Issue #12 Spring 2013

HILLTOP VIEWS

St. Edward’s University • Wednesday, May 1, 2013 • Volume 33 • Issue 12 • hilltopviewsonline.com

Campus reflects on professor legacies before she was there.”

- Carrie Fountain, assistant professor for humanities

Brooke Blanton bblanto@stedwards.edu

Throughout 2012, St. Edward’s University lost a group of professors near to the heart of the university.

Although a year has gone by, the community remembers the impact that these professors had on them personally and on the university as a whole. Each professor left their unique mark on the university and their legacy will continue to live on.

Marilyn Schultz 1945-2010 Humanities Professor Communications

“I think I would remember her mostly as the linchpin who held the Communication Department together ... she was a great neighbor and a good friend. We would sit on the front porch with her dogs and sip wine.”

“Her legacy beyond St. Edward’s ... was her work at NBC.” -The Rev. Lou Brusatti, professor of religious studies

Michele Kay 1944-2011 Humanities Professor Journalism

“Certainly her legacy at St. Edward’s is going to be Hilltop Views ... moving it into the School of Humanities.”

“She was working on a

Cecil Lawson 1946-2012 Humanities Professor Literature and Language

Photos by Kristina Schenck and Adam Crawley Left: Harald Becker’s Sept. 2012 memorial service/ Right: Service programs in Andre Hall.

journalism minor before she left...”

“She was a firecracker.”

-The Rev. Lou Brusatti, professor of religious studies

Marcia Kinsey 1940-2012

Humanities Professor English Writing & Rhetoric

“Marcia was blessed with a great talent for compassion, and she blessed those around her. She was funny, sometimes devilishly so, and easy with people. It was easy to love Marcia. Students didn’t just like her, they adored her.

She became their ally, the one they’d go to, their person. Me too. She was my person, too.

It was easy to love Marcia,

and now it is utterly difficult to find ourselves without her. I only hope that she understood and felt and could enjoy knowing how much she meant to those of us who were lucky enough to have her in our lives.

What I am holding very close these days is the memory of Marcia’s beautiful brown eyes. All that compassion and humor came through in her eyes and could be seen from a very far distance.

When I was in the early, horribly-exhausted-all-thetime part of my pregnancy and teaching with Marcia in the Science & Theology section of Freshman Studies, I’d

sometimes sit and wait to see Marcia coming, to see her enter the lecture hall.

I knew that, though all I wanted to do was sleep, if I could get one of those knowing looks from Marcia, even if only from across Jones Auditorium, I would make it through the day. And there she’d come, walking briskly, her trench coat billowing around her, a stack of papers in her arms. I love the way Marcia made her approach.

It was so instructive – a lesson in kindness – the way she would reach her arm up and out to you long before she was actually near. She was already giving you a hug, already taking you in, even

“He personally mentored and tutored just about every new Asian student on our campus. He spent hours and hours of his own time helping them with their studies and playing tour guide around Austin and Texas …

Cecil was passionate about teaching and his enthusiasm for learning was contagious to the students. I know he touched many, many lives on this campus … Not many St. Edward’s people knew that Cecil and his wife Ayako were avid bowlers. They bowled on about five leagues per week and he owned about 100 bowling balls.

And he was an excellent bowler, a 280 average most of the time.

When I joined a bowling league, Cecil took me under his wing and every Sunday for as long as he was alive we would practice bowling for about three to four hours.

He was serious about bowling, but we also had fun. And the thing that I liked best is STUDENTS | 2

End of the Year Events MAY 2 - 3 Objectify

May 2, 5:00 p.m.

May 3, 8:00 p.m.

MAY 3 - 4

Omni Singers present Comedy Tonight 7:30 pm, Jones Auditorium

MAY 5 - 6

Transit Theatre: I Love You Because May 5, 2:00 p.m.

May 6, 9:00 p.m.

MAY 9

Musical Theatre Showcase 7:30 p.m.

MAY 10

Hilltop Sendoff Baccalaurate Mass 6:30 p.m., RCC

Legacy Walk

7:45 p.m.

Red Doors Revelry

8:30 p.m.

MAY 11

Graduation 10:00 a.m.

MAY 12

Dorm move-out

MAY 13 Final Grades due

MAY 19

Summer I and 12 week begin

6 | LIFE & ARTS

10 | SPORTS

12 | VIEWPOINTS

As commencement nears, seniors discuss their post-graduation plans.

Topper reveals her identity in this week’s Athlete Profile of the school mascot.

Students for Sustainability is more visible than ever, said the Editorial Board.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS 2 NEWS Students and faculty reflect on impact of deceased professors

that he was always the “teacher”. No matter how poorly I bowled he would find something positive to say about my bowling.”

- Emily Salazar, career counselor

in a way that let you know he was welcoming you.”

- Phil Oates, senior psychology major There will be a memorial auction for Shirley on May 5, 11:30-3:30 p.m. and 8-11 p.m., as well as on May 6 , 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Edward Shirley 1955-2012

Harald Becker 1954-2012

“The university was blessed with a vibrant and colorful instructor, he was genuinely a friend ... He had a wit that was sharp and distinct. You never wanted to miss a word he said, because later you’ll understand what he meant.”

- Nora Irvin, senior English and photocommunications

“Dr. Becker was so insightful and made every lesson super enjoyable. He always suggested books and played music at the beginning of every lecture, usually Simon and Garfunkel. I will always remember Dr. Becker and hope to have a professor as cool and collected as he was

Continued from page 1

Humanities Professor Religious Studies

Humanities Professor German

Photo by Kristina Schenck Shirley’s stuffed dog and Schultz’s picture on Brusatti’s shelf.

major “Dr. Shirley also taught me to laugh at life. He constantly

made fun of himself, and any student he could manage too.

But never in an insulting way,

one day. I always looked forward to the days he lectured and haven’t enjoyed a class as much since.”

- Breanne Devaney, junior secondary education major

Jean McKemie 1954-2012

Natural Sciences Professor

“She embodied the characteristics of a lifelong teacher: she was a person of positive influence and character …

She was the voice of wisdom.

She had a strong knowledge of mathematics and was a expert problem-solver. She was generous, understanding, and kind.”

- Cynthia Naples, associate dean for natural sciences “She was responsible for establishing and developing

the undergraduate research program in mathematics.

She made it clear to me and others who worked with her that she was most interested in teaching undergraduate students how to do research, and not in furthering her own personal research goals...

A significant amount of effort is currently being made by the mathematics department on how best to serve the students’ needs, for both majors and non-majors.

Much of this effort comes from the commitment of the current math faculty, but it is in part fueled by Dr. McKemie’s legacy.”

- David Naples, associate professor of mathematics

Unique course for writing majors prepares students for career Jonathan Coker jcoker@stedwards.edu

Several English Writing and Rhetoric, ENGW, majors at St. Edward’s University have been accepted into top graduate programs in the country.

These students have credited their successes to supportive faculty, challenging coursework, and a passion for the subject.

Students and faculty have praised a class unique to the ENGW major, Career Preparation.

“Career Preparation course was a huge help for me. Writing a personal statement and revising an academic writing sample really helped me with my graduate school application,” said Hannah Davis, an ENGW major who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition at Texas Christian University.

Students in Career Preparation receive guidance for

life beyond the undergraduate program, whether they choose to pursue graduate school or focus on building a career.

Besides the general writing track, ENGW students have the choice to pursue a specialization in journalism, creative writing or professional writing. Various core and supporting classes lead up to a required internship fulfillment at a local or on-campus at a program.

Some graduating ENGW majors cite the versatility of the ENGW department’s curriculum and Career Preparation as a notable contribution to their success.

Davis said St. Edward’s professors were integral to her academic success.

“I think the most helpful aspect of my major has been my professors. The courses have all provided me with challenging and interesting work, but without the influence of my professors, I wouldn’t be

where I am today. I owe my success to them,” Davis said.

ENGW major, Ryan Mitchell, was recently accepted into a Masters program at Carnegie Mellon, and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Rhetoric. He found the expansiveness of the ENGW program as beneficial to his education.

Although the ENGW curriculum covered a great number of topics, from grammar to visual design, Mitchell contends that his classes never wavered from the program’s central concern: rhetoric.

“I think that the major is microcosmic of the liberal arts education in general. I have taken classes that deal with topics from computer programming, Writing Online, to editing practices, Advanced Editing. What each class has in common is a constant acknowledgement of the rhetorical situation surrounding your work,” Mitchell said.

These graduating seniors

have been affected by many of from people with experience,” the professors in the ENGW Lozano said. department.

At Dartmouth College, LoFor Mitchell, establishing a zano plans to pursue a Masclose relationship with his professors, allowed him “I think the most to better cultivate his writing. helpful aspect of my Jacob Lozono, major has been my ENGW major, professors...I owe my was recently accepted into the success to them.”

Ivy League research university, -Hannah Davis, English Writing Dartmouth Coland Rhetoric major lege. However, he said graduate school is not a valid choice for everyone. ter of Arts in Creative Writ“In order to make it in grad ing with a specialization in school, I think you have to Screenwriting. have an understanding of Instructor of English Writwhat you want out of it. It’s ing and Rhetoric, Beth Eaknot because it will make you man, has noticed a number more marketable or ulti- of notable trends within the mately make you x thousand ENGW community that more in a job. It’s because you have encourage student’s acalove doing what you do, and demic achievement. Eakman you don’t know what else to teaches a number of senior do but to learn more about it level ENGW courses includ-

ing Magazine Writing and Career Preparation, a course unique to the ENGW department.

“Career Preparation is our last chance to give students an advantage before graduation. I think the course is one of the reasons our ENGW students have been so successful. In Career Preparation, we help identify the steps needed to accomplish students’ distinct goals,” Eakman said.

Eakman contends that ENGW majors are simply a dedicated group of students, capable of finding notable success and development through the ENGW department.

“ENGW, as a major, attracts hardworking students.

No one becomes an ENGW major just to get rich or to have an easy college experience. In this way, the major self-selects dedicated and talented students,” Eakman said.

NEWS 3

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS

Brother remembered for dedication to school, students, peers Adam Crawley dcrawle@stedwards.edu

Brother Edwin C. Reggio Jr., C.S.C. died April 24 from a brain infection at Dujarie House in South Bend, Ind. Reggio served as St. Edward’s University’s Events Coordinator from 1991-99.

He was also the religious superior of the St. Joseph Hall community of brothers from 1997-03, and served as the Auxiliary Services Coordinator from 1999-13.

His brothers praised his desire to help others and his handiness around campus.

“Brother Edwin was a highly active man, always willing to help anyone with a project, big or small,” Brother Howard Metz, C.S.C. said.

Reggio was known for his logistical abilities, which allowed him to excel in his many campus roles.

"He was very organized, and if you asked him to do something, he would do it.

He would do it well and it would be organized and it would be on time. To him, he wasn’t a backslapper. He was loyal and hardworking and appreciative if you helped him. You always knew that if you gave him a job it would

be done well," Brother Larry perform to the best of their Atkinson, assistant director ability, and encouraged them of Campus Ministry, said. every step of the way.

Reggio joined the brother"He would demand a lot hood in 1951. He made his from his students in the sense perpetual profession of vows of teaching or the band, but on the University of Notre he was very complimentary ...

Dame campus on Aug. 16, Never critical, never cynical," 1955.

Atkinson said. "He would alAs a brother, Reggio taught ways encourage people to do at both the high school and col“My greatest memory legiate level, teaching at St. of Edwin was to go Thomas Aquinas hiking...he thought of Aquinas School in Brooklyn, N.Y. everything. He just and St. Edward's liked going out and High School in being on the outside.”

Austin before it closed in 1967.

-Larry Atkinson, assistant director In 1984, he went of Campus Ministry to New Orleans to become the headmaster for Holy Cross School before more." returning to Austin in 1991.

In his spare time, Reggio Reggio made his mark on enjoyed hiking and woodcampus by helping to instill working. Reggio would carve the Topper card, Atkinson various images, including said.

Christ, saints, and most of"He was the one that helped ten cats. He would often give organize the new Topper these images away. Many card where we could put of his works have been dismoney on it. He was the one played in diocesan art shows. who really got that started a Reggio would often invite few years ago," Atkinson said. friends to share in his activiAs a teacher, Reggio en- ties with him, Atkinson said. couraged his students to "He would always arrange

hiking trips. He knew all of the great hiking and camping areas in Travis County and beyond. We would go to great trails that I never would have found. Atkinson said. "My greatest memory of Edwin was to go hiking with him. He would have a cooler with a cool drink ready to go.

He thought of everything.

He just liked going out and being on the outside."

Reggio would often take extra efforts to make these trips as enjoyable as possible for his companions.

“Back in the ‘90s, we used to go hiking ... Brother Edwin noticed that I did not have a walking stick. Within days, a beautiful walking stick appeared at my door,” Metz said. “Brother Edwin was a man who paid attention to detail. He had carved the head of a mountain lion into the stick and even put a rubber tip on the stick; it was sanded and varnished. I still have it today and plan to continue using it.”

Reggio leaves behind an extraordinary life of service and commitment to the Holy Cross and St. Edward's.

“His very loyal helping hand will be deeply missed

by St. Edward’s and his Holy

Courtesy of Campus Ministry Brother Reggio has been serving as a brother since 1951.

Cross Brothers,” Metz said.

There will be a memorial service on Thursday, May 2

at Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel at St. Edward's at 7 p.m.

HILLTOP VIEWS

Hilltop Views is looking for designers and photographers for the 2013-14 school year. If you know InDesign or you’re creative with a camera and want great experience and a chance to publish your work, please contact Faculty Adviser Jena Heath, jenaheath@stedwards.edu We will be announcing our meeting times and providing information about how to write for Hilltop Views when we’re back in Fall ‘13.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS 4 NEWS Police unit specializes in tracking and preventing gang activity Bridget Carter bcarter2@stedwards.edu

Bridget Carter, a senior at St. Edward’s University, was recently granted access through a student media pass to ride along in an Austin Police Department (APD) patrol car.

Carter reports on the all-night patrol.

It was just before midnight on a Thursday and Scott Arthurs and I were sitting in his patrol car across from a vacant trailer. Arthurs, who has been on the Austin police force for 18 months, offered to show me a gang-graffiti hot spot on the 800 block of Kramer Lane and Lamar Boulevard.

This was no “Keep Austin Weird” graffiti art mural — this was a territorial statement. Every inch of the trailer was tagged with gang

Bob Chamberlin/Los Angeles Times/MCT Gangs use distinct graffiti, like numbers corresponding to letters, to mark their territories.

acronyms and symbols: NSB for North Side Bloods, BGK for Blood Gangsta Killas and 973. Gangs use numbers that correspond to the letters of the alphabet.

973 corresponds to IGC, which further decrypts to Infamous Gangsta Crips or Insane Gangsta Crips. The devil’s fork — when facing

POLICE BLOTTER Incident

up is Crips and facing down is Bloods — was also present on the dilapidated trailer. An easy way to remember this symbol is that blood runs down.

“I’ll come over here every once and a while and take pictures of this graffiti and send it to the gang unit,” Arthurs said.

Location

This routine is part of Arthurs’ typical nightly patrol shift.

The APD currently has 12 detectives and two sergeants working the Gang Suppression Unit. A database is utilized to document and track gang members in Austin.

“The state of Texas mandates that you have to satisfy at least two criteria out of a list of 10 that would qualify someone to be listed in the database,” APD officer Brian Jones said. Jones has been a police officer for 16 years and was a gang unit detective for eight years.

Criteria for documenting gang members in the database include tattoos commonly affiliated with gangs, color of clothing, affiliating with a documented gang member or self-admission.

“I’ve had that happen to me

Date

Time

Resolution

April 15

1:31 p.m.

Accident

Parking Garage Mule Barn

Closed

April 15

3:37 p.m.

Theft

Dujarie Hall

Active

April 15

3:38 p.m.

Theft

Library Construction

Closed by Arrest

April 17

n/a

Fraud

Apartments

Active

April 17

10:20 a.m.

Forgery

Holy Cross Hall

Active

April 20

4:13 a.m.

DUI—Minor

Moody Drive

Closed

April 21

9:23 p.m.

Suspicious Activity

Hunt Hall

Closed

April 23

1:56 p.m.

Lost Property

Lewis-Chen Family Field

Closed

April 23

4:40 p.m.

Theft

Hunt Hall

Active

April 24

8:46 p.m.

Theft

Johnson Hall

Active

April 25

3:27 p.m.

Suspicious Activity

Baseball Field

Closed

April 25

3:46 p.m.

Noxious Odor

Casas

Closed

April 28

2:15 a.m.

Consumption by a Minor

University Circle

Closed

April 28

4:50 a.m.

Theft

Woodward Lot

Active

April 25

2:48 p.m.

Graffiti

Apartments

Closed

a lot where they will openly the snake,” Jones said. “We admit that they are affili- decimated the leadership.” ated with a gang,” Jones said.

Gang activity can be found “They’re proud. They’re not in areas with low-income thinking that they will be housing, or project-based added to a database.” rental assistance programs.

The presence of gang activ- Most notorious areas of ity in Austin contrasts with Austin with gang-affiliated the city’s reputation as a crimes are North Austin laid-back college town. Gang around Powell, Lamar and activity in Austin is that of Rundberg; and South East street gangs such as Bloods, Austin, such as Dove Springs.

Crips and Los Cholos. These Gang members tend to gangs typically commit stay in areas they are used to, crimes such as auto thefts, Jones said. robberies, assaults, home inWhen a gang leader named vasions and drug deals. Vio- Capone crept out of his comlence is not generally inflicted fort zone, the unit was able to on random civilians; it is usu- capture him, Jones said. ally between rival gangs.

Capone was the leader of “Home invasions are not the Texas Syndicate in the random,” Jones said. “Bloods early 2000s Capone was inusually know when Crips are dealing, and be“Home invasions are cause of that they not random ... Bloods know they’ve got a lot of money. usually know when Home invasions Crips are dealing ... are all about dope.” home invasions are all In 2003, 19 about dope.” members of the Texas Syndicate -APD Officer Brian Jones gang were arrested in Austin under the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Or- troduced to someone dealing ganizations, RICO, Act. This drugs on the University of act was established in the Texas campus and went to a 1970s to combat the Italian couple of college parties with Mafia problem. It serves to the dealer to supply cocaine. take down a whole organiza- The Gang Suppression Unit tion and its leader. Even if the finally arrested Capone using leader never committed the a Title III wiretap. crimes personally, he is con“Capone told us how nersidered part of the criminal vous he was at this party. He enterprise. didn’t know how to act,” Jones “Austin is headquarters for said. “He’d be talking to these the Texas Syndicate, so that college girls, and he’d be ner[RICO case] cut the head off vous.”

CORRECTIONS In the April 24 edition, the story “Photographs, interviews featured in Enduring Women exhibition” incorrectly named the Bullock Texas State History Museum as the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS

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6

LIFE & ARTS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS

First summer show at Theatre starts in June

Graduates post graduate plans vary in size, scope and location

Mitch Harris

St. Edward’s University graduates go on to a variety of things after graduation. Some have migrated to Austin to stay. Some have fellowships or jobs that take them to new places. Some will return home to their homes and families.

Hilltop Views sat down with three graduating seniors to explore their differing post graduate plans.

rharris7@stedwards.edu

Although “The Secret Garden” was written more than 100 years ago, it has grown to become a staple of Western literature for its sense of loss, mystery and whimsy.

The musical version of this classic novel will be produced by the Mary Moody Northen Theatre this summer.

The novel follows a young orphaned girl named Mary Lennox, who moved from India to England to live with relatives she has never known.

Chas Metivier/Orange County Register/MCT While there, she discovers The theater will transform into a neglected, unkempt garden. a neglected garden on her relatives’ property that she is aging Director of MMNT Jones is excited to make drawn to and vows to revi- Michelle Polgar said. her mainstage debut, but talize despite the fears of her This production also even more excited that she uncle and sickly cousin. marks the first time working does not have to deal with The script the pressures of school while itself varies doing so. slightly from “It’s going to be fun “I’m really excited for this the original in to be my first show,” Jones and exciting because the fact that said. “It’s going to be fun and there is more it’s in the summer, so exciting because it’s in the emphasis on summer, so you don’t have you don’t have to worry the adult charto worry about classes.” about classes.” acters rather Jones is also thrilled to than the chilwork with the iconic Westdren.

-Aly Jones, sophomore enberg and sees him as an “The Secret inspiration for the actors of Garden” marks the department. many firsts for “To me, it’s a really big the theater. with guest director Robert deal because he’s worked on Although the St. Edward’s Westenberg.

Broadway,” Jones said. “He’s theater department stays Westenberg is no strang- done the things that we very active over the summer er to the show. In fact, he eventually want to do.” through Summerstock Aus- played Dr. Neville Craven “The Secret Garden” is the tin’s musical productions, in the original Broadway final production of the thethis is the first time the the- production of “The Secret ater’s 40th anniversary seaater will host its own full- Garden” in 1991. son and will run June 13-30 fledged equity musical.

The show is also the first at MMNT. “The added show was to for sophomore Aly Jones.

Tickets are available at celebrate the 40th anniver- Jones plays Claire, an en- www.stedwards.edu/theatre sary of the theater,” the Man- semble member.

Mitch Harris rharris7@stedwards.edu

Aaron McLellan

conductor plant in the area.

His wife of two years, Lindsey, will continue her education at St. Edward’s as an education major for another year.

Thing they will miss most about St. Edward’sThe awesome friends he has made here.

Ashton Robison Hometown-

Texas

Arlington,

Major- Global Studies Future Plans- Robison

used his prowess and education in computer science to gain an internship with Samsung last year as a student.

McLellan did so well with the internship, he was recently promoted to a full time position with Samsung as a software engineer. After graduation, he will stay in Austin to work at their semi-

has no plans of staying still.

In fact, she recently received a Pickering Fellowship, a prestigious and competitive award given to students with a promising future in the field of foreign service.

After graduation, Robison will attend American University in Washington, D.C. starting in the fall.

Ultimately, she will go onto work with the United States Department of State representing the U.S. in a government position in a foreign

Courtesy of Travis Hallmark McLellan plans to stay in the area for his job at Samsung.

Courtesy of Ashton Robison Robison’s fellowship requires her to move to Capitol Hill.

Hometown-

Texas

Edgewood,

Major- Computer Science Future Plans- McLellan

country.

Thing they will miss most about St. Edward’sThe supportive campus community.

Claire Stone Hometown- Foster City,

California

Major- Social Work Future Plans- Like many

graduates, Stone’s long-term future plans are not exactly clear.

For the moment, Stone plans to return home to the San Francisco Bay Area in order to be closer to her family, including her triplet brother and sister, and her dog.

For the upcoming summer, Stone will work at a dental office, but eventually she would like to find a full-time job that incorporates her training and experience in social work.

Thing they will miss

most about St. Edward’sAssistant Dean of Students Connie Rey Rodriguez’s curly hair.

Courtesy of Claire Stone Stone will rejoin her family in California after graduation.

LIFE & ARTS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS

SUMMER PREVIEW “Gatsby” in theaters this May Brooke Blanton bblanto@stedwards.edu

THE GREAT GATSBY As if Baz Luhrmann's dazzling rendition of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel was not highly anticipated enough, its previous release date of Christmas 2012 was pushed back to May 10 of this year.

Nearly every American public high school student was required to read "The Great Gatsby" in English class, so the story is nothing new. But Luhrmann's fantastical cinematography and star-studded cast promises big things.

Leonardo DiCaprio from "Django Unchained," plays Jay Gatsby while Tobey Maguire of "Spider-Man," plays Nick Carraway and Carey Mulligan of "Drive," plays Daisy Buchanan. DiCaprio is a staple in many modern blockbusters and viewers can expect his performance to be akin to his role as Howard Hughes in "The Aviator."

Luhrmann, director of the colorful and over-dramatic "Romeo+Juliet" and "Moulin Rouge!," has an easily identifiable style that transforms even the most mundane stories to aesthetic masterpieces.

The trailer alone for "The Great Gatsby" is a eyeful of visual stimulation.

Summer is near and with that, more free time for our picks of films, festivals and music.

Good summer for music fans Sam Jackson sjackso8@stedwards.edu

UPCOMING ALBUMS

Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times/MCT DiCaprio stars as Jay Gatsby.

Fans of the book will surely enjoy Luhrmann's re-imagining of Fitzgerald's 1925 novel of love, parties and hope for a better life.

Festival as weird as Austin itself

7

1. Black Sabbath, “13” – Easily the most-anticipated comeback of the year, although we do not get the full package, due to original drummer Bill Ward’s departure after a contract dispute.

But the other three iron men, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and, of course, Ozzy Osbourne, have pulled together 11 new tracks with session drummer Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine, proving that no one does heavy metal better than they who brought it into being 43 years ago.

The first single “God Is

Dead?” is already out, and the album will follow on June 11.

2. Daft Punk, “Random Access Memories” – Daft Punk is probably one of the few times the French have beat us at anything.

Already reigning lords of dance music long before the EDM boom, the duo will soon return with their new album, bringing along guests like Pharrell, guitarist/producer Nile Rodgers, Julian Casablancas and many more.

The first single, a Pharrell/ Rodgers collaboration titled “Get Lucky,” is already making waves on the internet.

The duo have planned to scale back their sampling in favor of a classic rock vibe.

Look for it May 21.

3. Wu-Tang Clan, “A Better Tomorrow” – It is impossible to imagine what hiphop would have been like without the nine masters of the Wu-Tang.

Though prolific individually, they have not done an album as a unit since 2007’s "8 Diagrams."

With the 20th anniversary of their debut this year, the Wu have a new album for the occasion titled "A Better Tomorrow," scheduled for a July release.

The RZA has stated that this could be the group’s swan song, which hopefully is not true. Even if it is, though, it will be a goingout that will leave upstarts like Drake and Kendrick Lamar wondering how to follow.

Hit TV show comes to an end

Kelsey Cartwritght kcartwr@stedwards.edu

KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD FESTIVAL

Nikki Hill

The Keep Austin Weird Festival and 5K is a uniquely Austin event that is not to be missed.

According to the Keep Austin Weird Festival website, “This festival’s philosophy is go big or go home. What does this mean? This means Keep Austin Weird is one blowout party full of music, family activities and local vendors eager to reflect the creative nature of Austin.”

The festival will take place at The Long Center on June 22. It will begin at 2 p.m. and the 5K will start at 7 p.m.

There will be many bands performing, but as of now

BREAKING BAD

nhill2@stedwards.edu

Photo by Renee Cornue This year marks the 11th year of the Keep Austin Weird Festival.

they have only announced three of the acts. Those three acts are the Shiny Toy Guns, the Whigs, and Erin McCarley.

The festival organizers encourage participants to "bring your creative side, your appreciation for the great city of Austin and a desire to have fun.”

If you just want to attend

the festival, it costs $12, but if you want to register for the 5K it costs $42.50 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under.

According to the website, there is “No need to hide your kids or hide your wives (or husbands) as there are plenty of fun shenanigans for any Austinite in attendance."

Five years and four and a half seasons have all led to one gut-wrenching pinnacle in television history: part two of the fifth and final season of "Breaking Bad." The anguish fans felt after the split season will finally come to an end this summer on Aug. 11 with the season premiere.

The final eight episodes have already been filmed, and no hints have leaked thus far. It is hard to predict, especially after last year's jump-off-the-couch-worthy half-season cliffhanger. But

there is no doubt that the last season of "Breaking Bad" will be full of twists and turns, shocks and surprises, as the show wildly barrels down to the last few moments that are certain to end with none other than Walter White's, played by Bryan Cranston, demise.

If you have yet to catch

up, or to watch it at all, "Breaking Bad" seasons one through four are available on Netflix. Season five part one will be streaming by the time part two airs on AMC. "This is the end, my friend," Cranston said in a video recently posted on the AMC website. "It's a roller coaster to hell."

Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times/MCT Aaron Paul stars as a meth cook in the intense hit TV drama.

8 LIFE & ARTS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS

WEEKLY ‘FLIX FIX | Monica & David Powerful documentary examines a less than traditional marriage Brooke Blanton bblanto@stedwards.edu

For Monica and David, the subjects of the 2009 documentary “Monica & David,” marriage life doesn’t mean independence from their family.

The couple in their 30s have Down Syndrome and, despite being married, are still totally dependent on their parents physically, emotionally and financially.

Down Syndrome occurs when a person is born with an extra chromosome. One in every 691 babies in the Unit-

ed States are born with it.

“Monica & David” chronicles the happy couple’s first year of marriage and all of the normal hardships that go along with it.

Except that for Monica and David, being intellectually disabled makes everything that much more difficult.

They are not able to go anywhere alone, especially since David was diagnosed with diabetes around the time that the film was shot.

Beginning two weeks prior to their wedding day and ending at their one-year anniversary dinner, “Monica &

David” paints a beautiful picture of the pure and unconditional love that these two adults have for each other — the kind of love that you don’t see every day.

The true heroes of the story are the couple’s mothers, though. Both women had their disabled child at about 20 years old and were left alone by the fathers to raise the child.

Most parents of disabled children are overbearing in their parenting style, but these two mothers have learned the delicate balance between providing the sup-

#HilltopSnapshot Want your photo to be featured as the #HilltopSnapshot? Starting again next semester, tweet your photos to @HilltopViews using #HilltopSnapshot. This week’s theme is “Hilltoppers”.

ers Theme: Hilltopp andez Winner: Irma Fern t, Irma tweeted s HilltopSnapsho For this week’ iniature ascot holding a m m e th of o ot ph a . version of himself

port needed and letting them live their own life.

The love that the joined families have for each other is tremendous and evident in every scene of this heartwarming documentary.

Their struggle to get through day to day life is real, but the affection they display towards each other may show otherwise.

The film is directed by Monica’s cousin, Alexandra Codina, and won best documentary at both the Tribeca and South Dakota Film Festivals, along with accolades at several other festivals.

Most fascinating of all about watching this documentary is to see how very much like every other couple Monica and David are.

They cuddle on the couch while watching sports, they sometimes bicker at each other and they even do their chores together like folding laundry and making the bed.

But with all the controversies surrounding marriage today, any couple today could take a page from Monica and David’s book about how to truly love your partner with everything you have — and not to be afraid to show it.

Robert Willett/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT Monica and David are really just a typical, average couple.

[slapdash] Gone with the Wind

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS

Rolling or trolling?

Scooters are back!

Senior softball player Ally Valdez started the trend of scooter-riding on the softball team this year. Valdez’s scooter— which she painted black and dubbed ‘Batman’— gets her from point A to point B all around campus. Some of her teammates have spray painted their scooters to match their personal taste; some even have light-up wheels.

Photos by Nolan Green

“It’s more fun than walking,” Valdez said.

“Walking is boring.”

The campus seems to have caught the scooter bug. But are they safe modes of transportation? One softball player, Faith Roberts, recently wiped out on her scooter on the hill by the parking garage.

Athletes pictured: Sarah Debrow, Ally Valdez, Brianna Bozon, Faith Roberts, Lauren Brode and Marisa Bogart.

9

10 SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS

SPORTS CALENDAR

ATHLETE PROFILE

Senior Maggie Barton leaves big hooves to fill Shelby Cole scole2@stedwards.edu

Surprise, senior Maggie Barton has performed as the St. Edward’s University mascot, Topper, for the last four years. Barton was a cheerleader, but swapped to being a mascot in high school. She has been mascotting for seven years.

Shelby Cole: What is the difference between being a mascot and a cheerleader, besides flips and the mask?

MB: Mascotting is more about maintaining the character of whatever you are. Cheerleading is all about being in uniform and in position and hitting your moves. I do not have to do any of that. I can run around and do whatever I want, like sit in the crowd and mess with people.

SC: Do you get paid to mascot?

MB: I am attending the university on an athletic scholarship.

SC: Does anyone know it is you in the suit?

MB: My friends do. When I am in character, as silly as it sounds, I take it really seriously. I do not talk.

People ask me all the time who I am, and I just shrug.

I get asked a lot if I am a boy or a girl, and I just walk away. You are only going to take something as seriously as you want to, and you get out of it as much as you put in.

SC: Is it hot in that suit?

MB: Yes. I know this for a fact. Inside the mascot suit, it is 30 to 40 degrees hotter than the temperature

Courtesy of Maggie Barton Senior Digital Media Management major Maggie Barton also plays in a band, Maggie and the Sauce.

outside.

SC: Is it legal to make you dance around in that heat?

MB: I take breaks a lot.

Any mascot does. You cannot be in the suit for a good half hour and not take a drink of water.

SC: Do you wear those Camelback things?

MB: I did in high school.

The Topper suit here has this ice vest that you can wear that cools you down, but I tried it once and as soon as I started sweating, all the ice just melted and I was soaking wet.

SC: Is it hard to move around in the suit?

MB: The way the suit is designed, any way that I bend, you are not really going to see my body. Once you’re comfortable with that fact, it is really about learning how to be aware of your body in relation to your character’s body. You need to make your motions 10 times bigger, even if I am waving.

SC: How long does it take to

put that thing on?

MB: Ten minutes, probably. It is not too bad. The suit is one big thing that zips up in the back, and there is a jersey that goes on over that, feet, hands and head.

SC: What’s Topper’s sex?

MB: He is a boy. We have two characters, so Francie [Gremillion, the second mascot who graduated in December] and I wanted to make one a boy and one a girl. Athletics told us no.

SC: What’s the worst part about being Topper?

MB: Everything is great.

Honestly, the only worst part is being so hot. Also, people do not really think of it as a sport, but it really is. If I am mascotting the final two minutes of a really close basketball game, I do not want to leave and take a break, just like the players do not want to leave. It is that adrenaline, it is getting really into it,

and that is really my favorite part — mascotting to a really good, big crowd.

SC: What do you do if the crowd is super small?

MB: Even if there is two people there, I am still there. I am still going to mascot to those two people.

SC: It sounds like a lot of work.

MB: When I came my freshman year, my coach told us we had some big shoes to fill. The mascot before us did a really good job of maintaining the character. Topper has a certain way that he walks and a certain way he stands and takes pictures with people. There is certain routine moves that he will do for good things and ... for bad things. It is really cool. That element of mascotting is something that a lot of people do not see.

SC: Has it helped you stay in shape?

MB: Yeah. I played very competitive basketball up until college, and I actually almost thought about playing here, but I decided to mascot instead.

SC: Why? MB: I have played basketball since I was in second grade. I mascotted and played basketball in high school because I was able to. In college, I would not have been able to do that.

It would have been two really different college experiences. I had been living one life for so long that I decided to try something else. I do not regret it. I have had a lot of fun.

SC: What else do you do

for fun?

MB: I shuffle. It is really fun because once I was able to do it as Maggie Barton, I could do it as Topper. It is a groove. It is all about what you are feeling.

SC: What, actually, is it?

MB: It is a style of dancing that is really heavy on feet glides, just kind of moving around with a big focus on tricking people in the direction that you are going.

SC: Is it hard for Topper to shuffle in those feet?

MB: I started wearing Converse. I can slide those shoes because they are thin enough into Topper’s feet, so it gives me a lot more traction so I can jump around and do a lot more stuff without my feet clanking around. Topper shuffles a little bit differently than I do because my range of leg motion is limited, so there is some moves I can do as me that I cannot do as Topper.

SC: Besides shuffling, being Topper and being in school, what else do you do?

MB: I am in a band called Maggie and the Sauce.

Shameless plug.

SC: How often do you guys perform?

MB: It’s hard because Chase, Joe and I are all in school here at St. Edward’s.

We are all very busy. We played two shows during SouthBy, which was awesome. We play ... at least once or twice a month. ... I longboard, that is another hobby. I tell a lot of jokes.

I troll on the Internet all the time.

BASEBALL Fri. 5/03 | 1:30 p.m. vs Texas A&M International Fri. 5/03 | 4:30 p.m. vs Texas A&M International Sat. 5/04 | 1 p.m. vs Texas A&M International

WOMEN’S GOLF 05/07 (All-Day) NCAA Super Regional Grand Junction, Colo.

MEN’S GOLF Mon. - Wed. 5/6-5/8 (All-Day) NCAA Super Regional Tacoma, Wash.

SOFTBALL Thurs. - Sat. 5/2-5/4 Heartland Conference Tournament TBA

SPORTS11

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS

Athletics program has strong showing during conference play A summary of all the Hilltoppers spring tournament play.

came this past weekend to St. Mary’s University.

The Lady Hilltoppers play their first tournament game on May 2.

Baseball

Men’s Golf

Nolan Green ngreen2@stedwards.edu

The Hilltoppers have one more series on the field as they face off against Texas A&M International this upcoming weekend. Coming off of a four game winning streak and a sweep of Panhandle State, the team looks to finish off the season strong.

Last series agains the Dustdevils ended well for the Toppers, taking all three games.

If the Hilltoppers repeat and sweep, they’ll end the season with a solid 36-14, sitting in second place going into the Heartland Confer-

Hilltop Views Archive Livas was selected to the All-Heartland Conference team.

ence Tournament.

Softball

With an in-conference record of 12-3 and ranked sec-

ond, the softball team is looking towards the Heartland Conference Tournament with high hopes. Two of the team’s three conference losses

The men’s golf team finished in third place at the Heartland Conference tournament in Dallas on April 22-23. The Hilltoppers finished seven strokes behind second place Newman and 12 strokes behind Heartland Conference champions Dallas Baptist.

Junior Enrique Livas finished fourth in the individual results, after shooting a 77 on the final day, dropping a spot to Dallas Baptist’s Jeffery Juillerat. His fourth place finish secured him a place on

the All-Heartland Conference Team.

The men enter the NCAA Super Regional seeded sixth in the South Central Region.

Play begins May 6 through May 8 at The Home Course, DuPont, Washington.

Women’s Golf

The women continued their dominance on the course as all five players landed in the top 15 individual scores.

Strong play by Melisa Gonzalez. After the first day, she was tied for first with Dallas Baptist junior Mercedes Rios, who took the individual championship.

After a close first day of play that left the Lady Hilltoppers only two strokes out of first place. A lackluster second day

allowed Dallas Baptist to pull ahead, finishing 15 strokes up after the final day of play.

The Lady Hilltoppers travel to Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction, Colorado as the top seeded team in the West Region. Play starts May 5 and wraps up on May 7. Ranked second nationally, the Hilltoppers look to challenge perennial champions, Nova Southeastern.

Men’sTennis

Impressive play on the court led the men to a win over St. Mary’s and their seventh Heartland Conference Championship in eight years.

A first round loss in the NCAA Super Regional to Cameron quickly halted the men’s tournament run.

Foundational fitness program founder to get masters degree Shelby Cole scole2@stedwards.edu

Lead Group Fitness instructor Alice Adams helped turn the St. Edward’s University Group XTreme, or GroupX, program around during her time at the university. Adams is leaving St. Edward’s to pursue a master’s in sports management at Ohio State University. Director of Campus Recreation Andy Lemons is currently working on a plan to fill Adams’ position. During her time at Ohio State, Adams will be teaching classes.

“I’ll be doing kind of what I do at St. Edward’s but on a huge scale,” Adams said.

Being in charge of a fitness program was never part of Adams’ original master plan, though. Adams knew that she loved psychology, but never knew that she would someday be in charge of a

program like GroupX. AdLemons believes that ams has grown in her time GroupX has thrived not only at St. Edward’s through her position as a leader “Alice has really in the program. exemplified what it Lemons gave Adams a posimeans to lead with tion as a Zumba enthusiasm, creativity instructor two and a healthy disregard years ago. At that time, Adams had for the impossible” no expectations -Director of Campus Recreation, for a career in fitAndy Lemons ness.

“I have always been an avid dancer, but I feel because of Adams’ leaderlike I just tripped and fell into ship, but because of the comthe fitness world,” Adams munity that the programs said. “If it was not for Andy, have fostered. Members of I would never have known GroupX have participated in that I could keep working in things like fun runs such as Campus Recreation as a ca- The Color Run, The Electric reer. I am forever grateful for Run and TOUGH MUDall of the support, encourage- DER; through outreach ment and development op- events like Marathon Kids; portunities he has given me. and other special events, like And lunches. I’m really going Cinco-de-Zumbathon last to miss our lunches.” year, Bikini Boot Camp for

the past two years.

“Alice has really exemplified what it means to lead with enthusiasm, creativity and that healthy disregard for the impossible we all like to talk about,” Lemons said. “There are not a lot of people in the university recreation field who can say they cultivated and created an entire group fitness program, and Alice will always have that experience.”

GroupX will not dissolve once Adams becomes a Buckeye, though. Participation rates and diversity of programs have grown dramatically in the past two years.

“Especially with the renovations being done to the alumni gym, the GroupX program will only get bigger and better,” Adams said.

“Even looking back now, I am amazed that we were able to successfully run packed Zumba classes in a gym with

Courtesy of Alice Adams Adams helped transform the university’s GroupX program.

no AC and, in the very beginning, [with] an old school boombox.”

New GroupX leaders Sarah Dawson and Emily Hanagriff have helped keep the program’s growth stable and consistent through the year, giving Adams the chance to take a breather and delegate

tasks to the new leaders.

“No matter what she does, where she works or who she becomes, in my mind Alice is the person who created one of the premier hallmark programs of the St. Edward’s Campus Recreation program for students to enjoy years after she is gone,” Lemons said.

12

VIEWPOINTS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS

Student organization makes valuable contributions

In living our day-to-day lives on campus, it is often easy to look past the good at St. Edward’s and focus on the bad. At Hilltop Views, we often take a critical stance on campus events.

While it may seem like nothing ever changes on the Hilltop, a look around campus proves that is not the case. One student organization in particular works hard to make positive changes in our community: Students for Sustainability, or SFS. SFS has made noticeable progress and become more visible this school year. This group has worked toward raising awareness about environmental sustainability,

both among the student body and the greater community.

We at Hilltop Views commend SFS for its progress and commitment to St. Edward’s University.

Most recently, SFS played a key role in Earth Week events, which took place between April 16 and April 23, both on and off campus. Few walked away from the Ragsdale lawn last week without a bright yellow SFS reusable grocery bag. To put together such a successful Earth Week, SFS worked with other campus offices and groups, including Facilities, Bon Appetit, Wild Basin and Campus Ministry.

SFS has a history of work-

ing with non-student groups, worked with Bon Appetit. and successful cooperation Furthermore, SFS also is one of the key things that works with other student orsets the organization apart. ganizations to reach a broader St. Edward’s has adopted more sustainability “SFS gives students initiatives in rewhat they need to cent years, and it is important to truly take on their remember that worlds from and students are an environmental integral part of making our camstandpoint.” pus sustainable.

Beginning this semester, compost bins in both Ragsdale audience. Last semester, SFS and Hunt dining halls allow teamed up with St. Edward’s diners to compost food waste. Student Government AsThis change was made pos- sociation, SGA, to work on sible because SFS members the Green Initiative, intended

to start a green fund for students to use for sustainability projects. Considering SGA’s commitment to connecting students and the administration, work between SFS and SGA is invaluable in executing change.

Another notable accomplishment of SFS is the campus garden, located behind Teresa Hall. In the past three years, the garden has grown from a plot of dirt and trash to a thriving source of produce where students and others volunteer their time. The garden’s growth would not have been possible without SFS’s commitment to progress.

Conservation of natural re-

sources should be a priority, whether it is at personal or a global level.

By emphasizing what students can do at the local level, such as maintaining a sustainable garden, SFS gives students what they need to truly take on their worlds from an environmental standpoint.

SFS is one of the most visible groups on campus, allowing all interested students to get involved with sustainability at the campus level.

By educating the community and making changes on campus, SFS prepares students to make the world more stustainable when they graduate.

Media ought to consider reporting standards in wake of tragedy Michael Darling mdarlin@stedwards.edu

The recent bombings at the Boston Marathon certainly left a mess of confusion for the media to understand and sort out. While all of the media reports that came out in the aftermath of the bombings proved to be completely false, some media outlets saved face more effectively than others.

“We should judge breaking news like baseball,” meaning that we “should expect some misses,” John Dickerson of Slate Magazine claims.

Some St. Edward’s students are sympathetic to Dickerson’s view, expressing the difficulty of accurate reporting during a time of national crisis initiated by such a horrifying event.

“It’s hard to know who is getting the facts correct when everyone is constantly checking their news feeds for more

Matt Stone/MCT Nicholas Yanni, a victom of the Boston Marathon bombings.

details. The public demands, the media supplies,” said Leigh Anne Winger, senior

English Literature major.

Even taking into account this inherent difficulty, out-

lets from every strata of media, from extreme left-leaning to extreme right-leaning, are guilty of playing baseball very poorly, in terms of the truly exemplary analogy parroted above. That said, the conservative media made the most overt and serious missteps in reporting on the bombings in the hours and days before the facts of the tragedy began to cohere.

Not long after the twin blasts rocked the city of Boston, The New York Post announced that a suspect in the investigation of the bombings was a “Saudi Arabian national,” which incited many other right-leaning media outlets to take up the cause of groundlessly slandering the name of Saudi student Rahman Ali Alharbi, accusing him of being a radical terrorist.

Federal officials finally convinced the conservative media that Alharbi was indeed neither a terrorist nor a

suspect in the bombings. Officials additionally confirmed that Alharbi was not being deported. As a result, sites like GlennBeck.com, TheBlaze.com, FoxNewsInsider. com, and popular conservative blogger Jim Hoft’s site, TheGatewayPundit.com, began withdrawing their outrageous articles.

While more left-leaning media outlets, such as CNN and NBC, did circulate false reports on the Boston bombing, reporters responsible for the false claims from both networks owned up to the flawed reporting on air. Thus, avoiding the egregious error made by the conservative media of pouncing on the first bias-consistent headline that popped up online immediately after the bombings.

These news sources militantly and embarrassingly, supported unfounded claims until they were proven false by federal officials.

Diametrically opposed to the sensationalism of the initial reporting on the bombings, the U.S. government’s response deserves commendation.

“The government kept a pretty level head and tried to control the situation (and the media) as best they could,” said Winger.

To be fair, accurate reporting in the wake of a tragedy is both a rare phenomenon and, as Winger states, a difficult goal to achieve. However, the conservative media’s response to the bombings highlights the sensationalism typical of conservative reporting, and was deleterious to the credibility of many outlets and individuals.

Media outlets, particularly those with right leaning sentiments, should, in the future, follow the government’s example on handling crisis situations by reporting the facts.

VIEWPOINTS 13

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS

Gun control should be determined by mindful senate not NRA Jacob Sanchez jsanchen@stedwards.edu

A few weeks ago, the United States Senate finally started to work on a gun control bill.

One key component of this bill was an amendment that would require a background check for every individual that would buy a gun — this amendment failed despite 90 percent of Americans supporting it.

The background check amendment failed to get the required 60 votes it needed.

However, it did have 54 votes, a clear majority of the senate. Most of these votes came from Democrats, but four came from Republicans including 2008 presidential candidate John McCain.

McCain stated that he voted for the amendment because

Olivier Douliery/MCT Protestors in favor of common-sense gun laws in Virginia.

he believed it was right. Perhaps, all senators should vote this way. Senators should not be slaves to groups like the National Rifle Association.

They should vote for what is

HILLTOP VIEWS

3001 S. Congress Ave.#964, Austin, TX 78704 Phone: (512) 448-8426 Fax: (512) 233-1695 hilltopviewsonline@gmail.com www.hilltopviewsonline.com Kristina Schenck Editor-in-Chief

Andrew Hatcher Design Chief

Adam Crawley Nikki Hill News Editors Chloe Kirkpatrick Jonathan Coker Viewpoints Editors Mitch Harris Brooke Blanton Life & Arts Editors Shelby Cole Nolan Green Sports Editors

Cheyenne Barton Hannah Smith Lisa Rodriguez Designers Kelsey Cartwright Staff Writer Lesli Simms Copy Chief Travis Riddle Heather Fasching Valerie Huerta Copy Editors

Cindy Mora Advertising & Business Manager Alex Bourdreaux Ad Sales Clair Daly Online Editor Matthew Nuñez Renee Cornue Photo Editors Jena Heath Faculty Adviser

Hilltop Views is a weekly student newspaper published by the School of Humanities and serving the community of St. Edward’s University. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the university, whose mission is grounded in the teachings and doctrine of the Catholic Church.

Letter Policy: Hilltop Views welcomes all letters to the editor. Letters may be edited for space, grammar and clarity. Letters will be published at our discretion. Anonymous letters will not be printed.

right for the people of their respective state and the entire country.

If it means that a senator’s rating with a group drops so be it. A rating is just a figure

that holds little value. The only thing that should matters is whether or not a senators’ constituents approve of his job.

Senator McCain also defended his 2008 opponent, President Barack Obama, when he said that the failure of the background checks amendment was a shameful day for Washington. Obama is right. The Senate should be ashamed of itself, especially those who voted against this common sense idea.

These senators have failed to do their job of protecting American citizens. These senators did not vote from their heart or conscience, they voted the way the NRA wanted, or to protect their job.

Senators should not worry about whether or not they

will win the next election, they should be worrying about the safety of every citizen in the United States.

One senator is already seeing bad side effects from voting no on the gun control bill.

Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire has seen her approval rating plummet 15 points since the vote, according to Public Policy Polling. Ayotte was the only senator from New England to vote against the bill.

About 75 percent of New Hampshire voters support background checks, Ayotte failed to do what her people wanted. New Hampshire is very upset with their Republican senator with one newspaper running a headline for an editorial saying "If you want gun control, vote Ayotte out of office."

One important aspect that is overlooked in the gun control debate is what the Second Amendment of the Constitution actually says: “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” The Second Amendment does not say anything about individuals have the right to bear arms, it is only meant for a state militia. Historically, the courts have interpreted the Second Amendment to refer to a state militia not an individual.

If Americans want to see meaningful gun control implemented, they need to vote out every single one of the senators who voted against this bill. We need senators with conscientiousness.

Netflix original program more than trend Mitch Harris rharris7@stedwards.edu

The idea of a family gathering around the television in the living room for a weekly program is dead.

We now watch shows and movies via digital video recorders, computers and streaming services.

In fact, the number of American households with television sets dropped for the first time in 20 years in 2011 according the the Nielsen Company. Television ownership fell from 98.9 percent of American households in 2010 to 96.7 in 2011.

Granted each of these households contain 2.5 televisions each according to the Nielsen Company.

Regardless, television prevalence is declining while In-

ternet use is on the rise. watched show on the site.

Internet use caught up to Netflix took note of this sucand eventually surpassed cess and released two more television use in 2010 accord- series, “Lilyhammer” and ing to Forrester Research.

“Hemlock Grove.” The comThe entertainment indus- pany has six more series set try has caught on to this to release across the next two trend and streaming services years including the muchlike Netflix and Hulu are now “The old model of making exclusive programming for having to go through their customers. a major television Their popularity network is no longer is almost overwhelming. the only way to produce Netflix prea series.” miered their first original series this past year with “House of Cards,” a po- anticipated revival season of litical drama starring Kevin “Arrested Development.”

Spacey.

Netflix was not the first to Netflix released all 13 epi- explore original series on a sodes at once and the show subscription service. Hulu quickly became the most has had an original series

since 2011. Since then, they have produced four series and have another four in the works.

The old model of having to go through a major television network is no longer the only way to produce a series.

Producing content via subscription services may soon become the norm.

HBO has been using a similar model for years and inherently their content is, on average, of a higher quality than that of the typical cable station. When the Internet became more prevalent than television, HBO put their content online. They now have more subscriptions than ever.

Books became e-books and radio broadcasts evolved into podcasts. Television will morph into online streaming.

14

SENIOR FAREWELLS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS

KRISTINA SCHENCK | Editor-in-Chief Hi readers. Thanks to you for your readership. We write for you. And I’m not lying when I say it has been a pleasure to serve this community as a student journalist for the last four years— I’ve loved every minute of it.

This includes my newfound caffeine immunity and recurring AP Stylebook nightmares. Don’t worry I still love coffee and copy editing. Life is even better when I can have both of those things at the same time.

I like to think I hit a big turning point sophomore year when I finally learned how to write for an audience, and that I couldn’t write about trees every week. Then I realized this year that I would be content if I could write about trees for the rest of my life. Either I haven’t come far at all or this is some strange full circle situation. Whatever it is that’s enough about me.

To the staff: Thanks for your commitment and for making the many late nights in the Andre Hall so much more bearable with your ridiculous wit and end-

ANDREW HATCHER | Design Chief

Photo by Matt Nuñez

less sass. I have never met a group of people who are so creative with post-it notes that I seem to find randomly all over my stuff and all over the office. I love it and will miss them and you dearly.

Jena Heath, the words ‘thank you’ simply cannot capture my gratitude for your unwavering support and guidance but for lack of a better phrase, thank you a million times over for everything you do to keep this paper running smoothly.

Friends, professors, peers and everyone else: Thank

you all for a wonderful college experience. I moved here four years ago from California never expecting that one day I would admit to everyone in print that I’m proud to be an honorary Texan.

I’m going to go back home and tell everyone about all the good times I had riding my horse to school while eating queso with a spoon.

Just kidding about the first part but not the second. Can you tell I hate good byes?

Unfortunately this is the first of many over the next few weeks. Bye for now but

Designing this paper for the past three years has been a true gift. Once a week, this staff spends a night together creating an issue in hopes of keeping our community informed. And that’s not counting all the work that happens during the week.

When you’re working in a room all night with people, whether or not you call them friends, you form a bond.

It’s this atmosphere that I thrive from. We celebrate small victories together, like food scavenging. We laugh as we witness each other lose our minds and pass out under desks. We write fake headlines that would be perfect if we were something more like The Onion. We have extensive conversations about the best food, the worst celebrities and our favorite vices. And somehow despite the distractions, we put out

12 issues a semester.

Two years ago, I was blessed to have one my best friends, Hannah Smith, come to St. Edward’s. She was my successor at our high school’s paper, so of course I made sure she was hired immediately. Anytime I called on her to do something – because I had rehearsal or a show or sometimes both – she was always there for me, putting together the puzzle pieces I’d left behind for her to figure out. I cannot thank her enough.

My biggest regret is that I could not be more creative.

There’s a limit in how freestyle you can make a newspaper, by standards that have been set for longer than I’ve been here, and by the fact that it has to be done in a week, the design happening in about 10 hours, usually one night.

Thanks Hilltop Views, for

Photo by Matt Nuñez

very rewarding. It became something more than satisfying a requirement or getting paid for me. I cared about putting together a quality publication, and getting to do that with people you enjoy hanging around with didn’t hurt.

I was able to learn a lot about writing and publishing from working here, and build a small portfolio while I was at it. Thanks to the Hilltop Views, I’ve discovered that I enjoy being a journalist.

0910 11 12 13 Four short years.

HILLTOP VIEWS

Three best friends.

Two on campus jobs.

GO

O D

E B Y One great city.

NIKKI HILL | News Editor

ADAM CRAWLEY | News Editor I can certainly say that Hilltop Views is my favorite thing I’ve ever been involved with in my time at St. Edward’s. My main interest with the organization was as fulfillment for the English Writing and Rhetoric internship requirement, but over time, I came to genuinely enjoy working at the views. When my internship was over, I accepted the offer to become the news editor with no hesitation.

Being a news editor was all at once frustrating, difficult, and stressful, but ultimately

providing me with groceries for the past three years, but more importantly thanks for the memories.

In lieu of a photo (stalk me on Facebook if you must), here’s an info graphic about my life here. Enjoy.

Courtesy of Nikki Hill

Growing up, I always wanted to be a journalist. I wanted to cover hard-hitting news, travel the world and live a glamorous lifestyle.

So when sixth grade rolled around, I applied to the junior high newspaper.

I wasn’t hired.

But that didn’t kill my dream. My freshman year of college, I took Journalism I taught by a former profes-

sional journalist. But a month in, I dropped the course, and eventually I left the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Three years later came my first semester at St. Edward’s University, along with my first Hilltop Views meeting.

Soon, I was writing a story every week. My second semester, I signed up for Jena Heath’s Journalism I. Though I didn’t know it at the time,

I was taking the class with some of my future co-workers.

And when the Life & Arts editors, including Mitch Harris, asked me to write my own food column, I also didn’t know it would lead to a position as a staff editor.

In the last two years working with Hilltop Views, I’ve learned a few things. Writing and editing can be stressful.

Working in newspapers is not a glamorous job. And I’m not sure I want to be a journalist.

But as hard as this job could be at times, it was also one of most rewarding experiences I could have hoped for. I had some good laughs and made some great friends, and I’ll never forget any of the giggly Monday nights spent in André 117.

SENIOR FAREWELLS 15

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS

MITCH HARRIS | Life & Arts Editor

SHELBY COLE | Sports Editor

One of the rules of being an editor of the Hilltop Views is that you can never mention your name or have your own picture in the paper. Now I would like to take this opportunity to mention my name and show my photo as much as possible.

Photos Courtesy Mitch Harris

Mitch Harris will now list his favorite and least favorite aspects of St. Edward’s University in a column he would like to call shout outs and shade.

Shout outs- Hilltop Views, MMNT, The Fab 14, the BGC, free T-shirts, the Ragsdale cafeteria staff, Pax

the goat, the bluebonnets on campus, the secret underground city beneath Hunt, Belgian Bombers, Transit Theatre Troupe, Team Action, Campus Ministry SBEs, New Student Orientation, and Wild Basin Nature Preserve.

Shade- That barista at the coffee shop that did not know what an Americano was, all bathrooms in Andre Hall, SGA, the nesters of Duj, that tree disease that ravaged campus, the new science building, the missing library of 2012-2013, and that sushi that gave me food poisoning once.

Mitch Harris is endlessly grateful for his time here at St. Edward’s and the Hilltop Views in particular.

Mitch Harris, Mitch Harris, Mitch Harris, Mitch Harris, Mitch Harris, Mitch Harris.

Last fall, I was invited to a Hilltop Views potluck dinner.

“Bring food,” the invitation probably said. “We’ll be sitting around making small talk over whatever cheap snack you grabbed from HE-B.” I remember texting Lesli Simms, Hilltop Views copy chief, something along the lines of, “Dude, are you going to that potluck?”

When she said “No,” I probably turned on Netflix and wasted my night while my future co-workers bonded over those disgusting cookies that taste like chalk that someone always brings to a potluck.

Little did I know that I would eventually grow to like—nay, enjoy—spending time with these people. Like, genuinely. Like, to the point that I am really sad about leaving this job.

Courtesy Lesli Simms

I have tried to build a legacy as a copy editor. Well, less of a legacy and more of one woman eternal campaign against the Oxford comma.

Also, I became advocate to victims of comma abuse.

People really abuse and misuse the comma.

Anyway, working for the newspaper has been an amazing constant in my life. Everyone on staff is royalty in my eyes.

Everyone on campus should support the Hilltop Views.

Shout out to: The staff in Ragsdale and Johnson Hall.

If you have ever gotten a text from me on a Monday night during Hilltop Views production, it probably said something like, “OMG this sucks so much.”

In reality, there is a 100 percent chance that I was sitting around with some of my favorite people, watching GIFs of dancing horses set to a chopped-and-screwed Beyoncé song. And you know what? I was anything but miserable. Working at

Hilltop Views has been a blast.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I thought this job would suck, and it didn’t suck; it ended up being lifechanging. Through this job, I learned a lot about writing, people, interviewing, friends, editing, GIFs, the Internet, Adobe programs, generating online content and, most importantly, life. thx 4 reading ~*

NOLAN GREEN | Sports Editor

LESLI SIMMS | Copy Chief The view from the third floor girl’s bathroom in Fleck. The chocolate croissants from Jo’s.

Texenza. The English literature department because we have gone unrecognized for FAR too long. The big Kit Kat bars. The bunch of awesome adjunct professors I had.

Shade upon: The thing where people pretend to be homeless in front of the bookstore. To every person who approved “Eggs on Negs.” The backless chairs in the International Lab. Premont Hall. The architecture and a majority of the residents in Teresa Hall in 200910 .

Jonathan better sing “I Was Here” at my wedding.

Courtesy Shelby Cole

Courtesy Nolan Green

SHELBY COLE TALKED ME INTO THIS JOB AND I DON'T REGRET IT AT ALL. In all seriousness, the two semesters I've spent as a sports editor for Hilltop Views have been great.

I'd like to leave by naming

a few of my favorite things that have happened over the last year:

1. Team Armageddon 2. Wednesday nights at Opal Divines 3. Andre in Andre

HEATHER FASCHING | Copy Editor I am incredibly grateful to the Hilltop Views staff for hiring me and having faith in my copy editing skills. I had fun constantly researching the rules of AP Style, which I had never worked with before. I cringed every time I had to delete a serial comma, but, alas, it had to be done. It was an invaluable learning experience as an editor.

This job was crucial in helping me secure my post-

graduate job as a technical editor at Shell, so I strongly encourage anyone who wants to go into writing, editing, or publishing to get involved with the Hilltop Views. It looks great on your résumé, and the late nights with the staff are full of laughs and Internet trolling. The only downside is that you will not have the honor of working with Shelby Cole, who is my personal queen.

Courtesy Heather Fasching

16 PHOTO ESSAY

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 • HILLTOP VIEWS

Water BaLloon Toss

On April 26, Hilltop Leadership Development attempted to break a Guinness World Record for the most participants in a water balloon toss. Though the record was not broken on the Hilltop, hundreds of students came out and joined in the event by tossing water balloons back and forth.

Photos by Matt Nunez