shooting in 2012. White criminals are extended an unnerving amount of sympathy and

understanding that simply does not exist even for victims of other races. Despite recovering a list of future targets the bomber intended to strike and a 25-minute video in which he details the intricacies of each bomb he made to torment an entire city, this man is not labeled a terrorist. Authorities say this failure to label these bombings as terrorism comes from a lack of clear motivationsallegedly there was no political or ideological agenda behind the attacks. The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations defines terrorism as "the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives." Authorities warned citizens of Austin to avoid opening unexpected packages. People stayed in their homes, changed their daily routines and avoided certain areas of the city, fearful of being the attacker's next target. This clearly fulfills the definition of terrorism under federal law, in that intimidating or coercing a civilian population into fearing the city they live in is a social agenda. Any person who wages a campaign of terror and violence spanning for weeks as Conditt did is a menace to American society. The Austin bomber was a terrorist and should be called such. The only thing preventing this label appears to be that he is not Muslim. - Temi Ikudayisi is a public relations senior

CARTOON OF THE WEEK

CARTOON BY STEPHANIE CLOYD | GRAPHIC DESIGNER

6 | Tuesday, March 27, 2018

The University Star

OPINIONS

Carrington Tatum Opinions Editor @mogulcarrington

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

FROM PAGE 5 ANIME

ACTIVISM

Following a teenage biker gang member after coming into contact with an unknown entity, "Akira's" main focus is submerging the viewer into, "Neo-Tokyo", a retro-futuristic metropolis running rampant with crime, political corruption and a proletariat revolution. Separate storylines of dissatisfied youth, government experimentation, and covert operations from the government's resistance intertwine into a narrative of destruction due to the sheer oversaturation of technology and power being abused in the city. The inhabitants have no concern for the damage that they do to their dystopia, which serves to symbolize the crumbling of their humanity as they sacrifice everything to tend to their own desires.

Anime is well on its way to being a major priority for streaming services. The soundtrack, consisting of tribal beats and simplistic chanting, further compliments overarching themes of society reverting back to base human instincts in spite of its technological advances. Many musical artists have also sampled from the film, even going as far as creating full-length projects exclusively comprised of film clips and soundbytes. Another feat that "Akira" overcomes is visual longevity; the animation, which upon release was considered revolutionary, has aged well. Vibrant colors, attention to detail, and depiction of gore have all withstood the test of time. The unique and clean art-style of the film has been influential to artists of many varieties, such as Stanley Kubrick, Kanye West, and Christopher Nolan, who have all cited "Akira" as a main influence to one or many of their works. "Akira" is not the only anime to see mainstream success; properties like "Dragon Ball Z," "Naruto," "Pokemon" and "Yu-Gi-Oh" have been mainstream cultural touchstones primarily for Millennials as many of them grew up during a time when these shows dominated Cartoon Network's programming. With Netflix Japan's content library being the largest in the world, and 30 additional original anime titles being produced for Netflix in 2018 alone, anime is well on its way to being a priority for streaming services. Demand has slowly been on the rise for decades, which is now culminating into it being brought into the mainstream of North American viewers, whether by celebrity shoutouts, its influence on other aspects of American culture, or even purely on the time at which it has had to grow in popularity. - Josh Kayo is an English junior

The effectiveness of hashtag activism By Jaden Edison Opinions Columnist In the aftermath of devastating events like the Austin bombings and Parkland, Florida shooting, Twitter hashtags have continued to prove their effectiveness. "Hashtag activism" is a term that refers to the use of Twitter's hashtags for Internet activism. In other words, Twitter has transformed into a platform where individuals have increasingly shared their thoughts on political issues. For instance, the lack of righteous media coverage on the Austin bomber, Mark Conditt, has received backlash. Fox News referred to Conditt as only a “serial bombing suspect.” When a black man responsible for killing two police officers received parole, the same news outlet deemed him a “domestic terrorist.” After the San Bernardino mass shooting suspects of Islamic descent were identified, Fox News also had no issue referring to the two as “young terrorists.” The Patriot Act defines domestic terrorism as, "activites that involve criminal acts dangerous to human life, and that appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population," Other than race, there is no obvious difference between any of those individuals. However, Fox News

addressed them as if one was more sinister than the other. Thousands of Twitter users began expressing their frustration with the inconsistencies in media coverage, using #AustinBombings. @MuslimIQ tweeted that a “Nazi Murders 17 kids, 6 Bomb blasts target Black families, & all Govt offers us is “thoughts & prayers”—won’t even call it terrorism.” Throughout the Civil and Women’s rights movements, social media was never an option. Therefore, protests were limited to the news outlets that chose to cover them. Twitter has 330 million monthly active users that are permitted to view all trending topics across the world. Needless to say, the truth can no longer be disguised. #StephonClark became a trending topic when a young black male was gunned down by police in Sacramento, California. The man was shot 20 times after officers believed he possessed a gun. Naturally there was both thoughtful and low brow debate around the incident but regardless of their opinions, the fact that dialogue is taking place is significant. In a world where so much is occurring at one time, it is imperative that conversations continue to spark change. With Twitter possessing hundreds of millions of users, it is critical that individuals know what is occurring

in the society around them. With the click of a hashtag, everything ranging from terrorism to local movements can be seen. At Texas State, racist Instagram posts by Student Government President Connor Clegg were discovered. Shortly after, #ImpeachClegg trended locally. @ Darrell_Antwine sent out a video of students protesting, with the caption “#TXST WE ARE UNITED. #ImpeachClegg.” The hashtag did its job in alerting the university’s students of what was happening on campus. Even greater was the fact that it allowed individuals outside of Texas State to be informed on our issues. @sweetplustea tweeted “I don't go to #TXST anymore but I am proud of the students there standing up to this racist nonsense. #ImpeachClegg #ImpeachTrauth.” Black Lives Matter, Women's March, #MeToo, March For Our Lives are all significant cultural and political movements that began simply with the convergence of ideas and experiences around the pound symbol. Hashtag activism is not a diluted mockery of activism but instead the new organizing room for the movements that will define the decades to come. - Jaden Edison is an electronic media freshman

POLLUTION

Combating air pollution ultimately benefits humans By Zach Ienatsch Assistant Opinions Editor When individuals think about environmental activism or conservation, it is likely that the first thought is of the benefit to plants and animals, what we typically consider 'nature'. But the assumption that the preservation of water, air, soil, and other natural processes only benefits nature neglects our own presence on this planet and the future citizens that will inherit it. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio caught fire after decades of unrestricted pollution. A year later, the Environmental Protection Agency was founded. A river being so polluted it literally catches fire is an extreme situation, but it was acceptable for a river in America to be polluted beyond sustaining life in the 1960’s. The river had been long devoid of any fish from Cleveland to Akron because of the concentration of industrial waste. The issue was brought into perspective only when pollution created a deadly hazard that threatened the well-being of the nearby community. In present times, air pollution is now the most pressing concern. Climate change and the greenhouse effect are now politically charged buzzwords

Subscribe to our newsletter! Text WEEKLYSTAR to 22828 to get started! Or visit universitystar.com and subscribe from our site

ever-present on the minds and lips of many politicians, scientists and entertainers. According to the State of Global Air 2017 report with 2015 data, 92 percent of people on earth live in areas with unhealthy amounts of air pollution. Air pollution was responsible for 4 million deaths worldwide with over 50 percent of them being in China and India. Air pollution is a leading cause of long-term health risks such as lung cancer, heart disease, and chronic respiratory disease, with the most vulnerable demographic being children and the elderly. Combating air pollution is more difficult than water-based pollution (such as the Cuyahoga River incident) because air pollution consists of both visible and non-visible pollutants. An industrial smog of visible pollutants is not appealing to the people living in the vicinity and most can understand that smog poses risks to their respiratory health. However, for the uneducated observer, the non-visible components do not seem dire or even present. This is dangerous for Western cities, such as Los Angeles or London, who may be tricked into thinking smog visibly receding means the fight against air pollution is over. This might seem like an impassable obstacle, that the damage is already

irreversible. But there are several solutions every person can adopt in order to do their part. The use of public transportation, in cities that provide such systems, helps eliminate vehicular emissions. For cities that do not have such systems, encourage local governments to implement bus and metro routes. At the very least, carpooling is an effective option, as is investing in vehicles with efficiency and sustainability in mind. To combat agricultural air pollution, reducing meat and animal product consumption can help lower emissions from factory farms and the sheer number of animals raised solely for human consumption. Preserving our air is not something that will succeed because of the passion of a few individuals. It will take a conscious effort from the world’s citizens to respect our earth. It will require all people to examine their own lifestyles and adjust accordingly to possibly reverse the growing threat of climate change. And most importantly, we must elect officials that will share our concerns and sponsor appropriate legislation to curtail atmosphere destruction on a large scale. We owe it to not only ourselves but to our children and their children. - Zach Ienatsch is a journalism senior

WHERE

FRESH & FAST MEET

Think independent. Want to lead a team of dedicated, award-winning journalists? We are looking for our next Editor-In-Chief. Applicants can download an application at: universitystar.com/EIC Packets are due by 3 p.m. March 29th.

®

WE DELIVER! VISIT JIMMYJOHNS.COM TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU

The University Star

SPORTS

Tuesday, March 27, 2018 | 7 Brooke Phillips Sports Editor @BrookePhillips_

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Texas State ends season after historic run By Anthony Flores Senior Sports Reporter From record-setting performances to last minute heartache, the 2017-18 season saw the women’s basketball team experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Texas State was 23-10 on the season, the team’s best record since the 200708 season where it went 21-11 on the year. The Bobcats held a 14-4 Sun Belt Conference record, earning the No. 2 seed in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Tournament. Behind its high-powered offense, Texas State reached the Sun Belt Conference Championship final where they lost to the No. 1 seeded Little Rock Trojans in a 54-53 battle. The Bobcats followed with an opening round loss to Rice in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament, March 15. Despite coming up short in postseason play, Texas State’s 2017-18 season was anything but a failure. The Bobcats came out of the gates strong, going 7-4 in their first 11 games before Sun Belt Conference play. Texas State opened conference play with a 69-54 victory over the Appalachian State Mountaineers. Four games later the Bobcats would get their first taste of their future conference championship opponent in a loss to the Little Rock Trojans. In their regular season win, the Trojans held the Bobcats to a season-low 48 points. Over the last two seasons Texas State is 0-3 against the Trojans. By the end of the regular season, the word blowout became synonymous with the Bobcats. Texas State beat its opponents by 20 or more points 10 times in the season, almost half of the

games played. More impressively, six of the Bobcat’s 10 blowouts were by 30 or more points.f The Bobcats scored 90 plus points twice during the season, the first coming in a 91-38 rout of school rivals the University of Texas San Antonio Roadrunners. The second 90-point showing came in Texas State’s second matchup against the Mountaineers, a 92-50 win during the Play4Kay Breast Cancer Awareness game, Feb. 3. Texas State closed the season on a five-game win streak that extended to seven in the post season until their loss in the conference final. For as much team success during the season, there was perhaps an equal amount of individual success. 2018 saw several players cement their legacies as Texas State Bobcats. Of the players on this year’s roster, it is safe to say that Taeler Deer, senior point guard, was the driving force of the team. The veteran player put together her finest season in her final year as a Bobcat. Deer earned Sun Belt Conference player of the year honors. Deer set the tone of her season from game one, with a season-high of 44 points against Texas Tech. The senior point guard averaged 17.3 points and scored 572-points on the season. In an 83-63 blowout against Georgia State, Deer racked up 14 assists, topping the previous school record of 13 in one game, a record that stood for 30 years. “I didn’t even know that was happening to me,” Deer said. “I got out of the game and seen tweets about it and was like ‘Oh my God’. It was an honor, I work hard, and my hard work paid off.” Deer is one of several seniors set to leave the team after the semester and for

Taeler Deer, senior guard, dribbles the ball Nov. 28, 2017 past University of Houston opponents. PHOTO BY VICTOR RODRIGUEZ

her it is a difficult thing to do after a season with such promise. “It’s bittersweet," Deer said. "I mean I feel like we had a great season this year." Lighting up the court for the Bobcats was Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference accolades, Toshua Leavitt, junior guard, who cemented her name in women’s collegiate basketball history. Leavitt drained 137 threes on the season, becoming the single season leader for most three-pointers made in at Texas State. The junior earned the same honors in the Sun Belt Conference and stormed past the previous NCAA record of 129 set by Brianna Butler of Syracuse in 2016.

With the exit of Deer and several other senior players, it is up to players like Leavitt and Brooke Holle, sophomore guard, to continue the success the team has seen so recently With her days as a Bobcat numbered, Ti’Aria Pitts, senior forward, shared just a few words for the players taking the reigns of the program. “Just be like a sponge,” Pitts said. “Everything the coaches are telling you don’t take it as them trying to get on to you or being negative just listen to what they’re saying because they’re obviously your coach, they know what’s best and they know what’s going to make you a better player.”

BASEBALL

Lead-off hitter's consistent numbers is key to team's early success

W E E KE N D S 10 a.m. to Dusk - Rain or Shine

Derek Scheible, senior outfielder, batting March 21 against the University of Incarnate World. PHOTO BY MARINA BUSTILLO-MENDOZA

By John Paul Mason II Sports Reporter Success for any team requires consistency as much as it does skill from its players. Derek Scheible, senior outfielder, is posting consistent numbers during the first twelve games of the season for the baseball team. After returning for his fourth year on the team, the outfielder is off to a successful start for the 2017-18 season. Scheible is currently hitting .295 in 44 at-bats, but his team-high, 12 RBI's, is what stands out the most about him. The next closest player, Dylan Paul, senior utility player, has eight RBIs, but has three more at-bats than Scheible. "I'm mainly picking good counts to run in," Scheible said. "Either I know they are going to throw a breaker, or throw one in the dirt that I can run on, I know when to go." Successfully hitting in the leadoff spot is one of the most important keys to success for the team, and when Scheible is able to get on base like he has all year, it opens up a lot of possibilities for offense. "I think it would be pretty important," Scheible said. "Because if I can work my way to second base, teammates behind me can be aggressive and find a way to get me home." Base running is not as easy as the way Scheible describes; it has a technique. One false move can eliminate any scoring chances for the team and lead to quick, easy outs. "The biggest thing about base running

is being aggressive and finding the right counts to run on," Scheible said. "If you know they're going to throw an offspeed, then you're in the clear." Scheible's batting average is the third highest on the team, but he is not letting that accomplishment distract him from the task at hand. "I try not to pay attention to my batting average," Scheible said. "I just try to have positive at bat’s out there and help the team out whenever I can." While it is still early in the season, the team's record is looking admirable through 18 games when it opened up its season against the defending Big 12 Champion Oklahoma State Feb. 1618, where the Bobcats lost 2-1 despite out-hitting the Cowboys. Scheible still sees some things he can fine-tune and improve his game. "I can definitely work on striking out less," Scheible said. "Trying to get the ball in play better and using my speed to my advantage as well." Scheible acknowledged the team's improvement, and the team still has a way to go as far as consistency from top to bottom. "We are definitely coming around and still putting everything together," Scheible said. "We can still improve on a lot of things, but I think we have started out good this season." The baseball tea, still has some big names to face for the rest of the season, such as the Baylor Bears April 2, but Scheible and the team are more than up for the challenge whenever they step onto the diamond.

March 3 -April 22, 2018 also open Friday March 16 for Spring Break!

McDade, TX 35 miles East of Austin www.SherwoodForestFaire.com

( 512 ) 222 - 6680 camping available

The University Star

SPORTS

Tuesday, March 27, 2018 | 8 Brooke Phillips Sports Editor @BrookePhillips_

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

WEIGHTLIFTING

Weightlifting club continues to build success By Region Kinden Sports Reporter For some people, weightlifting is just an activity to become stronger. For others, it is an important component of how they live their everyday lives. What started out as five men wanting to teach students about Olympic weightlifting turned into a club. The founders of the Weightlifting Club wanted to put the university on the map as a top school for Olympic weightlifting. A few competitions later, the club has finished in the top three at every local meet and was recognized by Fringe, Barbell Revolution, Texas Barbell Club, Lower weightlifting, Back Rifle Coffee and Article 15 apparel, according to the club's website. The weightlifting club currently has 12 members and experienced a lot of success within the past year. Members compete in many different tournaments and events at every weightlifting level throughout the year. The team has competed in Junior Nationals, University Nationals and USA nationals. Courtney Royster, president of the weightlifting club and exercise sports science sophomore, said they have sent five members to Nationals this past year. Last year three male members were sent to University Nationals and one of them placed third. In January, three members including Royster, Brandon Settle, biology sophomore, and Rayanne Garcia, exercise sports science junior, were sent to compete in the Texas Weightlifting Championship.

Noel Miramontes, coach of the club and exercise sports science junior, said the club has been filled with growing and learning experiences with having a new president, coach and board. “We want all our athletes, new and old, to be completely immersed in the culture,” Miramontes said. “I want everyone to enjoy lifting but understand that the time they are investing in this sport needs to have a payoff, whether personal or competitive.” The club is open to for people of all skill levels. Their focus is to improve themselves, push their limits and support one another. Settle is also the treasurer of the club and said he does not feel as if he is necessarily talented or have the right body for the sport, but continues to put in the work and compete in events. “Personally, I do it for the challenge,” Settle said. “I’ve always loved the grind of going to the gym and pushing myself.” Miramontes said competition prep is simple. As a coach, Miramontes said he believes lifting is only one half of the sport. The other half is performing under pressure during meets. “I ask everyone to treat days in the gym like work,” Miromontes said. “Be attentive, coachable and approach your The weightlifting club finishing lifting after a meet Nov. 4 in the Aqua Sports lifts like you would any task at your job. Center. PHOTO COURTESY OF WEIGHTLIFTING CLUB INSTAGRAM Approach practices as work so that when competition day comes it’s just another day in the office.” Royster and Garcia qualified for Junior locally against people who sign up for Club practices are held from 5-9 p.m certain events that are USA weightlifting Nationals in Spokane, Washington. Monday-Thursday at the Aqua Sports Royster said the club mostly competes sanctioned. Center.

BASEBALL SEASON

INTRAMURAL

Baseball team looks to build on early season momentum By Melea Polk Assistant Sports Editor The Texas State baseball team is at the beginning of its season and one thought continues to run through the minds of the team leaders: keep improving. The Bobcats welcomed 14 newcomers to the baseball team in the new season, but the team is far from reaching its full potential. Before the season kicked off, three Bobcats received preseason conference honors. Jaylen Hubbard, junior third baseman, Jonathan Ortega, junior second baseman, and Dylan Paul, senior utility player, were named to the 2018 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team. However, garnering preseason awards were not enough to kick the Bobcats into gear this season. “I appreciate the title a lot,” Hubbard said. “But, it is about something I did last year. I am just trying to be better this year.” Instead, the awards gave the Bobcats a reason to strive for a better record than last year’s 29-30 season. “We are already out hitting guys and half of our offense hasn’t really started going,” Paul said. “I said the other day that once we really get it going, it will be good.” The Bobcats opened their 2018 season with a home series Feb. 16-18 against the 2017 Big 12 Champions, Oklahoma State University. Texas State went 2-1 with a 10-1 win over the Cowboys. Texas State earned its first sweep of the season against Stephen F.

Austin University March 2-4 at Bobcat Ballpark. The Bobcats outplayed the SFA Lumberjacks ending the sweep with a walk-off triple from Paul. The Bobcats took an 8-6 loss in their first appearance Feb. 20 against Rice University after the Owls battled back with five runs in the eighth inning. Texas State turned things around in its second game with the Rice Owls and won 6-2 March 6 at Bobcat Ballpark. “I think everyone on the team is on the same page,” Paul said. “We are a better team than what our record says. But, I mean our record is not even that bad.” With so much talent from the newcomers and veterans, Head Coach Ty Harrington said the team still has more work to get done. “We are not there yet,” Harrington said. “With our offense, we have a couple of pieces of it that haven’t quite hit on all cylinders. They are putting the time in. They are putting the work in and staying committed to the process. They will get better.” Leaders on the team know what it takes to win on the collegiate level and plan to take the new members under their wing. “I consider myself to be one of the leaders on the team along with a couple other people,” Hubbard said. “I know there are a few that could make a difference in this team. So, I know that I need to sort of take them under my wing, which could be for the better this season or in the long run.” The Bobcats have the ability to be a Sun Belt Conference champion team. “If everything comes together, I think we could make a good run for the title in the playoffs.” Hubbard said.

Texas State baseball team currently holds an overall record of 14-8-1. PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS STATE SPORTS INFORMATION

Black Men United Monday, Novemeber 6, 2017 at the Annual Confidence Showcase Pageant. PHOTO COURTESY OF JUWAAN JOHNSON

Black Men United forms intramural basketball team By Michelle Joseph Sports Reporter While some might think of intramurals as a hobby-sport, one organization has built an intramural team full of dedication and sportsmanship. Black Men United is a brotherhoodbased organization dedicated to the empowerment of black men through dialogue, skill development and service, according to the organization's website. The BMU Bagg Boyz have been playing intramural basketball since it began on campus. The team is working to achieve its goals. Tyler Williams, exercise and sports science junior, said they have what it takes to make it to finals. “I’m looking forward to getting active and playing with my brothers,” Williams said. “I want to win it all and we will do whatever it takes to get there.” The BMU Bagg Boyz uses strategies and tactics to strike down its opponents. Juwaan Johnson, exercise and sports science junior, said the team will always ball-out regardless. “We run the ball and play great defense,” Johnson said. “We don’t play selfish isolation basketball, we put up points with fast break and wide open shots.” Although the team is very confident, there is always room for improvement. Ricky Shorts, exercise and sports science junior, wants the team to always get better after each game. “As the coach of BMU Bagg Boyz, it is important that the guys have a balance of friendship and sportsmanship,”

Shorts said. “We can always joke around but when it’s time to apply pressure we have to be serious.” Everyone on the team has prior basketball experience which helps their team credentials. “Last spring, we made it to the final four and went undefeated in a regular season,” Johnson said. “This season has just started so we barely scratched the surface.” The BMU Bagg Boyz's hard work has paid off in the past intramural seasons, leaving the team feeling hopeful for future accomplishments. “We lost our last game, but (there) is honestly no one we fear,” Williams said. “We’re going to bounce back and make it into the playoffs.” The team is prepared to take down every opponent when it is in games that are close until the end. “Every time we go out there, we are going to play with the same energy,” Shorts said. “It doesn’t matter who we play, we are going to give them the work.” The BMU Bagg Boyz have an enjoyable time playing basketball while staying level-headed. Even if other teams play dirty, keeping composure and displaying character is important to them. “Sometimes students are refs and they don’t call everything,” Williams said. “It’s so easy to receive a technical foul and be kicked out of intramurals sports.” The team has a promising season to look forward to and the BMU Bagg Boyz is dedicated to becoming the best intramural team on campus.