April 23, 2019

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911 @universitystar | universitystar.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2019

Volume 108, Issue 27

Mutt Strutt raises money for local animal shelter

By Laura Figi Assistant Life & Arts Editor The Mutt Strutt is the one day of the year every dog can have his day. The event has been a San Marcos staple for 15 years and serves as one of the biggest charity events for the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter.

Plaza Park was filled with dogs and humans alike from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20, in celebration of the annual event. The main attraction was a one-mile walk along the river with attendees' respective dogs. All registered visitors received a T-shirt and goodie bag.

The Mutt Strutt was founded by Donna Bellion and Trish Thompson after discovering no other charity organizations gave 100% of its proceeds to the shelter. The Mutt Strutt donates all proceeds to the shelter, and many of the volunteers use their own money to help fund the events.

Thompson, professional dog groomer, said it is very important to her that dogs are kept off the streets to reduce the stray population.

“It starts at home,” Thompson said. “There’s not enough money. Everyone thinks there’s a home for everything (at the shelter), but there’s not.”

SEE CHARITY PAGE 5

A dog poses as the Statue of Liberty April 20 at Mutt Strutt in Plaza Park.

PHOTO BY LAURA FIGI

Vaccine-preventable diseases sweep the country, even Texas

By Sierra Martin News Reporter

Student Government President Corey Benbow swears in Vice PresidentTucker Thompson April 17 in the LBJ Student Center.

PHOTO BY CHINEDU CHUKUKA

Benbow-Thompson sworn into office, making history

By Isabella Lopes News Reporter Texas State’s first black Student Government president, Corey Benbow, and Vice President Tucker Thompson were sworn into office April 17 at the LBJ Student Center, committing to representing student voices and values.

“We are here at a historic time in the history of our university,” Benbow said. “Fifty-six years after integration, the student body of Texas State has chosen to elect its first black student body president.”

Former Student Government President Alison Castillo gave an opening speech reflecting on her term in office, which started in February 2019 after the previous two presidents resigned. Castillo’s term was relatively calm compared to the past residencies, though she recently delivered a controversial veto against the Senate’s legislation to ban conservative student organization Turning Point USA from campus. Castillo also ran for the 201920 vice presidency but ultimately dropped out of the race early on due to staffing controversies.

During her speech, Castillo recognized Vice President Keely Freund and Chief of Staff Matthew Gonzales for their work throughout the term.

“Seeing the end of the Castillo-

Freund administration has been hard to grapple with,” Castillo said. “Knowing Corey and Tucker are my successors makes stepping down a bit easier.”

Castillo said she is confident in the Benbow-Thompson administration, and she believes they will represent Texas State, making it a brighter place.

“I have full faith in the BenbowThompson administration because I’ve gotten to know them both personally and take great pride in the hardworking, considerate, genuine men they are,” Castillo said.

University President Denise Trauth followed Castillo’s speech by addressing the tradition of officers in Student Government making contributions to the university. Trauth proceeded to swear in Benbow.

Following the oath, Benbow swore Thompson in and gave his inaugural speech, where he thanked all students for trusting him, voting and for making their voices heard.

“For those who did not vote for Tucker and I, I want you to know that every day we are in office we will be work Benbow also acknowledged the historical importance of his vinauguration and said despite difficult times, students continue to persist and improve the university with inclusion.

SEE STUDENT GOVERNMENT PAGE 2

Due to the growing popularity of vaccine exemptions, there have been outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases across the country, with Texas reporting cases across the state.

There were four cases of mumps at Texas State in spring 2018, which is the biggest recent outbreak of viral infections at the university that can be prevented by vaccines. The source of the virus was a student who had not been vaccinated, although all the other individuals that contracted the disease had been vaccinated against it. All students involved made a full recovery.

This year, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services has reported 15 cases of measles from five different counties: Montgomery, Harris, Galveston, Bell, Dallas and Denton. Measles is a very contagious airborne disease. If someone who is not immune comes into contact with an infected individual, there is a 90 percent chance of contracting the illness.

Student Health Center Director Emilio Carranco urges students to educate themselves on vaccines in order to make informed decisions on what would be best for their health.

“Familiarize yourself with the history of vaccines and the impact they have had on our country,” Carranco said. "Take responsibility on your own health and inform yourself about what modern medicines tell us that vaccines can and cannot do and decide for yourself."

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, from January 1 to April 19 there have been 626 individual cases of measles confirmed throughout 22 states. Since 2000 when the disease was considered to be eradicated, this is the second-greatest outbreak. In 2014 there were 667 cases reported for the entire year in the United States. The CDC predicts that in the coming weeks 2019 will surpass 2014 for largest recent outbreak.

SEE VACCINES PAGE 2

PHOTO COURTESY OF STUDENT HEALTH CENTER

NEWS 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 Associate Managing Editor: Bayley Bogus, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu News Editor: Sonia Garcia, starnews@txstate.edu Life & Arts Editor: Diana Furman, starlifeandarts@txstate.edu Opinions Editor: Carissa Liz Castillo, staropinion@txstate.edu Sports Editor: Jakob Rodriguez, starsports@txstate.edu Design Editor: Gloria Rivera, stardesign@txstate.edu Multimedia Editor: Cameron Hubbard, starmultimedia@txstate.edu Engagement Editor: Holly Hearn, starsengagement@txstate.edu

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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, April 23, 2019.

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Visit The Star at universitystar.com

2 | Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Sonia Garcia | News Editor

The University Star

SUSTAINABILITY

City creates committee for a cleaner San Marcos

By Christopher Green News Reporter San Marcos City Council has commissioned the creation of a sustainability committee to protect San Marcos' natural and created environments.

The committee will consist of three City Council members: Jocabed Marquez, Mark Rockeymoore and Lisa Prewitt. The committee will also consist of non-voting members who have yet to be selected. The committee will enforce and follow initiatives set forth by the sustainability plan.

The executive summary of the plan states that chapters lay out opportunities in the following areas: Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases, Energy Efficiency and Renewables, Water Quality and Conservation, Land Use and Habitat Conservation, Green Purchasing, Budget and Finance, Education and Outreach, Workplace Safety and Wellness and Culture and Diversity.

The sustainability plan states it established the committee to implement programs and best management practices

that protect the natural and built environment and enhance the quality of life in San Marcos.

Assistant City Manager Steve Parker said the committee will contribute to long-term sustainability practices within San Marcos.

“The City Council wanted to create a committee to look at a lot of different issues, maybe not even just with the city but how do we get the whole community involved in sustainability,” Parker said.

“Whether it’s recycling or building standards it’s to ensure what’s the most overall way to be sustainable.”

Jocabed Marquez, voting member of the committee, said her goal is to bring in more organizations to work with the committee regarding sustainability.

“My big thing is to bring different stakeholders from the community including the university and university students. I think university students are very interested in this,” Marquez said.

“My goal is to bring in those community organizations. My goal is to push our city to be the leader in sustainability.”

Marquez said she has already visited campus organizations and works with

university administration.

“I have connections from work that I did at the university previously. I do have several students working with me on the San Marcos New Green Deal, so they will be able to spread the message.”

Robert Eby, sustainability coordinator for Texas State, said he has been authorized by university administration to work with the committee but has not been formally invited to the committee

by City Council.

Eby said if he was invited and admitted to the committee, he would like to bring more renewable energy to the campus.

“One thing I would like is to get more renewable energy for campus. That’s a very tricky situation because there’s a lot of issues with implementing on site renewable energy,” said Eby. “I really do want to work with the city and represent the campus.”

The sustainability committee is still new, so it has not yet taken any serious initiatives. The committee is waiting for its next meeting to decide what actions it will pursue.

no," Ripley said. "Now they are coming back. Most of the younger generation didn’t see kids dying from whooping cough or being very sick from measles or scarlet fever or smallpox. If a parent doesn’t want to vaccinate their children then they should not be allowed in public schools or daycare.”

Currently, Texas requires vaccinations for children in secondary schools, starting at public schools in kindergarten through senior year of high school. Parents are allowed to bypass the vaccination if the child has a pre-existing medical condition or if the parents choose to withdrawal due to religious, philosophical reasons or safety concerns. However, Texas law also allows for a conscientious exemption in which parents do not have to have a particular reason to avoid vaccinating their children. The same criteria applies for the meningitis vaccination students are required to get before enrolling into universities.

San Marcos CISD currently has vaccine exemption rates higher than the national average, with the number of students without vaccines doubling between the 2016-17 school year.

According to the Center of Disease Control, "before the measles vaccination program started in 1963, an estimated 3 to 4 million people got measles each year in the United States... since then, widespread use of measles vaccine has led to a greater than 99% reduction in measles cases compared with the pre-

vaccine era."

Many parents are hesitant to vaccinate their children due to the debate that vaccinations cause autism. The CDC claims there is no link between vaccines and autism, and have conducted nine studies proving there is no correlation.

Fernanda Maldonado, political science senior, is supportive of vaccinations and thinks it is imperative to get vaccinated in order to be a proactive member of the community.

“The myth about vaccines causing autism has already been debunked many times, so that’s not really based in science,” Maldonado said. “It’s a public health crisis at this point, so it should just be a matter of the greater good. We all live in this society and we should all be sharing in it.”

If an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease occurs at Texas State, the Health Center has steps in place to limit the possible impact. Once the source of the virus is found, they try to determine who could have also contracted the easily spread disease. The students affected would be treated for the infection and anyone without the vaccination prior to the outbreak would be encouraged to receive one.

The Student Health Center at Texas State offers all vaccines. Call (512) 2452161 to schedule an appointment or discuss vaccine options with a healthcare professional.

FROM FRONT VACCINES According to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, Texas reported nine cases of measles in 2018, and just one in 2017. In just the first four months of 2019 there have been 15 people treated for the disease. The first confirmed case of measles in San Antonio was contracted by a man visiting Guadalupe County from the Philippines, which caused the disease to spread to at least one other individual. There has also been five reported cases of measles in the Houston metro area.

Mumps is also a vaccine preventable disease that is extremely contagious, contracted by an estimated 186,000 U.S citizens per year prior to the 1967 vaccination program. According to the CDC, there have been 426 reported cases of mumps so far this year across 34 states.

Texas has one of the largest outbreaks of mumps, due to the nearly 200 immigrants and detention camp workers infected in ICE camps throughout the state. Additionally, there have been eight reported cases at The University of Texas.

Linda Ripley, central Texas retired nurse, is worried about newborns coming into contact with people who have not been vaccinated and reflects back on when some of the diseases responsible for the recent outbreaks were eradicated.

“I think that children need vaccinations period. Most of these communicable diseases were practically eradicated for years until we started letting parents say

FROM FRONT STUDENT GOVERNMENT “For any student who has ever felt that they were silenced, that their voice did not matter, that they were invisible and that nobody cared,” Benbow said. “I want you to know that I see you and you matter” Their administration is working directly with the university administration to address the concerns of the student body. Benbow said that he represents the students at Texas State and he is optimistic for the possibilities ahead.

Benbow’s inaugural speech was followed by another from Trauth, who said she is confident the new administration will serve the student body well. Trauth said she wholeheartedly agrees with the slogan, “Bobcats are better together,” used by the BenbowThompson campaign.

“When you face challenges and disagreements, remember Bobcats truly are better when we are together,” Trauth said. “Our community thrives when we are collaborative and we solve problems together.”

Thompson said the new administration is taking immediate action to provide free feminine hygiene products on all bathrooms at Texas State. Thompson plans on meeting with a financial director at Texas State to see how this can be done.

“I have talked to some of the administration and they said that is something they’d be willing to work with us on,” Thompson said. “It’s kind of up to us to push it forward and make sure we have all the right information.”

Benbow and Thompson stand with administrators April 17 at the LBJ Student Center.

PHOTO BY CHINEDU CHUKUKA

Thompson also said the administration is taking into consideration the importance of making campus a safer place for students. Thompson said he wants to improve visibility of the Guardian app, where students can unanimously report incidents and have their location available to people at all times.

“It’s a really cool app and people don’t know about it,” Thompson said. “It’s something that can improve safety as well as the perception of safety on campus.”

At the inauguration, many students said they are excited to see change with the new Benbow-Thompson

administration. Costen Ben, business management senior, is a close-friend and roommate of Tucker. Ben said he tried to help the campaign by telling all his friends to vote.

“I am excited for the BenbowThompson administration to represent the different races on campus and be more inclusive,” Ben said.

“Everything we do is to show support and advocate for any student. If it means that we helped them, we are doing our jobs,” Thompson said. “That is something I promise we are going to strive to do until the next inauguration comes along.”

3 | Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Sonia Garcia | News Editor

The University Star

NOTRE DAME

Study abroad programs adjust to Notre Dame fire

By Anika Adams News Reporter As study abroad trips to Paris near, this year's students will witness the Notre Dame Cathedral in its post-fire state.

The 850-year-old Notre Dame Cathedral caught ablaze in the early evening of April 15, losing centuriesold architecture, including its iconic spire. According to the Government of France’s website, it states, “While the cathedral’s structure, facade and two towers survived, the roof of the nave, choir and transept, as well as the Gothic spire, were lost to the flames.” The French Government plans to rebuild this landmark with the donation linked to their website. Recently, funds have been arriving very quickly from many French foundations.

Visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral will be different than past years, but the history it contains is something every student will be able to recognize no matter what condition the church is in.

Texas State offers two facultyled programs to France and has five providers that offer affiliate programs there. Tania Vera Borunda, Texas State’s study abroad representative, said students from the two facultyled programs will have the once in a lifetime opportunity to see what Notre Dame has been through.

Borunda has lived in Paris and she visited Notre Dame before the devastating fire. Borunda said she understands how valuable her experience seeing the historical monument was because now it is forever changed. She hopes students traveling to France this year truly value the opportunity to learn from this historical event.

“The fact that they are there and

that they are seeing something that has century," Martin said. "A building never happened before inspires them to like that lives through centuries and explore more of the world because it’s centuries and carries on which is a not going to be here forever,” Borunda fantastic thing when you’re talking said. about this very old structure that is still Modern Languages Professor Carole with us today and plays a role.”

Martin is in charge of one faculty-led Daris Hale, senior lecturer in program based the School of in France Music, leads the where students Fine Arts and will learn Communication the French Study Abroad language and Program to about French We lost the experience London and Paris, civilization, art offering students and literature. to be inside and to the chance to Martin has study music, been running appreciate the building, communication, the France fine arts and Study Abroad but we have gained the culture. program to Professor Hale’s Renne, France, chance to see it for Fine Arts & for 10 years, Communications starting in what it was and to see program will be 2009.

Her in Paris in the program is France's reaction to a last week of May. located on the They anticipated western side tragedy. We will mourn attending a of France. concert and Martin said with France." touring the Notre her program Dame Cathedral -Nicte Sobrevilla to does not discuss have planned the historical events in Paris, but students have the significance and key aspects of the gothic opportunity to travel to Paris by train architecture. Due to the destruction in their spare time. left by the fire, they will arrange for Martin believes that despite the other excursions and activities to still tragedy of the fire, students’ experiences enhance her students’ learning. Hale will be enhanced when they go. As a also mentioned the program did pay for French professor, she understands how the concert, and she doesn’t expect to Notre Dame covers almost 1,000 years see a refund. of French and European history, and “We are currently planning alternative the fire is part of that history. activities for those times and days, but “In my perspective when the roof is our courses will still address the history rebuilt, it will just add to the experience and artistic significance of this great of the church that started in the 11th church,” Hale said. “We need to replace

“

this component of the curriculum without any financial compensation.”

Nicte Sobrevilla, sound recording technology sophomore, is part of the fine arts and communication study abroad trip going to Paris this summer.

He said he was in shock when he heard of the tragedy and will be humbled when he sees the remnants of the fire.

"You don’t realize how vulnerable those buildings are, it had lasted through many times and people and had seen history first hand, all to be gone so quick," Sobrevilla said.

Sobrevilla recognizes how Notre Dame continues to be a symbol to France despite the fire. Sobrevilla said he looks forward to being challenged in an uncomfortable situation when he goes to Paris.

"It is a place that has been changed and molded to be different," Sobrevilla said. "We lost the experience to be inside and to appreciate the building, but we have gained the chance to see it for what it was and to see France's reaction to a tragedy. We will mourn with France."

The Study Abroad Office allows the faculty to decide on how they want to design their program. Professors who run the faculty-led programs have full discretion on how they want to structure their classwork and excursions. Martin and Hale decide on the aspects of French culture that best fits within their curriculum and activities to enhance the students’ learning experience.

On the catholic church in Paris’ website, Archbishop Michel Aupetit of Paris stated, “Our Lady, our dear cathedral, witness to so many major events in our country, was destroyed by a frightening fire after so long resisted the vicissitudes of its history.”

LIFE & ARTS

4 | Tuesday, April 23, 2019

The University Star

Diana Furman | Life & Arts Editor

BAKERY

PHOTO COURTESY OF DOLOREAN WILEY

Texas State student bakes up sustainability

By Brianna Benitez Life & Arts Reporter A love for brewed beer and bread has inspired one student to take their baking skills to the next level.

Delorean Wiley, sustainability studies graduate, is the owner and operator of The Wily Baker, which opened for business in September 2018. Wiley sells baked goods such as cinnamon rolls and pretzels at local farmers markets.

The Wily Baker bakes bread from dough crafted from brewers spent grain, the malt leftover once the majority of sugars and proteins have been removed from the brewing mix.

According to CraftBeer.com, BSG can constitute up to 85% of a brewery’s total by-product. The majority of the leftover grain is fed to cattle and livestock. However, since the livestock industry is a main contributor to greenhouse gases.

As a craft beer drinker herself, Wiley understands the waste stream that comes with home and corporate brewing. She was curious to find an alternative way to repurpose the grain more guiltlessly.

The idea for opening up a bakery stemmed from Wiley's husband, Jamie Wiley. He has been baking for over five years and was a professional cinnamon roll baker in California.

After testing BSG during baking, Wiley was amazed to see how high in fiber and protein the bread turned out. She said this method creates ideal baking mix, as the grain does not mold.

At least once a month, Wiley collects grain from Five Stones Brewery in New Braunfels.

Justin Vargas is an assistant brewer at Five Stones Brewery. Vargas said once all the color, flavor and sugar is extracted from the grain, it becomes useless.

Rather than throwing the leftovers out, the brewery gives it away to people who tend to reuse it for cattle or cooking.

“It’s really great that (Wiley) has been able to take this grain that would’ve normally been thrown away and offer it in a nutritious way to people,” Vargas said.

In addition to creating a consciously crafted product, The Wily Baker owner wants to ensure the prices for her products are affordable and attainable.

Unlike the majority of other environmentally friendly goods, Wiley said she wanted to price her products in a range college students and lower income families could afford.

“It feels more rewarding to serve communities in this way than just getting a high price for creating something unique and different,” Wiley said.

Wiley hopes selling her products at local farmers markets will create an opportunity for the community to hear and learn more about The Wily Baker and its mission.

Currently, the bakery focuses on selling in Guadalupe county, where 1 in 9 people are food insecure.

Every Thursday, 3 to 7 p.m., The Wily Bakery sells at Cibolo Grange

Farmers and Artisans Market. On the first and third Saturday of every month, the company is present at the Seguin Farmers Market.

In the near future, The Wily Baker plans on selling its products in Hays County, where 1 in 8 people are food insecure.

The idea of establishing a sustainable bakery stemmed from Wiley's love for the environment and her husband’s passion for baking. Although Wiley is the owner and operator of the bakery, her husband Jamie Wiley is the head baker.

The couple hopes their aspirational pursuits teaches their children no matter how old someone is, they can still accomplish goals.

To help with the financial aspects of the business, The Wily Baker operators frequently participate in business pitch competitions.

Astrid Echegoyen, communications junior, is the communications outreach specialist for The Wily Baker. Echegoyen is responsible for finding business pitch competitions for the bakery to compete in.

They competed in Net Impact, and ended up winning the People’s Choice in Microsoft’s Community Outreach Competition.

This past March, The Wily Baker partnered with Texas State at the Innovation Lab competition at SXSW, which served as a valuable experience for the bakery and its owners. Wiley and Echegoyen explained their vision

for the company, discussed how The Wily Baker transforms grain from breweries in an innovative way and the presentation sparked investor interest.

The Wiley's are waiting to hear back from H.E.B.’s Quest for Texas Best, a competition centered around locally owned food and beverage suppliers.

The winners gain the opportunity for their products to be supplied in H.E.B in addition to $25,000.

The demands of graduate school and parenthood have challenged Wiley in terms of fast-paced business growth.

However, she never wants the bakery to interfere with her family life.

“I don’t want to give up any aspects of our current life to pursue this dream,” Wiley said. “I very much want it to fit into what we’re already doing.”

In between baseball games, gymnastics and church, Wiley and her family designate one day out of the week to bake. Wiley said the bakery has created an opportunity for her family to bond over more than just movies or extracurricular activities.

“No matter how this business turns out, we’ve become a better family unit over it,” Wiley said.

Their baking method might not be the easiest, but The Wily Baker is a business is dedicated to making a positive impact not only on the environment, but the people that consume their products.

Custom orders and the bakery's events can be found on The Wily Baker’s Facebook page.

5 | Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Diana Furman | Life & Arts Editor

The University Star

STUDENT ORGANIZATION

New organization caters to first-generation students

By Ivy Sandoval Life & Arts Reporter F1rst Bobcat Proud is a new organization on campus as of last month dedicated to providing support and a community for first-generation students navigating through college.

First-generation students are the first to attend college in their family. The organization hopes to connect with the San Marcos and Texas State community through service and social activities.

The organization came to life after Celebrate First-Gen Day Nov. 8: a nationwide celebration of first-generation college students. The University College Department of Texas State distributed first-generation T-shirts and stickers outside of the Undergraduate Academic Center on the day.

F1rst Bobcat Proud is not the first of its kind in gearing toward firstgeneration college students. There was a similar student organization in 2014, but it didn't last. Now that firstgeneration organization is brought back under a new name with new officers and advisors, there is hope it will thrive.

Michelle Bohn, faculty advisor for F1rst Bobcat Proud, is a first-generation college graduate and Texas State alumna.

She felt a sense of gratitude toward the community for helping her grow into who she is now.

Members of F1rst Bobcat Proud at first meeting April 16.

PHOTO BY IVY SANDOVAL

“I had a hard time navigating my way through college,” Bohn said. “It wasn’t until I got to Texas State and got involved with our university’s studentcentered faculty and staff that I really started making academic progress. They really helped me along.”

Bohn said her reason for becoming an advisor for the new organization was a way of giving back to Texas State for their support. She wanted to provide guidance for current first-generation college students.

“I wanted to get involved not only to give back to my beloved institution, but to reach back to current first-generation college students,” Bohn said. “(We have) a goal of lifting them up and guiding them toward resources and connections.”

Emily Morales Avila, president of F1rst Bobcat Proud, said the organization's members plan on having workshops by spring 2020 on how to apply for FAFSA, graduate school or how to create a resume.

“We plan on having a minimum of

two first-gen guest speakers,” Avila said.

“One of the biggest things we want to establish is a sense of community and getting to know and help each other as much as we can.”

Lisa Trevino, nursing freshman and first-generation college student, said although she did not know about the organization, she is glad there is another resource for students similar to her.

“Being first-gen is a lot of pressure; you don’t want to let your family down because you’re the first to make it this far,” Trevino said. “I think (F1rst Bobcat Proud) would help a lot of first-gen students, including myself, because it is a lot to take on.”

F1rst Bobcat Proud hosted its first meeting April 16. students had the opportunity to mingle with officers and gain more information on the organization and its goals.

Although the organization was officially established last month, and the current semester is coming to an end, officers are still hoping to get in a few more meetings.

Starting fall 2019, the meetings will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays in UAC 142. First-gen faculty and staff wanting to help support first-generation college students can sign up through the F1rst Gen Proud website.

HOUSING

Attorney helps students avoid predatory leases

By Nathanael Lorenzo Life & Arts Contributor Students have started the process of scouring San Marcos for affordable apartments, but many don’t take the steps to avoid predatory leases.

If a student is looking for off-campus housing, they may want to be informed on what they are signing and agreeing to in their leases.

According to Kama Davis, Attorney for Students at Texas State, there are two different types of leases when renting an apartment: individual and joint leases.

There are several resources available for students to get proper information before signing. The Department of Housing and Residential Life has dedicated offcampus living staff to help students find options and information. If a student prefers not to go through Texas State, they can do personal research by looking online for apartments in San Marcos or by contacting apartment locators that offer free services.

“On certain sites, apartments will be listed in a way that will show whether they are joint/standard leases, as opposed to individual leases, which are geared specifically for students,” Davis said.

Many apartment locators offer free services. Some students may decide to take this route with so many options

The Attorney For Students office is in LBJ 5-1.5.

PHOTO BY ALI MUMBACH

around town.

Lance Geary, real estate agent at Apartment Pros, said they service as many students as they do families.

“A big thing we try to do is educate the kids when they come in here," Geary said. When they’re freshmen it’s probably their first apartment, so we just want to tell them how things work, what’s expected of you and this is what you need to qualify for an apartment."

Apartment Pros finds apartments for

students by following lease preference, price range and what is desired in an apartment.

Chance Van Engelen, real estate agent at Apartment Pros, believes lack of knowledge is a large reason many younger students fall into issues.

“Some of these apartments are very good at tricking students into applying,” Van Engelen said. “Students will get locked into something they didn’t want and get tricked, and we’re there to

prevent that from happening; we want to make sure they get the best possible outcome for their living situation.”

Being tricked into signing or applying for a space isn't the only way students get into situations they don't want to be in. Two years ago, Ella Lofts opened two weeks late, leaving students displaced in hotels while the building was being finished. A similar incident happened with Haven at Thorpe Lane last year which did not open until November.

“Many times, individual-lease apartments will waive or not charge a security deposit, which is actually detrimental to students," Davis said. "If a landlord doesn’t charge that deposit, they can come after students (with a list of damages) for four years after they move out."

Students should be aware if they are trying to review a lease online they may be unknowingly signing the lease electronically. If trying to evaluate a lease online, students should get a PDF or printed copy of the current year’s lease.

While not every individual lease may be predatory toward students, it’s important to take caution before signing any lease. The Attorney for Students’ office reviews leases by appointment. To make an appointment, students can call (512) 245-2370.

FROM FRONT CHARITY This year’s Mutt Strutt was dedicated to Mark Brinkley, former director of the San Marcos Animal Shelter.

Brinkley passed away May 2018 after working for city environmental services for 30 years.

Erin McCann, the shelter supervisor, said Mutt Strutt raises more money than any other event for the shelter and in 2018, raised over $10,000, a record high. The money is crucial in providing dogs with discount spaying and neutering, heart worm treatments and upgrade kennels.

“It is so important for the shelter animals,” McCann said. “(The money raised) lifts a huge burden off our shoulders.”

There were several vendors, a silent auction, free donuts, a station to bathe dogs and contests, which included best look-a-like and best costume anyone could participate in.

There was a live music performance

by Deann René.

Some Mutt Strutt volunteers entered the contests with adoptable dogs from the shelter to showcase

their talents.

Jazmin Crookes, winner of the best trick contest, said she works with her bulldog, Myrtle, everyday to achieve award-winning results.

“Seeing everybody actually adopting dogs here makes me so happy," Crookes said. "That’s my favorite thing about this event."

Thompson’s colleagues awarded her a charm for her bracelet to celebrate hosting the Mutt Strutt for 15 years.

She believes Mutt Strutt is different and unlike any other charity event because it helps educate on top of raising funds. “(Mutt Strutt) raises awareness about the importance of spaying, neutering (and) microchipping, and any of the stuff that will help keep your pets home and bring them back home,” Thompson said.

The shelter is accepting volunteers; all that is required is the completion of an hour-long training. More information on next year’s Mutt Strutt and how to volunteer can be found on its website: muttstrutt.org.

Winners of the costume contest pose proudly for a picture.

PHOTO BY LAURA FIGI

OPINIONS

6 | Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Carissa Liz Castillo | Opinions Editor

The University Star

INCLUSIVITY

Having Chick-fil-A on campus doesn't promote inclusivity

By Carissa Liz Castillo Opinions Editor Earlier this year San Antonio made headlines when District 1 City Councilman Roberto Treviño approved the Food, Beverage and Retail Prime Concession Agreement with Paradies Lagardère at the San Antonio International Airport, but only if the concessions excluded Chick-fil-A. In a simpler statement, San Antonio’s City Council banned Chick-fil-A from their airport. The City Council backed their decision in a statement saying, “San Antonio is a city full of compassion, and we do not have room in our public facilities for a business with a legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior.”

I believe this is a tremendous step towards unnormalizing homophobia and truly an act that encompasses what allyship for the LGBTQIA+ community means. Texas State should follow San Antonio’s footsteps and consider what it means to LGBTQIA+ students to have Chick-fil-A on our campus.

ThinkProgress recently released a report which found the Chick-fil-A Foundation donated $1.8 million to groups known to display anti-LGBTQ discrimination. To break it down, $1.6 million went to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, $150,000 went to the Salvation Army and $6,000 went to the Paul Anderson Youth Home.

These organizations have a track record of homophobic behavior and rhetoric. They have openly expressed disdain and disapproval towards the LGBTQIA+ community. The FCA publicly denounces homosexual acts and The Salvation Army has a record of opposing legal protections for LGBTQIA+ individuals. The Paul Anderson Youth Home calls same-sex marriage “rage against Jesus Christ and His values” and has promoted “ex-gay” therapy according to a report from Think Progress.

Texas State is home to a wonderfully diverse student body and has programs such as Allies Training which aims to make Texas State a more inclusive and affirming campus for the LGBTQIA+ community. The training also promotes awareness and understanding of sexual and gender identities. Texas State even recognizes LGBTQIA+ individuals have experienced systematic and personal marginalization, have felt invisible or unsafe and found campus climate openly hostile for the LGBTQIA+ community.

As a queer woman, I can attest to the importance of having a campus that feels welcoming and safe for the LGBTQIA+ Bobcats.

However, providing a platform for an openly homophobic food chain to make money—which then has the potential to go to anti-LGBTQIA+ organizations—doesn’t seem to align with the policy of inclusion and acceptance Texas State claims to promote.

ILLUSTRATION BY LINDSEY TAYLOR

While having Chick-fil-A on campus is not a direct threat to LGBTQIA+ Bobcats, I do believe on an institutional level this is a form of support for a company that denounces and rejects the uncontrollable identities of an entire community, one that many Bobcats are a part of.

Texas State’s renovations to the LBJ Student Center, where the campus Chick-fil-A is, include upgrades to the restaurant and an expanded menu.

This, again, is clear support from Texas State (or our dining service, Chartwells) for Chick-fil-A, providing them with more business and money with the renovations.

Chick-fil-A is popular amongst college students for its convenience and, frankly, because they like the fast

food restaurant’s meals. Removing Chick-fil-A from campus may not sit well with a majority of Bobcats, but I believe denouncing a homophobic company is a better look for Texas State than keeping it on campus and allowing them to rake in money.

Data from the World Health Organization found that nearly onethird of first-year college students have thought about suicide, and nonheterosexual identities and feelings were the biggest risks. Researchers also found sexual minorities have the highest risk of transitioning from suicidal thoughts to plans to attempt.

College is a time of sexual and identity exploration for many students.

Because of this, universities need to make sure they are doing as much as

they can to support this vulnerable community. Again, having Chick-fil-A on campus is in no way a direct threat to LGBTQIA+ Bobcats, but it does indirectly support their homophobic ideals.

San Antonio took a true step towards progress and inclusivity by barring Chick-fil-A from its airport. The only way to stop the company from continuing to support anti-LGBTQIA+ organizations is for institutions, such as the San Antonio City Council and Texas State, to denounce Chick-fil-A’s homophobic ideals and strip them of their money-making platforms.

-Carissa Liz Castillo is an English senior

ADVISING

PACE advising is not meeting quality standards

By Laura Nunez

freshman students. Each student is assigned a PACE success team, which includes an academic advisor, academic coach, career counselor, peer mentor and a University Seminar faculty member. The program in its entirety is very progressive and successful in aiding the first-year student body towards success. The concern of sufficiency lies specifically within the PACE advising center.

The advising system showcases real neglect in providing each student with appropriate and personal attention.

Students are assigned a specific advisor for their PACE experience, but it’s not likely they’ll meet with the same one for various reasons that include time restraints and availability. Because of this reality, there is little to no continuous connection between most advisors and students.

Opinions Columnist Every semester, there comes a time when students have to register for their next set of classes and seek guidance as they stress about their future. However, freshman students fall at an immediate disadvantage because the PACE advising program lacks the resources for providing efficient attention to each student.

Freshman students are required to visit an advisor once every semester.

The rest of the student body is strongly encouraged to make their own appointments within their colleges, but it is not required. Most students don’t concern themselves with going to their advising center, but since it’s a $150 expense included as a student success fee in Texas State's tuition bill, it should be prioritized.

PACE is the "personalized academic and career exploration" program for

ILLUSTATION BY CAMERON HUBBARD

SEE ADVISING PAGE 7

The University Star

Carissa Liz Castillo | Opinions Editor

Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | 7

FROM PAGE 6 ADVISING Freshman students are the most vulnerable to having a troubling college experience and are most in need of intricate advice. Yet, their advising program is constructed around quick conversation and rushed planning.

Each appointment has a time limit of 30 minutes. Half an hour seems like plenty of time to talk through class schedules and future endeavors, but that’s not always the case. That time restraint creates a more stressful situation where both the student and advisor feel rushed.

According to Michael Nava, the Associate Dean of Student Services, there are only 15 advisors employed at the PACE center right now. With roughly 6,000 freshmen students calling in to make appointments for the first, second or even third time, this seems like a small number of people to handle that load.

The advisors do their best to provide the best service to each student, but there is only so much one person can take on before they begin to feel overwhelmed. In order to create a more consistent and responsible approach to providing adequate advisement for freshmen, changes need to be made.

Texas State needs to allocate more time and funds into the PACE program so they can expand the advising team and space. The program is the main introduction to class schedule planning for freshmen, so the program should be exceptional.

The main goal should be to reach the sufficient quality the student body deserves and pays to receive.

PACE needs to create a dynamic within their advising program that supports the idea of the student having a consistent and helpful experience so they can feel at ease and ask more

questions. Students shouldn’t come out of advisement feeling more anxious rather than relieved. With a larger staff, the students would have a stronger guarantee of receiving advisement from the same person.

Texas State thoroughly looks for ways to provide students with an ideal college experience. All the advising centers across campus work together in order to stay updated in their approaches and aware of any changes or improvements they should be making. Understandably, there are flaws that occur due to our campus population growth and time management issues, but having a subpar academic advising program is unacceptable.

The system is flawed because there is no way of creating consistency for the betterment and success of each freshman. The manner in which

PACE academic advising meetings are organized seems random and convenient for the school, but not for freshmen.

However, the PACE advising program continues to try different techniques to accommodate more students, such as drop-ins, email outreach and even advising over the phone. They have adapted well to the population growth, but deserve a better, more detailed plan for expansion.

The PACE advising program is not adequately reaching the standards necessary to guide the incoming student body into the college experience. The system needs revamping.

-Laura Nunez is an advertising sophomore

GOVERNOR

The TPUSA debate does not define Texas State

By Laura Nunez

Opinions Columnist Last week, Student Government passed the “The Faculty and Student Resolution Act of 2019.” The resolution proposed to ban Turning Point USA’s Texas State University chapter from campus. Ultimately battling the right of free speech, this decision ignited immediate backlash from the student body, city residents and even Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

The proposed resolution to ban TPUSA gained national attention, claiming the goal of the legislation was to censor free speech. Governor Abbott responded to a video taken at the Student Government meeting on Twitter. He said he questioned if schools like Texas State were deserving of taxpayer money. While his reaction was understandable, it was completely premature and rash.

Texas State University has a reputation of giving all kinds of speech a platform. It’s a place where the students can freely voice their concerns and fight extra hard for what they believe in. The TPUSA debacle is a flawed example of that, but it doesn’t diminish the worth of the university and what it stands for.

Texas State is a unique and respectable university that has educated and continues to educate many different generations into hard-working employees within their respective fields. This institution

ILLUSTATION BY CAMERON HUBBARD

creates many opportunities for thousands of students who want to further their education and make their dreams come true.

Removing taxpayer funds from an institution who diligently works towards creating exemplary people wouldn’t prove a point. It would directly hinder opportunities for the students who need it the most and there is no excuse for questioning if Texas State should receive taxpayer money.

Faculty, alumni and students from Texas State are contributing

new knowledge across the world.

For example, advertising graduate DeMornay Harper was honored as one of the nation’s top 50 multicultural college seniors by The American Advertising Federation’s Most Promising Multicultural Students program, which took place February 11-14 in New York.

Each Bobcat has a story that emerges through the aid and resources Texas State provides. In fact, English professor Aimee Roundtree is making her mark by using textmining to analyze large volumes of

fire department records in order to find insights that can make Texas communities safer. These examples demonstrate the characters Texas State has helped guide to success and innovation.

In terms of the proposed resolution, as of April 11, President Alison Castillo vetoed the decision to ban TPUSA from campus. The issue has been handled and essentially laid to bed, but the fact that this controversy raised concern and question to the kind of institution that Texas State evokes is unacceptable.

Texas State is not a flawless university and it has never claimed to be, but the faculty and staff work tirelessly in order to create an environment that will make the community and students proud.

Earlier this year, Forbes magazine named Texas State University among the nation’s “Best Employers for Diversity,” ranking higher than wellknown corporations, such as Google and JP Morgan Chase. Obtaining this honor was only one of the many accomplishments this institution continues to receive.

Texas State is no stranger to its fair share of controversial moments, but with controversy comes growth and resilience.

-Laura Nunez is an advertising sophomore

Letters to the editor

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We will not run letters that are potentially libelous, discriminatory, obscene, threatening or promotional in nature. To make a submission, email stareditor@ txst.edu

Ms. Susie's legacy shows Texas State should have better employee benefits Dear, Editor The outpouring of love and support for Ms. Susie while she was in the ICU and hospice was so beautiful! She had so many visitors and well-wishers that the staff at hospice told us they had never seen anything like it. And that was during spring break! It was very kind of the Student Foundation and the Dean of Students Office to include her in their Bobcat Pause memorial even though she did not work for the university. Ms. Susie worked for Chartwells for years and made $12 an hour with no benefits.

She had her degree in English and a teaching certificate from the university.

Ms. Susie was so grateful for all the support when she needed help funding her cataract surgery, but Texas State University administration should have been embarrassed that her health care was not provided. Years ago, when Ms. Susie's father worked as staff for the university, all the jobs paid a decent living wage with benefits. At some point, they started subcontracting out the food services to a private company.

And I understand that the university is now subcontracting out the janitorial jobs, too.

Through Susie's passing, I have met several very nice people who worked with Chartwells. Yet, everyone knows that they consistently understaffed

causing long wait times for food and excessively long check out lines.

They have ridiculous rip-off policies concerning meal trades and they do not treat their employees as well as if they were working for the university itself because decisions are made based on the bottom line, not the good of the students or staff. The university is not a for-profit entity and should not be making its decisions as such. Ms. Susie is a prime example of how every employee, no matter their position, that works on University property has an effect on the students. The university should stand behind every employee so that when they pass, we can be proud enough to say that

this employee was well-paid, treated well and had access to health care.

If that had been the case with Ms. Susie, maybe we would have a couple of more good years with her, as a friend of hers for over 32 years, many people have asked what we can do to commemorate her life. One thing we could do is make sure others in her position are treated with the respect & dignity that they deserve. Stop the university policy of subcontracting!

Respectfully,

Vicki Hartin Alumni, Sociology vlhartin@grandecom.net

#doctorobvious www.premier.care

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SPORTS Baseball earns sweep against Arkansas State Senior Ryan Newman hit his second career extra-innings walk-off home run Saturday to give Texas State (27-13) the final victory in a three-game sweep against Arkansas State University.

Texas State started the series against Arkansas State on Thursday with a high scoring 16-14 win in which the Bobcats had 11 hits, 13 RBIs, 13 walks and only six strikeouts.

John Wuthrich and Travon Benton accounted for nine of the RBIs. Wuthrich brought home three runs on a monstrous home run over the left field wall.

Texas State cycled through eight total pitchers in Thursday's game. Dontae Woodard got the win and Anthony Pagano received a save.

Junior starting pitcher Nicholas Fraze captained Texas State to a 5-3 win over Arkansas State Friday in the second game of the series.

Fraze threw for seven and two-thirds innings only giving up three runs, three hits, and two walks. Anthony Pagano earned a save offering one and one-third inning of squeaky clean pitching giving up zero hits, runs or walks and striking out three batters.

Redshirt junior reliever Brent Hebert (3-1) got Saturday's win when he recorded the final two outs in the top of the 10th inning.

Connor Reich also turned in an impressive pitching performance on Saturday. The senior starter allowed seven hits, four runs, one walk and he also struck out 10 batters. This was Reich's third career double-digit strikeout game.

Texas State gets back to action against The University of Texas Tuesday 6 p.m. at Bobcat Ballpark in San Marcos.

Texas State softball sweeps Georgia Southern After winning the doubleheader on Friday, Texas State was able to complete the series sweep at home against the Georgia Southern Eagles with a 4-2 win. The victory improves the Bobcat's record to 25-19 overall and 13-7 in conference play.

Despite a 2-1 deficit in the second inning, Texas State added runs in the fourth, fifth, and seventh inning to complete the victory. A solo home run by sophomore ArieAnn Bell proved a turning point in the game in the top of the seventh inning, putting the Bobcats up by 2.

Megan King was the game-winning pitcher, going 5.1 innings to allow one hit, no earned runs and four strikeouts.

King improves her record to 16-9 overall. Starting pitcher Dalilah Barrera went 1.2 innings with two hits, zero earned runs, and one strikeout.

Texas State will wear teal on Tuesday in recognition of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Week for a one-game home matchup against Houston.

10 | Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Jakob Rodriguez | Sports Editor

The University Star

SOCCER

Deep in the heart of Texas International athletes' journeys to Texas State

By Claire Partain Assistant Sports Editor Three years ago, Sean Yi Yip was dead set on packing her bags and enrolling at a law school in London.

Now, she plays golf at Texas State.

The Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia native is no stranger to travel and spent her high school years at the Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Melbourne, Australia. Yip, who placed ninth at the women’s golf Sun Belt Championships on Wednesday, chose boarding school on a whim at the age of 14.

“We didn’t have the best education system back home,” Yip said. “One day, I just went up to a table to learn about the school, and then I worked on convincing my parents to let me go.”

Despite her law school goals, Yip was hooked on golf and had a ninemonth gap before her semester began.

Instead of relaxing, Yip got a coach and hit the golf course, training day in and day out until she got noticed by some colleges.

“I thought, if it doesn’t happen it doesn’t happen, but I might as well give it a shot,” Yip said. “When I heard from the coach, I just kind of hopped on the plane and came to Texas.”

Yip is one of many international athletes who chose Texas State to gain knowledge, cultivate their athletic careers and learn about a different culture at the same time.

The recruiting process usually begins on the athletes’ side, with many putting profiles up online and even hiring an agent to get scouts interested.

After contacting Texas State coaches, the players schedule phone calls and visits to find out if the university is right for them.

So why Texas State? While Yip says that she was just looking for a place with warm weather, many of the athletes were unsure because they hadn’t heard of the university and had heard negative stereotypes about Texas. Some chose the school partially because it was the most accredited option, and all the athletes were swayed by their connection with Texas State’s coaches.

New Zealand native Ben Collerton, a decathlete who currently holds the Sun Belt and school record for the event, said that he was mainly attracted to coach Fabien Corbillion’s friendliness and experience as a former international decathlete.

“He and I have a great relationship, and we basically hit it off right away,” Collerton said. “I think he related to me more because he’s international too, and he understood what it was like to be in a foreign country. He also has a more European style of coaching, which is more similar to what I’m used to.”

As with all student-athletes, international newcomers must balance

their grades alongside their sport. Ana Perez, who plays on the women’s tennis team, said that this challenge wasn’t new because she had been training alongside school for most of her life. Originally from Quito, Ecuador, the senior was once second in the nation and participated in the South American Games before she hit college.

“It’s all about managing your time,” Perez said. “A lot of people would find it hard, but we’re used to it. You can do everything, but you have to be disciplined because you don’t have time to waste.”

The friction between school and sport continues past college for some international athletes, however.

Collerton is training to qualify for the World University Games and possibly the 2024 Olympics, but the biology junior is also considering medical school.

“If I go to med school, I can’t really continue track,” Collerton said. “It’s tough because these are two things I’m most passionate about, but they’re such a time commitment.”

There are more challenges to these international athletes than juggling academics and athletics at a Division I school. Simply walking out of the airplane onto Texas soil was a shock for some students. Freshman Live Hilton, who hails from Norway, hadn’t made a visit before her decision and was unpleasantly surprised as she stumbled into the August heat.

Hilton also thought of the state as a holdout of the Wild West, complete with horses, cowboys and a desert landscape. Some students experienced culture shock as well and struggled with learning how to interact with people of a different culture.

“The first semester was pretty tough because it was hard to adjust to English and to just understand the way people are,” Hilton said. “It’s just hard to get used to it because it’s a whole different culture. The practices were tough to adjust to too, because at first I was struggling the most in the heat, and everyone else was okay. Now, I’m way more used to it.”

Despite the misconceptions, Hilton has grown to love some aspects of American life and enjoyed some success, including her current spot as No. 1 in the Sun Belt in her signature long jump event. Most of the athletes have felt welcome and found friends on campus and within their sports teams.

“It’s way better to be in a culture where you can talk to people,” said Hilton. “I’m an extrovert, so I love how people are so open and easy to get to know here.”

Both Perez’s and Yip’s teams are mostly international students, which has helped them to click despite their different nationalities.

“It’s cool knowing how differently

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people of different cultures think and react and what is expected from you to other people,” Perez said. “I like knowing about things that happen in different places and I wouldn’t be aware of them if I didn’t have my team.

We spend 24/7 together, so we’ve got a tight bond.”

Even though many of the players view their teammates like family, being away from their real families and friends at home can take a toll.

Perez, who was nominated to the Sun Belt Conference’s second team on Tuesday, credits her parents and their unconditional support for putting her in the position she is now.

“Whenever I’m down, (my mom) is always positive,” Perez said. “She never asks if I win or lose, she just asks me how I felt. (My parents) don’t put crazy pressure on me, which happens a lot in sports, and I think that’s part of my success.”

There’s a flipside to their homesickness, however. Perz said that alongside the new experiences of a foreign country, the athletes chose the United States because the NCAA provides a supportive balance between athletics and academics.

Many universities in their home countries do not provide sports programs, and so schools may not care about athletes who miss a class or vice versa. Hilton said the United State’s relatively unique setup has provided these athletes with a haven to grow in both aspects of their life.

“In America, they’re very good at combining both academics and track, so you can study beside doing sports,” said Hilton. “Here, the coaches really care about your grades, and your professors want you to do well too, so everyone’s looking out for you. I also wanted to learn English and just felt like this was a good experience for life in general.”

All of the athletes have high hopes for their upcoming seasons. While Yip has finished out strong with her top 10 conference performance, Perez closed her season with 10 singles victories as well as six doubles wins. Collerton and Hilton are looking to win their events at the Sun Belt Outdoor Championships on May 10-12.

As for the future? While Collerton’s decision is on hold until his senior year, Perez, an exploratory studies major, isn’t positive about her next move. Hilton, a freshman, is dedicated to qualifying for several meets this summer, and Yip is looking to either begin playing professionally in the Ladies’ Asian Golf Tour or go back to her original law school plan.

Follow Texas State’s sports programs at txstatebobcats.com or follow the athletic program, track and tennis teams at @TxStateBobcats, @ TXStateTrack and @TXStateTennis respectively.

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