September 11, 2018

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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

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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

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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


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September 11, 2018 by The University Star - Issuu