September 11, 2018

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018

@universitystar | universitystar.com

LIFE & ARTS Students march alongside political, religious, commercial groups in pride parade |PAGE 3|

Community comes together to plan the revival of a historic African American church |PAGE 4|

OPINIONS

New Department of Education guidelines are bad for victims |PAGE 5|

Diverse government representation is necessary for democracy

Volume 108, Issue 03

Student Government president resigns amid allegations of election violations

By Sawyer Click Managing Editor Student Government President Brooklyn Boreing announced her resignation Sept. 8 in a Letter From the President’s Desk, to be effective Sept. 14.

The resignation comes a week after The University Star reported on allegations against Boreing and other former Student Government presidents and cabinet members.

The allegations claimed Turning Point USA and its subsidiaries had

influenced Boreing’s election through an unreported donation of $2,800 and 25 iPads.

Boreing neither confirmed nor denied the allegations but stated in her resignation letter that the truth doesn’t matter anymore.

“It has come to the point where the truth does not matter, let alone my truth,” Boreing stated. “The only truth that exists is the one that is painted of me.”

SEE RESIGNATION PAGE 2

Beto town hall packs LBJ ballroom

|PAGE 6|

SPORTS Weekend recap

Bike Cave gears up for a new semester |PAGE 8|

By Brittlin Richardson News Reporter Texas State student Zachary Sutterfield is fighting for his life after suffering severe injuries from the July 20 Iconic Village apartment fire that left five deceased.

After being pulled out of the fire with the help of fellow residents of the building, Sutterfield was found to have suffered third-degree burns to 70 percent of his body. He was not expected to survive the first 72 hours following the fire, according to a press release by Sutterfield's parents, DJ and Karl Sutterfield.

Sutterfield has undergone 14 surgeries so far, including skin grafts, optometric surgeries, neurosurgeries and plastic surgeries on his face. Sutterfield is under heavy sedation in the ICU burn unit at Brooke Army Medical Center, in Fort Sam, Houston. The press release stated nearing two months since the fire, doctors estimate a 50 percent chance of survival.

"It's a roller coaster," Karl Sutterfield stated in the press release. "We know we aren't out of danger, but we hold on to his improvements. Every day he is with us is a good day."

Karl and DJ Sutterfield have since filed a lawsuit against owners San Marcos Green Investors, LLC, Elevate Multifamily, LLC, and apartment complex manager Deborah Jones for allegedly gross acts of negligence in failing to provide a safe environment for tenants.

SEE LAWSUIT PAGE 2

PHOTO BY CARRINGTON J. TATUM

Tenant's council to assist with offcampus living

By Jakob Rodriguez News Reporter

|PAGE 7|

Fate of fire victim still uncertain, lawsuit filed

Presidentelect Brooklyn Boreing is among the audience Feb. 28 as she films Conner Clegg's impeachment hearing.

The Sept. 9th town hall with Beto attracted 1,500 people to the LBJ Ballroom.

PHOTO BY CARRINGTON J. TATUM

By Sandra Sadek News Editor Congressman Robert Francis 'Beto' O'Rourke visited the Texas State campus Sept.

9 as he continues his tour of every county in the state ahead of the Nov. 9 midterm elections.

Over 1,500 people attended the town hall event at the LBJ Student Center, forcing a number of attendees to be relocated to an overflow area in Alkek Library.

The town hall event was hosted by Jolt at TXST, Interruptions, Hip-Hop Congress, Underrepresented Student Advisory Council, NAACP Unit 6875-B, Latinas Unidas, Lamba, Queer Cats, College Democrats of TXST, SCOPE and PAAC. Gabby Garza, president of Jolt at Texas State, said the idea of bringing O'Rourke to

campus stemmed from trying to find a way to get the Texas State community excited to vote and saw O'Rourke as the perfect person to promote the message.

"We recognize his hard work and dedication as he has campaigned across all 254 counties in Texas," Garza said. "His genuine concern for the voices of all people, regardless of party or ideology, has especially caught our attention as he continues to promote bipartisanship in our country."

According to O'Rourke, the event served as a way for him to listen to supporters and nonsupporters as well as answer questions.

"Before we are Democrats, Republicans or Independents, we are Americans," O'Rourke said.

SEE TOWN HALL PAGE 2

The City of San Marcos and Texas State are introducing a pilot program with the Austin Tenant's Council to better serve off-campus students and residents of San Marcos.

While this sort of partnership is not new for the city or university with the existing Achieving Community Together collaborative program, the new initiative utilizes the Austin Tenant's Council to help students and residents of San Marcos seek fair housing.

Services also include mediation services, the ability to report instances of discrimination and telephone, in-house or online lease counseling, should residents or students have questions about their renter's rights or leases.

Under the existing ACT program, the city and university were able to reduce common sources of conflict in a university town: noise, parking, trash and the upkeep of rental property.

SEE OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING PAGE 2

Professor triumphs despite hardships

By Sonia Garcia Life & Arts Reporter

Alba Melgar lived in El Salvador until the Salvadoran Civil War in the 1980s.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALBA MELGAR

One professor found herself fleeing her home country in fear for her life, only to live it to the fullest through persistence and strength.

Spanish senior lecturer Alba Melgar has shared her inspirational immigration story with students for nearly 15 years at Texas State.

Melgar was born in El Salvador and lived there into her adult life.

She said she loved the life she built there with her two children.

Despite the warmth of her family, she was no stranger to hardship. Every morning, she would get up at 2 a.m. and collect water to ensure her family had clean drinking water for the day.

Her livelihood was jeopardized when her home country faced the Salvadoran Civil War in the 1980s. At the time, Melgar was a professor in El Salvador. The government saw teachers as a threat because they were educating the youth. According to Melgar, the government eventually began persecuting teachers and offered civilians money for killing them.

She said she began to fear for her and her children's well-being.

One day, Melgar was sitting in Mass as a witness when a dissident shot the leading Bishop in the head. She recounted this as the moment she realized she was truly in danger. She knew she had to leave her country for the sake of her family.

She had family in Austin and would visit them occasionally, so in 1981 she sold everything and moved to Austin. Though Melgar spoke Spanish, French and Italian, she knew no English and was unable to teach. She said it was extremely frustrating, but motivated her to get back to learn another language.

“I see challenges, not obstacles, because a challenge is inviting me to surpass it,” Melgar said. “When you want something, you have to go out and get it.”

She had few job options, and for 20 years she cleaned houses.

Simultaneously, she learned English and put her son and daughter through college. Her daughter went to St. Edwards University in Austin while her son moved to France to study.

SEE PROFESSOR PAGE 4

The University Star

2 | Tuesday, September 11, 2018

NEWS

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

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

Editors Editor-in-Chief: Carrington Tatum, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor: Sawyer Click, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu News Editor: Sandra Sadek, starnews@txstate.edu Life & Arts Editor: Diana Furman, lifeandarts@txstate.edu Opinions Editor: Zach Ienatsch, staropinion@txstate.edu Sports Editor: John Paul Mason II, starsports@txstate.edu Design Editor: Gloria Rivera, stardesign@txstate.edu Multimedia Editor: Cameron Hubbard, starmultimedia@txstate.edu Engagement Editor: Tyler Hernandez, starsocial@txstate.edu

Advertising Staff Advertising Sales Manager: Katy Goerss starad3@txstate.edu Account Executive: Carmel Lujan starad4@txstate.edu

Full-Time Staff Director: Laura Krantz, laurakrantz@txstate.edu Media Specialist: Dillan Thomson, thomson@txstate.edu Student Publications Cordinator: Mayra Mejia, mm1894@txstate.edu

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

512-245-2261

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 HeraldZeitung.

Copyright: Copyright Tuesday,September 11, 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

Sandra Sadek News Editor @sandra_sadek19

FROM FRONT LAWSUIT The lawsuit states the fire and smoke alarms, last inspected in 2014 in compliance with Texas Property Code 92.255, failed to activate and alert residents of the fire in the apartment complex. It also alleges the complex did not have a functioning fire sprinkler or suppression system. Karl and DJ Sutterfield are asking to recover damages for Zachary totaling more than $1 million.

"I don't want another parent or loved one to see what I saw on day one," DJ Sutterfield stated in a press release. "We need to educate and change laws. We

don't want this to happen again. The last 40 days have changed our lives and if it can happen to our family, it can happen to anyone. I sent my son to college never expecting to be wishing laws were different."

The lawsuit could take up to two years for completion, said Bruce Steckler, lawyer at Steckler Gresham Cochran PLLC, serving as representation for the Sutterfields.

The University Star will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

Zachary Sutterfield shown in a photo prior to the July 20 fire.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIE SCHNIERS

FROM FRONT OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING Margaret Yackel, coordinator of Texas State Off-Campus Living, said adding the Austin Tenant's Council to the existing resources of the department of off-campus living adds an extra layer of expertise and man-power that will help students and residents alike, resolve renter's issues faster and more efficiently.

"The program is designed to help benefit the students and residents of San Marcos in renter related issues," Yackel said. "We have plenty of students call us and we are still available for students to call us but if we are not sure on the answer to a question, we now refer them to the council to better assist them."

City of San Marcos Community Liaison, Lisa Dvorak said the added resources and expertise of the Austin

Tenant's Council also adds flexibility in responding to resident-related issues.

"What's great about the Tenant's Council is that they already have the resources and the infrastructure," Dvorak said. "The leasing process can be complicated for students and parents, we want to make it easier."

Dvorak said previously, if a student had a question about a lease, they would be able to review the lease with a campus attorney. Now, once students find a lease, they are able to meet with someone in the department of off-campus living and if they still cannot find a solution or resolve a dispute, the Austin Tenant's Council would be able to assist further.

Dvorak and her team now have a higher level of expertise to refer students to.

"Let's say the student lives in Round Rock, that's great," Dvorak said. "Let's say the student lives in Comal county, that's fine. As long as they are a Texas State student, they have access to these services."

The ATC website contains information about tenant-landlord rights and responsibilities. Visit www.housingrights.org or call 512.474.1961 Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Monday to Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m.

For more information, contact Lisa Dvorak, City of San Marcos Community Liaison at 512.753.2310 or Margaret Yackel, Coordinator of Texas State OffCampus Living at 512.245.4603.

the allegations.

Vice President Ruben Becerra will be sworn in as the new Student Government president following Boreing’s last day in office, according to the guidelines set out in the Student Government Code and

Constitution.

Boreing’s last Student Government meeting was Sept. 10 in the LBJ Teaching Theater, but she did not show up.

included in what we do," Benn said.

"The other thing is that I was just really proud of our students for engaging in the political process and to me, that's a really good sign about the interest that students have in politics and I think it's really important because students are the future leaders of our country."

Linda Hammon, a retired high school teacher currently residing in New Braunfels and graduate from Texas State, drove to San Marcos to see O'Rourke.

"I like his message, I wanted to see him in person, I like how energetic he is and how he is really running for certain policies, not against a policy," Hammon said. "I think that's extremely important and the way he talks about running for the people of Texas and for the people of this country and not for a party is extremely important."

Brianah Rodriguez, political science senior, has been a supporter of Beto for a long time and wanted to show him Texas State students are backing him up as well.

"When it comes to the different stances Beto has, he is very genuine. It's not just a one-sided thing, like he said in his town hall," Rodriguez said. "If you're going to be in a public office that is extremely vital because you don't just work just for a party, you work for the people. The fact that he is so open and so willing to be inclusive of everyone is

extremely important because we do need a senator like that."

Jorge Machado identifies as a Mexican-American conservative and is a Texas State alumnus from El Paso. He held a "Talk with a Mexican-American conservative" sign to "hear different points of view and help people be informed rather than just following the flow," Machado said.

Machado asked O'Rourke during the audience portion of the event about the individual's right to choose, regarding both reproductive rights of women and the right to send children to private schools over public schools.

"He answered both questions separately and I wanted to merge them," Machado said. "He supported the individual's right for choice and I support that individual's right to choose and even though I don't morally support it, I understand where he's coming from.

As for the question he answered, if he's for the individual's rights, he should be for the individual's right to choose what's best for you across the board. If not, then he should say so."

O'Rourke has been serving in the House of Representatives as a Democrat since 2013. Now, he is working to unseat current Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who has been serving in the Senate since 2013.

FROM FRONT RESIGNATION In a phone interview with The University Star, Boreing said a part of her resignation stems from what she said is an unsafe environment that the general public is not aware of. She also continued to neither confirm nor deny

FROM FRONT TOWN HALL O'Rourke discussed topics including climate change and renewable energies in Texas, healthcare, safety and immigration, living wages and education, the criminal justice system, the war on drugs and discrimination against ethnic minority groups.

"Everything is on the line, everything you could possibly care about and how this country will be defined for generations to come," O'Rourke said.

"Are we a country of walls, of Muslim bans, or the press as the enemy of the people? Are we going to take little kids away from their parents after they survived the long journey from Mexico or are we going to be defined by our ambitions, those things we want to achieve."

Students, faculty, staff, San Marcos residents and more came to see the congressman who is hoping to unseat Senate incumbent Ted Cruz.

Sherri Benn, director for the office of Student Diversity and Inclusion and adviser to the student groups who organized the event, said the town hall was key to students engaging in the political process while bringing together the San Marcos community.

"First of all, I think it's really important that (the audience) was both Texas State students and the community, who were here together. They are part of this community and should always be

FULBRIGHT

Proposed Fulbright changes to hinder faculty involvement

By Kaiti Evans News Reporter Texas State's Academic Affairs proposed to make changes to the Fulbright Program's policy and procedures, affecting future faculty participation in the international exchange program.

A record six Texas State faculty members are involved in 2018's Fulbright Program, an international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. According to the Texas State Fulbright website, all awardees receive at least 50 percent of their salary from Texas State. Because of the spike in faculty involvement and funding, Academic Affairs proposed to hinder future involvement from lecturers.

Daris Hale, Texas State Fulbright representative and music senior lecturer, said the proposed procedures would hurt the chances of future faculty involvement.

“The first round of proposals, it looked like lecturers or senior lectures, anyone who is not tenure-track, could potentially lose their position for participating in Fulbright,” Hale said. “I think there have been updates to those proposals since then. I have been told there has been. So,

they wouldn’t lose their jobs, but it still might be very difficult to participate.”

There are no policies against certain faculty getting involved in the Fulbright Program at Texas State, according to Academic Affairs' policies and procedures, Management and Funding of Faculty Fellowship.

“Because we had six [Fulbight participants], it cost us a lot of money which is why they [are trying to] put these policies in place to punish anyone wanting to participate in the future,” Hale said.

According to the Fulbright Program website, the program offers opportunities for faculty to learn international practices in education, research and teach in a multicultural environment, and develop an understanding of education policies across the world.

“Our Fulbright scholars bring study abroad programs and new graduate students in,” Hale said. “The benefit of our faculty participating in Fulbright is kind of limitless, and when we aren’t encouraging our faculty or even worse prohibiting them from participating, we won’t see those benefits.”

Elizabeth Bishop, Fulbright participant and associate professor of history, was

unaware changes might be made to the program's governing policies with the school. Despite the proposals, Bishop said the Fulbright Program is a diverse and excellent program for faculty to be involved in.

"Some of those people talk about [the program] like its just one thing," Bishop said. "It's like someone visiting Texas and trying H-E-B ice cream, and they say, ‘I tried ice cream. It's amazing. It comes in vanilla.’ You just want to tell them there is more than that. The Fulbright program is actually a spectrum of programs."

Hale said though she is unhappy about the proposals to the policies and procedures, she understands those making the changes are faced with tough budgetary decisions.

“The university struggles because we don’t get a lot of funding,” Hale said. “The people who are trying to keep everything running smoothly and efficiently have to cut somewhere.”

As of now, the next review date for the Management and Funding of Faculty Fellowship policies and procedures will not happen until 2020.

Provost Gene Bourgeois was unavailable to comment on the policy and procedure proposals.

The University Star

Tuesday, September 11, 2018 | 3

LIFE & ARTS

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

Diana Furman Life & Arts Editor @Dianna9696

PRIDE PARADE

Students march alongside political, religious, commercial groups in pride parade

By May Olvera Life & Arts Reporter San Marcos residents marched Sept. 8 through downtown in the fifth annual SMTX Pride Parade.

By the time the parade started at 10 a.m., various groups outfitted with colorful gear and rainbow flags had congregated around the park. Among the crowd were students, residents, local organizations, political campaigns and businesses.

Isaiah Gatlin, communication studies freshman, said he decided to attend the festivities with his friends in order to become acquainted with the San Marcos community.

“I only moved to San Marcos a couple of weeks ago, but inclusive events like this one make me more comfortable in getting involved with the community on and off campus,” Gatlin said.

Gatlin said the event was largely focused on voter participation, as several local and county candidates showed up. Political campaigns in attendance included John Thomaides’ mayoral re-election campaign, Omar Baca’s campaign for Hays County commissioner, Ruben Becerra’s campaign for Hays County judge and Erin Zwiener’s state representative campaign.

Zwiener’s team spent the majority of the parade registering people to vote and spreading awareness on Zwiener's platform.

“In Texas, it’s still legal to be fired or denied housing for your sexual orientation or gender identity and we need to change that,” Zwiener said.

Starbucks and other businesses attended the parade to engage with customers, employees and the rest of the San Marcos community.

Drew Villarreal, Starbucks barista and Texas State alumnus, said he believes the ethics of the company are in line

Colorfully dressed SMTX pride parade-goers march Sept. 8 toward San Marcos City Park.

PHOTO BY MAY OLVERA

with those of SMTX Pride. Villarreal said he was invited to march by his store manager. His district manager, area manager, various store managers and other baristas also walked in the parade.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to experience so much love and acceptance from all of the baristas I’ve had the opportunity to work with,” Villarreal said. “I don’t think that it’s unique to my store, but that it really is something the company actively supports and encourages.”

Church organizations were present as well. The San Marcos Universalist

Fellowship had a float with more than a dozen people aboard. Parade-goers were also met with people of varying ages boasting posters that said "Jesus Loves You" and "We Love You" San Marcos resident Molly Cordova said it was important to show up to the parade, even if it was just as an ally.

“We’re here to support the people marching, cheer them on and tell them that Jesus loves them no matter what,” Cordova said.

As the parade approached the town square, a line of students and residents stood on both sides of the sidewalk to

greet parade-goers.

Caitlin Dunn, theatre freshman, said she was at the San Marcos Farmers Market when she heard the parade passing through.

“Now that I know Pride is happening, I’ll definitely be going to the festival at the city park,” Dunn said. “It’s really helpful that there will be people registering students to vote since I changed addresses when I started living at the dorms.”

For more information on SMTX Pride and their annual events, visit their Facebook.

Your Community Credit Union!

Get Your Claws Up For FREE CHECKING No Minimum Balance 300+ Free ATMs 24 Locations Mobile App with Remote Deposit

Join Online Today!

512-302-5555 | www.atfcu.org

Federally insured by the NCUA.

4 | Tuesday, September 11, 2018 UniversityStar.com @universitystar

The University Star

LIFE & ARTS

Diana Furman Life & Arts Editor @Dianna9696

COMMUNITY

Community comes together to plan the revival of a historic African-American church

By May Olvera Life & Arts Reporter New owners, a revitalized community and a commissioning board have come together to honor and restore a significant part of San Marcos history: the Old Baptist Church.

When the Old Baptist Church's current owner, Kurt Waldhauser, acquired the property last year, he was unsure of its history and future. Originally, he had considered demolishing the boarded-up church, thinking it had remained closed and untouched for too many years to seem particularly significant. However, as he and his wife began researching its background, they learned it’s importance to the history of San Marcos.

According to Waldhauser, the original Old Baptist Church was actually built in 1868 elsewhere in San Marcos. Shortly after its opening, the building was burned to the ground by the Ku Klux Klan. Thirty years later, it was rebuilt in its current location.

“We knew we needed to do whatever we could to save the structure,” Waldhauser said. “We don't know how it’s going to happen, we don’t know how it’s possible to do it, but we know it needs to be done. That’s what we’re working toward."

Ramika Adams, board member and treasurer of the Calaboose African American History Museum, is one of the people leading the church’s preservation efforts.

“The wonderful thing is that when it was rebuilt, the new church was even grander than the one that was burned

The boarded-up Old Baptist Church sits on the corner of MLK Drive and Comanche Street.

PHOTO BY MAY OLVERA

down,” Adams said. “In rebuilding, the community of that time was saying, ‘You’re coming to take us down, but we’re coming back bigger and badder.'”

According to the U.S. Census, San Marcos currently has an AfricanAmerican population of only 4 percent.

At one point, however, a major AfricanAmerican community thrived in the Dunbar neighborhood surrounding MLK Drive. From barbershops to restaurants and insurance agencies, Adams said it was a flourishing community until gentrification forced

many of them out of San Marcos in the middle of the 20th century.

The church’s preservation project centers around honoring the rich history, while simultaneously turning it into a space where a new community can thrive.

Adams said they hope to keep as much of the church as possible and the wood, murals and stained-glass windows will be preserved. The preservation project will create a community center where people can organize workshops, hold various events and rent office spaces.

Beyond the new owners and Calaboose, various San Marcos organizations have offered a helping hand in bringing this vision to life.

Among them is the San Marcos Cinema Club.

The organization recently released a video addressed to actor Robert Redford.

According to the video, Redford spent many childhood summer days in San Marcos. His great-great-grandparents lived on the same block as the Old Baptist Church. The club requested his assistance in saving and restoring the church by attending the film festival and screening one of his movies, with all proceeds going toward the project.

On a governmental level, the last item on the agenda for the Historic Preservation Commission's Sept.

6 meeting was a recommendation, brought forth by Waldhauser, to designate the Old Baptist Church as a local historic landmark.

Commissioner Thea Dake said the commission would be happy to help with the restoration efforts. Chair Commissioner Griffin Spell said the Old Baptist Church deserved special recognition. The motion passed unanimously.

Adams said there are still a couple of years of work to be done before the church reopens. Until then, community interest and assistance is encouraging and appreciated.

For updates, volunteering opportunities and more information on the Old Baptist Church and the African American history of San Marcos, contact the Calaboose Museum’s Facebook page.

FROM FRONT PROFESSOR

“

I see challenges, not obstacles, because a challenge is inviting me to surpass it,” -Alba Melgar

One of the last homes she cleaned was Katherine Selber, a sociology professor at Texas State. They became good friends, raised their kids together and gave each other support as single mothers.

"She always had goals and dreams, and I never doubted for a minute she would do exactly what she said she would do," Selber said. "(Melgar) could have found many reasons to give up because her life has not always been easy, yet she persevered."

Melgar attended Austin Community College for two years.

She then went to the University of Texas, where she completed her bachelors in Spanish with a minor in Italian at the age of 53. She went on to get her masters at Texas State and taught her first class in 2003.

Today, Melgar said she believes El

Salvador has significantly changed for the better. In recent years, Melgar has returned to El Salvador for a conference on the importance of learning English.

Melgar said her story helps her inspire students to accept nothing but the best. She does not accept excuses in her class. She said she knows how difficult life can get, but she believes if she was able to persevere, students can too.

Melgar said she believes she is teaching every moment of her life.

Her legacy and hard work will live on through her teaching.

“I think I survive in every single person that touches my life, and I think I will continue living in my students because every one of my students is a projection of myself,” Melgar said.

Alba Melgar walks the streets of El Salvador in the 1980s.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALBA MELGAR

ART

Jo's Cafe supports local artists with monthly features

By Lilith Osburn-Cole Life & Arts Reporter Near Texas State sits a cozy cafe where guests, surrounded by walls of locally produced art, quietly sip their coffee.

"I hope to inspire my audience to notice realities in the world a little more closely."

-Michael Hannon Jo’s Cafe is a laid-back, art-loving coffee shop fit for any student or resident. The cafe can be found just off Texas State's main campus and is owned by San Marcos residents Elizabeth Rios and Leah Molina. Jo’s Cafe has showcased local art since its

opening four years ago, with a revolving monthly residency of local artists' work.

This month, the coffee shop features local artist Michael Hannon, whose collection features San Marcos wildlife in the form of scratchboard pieces.

Scratchboard is a drawing method that uses white clay and ink to create precise, etch-like lines.

Hannon has been using scratchboard to create his pieces for over 20 years.

Hannon said it has been his mission to showcase the overlooked beauty of the wildlife in San Marcos. He said he is constantly influenced by the diversity of wildlife and aspires to influence his audience.

"I hope to inspire my audience to notice realities in the world a little more closely," Hannon said.

Leighann Gardner, a barista at Jo's Cafe, said she enjoys walking into work and noticing her friends’ artwork hanging on the walls. She said she has seen how influential the exposure of local artists can be in the everyday conversations that float in and out of the cafe. “(Jo's Cafe offers) space for artists to gain a platform and exposure," Gardner said.

Jackie Lynn, Jo's Cafe barista and art coordinator, has worked at the cafe for about four years. Lynn said she hopes to inspire customers to join the conversion on local artists.

“I am trying to diversify traditional

A young man enjoys Jo's cafe cuisine Sept. 3 while sitting under a dragonfly scratch board piece.

PHOTO BY LILITH OSBURN-COLE

art," Lynn said. "Often times traditional art is only two dimensional."

Lynn said she hopes to add more textiles or fashion to showcase the diversity of mediums in art culture.

Jo’s Cafe strives to create a space for diverse conversation. Lynn said she aims to showcase art with intention, which

displays controversial and thoughtprovoking imagery. With Lynn's work, Jo’s Cafe offers more than just coffee to the San Marcos community.

If interested in showcasing your art at Jo's Cafe, contact Jackie Lynn at Jomonthlyart@gmail.com.

The University Star UniversityStar.com @universitystar

Tuesday, September 11, 2018 | 5

OPINIONS

Zach Ienatsch Opinions Editor @zachnatch

New Department of Education guidelines are bad for victims New sexual assault policy proposals from the Betsy DeVos-led Department of Education bolster the rights of college students accused of sexual misconduct and university administrations with liability. These two parties have historically had more protections from collegiate institutions than the victims of sexual misconduct.

The new rules are a step in the wrong direction for higher education in this country and threaten to silence victims and shield perpetrators from justice.

The potential policy makes it harder for victims of sexual assault to come forward. It narrows the definition of harassment and only requires universities to concern themselves with formally filed complaints about acts only committed on campus.

The policy also relaxes the legal standard in determining if university administrations properly investigated the claims.

The new definition of sexual assault enforced by this policy is limited to “unwelcome conduct on the basis of

sex that is so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it denies a person access to the school’s education program or activity.” The Barack Obama-era definition included all unwelcome conduct of the sexual nature, regardless of frequency or flagrancy.

Secretary DeVos claimed the Obamaera rules her department is rescinding have "failed too many students" by creating a bloated bureaucracy of complaints and cases. But instead of placing blame on the persistent culture of violence and how campuses have failed victims of assault long before the Obama administration, the department is removing the official legal routes victims can take to seek retribution at their school.

The hardest obstacle for victims to clear in this scenario is proving their case with "clear and convincing" evidence, instead of the Obama-era "preponderance of evidence". In the preponderance of evidence policy, one party would have to have more

convincing evidence to support their claim, regardless of the amount of evidence presented. The new policy's evidence requirement requires the evidence to be overwhelmingly against the favor of the respondent to warrant disciplinary measures.

Sexual misconduct is especially difficult to prosecute by "clear and convincing" evidence given the transient nature of the crime and the systematic abuses and limitations that already make it hard for victims to seek justice. Relying on this frame of evidence makes it easier for the guilty to get away with sexual misconduct, reoffend and serve as an example to their peers that this behavior is acceptable.

The other problem with the policy's new evidence standards is the option to cross-examine. While this is a good opportunity to connect the dots, the complainant has to agree to meet with the respondent for this to happen.

If not, the complainant is usually expected to drop the case. Encouraging complainants to face their accused

abuser is inappropriate, crass and can even be traumatic, which is why the Obama-era rules don't allow it.

Making this an important step of the investigation process will leave a lot of victims out to dry.

The Department of Education had the opportunity to continue supporting an agenda of ending pervasive instances of sexual misconduct on college campuses, thus opening the educational doors for victims and potential victims, who are overwhelmingly young women. Instead, the new policies will only sweep heinous crimes under the rug while universities get to claim they have fewer instances of misconduct.

Students will lose. Education will lose. The only winner in these guidelines is rape culture. DeVos and her staff should reconsider these measures if they ever truly believed a person is entitled to a safe learning environment, no matter the cost.

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.

GENTRIFICATION

Texas State students’ takeover of San Marcos is gentrification

By Carissa Liz Castillo Opinions columnist Every fall, a new batch of freshmen and transfer students make their way to Texas State and begin to call San Marcos their new home.

Returning students are also making their way back into the San Marcos scene, in addition to longtime residents who work, live and raise their families without any connection to the university.

The side effects of thousands of students rushing into San Marcos is not limited to just more traffic and the local H-E-B running out of groceries. The effects are very similar to the ones seen in gentrification.

As of July 2017, San Marcos had a population of 63,071 residents, and as of fall 2017, Texas State has 38,694 total students enrolled. According to The Austin American-Statesmen, Texas State’s population is hard to factor into the census because many students either did not receive a census form to their mailing addresses, or they received— but never turned in—their census forms. It is fair to say, however, that Texas State students make up at least half of San Marcos’ population during the school year.

One issue that arises frequently is student housing, as seen recently when Texas State overbooked its dorms.

However, Texas State is not the only culprit here. Just last fall, hundreds of students were displaced due to construction delays at student housing complex Pointe San Marcos. Students,

ILLUSTRATION BY CAMERON HUBBARD

however, do not face the long-term effects rapid population growth causes in San Marcos.

As the number of Texas State students continues to increase every year, there is an amplified need for more student residencies. This year alone, Texas State welcomed nearly 7,000 students to live on campus. However, there are currently two multi-family complexes under construction in San Marcos, with five more under consideration. In just the last six years, 23 apartment complexes have been built in San Marcos, altogether totaling 3,741 units and 10,324 bedrooms. Most of these complexes are built to specifically serve students who live off-campus.

These students impede into the daily lives of San Marcos residents. Gentrification is defined as the renovation of a house or district to conform to middle-class taste. Socially, gentrification is seen as the takeover of neighborhoods with low rent by middle-class people, which transitions the needs of that neighborhood from the long-term residents to the new implants.

We see this in San Marcos through the thousands of students funneling into the area every year. Some students may not view San Marcos as a home and therefore do not have the same respect for the city as long-term San Marcos residents. Issues such as confetti

in the river, the multiple student housing complexes changing San Marcos’s skyline and the effects college parties have on the community are only the more immediate effects of student takeover in San Marcos.

With Texas State being the fourth largest university in Texas, the student population is growing rapidly every year. Long-term, we have yet to see what other effects Texas State will have on San Marcos and what other needs of native San Martians will be pushed aside to cater to students.

One way that Texas State offers to help San Marcos is through a program called Bobcat Build. This one-day event is held every spring semester to strengthen the bond between Texas State University and the community of San Marcos. It's a good start but more needs to be done.

As students, there is not much we can do on an individual level to stop the gentrification of San Marcos.

After all, most of us are all here simply to earn a degree and do not have malicious intentions for San Marcos.

Perhaps the blame lies with city officials and the university for perpetuating and facilitating this student takeover.

There might not be a simple solution to this for now. What students should be reminded of this coming school year is most of us are guests to San Marcos and should treat this community with respect, as well as get more involved with organizations that benefit San Marcos and its long-term residents.

- Carissa Liz Castillo is an English senior

Letters to the Editor The University Star welcomes letters from our readers. Letters must be 500 words or fewer to be considered for publication. Please include your full name, mailing address, major and academic year designation, phone number and e-mail address when submitting a letter. Submissions that do not include this information cannot be published. This information is seen only by the editors and is not used for any commercial purpose. Letters become the property of The Star and may be republished in any format. The letter may be edited for length and clarity. You will be contacted if your letter is a candidate for publication. We will not run letters that are potentially libelous, discriminatory, obscene, threatening or promotional in nature. To make a submission, email stareditor@txstate.edu.

By Dr. James D. Elshoff In the Sept. 4 edition of The University Star, Mr. Jacob Cleveland submitted a Letter to the Editor criticizing Student Government President Boreing’s silence in response to allegations of improperly receiving

“$2,800 and 25 iPads, entirely under the table.” Cleveland found Boreing’s silence “troubling.”

I simply point out that in the United States of America, a person’s silence in the face of criminal accusations is referred to as his or her right to remain silent, as enshrined in the Fifth Amendment to our Constitution. Here,

no criminal charges have even been filed!

The Supreme Court has even admonished prosecutors who have commented on an accused’s silence in the case of Griffin v. California (1965), 380 U.S. 609. Even if charges are filed, the prosecution has the burden of establishing each and every prima facie

element of the offense charged beyond a reasonable doubt — even in the face of a totally silent response.

No one needs to be "troubled" by unsupported accusations.

- Dr. James D. Elshoff is an adjunct professor, attorney at law and former Justice of the Peace

6 | Tuesday, September 11, 2018 UniversityStar.com @universitystar

The University Star

OPINIONS

Zach Ienatsch Opinions Editor @zachnatch

REPRESENTATION

Diverse government representation is necessary for democracy

By May Olvera Opinions Columnist A government that is truly representative of its population must strive to reflect and embody the electorate it serves. The United States Congress tragically fails at achieving proportionally diverse representation and — although the local city government succeeds in certain cases — there is a serious issue of underrepresented voices and perspectives in San Marcos.

Nationally, the 115th Congress has been called the most diverse legislature in history. Still, it largely fails to reflect a large portion of the American electorate.

According to the Congressional Research Service, while women make up 50.8 percent of the population, only 20.7 percent of congressional seats are occupied by women.

Similarly, while 18.1 percent of the nation’s population is Hispanic or Latino, only 8.5 percent is reflected in Congress.

Locally, statistics seem to suggest much of the same. According to the US Census, the racial makeup in San Marcos is about 48.2 percent white, 42.6 percent Hispanic and 4.67 percent African-American. The San Marcos City Council, however, is made up of six white people and only one person of color, Saul Gonzales.

When there is little representation across the board for marginalized racial and ethnic groups, it becomes harder for those communities to be taken into account in a decision-making process

ILLUSTRATION BY CAMERON HUBBARD

that affects them in ways unique to their identity.

An example of this is when the council faced major backlash from constituents in 2017 for its calculated inaction regarding SB4—a bill that would ban sanctuary cities in Texas.

It would have been helpful to have more than one person of color in office to voice opinions that went largely

untouched until dissatisfied citizens stepped up to voice them.

Likewise, while the median age in San Marcos is 24, there is currently no one on Council younger than 50. This gap makes it difficult to properly serve or fairly represent young people and students, despite forming a significant portion of the population.

On the other hand, gender

representation within the council is fairly proportionate. With 52.2 percent of San Martians listed in the census as women, there are three women and four men on the Council.

Of course, the solution to lack of governmental representation is hardly as easy as it seems; the issue itself creates a feedback loop where it exists simultaneously as the cause and the effect.

Having never been fairly represented in the past, there are a number of communities already lacking the institutional resources that generally give older white men the chance to spend their time and energy as public servants. Without those resources, it’s difficult for members of marginalized communities to run for office; without members of marginalized communities holding office, it’s difficult for them to obtain those resources.

However, the circular nature of this dilemma should not define it as inevitable or unsolvable. In fact, the implication of a broken, exclusionary democracy makes finding a solution much more urgent. It can start through something small, such as requiring civics courses in public schools, or more radical action, like instituting a quota system for proportional representation. It is paramount all people are genuinely considered in their democratic process and encouraged to question why certain perspectives are overrepresented and others are not when their government fails.

- May Olvera is a journalism senior

WILDLIFE

San Marcos should ban wildlife feeding

By Toni Mac Crossan Opinions Columnist In New Braunfels, just down the road from San Marcos, a contentious city ordinance has been proposed. Its goals are to reduce the number of deer hit by cars, lower the levels of coliform bacteria in city waterways and decrease the spread of wildlife diseases, both between wild and domestic animals.

The legislation is also sparking an incredible amount of controversy in the surrounding community. New Braunfels residents have warned local officials to keep their regulations out of their private habits, and that the ordinance would mess with what the city’s parks are known for, which would slap fines on people caught feeding certain wildlife, including deer, ducks and geese.

While it may be fun to feed and see wild animals up close, bringing deer into residential areas and public parks can be very dangerous.

Although many people enjoy going out to parks or even into their own yards to feed wildlife, this practice is bad for everyone involved. While it may be fun to feed and see wild animals up close, bringing deer into residential areas and public parks can be very dangerous.

In New Braunfels, there were 528 deer collisions in 2017 alone—keep in mind that these are only the collisions reported to car insurance—and drivers in town are twice as likely as the average Texan to hit a deer. Not only does this kill and injure deer, but it costs an average of $4,179 per deer collisionrelated insurance claim, according to State Farm. When deer have reliable food sources in an area in which they would not normally find food—like a subdivision or public park—they move into a much higher-risk area for vehicle collision.

Deer are also harmed by the foods people give them. For hundreds of years, deer have survived eating what they find in the wild. They adapted to eat young leaves and certain weeds, not the high-carbohydrate commercial feeds commonly given to them in the average suburban front yard. They have sensitive, highly specialized digestive systems that change from season to season to accommodate changes in food availability.

Deer can actually die of starvation in winter with stomachs full of corn and commercial deer feeds that they are unable to digest. When their diet switches from a natural one to humanprovided carbohydrate-rich corn, deer can suffer from acidosis, which kills them after a spell of diarrhea and dehydration. The deer people think they are helping survive the winter are actually dying of malnutrition, when they would have survived otherwise on the browsing diet—like acorns and leaves—they normally eat.

Similarly, waterfowl both wild and domestic can experience painful health problems from consuming humangiven food. Diets high in calories and low on essential nutrients—like the bread, crackers, popcorn and even potato chips people like to hand out at parks—leave waterfowl flightless due to a deformity called angel wing. This twists the last joint of the wing away form the bird’s body and can stunt the growth of the flight feathers. The high-calorie food can also cause booms in populations as more birds arrive in an area with plentiful food and reproduce, and where there are a lot of birds, there is a lot of feces.

Sixty percent of the fecal coliform

ILLUSTRATION BY CAMERON HUBBARD

bacteria in two of New Braunfels’ waterways comes from wildlife. Total bacterial levels in these waterways have risen drastically within the past decade as wildlife feeding enables massive population growth. Ducks can carry avian influenza, or bird flu, without showing any of its symptoms. As those ducks’ feces comes into contact with other, usually migratory birds, avian influenza can spread rapidly over a large area, even to domestic poultry flocks.

Most park waterfowl aren’t even native—like the Egyptian Geese commonly seen around San Marcos’ Sewell Park—but sustain large populations due to wildlife feeding. By making feeding these birds a punishable offense, cities like New Braunfels and San Marcos can preserve local native

wildlife by preventing overpopulation of non-native species and reducing the spread of disease.

Rather than be wary of similar legislation due to public outcry, San Marcos should follow in New Braunfels’ footsteps in advancing a city ordinance introducing fines for wildlife feeding.

Arguing against such a measure simply because feeding wildlife is fun does not change the fact that stopping this practice would enhance the health and safety of both people and animals throughout the city.

When one simple regulation can save a city’s residents a great deal of money while preventing unnecessary wildlife deaths, that regulation must be passed.

- Toni Mac Crossan is a biology senior

The University Star

Tuesday, September 11, 2018 | 7

SPORTS

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

Weekend Recap: Bobcats earn first win of the season against TSU Tigers

By Anthony Flores Assistant Sports Editor Texas State Bobcats earned their first win of the season Sept. 8 with a 36-20 hold over the Texas Southern University Tigers 36-20, leaving the Bobcats with a 1-1 record.

The victory came in part from the record-setting effort from senior safety A.J. Krawczyk's 82-yard fumble return, the longest in school history. Senior kicker James Sherman also bolstered the team's points with five three-point and two one-point field goals throughout the game.

Sophomore quarterback Willie Jones III also garnered the team points with a 46-yard touchdown pass to Keenen Brown, graduate tight end.

Up next for Texas State is their first Sun Belt Conference match-up of the season where the Bobcats will go on the road to face the South Alabama Jaguars, Sept. 15, at 6 p.m.

Quaterback, Willie Jones III, scores in last weeks gane against Texas Southern University Sept. 8..

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATE CONNERS

Volleyball falls short to No. 16 Kentucky

By Daisy Colon Sports Reporter The Texas State volleyball team faced No. 16 Kentucky at Strahan Arena at the University Events Center Sept. 8 for the first time in program history.

The Bobcats were handed a 3-1 (2225, 27-25, 25-20, 25-21) loss, leaving the team with a 5-5 record and pushing the Wildcats to a 4-4 record. Texas State recorded 70 points, 56 kills, and nine blocks throughout the four sets. Overall, the Wildcats led in every category other than total blocks for the game. Kentucky recorded a .333 percent attack rate over Texas State’s .279 percent.

Saturday night's game leaders with double-doubles included freshman setter Emily DeWalt with 31 assists and 11 digs, and sophomore setter Brooke Johnson with 11 digs and 10 assists.

Next up, the Bobcats will travel to San Antonio to play UTSA for their second time this season on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.

Men's golf finishes 12th of 16 in first season tournament

By Mattison Ditter Sports Reporter

The Texas State men’s golf team ended the three-day Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational in 12th place out of 16 teams. The Sept. 7-9 season opener took place at the Eisenhower Golf Course in Air Force Academy, Colorado.

The team finished in 12th overall at 23-over par 887. Colorado took the win at 9-under par 855. Senior Logan Davis finished in a tie for 41st overall with a 5-over 221. Sophomore Calvin Ross finished 46th with a 6-over 221. Redshirt junior Logan Lockwood ended in 50th at 7-over 223.

Next for the team is the Lone Star Invitational Sept. 10-11 at the TPC San Antonio AT&T Oaks Course, the same course used for the PGA Tour Valero Texas Open.

For more information on the men's golf team, follow on Instagram,@ TxStateMensGolf, and Twitter, @ TxStateMGolf.

John Paul Mason II Sports Editor @thereal_jpmason

COLUMN

Mental health hits the bench in athlete culture

By Anthony Flores Assistant Sports Editor Beyond the scope of physical performance, collegiate athletes face mental and emotional wear, most commonly due to a neglected psyche.

Sports psychology, a field designated toward studying and counseling emotions and behaviors stemming for athletes, has been around for 30 years, but Hillary Cauthen, sports psychology lecturer and practicing sports psychologist, said society's preconceptions toward athletes' emotions has limited public discussions on the dominant issues.

“We’ve created a culture where talking about emotions that aren’t aggressive, angry or high intensity, is shameful because we don’t think those will produce results,” Cauthen said.

While coaches provide players with speakers and motivators, these are often people not on the team’s payroll and only available at certain times, most likely to enhance performance.

A full-time psychologist who can deal with mental and emotional issues yearround.

“A lot of people who are treating athletes that we see at the professional or collegiate level are trained to do mental skills training or psychological skills training,” Cauthen said. “That’s to enhance performance and is skill based. It’s not to treat mental illness or to counsel athletes on an emotional level.”

Until recently, there was a lack of emphasis on an athlete’s mental health at the collegiate level. Student-athletes have to balance a school schedule, a demanding athletic schedule, and personal lives. According to the 2015 NCAA GOALS Study, collegiate athletes from divisions I-III average 28-34 hours a week on athletics and 38-40 hours a week on academics.

Kaylee Davis, forward for the Texas State women's soccer team, said the pressure can lead to unhealthy habits.

“It can be difficult at times,” said Davis, “Sometimes the discouragement and failure can get to a lot of athletes and the stress of homework and keeping up with multiple things at once can cause problems for people.”

With a minor in sports psychology, Kat Conner, head coach of the women’s soccer team, is a strong proponent for focusing on athletes' mental health.

Conner said she understands the challenges college athletes face on a day-to-day basis.

“We’ve created a culture where talking about emotions that aren’t aggressive, angry or high intensity, is shameful because we don’t think those will produce results,” - Hillary Cauthen

“Sports psychologists can help in the game if they could help (the student-athletes) deal with outside distractions or things that are stressing

and weighing on them,” Conner said.

“I would love to see us get something like that here at Texas State.”

Even though Conner understands her players and what they deal with, she said speaking with someone in confidence who isn’t a coach allows players to speak more openly about their issues. Most athletes fear being viewed in a lesser light by coaches, afraid to potentially lose the position they are in.

“Sometimes kids are scared to share with you as a coach because they’re afraid you’ll see them in a different light and maybe it’ll affect their performance,” Conner said. “I think when they have that counselor they can go to, that person who doesn’t report back to the coaches, that gives them that person who can help them deal with those hard issues in life.”

With the NCAA pushing a new mental health initiative and growing support from coaches on campuses around the country, several of Texas State’s included, Conner said its only a matter of time until programs begin to hire a properly trained sports psychologist.

“I think as coaches we have to come together and stress the importance of it (mental health), that it is about the players,” said Conner. “Our administration is good, I think they’re really in tune and want to hear how we can make our players better.”

“Athletes are humans, and humans have emotions. We need to learn how to manage them and talk about them.”

Cauthen said. “I remind the athlete of who they are, part of their identity is being an athlete but they are so much more than that.”

Texas State offers to counsel to all students through the Counseling Center. Appointments can be made by visiting the office in LBJ Student Center 5-4.1 or by calling 512.245.2208.

POWERLIFTING

Powerlifting club team lifts expectations for upcoming year

By Mattison Ditter Sports Reporter As the 2018-19 season approaches, the powerlifting team is focusing on getting bigger and stronger to take the national championship title in April 2019.

Practice starts bright and early at 4 a.m. for the powerlifters of Texas State. Training is Monday through Thursday at FitFactory in San Marcos, ranging anywhere from hour-and-ahalf sessions to three hours. Juan Pablo Quijano Amaya, public relations officer, said the team is making changes in leadership and atmosphere this year to help gear up for nationals.

“I have three crucial goals for this year. To build pride in this organization, to instill a family type atmosphere, and I want to win the national championship as a team.”

-Trent Enriquez “We want people to take this season more seriously and treat it like a regular sport instead of a club sport,” Juan Pablo Quijano Amaya said. “We

Texas State's powerlifting club team expects to get bigger and stronger to prepare for the national championship title in April 2019.

PHOTO BY CAMERON HUBBARD

want leaders to be established, and we want to make sure there is a culture of discipline and worth ethic.”

The team came home from nationals last year with many individual qualifiers and an individual national title. Head coach and president Trent Enriquez said next year, the team wants to leave the championships with even more titles.

“I have three crucial goals for this year: build pride in this organization, instill a family type atmosphere, and win the national championship as a team,” Enriquez said. “If I am going to drive all the way to Ohio, I want to come back with the gold.”

There are currently 60 people on

the powerlifting team, with only half going to nationals. Enriquez treats the powerlifters like a Division 1 team with tougher practices and stricter recruiting. As a part of the team's growth, they will sign athletes out of high school with letters of intent, the first being a Belton High School graduate.

“She was the first lifter ever signed,” Enriquez said. “That was a huge step in the right direction with getting more people attracted to the club.”

Those interested in learning more about the team can contact Enriquez through the Texas State Campus Recreation website.

The University Star UniversityStar.com @universitystar

Tuesday, September 11, 2018 | 8

SPORTS

John Paul Mason II Sports Editor @thereal_jpmason

BIKING

Bike Cave gears up for a new semester

By Michelle Joseph Sports Reporter Texas State's Bike Cave is continuing its track record of maintaining students' bikes and offering a smoother ride around campus as it enters its 11th year.

Bike Cave opened on campus in 2007 to service students' bikes. The shop is currently located in Room 100 of the Colorado Building, with just under 1,200 square feet of work space and on-site storage. In the beginning, the Bike Cave was a collaboration between Auxiliary Services, the National Association of Environmental Professionals, and the Environmental Service Committee.

Since the repair shop's creation, the building has been student-run with the help of volunteers. Today, the main focuses of the Bike Cave are education, sales and self-service.

Casey Maron, junior bike mechanic and geography resource and environmental studies sophomore, said the cave has evolved over the years to reflect the university and students' needs, with students as the primary portion of the workforce.

“The Bike Cave is run by students for students, so we help as many students as we can,” Maron said. “On the regular, we see the same students all the time depending on the circumstances of the bike.”

Jacob Aston, Texas State Cycling member, said he appreciates how the shop helps offer an alternative and cheaper mode of transportation around campus.

“As a cycler myself, I’m able to see the huge influence the efforts have on the campus and San Marcos community,” Aston said. “I’ve met many friends through the Bike Cave and this would

The Bike Cave stands as a useful resource for many students who need bike maintenance on campus.

PHOTO BY CAMERON HUBBARD

have never happened without this being on campus.”

Most of the bike racks on campus are maintained and fixed by the Bike Cave.

The campus encourages the use of bikes with its many bike racks near dorm halls, campus classrooms, dining halls,

FOOTBALL

Football club goes from tackle to flag

By Region Kinden Sports Reporter The Texas State Club Football team is leaving the semi-professional Crossroad Amateur Football League and will exchange pads for flags as they look to make their full-contact club team into a competitive flag football club team.

The idea was put into action by Texas State alumnus Marco Regalado with the intent to give former high school football players who do not play on a collegiate team a chance to compete at a higher level. Mario Rios, the sports club director for the department of campus recreation, suggested the football club cut ties from the semiprofessional league, which plays fullcontact against other Texas teams.

The team will become a club flag football team and will compete against other colleges in the state, eventually aiming to compete against schools on a national level.

The club was founded in 2011 and began its first full-contact season in spring 2013 as the San Marcos Bobcats. Since then, the club football team has garnered a track record of success as the 2016 CRAFL North Conference champions and three additional playoff appearances. The team faced some challenges when they were unable to host a 2017 season due to insufficient team members but bounced back the following year with a full team.

“Our president was worried that we weren’t a sports club, because all of the other clubs play against other colleges in their respective sports,” Donatto said. “So, my former partner

and I came up with an idea to try and start a flag football league against other colleges, if there isn’t one already. We want to start close just to get things going and then later, hopefully, expand against out-of-state schools in the years to come.”

During the fall semester, the football club plans to recruit students into the team. James Carillo, secretary of the football club, said it's going to be a long process getting settled but will be worth it in the end.

“We are hoping to get a lot of people to join us,” Carillo said.” We have a long process ahead, but in the end, it’ll all be worth it. We will get our research and other stuff finished, then start contacting other schools soon and get ready to kick some butt.”

Although the football club split from CRAFL, former head coach Jay McCool started his own team, the Central Texas Dragons, for the semiprofessional league. The team will be an extension of the San Marcos Bobcats and tryouts will begin Sept.

18. McCool said he plans to work with Donatto and the football club to continue the vision of original founder Regalado.

“We will still be affiliated with McCool,” Donatto said. “We will try to bring people along to play for his team, whoever is interested, and continue what Marco wanted to achieve when he was here.”

The team will hold tryouts for all interested, with just a small fee required to join the team. The tryouts and games will both be held within city limits. More information can be found through the team's Twitter: @txstclubfootball.

and the Student Recreation Center.

“We are all bike guys who want to help where it is needed,” Aston said.

“This is more like a family environment because we cycle together on the Texas State Cycling Team outside of the cave.”

The Bike Cave is open 10 a.m. to 5

p.m. Monday through Friday and offers most necessary biking maintenance needed for college students. Costs vary by the maintenance required, but the shop has a free workspace for those who know how to fix their bikes and have the required tools.